Blog Posts

Make-Up & Beauty Giveaway – Worth a Whopping £120!!

29/6/2016

With the summer well and truly here, it’s time for a real summer treat!

I am giving away lots of truly fantastic make-up and beauty goodies, which include:

Eyeko Black Liquid Liner
Ciate ‘Mineral Love’ Nailpolish
A Pair of False Eyelashes
Sebastian Trilliant Thermal Protection Spray
Wah London 24 Press On Nails
Wella Sugar Lift Volumising Spray
Fake Bake Airbrush Instant Self-Tan
Clarins Eau des Jardin Smoothing Body Cream
Clarins Relax Bath & Shower Concentrate
Birchbox “Best Hair Day” Birchbrush
Beautiful Beauty Bag

Giveaway Make-Up & Beauty Goodies

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic make-up and beauty giveaway, simply pop along to my Facebook page and;

LIKE my Facebook PAGE
LIKE the giveaway Facebook POST (which will be pinned to the top of the page)
COMMENT in the giveaway Facebook POST, to confirm when the above are actioned

Please do remember to follow the above THREE steps to ensure your entry is valid :)

This giveaway starts now and ends when my Facebook page reaches 700 likes, so would get liking and sharing!

It is open UK wide to those who are 18+ years.

The winner will chosen at random and be notified via an announcement on my Facebook page, so would keep an eye out!

If you have any questions, you can also read the terms and conditions for this giveaway.

So just go to my Facebook page now and enter to win!

Best of luck to everyone!

Warm wishes,

Colettex

Note: This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

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My Make-Up Work Features in a New Millinery Book

9/6/2016

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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.

'Fascinators' by Hannah Scheidig

It is a beautifully illustrated and a well written book, so if you are interested in learning how to make fascinators, then this is the book for you!

Warm wishes,

Colettex

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My Top 3 Highlighters!

13/5/2016

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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'.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish 'Soft & Gentle', £24.00rrp

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.

Girl Meets Brush Blush/Contour Brush, £12.95

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!

2. Illamasqua Gleam
Illamasqua's Gleam works wonders for achieving a healthy, summer glow.

This is a light, shimmery cream highlighter, which subtly reflects the light, illuminating your skin. It contains ingredients such as skin boosting Vitamin E and Mica Mineral.

This cream highlighter works perfectly under foundation and is applied after your moisturiser. It can also be used on the body for added shimmer and glow.

Illamasqua Gleam, 'Aurora', £22.00rrp

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.

Girl Meets Brush Foundation Brush, £10.95

This highlighter comes in two shades, 'Aurora' and 'Supernatural'. I would recommend the Aurora shade for pally wally skin like mine, and Supernatural for darker complexions.

3. Mac Strobe Cream
Mac’s Strobe Cream is a moisturising cream, which contains iridescent particles that illuminate the skin, giving it a beautiful, subtle pink shimmer. It also contains nourishing vitamins and antioxidants. Compared to Illamasqua's Gleam and Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish 'Soft & Gentle', the Strobe Cream gives more of a dewy finish versus a sun-kissed glow, due to its pink colour.

Similar to Illamasqua’s Gleam, it too can be placed under your foundation using a flat foundation brush, and after your moisturiser.

Mac Strobe Cream, £24.50rrp

These are must-have highlighter products for your make-up bag this summer!

Have fun getting your shimmer on!

Do you have a favourite highlighter? Then please feel free to share here – I always love to hear about new make-up products!

Warm shimmery wishes,

Colettex

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Wedding Make-Up Trends for Spring/Summer 2016

5/4/2016

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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.

We had such a great day at the fair, meeting and chatting with some lovely couples as well as some super talented wedding suppliers.

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.

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.

And here are some images where all the models got to play dress up as the blushing bride :)

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.

Did you enjoy this post? Share it with 3 people who you think would find it helpful also!

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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My Top 6 Skincare Tips for Super Spring Skin!

25/2/2016

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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.

Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF50, £61.30rrp

Dermalogica Total Eye Care, £39.20rrp

Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer SPF30, £38.80rrp

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.

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, £32.50rrp

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!

Did you enjoy this post? Share it with 3 people who you think would find it helpful also!

Warm wishes,

Colette x

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Your Bridal Make-Up – Do’s and Don’ts

12/1/2016

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How to Get Your Glamorous Christmas Party Look

30/11/2015

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.

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.

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

2.   Apply foundation to the face.

3.   Then apply concealer (of a similar shade to the foundation) where required, such as on the undereye area and on any blemishes, blending well.

4.   Using an angled blusher brush, apply blusher to the apple of the cheeks, sweeping lightly across the cheekbone to blend.

