The Swelle Life

My Latest Shoot: Judith Frankland

 

I wanted to share a few photos from a shoot I did recently for a magazine feature I'm doing on Judith Frankland - you may know this outrageously fun designer from her column of fashion fairytales here at The Swelle Life,  Frankly Frankland.

I'm showing mostly head shots as the issue isn't out until fall and I have to keep the full-lengths for the spread. I really love the hair. It was done by Joanne Lodge of Tickety Boo salon in Whitley Bay and is the perfect complement to Judith's boldy feminine and vivid designs.

And big thanks to my lovely model Sophie who nailed it in all her 5'11" glory!

 
 

 

Photos © Denise Grayson at The Swelle Life
Clothes and styling by Judith Frankland
Hair by Joanne Lodge at Tickety Boo
Model: Sophie
Makeup by Denise Grayson

Interview with Trine Marie Skauen: Making Up the Male Model

Last year I interviewed the fantastically talented makeup artist and art director Trine Marie Skauen (read it here). We saw her candy-spackled eyes, fresh glossy looks and avant-garde creations - but what about the men? Making the male models camera-ready is a bit more of a mystery, and one that you likely won't mind me exploring further!

The Norwegian all-round creative works in tandem with her fashion photograher fiance Marco DiFilippo, and together they travel the world creating extraodinary and beautiful images for magazines, advertising campaigns, video and an array of projects. (I think we've found two nominees for the 'coolest life' award.)

Here Trine answers some questions and gives up a glimpse into what's involved in making up and grooming male models, and what she thinks of it:

How do you approach making up men when you don't want them to look 'made up'?

I would say I work more or less in the same way when approaching ideas for men as I do  girl models. I do research and make mood boards if necessary. If the client wants him to look "natural" then it is more about the skin, making it look fresh, lips not dry, and covering acne and red spots. Then a "messy" styled hair.

Are there many opportunities to do more creative looks on men, especially when the target audience is men? Do men want to see the avant garde in their fashion magazines?

No, I don't think so, the majority of clients want "good looking" men in their campaigns. The differences are mostly if he should be slick, smooth or the urban, messy, cool guy. Like the cool Diesel / Levis guy or the slick Armani guy.

When it comes to magazines, I cannot speak for the men out there, but I believe most men probably like the cool, handsome "normal" guy; they can relate to that type. They probably read GQ, Vanity Fair etc. When it come to the more avant garde magazines like Numero Homme, which I love, the target group is more narrow.

This photo of the 'boy in the bow-tie' prompts the question 'How far do you go with the grooming for a shot where clothes are not the focal point?'

Sometimes I use foundation, creams or also oil, and we go as far as it takes us! It depends on the look. This image is from a test shoot and we just used a some normal cream, if I remember it correctly.

Ok, I'll come right out and ask - did you have to do his armpits?!

This guy actually had his armpits as you see, I did not do any cutting or shaving. We usually ask the agency to tell the models about the body hair. But the request is usually more along the lines of "don't shave for three days."

Or we shave him on set if it's a clean look. I've been lucky with the body hair until now - no clients have asked for shaving or cutting other places then the head! I sometimes have to cut the hair a little bit, but I don't really like that since I am not a hairdresser you know, I don't want to butcher the poor guy!

 
 


Reader Lauren wants to know "How receptive are the guys to having makeup done?"

When it comes to my job and putting makeup on models, they are used to it. They know they have to come to a shoot and just let us do what we want.

But I also see more and more boys using cosmetic products, they just want to look good. If they have acne or red spots they can use some foundation or concealer, some use balm on a dry lip, some use a little powder. Ok, it is not so many of them...yet. The trick is to make it look as "natural" as possible. I also like when men take care of their nails and hands.

Do you have a preference for working with guys or girls in terms of the makeup? And also the behaviour, is one generally more pleasant to work with or is it an individual thing?

The behaviour is individual, but I must say the most fun guys we work with are Brazilian, they are so easy going and fun. Overall, all the boys we have worked with were great, we've never had a problem. Some are just more stiff then others.

As for preference, it depends on the client and the model and project. I like both.

Thanks, Trine! You can learn more about Trine Marie Skauen and Marco DiFilippo's production company and view their work at their website www.tmstudio.me

 

 

All photos by Marco Di Filippo. Makeup and art direction by Trine Marie Skauen

Pretty: How to Glow Without Shine

This week, Swelle's resident makeup expert Corinne O'Brien offers advice on what to look for and what to avoid in achieving that sought-after glowing skin, thanks to a question submitted by reader Gemma:

'What is the best way to apply light diffusing concealers and other products formulated for adding glow, without looking overdone and shiny?'

C: There are many ways to bring a subtle, natural looking glow to your skin.  Start by choosing the feature you'd like to highlight. Whether it's your skin, bone structure or body, just remember that picking one feature is key when choosing to do the dewy look.  It's also important to keep placement in mind - this will ensure that you don't look overdone and shiny.

First, you can add a glow with makeup:

Use light diffusing concealers in the undereye area where it is most needed to lift and detract from dark circles. 

For blemishes and discolouration use a regular concealer as you don't want to highlight these areas.

Try a luminizing moisturizer. MAC does a great one called Strobe Cream which is a pearlized face cream that gives you a great glow underneath your makeup or on its own.  Benefit High Beam is another great product for highlighting key areas on the face such as the top of the cheekbone, down the middle of your nose, or on the browbone.  All of these areas lift the face and bring light to the areas you want to highlight.

The 'glow' look can go wrong, fast.  Even celebrities on the red carpet don't always get it right,  so my advice is to tread lightly and start with minimal product - you can always add more. 

You can see the importance of placement with this look:

Even Gywneth doesn't always get it right (and standing in front of the words 'Shine On' doesn't help!)

I recently came across a new face and body lotion called Prtty Peaushun (pronounced 'Pretty Potion' and yes, it's really spelled that way).  This product claims to not only make your skin glow but also lifts, firms and tightens the skin - who doesn't want that? It adds a subtle sheen to the skin that accentuates muscle tone and makes the skin look flawless.

Apparently, you can also drink your way to a healthy glow. A new product called Glowelle  promises to make you glow from the inside out.  This beauty drink contains dietary supplements and skin-beautifying antioxidants that work to help fight signs of ageing by nourishing the skin.  (Or you can just get 8 hours of sleep every night, eat healthy and drink lots of water!)

So there you have it! Several ways to add "glow" to your daily look without a lot of fuss and with beautiful results.

Enjoy the summer and go get your glow on!

To submit your question to be answered by Corinne in a future column, just use the 'Contact' link in the banner menu. We'd love to hear from you!

Pretty from Provençe: L'Occitane Skincare and Scents

This review is sponsored; however, the content is 100% original and reflects my personal views of the company and their products

I'd always dreamed of visiting Paris before finally taking my first unforgettable trip in 2008. Before then, whenever I wanted to feel close to France I would buy something from L'Occitane. A simple bar of their lovely lavender soap would bring a bit of that beautiful calm I'd always associated with the French countryside.

I was thrilled to discover that behind the Provençal charm of the boutique and its products is a history of traditional technniques used to procure high quality, natural ingredients. L'Occitane founder Olivier Baussan took inspiration from his childhood in Provençe and began his business in well-being by producing pure Rosemary essential oil, using an old steam distiller. The villagers loved it and L'Occitane was born.

