​​As we are all adapting to the new (and hopefully temporary!) normal of wearing face masks, a very common query from my clients has been how to adjust their beauty and makeup routine. Another has been how to avoid or deal with ‘maskne’ as part of their beauty and makeup routine.
 
So, I have pulled together 11 beauty tips to help you navigate around this tricky new skincare & makeup terrain. To help give you flawless, long lasting makeup to wear under your mask whilst minimising/avoiding maskne as much as possible! 


   Begin with Your Skin

Your skin is the essential base to your makeup, mask or no mask. So, keeping your skin as healthy as possible is key, through your diet, water intake and exercise, along with a good skincare routine.


1 Cleansing:

When it comes to cleansing, it’s important keep washing your face in the morning and evening, and after wearing a mask or sweating.
​
For anyone suffering from maskne or breakouts, a gentle cleanser can help remove excess oil, sweat, and bacteria. Would avoid cleansers that contain potentially harsher ingredients such as alcohol or perfume. It’s also important to avoid rubbing or over-exfoliating, as the skin will already be inflamed.  


2 Moisturisation:

For both the face (and undereye area), it’s important to keep your skin hydrated with good serums as well as day and night moisturisers. As wearing the mask for extended periods of time can irritate the skin due to friction. And between this, sweat and warm air circulating inside your mask, it’s the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, leading to breakouts and maskne potentially.  
It’s important to always wear sunscreen also, which goes on top of your moisturiser.


3 Face Mask:

​Ensure to wear a clean face mask to avoid breakouts or spreading infection, and wash reusable ones after each usage.
​
Using more skin-friendly materials such as cotton and silk can help also.

To avoid any bacteria or the Covid-19 virus reaching onto your skin, remember to bag it up after being used, rather than leaving it lying loose in your handbag or car. 

If you are looking for a stylish, reusable face mask, then would check out the Edinburgh based company, Freja Designer.
​

   
 Then onto Your Makeup

​
4 Primer:

​A facial primer is key for adding longevity to your makeup, both with and without a face mask. So, it’s worth investing in a good quality product.
 
A couple of primers that are suitable for most skin types would be Mac Prep+Prime Skin Base Visage and Illamasqua Hydra Veil.

​Both are non-comedogenic, helping to minimise the risk of clogging pores, therefore, breakouts and maskne.
​

​
​5 Foundation:

​For anyone wishing to wear makeup under their mask, having a good quality, non-comedogenic foundation is important to help avoid clogging pores, thereby, minimising breakouts and maskne.
 
Personally, I really like the Bare Minerals Original Powder foundation. It’s light-medium in coverage, so is not too heavy for day wear or for wearing underneath a mask. It also has SPF 15, and is non-comedogenic. It’s also super quick and easy to apply with a face brush.
 
PRO TIP: Set your foundation with a little translucent powder down the t-zone if needed.

​6 Concealer:

​With the lower half of your face being covered by the face mask, the attention is now firmly focussed on the upper half of your face. So, more than ever, it’s important to conceal your undereye area.

PRO TIP:  Place the concealer in upside-down triangles under your eyes to help disguise any undereye bags, and also give a more wide-eyed, awake appearance.

Cover any blemishes with concealer where needed.

PRO TIP: As the Bare Minerals Original is powder in formulation, place any liquid/stick concealers underneath the powder. This avoids any lifting of the foundation off the skin.


7 Blusher:
 
Although your blusher may not be visible, using a long-wearing, non-transferable formula is a good idea if you plan to take your mask off at any point. This way, you’ll have perfectly rosy cheeks that will stay put!

If you find your powder blusher isn’t bearing up underneath your mask, try placing a cream blusher underneath the powder blusher for extra staying power.

The exception to this is if you are wearing a powder formulation foundation, where placing a cream blusher on top will lift the foundation off the skin. Therefore, cream blushers work for cream/ liquid foundations, whilst powder blushers work for powder foundations.


8 Eye Makeup:

As we all know, since the pandemic, makeup has been all about the eyes with product sales booming in this area. So, the below tips are noteworthy for your makeup when wearing a mask.
​
To help give your makeup full impact, you can emphasise your eyes more than normal, and eyeshadow is key, since it’s the first thing people are drawn to beyond your mask.

I love a soft brown smokey eye, which you can wear just on the top lid for a more natural look or you can also add some shadow along the lower lash line for a bit more drama, depending on your mood and which supermarket you are off to!

​This also helps make the eyes appear bigger.

You can have a wee play with eyeshadow textures and try out some more shimmery textures, bringing attention immediately to the eyes.  

​We are spoilt for choice when it comes to eyeshadow palettes, but some of my favs are Urban Decay, Mac, Huda Beauty and e.l.f. Cosmetics. They all provide a great range of textures as well as shades & tones.

