Miss Madekwe talks all that beautifies...

I caught up with my beautiful co-star Ashley Madekwe who is currently shooting in Los Angles for some serious beauty goss..

Eye: Ashley. You have the most beautiful skin I have ever seen, I think in fact it's quite possible u have been dipped in caramel.....do u have any favorite products we could try with perhaps a less sticky residue.....?

ASHLEY: Ohhhhhhh thank you! I used to have quite spotty skin so I try to take really good care of it now. I swear by Shu Umeura's oil cleanser. Nothing else removes my make up like it. I also love Shiseido's day moisture protection creme. Both of these products are very rich in texture but I'd rather be oily and moist then dry!

 Eye: Please share with our fellow beauties your biggest beauty NoNos ... I do recall you mentioning a few horror stories in the makeup truck! 
ASHLEY: Over plucked eyebrows. Ugh! I think I full, groomed brows frame the face better. Over plucked brows look harsh and are aging. I especially hate the tadpole/sperm shape that some women favor.

Eye: You have portrayed many beautiful women on screen from Bambi in 'Secret Diaries of a Call Girl' to Chloe in the 'Beautiful Life' and most recently Molly in 'Bedlam' -what tips have you picked up along away and what's the one item all your ladies couldn't live without....

ASHLEY:*Every make up artist will tell you to remove your makeup before you go to sleep. It's the oldest trick in the book. It's the first thing I do when I come home at night. I then slather on loads of face creme! All of my characters wear mascara (and individual lashes if I can get away with it!). Mascara is a basic female right! 

Eye: let's touch on inner beauty, which u radiate in killer watts, what rituals and mind sets do you embody to keep smiling inside and out.....
ASHLEY:I'm a very honest person. Perhaps too honest! I've found that as I get older I cannot keep they way I feel inside. If something or someone bothers me- I say something about it. Life is too short to keep negative feelings inside. I also like to do Bikram yoga. That 90 minuets of moving meditation keeps me sane. It's a time where I'm not thinking about anything other then the postures that I'm doing.

Watch Ashely in tonight's finale of BEDLAM Skylivng 10pm

VANITY FAIR..GET THE LOOK

One early morning in a drafty studio in North London Will Young and myself were transformed, from a sleepy eyed coffee clutching pair into 1960s old hollywood screen sirens inspired by Leo and Kate a la revolutionary road....it wasnt easy, the professionals were called in...and here's a little look in their tool box..

Make-UP

Artist - GINI BOGADO

PREP- Sisley hydrating mask, 

            Nars primer

            SK11 under eye pads

SKIN - Mac face and body C3 foundation mixed with dior shimmer

            Sisley compact powder

EYES-COLOUR-Christian Dior brown, gold shimmer pallet 

           LINER- Mac gel pot in black

           LEASHES- Temptress blink+go

LIPS-Mac lipstick "cut a caper"


NAILS- Christian dior Nude

HAIR









step one: curl hair using a cone shaped hot rod..


step two: pin curls up onto your head to alllow to cool without loosing     their shape..


step three: when cooled brush out curls and hair spray..


step four: get creative and wip hair into a chignon, take all hair over to one side keep lots of volume on top and turn back over its self and pin like you've never pined before...


dadahhh...there you have it you look like Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous!

FINISHED ARTICLE MARCH ISSUE 

SkyLiving's launch party for their new original dark drama 'Bedlam' (click for preview) was a highly anticipated event and a girls gotta look the part, so of course one was have a mini melt down over looking cool, calm and collected whilst oozing high doses of sex and sophistication....well maybe not so much of the latter but you get my drift....
So Sky called in the professionals, I wore a fab dress by VaVaVoom, I was lent an amazing pair of Camilla Skovgaard shoes (I am in love with all her styles) and the wonderful Rebecca Richards was called in for hair and make-up, her powder puffs have buffed many famous noses such as Romola Garai, Fearne Cotton, Edith Bowman and Vanessa Hudgens, with a suitcase full of make-up (too exciting for words) she worked her magic...and two hours later I was preened too perfection and even had time for a sneaky interview.....
  




EYE:Rebecca, has make-up always been a major part of your life? from pre-teen experiments to a full blown career?

