Zambesi @ New Zealand Fashion Week 2011

I have long been a fan of iconic NZ label Zambesi, as well as Nom*D (more here). As a student in the early 90's in grungy Dunedin, I would spend hours inside the stained glass windows of Nom*D designer Margi Robertson's store Plume, marveling at beautiful Nom*D and Zambesi pieces as well as Jean Peal Gaultier, Martin Margiela and Ann Demeulemeester. It was all so glamorous and a bit punk and rock and roll and cool. I'd sometimes blow my student allowance on a piece piece Nom*D or Zambesi. I coveted these pieces - little bits of luxury I mixed with my rag tag collection of cheap chain store & vintage buys, woolly thermals and docs. So I was thrilled to get an invitation to Zambesi's show at Fashion week last night from my clever photographer & make up artist friend Owen Allison (Owen - I owe you!). Upon wondering what to wear, I was recommended I 'wear black' - good option for Zambesi! However, after a minor wardrobe crisis, I decided to go for my electric blue dress with leather jacket and homemade stud wedges. The new Viaduct Event Centre is fab, a glistening glassy jewel sitting overlooking the harbour. Walking up to the venue, there was a palpable buzz in the air as styley Bryan Boy lookalikes (Mino), stunning models & celebs tripped about. Katherine Lowe was out front looking preppy & cute in mustard trou & navy top (below) as we bustled in straight to the bar. There were lots of leather jackets there too, but also a good splash of colour that was great to see, especially acid oranges, hot pinks and verdant jade greens, with lots of chunky jewellery & red lips.Once the catwalk space opened in we tripped, me trying not to stack it in my homemade studded wedges in front of Colin Mathura-Jeffree. I sat behind Blogger Hannah McArdle, who I had just discovered yesterday via Katherine's brilliant Blog. My seat buddy "Fashion Friend Matt from Wellington" & I felt compelled to compliment her on her her fabulous lilac quiff (as I eyed up his studded Hermes cuff). The lights went down & a bass-line sounding like Black Eyed Peas 'Boom Boom Pow' started to thump, but launched into a haunting Japanesey type soundtrack, compete with gongs sounding like half Yoko Ono, half Air. Ethereal Zambesi models began drifting down the runway there was not only signature muted palettes but a vibrant shot of colour in the form of shocking yellows and electric blues injected into the collection, plus some blasts of print and creams. Textiles ranged from chunky knits & fur to sequiny metallics & slick rubbery wet-looks. MAC's deft swipes of Russian Red lippie & hi-def Cyan paint stick with Atlantic and Sky Blue eyeshadow was the prefect compliment to the look. 

  

On feet were Cherry Doc Martens and Chuck Taylor's which kind of reflects Zambesi's style and the whole vibe of the show - super cool & styley yet totally laid back & non-pretentious. The following fabulous pics are from here. The show was produced by Liz & Neville's (Zambesi founders) daughter Marisa Findlay, a lovely and talented lass who did an amazing job. As said in the NZ Herald, "Producing a fashion week show is not for the faint-hearted, with multiple elements that could go wrong - from music stopping halfway through a show, to bad lighting, to tardy models. Making sure this doesn't happen falls on the shoulders of the producer, and since New Zealand Fashion Week's inception Marissa Findlay has had her fair share of highs and lows. "(NZ Herald). Working with Marisa was model/designer/photographer/stylist and all around cool chick, fellow Southlander Terzann Elliot (below). I had to take a snap of her gorgeous McQueen clutch. These backstage pics are from Katherine Lowe's NZFW Blog. Check it out here. Afterwards it was on to the Pullman Hotel after party for delicious Zamboozi cocktails - Hendrix Gin, Elderflower and a sprig of rosemary - sipped at tables swathed in black leather - very Zambesi! I'm now sipping my Berocca and dreaming of beautiful clothes. Congratulations Zambesi on an AMAZING collection, and a fantastic show. Rather wobbly video of the show below. ..

MAC Colourizations Collection for Fall 2011

Tame your cravings for vibrant shades and ultra-refined textures with the MAC Colourizations collection for Fall 2011. Define your eyes with high street

liners and eye shadows that can definitely inject some drama into your alluring glimpse.