These traditions are alive and well today, and make their sensitive skincare products especially effective for the most sensitive of skins. Shea and organic cotton-based, the range is  free of perfumes, colourants, alcohol or preservatives to minimise the risk of allergic reaction. In fact, L'Occitane is known for its shea, they've been producing shea butter products for 20 years. Its protective properties are very nourishing for skin and hair and there is also a regenerative quality to the rich butter of this wonderful African nut.

Enhancing the Provençal experience is L'Occitane's delicious selection of Eau de Toilette fragrances. I am absolutely in love with their Cherry Blossom scent. It's like spring in a bottle and its fresh and delicate sweetness is instantly uplifting and perfect for daily wear. I hadn't used a perfume in years but this scent changed my mind about wearing a fragrance, instantly. Très joli!

Pretty: Natural Beauty and Sweet Treats at Melvita

This post is sponsored; however, the content is 100% original and reflects my personal views of the company and their products

The only thing I knew about Melvita before visiting their website to review it is that they are a skincare company.  I've become a bit cynical when it comes to beauty products due to the unrealistic promises and the marketers' relentless pounding of the message that youth equals beauty and we need to get it at any cost. That's one side of the cosmetics of the industry and I was hoping to see the other. And I did.

I was happy to find that Melvita is all about organic skincare products and that they are not a bandwagon company using empty eco-catch phrases to sell products. The company was founded in 1983 by French biologist and beekeeper Bernard Chevilliat who has shown a remarkable commitment to delivering high quality, natural skincare. Each product is created to exceed the high standards set by ECOCERT France, the independent state-approved certifying body of organic beauty product manufacturers, and this applies to ingredients, raw materials, production and packaging.

Now the fun stuff! One of my most favourite beauty products are floral waters. They're like a treat for the face - they smell fantastic and are refreshing, and they wake up tired skin. Melvita’s organic-certified floral waters are distilled from fresh or dried plants and flowers that help retain the healing benefits and aromatic qualities of the ingredients. Try giving your clothes a little fragrant mist as well. I'm partial to rose or lavender scents and Melvita offers those as well as orange blossom, chamomile, witch hazel and cornflower.

And it's only natural that a beekeeper would give us some great beehive products - not for your face, to eat! Even better, I say. The organic range of honeys and sweets were amongst the first Melvita products and offer many nutritional benefits  of propolis, royal jelly, and pollen. I'd really like to try the Honey and Berries Candies and the honeys from Pyrenees and Ardèche, France. And the honey with lavender flowers, organically certified of course. I could go on. I love honey.

'Pretty' from Paris: Caudalie Eau de Beauté

Usually we don't like getting stuff sprayed in our faces - frightened skunks, a 2L bottle of Coke that had been shaken (that happened to me, almost all two litres torpedoed right in the face) but there is one desirable exception - a refreshing, aromatic elixir.

My favourite of these beautifying sprays is Caudalie's Eau de Beauté which I first tried in Paris two years ago. Inspired by the "elixir of youth" used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, it promises to smooth, tighten pores and give a burst of radiance to the complexion. Honestly, I never worry about the promises, I go by whether or not I'm prompted to use it every day as opposed to abandoning it in the cabinet. It's a must after washing my face in the morning - it's refreshing and does make you feel a bit brighter. (Oddly, one website that sells it said it's 'perfect for smokers'. Yes, its smell is very pleasant but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to spray it in your mouth.)

One very important detail the manufacturers of such products must keep in mind: design a nozzle that sprays a fine, gentle mist (Caudalié's is lovely). I had one otherwise decent hydrosol that was let down by a release that was way too strong and it was like getting slapped in the face with a wet towel. A beauty product should not elicit a retaliatory response. Don't cut corners on the production, the application is as important of the quality of the product!

(Not so) 'Pretty': Theories on the Celeb 'Powder Face'

Trendstoppers: Ashley Judd, Nicole Kidman and Uma Thurman

Bad makeup...why does seeing it on others make us feel kinda good inside?  There are a ton of pictures out there of celebrities with no makeup, bad makeup and makeup flubs and we just eat it up!  This week we're addressing the recent phenomenon of celebrities showing up on the red carpet with chalky white powder all over their faces.  Why does this keep happening, and if it's happening to them - having had a professional makeup artist to blame - how can we ensure that it won't happen to us?

While I can't tell you the exact cause for this makeup mishap, I do have some theories from personal experience.  Yes, this has happened to me, but I have been lucky enough to catch it in the chair and thankfully have had no one walk the red carpet looking a hot mess!  I have heard many speculations as to why this could be, blaming it on everything from a bad makeup artist to a drug problem!

My career in television has really taught me a lot, particularly doing makeup on athletes and ex-players - needless to say boys sweat a lot!  I'll be doing a makeup, the guy is sweaty (sounds fun, I know!), I prep his skin, do his makeup, blend it all and when I'm finished, I notice this white powder resurfacing all over the place.  What I've figured out is that if you perspire, the powder resurfaces and when the skin dries, the powder sits on top of the skin.  It's really unfortunate as it looks terrible if it goes unnoticed, but is easily re-blended back into the skin.

Another idea is that the new HD microfine powders are so light that they are not getting blended properly into the skin and their light diffusing properties may be reflecting off the flash of the camera. 

Lastly, SPF could be the culprit.  You should never wear SPF with flash photography as it reflects light causing your makeup to look white in pictures.  This could include foundations and powders that have SPF in them.

Whatever the reason, it sure makes us feel better that makeup can be tricky and even the pros don't always get it right! 

- Corinne O'Brien

In two weeks our resident makeup expert Corinne O'Brien returns to answer your beauty and makeup questions. If you would like to submit yours to be answered in a future column just use the Contact link in the menu in the banner!

Pretty: Making Up Dark Complexions, Fuss-Free

This week's question comes courtesy of my beautiful friend Dele who was born in Nigeria and has a gorgeously dark, even complexion. (I can't not mention that she is completely and naturally wrinkle-free at 47 years old!) She doesn't like to wear layers of makeup on her face and so is asking how she can make herself up for a night-time look by forgoing the foundation and powder, yet still look polished.

As Dele is a local friend of mine here in England and Corinne, our resident makeup expert, is in Canada, I took the opportunity to make up Dele myself. It was a spontaneous thing, we were on a girls' spa weekend and this was before I had the benefit of Corinne's advice or a full kit.  So I went with my instincts and applied a bit of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (a personal favourite for refreshing my look) gave her some  rich berry colour on her amazing lips and eyes, a bit of mascara on her upper lashes, and in lieu of proper blush for her complexion I used a light pink I had which gave her cheeks an irridescent glow. She's wearing no concealer, foundation or powder on her face - we should all be so lucky to get away with this and look so great!

As it turns out, Corinne's recommendation closely matched what I did (phew!).

Here she offers alternatives to a fully made up face with dark complexions in mind, though anyone can benefit from her tips and techniques:

The darker the skin, the easier it is to skip wearing foundation and powder.  If you have blemishes, consider spot concealing, covering only what's required.  Black skin tends to be oilier and therefore looks more hydrated and younger (sorry to my lighter skinned friends), thus the need to add foundations, etc. to help the skin look better isn't required.

