My favourite part of the makeup has been the skin. It’s very stripped back, not a lot of product at all. MAC Strobe Cream, MAC Face & Body Foundation (the smallest amount, really. Applied with a damp Beauty Pod Sponge), and MAC invisible setting powder…..  I’m a big believer in using as little foundation as possible for work like this, but the skin still has to be perfect so that Chris isn’t spending hours in photoshop correcting texture or tones – in most of these images, Chris doesn’t touch the face at all in terms of correction.  Cheek colour hasn’t really been a focus so I’ve just been contouring with MAC Groundwork Paintpot – I love this product for contouring! Highlighting is usually done with either MAC Pearl Cream Colour Base or MAC Accentuate Powder. These products all look amazing in photographs, not like makeup at all, just natural light and shade on the face and when the light catches them – wow, I just love it.

Here’s a picture of the beautiful Katie on a shoot we did a while back, I hope you love it as much as I do.

You can check out more of Chris’ amazing work at www.chrisfatseas.com

Gemma xxx

Makeup wise for our beautiful model Casey, I stuck with the Autumnal theme using warm brown tones for the eye makeup (MAC Groundwork Paint Pot, Brule, Wedge & Mulled Cider eyeshadows, Teddy Eye Kohl & Blacktrack fluidline) and rose tints for the lips and cheeks (MAC Blushcreme in Posey and Lipstick in Lustering as a stain). For skin I kept it natural with my good old favourite, Make Up For Ever HD Foundation and added on a set of Ardell Claudia Lashes for that extra wow factor.

Photography – Photography by Shayla – Gown – Brides by the Bay – Make up – Embellished Make up – Hair – Anna Felton – Jewellery – Lisa Daniels Designs Stationary – Bespoke Letterpress & Imbue Weddings for all the hire, styling and flowers.

I’ve been waiting for this collection to hit our shores for months now and it was finally launched last Thursday. I just adore the pastel macaron coloured products and the kawaii touches that have resulted in a colour story that is Quite Awesome.

I only picked up a couple of products, but seriously this whole collection is amazing, Aside from the lipsticks and blushes, I also adore the nail laquers and plushglass lipglosses (my favourite ever lipgloss formula), it’s just so fun but also wearable at the same time. St Germain lipstick is also back as part of this collection, so if you love your super blue pinks and don’t own it already, it’s a must have. Another come back is the lip pencils in Boldly Bare, In Synch and Naked Liner, I hear these are staying on as part of the permanent range, which is exciting – Boldly Bare is one of my all time favourites!  The eyeshadow quad is adorable too – reminds me of the Sweetie Cake Collection all those years ago.

A quick run down on the ones I purchased…..

Playing Koi Lipstick (Satin): Creamy Pastel Apricot. This is my favourite of the release, being Satin and Creamy it’s just the most gorgeous pale peach. I’ll be wearing this as blush also!

Candy Yum-Yum Lipstick (Matte): Bold Neon Pink. Talk about Bright! If you love bold lipsticks you must get a hold of this.

Quite Cute Lipstick (Cremesheen): Sheer Icy Lavender. This is a fair bit paler than Lavender Whip which came out a few years ago. Will be nice for layering and on it’s own.

Giggly Mineralized Blush: Cool toned pink with a Lilac heart-shaped Accent in the centre (cute!) This is kind of like a Dame/Well Dressed lovechild in a Mineralize formula (which basically equals my dream blush).

Anyway, enough from me on this collection, I could rabbit on about it all day I love it so much.  All this talk of sweet pastely goodness has me craving french baked goods!

Gemma xxx

So because of Summer, the end of the year, the fact this blog’s 2 year birthday is coming up, and just because I feel like it, I’ve decided to do a big Summer Giveaway over on my Facebook fan page. I’ve gone out and bought some of my all time favourite Summer goodies and packed them all up for one lucky winner. Basically it’s my top must haves for Summer, I hope you like them as much as I do!

So what will the winner receive?  As pictured….

MAC Fix + Skin Hydrating Mist
Kit Cosmetics 30+ Face Sunscreen
25ml Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment
Lush Snow Fairy Lip Tint
Duo Waterproof Dark Toned Eyelash Adhesive
Andrea Modlash #28 False Lashes

Plus there’s a cute Fred Ice-Kabobs Ice Tray in there as well to keep your drinks cool!

To enter  -  head over to the Embellished Makeup’s Facebook page HERE, become a fan, and tell me what you’re most looking forward to this Summer! That’s it!

You have two weeks starting from now to enter the competition and the winner will be chosen at random on Thursday 16th December. The winner will be contacted and the prize posted out on either the 17th or 19th of December depending on when the winner gets back to me with their address. Entry is open to all Australian Residents with a mailing address within Australia.

