Nicky's Rag Tales

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.

Natural Sunscreen from Bare Mineral

I was thirteen years old and my arms were covered in eczema. My parents had taken me to every doctor in Ireland and I was driven to distraction scratching my skin until it was red raw. A trip to another Doctor in London was arranged. I have scant memory of the cure for the eczema but I do remember the Doctor’s advice. A woman with beautiful clear skin, she told me that I had to start wearing sunblock on my face and that I must put it on every day if I didn’t want to get wrinkles! I took her advice even though in those days the sun creams were thick and gloopy and terribly expensive. My pocket money was saved and I have rarely gone a day since without putting sunblock of at least SPF 15 on my face all year round. The advise was correct and was given way before it became common knowledge. My skin is proof positive nearly 40 years later.

Here are my favorites and if I had to chose one of the following it would probably be Environ RAD 16. It comes from New Zealand and I have worn in it in very high temperatures across the globe with absolutely no sun damage. A hat and sunglasses make cool additions should we actually get some real Summer here in Ireland!

Available at First For Skin Care at £13.99 plus postage. It is extremely lightweight and doesn’t leave a white residue on the skin, the 16 SPF must mean something much stronger in New Zealand as I have worn it in 32 C and have very sun sensitive skin on my face with absolutely no burn.

Another alternative is Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser which has an SPF 20 and provides a lovely light coverage. Available online from SpaceNK at the rather expensive price of £32 plus postage.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20

Peter Thomas Roth have an oil free ultra light SPF 30 at $26 CAN from Essential Day Spa (who are a terrific online beauty retailer) A really first class product which is extremely light and goes on like a dream.

A couple of tips, after putting sun block on your face rub some on the back of your hands to prevent sun spots which are very ageing and don’t forget your neck and decolletage too as you don’t want good skin on your face and a neck like crepe paper! Oh and do put it on every day regardless of what the weather is doing. The rays of the sun can wreak damage even in cloud filled Winter days.

I’m writing this the day after the night (and day) before. Before that is one of the marathon pre Christmas lunch into late night gatherings that are a feature of the Irish version of a certain madness that grips the nation in the run up to Christmas Day. It is assumed that if we haven’t seen everyone that we still want to maintain any sort of a relationship with after the aforementioned day then terrible things will happen. Based on this premise, no matter what age we are it is assumed that we will meet and have fun for hours (and I do mean hours) at a time. Dancing, alcohol and food plus the odd sing song all feature. Meantime us women will want to maintain that well dressed, well groomed fresh faced look all the way through. So here are my tips for not only surviving but maintaining the ‘just out the door’ party look late into the night.

1. A certain amount of pre- planning is necessary. Your little clutch won’t do the job here you really need a big bag to make sure you have a few emergency supplies.

2. Eat before you go out. Even if a table is booked for lunch for one O’clock you probably won’t eat till 2.30 or even 3 so have a bowl of porridge or if you aren’t a porridge person have pasta or an omelet. The last thing you want is to be hungry. I always carry a small bag of mixed nuts and berries for energy in case I get peckish.

3. Bring a toothbrush and toothpaste. There’s nothing worse than alcohol (poo) breath.

4. Also into your bag bring an extra pair of tights. I didn’t last night and dragged my big cocktail ring right through mine early on and spent the rest of the evening explaining that holes in my tights were a new fashion trend! (to the men, I might add). If you are wearing Stay-Ups don’t put body cream on your legs or they will be down at your ankles and if you do feel them slipping ,rubbing a little water across the silicone band should have them gripping and staying put.

4. I know it’s tempting to wear glitter and shine makeup but beware. If you have any crows feet or lines, glitter will settle right there, so not a good look. Added shine is fine but less is more so just a sweep from the cheep bones outwards. Put a little glitter eyeshadow in the centre of your eyelid if you really must. Bobbi Brown do the best.

5. Even though I’m a lover of red lipstick this is impossible to maintain over a long session. It ends up everywhere but on your lips and you can end up looking like Cruella de Ville. Use a natural colour liner and colour in the whole lip with it. Lip gloss over it (which it’s ok to take out and reapply) without having to jostle your way to the ladies.

6. Do either dramatic eyes or lips. I know it can look good in the magazines but believe me in ordinary light and without photoshop it just doesn’t work.

7. Carry some fold up flats in that bag for when your feet give up the will to walk

8. Take off the make-up when you finally make it home no matter how tired/amorous/drunk you are. Mascara, eyeshadow and foundation look awful on the pillowslip plus your skin is for life ‘not just for Christmas’!

9. If you do find yourself flagging ,bring some facial water and spritz it on it has the effect of waking you up and freshening up your makeup

10 Enjoy the party season and have as much fun now as you can who knows what’s around the corner!