Summer movie must haves

I have recently been working on the set of one of next years block buster movies. As always I am sworn to secrecy. I can't even tell you what country I am filming in, let alone what style of makeup we are doing. But I can tell you the most used makeup products on the makeup bus.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Skin Foundation

Mac Set Powder

Nars Cosmetic Blush

Dior 5 Couleurs Designer

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine

Why hire a Makeup Artist for your wedding?

In times when money is tight for every one many brides decide to do their own makeup on their wedding day. Weather this be due to budget constrictions or the fear or walking down the aisle looking like a contestant from “Strictly Come Dancing” (no offence meant. The makeup artists do an amazing job on this show) some brides simply don’t think about their hair and makeup until the last moment.

Your wedding day is the most important day of your life and with venue booked, flowers ordered and dress chosen it is time to think about you. When you see a beautiful actress on screen or in print she will have always, without fail, have been through the professional hands of the makeup and hair stylist. It is your wedding day and all eyes are on you and your look will be captured in your photographs forever. If you can’t have star treatment today when can you?

Who wants to spend the morning of their wedding rushing to a salon worrying about time, the traffic or maybe the effects that the elements will have on your newly styled hair and makeup. Or attempting to apply makeup with shaky hands, thanks to those typical pre-wedding nerves.

You wouldn’t dream of leaving it to the last minute to find your perfect dress, yet that is exactly what many women do when it comes to planning their hair and makeup to perfectly compliment their dream dress.

What better way to prepare than to have a professional makeup artist come to your home for a relaxed and unhurried trial session, giving you the chance to try different looks and style (and picking up a few tips and tricks along the way) until the perfect style is found.

I have been a Makeup artist and hairdresser now for 28 years and have worked with some of the most beautiful women on screen and print creating hair and makeup looks from almost every period in history. Having done the makeup and hair for dozens and dozens of brides, I know exactly what products and colours work best for every skin type and colouring and how to choose hair styles that perfectly balance face shape, dress style and fit your personal style.

With all this in mind you would be able to sit back on the morning of your big day, relax and enjoy being pampered knowing you are in the safe hands of a professional with results that will make you look and feel amazing.

Vintage wedding style

 I have just finished a trial makeup for a bride-to be in London and the look she has chosen for her hair and makeup is stunning. It balances her 1930's style vintage wedding dress perfectly. Her figure is slim and tall and her long brown hair and big brown eyes lends to  the look perfectly.
Here is some Vintage inspiration.

Marion Davies Vintage

Diane Kruger  Modern

Audrey Hepburn Vintage

Bridal Modern

Marilyn Monroe Vintage

Bridal Modern

Silent movie actress Vintage

Jessica Alba Modern

App bug reported!

Over the weekend we've had a couple of reports of our application not downloading the makeup data correctly, this appears to be restricted to users with the new version of the iPhone software. We are looking into this problem and hope to have more information shortly.

Wedding season

It's wedding season and my diary is starting to fill with dates and locations from elegant English houses to wistfully stunning vintage tea parties.
Each bride is unique yet one thing that seems to be the same for each is the desire to look and feel the best she possibly can.

Not every one has the budget for a professional makeup artist on the day but there is plenty of great advise, features and tutorials at Makeuptagg.

Iconic Beauty- Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor in 1954. 'That girl has true glamour,' said Richard Burton. 'If I retired tomorrow, I'd be forgotten in five years, but she would go on forever.'

Is Your Makeup Past It's Sell By Date

How do I know if I need new makeup?

The phrases "Sell by date" and "Shelf life" would make most people think about the contents of their fridge not their makeup bag.

You won't find a use by date stamped on the bottom of your foundation and it may look and smell fine but be careful it may be harbouring germs which can cause sensitivity resulting in breakouts or even infection.

DON'T PANIC! Most cosmetics don't breed bacteria easily as they are packed with preservatives.So how do you know when to bin it? It does, of course, depend on the ingredients.

Here are some guidelines for cosmetic product shelf life:

Oil Free foundation	1 year
Moisturizing/cream/compact foundation	18 months
Concealor	1 year
Powder Loose + Pressed	2 years
Blush Cream + Powder	2 years
Eyeshadow cream + Powder	2 years
Eyeliner	2 years (sharpen pencils regularly and if you get an eye infection bin it!)
Mascara	6 months tops ( this is the worst culprit for harboring germs). Never share your mascara with anyone, and if you get an infection or a stye replace it.