Get to it y’all and GOOD LUCK!

Gemma xxx

Züca is becoming very prominently used in the makeup industry at the moment after being successful in the figure skating world for quite some time.  You can buy all sorts of frames and inserts in different styles and colours meaning you can really tailor it to your needs and personal taste. I chose to go with the sport frame (in hot pink of course) and the black stealth insert as it’s the easiest for me to keep clean (I just wipe it down with makeup wipes from time to time). The artist range has a collection of small clear plastic topped utility pouches you can stack inside the case and still see what’s inside.  You can fit five of the pouches inside although I usually just have three or four so that I can still fit in a box of tissues and my brush belt in on top of them.

Aside from the central cavity there is also a heap of pockets inside and out, and the amount of stuff I can fit in there amazes me.  In the pictures you’ll see the four inserts I regularly use, one of them up close and also a bunch of stuff I keep in the side pockets all the time as my just in case products (straws, hairspray, comp cards, nail polishes, sunscreen, panadol, etc etc), all of this fits comfortably in my Zuca (as well as my brush belt and a box of tissues as I mentioned before).

Other cool things? The top is a seat so you can sit on it if you need to. The massive rollerblade style wheels light up which impresses everyone who sees it. The extra set of wheels means it climbs stairs – usually it’s easier to just carry it up due to the big handle on top – but technically they do work.  Being the shape it is it doesn’t fall over if you leave it standing up which means no more broken products.  The telescopic handle is sturdy and smooth.

The Zuca is not cheap, it probably cost me about three times as much as my previous suitcase, however I’m expecting it to last at least that much longer as it’s heaps stronger and more practical for my needs.  For professional makeup artists on the move, they are really amazing.  You can buy them from a few places, however I ordered mine from the ZÜCA website and it arrived within a couple of weeks.

Coupled with my paleness, I’m also super sensitive to itching and breakouts – isn’t that great? Most sunscreens break me out or itch like no one’s business, but over the years I have found some that work really well for me and I thought I’d share them with you.

1. Kit Cosmetics SPF 30+ Face Sunscreen – $31.95 (75g) This Broad Spectrum cream is non greasy, non whitening and super lightweight and gentle. I never get breakouts from it and it sinks right in, not leaving a slippery or sticky film on my skin. The cost means I don’t feel guilty using it on my decolletage, arms or anywhere else on my body, which means sun protection without the usual itchiness I get from most Supermarket sunscreens.

2. Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face 30+ Hydrating Facial Sunscreen – $45.00 (100g) Again Broad Spectrum, this lotion is perfect for the face as again it’s non greasy and non whitening. It’s packed full of hyaluronic acid which means it hydrates the skin beautifully.  Oilier skinned people may even find this is great in place of a daytime moisturiser.  I feel a little more conscious using this on my body as it is a slightly higher price point, however Mecca now make a body sunscreen as well (I haven’t tired it personally but hear it’s great) so you could use that on your body instead.  Makeup sits really nicely on top of this guy and being so lightweight it’s perfect for even the fussiest of people who hate the feel of sunscreen on their face.

3. Shiseido Gentle Sun Protection Lotion 30+ – $52.00 (100mL) This last Broad Spectrum sunscreen is a physical blocker as opposed to a chemical one, so it will leave a slight white film on the skin, however it really is minimal.  Formulated for Babies and Sensitive skin this lotion is lightweight and gentle leaving no greasiness on the skin. Again price wise for me means it’s a too expensive to slather over the body but for those who chemical sunscreens don’t agree with, this is a great alternative.

What’s with all the technical jargon? Bascially, broad spectrum sunscreen offers protection from both UVA (the aging rays for arguments sake) and UVB rays (the ones that cause burning). It’s really important have both covered as not only can sun exposure burn your skin, it also speeds up the aging progress like crazy.  None of us want to look older than we are!

And SPF? In Australia, the highest SPF you can buy is 30+ This means it will keep you from burning at least thirty times longer than if you were without sunscreen.  In other continents (Europe, USA, Asia etc) you can buy Sunscreen with a sun protection factor of up to 100. Even though that seems like it would be much better, the truth is if the same product was sold in Australia it would still have to be marketed as 30+ at most. There is no such thing as an SPF of over 30 here currently, as we have the hottest sun in the world (damned hole in the Ozone layer!), and the highest standards for sun protection in the world. The Shiseido sunscreen I talked about above is sold as an SPF 50+ pretty much everywhere else in the world – it’s exactly the same product, but Australian standards dictate that it has to be labelled as SPF 30+

Anyway, enough with all the science talk, just wear sunscreen when you’re out in the sun this Summer, okay? Your skin will thank you!

