My makeup Blog

I have fairly pale skin, which on the whole I’m very happy with, but at this time of year I am sooo pale naturally that I can look a little translucent.  So I usually apply a little bit of tinted mousse which washes off in the shower (my fave has been No. 7 Self Tan...

Choosing a wedding makeup artist? Having your makeup applied by a professional wedding makeup artist on your wedding day will help you achieve flawless and long lasting makeup both on and off camera. You will also be able to relax and enjoy your wedding morning,...

Spring Makeup I have just got back from a lovely trip to Amsterdam and there is definitely a hint of Spring in the air… finally!  The daffodils and crocuses are peeking through and there is a stronger warmth in the sun, when it does decide to show it’s face.  So, what...

The colours you wear can have a big impact on how you look and feel.  Discovering what colours suit you and why can give you that WOW factor and make you look healthier, more vibrant and younger. I trained with Colour Me Beautiful nearly 20 years ago (scary!) and...

I know lots of busy mums tell me they don’t have time to spend ages doing their makeup in the morning… so I thought I’d do a really quick step by step makeup guide for 5 minute makeup in 8 easy steps! Step 1: Cleanse, tone & moisturise to prep your skin for...

So it’s nearly the end of January 2016 already and Christmas and New Year are very much behind us. Perhaps you’re already thinking about your summer holidays and getting excited about the possibilities ahead for 2016. I have been doing my research and wanted to fill...

Why book a makeup lesson? Makeup Lesson Harrogate I firmly believe every woman should have at least one makeup lesson in her lifetime. Many of the women I meet would like to become more confident or adventurous with their makeup but are not quite sure how to go about...

Yay Christmas is actually here and the party season is well and truly upon us! This is the time of year when you can and should really let your hair down (make-up wise) and enjoy having fun with make-up, daring to express yourself just a little bit more than you might...

It’s finally December and I’ve noticed over the past week or two how different I’m feeling in the mornings about my clothes and makeup choices.  I’ve decided to embrace my paleness rather than trying to cheat the change in seasons with self tan and I am feeling more...

So you’ve probably heard all about contouring, which is using light and dark shades of make-up to define and enhance the structure of the face.  ‘Strobing’ is the hot new trend that is the beauty buzz word of the moment – all the beauty magazines are talking about it....

I’m excited to share with you some of my favourite eyeliners – the ones I love and use again and again in my pro makeup kit.  Whether you are looking to achieve a crisp winged line or a smudgy smokey eye effect, a good eyeliner is a must for every makeup bag.  Every...

I am a Harrogate Make-up Artist who specialises in bridal make-up and make-up lessons and a really common eye shape I come across in my clients is a ‘hooded eye’.  In fact I have slightly hooded eyes myself.  I didn’t used to.  But as I’ve got older my eye shape has...

I am very proud of the fact that I only recommend makeup that I truly believe in – after ten years in the makeup industry I have used a lot of different brands and I have cherry picked the very best to use on my clients. I came across the Ariane Poole makeup brand a...

I’ve just spent the weekend in Dublin with 8 lovely book club friends, which was so much fun (love Dublin!) We all got talking about how much we dislike packing for trips away because we never know what to pack or what to wear – which lead to a mutual agreement by all...

As a Professional Makeup Artist I am a big fan of eyelid primers so I thought I’d talk a little bit about which ones I like best and why. I find my clients often skip this step with their make-up routine, but it can make all the difference in the world in how...

I was doing my makeup this morning and realised I was doing my usual weird ‘applying mascara face’ and I realised I had to do a blog sharing some of my tips for avoiding makeup mishaps! AVOIDING MASCARA SPLODGES How to avoid mascara mishaps: squint your eyes and pull...

I recently created the make-up look for a shoot for The Yorkshire Post with the students from the Northern Ballet Academy, to mark their graduation as they leave Leeds to continue their dance studies across the country. Our theme was the fresh, LA-preppy and...

