As you may already know, at AL HQ we’ve been pouring our heart and soul into a new baby, RAEMI – my new jewellery and accessories brand which has officially launched! I wanted to share a little behind the scenes with you, and one of the most exciting parts of everything coming together has been filming our campaign photoshoot.
For RAEMI’s debut collection, we decided to model the pieces myself. Aside from picking a slew of flattering outfits and practicing to smise (smiling with one’s eyes), we knew we needed a show-stopper makeup look to do the jewellery justice. Not only did we need it to hold up for an eight hour plus day, but we wanted it to look damn good in photos too! I needed a brand I could trust with skincare prep, and who’s makeup delivered results too. Lancôme fit that bill perfectly and agreed to come on board as our exclusive partner for the day, providing all the skincare and makeup products one could need to create everything from a classic makeup look to a Christmas party special! I’ll tell you what we used, start to finish and be ready to take notes!
Step 1: Prep
Skin is the canvas to a killer makeup look, so we made sure mine was in the best shape. First, we applied Advanced Génifique Serum. This is a tried and tested product in my beauty arsenal, because it always leaves my skin feeling radiant, clear and glowy. I also used this in the lead up to the campaign shoot too to make sure my skin was on track. We then massaged in the Hydra Zen Cream-Gel. The facial massage helped improve circulation, which immediately made my skin look healthier and more awake on the day (a huge plus after an early wake-up call!), while the cream-gel formula provided the perfect, hydrated (not oily) base for foundation.
Step 2: Base
We had a long day ahead, so without a doubt, I wanted to use the Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation to keep my skin looking picture perfect. It’s a super long-wearing and smudge-proof formula that offers flawless coverage without any cakiness – win! Throughout the day, we touched up with Loose Setting Powder to combat any excess shine.
Step 5: Eyes
When it comes to makeup, we all have our tried and tested looks that we default back to. My fail safe is a warm, bronze smokey eye – it’s effortless and totally glam all at once. Housing multiple shades, the La Rose Eyeshadow Palette from Lancôme’s Holiday collection was a winner on the photoshoot day to create a gloriously metallic eye look. We then finished the eyes with lashings of Hypnôse Volume-à-porter Mascara for fluffy, voluminous, film-star lashes.
Step 6: Lips
A layer of the new L’Absolu Rouge Intimatte in Worn Off Nude was all we needed to complete my first photoshoot day look! Later, I switched my lip for Not Flirting, a beautiful red shade, which was the perfect compliment for a glam night-time look. This formula is jam-packed with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, so it didn’t dry or flake on the lips throughout the day (even when we changed shades). I also loved the comfortable second-skin-like texture, it felt so soft and lightweight.
Step 3: Bronzer, Blush & Highlight
When it comes to bronzer and blush, here’s a hot tip if you’re planning to take photos: apply slightly more than you think you need—it tends to get washed out otherwise, especially when using flash or lighting. With this in mind, we used a large brush to dust bronzer all over the face, focusing specifically on where the sun would naturally hit: forehead, top of the cheek, nose bridge. Then, we placed some blush to the apples of my cheeks and blended up and out for a natural flush. I’m also all about an ethereal, lit-from-within glow. Enter La Rose Highlighter, a shimmery, iridescent compact, which looked incredible in the photos and in real life too.
