Make a magnetic make-up board

My make up always lies around getting in the way in my bedroom, I have a make-up bag but it all rolls around and gets dirty in it so I decided to try out a magnetic make-up board!! Its soooooooo easy to do and Im sure you will all love it!!

**I made this a few years ago so the make-up is pretty old and rubbish lol**

You will need... Some colourful paper (Im sneaky and used a wall paper sample) a magnetic dry erase board, double sided tape, selection of glues, pencil, scissors, paint, paintbrush, sand paper, magnets, makeup
You can use a metal tray, or even get a piece of sheet metal cut and put it in a frame and it will look just as fab, also I used everywhere paint as it does what it says on the tin!!

Sand around the wooden frame 

Paint the frame in any colour you like, it doesnt matter if some goes on the board as you will cover it anyway

I did 2 coats of paint to give a better coverage

Ok you can measure the board then draw it out on the paper, this is the sensible option, however as its me I just traced around it then had a faf trying to then cut it to shape.

Cut out the wall paper

Lay it down to ensure it fits (I trimmed any excess at this point)

You can glue it on whichever way you like, but as I had pva and double sided tape I used this.
I put double sided tape around all of the edges

And PVA in the middle

Spread it evenly with a brush

Put the paper on and press down firmly, I started with it in the corner to line it up then gently rolled it down to avoid air bubbles.

Next cut some magnetic strips to the correct size for the back of your make-up.

Use super glue to stick it on

Do this to all of your make-up pieces

Once all of the glue has dried they will stick on to the board and you can take them on and off as you please!!

ta da :) What do you all think!! So easy to do and all your make-up stays in the same place!! :D

http://www.cosmetiquescotland.co.uk

A Guide to Choosing a Make-Up Artist For Your Wedding

During the count down to your big day there is always so much to plan and do. One of the big things brides to be need to consider is booking a professional make-up artist for their day. You would think this would be easy, but there are some very important things you should consider.

this information was written to demonstrate to brides that wedding make-up is so much more than the end result.

I want to give this information freely as I don't want to see anyone let down last minute on their wedding day by a 'make-up artist' which sadly I have seen happen far too often of late. I have lost count of the number of times I have been called and asked to help out last minute due to a make-up artist cancellation, however I am often already pre booked. I cannot think of anything more unprofessional and devastating for a bride, this is not just my career and my passion this is my life.

What to look for in a professional make-up artist and what questions to ask them:

Experience/ Training

An unfortunate side to the make-up artistry industry is that there is no regulation. It is possible for some one to do a one day make-up course and advertise that they do bridal make-up the next day despite not having full knowledge and experience in this area.

The plus side to this un-regulation is that people with no qualifications and natural talent are not held back by a lack of qualifications, however brides do need to be aware of the downside that just anyone can now say that they are a make-up artist, with no experience or portfolio to back up their claim.

*I want to make it clear that I am not disregarding day courses and untrained/ self trained make-up artists as some people just have natural talent and are sensational artists, however it is important that brides are booking with a professional artist ad someone who has the relevant experience. Personally I believe it is a combination of training and real working experience that brides should be looking for.*

Training and experience go hand in hand in my eyes, as I believe its important to check your make-up artist has relevant training and/or experience. There is nothing wrong with booking a self taught, part time make-up artist or beauty therapist just ensure their professionalism and reliability is as good as their make-up artistry and ensure that they meet or exceed your expectations.

It sounds obvious, but with experience comes the ability to problem solve, and to be able to handle any situation that arises on the day. Only with time and experience will your make-up artist have the timings down to a tee on the day so that you are all ready in time, if you have a flare up of acne or eczema they will know how to best cover it and if someone in the bridal party has an extremely infectious cold sore your experienced make-up artist will know how to deal with this without any cross contamination.

Ask your make-up artist "Are you qualified as a make-up artist and how long have  you been doing wedding make-up for?)

Portfolio/ before and after images/ style

There are many different styles of make-up artists out there, so you need to have a think about the style you would like. Do you like full on glam make-up and do you like heavy contouring or do you prefer a more natural flawless and classic look, or even the 'no make-up make-up' look. Look for someone who specialises in bridal make-up and has a lot of bridal images in their portfolio.

 

Very natural flawless looks

Natural complexion with smokey eyes

Glam and gorgeous make-up look

Make sure the portfolio is current and up to date as make-up trends are changing so quickly. My very first make-up class was 9 years ago and the trends and rules have changed so much since then. I constantly ensure I am learning new skills and techniques for example airbrushing, contouring and bridal hair.

