GUEST BLOG: Party Makeup 'how to guide'!
We're feeling very lucky to have AMY GEORGE MAKE UP writing our guest blog this week... All about how to pimp up your makeup, so that you're Christmas party ready! Thanks Amy, we love your work and we're so very happy to feature you on The Bothy blog.
You can contact Amy on amy.george.mua@gmail.com for more information, or to book your very own make up master class or makeover.
We also adore Amy's 'dreamy' Instagram & Facebooks feeds, follow for more inspiration...
Christmas is fast approaching and one thing is for sure - the party season has definitely arrived.
It's such a fun time of the year when we all want to look and feel our very sparkliest, but finding the time to get 'christmas party ready' with busy work schedules, family commitments and Santa lists the length of your weekly shopping receipt can prove to be a little difficult. I don't know about you, but gone are the days I could book a whole afternoon off to get ready...
So whether you're going for after work drinks, the office Christmas party or a cosy get together, I've broken down some key festive makeup looks that will keep you dazzling throughout the festive season, no matter how much time you have to get ready.
☆THE SECRETS TO A LUMINOUS BASE☆
▪The key to a luminous base is a good skincare routine. Make sure you are cleansing, toning, moisturising every day/night and exfoliating once a week. I'm a big fan of incorporating a facial oil into a skincare routine - if you're unsure what to use ask a Bothy Skincare Specialist.
▪ You've prepped the skin, so now it's prime time. There are many primers on the market but two that I love and trust are DERMALOGICA SKIN PERFECT PRIMER and BOBBI BROWN ILLUMINATING MOISTURE BALM. These will create a candlelight glow under your makeup and will definitely help your makeup last longer.
▪A lightweight base is the next step for this look. NARS PURE RADIANT TINTED MOISTURIZER and CHANEL VITALUMÌERE are firm favourites of mine, and I believe NO makeup bag should be without a BOBBI BROWN SKIN FOUNDATION STICK. A standout foundation in it's own right, the foundation stick is also perfect to use to touch up your makeup throughout the day/night if needed.
▪For extra staying power you could lightly powder the base, but you definitely don't want to lose the luminosity, so I would chose a mineral powder. I'm not a big fan of Bare Minerals but LAURA MERCIER MINERAL POWDER has been in my makeup bag for years. (For days when you don't want to wear alot of makeup this is perfect over your illuminating primer.)
☆THE SMOKEY EYE☆
Without complicating things, smokey eyes are a pretty simple 3-step rule. However, if you don't have the time to blend the light, medium, dark shades together, use a single coloured eyeshadow stick or cream.
▪ After applying an eye primer for extra longevity, simply sweep your eyeshadow pencil over your lids, then use your finger or blending brush to blend. You could use a shadow over the top for extra definition or a pop of glitter to make your eyes sparkle. BOBBI BROWN LONG-WEAR CREAM SHADOW STICKS are great for this, as are CHARLOTTE TILBURY COLOUR CHAMELEON PENCILS.
▪ A simple trick to create a sexy smouldering eye is to use a dark liner along the upper and lower inner rims of the eyes (the water line).
▪ Curl your lashes and apply a couple of coats of your favourite mascara...et voila, a simple smokey eye!
☆THE STATEMENT LIP☆
Matte or glossy, merry and bright: a bolt of red lipstick can update your look instantly. It will transform your day look to night with minimum effort, so its perfect if you're heading out straight from work.
▪ Keep your lips in great condition by using a balm and scrub if lips are a little dry.
▪ Line (and for extra staying power fill in) lips using a lip liner, then apply the lipstick over the top. My top 3 red lipsticks are MAC RUBY WOO, LADY DANGER and CHARLOTTE TILBURY RED CARPET RED.
▪ If you have the time a FELINE FLICK EYELINER with the red lip is a timeless classic. Keep your eyes natural and use an Angled brush with a gel liner. Rest the tip of the brush on the outer corners of your eye to give you the flick, then draw the colour back along the last line to finish (let the brush do all the hard work for you!) My favourite angel brush is the MY KIT CO TINY ANGEL BRUSH or BOBBI BROWN ULTRA FINE EYELINER BRUSH with ILLAMASQUA PRECISION GEL LINER.
☆TO GLITTER OR NOT TO GLITTER?☆
It's Christmas, so it's the perfect time to add some sparkle! The high street is full of festive textures: chunky glitters, fine sparkles, molten metals and high shine to name a few. There is a fine glitter line between looking like a glittering goddess and the shiny fairy you would put on top of the Christmas tree, so here are a few tips to nail glitter in a grown up way.
▪ GLITTER EYELINER you've mastered that feline flick, so pop some of your favourite glitter eyeliner over the top for a hint of extra sparkle. I love URBAN DECAY for glitter liners.
▪ You could use a glitter pigment on the inner corners of your eye.
▪ For a subtle hint of sparkle, BOBBI BROWN SPARKLE EYESHADOW is a perfect combination of shimmering pearls and finer sparkle. It can be used alone to light up the eye, or used over an eyeshadow to make the eyes pop.
▪If you're feeling brave add a glitter pigment all over the lid - a soft gold, pinky rose gold can be very flattering on the eye, and not too outrageous. Use a glitter primer first then liberally apply the glitter onto the lid. I found the best grown up glitter to be from a company called GLITTER EYES.
I hope this helped you get your festive face on - tis the season to be jolly, and sparkly, after all!
Contact me on amy.george.mua@gmail.com. Why not book your very own make up master class or makeover?
