Makeup Artist Inspo Ft. Desi Perkins

There are thousands upon thousands of makeup artists across the web, but like everyone I have my favourites which I admire and look to for inspiration. You may have read my previous post on MUA Amrezy but this time its all about J.Lo look alike Desi Perkins. I only recently discovered Desi's makeup tutorial but ever since I have been following her and the stunning and unique makeup creations she comes up with, which I must recreate on myself.  Below I have put together some images of my favourite looks she has created. 

This look is pretty simple but very effective. The pop of colour in the inner corner makes a massive statement. Desi also uses an interesting mixture of colours in this look but the teal and deep purple really compliment each other. This look is all about the eyes as you can see she opted for a nude lip and a lightly bronzed and matte complexion. I like how Desi models this look, showing off her manicure which matches her makeup. 

Desi proves its good to experiment with different products and colours as she creates a feline flick using an electric blue eye liner which looks stunning against her brown eyes. I like how she warmed the eyes up using neutral browns, again an interesting choice of colours but it works. This makeup look is also based around the eyes as she rocks a nude lipstick, a flawless complexion and a soft glow on her cheekbones. 

This eye makeup is similar to one I recreate frequently on my clients, a dramatic smokey eye with a touch of glitter and once again Desi models her signature nude lip and glowing complexion. 

Thank you for reading!

Recent Makeup Look: Simple Smokey Eye

Firstly I apologise for my lack of posts in the last couple of weeks, I have been busy with work and prepping for my upcoming holiday to Ibiza in 3 weeks. I'm really pleased as I have had so many makeup appointments lately and lots more coming up in the prom season, unfortunately I have once again forgot to take pictures of the looks I have created, I must start remembering to do this. To compensate for that, I recently created an easy to achieve, neutral smokey eye on myself which I have since been wearing frequently. 

eyes.

• As always I started by priming my eyes with MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot, this gives eyeshadow stay power and prevents creasing.
• For my transition colour, I created a shadow in my crease using MAC 'Wedge' eyeshadow, the shadow technique creates definition. I applied this lightly with a fluffy brush, recently I have been applying my transition colour first, to ensure this area stays matte if I am using a shimmery base colour. 
• As my base colour I used the very popular MAC 'All That Glitters'. This is a product I had to repurchase because I used it frequently, its very versatile and I use it often on my clients, especially for bridal makeup. 
• To create the 'smoke' I darkened up the outer corners using the 'Warm Brown' powder from my 'HD Brows Pro Eye and Brow Palette' with a pencil brush I then blended this out for smooth finish using a fluffy brush. I also applied this to my lower lash line for a smouldering effect. 
• I used MAC 'Shroom' eyeshadow to lift and highlight my brow bone and in my inner corner to make my eyes appear brighter.
• For my statement feline flick I of course used my holy grail eye liner, MAC 'Liquidlast' Eyeliner. 
• In my waterline I used Urban Decay '24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil' in the colour 'Pervision' which is black. 
• To finish I applied Barry M 'Lash Vegas' Waterproof Mascara. If I was to wear this makeup out I would complete this look with some wispy Kylie Jenner style false lashes.

lips. 

• To line my lips I used MAC 'In Anticipation' Pro Longwear Lip Pencil, because I have ran out of my favourite lip liner (Mac 'Pink Treat' Creamstick Pencil) I always over draw my lips slightly to create a fuller look. 
• The lipstick I used was MAC 'Merh', no surprise there, this is my absolute favourite lipstick.

you can read my most updated complexion routine here. 

Thank you for reading. 

Met Gala 2015, My Favourite Looks

Monday night saw the annual Met Gala fundraising event take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. This event takes place every year and each year celebrates the theme of the particular year's Costume Institute Exhibition and the guests are expected to dress to match the theme of the exhibit. This years theme was 'China: Through The Looking Glass'. The Met Gala is known for being the fashion worlds most anticipated event and this year the celebrity guests certainly did not disappoint as they arrived on the red carpet which displayed the most glamorous and outrageous dresses. There was many strong contenders on the fashion front but for me, it was of course Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez as well as a few more style icons that truly stood out. 

