You will unlikely ever hear a makeup artist say they are not a fan of primer, but yes that’s me Mr no-primer. The right skin-prep and moisturiser, teamed with the right foundation and powder is all I think is needed to create long wearing flawless skin.

The nude colour of the product and the velvety smooth texture is immediately apparent when applied to the skin. You see instant skin smoothing and mattifying effects, in addition to a little colour correction. I apply the product on the cheeks, nose and forehead. POREfessional gives the skin instant smoothness. For anyone with large pores or uneven skin this product is a must have. It is the ultimate preparation for any foundation base, especially if you’re a flawless skin kinda gal or guy.

Top Tip: apply in target areas to create optimum skin perfection.

The Urban Decay “Naked” range is well known in the makeup community. Both makeup artists and makeup lovers have fallen in love with the pallets in all there forms. So, I was very excited when I heard that they where extending their makeup range, especially their new naked foundation.

I try not to believe the hype when it comes to new products, and I reserve my judgment until given I am able to trial the product. However, when it was announced that Mario Dedivonivic (Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist) used the Naked Foundation on Kim’s on her wedding day, I just had to try it out. I’m a Chanel Vitalumier fan myself, but I had to see what the hype was about.

Urban Decay describe their naked foundation as Demi-matte light weight with medium coverage. I would say this is correct. When initially testing the foundation on the back of my hand I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth lightweight texture yet velvety finish. Sometimes matte foundations can be very difficult to blend and it can be hard to create an even application, but this formula no problems with either. I would say that non-makeup wearers would have no difficulty in applying this product.

The shade range is extensive, with cool, warm & neutral tones in shades that go from light to dark. This product would suit anyone with combination, normal or oily skin; as well as moisturised dry skin. I would recommend to feel the revolutionary formula first at a counter.

Top Tip: for oily skin use with a primer and buff foundation on top for a “naked” yet flawless skin look.

Illamaqua Skin Base Is one of the latest highly talked about foundations to hit the beauty market. They say the inspiration behind the foundation was the new cult of beauty balms, which originated in Asia.

Illmasqua say it is “The Ultimate ‘Skin Realism’ Foundation” and rightly so the foundation is smooth creamy and high in pigment, a little bit real does go along. Way it applies to the skin like a balm and melts and smooths in to create undetectable skin coverage. Illamasqa describe the foundation as

“refined formula unlike anything on the UK market. Easily blendable, it effortlessly creates a perfect complexion, and like the entire Illamasqua foundation range, is undetectable in a professional HD environment. Suitable for all skin types, it smoothes, softens and conditions your skin whilst providing natural, buildable coverage.
”

Although the foundation lives up to its description, I would say its more of a medium to full coverage foundation, you can use a buffing brush and nice moisturizer to sheer it down and create a beautiful editorial finish.The foundation comes in 26 shades which is perfect for any skin tone.

Top Tip: make sure the skin is hydrated and use with a beauty blender for the best results.

The Queen of makeup tools. The beauty blender is a revolutionary makeup sponge. Yes sponge.  The founders of the beauty blender describe it as

“Beautyblender is the most versatile make up tool you’ll ever own. It ‘s elliptical teardrop shape is super soft to the touch, like suede and allows you to access hard-to-reach places making your make up application foolproof. It’s washable, re-useable and recyclable. It’s latex free and anti-microbial. Can be used with all types of make up; liquid base, cream base, mineral make up, cream blush, powders etc.”

This tool makes full coverage heavy foundation look undetectable and flawless. I have recently fallen in love with makeup sponges, if you use the angles and edges and flat sides of  a sponge or beauty blender you can sculpt and contour the face with ease as well as buffing the skin until flawless.

The sponge is best used damp, so dipped or sprayed with water or mac Fix  + and the excess water squeezed away and then used in a rolling action over the skin to flaw and buff foundation.

The beauty blender is used by top Hollywood makeup artists such as Mario Dedivanovic and Scott Barnes.

Top Tip: use in a stippling motion when applying foundation to create an airbrush finish.

“Tom Ford believes in balance and symmetry”

The Tom Ford illuminating pens are everything a highlighter should be.

“The Illuminating Highlight Pen allows you to enhance, contour or diminish your features to create the appearance of symmetry. The range includes eight highly micronized shades: four tones that catch the light and bring focus to the cheekbones and eyes to create balance and symmetry and four tones that act as skin-priming concealers to diminish flaws and shadows. All eight tones work to soften and diffuse light for a smooth and undetectable finish.”

An illuminating pen of some sort should be in everyone’s makeup bag the best pens can bring light and colour correction without that heavy look on the skin. My favorite colours are the citrine, dusk bisque and amber éclat with these 3 baby’s any makeup artist or consumer could concour the world. The citrine can bring much need luminosity to the skin and under eye without having visible product, we all get tired in the fast paced world we live in so a product like this is perfect on its own or used in combination with a concealer. The fact that the Tom Ford offers such a wide range of shades and tones is impressive. Especially as most luxury cosmetics brand cater to at darkest a Mediterranean skin tone at best.

