What does "Natural Makeup" look like? PART 3: "Natural Lips"

In this blog post, I will be describing what my idea of "natural" looking lips are.
I often hear clients say "I don't ever wear lip colour on my lips" and they look a little bit freaked out at the thought of adding any kind of colour. The thing is, when you have a full face of makeup with beautifully defined eyes, by not putting any colour on the lips they can appear a bit flat and lifeless. I will write a separate blog post on the types of lip finishes, as there is a fair bit to cover and I don't want to overload you with info! So this is purely to offer some guidance when choosing colours to create natural looking lips.

My general rule when choosing natural looking lip colours for my clients is to find the most dominant  natural colour pigment that exists in their lips. Then I use a similar colour to fill in the lip area. That way, it still looks natural (because I'm not using a foreign colour) whilst giving them a healthy hit of colour and fullness.

One of the lip palettes I have in my makeup kit is a Natural Lip Colour Palette by Ben Nye. It features six tabs of creamy, long-wearing colours that can go on sheer, or be built up in layers for a stronger lipstick look.

Some of the shades above are quite strong in colour, so if you want to make them more natural looking, you could just apply a very sheer wash of colour, and then put some gloss on top. I'm not suggesting you all go out and buy this particular palette either- but use these colours as a guide when you go hunting for your next natural lipstick colour.

See how these celebrities wear natural lip colours to enhance their features:

Their makeup has been finished off by filling in their lips with either a coloured gloss, or by using a light coat of lipstick in a natural shade, followed by a light coating of clear gloss for a bit of shine.

One final Lip Tip:
When testing out lipstick colours in the shop, you don't want to try them on your lips because you never know how many people have done the same thing before you! Ewww....
Instead of using the back of your hand or wrist to check the colour, use the very tip/pad of one of your fingers. The colour of the skin at the end of your finger is closer to the colour of your natural lip, so by testing the colour there, you will get a more accurate view on how the colour might look on your lips.

This concludes my 3-part series on "What Natural Makeup Looks Like." If you missed the first one on natural faces or the second post on natural eye makeup, you can go straight to them by clicking on the links below:

Part 1: The Face

Part 2: The Eyes

What does "Natural Makeup" look like? - PART 2: The Eyes

Eyes can say so much about a person, they really ARE the window to the soul!

I LOVE doing eye makeup. In my opinion, they are the best feature on the face.

As outlined in my PART 1 -NATURAL FACES blog post, the same colour principle applies here. I feel that the definition of "Natural Eye Makeup" is not just about the strength or way in which the makeup is applied, but also about the colours that are used in the application.
The palette below (Viseart Paris) is a complete, neutral Palette. It has highlight colours, midtone colours and darker contour colours, and they are all colours that could be found in  natural colour pigments of the face, depending on your complexion.

Viseart Palette 12 Paupières Eyeshadow Palette Neutral Basic: 01 - Matte

You will find some different variations of "natural eye makeup" outlined below, varying from very natural application to smokey full eyes.

PART 2 - NATURAL EYES

Natural Eyes #1 - Bare Minimum

This look is designed to lengthen and define your lashes, without adding too much colour to the lids. It looks beautiful with some natural looking false lashes, and a creamy skin colour or taupe shadow on the lids. A light coating of mascara may be applied to the bottom lashes also, however there is no eyeliner applied to the top or bottom.

Natural Eyes #2 - A little bit of definition

This look has a slightly darker mid-tone eyeshadow added to the socket crease in the eyelid, and this helps to contour and define the eye. A dark brown/black pencil liner is applied to the top lash line only, and smudged in slightly to soften the look. By adding the liner on top, you will give the illusion of fuller, thicker lashes.

Natural Eyes #3 - Up A Notch

This style incorporates eyeliner on the outer corner of the bottom lash line, as well as on top. The top liner is quite strong and defined so that it  sculpts and frames the eye into an almond-shape. The eyeshadow on the lid may also be a darker mid-tone colour for additional drama. A fine white pencil may be used to rim the bottom water line in order to open up and whiten the eye.

Natural Eyes #4 - Sultry & Smokey

This eye makeup is quite dramatic and most suitable for evening occasions. It makes use of the deeper contour colours across the eye lid. A kohl pencil is used to frame the entire eye (top and bottom), and then some of the eyeshadow colour is swept along the bottom lash line to give a soft, smokey finish. Smokey eyes are typically not labelled "natural makeup", however if you stick to the brown tones (rather than charcoals and greys), the look will be less harsh, and by keeping the rest of the face natural (simple lips) the smokey eyes will add a bit of intrigue and drama. 

