Tips for applying liquid eyeliner

masking tape for eyeliner
Place the edge of the masking tape where you want the edge of your eyeliner to be

If you are having trouble drawing your eyeliner freehand then the use of masking tape can help you get the edge of the flick nice and straight. Start by applying your make-up, when you are ready to draw your eyeliner cut and stick a small piece of masking tape to the outer corner of the eyes at the angle you would like your eyeliner to be. More…

Eye make-up ideas for weddings, Asian brides and special occasions

Asian bride Tina Prajapat
Well defined eyes are the key to good make-up.

This page is where I will be displaying all of the make-up looks from the blog that are also appropriate for weddings, Asian brides and special occasions. Hopefully it will give you some ideas for not only the wedding day but the other functions too such as the registry and reception party. I have taken all of these photos myself so they are not professionally shot or retouched and there’s no use of filters, they also serve as a reference for the brides that would like to see unedited pictures of my work. More…

How to clean your make-up brushes

cleaning makeup brushes
How I clean my makeup brushes

There are two ways to clean your make-up brushes, either with soap and water or a specific make-up brush cleaner. I prefer to wash the natural hair brushes in water as I feel they get a proper clean with the water circulating right inside the middle of the brush. More…

Tips for building a make-up kit

I thought I would share some pointers on how to build a professional make-up kit for those who are just getting started. Your kit is never going to be complete, it will be constantly evolving as you keep refining it, taking things out and putting new things in its going to be an ongoing process. It becomes impossible (for me anyway) to carry around everything and its difficult to leave little things out just in case you might need it, so it’s a good idea to break your kit down, have a basic kit and then extra small bags of additional kit for the more specialised jobs that you don’t get everyday. It might take you a while to figure out what you are typically going to use for each job but you will soon start to notice that some things just sit in your kit unused for years, this is when you realise it needs to come out.  If you are doing a photoshoot then try to find out the type of looks you are doing and if possible the model you are working on so you get a good idea of what you will need to bring. More…

How to use mixing mediums

makeup mixing mediums
Alcohol-free, eyeliner and mascara mixing mediums

MAC mixing mediums: alcohol-free (for painting on the face and body), eyeliner and mascara.

MAC do some great mixing mediums which can be mixed with pigments to create your own paint, eyeliner or mascara. This is a great addition to your kit because it eliminates the extra weight of carrying around products that you don’t really need but if you unexpectedly need a blue mascara or green eye liner then you could easily mix it up. This also makes your pigments more versatile, one pot of colour can be used as eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and paint for any type of design work on the face or body.  Once the mixing mediums have dried they become waterproof, smudge and rub proof! More…

How to keep oily skin matte

You might not be able to stop your skin from producing oil but there is a lot you can do to to help absorb it once it has reached the surface. Starting with freshly cleaned skin apply a light moisturiser suitable for oily skin, you might be thinking that you don’t need to but even oily skin needs moisturising (you can sometimes over produce oil if your skin feels no moisture after you have cleansed it). Its also nice to have a barrier between your skin and your make-up. More…

How to conceal dark circles under the eyes

I’m often asked by many of my clients how to conceal dark circles under the eyes especially when the skin in this area  is a much darker pigment than the rest of the face.  The common mistake of trying to match the pigmented area to the skin tone results in a grey tinge which can sometimes look worse.  So here are my list of tips for concealing the under eyes from natural coverage to full cover: More…

How to lighten the load of your make-up kit

After working as a hair and make-up artist for the past 17 years I’m starting to feel the strain of carrying around a heavy kit which consists of a make-up case and a large bag of hair products and tools. I’m always looking for ways to lighten up the load and make it more compact and easy to carry around. Below are some of my tips on how to compact everything down without taking everything out!

how to make a professional makeup kit
All of my cream products transferred into clear stacks.

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