I’m thinking Jean Shrimpton and Brigitte Bardot…. A little bit Mary Quant mixed with Twiggy…. you know?

Thing is I’ve tried and I’ve failed – miserably. So as part of Retro week we asked professional make-up artist Mariam Jensen to come show us how it’s done properly and share with you lovely lot her step by step tips and tricks.

Mariam used Vix’s face and as aforementioned face arrived at my door apparently I opened it, didn’t even say hello but just kind of shouted at her in a very loud voice:

Me: Oh my Lord pet like last week Mariam Jensen was painting Rihanna’s face and now she will be painting yours and she’s in my kitchen and I’m so excited and you are going to look so gorgeous and she has these immense lashes and and and….

Vix – Rih Rih?! as in THE Rih Rih?!

Me – Yeeeeessssssssssss!!!

Then I remembered to actually let her in rather than just leaving her on the doorstep out in the cold…

Really must remember to greet people in future otherwise I’ll get myself the reputation of having the social skills of an amoeba.

Joining Mariam, Vix, Adam and I in the O’Shea kitchen was the very talented Emma Case – she was the one capturing all the pretty with her fancy camera.

What You Will Need:

• Eyebrow Pencil: Mariam used Shu Uemura in “Seal Brown”
• Eyeliner Pencil: For Inner Rim: Mariam used MAC power point eye pencil in “Hand Forged” (pale gold)
• Mascara: Mariam used Jemma Kidd in “Carbon Black”
• Liquid Eyeliner: Mariam used Mac fluidline in “Blacktrack”
• Eyeliner Brush (VERY important!): Mariam used Shu Uemura in 2R
• Matt Finish Foundation : Mariam used Airbase but also recommends MyFace Mymix liquid
• Concealer: Mariam used MAC Select Cover in NW25
• Eyeshadow Primer: Mariam used MAC Prep and Prime
• Pale base Eyeshadow: Mariam used Shu Uemura M800
• Darker Grey/Brown Eyeshadow For Socket Line: Mariam used MAC in “Keep Your Cool”
• Pinky Neutral Lipliner: Mariam used Mac in “Subculture”
• Beige Lipgloss: Mariam used Nars in “Chelsea Girls”
• Nude Pink Blush: Mariam used Stila “Tutu”
• False Lashes: Mariam used Ardell in number 109 (my favourites!)
• Eyelash Glue – Mariam used Mac “Duo” (I use this too..)

Step One: Mariam primed Vix’s skin (she used the airbase primer but Chanel, Laura Mercier and Lancome all have good versions), Mariam then used an actual airbrush machine for a flawless finish – it was quite spectacular and she uses it on her brides for W-day. However, obviously we don’t expect you lovely lot to own one so instead we recommend My Face “My Mix” foundation which is only £6.50 and you can buy it from good old Boots….

Mariam covered under eye circles and any small blemishes with concealer.

Step Two: Because this look is all about the eyes, blush is kept to a minimum with just a sweep of pale nude pink on the apples fading out to the hairline.

Step Three: Fill in your eyebrows with a suitable pencil – we like ones with a slightly greyish tone as they look more natural… Then apply your eyeshadow primer (prevents fading and oily bits) and add your pale eyeshadow all over the lid up to the socket lines.

Step Four: Mariam uses a fine brush to paint on a gel liner – you could also use a liquid with a felt-tip pen end (I rate Lancome Artliner), but to get a precise finish and the perfect flick a brush is the ideal tool.

Step Five: Curl lashes and apply a single coat of mascara, once dry measure your false lashes up against your eyelid – if they are a wee bit long (not the length of the lash – as in too big for your actual lash line…) then trim the end with some sharp nail scissors.

Step Six: Apply glue to your false lashes and await until tacky to apply to the lash line, using tweezers can help you achieve an even finish.

Step Seven: For the perfect nude pout apply a soft pinky pencil to the outline and then cover the whole lip with a shiny beige gloss – Mariam used a lip brush to apply the Nars lip laquer… (I am so buying this shade ASAP).

Voila!!!! – A sexy 60′s siren. Loves.

Is this any of you gorgeous folks favourite look? is it something you “do” regularly or is it something you may try thanks to Mariam Jensen?

And would it be helpful if we did a “How to apply the perfect false lash” post at some point in the near future? – just let me know in the comments box below.

Don’t forget folks, cute cameras and brilliant books up for grabs from Lomography on every post this week so get love leaving.

Big Whenever I See A Picture Of Madam Bardot It Makes Me Want To Wear Gingham Love

Charlotte xxx

Charlotte: So you’ve thought about your bouquet and your barnet and your shoes….but what about your nails? a neat and un-fussy coat of pale pink? or maybe something a little more daring such as a deep sexy purple… or how about some kind of two-tone monochrome with glitter and rhinestones?? (Ahem – got a wee bit carried away there.)

I was always going to have a sophisticated french tip for W-day then last minute (and after seeing my sisters statement hot magenta) I decided to go for a bold bright coral. The shade in question was number 75 by Biosculpture, a gel like coating that lasts for ages without chipping or fading (mine usually last a good three weeks before I require infills) and I would highly recommend the treatment. Biosculpture manicures and pedicures are available at beauty salons around the UK and will see you right through Honeymoon – expect to pay between £30 and £35 for a full set.

