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

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.

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

And that also goes for make-up, if I’m not wearing my everyday “neutral” face you are far more likely to see me with a soft golden mossy hue swept across my lids and a dreamy dolly pout than you ever are as a sludgy, smoky red-lipped vamp.

Lucky me then that this colour combination is so hot-right-now that there are a whole host of products on offer to make you look picture perfect…. just in time to wave bye bye to the winter blues and Helloooo to sunnier climes.

Oh and I think this makes for a beautiful alternative to the more traditional Big Day “natural” bridal norm.

For those of you who don’t already know – this is my sister Melissa who is an experienced make-up artist and has put together today’s seasonal look, please bare in mind she is not a model and I am definitely not a professional photographer (!)

First things first, the essential kit folks:

Dark Circle Disguise - we used Givenchy “Mister Light” in 02

Gold/Green shadows - we used Mac “Juxt” as a base and a smudge of MAC “Lucky green” on top for depth

Colour Pop Pink - we used Bobbi Brown rich colour lipstick in “Bikini Pink” and MAC gloss in “Flusterose”

Lengthening Mascara - as opposed to volumising, this is all about the flutter folks! we used MAC’s new “false lash” formulation

A Glowing Natural Base - we mixed Estee Lauder “Primer Plus” ( illuminating) with Burberry “Sheer Foundation” in 04

Rosy Apples - we used MAC powder blush in “Pink Swoon”

A Fine Line - we love a liquid for perfect definition – we used MAC Superslick in “Marked for Glamour” which is a medium grey, however, a brown/bronze pencil is equally as pretty.

1. Apply your foundation and concealer, with all the bright ( albeit soft) colour you want a very natural base, a tinted moisturiser or sheer foundation mixed with an illuminator works well. Dot a highlighting concealer on any dark shadows and pat gently, extend to the inner corners of the eye and the lid area to neutralize any redness/create a base for shadow.

2. Sweep on your paler green/gold shadow ( Melissa favours a foam applicator to a brush as it picks up more pigment – I like to pat it on with my finger tip and gently rub in, seems to create more sheen and stays put for longer), if you fancy a bit more depth you can add a slightly darker shade to the outer corners/socket line.

3. Apply your liner, we used a gunmetal grey as it’s softer than black and works well with the whole green/pink thing. The MAC one doesn’t budge, is quite easy to apply and has attractive shiny bits in it that lend a lovely shimmer when you look down/across/get caught in the light etc

4. The flutter factor. Curl lashes and apply your mascara, sweep the wand “upwards” and use a “wiggling” motion to really coat every lash. Comb through with a lash comb and once dry apply a second coat…and a third if you fancy it. Don’t forget the bottom lashes too – one coat will do.

We also swept a whisper of the paler green shadow underneath the bottom lash line to make them extra lovely – literally a tiny whisper though. If you’re not brave enough to sweep the colour underneath then a champagne gold will work just as well.

5. Sweep a barley there rosy hued blush on the apples of your cheeks and towards the hairline, a gentle walk-in-the-park flush will be fine, this look is all about the peepers and the pout.

6. Apply your lipstick straight from the tube ( no liner required) and if you prefer the more matt finish ( as I do as it happens) then stop here – as per the middle image on the above template. If you fancy a little more sheen however then slick on some shimmery gloss.

Et Voila!

Do you like it lovelies?

And as with any “how to” – any questions just drop us a note in the comments box.

Big Wearing This Look Right Now Love

Charlotte xxx

Make-up yes ( unless I forget to put my contact lenses in first and tend to over-do the Aunt Sally blush), high shoes DOUBLE yes ( 6 inches today people!) and I think at 30 years of age I have finally mastered the art of fashion that suits my body type, tastes and personality.

Back to hair again though. no no no no NO. The thought of having to do something with my barnet ( especially under time constraints) brings me out in a rash. I have fine, flyaway locks that don’t hold a curl and naturally have about as much volume as a pancake. And I would love nothing more than to create some feminine up-do that wasn’t severe ( my head just appears even more moony), wasn’t going to “date”, would feel comfortable and most importantly not fall out half an hour later.

