Wednesday 10 July 2013

My Favourite | Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer

There are so many "highlighting" concealer pens on the market these day and I think I've probably tried them all. They all claim to even, brighten and enhance your complexion but I do feel some are misleading and often not used correctly. Now, prices vary depending on the brand, from the eye wateringly expensive to the super cheap and if you are like me then you love a bargain. The product in this category that I find myself purchasing over and over again is the Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer.

This wonder product, for me, ticks all the boxes. Firstly, it has the classic simple packaging you would expect from this type of concealer, you twist the bottom to dispense the product through the soft brush tip. It has a creamy, lightweight consistency that blends easily on the skin. If the skin around the eye area is well prepared ie. hydrated, eye cream has been applied, then a little spreads a long way and it looks pretty much invisible on the skin. Whenever I wear it people tell me my skin looks good, not my foundation. On a professional level, the highlighting concealers can be a nightmare as they don't photograph well under strong studio lights,  but Collection have managed to find a formula that can live up to the task (see example below). I find myself purchasing 2 at a time, one for me, one for my kit. This product comes in 3 shades, I tend always reach for "Natural" for myself and models with fair to medium skin tone. My only con would be the lack of shade range, some deeper tones would be great.


Collection is a brand that has been around for years and continues to provide high quality, affordable products on the high street. Check out their website below or visit your nearest stockist.


http://www.collectioncosmetics.co.uk



Illuminating Touch Concealer was used to brighten under the models eyes and lightly conceal any require areas
Photograph shot by AD Vaughan for the Hairdressers Journal.

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Monday 24 June 2013

This week....

First week back from my holiday and it's been a goodun.....

Look Book for designer Lisa Halliday shot by Donald Micheal Chambers.

Donald and Kat (Elite Models)

http://sophiecoxmakeup.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/lisa-halliday-look-book-shot-by-donald.html

Back of the camera. Paige (Elite Models)


Fashion editorial shot half way up the Shard in treacherous weather conditions (hurray for the British summer), with David Long and Jana Astanov.  
Emily and Julias

Emily embracing the weather. Jana and Dave doing what they do best.


The almighty Shard.


Matrix - Destination Fame Competition with Rick Roberts.
Congratulations Rick on your win, it was very much deserved.
http://www.rickroberts-hair.com/

The gorgeous Dani wearing a soft plum smokey eye.

http://sophiecoxmakeup.wix.com/sophiecoxmua
Instagram: sophiecoxmua





Saturday 22 June 2013

Lisa Halliday Look Book shot by Donald Micheal Chambers (Preview)

This week I was lucky enough to work on a beautiful look book for the wonderful designer Lisa Halliday, it was shot by the amazing Donald Micheal Chambers as his studios in Shoreditch. Here are the first few images, I will go into more detail when the full set is available.






For behind the scenes images and more updates please got to my facebook page.

Photographer - Donald Micheal Chambers http://www.donaldmichaelchambers.com/
Designer - Lisa Halliday
Stylist - Kyanisha Morgan
Hair Stylist - Nikola Kersten
Models - Kat and Paige @Elite Models London

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Dido "End of Night" Music Video.

Back in April I had the pleasure of working with the amazing team involved with bringing Dido's single "End of Night" to life. Directed by the creative wonders Debbie Scanlan and Liz Adams of De La Muerte Films and produced by Callum Gordon, part of the ever expanding and just all round awesome, Burning Reel Productions. 

I was asked to design the make up for the dancers and supporting talent that are featured heavily throughout the video. Pulling inspiration from Matthew  Bourne's swan lake we wanted the dancers to blend in with their surroundings, complimenting the amazing décor of the location and Dido's styling. Kryolan Aqua Paints were applied to the face and body to create soft contours and give the the dancers' bodies some dimension while they moved. Fullers Earth was used through the hair and over the body to give the worn/stone effect, I think it turned out pretty good. 



Dancer Shannon Belcastro

Kathryn Robbins making up one of the many dancers.

Ashleigh Hodges - Hair stylist







For the supporting talent I was asked last minute to create a skull on one half his face. Again, using the Kryolan Aqua paints I was able to achieved a pretty cool piece of work, with the help of my 1st assistant Sophie Moore we got the job done in a rather strict time constraint.







Victoria Hemmings preparing the actors skin.





