In this episode, makeup artist Stephanie Alexandra Jones shows us how she creates a glam look using Lou Lou Lips Dea Dia & Dry Ice.

Click 'Play' below to watch the full tutorial. 

Follow Stephanie on Instagram here 

KEY PRODUCT BREAKDOWN

PRIMER

Cinch Face Cheat(er) Cream Moisture + Glow

FACE BASE

Hourglass - Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Concealer 

Tarte Cosmetic Shape Tape Concealer 

CONTOUR/BRONZER

Laura Mercier 03

BLUSH

Nars Orgasm Liquid + Nars Dual Intensity in Adoration (blush side) 

HIGHLIGHT

IT Cosmetics illuminating drops + Nars dual intensity in Adoration (highlight side)

MASCARA

Iconic London Mascara

SETTING

Morphe Setting Spray 

EYES

BE Perfect cosmetics X Stacie Marie MUA palette 

Lou Lou Lips Dry Ice for glossy lid

EYELINER

Nars brown liner

BROWS

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting in Blonde 

LIPS

Lou Lou Lips Dea Dia & Dry Ice

We love an excuse to get creative with makeup and we think Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to do just that.

That's why we teamed up with Melbourne makeup artist, Arielle Wray and asked her to create the perfect, romantic V-Day look for us. Arielle got super creative and used Lou Lou Lips not only on the lips, but on the cheeks and eyes as well!

Whether you're loved up or living up the single life, this stunning look will make you feel a million bucks! 

Follow Arielle on Instagram here

Makeup artists sisters, Dani & Silv are a powerhouse duo who go by the name Cosmetique Makeup on Instagram. They work out of their Ivanhoe studio in Melbourne and pride themselves on being Cruelty Free makeup artists. They have shot with the likes of One day bridal and princess polly and are highly sought-after in the Melbourne beauty scene, and it's no wonder why. They create stunning, flawless looks on every face they work on. We're super excited to bring you this interview with the very talented Dani & Silv! 

Hey Guys! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

Hi everyone :) 

My name is Dani and I am in business with my Beautiful sister Silv.

We are Melbourne based makeup artists. I (Dani) started makeup at the age of 16 leaving school young to start my makeup journey and I must say I’m so glad I did, Silv wanted a change of career and started makeup 6 years ago shortly after we opened Cosmetique. 

Favourite movie?

Great gatsby 

Red wine or white?

Silv loves Red I love white! 

Morning person or night person?

Night!!

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

We would love to go to Italy and see the history of our culture.

Where and how do you work best?

In our studio when clients trust us to create a look we think suits them best.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

To do what makes you happy!!!

Favourite quote?

Makeup is not about making you look plastic it’s about enhancing your natural beauty. 

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

We love following and admire lots of artists around the world but we definitely inspire each other.

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

A really bronzed eye with lots of lashes.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Leaving our full time job to open our business and become full time artists.

What has been your biggest win so far?

Having the most beautiful and loyal clients! 

Silv would have to say having her two beautiful boys.

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

Dont ever let anyone put you down!

What’s next for you?

Travel the world to do makeup!

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Live your life to the fullest and surround yourself with positive people. 

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

Giving our face a good cleanse and wearing mascara :) 

Follow Cosmetique Makeup's journey on Instagram here

Helen Samaryan is an Australian Makeup Artist based in Sydney, Australia. 

In her 10 years as a makeup artist, Helen has worked for some of Australia's leading brands such as Showpo, Sabo Skirt & David Jones... just to name a few! Her stunning work has been published in the likes of Grazia, Modern Hair and Beauty Magazine, Fashion Gone Rouge and iMute Magazine.

We are so excited to bring you this Artist Spotlight interview with the incredibly talented Helen, in which she shares her highs & lows and advice for working as a makeup artist in the beauty industry. Enjoy!

Hey Helen! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Helen Samaryan and I’m a makeup artist and hairstylist based in Sydney.

Favourite movie?

My favourite movie would have to probably be the Lion King (the original, I’m yet to see the remake). I’m usually not really into animation but that movie has stuck with me since childhood. 

