It used to make me sad when brides booked their makeup elsewhere because they want to book hair and makeup together. I totally get it. I know it’s easier when planning a wedding to book ONE person for the makeup and hair. Only one person to deal with, one payment etc… BUT, if your bridal party’s larger than 3 people, it’s best to book separate people for hair and makeup. Why? Well, apart from the risk of your stylist getting fatigued, or by booking separate hair and makeup stylists possibly getting more-talented people because they specialise in what you’ve booked them for…getting ready on the day will only take half as long! Yay! Timing is very important on a wedding day. Until now, for those needing to book hair also, I’ve emailed out a handy list of my recommended mobile hairstylists, for them to contact and book directly. And I know those recommendations made it easier for lots of brides. And that list is still available (just ask me)! But now you can enjoy the best of both worlds because: YOU CAN BOOK HAIRSTYLING WITH US TOO! This makes us one of the very few places in Tauranga you can […]

Have you ever ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhhd’ in hesitation about whether a certain colour suited you…but had no guidelines to help you decide? You might have heard the theory some groups of colours flatter you more than others.  I first heard about ‘colour seasons’ theory through ‘Colour Me Beautiful (the book and movement) back in the 80’s…yes I was only 9 years old but my mum started selling a range of makeup via direct sales. Part of her training included practicing draping people in swatches of fabric to assess their ‘colour season’. My mother draped me in satiny fabrics, deliberated, then diagnosed me as warm (not cool).  So from then on, still unsure if she was right, I wore golden yellow, forest green, peach, browns and indulged in the colours of the 70’s in my regular retro op-shopping trips as a teenager. When I first became a makeup artist I was keen to know how the colour seasons theory impacts on makeup colour choice.  So I sought out a style coach and first ‘had my colours done’ in 2008.  The result = Summer (cool).  I’ve remembered and worked with the colour seasons in both my own personal dressing, and professional makeup […]

A recent bride-to-be wrote this in an email after we met for a makeup trial-run: “You do a great job, and I love what you do, but I really didn’t feel comfortable with it, and as it’s a daytime wedding I’d like something lighter and more natural.  Had a look through your portfolio and this is more along what I’d prefer…” She had emailed through some photos from my portfolio of brides wearing darker makeup than I applied on her…How did this happen?  Here’s my reply: “You’ll be interested to know the makeup on these ladies was – in person – slightly darker/more than the makeup we did in your trial.  This is the beauty of good photography!  And makeup looks softer and more natural on camera, partly because we’re not looking as close-up as you would have been at your own photos.  If we took a photo of your after your trial like these photos, you might look the same – all creamy and natural and gorgeous.” I then explained how I could lighten the makeup for her…Bride’s response: “Ahaha.  Isn’t it funny how we never think we look as good as somebody else.” The problem with using photos […]

On the weekend I gifted a mini makeup workshops to 3 women who won their place after registering for a flower crown craft workshop hosted by Cloe’s Creationz. Cloe creates unique dining settings for couples and groups, but since the planned venue of Kulim Park was soggy and cold, we went indoors for an even more ‘intimate’ workshop in her lounge. 😉 There I met Tearani, Sarah and Jemma. I took them through a 1-hour mini makeup lesson, which would usually be a private, one-on-one experience, as a small group of three. Here are their self-applied results. What do you think?

The ‘cat eye’ or winged eyeliner is not an essential makeup technique for most women…but it’s certainly iconic. Having enough skill and know-how to be able to apply iconic makeup styles can open you up to a whole new range of looks. One of the most recognisable and diverse looks that you can play around with is the cat eye. Very few looks and makeup styles are as fun, elegant, and multi-functional as Cleopatra’s signature eye makeup. This simple but intriguing style of makeup was first popularised in the 1940’s on the floors of swing dance halls. However, its widespread appeal only really exploded when Elizabeth Taylor wore it in the 1963 movie Cleopatra. Since then, it’s been worn and remixed into different iterations,  but all based on a single principle: stylishly extended eyeliner. Prep is Important… I advise you to make sure your foundation (and any layers under your eyemakeup) is not too creamy or dewey. A non-creamy or matte-finish foundation will be less likely to make the eyeliner fade, smear, and if you have hooded or deep-set eyes, transfer into your upper eyelids.   …But Eye-Shape Is Everything! My main warning with the iconic cat eye is that no amount […]

