WHAT'S TRENDING IN THE WORLD OF BEAUTY & MAKE UP!

WELCOME SPRING. WELCOME SEPTEMBER. WHAT HAVE YOU IN STORE FOR US?

Kerrie Hess Design

Can you smell the flowers? Look out your window - do you see sunshine like I do? Do you see pops of colour in the garden? I love SPRING. I love the smells that perfume my garden. I love the colours that cover the grounds. It's a HAPPY time and it's the beginning of everything new for mother nature.

Spring also brings with it new beauty on our runways. Fresh faces are emerging with pops of colour. The MBFF begins this month - a must see if you are in Sydney. So much glamour and beauty graces the runway. Inspiration is at its peak. For me anyway.

So what's trending at present you ask. Last night I introduced my Spraytanning class that I teach - a new buzz word - TONTOURING. Yep. No spelling error here. What is it???? Well, after sussing this new technique out in the pages of the latest Professional Beauty magazine - TONTOURING refers to contouring the face/body using manual tan (tan in a can). What the???

Let me explain. You will love me for it as it will be the new 'cool thing' on our beaches. Mark my word.

Pic courtesy of Google Images

Tontouring is utilising a manual tan over your face/body - in the correct shade to suit your colour of course - and then using a darker shade to contour the cheek bones or abs or whatever else you like. Can you imagine???? Looking hot and being able to splash around in the waves without worrying about your make up disappearing. Who is the genius who came up with this?  I love them.

Another beauty buzz word that emerged some months ago is STROBING - think strobe lights. Yep. Contouring using highlighters as the feature focus on the face. Areas that will benefit from this technique is under the eyes, top of the cheekbones, middle of forehead and the cupid's bow (the centre of the top lip).

Pic courtesy of Google Images 

Big this season is WHITE. In particular white LACE. I'm loving these gorgeous pieces. Once upon a time, white was left for bridal couture. Now, white is acceptable for all occasions. As a make up artist, I see more bridesmaids wearing white too. The pop of colour is seen in the floral bouquet instead.

Regardless, embrace all colours. Begin now. September we welcome you.

SK x

LAZY SUNDAY DRIVES TO REJUVENATE THE SOUL.

I finally found an afternoon where I could do whatever I liked - it only took 2 years, but hey, one cannot complain considering I work weekends.
I suggested to hubby we take a drive to the southern highlands, to a place I visited back in February - when I did make up for a bridal party.
So with 2 kids in tow, we set off on a Sunday arvo adventure. The sun was shining and it was so warm in the car - how can we not be enjoying ourselves already!

Pic courtesy of Google Images

Getting out is not only fun but therapeutic for your well being. Serotonin soaks up the sunshine to bring peace to our mind - washing away stress and anxiety of everyday living. The sunshine also infuses Vitamin D - a vitamin most of us lack and therefore we are low in Vit D. Vitamin D is vital for healthy bones and for overall optimal good health. So soak up that sunshine as much as you can - as long as you still slip slop slap during the strongest UV times of the day - between 11am & 2pm.

Pic Courtesy of Google Images

On arrival to our gorgeous destination, BENDOOLEY ESTATE, BERRIMA, NSW - the entire atmosphere brought instant calm and relaxation to my well being. Ok, so maybe the Rose wine I got to sip had a little to do with the calm. Lol.

BENDOOLEY ESTATE BERRIMA NSW. 

We decided on an impromptu late lunch and boy was I grateful for it. Freshly cooked pasta with lemon infusion, blue swimmer crabs and chilli made for a delicious 'snack' for me, whilst hubby indulged in the Pork belly and the amazing burger. My mouth is watering still. My younger two girls enjoyed their specially made Shirley Temples (soda) and dived into their wood fire pizza - with fresh basil and mozzarella on top. One word - DELICIOUS.

To finish off our lunch, we did refuse the dessert but were quickly talked into trying the dessert of the day. OMG. HEAVEN. All I could think was why did I have to share this exquisite masterpiece with hubby. I want it all to myself. MINE. MINE. MINE.

There are no words, so here is a picture of the dessert - Panna Cotta with berries, pistachios, topped with Persian fairy floss - spun sugar.

DELICIOUS.

Coffee to complete our meal and we were feeling fabulous. Furthermore, this wonderful place was situated within an old Book Shop - think loads of Shakespeare, Poetry, History - so a quick browse to excite our senses just that tad more, before we returned home - back to the hustle and bustle.