Overall these illuminating pens provide a much-needed range of colour that is needed to highlight illuminate and balance the majority of skin tones.e ie

 Top Tip: use on the cheek and brow bones and under the eyes for a highlighed look.

Highlighting and contouring ? The Sleek contour kit is exactly the kind of mainline product I expect luxury brands should have been offering to the general public. However luckily for us sleek does just this, as far as I am aware there is a range of three colours Light, Medium & Dark. Perfect for any complexion if used correctly

These kits are made of up a dark creamy smooth medium to build-able coverage, cool tone contour powder that we can use to bring shade to those areas of the face we want to sculpt and the silky smooth sheer highlighting powder that can be used to highlight and the high points of the face to bring light and luminosity to the skin.

I would recommend using these powders with something like a mac 168 brush which is a soft angled contour brush, the hair used in the brush is natural hair which is perfect for a powder product like this. The hair is also white so you can see how much or little of the sculpting powders.

Contouring and highlighting is becoming more common in today’s image conscious society, whether we use a bronzer blusher or contour kit to sculpt our faces I definitely believe contour and highlighting becoming more of a mainstream technique

Top Tip: use with a angled brush for ultimate sculpting.

Maybelline lasting drama gel liners knock every other gel liner on the market out of the water in my opinion. This smooth intensely pigmented ultra easy to work with gel liner is the best gel liner I have worked with so far.

Surprisingly this product is true to its description its blacker than black unlike some other “black” gel liners on the market the product is smooth and intensely black on application.

The liner comes with a brush but I prefer an angled brush or an mac 210 fine liner brush as I feel they create more a precise line, the product glides onto the eyelid effortlessly and created the neat intense line we all desire.

This is a drugstore product that exceeds anything a luxury brand has too offer.

Im sure everyone at some point has used a loose powder and thought what a mess?

Well yeah they are a tad messy and not something you want to carry around with you but something like Chanel Poudre Universelle is the perfect for setting any foundation or concealer or simply to take away shine without having that heavy over powdered look

Chanel describe the Poudre Universelle as: “Ultra-soft loose powder provides sheer, light coverage with a soft matte finish, setting and perfecting makeup as it evens skin tone. Photo-reflective pigments help disguise imperfections without emphasizing lines.””

For a change it does exactly what it says on the tin, a first for a beauty product, this product is perfect for any and everyday whether your gonna spend the day being snapped by paparazzi or your going to spend the day running around the office. It others the perfect demi-matte to matte finish in range of colours. It finishes the skin of and creates that HD, photo ready look we are all seeking.

The product is best used with a puff for more of a full coverage or a large powder brush to lightly dust the product over the skin and sett any skin base products. If your looking for a sheer undetectable highly durable photo ready powder this is your product

I spent my last weekend browsing what must have been every shop that sells makeup in London. Then this week I was booked for a shoot that was all about bold fun and playful colours. Obviously, the normal high end makeup brands came to mind, but as a makeup artist I constantly crave new and exciting products.

I came across Sleek ‘matte me’ & ‘gloss me’. They are both lipgloss style products, but with the pigment and colour pay off of a lipstick. I took a swatch of the pink colour on my hand, along with some other lip products from the Sleek range and continued to shop around the beauty department. Before I knew it I had a hand like a paint chart, but it was to the matte pink from the ‘gloss me’ range that my eye was drawn to, it just stood out.

The ‘matte me’ lip products are bold also with great colour pay off, and they dry literally like matte paint. The product does not move or bleed (unless you want it too), which is perfect for shoots and evening wear. The matte texture along with the range of on-trend colours are perfect for any makeup artist, or makeup enthusiast, looking to sport a new bold colour on there lips.

Top tip: as this product is matte I’d recommend moisturising and exfoliating your lips before use to get that ultimate smooth lips. Line with a matching lip liner to create your shape and fill in with your ‘matte me’ lip paint and allow the product to set before layering.

As a makeup artist I always have my eyes pealed for some new and exciting product or brand that I haven’t tried before. My most recent obsession is the makeup brand Pixi by Petra.

What initially drew me to the brand is the fun mesmerising mineral pallets. I’m always on the look out for new neutral and wearable eyeshadows and the copper peach and emerald gold pallets, both are exactly what I needed in my kit. Everyone wants that ‘summer glow goddess’ look, but with simplicity and ease.

These palletes are great, particularly for when I do my clients. I can create a fun summer sultry look from just one palette. Not only very affordable, infused with loads of botanical and beneficial ingredients, but also very pigmented and easy to blend. So Pizie is great for the everyday makeup wearer trying to recreate one of my looks or to throw a quick look together without feeling scared that they use the wrong colours.

There are 6 shades in each pallet and 5 different colour combinations. With the two I chose to buy, you can do anything from a subtle wash of colour, with the lighter shades; to a more intense night look. They are very versatile and easy use.

Top tip: Use with a primer or with the lid last shadow pens for extra intensity and longevity.