Tips From The Pros: Sara Clark

Make up artist and men's groomer Sara Clark has been in the business for almost a decade. After originally working in TV production Sara decided it wasn't for her and went on to study hair, make up and special effects at the infamous Greasepaint. Sara's CV is impressive and varied working across TV, music, film junkets, editorial and red carpet events, while the faces she's worked on include Sheridan Smith, Ne-Yo, Kelly Brook, Lewis Hamilton, Jason Statham, Kanye West...the list goes on!

Behind the scenes with Sara Clark

Here Sara shares the tricks of her trade with me.

Make Up Forever HD Foundation

I have two favourite foundations that are always in my kit. 

Firstly Makeup Forever High Definition Foundation as it gives a flawless and natural finish, which when working in these days of HD cameras is incredibly important.

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation £36.50 BUY HERE

Secondly Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is light and silky and gives skin a gorgeous glow.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealor Pot £19.50 BUY HERE

My all time favourite concealors are Laura Mercier's Secret Concealor Pots. They are super moisturising and easily conceal dark eye circles without settling into fine lines.

MAC Blot Powder Pressed £20.50 BUY HERE

MAC Blot is a fabulous pressed powder that eliminates shine and sets make up, without adding too much colour. It comes in 5 shades and is always in my kit.

NARS Blush in Orgasm £23 BUY HERE

It's a classic and my favourite blusher, NARS Orgasm. It suits most skin tones, adding a healthy glow and natural flush to the skin.

Weleda Skin Food £9.95 BUY HERE

Unfortunately I can't just recommend one favourite face product, so I'm naming my top three! 

First up is Weleda Skin Food. I really can't do without this cream; it's in my kit, my handbag and my bathroom cabinet! It's incredibly hydrating and nourishing but doesn't leave your skin looking like an oil slick. Plus it's inexpensive. 

Dermalogica Active Moist £44.60 BUY HERE

Dermalogica products suit 99.9% of my clients' skin so I always keep a selection in my kit. My favs are Active Moist as it's light-weight and oil free, making it perfect for normal to oily skin. 

Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream £47.70 BUY HERE

The Skin Smoothing Cream is perfect for relieving dry and tight skin. 

Dermalogica Barrier Repair £36.90 BUY HERE

Finally the Ultra Calming Barrier Repair has a velvety texture and really calms sensitive skin.

Clarins Gentle Peeling Smooth Away Cream £25 BUY HERE

Lastly Clarins Gentle Peeling Smooth Away Cream is a very gentle facial exfoliator that leaves skin silky soft and smooth. I cannot praise this product enough.

Essie Nail Polishes BUY HERE

In my opinion Essie do the most incredible nail polishes with too many fantastic colours to count!

Kerastase Products BUY HERE

I've used Kerastase shampoo and conditioner for as long as I can remember. The smell is divine and leaves hair looking healthy and gorgeous. 

Bumble & Bumble Products BUY HERE

When styling hair I favour Bumble & Bumble, so many gorgeous products to choose from and they all work to create beautiful hair styles. Combine them both and you'll have perfect hair!

Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Radiance Body Butter £3.05 BUY HERE

I've tried oodles of body products but the one I return to time and again is Johnson's 24 Hour Moisture Radiance Body Butter. It's inexpensive, enriched with shea and cocoa butter and the scent (which admittedly is fairly strong) reminds me of chocolate and holidays...what's not to like!?!

Original Lucas Papaw Ointment £7.89 BUY HERE

I'm a firm believer in ensuring you prep your lips before applying lipstick, so a blob of Original Lucas Papaw Ointment is the first thing I apply. Plus I always have a tube in my handbag as it's such a versatile product.

Lancome Definicils Mascara £23 BUY HERE

The mascara I have loved for years is Lancome's Definicils. It lengthens and defines the lashes, while the brush ensures an even application.

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara £14.50 BUY HERE

Recently though I have strayed and fallen for DHC's Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara. It has a slim brush (great for lower lash application), and makes lashes appear thicker and longer.

Optrex Eyedew Dazzling Blue Eye Drops £3.99 BUY HERE

The one product in my kit I couldn't be without is a bottle of Optrex Eyedew 'Dazzling Blue' eye drops. A little drop of this counteracts any redness, revitalises and gives you super white eyes in an instant!

Thank you so much for all your expert advice and top tips Sara!

Sara's work can be viewed here www.sara-clark.co.uk and don't forget to follow her on twitter @SaraMakeup2014 for lots of insider info.

Images: Sephora, Selfridges, John Lewis, MAC, Nars, Weleda, Dermalogica, Clarins, Kerastase, Bumble & Bumble, Johnson's Beauty, Boots, Amazon, DHC, Optrex

Tips From The Pros: Carrie Jones

I've had the pleasure to work with Carrie on many jobs both in the UK and abroad. She is a beautiful person inside and out and I've never seen her without a red lip! Carrie has been a make up artist for almost a decade working for clients including Reiss, Tatler, Clinique, Stylist Magazine and with celebrities including Gok Wan and Ollie Murs. 

Here Carrie shares with me her top make up tips including how to get the perfect red lip.

Nars Sheer Glow £31 BUY HERE

My favourite foundation is Nars Sheer Glow. I use it on myself and my clients. It gives fantastic coverage yet allows the natural glow of your skin to come through.

