Hello, everyone! I’ve been MIA for over a month. Most of that was me moving and setting up house (so much work to do!). We then took a two week, amazing holiday in Egypt (more on that later). I don’t announce when I’m going to be away from home for a long period of time because that’s an invitation to get robbed! Anywhoo, I’m catching up on all my emails and came across this Sudocrem competition, which sounds amazing. I thought you guys would appreciate hearing about it and maybe entering. Here are the deets:

Celebrity favourite, Sudocrem Skin Care Cream is offering 10 friends the chance to experience the ultimate VIP lifestyle for one night only; including attending a top London club, paparazzi, bodyguards and much, much more.

Sudocrem Skin Care Cream have launched their latest Facebook competition, tasking existing fans of this popular celebrity product to share with their friends, inviting at least 5 of them to the Facebook page (http://bit.ly/UP2X0C) and in doing so, enter the exclusive sweepstake to win the grand prize.

More about the prize and how to enter

You and your group of up to nine friends will be escorted by three personal bodyguards through the centre of London to a club of your choice, before being photographed by paparazzi awaiting your arrival. Your night will also include a VIP private table for the entire evening with a bottle of vodka and mixer to get the party started. When it comes to nights out, they don’t come any better than this. The winner and up to nine friends will also each receive a free tube of Sudocrem Skin Care Cream, perfect to use as a facemask before the big night ensuring you’re looking the best for those eager paparazzi!

Duration
November 19th 2012 – 17th December 2012
Prize
Deluxe VIP Night Out in London for TEN (with Virgin Experiences http://bit.ly/M6Sjo7)
What the prize includes
• Choice of seven London night clubs and bars including free entry
• Three personal bodyguards to escort you through the city centre
• Eight paparazzi to make you feel like stars on your arrival at the club
• VIP entrance so you beat all the queues
• A VIP table for the entire evening
• A bottle of vodka and mixer to get the party started
• A DVD of your best images after the event
• Experience gift pack including personalised voucher and message card
• Personal Accident cover to a value of £50,000 plus cancellation indemnity
• Travel costs for up to ten people (£200 maximum).
• 10 tubes of Sudocrem Skin Care Cream

Terms and Conditions apply.

Image courtesy of Thinkstock

Excessive hair growth is a huge problem especially for women. We are conditioned to think that smooth hair-free skin is beautiful and will try as many methods as possible to get rid of it. Mediterranean women are more prone to being hirsute, as are any women with hormonal problems or conditions that may cause excessive hair growth such as polycystic ovaries or Cushing’s syndrome.

If the problem is great, conventional hair removal methods may fail, and at this point women should seriously consulting a professional hair-removal therapist to find a permanent way to get rid of this embarrassing problem. A convenient and permanent method is the use of laser hair removal treatment, one of the preferred methods of hair removal at skin clinics, and here are the reasons why.

1. Quick Results – Laser Hair Removal is extremely convenient. Small areas can be treated in 10 minutes or less and patients can return to normal activities immediately. Large areas also take far less time to treat than other methods, for example an entire back can be treated in as little as an hour. It is much faster than shaving or tweezing on a regular basis and of course, as it is permanent, it will save a lot of time in the future.

2. Effective – Patients will enjoy a permanent reduction in unwanted hair plus soft, smooth and unblemished skin. Occasionally results may fade and require a minimal laser touch-up session, most patients experience long lasting results.

3. Convenient – There may be areas, which are too difficult to reach when practising home hair removal methods, and may require help. Of course this may prove rather embarrassing and there may not always be a helper available. Laser hair removal will remove hair from these areas leaving smooth skin and no need for home treatments.

4. Painless – Unlike waxing and electrolysis, laser hair removal is virtually pain free. No burning sensation like waxing and no sharp pains as can be experienced with electrolysis. No painful after-effects either and patients can go about their everyday lives with no discomfort. Occasionally patients have experienced slight discomfort, which is likened to mild sunburn. This is easily controlled with the use of ice or gels such as aloe vera.