Of course we all need to economize, so to avoid throwing out half used products that don't suit you, download Makeuptagg from the iTunes App store and follow our personalized makeup choices. Along with these product shelf life guidelines, your makeup bag will be organised, extremely flattering and germ free.

The above are guidlelines, always follow the manufacturer's recommendations. The FDA has no set requirements for cosmetic use by dates in the USA. Each manufacturer has its own rules. In the EU, this is regulated byEuropean legislation.

What Lipstick Colour Suits You?

Many women assume they can't wear red lipstick but thats not true. You just need to find the right one. The same goes for any other lip colour. If you wear the right tone it will enhance your complexion and make your eyes appear brighter. The first step is to know your skin tone.

To find out if you are a warm or cool skin tone there are a few simple tricks. 

Take a look at the colour of the veins beneath your skin, on the under side of your wrist. If they appear blue you have a cool skin tone. If they appear green you have a warm skin tone. If they are bluey/green you are in the mixed category. 

Alternatively hold a piece of white paper next to your face and look in the mirror. If you notice pink/blue tones in your skin you are in the cool category. If you notice yellow/golden tones in your skin you are in the warm category. If you notice a mixture you are in the mixed category. Remember just because you have an olive or dark skin colour this doesn't necessarily mean you have a warm skin tone and if you have a fair or beige skin colour your skin tone is not automatically cool. 

Use our find your phenotype tool on the Makeuptagg iPhone app for a more accurate conclusion.

How much do you spend on makeup?

As a jobbing Makeup Artist my yearly makeup budget can often be the same as the cost of a small family car. I decided to do a little digging into how much the average woman spends on makeup.

The average spend in a life time on makeup alone is £9000

This breaks down as the following:

1. Mascara         £2,291
2. Foundation    £950
3. Lip Balm       £500
4. Eye Liner      £500
5. Concealer      £500
6. Lipstick         £1,077
7. Blusher         £500
8. Eyeshadow   £1670
9. Powder         £500
10. Lip gloss     £500

How To Look After Makeup Brushes

After a long days filming I have often used dozens of brushes and have to clean them repeatedly. For every day use you don't need expensive brush cleaners to keep your makeup brushes looking and feeling like new. Wash them regularly in a mild shampoo then use a small amount of conditioner to keep the bristles soft . Lay them out flat and re shape the bristles if necessary. Then allow to air dry.

Smokey Eyes

After seeing fiery red lips taking center stage at the BAFTA's and the Brits, it was smokey eyes that were trending at this years Oscar ceremony.

There are many interpretations of the smokey eye makeup but the essence of it is a  smudged, dark or intense colour around the entire eye to create a sexy and sultry, unstructured look. The level of intensity can be as subtle or  bold as you wish to be.

Luxury- Laura Mercier Custom Compact

Mid Range -Christian Dior 5 Colours Designer

Budget- NYX cosmetics 10 Colour Eye Shadow palette 

The key for the perfect smokey eye is BLEND BLEND BLEND! or you could just end up looking like you've gone 10 rounds with  Ricky Hatton.

Stick with a nude lip colour for the perfect balance.

BAFTA winner

 This is the time of year when we see all the award ceremonies within a few months of each other. With the glitziest still to come. I wanted to take this opportunity to say a huge congratulations to Paul Gooch for winning the Best Makeup  BAFTA for his work on Alice in Wonderland. A massive amount of talent has gone into the makeup and hair on this movie.  Lizzie Yanni Giorgio was also nominated for her makeup and hair on Made in Dagenham.

Keep skin radiant this winter

Bitter winter winds and central heating can only mean one thing. Dull winter complexions! As the warm summer months seem far away, our skin can look dehydrated and quite frankly ...dull! Healthy, radiant skin is what most of us long for at this time of the year and with a little advice from makeuptagg you will soon be waving goodbye to dull and lifeless skin and saying hello to a new, radiant you!

Nothing can be more important than a good moisturiser. Not only does it offer the perfect base for your makeup, but will rehydrate dry tired skin. 


A complexion brightener  will bring an instant luminous glow to your skin for that extra magical shimmer!


Keep powder based products to an absolute minimum opting for rich, creamy illuminating foundations and cream blush. Not only will they keep your skin looking fresh and nourised but give you a softer look.


