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26 Dec
We hope you enjoy this lovely guest post from our friend Melanie Sarah from West Berkshire, UK.
It’s a blustery afternoon in West Berkshire and with four more sleeps to go, the Met Office has hinted that it may be just be a white Christmas. The ebb and flow of the year’s seasons with hair and wardrobe dilemmas to match!
As I near a five year anniversary with the jane iredale brand (the only brand in my makeup bag and recommended range at Melanie Sarah Image Styling) I’m dedicating this blog posting to Lesley and Mary of Berkshire, in the UK. They really are ‘Live in Full Bloom’ women.
As the summer faded things were heating-up for Lesley and Mary! Weeks of rehearsals, style selections, text messages, coffees and those all-important wish lists for their hairdressers and personal stylist. As experienced (fundraising) super-models, they took it all in their stride. Perhaps their grandmother 
status was responsible for this fabulous attitude? More likely it was due to the one thing they really do share – Lesley and Mary have survived breast cancer. They are both members of the Newbury Breast Care Support Group which was founded in 1993 to help with the process of ‘moving on’. It won the 2006 community hospitals association award for Innovation and Best Practice for Post-Operative Breast Cancer Service.
In October 2013 the NBCSG took to the catwalk again (its 4th fashion show) modelling ranges from John Lewis in front of a packed audience of family, friends and supporters at the Regency Park Hotel in Thatcham. This is no ordinary formula for a fashion show. All models have received treatment for breast cancer – for some very recently, for others many years ago.
Every show to date has been 
supported by catwalk-escorts and this year it was the soldiers from The Royal School of Military Survey, Denison Barracks, Hermitage. An amazing night, packed with humour, smooth moves, style and most of all – fund donations! The ladies bloomed modelling everything from onesies to evening wear – no wonder their team effort raised over £6000 towards the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s ‘Faxitron Appeal’. Even three of the Berkshire-based consultant surgeons had a catwalk routine to wow us with! They said of the new Faxitron machine – “it will sit in the operating theatre and test tissue samples for traces of cancer, so, for the first time, we will know in real time, as we operate, when we’ve removed the cancer at a microscopic level.”
Here’s another gem for you. 82-year-old super-model Barbara captured everyone’s attention on the night. She was only diagnosed in September and symbolizes ‘moving on’. And boy did she move – wiggling away to ‘Hit the Road, Jack’ dressed as a biker chick AND stripped down to a bathing suit in the beachwear section. Bright-eyed, wrap around smile and glowing with confidence. Live in Full Bloom, Barbara
And so to Lesley & Mary’s must-haves for their catwalk makeup. Combined and in no particular order they were: Disguise my dark under-eye shadows. Define eye sockets. Give me some eyebrows as I have little brow-hair left. I’d like to look smoother with less creasing. I need this to last for the whole show. Will my foundation slide after a while? I need plenty of top liner; do I need to re-apply the lipstick or any other products during the show? What does Smooth Affair do? Will I feel hot wearing lots of makeup? Will my eye makeup smudge? Are you sure my base will stay in place under the lights and all that moving about?
How did we do it? The primer and 
bases were crucial for the rest of the look. Smooth Affair Facial Primer & Brightener for an even skin tone and to minimize the appearance of pores and increase luminosity. It also gives great ‘grip’ ensuring their wish of ‘staying put’ on the catwalk came true. Then for some full coverage mineral BB cream – Glow Time, applied with the foundation brush and camouflage brush for the eye lids and intricate areas around the nose and mouth. Glow Time is exceptional at covering blemishes, pigmentation and especially the “dark under-eye shadows”. Lesley wears Glow Time every day in the chillier months and Mary was new to it – Mary was amazed at its power to cover. She also commented that her skin felt “comfortable and nourished”. It took them both a while to accept that despite the ‘stage-proof’ layers of base – it felt “very light weight; how is that possible?”
To open the eye area I applied Wink PurePressed Eye Shadow and then a mixture of Dawn and Cappuccino to define the sockets. Blonde PureBrow Brow Gel and Taupe Eye Pencil for eye brows, Dark Topaz Mystikol to define the top lid and a little underneath. Black Onyx and Espresso mascara to define and glamorize.
For that lit from within look I used PurePressed Blush in Copperwind with an extra sweep of Moonglow Quad Bronzer for Lesley and Rose Dawn for Mary on the cheekbones and forehead. And now the finishing touches – Beyond Matte HD mattifying powder in translucent to eliminate shine, lessen transference and provide extra makeup-endurance for our super-models!
PureMoist Lipstick (the jane iredale 2013 product of the year, in my opinion!) created a real buzz. Lesley and Mary could not be dragged from the new collection of tempting pigments – they were like twelve year old discovering the new colors. Both requested a confident application of lipstick – “this has to last!” PureMoist was the ideal choice – we used Liz and Brooke. The creamy, rich and smooth formula glides on easily for long‐lasting colour. The sleek tube gives easy and precise application. The only top up they applied throughout the show was PureMoist Lip Stick although both said this was more habit than necessity as it stayed on so well throughout the show.
Coverage, confidence, comfort and skincare were the repeated words whilst working with the jane iredale goodies for Lesley and Mary. I set myself a secret challenge and it was to demonstrate to ladies in their late sixties that it IS possible to enjoy firstly wearing a liquid foundation and secondly an array of beautiful pigments to enhance the beauty of a mature skin. A light-weight feel with a natural, believable look. The jane iredale range continues to be the skincare makeup to love and trust! To your good health and happiness for a fabulous, pigment-packed New Year!
Best wishes,
Melanie x
Melanie Sarah Brewer | personal stylist & makeup artist
Owner of Melanie Sarah Image Styling
The post A year wrapped in skincare makeup to love and trust! appeared first on jane iredale.
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