If you missed our Part 1 guide on Natural Foundation, click here.

Stay tuned for PART 3 - Natural Lips!

The Oscars Red Carpet Accessories - 2013

I'll admit, I've been a bit underwhelmed from what I've seen on the Red Carpet at this Oscars  this year...There seemed to be a lot of black, and no shortage of sequins, but to my disappointment, not a whole lot of colour.

As you know, I love styling and accessorising, so I thought I'd review some of the accessorising at the 2013 Academy Awards Red Carpet. Along with some sneaky photoshopping, you can see my styling suggestions on this blog. All the jewellery listed in this post can be found on Perle's online jewellery boutique: www.perlejewellerymakeup.com.au

Let's start with....Reese!

I looovvved Reese Witherspoon's old Hollywood glam hairstyle. Her locks looked luscious and classy, her makeup was kept elegantly simple, whilst her cobalt blue fishtail gown took centre stage. My only disappointment with her look was that I would have liked to see something more dramatic for her jewellery. Because her lips were so nude, I felt she needed an extra pop of colour/drama close to her face as the strength of hue in her dress was quite strong against her creamy complexion.

Nice to see Jen splash out in a juicy colour!

Jennifer Aniston tends to play it safe with black, so I was pleased to see her bold and bright in a gorgeous blood-orange strapless gown. My comments are similar to my Reese review, the dress was such a striking colour, but there wasn't much colour on her face. It would have been great to see her play it up a bit and go for something a little bolder than silver earrings....not that they didn't look nice, but I always love adding a pop of colour!

Next on the carpet is Charlize Theron 

Normally, I love what Charlize wears on the red carpet, but this year was a little too modern-minimalist for me. Her short hair, tiny earrings, and neutral makeup could have been glammed up a bit to offset her white gown. Her makeup was flawless, however perhaps a smokey eye, or bold lip colour might have been a good alternative. The dress, although plain, was quite elegant in it's structured form and she did wear it well. However, I am not a huge fan of low strapless gowns and minimal jewellery because the look is too bare and fleshy for me. I think this gown would have looked amazing with a sparkling statement necklace. 

Welcome to the carpet, Jennifer Garner...

Whilst I was initially a little undecided about Jennifer Garner's choice of dress, the more I look at it, the more it grows on me! And I do love the addition of a sparkling choker necklace. I think it was a really good choice for this strapless gown. It adds a richness to her look, and teamed with soft, tousled hair, she really does look very elegant, and I love that she chose to wear a colour! 

If you want to create a similar look to Jennifer, see my necklace selection below:

Stripes and Glitter for Halle Berry

My verdict is still out on this one. I think I like it for the most part- my eye is drawn to it, so I guess that's a good thing. I'm not so convinced about the geometric shoulder pads, but aside from that, it is quite an elegant gown. Her skin looks flawless and her accessories are pretty good. If I had styled Halle, I may have chosen slightly different earrings. Whilst her black teardrop earrings weren't offensive, they did seem quite a heavy-looking choice to wear with a dress that already had a lot going on. 

And now for my favourite dress of the night!

Not having seen the movie Anna Karenina I will admit, I didn't know who Alicia Vikander was  until now (thank goodness for Google!).... Alicia looked so poised and regal in this stunning beaded gown. I loved the colour, I loved the gold accent belt to pull in the waist, and I loved her soft, pulled back hair style and her simple accessories. She looked absolutely gorgeous...my red carpet winner I think! ;)

There's not really anything I would change, she could have gone a teeny bit more bling on the earrings, but that's just cause I love the chance to add extra sparkle!

How about you? What was your favourite Oscars dress this year?

If you would like some styling or jewellery advice regarding a special event that you have coming up, I'd love to hear from you!

 Feel free to send me your questions via email: perlejewellery@hotmail.com

#oscars2013   #academyawards2013   #redcarpetfashion  #celebritystyle   #celebrityfashion   

What does "Natural Makeup" look like? - PART 1: The FACE

When I receive a new booking, I always like my clients to fill out a questionnaire so that I can get a better idea of what they like and what their desired makeup style is.

One of the questions I ask is "What style of makeup do you want on your wedding day?" Without a doubt, the most common response I get for this answer is "natural" or "I'm not sure, I don't wear much makeup". I can completely understand these two responses, and I appreciate that it can be a daunting task to decide on a makeup style if you don't know much about makeup or have trouble describing the types of looks that you do like. I have written this blog with the hope that it will shed a bit more light and give brides more direction on what makeup style to choose for their wedding look.

