Farewell, I leave You With The Best In Brow Shaping

Unfortunately, this is goodbye for me as this will be my last post for The Transcribery following other commitments.

Thank you all so much for logging on and showing your support, I can’t express how much it means.

I think it’s quite fitting that my final post is about one of my absolute favourite people in the beauty industry.

Steve Supple is the mastermind behind Brows By Steve in Joh Bailey’s Sydney Myer Salon.

I rave about him to those who seek brow direction, and I know I’m not the only one giving him great PR.

Steve, a man with a reputation for being Sydney’s best brow technician, has been working in the industry for twelve years.

Bringing his talent from London, Steve perfectly sculpts your brows and personalises them to the shape of our face making a huge difference in accentuating and complementing your features.

So we asked Steve what a brow shape can do for our faces?

"A good professional eyebrow shaper will use your facial features like your brow bone, cheekbones, eyes and nose, to sculpt a complimentary brow arch which will open up the eyes and highlight the angles of your cheekbones and jaw-line.

This can also take away that tired look and give you 'happy eyes', that natural ‘lift’ and 'Brow Wow!' experience."

So here I am, pre-brow shaping:



An eyebrow shape which includes waxing, tweezing and threading will cost you $55 with Steve.

If you haven’t heard of threading, it’s the amazing concept where running a piece of twisted cotton over an area wraps around and removes the tiniest hairs without aggravating the skin.

Steve measures every angle to ensure the result complements your contours and shadows to create a look that's symmetrical.

And voila, the result is this:




What I love about Steve is that he has the ability to completely lift your face and he spends a great deal of time personalising everything to your shape.

A word of advice is to book ahead, the man is popular.


Brows By Steve
Myer Sydney City
Level 1, 436 George St, Sydney
Phone 9231 4411

So, What’s In My Brow Bag?

Full brows are super popular again, check out what I use to keep them a little bold and framing my face.

Lancôme Le Crayon Sourcils Pro, $44, is the perfect utility piece as it has the brow pencil for gradually filling in, a fixer which is a wax that keeps your strands in place and a brush on the cap to tame them together.



Finish it off with Bloom Eyebrow Gel, $20, which will keep your colour and styling in place. Set them by pulling your brush in an upward motion to ensure there's no loose hanging hairs.



Keep up-to-date with my new projects and daily rants by following me on twitter @jadethomp

Au revoir xx

What We've Learnt: Ponytails

Long lengths are well and truly back with perfected ponytails a hit on the runway for Fall 2011.

Guido Palau worked a flawless mid-height pony for Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton while Luigi Murenu contrasted sleek with a teased tail at Gucci.


Marc Jacobs from Style.com

Louis Vuitton from Style.com

Gucci from Style.com

Low-slung and simple emanated from Ralph Lauren while Prada's heights and wispy sides kept the look soft and innocent.


Ralph Lauren from Style.com

Prada from Style.com

My absolute favourite was Valentino with their headbands and slight height oozing darling prep.


Valentino from Style.com


HOW-TO RE-CREATE VALENTINO'S LOOK

The Transcribery caught up with upcoming fashion and hair stylist Alicia Edwards who gave us the low down on how to re-create Valenitno's look.

Step One. Start by parting your hair down the centre or on the side. Follow by straightening your lengths to create a sleek finish.

Step Two. Using a comb, tie your hair back bump-free leaving a small section of hair out either side of the face.

Step Three. With everything in place, take a section of hair from underneath the ponytail and wrap it around the base using bobby pins to secure.

Step Four. Lightly run a straightener through the side sections by the face using a turning motion to create a soft wave.

Step Five. Pop a ribbon or headband around your head and secure.

Step Six. Finish with hairspray and a touch of shine mist.


Alicia recommends Sebastian Halo Mist, $37

Time Trial: Rosehip Oil

If you haven’t heard of rosehip oil, then I guarantee that you are missing out.

The rosehip, high in Vitamin C, anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids, is the little bulb-like fruit of the rose.

It's perfect for the colder months as it brightens, hydrates and clears the skin.

Now, the idea of rubbing oil into your face might sound absurd especially if you have oily skin like me.

But the beauty of rosehip oil is that it’s ultra-hydrating without leaving your skin sunscreen-sticky, it almost works to balance the skin.

Use it in the place of a serum by smoothing two to three drops on to your face and neck after cleansing.

After a minute or so when the rosehip oil is absorbed, the skin feels soft and moisturised.

After regular use of Bloom Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, $25, I’ve noticed that my skin is brighter, smoother and much more hydrated.



Other great rosehip oils you can try are:


Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, $20

Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics Luxurious Rosehip Oil, $34.95

Time Trial: Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15

Have you noticed that when a person whips out a Clinique lipgloss, their bathroom or make-up bag mirrors a Clinique beauty counter?

Managing to secure a loyal following, Clinique have developed a reputation for gentle yet effective high-end products.

New developments for the cosmetic and skincare heavyweight are always highly-anticipated.

The Transcribery had the chance to catch up with Clinique for a sneak peek of their up-and-coming products last week.

My favourite was their Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15 which is their Superbalanced liquid foundation developed into a powder form.


Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15, $68

You can build the coverage to the level you want from sheer to medium.