Now, I’m not promising long-term solutions to actually stop the cause of oily skin. Oil (also known by fancy people as sebum) is produced by healthy skin as a barrier for protection – basically, to keep the greeblies out and moisture in. It’s part of your skin’s natural moisturising factor. In fact, as we age, oil-production dramatically slows to a point where most of us develop dry skin – a lack of natural oil – and that’s not a good thing! But oily skin can be a real pain. Not only can excess oil contribute to acne and blackheads, that oil-slick shine isn’t cute when you’re striving to look effortlessly well-groomed.  It’s hard to look ‘effortless’ when your shiny face makes it look like you’ve been slogging over a hot stove and are ready for a shower…in the middle of the day. So here are my fave ways to control and manage excess oil. • Avoid products where alcohol (Alcohol, alcohol denat., SD alcohol, Ethanol or Isopropyl alcohol) is listed in the first few lines of ingredients. First of all, SO MANY anti-acne and oil-controlling products use large amounts of alcohol to eliminate oil from the surface of the skin […]

Back in 2011, when I heard Mary Lambie was speaking at a local women’s business event, I used the power of social networking site, LinkedIn, to contact her and request an interview. Having been in broadcasting for 20 years (including ‘Good Morning’), but recently making the switch to operating a Subway franchise, I figured she’d have something to say about makeup, practicality and life. Mary agreed to chat where she was staying at the Sebel Hotel and, in return, I applied her makeup for the event while we talked. Her three energetic children were in tow, having come down that day from Auckland for a weekend-long volunteer recognition event.  Mary’s husband, Jim Mora (of TV’s ‘Mucking In’), was to arrive later. Makeup Mishaps and Challenges Having set up my kit in her apartment, I ask Mary whether she has any favourite makeup techniques. “Because I very rarely do my own I don’t have any great tricks.  It pays to spend some time with your eye lashes – lengthen them, curl them, really mascara them well.  Good use of brushes.  I’m not really big on sponges, I tend to use a brush over a sponge and sometimes fingers, because fingers seem […]

Walking past the pharmacy in Tauranga Hospital, I was (rather easily) enticed off my path and into the store when I noticed the pretty stand of NATIO cosmetics. A relatively new brand, NATIO is a reasonably priced “bridge-brand”; designed to fill the gap between supermarket and department store brands. Natio’s tagline is “Natural Australian Beauty”, although in the FAQ on their website you can read the following: Q: Are Natio products 100% natural? A: Natio creates skincare and cosmetics that combine the best of nature and science. We use botanical extracts instead of mineral oils, and pure essential oils to fragrance the products. We also avoid animal testing and ingredients derived from animals. However, we do use the best compounded stabilizers to ensure that our products reaches you without contamination and remains pure until your very last drop. In other words, the answer is ‘no.’ But that’s OK! ‘Natural’ doesn’t equal ‘better’ or ‘safer’. So let’s see what stabilisers they are refering to here… What they refer to here as ‘stabilisers’ are chemical preservatives they use in their products, predominantly from the group of chemicals called parabens. Parabens have gotten a bad rap in recent years-but most of it without […]

If you’re considering using a makeup artist for a special event, such as your wedding (or a super-important ball, school reunion, special date, business function or job interview), here are some tips to how to avoid “makeup meltdown”! Makeup Meltdown: That HORRIBLE realisation you booked the *wrong person* to do your makeup…when it’s too late and you’re stressing out because you’re stuck with bad or dated, old school makeup or a look that is so-not-you. Three must-do’s to avoid a makeup meltdown: 1. When researching a makeup artist to book for your big event, check if they have an online makeup portfolio or pictures of their work on their website.  Look at the pictures and ask: Does the makeup look evenly applied? Does it suit each woman? Is it the makeup that’s dominant, or has the natural beauty of the model been enhanced and highlighted? Does the colour of the face seamlessly match the neck or is it a ghostly couple of shades lighter? Do they show variety and flexibility, ie. can they can do more than one ‘cookie-cutter’ makeup look…or is every face the same? 2. Book a makeup consultation & trial-run before the day. If you’re makeup artist’s […]