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| The Strictly Beautiful Look Book |
Beauty Editor Kim Jones looks at the new 'how-to' make up sets hitting the shops for Autumn/Winter.
Are you stuck in a make-up rut? Do you wear the same colours and stick to the same way of applying your foundation, blush and eyeliner as you did fifteen years ago? (Or maybe you've forgotten what blusher is as a busy new mum who barely has time to brush her teeth let alone sculpt a perfect high cheekbone with the stuff,?)
I can remember the first night I went out 'with the girls' after baby number one - I hadn't got dolled up for months and I recall - in-between a feed and putting said baby to bed - hastily applying some slap that had been lurking in the bottom of my make up bag for quite a while. When we hit the town, I remember looking on slightly aghast at all the perfectly made-up pretty young things parading the bars. Felt frumpy? Just a bit.
Not that I like trowelling on tonnes of make up, but one thing that does give a gal confidence is knowing that the make-up she IS wearing, is beautifully applied. (Anyone who's had a professional make up session can tell you that)
So here's where the lovely new make up sets hitting our counters in time for Christmas (ouch!) come in. Most of them now include 'how-to' apply instructions by top make up artists - so you can copy and create the lovely looks they do every day. Want a smoky eye? Sorted. Prefer the natural look? There's a kit for that too. I'd say one of these 'create the look' make up sets would be a welcome stocking filler for any new mum who just needs that little bit of cosmetic-inspiration and confidence to get her make-up mojo back!
So here's a look at some of the nice (and affordable) ranges you can get your hands on in the shops now:Make Up Sets for ChristmasFrontcover are a beauty brand you'll find in Boots stores and they have an absolute treasure trove of sets available now covering everything from how to get a sparkly eye to how to achieve a chic Chanel- style daytime look. Most of the sets come in a 'look book' type format so you can open up the kit, pick out the make-up or tool you need whilst following application instructions on the page. Frontcover's make up artist is Leanne Shaw - an experienced media session make-up artist.
The kits cost from £10 to £35 so there's something for every budget. One of my favourites is Airkiss, £20, a gorgeous lipstick library of 20 shades plus a nude lip liner and retractable lip brush with instructions on how to apply, mix lipsticks for a two-tone effect and how to even out unbalanced lips. I found one shade in the kit that looked great on but which I'd never have dreamt of picking up from the shelf, as it looked far too light. So this is a great kit for experimenting with new colours too.Strictly Make-Up CollectionAlso worth checking out are the new Strictly Make-Up Collection sets (designed by Head Make-Up Designer to the Strictly Come Dancing show dancers). The Strictly Look Book make-up palettes, £10, are available in three themes and come complete with tips on how to get ballroom-beautiful looks. The Strictly Beautiful Look Book contains subtle soft golds and chocolate browns for a pretty but elegant finish. The Strictly Stunning Look Book is for the feisty salsa siren - with Carnival blues for the eyes and strong lip colours for drama. Then there's the Strictly Latin Look Book with smouldering charcoals and deep aubergines for the eyes and the classic ruby red for the lip. They're all available from Boots this month.Studio London's Smokey EyesFinally, for really great value, check out Superdrug's Studio London sets. Smokey Eyes is a great little kit - containing baked shadows, brushes, mascara and glitter eye liner - that just might help you achieve the classic sultry eyed look without looking like a panda (we've all tried it and failed at some point!). It's just £6.99 and is one of a range that includes 'metallic eyes', 'natural look' and 'bronzed'.
Why not put one on your Christmas list and kit yourself out with some cosmetic inspiration?
Kim Jones, Beauty Editor
August 2011
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Bag Yourself A 'Beauty Oscar'
