Beauty - Tips From The Pros, John Christopher

I've had the pleasure of knowing make up artist John Christopher since I first started out as a freelance stylist. It always cheers me up when I find out I'm working with John as he's incredibly fun to be around, has great taste in music (which is very important on a photo shoot!) and is brilliant at his job. So I just had to get his expert opinion on all things beauty for the blog. Over to you John!

I became a makeup artist by accident if truth be told. I studied design and dropped out after finding it wasn't for me. I had my eureka moment at a fancy dress party and decided there and then I was going to be a makeup artist. Since that moment I've been lucky enough to work for titles such as Harpers Bazaar, Vogue and ID, and celebrities including Adele, Eva Herzigova, Yasmin Le Bon and Jamie Dornan to name a few.

Estee Lauder Perfectionist Youth Infusing Make Up £38 BUY HERE

 At the moment I'm in love with Estée Lauder's Perfectionist Youth Infusing Make Up. I love the texture of this foundation as it's not greasy and leaves the skin with a satin sheen. Plus it comes in a great variety of colours.

Garnier Skin Neutrals BB Skin Perfector Eye Roll On £9.99 BUY HERE

This concealor is cheap and cheerful.... but it WORKS! Garnier Roll On. It's a great all round product. A must buy!!

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush £31 BUY HERE

Chanel's Joues Contraste Powder Blush is a wonderful blush that leaves skin with a healthy glow. It also works well as an eyeshadow.

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Anti-Oxidant Face Oil £38 BUY HERE

My favourite product for the face is Jurlique Herbal Recovery Antioxidant Face Oil.

This oil is magic; it works on all skin types and leaves skin glowing... and has saved me on many jobs with tired overworked models!

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour £18 BUY HERE

Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes are just the best for colour... Hands down, no pun intended!

Bumble and Bumble Pret A Powder £21.50 BUY HERE

When it comes to hair I'm loving Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder. It's a mix of dry shampoo and texturiser so if you want that Kate Moss just-got-out-of-bed hair this is the product you need.

Jurlique Rose Body Oil £38 BUY HERE

What can I say about Jurlique Rose Body Oil? It smells divine and leaves skin soft with a beautiful sheen. It's especially amazing after a long haul flight. 

Melvita Shea Butter £17 BUY HERE

A brilliant treatment for lips is Melvita's Shea Butter. Great for any dry skin problems as well.

Bourjois Volumizer Mascara £10.99 BUY HERE

Bourjois Volumizer Mascara is one of the best I've used. It can be built up to give you a really heavy false lash look and has a double brush making it easy to apply to the bottom lashes.

Jai Spa Terry Bath Mitt £6 BUY HERE

The one product I recommend everyone own are a pair of exfoliating gloves. They're a cheap basic and a great starting pointing for healthy skin. 

Thank you JC!

To view John Christopher's work and make a booking please visit: www.carolhayesmanagement.co.uk/artist/john-christopher/mens

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

Weekend Scenes

The weekend started a day early for me as I enjoyed a freelance Friday afternoon (which turned into an evening) catching up with university friends at Shoreditch House. Cocktails were consumed and some very competitive games of ping pong were played, but my phone died so there's no photographic evidence of the revelry sadly.

I love Park Run!

On Saturday morning I ran a PB (personal best) at Mile End Park Run which helps towards the training for the London Triathlon I am taking part in with Simply Swim.

Brownie recipe from Peyton & Bryne

I figured I could indulge in a little chocolate action after my successful run so made these deliciously stodgy walnut brownies from Peyton & Bryne. I'm about half way through this massive batch, I'm such a chocolate fiend!

Charity shop here I come!

I finally got around to clearing out my wardrobe (making way for new purchases!) and this massive pile is off to my local charity shop to find a new home.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray

My hair can't decide if it's curly or straight and is usually a fuzzy mess if I don't straighten it, which I do every day. However I've decided to give it a rest as my split ends are getting split ends, so I started using Bumble & Bumble's infamous Surf Spray this weekend to help define the frizz. So far so good, let's see how my hair behaves when the rain returns.

Dress Topshop (similar here), Sandals Stella McCartney, Bag Prada

It was so nice to have warmer weather this weekend and I couldn't resist getting my legs out and slipping on some sandals.

Let's hope the sunshine continues and have a lovely week!

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