Its great to see before and after images of real clients especially if they are unedited. Basically there is no filters and editing to hide behind or fix make-up mistakes so you can see exactly what the make-up looks like on the clients skin.

Ask your make-up artist "Can you send me a link/ show me your portfolio and do you have any unedited before and after images I can look at?"

Insurance

This is a BIG one. All professional make-up artists will have insurance. It is 100% needed and in my eyes you cannot work without it. If a make-up artist isn't insured then I personally would not take them seriously.

Ask your make-up artist "Do you hold professional insurance for wedding make-up services?"

Contract

It is extremely important to get a professional contract from you make-up artist for your wedding. This should lay out all pricing and when it should be paid, all of the make-up artists terms and conditions and what will happen if either of you should cancel.

Without a contract if your make-up artist cancels or doesn't turn up then there really isnt much you can do, however if you have a contract it will tell you what your options are in the rare event that your make-up artist cannot make it. Don't forget the contract is there for both of you, it protects the make-up artist and yourself.

Also it can be more comforting meeting people face to face to go over the contract and pay your retainer fee, so if you are nervous about transferring money just ask if you can meet up.

Life happens, people get ill, sometimes there are uncontrollable factors that lead to a make-up artist having to cancel your wedding make-up, however any professional make-up artist should have a back up plan.

Ask your make-up artist "When should I meet you to sign my contract, when do I have to pay and how can I pay." Also "What will happen if you had to cancel my wedding make-up 6 month before my wedding  or even last minute?"

If anyone answers "I wont cancel on you for your wedding" please do not accept this answer. As a professional working bridal make-up artist should have a back up plan.

Are they Established

More and more people are booking their make-up artist one or two years in advance so a good way to figure out whether your make-up artist is established and in it for the long run or not is by how they advertise and run their business.

Do they just have a website, business cards, flyers, a professional studio premises, a work dedicated number or an email address that you can contact them on? It is important for brides to feel like they can reach reach their make-up artist through a professional platform when needed. Its great to be able to have a non interrupted chat over the phone or pop into their studio to meet up and ask questions.

Cosmetique Studios

Make-up artistry is becoming an increasingly sought after job, however after the first few years we are seeing an increasing number of people giving up and finding another job. For this reason it is essential that you can trust that your make-up artist will still be available in one or two years time.

Ask your make-up artist "Can I have a link to your website and will you still be available in 1-2 years time for my wedding"

Professionalism

Professionalism is such an important aspect, social media is a great marketing tool, however a professional website is like a shop front window.

Look out for a website over a social media page. Website contain much more in depth information that can help you decide if you would like to book them for example experience, pricing, images of their make-up skills, client feedback , what to expect on the day and much more. Websites should be easy to navigate, look presentable and viewable on phones, tablets and computers.

Social media platforms come and go, year after year these medias are changing however the website is the main professional point of contact and online presence for your professional.

Client feedback is important, this can be found on websites and also on facebook pages. Do they hold a 5 * rating and what have clients said about them. This feedback can give you an indication on whether on not people are reliable, professional and if they will arrive on time etc.

Look out for timely replies, professional phone manner and good conduct over social media.

Products

Part of being a professional make-up artist is being prepared for anything. If you have discoloration, acne scarring, a birthmark or Acne Rosacea your make-up artist should know how to correct this with make-up products and techniques.

The same goes for your skin,good skin prep can really make or break your make-up look, if you have dry or oily patches, dehydrated skin or open pores these should all be addressed before any make-up is applied to your skin.

A professional make-up artists kit should contain the exact shade of foundation your skin needs and the colour of lipstick that makes you feel great, the right length and fullness of lashes and the perfect eye shadow colour for you. In order for this to be possible the make-up artist needs to have or be able to mix every colour you could ask for on your big day.

Everyone uses different brands but my favourites are Temptu, Mac, Illamasqua, Urban Decay, Kryolan and Dermalogica

Ask your make-up artist "What do you use to prepare my skin before make-up and what make-up products do you use?"

Pricing

Everyone has to start somewhere so you may find that beauty therapists or recent graduates provide a make-up service at a lower rate. While it is great to grab a bargain they may not have a full portfolio and large kit and years of experience and knowledge.

What you are paying for is the professionalism, reliability, high quality products, experience and product knowledge along with expected business tasks on drawing up your contract and setting aside time to consult, email and call you and answer any questions you may have.