5. Beautiful Skin – Laser hair therapy does not irritate the skin like some hair removal creams can. It does not burn and is a hygienic method so no after effects like rashes or infections. If there are ingrown hairs, hair removal therapists will often use a little microdermabrasion to clear dead skin debris then remove the offending hair permanently.

6. Cost Effective – Whilst the initial charge for laser hair removal may seem a little expensive, taking into account the cost of other treatments, which do not permanently remove hair, can put this cost into perspective. No more buying hair removal creams or paying for hair waxing treatments. Far quicker than electrolysis, so treatment will last a minimum of time compared to multiple electrolysis sessions.

You guys, I’m moving! Finally, we’ve been fortunate to get a mortgage on a little house just outside of Birmingham. I’m so excited!! Where we are moving to is filled with streets named after birds. When I did this look, G said, “you look like a Kingfisher!” because of the beautiful blue on their breasts. The brightness of this blue has been brought out by a black creamy base on the eyelid (gel eyeliner in this case). In general, a black base makes colours brighter.

Check after the break for a picture collage of this look and a full list of products .

Products Used:

Face:

 Eyes:

 

The best thing about moving to England is Afternoon Tea. It’s an empirical fact that this special treat-filled meal between lunch and dinner is the best thing this country ever invented. Ever. I take full advantage whenever I can. Thighs be damned! A friend of ours is basically celebrating her birthday for the entire month of October. First up in her celebration was a very civilized Afternoon Tea, for which I baked individual, gluten-free chocolate cakes with white chocolate ganache on top. I’m told they tasted nice. I didn’t have one because I was too busy eating all the stuff everyone else made!

Anyway, to prepare for the Afternoon Tea, I knew I wanted to look very feminine and feel pretty, but fall appropriate. I went for warm aubergine, deep dusty pink, and pumpkin colours to evoke the mood of fall without being too sultry. I like the result. I hope you do too.

Check after the break for a picture collage of this look and a full list of products .

Products Used:

Face:

 Eyes:

 

As promised in my latest YouTube video, here are photos and details of the red and black look I was sporting. I really like the black lips, especially with the iridescent fushia gloss on top.  Who says black lips are just for Goths, Halloween or Emo queens?

Check after the break for a picture collage of this look and a full list of products .

Products Used:

Face:

 Eyes:

 

All photos from iVillage

You guys know that I’m a makeup artist. This means I should be pushing a fully-made up face like it’s my new religion, right? Not necessarily. I wrote a brief-ish post well over a year ago detailing why we (women) wear makeup—why it sometimes benefits us to wear makeup in a world where first impressions are key. When done correctly, using makeup actually enhances rather than detracts from our natural beauty. It’s why the ancient Egyptians and modern Indian women will wear eyeliner but nothing else on their faces. But like most things in this world, very few things are purely good or purely evil. Everything requires balance, and makeup is no different.

This brings me to the point of this post. I’ve grown increasingly tired of seeing tabloid and online magazine features scream: “STARS CAUGHT WITHOUT MAKEUP!!!”, “BARE FACED AND BRAVE: WOMEN WITHOUT MAKEUP!!!”or “STARS FLAUNT THEIR FRESH FACES!!!” These headlines invite us to jeer or cheer at women who—gasp—look like themselves, real. And it’s almost always women. I’d probably die of being pelted with equality rainbows if there was an article about male actors without makeup because they plaster it on too. You’re likely not to find an article like that because magazines won’t make much money from that. Whether online, in film, or in print, our culture enjoys deriding women more than men for their looks. Sadly, women are a huge part of this criticism.

What bothers me are the seemingly innocuous posts calling women brave and beautiful for posting pictures of themselves flaunting their naked faces. I’m bothered, not because of the lack of makeup, but because we live in a culture where choosing not wear makeup has made us so vulnerable that it’s labelled ‘brave’. The best way I can explain myself is to individually critique comments on a set of pictures I found in iVilliage’s recent post, “Celebrities without Makeup”:

Demi Lovato

What iVillage says: Demi Lovato claims she took this picture just before bed, tweeting, “No makeup! Goodnight. xox” on April 7, but those lips look red to us. If those are really all-natural, we’re jealous!