PRO TIP:  To open out the eyes even more and make them appear brighter and bigger, apply some highlighter to the inner corners of the eye.

To complete your eye makeup look, swipe on some winged eyeliner and a couple of layers of volumizing & lengthening mascara.
 
PRO TIP:  Apply some extra mascara to the outer lashes to help those beautiful peepers to pop even more.

PRO TIP:  Don’t forget your lash curler to enhance your lashes and open up your eyes as well.

9 Brows:

Boosting those beautiful brows is important, as they not only help frame your face but also your eyes. Ungroomed brows can stand out even more (for all the wrong reasons) when your face is half covered with a mask.  

Plus, when you are playing up your eyes more, it’s important to remember your brows. It really does make a huge difference to your eye makeup when your brows are on point too!
 
PRO TIP: Try shaping one of your brows and stand back from the mirror to see the affect it has on your eye makeup versus the undone brow.
 
After grooming your brows, fill in any sparse areas with a brow products such as a brow powder, gel or pencil.


10 Lips:
 
So, when it comes to lips under your face mask, there seems to be two main camps…
 
The first one is to use a matte textured lip product for longevity & minimising transference, e.g. lipstick. However, it can be a little drying on the lips.

The other camp is more for a moisturising lip balm to keep the lips hydrated, due to the friction from the mask. However, they can transfer and don’t last as long.
 
And, I’m in the middle somewhere! I like to wear lip liner (for longevity) with a sheer lip balm (for hydration), that’s not too glossy or sticky. Then just dab it with some tissue & a little translucent powder once applied, to take the balminess down a notch and help minimise it from transferring.
 
At the moment, I’m loving Max Factor’s Colour Intensifying Lip Balms, which have a lovely buildable colour from sheer to vibrant. They’re not too glossy whilst still being moisturising. They are midway between a typical lip balm and a lipstick, which is perfect for a face mask!

Love the ‘Charming Coral’ and ‘Sumptuous Candy’ in particular, and as they are neutral shades, they work well under the mask.

11 Setting Your Makeup:

​And the final big tip for increasing your makeup longevity under the face mask, is to use a setting spray. With or without a mask, it really does help to keep your makeup fresh all day, and stay in the same position it started in!

PRO TIP: Use a beauty blender to blend out any larger droplets.
​
Urban Decay All-Nighter and Mac Prep+Prime Fix are two of my favs - though Urban Decay All-Nighter is alcohol based, so may dry out more sensitive skin types or if you're suffering from maskne.

e.l.f. Cosmetics Makeup Mist & Set Spray packs a real punch for a more budget friendly product as well, and is alcohol free.

And when it comes to maskne, try to avoid comedogenic products (both skincare and cosmetics), which tend to clog pores and cause breakouts.

If your maskne is severe, or persistent, be sure to follow up with your dermatologist or healthcare provider.        ​

Here’s a handy wee checker for pore clogging ingredients, just copy and paste the ingredient listing into the box and hey presto! Simple.

 https://www.skintasybeauty.com/pages/ingredient-checker

A skincare kit that could be great for you if you are a maskne sufferer is DRVICTORIA™ Mask-ne Skincare Pack. 

For anyone who wishes to learn more about their Mask-ne Skincare Pack,  get in touch with the fabulous team at DRVICTORIA™, who would be more than happy to help.

For a maskne repair skin treatment, I can also recommend Edinburgh based, Zest Skin Spa, who are also a fantastic team of ladies, and always happy to help.

The skincare advice given is based on my experience and knowledge of working with skin when it comes to makeup & my clients. Where my approach is always to begin with the skin to ensure it is as healthy as it can be, which then acts as a good base for the makeup.
 
And if you would like to receive some bespoke advice about your own makeup routine when it comes to wearing a face mask, and/or help avoiding maskne, I have a new virtual Face Mask Makeup Lesson. So feel free to get in touch to find out more.

I hope you found this blog useful! Interested to hear your thoughts on both how you manage your face mask makeup and keep your skin healthy!
 
Please share this post with someone who would really love some beauty tips when it comes to their face mask makeup & beauty routine!
 
Colettex     

Useful links:
DRVICTORIA™ Mask-ne Skincare Pack
Zest Skin Spa Maskne Repair Skin Treatment
Freja Designer Face Masks

​

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This is quite possibly the most beautiful lipstick I have ever seen 😍
 
The minute I saw it online, I knew I had to try it!
 ​

Overall, the packaging is adorable, the product is beautiful & unique in appearance and the formula is a little nourishing. The only downside is that there is a slightly bitter after taste, which fades after a wee while.
 
And it will certainly look very pretty in your bathroom cabinet!
  
Charlotte Tilbury has also released a similar product – Glowgasm Lips, which I need to try as well! This is at a higher price point of £22.00rrp (because it is Charlotte Tilbury after all!), versus just £2.87rrp for the Menfei lipstick. So, at this low price the Minfei is a steal!
 
