An absolute makeup junkie describes me to a tee. I love the stuff, a lifelong addiction which started in my mothers dressing room as a child. Waiting for her to go out for the night offered endless opportunities to try the makeup and clothes that were a treasure chest. A Leichner pot of green eyeshadow in a beautiful glass pot, Estee Lauder Youth Dew perfume and an episode with a string of pearls that ended in tragedy with the string breaking and the pearls falling out a window are firmly etched in my memory bank.
When mineral makeup hit these shores I was first in line to buy the starter kit from Bare Minerals and I did love it though found that travelling with the various pots (there are too many in the original kit) became problematic as not all of it landed on my face! I bought the Laura Mercier one too and didn’t like it at all as it wasn’t an even finish and I was never happy with the colour match. An invitation to come to the launch of the new Matte Mineral Powder from Bare Minerals was too good to pass up so I brought my friend Susan Fox ( who knows a thing or two about the beauty business) from Eden Beauty in Wicklow and we headed to the Dylan Hotel to check it out.
The first good news is the new container that the matte mineral powder comes in has a great twist and lock cap that stops those spillage events that were the main reason I stopped using the original version. It has 15 spf in-built sunscreen which is always useful though I don’t think 15spf is enough. I wear 30 spf every day so got really excited when I spotted another new product from Bare Mineral called simply ‘natural sunscreen’ which comes in a fantastic easy to use container which includes a great brush. It comes in three shades. Perfect for use anywhere on the body but particularly good over makeup and can be used as a touch up powder during the day. It’s already won Beauty awards and I’m predicting this one will be a keeper.
Susan Fox being buffed in the Dylan Hotel by the Bare Minerals makeup artist
Susan opted to have her makeup done and we all admitted the results looked really good. I couldn’t wait to get the Matte Powder home and try it out myself. I’m not a fan of the glowing look opting to control where and when I add a little gloss. There are days when a Matte finish seems just right and this product is excellent. It seems to go on extremely easily, a much quicker application time than my usual liquid makeup. I did use a good primer but you just can’t believe that a quick tap, swirl and buff using a great brush is all you need and you are good to go. I have been using it every day for a couple of weeks now and for now am really happy with it. Bare Minerals Matte along with the full range of products including the ‘Natural Sunscreen’ is available from BT2 in Ireland.
An invitation to the launch of Make Up Forever’s Summer Aqua collection was one I was not going to miss. I brought Laura Dunne with me who is going to intern with me later in the year and we headed for Dublin’s Clarendon Street. Always a sucker for makeup ( I’ve been wearing it daily since I was 13!) this was one launch I was not going to miss. The Aqau Collection is a new waterproof range including face and body make up with an extensive range of fabulous colours.
This collection is exactly what I have always been looking for. You know the colours you see in the photo shoots but can’t find on the cosmetic counters? A real artists palette with 22 shades to choose from there is no way you couldn’t find something to love. This is colour that stays and eight of the colours double ( and treble up) as lipstick and blusher, brilliant!.
I told Annie Gribbin that I had tons of makeup and her answer was that the reason I had too much was because I didn’t have the right make up. Annie should know, she has been at the forefront of the cosmetic industry in Ireland and for the past 20 years has brought us the best products and make up advice. Make Up Forever is Ireland’s best Cosmetic emporium by far. I think I’m going to take her advice from now on.. It’s time to de-clutter the make up bag. I bought the fab body and face foundation today. I think I’ve finally found THE RIGHT ONE!
David Arbid International Makeup Artist with Make Up For Ever with models in Make Up Forever, Clarendon St Dublin
David Arbid was on hand to show us what the new Aqua collection was all about. I managed to grab a few moments with him to get the goss from Paris. He let slip that Carla Bruni was one of his clients and I asked him about her. He said she was stunningly beautiful (ok, we knew that! ) and was a really lovely person. He also let slip that perhaps the Twitter gossip that’s going around concerning her love life is correct!
I popped in unanounced and without an appointment to Queen Beauty Emporium on Dublin’s Aungier Street today and while I’m pretty good at sourcing and buying clothes and even though I adore makeup I have to admit to not always getting it right in terms of application. Do I wear mineral powder or liquid foundation, matt or gloss, eyeliner flicking out or up. It’s all more than a bit confusing. I’m a sucker for the latest ‘must have’ new makeup and I have the shelves packed to prove it. There are loads of ‘how to’ videos on the internet but I haven’t found any of them any use so far.
Leonard Daly is a brilliant make up artist and so with my camera in my pocket I pounced and asked if I could point and shoot while asking a few questions? The result is the first in a series of beauty Mini Master classes from a really skilled makeup artist who shows how easy it all is when you are shown how. The make up is from the Kevyn Aucoin range which is exclusive in Dublin to Queen Beauty Empori.
Many thanks to Alison who had no notice and who was a willing video star