Angled Blusher Brush

5. Set by gently patting a little loose powder across the face.

6. Groom the brows by brushing. For any sparce areas, fill in as necessary with a brow pencil or powder, then brush through again to soften and blend.

7. Apply a pale gold eyeshadow across the eyelids. Then apply a medium brown eyeshadow to the outer corner and crease of the eyes for definition. For a more dramatic look, a darker brown matte eyeshadow can be applied to the very outer corners and should be blended well.

8. Across the top lash line, apply black eyeliner as close as possible to the lashes, finishing with a flick at the outer corners.
One of my favourite gel liners at the moment is Illamasqua’s Precision Gel Liner, which glides on so smoothly and lasts really well on the eye.

Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner, £18.50

9. Curl the top lashes with an eyelash curler and apply a coat of black mascara to both the top and bottom lashes.

10. To apply the strip false lashes correctly, place them as close as possible to the top lash line.
For a more natural look, blend the natural and false lashes together by applying a light coat of mascara, brushing it through gently.

Illamasqua False Eye Lashes No.019, £12.00

11. To complete the look, line the lips with a red lip liner and apply a matching red lipstick to the lips. A lovely blue toned matte red lipstick is Illamasqua ‘Sangers’, which has fab staying power and makes your teeth look even whiter!

As Illamasqua 'Sangers' is a matte textured lipstick, it does not need a lip liner necessarily, but if you prefer to use a liner, try Illamasqua Lip Colouring Pencil ‘Lust’. A lip brush should be used to apply a matte lipstick perfectly.

Illamasqua Lipstick in Sangers, £18.50

Illamasqua Lip Colouring Pencil in Lust, £15.00

For an even more vampy pout, why not experiment and try a darker berry red or plum lipstick with a matching lip liner.

Have fun putting all of this into practice over the festive season!

If you would like someone to teach you how to apply make-up, 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 (including Christmas parties!), just get in touch!

Please feel free to share your own ideas for Christmas party makeup looks in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Christmas!

Colette x

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8 Easy Steps to Applying & Removing Your Strip False Lashes!

29/10/2015

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It is amazing the difference false lashes can make to a look, really emphasising the eyes and making them pop. They are perfect for a special occasion makeup look or even a bridal look where the eyes need to be a wee bit more emphasised in the photographs.

Time and time again, I get asked by my clients ‘How do I apply my false lashes and remove them?’ As they have spent a lot of time in the mirror trying to get them on, only to have them stick out at funny angles, be uncomfortable to wear or even fall off after a couple of hours.

So, as they can be tricky wee things to master, I thought I would write an article to help you out by explaining how. It is actually not as tricky as you would think - once you know how!

Follow the 8 simple steps below to achieve the perfect luscious lashes and then be able to remove them easily at the end of your evening.

1. Apply mascara
Apply one coat of mascara to your own lashes – using the same colour as the false lashes.

2. Size up the lash
A common oversight is forgetting to size up the false lashes to the eye shape, and then placing too wide a lash on the eye. So before applying the glue, check them out for size by placing them on the eyelid and then trim them as necessary.

Always trim from the long lashes at the outer end rather than the inner end where the lashes are shorter.

Trim outer end of lash

Plus trim just a tiny bit at a time so you don’t over trim, checking back to your eye after each trim.

3. Shape the lash
Holding both edges of the lash, bend the lash inwards to create a ‘C’ shape for a few seconds. This helps give the lash a better shape to then fit to the curvature of the eyelid, and also ensures the corners stay put on the eyelid. This also helps with the application of the lash onto the eyelid.

4. Apply the glue
I use the DUO adhesive glue, which is a high quality lash glue. The glue that comes in the pack with false lashes is not as good a quality. So if you are a regular user of false lashes, I would recommend investing in the DUO adhesive glue. Mac Cosmetics sell it for £10.

DUO Adhesive Glue

If you have a steady hand, gently squeeze some glue along the lash spine. Failing this, just use the handle of a tweezer to gently place the glue along the lash spine. Ensure to place the glue all along the spine and right out to the ends of the lash, so it does not lift at the ends when applied.

Allow the glue to air dry for 8-10 seconds before placing the lash onto your eyelid. This allows it to become tacky and easier to apply.

5. Apply the lash to the eyelid
To apply the lash as close as possible to the base of your own lash line, start with the eye closed. Then align the false lash spine along the base of the natural lash line, getting as close as possible to the natural lash base for the best fit.

