Archive for the ‘Eyebrows’ Category

Applying eye makeup – a quick an easy guide to make your eyes look bigger and brighter

Friday, April 8th, 2011

I’m often asked for tip and tricks on how to make eyes look bigger – most brides-to-be say that they want their eyes to be the main feature of their wedding day makeup and they want to apply eye makeup and make their eyes stand out, but without looking heavy.

If you are applying your own wedding makeup and are not used to wearing eye makeup (there are a lot of ‘mascara only girls’ out there)!! , I want to give you an easy to follow, quick way that isn’t complicated and will make your eyes look stunning in your wedding day photographs.

When I meet a bride for her wedding day rehearsal, I always give her my large portfolio to look through for inspiration. The photographs in this article are from my own portfolio and is a look I created for a bridal photoshoot. So many brides ask for this look and love the eye makeup on the bride in the photograh, so I thought I would give you an easy guide on how you can create this look. Before you apply your eye makeup, it is essential that you apply a flawless foundation and always an under eye concealer, to make the area clean and to create the perfect base for your eyeshadows. Always set your base with a dusting of loose powder (don’t forget your eyelids)!

I used Daniel Sandler Cosmetics on the photo shoot, so here is an exact list of the eye products I used:

    

1) Use Eyeshadow 1 brush to apply your eyeshadows.

2) Take Opal Mineral Eyeshadow  and apply to your browbone.

3) Take Rosy Tan Polychromatic Eyeshadow  and apply to your eyelid. Apply a couple of coats – the eyeshadow brush I have recommended will make applying the eyshadow so easy – it is the perfect size.

4) Take the new Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner in shade Grey  – this eyeliner is waterproof – it’s the perfect product for a wedding day) and apply the eyeliner right next to the top and bottom lash line. Then take the Smudger Brush and gently soften the line, so it doesn’t look too hard.

5) Curl your eyelashes and apply the Baby Jet Mascara

Some ladies believe that eye makeup is complicated and sometimes panic about this part of their makeup routine – if you follow the above steps, you will be amazed at how easy it is!  The products are so easy to apply and are so sheer and pretty, you really can’t make a mistake.

What is great about this look is that it keeps the area from the lash line to brow fresh, pretty, light and ‘clean’ looking all day, but you still get the ‘wow’ factor with the eyeliner.

Find out more about these Daniel Sandler products at www.danielsandler.com

Posted in Concealer, Daniel Sandler, Eye makeup, Eyebrows, Eyelashes, Get the look, Makeup hints and tips, Mascara | No Comments »

Mother-of-the-bride makeup – my guide to the perfect look

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

After applying the makeup for 100’s of Mother-of-the-bride and Mother-of the groom’s, I know which products deliver the best results and what makeup looks best.

I am also aware of the concerns that they have when it comes to wearing makeup on this special day – they know that they need to look really special (as it is a big day for them as well as the bride), but many Mum’s maybe do not wear a lot of makeup day to day, or have worn the same look for years and it really isn’t right for the wedding day – the colours may not look good with their outfit or they may just need a new look, as what looked great 10 – 15 years ago isn’t right for them now.

So, if you are a Mum who wants some tips on how to apply your makeup, or if you are a bride who knows that your Mum is concerned about this, here is a guide to my top tips for Mother-of-the-bride/ groom makeup.

Before you start, in my experience of making up 100’s of Mums, these are the main concerns to think about/ address:

1)Most Mum’s want their skin to look younger and more dewy, without looking heavy and unnatural.
2) They want their cheekbones to look younger and more defined.
3) They do not want bright colours, they want subtle colours to enhance their features.
4) They want to look natural and sophisticated.

All of the products I recommend below will address the above concerns and help your Mum to achieve a younger, natural and sophisticated look.