Everyone feels better with a little bit of colour to their cheeks, but how to use bronzer without looking too brown or orange? Think about your skin tone. If you are very pale you will need to choose a bronzer that isn’t too warm or dark. There are some pretty bad...

1. Bad Foundation The number one makeup mistake women make is applying the wrong colour foundation and/or wearing too much foundation. My top 3 foundation tips are: • Test the colour by applying a little foundation on your chin & if it disappears you’re good to...

Removing your makeup is a really important step to having gorgeous looking skin. Skin that is congested can lead to spots breakouts, puffiness and fine lines around the eyes. Cleansing the skin well boosts circulation which helps skin look younger and fresher. My top...

Concealers are vastly underrated in my opinion.  As a Professional Makeup Artist, I get lots of questions about choosing the best foundation.  But as I explain to my clients, having a good foundation is only part of the answer to having flawless looking skin. Even if...

Wearing false lashes on your wedding day has become very popular with brides and it can be a great way to really pump up the volume on the glamour front. However the many different choices on the market can be quite confusing, so I thought I’d break down the different...

How to take care of your makeup brushes Having good quality makeup brushes can make a huge difference to how polished your makeup looks. As a Professional Makeup Artist I literally have hundreds of makeup brushes in my kit and by taking care of them they have lasted...

I’ve been busy this last week doing makeup for the School Proms in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Prom season is always good fun but sometimes fraught with tension as there is a lot of pressure on teens to have the perfect dress, hair & makeup. One of my clients; a...

Make-up Artist Harrogate, Leeds, Ripon. How to do a Makeup Bag Detox As a Professional Freelance Makeup Artist, I offer private makeup lessons to clients from all age groups at all levels. And a fun but crucial part of what I do involves helping my clients sort out...

…for your Wedding Day) Having your makeup done by a Professional Makeup Artist is by far the best way of ensuring you look and feel the best version of yourself on your wedding day. It will also make sure your makeup stays put all day and looks flawless in your...

It can be soooo confusing choosing the perfect lipstick colour!  Often women know when something doesn’t look good, but they’re not sure how to figure out what does look good. As a Freelance Makeup Artist, I deal with clients on a daily basis who are either having a...

As a Professional Makeup Artist I get lots of questions about how to achieve long lasting wedding makeup for oily skin, particularly in hot weather which can often make matters worse. This is a really common problem but there are a few simple steps you can take to...

There are times in a woman’s life when it’s important to adapt and change with the times. For women over 50, lots of things start to change. Skin, eyes and hair colours may start to cool down, grey hair may well have started to appear. Wrinkles and fine lines will be...

Makeup Artist Ripon, Harrogate, Leeds & the North Yorkshire area As a Professional Makeup Artist specialising in Bridal and Wedding Makeup I have had the pleasure of being involved in some gorgeous weddings at some stunning venues. Choosing a venue for your...

My name is Mel England and I am a Freelance Professional Makeup Artist covering the Harrogate and North Yorkshire area. It can be quite tricky to find the right foundation to suit all your needs… one that has the right amount of coverage and crucially is the correct...

Every woman has the odd slump where she feels at a low ebb, or needs a quick confidence boost. I know I do! And lots of my clients do too… 5 Quick Ways To Feel Good: 1. Have a Makeup Lesson Many women get really stuck in a rut with their Makeup and don’t know where to...

All brides want to look their most beautiful on their wedding day and one sure way to make your makeup “pop” is to use some simple sculpting techniques. Here are my top tips! CONTOURING TIPS A darker, matt colour than your skintone will recess the hollow of your...

Nobody is perfect… Not even the models who’s airbrushed images we are bombarded with in magazines are perfect. We all have flaws and insecurities.  It has taken me until I hit my 40’s to really embrace my uniqueness and to love the face I was born with.  Yes there are...

I firmly believe every woman should have a Makeup Lesson at least once in her lifetime... Here are 8 great reasons why: 1. It will give you a massive confidence boost!!! 2. If you have a special occasion coming up it will give you the tools to ensure you look your...