With pricing you want your make-up artist to be upfront about all pricing included, so there are no hidden costs at a later date. It is important to be told how and when you need to make payments and to keep records of all payments made.

Ask your make-up artist "What is your pricing for bridal make-up per person and what are the pricings for make-up trials per person, are lashes extra or included, is there a call out fee for my wedding location?" Also ask for a personalised quote and the breakdowns of when you have to pay.

To sum it all up ensure that what you are paying for is worth the services you are getting and the experience, training and products used by the person providing it.

I really hope this has been helpful for some brides to be and I would love to hear back from you to hear what you think!!

As always I can be contacted through my website, I am always more than happy to answer any questions you may have :)

http://www.cosmetiquescotland.co.uk/

Jillian x

The Beautiful Claire's Wedding Trial :)

I had such a busy weekend last weekend with 11 wedding trials, so here is just a sneak peak at one of the beautiful brides and some feedback on what she thought!!

As always the girls had the 5 steps to skin care success to prep their skin and insure it was in tip top condition for applying make-up. Their make-up was applied using the amazing airbrush make-up and the girls all had some nibbles and wine in between.

Here is the beautiful bride and below are her two gorgeous brides maids. Everyone wanted to look nice and natural with flawless skin and the bride went for a daring red lip!!

The bride says:
"The make-up you did for us was brilliant, it stayed put the rest of the day and one of the brides maids slept in hers and it was the same when she woke up."

Now I cant wait for the wedding to see these girls again and see the lovely bride in her dress :D


For a guide on preparing for your own make-up trial click here
Jillian X

Urban Decay Dundee Summer Make-up Masterclass

Hello all :D

Ok, so its no secret that I absolutely LOVE Urban Decay!!! The original Naked Palette is THE BEST eyeshadow palette I have ever bought! The colours are so highly pigmented and with it you can achieve a really natural look, a glam bronzed look and a dark smokey eye, so basically a must have for any make-up artist or enthusiast. 

 When I saw Urban Decay were having a masterclass I was really excited to go and see what else they had to offer. As a make-up artist I believe I am always learning and I love seeing other artists work and learn new techniques.

When we got to the event we were greeted with a glass of bubbly, yummy cupcakes and sweets. 

Everyone sat down and we were shown a beautiful natural look thats perfect for brides, everyday and even a night out. For this the girls use the Naked On The Run palette and a few other products. This palette is a must have as it has 6 eyeshadows, a blush, bronze, lip gloss, eye pencil and mascara.

I really wish I had time to take a picture of this look to show you all as this natural look by Lucy was so dewy and fresh, it was gorgeous but the model had to leave so I didn't have a chance.


next we were shown a bright colourful look using the Electric palette. This look is great for a night out, holidays and all of the upcoming summer festivals.

The make up in this picture was by the talented Hana Wilson MUA. (check her out) I just love these bright eyes, it totally takes me back to when I used to wear wild bright eyes!! So much fun.

After the event I decided to buy a few goodies :D buying make-up is sooooo tempting to me, I had to limit myself!!

here is what i got
B6 Spray Vitamin spray £22
Eden Eye shaddow primer potion £16.00 (this is a must buy!!!!)

Lip brush - £14
Naked flushed in Native - £22.50
Cream eyeliner - £16.50

What a great night!! The thing I love about make-up is you are always learning and being creative is so much fun. I love events like this and cant wait till the next one!!

Did anyone else go along to the event? What goodies did you get?

Jillian XX

Preparing for your wedding make-up trial at cosmetique.

Hello everyone :D Another blog post here for my beautiful brides to be, but this is great for any bride to be :)

I often get asked "how should I prepare for my make-up trial?", "I feel self conscious leaving the house with no make-up on, can I wear make-up to the trial", "Can I bring a friend" and much more , so I thought i would do a little post to answer all of your questions and help you prepare.

As a bride do I need a make-up Trial?

Yes, I 100% recommend that all brides come for a make-up trial. This will seriously cut down on time and stress on the day of your wedding. Alot of brides have a few ideas in their heads for make-up looks and I really do try and fit in as many looks as I can into the make-up trail.

It may sound trivial but deciding whether you want your eyeliner flicked, if you want to wear false lashes and if to want to wear a dark lipstick requires being able to see it on you and sometimes even a days testing to decide whether or not this is the look you want.

 I also prefer every bride to be to wear their make-up all day so they can see for them self how it feels on their skin and so they can be safe in the knowledge that it will last all day!