If I was in the position of choosing now, and especially if I was having a winter affair, I would be opting for a pretty mid-tone grey (as I type I am currently sporting Biosculpture gel in number 115 – “Eclipse” and I LOVE it)… or maybe even a dark charcoal such as Jessica’s Fishnets and Fringe.

And for spring? a delicious duck egg blue such as Nail Inc’s nail polish in Haymarket.

Jenny: I was a bit lazy and didn’t give my nails much thought, I am lucky that one of my closest friends is a beauty therapist, and she decided to come round the night before our nuptials and pamper me to within an inch of my life. I had considered being bold and having a colour on my talons, but then I bottled it and went for the standard bridal nail colour….french.

The only other colours I love to wear on my nails are super dark which I didn’t feel was appropriate for my wedding day.

My nails were manicured into a lovely squoval shape, quite short in length because I can’t function with long nails, and the polish lasted until I was almost back from mooning in Thailand. I had the OPI manicure, and I might treat myself to another quite soon because I have gnarly dry Mummy hands at the moment!

Vix: I have no idea what I will be a wearing on my fingers and toes for W-day, I do love a white tip on short square nails and at least it would “go” with everything but my favourite colour of all is a black red such as Chanels Rouge Noir. I recently discovered a deep cherry red by Nails Inc aptly named Victoria (!) which is really shiny, they also do a muted mushroom shade called Porchester Square which might be a nice balance between having something neutral but still a bit of colour….

Decisions decisions…. at least I have another 10 months to finally make my mind up!

Charlotte: So lovelies, what are you wearing on your fingertips for the Big Day? are you opting for your all-time favourite hue (and yes you MUST tell us what it is whether you are wearing it W-day or not) or are you going for pale and oh-so-interesting? And are you attempting to do it yourself (I worship at the ground of anyone that can paint their own well) or are you seeking to include some talon glossing in your general pre-wed beauty pampering?

Please feel free to provide links to our favourite polishes in the comments section below as you know…we may want to treat ourselves later.

Big If In Doubt You Could Always Go For Greige Love

Team RMW xx

P.S My coral can be seen here if you fancy a butchers.

Just to let you know, I don’t go on about items to invest in on RMW unless I have used them myself (for a good month or so) and the results are impressive, and although I certainly can’t account for all the different skin types out there or make any miracle-in-a-bottle promises, I will only recommend stuff that I think actually works, and is therefore worthy of the O’Shea bathroom cabinet.

Fortunately these last four weeks or so I have discovered some real winners, unfortunately they all fall into the Lady Luxe category in terms of price. Sorry about that folks. Brownie’s honour I will do my best to find you some covetable bargains soon.

And as always I would love to hear if any of you gorgeous lot use any of the lovely listed below or if there are any fairly recent discoveries you would like to share with the RMW community, just drop us a wee note in the comments section. And of course feel free to ask me any questions (I could talk about cosmetics forever…)

Poreless Flawless

The rubbish thing about having de-hydrated skin (apart from making you look five years older) is that the constant build up of dead skin cells makes for congested pores. Yuck. And apart from frequent exfoliation (which often leaves my prone-to-redness mug looking like a giant tomato) the only way I seem to be able to combat the problem is careful and thorough cleansing both morning and night. I have tried all the usual big named raves, Eve Lom (allergic), Liz Earle cleanse and polish (um…allergic), Clinique 3-step (face practically fell off…although I do like their ultra mild soap bar for when I have an attack of the greasies), Some new fancy one from Chanel (it made my pores worse if anything, and as a result was promptly returned to the very nice ladies at John Lewis)….. you get the picture. I don’t have much luck.

Then I read about Rodial Glamtox Cleanser in The Anti-ageing Beauty Bible (which if you are a self-confessed beauty whore like me will provide hours of entertainment) and due to the positive reviews thought I’d give it a whirl. It gets rid of every scrap of make-up and when used with a warm flannel seems to remove the vast majority of unwanted flakes, it also turns from a pleasant balm to a milky-like consistency on contact with water which I like and includes anti-inflammatories as well as a whole host of moisturising ingredients. My skin is substantially clearer as a result of using it – that’s all I can tell you.

Rodial Glamtox Cleanser retails at a staggering £50 (I know – told you it was Luxe) and is 100% paraben free, you can buy it from Space NK. Rodial also do “Boob Job In A jar” which might be the weirdest and most random thing I’ve ever heard of. However, if you’ve used it and it does the trick then of course let me know…

Softly Softly

As well as a good cleanser I love a really good moisturiser. And although I want it to essentially um….moisturise I also want the perfect base for make-up – i.e nothing super oily. After receiving some rather generous samples from Elemis I fell head over heels for their Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream (you may have heard of their ever popular Marine cream which is in the same range). It goes on like silk. And sinks in like a dream. And yes it’s called a night cream but I have been using it in the day too, it also doesn’t contain any silicones which seem to block my pores and cosmetics manufacturers insist on putting ‘em in practically EVERYTHING these days.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream retails at an eye watering £90 for 50ml but does contain some especially lovely lubricants such as Shea Butter, Avocado and Rosa Damascena oil. If you are feeling the need to self-gift you can buy yourself a tub from John Lewis.

