Makeup by Kay Montano - Photographer: Miles Aldridge

Claudia Schiffer is back in a big way and sometimes it feels like it’s 1995 all over again! I’m having a moment with the supermodels right now (more on that later) and I am loving seeing those gorgeous glamazons back on billboards, red carpets and magazine covers.

Today we have a very special treat as lovely London-based makeup artist Kay Montano has kindly given me a breakdown of this month’s German Vogue cover that she recently shot with Claudia Schiffer and Miles Aldridge. Complete with this season’s must-have accessory (if the latest Chanel Haute Couture show is anything to go by) a lace net on the eyes, Claudia has the most body-slammin’ red lip I’ve seen in ages. This is courtesy of the immaculate new Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick coming out later this year (and which already has me salivating).

Here’s what Kay used to get Claudia cover-ready:

Skincare

• Jurlique Soothing Day Care Lotion

Foundation

• MyFace MyMix foundation in F2

 Concealer

• MyFace MyCover concealer in F2

Powder

• Jurlique Rose powder

Blush

• MyFace blush in Holiday

Eyes

• Chanel Prelude quad (new for Autumn/Winter)
• Chanel Sublime de Chanel mascara in Noir

Lips

• Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous lipcolour in La Fascinante (available in the UK on the 30^th September 2011).

I have dinosaur paws at the moment, with hands that feel as rough as a stone mason’s. Not the best look when you use your hands for your living! Enter some serious hand hydration by way of Jurlique Rose Hand Cream. It has Safflower Seed Oil and Macadamia Oil too soothe even the most wizened claws, and it smells like a rose garden (not a rock garden).

I love Jurlique skincare – it’s an Aussie wonder brand that grows all its own plants on farms in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, and the quality of everything I have tried from them is just beautiful. I am also using their Love Balm lip balm a lot at the moment, as it’s very hydrating with Olive Oil, Soybean Oil and yet not too shiny (so it’s also great on shoots, especially if you’re doing male grooming! Lucky I have two).

I decided yesterday whilst looking at my super dry hands, thanks to too much handwashing (OCD anyone?) that I’m just not spending enough time pampering. So if your paws are feeling more Stone Age than Betty Rubble’s, get your mitts on this.

Makeup by Kay Montano

Kay’s been in a busy lady, getting not only Thandie Newton ready for the BAFTAS last night but Amy Adams as well. I love me a bit of Amy Adams – Sunshine Cleaning was one of my favourite movies I saw last year, and anyone who can pull off being not only Amelia Earhart, but Amelia Earhart as Ben Stiller’s love interest is a true star in my book! A new mum, she looked radiant on the red carpet in a peach Elie Saab dress.

Here’s what Kay used:

Skin Prep

• Bobbi Brown Enriched Vitamin Face Base

Foundation

• Myface MyMix foundation in F1

Powder

• Jurlique Rose scented powder

Blush

• Chanel Fresque blush

Eyes

• Myface Eye pencil in Brown
• Chanel Tapue Gris eyeshadow duo
• Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink
• Chanel Inimitable mascara

Eyebrows

• Bobbi Brown Taupe eyeshadow to shape eyebrows

Lips

• Myface Lipliner in Nude
• Myface Lip Pop gloss in 136

I’m having an oil moment (that sounds wrong, doesn’t it?) But it’s true, I am – I have fallen in love with not one but THREE facial oils, so I consider it my sworn duty as a beauty blogger to tell you all about them.

The first is from my Aussie wonderbrand favourite, Aesop – really is there anything that this brand can’t do? I have yet to try a dud product from them. It’s their Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Oil. It’s great for combination, sensitive and dry skin (which would certainly be myself), and has skin-calming properties combined with anti-oxidants.

Then there is also the latest addition to the Parsley Seed family, which is their new Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser (out this month). This one is a gel cleanser (that feels like an oil), but this one is special – it EXFOLIATES whilst it cleanses. How does it do that? I hear you ask (well even if you didn’t, I’m going to tell you anyway), it combines a softly lathering gel cleanser with lactic acid to gently exfoliate and brighten the skin.

So as a pre-makeup cleanse for shoots and clients, it’s amazing as it gently stimulates blood flow, giving you the all-important GLOW. Yes, that GLOW, the one every makeup artist knows about as it’s what you strive to impart to someone’s skin before you start putting makeup on, since makeup going on a crusty, dry flakey surface just looks like ass, and makes your job much more difficult.

It probably seems pretty counter-intuitive to use oil to wash the face, but Japanese makeup artist Shu Uemura pioneered this in the late 1950’s when he realized that an oil cleanser effectively removed all traces of heavy makeup, whilst maintaining the delicate acid mantle of the skin. He created the Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil in the early 60’s, which is my second facial oil pick. I’ve had this in my kit for oooh, around 10 years now as it softens the skin and is miraculous at removing makeup. So now I have two oils to use – the Aesop for pre-makeup cleansing- for the GLOW, and Shu for afterwards for it’s makeup melting properties. (Especially when you’re on a job where the girl is wearing an extra head full of makeup, you need something with some serious grunt to take it off. I do love my Crealine but sometimes you just need the Makeup Removing Big Guns – that’s when my Shu comes into play).

And last, but by no means least, Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil. This has a different purpose – I use this sometimes on dry, dehydrated skin to perk it up and impart some serious moisture before starting the makeup. It can also be mixed into foundation to give it extra slip and shine – lovely when your skin is feeling the cold (ie the whole of the Northern hemisphere at the moment).
Jurlique is another favourite Aussie organic brand of mine, as their products are just plain yummy. This oil has biodynamic and organic Chamomile, Calendula, Marshamallow and Rose, and Rose Hip oil to give the skin elasticity.

