Autumn Makeup Masterclass with Space NK
Autumn is my favourite season, hands down. The temperature drops and allows you to bring out the knitwear, you can chain drink brews without turning into a sweat monster, and best of all, the Halloween stuff comes out!
In addition to the above, I’m a big fan of Autumnal colours. As I have warm toned skin, brown hair and hazel eyes, brown, red, green and gold are my go to colours. Last week I was invited to a special makeup master class at the Space NK store in Manchester to learn about the new Autumn/Winter products and how to incorporate the AW catwalk trends into your look.
The makeup look
The techniques in the Masterclass were demonstrated on a lovely model named Holly and Jutheanne was the MUA, along with Grace Revington talking through the products used. I have included a links to the products they used to make it easy for anyone to find them (this is not a sponsored post though.)
Skincare
To kick start they prepped for makeup. 111 skin care pro Dean Dawson talked about the importance of using a gentle exfoliator a few times a week to dissolve dead skin cells which can clog pores and make the skin look dull. He recommended the Lift Off Exfoliating Cleanser because it is really gentle on the skin and contains ingredients which improve cell turnover to make your skin look fresher.
The base
After prepping the skin, pro team artist Jutheanne used an illuminating primer by Laura Mercier on Holly’s skin. She chose this specifically as it would make the skin look as though it was illuminated from within but you could use a non-illuminating primer if you wanted to have a more matte base. My sister swears by the standard Laura Mercier primer and I have used hers in the past and been really impressed by the results.
For foundation, she used the new Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion which is a long-wear foundation that promises a matte but not cakey finish. Apparently, the best way to apply this is to use a damp sponge or beauty blender. I tried this foundation afterwards on my hand and I was in love. It had such a soft and lightweight texture, I can’t wait to try it on my face.
Next up, Jutheanne used a Nars creamy concealer, aka the holy grail of makeup, to lighten up any darkness under the eyes (not that Holly had any) and then used a light setting powder to keep everything in place.
The vavavoom
Finally, onto the eyes and lips!
After priming the eyes, Jutheanne used a beautiful taupe colour to add some definition without looking to dramatic. She also applied eyeliner to the tightline (the line just below your top lashes under your eyelid) and very close to the lash line and finished by using a Keyvn Aucoin mascara to add volume and length to the lashes. I had never heard of this brand but apparently it is one of the best for eye makeup.
Finally, it was time for a bold red lip. Jutheanne used a Nars lip pencil to outline the lips and create a shape and then filled it in with one of the new Nars power matte lip pigments. These colours are amazing and are all named after famous rock songs, how cool is that?! To finish the entire look, she spritzed some setting spray and voila, Holly was an Autumnal babe!
I had a lovely evening at Space NK and learnt so much about the brands they sell and the correct techniques to achieve the best results with the makeup. The pro team were amazing, as were the staff who worked in the Manchester store; I will definitely be going in and asking their expertise on makeup in the future.
