LFW Day 3: Lucas Nascimento, Toni & Guy, Haizhen Wang

My final day of London Fashion Week was Tuesday, and boy, what a day! My alarm went off at 4:15am ready for the 6am call time for the Lucas Nascimento show at the Topshop Showspace at the Tate Modern where I was working as part of the AOFM Pro Team. It was a case of make up on the train, cab from the train station, coffee where possible! 

The Tanks at Tate Modern is an absolutely amazing venue, what a fab location for a designer such as Lucas Nascimento.

The key make up artist was Janeen Witherspoon, who I worked with a couple of seasons ago, she's so lovely and it was a pleasure to work with her again.

My model

For this look we cleansed the skin then gave them an oil massage for a couple of minutes to start their circulation going and wake up the skin, then followed with a little bit of Embryolisse so they weren't too shiny and lip balm to get to work on softening the lip ready for us to work on it later.

We applied Face & Body by MAC, with our hands, to take down any redness in the cheeks, chin and nose, using it in thin layers as the base wasn't to look too visible - it needed to look fresh.

This was to create definition on the eye we used MAC Black Cream eyeliner to get in between the upper lashes making sure it didn't go on the lids.  

We used concealer directly on any blemishes or redness then fanned it out using a fluffy brush, and also colour corrected under the eyes. 

MAC Groundwork was softly worked through the contour of the eye crease and blending out the edges to create definition without hard lines, then curled the lashes.

We filled in any holes in eyebrow hairs softly, just along the hair line so they still looked natural, then set the brows up using brow gel.

We contoured using MAC Sculpt and used a soft perfect cheek colour for blush.

We used MAC Pearl Cream Colour Base as a highlight on the temple, cheekbones, chin, nose and a little pat on the lid to create nice luminous skin, then applied Ben Nye Shimmer Powder over the top of that, patting it on with the brush so as to be sure it didn't go on too strongly.

The lip was a blue toned blushed burgundy which was a Kryolan Super Colour Greasepaint. It wanted to look like the had been in water and were a bit chilly. We started by concealing on the edges of the lips, then pushed the lipstick on tho the inner lip with a brush then pushed it in and along with the fingers, again, building it up in layers.

Photo from Vogue

We ended up leaving the Tate about 9.30am - me and 3 others of the Pro Team were on the Haizhen Wang show together, which meant we needed to be back at Somerset House for 3.45pm... we had the day to kill, but when you are tired and all lugging kit around, the last thing you want to do is go on an adventure, so we kept it pretty local.

We ended up on the Southbank for a while, admiring the view and people watching, when we bumped into a group of paparazzi outside the TV studio. They told us they were waiting for the Jackson 5, who were appearing on Loose Women. One of the girls with us is a mad Jacksons fan, so we sat and waited for them, then once she'd papped them and had her hand signed, we made our way to Somerset House where I popped into the Toni & Guy Blowout Bar for my bi-annual London Fashion Week cut and blow dry!

before

during

after

Although I love my ombre, my bleached ends have been really dry so I had a couple of inches taken off but think I want to grow out my layers so left them long. It was so lovely to be pampered in amongst the hecticness of London Fashion Week - although the hair dryer nearly sent me off to sleep! Thank you Ellie (who's usually based in the Teddington branch) for a lovely job!

We made a refueling stop at Cafe Rouge, then back to Somerset House for the London Fashion Week closing show, Haizhen Wang!

Yin Lee was the key make up artist, who had created a stunning look which complimented the tribal hair and the collection perfectly. 

It was a clean base, Groundwork on the lid, nude pencil in the waterline, mascara and then.... a blue line down the nose, and the stencil. It got so hectic that I didn't take any more photos backstage, so upset I didn't get a stencil in there! Jai'me from Boy Meets Fashion was backstage, so keep checking his blog to see the photos!

Photo courtesy of London MUA Connect

The photo above shows Jade, Yin's assistant, working on the stencil. Yin had cut out lots of the stencils which were stuck onto the models faces then held by another make up artist while we painted over it in blue. This was the finished effect.

Photo from theupcoming.co.uk

Photo courtesy of London MUA Connect

Photo from Vogue

It was such a buzz, I love working in faced paced environments like that show - it was an absolute pleasure to work on all five LFW shows I did this season and can't wait until the next!

LFW Day 1: Fyodor Golan, #HPMLFW, Eudon Choi

Phew, it's been a busy old weekend for me - London Fashion Week is here, showcasing the designers' Autumn Winter collections for 2013-2014. It kicked off on Friday, which is where I began... you'll have to forgive the picture heavy post, but it was a busy day!

It started at The Savoy, doing make up for Fyodor Golan as part of the AOFM Pro Team with key make up artist Michelle Webb. Here is the model who's make up I did.