REBECCA:I WAS ALWAYS PLAYING WITH MY MUM'S MAKEUP WHEN I WAS VERY LITTLE AND INFACT ONE OF HER EARLIEST STORIES ABOUT ME WAS WHEN WERE WERE ON HOLIDAY AND I WAS ABOUT 5 - I HAD HER LIPSTICK ON AND WAS WALKING AROUND POUTING ...I EVEN TURNED DOWN AN ICECREAM BECAUSE 'IT WOULD RUIN MY LIPSTICK'!

I ALSO HAD 2 AUNTIES WHO WERE HAIRDRESSERS SO WAS ALWAYS EXPERIMENTING AND LEARNING NEW TRICKS FROM THEM AND PRACTISING ON MY FRIENDS...BARBIES DOLLS ... BROTHER!

EYE:We grew up not far form each other in equally small villages, where Im guessing like me there weren't many people in the 'business", was there a particular turing point where your realized your dreams of becoming a make-up artist could in fact be a reality and be taken seriously as a professional career?

REBECCA:ALTHOUGH I WAS ALWAYS VERY ARTISTIC AT SCHOOL AND WANTED TO BE A HAIRDRESSER OR A FASHION DESIGNER, I DIDN'T ORIGINALLY GO DOWN THAT ROUTE.  WHEN I LEFT SCHOOL AT 18, THERE WERE STILL ONLY 4 CHANNELS ON THE TV (HARD TO IMAGINE NOW!).  A CAREER IN 'THE ARTS' WAS DEEMED AS 'TOO RISKY...THERE'S NO MONEY OR OPPORTUNITIES' AND I HAD A BRAIN SO I TRUNDLED OFF TO UNIVERSITY TO STUDY BUSINESS AND MARKETING.  I THEN ENDED UP IN LONDON AND WORKED IN MARKETING FOR MUSIC AND FILM FOR ABOUT 6/7 YEARS.  MAKEUP & HAIR WAS STILL A BIG PART OF MY LIFE AND I WAS FOREVER EXPERIMENTING ON MYSELF OR MY FRIENDS (MANY A DODGY 'LATEST FASHION' HAIR CUT CAN BE FOUND IN OLD PHOTOS!).  BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF MY WORK, I WAS INVOLVED IN LOTS OF PHOTOSHOOTS AND FILMING AND I LOOKED INTO RE-TRAINING IN MAKEUP SEVERAL TIMES,  BUT COULD NEVER FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK FINANCIALLY AT THE TIME BECAUSE THERE WERE ONLY FULL TIME DAY COURSES AVAILABLE.  IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS 27 AND WAS LEFT SOME MONEY BY A RELATIVE THAT I DECIDED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE.  BY THEN THERE WERE LOTS MORE COURSES AVAILABLE AND INTENSIVE EVENING COURSES TOO.  I REALLY WORRIED ABOUT TELLING MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHAT I WANTED TO DO AS I DIDN'T WANT TO LET ANYONE DOWN, BUT EVERYONE WAS SO SUPPORTIVE.  I STUDIED WHILST I WORKED AND THEN LOVED IT SO MUCH I QUIT MY MARKETING JOB QUITE SOON AFTERWARDS.  THE FILM COMPANY I WORKED FOR AT THE TIME WERE GREAT AND EVERYONE BELIEVED I WOULD GO ON TO GREAT THINGS, AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY NOW ONE OF MY BEST CLIENTS.   HAVING THE GUTS TO MAKE SUCH A MASSIVE CHANGE WAS SCARY, BUT I HAVEN'T LOOKED BACK SINCE!  I STILL FEEL TODAY THOUGH THAT MY ORIGINAL MARKETING CAREER HAS REALLY HELPED ME TO GET WHERE I AM NOW.

EYE:Your alarm didn't go off, your flatmates drunk all the milk, you cant find any clean underwear and you have an interview your already late for ....what would be your quick fix essential beauty tips for our readers....?

REBECCA:QUICK CLEANSE OF THE FACE (COULDN'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A QUICK FACE WASH AND IT WILL HELP TO WAKE YOU UP!) , SLAP ON  SOME TINTED MOISTURISER, BRONZER, CREAM BLUSH (ON LIPS AND APPLES OF THE CHEEKS) AND LOTS OF MASCARA (LAYER IT ON) . EITHER SCRAPE YOUR HAIR BACK INTO A TOP NOT KIND OF BUN AND RUN OR GRAB SOME DRY SHAMPOO... PERFECT FOR WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASH YOUR HAIR!