Drink Up

Aptly named “Intense Hydrating Booster” this little bottle of magic by facialist-to-fancy-famous-types Sarah Chapman does exactly that – adds an extra bit of hydration to thirsty weather-ravaged skin. It is basically a serum comprising of Hyaluronic acid, universally praised for its water binding properties and the ability to visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and crepiness.

I put in on clean slightly damp skin under my moisturiser and it makes my epidermis all dewy and radiant. Apparently you can also add it to your favourite foundation to make it more sheer – bonus.

Sarah Chapman Intense Hydrating Booster is available from Victoria Health (I have mentioned this on-line mecca before but if you missed it you are missing out people). It retails at £57 per 30ml…. and I have officially given up apologising for the price of everything.

Lit From Within

To add an extra extra glow for the recent party season I was very much taken with the Elemis Visible Brilliance brightener, a silky liquid that makes you look lit from within and just like you have had a good nights sleep (even if you haven’t). I like it so much I think it might even replace my current go-to primer.

This was another freebie sample but I will be going out to treat myself to the full size version once my plastic has recovered from Christmas. I sincerely hope this is sooner rather than later.

Elemis Visible Brilliance is available from John Lewis as before but also Debenhams if you don’t happen to have a JL near you, both stores seem to be quite generous in terms of try-before-you-buy. It retails at about £40 and you only need to use a pea-sized amount, yes even if you are inflicted blessed with a giant moon head like moi.

A Veil Of Loveliness

After all of that prepping it would be a travesty to cover yourself in a thick make-up base and tons of powder – let your natural (and sparkling) skin shine through I say.

Although I am not a fan of the cleanser I am a fan of Liz Earle Skin Tint - it is both rich and surprisingly blemish-hiding considering its translucent finish. I also like the fact it has yellowish undertones and as a result hides blue-hued under eye circles.

Liz Earle Skin Tint in available at the on-line Liz Earle store. It retails at £21 but a little does go a long way – honest.

My Body Is A Temple

Actually it isn’t (especially after all that seasonal sugar) but Skin Nourishing Hand an Body Lotion by Elemis sure makes me feel like it could be a shrine to all things smooth and touchable. And before you ask no, I do not work on commission for this brand. And yes this was a freebie but a FULL SIZE freebie that came in the very sexy goody bag Team RMW received from the Matthew Williamson trunk show that we attended last month.

It feels luxurious. It smells luxurious. It isn’t in the slightest bit sticky and the fragrance doesn’t assault your perfume like some whiffy limb-specific creams can.

Elemis Skin Nourishing Hand and Body Lotion is about £20 (and that is practically a bargain compared to everything else I have shown right?), you can go grab yourself a tube (or two) from John Lewis or Debenhams.

And just to show that men really are from Mars….

(Vix has just slathered herself in the above product)

Malc (Vix’s fiancé): You smell nice, is that new?

Vix: Yes it is a very posh body lotion, I love it..

Malc: Hmmm yes it smells like..it smells like….Shake and Vac?

Shake and Vac?(!)

Do they still make that stuff?!

I think he meant fresh and kind of powdery. Or at least I hope he did. Because if he didn’t both Vix and I are spending 2012 with an aroma reminisent of my Nan’s carpet.

Big Tell Us What You’ve Got In YOUR Bathroom Cabinet Love

Charlotte xxx

P.S – a nice lady on the RMW Facebook page has just let us know there are generous discounts (20% +) on Elemis products available on Hqhair.com …..maybe I can bag that brightener after all?

Inspired by the forthcoming party season and RMW bride Katie’s smoky eye/nude lip look we thought we’d put together a make-up tutorial on how to create sexy silver peepers and the perfect pinkish pout.

We used Vix’s face, my kitchen table and Adam’s photography skills…. and tried to make it as easy to follow as we possibly could. There’s a few questions at the end of this post that we would love you to answer if you get a sec, in the meantime enjoy the sexy make-up tips folks!

Above: This is clearly the “After” shot… and just to give you the heads up, Vix has a light golden skintone, blonde hair and blue/green eyes. You can of course intensify these colours should you be darker and more sultry or go easy should you be of the more pale and interesting variety.

What You Need To Get Silver Sexy:

A. A mattifying primer that makes your base stay put and your pores miraculously disappear. We used Magix by Avon – it is ruddy magic. And it’s cheap as chips.

B. A volumising mascara that is also good at seperating and lifting lashes for that wide-eyed effect (we don’t do clumps and as this look has quite a few products already you could do without faffy eyelash curlers and combs). We used the much loved Max Factor False Lash Effect but the purple tubed version that also does immense lengthening stuff too.

C. An under eye illuminating concealer (Muchos important as darkish shadow can make bags look even worse – sad but true). We used Diorskin Nude by Christian Dior, quite fancy but comes with 10ml in the tube (that’s about 7x more than you will get in a twisty up pen of their skinflash or YSL touche Eclat. And yes I know it’s geeky that I actually know this fact)

D. A black and a silver eyeliner pencil. The one we used is Bobbi Brown Chrome and Black which is actually double ended, it is also limited edition so get one quick while you can! (John Lewis had some left on-line last time we looked)

E. A nudey pink satin finish lipstick. We used Tom Ford in Spanish Pink (a new colour in the range for winter) which has the perfect finish. I won’t tell you how much it is because quite frankly I don’t want to admit it even to myself. However I can tell you that is was worth every penny.

