Strobing - A tutorial And Best Products

Strobing seems to be the latest craze. The reality is far from it: Pro Makeup Artists have been using this technique forever! Just without anyone knowing. With the abundance of beauty youtubers, bloggers & instagrammers everyone seems to be in the know, trying out and experimenting with professional makeup techniques.

What is Strobing? It is a highlighting technique that can be used together with contouring or on it's own. It's way more foolproof than contouring and the effect is also very suitable for day time makeup looks. Strobing can be done quickly and is an easy technique, which is probably another reason why it's so popular.

How does it work? You simply need to apply highlighting products to the highest points of your cheek bones and along the nose, as well as in the corner of the eyes and on the cupids bow of your lips. Highlight only what you really want to emphasize, because you will draw attention and light to the highlighted areas. Cream and liquid highlighters usually work best and are most popular. However if you want more longevity or have naturally oily skin you can also try to use powder highlight.

Mistakes To Avoid You need to find a highlighter that works with your skin tone. Avoid icy pink shades if your skin is medium or tan in colour or if you want to do for a bronzed look. The cool and frosted shades work best on fair and light complexions. Golden highlighters looks best on yellow toned skin with a light tan. You want the shimmer to look believable. Use a matte bronzer and blush to make sure you don't sparkle all over. The effect only works if there is a difference between the highlighted and not highlighted areas.

Which products work best?

The RMS Living Luminizer is a professional makeup artist favourite. This one is not too sparkly and leaves the skin slightly glossy, like all rms products, it comes as cream in a glass jar It has a very soft champagne tone it is subtle and sheer and adapts to most skin tones.

A great one that comes with a little bit of colour and is suited for medium to tan yellow tones is Jane Iredale In Touch Highlighter It has a warm peach colour that works best as blush highlight combo for the cheeks or warmer skin tones.

A gorgeous golden and strong highlight is the Au Naturale Organic Creme Highlighter which comes in a stick.

A powerful powder highlight is Adore Loose Illuminiser that comes as a loose powder. This one looks especially great on fair skins.

Gressa Skin has a wonderful liquid highlighter, the Minimalist Illuminating Face Serum which works great on all skin types, including oily skin or skin prone to breakouts, as it contains unique botanical oils and are balancing to the skin.

Photo by Stephanie Alcaino for White Magazine

Step By Step Guide: Find a well lit mirror. Duh! ;) Prep: 1.Exfoliate your skin, any bumps will stand out even more on highlighted skin, so make sure you prep your skin well. 2.Hydration is a must for any makeup look, especially for dewy and radiant looks. 3.You can also use a hydrating primer if you like. This will help to smooth open pores and make your skin look more flawless. I like Smooth Affair Primer by Jane Iredale. Conceal: Apply your base, be it just a light tinted moisturizer or a full cover foundation according to your needs. (Caution: If you use powder foundation a powder highlight might sit better on top than a liquid product.) Use concealer to hide any blemishes or redness.(you can also apply your blush and contour now if you wish) While in dewy editorial looks a radiant dewy base can be combined with strong highlighting, I recommend keeping the balance for everyday wear, wearing a more natural looking not too dewy base and a subtle highlight, to avoid looking too shiny,oily or sparkly like a discoball. For more mature skin you can achieve strobing with satin finish products that provide a sheen, rather then sparkles. Highlight: Apply your highlighter of choice: On top of the cheekbones using fingers or blending brush, along the bridge of the nose and on the cupids bow of your lip. A little highlight in the inner corners of the eye also looks lovely, and will open the eyes, making them appear to me wider set. Avoid highlighting areas with blemishes or areas that you don't want to draw too much attention to.

Ready For Spring: Jane Iredale 's Latest

The temperatures in Sydney have been rising and with so many sunny days over 20 degrees lately, I am beyond excited about Spring. The nights and mornings are still very crisp and I am sitting next to my heater, sipping on herbal tea as I type this.

There are more good news: Jane Iredale is launching some beautiful new products in August and I was lucky enough to have a little play and preview!

PoreAway Technology in Smooth Affair With the warmer weather around the corner, our skins will get often more oily and the humid weather will melt makeup off our skins much faster. You know I am a bit of a fan of the Smooth Affair Primer already, which is excellent for dehydrated, dry and mature skins. Now it has a little Sister: Smooth Affair For Oily Skin ! It's just as lightweight and hydrating as the original formular, yet it smooths out open pores and makes your makeup stay on longer even on oily skin. They have even named and registered the Pore Away Technology. I like how the formula absorbs quickly and feels like nothing is on the skin! Many primers that claim to do the same thing leave that typical silicone primer residue behind, yet this one is undetectable. The last thing you want on an already oily skin, is another heavy layer on top. It creates a soft focus effect due to minerals which colour adjust to your skin. The product looks milky translucent and goes on clear. The pretty golden tube is travel friendly and perfect for my kit. The finish is smooth and matte and keeps shine away.

