Thursday 19 August 2010

Welcome to another Beauty Bulletin from A Beautiful Education & Makeup Artist Lillybeth.  

What's your latest beauty purchase?  As I write this issue I've just opened a parcel of makeup from an online makeup store that's having a sale. Yes, a SALE!  And there are substantial BARGAINS to be had! Do those words excite you too?  But what's your definition of a bargain?  To me, a bargain is a discounted item that you'll actually use (How much makeup have you got sitting unused?) and know how to get the most from.  

How much value have you got from your most recent beauty purchase? Was it a good buy?  And if you bought it on sale, was it really a bargain?

My offer to you:  If you need an experienced viewpoint to guide your skincare or makeup shopping, email me your Q's or call me on 07 578 4226 for free product advice and recommendations - any brand, any product range, any time.

For your beautiful education,
- Lillybeth.

FACE OF THE MONTH - Vote for it here!

The crystal-cold island nation of Iceland was the inspiration for this striking makeup look, my entry in the 2010 Jane Iredale Makeup Competition. The theme this year was 'International Inspirations'.  I used cool, vivid hues such as grape, indigo and sky blue to convey the isolation and striking contrast of this European country near the Arctic circle.  No photo retouching was allowed so this is the unedited image submitted in the competition.

VOTE FOR ME!  You can see all 53 entries from makeup artists and beauty therapists around New Zealand and vote for your favourite in the People's Choice section.   My entry, 'Iceland', is 10th row down, on the right.  Should you wish to vote for me, all you need to do is fill out  your name, email address and 'Lillybeth Melmoth - Iceland" in the short voting form at the the bottom of the page.  Voting closes August 22nd and one lucky voter will win the Spring/Summer 2010 'Perfectly Nude' collection from Jane Iredale worth over $360!  

I'm proud of my entry and appreciate your interest. If you'd like to support me further, consider spreading the word (and website link) to encourage your friends to vote for me through your blog, on facebook and your social networks.  And If you're curious as to how the photo looks after professional editing, you can see it on the Facebook page for A Beautiful Education.

KIWI-STYLE TIP #1: How To Repair a Broken Lipstick

Have you ever broken a lipstick while applying it?  Found some damage done by 'little fingers'?  Or had lipstick fall out of the tube completely? If it happens again, use this quick & dirty tip to repair a broken lipstick:

Hold the broken lipstick piece with a tissue or clean fingers.  Carefully wave a lit match or lighter underneath the lipstick where it broke or detached.  Once the lipstick softens, reattach it to the base, being careful to let it set straight.  You may wish to use the flame again to melt and seal the edges of the lipstick together to create a more seamless look and stronger hold.  Wind the tube down and place, uncovered, in the fridge for a few minutes.  The chill will fully set the wax and you've just saved yourself from having to buy another tube!

And here's another tip for broken lipsticks...

KIWI-STYLE TIP #2: How To Make Your Own Lip Palette

What do you do when you get to the end of a lipstick?  About a third of your lipstick product is hidden inside the barrel even when the tube is wound up as far as it can go.  Do you throw it out?  Use a lip brush to access the last of the lip colour?  Or your finger or cotton bud?  Those are all options, but here's a clever use for those well-worn lippies: Make them into a customised lip palette.  

Simple & relatively quick, a DIY lip palette lets you salvage the last of your lipsticks, keep them all in one compact, and is a space-saving solution when travelling.

You will need:

• A plastic tablet box with compartments for storing and organising medication.  Each compartment will house one shade of lipstick.  You should be able to find these at your local $2 shop or chemist.

• A metal measuring spoon or dessert spoon.

• Some toothpicks or a small knife (for scooping and stirring).

• A small flame (eg. candle, cigarette lighter) or stove element.

• The lipsticks you wish to have in your palette - these could be lipsticks that are almost finished, broken by your kids (or dog - see below!), or simply your favourites that are perfectly fine but you wish to have in one palette.

Directions:  You can probably see where this is going.  :-)  

1. Scoop out a lipstick from its tube with a toothpick or small knife.  2. Place lipstick into metal spoon.  3. Hold metal spoon over candle, lighter flame or against hot element.  While the lipstick melts, stir with toothpick or knife to keep consistency and prevent separating.  4. When melted, quickly pour lipstick into a single compartment in your pill box. Repeat for each lipstick, cleaning your utensils between each shade.

You can then label your palette with the name of each lipstick, either with sticker labels or a chart showing which colour is in each compartment.  Do this on the inside of the palette's lid so the labels can be seen when the palette is open.  If using a small pill box like the one in the picture above, you may wish to glue two back to back to create a larger palette.  Happy DIY'ing!

KIWI-STYLE TIP #3: How To Get More From Your Gloss

If you're using a gloss in a barrel like the ones above (as opposed to a stick or tube), you'll probably find reaching the last of the gloss at the end or sides near impossible!  How much gloss are you missing out on? You're about to find out! 

To access more (if not all) of the lipgloss, you'll need to remove the plug in the top of the bottle that restricts how much gloss goes on the applicator.  You'll find it above the threading in the neck of the gloss.  In the picture above you can clearly see this plug as a thin, plastic line at the very top of both products.  

Use a knife (try a blunt one first for safety, then use one with a sharper, thinner point only if the blunt one doesn't work) to get under the plug and lever it out.  Remove it completely.  You'll be able to replace the lid as normal, but now you'll find you have more room to move the applicator wand and reach gloss you previously couldn't!  Try it!

GUILTY!!! (But beautiful)

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