Have you tried this lipstick or another jelly lipstick? If so, what did you think of it?

Please feel free to let me know in the Comments below, I'd love to hear your thoughts 👇 
 
I hope you found this product review helpful. Tag a friend who will love this review & lipstick!

Wishing you and your family a very happy & healthy 2021 💖
 
Colettex

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Sign up for my newsletter and obtain my free report 'Makeup Secrets that Everyone Should Know About!' by simply entering your details below: ​

With every virtual lesson purchased you can now, for the month of November 2020, get a high quality professional 12 brush set for just £40 (normally £80rrp) – an amazing discount of £40! 
 
This is the perfect opportunity to upgrade those tired old makeup brushes that you’ve had since 2005, with high quality professional vegan and cruelty-free brushes.

Have you invested time and money into your makeup products?

How much time have you invested in your makeup brushes?

As any makeup artist or makeup expert will advise, brushes are the most important thing in your makeup bag.
 
All those premium makeup products you’ve spent so long selecting and investing in won’t be shown to their best potential, unless they’ve been applied with the right tool.
 
Your brush set can be built up one by one, but if you’re serious about your brushes, taking the plunge and buying a set will save you money in the long-run. As the price per brush will be significantly reduced. Plus you then have a beautiful matching set!

Purchasing professional high quality brushes is more of an investment. And having tried and tested this 12 brush set (which is now a staple in my kit), this is a fantastic asset to any makeup bag. Plus, being half price for the month of November, makes them very affordable for professional high quality brushes.

​
This full makeup brush set has the tools to create all your beauty looks. From the natural daytime look, to a more dramatic cut-crease eye makeup look that you would wear out on a Saturday night.
​

​My makeup lesson clients absolutely love these brushes and are a very popular purchase after their lesson.

​And when booked with the virtual makeup lesson, you will be taught how to use each brush properly by a professional make-up artist (i.e. yours truly!). Speaking with my clients, being unsure about what brushes to use and how to use them properly is such a common issue. There are so many brushes on the market that it can be quite daunting.

More about the brushes themselves…
​
This 12 piece brush set is expertly crafted making application a total dream. Each make-up brush is specially selected & designed for applying your make-up to a very high standard like a pro!

It contains all the brushes required to create any look. With every brush you could ever need, from foundation to powder and eyeliner to shadow blender, this is hands down, one of the best makeup brush sets in the professional makeup brush arena.

They are hand crafted to the highest standard with luxe fibres to give a professional and soft finish. They are also vegan friendly & cruelty free.
​
This brush set has been used with Celebrities to Fashion Shoots & most recently was an Official Backstage product at London Fashion Week. 

​As a make-up artist, I find myself reaching for them over my other brushes in my kit - they are so easy to use and beautifully soft. I also have a set for my own personal makeup bag, and are a godsend when going away on holidays - as it gives me a full brush set that can be easily packed with my makeup!

More about the virtual makeup lessons….
 
To learn more including details about each of my virtual makeup lessons, along with helpful info such as pricing, just click here.
​

This really is the perfect Christmas or birthday gift for that someone special who loves makeup and wants to brush up on their skills & update their makeup brushes. And with the current Covid-19 situation, the virtual makeup lessons are totally accessible, which is a real bonus right now.
 
This deal can also be redeemed against face to face makeup lessons. With the current Covid restrictions, we are not allowed to work on people’s lovely faces just yet, but plan to resume them once restrictions are lifted. Please get in touch for further details.
 
Gift certificates are available for all virtual makeup lessons, as well as my other makeup services.

At the moment, I am also proving a very special offering when you book 3 virtual lessons - as well as 50% off your brush set, you will receive an extra 30 minutes of lesson time for free! 

Have a question or would like to purchase your virtual makeup lesson & half price brush set?

Then just contact me - I am more than happy to help!

I hope you found this helpful and look forward to seeing you at your virtual lesson!

Colettex

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Sign up for my newsletter and obtain my free report 'Makeup Secrets that Everyone Should Know About!' by simply entering your details below: ​

As a professional makeup artist working with hundreds of faces, my top priority is always to fulfil my client’s vision in any way possible. Until recently, my makeup lessons and bridal tutorials have always been in person, and they are two of my favourite client interactions that I have the great privilege of doing!

As I have been continuously receiving requests for makeup lessons and bridal tutorials from far afield, and with the current Covid-19 situation, I decided it was high time to bring them online (and have face to face makeup lessons and bridal tutorials when it is safe to do as well).
 
So, thanks to the wonders of technology, and with the recent rise in popularity of Zoom meetings and virtual learning, I am now able to offer personalised virtual makeup lessons and bridal tutorials!
 
This live video call option offers great flexibility, making makeup training accessible to anyone anywhere, and without having to set one foot outside your front door! This is perfect for any of my clients who live too far away and/or have very busy schedules.
 