Hubby checking out the literature.

I totally recommend to escape for just the day perhaps once every few months. It may have been one afternoon, but it certainly recharged my batteries and gave me a sense of relaxation. Healthy mind people, healthy life and a happy WOMAN. That is all.

SK x

WHY SO WHITE? EXPLAINING HIGH DEFINITION FOUNDATION.

Picture this. Literally. You do your make up for a night on the town. Looks pretty damn good. You go out, you dance the night away and you take loads of selfies. That's a given, right??? Got to love the selfie. I do. Somehow my 3 chins miraculously disappear!

One of many selfies my bestie and I have taken.
Evidence of my 3 chins have disappeared due to the
angling of my phone.

After a long night that takes you into the early hours of the morning; you decide to scroll through those pics - 90% selfies vs 10% pics taken by others. Looking good.....and then BOOM. What?? Why is my face so white???? Where has that fake tan disappeared to??? 

Pic Courtesy of Google Images EVEN CELEBRITIES CAN GET IT WRONG.

That's right peeps; if you don't angle that camera correctly and you are not wearing the correct foundation, you will then look like you have swallowed some nuclear chemicals (think the episode of The Simpsons when Mr Burns glows). Your face is WHITE.

Pic Courtesy of Google Images.

Don't be mistaken that its the camera's fault (it's always the camera's fault for bad pics lol). The reason for the white look is explained by yours truly and I share some tips to perfect it.

WHY SO WHITE????

In the past, foundations were formulated to include SPF in the ingredients, to protect the skin from UV rays. This complied with the recommendations from skin specialists to protect our skin continuously from harmful UV rays. Perfect one might think. Well yes it was, until amounts of SPF15+ or more were added.

Pic Courtesy of Google Images.

If your foundation contained SPF15+ or higher, chances were when the flash went off, so did your face. Meaning that the reflectors bounced off the colour and left behind a white coloured face. It was then recommended to wear foundations less that SPF15+, which kind of defeated the purpose.

 

Pic courtesy of Google Images

FOUNDATIONS AVAILABLE THAT ARE PHOTO READY.  

 

Until, the term HD arrived - HIGH DEFINITION. Manufacturer's have now updated their formulations to allow for foundation colour to be CAMERA READY - meaning there will be NO REFLECTORS BOUNCING OFF. High Definition relates to filming and photography and the way the subject actually appears in real life. Therefore, the face should not look altered.  



MAKE UP BY ME ON A GORGEOUS BRIDE.
FOUNDATION SHOULD BE FLAWLESS AND WELL BLENDED
TO APPEAR PERFECT IN PHOTOGRAPHS. 

 

THE GORGEOUS BRIDE IS NOW CAMERA READY
FOR HER BIG DAY.

 

Foundations that claim they are HD ready basically mean the powders are finely milled to minimise that caked on look, the creams smooth out fine lines and create the ultimate flawless skin. The formulas contain light deflectors and pigments that give the appearance of an even complexion. The light texture gives a more natural look, while the pigments blend with the skin.

HMUA | SMINKA INK MAKE UP BY SANDRA (me)
PHOTOGRAPHY | MICHAEL BURG (Sydney Photographer)
MODEL | ADRIANA K

Notice the face does NOT appear white even though the lighting is focused on that area.
 This is thanks to foundation used that is suitable for High Definition Photography.

 

So now there is no reason why you can't look fabulous in those selfies. You know the secret now so get painting, I mean creating fresh make up application.

 

Here are some examples of recent make up I did for a professional Photographer - Kristina Yenko (Sydney based). Foundation used was NAPOLEON PERDIS Foundation Stick and Camera Finish Powder Foundation. This particular foundation shoots well for photos.

HMUA: SMINKA INK MAKE UP BY SANDRA (me)
Hair was also assisted by Nancy Trieu
MODEL: Hannah
Photography taken on my Samsung Phone.



HMUA | SMINKA INK MAKE UP BY SANDRA (me)
Hair also assisted by Nancy Trieu
PHOTOGRAPHY | KRISTINA YENCO
for
LONDON MGT GROUP
MODEL | HANNAH

HMUA | SMINKA INK MAKE UP BY SANDRA (me)
Hair assisted by Nancy Trieu
PHOTOGRAPHY | KRISTINA YENCO
for
LONDON MGT GROUP
MODEL | ALEX W



So get Camera Happy peeps and get that Foundation finish on point.
Until next time

SK x

 













 

SEE YOUR TRUE COLOURS.

