The Carberry Tower itself is the perfect fairy tale wedding venue.

​It is set in the heart of East Lothian and just off the A1 motorway.

Its beautiful buildings stand within a 35 acre estate of private parkland, and is certainly worth a wee visit by engaged couples when looking for a wedding venue.

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Who else was involved in the photo shoot?

Sophia Grace Couture, Haddington, were keen to be involved, and stock absolutely stunning gowns and accessories.  

Hair was done by the very talented, Christina, from Sophia Grace Couture. 

The beautiful floral bouquets were provided by Bonnie Buskit. 

​Geebz Photography had the important job of bringing all our ideas to life on camera, and with their truly unique and fun photographic style, they managed to do this and more.

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​We also had the pleasure of Robbie, the horse, who was an amazing model on the day and was the icing on the cake for the perfect bridal photo shoot! 

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As part of their wedding fair, I was involved with the wedding fashion show at the beautiful wedding venue, The Roxburghe Hotel, Edinburgh. This hotel is situated in the ideal city centre location of George Street. 

As the hotel’s preferred make-up artist, I was asked to also do the make-up for the wedding fashion show. 

What was the inspiration for the fashion show make-up? 

​For the make-up, I wanted to incorporate some classic make-up looks for the bride, bridesmaid and mother-of-the-bride.
 
For our first model, Julie, I created a classic look of eyeliner & false lashes coupled with a beautiful matte orange-red lip and glowing skin, which complemented both Julie’s colouring and the dresses beautifully.

​This is such a classic bridal make-up look that never goes out of fashion, and ensures all eyes are on the bride for her special day.

For our second model, Eilidh, we went with a gold and brown blend on the eye, coupled with a dusky pink lip. Complementing this look with a glowing, dewy skin finish.

​This is such a versatile wedding make-up look, which can suit not only a bride looking for a more natural make-up look, but also a bridesmaid or mother-of-the-bride.
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Some more images taken on the catwalk...

Here are a few images of our beautiful models strutting their stuff on the catwalk in some lovely bridal, bridesmaid and mother-of-the bride gowns, whilst sporting classic wedding make-up looks!

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Last year, I was approached by Hannah Scheidig, Arabella Bridal, regarding a very exciting project to create a new book about how to make fascinators.

Hannah had been approached by the US publisher, Running Press, to write the book, and I was honoured and very excited to be involved!

Working to Hannah's brief, I created makeup looks to complement the fascinators and the models' colourings, and the models were photographed by the talented Ricky Baillie Photography. These stunning images have now been beautifully illustrated in this new millinery book.

The book was released in April 2016, and is available to purchase on Amazon. Hardcopies are currently only available in US book stores, but will be made available at a later point here in the UK.

Check out some sneak peek images of the book cover and some pages from the book, which all feature my work.

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​There is nothing quite like a good highlighter to give you that youthful, healthy, sun-kissed radiance – it really can take years off of you!
 
For anyone who is looking for an immediate pick-me-up for their skin, and not sure where to start, then keep reading to learn how give yourself that sun-kissed look without the sun!
 
So I am bringing you, not one, but three of my favourite highlighter make-up products that I reach for the most at the moment and just cannot live without! 

All three can be placed onto the high points of the face, where the sun would naturally hit, such as the bridge of the nose, brow bone, cheekbones and cupid’s bow.
 
I have placed all three products on the skin, and they are numbered 1-3 below.

1. Mac Mineralize Skinfinish ‘Soft & Gentle’
Even if the sun is refusing to play ball with us, you can still get that summery sun-kissed glow with one of my fav powder highlighters - Mac Mineralize Skinfinish 'Soft & Gentle'.

​This is a luxurious shimmery powder with a 77-Mineral Complex and Vitamin E, which adds highlights to both the face and body.