EYE: Top 3 products?

REBECCA: OOOO....ONLY 3?!! HAVE YOU SEEN THE SIZE OF MY MAKEUP KIT?!

CHANEL - SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL - MAKEUP BRONZING BASE ..IT'S AMAZING! SO SILKY AND GIVES YOU A BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY GLOW

NARS - ORGASM ILLUMINATOR - A HIGHLIGHTER THAT MAKES TIRED SKIN LOOK RADIANT AND GLOWING

BOBBI BROWN - POT ROUGE FOR LIPS AND CHEEKS - THERE ARE SOME GORGEOUS COLOURS - I LOVE PALE PINK AND CALYPSO CORAL AND THEY ARE GREAT BECAUSE YOU CAN USE THEM ON YOUR CHEEKS AND YOUR LIPS

myself with gorgeous co-star Ashley Madekwe

Bedlam cast: Will Young, ME, Theo James, Ashley Madekwe, Hugo Speer

Will Young, ME, Theo James, Ashley Madekwe, Hugo Speer

BEDLAM - SKYLIVING MONDAY 7TH FEB 10PM......

she said it sisley

There is a a certain 'je ne sais que' when it comes to the French, beautiful on what seems like a diet of champagne, cigarettes and croissants...or maybe its more to do with fresh oysters, farmer market greens and the unwavering demand for real top quality food....i'll defiantly guess at the latter oh and SISLEY...founded by the d'Ornano family in the seventies, a family affair over 3 generations that is still going strong in the growing world of beauty. 

January is not a good month for skin, recovering from the debauchery of December- it is exhausted, dry, greasy, puffy and possibly spotty....so between the shriveled mistletoe and flat champagne..things are pretty dull....well that was until Sisley came into my life,  recommend to me by makeup artist Ginni Bogado on a recent Vanity Fair shoot, my skin couldn't thank me enough...

To begin your skin will be crying out for  Express Flower Gel hydration mask, it drenches life back into your skin reviving even the most parched of cheeks...I like to keep mine in the fridge for the ultimate cooling, de-puffing experience..!

Now that you can smile again with the youthful vigor of a child, you need to address those bags under your eyes, and low and behold Sisley has the perfect solution 'Eye contour Mask'...which will really does reduce signs of fatigue whilst strengthening the delicate eye area with a whole host of wonderful plant extracts such as Ginko Biloba and Arnica 

If your after a little more oopmf the reach for Sisley's Radiant glow express mask, the red clay works wonders performing a gentle deep cleanse, tightening your pores and leaving you purified, matified and beautified!

I know what your thinking...surely something that looks this good will surely be bad for me, well its your lucky day as this fine milled powder, available in 3 nude shades evens out skin tone, absorbs sebum all whilst hydrating and protecting...

This foundation has such a wonderful powdery smell it will have you pining for rusks and Johnson's 'no more tears shampoo'...it goes on like a dream and stays their..I found the beige shade a little pink for myself, so im on a quest to get my perfect shade in this delightful oil free fluid..

To get you started treat yourself to an express Sisley facial exclusive to Selfridges which is redeemable against two Sisley products! So don't morn December its all about 2011 -rejuvenate and hydrate..oh and maybe swing by that lovely french patisserie in soho on your way home...just to get into the spirit of things...viva la france 'n all...she said it Sisley...

SANTA BE A DOLL...

Oh Santa Dear Santa, 
Do be a doll and bring a girl what she needs,
all the potions and lotions,
have her brow break out in beads,
sparkles and marvels and christmas cheer.
come on santa and be a dear...

For me these fabulous tartan themed palettes from MAC conjure up images of chestnuts and roaring fires after long higland walks with strapping Gerard Butler types in muddy boots

and kilts...ahem..anyway... they are the perfect stocking filler for any girl in pursuit of a little Scottish romance... in stores and online

It seems there is a little competition in the air as NARS have there own little limited edition christmas cracker to rival MAC with a slightly more Eastern flavor, that have one wondering again of another land and in this case i cant help but see myself as a 'maiko' a Japanese dancing girl preparing in the wings of the kabuki theatre painting my lips with the precision and delicacy only achieved with this elegant lip wand...the BENTO BOX for me ticks every box.