All makeup lessons can be provided virtually via Zoom, Skype or Facebook video calling.
 
So, you no longer have to feel stuck with what you are doing when it comes to your makeup. You can now work with me to learn how to confidently create beautiful makeup that suits your complexion and personal style that you will love!

​
​So, who are these virtual makeup lessons for?
 
The beauty of virtual makeup lessons is that they can be for anyone of any skill level.

Perhaps you are in a bit of a makeup rut, using the same products and doing the same thing for years. So you feel that you just need a makeup bag makeover and updated look.

Perhaps you have been trying to figure out how to successfully cover those pesky dark circles and what products to use. And as we cannot go into a makeup counter just now and try products on, you don’t know where to start when it comes to working out what products and shades to buy on your own.

Perhaps you have watched a heap of YouTube videos, but cannot seem to get the suggestions and techniques to work for you, because it’s not your face they’re working on. You need someone to teach you what to do specifically for your unique face.

Perhaps you want someone to take the confusion out of which makeup brushes you really should be using and how to actually use them.

Perhaps your wish is to simply know what to do with all of the makeup you already have. And lots of products and brushes have just sat in your makeup bag unused and wasted, because you’re not quite sure what to do with it all.

These are just some of the issues my clients express to me and the options of what you can learn at my virtual lessons are really endless – as they are all totally customised to you!  

Wherever you live, whatever you need, my virtual makeup lessons could be the perfect solution to help you master your makeup routine.
​

What makeup lessons are available virtually?

My lessons are created with your specific needs in mind, and are detailed below:
​

All of the above lessons include:

• Pre-lesson application form to tell me about your needs and help me tailor the lesson to you.
• Pre-lesson handout with face chart and useful makeup related information.
• 45+ minutes virtual lesson with me, catered especially to you.
• Discussion about your current makeup routine and what you would like to achieve and learn going forward.
• Discussion about your current skincare routine, making suggestions if required.​
• Going through your makeup bag, discussing any products you are unsure of or would like to replace.
• Giving you product and tool recommendations, saving you time and money on research.
• Makeup application with me applying makeup to my face step by step, taking you through the techniques at your pace, and you then replicating on your face.
• ​A very comprehensive write-up afterwards, including products, tools & techniques used to create the desired makeup look, for future reference. Plus, lots of other helpful information customised to you and your requirements.
• A video recording can be provided allowing you to view the lesson over and over again, for a small admin fee.​

​Plus, all of my makeup lessons (both virtual and face to face) are individually tailored to you and your requirements, to ensure you get what you need out of our time together. When it comes to makeup lessons, one size does not fit all.
 
My aim is for you to come away feeling that you have mastered what you wanted to learn and feel totally confident in your ability to create a beautiful makeup look that suits you.
 
You will leave with a life skill that can be utilized into the future, equipped with techniques that can be applied to a wide range of makeup looks.

​As part of this new service I am also offering a Tween/Teenage makeup lesson. This is an area I feel quite passionate about, having been a teenager myself that lacked self-esteem, who tried to cover up with make-up rather than just gently enhancing with a more light and natural application.

So, I feel it is so important to help tweens and teenagers get started on the right foot with their makeup journey.

​At this young age, I believe it is all about confidence boosting and looking after your skin. And should they wish to wear makeup, then help teach them to create beautiful, age appropriate makeup looks. It is important to educate them about the pressure of social media and photoshopped images, which just set unrealistic and unachievable goals for young people. 

As part of this service, I also do Tween/Teenage virtual make up lesson parties, which are a fun way to learn a new skill with their wee friends.

For the bridal tutorial – this is even more popular than before, with Covid-19 and brides having to do their own makeup. And also, for brides who live too far away to have a face to face tutorial. And it is already proving to be a hit with my current brides-to-be!
​

Linked to the Face Mask Makeup tutorial, I have also written a very helpful blog offering lots of makeup and beauty tips on the best makeup for face masks.

SPECIAL OFFERING: 

At the moment, I am also providing a very special offering when you book 3 virtual lessons, you will receive an extra 30 minutes for free!  Contact me for more details.
 
Want to know more about my virtual zoom makeup lessons and bridal tutorials, including pricing? Then click here.

For any enquiries or to book your virtual makeup lesson, please contact me via my Contact page.

Want to to book a virtual make-up lesson or bridal tutorial for a loved one? Gift Certificates are also available for this and all my services - so just get in touch. ​​

I hope you found this interesting and look forward to seeing you at your virtual lesson!
​
Colette x

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Sign up for my newsletter and obtain my free report 'Makeup Secrets that Everyone Should Know About!' by simply entering your details below: ​

Firstly, a very Happy New Year to you! 

Well, 2019 has been another fantastic year in business for Colette Casher Make-Up Artistry, with so many standout, special moments!

