Make-Up Products

Products

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

13 February 2011 / Bridal, Products

I was first introduced to MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural on Zoe Clarks Bridal Course (http://www.zoeclark.com) and it’s become my everyday make-up since then. I’ve never been a girl who wears lots of make-up on a daily basis, as I like to let my skin breath as much as possible but then also like a little coverage to hide any imperfections so this suited me perfectly. While the MAC Face & Body would be my ‘going out’ or ‘special occasion’ foundation, this is my ‘day to day’, ‘can’t live without’ foundation.

The first thing that I love about it is the fact that you can use as little or as much as you like to achieve the coverage you want. I would say that its really a light to medium coverage product as if you go too heavy you run the risk of it looking cakey. I use it with my MAC kabuki brush (182) which allows you to really buff it in and get a flawless finish which looks like you have nothing on at all.

They don’t have a huge range of colours (there are 8, ranging from ‘Light’ to ‘Dark’) and I have 2, the ‘Light’ and the ‘Meduim’ which I use on their own or mix up depending on whether I have a bit of a tan or not. The other great thing about it, is it can also be used over your normal foundation as a powder or the darker ones can be used as a bronzer so it’s very multi-functional which is good on your purse! It last for ages too, I only replaced mine a few weeks ago after almost a year, so for 27Euro it’s great value.

I found it doesn’t irritate my skin at all either, in fact I think it’s actually helped improve my skin since using it and I get quite shiny along my ‘T’ Zone so it’s great for mattifying the skin too. The MSN would also work great for summer brides who might be getting married away in the sun and need something that won’t melt away or cake your skin.

Overall I just love this product and would highly recommend it especially as the summer approaches and you might want something lighter to wear.

Clare xox

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Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

5 February 2011 / Bridal, Products

If like me, you love playing up your eye’s and want to give your lashes an extra kick then these are a must for you. The Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler has won many awards over the years and is well known in the beauty industry as the best on the market. I wasn’t a big fan of eyelash curlers as I never really felt comfortable using them but once you start you realise just what a difference they make and that practice makes perfect!

This one is very well made, sturdy and is so easy to use which is very important for me when using on my clients. I don’t necessarily use them all the time when doing my own make-up but I do find if I’m doing false lashes and my clients own lashes are straighter than the false ones, then using the curler helps them all sit together better, therefore looking more natural. They are a bit more expensive than other curlers but to be honest, you get what you pay for and these will last you a long time! If you’d like to treat yourself to one then as far as I know they’re only available in Harvey Nicholas in Dundrum Town Centre.

Clare xox

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Beautiful Skin for Christmas!

13 November 2010 / Products

I’ve always been pretty strict on my skin care so I always cleanse, tone and moisturise to keep my skin looking as good as it can. Over the years I’ve tried LOTS of different products, some worked and some didn’t and I have a few favourites. However, about 2 years ago a friend of mine, Laura, introduced me to Liz Earle and my skin has never been the same since! I started using her cleanse and polish and fell in love with it instantly!

Apart from the fact that the packaging is just beautiful (I’m a real sucker for gorgeous packaging!!!!), the product itself is divine. It’s basically a cream cleanser that you massage onto your face and then wipe off with a warm muslin cloth. The smell is fab and the muslin cloth gently exfoliates your skin as well as removing makeup and dirt leaving your skin feeling soft and not tight or dry like some face washes. I also bought the moisturiser which I use at night and and the toner smells amazing too. I’ve recommended it to lots of my friends all searching for a great cleaners that won’t irritate their skin and they have all loved it!!!!

At the moment the only place which stocks Liz Earle are Wilde & Green in Milltown in Dublin but you can order online at http://www.lizearle.ie. They have the most beautiful gift sets which come all packed up in a lovely box, wrapped in tissue and with a little note, and depending on how much you’ve spent, a little free gift too! They are very reasonably priced so if you’re stuck for Christmas idea’s for your friends or family, these are ideal! They deliver very quickly too which is great. They also do little trial kits so you can try out some of the products rather than having to buy the large bottles or I love them for when I go on holidays and want to save on space. I bought the hand wash (which will NOT be going in the bathroom for everyday use 🙂 ) and hand cream last week as a treat and I think I’m in love!

Happy cleansing!

Clare xox

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Sigma Brushes

22 October 2010 / Products

Earlier in the week I posted a video on my Facebook page showing you how to clean your make-up brushes as a lot of people aren’t sure how to go about it. The video was done by a company called Sigma Beauty based in the USA and I first discovered them about 6 months ago. I needed to get a few more brushes for my kit and although I LOVE the MAC brushes and they last forever they can be very expensive if you’re buying a few. So in my search for some good quality but affordable brushes I came across the Sigma Brushes. I purchased a set (without the case as I already had one) and they were delivered quite quickly with brush covers and a little booklet on how to look after them. There were 12 brushes in the set I got which I think worked out at about 70 dollars before post and packaging.

Anyway, I’ve been using them now along with my M.A.C ones and I am very impressed. They are just as good and you’d hardly know the difference! So if you’re looking to replace or buy some good make-up brushes that won’t break the bank I’d highly recommend them. Check out the website http://www.sigmabeauty.com and you can see the full range they have.

Clare xox

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The Foundation of good make-up!

13 October 2010 / Products

I get the bus to work every morning and this morning I was sitting opposite a girl in her early 20’s I think. Many women use the morning commute as a chance to do their make-up and this girl was one of them. She was beautiful, amazing pale skin and striking features and as I watched she proceeded to start applying her foundation. To my horror this stunning girl turned from pale to orange in a matter of seconds… I was probably staring but I couldn’t help it! She layered and layered the foundation on so it was like a mask covering her whole face. I might understand her wanting to do this if she had problem skin but she didn’t!

Anyway, it got me thinking of how many women just don’t use foundation the way they should and are probably wearing the wrong colour as well. I know in the beginning, when I started training as a make-up artist it was the one thing I wanted to know, how to find the perfect foundation. So here I will just give a few pointers that I think every woman should know about foundation.

Firstly, foundation should only be used to even out your natural skin colour and tone. It should NOT be used to make you more tanned or cover any major flaws or blemishes on your skin. Concealer should be used to cover these and then your bronzer and blusher used to add colour and contour your face. One of my favourite foundations and one I use a lot is the MAC Face & Body. Its a lightweight foundation that goes on very easily and gives a lovely flawless cover. Perfect if you don’t like wearing anything too heavy or just for daytime. I use a sponge when applying it to get a seamless look.

If you prefer something a little heavier the MAC Studio Sculpt is very good and again goes on quite easily but another favourite of mine is the NARS Sheer Glow. It’s like velvet going on your skin and gives a gorgeous finish. Perfect for brides! You can get this in a matt version also. It’s a little pricey but will last you ages as you shouldn’t need a lot. For older skin the Armani foundations are lovely and have that extra coverage you might need.

With all foundations though, you can use as little or as much as you like to get the coverage that you prefer but I would always say less is more. You want your skin to breath and look it’s best, not look caked or overdone. I think every woman wants to look like the best version of themselves so just keep this in mind when applying your base. And remember, if you have your foundation right you shouldn’t have that line around your jaw line that you see so often.

Clare xox

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