Everyday Essentials

Hello There! I know I haven't posted in a while.....ok it's been a year, but the MUA life has had me busy!

I'm now trained in Special Effects,Theatrical, TV and Film Hair and Makeup! I love to update my makeup techniques and learn from other Makeup artists by attending courses and workshops, so I took the opportunity to go 'back to school' and get lessons in the art of special effects and enhance my hair training.

It was great learning and improving on new methods of makeup application and I am glad I can now can offer my clients something a little different through my knowledge of special effects and theatrical makeup. I cannot wait for Halloween this year!


To get back blogging I thought I'd start with 'Everyday Essentials'. Basic makeup must haves for me. These are products that are my go to's, always repurchased essentials that I can't live without.

1 MAC Pro Longwear Concealer.

This is in both my personal makeup stash and in my kit. Great heavy duty concealer, long wearing and still manages to look like skin when applied. Can get a bit dry and cakey if you layer up too much but works brilliantly over a sheer foundation on areas where you need it. I'm usually between an NW15 and 20 but I have been know to wear NW25 when wearing tan ;)

2. Waterproof mascara

My current fave is L'oreal Double Extend.It's Volumising,lengthening and waterproof. When this starts to get a bit dry, it can be a bit clumpy but i put a few drops of Inglots Duraline in and its like new.I prefer this formula as my lashes don't hold a curl very well. So by using waterproof mascara it holds the curl a lot longer, which really helps to open up my eyes. On clients, I only use waterproof, for the same reasons as above, Covergirl lash blast is a kit staple for me.

3. Illamasqua Blush-Hussy, Lover, and Disobey

 Hussy and Lover blush mixed together, make a perfect pinky coral shade. A colour that goes with nearly ever makeup look.  Illamasqua blushes are rather pigmented so an over zealous application can make you look a bit Aunt Sandra-ish but if you apply a bit of disobey first then a wee swipe of Hussy, Lover or both, you'll end up with perfection. Just perfection.

4.Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade

Move over MUFE Aqua Brow! This is now my HG brow product. Can be used sparingly to give subtle definition to the brows, used with a thin brush to create individual brow hairs, or used heavy duty for a more dragesque brow. Its long-lasting,smudge proof and comes in a variety of shades. I use blonde or taupe, sometimes mixing them both for a custom shade. You only need a small bit so will last forever.

5.MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralised Skin Finish

Only recently jumped on the bandwagon with this and boy am I glad I did! Im nearly as obsessed with highlighters as I am with lipstick and I'm surprised it took me so long to get this. A beautiful pale golden pinky gleamy goodness that works on all skin tones, Soft and gentle is just a perfect highlighter for when you want a gorgeous glow. Placed on the tops of the cheekbones and brow bone,go heavy on more glamourous days or lightly dusted for a more understated sheen.

And finally

6 MAC MAC Red Lipstick

I love lipstick, it really is my most favourite makeup product. I'm not a neutral nudey lipped girl,I care more for the fuchsias,,corals and dark vampy berries! However, the Kylie Jenner 90's lip craze has hit me with a big stick and my lips are currently smothered in MACs Whirl and Velvet Teddy. I always say you can never go wrong with red! Its classic. You can be dressed up or dressed down wearing red and it will always look good! This is a blue toned red with a satin finish that is a staple in my makeup bag.

I can live without bronzer, powder and false lashes(thats a lie right there, I really can't. Red Cherry Wispies are my life) but these products I use nearly every day.

What are your makeup essentials?

August Airbrush Special!

For the whole month of August, all airbrush makeovers are just £20!(normally £35) Also includes false lashes! Limited availability at weekends so get booking quick!

Airbrush makeup feels lightweight, looks just like skin and gives the most flawless finish. It's perfect for nights out as it lasts until you take off. I use different airbrush brands depending on your skin type, this ensures the best coverage and longevity.

To book an appointment use the contact form to the right, email heatherallenmakeup@hotmail.co.uk, PM my Facebook page or give me a wee call or text!

Get The Look-Bridal Beauty

Hello Lovelies! Bridal season is upon us! I put together a 'Get The Look' Guide for brides who want a more natural look. No smokey eyes, winged liner, red lips or glitter in sight! Just pretty neutral tones and flushed perfect skin.