FACE:
Start with a primer – use the Daniel Sandler Re-texturising Primer, it diminishes fine lines/ wrinkles and helps prevents makeup from sliding. Or, if your Mum does not have any fine lines / wrinkles, the CLARINS Beauty Flash Balm creates a great base for makeup and gives the skin a slight tightening effect.
Next is foundation – this is so important, as if you apply a heavy foundation it will make the skin look older and the look old-fashioned. I like the new Daniel Sandler Waterbase Foundation and Concealer – this is a clever new Mineral Liquid Foundation, which has a matching concealer in the lid – apply a thin layer of the foundation all over and where needed, apply the concealer (ie under the eyes) and if you want to look a little more ‘made up’, pat this down the center panel.
It is really important to only use a tiny amount of face powder to set the foundation – remember, less is more! Try the MAC Blot Powder.
 Every woman looks younger with a glow to her cheeks . There is one blush that I used on so many Mums, it suits everyone and I always get fabulous comments when I apply it - The Daniel Sandler Blusher in Shade Champagne Glimmer, apply to the apple of your cheek and blend upwards and outwards.

EYES:
 My first tip for eyes is to always define the eyebrows – it really can take years off you if you define your brows. Go lightly, and apply in tiny strokes. Try the Clinique Instant Lift for Brows which has a pencil in one end and a highlighter in the other – you can apply this highlighter just under your brow, for an instant ‘lift’.
I am now going to give you the easiest and quickest way to get natural, bigger looking eyes using makeup. Eye makeup doesn’t need to be complicated – you just need the right products! These are all Daniel Sandler Eyeshadows and Eyeliners and I have used these on so many Mum’s – they have a small amount of shimmer, but no sparkle. Follow this basic guide:
For green/ brown eyes: Opal on the brow bone, Rosy Tan on the lid, Grey Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil.
For blue eyes: Opal on the brow bone, Guilded Taupe on the lid, Brown Velvet Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil.
Then curl the lashes and use a black, waterproof mascara – try the Estee Lauder Sumptuous Waterproof Mascara.

LIPS:
Lip colour is a very personal thing – some ladies love the look of a bright colour and some ladies like a more natural tone. It really is best to try the lipstick, as colours can look different on different people. However, my 2 most popular lipstick colours for Mother-of-the-bride are Daniel Sandler Luxury Lipstick in shade Pucker this is a really natural pink shade and for a slightly richer shade, shade Loveable is also really popular.

Daniel Sandler: www.danielsandler.com
Estee Lauder: www.esteelauder.co.uk
Clinique: www.clinique.co.uk
Clarins: uk.clarins.com
M.A.C.: www.MACcosmetics.co.uk

Makeup in photographs by Sarah Brock

Posted in Anti-ageing, Blusher, Brows, Clarins, Clinique, Concealer, Daniel Sandler, Estee Lauder, Eye makeup, Eyebrows, Eyelashes, Face powder, Foundation, Lipstick/ gloss, M.A.C, Makeup, Makeup base, Makeup hints and tips, Mascara, Primer | No Comments »

Blinc eye brow mousse – for perfect brows that won’t rub off……

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Many ladies tell me that they don’t use an eyebrow colour through their brows, as in the past they have experienced products which ‘rub off’ throughout the day (being left with half a brow never looks great)! I think this is a real shame, as I really am passionate about women having good shape brows, as the brows frame your eyes.

When applying makeup for a bride on her wedding day, I will always define her eyebrows as it looks stunning in the wedding photographs.

If using pencils/ powder with a brush doesn’t appeal to you, then try blinc eye brow mousse (RRP £16.50) which was invented to to give enhancing, water-resistant and moisturising colour to your brows with anti-ageing benefits to the underlying skin.

Once applied, blinc eyebrow mousse fills in sparse areas to create the perfect brow line that cannot fade, run, or smudge, even if you sweat or wear it in harsh weather conditions (perfect for long lasting brows on your wedding day).

For face-framing brow colour that lasts all day long, use the product on clean, dry eyebrows. Using the applicator (which looks like a mascara wand) gently sweep across the browline in short strokes, adding colour to existing brow hairs and fill in sparse areas using the brush to give the appearance of brow hairs.

In my opinion, this is the perfect product for a bride who maybe hasn’t used a brow product before, or has used a heavy product in the past which resulted in unatural results. This product is easy to use, looks natural and you can add more product if you wish to.

It is available in 6 shades, there are details on all of the shades on the blinc website.