F. A sparkly liquid liner (optional). These are everywhere during the festive season but we used Collection 2000 Glam Crystals which are very glam indeed. Also a complete bargain – about three quid from Boots.

G. A black liquid liner. Vix favours the one from Rimmel as it’s easy to apply, doesn’t budge and doesn’t break the bank.

H. A liquid satin/matt finish foundation. Vix likes Mac Studio Fix which looks surprisingly natural whilst giving medium to full coverage.

I. A whisper of pink blush. Your flush for this look should be practically imperceptible. We used Illamasqua in Katie which might just be the greatest blush on earth.

J. A matt/satin (no sparkles) mid-grey eyeshadow. We used Mac in Swell Baby although there are a million zillion on the market to chose from.

The Base Bit.

Apply primer sparingly all over your face then blend your foundation evenly (you can use a brush or sponge but we used fingers…), apply concealer where needed and of course underneath the eye, remember to PAT NOT RUB (you just end up rubbing half of it off) and extend to the inner corners by your nose – opens up the whole area you see and makes you look all wide awake and bushy tailed.

Apply powder all over – paying particular attention to the T-zone and any other area you may get the oilies. You can use a loose version but to be honest Vix just used her MAC compact with a big brush – it does the trick, creates less mess and is the exact same colour match as her foundation.

The Eyes Have It

Blend your shadow all over the upper lid up to the socket crease, you can use a small headed powder brush (Vix did) or your fingers (I always use my fingers – I think the shadow spreads better when it’s warmed up a wee bit). Don’t worry if its not perfect, it’s supposed to be a bit smudgy anyway and you can always correct mistakes later on with a Q-tip.

I know some folks find liquid liner tricky but Vix draws on little dots across her upper lash line then joins them together. I swear she did both eyes in about 30 seconds flat. Have since adopted this method myself and I’m done in a jiffy.

Genius.

With the silver pencil draw a line underneath your lower lash line extending all the way to your inner corners (you can fade it out a bit here so it looks a bit more natural), add a few extra layers for added intensity should you really want your peepers extra shiny.

With the black pencil draw over the top of the silver faintly-ish (you can go from a gunmetal to a full on charcoal depending on your desired hue) and then smudge it in with a flat eyeliner brush. This should give you a slightly smudgy silver-with-grey look that’s very pretty indeed.

With your mascara wand look down and lift lashes up in a zig zaggy fashion coating from root to tip. Vix finds that she can add layer after layer with the Max Factor one and it doesn’t go gloopy. Make sure you also do your bottom lashes too – the more Bambi the better people.

Blush Baby.

Apply a whisper of blush. A WHISPER. You don’t want to detract from the eyes or look “overdone” start with the apples and extend to the hairline. We used a powder but a cream in a pale pink shade would also work well.

Getting Lippy.

Apply your lipstick straight from the tube, with a natural shade you shouldn’t need lipliner and the finish we prefer is matt satin (so now!) – so we didn’t top with gloss either.

Voila! although not quite. To get extra Hi Ho Silver Lined you can also add a bit of glitter (and who doesn’t love a bit of glitter at Xmas eh?). Stay close to the lashline with your liquid and put a bit extra in the outer corners. You can even dab a bit on your lashes should you fancy an uber sparkly flutter.

Actual voila! we didn’t put the glitter liner on the lower lash line although you of course could should you want to.

This look is based around silver (erm obviously) but you could also try gold – especially lovely on olive skinned brunettes.

Question time!

Do you like make-up tutorials?

Are the “big” pictures useful?

Do you like to know what products we like/use/rate etc?

And what other make-up tips/tricks would you like to see?

Do let us know in the comments box below lovelies.

Big I am wearing this look over the weekend Love

Charlotte xxx

P.S For all you music buffs, I know Jeff Beck wrote the original Hi Ho Silver Lining but unfortunately it’s the Slade cover version and Xmas that I associate it with. Blame my father.

Yup that’s us. With Vix and I discussing our love of lipstick at the school bus stop since the age of about eleven and Jenny being a talented make-up artist and all I am proud to announce that the girls of Rock My Wedding are officially bonefide beauty-product-geeks.

The other day we were discussing our all-time favourites and newest raves, both from a luxe and a “less” perspective, ie admittedly there are many fancy items we adore but equally there are quite a few bargain basement finds in the mix too. Vix will be sharing her must-haves in a future post but right now Jenny and I thought it would be fun to share*

Charlotte’s Luxe List

From left: Stila is back and it’s in Boots!! When I heard the news I nearly did a high five (as I said – geek)… I haven’t found a better powder/foundation for my skin than their illuminating compact in 30 watts. It does immense flawless-making things to your face.

Tom Ford is a beautiful man. And his lipsticks are just as lush. When you see the price you might want to die BUT…blush nude is the perfect go-to for that bardot-with-a-smokey-eye look. And they are so creamy they even smooth out your lips in some major plumping type manner. You can buy one in the recently repackaged slinky black case from Selfridges.

It’s Stila again (told you I was excited) but this time it’s blush. If your skin is a) a bit on the dry side b) pasty pale, then convertible colour in Lillium is for you. A kind of just-been-out-in-the-garden natural rosy flush shade.

Charlotte’s Less List

From left: Discovered Topshop cosmetics recently and out of everything their skin tint is my absolute favourite. Like tinted moisturiser only better coverage.