PlayOn Lip Crayons! I am a bit of a fan of these already and have recently used them behind the scenes on some photo shoots, with amazing results. They glide on so easily, are very moisturizing, yet the finish is not too glossy, rather satin. And the colours? O M G . Just perfection. Really on trend and including the prettiest neutrals that look somewhat hip and fun and never boring or old fashioned. I have also been blending different lip colours together to customize them. I don't even have a favourite as all seven shades are all so pretty. That's why I gave you some swatches on paper... Yet on the lips they are way more vibrant and lucious. I liked them so much that I actually got worried they might be a limited edtion... I immediately asked the Jane Iredale team if the PlayOn Lip Crayons are here to stay. Thankfully they did confirm quickly that these amazing crayons will become part of their permanent range! Phew. I am relieved. And I can play on :) These beauties will launch real soon here, keep your eyes peeled! For absolute makeup minimalists: You would like the Lip Drinks in Buff (nude) and Crush (berry) they are lovely sheer tinted lip balms.

Pure Lash - Lashes Lashes Lashes Lashes (along with brows) are possibly the biggest ongoing beauty trend of the last few years, with women using growth serums, permanent eyelash extensions and falsies have become a staple for evening makeup. Personally I love my mascara and wear it daily. I like long, full lashes, yet I like them to look natural and I have used organic or natural mascaras for some time. It's important to keep in mind how important your eye sight is and sensitive eyes are not to be messed with in my opinion. Jane Iredale has released another great mascara, free of nasty preservatives or petroleum based ingredients. Pure Lash Lengthening Mascara, actually conditions and protects your lashes with Panthenol and Wheat Protein. I like the effect and texture it gives, not too gluggy, it manages to separate the lashes very well. As will all mascaras I always find the application is most important.

Pure Pressed Eye Shadows These are not new but rather a staple within the eye makeup range. I like them in my pro kit because they are so gentle and safe for sensitive eyes. They can also be used wet or dry and are super versatile. Due to the pure pigment they can be used on brows, cheeks or lips, depending on the shade. These are the shades being promoted for the new season: There is "Forest" which is the most wearable, richest shade of a deep matte green. I have recently used it to create a dramatic smokey eye on dark hazel eyes. "Iris" is a rich matte purple, great for stronger looks or to be used as eyeliner to make green eyes pop. "Steamy" is a warm peachy soft red, pretty on blue eyes and also on cheeks. "Mermaid" is a soft shimmery pearly green, good as a highlighter with very little colour pay off. They all come as individual compacts which is perfect for a personal beauty bag, however it is a little more tricky to use in my pro kit. As most artists would agree: We love palettes, as they are easier and quicker to set up. I hope Jane Iredale will eventually design a system to create custom palettes for these great quality shadows.

All these products will launch on the 10th of August 2015

All Jane Iredale products are certified cruelty free, free of Paraben and Phenoxyethanol preservatives and all minerals are purest quality and tested for purity and never contaminated with heavy metals, all products are suitable for sensitive skin and have been tested to be Hypo Allergenic.

Vapour Organic: Luxury Makeup

You might have noticed a few raving reviews on here lately! As I like to feature brands that I personally like to use, I usually feature only my very fav's up here on the blog. Just in case you were wondering... it's not that I am not critical enough! It's rather that every product that makes it on here, has already been carefully selected :) I like to keep things positive and all the products or brands featured are the ones that I really like and that stand out to me. As Organic Makeup Artist I am so passionate about companies that get it all right.