​A little goes a long way with this product! Therefore, less is more when applying it to the skin, and you should ensure it is well blended to give a natural, glowing finish to the skin. This product comes in a variety of shades, but I find ‘Soft & Gentle’ to be the perfect shade, as it suits most skin tones.​

​One of the best brushes to apply powder highlighter with is the angled blush/contour brush.

If you do not have this brush in your makeup bag, then I would highly recommend it!

​As it is great for applying not just highlighter, but also powder blusher [the clue is in the name!], as well as powder contouring products.

In addition to placing this lovely powder highlighter on bridge of the nose, brow bone, cheekbones and cupid’s bow, I often place it on the inner corners of the eye and even on the eyelid for some added shimmer. It is such a fab, flexible product - I love it!

​It can be a little tricky to apply due to its thick consistency and highly pigmented & shimmery formulation.

Therefore, I find the best way to apply it is by buffing it on the back of your hand first with a flat foundation brush and then apply it to the skin with the brush.

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​As the preferred make-up artist for the George Hotel here in Edinburgh, I was very excited and honoured to be asked to also do the make-up for their wedding fashion show. 

​It was also the perfect opportunity to incorporate some key wedding make-up trends for Spring/Summer 2016 to help inspire my bridal followers with their wedding make-up!​

​The George hotel is a stunning city centre venue and the King’s Hall is one of the most iconic wedding spaces here in Edinburgh with their breath-taking ceiling centrepiece.
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​We had such a great day at the fair, meeting and chatting with some lovely couples as well as some super talented wedding suppliers.
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​For the wedding fashion show, I wanted to incorporate some key Spring/Summer 2016 wedding make-up trends, whilst working the make-up around the individual looks of each of our gorgeous models and the outfits they were all wearing. This can be tricky and I wanted to do more than just a simple neutral look that would suit all styles and colours!
 
For our lovely bridal model, Julie, the lip colour took centre stage with a strong berry lip shade (using Mac ‘Diva’), coupled with a strong eyeliner on the eye and a fresh, dewy finish to the skin with a soft pink blush. This was a key bridal make-up look seen on the bridal S/S 2016 catwalk, and suited Julie’s dark features perfectly.

For our lovely bridesmaid model, Catherine, we had a smokey pink brown eye with some liner for added definition, topped off with some fabulous false lashes. This was coupled with a soft pink blush and subtle pink lip using Mac ‘Hot Gossip’.
 
Pink was a key colour trend seen on the bridal S/S 2016 catwalk and complemented Catherine’s colouring beautifully.
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And for our lovely mother-of-the-bride model, Eilidh, we went with a gold and brown eye with a little liner for definition and some half lid lashes.

This was completed with another S/S 2016 wedding make-up trend of fresh, glowing, dewy skin (using Mac Strobe Cream and Mac Mineralize Skinfinish ‘Soft & Gentle’), coupled with a soft pink blush and subtle pink lip (using Mac ‘Creme Cup’).

Having healthy skin helps provide a flawless finish to your make-up, plus it will help achieve this key make-up trend of dewy skin. Therefore, following a good skincare routine is important also.
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And here are some images where all the models got to play dress up as the blushing bride :)
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Why not try having a play with these Spring/Summer 2016 wedding make-up trends!
 
And for even more wedding make-up inspiration, you can have a wee look through my wedding make-up portfolio and Pinterest bridal make-up boards.
 
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you.
 
And if you would like someone to do your make-up for your wedding day, then I can help you there also. So just get in touch.
 
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Warm wishes,

Colette x

Credits:

Models – Julie Smith, Catherine Jack, Eilidh MacKensie
Photographers – Geebz Photography  
Dresses & Accessories – Crystal Bows Boutique 
Venue – The George Hotel Edinburgh   
Hair – Kalon Hair  
Make-Up – Colette Casher Make-Up Artistry

Images are copyright of Geebz Photography.
​

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 As spring fast approaches, many of us start making various changes in our routines, so why not consider your skincare routine as part of this?  
 
