The 18th Century and Me

I’ve always been a little in love with 18th Century beauty and fashion. I love the ‘more is more’ attitude with the use of make up as a weapon for seduction, expression and also the practicality of it all (beauty marks were often used to cover blemishes or pox marks) it certainty is more fabulous than using a bit of concealer. Anyway, I was watching Kirsten Dunst in ‘Marie Antoinette’ and my love affair was stoked up all over again. There are lots of references you can take from this era of decadence and darkness for your own make up look.

Stained Lips

Give lips a sexy blush and deep stain with Giorgio Armani’s Lip Wax Compact Lipstick in Raspberry or Deep Chanti for a richer deeper stain. This lip wax has a great modern texture, which can be dabbed into the lips. The texture is matte but won’t dry your lips out and can be mixed with a bit of lip balm if you want a bit of a sheen.

Matte skin

Matte powdered skin was a sign of wealth and power as it meant you didn’t have to go into the fields to work and therefore get a tan. You can give a nod to this look with matte powdered skin, which always looks luxurious and grown up. Try layering on Chanel’s Poudre Universelle Compacte in Beige on the t- zone and darker skin tones can try MAC’s Blot Powder/ Pressed in Dark or Deep Dark, which will give skin a matte silky look without leaving skin looking ashy.

Strong brow

A strong natural brow is great for framing the face and also makes you look younger and more innocent as it smacks of a time before you’ve discovered waxing and tweezers. To get the look try using Estee Lauder’s Brow Setting Gel, and brush your brows upwards to get a fuller look and also tame unruly hairs.

Rouge

Blush was a very important part of the 18th Century look- going for the full red or scarlet blush today granted would make you look a little demented but going for a shade braver with your blush would give a dramatic and sexy injection of 18th Century glamour into your make up. If you love natural soft warm pinks try Bobbi Brown’s blush in Peony, which is a cooler pink or for a sexy pop of wearable red on your cheeks, try Nar’s Cream Blush in Turkish Red.

Go on and add some Dangerous Liaisons into your routine………..

Gel Blush Question from Sophia

Are there any gel type blushes that you would recommend? I really like the sound of them for when on holiday but they always look quite scary and user unfriendly. Don't want to look like an extra from Cirque du Soleil!


Hi Sophia,
Thank you for your email and kind comments! Lots of people tell me they are scared of cream and gel blushers but they are great for summer when make up looks more healthy, glowing and fresh with tinted moisturizers etc. The secret with gel blushers is that less is definitely more. It’s easy to layer small amounts of blush to build up the amount of colour you want. I love Prescriptive’s Colorscope Plush Blush, which comes in a portable stick and you can apply it straight from the stick onto the apples of the cheek and then blend it in with your fingers.

Bobbi Brown also do a All Over Bronzing Gel SPF 15, which is great as it gives skin a healthy glow and can be used like a bronzer on the areas of the face where the sun naturally hits like the chin, cheeks, nose and forehead.

I hope that helps x

WARM PEACHES

Warm Peaches

I am obsessed by blush and always have been…

At school I remember slathering my face with a gloopey red 3-in-1 gloss, which said it could be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. After my friends howled with laughter at my rather avant-garde make up look, which wouldn’t look out of place on a Gareth Pugh catwalk - I ditched the eyes and lips and my love affair with blush was born.

I love the blush look, which came down the catwalks of Prada and Calvin Klein for S/S 09. Celebrity make up artist Caroline Barnes who has worked with Kylie, the Sugababes and Sophie Ellis Bexter described the look as like “delicious cooked peaches”. She recommends you “layer the pink blush over a bronze in a horizontal sweep to keep the look modern”.

To get the look on my dark cool skin tone, I am using Chanel’s new blush Joues Contraste, in Fandango, which gives my skin a sunlit sheen which would put Beyonce to shame! I combine it with a pop of MAC blush in Love Rush (a trusted old favourite).


All skin tones can give a nod to this look and mid skin tones can get the look by layering on Clinique’s new Quick Blush in 01 Hurry Honey and 05 Pronto Pink, which has a really genius design. All you do is simply twist the cylinder with the cap on and remove the cap to find the brush loaded with a deposit of the water resistant powder blush. And if you are an English Rose with a fair skin tone you should reach for L’Oreal Paris Blush Minerals in Soft Peach topped off with The Body Shop’s 02 Roseflower Blush for the pop of pink.

Wearing blush is one of the easiest ways of adding light, vibrancy and fun to your skin - so jump on the wagon and become a blush addict with me.

Ateh x