A few looks...

Hi All,

As the end of year season is fast approaching I thought why not show some versatility in this blog and showcase some outfits that I wore this week...

I've put the outfits in this collage type thing and will go into more details after the cut.

First outfit features a high waisted skirt from River Island. The top from Warehouse. The belt is an oldie from ASOS.

Second outfit shows a dress from River Island

In the third outfit, the trousers are from Zara and the shirt from Topshop.

I will be back to blogging twice a week in the new year :)

Have a Happy New Year All!

Love, L xx

Mary Kay's red salsa lipstick makes me feel like a million dollars every time :)

A beginners guide to building a make up kit

Building your make up kit – Part 1

Hi All!

If you like to look fab and like to experiment with make up like I do then you’ll probably have some sort of a collection going. However, if you are new to the biz then you probably won’t know where to start. Fear not I will tell and explain what crucial pieces you should have in your make up kit and how to use them.

You don’t need to rush out and buy them all, just have them in mind, the more you use make up, as you go along you’ll realise you’ll need something else to perfect the look!

BRUSHES

I’ve come across many make up artists who have said that the best brushes they use are their fingers. While this is partially true, you couldn’t use your fingers to perfect a smokey eye or to apply powder blush. For some things you do need brushes.

Mary Kay offer a brush set that cover the basics in terms of easy application and allowing for variety of looks.

The first brush is the eyebrow tamer as I like to call it, you use either side to brush/comb your eyebrows into shape or to align, and then you can apply your eye shadow or eyebrow pencil on your brows to give them a more fuller or perfect look.

The second brush pictured is a crease brush. Perfect for defining the crease (the crease is the space between lid and brow – the socket), creating smokey looks, blending colours and transitioning colours from eyelid to crease. A multifunctional brush, one of my favourites!

Thirdly is an eye shadow brush. You use this brush to pack on colour to your lid or highlight colours under your brow on the brow bone, you can either sweep the colour on, or pack it on. When I say ‘pack’I mean just literally applying the colour from palette to lid, this is good for colour intensity (especially eye shadow colours with little colour pay off). You can also use to smudge colours on the lower part of your eye, underneath the lower lashes.

Fourth brush is the blush brush. You use to this to apply powdered blush onto your cheeks. You can also use to apply highlighter products to areas of your face to give your face that ‘glow’. You can also use the corners of the brush to apply contour shades where applicable.

Fifth brush is the powder brush. Another one of my favourite, well I say it’s my favourite because it multifunctional. Well, all brushes can be multifunctional depending on skill level, but this one really is. So you use this to apply powder products, whether they are powder foundations, powders, powder blushes, powder highlighters and powder products to set liquid products.

I would also recommend a foundation brush (£8) as part of your kit. A foundation brush will give you the flawless look to your face and the perfect canvas to work from. The edges allow you to work into certain area of your face for example under your eyes and round your nose and mouth. 5 stars I give this!

Brushes can last a number of years if you take care of them well even if you use them everyday and as mentioned in my previous post, it is important to wash them regularly to avoid product build –up and the spread of germs.

Mary Kay offer high quality brushes at reasonable prices. For £26 you can get the whole set which works out at £5.20 per brush when you buy the kit. You will also get a cosmetic bag to go with it for storage and organisation, but when bought separately they work out a pound or two more.

I don’t want to write too much and bore you so check in for part 2 on essential make up products!

Chao xx

My Skincare Routine

Hiya!

One of my customers asked me a very important question over the weekend, she asked what my skincare routine is and how do I keep my skin looking so flawless (*cough*cough). I told her what I use, but would also like to share with you how I mix different products from various ranges from Mary Kay and found a routine that suits my skin type.
*Please note that I found this routine through trial and error, I am not an expert.

Okay, so its important to keep your skin hydrated inside and out. This means drinking plenty of water (I strive to drink 1.5l of water a day) and keeping your skin moisturised. I wash my face twice a day and I moisturise well, especially in the winter. When your skin is dry and lacking moisture, it cracks and peels. Also when you deprive your skin of moisture which is what people with oily skin tend to do as they feel that moisturising skin promotes more oils (which couldn't be more politically incorrect), it produces even more oils in a bid to frantically keep the face moisturised.

I exfoliate once a week. Exfoliation is important because it removes dead skins cells from the surface of the face, the dead skin cells that your basic make up wipe can not remove. Exfoliating regularly helps to promote an even skin tone, unclogs your pores which helps to prevent the spread of black and whiteheads.
I use a mask from the Botanical Effect range

I leave the mask on my face for 10 minutes then wash off in the shower.

Whilst, I am in the shower, I use a creamy cleanser daily. I use the Timewise Repair.

This is a new product from Mary Kay range and I am absolutely loving it, I wrote a review on my facebook page. Please check out the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Mary-kay/144004975711976?ref=hl
This product has been very good at toning and smoothing and is lasting for a long time, I am very impressed! It is also very gentle to the skin.