Besides wanting to have super spring skin and looking healthy, for a flawless make-up look, healthy skin is key as it acts as a base to your make-up. Another reason to look after your skin.

Subtle changes can make a difference in the way our skin looks, so here are a few of my top skincare tips to help put a spring in your skin!  

1. A good skincare routine is essential. 

Cleansing, toning and moisturising every day is key for healthy skin at any time of year. A wee shortcut would be to combine cleansing and toning in one easy step by using micellar water. 

A multi-purpose product that you may have in your kitchen cupboard is extra virgin coconut oil. As well being used for cooking purposes, it can be used to remove tricky eye make-up, whilst doubling up as a moisturiser - I love it!

Exfoliating regularly to clear away dead skin cell build up is also an essential part of a good skincare routine. A gentle, non-irritating exfoliator should be used and care should be taken not to over exfoliate, only doing so when needed.  An exfoliator brand that I love to use is Liz Earle and a couple of my favourite products of theirs are:

The Cleanse & Polish Cleanser, which is a cleanser that gently exfoliates and is suitable for all skin types, particularly for sensitive skin and open pores.

The Gentle Face Exfoliator, contains jojoba beads, so is a wee bit more exfoliating than the Cleanse & Polish cleanser, and is suitable for all skin types except sensitive skin.

Both products are used in conjunction with the Liz Earle muslin cloth, leaving your skin feeling beautifully soft and smooth.

Regular face masks and facials are also beneficial, helping to ensure your skin is in the best condition possible. As well as off-the-shelf face mask products, there are also plenty of home remedies out there for face masks - my Pinterest Skincare board has a few to get you started. So why not pamper yourself to a face mask whilst having a nice relaxing bath or reading a good book. 

2. Using the right skin care products is important.

Skin care products designed for your skin type (oily, dry, combination, etc.) should be used, so they can address the particular needs of your skin type. 

Sunscreen is very important to help protect the skin and should be used daily. This applies all year around due to harmful UVA rays being able to penetrate the clouds.

A moisturizer containing SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is also a good alternative for those who are looking for versatility with their products. I like to use Dermalogica’s Dynamic Skin Recovery (SPF50) moisturizer and their Total Eye Care (SPF15). I also use their Skinperfect Primer (SPF30) when looking for a make-up look that I want to last all day and evening.

I would highly recommend speaking with a skin expert who stocks the Dermalogica range to ensure you use the correct products for your own skin type. Zest Skin Spas in Edinburgh stock this range and have a very knowledgeable, lovely team of skin experts to help advise you.

Noteworthy, for special occasion or wedding make-up, care must be taken with sunscreens and products containing SPF ingredients. As they can cause white flashback in photographs, depending on the active ingredient and also the type of flash.

3. Diet and regular exercise are important for your skin.

A healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise are key for healthy, super spring skin, as well as drinking plenty of water. This will all help improve the way your skin looks from within.

4. Avoid smoking if possible.

Smoking damages the skin’s collagen and elastin (which help keep the skin firm and elastic). This in turn can lead to premature skin ageing. Another reason to kick the habit. Using a cream or serum containing retinoids can also help stimulate elastin and collagen production 

5. Ignore those sugar cravings.   

A high-sugar diet is similar to smoking in that it too can damage collagen and elastin in the skin. So, as well as watching out for hidden sugars, in prepared foods for example, try to limit the amount of sugar added to foods. This is not only great for your skin, but your waistline will thank you for it also!

6. Make-up routine.

Aside from a good skincare routine, it is also important to consider your make-up routine. With the change of seasons, your skin tone may change, so you should change your foundation shade to match if necessary.

Note that all the products mentioned have been tried, tested and are loved by myself :)
 
If you would like to learn more about your skin and any additional boost it may need, such as facials, or more about their Dermalogica range, Zest Skin Spas here in Edinburgh provide free skin consultations and are an amazing team of skin experts – I would highly recommend them!
 