First, is Demi Lovato even 18 years old yet? I can’t be bothered to look it up, but I know she’s around Miley Cyrus’s age, which is to say young as hell. Her skin looks insanely healthy and luminescent. Since she’s young, so there’s nothing surprising about that. She didn’t need to exclaim the fact that she’s not wearing makeup unless her point is to invite comments reassuring her of her beauty and great genes. Otherwise, what’s the point of posting the photo on Twitter?

Ana Lynn McCord

What iVillage says: AnnaLynne McCord reveals what’s under the makeup, tweeting to followers on May 5, “I woke up this morning and decided I’m over Hollywood’s perfection requirement. To all my girls(and boys) who have ever been embarrassed by their skin! I salute you! I’m not perfect – and that’s okay with me!”

I actually respect what she has to say because she’s right. As someone who suffered from acne for about 15 years, I found the condition of my skin disgusting. I often felt embarrassed for other people who had to look at my imperfect face. I felt very vulnerable, and out-of-control. Every cue I received told me that I needed to be fixed, and if I couldn’t be fixed, then I should be covered. It took me a long while to become more comfortable with all the ups and downs my skin and body goes through.

Nicole Richie

What iVillage says: Nicole Richie and her trainer proudly display their matching outfits — and matching clean faces! Richie twittered, “PHOTO: It’s “accidentally wear the same outfit as your trainer” day @gotracey!!” on March 8.

Duh, of course they have clean faces when they are working out. The whole point of working out is to raise your heart rate, the by-products of which are red, sweaty faces. Why would you want that mingling with makeup on your face?

Demi Moore

What iVillage says: Instead of letting the paparazzi catch her on an off-day, Demi Moore takes matters into her own hands. She tweeted, “Rather post my own bad pic then let them have it! Hahaha So here is my no make up self portrait!” on Aug. 28, 2009.

‘Off-day’? Does that mean being seen in public without makeup? I want to call Demi More a little sad for posting a blurry picture of herself looking ‘bad’ before the paps do, but I can’t. Women over 40 in Hollywood (and everywhere else) are constantly told that their stock is not worth as much because they’re getting older. They’re told that their beauty is fading. It’s no wonder some of these women run to get surgery or get closer to youth by copping young boyfriends. I’m not intrinsically against either of those things, except when they are used to legitimize our continued existence and value in society.

Lisa Rinna

What iVillage says: Lisa Rinna acts as a role model for her daughters, sharing a picture of herself makeup-free to prove that she goes out in public without it. On December 30, 2010, she tweeted a photo of herself with daughters Amelia Gray, 10, and Delilah Belle, 13, saying, “Hey at least I’m brave enough to show myself without make up!! Here I am no make up not an ounce!”

I find statements by iVillage and Lisa Rinna problematic. Lisa Rinna is not being a role model to her daughters by not wearing makeup. I’m sure they see her without makeup way more than they see her with makeup since they live in a house with her. Secondly, her daughters are hella young. They shouldn’t even feel the urge the pepper their preciously delicate skin with makeup. Lastly, I find it sad that Lisa Rinna—a woman whose face has been surgered beyond original recognition—is claiming bravery for not wearing makeup. I know it’s complicated because of reasons I just stated for Demi Moore, but…sigh.

Holy Crap Their Natural Beauty is Breathtaking

Beyonce

Lady Gaga

Alicia Keys

I so enjoyed looking at all of these women in their makeup-free state. I don’t consider any of them brave, but I do consider them all beautiful because of their talent and integrity.

I’ve shown you very different women of various ages and ethnicities doing the same thing: showing their naked faces. None of them should be thought of as ‘brave’ for so. ‘Bravery’ is a term reserved for unusual, extraordinary or heroic behaviour. Do we really want to assign such a term to women for just being themselves? If we do so, we are praising artifice as normal. To me, that’s dangerous.

Is this the makeup-free topic a bit meh to you, or do you have feelings? I want to know about it. Leave your comments below!