Go to www.blincuk.co.uk

Posted in Eye makeup, Eyebrows, blinc | No Comments »

Get the look – natural bridal makeup

Saturday, February 20th, 2010

This is a makeup look that I created for a bridal photo shoot a few years ago. It is a look that I am frequently asked to re-create for many brides on their wedding day as many brides like their eyes to be defined (this will look fabulous in your wedding photographs), along with dewy pretty cheeks and a soft pretty pink lip colour.

If you are applying your own wedding makeup, here are some tips as to how you can re-create this look yourself:

To achieve this wedding makeup look, follow these steps: 

1) After using a light moisturiser, apply the Daniel Sandler Re-texturising Primer (www.danielsandler.com) all over your face and using a foundation brush, apply the Daniel Sandler Super Mineral Makeup (www.danielsandler.com) in a thin, even layer to your skin. 

2) Using the Clinique Airbrush Concealer (www.clinique.com), apply a small amount under the eyes to cover any dark circles and lighten and brighten the eye area. 

3) To set your base, apply a small amount of La Prairie Translucent Powder (www.beautique.com) to your face and remember to powder your eyelids. 

4) Smile on the mirror and on the apple of your cheek, apply a small amount of the Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blusher (www.danielsandler.com) in shade Cherub. 

5) Using the Shavata Brow Perfector (www.beautique.com), apply a matte shadow to your brows to add definition and to frame your eyes. 

6) For this eye makeup look, take The Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes Kit (www.benefit.co.uk) and apply the lightest shade on your eyelid and brow done, the medium shade in the contour of your eye and use the darkest brown shade as your eyeliner. Curl your lashes and apply a few coats of black waterproof mascara. 

7) For a soft natural look to the lips, apply the CHANEL Rouge Allure Lipstick Luminous Satin Lip Colour in shade Suprise (£21) and then apply a small amout of CHANEL Levres Scintillantes Intense Radiance Lipgloss in shade Silex on top (www.boots.com)

Photography by www.rosieparsons.com, makeup by Sarah Brock

Posted in Benefit, Blusher, Chanel, Clinique, Concealer, Daniel Sandler, Eye makeup, Eyebrows, Eyelashes, Face powder, Foundation, Get the look, La Prairie, Lipstick/ gloss, Makeup, Makeup hints and tips, Mascara, Shavata | No Comments »

1920’s bridal photo shoot – create the makeup look for your wedding

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Last year I travelled down to the beautiful Combe House in Gittisham, Honiton in Devon for a bridal photo shoot with my good friend and amazing photographer Rosie Parsons. I have worked on many shoots with Rosie and her style of wedding photography is beautiful. (www.rosieparsons.com)

Our 2 models looked stunning in 1920’s style wedding dresses – Becki Simpson created stunning hairstyles, which complimented the dresses perfectly. Vicky Rowe was the stylist, from www.vintageteasets.co.uk .

When discussing the makeup look for this shoot, Rosie the photographer requested a look which would be able to be re-created by a bride on her wedding day. In the 1920’s brows were plucked to a very thin line, cheeks were painted with doll-like rouge, lots of mascara, the lips were obviously painted and the complexion was flawless.

To make this look wearable for a bride today, I made the complexion flawless and rather than obvious, bright blusher I gave the model more of a pretty bridal glow to her cheeks. I kept the eyeshadow pretty and light (with a little contour using a matte shadow) and I did line the top lashes with a fine line of liquid liner at the root of the lashes and applied false lashes. I defined the brows gently for a modern look. For the lips, I applied lipliner, pressed the lipstick on to the lips and then applied a slightly lighter tone of lipstick to the centre of the lower lip.

Products used: After using Lancome skincare to prepare the skin, to create this look I used Daniel Sandler Cosmetics – here is the list of the Daniel Sandler products that I used:

Re-texturising Face Primer, Catwalk Compact (applied with Base Brush) in shade 1, Hide It Under Eye Concealer shade 3, Camo Cover Concealer shade 2 (applied with concealer brush), Invisible Blotting Powder (applied with contour/powder brush), Mineral Matte Blushers in shades Rose Bud, Hush Pink and Natural Beauty (applied with Blusher Brush), Opal Mineral Eyeshadow (apply using Eyeshadow Brush No.1), Tornado Matte Eyeshadow (apply using Smudger Brush), Eye Delight Loose Eyeshadows in shades Ice and Pink Gold (use eyeshadow Brush 2) Eye Love it in shade Rock Chick (as a liquid eyeliner, apply with Lip Brush). After curling the lashes I used Baby Jet Mascara and applied false eyelashes by Mister Mascara. For lips, I applied the Automatic Longlasting Lipliner in Earth Red, followed by Lipshine SPF 15 in shade Cherub and then the Luxury Lipstick in shade Pucker.