Please feel free to share your thoughts and/or your own tips for super spring skin in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you! 

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Warm wishes,
 
Colette x

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As your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, you obviously want to look your absolute best, considering things like your dress, accessories, hair and of course your make-up!

So to make sure your bridal make-up is picture perfect on your big day, I have compiled with a wee checklist of do’s and don’ts for your bridal make-up.

DO relax: This is your big day and you want to relax and enjoy every minute of it. Be yourself and be comfortable in what you wear – if you want to wear red lipstick because it’s you then wear it! On the flip side, if you never wear red lipstick and want a change, then I suggest making that change before your wedding day. You have to feel like you and comfortable when you walk down the aisle towards your hubbie-to-be.

DO look after your skin: Having a clear complexion is key to a truly beautiful, flawless base to your bridal make-up. For tips on how to achieve a clear complexion, check out my Top 6 Skincare Tips blog post.  

DO use a primer: For beautiful, long lasting make-up, a good primer is key. A light lotion primer, such as Mac’s Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage, improves the application of your make-up and blots away excess oil, helping it to last longer.

DON'T go overboard with highlighter: Light reflecting particles in highlighter products do exactly that – so care needs to be taken not to overdo it when you are having your professional photographs taken.
 
DO try strip false lashes: Your wedding day is the perfect day to maximise the beauty of your peepers. Strip false lashes will enhance your eyes, giving them that extra pop and appearance of being bigger, particularly in front of the camera. However, don't wait until the wedding day to trial them, try them out in advance and at the trial, just to make sure you are used to wearing them come the big day.
 
DON'T sit in silence: You’ve had your make-up trial and you’re not sure about something… Then just tell your make-up artist. A good artist will not be offended and they will be more than happy to make any tweaks to get that perfect bridal look. This is what the trial is all about, and so is the perfect forum for making any changes.

DO have inspiration pictures: This really helps the make-up artist understand your vision and also what you like (and don’t like). Bring along magazine clippings and/or a Pinterest board of all the things that you love.
 
DO be careful having friends or family do your make-up: You won’t mind telling a professional make-up artist that you don’t like something, and you won’t offend them. I have seen this on many occasion, and it’s so difficult to tell a friend or family member that you don’t like something. However, a professional will know what products perform the best and work in front of the camera.
 
DON'T forget your eyebrows: Eyebrows are very popular at the moment and it’s not surprising, as they frame your eyes and face, and really help complete the look. So fill in your brows to give them a natural, full shape.
 
DO opt for waterproof mascara: If there is any day with guaranteed waterworks, it’s your wedding day. From stepping onto the aisle, to the speeches, to your first dance as Mr and Mrs, there are bound to be tears of joy a-flowing. However, your make-up doesn’t have to be!

If you are looking for a beautiful, naturally glowing look that will last all day & evening, and look great both in front of the camera lens and your guests, then it might be an idea to consider booking a professional make-up artist. If you would like to do your own makeup, you could have a bridal tutorial to learn some top make-up tips and product advice, whilst creating together your perfect bridal makeup look.

Please feel free to share your own bridal make-up do’s and don’ts in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you!
 
If you are looking for inspiration and professional guidance on how to apply your bridal make-up and achieve the perfect look on your wedding day, I offer Bridal Tutorials with helpful hints and tips of the make-up trade.  
 
And if you would like someone to do your make-up for your wedding day, then I can help you there also. So just get in touch!

Colette x
​

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​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: 

​Christmas is just around the corner and everyone is starting to get geared up and into Christmas Party mode - one of my favourite times of year!


With everyone being so busy, particularly in the lead up to the festive season, we all want a Christmas Party makeup look that is quick and easy to achieve, whilst still being glamorous.
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So here is a quick and easy way to get that glamorous Christmas Party look with the minimum of effort! It combines luscious statement lashes with a festive red lip.

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