I read about Prestige Longest-Lashes mascara in a review that sang it’s non-clumping praises. And I have to agree. Not for those that love a real volume giver but it separates and defines like nothin’ else.

Grey. How I love thee. Especially when you are as cheap as chips and as durable as Barry M Nail paint.

Jenny’s Luxe List

From Left: Mac Face and Body Foundation: When asked about my all time favourite product, this is it. I have it in four colours, C2, C3, C4 and C5. I wear it to even out my skin tone, I wear it all over my body especially on my legs and areas of scarring, I use a few layers (instead of fake tan) because the coverage is buildable. Goodbye weird looking thread veins and old lady blue veins, hello skin that resembles a nicely tanned 16 year old!

Benefit Eye Bright: Love this for along my waterline, it instantly brightens me up, and the colour is good against my slightly purple dark circles.

Yves Saint Laurent Perfect Touch Foundation – This is my daily life saver foundation. It’s so easy to apply because the brush is attached (means no orange foundation finger prints anywhere), and it’s easy to slap on when you’re in a rush to get out in the morning. The coverage gives you that nice mattifying effect – almost as if you’ve set your base with loose powder. I’ve got it in two shades, 6 for summertime and shade 5 for winter.

Jenny’s Less List

From Left: The Body Shop Brow and Liner Kit – I am a sucker for a defined eyebrow. I am a sucker for a thick eyebrow too. I am not blessed with thick eyebrows, I have thin brows (the only part of me that is thin!) Without my brows done I tend to look a little odd, I tend to look all forehead actually so I don’t leave the house unless I have filled in my brows. This product is so natural, and it lasts. I’ve had the same one for 6 years now! I lost the brush yonks ago but any small angled brush does the trick, I find it looks more natural than using a brow pencil too.

Lacura concealer – Packaged just like the YSL Touche Eclat, with a very similar light reflecting pigment that helps disguise your dark shadows, but a fraction of the cost. You can’t go wrong with that! I use it all around the eye, and to highlight my browbone and define my brows so they look tidier in between shape ups.

Rimmel Mono Eyeshadow in Matte White – Another of my make up bag staples. In fact, I’ve been using this since I was 15! It looks like a bright white in the pan, but it goes on my skin as quite a creamy colour. I use it as a base colour all over my lid up to my brow bone, then when I am applying my bronzer I make sure I give my lids a quick sweep with my bronzing brush et voila.. I’m suitably made to look like I actually have a pulse and am good to leave the house!

So then lovelies, what are your beauty luxe and less list items?

Do you use any of the products listed above?

Drop us a note in the comments box below so we can have a butchers.

Big Geeky Love

Charlotte and Jenny x

*Please do not hate us for any sudden urge to spend your lunch break at your local department store/chemist/supermarket…

P.s I said “girls” of Rock My Wedding but if you follow us on Twitter you may have been witness to certain discussions around Adam wearing a dress and guyliner…..

Clearly that was not the case. It was merely the reaction of a perfectly sane person confronted with Severin Hubert from Hepburn collection showing me how to construct the so-now ballet bun and Lucy Baker demonstrating how to recreate a polished peachy glow…

Obviously.

Oh. And you can also have a butchers at all of the lovely products they recommend…

Plastic at the ready ladies

Covetable Cosmetics

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – apply a thin even layer with a foundation brush to prepare the skin for foundation and long lasting make-up.

MAC Face & Body – colour N2 – apply with a foundation brush, starting around the centre of the face. Not many people need foundation all over their face like a mask so ensure it is applied where skin tone is uneven or where there are blemishes or pigmentation/redness of skin. Blend with a sponge for a flawless finish.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC1 – carefully apply to any blemishes, pigmentation, red marks using a concealer brush. Blend with a fluffy brush to make it look flawless and part of the skin.

MAC Eyeshadow -Tempting and Mythology – Sweep over the lid with a soft fluffy eyeshadow brush. Blend well for a really natural beautiful look.

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers – Eyelash curling is essential for that bright eyed bride!

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – Blackest black – Brush the lashes with mascara making sure the roots of the lashes are completely covered.

Laura Mericer Invisible Loose Setting Powder – apply a tiny amount with a big soft brush before applying the blusher.

MAC Powder Blush – Peachykeen – add to the apples of the cheeks in stages – blusher is buildable so start with a little amount and build up for the desired look / intensity.

Laura Mercier Mineral Illumination Powder – Starlight – dust lightly over the cheeks bones after applying blush – use the same blusher brush.

No7 Perfect Lips Liner – Nude – Follow the natural shape of the lip and fill in the entire lip with the pencil. This creates a great base for any lip colour.

MAC Cremesheen Glass -’Richer, Lusher’ – sweep lipgloss over the lips using a lip brush for a natural sheen lip.

Sexy Hair Products

Milkshake Shaping Foam – apply a small amount to the hair to add volume to the roots.

Milkshake Open Air Hairspray – spray onto finished hair to hold in place.

Milkshake Eco Mist – spray onto finished hair for super shine.

Tools and Tips:

We used round padding Babyliss tongs Volare V1 Babyliss Pro Hairdryer Round bristle brush – All can be purchased from good department stores.

If you want to trim your hair before the big day, please advise your stylist who will be styling your hair. Only take the ends off as it could change how your hair would look on your wedding day.

Do not use conditioner in your hair on the day, your stylist will use his/her own products or advise accordingly. This is something we try to reiterate to our brides as conditioner can play a huge part in how the hair holds its style.

When thinking about ideas for hairstyles, collect images to show your hairdresser but remember the hair will have a huge influence on the style of dress you go for. You may require more than one trial for your wedding to make sure you are happy with the style you have chosen.

With thanks to Severin Herbert from Hepburn Collection and the lovely Lucy Baker.

So then, anyone going to have a go?

And if not these particular looks is there anything else you are attempting in the DIY beautification stakes for W-day?

Big I Love Milkshake and MAC Love

Charlotte xxx

As in flat as.

That is what my barnet looks like on any given day unless I backcomb the living daylights out of it (Ok for a special occasion but not exactly good for you – the resulting knots are a killer).

My hair is fine. Baby fine. The slightest hint of volumising goop and it looks greasy. And up until very recently I resided myself to the fact that it was better to look a little lack-lustre than it was to resemble a giant chip.

On the run up to the big day this was one of my most prevalent beauty hang-ups, that my do would droop and I would end up looking all a bit pancake-like in the photo’s (Yes I know, incredibly vain. But I was the bride…I figured I was allowed).

Of course I was very lucky in that I had an uber talented hairdresser, plenty of time (it took HOURS), a whole can of hairspray, clip-in extensions, a crimper, about a thousand grips…. you get the picture. Not everyone wants to go through that on the morning of their wedding though, there are far better things to do, like drink champagne and gossip with your best girls.

And actually I no longer want to go through life as the perfect accessory to Shrove Tuesday. I want my locks to be big, bouncy and natural looking.

Recently I have discovered some products that actually work. No really – they do. And combined with some tips and advice from my sister (she’s now trained in doing cool things with hair styling as well as make-up) I no longer leave the O’Shea abode straggly and limp.

Result.

Wash And Go

There are an abundance of shampoo’s and conditioners that promise ultimate body and lift and I’ve never found any that genuinely deliver. With a sensitive scalp I also find that many of them leave me a wee bit itchy…

You can buy Yes To Tomatoes shampoo and conditioner from Victoria’s Health (I am completely obsessed with that website) and they have transformed my life. With over 99% natural ingredients and a pleasant fresh fragrance they make my hair soft and swingy – like a kilt.

Speed Demon

I’m not a big fan of the whole hair drying process. It bores me to tears. And the last thing I want to do after a shower is go get all hot and bothered for a good twenty minutes.

If you invest in one tool this year make it a Parlux 3200. You can literally turn your head upside down, blast the roots for 5 minutes and you’ll be pretty much ready to go. If hanging upside down makes you dizzy, as you dry lift your hair up in sections and aim the nozzle right at the root, promise you’ll notice more than a little “Big Hair” action.

Mr Parlux and I are now firm friends. We go everywhere together.

A Little Extra Help

So the deep fat fryer look I mentioned earlier – the trick is to not put any product on the top layer of your hair, just the underneath bit – that way there is no risk of looking like the great unwashed. I find one of those skinny handled combs work well – pull the top section of your hair up with the handle part and apply a specialised volumising product just to the roots. I rate Fudge Root Juice – I apply straight from the can as the nozzle is nice and precise.

For even more texture and Bardot inspired bouffant you can’t beat a shake or two of Lee Stafford’s Matt Fat powder. Dust it in and watch your height increase before your very eyes people… You can also add it to the lengths – especially effective for that sexy bed-head look.

For extra body I like those curling wands to create loose waves, wrap relatively large sections around the wand for a few seconds and blast with a super fine non-sticky hairspray. The ONLY hairspray I use is the one by Milkshake as recommended by Sev from Hepburn Collection.

So lovelies. Now I’ve shared a few of my secrets I’d LOVE it if you shared yours too.

What are your Go-To volumising products?

Any hair issues you are currently concerned with that maybe our community can assist with advising on?

Any hair styling requirements that any of our industry professional friends can perhaps post about here on Rock My Wedding?

Anything you want to tell us or need to know just leave us a comment folks.

Big Look Like You’ve Just Stepped Out Of A Salon Love

Charlotte xxx

Make-Up artist and Love/Lust member Mariam Jensen specialises in the airbrush technique and has made literally hundreds of brides completely flawless for W-day. Mariam is going to share with us how airbrushing works both professionally and in the comfort of your own abode as well as giving us the lowdown on some of her favourite products for eyes and lips.

My favourite bit of a beauty feature? When the expert does exactly that – because they must have tried a lot of stuff right?!

Of course that’s not always a good thing. It just means I want to go out and buy everything they recommend….

*image courtesy of Exhibit Emotions

Mariam Jensen: Airbrush makeup is very different to most retail products on the market. The makeup comes in a wide variety of bases and my personal favourite is silicone – it’s long- lasting and extremely durable. The product is applied with an airbrush that is fed by an air compressor, creating the finest and lightest application of makeup. Try Airbase for a great foundation that can be used with or without airbrush.

Like any makeup, airbrush makeup is best applied by a professional artist and is worth the investment on your wedding day. However, the products can also be used at home to create a flawless make-up look using a good quality foundation brush and can be worn daily without the need for touch ups. For a natural sunkissed glow, add a touch of the Airbase Bronzer to the formula. This product lasts for hours requiring little to no touch up and feels like you’re barefaced. The coverage is fantastic and can be used to conceal acne, uneven complexions and even eczema.