To create this look, we prepped the skin then applied an illuminating cream (I used MAC Strobe Cream) then used a Bobbi Brown stick foundation one shade lighter than the skin to create a pale base.
We then used Make Up Forever HD Foundation mixed with a little more of the illuminating cream mixed together, stippled on then buffed in with a clean brush.
We used a peach concealer under the eyes then let the foundation set in while we got to work with the rest of the face.
We then used a matt sand colour eyeshadow all over the lid (I used MAC Wedge) and up to the eyebrow then using the foundation brush blended it in at the eyebrow area to create and natural and seamless finish.
We added Urban Decay Sidecar to the lid, making sure to pat off the brush on the back of the hand to remove excess shimmer, then took the sand shadow under the lower lash line and buffed it out to blend the edges.
The brows were concealed out which we did a tiny bit at a time using a light shade of concealer on a mascara wand through the brows layer by layer, then a little liquid concealer to create a nice finish, and buffed out the edges of the concealer.

Photo by houseofmari.com

We used a mixture of Make Up Forever Aqua Rouge 9 and 11 for the lip colour, creating a pointed edge to the lips, then used black gel eye liner to line the lips then blended it up using a small cotton bud, then added the gloss from the Aqua Rouge and went around the edges of the lips with a nude coloured pencil and blended out with a cotton bud.

Photo by houseofmari.com

We used MAC Lightscapade for a light contour then a sandy coloured blush on the cheeks.
To highlight the face we used MAC Soft & Gentle down the nose, on the chin, forehead and cheekbones.
To finish, we added MAC Vanilla pigment to the inner corner of the eye using the little finger and blended out with a brush, then added white liner to the waterline. Powder was added in the lineup.

Photo by houseofmari.com

Photo from Vogue

A film crew were with me filming for Handpicked Media's YouTube Channel - HandpickedMediaTV which was rather exciting, although I was having one of those days where I just didn't feel I looked like myself so it'll be interesting to see the video once it's finished!

There was time for a quick pitstop at the Handpicked Media London Fashion Week Suite at the One Aldwych Hotel, which is always a pleasure. It's a little bubble of calm in amongst the hecticness. Seascape were offering massages which I was so gutted I didn't have time for, but still enjoyed sitting down for a few minutes with a Vita Coco and Curly Wurly and looking at the goodies on display. Superdry were there doing make up - it looks like a really great range and the prices look good too, I'm looking forward to having more of a play with that. Playful Promises were showcasing their underwear, which was gorgeous too, and I was surprised with the prices as I thought they'd be a lot more than they were! 

It was then onto Somerset House for the Eudon Choi show - which I was working as part of the AOFM Pro Team with Adam de Cruz as the key make up artist.

The collection was based around Russian doll styling and Russian folklore, so the makeup was kept very simple with the main focus being on the skin. We were trying to achieve clean, expensive looking skin with dewy highlights and glossy lids. Here is the model I made up for the show.

We started with prepping the face then giving it a massage with Embryolisse moisturiser to wake up the  skin. We then buffed it in with a brush and added a light cover of Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturiser.
We used Bobbi Brown concealer with a pointed brush around the nose and any other areas that needed concealing, then buffed it out with a bigger brush.
We used a pink Bobbi Brown colour corrector under the eyes and for the inner corner of the eyes.
To achieve the smokey brow we brushed them up then added eyebrow powder on a brush which had most of the product brushed off it already, then a dry cotton bud to blend out the edges.
We curled the lashes then added Bobbi Brown gel liner to the waterline depending on what colour hair the model had - the blonde girls had grey, black hair had black, and brown hair had brown.
Glitter was added to the eyelid in lineup, and Tom Ford cream Highlighter to the cheekbones.

Photo from Vogue

I'll be back from more tales from behind the scenes in the next couple of days. Hope you enjoy!

AOFM Bridal Make Up Course GIVEAWAY!

I soooo super-duper excited to tell you that AOFM, The Academy of Freelance Makeup - where I trained at in 2011, are offering TWO  extremely lucky Super Gorgeous readers a spot on their Bridal Make Up Course this March.

The course runs over 5 days where you will learn everything from basic bridal make up application to advanced techniques, as well as bridal hair. It's a great idea for anyone into make up looking for some training, already working as a make up artist but would like a bit of guidance with bridal work, if you'd like to work as a bridal make up artist, or if your sister has roped you in to do the make up at her wedding later in the year! You can find out full details of the course here.

AOFM's way of teaching is something I really enjoyed - every day is taught by a different industry-leading make up artist or hair stylist, so you can pick up different tips and techniques and grill them on how they got to where they are today.

As well as the make up course (which costs £950), they will also be giving each winner an AOFM brush set which has a £250 value - whoever the lucky winners are are going to be extremely happy boys or girls! All you have to do to enter is put your details in the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of the post, where you will find a number of different ways to gain extra entries.

The giveaway is open internationally but please note that the course takes place daily at the AOFM studio in Soho, London - the prize does not include travel or accommodation. You will have to attend every day from 11th-15th March 2013. As a past student myself I know that AOFM do not tollerate lateness as it disrupts the rest of the class. If you are repeatedly late or miss a day you will not be invited back - so PLEASE only enter if you are passionate about make up and this is something you really want - this is an amazing opportunity for two very fortunate people so please don't waste it.