The simple fact is everyone's "natural" is different because our personal tastes are all subjective, and everyone's facial features and complexions also differ. In my opinion, "Natural" refers not only to the way in which a product is applied, but also to the colours chosen. You might have a look that is as natural as your own skin, or you might have full makeup applied which looks "natural" because the colours chosen seamlessly blend in with the naturally occurring colours in your complexion. Neutrals and Brown tones as eyeshadows and soft pink/peach coloured cheeks would be considered "natural" as they are colours that naturally occur within the pigmentation of the skin. However silvery/charcoal eyeshadows and hot pink cheeks on the other hand, would not be considered "natural".

I am wary of overloading you with too much information, so I will be posting a 3-part blog on Natural Makeup. This blog post is PART 1 and covers the different types of foundation you can choose from.

Hopefully at the end of reading this series on natural makeup, you will know exactly what to ask your makeup artist for!

PART 1 - NATURAL FACES

Everyone has their own version of "natural foundation", so I've outlined some different types of application to help you decide what is right for you:

Natural Look #1 - LIGHT SHEER COVERAGE

A sheer coverage of foundation or tinted moisturiser. This look is good for people who like to show their freckles, and also works well on people who have near flawless skin with minimal blemishes. Concealer can be applied to any darkness around the eye area or redness/pigmentation/blemishes if required.

Natural Look #2 - MEDIUM COVERAGE
Medium coverage foundation is slightly thicker consistency than sheer coverage. This is generally the most popular application for bridal makeup as it has greater coverage over pigmentation and spots, and can be built up in layers. Medium coverage foundations can come in liquid or cream formulas. It still feels light on the skin, but it helps to even out your skin tone for photos and provides a smooth base for the rest of your makeup. Medium foundation can be worn in a  matte or dewy (fresh-faced, slight sheen) finish. For a matte look, the foundation is set with powder to eliminate unwanted shine and oil on the skin.

Natural Look #3 - Full Coverage

Full coverage foundation (or photographic makeup) is designed to cover everything and will photograph flawlessly if applied correctly. It is often applied by building up layers of foundation and setting powder. It is also great for "sculpting" the face using contouring and highlighting techniques,  which looks amazing when photographed with studio lighting.  Full coverage foundation is great for night time occasions when the natural light is less harsh- sometimes daylight can make this makeup look too fake or unnatural. It's best for people who don't mind looking like they have makeup on!

Stay tuned for PART2 - NATURAL EYES and PART3 - NATURAL LIPS

My adventures from 2012!

The year of 2012 had plenty of highlights (as well as some challenging moments too) for me and my work, and this post is a chance for me to reflect on all the things I have to be thankful for.

I have met so many beautiful, interesting people through my work during this past year. I think that one of the perks of my job is getting to meet lots of new people from different backgrounds and life experiences. I love hearing stories about what they do for work and seeing them light up when they talk about the special people in their lives.

I don't know why, but for some reason I find it fascinating listening to people's stories about what they do to fill their days. There are so many jobs out there that I've never even heard of, and yet through my work, I get to learn about them and how they fit into the city's daily grind. It's really lovely when I hear someone speak with passion about what they do and genuinely are content in what they do for work. I have a really strong belief that because we spend so much of our life working away the hours, it's essential to enjoy what you do for a living. I hear some of you saying that "work isn't meant to be fun", but I disagree. I work on the rule that 80% of my work time needs to be fullfilling and enjoyable (tasks like doing makeup, graphic design, making jewellery, photography, the "creative" stuff for me!), and about 20% of my work time is slightly more mundane tasks like book-keeping, chasing up supplies, writing up receipts, editing etc). I feel really blessed to be doing a job that I love and am passionate about.

I've made-over a lot of clients in my time working as a makeup artist, including Teachers, Doctors, Engineers, Hairdressers, Social workers, a Cirque-Du-Soleil Stage Manager, an Olympic Athlete, Psychologists, Physios, Stay-at-home mums, Secretaries, Lawyers, Musicians, Dentists, Models, Graphic designers, aspiring Actors, and Retailers; those from Adelaide as well as clients from interstate. It is always interesting to hear what they do and listen as they share stories about their life. 

In 2013, I'm looking forward to working with past clients again, as well as getting the opportunity to meet a range of new faces and hear about their lives.

I hope that 2013 brings with it job satisfaction, good health and contentment for you and your loved ones.

Thank you all for your unwavering support over this past year. I really appreciate every one of you getting on board and supporting me and my business.

Warmest Wishes,

P.S. I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite images from my work year of 2012.