My absolute favourite and probably the most talked about look from this years Met Gala has got to be Beyonce in Givenchy. Beyonce and husband Jay Z were the last to arrive at the event and you could say this was ironic, saving the best till last. The sheer designer dress showed off B's flawless figure as the superlatively placed multicoloured embellishment kept her dignity and glistened as it reflected the camera flashes. To complete the look she wore Lorraine Schwartz jewellery, a super sleek high ponytail and barely-there makeup. 

behind the scenes: Beyonce posted these pictures on her Instagram page 

Proud husband Kanye looks on as Kim Kardashian West holds a pose for the cameras. Kim never fails to make a statement and she sure did make jaws drop in this breath taking Roberto Cavalli gown. The stunning creation incorporated jewel detail, an open back and a feathered trail. As ever Kims makeup was applied to perfection and she wore her hair in a chic pony tail which revealed her Lorraine Shwartz diamond drop earrings. 

 Following in her sisters fashion footsteps was Kims little sister Kendall Jenner. It was no surprise Kendall was modelling Calvin Klein on the red carpet as she was chosen to be the face of Calvin Klein's #MyCalvins Denim Series campaign. Kendall stunned in the crystal beaded gown which showed off her slim supermodel figure. She wore Chopard jewellery and opted for her signature sleek and straight hair and minimal makeup. 

behind the scenes: A close up on Kendals makeup, she wore very neutral eye makeup and a nude toned lipstick.

If Jennifer Lopez makes an appearance on the red carpet I can almost guarantee she will make an appearance on my blog. Jennifer Lopez is my ultimate style icon and she never fails to amaze me with her latest fashions. Of all the looks I have included in this post I believe J.Lo captured the events theme the most as her extravagant gown, designed by Versace, incorporated a beaded chinese dragon. As you can see the sheer material was very popular on the red carpet this year, as J.Lo also showed off her curves in the revealing gown. 

Supermodel Joan Smalls looked outstanding in this purple creation by Roberto Cavalli. This gown displayed lace applique and leather detail. Joan let her dress do the talking and wore only a black choker and ring to accessorise and she wore her silky straight hair in a middle pattern. 

behind the scenes: Here we see Joans makeup artist applying a vibrant purple eyeshadow, creating a smokey eye to compliment her dress.

Thank you for reading! 

Makeup Artist Inspo Ft. Amrezy

Firstly I apologise as I haven't written a new post in two weeks. I wasn't sure what to write about as I wanted to do something makeup related but different to what I usually do, so after some thought I decided to put together some images of my favourite looks from Amrezy who is a very popular makeup artist and I would like to make this a recurring post in the future, looking at different MUA's work. 

As much as I love creating makeup looks on myself and clients, I also enjoy researching other makeup artists work and watching You Tube tutorials for inspiration and ideas. Speaking of tutorials I promise mine are coming very soon, I am currently in the process of setting up my new salon where I will also be recording my videos

Amrezy

I could have put every picture of Amrezy on here because I love all her makeup looks and everything she wears. She is so glamorous I love how she matches her clothes and jewellery so well with every individual makeup look.

 A natural matte smokey eye is something I don't do very often, I either go all out with shimmer and glitter eyeshadows for an evening look or tone it down for a day time look, but there's always shimmer. However seeing this look Amrezy created makes me want to try it out on myself, this eye makeup would be perfect with MAC 'Velvet Teddy' Lipstick, very Kylie Jenner. 

Another neutral look with a touch of shimmer, this is a very versatile look that would work on anyone. 

Something else I don't wear or particularly like is silver eyeshadow, I think it can look a bit tacky but once again Amrezy has changed my opinion and I'm loving this simple smouldering silver eye she created. 

This is a signature look from me, gold glitter and smoked out black eyeshadow, this look is very popular with my clients. I'm also loving the strong cheekbone highlight and pink lipstick and those earrings of course!