6. Allow to set
Once the false lash is in place, you do not need to hold it down. Instead, just allow the glue to dry.

7. Blend the false lashes into your own lashes
To help blend the false lashes into your own lashes and achieve a more natural look, very gently press the false lashes and your own lashes together with tweezers. Then brush the false lashes through your own lashes with an eyelash or spooler brush. An old, clean mascara wand will do the trick also.

If required, apply a small amount of mascara at the junction of both the false and natural lash. Take care not to over apply the mascara by taking it all the way out to the ends of the false lash hairs, as this will exaggerate the false lashes and make them look less natural. It is best to use mascara the same colour as the false lashes.

8. Removing the false lashes
Place some eye makeup remover on a cotton bud and gently rub it along the base of the false lash. Avoid getting product in the eye as much as possible.

Leave this sit for a minute to allow the cleanser to work its magic. To remove them, hold them by the base of the outer lash and gently peel it off the eyelid.

By holding them by the base of the lash, it prevents any stretching and distortion of the lashes, so they last for much longer.

Then remove your eye makeup as normal and that’s you done!

Have fun putting all of this into practice!

Please feel free to share your own tips on how you like to apply and remove false lashes in the comments section at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you!

Colette x

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How to Apply Your Matte Lipstick Perfectly!

31/7/2015

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A question I am often asked by my clients is how to apply your matte lipstick perfectly without it clumping.

Firstly, preparation is key! Lips should be exfoliated and moisturised before the lipstick even touches the lips, as the matte formulation can be pretty unforgiving and tends to highlight any flaws, such as dried or chapped skin.

Exfoliate the lips:
Where possible, exfoliate your lips the day before you use the matte lipstick, particularly if you have quite dry, chapped lips.

Firstly, apply some moisturiser to the lips to soften the skin. A fab lip conditioner is the Mac Lip Conditioner (£12), which offers very quick a deep conditioning to the lips. Other lip balms such as Burt's Bees Lip Balm or Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment can be used also.

Mac 'Lip Conditioner'

Then after an hour or two, very gently, exfoliate the lips.

Lips can be exfoliated using a homemade lip scrub (a mixture of sugar, olive or coconut oil & honey) and the lips gently massaged with it for a couple of minutes and then rinsed.

No time to make up the lip exfoliator? I sometimes use a soft toothbrush if I'm in a hurry.

Moisturise the lips:
I would recommend exfoliating the lips before going to bed and then slather on lots of moisturiser to get the maximum amount of conditioning.

Why not treat your lips to a lovely lip mask as well? There are lots of fab ones on the market, including Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, which can also be applied during the day for some extra moisture boosting!

Line the lips first:
Although a lip liner isn’t necessary with a matte lipstick formulation, due to its long lasting staying power, I still like to use the liner to help it last even longer (call me greedy, but I’d rather spend less time touching up!). It also helps give a beautiful, sharp finish.

Apply the matte lipstick using a lip brush:
After lining the lips in a similar colour to the lipstick, the matte lipstick is then applied with a lip brush. Real Techniques do a great retractable brush for £7.99, which has a wee cap, so is very handy for the handbag. Love its pink colour as well!

Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush

Apply a second coat:
For even more staying power, blot the lips afterwards with a tissue and reapply the matte lipstick again. There are a number of reasons for this – it not only extends the staying power even more, but also adds intensity to the lip colour and helps avoid dry or cakey looking lips.

For a super sharp, precise line:
A wee trick of the trade that make-up artists adopt to get that super precise line is to use some concealer to clean up the edges of the lips, using a small concealer brush or a cosmetic cotton bud.

A couple of my favourite matte lipsticks at the moment are Illamasqua’s 'Eurydice' and 'Liable' (£19.50 each). 'Eurydice' is a lovely bright fuchsia pink lipstick that pops on the lips, and 'Liable' is a really classy, sophisticated red lipstick with a yellow undertone. Amazing colours with even more amazing staying power!

Illamasqua 'Eurydice' Lipstick

Illamasqua 'Liable' Lipstick

And that should then be you ready to rock a fabulous & perfect matte lip! It may seem like a fair bit of effort but it is definitely worth it to achieve that beautiful, long lasting, flawless pout :)

Have fun putting these makeup tips into practice!

Please feel free to share your own makeup tips on how you like to apply a matte lipstick in the Comments field at the bottom of this post - I'd love to hear from you!

Colette x

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A Bridal Photo Shoot at Mal Maison Hotel, Edinburgh

22/5/2015

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I am so excited to be finally starting my blog! It’s really lovely to be able to share all my amazing experiences with you all, plus obviously provide lots of helpful information and tips!

So, my very first blog post is about a recent bridal photo shoot at the Mal Maison hotel, by the Shore in Leith.

Where did the inspiration come from for this photo shoot?

