Did a photoshoot with the talented Phantom FM Radio Presenter Laura Lee-Conway. We headed out to the IFSC to do an alternative photoshoot. It was good fun except for at one stage poor Laura was groped by an over eagre teenager from the area, it was pretty funny! If she wasn’t in so much shock I am sure he would have got a smack

Photographer: Christine Redmond
Model: Laura Lee-Conway
Make-Up Artist: Emma Farrell Makeup

Did a photoshoot on Friday with a whole host of talented people. There was 4 hours to do about 6 different make-up and hair looks and get them photographed. It was a really fun day, but it got a bit frantic at times!

Here is one shot from the shoot…more photos will follow soon…

Make-Up: Me @ Fashion Make-Up
Photographer: Richie Stokes
Model: Georgie Frances Wilson
Clothes: Lucy’s Lounge

I am doing a full bodypainting on Monday for the LA Make-Up Academy. I did a little test run today, here are the images:

I wrote an article for Beauty Bag recently on Make-Up Secrets that the Pros don’t want you to know. I just thought  would share it here in case you haven’t seen it:

1.) Always start with a good base. It is imperative if you want your Make-Up to last. Primers are great. If you have oily skin make sure that you use a mattifying primer.

2.) Brushes are the key to a great make-up application. If you can’t afford to buy a whole set of brushes, just ensure that you pick up at least a good quality eyeshadow brush. That is the only way that you can achieve the dramatic smokey eye.

3.) White eyeliner on the inner rim of the eye helps to make the eyes look larger and is great if you haven’t had a good night’s sleep.

4.) If you want to get a nice defined eye, but can’t get the hang of tricky liquid eye liner, try and use a pencil eyeliner instead. Roughly draw a line on the eyelid as close to the upper lashline as you can manage. Afterwards you can smudge the line with a brush or finger. Then set this in a matching eyeshadow colour so it lasts all day.

5.) The face isn’t the only thing that needs to be primed before you begin applying your make-up. You can now get primers for your eyeshadow which makes it last and last. Also you can get lip primers, which are especially great for older skin as it helps to prevent lipstick bleeding.

6.) If you find that you are getting oily by the end of the day, get a tissue and pat it on the face to absorb any excess oil. Afterwards use some blotting powder to refresh and mattify your look without making you feel caked in make-up. If you don’t remove the excess oil first you can end up looking very ashen faced.

7.) Contouring is your best friend, you can give your face a beautifully defined look and create bone structure even if you don’t have any.

8.) Always curl your eyelashes, it helps to widen the eyes and make them appear larger. There are great heated eyelash curlers on the market if you can’t figure out the manual ones.

9.) To make your lipstick last all day, you line your lips with your lip liner. Then you fill in the whole lip with the same pencil. After this you apply the first coat of lipstick. Then you use translucent powder to set the colour. Then apply a top coat of lipstick.

10.) Although not technically a make-up product, eyedrops really enhance your make-up look, this makes them bright and clear.

For more advice and professional make-up visit www.emmafarrellmakeup.com

I attended a MAC Trends Masterclass which was hosted in the Brown Thomas headquarters. The masterclass was run by Lesley Keane and Nikki Gillick.

The day started off with a snappy video of all the backstage action in London, Paris, Milan and New York. I love seeing the mayhem and discord before a big show. Leslie fresh from behind the scenes herself was able to regale us with tales and anecdotes. The biggest trend (which I was talking about in a previous post) is definitely bleached eyebrows.

This can be done using the good ‘ol Jolene, usually a staple for the lady bleaching her top lip, you can now use it to stay on trend and brighten up those brows. If you don’t want to commit fully to this look, you can always cheat it by using MAC full coverage foundation and working it into the brows with a mascara wand. Make sure you brush them in all directions ensuring that every side of each hair follicle is covered.

There were a few mentions of this season being a real throwback to the 70s with strong colours and a more rounded eyeshape, following the natural curve of the eyesocket.