Even in the heat of summer the skin can get dehydrated and can benefit from oils. However if your skin is very oily anyway I would advise using oils with caution – don’t discount them, but try a sample before you invest in them. Sometimes those with an oily finish to the skin actually have very dehydrated skin underneath (*cough* don’t ask me how I know that).

www.aesop.net.au

www.jurlique.com

www.shuuemura.com

Makeup by Kay Montano

Nicole Kidman looked radiant in Hong Kong yesterday, appearing at the opening of the new Omega watch store, and later at the charity gala event, “A Night with the Stars”. The gala was in conjunction with Omega in support of UNIFEM, for which she is an ambassador, and her husband, singer Keith Urban was also performing.

Wearing a gorgeous string strap dress by Nina Ricci she looked every inch the movie star. Her makeup artist, Kay Montano, was channeling 1940’s Hollywood film-noir glamour for makeup with a sheer, modern twist. Here’s what Kay used:

Base – a mixture of Chanel Base Lumiere and Myface Mymix foundation in Fair 01
Powder – Jurlique loose powder in t-zone only
Blush – Myface Paradisio Pink blush
Eyes

• Myface Midnight Hour Soulful Shades eyeshadow trio, a mixture of smoky greys and black
• Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner
• Chanel Inimitable Obscure mascara in black

Lips – Chanel Rouge Coco in Cambon mixed with Nude lip balm for a modern, soft red lip.

Makeup by Kay Montano - Photographer Lorenzo Agius

How incredible does gorgeous actress Thandie Newton look in these pictures? It’s for the Virgin Shorts film competition which Thandie will soon be judging, and the brief was to recreate the drama of 1920’s silent screen actress Theda Bara.

Celebrity photographer Lorenzo Agius was behind the camera, and top hairdresser Neil Moodie was tending to her locks. As usual Kay Montano rocked it on the makeup front, and Thandie was her usual amazing self – how many movie stars will offer you a seat whilst you’re working? I can tell you now, not many – but there’s a reason why Thandie is one of my favourite stars. Here’s what Kay used to transform her into a Cecil B. DeMille era siren.

Base – Myface Mymix foundation in Med/Dark 01

Concealer – Becca concealer in Cappucino

Powder – Jurlique Translucent powder

Blush – No blush

Eyes

• MyFace Soulful Shades Eyeshadow trio in Midnight Hour (the black shadow) as a base, creating the distinctive shape
• Chanel Eye Gloss quad in black over this, with a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream on top for extra shine (which is key to this look)
• Eye rimmed with black Guyliner eye khol
• Black Chanel Inimitable Mascara

Lips – Chanel Les Rouge Noirs Hysteria lipstick in a 1920’s bee stung shape

Makeup by Kay Montano

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere foundation in Clair 20

Concealer – Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-3

Powder – Jurlique Lavender translucent loose powder brushed through T-zone

Blush – Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pink Truffle

Eyes

• Chanel Teak pencil smudged on upper lashlines
• Bobbi Brown Black Ink gel eyeliner
• Max Factor Lash Extension Effect mascara

Lips

• Chanel Rouge Coco in Ballet Russe as a stain
• Bobbi Brown Hot Pink gloss

Makeup by Kay Montano

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere in 30

Chanel Bronze Universal used around the edges of the face, subtly across the nose and chin in the same way the sun warms the skin

Blush – Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink

Powder – Jurlique powder on T-zone

Eyes – Chanel eye liner in Teak on lash line around eyes and blended with a brush

- MyFace Blingtone single eyeshadow in Black Ice on lid

- Bobbi Brown Black gel eyeliner

Mascara – Chanel Black Exceptionnel mascara

Eyelure individual false lashes on outer corners

Lips – Bobbi Brown Blush lip liner, with MAC Lip Erase in Pale and Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Ming 76.

Kay Montano was in Madrid last weekend helping Rachel Weisz promote her new movie, Agora, and this is what she used for the premiere.

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere in Clair 20.

Concealer – Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-3

Blush – Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Pink Truffle applied with a sponge on ‘apple’ of cheek.

Powder – Jurlique powder in Rose brushed on ‘T’ zone.

Eyes – Julie Hewitt Los Angeles cream eye shadow in Rue Burgundy on top lids to create density followed by Chanel eye shadow in Amethyst which was used to blend colour softly around entire eye.

- Ecriture De Chanel in Black used to line along the root of top lashes, ticking outward slightly.

Mascara – Exceptionnel De Chanel in Smoky Noir on top & lower lashes.

Lips – Bobbi Brown lip liner in Blush with Nude Lip Balm mixed with a tiny amount of Chanel Rouge Allure in Maniac (part of the autumn/winter Les Noirs Obscurs collection).

Base – Chanel Vitalumiere foundation in 20 Clair

Powder – Jurlique Lavender Powder on T-zone

Blush – Chanel Mystery blush

Eyes – Chanel Ambre eye pencil smudged around eyes

Chanel eyeshadow in brown from the Variations quad, heavily swept into the socket line with a soft artist’s brush

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink

Chanel Exceptionnel mascara in black top and bottom,

with individual lash clusters on the outer corners of lashline

Lips – Jurlique Love Balm with MAC Lip Erase in Dim