I have recently already talked a little about Vapour over here and named a few faves. This brand has previously already received tremendous love from Vogue beauty editors, so I am certainly not the first to discover this outstanding organic luxury makeup brand. Well deserved. The textures and finishes are simply beautiful and up to the highest luxury makeup standards and yet they manage to stay clear from harmful toxins. If you didn't believe that organic makeup works until now (which is of course sooooo wrong!!!) this brand will instantly change your mind: Trust me! Besides that they just got the whole sustainable thing right, the products are produced with windpower and of course they are certified crueltyfree. These guys just got it all. Okay, before I keep raving I better give you some more details about the products:

And now a little more detail about the products: Atmosphere Luminous Foundation If you like dewy skin you will love Atmosphere Luminous Foundation. It comes in a stick, which is a little different, especially if you are used to liquid foundations. It super handy though, doesn't take up much space in your cosmetic bag and it travels so well, without the danger of spilling and leaking. The packaging is beautiful and the twist mechanism is properly worked out and easy to use. I warm the end of the stick on the back of my hand, before apply a few streaks across my face. Paying the most attention to areas with redness. Next I use my fingers to blend the product. It moves very smoothly on the skin. The scent is fresh and barely noticeable. The finish is what it promises: Luminous! You won't need much product: If used correctly, your skin will glow, but not shine; if there is shine, you have over-applied. Try to use concealer where you are seeking extra coverage, rather than overusing the foundation of problem areas. Of course if you are after a matte finish, have oily skin or want and all day lasting finish: This is not the foundation for you! About the colour and shades: They got the shades spot on with a variety of natural and yellow toned foundations from very fair skin to very dark skin, with 12 shades to choose from Vapour covers a way larger range than most other organic ranges, which is fabulous. On normal to dry skin, this wears beautifully and it's very silky. My skin still feels moisturized after the end of a long day in this Winter weather. The current Sydney Winter feels pretty cold and endless to me and my skin has become a lot drier. My summer go-to foundations simply don't do the trick in this weather and with all the heating. Vapour Atmosphere Luminous Foundation keeps my skin hydrated and doesn't show up dry areas unlike most other foundations. It's a dry skin saviour! I also combine it with Stratus for some extra glow and smooth the skin.

I have heard only the best about the liquid sister Atmosphere Soft Focus Foundation , which is supposed to be better suited for combination skin. I can't wait to order myself this one as well, so far I have not yet used it professionally.

Stratus Instant Skin Perfector Again this product comes in stick form or as liquid, depending on skin type. The stick is best to be used with the stick foundation on drier skin, the liquid goes with the liquid foundation on combination to oilier skin types. I used the stick and again think that's so practical and easy to use. It's a colour correcting makeup primer with the same silky texture as found in the foundation. It comes in 3 different shades to balance different skin tones, but the product itself has no colour. I warm the stick on the back of my hand and then apply were extra glow is desired and on areas that need smoothing, due to larger pores or fine lines. This magical stick perfects the skin and can be used on it's own, if you are after a very natural look and if you have already even beautiful skin. It's very moisturizing and has light reflecting properties which help to blur any imperfections.

Mesmerize Eye Colours Smolder & Embrace make the perfect soft smokey eye on the go, super fast blended with fingers, the Mesmerize Cream Eye Colours are very beautiful. Best suited for people with dry eyelids or can also be used as base with your favourite mineral eye shadow powder over the top for extra longevity. On myself they won't last on their own due to my oily eyelids, but I still like to use a light colour to highlight the inner corners of my eyes.

Aura Multi Use Blush The Aura Multi Use Blush is an easy to blend blush stick, that can also be used on eyes and lips. I love it the most as blush. My eyelids can be to oily for the product to stay put, on my cheeks however it lasts and lasts and lasts... On shoots it's brilliant and very pretty on eyes. The perfect bridal blush or every day work day blush! No brushes needed, it transforms into a silky texture that goes on easily with fingers. I love the colour "Spark" which is a very healthy warm tone. Of course you can blend it with a brush as well. Hooked!

I am currently using Vapour on set a lot, so I will also update you with some professional photos of makeup looks I have created with these products.

The Lane Makeup Artist Natural Wedding Makeup

All wedding photos by : A Bear A Dear And A Fox Beauty Photo by Stephanie Alcaino for White Magazine

Yesterday I received an email letting me know that one of the wonderful weddings I created the natural bridal hair & makeup for has been featured over at The Lane. The bride Jenna was one of the most fun ones I have ever worked with and check out all her beyond talented friends creating beautiful details for her wedding. She is also founder of the boutique natural soap business Maple Soaps, which are the most gorgeous handcrafted vegan soaps, which smell delicous and are free of any synthetic fragrance.