Play up your skin's natural beauty by enhancing its sheen with products formulated to add a sublte glow. If you are looking for more coverage, consider a mineral base.  I happen to love Jane Iredale's pressed mineral base.  They have a wide range of colours for every skin tone.  This product is a concealer, base and sun screen all in one, so you'll get the look of coverage without the layers.  With an SPF of 20, you also cut out that layering step and the finished result is beautiful, glowing, flawless skin.

Blot papers are a great option to keep oily skin at bay.  Keep them with you and blot as required, focusing on your t-zone.  This will keep skin looking healthy and fresh and give you a polished look without makeup.

Lastly, choose your focus. Find your favourite feature and play it up!  This is a good way to bring the focus to your lips or your eyes.  If you love your lips, choose a bright red or fuchsia and go with it!  If colour isn't your thing, bring the focus to your eyes by highlighting them with shimmery shadows.

A good rule of thumb is always 'less is more',  so no matter which option you choose, be sure that your face is balanced, you never want to overdo it!

To submit your question to be answered in a future post just use the Contact link in the banner menu - we love questions!

Pretty: Eve Lom

About five years ago I read an article in the Guardian's Weekender magazine that forever changed the way I cared for my face. Ok, five years isn't forever but the point is I'm committed! It was an interview with Eve Lom and my introduction to the Czech-born, London-based facialist whose views on skin care were radical. Radical in that they were nothing I'd heard before and made perfect sense. Cleansing the skin effectively is the key so just put those creams out of your mind. In the beauty industry, that is in indeed far out thinking! It seems every week there is a new 'scientific breakthrough' and funny enough, these 'miracle' products we have shoved in our desperate, fine-lined faces by the cosmetic companies through ads and magazine beauty features (I never read those, they are so obviously paid in one way or another) never endure. Not only do they fail to deliver on their ambitious promises, but these corporations rely on selling 'scientific innovation' to keep people buying new products. Usually at exhorbitant prices that make your credit card cry. And sometimes they even smell funny.

Eve Lom doesn't really like the idea of moisturising all that much. Wha? Her ethos is 'less is more' and she says we should only use it if we have to, only where we need it. Her approach to good skin is firmly rooted in her belief that deep cleansed, exfoliated skin is the one essential. She does offer moisturisers but a very limited line compared to others who seem to have a potion to cover every conceivable variable. But really she doesn't think you actually need them.

I've been using her cleanser for five years and I still swear by it. Vogue called it 'possibly the best cleanser in the world' and it's easy to see why. My skin had never felt cleaner - and I simply haven't had a visibly dry spot since I started using it.  It's a  blend of Egyptian chamomile, hops, clove and eucalyptus oil that you rub into dry skin. A muslin cloth comes with the cleanser and you run it under hot water then press three times on your face, then you gently rub your skin with it. Use it at night and don't bother with a separate eye makeup remover, it will do it all. (Don't do what I did and use it to annihilate a zit - I rubbed the skin right off my face and had no idea because it didn't hurt, then had to deal with a friction burn for about two weeks - DUH!) 

Lom has come under fire from some who think daily exfoliation is too much. In that interview she addressed this by explaining that if you do a chemical or acid peel - which many women do from time to time to get more youthful looking skin - you are removing layers all at once, whereas with her daily routine you are doing this very gradually. Much less brutal, isn't it? And much cheaper in the longrun.

Eve Lom cleanser is £80 for 200ml. That might seem steep but a 200ml jar - it comes in smaller sizes but that's the most economical - lasts me well over a year. So if you can fork out for a year's supply at once it will only cost around £6 a month and you never need to use a separate exfoliator. Ever! Eve does recommend you buy an extra muslin cloth pack for every 100ml as the cloths need to replaced after a few washes if you want them to do their best job.

Don't believe me? Look at Eve - she's 62 years old and radiant!

Next week our resident makeup expert Corinne O'Brien returns to answer your beauty and makeup questions. If you would like to submit yours to be answered in a future column just use the Contact link in the menu in the banner!

'Pretty' Review: Hana and CHI Shine Products for Hair

A while back I was asked by Misikko.com to review two hair products, Hana Shine Shield and CHI Silk Infusion. I'm a pretty good candidate for trialing any product that is meant to make hair more manageable and healthy looking as I've got long hair, about six inches from my waist. There's a lot of it but it's fine and can puff out if I've got even very long layers in the back, which I do right now. No one likes a bunch of pom-poms hanging from their head! I don't have the time or patience to section all of that hair so it all lies flat when I blow-dry it; I'm more the type to fire up the dryer, blow my hair all around on high speed, high heat, making a half-hearted attempt to brush it as I'm doing so. Whatever it looks llike after five minutes is what it looks like and that's how I go out of the house (at least I can't be accused of being vain!). It usually works fine but it really does bug me when the back puffs out, and I'm not going to use a straight-iron on it just to do the school run and work from home!

I was curious to see if these two products made my hair sleek enough to combat the problem, and most importantly, could they do it without weighing down my fine hair and making me look like I hadn't showered in a week? I hadn't found a product yet that delivered on this promise and I had given up buying any more. Hana Shine Shield ($29.99 for 6oz) is a thermal serum that promises lightweight, 'never greasy' conditioning that restores both hair and scalp from environmental and styling stress, with 'unparalled shine'. CHI Silk Infusion ($12.99 for 2oz) is an alcohol-free restructuring complex formulated for thermal styling and hair repair and also promises silky shine.

So, I tried them. I applied them to towel-dried clean hair and then blow-dried as I usually do. I can't tell the difference between the two products, they both give me the same results and they're good: my hair was sleeker and softer - no puffballs! - and you couldn't see the product at all, there was no greasiness even when I used it close to the roots in the front. And if I added more product I still couldn't see it, you still won't get a greasy look even if you use a generous amount, even on fine hair. As for the shine, I only colour my hair about once a year just to boost my natural colour so it's pretty shiny already after I wash and condition, but I think it does add some extra shimmer.

But the real test is whether you continue to use the product and will you miss it when it's gone? I've now been using them for months (I wanted to give a very honest and accurate review) and I don't blow-dry without them. And I will replace at least one of them when they're gone and I'm not sure which as they both do the job.

So I highly recommend either of these products. Who knew after years of wasting money that something would actually work?

Pretty: Makeup and Hair at London Fashion Week

The crowning glory of Ashley Isham's exquisitely floral show

There was so much gorgeous and interesting hair and makeup at the London Fashion Week shows I saw and I managed to get some good head shots, so here's a round-up of the beauty and styling vision of the designers in collaboration with their brilliant makeup and hair people.

(Now, I wish I had credits for the hair and makeup, they are usually listed inthe show's background brief that is placed on the seats, but I gave up my seats for a better view to take photos and forgot to grab them.  I've requested them but if I wait until I've chased them down it will be next LFW, so if you can help here please send me an email!)

Faces were fresh with pale colour and subtle definition at Aminaka Wilmont. The hair was long and self-adorned with fine, tight plaits that began in a V at the front, then intricately woven into criss-cross shapes in the back.

