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 […]

Have you always worn black mascara?  Black seems to be the default choice of most women.  But is it right for you? Black mascara is great for those with naturally black or dark brown hair but for those with brown (like me) or blonde hair, brown or brown/black mascara is more flattering. Black can be ‘overpowering’ and look too stark or contrasting against paler features – and fake too. How could your lashes ever be naturally black when your hair is blonde (or red or auburn, for that matter)?  Black mascara has the potential to look ‘tacky’ against paler features. Swap to a brown or brown/black mascara – you’ll still have darkness you need for definition but without the harshness of a true black. Try it and see if you can tell the difference!  It should harmonise better with your natural colourings. My fave true brown mascara is Mary Kay Cosmetic’s Lash Love in ‘I ♥ Brown’. will also better suit natural redheads and those with naturally warm colourings (light those in the ‘Spring’ or ‘Autumn’ colour seasons) – plus it makes blue or green eye POP! One exception when black mascara is a must: On the occasion you wear […]

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 […]