Latest 'Before & After' Photo

Camella, a customer who often orders makeup through me, booked me to do professional makeup for her 13-year-old daughter's model portfolio photo shoot.  These are just the amature photos I took on my camera, so I can't wait for the professional images once they're ready!

Florence had her photos taken against a white backdrop in her home, then went with the photographer and her mother to La De Da Boutique in Tauranga's 1st Avenue.  Florence was fitted in various looks for her model photo shoot, with the help of owner Tania Greenwood.  

Florence - BEFORE

Florence - AFTER

Bookmark this blog (or make it a favourite) to see the professional photos here as soon as I post them up.  

Until then:  I was in La De Da just yesterday, and a sniffly and blocked up me (sinuses!) received lovely service from Susan, and a beautiful, feminine, flowing tunic that, if you're local, you'll surely see me out and about in.  Browsing or buying in La De Da is an indulgent way to brighten up any Winter's day.  And they've got a SALE on their Vigorella stock right now.  You can follow La De Da Boutique on their facebook page.

'Makeup Mastery' Small Group Workshop Teaser

Check out this SlideShare Presentation to get a taste of how you'll benefit from a small group makeup workshop with me - it's your own 'beautiful education'!

Make sure you look at the first slide (showing now) before clicking the play arrow.

Call me in Tauranga to book your workshop or private consultation on 07 578 4226. Or see my website fo rmore info.

'Makeup Mastery' Small Group Workshop Teaser

View more presentations from A Beautiful Education - professional makeup and lessons.

Wedding Makeup: D.I.Y. or 'Go Pro'?

You have two choices when it comes to your bridal makeup:

1) Use a professional makeup artist 

2) Do It Yourself (DIY).

If you're thinking of doing your own wedding makeup to save money, think again. 

Many brides who go DIY with their bridal party's makeup spend the same amount of money or more buying the foundations, finding lipstick colours and wasting money on unsuitable beauty products they can't return, in the process.  Plus they have to spend extra time researching what look they want, plus more time spent practicing. 

And if they’ve not booked a makeup artist for their bridal party, the bridesmaids will also have to do their own makeup on the day, or the bride might try to do the bridal party's makeup herself.  That’s a huge responsibility, especially on your wedding day!  

If you have the time to learn, patience to practice and the time on the day to do it yourself, then going DIY with your makeup due to a tight budget is an option...but I don't recommend it.  However, there are other benefits (apart from possibly saving money) to doing your own makeup:

• You have full control of the finished look
• You can be proud of having done it yourself
• You can enjoy the tradition of getting yourself ready on the day of your wedding

Those are great reasons to take your bridal beauty into your own hands.  But there's also a way to get professional-style results when applying your own makeup:  Get professional guidance.  Upgrade your beauty skills with a private lesson with a makeup artist.  You’ll get all the credit of self-applying your bridal look and your guests don't have to know you had 'inside help'.  

Some makeup artists offer lessons where you get the experience of applying the makeup yourself, with their guidance, and learn your best makeup colour and techniques along the way.  This is a great option if you want to apply your own bridal look on your wedding day, but need to know the best colours and perhaps products to use.  And if group lessons are available, invite your bridesmaids and enjoy a workshop together.  It’s the perfect excuse enjoy some quality ‘girly’ time together, and your bridesmaids can practise applying their own makeup in advance of the wedding day. 


Beware, though, of makeup 'lessons' where the makeup artist does all the work.  Just watching them apply your makeup with not give you the skills to be able to recreate that professional look.  You need the tools and brushes in your hands to experience a true makeup lesson.  Most makeup artists are great at applying makeup but lack the words or motivation to describe and teach how a technique should be done.  It also takes time to explain the 'why' or principle behind the action.  A face chart can only explain so much.  Without hands-on learning, you'll have little hope of being able to recreate the artist's work when they're not around.  

My tip: If you book a makeup lesson, or a trial-run with a makeup artist (If going Pro), make this appointment on the day of your hen’s night or when you have something special planned afterwards so you have somewhere to show off and enjoy your polished look. 

If you've chosen to go fully Pro, good on you!  Booking a professional makeup artist saves you the time, money and energy you might spend researching, practising and experimenting with makeup before the day if going DIY.  