If you would like to have a Bridal trial with me or if you're a wedding guest who just wants to look glam, feel free to contact me by clicking here.

Get The Look-Neutral Bride with NARS, Urban Decay

Inflight Beauty-Sunny Sun Protection

Hiyas! I'm blogging whilst out enjoying the sunshine in my back garden. I've a sun lounger out, cocktail in hand, a bit of reggae on and as I live quite close to the sea, i'm imagining myself on a beach in Barbados. It's working for the moment.

Sindy on the beach

This weather is a rarity in Northern Ireland, but being cabin crew, I am very lucky that I get to spend time in the hot sunny destintations that I fly to. So whilst sunbathing or sightseeing, a high factor SPF is a necessity. Now I'm a factor 45+ gal. I can't and won't go any lower. My skin burns first before tanning, so I prefer to use a high factor at all times. I very rarely actually 'sunbathe' I love to be out and about in the sun,I love how the warmth feels on my skin, but I usually prefer to sit in the shade and get my tan from a bottle. I don't want to resemble a Shanghai special Louis Handbag when I'm 40. Ya get me?

I like to use sunscreens on my face that are made specifically for the face. I've found that body suncreams are too heavy and end up causing horrible breakouts.When I want to wear makeup over the top,it slides off or just goes weird. My favourite facial sunscreen is Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour SPF 50. It doesn't cause any irritation to my skin and sits nicely underneath makeup. Its quite moisturising as well so great for dry skins.

For body suncreams, I love Australian Gold lotions. All Australian gold products smell divine and the scent reminds me of so many great work trips and holidays. They can be a little greasy but I think most suncreams are, and hey a little shin shine doesn't hurt anyone! They also are quite water resistant. You wont get that weird white residue after a dip in the sea. Plus but nobody wants to be posing at the Rehab pool party in Vegas looking like they haven't bothered rubbing their cream in!
I use Australian Gold SPF 50 and their SPF30 aerosol if I'm being bad. The aerosols are really handy if you're out an about as they are easy to spray on and don't really require much rubbing in. 

Photo courtesy of
australiangold.com

Photo courtesy of
australiangold.com

I asked a few hosties what suncreams they'd take when hitting the beach or pool down route.

P20 came out on top. It's a once only application cream that claims to last all day. I've never tried it as I was a bit dubious that it actually worked. But now that it has been recommended so much, I feel like i've been missing out! P20 comes in varying factors so I'm going to try and get my hands on the factor 50 version and get back to you.


2nd was Austrialian Gold. 

3rd Cheap and Cheerful Calypso. Apparently their dry oils are great and not greasy. I always see Calypso in Home Bargains so I will def be getting my mitts on a bottle of this bargainous stuff to try.


Other suncreens recommended included Clinque-Ive heard their city block is great for the face, Paulas Choice Hydralight SPF30-whch has be quoted as being 'ultramatte', Heliocare SPF50 Gel-Haven't heard of this brand before but it sounds really good, Sisley, and Piz Buin Allergy SPF15

If you've any suncream recommendations let me know in the comments below or tweet me @HeatherAllenMUA.

Hostie Heather X



Big thanks go to Aimee, Claire, Ross, Rhian, Paula, Carolyn ,Katy, Carrie, Zoe, Lucy and Siobhan for their recommendations.

Makeup Change Up-Summer sun!

Hello! Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine! I most definitely have been. BBQ's, daily beach visits and back garden lounging has really altered my makeup choices this past week. My usual foundation routine has been quickly replaced by a 'bronzing tint'. Yeh, I know, I can't quite believe it either. Next I'll be singing the praises of tinted moisturisers.....

Anyways, my go to face this past week has been-

Clarins Intense Bronze Self Tanning Tint. This little beauty has been my 'foundation'. I received this in a goody bag of some sort and never touched it as the scarily dark chocolate coloured liquid looked waaaaaay too dark for me. My sister who is a heck of a lot darker than me, had been wearing it instead of foundation. Her skin looked magnificent,so I slapped on some tan and tried it. Applied with a cotton pad, it gives your face a very natural looking tan,not at all orange.It doesn't block my pores and somehow makes my face radiant. It seems to last 2-3 days on me and wears off nicely. Now I wouldn't wear this alone if my skin wasn't in the good condition it is now. Probably just as a facial tanner base for when the rest of my body is slathered up with the fake stuff. But for now its working a treat :D

I then cover any nasties with Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. Everyone and their mother knows what a good job this does.