To find out more about the products I used, go to:

Daniel Sandler: www.danielsandler.com

Lancome: www.lancome.co.uk

Mister Mascara: www.beautique.com 

Posted in Blusher, Daniel Sandler, Eye makeup, Eyebrows, Eyelashes, Face powder, Foundation, Get the look, Lancome, Lipstick/ gloss, Makeup, Makeup brushes, Makeup hints and tips, Mister Mascara | No Comments »

Shavata Precision Eyebrow tweezers – a must have for perfect brows!

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

 Anyone who knows me will tell you that I really do have a passion for beautiful brows!

Having beautifully shaped brows can make all the difference to your completed makeup look and brides are often amazed when they see the difference that adding a little colour to their brows can make.

Mother of the brides are even more surprised as giving definition back to their brows (a lot of women find their brows get thinner with age) can take years off their face.

Many brides have their brows waxed, some like threading – which ever way you shape your brows it is essential that you have a fabulous pair of tweezers to keep the brows looking clean and neat at home. There is a difference between cheaper and more expensive tweezers – you pay a little more to have a pair of tweezers which will not pinch/ bruise the skin (we have all done this at some point) and good quality tweezers will remove every hair (even the little short hairs).

The tweezers that are in my makeup artist’s kit and I also have a pair for my own use at home are made by the UK’s leading brow expert, Shavata. Shavata has an amazing range of brow products, but my absolute favourite product in the range is her Precision Eyebrow Tweezers (RRP £19.50).

These tweezers are hand finished and made in Switzerland. This instrument is very pointed and precise, enabling you to take out the shortest and finest of hairs.

If the Precision Eyebrow Tweezers are too fine for you, Shavata’s Slanted Eyebrow Tweezers(RRP £19.50) are also excellent -  these tweezers are also hand made in Switzerland, are great for bulk tweezing and are really good for those with poor eyesight.

To read more about Shavata, go to www.shavata.co.uk

Posted in Eyebrows, Shavata | No Comments »

Top tips for applying your own wedding day makeup

Friday, October 16th, 2009

If you do not have a budget for a bridal makeup artist or you simply enjoy applying your own makeup, here are my top tips for a flawless look on your wedding day:

When deciding on a wedding makeup look, take into account the style of your dress, how you will want to wear your hair and the colour scheme that you have chosen. If you have a fitted glamorous wedding dress, you will be able to wear more of a sophisticated smoky look, if you are wearing a more traditional dress, the English Rose look would be perfect – natural colours on the eyes and pretty soft colours in pink on the cheeks and lips. The perfect wedding lipstick for this look is the new Estee Lauder Pure Colour Gloss stick in Honey Pink, (£16 www.esteelauder.co.uk) 

Book a makeup lesson with a Professional Makeup Artist. Not only will they be able to show you how to apply your makeup perfectly, they will be able to recommend products to you. Daniel Sandler has a team of fabulous makeup artists that will travel to your home visit www.danielsandler.com.

Practise your look several times before your wedding day, so you know what products you are using and the order you need to apply them. Allocate time on your wedding day to apply your makeup. Traditionally hair is done first, then makeup. Allow 45 minutes to an hour, that way you will not have to rush and you can relax and enjoy applying your wedding day makeup. 

Beautiful wedding makeup starts with beautiful skin – as soon as you set the date for your wedding makeup, start a good skincare regime. Cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day, using top quality products – I have recently discovered an amazing skincare range called NUDE Skincare (go to www.nudeskincare.com) – their products are beautiful. A very important part of your skincare is exfoliation – Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (www.dermalogica.co.uk) is a product that you can use daily to gently exfoliate your skin and give your skin a gorgeous glow. 

