Wednesday 27 July 2011

Sirens

Sometimes a product comes along that is just so genius that you wished you had thought of it.  This is one of those products.  Waterproof bronzer, so we have the mascara pool-proof, even lipstick can withstand a glamourous dip, but what about your sun kissed glow?  This is made by an incredible company called Hourglass,  The Venice, California based make-up brand was launched in 2004 by Carisa James.  I discovered it exclusively in Liberty, London, last month.

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Their products are multifunctional and their brushes are endorsed by PETA, always a huge plus in my book.  Some synthetic brushes struggle to match up to their natural bristle counterparts, but these are so thick and luxurious, providing an amazing finish on the skin.

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My absolute favourite product from Hourglass so far is this, Extreme sheen lipgloss in - Siren.  I have never in all my time as a make-up artist discovered such a vibrant, dramatic and metallic red.  I will be doing a tutorial soon showing how to achieve the perfect red pout and this is definitely one of the products I will be showcasing, you will be stunned at the results!

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Wouldn't this be a great look to work with your shiny red lips, courtesy of the super talented Charlotte Olympia, her shoes are always works of art!

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Finally I would like to introduce you to my guy, Daniel.


He has kindly agreed to help me out around here. When it comes to guys I am often asked questions about, eyebrow taming, pimples, dry lips, scar reduction, oily skin,  great hair products, you get the idea.  Usually by male actors, models, friends and family, I figured it was time answer some of those questions and with Daniel's opinion on the grooming products I ask him to try, review some of the potential solutions here.  So Gents, and Ladies, for all the men in your life, keep your eye out for our upcoming Gentleman's Row posts.

Wednesday 20 July 2011

A lack of commitment

If you are like me and love the idea of being covered in tattoo's, but totally lack the stone's to endure the pain and panic at the idea of having to choose something that will be relevant and beautiful to you for the rest of your days, or perhaps you are a huge fan of body art, rock masses of ink and have a little person who isn't quite old enough to follow family tradition just yet.  Then these are a witty solution .

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Created by the endlessly inspiring Tina Roth Eisenberg at swissmiss in Brooklyn NYC, Tattly is your answer.  Designed by a select group of graphic artists these temporary tattoos are a modern take on the dull lick and stick versions of yesteryear.  They remind me of the sheets of special effects tattoo's I often use on shoots for actors who need to be inked up.  These are far more fun though.

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The collections are limited editions and I am really looking forward to seeing what they come up with next.

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Monday 18 July 2011

Very simple eyeliner

I am always overwhelmed by the number of women who ask me how to do the very basics of make-up application. So I decided that I would start to put together a online manual, working as simply as possible through the processes of make-up application starting at the beginning and working our way through to the more complicated business of individual eyelash application and oscar-worthy hairstyles, to name just a few projects.


This is my friend Leslie, Parisian, beautiful and make-up free. I am a firm believer in keeping make-up simple on a daily basis using no fuss techniques and minimal products to enhance your look, certainly not to overwhelm. However, I am the advocate of quite the opposite on a night out or special occasion, where in my book, anything goes!

My first rule is if the make-up you have applied does not enhance your natural beauty, you are doing it wrong!

A very simple slick of top eyeliner is one of the easiest ways to polish your look with minimal effort.


In doing this you will create the illusion of thicker more elongated lashes with one flick of a brush. Brilliant. Here is what you are going to need.


I have always found gel or cream eyeliners the easiest to use, if you make a mistake this type of product is the most forgiving and is easily able to be blended back into shape. This MAC one is my favourite but with so many options available these are great too, Stila, Bobbi Brown and if you would prefer a drugstore brand this is just as effective.


The biggest mistake most people make when applying their eye make-up is staring into a bathroom or vanity mirror straight on, this makes it nearly impossible to achieve anything but a messy uneven line. Hold a compact mirror beneath your chin and about two inches away from your face and look down into it. This means you are working on an eyelid that is almost closed and not blinking about all over the place. This also eliminates the need for you to pull your eyelids about with your fingers, a terrible thing to do with the most delicate skin on your face.


Then using the thinest, pointiest eyeliner brush possible, with the tip dipped lightly in your gel. Place the point with the product as close as you can into the inner corner of your eye. Use your eyelash roots as your guide and as a rest for your brush and pull the product across your lash line in one clean sweep. Then if you are feeling brave open your eye up a little, look head on into your mirror and fill in as close to your inner corner as possible. Voila, you should have a very neat eyeline. If you would like something a little more dramatic use the line you just drew as a guide and build up another layer. The better you get at this the more experimental you will feel like being, I will show you how to do the "flicks" in a future tutorial where we will be looking at vintage inspired hair and make-up.


You don't have to purchase really expensive make-up branded brushes to achieve this look.
One of my guilty pleasures is to go to my local art suppliers and pick out a ton of new tools. Of the two brushes above, the blue one, which has been used endlessly, is not only made out of the exact same hair as the other one but was a total snip at about £1.99 ($3.00). At that kind of price you can afford to experiment with different sizes and shapes and work out what is best for you, without compromising one bit on quality.


If you didn't get your eyeliner right first time don't worry just add a little depth and a little more drama by blending a tiny smudge of dark eyeshadow such as this along the line, which will eradicate any imperfections, a sweep of mascara and your good to go. Very simple eyeliner, vey big difference.


We had such fun doing this tutorial, I hope you guys have fun experimenting with your eyeliner, and of course you don't have to stick to classic black!

Don't forget to follow us on twitter @56toRivington and tell us what you think!

(All the images were shot by my talented friend Kye Corfield who I would like to thank, along with my gorgeous friend Leslie)

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Let the sun shine


Whilst the rest of the world is seemingly basking in sunshine, London is as grey as it ever was. I thought this picture taken in Barbados when I stayed here (an amazing place, I highly recommend) was appropriate for this cloudy day spent photo editing. I hope its sunny where you are!

Coming next, our first tutorial. How exciting.

Catch us on twitter: @56toRivington

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Dead or Alive


Illamasqua is a fabulous British make up brand redefining the boundaries of self expression using make up as a medium. The brand is innovative, brave and forward thinking. Their product range is incredibly impressive and I will be reviewing their goods in future posts for you. In short I am a fan of the brand and in particular one of their creative powerhouses, make up visionary, Alex Box. This post however isn't about her...



The final act of Self Expression is a service that they have launched today. Are you ready for this?...

Offering professional funeral make-up transformations applied by a specially trained Illamasqua make-up artist, the Final Act of Self-Expression encourages people for whom making-up is an intimate part of their identity to plan their final transformation - one that pays tribute to who they were in life and how they want to enter the afterlife.

Leverton & Sons is one of the oldest and most respected funeral directors in Britain. The company's longevity combined with Illamasqua's truly professional make-up products ensures a distinguished service of quality and dependability.

Illamasqua encourages people to self-express and embrace their alter ego in every way. Why should this be any different when you pass away? It is a celebration of life, and one that should be indulged for your last glamorous look.

How do you feel about this. Is it the weirdest thing you have ever heard of? or are you totally up for a post life make over so you can go out with a bang, eyelashes and the perfect pout included? At £450 a go, it's a good thing you only require the service once!

I would love to hear your opinions on this one...

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