There have been lots of fabulous weddings, special occasion makeups, make-up lessons, a brand new masterclass (with more to follow in 2020!), oh and won 3 awards!! :)

I've had so much fun working alongside my fantastic clients and collaborating with other creatives and wedding suppliers.

I've had some of my brides in for a makeup lesson or special occasion makeup (and even my masterclass - with the lovely Bryn!) before and even after their wedding day. Which is so lovely, as we get to know one another even better prior to the big day.

I finally opened my new wee studio where my clients can come along to and relax, with some refreshments. Away from the hustle and bustle, and just focus on themselves and getting pampered or learn how to make themselves up. A lot of my brides, makeup lesson clients and also my regular special occasion clients have been taking full advantage of this! :)

Looking ahead, I’m really excited to work with my lovely 2020 brides, makeup lesson, masterclass and special occasion clients – cannot wait to be part of it all with you.

There are also some other exciting things planned for 2020 - so watch this space! It promises to be another fun & fantastic year! :)

Below are images of just some of my standout moments for 2019 - I hope you enjoy them!

Some of my amazing wedding and special occasion clients... 

Check out the handiwork of just some of my very talented clients who attended both my group make-up lessons and individual make-up lessons, and were happy to have their picture taken. Thank you for agreeing to that and for the before pics as well :)
​

I organised the first masterclass in November, which was a total success. Everyone did such a wonderful job recreating the look on themselves, learnt loads of makeup tips & tricks, and we all had such a giggle as well.

​At the masterclass, I created a trend based Christmas Party look on our lovely model, Ilaria.​..

​And to top off a fabulous year - winning not one but three awards - still pinching myself! 

* Edinburgh Prestige Awards ‘Freelance Make-Up Artist of the Year’ 2020
* Health, Beauty & Wellness Awards ‘Wedding Make-Up Artist of the Year’ 2019
* Global Excellence Awards ‘Best Freelance Make-Up Artist‘ 2019

So humbling to receive such amazing recognition for a job that is my passion and that I absolutely love. It doesn't get much better than this!

​I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone for all your support & business over the past year. I really couldn't do it without all of my fantastic clients, other creatives & suppliers, family and friends!
 
Happy New Year & decade! And may 2020 be an extraordinary one, bringing you health & happiness!

Warm wishes,

Colettex

Creative Credits:

​For sharing their fabulous images, I would like to give a special thank you to Geebz Photography and Karol Makula Photography.

​

For more helpful makeup tips and tricks of the trade, follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Sign up for my newsletter and obtain my free report 'Makeup Secrets that Everyone Should Know About!' by simply entering your details below: ​
​

Have you got a night out planned this festive season, and not sure where to start when it comes to your makeup?
 
Looking for a bang on trend makeup look this Christmas?
 
Want some pro makeup tips to get you started with your Christmas party look this season?
  
Then read on to learn more about how we created our trend-based Christmas Party Look at our recent makeup masterclass at the lovely Charwoods venue here in Edinburgh.

For the base, we went with fresh & youthful dewy skin with some pink blush, as it was all over the catwalk this season.
 
For the eyes, golds and soft smokey browns were a real trend this season and glitter galore! So, we encompassed these trends into our look on our model, Ilaria, which complemented her dark brown eyes beautifully. These colours work well with any eye colour.
 
And as for every autumn/winter season, red and berry lips are always a favourite on the catwalk, so we went with a berry lip to complement the gold and brown smokey eyes.

​As a special Christmas treat to my readers, I am letting you in on the details of how I created this look, breaking it down step by step. So read on :) 

1. Prep the skin by cleansing, toning and moisturising. Then apply a primer to both the face and eyelids.

2. Starting with the eyes first, apply a pale gold eye shadow across the eyelids and under eye.  PRO TIP: Starting with the eyes saves on time spent tidying up any eye shadow fallout onto the base.

3. Then apply a medium brown eye shadow across the eyelid, crease and up onto the brow bone, as well as the under eye area.

4. Apply a dark brown eye shadow across the eyelid and crease, and blend it into the medium brown shadow, taking it to just above the crease and ensuring the medium brown eyeshadow is still visible above the dark brown shadow on the brow bone.  

​PRO TIP: To achieve a professional finish for any eye makeup, blending is key. And, the secret to achieving this professional blend is the domed blending brush – a key component to any eye makeup brush set.
​

5. The brown eye shadow should also be placed along the under-eye, as close to the eyelashes as possible. Again, ensuring the medium brown eye shadow is visible just below it, and blended well.

6. As glitter was everywhere this season, we applied a mix of glitters onto the eyes to help give a very glamorous and beautiful Christmas party feel to the look. Using a flat shader eyeshadow brush, firmly but gently press the glitter onto the mobile lid.
​

​​PRO TIP: Spray some setting spray onto the brush before picking up the glitter, as this really helps to hold the glitter in place.