Gemma xxx

Face
01. Cleanser: AM- Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel, PM – MAC Cleanse off Oil
02. Toner/lotion: Toner is the devil for me, I use MAC Fix + Spray for hydration instead
03. Cream/moisturizer: Pevonia Soothing Sensitive Skin Cream
04. Facial mask: MAC Volcanic Ash Thermal Mask, Mario Badescu Whitening Mask
05. Exfoliator: Washcloth daily, Lush Angels on Bare Skin or Pevonia Peeling Cream (every 2-3 months)
06. Make-up remover: MAC Cleanse off Oil, Bioderma Crealine H20

Body
07. Shower gels/soaps: Moo Goo Milk Wash
08. Body lotions/creams: MAC Mineralize All Over Lotion (occasionally)
09. Anticellulite/firming treatment: Can’t be bothered!
10. Body exfoliator: Too harsh for my skin!
11. Hand cream: Jurlique Rose Hand Cream
12. Lip balm or lip treatment: Lush Honey Trap
13. Perfume: I don’t do perfume, it gives me headaches!

Hair
14. Shampoo/conditioner: GHD Nurture Shampoo, Sebastian Penetraitt Conditioner
15. Mask or other treatments: Moroccan Oil, Redken CAT

Make-up
16. Foundation: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation
17. Powder: La Mer Translucent Loose Powder
18. Blush: MAC Blush Ombre – Azalea Blossom
19. Mascara: MAC Mascara X
20. Lipstick/lipgloss: MAC Colour Crafted Lipstick
21. Eyeshadow: MAC Painterly Paint Pot
22. Eyeliner: MAC  Penultimate liner – Rapidblack

I used the Beauty Pod yesterday and I must say I’m totally converted. Whilst the Beauty Blender is pretty much the same thing, I found the shape doesn’t really lend itself to the stippling method you’re supposed to use with it, so I don’t use it all the time (my lazy habit of using my fingers occasionally resurfaces and the result is nowhere near as good!). The Beauty Pod on the other hand? Well, it’s perfect. The base is pretty flat and there’s a groove in the middle so you can grip the pointy end to stipple on your foundation in a quick and easy manner. The finish is gorgeous, it’s really natural and super smooth, no lines or marks to blend away. You can apply a sheer amount to some areas and build up coverage in others.  I usually apply my concealer with a brush but thought I’d give the Beauty Pod a go under my eyes. I was pretty impressed actually. I just flipped the sponge around and used the tapered end and it was super easy and gave a really nice, natural result, so much so that my concealer brush may be in danger of becoming neglected!

When comparing the two sponges, for me I personally prefer the Beauty Pod over the Beauty Blender due to shape and ease of use, other than that they are very similar in material and it’s true what they say – they don’t absorb nearly as much product as latex based sponges (they probably use slightly more than using a foundation brush, but not a significant amount). So how does the price compare? The Beauty Blender retails at around $29.95 AUD or you can sometimes get 2 for $49.95. The Beauty Pod retails for $12.95AUD, which is around half the price.

The winner for me is definitely the Beauty Pod, coming out in front for both ease of application and price.  The finish really is the same for both, and I do love that the Beauty Blender is pink (come on, someone’s got to say it!) but maybe – just this once – purple is the new pink?

Both the Beauty Pod and the Beauty Blender are available at online makeup supply stores nationally.

Perfection.

I thought I’d share some of the pics of the makeup (taken by the truly amazing Jonas Peterson - who is awesome), however if you want to see more of this wedding (trust me you do) check out the Real Weddings Style Annual for 2010 which is available now, and also the wonderful 100 Layer Cake blog for a squiz at the finer details (including my favourite thing, the gorgeous table centrepieces at the reception).  Jonas also has a few pics up on his site, but I suspect there may be more to come….

Salma wanted her makeup to be classic and elegant.  She has amazing skin, so we used the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation to provide a beautifully natural base. The colour palette was a combination of neutrals – cue MAC shadows in Arena, Satin Taupe and Mystery with a flick of Blacktrack Fluidline to define the upper lashline – and Salma’s favourite colour pink – NARS Mata Hari Blush was the perfect rose petal pink for the cheeks and MAC Brave lipstick gave her natural pink lips. For finishing touches I used MAC’s Penultimate Brow Marker for naturally accentuated brows and MAC eyeshadow in Patina to highlight the tops of the cheekbones.  I hope you love it as much as I do.

Photography – Jonas Peterson – http://jonaspeterson.com/
Makeup – Gemma Elaine – http://www.embellishedmakeup.com.au/
Hair – George Sotiriou – http://georgesalons.com.au/
Accessories – Shahedah Sabdia – http://www.alessarablog.blogspot.com/
Bridal Gown – George Wu – http://www.georgewu.com.au/