Never underestimate the visual power of a radiant eye makeup. In order to stand out from the crowd it is important to work with an unlimited color palette. MAC is one of the most impressive makeup brands that provides beauty bunnies from all over the world with a series of glam collections.

This time drop a glimpse at the MAC Colourizations line for Fall 2011. This fabulous repertoire of makeup products can sweep you off your feet if you're ready to surrender to the new world order of show-stopping makeup trends.

From the company's description we find out that, “Couples can be seemingly mismatched…but when it works, it’s wonderful! These Duos for Eyes are doubly dramatic, with two shades combined in sophisticated unexpected ways…so much so that we call them M·A·C DOUBLE FEATURES.

In eight daring pairings, they’re being introduced just as Summer fades away, COLOURIZATIONS Double Feature Shadow Compacts are the quickest, most convenient way to incite the imagination.” Undoubtedly, those who are craving for a high street makeup kit will definitely find at least one glam matching from these stylish sets.

The shades to choose from are:

Double Feature 1: bright yellow gold (veluxe pearl) / pinked-up chrome purple (frost)

Double Feature 2: bright lime (veluxe pearl) / frosty deep grey (satin)

Double Feature 3: mid-tone teal (matte) / deep chocolate (satin)

Double Feature 4: deep forest green (veluxe pearl) / mid-tone ochre brown (matte)

Double Feature 5: pale frosty peach (frost) / dark brown with green pearl (frost)

Double Feature 6: light grey taupe (matte) / mid-tone bronze (veluxe pearl)

Double Feature 7: bright fuchsia (frost) / cool black (satin)

Double Feature 8: mid-tone orange (frost) / deep navy (satin)

The maxi collection contains also a voguish selection of Technakohl Liners, A Zoom Lash mascara along with two makeup brushes. These uber-sophisticated makeup formulas will allow you to add unearthly radiance to your glimpse.

Technakohl Liners

Choose your fave from the following shades:

Graphblack: rich graphic black

Photogravure: soft black with brown undertone

Purple Dash: intense aubergine

Auto-de-blu: amethyst

Uniform: deep khaki green with gold pearl

Jade Way: pure emerald green with frost

Zoom Lash

Zoomblack: rich black

Brushes

222: tapered blending brush

275: medium angled shading brush

The collection will be available from July 29th, 2011 (Nordstrom/The Bay), August 2011 (All MAC Locations)

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Celebrity Makeup Artist Beauty Tricks

Show off your brilliant look by embracing some of these celebrity makeup artist beauty tricks. For the ultimate glam effect make sure you use high quality products and tools.

The hottest red carpet events offer the most influential beauticians to show off their talent. Hollywood stars are definitely not flawless, however with the support of a complete team made up of makeup artists and hair stylist they manage to pull off a radiating and impressive look.

The following celebrity makeup artist beauty tricks will help you master the best methods to improve your application skills. Practice more often if you wish to turn yourself into a real wizard of shades and textures and nail down the most flirtatious and red carpet-worthy looks.

Eyeliner Tip

Genevieve is an influential celebrity makeup artist with clients as Christina Ricci. Those who wish to polish their technique of applying eyeliner can take a closer peek at the trick offered by this pro beautician. Genevieve highly recommends the application of tiny eyeliner dots on the upper lashline. This will ease the defining process and it can also prevent smudging. In order to create the perfect definition use a Q-tip and blend the spots into a flawless line. The effect will be more natural and modern in order to guarantee your success at every event.

Concealer Tip

The fabulous makeup artist with clients like Kate Bosworth and Gwyneth Paltrow provides us with a useful trick on how to conceal our beauty flaws. This time Pati Dubroff advises us to use the concealer in a super-fine layer when it comes to masking the tiny bags under the eyes.

Those who wish to create the impression of a revitalized face should choose a concealer color that's 1-2 shades lighter than the natural skin tone. Furthermore, in order to hide the tiny under-eye circles with care, it is highly recommended to apply this product right under the actual bags. This is how you'll be able to create a natural and uniform effect.