The inspiration for this amazing photo shoot came about when I was first approached by Mette Baillie of Freja Designer Dressmaking, regarding a bride of hers, Fran Previdi. Fran had been looking for an Edinburgh make-up artist who could do bridal makeup for her dark skin complexion, and after speaking with the lovely Fran, she very kindly agreed to be involved in a bridal photo shoot. I was thrilled!

Who else was involved in the photo shoot?

I was keen to involve local small businesses in this photo shoot. Two photographers who really wanted to be involved were Vikki McCraw Photography and Rachel Hein Photography. Petals by the Shore kindly donated a beautiful bridal bouquet. The award winning bridal dress store, Freja Designer Dressmaking, kindly lent us two of their stunning bridal dresses from their new collection, along with matching boleros and headdresses. We then chose the beautiful wedding venue, Mal Maison hotel by the Shore, due to it stunning hotel interiors and equally stunning location, being right on the Water of Leith.

How did it all unfold on the day of the photo shoot?

It was such an exciting and fun shoot with such a great team of people, and I think the images really reflect this! One of the team even commented ‘I didn’t want the day to end!’ which captured the buzz amongst the team on the day. We managed to get images from two very different photographic perspectives, with Rachel’s images being more natural and informal, using natural lighting, and Vikki was able to give us images that had a more editorial feel to them, using photographic lighting. This was a real treat as you don’t often get this luxury on photo shoots!

The only minor hiccup on the day was that the good ole Scottish weather decided to put a spanner in the works and we were only able to shoot indoors. Despite this, we got amazing images due to the fact that there were so many beautiful spaces to shoot in within the hotel itself.

What was the inspiration for the makeup?

As we had two different dresses and accessories to choose from, for the first dress I decided to go with a more natural look with beautifully radiant dewy skin, which was inspired by the Spring/ Summer 2015 catwalk and was designed to complement both Fran’s skin tone and the simple but very elegant dress and headdress.

Whilst incorporating a key Spring/ Summer 2015 trend colour of coral into the look, I used warm tones of gold, coral and brown with an orange undertone on the eyes to complement Fran’s beautiful skin tone. Black gel eyeliner was applied to add definition to the eyes. To complete this beautiful look, coral was used on the lips (Mac ‘Vegas Volt’), which popped beautifully against Fran’s skin tone.

Inspired by the style of the second dress, we went with more of a vintage makeup look with the signature strong eyeliner and a bright orange red lip (Illamasqua ‘Liable’).

Images from another bridal shoot taken along the Shore just outside Mal Maison

From a previous bridal photo shoot by the Shore, the below images were taken along the Water of Leith, and right outside the Mal Maison hotel. These help capture what Mal Maison has to offer outside the hotel! The photographer for this shoot was the lovely Morag Brown of Brown’s Photography, and the models were Marika Hipponen and Louise Arnold. Dresses and accessories were from Rachel Scott Couture. Make-up and hair were by Colette Casher Make-Up Artistry. There were so many beautiful images to choose from, but here is a wee selection that help capture the day…

As I’m sure you will agree, Mal Maison hotel coupled with the Water of Leith by the Shore, make this just a stunning location for a wedding!

So, what happened next?

Fran was so delighted with the end result for this photo shoot at Mal Maison, that she not only booked me for her bridal makeup but also her partner’s! I am totally honoured and delighted to be involved in their special day.

And as if things couldn’t get any better, we were in the very fortunate position that We Fell in Love, Scotland’s largest wedding blogger, were very keen to be involved and post a blog of their own on our shoot! Just amazing! I was astonished at how things had progressed from my initial wee chat with Mette of Freja Designer Dressmaking and our beautiful model, Fran Previdi, and have had to pinch myself on more than one occasion! I just absolutely love my job J

So without further ado, please see We Fell in Love’s blog in the below link –

http://www.wefellinlove.co.uk/blog/2015/05/09/bridal-shoot-malmaison-freja-designer-dressmaking/

I really hope you enjoyed my first blog! More to follow, so keep a wee eye out.

Warm wishes,

Colette x

Credits:

Models – Fran Previdi, Louise Arnold and Marika Hipponen
Photographers – Vikki McCraw Photography, Rachel Hein Photography and Brown’s Photography
Dresses & Accessories – Freja Designer Dressmaking, Rachel Scott Bridal Couture and Rachel Scott Accessories
Venue – Mal Maison
Florist – Petals by the Shore
Make-Up & Hair – Colette Casher Make-Up Artistry

Images are copyright of Vikki McCraw Photography, Rachel Hein Photography and Brown’s Photography

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A Bridal Photo Shoot at Mal Maison Hotel, Edinburgh

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