I am very pleased to tell you how that I, Charlotte when-I-do-my-own-hair-I-look-a-bit-tragic O’Shea can actually re-create Julie’s MESSY SIDE BUN. Oh yes I can folks, practiced after putting these templates together and everything.

And guess what lovelies, Now you can too! with Severin Hubert’s step-by-step How to.

Preparing the Hair

Before styling, wash hair as normal but with no conditioner – I know it sounds crazy but if you want your style to hold for the whole day please try not to add conditioner. I do suggest though using hair products to help keep the desired style you are wanting to create. Look for a good brand name, you may have to spend a little more but it’s worth it…after all you are getting married! I like to use Milkshake products, they do exactly what they say they do and the smell is delicious!

SEV: Julie was looking for something that was not too structured and very soft around her pretty face. The messy side bun was the obvious choice for her….tres romantique.

Step 1: I used mousse to help set the desired style. Then blow dry under using a round brush to create a sleek smooth base.

Step 2. I took sections of the hair and curled using medium sized tongs.

Step 3. I then secured the curls using hair grips and left to set. For the top part of the head heated rollers were used to create a softer finish.

Step 4. Once cooled down, I ran my hands through the hair to break up the curls, using a little hair spray to help set the hair.

Step 5. To create the side bun I scooped all the hair over to one side and tied loosely with a hair band creating a pony tail.

Step 6. I then took sections of the pony tail and started to create a loose bun securing with pins. I let some of the hair loose on the side of the face to give a soft natural look. Finish off by using hair spray to help hold in place.

All Hair styling and Instruction – Severin Hubert at the Hepburn Collection.

Photography – C B Media.

With huge thanks to Severin Hubert and Julie for showing our lovelies how to have the hottest messy hair in weddingville……

Big Tell Us If You Are Going The Bun Route Love

Charlotte

I love hair info. Mainly because I am tres lazy with my own and rough dry it most of the time due to time constraints but if I could have one beauty luxury it would be a stylist on tap for daily blow-dries and styling. Today however, we’re sharing the knowledge needed for you to become masters of your own hair destiny and recreate a Bridal up and down do… even both if you want to convert them either which way during your big day. My advice? Practice makes perfect. Practice practice practice so there’s no fear of it not going your way on the day, until your desired style is 100% re-creatable.

Failing that, employ a true expert like Severin Hubert. THE bridal maestro when it comes to sculpting super cool, modern bridal hair, Sev started styling in the music industry and is now sought after by many a bride who wants to ensure their hair is their crowning glory. You can’t go wrong with this guy.

For now however, lets see his skills and enjoy the DIY tutorial ladies. I’d love to see the results posted on our FB page.

Preparing the Hair

Before styling, wash hair as normal but with no conditioner – I know it sounds crazy but if you want your style to hold for the whole day please try not to add conditioner. I do suggest though using hair products to help keep the desired style you are wanting to create. Look for a good brand name, you may have to spend a little more but it’s worth it…after all you are getting married! I like to use Milkshake products, they do exactly what they say they do and the smell is delicious!

Steps 1 to 4

– With my brides I almost always blow dry the hair first to create a sleek and smooth base. I used a medium round bristle brush.

Step 5 & 6

Now take sections of hair and curl by wrapping the hair around a medium pair of tongs. Curl the whole head and then leave to cool.

Step 7 & 8

Next, I asked Naomi to lean her head back whilst I started to break up the curls using my hands.

Step 9 & 10

Then all I had to do was place the hair according to how I wanted the style to sit. I finished off by using a firm hair spray and a shine spray to add a gloss finish.

Et Voila! The finished result…

Glamorous and gorgeous. We. Love.

Converting to an Up-Do

As a second look for Naomi we decided to give her an up do with a twist of Rock chick. The hair had already been prepared with the blow dry and setting so all I had to do was first leave a small section of hair at the front for later.