7. Across the top lash line, apply black gel eyeliner as close as possible to the eyelashes, finishing with a flick at the outer corners.

​PRO TIP: Always start with the eye you find more difficult to apply liner to. It is then easier to correct when applying liner to the second, ‘easier’ eye.
​
8. Curl the top lashes with an eyelash curler and apply two coats of black mascara to both the top and bottom lashes. 

9. As lashes are very on-trend for this season (when aren't they?!), we applied strip lashes to Ilaria's eyes. Lashes complete any evening makeup look beautifully, making the eyes really pop. To apply the strip false lashes correctly, place them as close as possible to the top lash line.

PRO TIP: Ensure to gently brush the eyelashes through the false lashes for a comfortable fit and natural finish. 
​

​
​10. Apply foundation to the face. As the dewy look was all over the catwalk this season, we went with a  demi-matte foundation.

11. Then apply concealer (of a similar shade to the foundation) where required, such as on the under eye area and on any blemishes, blending well.
 
12. For a more dewy, glowing finish, set by gently patting a little loose powder down the T-Zone only. Don’t forget to set the concealer on the under eye area also to minimise the concealer moving into and exaggerating any fine lines.

​13. Using an angled blusher brush, apply a matte contouring powder product according to your face shape. 
 
14. Again, using an angled blusher brush, apply a pink toned blusher to the apple of the cheeks, sweeping lightly underneath the cheekbone to blend. 

​​The below chart provides a helpful guide to both the contouring and blusher product placement according to the different face shapes.
​

15. Using an angled blusher brush, apply a highlighting powder product, again according to your face shape. 
As we were creating a dewy finish for a Christmas party look, we were generous enough with the amount (without going overboard) – it is Christmas after all :) 

16. Groom the brows by brushing. For any sparse areas, fill in as necessary with brow powder (or other brow product), then brush through again to soften and blend. Full but natural brows were everywhere on the catwalk this season, so go easy on the products if you want them on-trend! :)

17. To complete the look, line the lips with a berry lip liner and apply a matching berry lipstick to the lips. A lip brush should be used for precision, particularly for a matte textured lipstick which can be tricky to apply.
​
Products used in the masterclass to create this Christmas party makeup look were:

Eyes
Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot ‘Soft Ochre’
Mac ‘Retrospeck’ eyeshadow + Crownbrush Rose Gold eyeshadow palette
Illamasqua ‘Neutral’ eyeshadow palette
Mac ‘Embark’ eyeshadow
Mac ‘Wedge’ eyeshadow
Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner ‘Infinity’
Mac Reflects ‘Gold’
Mac Glitter ‘Gold’
Mac Fix+ Setting Spray
Illamasqua Brow Cake ‘Gaze’
Ardell ‘Demi Wispies’

Face
Mac Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage
Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation
Mac Pro Longwear Concealer
Illamasqua Loose Powder ‘010’
Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
Illamasqua Powder Blush ‘Hussy’
Mac Mineralize Extra Dimension Skinfinish ‘Double Gleam’

Lips
Illamasqua ‘Lust’ lip pencil
Mac ‘Diva’ lipstick + Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color ‘Ruby’ lipstick

Here are some [keeping it real :)] no-filter images of our beautiful model with the finished make-up look -

​This is such a timeless look that suits most complexions - I hope you like it! 

And some behind-the-scenes on the day of the masterclass...

 
Through the keyhole, or in this case, ring light…. :)
​

​My wee girlie gang of makeup lovers, who did a fantastic job on the day creating the look on themselves :)

​And here is a wee before and after the makeover...
​

​Attendees also received an amazing goody bag which had some fabulous treats, such as false lashes (worth £10), a lipstick, nail file, vouchers for makeup brushes and products, along with other fab treats!

Similar to my makeup lessons, after the masterclass, attendees also received a very comprehensive write-up about the designed make-up look, along with lots of other helpful makeup information.
  
I hope you have lots of fun creating this beautiful party makeup look over this coming Christmas season!

Tag a friend who you think would love this makeup look for their Christmas party – ‘tis the season for sharing  :)
 
Thanks a million to all my lovely ladies who attended this makeup masterclass, I had such a fun morning with you all. And a special thanks to my beautiful model, Ilaria.
 
Watch this space for future makeup masterclasses in 2020!
  
For even more makeup inspiration, check out my Special Occasion portfolio!
 
If you would like someone to teach you 1 to 1 how to apply make-up step by step, choose the correct shades for your colouring or even change the way you do your make-up, check out my Make-Up Lessons. They also include helpful hints and tips of the makeup trade.

And if you would like someone to do your makeup for a special occasion that is coming up, just get in touch!
 
Please feel free to share your own ideas for a Christmas party makeup look in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you.