*image courtesy of Edwina Ibbotson Millinery

A Rosy Glow

For gorgeous kissable lips, try a lip stain on your wedding day. I love Jemma Kidd Make Up School Rosy Glow Lip & Cheek Tint. The stain works best on clean lips that are well hydrated. Very easy to use, simply roll on evenly, blot lips together and viola – perfectly tinted, natural pink lips! For more definition try using a lip pencil, I love MAC Whirl which is a pinky nude shade. Then top with a touch of clear gloss or lip balm for some sheen. The best thing about this tinted lip product is that it is kissable yet not sticky like so many lip products often are.

*Image courtesy of Shanna Melville Bridal Couture

Big And Beautiful

Every bride wants big, beautiful eyes on their wedding day and of course, smudge- free make-up. For eye make-up that stands out yet withstands the tears, create a smokey eye using MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork – a gorgeous taupey-brown shade. Use a flat synthetic brush such MAC 249 Large Shader Brush to work the product all over the lid for a wash of colour. This can be worn alone or try layering to add sheen with a shade such as MAC Tan Pigment.

Complete the look with a set of No 19 Lashes from Illamasqua – soft and smokey, these lashes are perfect for a wedding makeup look. You can also cut the lashes in half and use them as corner lashes which are much easier to apply and also give a more subtle flare to the eyes. After lashes are on, I would give lashes a light curl with the Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler which helps your own lashes and the false ones to blend and look more natural. Top wish a few coats of a good waterproof mascara such as MAC Blacksplash – this can be put on false eye lashes too and make them look very natural. Finally, blend some more black eye liner in the lash line to disguise the band of the false eye lashes.

*image courtesy of Exhibit Emotions

Make-Up Artist – Mariam Jensen visit www.mariamjensen.com or call +44 (0) 797 040570.

Airbrush make-up – Airbase

Mac Products – Mac On-line

Jemma Kidd – Space NK

Illamasqua - Debenhams

So then. Off to buy me some of this airbrush magic.

Or maybe I can somehow persuade Mariam to come round and make me look as radiant as one of the models?

Hmmm. Could take some time.

Big I’d Like Someone To Follow Me Around With A Giant Airbrush Love

Charlotte xxx

I do.

A few weeks ago I came to put my face on only to discover that I had no concealer, a dry mascara wand, a stubby lipstick that I tried (and failed) to dig out with a lipbrush and various bottles and compacts of nearly-all-used and mostly congealed base.

Not at all glamorous.

So, in a bid to a) look half decent b) not be embarrassed to flash my beauty bag in public, I decided it was high time to hit the shops and have a full on re-stock. And being a product junkie and all, I’ve got to tell you, it was in no way a chore.

Having already planned a trip to an event at Wimbledon and having seen various must-haves and recommendations in my monthly glossy magazines that you can only purchase in the capital, it seemed London was cosmetics-a-calling.

Pixi Beauty

Just off Carnaby street is the loveliest little pale green boutique called Pixi Beauty. Inside it’s like heaven, with row upon row of beautifully packaged delights. Pixi was launched over ten years ago by make-up artist Petra Strand and has a world-wide cult following focusing on products that actually treat the skin as well as instantly beautify.

What Charlotte Bought: The product I had read about being brilliant was illuminating tint and conceal, a glowy tinted moisturiser with a concealer in the lid. I know. Clever. The shade I purchased was fair, a very pale gold. It goes on like silk and doesn’t look like you are wearing anything at all. Love.

Always one for a multi-tasking product I treated myself to Lip and Line in pale petal, a budge proof lipstick and liner in one. It’s a pretty pink/beige colour that’s perfect for a Bardot-esque pout.

I noticed that the cute sales assistant had amazing lashes. Like amazing. Glossy, separated and longer than long. She uses Lash Booster in black/blue apparently. Naturally I bought some of that too. And it holds up against my hay-fever induced eye streaming. Result.

Make-up Store

Just down from Pixi Beauty actually on Carnaby Street itself is the Make-Up Store. Which for want of a better expression it’s basically like MAC on crack. Think a zillion million colours of everything imaginable and times that by ten. That’s the Make-Up store.

What Charlotte Bought: I’ll be honest. There was so much to choose from I almost got a bit dizzy. Then I spotted the glitter eyeliner gel in the silver hued Diamond and knew it would add a delicious fine sparkle to an evening eye. It did. It does.

Next I succumbed to what is fast becoming the greatest lipliner EVER. It’s soft, it’s creamy and it doesn’t slide. I bought “Cherie” a girlish pink.

Topshop Own Brand

Ok so I admit to being a bit slow on the uptake here. I knew Topshop had an in-house cosmetics line, I just didn’t realise it was any good. Well it is. And it’s dirt cheap too.

What Charlotte Bought: I think the nail polish shades in general are fab. I went for “Peeping Tom“, an orange coral for shiny summer toes.

On the lips front (yes I know I went a bit OTT in this area for one trip) I opted for a very bridal-inspired lip glaze in “dash” and a look-at-me pinky red lipstick in Brighton Rocks.

