Back To Black - Behind The Make Up

Back To Black

Behind The Make Up..

The Skin..

Great make-up starts with great skin, which is why NuBo's cosmeceutical grade products are a permanent fixture in my professional kit. Loved by celebrities including Kylie and Pixie Lott. I've used their products on pop star / style icon Sunday Girl aka Jade Williams and presenter / model Zara Martin. It's also a firm favourite of Lisa, the gorgeous model pictured above. I recommend clicking on her photo to see the shoot make up close up. I had used NuBo products on her at a previous shoot (including their miraculous White Diamond Ice Glow Mask), leading her to post me a message on Facebook asking if I'd be using the "amazing skin care" again for this shoot.

To prep her skin for Back To Black, I first cleansed with the Cell Dynamic Velvet Cleansing Cream. I always take a few minutes to really massage this rich, creamy, rose-scented cleanser into the neck and face, removing with disposable facial sponges and warm water to gently exfoliate. Containing a tri-peptide, wheat germ and coconut oils, it leaves skin peachy smooth and plumped.

I spritzed her skin with Shu Uemura Lavender Depsea Water to tone and refresh, then pressed NuBo Cell Dynamic The Essence over her neck and face with my palms. This serum works at a cellular level, encouraging healthy and efficient cell function, converting toxins into water, offering essential hydration. It also creates an instant lifting and firming effect.

I tapped NuBo Cell Dynamic Eye Focus around the orbital bone, this eye cream not only tackles the causes of ageing, it also lifts, reduces puffiness and diminishes dark circles - ideal for frazzled models, celebrities and anyone who wants to cheat 8 hours sleep (that would be most of us then).

Next I massaged NuBo White Diamond Radiance Cream into Lisa's neck and face. This product is so silky on the skin, a little goes a very long way. Containing pro-vitamin C, "micronized" diamonds and propionic acid, there is nothing quite like it for instant dewy, luminous skin. It's my go-to cream for shoots, red carpets, special occasions and bridal clients.

On Lisa's lips, I applied a slick of NuBo Instant Lip Perfection SPF15, a silky hydrating balm containing collagen boosters and natural capsicum for a "bee-stung" pout.

Lastly, I soaked two cotton pads in Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic and lay them over Lisa's eyes as a 5 minute mini treatment. Containing extracts of aloe vera, cucumber, calendula and chamomile, as well as vitamin E and pro-vitamin B5, Liz Earle herself taught me this trick for instantly refreshing weary and puffy eyes.

NuBo

Cell Dynamic Velvet Cleansing Cream - £28

Cell Dynamic The Essence - £200

Cell Dynamic Eye Focus - £180

White Diamond Radiance Cream - £80

Instant Lip Perfection SPF15 - £38

Shu Uemura

Depsea Water (Lavender) - £16.50

Liz Earle

Instant Boost Skin Tonic - £12.50

The Base..

To achieve Lisa's luminous golden glow, I first primed her skin with NuBo Voile in Shade 5 Tan, smoothing over the neck and face.

For her base, I went a a couple of shades darker than her natural fair complexion. In Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Oil Free her natural match would be Nude, but for the shoot I used Fawn. I mixed it with a little Benefit Hollywood Glo (discontinued), a pearly pink liquid highlighter. A great alternative would be BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal. After mixing together on the back of my hand, I buffed it into her skin with a synthetic foundation brush, starting in the central panel of her face, blending outwards, making sure I covered her neck, ears and decolletage.

Using a synthetic concelar brush, I applied Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage SC-3 where Lisa needed it, mainly around the sides of the nose, over the lips to neutralise her natural lip colour, and below the bottom lip. I mixed the concealer with a little NuBo Eye Focus to make a creamy concealer for under Lisa's eyes, gently pressing with the tip of my ring finger to blend seamlessly.

NuBo

Voile (Shade 5, Tan) - £40

Laura Mercier

Tinted Moisturiser Oil Free (Fawn) - £33

Secret Camouflage (SC-3) - £26

BECCA

Shimmering Skin Perfector (Opal) - £33

The Cheeks 1..

To enhance Lisa's cheekbones and create subtle warmth and luminosity, I buffed the NARS Multiple in Orgasm (peachy pink shot with gold) into the apples of her cheeks with a synthetic blusher brush. I contoured her face and created a golden glow by buffing the NARS Multiple in South Beach (shimmering golden apricot) below her cheekbones. To highlight her cheekbones, I blended Illamasqua Powder Eyeshadow in Slink, an exquisite champagne shimmer, along the tops of her cheeks, using a synthetic highlighting brush.