Ellis Faas will give you the perfect party look with her winter glow set, the mascara is luscious, the lip delectable and the eye shimmer is sensational.....

A Champagne candle... need i say more? and yes its French..c'est fantastic!...EAU DE CAMPANGE CANDEL from Sisley...buy it, light it -just don't be tempted to drink it...

 Who can resist this exquisite packaging from Dior, not to mention their to die for shades that will have you unwittingly giving smoldering eyes to Uncle Lionel on boxing day...

$68

The smell of pine for me is the ultimate sign thats it's Christmas, so nowyou can fool all your guests into thinking your perfectly decorated Christmas tree is in fact real!...Diptyque is my favorite, it lasts for hours, creates a beautiful festive glow, and you don't even have to light it to benefit from the wonderful woodsy smell...!! avail online and in select stores  




Despite the over load of sugar and booze Clarisonic will have you glowing like the T-Total angel on top of your Christmas tree... prices start at $149 avail on line and select stores

 As a huge fan of Temptu's tempary tatoos you can imagine my elf like excitement when i discovered these wonderful white tattoos that come in a variety of festive shapes..my favorite being the snow flakes...oh and by the way if you hadn't noticed, yes, I am competing with my Christmas tree this year...available at sephora and online $15.00

My biggest beauty obsession this year has been my nails, the 3week manicure that is set under a UV light has changed my life... avail at Urban Retreat  , nails inc or O.P.I to name a few, but if you fancy pumping it up over the holidays try O.P.I's black shatter top coat -it"shatters" leaving your base shinning through for an amazing "leopard" print look.

.

Organic, enviably stylish 'VAMP a NY' perfume by Honore des Pres is the ultimate gif for any skinny jean beauty looking for the finishing touch to her "do I know you?" look.... avail online and at spacenk and other select stores..




 And finally it just wouldn't be Christmas with out a box of the most "melt" in your mouth delicious handmade chocolates and in my opinion the best there is..mmmmmmm....visit their store in Notting hill or concession stand in Selfridges or alternatively order online....prices from £2.50

DETOX MARKET....

It was the perfect day for beauty when Parisian Chic met Californian Cool.  Never has there been a more perfect match; the Parisian sophistication lightened by the sunny mentality of Californians where the immaculate and simplistic approach to beauty that all well-heeled Parisians are born with is playfully roughed up around the edges by the effortless flip-flop attired and sunkissed Angelenos. So entre vous the Detox Market, a beauty haven amongst the bustling beach bike traffic and the insane queue for a double macchiato at ‘Intelligentsia’ the only place a respectable (and deep-pocketed) hipster would sip their latte.

On walking into the Detox Market you are instantly hit with a sense of cool clam that only those from The Continent truly possess but paired with the beautiful clean lines and airy spacious floor flooded with light you know you're officially California dreamin’.

 

Greeting me was Parisian beauty Fanny who owns and runs the market with her brother. Her sophisticated accent will have you feeling like a fabulous wanton Goddess in seconds and a millions miles away from remotely un-glam…..

For me, though, it should simply be called “Heaven” or “Cloud 9” as that's exactly where I was as I milled around taking in all that is organic, healthy, friendly and infused with love… everything from chocolate to olive oil to tea to shampoo to preservative-free facial creams kept in cute little fridges, yes I was a very happy bunny and I even cried a little when it was time to leave…

I cooed over and brought home...

 

I love les carrottes by Honore Des Pres, seriously you smell like a carrot, which makes me smile and it really is surprising how good you smell!...there is something wonderfully quirky  about this 100% organic perfume line from the uber trendy packaging fit for any city slicker to their pure all-natural scent that captures the unusual, the chaotic and the beauty of New York. Olivia Giacobetti is the genius behind my new favorite smells including 'Love Coco" which coconutty yummyness is a must for the cold season ahead..

Next up RAHUA(ra-wa), a nut oil found deep in the Amazon rainforest has been used for generations by women from the Quechua-Shuar tribe keeping their manes thick and full of luster, and now the secret is out and now we can all hope to achieve Amazonian beauty...