I love this image! I need to recreate these eyes to match my outfit for the weekend, however I don't have an eyeshadow or pigment this colour but I'll see what I can do! 

This is an Arabic inspired look its all about the winged liner, she has used really soft and nude colours on her lips and complexion, her eyes and head piece do the talking in this look. 

Coachella 2015; Celeb Style & Trends

This past weekend saw the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival take place in Indio, California. Coachella is a festival loved by some of our favourite celebrities, not only is it a place for them to enjoy music and socialising but it is also a place where they can express themselves through their fashion choices in a different light as appose to the red carpet and photo shoots. 

Coachella kick starts the festival season and with many more festivals on the horizon its great to look to celebs for a bit of inspiration on what to wear to these events. However, festivals aren't for everyone (I went to Creamfields last year - not for me!) but if you like what you see you can always interpret these trends in your summer and holiday wardrobe. 

Lets start with the fashion icons that are Kendall and Kylie Jenner. 

Kylies blue hair made a comeback for the festival, her vibrant hair is quite the opposite of the nude ensemble she sported. 

Kendall wore knee length denim cut offs which I can see being a trend this summer but of course they won't be to everyones taste.

Kendall accessorised with lots of chunky silver jewellery and Victoria Beckham sunglasses. 

Kendall showed off her legs and opted for a boho look alongside Fergie who wore all black in crochet and Giuseppe Zanotti black studded and fringed boots 

Jourdan Dunn switched up her look with a new lilac hairdo. She wore a Alice McCall crochet romper and lace up sandals - this is my favourite outfit from Coachella!

In another appearance Jourdan rocked grey/blue hair. I love her tassel shorts and statement necklace. 

Chanel Iman wore a black kimono with flower detail over a bikini top and shorts, kimonos can transform an outfit and are great for covering up! 

Coachella sees a lot of edgy fashion but if your a girly-girl, look no further than Chanel for inspiration, here she wears a white two piece and Stuart Weitzman lace up sandals - these gladiator style sandals were a trend at the weekend, If you hadn't already noticed. 

Similar to Chanels look, fellow model Rosie Huntington-Whitely wore a white crochet Chloe mini dress. 

Gigi Hadid was a pin up for festival fashion in tan, tassels and chains. 

The models stole the show 

Jasmine Tookes, Jourdan Dunn, Gigi Hadid and Shanina Shaik showed off an array of festival fashions.

Jasmine Tookes repped the high street in an Urban Outfitters fringed dress.

Victorias Secret model Allesandra Ambrosio looked 'hippie chic' in a paisley print blouse and tan shorts which are looking popular for the summer. 

Amber Rose wearing tropical print palazzo pants, a great addition to a summer wardrobe.

Sisters Paris and Nicky Hilton matched in bold patterns 

 Not your typical festival look 

Rihanna went for a different approach as she wrapped up in a coat designed by Marques'Almeida - and yes the sleeve is suppose to be hanging off! She wore lipstick to match the purple fur but chose bright pink lace up boots to complete the look. 

Throwback 

On searching Rihanna, I came across the picture of her at Coachella way back in 2012. This look is definitely more suited to a festival and I had to include this because just look at that Chanel bomber jacket!

Your festival fashion checklist 

• denim 
• suede
• tassels/fringing 
• crochet/lace
• kimonos/kaftans
• tan (colour)
• bold patterns 
• chains 
• statement jewellery 
• sunglasses
• small over-the-shoulder bag 
• lace up/gladiator sandals (you may have to reconsider this if you live in England, if thats the case you should probably stick with wellies)

Thank you for reading! 

Easter Look: All Pink Everything

Easter always feels like the time of year where I can begin to dress a little more summery and more bright colours appear in my wardrobe, although pastel colours always remind me of Easter. This year I wore all pink; a pink outfit, pink nails and lots of pink makeup of course. I went for a soft smokey eye using MAC 'Rose' Pigment for the first time as the base colour which is a gorgeous pink/red with copper sparkle, this colour really complimented

my eyes and matched my outfit. Other eye products in this look included MAC Eyeshadows; 'Sketch', 'Cranberry', 'Gleam'. On my lips I used YSL Rouge Volupte in the shade 'Rose Opera' which is a gorgeous glossy bubblegum pink. The reason I haven't written a full written tutorial of this makeup is because I'm planing to recreate this look in an upcoming video tutorial.

Recent Makeup Look: Purple Eyes

Another night in lead to me creating this makeup look. As I've said many times purple makes green eyes pop which makes it one of my favourite colours to wear although its not always easy to wear as its such a vibrant colour which could clash with particular outfits, hence the lilac top! However when I do get the opportunity to wear purple eyeshadow I go all out like I did with this look. For my face I stuck to my usual face routine with heavy contouring and highlighting, and for my lips I chose a pink lipstick with blue/purple undertones which complimented my eyeshadow. 

step by step tutorial.

eyes 

• As always I began with a fresh face, I like to start with my eye makeup because if there is any fall out from eyeshadow or glitter I can easily wipe it away with a facial wipe and not have to worry about reapplying foundation and concealer later. 
• The next step is to apply my eye primer, as usual I used MAC 'Painterly' Paintpot. 
• For my base colour I used MAC 'Plum Dressing' Eyeshadow I applied this allover my lids.
• I then applied MAC 'Stars & Rockets' Eyeshadow in the centre of my lids on top of 'Plum Dressing', plum dressing is a lilac eyeshadow with blue undertones which reflects in the light. Applying this colour in the centre give the eyeshadow some dimension. 
• To create some shape and definition I took MAC 'Push The Edge' pigment (limited edition 'Nocturnal' collection '14) on a pencil brush and applied it to the outer corners and through the crease. I then blended the edges out ever so slightly with a fluffy brush because I wanted to keep the darkest colour in the outer corners and crease only.
• For more definition in the corners I used MAC 'Beauty Marked' Eyeshadow which is black, I applied this in the outer corners only to darken and create the outer 'v' shape. 
• I then applied a purple glitter (unbranded) which isn't very visible in the pictures. I dabbed some fixing gel on top of the base colour and then lightly dusted on the glitter with a fluffy brush.
• As a transition colour to blend the purple out I used MAC 'Sushi Flower' Eyeshadow. This colour was used above the crease and meets the brow bone highlight shade. 
• For my brow bone highlight I used MAC 'Vanilla' Pigment.
• For my inner corner highlight I used MAC 'Gleam' Eyeshadow.
• I used MAC Liquidlast Eyeliner along my lash line to make my lashes appear thicker.
• To line my waterline I used Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the colour 'Perversion'.
• For my lower lash line I used 'Push The Edge' in the outer corners and 'Plum Dressing' towards the inner corners. 
• I coated my eyelashes with MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara before adding Ardell false lashes (I'm unsure of the name/number).

face

(this is my typical face routine which you have read in my previous posts) 

• firstly I cleaned up any eyeshadow/glitter fall out with a facial wipe, I then used MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Illuminating Baseto moisturise.
• Seen as though I would wear this makeup for a night out or special occasion I decided to use my BH Cosmetics Camouflage and Concealer palette to contour instead of using a foundation. I used a lighter concealer to highlight and conceal under my eyes, I made an upside down triangle shape using a flat foundation brush, I then applied the same colour on the centre of my forehead, on my chin and down the centre of my nose.
•  To contour and create shadow I applied the darkest concealer at the hollow of my cheekbones, temples, hairline, jawline and either side of my nose and chin. I applied this with a smaller pointed foundation brush. 
• To help with blending I dabbed a small amount of concealer which is close to my skin tone to the places where I haven't highlighted or contoured such as my cheeks, this is optional.
• To finish I used a damp beauty blender to blend the highlighted and contoured areas together, I do this in a dabbing/patting motion to avoid moving the colours to much and losing the effect. 
• To set the contour/highlight and take away any unwanted shine I dusted on MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder 'Medium Plus'.
• I then used the bronzer in the Charlotte Tilbury 'Filmstar Bronze & Sculpt' palette to further sculpt and define my cheekbones and and used the highlighter on the top of my cheekbones for a glow. 
• For blusher I opted for MAC 'Pink Swoon' Powder Blush.

lips

• To Line my lips I used MAC 'In Anticipation' Lip Pencil. 
• The Lipstick I used is Chanel Rouge Allure in the colour 'Extatique'.

Thank you for reading and remember my video tutorials are coming soon so if you would like me to recreate this makeup or any other look just let me know! 

Spring Lookbook Ft. First YouTube Video

I've finally made my first YouTube video - its not perfect but its a start. I have made a video 'Lookbook' which includes some of my recent purchases and some of my most favourite pieces to wear this season. It can be difficult to choose an outfit in the Spring, especially where I come from - last week it was snowing and today the sun is beaming. So for that reason I have mixed the looks up throwing in some shorts as well as a waterfall coat for the colder days.

I decided to make this short video because I really enjoy watching these myself and I think they're more fun and interesting than pictures.

What I'm wearing:

LOOK 1 

T Shirt - H&M 

Shorts - H&M 

Shoes - Public Desire 

LOOK 2

T Shirt - H&M 

Jacket - H&M

Shorts - H&M 

Shoes - Public Desire 

LOOK 3 

T Shirt - H&M 

Blazer - Missguided

Shorts - H&M 

Shoes - Public Desire 

LOOK 4 

Top - Topshop

Trousers - H&M

Shoes - Christian Louboutin (So Kate Blush)

LOOK 5

Cami Top - H&M

Coat - Pretty Little Thing 

Jeans - Zara 

Shoes - Christian Louboutin (So Kate Blush) 

LOOK 6

Top - Topshop 

Jacket - Missguided 

Jeans - Zara 

Shoes - Christian Louboutin (So Kate Blush) 

LOOK 7 

Jacket - H&M

Jeans - Zara 

Shoes - River Island 

Song: Trap Queen - Fetty Wap

I hope you enjoy my first video and please make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can keep up to date with my latests posts.

Thank you for reading!

Makeup On Clients

I love to experiment with new makeup looks on my clients as well as on myself. Everyone looks different, there are different face shapes and complexions and different eye shapes and eye colours, so the finished look of makeup can look completely different depending on the person. Makeup application is getting a lot more popular in my salon because I have been advertising it more and my skills are always improving, it is certainly my most favourite service to carry out, I would love to work with makeup all day. 

Now that I have my new camera I can take high quality pictures of my work and post them on my blog, like I said previously I will soon be doing makeup tutorials, so if you would like to see any of these looks featured on my youtube channel please let me know! 

This is kind of a statement look I have been creating lately, it looks great on everyone. I use MAC 'Tan' Pigment as the base colour and warm up the crease and lower lash line with darker shades for a smoked out and smouldered effect and for a bit of glam I add a iridescent glitter which reflects blue and pink, unfortunately this isn't really showing up in the picture but trust me, it looks gorgeous. for eyeliner I went for the 'Arabic eye' effect, with a winged liner on the outer corners and made the liner meet at the inner corners creating a point. For the skin I firstly contoured and highlighted which is really popular with clients, I added a little bronzer and a pop of pink blusher to warm up the skin and to finish I used MAC 'Chatterbox' Lipstick which I think looks great with just about any makeup look. 

This look is a lot more intense and dramatic, its all about the eyes! To create this eye makeup, after priming the area, I started with MAC 'Soft Brown' as my transition colour just above the sockets to warm up the area and blend out the dark colours, its a good idea to start with light colours. I then used a black liner to create a 'cut crease' and really blended it out with a fluffy brush to soften the look. Next I heavily applied a MAC glitter and finished the eyes with a strong winged liner. Again I contoured and highlighted the face as requested and really warmed up the face with bronzer. This client brought her own lipstick to wear, it was a orangey red colour which really completed the look and gave it a summery spanish vibe. 

Thank you for reading!