New from Oribe - and Red Lips - Current Favourites - November 2016

If you saw my 'In The Bathroom Part 2' video with Sali Hughes, you'll have seen that although I wear two types of lip products, a strong red lipstick and a baby pink lip gloss - I have approx 372 of each type. Where my house is showroom clean with bleach, I reserve my right to hoard a lippy. I don't mind about price, I love some Rimmel and L'Oreal Reds, and I equally covet the higher end of the market. Having said that, I have avoided the Louboutin craze thus far. My background just can't get its head around a £65.00 lipstick, no matter how exquisitely packaged. 

Oribe, however, have just jumped to the top of my price tree with their new Lip Lust Creme Lipsticks, three intensely pigmented colours that are paraben and mineral oil free, as well as being vegan and cruelty free. All the niceties aside, this lipstick has the instant gratification of the gorgeous packaging, the 'clunk-click' of the lid and the beautiful, deep yet bright of the red. The smooth, satin feel is on a par with a Tom Ford or Chanel and the colour lasts well.

Oribe Lip Lust will be £32.00 and the Oribe Beauty Waitlist is open now and available here: beauty.oribe.com - I'll update as they go live. Get involved. Gorgeous.

Dior Rouge 999 is one of my favourites, and now I have my hands on the matte version too. Happy Days. Perfect for 'bun days' with a scarf and a nice handbag, although I'll still be in my Adidas. ;)

Dior Rouge Dior 999 is currently £23.85 from Debenhams.com and they're $35.00 from Sephora.com 

I think MAC have surpassed themselves with these two reds. On the left, from The Nutcracker Sweet, is So Good For You, technically a matte, but it's not drying or 'flat, and is possibly the best red for me that I have seen in a while. Still available from Selfridges.com for £17.00.

From the Selena Collection on the right, Como La Flor is more sheer, but a perfect 'lip red' colour, and still available online via MAC here, probably because she wasn't as well known in the UK, which is the only reason I can think of that these colours haven't already sold out.

'Fashion Legacy' is the perfect name for the last red on this week's face*. This one is a heavy-duty 'suede' feel that glides on like silk.

Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours are now £17.50 and available from Selfridges and Mac online.

As an aside, MAC are in the process of lowering their prices across the board, so keep an eye out for the extra few quid in your pocket.



*These reds will be on my face throughout the next few weeks via my Instagram (No vlog this week, work too busy).





*This post contains some affiliate links. If you are happy to click on them and support the blog, thank you very much. If you would rather not, just google the product. It's all good. See my full disclaimer here: http://bit.ly/1rpEmSq The views expressed on this site are the author's own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.

Christian Dior 2-in-1 Prime and Colour Correct

One of the more annoying things about getting older (cough) is the necessity of dealing with skin discolouration as part of your daily makeup routine. Dullness, redness, dark circles, dark spots, the list is seemingly never-ending and seems to get longer as the years pass.
However: fear not dear reader, this is not a 'woe is me' post. At least there is something we can easily do about it. Christian Dior are the latest to offer an updated version of colour-correcting with the Fix It Colour: the Prime and Colour Correct stick brings some sophistication to what is essentially old school makeup artist/filming/backstage tricks.

Used specifically around the eye and lip contours, the centre of the bullet (imprinted with the CD logo) is a soft-focus powder to give an even, perfected skin surface and fill in wrinkles like a wrinkle-busting primer.
Around the central core, a green, yellow, apricot or blue shade targets and neutralises colour imperfections.

• 100 Blue: anti-dullness action
The lilac-blue colour is great on yellow-toned Caucasian skins and Asian skins. It evens out tired complexions for extra glow. Dabbed on the light-catching areas – the forehead and the tips of the cheeks – it gives them a rested look.
• 200 Apricot: perfect for matte or tanned complexions
Designed to even out dark skins, it tones down greyness, diminishes dark spots and corrects areas of hyper pigmentation and dark circles that tend to affect an olive skin.
• 300 Yellow: corrects dark spots and circles
On light skins this erases violet-tinted shadows, from blood vessels to circles under the eyes. It neutralises lips with a blue hue, bringing out the real colour of the lipstick.
• 400 Green: the anti-redness tool
Especially good for light complexions and rosy skins, used lightly it fades blood vessels and flushed areas. (i.e. hot flush klaxon)

The Christian Dior 2-in-1 Prime and Colour Correct is £23.00 and available from Boots.com 





*This post contains some affiliate links. If you are happy to click on them and support the blog, thank you very much. If you would rather not, just google the product. It's all good. See my full disclaimer here: http://bit.ly/1rpEmSq The views expressed on this site are the author's own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.