Steps 1 and 2

With the rest of the hair I brushed the hair to one side and fixed with a couple of hair grips along the side of the head. Then repeated the same procedure on the other side.

You now have a column of curls cascading down the middle of Naomi’s head.

Steps 3 and 4

All I did next was to take strands of hair and started to place and secure with grips creating a messy french pleat.

Steps 4 to 8

Once I was happy with the shape I then backcombed the piece at the front to create a quiff. Fix with hair spray and finish with your chosen accessories.

So that’s it folks, DIY your hair up-ways, down-ways, anyway you like it, but rock it out Naomi Style

All Hair styling and Instruction – Severin Hubert at the Hepburn Collection.

Photography – C B Media.

Yours Truly,

Rebecca
xoxo

You see as we have both already said, people have been asking us to collaborate on shoots for a very long time now, but the timing and most importantly the focus had to be right. At the heart of everything we do here, are you the brides, and so whatever we did had to be about more than putting ourselves in fancy frocks and looking pretty, it had to benefit you. So we dreamed up the best ideas we could think of to inspire you all, that you would really benefit from. Then we took that one step further and are going to be giving you all the information you need to recreate that look, in some cases with real DIY features.

Of course, we also had a lot of fun along the way dressing the girls up the Rock My Wedding way. Each of the girls were absolutely brilliant and we can’t wait to share all of their individual looks but first up, please direct your comments to Naomi, today’s dolled up Real Bride. And don’t forget, the reason we did this with real readers instead of models, was that this could be anyone of you looking just as gorgeous, come W-day or darn it, any day of the week!

The Make-Up

As you saw in this mornings post creating a style sheet was key for the shoot, to really tie down our ideas and was created in the same way we often advise brides looking to find their wedding style to do; by pulling magazines apart, tearing out everything we liked and looking for the common theme. We then worked with each Real Bride, getting their opinions of what they liked or didn’t like, what they fancied trying and worked that into our own ideas… Obviously we were never going to make them wear something they didn’t like!

Fortunately for us, the biggest Spring/Summer 2011 make up trend is pink, so our nothing short of fabulous make-up artist Catherine’s brief was a pink bridal face, which we adapted to suit each brides colouring and the style we were going for with them.

For Naomi we wanted to go more than a bit gorgeous with a sexy sultry eye as the main focus of the look, to match her full on glamourama tousled hair. So we asked Catherine to sex up the pink a bit, with golden pink tones and pinky-brown definition.

Here’s how she created Naomi’s look…

Once I had mixed the perfect colour, I used Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation applied with a stipple brush in circular motions. I used the trusty Touch Eclat around the eye area, nose and mouth to lighten any dark areas. Where Naomi needed a little more coverage I used the Graftobian HD palette which is a highly pigmented formulation and covers incredibly without being too heavy. To provide luminosity on the cheek bones and brow bone I them applied Giorgio Armani fluid sheer (no2). I then applied Mac Mineralize skin finish powder onto the t-zone area to minimise any shine during the day.

I began with a natural pink look by using Lancome L’absolu Rouge in No 352. Later on in the shoot we turned up the volume by adding a bright pink bold lip ‘Full Fuchsia’ by MAC.

Make-up – Catherine Hughes at IvyClara

Hair – Severin Hubert at Hepburn Collection

Accessories – Liberty in Love

Photography – Dani and Chris at CBMedia

Styling – Rebecca and Charlotte

Gorgeous, right? Catherine Hughes is one very clever lady and anyone looking for a make-up artist in the North West should definitely get in touch – just wait to see the rest of her work this week

Needless to say, we are pretty chuffed with the results.

Coming up next we’ll be sharing the fashion choices we made for Naomi and the fun-as-you-like images we created

Come back soon… it’s a three post day today!!!!

