Saturday 15 September 2012

The Power of the Liner!

Hey make up beauties! im back this week with a subject close to my make-up loving heart.. the power of the all-mighty liner!

I have yet to come across a woman of any age and ethnicity that doesnt have a secret love affair with the beauty that is eyeliner.
Used over, under, or on the waterline of the eye, it can enhance the shape and color of your eyes and really make your whole make-up pop.

I have been in love with eye liner since i was about 15 years old- nothing says ''chic'' better than a slick feline flick and a bright pop of color on the lips.
But with so many makes and consistencies on the market, how do you know which one to go for?

Here come some tips to help you choose the right eyeliner!
There are three types to choose from:

Pencil Eyeliners:
If you like a natural definition instead of a strong dramatic look then this is the product for you.

Pros: They are very easy to apply, just pull this skin of your eyelid tight and create a smooth line outwards and slightly upwards.It doesnt need time to dry, so its quick and you can intensity build up the intensity of the color and thickness of the line by re applying. If you are an eye-liner virgin you can always practice with a pencil and once you get the hang of it move on to a different type :)

Cons: They tend to not have the stay poweror wow-factor of other eye liners. They tend to smudge during the day too and no busy working girl has the time for that!

All make-up brands do eyeliner pencils, just choose one that isnt too soft and high in beeswax,(no one likes the ''panta'' look..). A slightly harder pencil will give you better accuracy and precision. From black to lime green and from sofisticated matte to glamorous metallic, theres a pencil (or ten)out there for everyone!
Fave Brands:
 Bobbi Brown,Zerva Cosmetics,Gosh, Mac and Benefit.



Liquid Eyeliners:
The traditional way to apply eye liner, a liquid liner pen or pot will look like this:

 
 
Pros: Intense color, high precision, dramatic look and shape. Fantastic for feline flicks (cat eyes), arabic/bollywood make up and general glamorous shinanigans!
Cons: Because of the liquid consistency, you need a VERY steady hand to apply this, plenty of patience and LOTS of practise! (I wouldnt recommend this to people with shaky hands haha!) Also, if you have hooded eyes, or droopy eyelids its best to avoid this- it takes some time to dry and if you buy one that doesnt dry instantly you will make a mess of your make-up.
Fave brands: Shiny Look, Chanel, Revlon, Urban Decay.

How to: If you do decide to go for it, create 4-5 dots with your eyeliner pen along your lashline. Support your elbow on a flat surface to keep it steady and carefully connect the dots in one line. create a flick by moving out,up or alone the lashline according to your wishes!


Gel Eyeliner Pots:

I saved the best for last with this amazing type of eyeliner!! My all-time favourite, Gel eyeliners have been used by professional make up artists for a while now, and they are quickly becoming more and more popular with women all over the world.

They have the considtency of a mousse and require a brush for application
Pros: Extremely long lasting, beautifully soft feel, strong color, metallic finish, perfect for both subtle and dramatic looks. also, as it time a little time to dry, perfect for smudging to create a long lasting smokey eye.
Cons: You need to buy a seperate brush so its not the cheapest option. Other than that there are no faults with gel eyeliners as they offer the best of both worlds.

My 3 best gel eyeliners are below..all three can be used inside the waterline too!!!
3rd Best: Mac Fluidline
 
2nd Best: Bobbi Brown Long lasting gel eyeliner
 
And the best so far... OFRA Fixline Eyeliner Gel
 


 
Here are some looks ive done, using gel eyeliners!



happy shopping!! Tia xoxo

Friday 7 September 2012

Spring Clean your Make Up Bags for the new season!

Its that time of the year again-  the summer holidays are over, most of us are back at work and our make up bags are bursting with products ! Time to de-clutter those make up bags and spring clean those drawers, make up stations or workplaces!



None of us like to get rid of our make up, we hold on tight to long forgotten lip glosses, leaking foundation bottles and broken eyeshadow palettes but not only is it taking up valuable space, out-of date make up can cause nasty infections and allergies- so grab a bin bag ladies and get to work !