DIOR SPRING 2012 - Preview

If ever a collection  was going to slap you back into beauty blogging territory it's this one. Although yesterday's press preview was entitled Spring 2012 most of these products will be on counter by January 2nd in Selfridges and nationwide from 16th January.
Be warned: it being Dior, and me, this is another picture-heavy post, but when a launch is done so beautifully and encapsulates the entire feel of the range - it has to be done. First up: fragrance.

Patchouli Imperial is the latest addition to La Collection Privee Christian Dior and does not disappoint. This is not your 'typical' patchouli that for me brings back memories of festivals and goths (thank god). This is refined and fresh and a definite one for the colder months and holds notes of Sicilian Mandarin, Calabrian Bergamot, Russian Coriander (it's ok - love the smell - just don't ask me to eat it) and Indian Patchouli on a base of Cedar Wood, Sandalwood - and the catch for me - Amber.
Delicious. On counter 23rd January at Maison de Parfums in Selfridges, London. 

Diorling is new to the Les Creations de Monsieur Dior family and is really green - to me anyway. Calabrian Bergamot and Egyptian Jasmine on a base of patchouli and leather.
On counter nationwide 30th January.

The hugely successful Capture Totale range offers up an eye serum - Capture Totale Eyes Essential which comes with 10 patents, 32 scientific publications and a lot of stats. It claims to provide a 'targeted response to the various signs of age and fatigue'. Game on my friend. I'll report back on results.

And so to the main event. 'Garden Party' is a truly beautiful collection. A mixture of Limited Editions and new permanent additions to the core range, it is based around Christian Dior's gardens in Granville in Normandy.

Limited Edition Garden Pastel and Garden Roses Palettes. Beautiful useable colours finished with hand pressed rose overlays.

Predictably my favourite was the blusher... Rouge Dior Haute Couleur in Corolle Pink. Another Limited Edition - all of the above are on counter 2nd January in Selfridges and Brown Thomas.

Trish Lomax - Nail Ambassador for Dior - and her team

Roll on Spring! (January)

MUA Focus - Jamie Coombes, Dior Pro Artist - International and National MUA - UK & Ireland

The very handsome and talented Mr Coombes is the man to know if Dior is your thing - which I know for a lot of you - it is!  He is bracing himself for a huge Pro Team event coming up in Selfridges - form an orderly queue Ladies (and gents...) - no pushing at the back!

How long have you been a MUA working in the industry?
16 years .

When did you get your ‘big break’?
4 years ago when I was invited to be part of the Dior International Pro Artist team – there are only 10 of us from across all the international markets. We get the call to represent Dior internationally at events such as the Cannes Film Festival and Paris Fashion Week as well as contributing to product development and supporting events all over the world. There is a lot of travel which I love.

What advice do you have for aspiring MUA’s trying to get into the industry?
Start at art college and do a foundation art course – will give you a great basis for understanding the principles of  texture,  colour,  light and shade and even human faces and bone structure as there is a lot of life drawing classes. 

Who has been your best client so far?
They are all fantastic – I really enjoyed working with Michelle Rodriquez from Avatar at Cannes recently – she was very cool and down to earth. Working with Stella for the V & A Golden Age of Couture party where she walked the red carpet with John Galliano head to toe in Dior was pretty memorable too.

And your favourite job so far?
I really enjoy working on the Dior advertorials for fashion titles like Harpers Bazaar and Tatler. Being in a fashion environment with like minded people who are all aiming towards creating the best image is a fantastic buzz. I worked with Mary McCartney and enjoyed watching how she worked to bring everything to life.
The international shoots are a lot of fun too –I worked with titles such as Elle Taiwan when I visit the other markets – they really encourage you to go as far as you can creatively.