My moisturiser of choice is from the Botanical Effects range again and its the 'Hydrate'. Its pretty self-explanatory. Not to cloggy as a moisturiser and leaves it hydrated and the feeling lasts all day.

 

A few other points I would like to add:

• It is important to prime your skin if you are going to add foundation. Primer acts as a barrier between your skin and the makeup. It ensures longevity and can help to reduce shine for those ladies who have combination to oily skin.
• Remove make up every night before going to bed. It is important to do this, when you lay your head on your pillow for eight hours, moving around on your pillow, you will also be moving around the dirt's and dust right into your skin. This can clog pores and invite poor skin for the future.
• Remember to wash your make up brushes regularly, I clean mine once a week. Once your put your make up brush back into the container you took it out of which the same make up from months ago, you will definitely break out! Its also good hygiene practise and prevents the spread of germs.
• Change your pillowcase once a week, or even more if you want to. Dust and dirt settle so you don't want that settling in your face!

...and finally may I also stress that with these products a little goes a long way, don't over use the products thinking they will have a better effect, your skin changing for the better will take time!

Contact me for free consultation xx

 

CHEEEEEEEEEESE!!

xx

Other social media outlets ...

...with my name on it!

Hi Guys,

I've partnered with two well known social media presences here on Internet world and its given me an opportunity to have my name pushed out a little bit more.

Firstly, I contacted a well known youtuber called 'thenessakayy', I sent her some Mary Kay products to try out and review and she posted a video on youtube, giving her honest feedback and how she applies the products on her skin.

Overall, she gave the products a thumbs up!
The products I sent her were:

• Botanical Effects 'Hydrate' £19 -  This moisturiser leaves skin feeling comforted and helps maintain skin’s moisture level. Skin feels supple and resilient. Contains a special antioxidant-rich botanical complex, is hypoallergenic, and formulated without synthetic dyes or added fragrance. Suitable for sensitive skin.
• Botanical Effects 'Freshen' £13 - This non-drying formula removes excess residue from skin and restores skin’s natural balance for skin that looks radiant and healthier. Helps calm and soothe skin. Contains a special antioxidant-rich botanical complex, is hypoallergenic, and formulated without synthetic dyes or added fragrance. Suitable for sensitive skin.
• Timewise Oil Mattifier £13.50 - Absorbs oil and helps control shine for at least eight hours.
• Timewise matte-wear liquid foundation £16 - A matte-finish, oil- controlling foundation formulated to fight the signs of ageing.

Check out the video below and let me know what you think!

Another one is from a dear friend, Latoya. She is the CEO, HBIC (lol) of her fashion company Lapremp.com. She has a great blog which illustrates from her perspective the current fashion trends, inspirations, what's hot and what's not, sneak peaks and projects that she is working on.
She is currently looking for guest bloggers so if you are interested you can email her at info@lapremp.com.

Check out the blog I did, its a Kelly Rowland inspired look while explaining the purpose of highlighting and contouring and how to do it! Remember, I said INSPIRED! I'm not a professional MUA, I just like to experiment with make-up! LOOL!

 http://lapremp.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/guest-blog-post-get-the-look-clean-fresh-make-up/

Until next time, mwah xx

Colour Me Beautiful...The Legacy Edition

Rhea Management presents (or should I say presented lol)...
Colour Me Beautiful

An annual fundraiser and variety event held at Aura in Mayfair
On the night there was a fashion show and acts showcasing their talents.

I worked behind the scenes with another make up artists doing make up on the models. Once the models were on the catwalk strutting their stuff I felt like a proud mama seeing the girls and how beautiful they looked

See some pictures below of the head shots:

 - Just wanted to add that all foundations were Mary Kay of course - it photographs really well!

A few snippets of the fashion show:

 

And your resident make up artist, with Sylvia (MUA)!!!!!!

(I don't like this picture by the way)

Wendy is the CEO at Rhea Management and organised the event, she is also my friend. Have a look at her facebook page for more pictures of the event and how to contact her. She specialises in event management, styling, modelling agency and much much more, basically she's Superwoman!!

Can't wait for the event next year and your all invited! :)

http://www.facebook.com/#!/RheaManagement


 xx

Get ready with me....kinda!

Beauties,

I created a look today using all Mary Kay products.

In this blog, I will tell you which products I used specifically, then you can adapt it to suit your skin tone, if your not the same colour as me.
I call this look 'Peachy Smokes' - the lid colour is peach with a touch of a smokey eye on the outer corner. Its not a heavy look, its designed to suit for all occasions, but its a very pretty look (I think anyway lol)

I always start with my eyebrows. People always want to know what my secret is, the truth is there is no secret! I simply use an eyebrow pencil. The Mary Kay Brow Definer Pencil (£10.50) in the shade 'soft black' . Then to get it the shape I want I use a concealer brush and some concealer and the concealer I use is the Mary Kay Concealer (£7.50) in the shade bronze 2.

Next I completed the eyes...