The video was featured on the Mail Online

Thank you so much to my wonderful assistants, it was so much fun working with you. I couldn't have done it without you all!!! 
Sophie Moore (1st Assistant) 
Jessica Mills
Kathryn Robbins
Victoria Hemmings
Nora Belovai
Ashleigh Hodges (hair)

Dido "End of Night" Music Video


http://www.burningreel.co.uk/

End Of Night (Sony Music)
Directors: De La Muerte
Production Company: Burning Reel
Producer: Callum Gordon
Production Manager: Ryan Elliot
DP: Marcus Domleo
1at Will Jasper
2nd AD: Dan Gibling
Stedicam: Richard Lewis
Focus Puller: Dave Litchfield
Art Director: John Hollinsworth
Editor: Claire McGonigal @Final Cut
Grade: Andrew Daniel @ Molinaire
Make-up (Dido): Karina Constantine
Hair (Dido) Panos Papandrianos
Stylist(Dido) Ellie Stidolph
Chorepgrapher: Ashley Wallen
Cast Make-up: Sophie Cox
Cast Hair: Ashleigh Hodges
Directors Agent: Marisa@ Marisa Garner Associates
Commissioner: Mike O’Keefe 

Friday 14 June 2013

Achieving "Glowing Skin" for photographs.

I've had a lot of questions about how to achieve "glowing skin" when using flash photography. There are a few trusty products I like to use on the face and body. 

F A C E

Mac Face and Body - Water based foundation. Natural, build-able coverage that leaves a dewy finish. 
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter - Water based light reflective lotion, contains SPF 20, perfect for strategic highlighting or an all over glow.
Mac Stobe Cream - Loaded with vitamins and green tea, hydrates, softens and soothes. The low level shimmer is undeniably beautiful under strong lights.
Nuxe Huile Prodigeiuse Dry Oil - Multi purpose, luxury oil packed with Vitamin E. As it is a dry oil the shine doesn't last long, numerous applications are needed on a shoot.
Elizabth Arden 8 Hour Cream - A classic!! So multifunctional... just buy it! 

B O D Y

Baby Oil - Cheap and cheerful and leaves the skin soft and silky.
Mac Iridescent Powder - Available in 2 shades. Amazing on their own or mixed with oils and lotions. Can also be used on the face.
St Tropez Gold Skin Illuminator - Beautiful lightweight lotion that is perfect for adding a little colour and sheen to any skin tone. Comes in 2 other shades, however I find the gold is the most universal. 


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Tuesday 29 January 2013

My Winter Essentials.

In the winter everyone's skin tends to get a little dry and dehydrated and we end up spending a fortune on lotions and potions to make it feel better. I thought I would share with you some of my winter essentials for keeping my horrendously dry flakey skin hydrated and somewhat healthy looking.


Firstly, I drink A LOT of water! I try and carry a litre bottle with me at all times and I have disciplined myself to get through 2 a day. We've it heard so many times but drinking water is paramount to healthy skin, basically healthy everything. Product wise I try and keep it as simple as possible, less is more, but I feel that the quality of the product is important.
 After I have cleansed my skin I apply a generous amount of Clarins HydraQuench Cream over my face and neck, day and night. This cream has a wonderful lightweight gel texture so it absorbs quickly into the skin and never feels greasy. I then apply Origins A Perfect World SPF35 UV Face Protector, a hydrating sun screen that I also double up as a tinted moisturiser. It is only slightly tinted but on good skin days I find that, paired with concealer, it is sufficient coverage. I have had a long relationship with this product and it has never failed me, it smells amazing, leaves my skin hydrated and most importantly, protects my skin. SPF is the best anti aging product out there, not only does it do the obvious by blocking out the suns harmful rays, but it also protects against environmental damage, which is a must when you live in a busy city.
For concealer, I cannot get enough of the amazing and super cheap Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer. If you have ever used the YSL Touche Eclat you will know the concept of these highlighting/concealer "pens" but there is something different about this one. It provides great coverage, looks completely natural and imparts the skin with light. Also it is only £4.99 and you can get it on the high street! I used it recently for a red carpet event and my client couldn't believe how great it looked in real life and in photographs. The packaging has recently been updated but it is still the same great product.
As I want my skin to remain hydrated and appear moisturised and natural I like to stick to cream blusher to add a bit of colour to my pale skin. I like to pick and choose but I always go back to my trusty Mac Creme Blend Blush in Ladyblush. This shade has been around forever and I'm sure if Mac discontinued it there would be a mutiny on their hands, it's just a really classic soft, warm coral that suits pretty must everyone who has fair to dark olive skin tones. I just love how easy it is to use, I use my fingers.





So there you have it, simple and easy, no need to fuss. Thanks to everyone who was interested enough to ask, I hope it was helpful. If you have any more questions please don't hesistate to get in touch here or via facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SophieCoxMUA


xxx

Clarins HydraQuench Cream £33.50 (50ml)
Origins A Perfect World SPF35 UV Face Protector £20 (40ml)
Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer £4.99
MAC Cosmetics Cremeblend Blush £17.50

Thursday 17 January 2013

Youtube beauty "guru" Nikkie Tutorials.