Perfectly Defined Eyebrows Tip

Angela Levin is the mastermind behind the hottest looks of celebs as Nicole Kidman. These secret to nail down a perfectly defined eyebrow is to pencil in the eyebrows first, then step to the next phase which includes the use of a highlighter.

Those who are ready to make a statement with their makeup should use this product to draw a fine line underneath the hair as well as above the brow line. This trick is extremely useful if you wish to cheat your way to a perfectly arched and lifted brow. In order to guarantee the best conditions for the proper application use a flat eye shadow brush.

Natural Blush Tip

Fans of a natural looking makeup style will be simply mesmerized to find out another pro beautician secret. Mullholland reveals us how to apply blush in order to highlight our youthful and flirty allure. Use a large blush brush to apply you fave shade that suits your skin tone. Apply a tiny amount of it on the apples of your cheeks and keep on stroking them for 1-2 minutes. The final result of your beauty session will be a fabulous and alluring glow on the perfect spots of your face.

Plump Lips Tip

Linda Cantello, makeup artist for YSL has worked with an army of celebrities in order to bring out the most of their features. In this case she provides us with the most revolutionary method on how to plump our lips. Use a lipliner to draw a super-fine line beneath the mid-section of the bottom lip. Then apply the ideal shade to fill in your lips and notice the subtle shadow that actually gives the impression of fuller and kissable lips.

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Beauty Expert Makeup Tricks to Try

Experiment with these beauty expert makeup tricks to try for a party perfect look. Prep for the warm season by polishing your beauty skills and wearing only the most flattering makeup designs.

When it comes to upgrading your style, it is a must to consider the newest beauty trends. These professional makeup tips and tricks will help you emphasize your best assets. Improve your makeup application skills with a few of the top beautician secrets.

Let yourself be inspired by celebrity makeup or runway chic looks that reflect the hottest inventions in this industry. The beauty expert makeup tricks to try below will show you how to complete your makeup kit with the too-cool-to-miss formulas that popped up on the market. Moreover, you'll also learn how to play with shades and textures for a va-va-voom effect.

Lengthen Your Eyebrows

Lauren Hutton teaches us how to define our brows with ease. Those who struggle with short or super-narrow eyebrows will have the chance to opt for a multitude of products to create the perfect frame for their face. However, it seems that Lauren is a fan of filling in the sparse spots of the eyebrows with eyeshadow. Choose a shade that complements your skin tone and brows and use a fine brush applicator to secure the even application of the shadow.

Nose Shrinking Makeup Tip

Many people would like to shrink their nose without having to deal with surgery. You can reduce the prominence of this feature with the help of a few beauty secrets. The first would be to use a concealer or foundation with 1-2 shades darker than your skin tone.

The presence of a darker hue will leave some space for the lighter areas of the face. Apply the masking formula on the sides of your nose. Then you can apply a lighter powder or foundation shade right on the bridge of your nose to highlight the narrow sections.

Eyeshadow Trick

Using the appropriate makeup tools is the key to a flawless look. This eyeshadow trick offered by Julie Harris will definitely guarantee the success of your makeover.

In order to apply the eyeshadow uniformly and with care, all you have to do is swap the Q-tip style an super-tiny applicator with a larger and fluffier brush. Beauty experts use this solution to create a soft and feminine effect as well as to secure the best conditions for the proper blending of the different shades.

Define Cheeks

Laura Geller, as one of the most skilled makeup artists, offers us a trick on how to define our cheeks with success. She highly recommends the application of the most flattering blush with the help of an angled brush. Precision is essential when building up a scene-stealing look. Finally, use a bigger brush to top the blush with a thin layer of bronzer. This trick will help you create a natural-looking impression.

Lip Makeup

Sonia Kashuk is the makeup artist who reveals her lip makeup secrets for all beauty bunnies. The beauty expert uses lip balm to prep the canvas for a textbook style makeup design. As soon as the lips absorbed the gentle formula, Sonia grabs a lip brush to create kissable lips. This makeup tool will guarantee the uniform application of the shade, therefore it is highly recommended to have it at hand before finishing up your beauty look with the perfect pouch. A lip brush can also help you tint the corners and create the effect of perfect and sensual lips.