COLOUR THEORY!

Sounds technical right? It is a module I teach my students at college as part of their Design and Apply Make up course.

Pic courtesy from Google Images.

Colour is everywhere. I'm constantly inspired by colour in everything - whether it is the sky, fashion or nature. Some of these inspirations will form the platform of the make up looks I like to create.

Let me introduce you to the COLOUR WHEEL - a universal tool that is used in many creative grounds; fashion design, art, stylists, interior design, hairdressing and make up to name some. If we go back to our preschool days, we were introduced to PRIMARY colours - red, blue, yellow. These colours can not be made. They are the base colours to a whole rainbow. SECONDARY colours are formed when we mix 2 primary colours together; eg red + blue = purple, red + yellow = orange, blue + yellow = green.

THE COLOUR WHEEL
Pic courtesy from Google Images.

COMPLIMENTARY colours are opposite each other on the colour wheel and help to neutralise colour. For example, if you have blue under your eyes, the colour opposite blue is orange, therefore you would use orange concealer under the eyes to even it out. If you have redness on your cheeks (or suffer from the skin condition Rosacea) green concealer will help. Green is opposite red on the colour wheel.

Pic courtesy from Google Images.

Want to know what colours suit you? As we flick through fashion magazines, we can clearly see that anything goes as far as colour these days. BLUE & GREEN should never be seen - yeh right! These two colours look amazing together. I call them the ADAM & EVE of colours - shouldn't be together and yet are so good together. Get my drift???

Pic courtesy from Google Images.

Regardless of the "anything goes" theory, there are colours that will compliment you and enhance your beauty.

We divide the Colour Wheel into two - cool and warm colours. How do we differentiate what we fall under? Follow my easy steps to find out your colours.

WARM & COOL SKIN UNDERTONES
Pic courtesy of Google Images.

What is the undertone of your skin colour? Usually falls under Pink or Orange. Predominantly people of English and Welsh backgrounds are usually pink undertones whilst European backgrounds tend be orange undertones. This is also the way we determine the foundation colour for you. Best way to check is by applying 3 tones of foundation on your inner wrist, that you think might be closest to your skin colour. The colour that fades into your natural colour the most, is the ideal colour for you.

Pink is more a cool colour whereas Orange is a warm colour.

Therefore, great colours for pink undertones are blues, greens, purples.

Great colours for orange undertones are orange, yellow, reds

Pic courtesy of Google Images.

Pic courtesy of Google Images.

 

 Next, look at your eye colours and follow the table below.


Pic courtesy of Google Images



Your hair colour should also be taken into consideration.

Pic courtesy of Google Images

HAIR COLOUR CHART USED BY HAIRDRESSERS
Pic courtesy of Google Images.

 

 

Finally, what looks better on you - GOLD or SILVER. Look at your inner wrist. Are your veins showing through more of a blue or green colour? The bluer the veins reflects coolness. The yellowy/green tones reflect warmth. Gold is more complimentary on warm golden tones and Silver is best with cool pink tones.

Pic courtesy of Google Images

Confused? Don't be. Make up Artists and Hair dressers are trained to help you with colour choices, as well as Design consultants.

Lets have a quick look at the RED LIPSTICK. How do you decide which is right for you, especially if you aren't daring enough to try wearing it. There are WARM REDS and COOL REDS (just to confuse you further lol). Therefore, a cool red lip - also known as a TRUE RED - is best suited to those with pink/cool undertones and the warm red - with a hint of orange through it - is best suited to orange/warm undertones.

RED LIPSTICKS
warm tones and cool tones.
Pic courtesy of Google Images.

There you have it. Embrace colour. Live a little dangerously and experiment with colours you have never worn. Bring out the real beauty with the rainbow.

Me wearing warm and cool - cause I can.
My undertones are in the middle of pink/orange therefore either or works well for me.
Colour theme here is orange and blue - warm/cool


 

SK x

BEAUTY QUEEN SOUL SEARCHING.

This Friday, yours truly will be embarking on yet another adventure. I will be surrounded with bling, gowns and gorgeous pearly white smiles. I am off to judge a BEAUTY PAGEANT! Not just any pageant may I add. This one will be crowned Miss Oceana International - a girl who is passionate about her surroundings and will go on to represent Australia overseas.

Picture courtesy of Google Images

I have been asked to organise the make up application backstage as well as sit on the judges panel. To say I'm a little excited is an understatement. I have organised a wonderful creative team that will beautify our contestants, whilst I search deep into the souls of our pageant entrants.