Throw Away:

  • Products that are expired. Mascaras last for 3 months and eyeliners last for no more than 6. Powder eyeshadows, bronzers powders and blushers last for an impressive 12-24 months (not 12 years!).


  • Old pom pons and make up sponges.Wash your sponges and pom pons weekly in lukewarm water and soap to avoid infections and spread of bacteria. Throw away the sponges in 3 months and buy new ones!

  • Broken Items: Yes its heartbreaking to have to throw away a new blusher or gloss but they just make everything so difficult, staining bags, leaking into cupboards and destrying the lining on our beautiful handbags! So take a deep breath and toss away.

  • Long forgotten items: If you havent worn it in a year, throw it away! (thats two whole seasons theres no excuse!)
Keep:
  • Make Up Brushes: Invest in a small leather pouch you can carry in your handbag or at home to keep brushes clean and tidy. Wash them quickly with a brush cleaning spray after every use - (Bobbi Brown and Zerva Cosmetics do great ones) and once weekly witrh a mild shampoo and lukewarm water. It will stop bacteria from spreading to your face and will keep brushes beautifully soft and well conditioned. If you invest in good quality brushes you will have them for years and years.

 
  • Nail Polish: I am personally guilty of buying 7-10 different nail polishes per season and have dozens of bottles lying around that i cant bring myself to throw. If you have nail polish that has thickened and is NOT expired (you dont want nasty nail infections do you?!) bring it back to its former glory with a nail polish thinner. Simply add a few drops to your polish and watch the magic happen!

After throwing the nasty stuff away- its time to organise whats left! Shu Uemura does some beautiful plastic containers that can help get you organise your lipsticks, glosses, lip/ eye pencils etc. No more using the same old pencil coz you cant see your goodies! get organised and make the most of your money :)




Remember, the more space you create... the more shopping for new beauties you'll be able to do.. hurray!!

Love and Hugs,

Tia xoxo


 

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Murad Shoot - London

What do you think of this flower shoot i did a couple of months back ?

Our mood board was flowers and jewels- and for this one i went with fresh flowers draped around
my models hair - i got the idea of a halo in my head and went with that.

 It was such a big challenge to secure fresh flowers on a model with thin short hair as the flowers weighed a ton so there was a lot of laughter in the studio until we got it right!

For the make up, i kept the models naturally pale hue, keeping conturing to a minimum and concentrating on a bright pop of lip color.

I then accentuated her eyes simply by applying a pale vanilla eyeshadow all over the lid and worknig into the socket line and corners with a granite grey creamy eyeshadow.

2 layers of a widening black mascara were applied, and here you see the finished scene of this look.

Its good to be back !

Tia xoxo

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Fashot Tv

My work and myself are featured in this video by Fashot Tv of behind the scenes for the video "Fight"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_KY-tLHgNw

Tia xoxo

''Fight'' Official Music Video

I was the Make Up Designer for the official music video of Fight which was released on the 3rd of October.
 We had three key looks for this video one of which featured some feathers which have turned out to be like Marmite- you either love them or you hate them!- but hey its all good the video has had 85,123 views already ! you can view the video and my make up work on Gabriella here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubQigvvW94Q

Which is your favourite look? Mine is the soft socket line in the boudouir scene in her bedroom :)
let me know what you all think
Love and Hugs
Tia xoxo

OK! Magazine

some more published work this time in OK! Magazine. Once again with my private client Gabriella Ellis - you can view the photos here 1 :) Love and Hugs Tia xoxo

http://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/view/40426/Interview-Made-In-Chelsea-s-Francesca-Hull-Gabriella-Ellis-and-Funda-Onal-

Spirit of London Awards

Here is a light purple and grey smoky eye and nude glossy lips that i did for Gabriella Ellis for the Spirit of London Awards hosted at the Royalk Albert Hall.
She was wearing a beautiful Donna Karan dress on the night with a plunging neckline so we thought we ought to keep it classy and subtle !

Let me know what you guys think and if anyone needs wants to know the products or techniques used for this please let me know and i will post them for you. Love and hugs, Tia xoxo