Our makeuptagg experts recommend applying a little coloured lip balm just before you finish off with your favourite lipstick.




We all know the importance of keeping our skin hydrated so ensure to drink plenty of water....you will be amazed at the difference as you turn dull winter skin into a radiant year long complexion.

Makeup Artists pick their "must-have" products.

Thank you for all the great feedback you are giving us. Makeuptagg app enables the user to access the most flattering make-up colours and the ‘must-have’ products used on celebrities that you see every day on film,TV and in print.

Recommendations are categorised from luxury end to budget. The results can be saved to your phone so that you can avoid being bamboozled at the cosmetic counter when shopping, or you can buy online.

A few of you have pointed out that it looks a bit like we have endorsements from specific companies. We don't. All the reviews and recommendations are completely independent and unbiased. They have been chosen because  in our poll of  15 of the top makeup artist contributors these are the products that have the top marks in their category.

Yes, there are loads of great makeup products out there, but the idea of our app is to help you hone down your search. Sifting through hundreds of makeup brands can be over facing, confusing and cost you precious time and money. When you  buy an eye shadow that doesn't suit you or you feel has poor application quality, many brands, especially the budget brands will not allow you to return it. 
I can understand the frustration of some of our users who have  favorite products that are not listed on our results page so we are currently developing our website and app further to become more interactive. Watch out for Makeuptagg  updates.

Natalie Portman is glowing as she Scoops top slot at the Golden Globes

Last night in L.A,  Natalie Portman won the Best Actress Award for her role as Nina Sayers in the Black Swan. Looking calmly sophisticated with her baby bump and fiancee looking on. 

Get The Look

foundation

Always check that your foundation colour is right for you by testing the colour on your jaw line. The correct colour will disappear into your skin. If it is visibly lighter or darker than your own skin you will not achieve a natural look to your complexion. Foundation will cover many discolouration sand blemishes on your skin so concealer and corrector should be applied after the foundation or you can risk appearing caked in unnecessary makeup.

Luxury - Diorskin Forever Extreme Wear Makeup -Light Beige, 020

Budget - Maybelline New York Fit Me Foundation- Nude Beige, 125

powder

A translucent powder lightly dusted over your foundation will set your make up and reduce shine. Do not over-powder around areas where you may have fine lines as the powder may catch here accentuating the lines...not the desired effect!

Luxury - Guerlain Pressed Powder (les Voilettes)

Budget -Maybelline New York Fit Me Pressed Powder

cheeks

If your colouring is similar to Natalie, go for a warm dusty pink applied to the apples of your cheeks. Check your results on our iPhone app to find the correct shade for you.

Luxury - Diorblush - Rosebud, 939

Budget - Maybelline New York Expert Wear Blush: - Medium Pink 204

eyes

To keep a natural look to your eye makeup choose shades that a close to your skin tone. Taupe,soft purple and brown often the shades to try depending on your phenotype. Blend all eyeshadow well to make it look like natural skin tones. (View our step-by-step guides for more detail). Tip: Use eyeshadow as an eyeliner, it is softer and blends beautifully.

shadow

Luxury- Dior 5- Colour Eyeshadow - soft pink design.018

Budget - Max Factor Colour Collection-hint of red 804

liner

Luxury Dior Waterproof Crayon Eyeliner- Trinidad black

Budget: Maybelline New York Unstoppable eyeliner-Onyx, 10

mascara

Tip: Use lash curlers to open up your eyes before applying mascara. (Click here for our recommended curlers)

Luxury - Diorshow iconic  - Black

Budget - Max Factor Master Piece-Black

lips

Natalie has naturally full lips but don't despair, just cheat. Line your lips with a soft pencil liner that matches your lipstick. Then fill in your lips with a creamy lipstick. Blot the colour on a tissue and re apply a second coat.

Luxury - Rouge Dior Lip Colour- Star Fuschia.766

Budget - L'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Lipstick -Pink 421

Who will be the most glamorous Golden Globe Nominee

This sunday's Golden Globes kicks off the awards season with all the glitz and glamour that we expect from  Hollywood. The best actress and supporting actress awards are filled with Hollywood heavy weights such as Nicoe Kidman, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie and Natalie Portman. But there are also some new and very talented names included in the nominations. Can the  newbies knock the old timers off their pedestal.

Amy Adams is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in The Fighter.
She has chosen a red lipstick with a blue undertone which compliments her cool colouring perfectly. As a rule, if you are going for strong lips keep your eye make up neutral otherwise you'll risk  looking over done.