For blush Ive been loving Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Emerge. A beautiful matte peach. 

I've been adding a little touch of MAC Stereo Rose Mineralised Skin Finish as a highlight or on some days using this solely for blush. Stereo Rose gives the perfect flushed glow to a tanned visage.

The usual routine of Avon Blonde Brow Pencil, curled lashes and Max Factor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara applies and then I've been finishing off with a quick sweep of Bourjois Bronzing Powder

Surprisingly I haven't been wearing any eyeshadow or liner. Maybe a touch of bronzer through my crease. Just keeping the whole face fresh and natural.

Lips have been bright and bold as always! Rimmel Kate Moss 110 has featured a lot this week,it's a gorgeous matte coral red that looks wonderful on tanned skin.

Current 'Northern Ireland Heatwave' Face

The big hair came from an experiment with my waver. Yes, I've realised my hairs big enough and crimping it 'a la Heather age 8' doesn't do me much good! Also apologies for the awkward 'selfie'. Not the best at taking pics of myself!

Does the sunny weather make you reach for different products? I normally change up a few things in the summer but no foundation?! High temperatures make you do strange things! Here's hoping the weather keeps up for a wee while longer, I'm really enjoying all these sunny days off on maternity leave with baby Rosa ;) Plenty of excuses for copious amounts of Nutella Ice Cream. :D

Nail Envy-Sensationail Gel Polish

Just to warn you,this is a long post. Most of my posts will be to be honest. I don't do short and sweet!

I always have been envious of girls who had beautiful nails. I was one of those nasty nail biters so mine were never long enough for any sort of manicure to look even half decent. When I started flying, I had to take more care of my nails due to grooming regulations and the fact that my hands would always be on show. And as a makeup artist, nobody wants to see icky fingers near their face or in their wedding pics as I glam up the bride, so I tried to take care of my bitten horrible nails as best I could.

After many attempts to stop biting my nails with various products, I finally found something that worked for me. Gel polish.

It all started whilst going through my usual landing routine in Orlando. Land-Hotel-Shower-Mani/Pedi-Quick snoop in Sephora-Bar-Bed. Every time I had a trip to Orlando I treated myself to a nice manicure or pedicure and if it was near payday,both. It was here that I discovered Shellac. A gel polish hybrid that promised 3 weeks of shiny chip free colour. The nail tech said it would even help me to stop biting my nails and mine would grow,protected by the polish. 
To cut a long story short, it worked. My red glossy nails looked far too pretty to bite and from that day on my fingers haven't been anywhere near my mouth.  Lets just say I got a little addicted. My addiction was starting to cost me a lot of dosh and it was on another trip to Orlando last Summer (I was the Orlando queen for a good 6 months) that I found the Nailene Sensationail Gel Polish System. An at home gel polish kit. Now I always think these sorts of things can be one way or the other, really really good or really really bad. At $60 I was hoping really really good. Usually I'd look up reviews before I'd buy anything like that, but before I even had time to think about it, I'd already bought the kit and 4 boxes of Lucky Charms.

Pink Chiffon Sensationail Starter Set

Products included in Starter Set

LED Lamp

You get everything you need in the box to do your own gel polish at home.From the LED lamp to primer and lint free wipes and as mine was a starter kit, I got a colour aswell, Pink Chiffon. A failsafe soft pink.

Following the instructions was easy and before I knew it, I'd gel polished my own nails. I was pretty darn impressed. My nails were an opaque,glossy shade of pink. It had taken me all of 20 mins. The real test was to see how long they would last. Nailene claim up to 2 weeks wear. They lasted the flight home and I got a good 9 days before my nails started to chip or lift near the cuticle.

When I bought the kit last year, The Sensationail range had a small selection of colours, 15 at the very most.Now they have over 60. In the UK the colours are quite expensive at £10 a bottle but if you keep your eye on the Sensational UK Facebook and twitter pages, they frequently post discount codes or special offers on colours and starter kits.