Meanwhile, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and all your family & friends a truly magical Christmas, and all the very best for the new year and decade!
 
Warm festive wishes,
 
Colettex

PS: Please excuse the quality of the images, as they were taken on an iPhone! 
​

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After putting it to the public vote, I am running a make-up masterclass where my makeup lover attendees will be observing a makeup demonstration of a Christmas party look on a model, and will also get to create the look on themselves at the class.

The masterclass will cover the following:

1.  Understanding what suits your features (both face and eye shape)
2.  Skin care & skin preparation
3.  Base application, including primers, foundation, contouring & highlighting
4.  Eye make-up application
5.  False lash application
6.  Lip product application
7.  Makeup brush techniques
8.  Product recommendations
9. Live demonstration of full make-up on a model, with lots of makeup tips and tricks of the trade
10. Opportunity to create the look on yourself at the class and ask me questions!

Suitability: For all levels, from a complete novice/beginner right through to someone who wears full make-up everyday and has a make-up bag that would rival any MUA's kit!

The masterclass costs £39pp, which also includes a makeup information leaflet (with a face chart) as well as a goody bag.

​The goody bag will have fabulous treats, such as:
- False lashes (worth £10)
- 20% discount voucher for the make-up brushes used at the masterclass
- 10% voucher for selected high end make-up products, along with other fab treats!

And in addition to all of this, you will receive a very comprehensive write-up afterwards about the designed make-up look. This will include the products, shade names and brushes in step-by-step order. Also included in the report will be items such as skincare tips, brush care, and quite a lot of other information that would be specifically helpful to you.
 
I am also offering an early bird rate of £35pp for those who book by 31st October – so would book quickly to ensure you don’t miss out, as there are only 10 spaces available!
 
Plus, the venue has given me vouchers for a complimentary bottle of Prosecco with 4 main meals for anyone who would love to stay on and have lunch - making a real girlie day of it! :)

The details for this class are:
 
Date: Sat 23rd November 2019
Time: 10.30am-1.30pm
Venue: Balfour Room, Charwood, 47 Buckstone Terrace, Edinburgh, EH10 6QJ
 
To book your space, just email me at info@colettecasher.com. With spaces being very limited, would get in quickly to avoid disappointment! 

The final date to book and guarantee your spot is Wednesday 20th November.
 
Please feel free to share this post with your family & friends – it promises to be the perfect girlie morning with them all  :)

I'm so excited to be running this masterclass and sharing some of my pro makeup tips with you all!
 
Colette x
​

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If you are looking for that extra special gift for your mum (and you) this Mother’s Day then read on!
 
I am offering a very special treat to you both of a Mother & Daughter Group Make-Up Lesson voucher at the amazingly discounted rate of 25% off, including tea & cake!

Makeup + cake - what’s not to love! :) 
 
This is such a great gift if you and your mum want to spend some quality girlie time together whilst having fun, experimenting and learning all about make-up.
 
The make-up lesson is totally customised around both of your needs, which includes addressing both yours and your mother’s colouring and skin type, including the products, colours and textures that suit you best. This is particularly important when the skin changes as we get older. 
 
​So, if you would like to try new products and brushes, and learn how to apply make-up step by step, or even change the way you do your make-up, then check out my Make-Up Lessons page for more information.

In order to receive the makeup lesson voucher in time for Mother's Day, orders can be made up until 12pm 27th March 2019. 

To purchase this fabulous gift and make your mum feel really special this Mother’s Day, just get in touch! You will also receive a gift voucher pack to present to her on Mother's Day.
 
Feel free to forward this post to anyone who has a mum that would like to be totally pampered this Mother’s Day.
 
Meanwhile, I would like to wish my amazing mum and all the mums out there a very Happy Mother’s Day, with lots of well-deserved pampering!
 
Colette x

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Firstly, a very Happy New Year to you!

I love this time of year, as it is always nice to look back on and fully appreciate what you have managed to achieve over the past year (and wonder how you actually managed to do it all!), and then to look forward to all of the exciting things to come in the new year ahead. 

2018 has been another really busy year between lots of fabulous weddings, special occasion makeups, photo shoots, group masterclasses, make-up lessons, and another film!
 
Plus, there are already some exciting things planned for the year ahead, including setting up my home studio. This has been on the cards for quite a while, and am finally getting some time to organise it!
 
Below are images of just some of 2018's highlights - I hope you enjoy them!

Colettex

Love this image - one of my makeup lesson clients, Antonia, looking very happy indeed with her beautiful handiwork :)

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I was first approached by Lilly from the University of Edinburgh to hold a group make-up masterclass for a large group of 45 ladies. These lovely ladies were visiting Edinburgh and the university, coming all the way from sunny Saudi Arabia.
 