Red lipstick can bleed so line the lips with a lip liner first then powder the lipstick after the first application of colour. Then add another layer of colour over the top and blot with a tissue.

Here are some of our top rated, cool tone, red lipsticks:

luxury       Sheseido-  RD415 

mid range  Mac - Ruby Woo  

budget       Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick- Fatal Red

To avoid red lipstick looking too severe on a more mature face try a sheer  red such as:

luxury           Laura Mercier Lip Stain- Scarlet

mid range     Clinique Almost Lipstick- Black Honey

budget          Korres lip butter  - Wild Rose

Makeuptagg reviewed in Oprah Magazine

Makeuptagg iPhone app was reviewed by O, Oprah Magazine.
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How it works: Based on the color of your eyes, hair, and skin tone, Makeuptagg generates a list of makeup recommendations: three product suggestions per category, each at a different price point (luxury, midrange or budget). 

Why we like it: If you're overwhelmed by the panoply of products in the beauty aisles, you can use this app to narrow your options before you hit the stores.

Kristen Stewart get the Look Smokey Eyes

Last weekend saw Kristen Stewart win  the 2011 Peoples Choice Award in the Favorite Actress category. Her latest movie Twilight: Eclipse, part of the Twilight Saga, is a dark, super natural, thriller. Not every one's cup of tea, so if like me your imagination goes into over drive as soon as the spooky music starts just stick with checking out Kristen's fabulous smokey eye look.
With her pale complexion and nude glossy lips, this sultry smokey eye look makes her green eyes appear seductively feline.
There are many excellent video makeup tutorials to watch on you tube, so I have listed some great alternative products to achieve this look in both a luxury and budget price bracket.

Get The Look

foundation
always test foundation on your skin to check you are buying the right colour. The correct shade will disappear into your skin. If you buy a shade to light or too dark your makeup can appear mask like.

Luxury:  Nars Sheer Matte Foundation- Mont Blanc
Budget:  Boujois Mineral radiance Compact Powder-Hale

powder
a light dusting of powder will set your makeup and reduce unwanted shine so that your foundation will last longer.


Luxury: Nars Pressed powder- Flesh
Budget: Max Factor Colourgenius mineral Pressed powder.

eyeliner
eyeliner pencil is a must for the smokey eye look. Start by applying eye liner pencil to the bottom and top lash line. It doesn't matter if the line isn't totally accurate, get a small makeup brush and smudge the line.

Luxury:  Dior waterproof pencil eyeliner-Trinidad Black

Budget: Bourjois Paris Effet Smoky Eye pencil- Intense Black

eyeshadow

sweep the lighter colour over the whole of the eye lid up to the socket line. add the deeper shade into the eye socket concentrating the depth of colour to the outer eye edge.

Luxury:   Nars Duo Eye shadow  Surabaya,  Mac Eyeshadow Black tied  
Budget:   Bourjois Smokey Eyes Eyeshadow -Mordore Chic , Boots 17 Solo Eyeshadow- Darkness

gel eyeliner
gel eyeliner can also be used to strengthen the eyeliner pencil

 Luxury Bobbi Brown gel eye liner
 Budget Maybelline Eye studio Gel Eyeliner.

Mascara
using eye lash curlers before applying mascara will open up the eye.

Luxury: Chanel Inimitable Intense Volume Length Curl- Black
Budget: Max Factor false lash effect- black

cheeks 
add colour to the cheeks very sparingly to give a little contouring to the face

Luxury:  Nars Blush- Sex appeal 
Budget:  Bourjois Blush -Rose D'Or

lips
adding a pale pink with a shimmering gloss finishes the look

Luxury- Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss-Sorbet de Cerise     
Budget: Ruby& Millie Lip Gloss -Sheer Lilac

Q and A, with Paul Gooch Hair and Makeup Designer

Q&A with Paul Gooch, Hair and Makeup Designer, Tim Burton's, Alice In Wonderland.

His work on Tim Burton's, Alice in Wonderland has put him in the running for both Oscar and Bafta nominations.

To date he has worked on over 300 film and television productions some of which have been nominated for BAFTA’s, Emmy’s and Oscars.

