Match My Makeup

I have discovered a gem of a website that helps you to match your foundation shade to shades in other ranges. Match My Makeup. Could you just imagine how much awesome online makeup shopping this will facilitate? Imagine the scenario - you read a great article on Georgio Armarni's foundation and would love to jump online and buy it except that you don't know what shade of foundation you are. The tiny little example colours shown on the website do not help you in the slightest. If you go to matchmymakeup.com and complete their little 3 step online form they will tell you your corresponding shade so you can purchase with confidence. It is brilliant. 

So how can they do this? They have an actual colour-reading machine as well as a team of mathematicians, scientists and makeup artists that manually test the products. Rae Morris, the Queen of Australian makeup artists is one of the names behind this site which is certainly reassuring.

When I first looked at the site  a few months back I was slightly disappointed as some of the brands I use such as Chantecaille and Bourjois were not listed as options, but this has recently changed. They are also adding more and more brands as the weeks progress so I think the site is only going to get better and better.

Does it actually work? I did a little test match using my Bourjois Healthy Mix in 52. Vanilla as an example and was given 45 possible matches! Some of the matches were other products that I own, so I know the colours are matches that work on me. 

So what do you guys think? Do you think you will be using this site?

Lovely Makeup and Beauty Reads

Since I decided to pursue my dreams in makeup art, I have been emerging myself in beauty and makeup books, blogs and images. I am forever reading and researching - there is so much to learn and take in.

I have started a small library of beauty books. Here are my favourites -

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual - this for everyone, 'beginner to pro' and it is awesome. It includes really good, basic step-by-step examples. My favourite chapter is chapter 10 'Essential Equipment for the Professional' where it lists, item by item, everything you need in a pro makeup kit. But even if you are not  a makeup artist, it is still a book you will enjoy for the beautiful and very 'Bobbi' pictures alone.  £16.25 from Amazon.

Makeup, The Ultimate Guide by Rae Morris - this holds a special place in my heart as Rae was the first makeup artist I became aware of and this was the first makeup book I bought. It has a great chapter on colour theory and colour charts depending on eye colour. She also uses some more mature aged models in there which is great for anyone over the age of 30 .... £12.23 on Amazon.

Nylon Pretty, The Nylon Book of Beauty - this is a recent purchase and it was a good one. Produced by the good people at Nylon magazine, it starts with a list of cult classic makeup products then moves in to inspiration showing vintage references from everyone from Jean Harlow in the 1920's to Shannen Doherty from 90210 in the late 1990's. A great reference to have.  £12.55 on Amazon.

Helena Rubenstein, The Woman Who Invented Beauty by Michele Fitoussi - I'm not usually a fan of historic biographies but this book is making me change my mind. Her story is fascinating and inspiring and a bit of a rags to riches tale which starts in Poland, moves to Australia, then on to London and I am only a quarter of the way through!  £6.47 on Amazon.