Bora Aksu presented a heavily shadowed upper eyelid crease with a light application of coral in the middle of the lips and a rosy cheek. The hair was pulled back and heavily teased into a nest of sorts which complemented their textural collection. Sometimes the face and hair was wrapped in black chiffon 'bandages'.

Bernard Chandran had the most adventrous makeup of the lot. The eyes were drawn in white and pale gold to create what I think is an owl-like similarity. The lips were fuchsia on top and bright coral on the bottom, a colour scheme that was reflected in his many vivid outfits.

This was Orla Kiely's second season foregoing real models for the 2D variety, this time placed on the walls, peaking through the enchanted forest she had created in the Portico Rooms at Somerset House. She used one very blonde model with big, brushed out soft waves and an equally fair face and eyebrows and very natural colour - pretty and a bit feral all at once. 

Navy lips and heavily lined and winged upper lids with sectioned, pulled back and messily plaited and twisted hair gave Felder-Felder's softer looks some edge, while it maximised the effect of their signature rock n' roll girl.

Lightly bronzed faces created a nice neutral palette for Belle Sauvage's typically edgy and energetic collections of digital print dresses - they had death metal as their soundtrack! The hair was pulled up in a complex arrangment of little plaits with sections draped across the forehead.

  
The look at Ashley Isham was just gorgeous. Lots of florals prints and flower headpieces and tulle. I love spring in an autumn collection! The makeup was soft and natural with the exception of black lips which actually worked quite well, the trick was in the matte application. The hair was pulled back into a bandless ponytail with the exception of a French-braided style topped off with a huge blue rose.

Please check back on Friday for my review and more photos of this beautiful collection!

And be sure to submit your beauty question to our resident makeup artist Corinne O'Brien, it will be answered in an upcoming installment of Pretty! Just use the Contact link in the banner menu.

Photos by Denise Grayson

Pretty: Looking Good on the Run

This week's edition of Pretty addresses the universal challenge of how to leave the house hot - or at least presentable! -  when you really can't spare the time and aren't feeling or looking so spry. We've all been there, and we'll all go there again - I anticipate it for tomorrow morning!

Our resident expert, TV makeup artist Corinne O'Brien, offers her advice and shows us what her technique looks like on her own pretty face. Thanks to Tammy for submitting the great question!

As a new mom, I barely have time for makeup before heading out the door and lack of sleep leaves me feeling like I look older than I am. Are there any tricks of the trade I can utilize to freshen up my appearance without a lot of fuss?

C I can imagine that finding the time to dedicate to yourself is difficult being a new mom, so I've given you a few tips to give you a refreshed look in five easy steps. This should only take you about five minutes to complete and will make a world of difference in how you look and feel.

• Hydrate. Use a tinted moisturizer, this will give your skin a glow with light coverage and hydration at the same time.

• Conceal. Try a luminating concealer to bring light to your face. On the lower end of the price point, I like Sally Hansen's Natural Beauty Fast Fix Concealer and on the high end YSL Touch Eclat. These products contain light diffusing properties which detract from any under eye darkness.

• Blush. Try a cream blush to keep the skin looking hydrated and youthful. Stila has a great 2-in-1 product called Convertible Colour and it can be used on your cheeks and lips. Products with more than one use are a great time saver. Try using a bright pink blush, just blend well and use it sparingly. This is a very youthful colour and instantly takes years off your face!

• Highlight. Use a light shimmery eyeshadow and apply to the brow bone, inner eye and top of the cheekbone. This will instantly make you look awake and is a trick that many makeup artists use. MAC Cosmetics, Shroom or Nylon eyeshadows are both great.

• Lastly, curl your lashes and apply mascara and lipgloss.

Let us know how this works for you!

Pretty: My Favourite Things, Lavera Sun Protection

Last Wednesday we debuted Pretty, a weekly makeup and beauty column with a biweekly appearance by TV makeup artist Corinne O'Brien. She shares tricks of the trade and answers your makeup questions. You can submit a question any time in the comments section of a Pretty post or use the Contact link in the banner menu. We love questions so ask away!

Every other week I'll be introducing other makeup artists, talking about my favourite shops and spas, or sharing my favourite products - the tried and true that I've been using for years and recommend genuinely and wholeheartedly.

Today I bring you the product that has made protecting my skin from the sun on a daily basis, year-round, not only easy but desirable. We all know we're supposed to use sunscreen of some kind no matter the time of year to prevent accumulative sun damage. This is important no matter where you live, even in England where I am! Those little bits of regular exposure can add up and leave us with prematurely sagging and lined skin. No thanks! But it can be a pain to use them every day if you don't have the right product.

The orange tube you see in my daughter's dollhouse (straight product shots are excruciatingly boring and do nothing for the beauty of this blog) is Lavera Anti-Ageing Sun Milk, SPF 15, formulated especially for the face. Why has it made my commitment to daily sun protection easy and desirable? It's down to the fact that it actually makes my skin look better when I apply it, like a primer or something. Before I found this product I resented having to wear sun protection under my makeup, mainly because the formulations of the 'good' products - the expensive ones that are SPF 30 or 60 which we're now told are unnecessarily high and just add extras ingredients to your skin - were a bit thick and sticky, and I really didn't want to add an extra layer of that to my skin. Especially when I was still living in Toronto where the summer sun is so strong and the humidity so thick that your face breaks into a sweat the second the air hits it when you open the door to go outside. Seriously, it's so gross. I just love the sweat moustache.

So yes, my skin looks better when it's on and I don't have to wear anything over it if I don't want to, although I can without feeling like I've got layers on. It absorbs completely so you can't feel it and you don't look greasy. And you don't need a moisturiser. It contains hyaluronic acid and oganic aloe vera which naturally moisturise the skin. And there are other goodies like Vitamin E and Beta Glucan which provide skin cell protection, and skin firming natural caffeine and rusco which also keep skin soft. Most importantly, they are added in a way that keeps the texture of the milk light.

It's something about the whiteness in the formulation I think, which is called a milk but isn't runny at all.  I'm not sure how it would look on darker skins as I'm pale - of course I am, I use sunscreen every day! - but I'm curious if it gives the same look of clear and youthful skin on other complexions. Either way, it feels like nothing after a minute or so it's worth it for that alone.

Lavera Anti-Ageing Sun Milk, SPF 15 is waterproof and offers sun protection against UVA, UVB and UVC rays. Lavera products are made in Germany, are BDIH certified, vegan and cruelty free. All ingredients are natural and organic and contain no parabens, petrochemicals or toxic chemicals. Me likey. 

Lavera is sold online all over and in some specialty shops, so wherever you are you should be able to find it. It's more expensive in North America but in England it's a steal at as little as £9.50 for 50ml. And a little goes a long way.

So, no excuses then!

'Pretty' Debuts! Meet TV Makeup Artist Corinne O'Brien

 Makeup artist Corinne O'Brien. Photo: Krista Lee Photography

Welcome to the debut of Pretty! It's a new weekly makeup and beauty column highlighted with a bi-weekly post by Corinne O'Brien, a renowned network televison makeup artist based in Toronto. As The Swelle Life's resident beauty expert she'll be answering your makeup questions so we'd love to hear from you! I've known Corinne for nearly 20 years (I just had to lie down) and she's always had a flair for making herself look great, so it's little wonder she's built a successful career transforming others.

