I think a lot of clothing colours trending at the moment are being driven by what we’re seeing in hair and not vice versa. Charlotte Free has pretty much owned pink since she debuted the colour on the catwalks last season and it’s become her trademark. Obviously Nicki started it off with her album Pink Friday but the trends been edging further west from the Japanese Kawaii scene over a couple of years now.

Loved the air-brushed living doll perfection on the shoot in this month’s Wonderland Magazine.

It’s Xmas and you party party party a different outfit for every night, high heels and your fur or leathers on. Now what about your face! No one really enjoys doing the same thing all the time right? It’s sheer convenience… so why not try something different if it’s easy as 1 2 3 and doesn’t mean you’ll be stuck in front of the mirror for an extra 2 hours trying to get it right.

What is she talking about, you may ask? Glitter lips! I’m not thinking glossy or matte I’m thinking glittery lips that will entice even savoury lovers.

The best way to go about it is choose a color you’re used to I’d say purple, red, bronzed orange etc. Make sure your lips are nicely exfoliated, now you don’t have to go buy a fancy lip exfoliant, all you need is some trusty Pawpaw or our your preferred lip balm and an old toothbrush or disposable mascara wand. Once they’re smooth as a baby’s bum bum (doesn’t have to be done on the same night) move on to the next step.

Line your lips all over with a slightly paler color than the lip color you chose as the glitter will cover it all anyways and any gaps will be filled with lip liner color giving a more 3d effect.

The best way to get the glitter to stick is by using a lip gloss like Illamasqua intense lipgloss or Mac lip glass sheer if you’re using a colored liner.

Now for the fun part!

Using a domed brush a little thicker than a lipbrush pat the glitter on to your lips starting from the centre and working your way up and out.

It is completely up to you how far you want to take it… keep it light or just in the centre or go all over.  I suggest smaller glitter pieces stay on best but chunky glitter is more drama for the best selection of glitters pop by Charles Fox http://www.charlesfox.co.uk/.

To finish it off tidy up around your lips using surgical tape which will remove the excess glitter not the makeup.

Photo by Keith Clouston, make-up by Stephanie G-M, model Giorgia m&p models

Finito! Now try to keep your lips to yourself!

Stephanie G-M xx

Gareth Pugh brings his Gothic geometry to Mac just in time for Christmas. With a collection including stealthy looking lashes and all our Mac staples cream shadows, lipglass, polish and even a make-up bag we’re sure we’ll be seeing this one on girls and a probably few boys we know over the next few weeks. Personal favorites are the oil slick nail polish shades and the heavily pigmented shadows – I’m a big MAC eyeshadow fan, cranberry’s my favorite, looks kinda vampirish with ice blue eyes. The packaging is beautifully designed. Nice tings, nice tings available now from MAC.co.uk.

Whilst in Guangzhou in southern China we found a little nail shop opposite our hotel and so in the spirt of “now or never” I went with know and got some 3D smilies and bows which are all hand crafted in acrylic by the manicurist.

The girl who did my nails had neon tips which were pretty cool and her friend who taught me how to count to 10 in Chinese had the little blingers below. I’ve since forgotten how to count to ten in Chinese.

Right beside our hotel we had Guangzhou’s answer to Emporio Armani – Amor Nini. Dead posh.

Here’s a sneak preview of what’s in store…..

The lovely Bip Ling.

Ex intern and BITCHY customer Laura Chatterton.

Make-up artist Steph – not intentionally inspired by My Little Pony, it just worked out that way. Thanks for letting us raid ur FB pics.

I remember having a lecture about Nagi Noda a couple of years ago and I recently came accross her work again. I think its so cool, completely original and so creative! She also does lots of other work including book covers, music video’s, art and design. My favourite is definitely the afro dog, second to last picture…maybe thats because I secretly wish I had afro hair! Hope you enjoy!

I’m really excited by all the colour in hair and make-up at the moment. It’s such a contrast to all the scandi and far eastern inspired minimalism and the big “How to look good Bored” trend.

By now you’ll all have seen Jessie J’s jewel encrusted lips. Artist Paige Thompson takes it to another level painting animals round her mouth represented in various emotional states. Probably not going to be backed by Boots but I can certainly think of at least one persons who’s lips and persona are big enough to fit the bill.

Centre partings were all over the Spring Summer catwalks…and everywhere else, which I am loving! Its such a laid back and easy style that always makes you look effortless and cool, even if you’ve done nothing to your hair! Lucky for me too as I have a natural centre parting that wont let me do much else! haa. What do you think? Will you be rocking the centre parting?

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Polka-dot hair!

There’s a warm cool shit scene blowing in from the East and I think we might be looking at a K Pop explosion. Kpop is a South Korean music genre that swept through the country in the early 90’s and continues to dominate the music scene. In terms of looks, styling, slick and shiny these kids have got it nailed. I’ve been lucky to visit Seoul on a number of occasions and I rate it as one of my favorite cities in the world along with Tokyo, Berlin, Barcelona, YC and of course our home town LDN.

2NE1 is a girl band at the forefront. They’re poppy, fun, cute, cheeky and sexy but in an innocent way that teenage girls should be. There’s nothing innocent however about the shiny  cellophane designer vacuum pack – we’re loving the Jeremy Scott and our very own Kokon To Zai packaging.

I’ve watched this about 5 times.

Gaga’s production borrowed Japanese and Korean TV show references for the Telephone video. I think we’re gonna see a lot more of these to counter balance European minimalism.

I’ve written about the far East’s influence on trends before, how Eastern youth culture takes western references, tweaks, saturates and hyperbrights them to sell them back to us 3 seasons later. Nice little game of trend tennis we got going on. Game, set and match KPop.