I was surprised by the latter seeing as I’ve only ever experienced powder make-up with a really sheer “did that even do anything?” finish.

Pop it open and you’ll find a good size mirror on the reverse of the lid, an anti-bacterial brush and a dial.

Turning the dial clockwise shaves off the make-up for the brush to pick up.

Keep turning to loosen up as little or as much make-up as you need to get the coverage you want.

The best part about this number is the dial only releases as much powder as you need so there’s less wastage and far less mess.

It’s also great because you can use this powder as a complimenting finish to liquid foundation or work a bit more in on its own to leave a medium coverage.

Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15, $68, is out tomorrow and will be available at Clinique counters nationwide.

What’s New: Illamasqua’s Muted Brights

Colour – it can instantly add dimension or draw attention to particular features and right now, we’re seeing an influx of bold colour from neon to mutes.

UK cult cosmetic brand Illamasqua, renowned for its super-rich, daring and multifaceted pigment, has released their new Spring Summer collection Toxic Nature which landed on our shores yesterday.



Inspired by the degradation of the earth, the colour mimics those common to toxic wastelands and genetic modifications.

This season’s palette plays with traditional tones by brightening, softening and mutating to give a dramatic evening look.



The trending tangerine is great for a punchy colour boost, try Illamasqua’s Sheer Lipgloss in Torture, $33, which works wonders when your complexion is looking a little dull.



Their multipurpose Cream Pigment, $42, can be used on the eyes, lips or face to add depth with a matte finish.


Cream Pigment in Bedaub

Cream Pigment in Emerge

Cream Pigment in Dab

Available in gorgeous pastel shades, they’re really buildable meaning you can work it into a look you’re happy with.

The range is super easy to apply leaving a perfectly playful finish, find Illamasqua at Myer Sydney City, Bondi Junction, Melbourne City, Chadstone, Brisbane City, Robina.

What We've Learnt: My Favourites From Fall 2011

Without a doubt, Fall 2011 has showcased an abundance of sheer talent.

The reasoning behind my own personal favourites varies from wearability to a great spectacle.

Beginning with the mod revival at a psychedelic Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen's Ice Queens with their organza trains and plush fur trim.


Alberta Ferretti (Marcus Tondo)


Alexander McQueen (Yannis Vlamos)

Not to mention Valentino's ultra-feminine preppy infusion and Burberry Prorsum's bright coats, capes and flared pants all encapsulating British style.


Valentino (Yannis Vlamos)


Burberry (Yannis Vlamos)

Mary Katrantzou perfectly balanced an array of her prolific clashing imagery and prints on high necks and wide stiffened rskirts while Viktor & Rolf, yet again, executed monochrome crisp, infallible lines and pleats over thick knits.


Mary Katrantzou (Yannis Vlamos)


Viktor & Rolf (Yannis Vlamos)

I loved Celine's covetable classics including heeled loafers, turtlenecks and longer length coats as well as Fendi's use of saffron, cobalt and mustard on exaggerated silhouettes, cable-knit tights and mary-janes.


Celine (Monica Feudi)


Fendi (Yannis Vlamos)

My Top Three
Three

I'm really pleased to say I was impressed by Australian designer Collette Dinnigan's collection. Much to the contrary of critics alike, I found the sophisticated prints, modest hemlines, fur necks and cinched waistlines to be tres feminine and very wearable.






Collette Dinnigan (Filippo Fior)

Two

Bottega Veneta's Tomas Maier harnessed the 40s and 50s with polished T-bars, texture, white tights and twin sets. Moving into the 20s, the collection then brought flapper-style dresses with intricate detail using lace and fringed hemlines.




Bottega Veneta (Yannis Vlamos)

One

Bally's cape coats, mini dresses and oversized platform buckle-up boots created a sophisticated look while the darker palette gave this Little Red Riding Hood style an extra edge.




Bally (Bally)

What We’ve Learnt: Side Plays The Perfect Part

Fall 2011 has reaffirmed last season’s side part to be one of the biggest hair trends to come.

It comes as a natural progression from the polished and perfected look we’ve been seeing this past year or so.

However, this season the side part came with some slight twists.

We saw Celine move closer to a sweeping forward-pulling combover and Jil Sander take the part to the extreme by wrapping the lengths around to create an open beehive.


Celine model by Monica Feudi


Jil Sander model by Luca Cannonieri

Alberta Ferretti reignited the mod movement with a psychedelic colour palette and a side-parted fringe curved loosely across the face.


Alberta Ferretti model by Marcus Tondo

Yves Saint Laurent’s long side part was drawn even further from the center and pulled slick across before tying into a perfect low slung bun.



Yves Saint Laurent model by Luca Cannonieri

What We’ve Learnt: A Pale of Perfection

While we’re still yet to see the entirety of Paris Fashion Week, there are a few key trends we can safely take away from Fall 2011.

One look is a flawless alabaster complexion which consistently comes hand-in-hand with autumn/winter fashion.


Carolina Herrera by Luca Cannonieri


Calvin Klein by Luca Cannonieri

Forget the summer glow, matte-perfected skin creates the ideal canvas for simple refined beauty or the best in bold lips.


Jil Sander by Luca Cannonieri