The Best Kept Secrets of the Makeup Artists of Hollywood

The Best Makeup Tips Ever From The Hollywood Makeup Artists
Angelina Jolie in Oscars night makeup

Have you ever wondered how the makeup artists create the perfect looks for the stars when they have to appear on the red carpet - how do they look so perfect - and stay that way all evening too? What exactly do their makeup artists have in their makeup kits and what techniques are they using? Well here are a few of their tips and secrets shared with us - read on for some goodies ...
Eyes

* Although you may have applied a base makeup, apply a neutral colour eyeshadow to your eyelid and blend towards your brow before applying your chosen colour of eyeshadow as this will create an even base and help build up your colour evenly.
* Use a good quality eye-cream which will keep the skin around your eyes hydrated as it is dehydration that causes fine lines which can be accentuated by makeup. Only use a small amount, about the size of a grain of rice and apply this by patting in a semi-circular motion underneath your eye.
* Eyelash curlers are a must if you are not going to apply false lashes - they are the key to opening up the eye. Find ones that fit neatly over your eyelid and let you get to the root of your lashes with the curler which avoids breakage.

Lips

* Exfoliate any dry skin off your lips before applying lipstick to stop lips looking rough and lined. Use either your toothbrush with toothpaste or add some sugar granules for extra exfoliation power to smooth your lips.
* Matte lipsticks are the latest trend, but you might find them drying. Before applying smooth some lip balm over your newly exfoliated lips - your lipstick will stay matte, but your lips will feel moisturised.
* To get a matte effect with a normal lipstick apply as normal, and then place a tissue over your lips. Brush loose powder through the tissue, this will set the lipstick and give a velvety matte effect.
* Create a Bardot look by applying your foundation over your lips as well as your face.

Skin

* Eliminate shine by using blotting papers rather than powder which can become uneven and clog your pores particularly in a hot environment.
* Ensure that at the end of the night you are cleansing all the makeup and inpurities from your skin - check this out by wiping your face with a white towel or flannel when you have finished cleansing.
* Sculpt your face with your blusher rather than just applying to the apples of your cheeks. Use it along your cheekbones, up towards your temples and blend above the creases of your eyelids for a natural, glowing effect.

Sandra Bullock - Winner Of Best Actress In A Leading Role - Oscars 2010 - Get The Look
Sandra Bullock has just had one of the best weekends of her career, by first turning up at the Golden Raspberry Awards (the Razzies) to accept her award for the Worst Actress for her role in All About Steve, where she handed out free copies of her movie in a delightfully comic way before accepting her Oscar for the Best Actress in a Leading Role with an endearing, but slightly batty speech for her part in The Blind Side. SB is an actress that we all seem to have grown up with (who remembers her in Speed and While You Were Sleeping?) and unbelievably, looking at this picture, she turned 45 last year. She looks amazing in this Marchesa silver gown with straight, sleek locks and classic Hollywood makeup, and if you want to create this style yourself here is how Sandra (or her makeup artist - Angela Levin) did it on the night.

The products Angela used on Sandra were:

* Chanel Hydramax + Active Cream
* Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Smoothing Fluid Makeup in Gentle Ivory
* Chanel Eyeshadow Irreelle Duo Brun Express
* Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara in Noir
* Chanel Tweed Blush Duo in Tweed Rose
* Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Paris

The look can be created easily below:

* Prep the skin with Hydramax + Active Cream or a similar rich moisturiser which ensures there are no dry areas.
* Using a foundation brush apply Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Smoothing Fluid Makeup in Gentle Ivory all over the face. Using a foundation brush ensures a perfect, almost doll like finish, perfect for this Hollywood look.
* Create quite a strong and structured browline using an eyeshadow brush and the soft brown powder in the Irreelle Duo Brun Express. Using shadow creates strong brows, but it is easier to get a smoother effect than when using a brow pencil.
* Again, use the darker shadow around the eyes on both upper and lower lids, blending across the upper lid. Use the lighter shade in the palette over the brow blending into the darker shade on the eyelid.
* Apply two strong coats of Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara in Noir for real glamorous Hollywood starlet lashes.
* Using a lip brush apply the Rouge Coco Lip Colour in the shade Paris. Take note, all girls obsessed with lip glosses, Chanel has just launched a new campaign (with Vanessa Paradis) promoting the benefits and feel good factor of a glamorous lipstick colour - such a great way to brighten up your look with minimal spend in these credit-crunch times.
* Last of all apply the Chanel Tweed Rose blusher to the apples of the cheeks.
* Sandra's hair was finished in a sleek style by hairdresser Adir Abergel using Fekkai products, but you can do this yourself, by creating a strong side parting and then using straighteners and adding a soft, modern wave to the ends of the hair.
* Sandra's Marchesa silver embroidered dress is amazing, and best of all Marchesa are British designers. Unless you can afford their gowns, a similar look would be a lace or embroidered cream evening dress which is just perfect for summer parties.