Oh yeah and…..we’ve just had our AW of Kokon To Zai.

Shot by Danny Baldwin.

Images via Labb

I know this becuase I’m an ex-buyer and designer and I was Queen of “too soon” . I picked up on this trend on a visit to Tokyo 2 and a half years ago – luckily at that point I was a senior designer so I didn’t have to hang my head in shame – some poor buyer did. “Oh dear” my bad, sorry. Anyway I think we’re finally ready for scrunchies on the streets – the Japanese are just incredible. They’re all over something seasons ahead of us – they’re bonkers, my kind of bonkers. Me likey, me lovey. It seems to be the natural progression for the top-knot.

American Apparel – I think this girl is slightly OCD.

As seen at Marc Jacobs SS10 – I think it looks cute. I just wish my hair was long enough. FAIL.

So for the next few months I hope to bring you a slice of the LA pie (its juicy and fattening) and share with you the crazy and stupid adventures of me and my bestest sister Kesh.

So I arrived after an horrific flight, no sleep for like 48 hours and hungover to hell, but I made it. In true LA style we went straight to eat chicken wings and watch the Lakers game (??) , I stroll in with my goth black maxi dress draped in gold jewellery and clearly did not fit in, the chicken wings were damn good though.

I then arrive at our wonderful magical shack,  I love it,  its bulit for leprachauns and trolls to live in, but me and kesh are making it work….

Our Magical Shack

For those of you who know Kesh’s blog (http://therealkesh.blogspot.com) you will be familiar with Kitty, for those of you not familiar..here she is:

KITTTYYYYYYY

Kitty is here to protect us from savage mongooses that attack us in the night……….

So I have been here 2 days in total, and have been wasted for yep…..2 days in total. The first night we sashayed over to Moustache Mondays, youve gotta show some tranny love. Those of you unfamiliar with the wonderfullness of Moustache Mondays: this will sum it up……..

WERK

The last few days we seemed to have covered alot of ground: CobraSnake store opening in Hollywood, Art Gallery Openings and the amazing Freak City, all of which have had a free bar.

Tomorrow we are of to the Fabric District to haggle with some cool mexicans……

Anyway thats enough rambling so I shall leave you with some pretty pictures…..

Peace

Suzie (suzzaaaaayyyyyy if you are Marion) xx

Too much technology in one shot....

The Loverly Jeremy Scott

My Favourite piece from the Art Show

Don’t know what’s wrong with me but face paint seems to be my latest venture ever since seeing Avatar and listening to too much Empire of the Sun…So definitely squealed when I saw these red brows on the SRC783 blog.

UMM…HELLO! The bleached white as snow brows can take a middle finger! I’m going with these!

Also started copying Empire’s white face stripe – successfully donned at a party a few weeks ago…

Ever since i was 5 years old, i would dive into my GodMothers make up bag and ask her if i could apply her YSL Red Lipstick to her lips. However i never thought i would one day become a make up artist.

I studied visual merchandising and then went on to Interior Design.

Finally one day realising i wanted to do MAKE UP and i LOVE  it

MY BEAUTY ICONS

DONYALE LUNA ,EARTHA KITT, ANJELICA HOUSTON, BJORK, BETTY PAGE  AND BEYONCE

Donyale Luna

The kind of make up i LOVE is realness, when you can still see the girl, when the make up doesnt take over, it just adds to the personality or to the persona.

Anjelica Houston for me has class and sophistication her make up never looks seen she just looks strong, sexy and powerful.

BJORK on the other hand uses make up as her way of expressing HER ART, another reason why i love make up. EXPRESSION.

In the resession in the 1930’s sales on RED LIPSTICKS doubled as women wanted to make them selves feel SEXY and chic.

We are riding through a resession right now and CREATIVITY HASNT BEEN SO STRONG, look at what ALEXANDER MCQUEEN achieved at his autmn/winter show 09/10 he used an accumulation of props from his past shows. GENUIS.

CREATE

When it comes to other MAKE UP artists i am always intrigued to hear where they get their inspiration from, MANY say nature, the sky, plants, butterflies. I simply get mine from WOMEN.  I love the female species, old Hollowood movies, VOGUE magazine, women on the tube applying 15 layers of mascara. WOMEN today have so much choice in make up.

MY 10 FAVORITES

SKIN.avene skincare i love the entire range, i LOVE how simple it feels Eight hour creme- great for dry chapped and sore skin.amazing as a face and body gloss also. ORIGINS NEVER A DULL MOMENT- an amazing skin brightner that leaves the skin feeling plump and refreshed.

MAC moisture cover concealers.-a lightweight cream that works amazingly on any skintone,also works great as a foundation looks natural and has a satin smooth finish

TRISH MCEVOY even skin foundation ok its £55 for 30ml but its amazing does not give a MAKE UP look it brightens the skin and delivers adjustable coverage.

MAC EYE KOHLS IN SMOULDER i could not live without it a soft black black eye kohl that makes a smoulderingly SEXY EYE looks even better the morning after the night before.

MAC #217 BLENDING BRUSH this brush goes everywhere with me. it blends eyeshadow,concealers,foundations prettey much does everything.

MAC ruby woo a solid block velvet matte red lipstick.

LOREAL TELESCOPIC MASCARA i just love the ball yes no brush a ball!

NARS-ORGASAM BLUSH. A PEACHY CORAL BLUSH MADE FROM LIGHTWEIGHT PIGMENTS. LITERALLY WET!

look out for my next update soon just in time for NEW YEARS EVE make up, i will be giving you tips and advise on how to do a quick and easy look without alot of products.

LOVE