The art of makeup, according to Corinne, is more than just enhancing a person’s outer appearance. It is the ability to bring out an individual’s beauty from within. (It's good news that she can do this as my outside sometimes can't pull it off on its own.)

You can see her work on one of Canada’s national sports networks, Rogers Sportsnet, where she resides weekday as the key makeup artist for all on-air talent. Her love of makeup has led her to share her expertise with aspiring students, currently teaching at the College of Sports Media in downtown Toronto.

To kick off Pretty we have our first Q&A with Corinne, submitted by reader Argielene. She wants to know what we all want to know: 

What is your favourite skin care regimen to create a flawless canvas for makeup? Any tips for breakouts and pesky zits?
 
CO: "My personal favourite skin care line is Dermalogica and I use their products twice a day to keep my skin in top condition. It's important to properly cleanse, exfoliate (if necessary) and hydrate the skin before you apply any makeup. I suggest getting a skin consultation to assess what specific needs your skin type requires. After your moisturizer has absorbed, apply a skin primer. This creates a perfect base for your makeup and will smooth out any fine lines and larger pores you may have.

"You've all heard this before, but make sure you always wash your face before you go to bed, never go to sleep with makeup on.  That is a big no-no as it's very ageing and the products will breed bacteria in your skin.

"Lastly, get a facial. I try to go when the seasons change, but if you can only make it once or twice a year, that's ok. This will help keep your skin in top condition and keep blemishes to a minimum. If you do happen to get a blemish make sure you keep your hands off!  Breaking open the skin will only allow bacteria in and it could get infected, resulting in scarring.  If it's really bad, stop by your facialist's office so she can extract it the proper way."

*Any products mentioned in Pretty are done so on an informal basis, these are personal favourites named to share advice only. There is no sponsorship of this column. If there ever is, we will tell you!

Corinne will be back in two weeks to answer your makeup and beauty questions. You can submit yours in the comments section of this post or email us. We'd love to hear from you!

In the meantime, you can join us next Wednesday for more beauty indulgence!  

Second photo by Virginia MacDonald

Curiosities from London Fashion Week

 

Fred Butler in blue at the Cooperative Designs presentation at Groucho Club

These are some photo bits and bobs from London Fashion Week, interesting things beyond the shows, presentations and exhibitions - more to come on those, I'll wrap it up eventually!

Eley Kishimoto's event Flash On Week at Shoreditch Studios showcased product collaborations using various incarnations of the print duo's iconic 'Flash' design, first seen in 2001. Looks like I arrived too late and missed Mark Eley speaking about this project, but there's a great synopsis of the event at Amelia's Magazine.

 

I couldn't help but notice these two fabulous friends paying homage in head-to-toe Eley Kishimoto:

 

It's not every day you get sprayed by giant, walking fragrance cannisters:

 

More Fred Butler being her awesome self. It was a blue day as you can see. Update from Fred's blog: She wore a blue cord bustier and circle bag by threeASFOUR worn over vintage dress and Alistair Carr padded bomber jacket. 

And the following photos were taken before or after the Felder Felder and Hannah Marshall shows, starting with one that's a bit blurry due to me spinning around to catch the noisy, frenzied exit by Paloma Faith and pals:

 

I'm getting a Centurion-Cleopatra-Xanadu vibe here. Come on, you know the one.

Kanye West's ex-front-row companion, Amber Rose, made her exit through the backstage door. I'm not sure why since you wind up in the same place as the people who left from the front. And she was only too happy to pose, as you can see. Does anyone know what she does? Just curious. The chain belt is current season Felder Felder, by the way.

 

 

And Erin O'Connor, who was one of the very few who could pull off flats at Fashion Week, and willingly at that (you get the feeling most would rather die than be seen walking and standing comfortably):

Photos by Denise Grayson @ The Swelle Life

LFW: Backstage Beauty at Hannah Marshall

I mentioned yesterday that I encountered some 'delights and surprises' at London Fashion Week, and one of them was tickets to Hannah Marshall and Felder Felder, two very in-demand shows, courtesy of sponsor Vitamin Water via We Are Social, a PR company that I actually like working with.

Amongst the tickets was a backstage pass for Hannah Marshall. Now, I'm not sure what I did to deserve all of this, and it would have been more typical of me to have discovered this little gold nugget after the show had begun, but I had it and went immediately to the backstage door, flashed my pass and a smile to the nice security man and was welcomed right in. I was one of the first there which was good because it got packed too packed to move later. I saw camera contraptions that looked as if they could receive radio signals from outer space. I saw one model eat. I saw Hannah Marshall who looked incredible and was cool-headed and smiling - despite going on one hour of sleep! - and wearing the most killer shoes. See:

That's not a blur, these shoes were so hot they were pulsating! (Ok, it's a blur. I hate blurry photos of cool things.)

I wound up taking many shots of two models in particular who were having their hair styled. The girl in the header photo was the first face, and I've been trying to figure out if she's Austria Alcantara, so many models look alike. The redhead below, however, has the most unusual face I've ever seen on a model, and I loved that she stared intensely into her own eyes in the mirror the entire time her hair was being done. Make of that what you will but it made for some great shots. The look for the show was long hair, back off the face, and crimped then brushed out to give it volume and subtle texture. The eye makeup was done in grey tones and I overhead someone saying that it faded to grey as the outfits did.

 

Getting nails painted

 

I believe she was in charge of the looks. Nice job on herself!

This woman was AWESOME. She had the face of Pam Grier and the hair of the First Lady of Cameroon.

 

 
 

 

   

 

Photos by Denise Grayson @ The Swelle Life 

Making Up the Beauty Shot: Trine Marie Skauen

An artfully conveyed fashion or beauty photograph requires much more than a pretty face and gorgeous clothes. A team of highly skilled people – photographers, art directors, stylists,  makeup artists and hair stylists – are called on to bring their complementary talents together for the purpose of creating magical and compelling images.

Trine Marie Skauen is a Norwegian make up artist, photographer and art director who works alongside her fashion photographer fiance Marco Di Fillipo to create memorable fashion and beauty images. Currently based in Rome and Norway, the adept duo also works frequently in New York.  Their work includes fashion and beauty editorial for magazines, projects for production companies and artwork for CDs and books.

I had the opportunity to talk to Trine about the role she plays as a makeup artist and art director on fashion and beauty shoots with Marco:

Do you ever do the makeup for shoots you photograph or is that too much to focus on at once?

I used to, but I was never a “fashion photographer”. I love photography, I have since my father gave me my first camera at the age of ten.  So I always used to play around with it, I was more into texture, colors, lines and moments, capturing what my eyes saw. It could be things laying around or people. But one day, I was asked to do some photos for a hair dresser friend of mine, she needed some images for her portfolio. So that is when I got the idea to go to makeup school, to learn to do the makeup on the images I was taking of people. Today I leave the fashion photography up to Marco, my fiance.

With the more avant-garde makeup looks, do you have something in mind when you come in for the shoot or do you ever create a look on the spot?

It depends actually, if it is a job where the client wants something in particular, I usually do mood boards, so I can be sure we are on the right track. If it is a test, I sometimes go without. But I normally do research before the shoot and Marco and me discuss what we want to do.