Bobbi Brown Face Touch Up Stick £21 BUY HERE

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat £22.50 BUY HERE

The best concealor for covering blemishes has to be Bobbi Brown. However I find it a little too heavy for under the eyes so use the iconic Touche Eclat by YSL. It's an icon for a reason, containing light reflecting particles so dark circles vanish.

Lancome Hypnose £22.50 BUY HERE

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes £10.99 BUY HERE

Lancome's Hypnose mascara is my favourite but at £22 is a little pricey so I've found L'Oreal's Volume Million Lash also does a great job on the lashes.

Mac Cremeblend Blush £18 BUY HERE

Without a doubt the best blushers are MAC's Cremeblend Blushers. They blend into the skin effortlessly and last all day. I like to apply them with a flat stipple brush (Mac also does a great one). My top tip would be to invest in some good quality brushes. The initial expense is well worth it as you'll be surprised by the difference they make to your make up routine and if you look after them they should last a lifetime.

Mac Studio Fix Powder £21.50 BUY HERE

I always have Mac's Studio Fix Powder in my make up kit. It's a multi-tasking product so can be used as a foundation, making it great for after work touch ups as it takes the shine away and provides good even coverage. Again, I recommend using this product with a brush and not the sponge provided as applying with the sponge can make the powder look a little heavy.

Dermalogica BUY HERE

As for moisturisers I swear by Dermalogica (a Sunshine & Stripes favourite too!) The products are effective whatever your skin type and I've never known anyone to react badly to them.

Maybelline Super Stay 24 Colour Lipstick £8.99 BUY HERE

I wear red lip stick every single day and the best one I've come across (and believe me I have tried a beauty counters worth of them!) is by Maybelline. Their Super Stay 24 Hour Colour Lipsticks do exactly as they promise. I swear, I put it on in the morning and it is still perfect when I take it off at night. If I'm working at a red carpet event I always use them because I know I won't have to worry about the colour smudging or coming off.

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil £16 BUY HERE

The best body product that I use on every single model I work with is Honey Bronze from The Body Shop. It's a dry oil that makes limbs glisten and glow.

Mac Nail Lacquer £11 BUY HERE

When it comes to nail varnish I use Mac. Their colours paint on beautifully and last longer than any brand I've tried; I always wear them myself. I just wish they'd do a wider variety of colours to choose from!

HD Brows Eye & Brow Palette £25 BUY HERE

The one product that I can't live without has to be my HD Brows Eyebrow Palette. The colour range suits everyone and they last all day. I've even used them on underwater shoots and believe me the  brow stays put! People often overlook the brows when doing their make up but they are so important to helping define the face.

Thank you so much Carrie, I'm off to buy the Maybelline lipstick now!

Carrie's work can be viewed here.

Images: Carol Hayes Management, ASOS, Bobbi Brown, John Lewis, Amazon, L'Oreal, Allure.com, House of Fraser, Dermalogica, Maybelline, The Body Shop, Mac, HD Brows

Tips From The Pros

Through my job I get to work with some amazing hair and make up artists. I find it mesmerising watching them at work and am always interested in the products in their kit. As such I thought it only fair to share the insider knowledge with my lovely readers. So here goes...

The wonderfully talented Andriani Vasiliou studied Fine Art at esteemed university Central Saint Martins before embarking on a career in make up and honing her skills at Glauca Rossi School of Make Up. Andriani has worked with clients including Australian Vogue, Tatler, Elle UK and celebrities such as Tom Daley and Sheridan Smith. Here she gives us an insight into the Top 10 beauty products she couldn't do her job without.

When it comes to foundation it has to be Vitalumiere by Chanel. This applies easily, looks flawless and Chanel has the best colour range for every skin tone.

I usually hate face powder but Secret Brightening Power by Laura Mercier doesn't sit on the skin instead it brightens rather than dulls the face.

Le Blush Creme by Chanel is genius, I've never seen a blusher like it! It goes on like a cream (blend on with your finger), sets and stays put.  The formulation means you can layer it on and build it up depending on the look you're going for. 

Matt Bronzer by Lancome isn't too orange and doesn't look false. It's great for olive skin, I even use it on myself. Also there's no shimmer in the powder making it perfect for contouring.

Rejuvacoat by Duri is a nail treatment polish you apply every day for 7 days to get rid of splits and cracking. I'm always recommending it to models because it really works.

Thickening Dry Spun Finish by Bumble & Bumble creates the same effect as a dry shampoo, adding texture and volume, but without the powdery feel. It's perfect for creating the Kate Moss party hair look, just tip your head upside down, spray on and work in with your fingers.

Le Rouge Lipstick by Givenchy creates velvety, matt lips without drying them out. The packaging is also exquisite.

I'm not loyal to mascara at all, but if I had to choose a favourite, at the moment it would be Smokey Eye Mascara by Bobbi Brown. It gives the lashes volume without any clumps. The wand is small making it great for lower lashes and getting to the roots.

When it comes to concealing it has to be Touche Eclat by Yves Saint Laurent. There have been so many imitators but nothing comes close! 

The one product I couldn't live without would have to be Illuminator by Nars. I use it after moisturiser but before I apply foundation on practically every job. It dries to a matt finish but gives a fantastic glow to the skin making it look brighter and more dewy. And dewy skin is my signature look!

Thanks Andriani, more things to add to my beauty bag now!

Andriani's portfolio can be viewed here.

Images: Chanel, Bloomingdales, Lancome, Amazon, Bumble & Bumble, BeautyBay, House of Fraser, Bobbi Brown, ElenasFinds, Stella Creative Artists