Valentine's Day Lip Love

Valentine’s Day Lip Love

Valentine’s Day – the official holiday of smooching - is nearly here, so it’s time to think about your luscious lip plan.

Today I am giving you 3 date night lip options combined with a little color theory class, breaking down some color options for those of you with a cool complexion and those of you with warm undertones.

Read on and pucker up!

Valentine's lip number one is for those of you who don’t want to do a big lip, but feel like more than just chapstick. Try using a lipliner to shape your kisser, and top it off with a colored lip gloss. In these images we've left the liner where you can see it, but in real life blend through it with your lip brush and make it invisible.

Icy and pink glosses look fabulous on girls with a cool toned complexion, while soft peachy tones are beautiful on a warm toned girl.

Valentine's lip number two is all about your pink game. Moving into a full lipstick our warm undertone gets a lovely coral based pink which compliments the olives and golds in her skin.

Our cool undertone model got a blue based pink, breathing magic into her complexion and making her teeth look super white.

Valentine's lip number three is a feisty bold red lip – the ultimate Valentine’s lip! Girls with a cool toned complexion look amazing in a blue based red, 

while warm toned girls are best in a true red or an orange based red. (pictured here in a true red).

The lip models in this story were actually 2 of my makeup assistants! Whitney is our cool toned girl, and Therese is my warm complected model. 

Here are a couple of bts shots.

Therese in the makeup room getting a soft, glossy lip

Whitney on set getting a muted red lip

This story was originally written for Phoenix Bride and Groom Magazine.
Check it out here:

Photography by Jessica Savidge www.SavidgePhotography.com

 

3 Ways To Wear Red Lips This Valentine's Day

3 Ways To Wear Red Lips This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is best served with a bold red lip.
A red lip is sexy, it can be fierce, it demands attention, and it is the calling card of the vixen.
But if you are a girl who doesn't normally wear red the mere thought of that can be overwhelming! 
If a red lip seems scary, or feels like too much work, here are 3 easy ways  to slip into a sexy Valentine's rouged moue.

lipliner and gloss

1.   Ease your way in to red by lightly coloring your entire lip with a red lipliner, then adding a clear gloss.

lipliner and lipstick patted in with your finger

2.   Want something a little more substantial but still keeping it muted? Shape your lip with a red liner then pat a soft red lipstick on with your finger. You can control the intensity by tapping on a little more or a little less depending on your mood.
In the picture above we kept it super soft and subtle.

3.   Feeling a little more emboldened? 

bold, matte, red lip

Try out a velvety matte red lip. Shiny red lips can slip and slide, and often men cringe at the thought of kissing them and getting it all over their face.
Matte is the easiest way to wear red as it doesn’t move or bleed and stays on your lip rather than your glass. Or your man.
And it's sexy.

Looking for a new red lipstick?
Check out How To Choose Your Perfect Lip Color here

and The Best Red Lipsticks post here
I am also crazy about the new Temptu Color True red lipstick. Check it out in the link above.

The model in this story is my assistant Whitney, and all images were photographed by Jessica Savidge (www.SavidgePhotography.com)

If you liked this post please share it with your friends on your social media. (and join me on mine - see the sidebar on the right)
Also I would love to hear about your favorite red lipsticks! Drop me a line in the comments section below and tell me all about them!

50 Shades Of Lingerie

I'm going to a screening of 50 Shades Of Grey tonight. I read that there are no fabulous underpinnings in the movie, but even so I'm thinking Valentines Day this year will be all about 50 Shades of Lingerie.

Valentine's Day lingerie from Agent Provocateur

So without the movie to provide glorious lingerie I went googling to find some interesting undies to write about, and I found this article on Vogue.com  
It's well worth a read, with some 50 Shades worthy naughty pieces paired with some hilarious quotes.

Threesome
"If you’re planning a threesome for V-Day, you might as well go all-out and wear a pink lace jumpsuit with matching stilettos. It’s important to always be the best dressed person at the orgy."

The Breathless Guide To Valentine's Day Lingerie, One Night 11 Looks by Karley Siortino (click here to read the full story)

Matching bra and panties by Dolce and Gabbana

"If her panties match her bra when you take her clothes off, it wasn't you who decided to have sex....."

Beauty Tip Of The Week ~ Temptu Color True Lipstick

Are your lips ready for Valentine's Day?