What are you currently working on/who with?
I'm preparing for a big Pro Team Event at Selfridges to launch Diorshow 360 Mascara. Will be fun, my colleagues from Germany, Spain and the UAE will be here with me in London.
I have trips to Madrid, China and Russia coming up and the Marrakech Film Festival.

How many brushes do you own?
76 brushes (a MUA record - BM) but I have about 5 that I couldn’t work or live without (foundation brush, eyeliner, blusher and 2 eyeshadow brushes). They are from the Dior Pro collection.

And which one is your all-time favourite?
Foundation brush - I use for blending on top of foundation and on top of powder.

What do you consider your speciality?
Speed, I can work very quickly . I love working with monochromatic palettes and creating different textures and finishes with only a few variations of shades and I love showing people how to really apply mascara for best effect – I tend to use a few different types and wardrobe them on top of each other.

What is your favourite brand, and why?
Dior of course because of the heritage, and the constant quest for perfecton. There is always  something innovative and new brought to the table from Creative Director, Tyen and John Galliano. Everything that’s created is done with a perfectionist’s eye.

Your kit is on fire – and you can only save 5 things. What are they?

• Capture Totale foundation because you only need a tiny amount and perfects skin really well
• Lip Glow – its a balm that will work with the pigment of your own lips, so lips look coloured and protected
• Eyelash Curlers from Muji – I like to replace them regularly
• Papaw Australian ointment - no strong smell and prefer to 8 Hour Cream
• Diorshow 360 Mascara – clients are going to be blown away by how easy it is to create a professional looking eye using this

And if I can have one more! - Dior Eyebrow Styler which isn’t available in Europe, only Asia and States –its a great universal shade so I stock up every time I travel.

Jamie Coombes, Dior International Pro Team Artist will be taking up residence at Selfridges, Oxford Street between 21 – 24 July with his fellow Pro Team artists from Spain, Germany, and the UAE. 
Book an appointment and brush up on some international beauty secrets (and your languages!).
Call Dior at Selfridges to book your place 0207 318 3696.

Make-Up Artist Monday - Dorita Nissen

This week's MUA is Dorita Nissen.  Dorita has been in the industry for 13 years and working as a full time MUA for 6 of them.

Dorita during a hard day at the office.

Dorita was born in Denmark and from an early age developed a love for art - so much so that in her teens - becoming an artist was her career objective.  When she finished high school she moved to Florence, Italy  where she completed a course in art restoration. 

After moving to Miami and a short stint at Estee Lauder as a MUA - she was offered a role at a new company by a MUA called Laura Mercier. Dorita worked directly for Laura and assisted her for several years before moving to London.

When did you get your ‘big break’?
The day I could start living off my work - during a shoot for Sunday Times Style I met music photographer Dean Chalkley - soon after he gave me the opportunity to work with him on what would become my first cover for NME - Carl Barat of the Libertines.

What advice do you have for aspiring MUA’s trying to get into the industry?
Originality, a strong back bone and the ability to get on with people!

Who has been your best client so far?
I would never say!

What about your favourite job so far?
All my jobs are favorites, as I love working... I would say though, that working with rock legends such as Roger Daltrey, Peter Gabriel and Depeche Mode rate high!

What are you working on at the moment?
I'm currently working with Faithless, New Young Pony Club and Harpers Bazaar.

How many brushes do you own?
I've never counted them, but over 50 !

What is your favourite brand, and why?
I don't really have a favorite brand, as depending on the job I use different products.
Make up I mainly use includes  Makeup Forever, Laura Mercier, Chantecaille, MAC, Dior and Krayolan...
My first choice for skincare is Sisley, Bioderma and Ina Crystals.

Your top tip?
Be yourself and believe in your work!

Your kit is on fire – and you can only save 5 things. What are they?
Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage, Sisley Confort Extreme Day Care, Dior Show Black Mascara, Laura Mercier Black Extreme Eyeliner Pencil, Rosebud Perfume Co's Smiths Rosebud Salve.

www.doritanissen.net