Yours Truly,

Rebecca

I know when I was searching for inspiration for my own wedding hair, I found it incredibly difficult. Any traditional source, such as the magazines and wedding hair galleries online, were stuffy and I often found a little bit dated, so I think the absolute best way is to find picture of real brides, is in real life weddings. That way you can see how they wear through the day and how they look in different styles of wedding or with different wedding dresses. And you get to see some of our favourite weddings again!

My biggest fear was that I didn’t want to look dated or aged as some of the stuffy older styles certainly do. So here’s a little collection of hair heaven we have seen on the blog in the past and some others collected from Tobiah Tayo, who I have noticed takes some beautiful hair shots and kindly allowed me to use his work to illustrate this post.

The Elegant Up Do

Sometimes nothing else but an elegant ‘hair up’ style will do. This can encompass anything with height on the crown (which I love on other people but really don’t like on myself) and intricately pinned loops to a lower bun. This style is all about sleek smooth styling, not a hair out of place and can be quite architectural in style. Best suited to a city or elegantly formal day, this is a classic look that you can’t go far wrong with.

Image Credits: Carrie Bugg. See the whole Vintage glamour wedding here and the Jenny Packham dress here.

*Image Credits: Shoot Lifestyle Photography. See the whole elegant affair here and here.

Wild and Whimsical

More and more nowadays we are seeing Brides wanting relaxed feminine styles, loose and lovely, in fact, rather whimsical you might say. Suiting the tone of weddings at the moment, the outdoor movement, casual styling and focus on losing the formality, I think you can wear a style like this anywhere and whilst wearing anything. You can also really work the accessories. The most obvious would be the flower child look, but just as popular is the bejeweled side head piece or even a more traditional tiara.

*Image Credits: Tobiah Tayo.

*Image Credits: Lillian and Leonard. See the the Pale and Oh So Interesting Crear Wedding here and The Jesus del Pozo Dress here.

*Image Credits: Tobiah Tayo.

Image Credits: Jon Rouston. See the Gentle Wild Gothic wedding and Cymbelline Dress here.

Long and Loose

For some Brides, hair down is just what they do, or maybe something they don’t have the luxury of day to day… lets face it, if we had a hairdresser at our beck and call on a daily basis, I’m pretty sure I’d work the cascading-curls-tumbling-mid-way-down-my-back look on a regular basis. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, thats what I say, and these ladies certainly show you how…

*Image Credits: Craig Williams Photography – See the whole Vintage Wedding here and here.

Image Credits: David Jenkins Photography. See the whimsical vintage inspired wedding here and here.

*Image Credits: Polly Alexandre. See the outrageously Pretty Wedding here and the flower filled hair here.

Soft and Feminine

Sometimes it’s not about the style, it’s about the look and soft femininity might just be the new timeless classic for today. Loosely structured, often with a curl or wave, this can be up or down, maybe even play about and work a style that can be unpinned for the evening. This is perfect for a no-fuss bride, relaxed style and the country garden styles that are becoming the modern classic of wedding style.

*Image Credits: Andy and Gill Sutcliffe. See the fresh and feminine country wedding here and here.

*Image Credits: Tobiah Tayo.

Fringe Fever

Sometimes there’s something about you that’s your defining feature and if thats your fringe than rock it out – there’s been more than a few fringe wearers on the blog over the last year and part of the appeal is the Bride looking so very real and true to herself on the day. Equally at home as part of a glossy up do or a relaxed garden casual style, this is the perfect example of your hair, your way. We love.

*Image Credits: Binky Nixon. See the Backyard Wedding here and here.

*Image Credits: Shoot Lifestyle Photography. See the Fabulous wedding at Heathy Lea on the Catsworth Estate, the amazing Ian Stuart Dress and Fabulous Wedding here.

Of course, I saved this piece until Friday as each wedding above from the blog is linked, so you can spend a sneaky few minutes (who am I kidding?… hours,) blog trawling through some of my favourite weddings and the rest of our back catalogue! Don’t say we’re not good to you!