I have a series of posts coming up this week about perfecting your Valentine's lip game, and I'm starting it off with a beauty tip of the week, and that is to try the new Temptu Professional True Color Lipsticks.
I'm obsessed.



These lipsticks balance intense color with a lightweight finish. The color payoff is just fabulous! They are a demi-matte finish and give you long lasting continuous color. 

There are 8 bold, glorious shades to choose from, and there is just enough time to order them for Valentine's Date night.

Pucker up!

Valentine's Day Lingerie Ideas - Naomi Campbell For Agent Provocateur

Nothing says "hello lover" quite like naughty lingerie!

Let my favorite undies purveyor, Agent Provocateur inspire your Valentine's Day underpinnings game with their Spring 2015 campaign featuring the wildest model of them all, Naomi Campbell. No one shoots sexy quite like photographer Ellen Von Unwerth

 Wanted Badly

Valentine's Lips Don't Lie

The great celebration of smooching is almost here, so there is no time like now to get your kisser ready for a big dose of lovin!

These 3 fabulous lip products came across my desk a while back, and I wanted to share them with you intime for you to get supple, kissable lips for Valentine's Day.

Because Valentine's Lips Don't Lie

1. Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner

By day keep your lips soft and conditioned with this soothing lip conditioner. Ilia uses all organic ingredients, and their lip conditioner comes in a variety of shades that give a sheer wash of color, but that add intensity when applied liberally.
Winter lips need extra protection during the day, and this one is just gorgeous.

Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in These Days

2. Nuxe Reve de Miel
This one is a powerhouse repair product for chapped and sore lips, but is also a fanatstic anytime lip balm. I use it in my pro makeup kit, but also keep tubs of it at home and in my handbag.I love to wear it to bed at night, it's so concentrated that you only use a little, and wake up with smooth soft lips.
Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm always gets 5 star reviews - I think it may be one of the very best lip balms ever.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

3. Lancer Volume Enhancing Lip Serum
With your lips all soft and supple it's time to plump them up a liitle with Dr Lancer's amazing Volume Enhancing Lip Serum. Not only does it increase lip volume (without any harsh irritants), but it also smoothes out the appearance of the little fine lines around the lips, making your lips look even more kissable.

Lancer Volume Enhancing Lip Serum

How To Plan An International Trip - 3 tips To Designing Your Dream Vacation

So you've decided to take your first international trip, (or your first international trip that doesn't involve a tour company or a cruise line) and you've chosen a country to go to, but now how do you figure out what to see and where to go within that country?

 You don't want to come home from your big trip and read about darling restaurants that you missed eating at, hidden treasures that you knew nothing about, secret piazzas where you could have enjoyed the best coffee in the world, fantastic sights that were close to where you were. 

Summer afternoons meandering around Pienza, Italy

Here are some ways to help you source out what to see and do when you are planning your trip. 

3 Ways To Help Plan Your International Trip 

1.) Read Books 
With my love of Italy I am always reading books by people who bought homes there and built a life in some delightful little town. My first was Under The Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and I have read many many more since then. (See my reading list here) 

You will find out about cool little places to visit, amazing non-touristy restaurants where the locals eat, special places that tours never take you to. I make lists as I'm reading, and then fit bits and pieces into various trips I go on. It's fabulous! 

2. Read Travel Blogs 
I love to spend mornings with a cup of coffee scrolling through travel blogs reading about other 'real people's ' travels. You can find all kinds of amazing information about places to avoid, what things cost, incredible places to visit that aren't in any guide books - all those wonderful insider tips that you can only learn from someone who has done it themselves. I get the best, best information from travel blogs! 

PeaceLoveShea's Shea Marie in the spice markets of Marrakesh

After reading PeaceLoveShea's blogs on Morroco I cannot wait to go there! Her photos are to die for - check them out here

3. Make A Mood Board 
I always make vision boards, but now after finding the website dnariyadh.com I'm getting obsessed with mood boards.

Dnariyadh.com Portugal mood board

Dnariyadh.com Marrakesh mood board

Putting together a visual collection of things that interest you in or about a country, be it sailing in the Greek islands, taking in the view on Capri, Gaudi in Barcelona - whatever it is - will start guiding you in the right direction to designing the trip of a lifetime.
Also there is magic in vision boards and mood boards. Spending time with them everyday seems to bring you closer to your goals, faster.

another cool travel mood board, this time from Kadijah's Blog