I was not disappointed, my hair went from wrong to right, 100% organic, free of synthetics, parabens and sulfates. My hair felt strong and restored and was super shiny...I am itching to try their finishing treatment and their rahua elixir ....and then I shall be ready to take on any Amazon warrior princess....soowwaahhhh!

Odacite It doesn't get any purer than this, no toxicity, no parabens, no fragrance and absolutely no preservatives made fresh for you. Kept in the fridge until they find a new home in your bathroom cabinet,  the products last six months at room temperature... capturing the eye of Vogue, Elle, Instyle this French line of beauty has encapsulated the true essence of organic skin care, the results were immediate; I felt the difference on my skin and have never felt so clean, so hydrated and most of all so at peace.....there is nothing for your skin to argue with...nothing. 







TAZA organic stone ground chocolate... gluten, dairy and soy free and ground with authentic Mexican stone mills instead of the commonly used steel refiners, thus minimal 

processing. The cacao bean "keeping the bean in the bar...the flavours are raw and authentic. A few favorites: 'Guajillo Chili', 'Yerba Mate' and 'Salted Almond'....if you aren't already leaping off your sofa to order a kilo of this well-wrapped rustic chocolate you will be when you hear that they have taken the 'Direct Trade Pledge' meaning that they work directly with cacao growers, exclusively with certified organic farmers and support only farms with fair humane work practices.....so seriously there is nothing to stop you.....leap my friends, leap!

So if you find yourself in Los Angeles be sure to call in at the Detox Market and peruse all the goodies soaking up the California sun and European charm....

fly by the seat of your pants

I have a kind of love hate relationship with trans Atlantic journeys, I love how it is suddenly completely acceptable to sit and stare at the tv in some kind vegetated state watching movies you would never pay to see, I hate of being served 'food' that has been reheated and drugged with preservatives to prevent the ecoil hitting ones system whilst still air borne, I love knowing that despite waking up in London ill be going to sleep in Los Angeles, I hate knowing that the oxygen is turned waaay down-making my head ache with drowsiness and my skin crawl with bacteria...I love my steps I take in preventing my new reality from becoming some sort of jet laaged nightmare where you have aged a 100 years, ache form head to toe and will not be participating in any holiday romances and not by choice......

Take notes beauties:

STEP ONE... amidst the chaos of packing finding your passport apply "Bliss triple oxygen instant        energizing mask"...Instyle's best beauty buy of 2010...its a miracle worker...it replicated their inspa treatment, which im a huge fan of and was so happy when they bottled the stuff!! It delivers oxygen into the skin brightening, refreshing with serious antioxidants and vitamin C...

STEP TWO...i pack a little goodie bag full of health snacks for in the departure lounge and on board to avoid astronomical priced crappy food that well is just miserable....To avoid the bloat but fill the hole I opt for Rye bread with raw almond spread or goats cheese along with some raw carrots to munch...and for on board I LOVE health bars in particular...GREENS  I love their chocolate energy bars packed full of superfoods..avail online or at health food stores...also I love The Food Doctor ..basically make sure there are organic, raw, no sugar and preferable cold pressed..yummy!! 

STEP THREE....A Homeopathic remedy for Jet lag is essential to feeling good and helping your body to adjust...take through out your journey.. I love "No Jet Lag" avail at wholefoods and online-also love Boiron's remedies widely avail and if you can't get a blend I highly recommend Arnica as it stops the body from feeling sore and achy.

• STRETCH!!!!..Get up move around, do some yoga...yes I'm that girl!!!!

• AVOID Caffeine all day and on board it dehydrates and doesn't allow you to nod off...

• AVOID Alcohol- kill joy i know but that sleep deprived dehydrated headache will only get worse.

• SLEEP...try and get 4 hrs sleep....take a homeopathic remedy to help lull you....and try to lie back not curl up into some body crunching position that will be a stiff reminder of your time in the air..

Finally....drink water before during and after your flight...but on landing I add a little bit of magic, making my water 'wetter' and allowing for maximum absorption helping my body to recover.."energetixs ReHydration tinture" is amazing you really feel the difference and see the difference in your face...avail at major health stores..

To adjust really try to fit in with your new time zone, change your watch immediately, eat at meal times and try to stay up and rise at a normal hour....

There you have it....who needs to travel Upper!!!!