Here is one of my gorgeous brides at her make-up trial :)

Do my bridesmaids, mother of the bride and groom etc need a trial? 

It is advisable that everyone has a trial as this really cuts down on timings on the big day. It means all choices are made before the wedding so that when it comes I know exactly how everyones make-up will be applied. 

I have decided just to have a make-up trial myself, can I bring a friend along to watch?

Yes I 100% recommend that you do not come alone to your trial. Its great to have a friend there as a second opinion when trying to decide looks. Your friend knows your personality and the kind of make-up looks you are used to and can often give you truthful and helpful opinions about different make-up looks.
Also there is always a selection of yummy treats and some nice bubbly or wine to drink so its great to bring along some one extra to enjoy the fun!!

How should I prepare for my make-up Trial?

The best advice I can give is really think about the kind of make-up you would like. Alot of people say they want natural make-up, but that means something different to everyone. In order for me or any other make-up artist to provide the best make-up service for you is if you can tell us exactly what you want. And if you aren't 100% sure even a few different ideas that I can  work with is perfect.

Of course we all want to look beautiful and natural on our wedding day but thinking about a few things before your trial will really help, e.g. :

• Smokey eyes/ black eyeliner (do not get hung up on the old fashioned thought that this is not a bridal look, if its what you love then its perfect for you, we can try different varieties of natural smokey eyes for you to see)
• Complexion- if you have freckles do you want them covered up? (I hope not as I just LOVEEEE natural freckles), do you want a really natural thin coverage or do you want a heavier coverage?
• lips - Do you normally wear lipstick? Is it likely that you will be able to reapply this yourself after your meal? (even the best lipsticks in the world wont be perfect after a 3 course meal and some glasses of bubbly) Lighter colours are easier to reapply that a deep plum or red. Would you prefer just a natural gloss or even vaseline? Do you like a matte lip or satin glossy finish
• Identify any problem skin areas, is there anything you perhaps don't like about your skin that you would like covered? e.g. dark under eye circles, break outs, acne scarring etc

Here is the gorgeous Danielle on her wedding day, as you can see she already has beautiful skin  and wanted to go for a really natural look with a flawless complexion and subtle smokey eyes.

How should I prepare my skin for my make-up trail?

I am going to go over a few skin concerns and give you a few tips to work with before your trail, ensuring your skin is in tip top condition for the trial.

On the day of the trial I always do a cleanse, micro exfoliant, tone and moisturise using Dermalogica skin care, this is great to remove oil and dirt from the skin and remove loose dead skin cells however a little bit of skin prep on your side helps too :)

Although the airbrush make-up is amazing and I will use products designed for your skin type it is much easier to deal with problematic skin than to try and cover it up with make-up.

Dry Skin

If you have really dry skin, or even just a few dry patches of skin I would recommend you start up a little easy skin care routine at home that can help to soften your skin.

• Cleanse tone and moisture in the morning and at night using skin products designed for dry skin (alternatively use a daily facial wash in the shower then pat dry your face and put on your moisturiser)
• Use an exfoliator on your skin once a week, sugar scrubs are great for this, however DO NOT over do it, as over exfoliation can actually cause your skin to be even dryer. Once a week is perfect.
• Use a face mask once a week, this is great right after the exfoliation, do that, put your feet up and chill for 10 minutes
• Drink LOTS of  water, its sooooo good for your skin

Oily Skin

If your skin gets really oily it can be quite difficult to keep make-up on but don't fear, oily skin ages slower so its not all bad!

• Cleanse tone and moisture in the morning and at night using skin products designed for oily skin (alternatively use a daily facial wash in the shower then pat dry your face and put on your moisturiser)
• Use an exfoliator on your skin once a week, products including citrus and tea tree are great for oily skin
• Use a face mask once a week, look out for mud masks as they are fantastic at removing excess oil
• Drink LOTS of  water, its sooooo good for your skin

Acne Skin

Now this is something that is very close to my heart because as a teenages I had awful acne. I looked awful, I felt awful and I cant look at a picture without cringing! But you do not have to suffer alone!!