NARS

The Multiple (South Beach) - £29

The Multiple (Orgasm) - £29

Illamasqua

Powder Eye Shadow (Slink) - £15.50

The Cheeks 2..

I dusted a little NARS Blusher in Orgasm over the apples of her cheeks (over The Multiple in Orgasm) and swept a tiny amount of NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna (over The Multiple in South Beach) below her cheekbones. Layering the products helped create the sheer, luminous, multidimensional skin finish you see in the shoot image at the top.

NARS

Blush (Orgasm) - £21

Bronzing Powder (Laguna) - £25

The Eyes..

I started by priming Lisa's eyelids with the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.

I wanted the eyes to be a neutral shimmery minky bronze, so I used the neutral bronze shade from the Dolce&Gabbana Smooth Eye Colour Duo in Mystery, blending it with a natural bristle eye shadow brush from lash line to crease, smudging it beneath the lower lash line to create a halo of colour.

I pressed the Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Ore (rich russet bronze) over the centre of Lisa's eyelids with a flat synthetic eye shadow brush and blended a little Powder Eye Shadow in Slink on the inner corners of her eyes and her brow bone with a synthetic eye shadow brush to highlight.

Lisa has a feline eye shape, to open her eyes and really make them pop, I applied the NARS Eyeliner Pencil in Iceberg to her water line.

I filled in and slightly extended Lisa's brows with the NARS Eye Liner Pencil in Jodhpur.

I swept The Body Shop Brow & Lash gel through brows to groom and set.

To create a wide-eyed effect, I curled Lisa's Lashes with Illamasqua Eye Lash Curlers.

I finished her eyes with a light slick of Estee Lauder Sumptous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara in Extreme Black, wiping excess product on the back of my hand before sweeping through upper and lower lashes, zig-zagging at the root then sweeping through to the ends.

NARS

Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - £18

Eyeliner Pencil (Iceberg) - £16

Eyebrow Pencil (Jodhpur) - £16

Dolce&Gabbana

Smooth Eye Colour Duo (Mystery) - £29.50

Illamasqua

Powder Eye Shadow (Slink) - £15.50

Pure Pigment (Ore) - £15.50

Eye Lash Curlers - £18.50

Estee Lauder

Sumptuos Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara (Extreme Black) - £22

The Lips..

I had already neutralised Lisa's natural lip colour, pressing Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage SC-3 over them.

I used a natural lip brush to apply several coats of Dolce&Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick in Nude over Lisa's lips.

The finishing touch was a coat of Dolce&Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Caramel. The effect was a gloiously opaque, vinyl finish beigy nude lip, absolutely stunning.

Dolce&Gabbana

Classic Cream Lipstick (Nude) - £23

Ultra-Shine Lipgloss (Caramel) - £21

The Body..

To fake a golden glow and highlight Lisa's body, I first massaged Illamasqua Illumine Oil in Pulse (golden tan shimmer) over her skin. Containing Passionflower oil to hydrate, the pearlised particles create a subtle sheen. The scent of this product reminds me of Marc Jacobs Gardenia, it's rather yummy.

Using a synthetic kabuki brush, I buffed Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Enrapture (molten bronze) over Lisa's limbs, to further enhance her glow.

The final touch was a light dusting of New CID Cosmetics i-glow in Sirocco (champagne shimmer) all over her body, using a synthetic kabuki brush.

Illamasqua

Illumine Oil (Pulse) - £25

Liquid Metal (Enrapture) - £17.50

New CID Cosmetics

i - glow Compact Shimmer Powder (Sirocco) - £24

The Powder..

I pressed a tiny amount of Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder under Lisa's eyes to set her under eye concealer, using a flat synthetic concealer brush. This light diffusing miracle is great for tackling dark circles.

Throughout the shoot, I lightly powdered down Lisa's T-Zone with a tiny amount of Daniel Sandler's Invisible Veil Powder, using a large natural bristle powder brush to minimise shine in these areas. Finely milled, I love the barely-there texture of this translucent loose powder, plus it doesn't cake or flake.

Laura Mercier

Secret Brightening Powder - £18.50

Daniel Sandler

Invisible Veil Powder - £22.50

Stockists:

BECCA

www.beccacosmetics.com/uk

Daniel Sandler

www.beautique.com / www.danielsandler.com

Dolce&Gabbana

www.harrods.com

Estee Lauder

www.esteelauder.co.uk

Illamasqua

www.illamasqua.com

Laura Mercier

www.beautique.com

Liz Earle

http://uk.lizearle.com

NARS

www.narscosmetics.co.uk

New CID Cosmetics

www.newcidcosmetics.com

NuBo

www.nubobeauty.com

Shu Uemura

www.shuuemura.co.uk

To view the Back To Black shoot in it's entirety, go to:

http://diaryofafashionmister.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/back-to-black.html

Back To Black

Back To Black..

When my pal and co-collaborator (or should that be co-conspirator), the immensely talented photographer and post-production genius, James Burton called me up to do a high end lingerie shoot, it was only natural that Fred & Ginger London was the first luxury lingerie brand to spring to mind.

Launched in 2007 by Victoria Holt, I had been sent their first look book when I was style and grooming editor at GT Magazine. Though I couldn't make their launch event, my brain carefully filed the brand away for future projects.

Victoria held the position of senior designer at Jenny Packham for five years (a vintage-inspired and ultra-glamorous red carpet staple), which explains her affection for the finest silk, satin, Chantilly lace and Swarovski crystal trims in her own lingerie collections for Fred & Ginger.

Oddly enough my friend the couture milliner Louis Mariette has designed hats for a Jenny Packham show, styled by our mutual friend, the London/Milan-based international stylist Michael Dye. It's a small world.

It was such a pleasure working with the Fred & Ginger Black Label lingerie on this shoot. The pieces feel absolutely exquisite to the touch, so incredibly soft, yet robustly and intelligently engineered. They say the devil is in the detail and the brand wins hands down on this front.

Our gorgeous model, Lisa @ MOT, was absolutely mad about the pieces she wore. She wanted to know how much they were and where she could purchase them, which is testament to their allure. The female studio manager was also under the spell of the Fred & Ginger London Black Label lingerie, lured to the styling table, like a sailor drawn to his peril by the siren's call.

I'm enamoured of the fact that the collections are manufactured in the UK, which is brilliant for boosting not only domestic employment but also the global presence of a new luxury British lingerie brand.

The French have always been synonymous with the most sumptuous, sensual lingerie, but with the rise of Fred & Ginger London, the people at Kiki de Montparnasse are going to have to watch their backs (and their profit and loss accounts).

Top and below are the final shoot images, peruse the shots at your leisure, dream of the lingerie, or Lisa, or both - and simply click on the shots to admire them in all their glory.

Black Label Balconette Bra - £110

Black Label Satin Boy Shorts - £65

Black Label Suspender Belt - £70

www.fredandginger.com

Photographer - James Burton

www.jamesburtonphotography.com

Model - Lisa at MOT

www.motmodel.com

Hair - Cinta Miller

www.cinta-london.com

Make-Up & Styling - Ian Brown

http://diaryofafashionmister.blogspot.com

Go On Now Glow

Go On Now Glow..

There comes a time when we all need a boost. Having grown so much chest hair that I could have been mistaken for Burt Reynolds circa 1979 (all be it a rather inferior and pallid version) I decided to have a grooming intervention.

I had been sent the Nair Exfoliating Hair Removal Cream some time ago and decided to give it a whirl. Being mixed race (Ethiopian / Eritrean / Scottish), I have relatively coarse body hair. The instructions suggested applying the cream to the desired areas and tugging at the hairs after 5 mins to gauge whether removal time was imminent. It isn't recommended to leave the product on for more than 10 mins. If like me, your hair is thick, you'd be better off allowing for the full 10 mins before grabbing a towel / wash cloth and gently rubbing the product (and your unwanted body hair) away. As with all hair removal products, the scent is rather foul - but it does what it says on the tin and leaves skin super smooth. I even discovered I still have abs, not bad considering I haven't hit the gym since December (FYI I'm tensing my stomach really hard in the pic above - we all have our insecurities). I'm also wearing my M&S pyjama bottoms but alas I haven't tapped into the SS12 pyjama chic catwalk trend, I simply wanted something loose-fitting that wouldn't leave me streakier than a rash of bacon.

Having exfoliated my body religiously (with a Body Shop exfoliating mitt and regular shower gel), I allowed my body to dry fully and only applied moisturiser to my elbows, hands, knees and feet, in preparation of hitting the bottle hard (the fake tan bottle). I'm pro faking it, well, in the tanning sense at least, so I turned to TanTruth Rapid Tan to achieve that "I just got back from a lovely holiday" tan, the kind that develops overnight and lasts up to seven glorious days. There are so many positive factors RE faking a tan as opposed to baking thyself to the extreme and potentially damaging your skin and health permanently. No age spots, no break down of your skin's natural collagen and no skin cancer. This product has a gloriously fresh scent and miracle of miracles, it doesn't have that rancid generic fake tan chemical aroma. Furthermore, if you follow the steps above, then apply the product judiciously with the mitt provided, you can pretty much guarantee a deep, Barbados-esque glow, devoid of streaks or the dreaded "Tango Effect" (who wants to look like Snooki??). My favourite tan guru James Read recommends exfoliating every three days so that the tan wears off naturally. Once you're back to normal, simply repeat the process to get your glow on.

I have to say I'm super pleased with the result, so much so that Sade's Smooth Operator has started playing in my head. LOL.

Nair Exfoliating Hair Removal Cream

RRP: £4.99 - £5.90 depending on retailer.

Available from all major supermarkets and high street chemists

www.naircare.co.uk

TanTruth Rapid Tan 200ml - £10.99

www.beautyexpress.co.uk

If you're a tan enthusiast, check out tan guru James Read's Tantalist blog. He's the UK's leading authority on tanning and counts the likes of Victoria's Secret Angel Rosie Huntington-Whitely amongst his celebrity clients:

www.thetantalist.com

How Fame Met Fortune

How Fame Met Fortune..

I'm currently dying over LA-based comedienne Fortune Feimster. Unashamedly Rubenesque, and an open and happy lesbian (go Fortune!), it's marvellous that such a talented and merrily self-deprecating woman is getting prime time exposure on a hit comedy show like Chelsea Lately. Having already gained a cult following with her hilarious stand up shows, she has created two comedic characters that are of special note; Darlene Witherspoon, a deliciously grotesque Hooters waitress with some "special" talents (see the video below for details of her full repertpoire), who boasts of often being asked if she is related to A-List actress Reese (love it):

Lastly we have Katina the Pole Dance Instructor "y'all know how Katina roll. What!"

Not only did she help her man Snoop Dog to write the lyrics to "Drop It Like It's Hot", she's also something of a rising fashion star, just check out that "Von Douche" bag:

Some Like It Haute

Some Like It Haute..

Back in September, I was booked to do a shoot for the fabulous Yoanna Hanchard, Founder and Director of High Fashion Society, a cult online fashion portal and multi-tiered virtual club that sells (and sources) a treasure trove of pre-loved designer clothing and accessories, in addition to offering a variety of styling services.

The theme was "vintage glamour with a twist", with an emphasis on "moody eyes" and "perfect lips".

I'll do a separate post with my memories of the shoot, behind-the-scenes pics and info on the make-up I used to create the two key looks.

For now, here are the pics, I hope you like (just click on them to view the image full size).

The Aquascutum check skirt and yellow quilted Chanel 2.55 purse have been sold..

Louboutin's sell like hot cakes on the website..

This paisley print silk maxi dress from Etro is so Florence Welch (it is available to purchase together with the blue Galliano shoes)..

This vintage Chanel silk scarf and black quilted clutch are currently available..

This black Hermes Birkin bag is no longer available..

This black Celine alligator clutch is still available, together with the blue/black Herve Leger bandage dress..

This Temperley London gown is still available..

This red boucle tweed jacket from Chanel is still available..

Photographer - Kelly Mitchell

Assistant Photographer - Doug

Model - Georgie Hobday @ Profile Model Management

Stylist - Yoanna Hanchard

Assistant Stylist - Zara Hovelsas

Hair - Joel Benjamin

Make-Up - Sebastian Brown

The team shot at Hotel Verta, Battersea, London

www.hotelverta.com

Join High Fashion Society to gain access to a highly covetable array of the finest designer merchandise

www.highfashionsociety.com

Absolutely Fabulous

Absolutely Fabulous..

I have to admit, I'm one of those people who is terrible at remembering names, but it's rare that I forget a face. So it was with some surprise, that when reading a press release about a splendid new tome entitled Fashion Fabulous London 2012, that I instantly recognised the "sartorial uniqueness" of milliner Tracy Rose.

I often used to see Tracy (pictured above), a tabloid picture editor's dream, adorned with one of her own, larger-than-life, attention-grabbing creations on the London Fashion Week circuit. All I can say, is that this lady makes Donatella Versace look understated.

But, and this is a BIG but, what I, and indeed most people love about London's fashion scene, is that it's a bit bonkers. Tracy, and indeed anybody else, could quite as easily look at my style of dress on any given day and like, or dislike what they see. One of the privileges of living in this uniquely tolerant, omni-cultural and fashion-forward city, is that to an extent, you can wear what you like without most people batting an eye lid.

I may not like Tracy's outfits, but I do see how much Press coverage she has accrued over the years at horse racing events, and boy is she a smart cookie. It's a brave woman who has obscenely-long acrylic nail extensions painted to match the various colours in her outfit. Talons so long they'd give Freddy Krueger size envy.

To be fair, what fun would the races be without all the champagne-sipping, people-watching and outfit scoring?? Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj have all adopted ultra-zany ensembles as part and parcel of their cartoonish Pop personae, and they're sitting front row at the couture shows while I type alone in my bedroom. Clearly, someone is having the last laugh, and FYI, it's not me.

Hats off to Tracy, and her husband / co-writer and journalist Russell Rose (pictured above), for their new tome, Fashion Fabulous London 2012 is an accomplished and comprehensive guide to London style. Encompassing everything from the best of the city's markets, quirky independent urban retailers, and high street chains, to the heady glamour of Bond Street's boutiques, the book even advises on the most modish cafes and restaurants. Addresses, telephone numbers and website addresses are all provided. The couple devised a list of their Top 200 destinations, with an additional key serving as an indicator of "wow factor", choice, service and price.

As a fellow fashion insider, I was keen to see whether some of the less obvious shopping destinations I frequent had been documented. Indeed they had been, Aquascutum, Aspinal of London, B Store, Beyond The Valley, Dover Street Market, Harrods, Harry's of London, Jaeger, Kokon to Zai, Liberty, Maison Martin Margiela, River Island, Selfridges, Stephen Webster, Topman, Turnbull & Asser, Unconditional and Zara were all present, not to mention markets such as Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Portobello, Greenwich, East Street and Camden. Even some of my favourite dining spots and watering holes made it into print, with classic haunts such as The Ivy, Claridges, Nobu and the Wolseley all receiving a well-deserved name check.

An Amanda Wakely catwalk shot from the back cover.

A Jil Sander boutique shot from the back cover.

Fashion Fabulous London 2012 is priced at £12.99, available at Waterstone's, Harrods, Selfridges, Oliver Bonas and all major bookstores.

Swagger Jagger

Swagger Jagger..

Sir Mick Jagger, The Rolling Bones front man (Rolling Stones) and uber icon of music and style has inspired one of my favourite tracks right now.

"Moves Like Jagger" is a definite departure for Maroon 5, with the band's front man Adam Levine admitting the new sound was a commercial risk (but given the amount of air play the song's getting, it's fair to assume the risk paid off).

A genre-defying blend of funk, R&B, pop, rock and dance, the track's music video concept and direction was left in the more than capable hands of Jonas Akerlund.Akerlund's previous music video credits include the Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" and Madonna's "Ray of Light", making him the go-to man for cutting edge and progressive visual imagery.

The track features a Ruben-esque Christina Aguilera, who brings her mega-lung, little-lady-big-sound to the mix. The video itself is a riot to watch, with various Jagger imitators taking to a large stage to strut, prance and rock-out in various 70's style outfits. Levine channels Jagger in a pair of hip-hugging uber skinny black trousers (bare chested naturally), while Aguilera's styling seems to reference Rolling Stones babes Bianca Jagger and Anita Pallenberg in a Biba-esque / Ossie Clark ensemble accessorised with a wide rimmed floppy black felt hat. It's worth mentioning that the majority of the extras look like they escaped from a) Woodstock, b) a 70's Fleetwood Mac concert or c) Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous (one of my all time favourite films). The styling in the latter is superb, with Kate Hudson the epitome of bohemian chic in a series of diaphanous chiffon outfits, punctuated with shag-tastic fur trimmed Afghan coats (Yeah Baby Yeah).

Adam and the artist formerly known as X-Tina doin' their thang

Now, a look at Jagger and friends over the decades:

Marianne Faithful and Mick circa the 60's

Mick and Bianca circa the 70's

Anita Pallenberg and Keith Richards circa the 70's

Andy Warhol and Mick circa the 70's

A Warhol print of Mick circa the 70's

Mick and Jerry Hall circa the late 70's / early 80's

Mick flanked by Keith Richards (who seems to be spoofing his signature posturing and pout)

The iconic Rolling Stones Hot Lips logo

The Rolling Stones Hot Lips logo immortalised in this equally iconic piece of bijoux from uber-jeweller Solange Azagury Partridge (sigh).

The making of Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger (featuring Christina Aguilera), directed by Jonas Akerlund

The official music video of Maroon 5's Move Like Jagger (featuring Christina Aguilera), directed by Jonas Akerlund