Archive for October, 2009

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Fashion Week Make-Up Inspirations!

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

fashion-weekClothes and Make-Up go together like a horse and carriage, oh wait that’s marriage isn’t it? Well the Fashion Weeks just gone by, were definitely another sign of how fashion and make-up are so closely intertwined. Designers and make-up artists in Paris, London, New York and Milan worked together to create fabulous looks! And hopefully we can help you re-create these for yourself.

As you know we have a Fashion Stylist here just waiting for you. And she’s definitely been inspired by some of the make-up looks on the catwalks this year. In New York one of our favourite brands; NARS, created an impressive tribal look for designer Thakoon using contouring and defined eyes. Any of you studying in LA Make-Up will know how important bronzer is for creating the perfect facial shape. NARS were also in action at the Marc Jacobs show where they setup the darker side of fashion so there’s lots for you to choose from in their new Spring Collection.

MAC were one of the main sponsors of the London Fashion Week so it was no surprise to see their distinctive products up and down the catwalk. Vivienne Westwood worked with them to create a strong, tribal look with delicious plum lips all set for winter and early spring. And a surprise look from many designers was the emphasis on pink eyes! Yes that would be fuchsia and grenadine giving your winter look a soft pastel shot in the arm. Ungaro even had his models in two-tone pastel lips while NARS and Lancome created lots of light eyes during the show. Just remember when you try this at home to add on lashings of macara and strong eye-liner so you don’t look like a bunny rabbit caught in the headlights! Try the Second Skin Cheek Colour in Barely Pink by Laura Mercier on the apples of your cheek if the eyes are a step too far.

Of course if you want to go even more low-key than this, the other big look for the new season is No Make-Up At All. That’s right; spend hours getting ready just to look like you’ve nothing on at all. One of our favourite make-up bloggers Fabsugar has some photos so you can see if that rocks your boat.

Do you take inspiration from the Fashion Shows or from your friends?

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Kissable Lips

Monday, October 12th, 2009

london-3

We’ve talked about eye shadows and lashes but with that bitter wind howling round Dublin this week, it’s time to think about lips. And how we can keep them soft and kissable during the winter.

Our LA Pro Team have worked with MAC, Benefit and Stila to name a few so we definitely know our lip products. First thing Monday morning maybe all you have time for is a dab of lip-gloss but this season lipstick is coming back. Corals, brick-reds and even deep burgundy are coming at you!

Let’s start with reds, ‘cause let’s face it there’s not much sexier than a shimmering red pout.

What’s Your Skin Tone?

The majority of our clients that come to our lessons say that they can’t wear red lipstick. But what you really mean is that you’re wearing the wrong shade. Match the shade to your skin and you’re away.

At LA Make-Up we talk about Warm Skin Tones and Cool Skin Tones. A warm tone is usually when the skin is olive or darker in colour and has yellow undertones. A cool tone is when the skin is paler in colour and has pink undertones. Pop outdoors and look at the inside of your wrist to see which you are.

Which Shade of Red Lippie to Use?

Now red lipsticks have undertones too – the underlying pigment can be a blue base or an orange base. Blue is better with warmer skin tones and orange with cooler tones.

So someone with cool skin tones should try out some yummy berry reds or plum reds like the MAC Plum Dandy. And the warmer tones will look fabulous with orange-reds or brick-reds sitting on there like the Bobbi Brown Burnt Red. Follow the BB Lip System for some more advice!

And for a less dramatic look try an on-trend coral like Nars Niagra for a glow without too much action.

To Pencil or not to Pencil?

Hmm, this is a tough call. Unless you’re going for a high-definition look, you can probably leave off the pencil – especially for a more natural daytime look. Dab on the colours and repair often instead!

And if all that seems like too much work; then just stick to what we call a True Red – bright and strong like the MAC Russian Red

As a final thought, read this post on Beaut.ie to find out exactly what’s in your lipstick before you polish it on! Warning – it’s not what you’re expecting!

What do you need to know about reds?

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Clean Make-up Brushes Great Face

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

badger-hair-brushesMake-up Brushes : clean, dry, wash, brush sets, kabuki brushes, mineral make-up brush , often, blush brush.

Washing your make-up brushes might not sound that glamorous but you’d be surprised at the difference it makes! Here at LA Make-Up we know how important it is to get your look just right. So there are some industry tricks we can share with you to help you maintain a great look.

Step One: How Often ?
Well, if really depends on how often you take them out. Here at the LA Academy our make-up artists clean their brushes after every make-up application. But you might only need to wash yours once a week. If you wear foundation daily, then that brush would definitely need a weekly scrub. It might seem like a lot of hassle but ithe product sits so much better when everything is clean.

Step Two: What to Use?

You have two options here. A little bottle of baby shampoo is great – no tears for baby or brushes. Or if you’re feeling flush, splash out on a bottle of MAC Brush Cleanser.

Step Three: What to Do ?

Remember you’re washing the bristles and not the whole brush. If you wet the handle then the glue holding everything together will rot and your lovely brushes will be ruined!
Use a smallish plastic bowl, and fill it up about half-way. Then dip and swirl the makeup brushes in; using your fingers carefully to separate the bristles. This is especially important for blush brushes and foundation brushes as they can be lined with product.  Don’t forget to rinse them well. When they look and feel shiny clean, balance them on the edge of the sink or windowsill with the bristles hanging free. This allows the water to drip away and the brushes will dry naturally.

Step Four: How to Store your Makeup Brushes ?

Now after all that hard work, don’t just dump them back any oldhow into your drawer! If they live in a drawer make sure they’re flat with nothing squashing them up. And if you keep them upright in a holder check them for dust – not that we think you’d let them lie around unused for that long but you never know. Check this Beaut.ie post for more fabulous ideas! Or one of our favourite make-up artists has written it all down for you Bobbi Brown

How do you take care of your make-up brushes? Any tips to share?

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