FALL TRENDS FOR 2010

Luxury has many faces… Indeed, what’s at the core of beauty for Autumn / Winter 2010 is the question: What is luxurious makeup? And since it’s certainly not that old pastiche of luxury-opulence-makeup, artists have turned their attention to redefining more classic signifiers of refinement. “It’s flirting with luxury on a contemporary face,” says Lyne Desnoyers.

Call it NeoLuxury… A seamlessly perfect, underplayed natural makeup (Fourply). A red lip (Redd Velvet) or black eye (Satin Eyes) that is at once flawless yet spontaneously chic. Poetically soft shadows that smack of underplayed elegance, not flash flamboyance (Voile Veil)… What’s key is a sense of individual enhancement and reality. It’s about adding an element of authenticity to even the most perfectly honed makeups. Hence the ubiquity of those subtle tweaks such as a bare lash, a thicker brow, slightly broken texture, nude lips, and skintone highlights. “If everything’s too perfect you lose the humanity and the sensuality,” explains Stephane Marais…. The fabric of the modern face is changing: time to reconsider the new age of elegance…

Trend #1: Redd Velvet
Reworking the classics, and none more so than the red lip is a major idea this season. Looking back to forever gorgeous stalwarts like the crimson mouth, giving it a contemporary edge is an art in itself, and one that Artists absorbed themselves in the challenge for. Tweaking the texture, shifting the traditional shape, amplifying or turning down the density or tone: what started off as past has been swiftly brought back into the present. It’s the ultimate perennial lip colour, but this season’s red is about taking a formal shade and wearing it in an informal manner. So while a red mouth inevitably smacks of a certain luxury and strength, its impact this time around is one of modern perfection rather than exaggeration or aggressive sexuality…“Couture. Seductive. Rockabilly. Chic. Gothic. Lady Red has so many personalities.” – Tery Barber“There’s a Charlotte Rampling-esque quality to it – strong yet elegant.” – Saly BrankaThe Kit: Lip Pencil in Cherry, Lip Pencil in Redd, Lipstick in Russian Red, Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder, Lipstick in Lady Danger, Lipstick in Good to Go, Lipstick in Charred Red, Lipstick in Media, Cremestick Liner in Velvetella, Pigment in Basic Red

Trend #2: Satin Eyes
Tweaking the tradition variants of a black eye brings it back into focus this season without going down a generically “smokey” route. The rich intensity of a black-edged eye is there, but it’s the subtle, unexpected twists that Artists have given it that keep it cool more than classic. Pull out a liner rather than flicking it up, blow out a shadow in a squarer shape and always, always, leave off the mascara. From a simply sleek ribbon of liner to a big-time satin billow of inky shadow, the black eye is back and ready to inspire…“This trend puts a little bit of theatre back in the face. Put the ’show’ back into ‘fashion show’! It’s a call back to glamour but in a very reworked way… a black eye now is about taking one simple element and tailoring it to the face and working it more playfully.” – Gordon EspinetThe Kit: Eye Kohl in Smolder, Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline, Fluidline in Blacktrack, Eye Shadow in Typographic

Trend #3: Voile Veil
Lineless, shadowy, beautifully blown and blended: The dissipated shadows that graced faces this season have a soft focus and poetic feeling that couldn’t be more seamlessly attentive. The antidote to the hard luxury and strict silhouettes on the catwalk, the mellow mood of these shadows gives a simultaneous lightness and intensity to the face. The fabric of this face is all about a chiffon-like halo of soulful shades, blurred boundaries, out-of-focus camera effects, unspecific shapes… capture the vibe of ultimate low-key luxe…“There’s no edges to this makeup.” – Georgina Graham“You can see where these shadows started, but not where they stop…it’s about blending into nothingness.” – Neil YoungThe Kit: Eye Shadow in Copperplate, Sculpting Powder in Bone Beige, Eye Shadow in Quite Spoiled, Eye Shadow in Greensmoke, Lip Conditioner, Lipstick in To Pamper, Cream Colour Base in Air Force Blue, Mineralze Eye Shadow Duo in My Dark Magic, Paint Pot in Quite Natural, Brow Set in Clear, Eye Shadow in Quarry, 227 Brush224 Brush, 217 Brush