Tips On How To Protect And Nourish Your Skin Against The Winter Cold
The last few months have seen some of the coldest weather across the country for decades, and many of us have been suffering from chapped lips and dry skin on our faces and hands. As it looks like the cold snap is due to continue for a good few weeks yet, we thought it would be a good time for some hints on how to protect yourself if you are out and about in the cold and wind and how you can treat your skin kindly to help it recover if you have been bitten by Jack Frost. Even celebrities like SJP need to keep themselves protected from the snow and cold in New York.

Here are a few facts about the cold weather's effect on your skin:

* Cold temperatures slow down the blood circulation to your face, so it can look pale and dull, and have a rough texture.
* Your skin has a protective layer of oils known as the "acid mantle", which is reduced in the cold weather as your oil glands become less active. In addition, cold winds and dry, heated or air-conditioned atmospheres drain even more moisture from your skin, which can be extremely damaging, particularly for those over age 30 when moisture levels in your skin begin to decrease naturally anyway.
* The drying effects of cold weather can be multiplied by up to fourteen times when the air itself is dry and up to ten times in high winds.
* Skiiing is a fantastic holiday and great exercise, but it will give your face a tough time as at high altitudes the lack of oxygen increases the skin's sensitivity to cold and the sun's ultraviolet rays, which are magnified by the snow, will also dehydrate and age your skin.

So what can we do to help our skin out when it's vulnerable to these conditions? Here are some remedies and treatments to soothe and re-hydrate your skin if it has been suffering from the cold.

* It's tempting to exfoliate your skin if it feels dry and rough, however, go carefully, as scrubbing with an abrasive facial scrub will irritate and make your skin sore and even cracked. Avoid foaming cleansers that contain SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) as these can destroy the skin’s natural barrier function, leading to increased sensitivity, dryness and inflammation. Look for a very gentle exfoliator or facial wash and ideally one with natural ingredients such as natural oils which will cleanse your face gently.
* Moisturising adds lustre to your skin, and you should use the richest moisturiser your skin can stand. Again look for natural moisturising ingredients such as shea butter, borage oil and glycerin which are kinder to your skin than some "anti-wrinkle" creams which can contain strong ingredients which will irritate and sting your skin if it is feeling sensitive.
* Even if you usually don't bother, this is the time to invest in a night-cream for your face, as this will allow your skin to soak up lots of lovely moisturising ingredients whilst your skin is most receptive, giving your skin a luscious glow in the morning.
* Don't forget your hands at this time, even if you wear gloves, it's surprising how the cold can dry out the skin on your hands and fingers. Look for a rich hand cream, it doesn't need to be a premier brand - we look for reliable brands such as Neutrogena or Jergens. At night-time, before falling asleep, you can even apply a cream to your hands such as E45 cream which can be too greasy for daytime, but which is a lovely treat for your skin overnight.
* As for the rest of your body, remember to keep gently exfoliating with a body puff or exfoliating wash and then treat your skin from neck down with an application of baby oil whilst your skin is still wet, locking in lots of lovely moisture.
* If you are going on a winter skiing holiday, remember to apply lots of high factor suncream (preferably factor 30+) to your face and hands to keep your skin protected from the UV rays and to prevent premature aging.

Makeup Tips To Create The Kristen Stewart Look In New Moon
I first heard of Kristen Stewart when she played Tracy, a teenage, guitar playing daughter of travelling folk in the film "Into the Wild". Since then she has risen to fame playing Bella Swan, the heroine of the Twilight Saga, which follows the story of a teenage girl (Bella) moving to a new town, Forks, Washington, where she meets Edward Cullen, a boy who is a little bit different, and who sees Bella as the soul mate he has been waiting for. Anyway, lots more of this story can be found in Stephanie Meyer's books and, as fascinating as this story is, we are here to look at how to re-create the natural, beautiful looks of Bella in the story.