I was also interviewed and asked about my tips on how to create my signature natural makeup look, as seen above. I thought I share it here with you, along with with best products to achieve this look:

One of our enduringly favourite looks for bridal beauty is this supernatural face you created…how did you do it? The right prep and base is key for this minimally beautiful look. Spritz you face with a hydrating mist, I currently love Gressa Purifying Mist. Then apply a high quality skin serum oil, for example Gressa Purifying Oil for radiant, well prepped skin. A cream highlighter applied to cheekbones enhances the bone structure. A sheer foundation like Vapour Atmosphere Luminous Foundation or tinted moisturizer buffed into the skin with a soft foundation brush evens out skin without masking it. For extra radiance & colour corrections try using Stratus another great product by luxury organic brand Vapour. Use a high coverage concealer like Au Naturale Creme Concealer only to cover redness or blemishes for an invisible flawless finish. Use a completely translucent powder only through the t-zone to keep excess shine at bay.

And the eyes, they're 'enhanced' but not heavily made up…whats the secret to achieving that? Start with hydrating the eye area. Tata Harper Restorative Eye Crème is a real winner. Evening out the eyelid with a hint of a tinted eye-primer or foundation. Apply a dab of clear gloss as highlight in the inner corners or alternatively a shimmery light eyeshadow like Au Naturale Creme Eye Shadow. A nude eyeliner on the inner rim creates an open eyed fresh look. Enhance your eyelashes by curling them and coating them with a natural effect Mascara like 100% Pure Black Tea Mascara. It's important to make sure you apply the mascara right on the roots of the lashes to give that framing effect and a luscious thick lash line.

What about colour, what should brides keep in mind for a natural look but drawing on hints of colour like this? The only colour I used on this look focusses on the lips and cheeks. This is very soft matte peach tone, which will enhance the skin tone. To create the soft focus hint of colour, I recommend using the same product for lips & cheeks. RMS lip2cheek in demure is a great sublte colour. Dabbing it on with fingers will create that subtle effortless chic. It's best to carry the colour with you for touch-up's of the lips on your wedding day.

And any final, expert tips? Create a beauty ritual that you and your skin love as far out from the wedding as possible. I recommend keeping a routine that works for you and to avoid skincare changes closer to the day. Always choose quality products over quantity. I also believe that the actual beauty ritual is important: Take time to massage your skin daily or fit in the occasional professional spa facial massage, both will increase circulation and nutrition for the skin, delivering that glow from within and relax your facial muscles as well. Get used to keeping an hydrating spray on your desk and a multi tasking skin balm in your handbag to hydrate lips, cuticles and any dry areas in your face. This way your skin will be at it's best in time for your wedding or any occasion you might have coming up.

Intense Creme Eye Shadows By Au Naturale

What could be a better start to the week than dipping my brushes into some beautiful new makeup products by Au Naturale? They seem to be the expert when it comes to natural creme makeup products.

I had an extensive play and have been wearing their organic creme eye shadows and creme concealer quite a few times now, so it's about time to tell you how great they are. Intense pigments and beautiful colours make these a perfect addition to my green luxury makeup kit. They blend very easily, you can also mix different tones together to create unique shades. Another plus is that they multitask: the matte shades double as eyebrow colour or you can use any shade as eyeliner, used with an angle brush.

The creme concealer is a little miracle worker, hiding imperfections before you can count to three... And super easy to apply! I love it for redness and blemishes, some people do however successfully use for the under-eye area as well. It surely is creamy and has full coverage. The little pots with window are great to use in my kit, as I can easily see the colour, without having to open each and every one.

Although I mainly use pressed eye shadows in my kit, the little loose pigment shadows of Au Naturale apply with ease: wet or dry and come in rich shades. Really great for editorial makeup artists that are looking for some colour and also for sensitive eyes, these vegan eyeshadows are free of any nasty byproducts. Simply 100% quality pigment. I played with the Glam Eye Palette, which also included two eye brushes. With their simple and sleek design, durable quality and super soft cruelty free bristles, these brushes are very nice to use and blend those creme products to a real seamless airbrushed finish.

The lip gloss in a very humble packaging really surprised me: The colour was intense and almost opague, very long wearing (for a gloss!) and without any annoying smell or taste. Formulated without bee's wax, preservatives, parabens, fragrances, additives, bismuth oxychloride and nano-particles these suit the most sensitive flowers. Lip gloss is such a simple product, yet I find that many brands don't get it right. Most are too goopy, with strange flavours that remind me of kindergarten (not in a good way) These glosses however are pro quality. A powerful gloss in simple sturdy packaging.

All Au naturale products are professional grade, made in USA by the very inspiring founder Ashley Prange. All products are made fresh and without preservative. It's amazing to yet discover yet another 100% natural, green and toxin-free brand that really delivers professional results.