Trend #4: Fourply
If you’re not making a statement with makeup this season, then the new way to do ‘bare’ steps in. Cue a very nuanced and rich look of texture and colour, pulling from a warmer palette of minky toffee, caramel, tea, ochre and rust that melds into, and seemingly stains, the skin. With a seamless complexion, slight contours, subtle highlights and lushly nude lips as the cornerstones of this look, Artists added a beautifully boyish air with a more masculine brow and a bare lash to give a ’90s feel of tonal neutrality: feminine with an androgynous, yet oh-so-touchable side.“It’s a very corseted look; it’s about makeup that supports the face.” – Terry Barber“Skin is the ultimate accessory. It’s not about masking everything, but rather bringing out and revealing the girls individual natural beauty.” – Lyne Desnoyers

SPRING INTO SPRING/SUMMER 2010 WITH HOT PINKS AND COOL REDS!!!

Spring/Summer 2010 make up was all or nothing across the world’s catwalks. The hot colour on lips was vermillion red or the new edgy pink. Experiment and wear it on eyes, your lips or even your hair – for a stunning look that is sure to get you noticed.

BRIGHTS

The future is bright – it’s Vermillion!!! Lips zing with all the vermillion shades of Spring as seen on the beautiful models at Prada. Parisienne make up artist Aline Schmidt says the new way to wear red is matte with a Summery orange tint. Use a thin layer of lip balm to start and add loose powder to the lips as a base before applying a rich coloured lipstick to get the matte effect. Keep the eyeshadow pale and neutral in tones of pearly champagne and add lashings of black mascara for a striking, high fashion look.

THE NEW MAKE UNDER

Nude colour schemes featured prominently on the catwalk with both celebrities and fashionistas alike donning outfits in creamy subtle colour tones. The red carpets were also awash with champagne dresses offering a high glamour look that radiates elegance and chic style, perfect to set off a glowing Summer tan.

Make up followed suit in shades of nude offering a sophisticated look for 2010. Apply a soft touch of highlighter to the brow bone, a caramel blusher to warm the complexion and a subtle shade of lip balm to nude lips. Add glamorous false lashes to give wide eyed beautiful Summer eyes. Spring’s hot hair is the “bed head” look - curled loosely with tongs and left to flow loose and natural and finished off with a spritz of hairspray.

SUPERHERO EYES

The London catwalks paid tribute to the Robert Palmer 80’s models in the “Addicted to Love” video, as hair was slicked back for a high fashion model look. The face was nude as a neutral canvas and then eyes were splashed with vermillion red eyeshadow and luminous creamy nude lips. Simply breathtaking.

TICKLED PINK

Pink - the key colour of the season didn’t just stop at cheeks, hair was streaked with subtle pink stripes and left to bounce loosely around the face for a cool Lolita look. Sculpt the face with blueish pink blusher and sweep up to the brow bone for a sculpted glamorous look.

ALL TIED UP

Hair accessories are hot this Spring. Marc at Marc Jacobs featured cute bows, and for a surreal Alice in Wonderland twist – turn the seasons hot bun look into a hair bow. And if you’re not keen on going pink – try purple, the season’s other hot eye colour. For a subtle statement try creamy mauve or lilac eyeliner as an alternative to classic black. Warm the look with a pinky beige lip colour.

So for Spring/Summer beauty - have fun and go and experiment with the beautiful new colour schemes and remember, life’s too short to blend in.

Melissa Adams

A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR 2009/2010

A Positive Beauty Outlook for Autumn/Winter 2009/2010

At a time when the economy is decidedly gloomy and the news around is negative, the fashion world is awash with positivity and splashes of optimism.
The International catwalks were brimming with beauty trends that were anything but muted as bright colour schemes featured on the beautiful models faces as they paraded down the world’s runways at this season’s Autumn/Winter 2009 / 2010 shows.