I went away from the event inspired.

Here are the finished looks:

Here are some of the MAC Trend Facecharts for Spring Summer:

American Nomad Trend

Dye a Tribe Trend

Pale n Dandy Trend

Underground Society Trend

Model: Aisling Danagher @ Model Mayhem
Photographer: Edel Kelly @ Secret Boudoir
Make-Up: Me @ Emma Farrell Make Up

Wedding Dress Designer: Sarah Foy
Photographer: Edel Kelly
Model: Bernadette McLoughlin
Bridal Make-Up: Emma Farrell

This is a photoshoot which was supposed to be entitled broken down mechanics…I did the bodypaint as planned, but ended up getting carried away with some colours afterwards. In the end these photographs ended up looking even better than the planned shoot. This is what I love about creativity, there are no rules and sometimes the best things happen by accident.

Make Up: me
Photography: Edel Kelly
Model: Sarah Tapes

There is one big trend this season that we definitely can’t ignore and that is brows! As a make-up artist, I am constantly harping on to people about the importance of brows and how they help to define and finish off a look.

This season brows are full and barely plucked. They are nude, light, or in some cases blocked out. A nude brow really alters the aesthetic of the face and makes the eyes seem larger and become the main focus of the face.

Another big trend this season is nude and barely there eye colours, we are talking coral pinks, dusty roses, smokey salmon and barely there beige. Think antique over exposed photos, weathered away from years of handling and reminiscing. The look is a much loved, hazy summer holiday.

Giambattista Valli

Chanel

Dior

Like blossoming flowers, there is a wash of colour making it’s way through the beauty industry. Dior had bright oranges and vivid sky blues. Jean Paul Gaultier used the rainbow as a palette, ensuring that there was a brighter alternative to the pale pastels making there way on the runway.

Dior

Jean Paul Gaultier

Lastly I couldn’t talk about Spring/Summer 2010 without mentioning the much raved about Chanel transfers. To be honest, I have seen these for many years in the likes of Claire’s Accessories, so it isn’t really groundbreaking. I won’t be rushing out to get these myself, but I like that a classic brand like Chanel is embracing popular culture and moving with the times.

Chanel Transfers

I was loitering around one of my favourite beauty haunts the other day. I was determined that I was just browsing and was going to look but not touch. I happened upon the newly relocated Make Up Store, a Swedish make-up brand that is available exclusively in Arnotts on Henry Street. What caught my attention was the cover of a very interesting Make-up Magazine. I was happily flicking through the store’s magazine which is published by the beauty brand twice a year when I was approached by a counter staff member.

She had very cool make-up on which consisted of stark black elongated eyeliner matched with contrasting silver and white lines. The problem with the Make-Up was that it had started to slide on her face and wasn’t the best advert for the brand. However I will say that she was really friendly and had a very warm approachable aura. She asked me if I needed any help, which I said I didn’t was just flicking through the magazine. She promptly engaged me in chat and offered to give me a free copy of the magazine.

Of course I was delighted, it made me stay on the counter longer and I ended up telling her that I was running a bit low on mascara. In the end she showed me what they had on offer and let me road test one particular mascara. In the end I bought the mascara, which was 31 Euro, not a bad sale when you consider I was determined not to buy anything. Either she is a great sales person or I have the will power of a kid in a candy store (I’m gonna go for option 1!).

The Magazine was the best part of the experience, packed full of amazing high fashion/fantasy images and interviews with people in the industry. It is a great reference book for aspiring/working make-up artists. A great feature of the magazine is that it lists out all the products used and method of application. I have even seen a few things that I would like to try out and I will be heading back to purchase supplies sometime soon. I shall post the images up when I do.

Counter Atmosphere: 8/10
Consultant Friendliness: 10/10
Make-Up Application: 7/10
Product Suitability: 9/10
Pressure to buy: 15%