Paul was brought up in Cornwall but moved to London to study at the London College of Fashion in 1981. In the early 80's both the Punk and the New Romantic movements were a great platform for experimenting with make up. After graduating he trained in make up with the BBC, building the foundation for his career in films. To date he has worked on over 300 film and television productions some of which have been nominated for BAFTA’s, Emmy’s and Oscars. He has worked as a make up artist not only specializing in beauty on many international movies but also creating many character makeup’s, where the art of altering a face is accomplished using wigs, prosthetics and a great talent in make-up application. Some of the films Paul has worked on include: “The Hours”,” The Da Vinci code” and most recently, "Gulliver's Travels".

Q..Where are you originally from?
I was bought up in Cornwall and moved to London in my late teens.

Q..Did you always want to be a makeup artist?
Yes.It was a passion from a very young age. I began by doing makeup for my school plays.

Q..How long have you been a makeup artist and where did you train?
I trained at The London College of Fashion 28 years ago and then had further training at the BBC. Unfortunately the BBC no longer have a training school so it is hard for youngsters to get work experience.

Q ..How many hours did you get to prep before you start shooting Alice in Wonderland?
It was a slow run up beginning with the auditions for the character of Alice. Each character had to be carefully and maticulously designed. It was about 12 weeks from the casting to the shooting. We then shot in the UK for 10 days and moved to Los Angeles and shoot for 3 months with a further 2 month additional shooting, again in Los Angeles.

Q. .How do you come up with the makeup designs,?
I begin by researching the period, in this case 1865. Because a lot of Alice in Wonderland is fantasy I extended my research into many of the more ostentatious historical periods such as 1770 and 1835. Once I have this visual reference of style, shape and colour I experiment by recreating them on models or mannequins and then take it a stage further using my own imagination. I often draw my styles and use water paints or pencils for colouring. This is also useful when suggesting ideas to the cast, director or costume designer. It is a very visual industry and pictures are most efficient way of comunicating ideas. Film making is a collaborative process and I get input from the director, actors and costume designer. After several camera tests we finalize a style everyone is happy with.

Q.. What type of makeup products did you use for the film?
I used many of the high street brands and some specialist products that are created for the film, television and theatre industry.

Q..How do they differ for everyday use?
The specialized products do prosthetic application, scar making compounds, airbrush fluids, wig glues, etc. But the 'beauty makeup' is the same as a person would wear for everyday use. Because of the lighting on films, makeup artists need to use more powder and anti shine than for normal 'day wear'.

Q..What are some of your favorite makeup products to use?
I like Laura Mercier & La Prairie foundations, Clinique mascaras, Stila blush colours and MAC lip and eye colours.

Q..Who have been some of your favorite celebrities to work on?
I have worked with so many lovely people during my 28 years in the industry, often more than once. Part of my professional code of conduct is never to mention names.

Q..What would you say is your personal makeup signature or technique?
No two films are the same so it is rare to repeat a style or a technique. Friends who know my work say they recognize my style but I'm not sure what that is. I guess I am too close to it to be the best judge.

Q..Are there any new exciting projects that you are working on or lined up for you in the near future?
Yes, I have a film offer in the pipe line but I make it a rule never to discuss my work ahead of the contract. I don't 'Count my chickens before they hatch'!

Dark yet beautiful.

In a recent Q and A with Margie Durand and Judy Chin, makeup department, The Black Swan. They have revealed some of the secrets to creating Natalie Portman's dramatic makeup look. Of course the Black Swan stage makeup is not the kind of thing most of us would wear on a daily basis, but the idea can be adapted to create a strong, vampish and darkly beautiful look.

The products include:

MAC Chromaline in Black

MAC Pigment in Silver with mixing agent

MAC Lip Pencil in Vino

MAC Lipstick in Dubonnet

Natalie Portman -Black Swan

Natalie Portman is outstanding in The Black Swan. I watched it again last night as I am in the middle of writing an article about her makeup in the film. The stage makeup is wonderfully dramatic and beautifully executed. It must have been a tough job for the makeup department, Margie Durand and Judy Chin, to keep the intrecut makeup in place with all the strenuous dance scenes.

The prosthetic makeup designer Michael Marino created the transition into the black swan from the small beginnings as bits of skin started pealing away, to the sprouting of feathers and wings.

When Natalie's character is not on stage she is made up to look like she is wearing no makeup. Sounds crazy, but I know from experience how tricky this is to achieve. Will Marjorie and Judy get the Oscar they are tipped for?