As I’ve probably mentioned before I am a huge fan of Christian Dior skinflash for under eye highlighting. However, it is almost prohibitively expensive, especially as I get through it like ruddy water. Topshop do a similar product called Brighten. It’s not quite as flawless as CD but for only 7 quid it’s definitely worth a butchers.

So then lovelies, do you use any of the brands above?

Bought anything new recently that the RMW community should know about?

Do tell.

Big Now Totally Re-Stocked Love

Charlotte xxx

However there has always been a niggling thought at the back of my mind – at £50 a pot it’s not cheap and there are several other ‘hot cloth’ cleansers on the market these days that also receive rave reviews for a fraction of the price. So on a budget drive recently I decided to purchase Liz Earles Cleanse and Polish cleanser and I thought I would share the results with you all, so you can make your own minds up.

The Champion

The Product – Eve Lom Cleanser

The Price – 100mls for £50 with a complimentary cloth from Space NK

The Hype – Described by Vogue as ‘the best cleanser in the world.‘

Looking like a very beautifully packaged tub of vaseline, Eve Lom Cleanser has quite a medicated smell. Packed full of herbs to sooth, deep cleanse and regulate your natural oil balance, (hence also managing spots) this is a smooth-on, massage-in cleanser, which melts into your skin before you buff it off with the muslin cloth soaked in piping hot water.

In fact, it’s not that easy and fans of a bedtime ritual will love the Eve Lom 6 step cleansing regime. Yes. SIX steps. If you’re a wash and go girl then it’s not for you. In brief, the idea is that you smooth a small amount all over your face and then, using the tips of your fingers, perform a series of pressure point massage techniques to aid lymphatic drainage. The cleanser turns from vaseline-like to almost as fluid as oil (no dripping though) and your hands really glide over the skin releasing all the oils and stimulating blood flow too. Once you’ve massaged you hold the cloth soaked in hot water (as hot as you can bear) against the skin to further melt the cleanser and scrub it off in a circular motion. You can follow with a cold cloth before patting dry and going.

It’s expensive but you don’t need moisturiser, toner, eye make-up remover and each pot lasts me around 4-6 months, (usually 6 as there are inevitable nights I don’t bother – did I just say that?)

The Contender

The Product – Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

The Price – 100ml for £13.25 (Muslin Cloth extra)

The Hype – ‘We only make one cleanser because this formulation is the ultimate in concentrated yet gentle cleansing power and works on every age and skin type.‘

The Liz Earl cleanser is much more of a ‘cream’ and comes in a pump action dispenser which pushes out a thick rope of white pearly cream that resembles sudocrem. So far so similar. When applied to the skin the cream does soften, but doesn’t melt as well as the Eve Lom. There’s no ritual to follow but you could use the same technique and no doubt experience the benefits too and the cleanser has a tinge of eucalyptus smell about it which is satisfyingly refreshing.

There’s the exact same method for removal too, use a hot muslin cloth to polish off the cleanser and pat dry. Voila! You’re in the club.

The Verdict

For me unfortunately, the similarities end with the muslin cloth. I so deseprately wanted Liz Earle to live up to the hype and to save myself a fortune, but I can’t say I love it nearly as much as Eve Lom.

I don’t like the lack of melty-ness to the Liz Earle and it’s not just a textuaral feeling. Each of the muslin cloths are exactly the same – a double layer of muslin with quite a loose weave stitched together. I don’t think the Liz Earle gives nearly as good an exfoliation because of the heaviness of the cream which I think then sits or sticks in the gaps between the threads and creates an over all smoother cloth.

Secondly, it’s not a one stop product for me. It doesn’t get rid of half of my mascara and for someone who doesn’t even wear a ton – I’m a one coat girl – thats a major annoyance. It’s on my pillow, panda eyes in the morning and usually I don’t even need to apply again in the morning because some is still on my lashes. Not cool.

Lastly, the all important skin result… On the spot front, I don’t think they differ. That is down to your skin itself. One thing that Eve Lom does give though (and look away now if you’re a hands off type) is amazing softening so spots are much easier to pop if you just can’t resist. In fact, the exfoliating action often removes them before you get the chance whereas I didn’t find the Liz Earl as softening.

On the condition of my skin overall, again I was disappointed in Liz Earle. One of the things I love about Eve Lom is the fact that I don’t need to moisturise afterwards unless it’s the depths of winter and I’m really dry or flaky. And when I wake up, my skin is happy and healthy. Liz Earle is similar in that I don’t need a moisturiser, BUT my skin is oilier than it ever has been with a massive shine problem when I wake up, never mind battling it through the day.

So, it’s a damning verdict and I’m really sorry for being so harsh, but this is just my experience. I know there are loads of women out there who swear by Liz Earle and probably lots who don’t think Eve Lom is a justifiable price to pay. There are down sides and negatives to Eve Lom too, after 2 years of use it was a rare occasion you found me performing the six step technique religiously and don’t even get me started on the price but it still wins by leagues for me. If you’re thinking of trying either then I’d suggest trying the starter kit (Eve Lom even do sachets with a mini cloth) – both women do them and as every persons skin is just as different as your weddings should be, then it’s worth trying them out first.

Do tell me your experiences with Liz Earle and Eve Lom, or if you’ve tried another hot polish cleanser I should try before I go straight back to the Eve Lom Counter, credit card in hand.

Yours Truly,

Rebecca
xoxo