Over the last few years I have become addicted to watching makeup tutorials on Youtube, however, anyone who knows me, knows I am quite particular about who I watch. As someone who puts makeup on peoples faces for a living, I want to learn new things and be inspired by watching others. I do think that Youtube is a wonderful platform and a great way of communicating and sharing with the rest of the world, I also this there is a lot of crap on youtube. The people I only really watch for serious "education" purposes tend to be actual makeup artists, a bit snobby I know, I feel a bit bad about it. There is one gorgeous young lady that stands out amongst the rest. 
Lady Gaga "fame"

Step forward NikkieTutorials, now this girl can paint face! When I first discovered her videos I was instantly taken aback by her ability and technique, her beautiful pale skin and the fact she was only 16 at the time. I then discovered she was self taught! I too am self taught so I assumed that if I watched her videos I would be just as good. Sadly for me, every time she posts a new video its always even more amazing than the last. Nikkie isn't afraid to challenge herself, she will recreate looks from the latest runway shows, magazine covers and popular celebrities. Her Halloween looks are always creative and intricate but have an awesome "high fashion edge". Her talent has lead her to become a tutor at the B Academy and to be signed to a top agency where she has gone on to work on some amazing projects.

So, if you are looking to brush up on your makeup skills or just be entertained and inspired go to http://www.youtube.com/user/NikkieTutorials 




Halloween: Colourful Skull Makeup Tutorial

Lady Gaga "FAME" Commercial Inspired Makeup Tutorial

Modern Pin Up with a Twist! Makeup Tutorial


Monday 14 January 2013

Recreation #1





I thought I would set myself the challenge this year of recreating a few of my favourite inspirational images that I have seen online or in magazines. A few weeks ago I came across this beautiful image via Makeup Artists Meet, who regularly post gorgeous images on their facebook, twitter and instagram. I am a sucker for sultry, blended bronze smokey eyes and when I saw this image I just had to see if I could recreate it. I called upon my good friend and model colleague Lucy Cates to sit for me as she has wonderfully unique features that take makeup so well. I have included a link below to Lucy’s agency so you can check out her work.
Lucy’s skin is in great condition so I didn't want to overload it with foundation, so I gently cleansed then applied a thin layer of Embryolisse lait-creme Concentre to moisturise. I wanted Lucy’s skin to look luminous so I layered Mac’s face and Body with the wonderful Clarins Instant light Complexion Perfector in #2. This product is so multi-purpose, I love it! It really smooth’s and perfects the skins appearance, there for it can be used alone or as a primer as I have done. I concentrated it on top of the cheekbones and then added a thin layer of Mac Face and Body foundation all over Lucy’s face. For the eyes I wanted to make sure I captured the beautiful bronze shadow so I mixed a few things together. As a base I used Catrice Longlasting Shadow in #040 I then layered Amber Lights and Museum Bronze Pigment (MAC) until I got the desired intensity. I made sure all the edges were soft and blended by using a MAC 217 brush, blending up towards the brow bone and out in a slight wing. To deepen the socket I used shades from my trusty Au Natural palette by Sleek Makeup, I mixed the black and the darkest brown. To achieve that gorgeous sultry lash line I roughly smudged a messy line of Teddy Eye Kohl (MAC) into the base of the lashes and again with the darkest brown from the Sleek palette, I softened and blended the line adding more liner if I felt necessary. I applied a generous amount of mascara and added my favourite ever false lashes, the Ardell Demi Wispies. They are fluffy and full but look so real, they are also only about £5. In the original images the models face is beautifully highlighted which has obviously been enhanced in post-production; I wanted to keep it all very warm so I dusted Vanilla Pigment (MAC) which has a beautiful gold sheen, over Lucy’s cheekbones, brow bone and softly down the bridge of her nose. I then just used a touch of bronzer to warm up the skin and some Clinique Invisible loose powder to set everything and remove any skin that wasn’t needed. For the lip colour I mixed MAC's Diva with an old Rimmel Lipstick that was an amazing bright pink, I then just added a clear gloss on top.





I feel like we did a pretty good job seeing I only have a little Fuji Fine Pix camera and no knowledge of editing what so ever. I want to thank Lucy for coming round and hanging out with me, your face was perfect and you are always loads of fun. I’m going to make this a regular feature on my blog as I’ve already a number of requests to recreate to awesome images. If you want to send me an image you can post them on my facebook page.


www.facebook.com/SophieCoxMUA
Lucy's agency: www.motmodel.com/models/detail.asp?model_id=6754
www.clarins.co.uk
www.ardelllashes.com
www.maccosmetics.co.uk/
Embryolisse Uk stockist: www.gurumakeupemporium.com