Do you typically have full reign on what kind of look you create or is there a certain amount of direction given?

I don’t know how it is for others, but the photographer decides in the end, so in my case if Marco sees that the look is not photogenic, I will change it.

Do you have a favourite kind of look that you prefer to do?

I love the “doll look”, pink / reddish lips, pink cheeks, long lashes, bright eyes, but is not only the makeup, it’s  the whole look. I love clothing in pastel colours, like that of vintage lingerie.

Are you adventurous when doing your own makeup?

I wish I could say yes, but I am not. I feel very privileged to be able to make others beautiful, and it is so fun to see a model come in with a clean face and I can transform her  with different looks. When I do makeup on myself sometimes, it is usually just bright eyes, a little blush, mascara, a little colour on the brows, and gloss. Not too much, just to look fresh.

And I can tell you my little secret: Sometimes when I have a breakout I put some freckles on my face. I find it takes the attention from it and it makes a kind of a “cute” look, I think! And to be honest, there is always something to do, so I feel like there is never any time to sit down and be adventurous. If I have time off, I’d rather watch a good movie and just relax.

Can you offer any expert advice for bloggers to use when doing their own makeup for styled shots on their blogs?

I think just play with it, try different looks and colours, but never go too far…unless it is a drag queen look you are going for!

Many people don’t quite understand the role of an art director. Can you explain what you do on a shoot?

For me, since I also do layouts sometimes for the client, I think about what the image will look like in the advertisement, for example, and I try to visualize my thoughts to the photographer.

How do you find working with your fiance ?

It’s very convenient, we know each other well now, so that makes it easier to understand what we want from the different shoots. And it makes travelling better.

I notice you like to explore textures in your photographs. Do you prefer to shoot scenes and the detail found within them as opposed to photographing people?

It comes back to the fact I just like to capture what I see, it can be people too, but sometimes I can be too shy to just click the camera in somebody’s face. You never know how they will react, but I have taken many snapshot without people noticing though. But I think I prefer textures, details, colours and shape. The best is when you capture something the eye does not see.

Can you tell us what kind of equipment you use, and give any advice for a novice who wants to get more serious about photography?

Marco is the technological one, he likes a variation of camera equipment, today he using the Canon Reflex 35 mm, but he changes a lot. Me, I have a small canon digital camera, that I carry with me almost everywhere, and then I have a Canon EOS 300D  when I need to take images with better colors and resolution.

Do you have a favourite makeup artist and photographer?

Yes, my favourite makeup artist is Pat McGrath, a true genius. My  favourite photographer, well, among many I would say today it is Miles Aldridge and Sølve Sundsbø.

What’s next for you and Marco?

We would love to launch our UNISEX magazine tomorrow, but unfortunately we lost a big investor due to the crisis, so we have to wait for the right moment. The new thing these days is filming small movies, a new field for us to explore, and that is always fun!

swelle.

You can see more of Trine’s work on her beauty website, art direction website, and view Marco’s photographs for beauty, men and women’s fashion here.

All photos by Marco Di Filippo. Makeup and art direction by Trine Marie Skauen

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Cacharel's Pretty Scarlett Commercial

Just a little Sunday night pretty for you. It's the commercial for Cacharel's fragrance Scarlett. It's no Miss Dior Chérie which is the dreamiest Paris-loving commerical but it's got that floaty fresh romantic look, white broderie anglaise and the coral-pink shade of the perfume is carried throughout and is just gorgeous. Where's that groundhog? Bring on spring.

M·A·C Give Me Liberty or Give Me, Um...Liberty Will Do!

The first photos from MAC's latest collection come courtesy of Temptalia, a collaboration with Liberty of London who have been partnering with all kinds of like-minded giants, and this one is a total treat for the eyeballs. I don't even care so much about the makeup, I just love looking at the mixed Liberty prints of pretty pastel ditsy florals and bold graphics. And the packaging! I'm not sure that what's in those tubs and pans could possibly live up to what their beautifully adorned cases promise but who cares, really. Who doesn't need another pink gloss or purple eyeshadow anyway? 

I was invited to Cacharel's showroom in Paris last spring and saw their entire Liberty collection, a revival based on their first youthful, printed cotton floral pieces from the 70s. Cacharel say they created the Liberty print in the 70s. Yet Liberty fabrics are considered to be quintessentially English. Liberty of London sells Liberty prints and they seem to be an English institution of sorts, fashion-wise. I don't see how they could be two different things considering the look of each is unequivocal and each is called The Liberty Print. Did the French give the English a gift? The Statue of Liberty went to the United States and the Liberty print fabric was maybe a 'hey, you're cool, too' present to the English? Anyone care to explain?

Back to the make-up - the look is inspired by the quintessential London girl and is described as 'cool Britannia.' Oh, the tired buzz phrases PRs are forced to use. I'm a bit crabby. Immigration problems that are no fault of ours and my laptop is burning up my nether regions and it's not a great feeling.

Okay! Let's look at the pretty pictures! And by the way, the collection will be available first in the US on March 11 and internationally April 2010. And it will also include a scarf and a make-up bag. And more cosmetics. That hat is neat-o.

A Peek at Vanessa Paradis' Chanel Commercial

If you've been reading The Swelle Life for a while you know that I adore Vanessa Paradis (yes, she has her own category here) and have for about 20 years, so I jump all over any news, even if it's just a peek at an upcoming commercial. Last year she signed on with Chanel to be the face of Coco Rouge, a new lipstick collection from everyone's dream fashion house. And it may not be the most exciting imagery, but it's Vanessa and she looks fanatstic and that's good enough for me. And can I have that top, please?

The whistling is an homage to her songbird in a gilded cage advert for Coco in 1992 (which many people had a problem with. Please.):

Images from Grazia and Vogue UK

Meet Delance: Your New Online Fashion Community

I just love it when I see someone from our fashion blogging community take it a step further, exercise that entrepreneurial spirit and do something to make our little world even more fun and interactive. The lovely Emilie of Delancefashion.com, a Denmark-based blog, has launched Delance Fashion Community, a free social network for us fashion, style and beauty fanatics. It's like a FaceBook for fashion lovers with an integrated forum where members can post their blog links, friend-connect, upload photo albums, share tips in the forum, and keep up on upcoming fashion-related events. And being a fashion friend has its rewards - contributions within the community earn you activity points which can be redeemed for gift cards and entry into giveaways. 

I've taken a look around and quickly realised it's the perfect place for announcing 'I just bought the cutest dress,' something I wouldn't necessarily put on Facebook, Twitter or blog about (if I posted about every thing I bought I would have to re-name my blog Denise is Going to Get Divorced). Sometimes you just want to talk about these kinds of fun, girly things and this is the place where no one is going to ask 'So what?' 

Emilie has created the helpful video above to demonstrate how to use Delance Fashion Community. You can join here. And if you do, come find me - I'm SwelleDenise.

The Arousing Style of Dita Von Teese

You would think that an international burlesque performer who is famous for taking her clothes off in an elaborately choreographed and propped stage show would be best known for her body. But it’s Dita Von Teese’s throwback starlet style that has the fashion world and its loyal followers drooling in their couture.