If you've not yet booked a professional makeup artist and have been meaning to - do it now. Find out the deposit requirements and availability of your preferred makeup artist now, and check it off your list. It's probably not too early.  Most makeup artists take bookings up to 12 months in advance, if not more and it’s best to have a trial (if possible) then secure your preferred makeup artist before someone else does.  

There are makeup artists who will listen to you and collaborate with your ideas to create a look you love.  Go get ‘em!

Visit my website to see photos, testimonials and prices of my work.  Click on the bride in the centre of the page for details of my mobile special occasions makeup.


Regardless of the makeup artist you choose, read 'How To Avoid A Makeup Meltdown' (also on this blog) to avoid disappointment with your makeup and get the most from your makeup artist.

For your beautiful education,

Lillybeth Melmoth

www.abeautifuleducation.co.nz

How To Avoid Embarrassment With False Eyelashes

With most models, celebrities, Michelle Obama (and even mascara ad models) wearing them on a regular basis, I bet you've been tempted (or have already tried) to apply your own false eyelashes.

I'd love to say: "Just don't do it.  Please don't 'DIY' your false lashes."  But in the true spirit of Kiwi independence, here are my top tips for avoiding the pitfalls of self-applied false eyelashes.  Seriously, get it wrong and you can ruin your whole look.  Badly applied false lashes can embarrass, distract and get you remembered for the wrong reasons.

Here are two tricks most makeup artists know but everyday women don't, about applying false eyelashes:

Tip #1: Trim the lashes.  Most bought lashes are too long for anyone's eyes.  Hold the strip lashes up to your eye.  Try to sit them on top of your natural lashes and check how far they extend past the outer corners.  It may just be a millimetre or two (often 5), but cut the excess length off from the OUTER corner (The inner lashes are usually shorter and you want to keep these).  If you find you've trimmed them too much, just make sure you place them toward the outer edge of your eyes - it's not so important to have longer/fuller lashes toward the inner corners.

Tip #2:  Secure the corners with a little extra glue.  Apply only a thin line of glue along the lashes, but add a little more at each end. It makes me cringe when I see photos of women at up-scale parties who look amazing apart from the fact their lashes have peeled from the inner corners.  This happens easily because the eye is curved and the lashes haven't been glued enough to make them curve with the eye.

Other problems you might encounter include:

• The glue that came with the bought lashes being too runny to be useful
• The glue taking a loooong time to become tacky (which is when you want to apply the lashes)
• Discovering the new glue tube is empty/dried up - happens more than you'd think!
• Using too much glue or sticking your upper and lower lashes together, i.e. gluing an eye shut
• Using the wrong type of glue (Latex glue is best here but there are other types of lash glue available. The wrong kind can sting while drying and be difficult to remove)
• The glue not drying clear or being visible on your lashes once dried
• The band of the lashes being too thick to shape to your eye, and pulling away once glued. 

Don't use your next night out as an opportunity to try applying your own false lashes.  Practice before the occasion, preferably on a bare face so if something goes wrong you don't ruin your makeup.  You can re-use the same strip lashes if you clean off the glue with makeup remover after your practice. 

If that fails, call in a professional.  I simply charge $15 to apply false lashes of any style with a makeup booking - and that includes the lashes too, whether they're bold, subtle, spiky, glittered, or even with foil inserts.  See if you can spot where I've used false eyelashes in my makeup portfolio.

**Jedi Mind Trick** Vote for Lillybeth Melmoth & 'Iceland' in the Jane Iredale Makeup Competition!

I've submitted my first entry for a national makeup competition!  The theme of the 2010 Jane Iredale Makeup Competition is 'International Inspirations'.  My entry, 'ICELAND' was created in the studio using only Jane Iredale products.  No retouching of photos was allowed.

The judges will choose the official winners but voting is underway NOW for the People's Choice award.  Voting closes Aug. 22nd.  I don't think mine is the best - and of course you can vote for whoever you want - but I'd love to have your support.  

See all the fascinating entries and cast your vote here.

My entry is 10th row down and on the right.  The short voting form is at the bottom of the page.  Should you choose to vote it'll take about 15 seconds to fill out and you'll also go in the draw for a Spring/Summer 'Perfectly Nude' makeup collection worth over $360!

I'm proud of my entry and appreciate your interest.   If you'd like to go one step further for me, consider spreading the word (and website link) to vote for me through your blog, on facebook and your social networks.  Thanks!