A Face Chart I threw together to get an idea of the look the girls will wear.

As I write this post, I think about what it means to be crowned in a beauty pageant. As a young girl, who always thought she would one day have the honour of speaking those special words......."I want world peace and to stop world hunger".......... I was fascinated by the gorgeous women with their long silky hair, their perfect smiles and their gowns that were fit for a princess. Last but not least, that CROWN. Wow.

These pictures were courtesy of Google Images 

The gorgeous Miss World Oceana from a few years back - Erin Holland.

But now years on (not that many years ok) I realise there is so much more these young ladies have to give. The majority of these girls are career oriented and are role models for our younger teens. They are knowledgeable and have engaged themselves in charity awareness.

Miss Oceana has set the standard far and beyond. Contestants were invited to join from all cultures and backgrounds and there was NO size restrictions. Big girls have beauty too you know. I have always said that you can be the most beautiful girl around, but if your personality stinks, then I'm sorry my dear, but you are UGLY.

Picture courtesy off Google Images

I am so honoured to be a part of this. I look forward to meeting all of the contestants and learning more about them.

I will be doing make up for models partaking in the fashion parade, that will be showcasing hair couture before the pageant begins. I can't wait to share the pictures from this with you all next week.

My awesome creative team, who I will mention in my next blog - will have the duty to provide the gorgeous girls with a makeover, making them glamorous as they walk the stage.

Finally, I would like to add that this pageant - Miss Oceana International - would not have substance if it didn't have a purpose. The money raised from this will be going to a charity that raises awareness of child abuse. No child should be mistreated and put under this abuse.  My creative team are volunteering their time for this wonderful cause.

Stay tuned till next week, when I will give you a rundown of our special night.

SK x

SHOWER HER WITH COLOUR THIS MOTHER'S DAY.

My goodness. It's already May. Where is the time going. May means Mother's Day. Purchases of perfumery, jewellery, pyjamas, dressing gowns, slippers, flowers (yellow, pink and white chrysanthemums) mugs, chocolate, love song cd's and vouchers to beauty salons are frantically being made ......... ummmmm........... the day before. I bet you are guilty of that. I'm usually this 'last minute' person, but sure enough I am a little more organised this year and have made my purchase for my mama.You still have 4 more shopping days peeps to get yourself organised.

May means Mother's Day and that means CHRYSANTHEMUMS
Pic courtesy of Google Images.

Why must the typical "Mother's Day" presents be purchased year after year. Me personally, I enjoyed my children making me little crafty gifts at school when they were younger. That doesn't happen anymore :-( .

Pics courtesy of Google Images. 

Only today my son who is 16, suggested he may buy me the new Mercedes Benz perfume, cause it might make me smell like a care!!!!! What the?????? I have a vision of me smelling like engine oil for some reason.

Pic courtesy of Google Images.

Mums usually put themselves last. We are good like that. LOL. Never enough time to make ourselves look pretty, take care of our skin, do our hair or even apply simple make up. I'm constantly hearing women state that they wished they knew how to apply make up PROPERLY. Unfortunately, it isn't a skill we are born with - well the majority anyway. Make up application is a learned skill. And I don't mean the Kim Kardashian wanna-bees who think contouring is the be all end all.

Pic courtesy of Google Images

If you are stuck for ideas, here is one - Get them a make up lesson from participating beauty counters or make up counters. They usually go for about 1 hr to 3 hrs, in which a step by step demonstration is shown. This won't make them make up artists, but it will give them some confidence in choosing the appropriate colours and techniques. Trust me, she will love you for it.

Pics courtesy of Google Images

If you don't think she would enjoy this, then invest in quality make up for her. A gift voucher is always handy so that she can be correctly colour matched. Don't be shy to ask at the beauty counters either. If all else fails, grab her a nice lipstick. You may not be able to afford to buy her a CHANEL bag (I'm still waiting.....) so try getting her a CHANEL lipstick. Style and quality all in one little package. After all, its the thought that counts.

If my children are reading this, I would be happy with the CHANEL bag. Please and thank you.

Here is a picture kids....... just saying!!!!
Pic courtesy of Google Images.

So to all the mums out there reading this, I hope you have a wonderful day being spoilt. Breakfast in bed should include wine. It's that one day each year that we are being celebrated for being a mum, grandmother, step-mum and role model.

SK x