She may have a figure to die for, but it’s when it’s covered up – or rather how it’s covered up – that has cemented Ms. Von Teese’s place as one of the world’s most influential style icons. She has single-handedly brought back the allure of Old Hollywood glamour with her impeccable 1940s dressing and grooming both on and off-duty, and it seems that just about everyone wants to infuse their own look with a bit of Dita beauty.

So how did a girl from West Branch, Michigan cultivate this much emulated, sexy and sophisticated image? No overnight transformation, this was a result of her intrigue as a young teen with all things retro and burlesque – the dance, the costume, the attitude – which developed into a passionate yet disciplined pathway to both her career and lifestyle. In other words, the girl isn’t simply putting on a show, she's living it.

The natural blonde, born Heather Sweet in 1972, grew up watching Technicolor musicals with her mother – who regularly gave her clothes for dressing up – and found herself drawn to the feminine and flirty aesthetic of the pin-up girls of the past. She was especially fond of Silver Screen siren Betty Grable. From time to time she snuck peaks at her father’s Playboy magazines (eeuw), admiring the lingerie worn by the models on its pages. When she was 15 years old she worked at a restaurant with a lingerie boutique nearby and found herself visiting often to peruse and try on the lacy bras and panties. Eventually they hired her as a salesgirl. Dita became increasingly fascinated with corsets and basques and began incorporating the elaborate lingerie into her own dressing, complete with stockings and garters. Until that point she had hoped for a career as a ballerina, having soloed for a local dance company at age 13. But she arrived at the realization that she was as good as she was going to be, and looked for other ways to nurture the natural performer within. You can see the influence of her classical dance training in her show in which she is known for going en pointe.

While she was at college studying historic costuming with aspirations to style period films, Dita began working at a local strip club, then age 18. She took the opportunity to create her own pin-up girl persona and fashioned a costume consisting of a retro basque accessorised with opera-length gloves and seamed stockings, finished with a beehive hairstyle and dramatic forties-style make-up. Her originality set her apart from the other dancers and she instantly became an audience favourite. At the same time she began posing for photographs as a Betty Page look-a-like glamour model which led to a career as a star of fetish films. She made a series of films called Dita in Distress where she was bound by her hands and feet in a variety of perilous situations, such as being captured by cannibals and prepared for dinner. Despite the theme the films were lighthearted, more camp than hardcore.

However, explicit performances were not outside of Dita’s personal or career boundaries. Despite the protests of her friends – including those in the burlesque arena – she agreed to appear in a film by pornographic filmmaker Andrew Blake. Her reasoning was that she liked his films which featured mostly women, glamourously outfitted and made up in the throwback style she was known for. Rather than derailing her career as her friends had feared, it became a non issue and Dita went on to perfect her burlesque routine.

Not one to do anything half way, Dita had giant martini and champagne glasses custom-made for her signature show. After performing an old-fashioned strip-tease she climbs into the glass and bathes in the ‘cocktail’, washing herself with a giant olive or strawberry sponge, depending on the libation. Her originality caught the attention of many Hollywood insiders and her martini glass routine was borrowed for a scene in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in which Cameron Diaz performs a burlesque number.

The undisputed ‘Queen of Burlesque’ is now a permanent fixture in the high fashion scene. She is a regular front-row guest for the most high profile and esteemed fashion houses including Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton, and has been named the ‘Burlesque Superheroine’ by Vanity Fair magazine. Appeasing her fans' desire for a Dita Von Teese fashion collection, she leant her distinct style to the word of lingerie, with Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese. This vintage-inspired, limited edition lingerie collection for Wonderbra was a bestseller in 2009, and has just been renewed for 2010 and expanded to all of Europe. Dita also launched her own collection of full-fashioned seamed stockings with Secrets in Lace, which are available through their catalogue and her website.

But Dita’s good deeds go beyond supporting fashion's finest and entertaining the masses. She’s had charitable roles as a MAC Viva Glam Spokesperson (2006-2008) and collaborated on the design of a top for H&M, each to help raise money and awareness for against HIV and AIDS.

And that makes up for marrying a certain one-contact-lensed, pseudo-intellectual, fetal girlfriend cloning, ex-wife bashing, self-obsessed GIANT DOUCHE. (Not that I'm taking sides or anything!)

Update: The above statement baffled (awesome) reader Kim because she is fortunate enough not to know who Dita married - and divorced. So I will direct her and anyone else who wants to take a look (get your eye wash ready) to an interview with the former Mr. Von Teese in which he declares - referring to 19 year-old girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood who broke up with him, the one who he turned from a rather plain blonde with no particular style into a clone of Dita - that he has "fantasies every day about smashing her skull in with a sledgehammer." Because she hurt him by leaving him. Oh, get over yourself you pathetic 40 year-old baby. You can read the charming interview here.

 

 

Dita gives Anna Wintour a run for her money when it comes to impossibly perfect hair, no? However, Dita's is the kind of impossibly perfect you actually want to have.

Supermodels Sans Fards

 

Last April we saw Eva Herzigova, Monica Bellucci and Sophie Marceau on the cover of French Elle without make-up, or 'sans fards' as it was en français (and far more fun to say). And now Peter Lindbergh has reunited with his supermodel muses for Bazaar and for once it's their faces that are bare naked. We get to see Cindy, Shalom, Nadja (love the smile), Amber, Helena, Tatjana (never did get her), Claudia and Kristen. Kristen! Remember Kristen McMenamy? That's her above, sans fards and eyebrows! That one was a shocker. She's got the typical pretty model hair now but still no brows. Conventional and extreme all at once. Neat.

But where's Linda and Christy? I can't see them not being asked. And I can't see Christy saying no. But Linda...not so sure. Naomi we've seen without make-up in her mug shots so that took care of that.

Since I'm writing this from Linda Evangelista's hometown of St. Catharines, Ontario (I must get a scan of her high school yearbook photos - you would not believe it) and we're reminiscing about Kristen McMenamy, here's a most awesome shot of the two from back in the day by Arthur Elgort, wearing lots of fards:

And here's the rest. What do you think? Is the black and white a bit of a cop-out as it creates definition (Cindy?) and erases the ruddiness that makes going without slap so unappealing?

 

 

(I think someone has had her lips done)

Source: Models.com

Would You Pose 'Sans Fards'?

Walking around Paris the other day I saw the new French Elle cover with Eva Herzigova 'sans fards' (I know it's getting repetitive for the regular readers to hear 'me around Paris' over and over but newbies wouldn't know where I am so please forgive me, and I'm down to my last week here now! Sniff).

'Sans fards' just means 'without make-up' and there are two other versions featuring Monica Bellucci and Sophie Marceau looking good but just a little less so, in terms of what we're used to (though I am not convinced that there isn't at least a tinted moisturizer working overtime here). Why is it that we all get that tired look without the make-up? (By 'we all' I'm referring to anyone over 25 and if that's you and you don't know what I'm talking about then I might just hate you a little. No offence.)

I was reminded of this 'Stars Sans Fards' beauty bravado when I found a post about it on Dlisted where the always entertaining (and truly gross, so don't say I didn't warn you if you go there) Michael K was having the time of his life with the funny sounding French word 'fards'. I too am immature and yes, I think it's kind of funny.