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Makeup Mistakes Women Often Make

Looking fabulous has always been a target for women but without the proper steps using makeup can actually come in your disadvantage. To make sure

you're looking fabulous check out the most common makeup mistakes so you can avoid them from the get-go!

The fact that makeup any girl's best friend is old news but unless you apply the makeup properly you're not going to get the result you're looking for, so basically if you're making mistakes makeup can actually turn on you and become your worst enemy.

There are a myriad of brands out there which create high quality makeup products at a reasonable price so before you start doing your own makeup, make sure you purchase the right products for your skin type and needs. A sultry makeup look is always a look that suits the wearer perfectly so use the hues which do your skin tone justice as well as adapt the makeup to the event attended.

One mistake most women make when applying makeup is going too bold. Makeup is supposed to hide imperfections and underline the facial features not make you look like you're wearing a mask. You don't have to put on “tons” of makeup to look fabulous, you just have to put on just enough to make your look natural.

Using the wrong foundation hue is one of the most common makeup mistakes women make. Foundation isn't supposed to give your skin a bit of a tan, it's supposed to create a perfect, smooth complexion and cover-up any imperfections. This is why you should always use a foundation which blend-in with your skin. Test the hue on your jawline before you purchase a foundation or ask for a sample which you can give a try at home. If you are used to tanning you can purchase one darker hue as well and mix it with your regular hue to create your own blend that will suit the hue of your complexion at that moment.

Applying foundation on chapped, flaky skin is by far the worst thing you can do as the result will be horrific. The foundation will blend-in with the skin and will help emphasize the flakes, not conceal them, meaning you'll look better off not wearing any makeup. To prevent this from happening make sure you exfoliate your skin every week and moisturize on a daily basis. Exfoliating facial scrubs will get rid of the dead skin cells covering your complexion, leaving your skin feeling smooth.

Making the lips super plump with the help of your lipliner can turn disastrous if you step further than the natural line of your lip. To get plump lisps experts say to line subtly, using a lip colored or the same lip liner hue of your lipstick, the outer line of your lips but without passing over it. Going over is like going overboard and the effect obtained will be very unnatural, unflattering and obvious.

Another unappealing result caused by improper makeup application is related to the eyebrows. Enhancing and even changing the shape of the eyebrows with the help of makeup is a common practice nowadays and a super helpful beauty trick as the eyebrows can absolutely transform your look, this is why it's essential to have them shaped by a professional. Because most women end-up with thin and “chipped” eyebrows, makeup has become a perfect solution, however applying it correctly is essential. The mistakes women usually make when it comes to reshaping or emphasizing their eyebrows are going for a hue which looks unnatural or extending the eyebrows more than necessary, creating a droopy-eye, sad look.

Make sure to learn the proper steps of makeup application and you'll definitely look breathtaking every single time!

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Cheryl Cole Makeup Looks

Get your diva on by inspiring yourself from some of Cheryl Cole's most amazing makeup looks. Be creative and learn the proper steps to makeup

application so you can attract all the attention at every event just like Cheryl does!

Britain's sweetheart, Cheryl Cole inspires women all over the world with her beauty and style and when it comes to makeup Cheryl is a true muse. A famous creative makeup director once said that “a perfect makeup is one that suits women perfectly” and it seems that Cheryl can definitely make her pick as she has never failed as far as makeup goes. Because celebrities usually sport the latest trends in makeup they pose as a great source of inspiration for us, so go glamorous and thrust the power of makeup by inspiring yourself from Cheryl Cole makeup choices.

Makeup can truly be your best friend as long as you make the right choices and follow the proper application steps, so to ensure you look like a true star, draw inspiration from the following makeup looks donned by Cheryl at different red carpet events.

A hairstyle which reveals the facial features greatly demands a fabulous looking makeup which oozes allure and sophistication, so opt for a makeup look which accentuates the eyes as well as your features. Cheryl Cole's brown eyes are beautiful and dark colors can definitely enhance them further. Use a foundation to create a perfect looking complexion and highlight subtly your temples and under eye area using a highlighter. Add depth to the eyes by lining the waterline with a soft black eyeliner pencil and use shades of brown, one lighter and one darker, to create a sultry and soft smokey eye look. A pair of falsies enhanced with mascara are all you need next for your eyes to seduce with one glimpse. Finish your look with a touch of blush on your cheekbones and a translucent nude lip gloss.