The giveaway ends on Wednesday 6th February when a winner will be selected at random. Both winners will be contacted via email and announced on Twitter and the Rafflecopter widget.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model Live - Backstage Makeup Tutorials

I am just about back in the land of living after my trip to Birmingham with AOFM for the Clothes Show Live where we did make up for Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model, and the Diet Coke stages - I had such an amazing time I cannot begin to tell you!

The key make up artist for Britain & Irelands Next Top Model was Michelle Webb. The look started off as per the face chart below, and the make up I did on Roxanne.

We started this look by preparing the skin and making sure the lips were well moisturised which I did using my new fave, Dr Lipp.
We wanted a velvet finish to the skin so used an appropriate foundation according to the model we were making up - I used a variety, from MAC Face & Body, to Bobbi Brown's BBU Palette, and Illamasqua's Skin Base - after day one we had more of an idea of what each models skin was like and which foundation would suit them.
We used MAC Luna as a base on the eyelid, and added a small pat to the cheekbone, then used MAC Smoulder pencil tightly in between the upper lashes.
We then used MAC Naked Lunch shadow on the lid and inner corner of the eye, and MAC Wedge with a small crease brush along the entire crease and outer corner of the eye which we then blended with a fluffy brush.
We then added a flick of black eyeliner using MAC Blacktrack, and lined the inner rim of the eyes with MAC Fascinating pencil.
We added black mascara to the top lashes only then brushed through the brown, filled them in then gelled them in place.
For the lips, we used MAC Brick pencil, then MAC Redd pencil to fill the lips in. We then used MAC Diva lipstick in the center of the lip and blended it out.
We then contoured using MAC Harmony under the cheekbone and into the temple, then used MAC Melba blush on the apples of the cheeks and blended up into the contour and temple.
We highlighted the cheekbones using MAC Soft & Gentle MSF and added a small amount to above the cupids bow.
We then set the face with powder - I used Make Up Forever's HD Powder.

By day two, the look changed slightly, with Michelle Webb adding more of a powerful lip - we were now using MAC Nightmoth liner on the lips, filled in with OCC Lip Tar in NSFW, blended together.

Here is Michelle demonstrating the look on Emma G, and the finished make up look.

Here is Emma S with the same look, that I did on her.

On the final day, Michelle decided to go out with a little sparkle, so once again, we changed the lips! This time we lined the lips with MAC Redd lipliner, added OCC Lip Tar in NSFW, then patted on Helen E glitter in Red Disco. Their lips looked amazing, especially under the lights of the catwalk! Here are some of the make ups I did on Madeline and Anita with this look.

The girls were so friendly, such a gorgeous bunch of girlies. We had lots of others popping backstage too, Amy Childs who was showcasing her collection, Times Red, Charley Speed who was presenting, Grace Woodward, and Danny Shah who was singing on the same stage. Here are a few more pics from the BINTM stage.

The AOFM Team with some of the BINTM Girls

The BINTM Dream Team!

Crowds watching the show

The AOFM Team with Charley Speed

The AOFM Team with Danny Shah

Touchups on the glitter lip for Emma S!

The AOFM Team with Grace Woodward

Touch ups on Letitia, this years winner

Letitia Herod

Penelope

AOFM Team with Times Red (no one else got the 'stick your tongue out' memo, obvs!)

Backstage touchups

AOFM Team with Amy Childs

As well as doing the make up at Britain & Irelands Next Top Model, we were also doing make up for the Diet Coke 'Image Stage', which was a catwalk graced by some gorgeous models. AOFM artist Kelly Mitchell designed the look using Rimmel, who was the sponsor for the show.

Here is the face chart and look that Kelly created, on Molly, one of the stunning models.

For this look, after prepping the skin, we applied foundation and concealed around the eyes.
We used the Rimmel brown eyeliner, and thickly lined the upper lid, then blended it out using a brush. We also added a thin line under the eyes, and again, blended it, this time using a small brush.
We used the '002 Smokey Brun' palette - using the darkest brown colour we pressed the shadow onto the lid, over the liner, and using a small brush, added it to under the eye too.
We then used the gold tone on the lid, from where the dark brown colour ended, up to the crease - making sure not to take it into the crease. We added a small amount onto the first 1/4 of the eyelid.
We lined the inner rim of the lower lash-line with a white Rimmel eyeliner then got to work with the brows! The brows were fairly strong, using a colour slightly deeper than the natural brow colour. We then added a small amount of the lightest colour from the Smokey Brun palette under the brow and into the inner corners of the eyes. We didn't use any mascara to keep it fresh and innocent looking.
We used a fairly strong contour then added '012 Coral Rose' blush on the apples of the cheeks then blended slightly upwards.
We used Pink Impact eyeliner as a lipliner quite softly, for a little definition then added a mix of lip glosses on '701 Outrageous' and '640 All Day Seduction'.

Here are some more images from the Diet Coke 'Image' Stage.

The days were very long, but I was working with such a fabulous team of people, the adrenaline pushed me through! Normal blogging service should resume as of now! x