I usually do the whole routine (mascara, eyeshadow) when I go out shopping, to eat or at night, but most times I just wear concealer and some blush and gloss so some stranger doesn't see me and call an ambulance. When I look in the mirror after I'm ready I always think 'You know, I look fine, I really don't need any more than that!' and then I'll catch my reflection later while out and wonder how my face disintegrated so rapidly in the time it look me to leave the house. Not fair.

Are Your Eyeballs Their Whitest?

My mother-in-law and her sister are visiting us in Paris and before she came she read about eye-drops that claim to freshen and revive the whites of the eyes - essentially whitening your eyeballs - sold in Paris pharmacies which are, as you may have heard, a treasure trove for great skincare (and now apparently eyeball care) products that are effective and cheap.

She brought me a bottle today, it's called Gouttes Bleues (Blue Drops) from Innoxa who make a range of professional cosmetics products for sensitive eyes and skin, all made in France.

I tried it right away - it's a blue liquid or lotion as it's called that still looks blue sitting in your lower eyelid against your eye (which caused concern for about two seconds that it wasn't going to dissipate) but it did and although the stinging was intense, I was temporarily blinded for five minutes and found myself screaming in the bathroom and trying to rip my clothes off, I did notice a marginal difference (which may have in fact been a misperception caused by blurry vision).

NO! Seriously, it felt fine and I noticed immediately that my whites were very white and clear, even though I hadn't really noticed any redness prior to using the drops and I've even been told before I have 'really white eye whites' (sounds silly but it's true, I've heard that several times though I admit it's been at least 10 years) and others confirmed the difference. And it was indeed refreshing - like my eyes were relaxing on a beach with the sea air washing over them. That might sound like a joke as well but it's actually pretty accurate! And it cost under 6 euro. I think the secret lies in the blue; the whitest looking eyes are actually blue-tinged - try putting a clean white sheet next to your face by your eyes and you'll see if your whites are actually blue.

You can also buy them on Amazon but I know what you're thinking - that my eyeballs are going to fall out. Fear not, blue drops have been used by make-up pros for years. What do you think they did before Photoshop?

Backstage at Talbot Runhof

 

One thing that I didn't mention about the Talbot Runhof show was the gorgeous make-up by Nadine Luc. Working with MAC she created the perfect 1930s face: flawless, porcelain skin with nude eyes and wine-stained lips:

Johnny Talbot and Adrian Runhof looking on (they are so cute!)












Franco Gobbi created the hair - an updated version of the Veronica Lake
long and sleek style with one distinct wave just past the shoulders




Love the military cap with the distorted houndstooth print

I'm Blind But My Lashes are So Lush and Long!

If you aren't yet aware, you will be soon - eyelash enhancing is the obsession du jour. Extensions offer a solution for the short and skimpy, and a rapidly increasing range of conditioners and serums are promising to promote dramatic growth.

The extensions are about as appealing to me as Botox - the procedure requires regular and costly maintenance, about $60 to $100 every two to four weeks after the initial professional application at $350 to $500. Add that to an already budget-busting beauty routine and things are likely to get a bit hairy. (No lame pun intended, it just fit.)

So what about these 'miracle' lash conditioners? Well, Zinc magazine relays a cautionary message about them in their summer issue. Popular products like RevitaLash and Jan Marini Age Intervention Eyelash recently fell under scrutiny by the FDA, which seized thousands of tubes of the latter late last year because it contained the drug bimatoprost - also found in Allergan's glaucoma medication Lumigan.

"You run a lot of risk using these products", warns Dr. Debra Jaliman, spokeswoman for the American Academy of Dermatology and a Manhattan dermotologist. She explains that there are very serious possible side effects of the drug bimatoprost that include changing eye colour, irritation, blurry vision or even blindness. "I've seen a couple patients who reported blurry vision. I don't recommend it to anyone." That's all I need to hear.

Though admittedly, seeing one before-and-after photo online, the growth was so dramatic that I did wonder for a fraction of a second 'How much do I really use my eyes?'. Turns out I do use my eyes quite a bit, every day even. Anyway, how could I appreciate my gloriously hairy eyelids if I can't see them?

Which brings me right back to my recent 'miracle' find - and one that won't compromise your eyesight unless you poke yourself with it - the must-have Shu Uemera eyelash curler. I posted about this a few weeks ago, and since then I've become even more impressed with just how well it works. I have been able to abandon my eyelash primer altogether, and I now use about 1/3 of the mascara I needed when I didn't have the curler. So, this simple yet well designed tool not only curls in 30 seconds or less, but it saves me time and money. No need to spend upwards of $30 on the premium mascaras anymore (are they really any better anyway?). I'll stick with my £6 Rimmel. And you can also play around with falsies, go natural or wild with the loads of fashion styles available (those are Shu Uemera's here).

So, fellow fabulous lash seekers - I implore you, don't risk your vision until enough time has passed that we know for a fact that these products are safe. Does anyone remember that European hair serum in the 90s that doubled normal monthly hair growth? Exactly.

Shu Uemera lives up to the hype, says straight-lashed girl

As previously mentioned (over and over), I made use of my wait time at Heathrow's Terminal 5 by browsing gorgeous things I can't have, but I did come away with a real gem.

Finally, I own a Shu Uemera eyelesh curler. Despite hearing for years how amazing they are, I somehow neglected to pick one up. Upon trying it (without mascara applied after) I can say that the feel and results are superior to anything I've used before.

The curler is designed to fit any eye, and that's the difference. While I can see that it would well fit someone with much larger eyes, it was completely comfortable and I didn't have cold metal rammed against my upper eyelid as is with other makes. The pads are of a much higher quality and don't pull or tug on the lashes.

I have yet to try it with mascara (being jetlagged I forgot to use it the one time since being back that I wore mascara) but I can see that it does curl my lashes. And the price of £15 is generally inexpensive for something that actually works. Plus, they say with daily use you'll get six months out of the two pads that are included. I should be able to stretch mine out for several years, then!

How to Get the Bronze Shimmer Look (Proceed With Caution!)

The face of the S/S 2008 shows was all about bronze shimmer, and wouldn't it be the perfect beauty look for Karen's DvF Orioti strapless maxi dress? Its so 'resort', I can't think of a more chic way to go. We started with showing off her stunning find as beautifully modelled by her, then offered suggestions for accessorising, and finally, the make-up.

The video here is from Vogue TV's Trend Watch. I think the eyeshadow is a bit heavy for a wedding, so lets tone it down. Instead, sweep a gold or bronze shadow over the lid and brow bone and finish with a cream shade under the brow. And the best blush for this look (and a staple of any make-up bag) is Nars Orgasm. It's a rich-looking peach with a subtle gold shimmer. You'll blush just asking for it!

You'll want to proceed with caution when applying bronze powders - use a very light hand so you glow, as opposed to streaking and staining and prompting strangers to come at your face with a moist towelette.

Oh, and if you haven't seen the SATC Movie yet and plan to, you may want to skip the trailer at the end of the video, there are a couple minor spoilers.

Putting this look together has been loads of fun, hopefully we'll get to see Karen's polished look as debuted on her big night out (nudge nudge, wink wink). No red wine near that dress, now!