The girl-next-door look never fails if done properly done and Cheryl definitely knows how to pull-off this look. A flawless complexion is the key to this makeup, so conceal any skin imperfections and use an illuminating foundation to give your skin a healthy glow. Accentuate your eyes close to the lash line with a dark colored eyeshadow and balance it towards the crease with a lighter shade. Give your cheekbones a touch of color using a peach colored blush and use a flesh colored lip gloss to make your lips look more luscious. 

Red lips is definitely one of the hottest makeup looks of the season and Cheryl shows us why red lipstick should not miss from your makeup kit. Because the accent is placed on the lips, the rest of the makeup is better off if kept minimal. Foundation, blush, eyeliner and mascara are all you need next to complete your stylish and ultra-seductive makeup look!

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Pro Makeup Tricks To Try Now

In the following guide the most beloved beauticians share their pro makeup tricks to try now. Use these hints to polish your application skills and select only the most flattering formulas and shades.

The greatest names of the industry share their beauty secrets with makeup fans. Those who are eager to stay up-to-the-minute with the newest inventions and techniques that pop up on the market will have the chance to go behind the curtains and find out more on this modern art.

Master the art of applying the most refined cosmetic formulas and polish your talent for color selection with a few useful methods. These pro makeup tricks will definitely keep you busy during this season. Experiment with the multitude of makeup trends and stick to the ones that highlight your subtle sex-appeal.

Blush

Nick Barose works with the hottest Hollywood stars. His tip to create a flirty and youthful complexion is to mix a tiny amount of liquid foundation with a rosy blush. This way you'll manage to create a more natural-looking makeup perfect for all age groups and events. Choose the most flattering blush shade either according to the cold/warm complexion principle or other makeup tricks.

Eye Shadow

Gucci Westman is one of the beauty gurus of the moment who decided to reveal one of the top secrets when it comes to the application of the eyeshadow.

If you're ready to add some dimension to your eyes all you have to do is draw a super-fine and narrow ivory toned line closer to the upper lashline. Fill in the socket with a neutral or more vibrant shade depending on your preferences. The va-va-voom effect is absolutely guaranteed.

Eyebrows

Jeanine Lobell will grant us with a life-saving tip on how to define our eyebrows. The highly acclaimed makeup artist claims that it is advisable to use a taupe shade to fill in the inner corners of the eyes heading towards the arches where you can use simply a soft brownish tone to complete the filling process.

Remember to use a lighter shade where your brows are the thickest. Blending is essential therefore make sure you use the best applicator to pull off a uniform look.

Eye Glaze

Cristina Bartolucci offers us the ultimate trick on how to create a dewy eye makeup perfect for the summer season. Mix your own eye glaze using a tiny amount of lip balm and a colorful or neutral eye shadow. The result will be a creamy texture you can easily apply on your lids. The shimmery radiance will definitely attract the attention to your dainty glimpse. Use your fingers for uniform application the outcome of your makeover will be stunning.

Eyeliner

Molly R.Stern is another big name in the industry therefore it is highly recommended to pay attention to what she says about the art of defining our glimpse. Using an eyeliner might require handiness, however you can learn a lot by practicing the different techniques. If you end up with too much eyeliner on the lash line all you have to do is use a flat shadow brush and brush a tiny amount of the shadow right into the lash line. Blending is again the catchphrase therefore be sure to have all the must have makeup tools to create a soft and perfect line.

Red Lips

From the same makeup artist we find out how to tone down a vibrant red lip color. It might seem as if we had turned back in time when applicators didn't exist, however the secret for uniform application lies in the use of your fingers. The solution to create a softer and more dainty effect using an intense red or dark shade is to apply a tiny amount of the red lipstick on the center of your bottom lip and use your finger tips to spread it all over the lips. Do the same way with your upper lip until you achieve the desired effect.

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