For complexion perfection on your wedding day, layer products to ensure that your makeup looks flawless and lasts all day. Start with a light moisturiser and for an extra glow my top tip is to mix a small amount of Dermalogica Day Bright (www.dermalogica.co.uk) to your moisturiser. Next, apply a silicone based primer. Not only will this help your makeup stay perfect all day long, the silicone will also fill in fine lines and open pores. I recommend the Daniel Sandler Retexturizing Primer (£20, www.danielsandler.com). Follow with a foundation – Daniel Sandler’s Award Winning Super Mineral Makeup (£21 www.danielsandler.com) is beautiful.

 Use a light reflecting under eye concealer to lighten and brighten the eye area. Use Clinique Airbrush Concealer (£15, www.clinique.co.uk). After you have applied it under your eyes, my top tip is to apply a little on the brow bone, down the centre of the nose and around the lip line. Blend carefully – this will add light to these areas on the face, which will look so flattering in your wedding day photos. 

Don’t overdo the face powder! Too much powder will leave the skin looking dry and cakey. The trick is to apply a little loose powder just where you need it. Dip your powder brush in your powder, swirl the brush in the lid, tap off the excess and gently press the powder into the skin. Apply to the t-zone, a small amount under the eyes and don’t forget your eyelids as this will prevent your eyeshadow creasing during the day. La Prairie Translucent loose powder (www.beautique.com) is perfect. 

If you have a round face, a great makeup artist’s trick is to contour the face – using a bronzing powder (Guerlain make beautiful Terracotta bronzing powders), and a small angled brush, apply a small amount under the cheek bone (in the hollow part of the cheek), sweeping out towards the hairline. Then, apply a small amount around the hairline and just underneath the jaw. This will add contour to the face and your photos will look amazing!

Take a touch up kit with you on your wedding day – this should consist of your lipstick and lip gloss, cotton buds and to remove any shine on your t-zone, carry a blotting powder. Daniel Sandler has a very clever Blotting Powder – which gives a shine free, no colour finish and is suitable for all skin types. (£18, www.danielsandler.com) and don’t forget tissues for any wedding day tears!

To ensure that your bridesmaids compliment your look, buy them a matching eyeshadow (a natural colour to apply on the eyelids), blusher and lipstick, so that they all wear the same tones – you can give them these products as a small gift. They can apply their own foundation and mascara. This will make sure that you all look beautiful in your wedding photographs! 

Blusher is essential for a beautiful bridal glow – to apply your blusher correctly, smile and apply a small amount to the apple of the cheeks and blend up and out towards the hairline. I use the award winning Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush,  (£11 www.danielsandler.com)

Don’t forget your brows, they are the frame for your eyes and perfectly groomed brows will look stunning in your wedding photographs. Define them with a powder, which looks much softer than a pencil. Using fine strokes, apply the Shavata Brow Perfector (www.beautique.com) to your brows. It has 3 shades, so you can create your perfect colour. 

For a natural wedding eye makeup look, take 3 natural shades – The Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes Kit, (£21.50 www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk) has all the colours you will need. Apply the lightest colour on your eyelid and brow bone, the medium shade in the contour and the darkest shade as an eyeliner. Using eyeshadow as an eyeliner looks much softer than a pencil and finish with a few coats of black waterproof mascara. Smoky eyes are also an option for your wedding day, my top tip is to use a shimmery smoky grey eyeshadow on the eyelid and a small amount along the bottom lashes (Daniel Sandler Sheer Satin Shadow in Thunder, www.danielsandler.com) and then use a highlighter on the brow bone. Skip the eyeliner and apply black mascara – stunning! 

For kissable lips, the trick is not just what you use on your lips, but what you use around them. I always dab a highlighting product all around the outline of the lips. This makes the lips look plump and helps prevent your lipstick from bleeding. Next apply lipstick, followed by lip plumping gloss, so that if the gloss wears off, you still have colour on your lips.

(Wedding photography by www.rosieparsons.com, makeup by Sarah Brock)

Posted in Benefit, Blusher, Clinique, Concealer, Daniel Sandler, Dermalogica, Estee Lauder, Exfoliator, Eye makeup, Eyebrows, Face powder, Guerlain, La Prairie, Lipstick/ gloss, Makeup, Makeup hints and tips, Shavata | No Comments »