Paris - Superhuman models
Paris was flamboyant in its fashion looks with the models resembling beautiful, ethereal aliens; Alexander McQueen sent his models down the runway with clown lips and recycled Coke cans as headpieces, Givenchy favoured a sci-fi combination of hair textures from crimping to gel, and designer Manish Arora paraded models in white and orange painted eye masks and cardboard hair accessories. John Galliano’s models at Dior looked somewhat superhuman - with eyelids painted with layers of golds, silvers, blues, pinks and bronzes.
(John Galliano)

London – Multicultural influences
The London catwalks saw the comeback of colourful makeup. At Paul Costelloe and Osman Yousefzada, hot pink, violet blush and acid yellow stood out amongst the usual sea of berry tones in a stunning vision of rainbow colours.
The UK designers also opted for multi cultural influences as make up looks took inspiration from Russia and China. Fashion designer Erdem transformed models into Russian dolls with haphazard top knots and a red dolly pout, whilst designers Betty Jackson and Ashish got their inspiration from Oriental looks with pale complexions, smoky lined eyes and pillar-box red geisha girl lips.

New York – Old fashioned beauty

New York designers took faces through an exciting journey of colour and era. Diane Von Furstenberg took inspiration from the Thirties and Forties with Sepia brown toned make up shades while Donna Karan paid tribute to the flirty Fifties with DKNY flaunting black graphics paired with bubblegum pinks, designer Marc Jacobs meanwhile went 80’s style with a Siouxsie Sioux-inspired palette of gothic looks!

Tuleh, Matthew Williamson and J. Mendel went for a “Thirties Parisian” look with overtly smoky eyes and a high-octane lip palette of blood red and deepest mauve.

It’s clear to see from the catwalks of the world that Autumn/Winter 2009 fashion’s future looks bright, so grab that colourful make up palette and experiment with this Season’s looks where the skies the limit!.

Article written by Melissa Adams

Neon catwalk look by Melissa Adams

Spring / Summer BEAUTY TRENDS 2009

Spring Summer 2009 - Beauty Trends

The beauty world turned to a softer approach for spring/summer 2009, as a carefree romanticism took a hold of the season's catwalks. Hair was made flyaway, lids were left smudged and skin was kept shiny. Take a hint from the Vera Wang models, who sported sparkling rainbow-shapes of iridescent silver powder, or take the shade all over the eyes and right into the corners for a messy, lived-in look like this one seen at Giorgio Armani

Key trends for 2009 are...

SMOKY EYES

Smoky eyes were everywhere, bringing beautiful grunge to the forefront. Whether its seriously smoky black rimmed eyes or paler grey rimmed eyes this look is pure glamour. Line the eyes with a soft kohl pencil and brush a dark grey over the whole of the eyelid to recreate this look and finish off with lashings of black mascara. Try Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara to get the look and Rimmels soft kohl pencil.

WATERCOLOURS

Colour was vibrant and vivid on eyes and lips with coral and soft blue hues dominating. For vibrant eyeshadows try Mac, Bourgois and Prestige who all do beautiful shades of aquamarine. Coral and apricot lips were in abundance giving a beautiful fresh look for the Season.

CLASSIC GLAM

Easy luxe are two words that don’t normally go together but the catwalks were full of centre parted hair, lustrous waves and loose flowing “bed hair” looks.

SIXTIES SIREN

The Swinging Sixties styling was back - bigger and better, with the key to the look being that of “high shine”. Three elements were key: loadsa lashes, nude glossy lips and banana eye socket (lined with a darker shadow). Choose a soft black kohl pencil from Max Factor and a nude lipgloss from Mac.

MAN POWER

It’s a girls world but this Spring saw a masculine edge. Whether it’s short back and sides at Moschino or mascara free lashes at Betty Jackson - boys had a strong influence. Think Model Agyness Dean and style guru Alexa Chung to get the look.

NEW NUDES

Going nude is as exciting as it sounds and fashionistas caught onto this look with a vengeance this Season with a return to the natural look, especially at Missoni. Think of healthy outdoorsy skin and fresh natural colour schemes. Try Bobbi Brown’s amazing nude eyeshadows and Rimmel volume boosting lipstick in natural Honey.