The group was interested in learning about how to create the classic soft smokey eye, as well as learning more about how to achieve that chiselled look with contouring. So, we went for a burnt orange & brown smokey eye, along with a flawless, glowing base, with some contouring to emphasise our model's features and dark complexion. Complementing this look with a pale coral lip. This is the perfect make-up look for any special occasion or wedding make-up.
 
Want to know how to create this look? Then read on…

1. Prep the skin by cleansing, toning and moisturising. Then apply a primer to both the face and eyelids.

2. Starting with the eyes first, apply a pale gold eye shadow across the eyelids and under eye. Starting with the eyes saves on time spent tidying up any eye shadow fallout onto the base – creating a smokey eye can get messy! ?

3. Then apply a burnt orange eye shadow across the eyelid, crease and up onto the brow bone, as well as the under eye area.

4. Apply a dark brown eye shadow across the eyelid and crease, and blend it into the burnt orange shadow, taking it to just above the crease and ensuring the burnt orange shadow is still visible above the brown shadow on the brow bone.

To achieve a professional finish, blending is key for any eye makeup, and the secret weapon to achieving this professional blend is the domed blending brush – a key component to any eye makeup brush arsenal. One of my favourites is the Girl Meets Brush Eye Shadow Blending brush, which is soft bristled and also vegan friendly & cruelty free.
​

5. The brown eye shadow should also be placed along the under-eye, as close to the eyelashes as possible. Again, ensuring the burnt orange eye shadow is visible just below it, and blended well.

6. Across the top lash line, apply black gel eyeliner as close as possible to the eyelashes, finishing with a flick at the outer corners.
​
7. Curl the top lashes with an eyelash curler and apply two coats of black mascara to both the top and bottom lashes. 

8. For a more dramatic, evening makeup look, strip lashes can also be applied.  To apply the strip false lashes correctly, place them as close as possible to the top lash line. Ensure to gently brush the eyelashes through the false lashes for a comfortable fit. 
​

9. Apply foundation to the face.

10. Then apply concealer (of a similar shade to the foundation) where required, such as on the under eye area and on any blemishes, blending well.
 
11. Set by gently patting a little loose powder down the T-Zone only, for a more dewy, glowing finish. Don’t forget to set the concealer on the under eye area also to minimise the concealer moving into and exaggerating any fine lines.

​12. Using an angled blusher brush, apply a matte contouring powder product according to your face shape. 
 
13. Again, using an angled blusher brush, apply a peach toned blusher to the apple of the cheeks, sweeping lightly underneath the cheekbone to blend. 

​The Girl Meets Brush Angled Blush/Contour brush is a great brush for applying both contouring and blush powder products.

​The below chart provides a helpful guide to both the contouring and blusher product placement according to the different face shapes.

14. Groom the brows by brushing. For any sparse areas, fill in as necessary with brow powder (or other brow product), then brush through again to soften and blend.

15. To complete the look, line the lips with a pale coral lip liner and apply a matching pale coral lipstick to the lips. For our model, we used a brown liner due to her darker complexion.  A lip brush should be used for precision, particularly for a matte textured lipstick which can be tricky to apply.
​
Products used in the masterclass to create this makeup look were:

Eyes
Mac Prolongwear Paint Pot ‘Quite Natural’
Mac Eye Shadow ‘Retrospeck’ 
Crownbrush Rose Gold Eye Shadow Palette - burnt orange shade
Mac Eye Shadow ‘Embark’ 
Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner ‘Infinity’ 
Illamasqua Brow Cake ‘Gaze’ 

Face
Mac Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage Face Primer
Mac Skin Refined Zone Face Primer
Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation
Mac Select Cover-Up Concealer
Illamasqua Loose Powder 
Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural ‘Dark Deep’ 
Mac Powder Blush ‘Peaches’ 
Mac Mineralize Skinfinish ‘Soft & Gentle’ 

Lips
lllamasqua Liner ‘Fidelity’ 
Mac Lipstick ‘Pure Zen’  
Mac Lipstick ‘Vegas Volt’  

Here are images of our beautiful model with the finished make-up look. 

Including a before and after the makeover...

And some images of the evening. 
​

​Have fun putting this smokey eye look into practice!
 
If you enjoyed this post and makeup tutorial, and would like someone to teach you how to apply make-up step by step, choose the correct shades for your colouring or even change the way you do your make-up, check out my Make-Up Lessons page.

And if you would like someone to do your makeup for a special occasion that is coming up, just get in touch!
 
As always, I welcome your thoughts on any of this blog post's content in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I would love to hear from you.

Thanks a million to Lilly & all the lovely ladies who attended this group make-up lesson, I had such a fun evening with you all. And a special thanks to my beautiful model, Amjad ? 
 
Colette x

For more helpful makeup tips and tricks of the trade, follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and sign up for my free report 'Makeup Secrets that Everyone Should Know About!' ​by simply entering your details below: