CosySocks: Rimmel

(Lipsticks from left to right - NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Iberico, Rimmel – Lasting Finish by Kate Moss - Shade 31, Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition - 09 Happy Nude Year, L’Oreal Paris – Color Riche Matte - 640 Erotique, Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition - 04 Peach Club)

The first things that come to my mind in spring is the fresh flowers, the good weather (the hope of good weather) and the make-up! The seasonal change from dark lips and dark evenings to bright lips, fresh make up and longer evenings puts a smile on my face. I love to experiment with brighter shades of lipstick come spring/summer, using them with my pale skin tone or when I have a bit of a tan. This is a selection of what I have been loving this season.

(Swatches from left to right - L’Oreal Paris – Color Riche Matte - 640 Erotique, Rouge Velvet Edition 04 Peach Club, Rouge Velvet Edition 09 Happy Nude Year, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - Iberico, Rimmel – Lasting Finish by Kate Moss - Shade 31)

L’Oreal Paris – Color Riche Matte Lipstick - 640 Erotique

I was really impressed by the L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Matte collection. It is available in over 30 shades, but 640 Erotique has to be my favourite. The formula goes on smoothly, leaving your lips moisturised and feeling velvety soft. For a matte lipstick the formula does not dry out the lips and the colour pay off is fab. I can use this lipstick everyday; it’s subtle colour leaves it open to all types of scenarios. I can wear this lipstick to work or in the evening when I want a more subtle look for my lips.

Bourjois - Rouge Velvet Edition 04 Peach Club & 09 HappyNude Year

The pattern is now appearing, matte lips are definitely my favourite lip look for spring 2015. I just love the look of dewy flawless skin and a pop of colour on matte lips. I discovered the Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition Collection this spring, the range of colours are exactly what I go for and Peach Club and Happy Nude Year are two of my favourites. I mentioned Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition Collection - 09 Happy Nude Year previously here. I find that you can have a more subtle colour with these lipsticks or you can build up the intensity to suit your desired look. For spring I like peach tones on the lips, sometimes I like a more subtle look and more often than not I love a more intense peach lip and I find you can get achieve both looks with 04 Peach Club by building up the product. Although I find this formula to be quite drying on the lips, I find that prepping the lip with a moisturising balm prior to application helps keep the lips soft and moisturised.

NARS Velvet Matte LipPencil - Iberico

I got this lip pencil in the NARS Lip Pencil christmas gift set, and now that it is spring I am loving using it. This product is combination of lip pencil and a lipstick; I find that this helps the colour stay for longer but can become quite drying toward the end. I really like the intense coral colour, with warm undertones and a matte finish. The colour is mostly opaque giving the lips even coverage that stays for hours.

Rimmel – Lasting Finish by Kate Moss - Shade 31

I couldn't resist keeping a trusty red in my favourites list, although I don’t wear it as often as I would have throughout autumn/winter I can’t let it go. Red is my go to colour for the evenings and the Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Collection in shade 31 is my favourite for spring. This pink/red colour works well on a pale completion as well as when I have a slight tan. I adore using this colour to finish of my evening look, this lipstick is moisturising on the lips and as it says in the name it has a long lasting finish.

What are your favourite lipsticks this season?

Bernadette

After years of an unhealthy obsession with anything and everything make-up related, and with what can only be described as an unnecessarily large make-up collection over half of which was probably past the expiry date, I decided that as part of my goals for 2015 I would complete a professional make-up course to learn professional techniques and tips and tricks of the trade. With being more organised also a priority, I jumped right in, armed with my notepad and make-up brushes and attended Ciara Daly's Foundation Make-Up Course at the beginning of the year.

The class was an intimate group of 12 people from differing career paths and varying level of make-up experience, from beauticians looking to up-skill to beginners starting afresh. This course combined both theory and practical sessions and I found them both equally as fascinating.

A little about the course content; the course covered Kit Requirements, Tools of Application, Client & Skin Preparation, Make-Up Application Techniques from Concealing and Corrective Camouflage, Evening Glamour, Bridal Make-Up to make-up through the decades.

I absolutely loved this course, my passion for make-up has grown and I have a much clearer understanding of make-up, tools, products and techniques. This understanding of make-up has essentially enabled me to reduce my make-up collection to include only the products I require for my kit and not the free eye-shadow palette I got stuck to my Shout magazine in 2003. My passion and excitement has taken over my free time, from researching the best make-up products for the desired look to experimenting with new looks and techniques. I have been so inspired by the people I have met throughout the course, having a better understanding of the industry locally and nationally and I am so excited to be part of it.

I have shared the photos from my first professional photoshoot as a trained Make-Up Artist, which was so exciting! I chose to do a vintage bridal look, a fresh look with a 1920's vibe.

Model - Caroline Taylor, Photographer - Norwood Photography,
Make - Up and Styling by myself.