GRAPHIC BROWS

Forget boy brows - if you are worth your fashion salt take a risk with elongated skinny eyebrows as seen at Designer Todd Lynn’s and Bruno Peters. Just draw a line over your natural hairs using soft eyebrow pencil to achieve the look effeortlessly. Try Max Factors eyebrow pencil in Hazel or Urban Decays brow box in Sugar.

LAND GIRLS

The look of the 1940’s working girls is the latest glamorous yet practical look to hit the runways. Margaret Howell showed a tough and elegant look as pin curls dominated with bright red lips that exuded glamour and sex appeal. Try Max Factor’s beautiful red lipstick “Intensely red” or Barbara Daly’s eyeshadow in “Onyx” to perfect the look.

HORSING AROUND

Designers take inspiration from the pony club as hair was slicked back into perfect plaits - from Luella’s catwalk shows to Temperley’s twisted hair. Practical yet stylish use John Freida Secret Agent Flawless Finishing Crème to get that sleek look down to a tee, but leave the horsey at home.

Written by Melissa Adams

Bobbi Brown Make Up Tips

Here are some hot tips from the legendary make up artist Bobbi Brown to inspire you for 2009!!

Make Up Trends - Autumn / Winter 2008

Be a Fashion Diva with Autumn/Winter 2008’s Make Up trends…

So what are the hot make up looks for Autumn / Winter 2008? How can you achieve the looks that fashionistas everywhere are clamouring for?

The International catwalks were full of deeper, more intense colours for make up looks - which are reflected in the heavier, more textured clothes that were fashionable this season.

Seasonal Trends
This season’s biggest trend is a dramatic gothic-inspired look, seen in many catwalk shows, and currently all over the high street. To compliment the black and deep shades of plum, burgundy and navy lace, silk, chiffon and leather that is so prevalent this season, make up needs to be strong and bold.

Dark eyes were all over the catwalks at the A/W 2008 shows, both graphic and smoky looks. The Smoky look is a classic, and one that appears every Autumn/Winter.
It’s a look that takes practice and our very own Make Up artist Melissa, offers tips for all you budding models on how to get a look that many people find difficult to achieve:

Mel says:

“My top tip for the smoky look is to complete the eye make-up first, then cleanse and apply the foundation once the eyes have been finished. This will ensure that the skin will appear dewy and fresh and your foundation won’t be ruined with eye-shadow ‘fallout’. Do prime the eyelid with a little foundation and powder first however to achieve a long-lasting effect.
Ensure that you build up the eye make-up by layering the product. Choose an accent colour, building up in the shape of a semi-circle, then over-lay with a dark, matte colour in order to create depth. Use the same technique below the eyes.
Use black kohl liner on the lash line and in the inner eye to make the whites of the eyes look whiter and to build up intensity.
Apply a light reflective eye shadow on the brow bone and the inner corners of the eyes for contrast"

As well as the strong smoky eye look other key trends for Autumn / Winter included:

The Fashion Lashes
False lashes were all the rage on the catwalks as Designers Dior, Miu Miu and Galliano sent the fashion pack into overdrive to find the perfect set of lashes. Supersized lashes were everywhere to offer an eye catching and dramatic look. For beautiful lashes on the High Street in an array of lengths and styles, try Mac make up who do a great range.

The Power Brow
The new strong brow is another key look, Think heavy and brushed upwards. Worn with classic flowing hair and pure make up looks this was the look at Prada, Fendi and Pucci.

Heavy Metal Nails
And on to nails – metallic nails were big on the catwalks this season, so for those in the know metallic polish is the way to go! Rich rusts, golds, and jewel colours ruled the runways of Chanel. The way to wear your nails is short and rounded to give the look maximum impact.

Matte Brights
Hot colours are big news right now, and backstage at the shows make up artists had ditched the super shiny glossy foundations and powders for a matte finish to the skin. Chic matte powders are the way to go for a flawless shine free finish. For eyes popular looks were Proenza Schoulers sapphire blue matte colours and Moschino Cheap and Chic Hot pink lips in matte hues.

All these looks are easy to achieve and practice makes perfect. So head out and experiment with this Seasons hot make up trends and be the Fashion Diva you have always wanted to be……

Written by Melissa Adams