Big thanks again to Tobiah Tayo for allowing us to use his images and all the other photographers above. Make sure you go check out his blog

Tell us your Rapunzel style…

Yours Truly,

Rebecca
xoxo

A sexy and sultry take on the peach make-up look, we’ve created a bronze/golden peach eye and lip, a delicate pink cheek and a flawless matt base. A little bit more va va voom than your standard W-day face but aside from perhaps the darker shading eyeshadow we’ve used – every product is still soft, pretty and perfect for alternative bridal beauty.

You Like?

Well then…. here’s what you need:

1. A matt finish no-budge foundation – we rate Christian Dior “forever” liquid
2. A bronze/gold/peach eyeshadow – MAC “Bronze” in THE perfect shade, it’s also lovely and sheeny without being glittery/disco ball.
3. A bronze/peach lip gloss – we used Christian Dior in number 227. It’s Melissa’s favourite.

Other cosmetics in the stash we used:

4. Chanel loose powder in “Peche”
5. RMK Ingenious powder cheeks in MT-02 Light Pink
6. Estee Lauder Disappear concealer
7. Max Factor False Lash effect mascara
8. MAC powerpoint eye pencil in bountiful brown (brown/bronze)
9. MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow ( peachy gold)
10. MAC lipliner in Sublime Culture ( pink/caramel)

Eye Eye Peachy Pie

Start by priming the eyelids, use concealer as before or if you suffer from the oilies Urban Decay make this MAGIC stuff called Primer Potion that doesn’t ruddy move. Really.

Apply a pale gold/peach shimmery eyeshadow, we used MAC ricepaper as a) It’s my favourite b) You can really build up the layers for amazing sheen effects ( we applied softly with a brush first then patted extra on top using fingers)

Next apply the bronze shadow into the crease, we used MAC pencil brush number 219 – this baby rocks for precision/ease of application.

After the crease is complete sweep the shadow into the outer corner of the lid and across the lashline, blend to create a seamless finish with the gold/peach shade.

Remove any shadow fall out with a Q-tip and a tiny amount of make-up remover and then apply your under eye concealer. We used a slightly more heavy duty one than normal as any sultry/smudgy effect can make the appearance of dark shadows more apparent.

Now the fun part – sweep the bronze shadow underneath the bottom lash line up to as far as the tear duct, for extra definition apply a kohl/pencil liner to the upper lash line, don’t worry to much about precision as next you are going to press the bronze shadow over the top and blend thoroughly – it intensifies the colour you see.

Lastly on the shadow front apply a touch of the gold/peach into the inner eye corners to really open them up.

There is one rule for mascara in this look – thick and lots of it. Use a curler and a comb for ultimate baby doll flutter effect.

The Perfect Canvas

Apply a matt medium to heavy coverage foundation using a brush or sponge – whichever you prefer, be sure to dot extra around any red prone areas such as the nose and blend, blend BLEND.

Although we like matt we don’t like dull so for a touch of luminosity we swept Chanel’s loose powder in peche over the entire face using a big fluffy brush ( it also somehow casts a pretty warm glow without looking as obvious as a bronzer – ’tis fabulous)

Blusher is minimal in this look, with such a strong eye and a substantial pout you don’t want to look too “made-up” so a touch of pale pink cheek is all you need.

The Bronzy Peachy Pout

Easy Peasy this, outline the lips in a soft pinky brown liner ( we love MAC cremesticks – so easy to blend) and apply your fruity gloss on top. You can use a lip brush if you prefer but as the colours are so neutral there really is no need, the brush on the Christian Dior gloss we used is actually pretty precise.

And Voila!

With huge thanks to my sister Melissa ( her website is under construction but you can see some of her portfolio/previous work in the photoshoot area)….. for being so patient whilst I made her hold her arm up in funny positions for significantly long periods of time

Let us know if you have bought any of the recommended goodies/re-created this look for the weekend. I am SO doing a peachy bronze eye this evening!

Big We Heart Make-Up Love

Charlotte xxx

P.S This may be very wrong what with being married and all but……if you fancy some man candy Melissa has been working on some seriously hot male models recently. See here . Happy Weekend