• 100% the best thing you can do is go to the doctors, there is so so so many different things they can try for you, most products will take a good 6 weeks of daily use to start working but be persistent, and if after a good few months it isn't working go back and ask for something else. And no matter what do not feel silly going  to the doctors for this as it is a serious issue and there are so many treatments out there!
  *Before using any other unprescribed products on your skin (eg scrubs masks etc) check with your doctor that its ok to use these alongside the prescribed treatments
• Again cleanse tone and moisturise your skin daily, you are looking for products for oily and acne prone skin, look out for face washes that contain salicylic acid as this is great for acne prone skin.
• Definitely exfoliate once a week, you get some great exfoliating scrubs designed for acne prone skin, this is great to help remove blackheads and blocked pores, be gentle around painful areas
• Try to avoid touching your skin too much as you are transferring dirt and grease onto your skin which can block up your pores
• Drink LOTS of water!!!

I don't like leaving the house without any make-up on, can I wear make-up to the trial?

It is advisable to come with a clean face with no make-up on as the time it takes for me to remove a full face of make-up will eat into your trail time. Also this may require extra work on your skin which can slightly redden it.

What kind of products will you use on my skin?

I always start make-up trials by prepping the skin with Dermalogica Skin care. I use the sensitive range that is perfect for every skin type and is sensitive enough that it will not cause redness to your skin.

For make-up I use a full range of professional products including Mac, Illamasqua, Urban Decay, Kryolan, Temptu , Sephora and much more. I am very experienced with all of the products I these are all top quality professional products that I believe in.
If there is a specific product that you would like me to use I would be more than happy to look into these products to see if I can use these as well for you.


Hope this has been helpful :) As always feel free to get in touch any time with questions :)

Jillian

www.cosmetiquescotland.co.uk

Mac Cosmetics Comes To Dundee

Hello everyone

Im so excited to write this post, as like so many others I am SOOOO excited to finally have a Mac Cosmetics counter here in Dundee!!

The counter opened on Monday the 13th April and me and one of my best friends Julie went down early in the morning to have a look and pick up a few goodies :D

The first thing I noticed about the counter was how big it is. It isn't really a make-up counter (in the traditional sense of a make-up counter) as there is a lot of room to move around and lots of nice comfy make-up stations for the staff to help you try on products, get your make-up done or even get a make-up tutorial.

Here are a few pictures I snapped on my phone in between being really excited and buying farrr too much.

So after a bit of a look around we had some help from the lovely Carol. She helped us try on a few different shades and advised us on different products that would suit us.

She was so helpful and answered all of my (hundreds of) questions. Im not going to lie, its been a while since I've been using alot of MAC products as there hasn't been a counter close by, and I like to try things before I buy them so I had been using alot of urban decay products (which I still love) of late. However Carol showed me some great new products to add to my kit and helped me fall back in love with my old favourites, the MAC eyeshadow pallets.

Check out some of Carols amazing work here.

The rest of the staff were so helpful, so many people asked if we needed help and also demonstrated some products and generally chatted away. No one was pushy and it was just such a fun and chilled out atmosphere.

They even had some of the much desired and almost impossible to get your hands on Cinderella Limited Edition Make-up!

After looking at all of the products and trying a few things out I knew exactly what I had to buy!!

I bought 

-Warm Neutral Eye shadow Palette 

-Lipsticks in Rebel, Plumful and Flamingo

-Prep and Prime Lip Base

-Cinderella Mystery Princess 

-Pro Longwear Concealer in nw15 and nw20

-Paint Pot in Painterly 

-Studio Fix Foundation in NC15

Im sooooooo happy and so in love with all of these products. You just cant beat a MAC lipstick and I'm really excited to start using MAC eyeshadows on brides again.

I am 100% addicted to the concealers, I wore them yesterday and today and what a difference it makes to my dark circles under my eyes!!!

Couldnt help having a play around with the products I bought, here is a picture :)

Have you been to the MAC counter yet?

What did you think and did you buy anything? Would love to hear back from you !

Jillian XXX

Make-up Storage Bag

So this is just a mega quick blog post about this little make-up storage bag I picked up in Primark the other day for only £4

I love that itc black, it looks professional and cute with the polka dots 

When you open it up there are 3 sections with clear plastic fronts. They zip open and the middle section has velcro and can be removed.

I am instantly in love with this as I am really trying to minimise my kit and only take the essentials with me, instead of hundreds of eyeshadows and lip sticks that I dont need.

I was also really surprised by how much make-up I could fit into here, I'm sure it would even hold some make-up pallets as well!!

So if you are a make-up artist or a make-up lover I would definitely recommend running to primark and grabbing one of these.

Would even be perfect for holding your shampoos etc if you go on holiday!

Hope you enjoy :)

Jillian