Bella is described in the novels as pale and beautiful, with large, chocolate brown eyes, and a natural beauty, which is the look we are going to achieve here.

* Step 1: Using a light coloured foundation (stay away from golden or tanned shades), apply a thin even base of a matte finish foundation.
* Step 2: Using a matching concealer, lightly apply to disguise dark circles under the eyes and any other noticeable imperfections.
* Step 3: Using a loose powder and large powder brush, sweep a translucent powder over the forehead and mainly over the t-zone to keep away any unwanted shine.
* Step 4: Using a peachy or earthy toned blusher, brush a powder blusher from the apples of your cheeks outwards along your cheekbones, keeping the look natural.
* Step 5: Unless you already have dark, defined eyebrows, use a dark brown eyebrow pencil to define the shape of your brows, starting at the inner corner and working outwards. Don't use solid lines, but draw in hairs over your natural brow shape, and then blend with an eyebrow brush.
* Step 6: Using matte eyeshadows, apply a natural coloured shadow all over your upper eyelid area and blend out towards the brow bone. Then using a slightly deeper colour, such as a light brown or matte grey, work this along the eyelid crease and out towards the outer corner of your eyelid blending it to the middle of your lid above your iris.
* Step 7: Using either a brown or grey eye pencil draw a line along your upper and lower lashes and blend this in so it gives a hint of definition rather than a harsh line.
* Step 8: Using a brown-black mascara apply a thin coat to your upper and lower lashes.
* Step 9: Then finally, using a chocolate or plum shade of lipstick (muted shades are best), apply a matte lip colour to your lips using a lip brush for better coverage and staying power.


How To Create The Makeup of Miss Holly Golightly For A Romantic Valentine Look
It's almost time for the most romantic evening of the year, and whether you will be spending it with a new love or having a romantic evening at home, it's one evening of the year where you can go whole-heartedly for the romantic, girlie look. The Spring Season 2010 will be full of floral and pastel outfits with frills and girlie accessories, and these styles are perfectly matched with the romantic and classical Hollywood makeup techniques used on starlets, such as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The makeup artist on Breakfast at Tiffany's was actually a guy named Wally Westmore, who was born in England, and who was one of six brothers who all became makeup artists. In his memory, here are some of the great Hollywood makeup tips which he worked to perfection on Miss Hepburn in that movie.

* Always have a perfect canvas to work on - use either a good quality foundation or a primer which will ensure a smooth, flawless and dewy coverage. Audrey never sported a tanned look in BAT, so use a foundation which is the lightest shade which suits you and which looks natural. Apply a concealer if you need one under the eyes and on any slight imperfections using either a concealer in the same shade as your foundation or my preferred product which is Touche Eclat by Yves Saint Laurent, which brightens as well as conceals.
* Using a large powder brush, lightly apply a dusting of loose, translucent face powder, which looks much more natural than set powder.
* Next you need to work on your eyebrows. Depending on what your natural brows are like you may have to work harder to achieve a look like Audrey's. If you actually study her brows, they are pretty heavy by today's standards, but working with an eyebrow pencil in a shade close to your own natural colour you need to draw in an almost straight outline on the underneath of your brow and create an arch along the top of the brow. If you are naturally fair or have very slight eyebrows try to work in as much definition as your feel comfortable with.
* We are intending this look for a romantic evening, so next to the eyeshadow. This is a relatively simple application and we recommend a dark brown shadow which is applied relatively deeply all over the eyelid and which is then blended out beyond the crease line, gradually fading it out.
* Audrey had beautiful, rosy girlie cheeks. Using a large blusher brush, apply a rose pink blusher to the apples of your cheeks. Limit the application to a subtle application of colour. Next apply a highlighter along your cheekbones to give an almost ethereal glow.
* Audrey's lips sported very neatly applied matte lipstick. No brash or bright colours should be involved, look for colours such as a light cherry red, and apply this with a lip brush, carefully outlining your lips, then filling in the centre and finally blotting the colour.
* Audrey's eyelashes where black and beautifully curled. Use a good quality mascara for curling lashes, and make sure that you apply lots to the outer corner lashes of your eyes to get the full fluttering effect.