For this look, I first applied some primer on my whole eye area. A primer acts as an eyeshadow base, which means the eye shadows have something to 'stick to' and the colour pigmentation shows up a lot more, this is essential for women of darker colours who may experience that certain colours do not show up as much, particularly on eyelids as they tend to be a little darker than the rest of the face. A primer also ensures longevity on your eye shadows, NO MORE CREASING! Eye shadows can now last all day without fading off or creasing in between the lines of our eyes. Try it for yourself, it really works. So obviously I used the Mary Kay  Eye Primer (£16).
I let the primer dry (for about 30 seconds before applying eye shadow)
Eye shadows are £6.50
The colours I used are:
-Honey spice for lid
-Hazelnut for my bridge and crease
-Chocolate Kiss for the outer corner
-Coal, just a little bit to add a little definition

Eyeliner on my eyelid (£10.50) in colour 'Black'
Mary Kay lash primer (£10) - A lash primer prepares your eyelashes for mascara, my eyelashes are given more length, body, volume. All that a typical eyeshadow can not do!
Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara (£14) - I use this for the top and bottom lashes

Now for foundation! I use a Foundation Brush from Mary Kay (£8) and Mary Kay timewise matte-wear liquid foundation. I mix two shades, 3/4 bronze 8 and 1/4 bronze 7. the bronze 7 gives me a bit of a healthy glow which I lurrrrrrve!

Okaaaaay, so onto the onto the rest of the face!

I firstly primed my lip with the TimeWise Age-Fighting Lip Primer (£16) then lined with Mary Kay Lip Liner (£10) and I used the colour 'Chocolate'
For my lipstick, I used 'Pink Satin' - lipsticks are £12

For blush, I used 'Cherry Blossom' (£8.50)

Check out some more pictures of the look below :)

More looks will definitely be coming soon!!!

Lots of love xx

Lights, Camera, Action!!!

Second post! I must be loving this ey!

I wanted to quickly share my experience at the Mahogany Bridal Show which I exhibited at in October 2012. The show was held in Paddington at City of Westminster college.

At the show, a variety of businesses exhibited their services to prospective brides or people just interested in the bridal market. There were photographers, designers, make up (eh hem), event planners and organisers, bespoke jewellers, and wedding dress and accessories available to purchase on the day. There was also a fashion show which included designers showcasing their work.

I didn't have the chance to take many pictures because I was so busy on the day, trying out foundations shades, giving skincare and make up advice and generally having a 'chin-wag' with people who wanted to talk about their exotic wedding destinations lol.

An up and coming presenter and videographer (I think that's what they are called these days) approached me and several other exhibitors to feature in their project and of course I obliged! Please check it out below, it also summarises the event (sorta, kinda)

Its a long one, so would advise you get your cuppa ready...or my Mary Kay plug starts at 27 mins!!!

Hollywood next ey!

xx

The Foundations of this Blog...

I guess I had better start with some form of introduction. Well here it goes, my name is Linda and I am a Mary Kay beauty consultant. I have been doing this for a few months now and I thought I would share my experiences and some of the products here on a blog incase there are some unanswered questions and also to get an insight of a 'day in the life' type feel of a beauty consultant.
I think it would be boring if I started going through my background and how it has made me who I am today(!) so my first entry will be about the Mary Kay timewise foundations.

Foundations:
This product is the best seller of Mary Kay, well in my experience anyway, everyone wants a piece of the foundation pie and as a user of Mary Kay foundations since 2006 myself, I can understand why.
What I like about the foundations is that they are long lasting and natural looking. When applied properly, it can make you look as though you just have flawless skin straight from the womb! It's not too heavy on the skin so you don't have to worry about build up and developing bad skin. As long as you stick to a routine which include moisturising your skin and cleansing it, you should have no issues with your skin, if you do that's for another post entirely!

Mary Kay foundations come in two types: Matte and Luminous finishes. The matte is suited for women with oily skin, as it helps to control shine throughout the day, leaving a matte finish. When I say matte, I mean like a dry finish on the face.
Compared to the luminous finish, this is more suited for women with dry skin, it gives additional moisture and also adds a healthy 'glow' to the finish.
You don't just have to play by the rules, if you like the 'dooey', glowy type look but you already have oily skin you can still opt for this as some people will produce oils from their pores different times of the day. You would need to invest in a good primer (should I insert shameless plug here about the Mary Kay primers...nah i'll leave it for another post lol) and oil control throughout the day. I wouldn't recommend someone with dry skin to go for the matte finish as I have had reviews from customers that it drys out their skin even more.

Colour ranges are from Ivory 1 all the way to Bronze 8. The colours suit all shades of women absolutely perfect, no word of a lie! One tip I have learned is that to find your true colour, you can place some of the foundation at the back of your hand or cheek and if the colour totally disappears into your skin that is your shade! Well that would be the shade I would recommend anyway, I have had some customers who prefer a more 'bronzed' look or healthy glow hence not going for the shade that truly matches them. It's completely up to you, whatever you feel makes you look better, in your eyes.

If you are into foundations, you don't want to miss out on trying your shade today!

Xx