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 […]

So you want to refresh your appearance and revamp your makeup?  Great! But think twice before relying on an online article or magazine for beauty product recommendations…Why? Have you seen spreads like these (above) in the beauty section of magazines?  These are trend-inspired collages of beauty products and cosmetics.  The collages look like collections of beauty-editor picks; as though a discerning makeup lover has shopped around to find the best and most effective products in stores right now, and gathered them around a current fashion trend… But there’s something else these products have in common. In the two beauty collages above, you’ll find cheaper items from Maybelline and Garnier, with mid-priced products from L’Oréal and luxury items from prestige brand, Lancôme. What you probably don’t see, is that all the brands represented here are owned by one parent company.  In this case, it’s L’Oréal Paris (with the exception of QVS & Yves Saint Laurent, as far as I’m aware). So you’re not looking at a collection of the current ‘best ofs’, but a clever advert.  For one company.  Made to look like a helpful page of innocent, unbiased recommendations. The problem with most beauty ‘advice’, is that it’s commercially-motivated. Instead […]

The last few months I’ve been decluttering with the loving email advice from FlyLady.net. She says clutter causes chaos and takes up precious ‘head space’. I reckon she’s right! Living with clutter is like walking through golden syrup; it slows you down and drains your energy. Have you noticed a trend towards minimalism, not just in home decorating, but in general living? It’s the practise of reducing needless materialism and intentionally investing in the people and experiences that matter to you. And while I’m not painting my house all-white or wearing just one set of clothes, when my physical space is clearer, so is my mind. When not having to rush and rummage, an everyday task can become a life-affirming ritual, an oasis of calm, even an opportunity for appreciation and creative expression! While I’ll let FlyLady guide you on decluttering your house, here’s how to streamline your makeup routine: Do you want to say goodbye to: • Rummaging through a cluttered makeup bag filled with individual items? • Buying pre-filled eyeshadow quads, trios or palettes only to use up your fave shades then have it sift around unused for a few years because it feels wasteful to throw it out? • Opening up individual makeup items to […]

This post is 3 in a 5-part series. Missed the rest? Start at the beginning with part 1. In the previous post in this series, I explained the problem with most beauty ‘advice’…and gave my favourite source of unbiased product recommendations: online product review database ‘Beautypedia’. How did you feel after your first browse through Beautypedia?  Disappointed?  Shocked?  Pleased?  Relieved? In this post I’ll show you the best way to find and master your most flattering makeup colours and techniques. We’ll also discover why most in-store or party-plan ‘makeup consultations’ are a waste of time and money. The second step to becoming your own beauty expert: Discover and master your personal best makeup colours and techniques. You need advice based on what suits your unique features and challenges – not merely trends or what suits your best friend or sister.  Only then can you can be confident you’re wearing some of your best makeup colours and application techniques that work for you, rather than being swept up in trends which change every season. Have you ever had your personal colours or ‘colour season’ analysed? Colours (and people) fall into two categories.  Most of us suit either warm OR cool colours, but […]