I'm really glad I bought the starter kit. The mini bottles that you get with it have lasted me the longest time,I've only needed to top up the cleanser and top and base coat. I've also bought a whole host of other colours and the french manicure kit which i'm going to do a separate review on.

I have saved so much money doing my nails myself. That being said I still like to treat myself every once in a while and get them done at the salon. The only issue I have is the removal of the polish. It's not easy. Shellac and Gelish polishes seem to come off a hell of a lot easier than Sensationail polishes. I use the foil and acetone method, which works but it take about 15 mins to soak off the gel and even then theres still remnants on my nails, which I usually just file off as I cant be bothered soaking them again. I'm a bad girl I know.

I tried applying normal nail polish in between the base an top coat to see if it would work, and for me it did. I didn't get a full 14 day wear but more that what I would have got if I had have just worn the polish alone. Glitter mixed in with the base and top coat works wonderfully if you want a full on glittery hand or accent nail. If you're going to use your own polish then make sure each layer has fully dried before putting your top coat of gel polish. if its not dried fully, when you apply the gel top coat and cure it under the lamp, it causes the normal polish underneath to ripple. I've yet to try the lamp with other brands of gel polishes but I've heard it works with Gelish polishes. 

Coral Sunset with flash

Coral Sunset without flash

Starter set polish compared to full size polish

Advice I would give, would be to ensure you put on thin coats of polish, 'cap' the nail by running a litle bit of the polish along the free edge of your nail and take the time to clean up any polish on your cuticles or on the skin around your nail. This will help it last longer and prevent it from lifting around the edges of your nails. Also if your nails are short and don't go over the tops of your fingers, the gel polish wont last as long as you can't effectively cap the nail.

You can but Sensationail Products and the Starter kit form their website or Asda, Boots and Gordons chemists.

I love gel polishes. It's great no having to touch up your nails and be touch dry as soon as they're cured.The lamp is big enough to hold toes so you can happily gelify your tootsies too ;) Perfect for holidays! Plus if you paint over the polish with a normal polish, it goes on so much nicer as you have such a smooth base to begin with. What are your thoughts on Gel polishes? Let me know in the comments below!

Sorry for rambling but I just had so much to say!

H xx

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel

I've been a fan of cleansing oils for quite a long time. I started off using a Shiseido one which I got in Japan.As it was in Japanese packaging, I've no idea what it was called, just that it came in a pink bottle and smelt absolutely divine. Since then I've tried a few other cleansing oils. My dry skin seems to really love the extra moisture and I love to massage them around my face making my cleansing routine feel luxurious and enjoyable. I love a good pamper session.

Although its not a proper 'cleansing oil' as such, I'd been hearing rave reviews about this Clarins Pure Melt stuff, so whilst browsing the Clarins Counter in Debenhams for an eye cream, I came across a gift with purchase offer which of course I could not refuse. So I picked up an eye cream and the Pure Melt and left happily with an armful of Clarins Skincare goodies.

I've been using this for the past few months and have fell in love with it. Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel is a cleanser that starts off life in your hands as a gel, turns into a soft oil when massaged into your face and finally as you cleanse your face with warm water turns into a lovely milk which just melts away sun cream,makeup and grime. Even stubborn eye makeup is removed effortlessly. My skin feels clean and soft without any tightness. I then usually follow this with Kiehls cleanser. I like to double cleanse to ensure there are no traces of makeup left and my face is well cleansed so that my serums and moisturisers can work their magic.

A little goes a long way and I can see this lasting me a good while yet before I need to repurchase. It's priced at £19.50 for 125ml which I think is reasonable considering how good it it is and how little you actually need to cleanse with. I had been using Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse prior to Clarins Pure Melt. It was nice but the hefty price tag was really annoying me. Now I don't like to scrimp on skincare but £33.50 is stupid, especially when I can get the Clarins one that does the same job for nearly half the price!

All in all Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel get a huge big thumbs up from me. Love it.

Are there any other cleansing oils you would recommend? Or any Clarins must haves? All of the Clarins skincare products I've tried, I've loved. I have a little list of things I'd still like to try, like the Exfoliating Toner and the Extra Comfort Cleansing Cream to name but a few. I'd love to hear if you've tried the Pure Melt Cleansing Gel and what you thought of it.

See yas soon beauties!

H xx