Red wine or white?

White

Morning person or night person?

Night

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

To the Ukraine to visit my relatives.

Where and how do you work best?

I think I always work best and allow myself to get the most creative when working in a team of other talented creatives. I love to bounce ideas of other people and take on constructive criticism or creative opinions. 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Focus on what you are doing and achieving rather than focusing on what everyone else around you is doing.

Favourite quote?

Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

When I first got into make up I was mostly inspired by fashion seen in magazines and on runaways, as well as talented artist, the persons work I was most mesmerised by at that time would have to be Pat McGrath.

Nowadays I not only take inspiration from my peers and the world around me but also the person’s face that I’m actually working on at the time. A makeup free face is one of the most inspirational things to me, because it’s like a clean canvas that can take you anywhere.

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

This one is a really tough one to answer. I think it really depends on my mood at the time. I do love getting creative and playing with colour and texture however I also love a beautiful and natural glowy bronzy make up.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

I think everything in this business is quite challenging. However I don’t see that as a bad thing. Challenges make life interesting and overcoming them makes things meaningful. I can’t say that I would enjoy what I do as much as I do if it all came easy and without really really hard work.

What has been your biggest win so far?

Every morning that I wake up and go do what I love. That’s my biggest win!

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

I think this goes two ways. There is constructive criticism and that would just be stupid to ignore, without constructive criticism you will never see something from a different point of view and never give yourself the opportunity to grow and better yourself. Then there’s the other side of criticism. Some people criticise to make themselves feel better or to make themselves feel like they have one over you. I think the key here is to identify what sort of criticism you are receiving and to either take it on board and grow from it or just simply brush it off.

What’s next for you?

There are so many things I want to do, first and foremost I’m going to continue on learning and growing as an artist. I truly believe if you stay true to your craft the possibilities are endless.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Do you! And don’t focus your life on what everyone else is doing.

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why? 

DEA DIA, it is just the most gorgeous nude and suits so many skin tones!

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

The love and support of those close to me and my love for what I do are what keep me going on those really hard days.

Follow Helen's journey on Instagram here

Fashion week is always a great time to source some inspiration and find a fresh new look for the upcoming seasons. It was hard to choose our favourite looks from Melbourne Fashion Week but we narrowed it down to our two favourite and most wearable looks for you to recreate at home. Keep reading to find out how to get catwalk to real life.

#1 Fave look

Runway 5 - RMS Show

What a breathtaking look this was, the focus was on the bold winged Swarovski crystal liner. But we were really dying over the skin and the little hint of pastel spring colours on the cheeks and lips! This is a great catwalk to real life look that can easily be recreated with our little tips and tricks below.

Runway makeup always has a major focus on skin, everything else comes second. The purpose of this is so the model looks fresh, polished but natural (a ‘I woke up like this’ vibe). Skincare is the most important part of any makeup routine so it’s worth investing in something you love and know that works for you. A lot of runway shows use the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser because of its light weight, glowy finish, it gives enough coverage but really just looks like skin. You can apply this however you like, we personally would use a brush to buff the product into the skin and then use our hands to warm up the product to ensure it’s sitting beautifully and there are no traces of foundation. Conceal with purpose, you want to use a small amount of concealer in the areas where it’s actually required so applying the concealer after the foundation is a must so you don't over use it and apply it everywhere. The foundation is going to do most of the work for you. Use a small brush to pin point the imperfections and again press it into the skin with your fingertips once you have finished with your brush, to ensure there is no build up of product.

Now lets get to the fun part! This runway in particular the cheeks were really glowy and quite sheer so this is the perfect time to put your much-loved Lou Lou Lips to more than its conventional use. We suggest using the colours Dea Dia and Flora – you can either layer the colours separately or work both shades onto the back of your hand and create your own colour by mixing them together. To apply the ‘blush’ use your ring finger to dab the lipstick onto the apple of the cheek. With a clean finger press the colour towards the hairline so that it’s a wash of colour all over the cheek. This look isn’t just about having the colour on the apple. Once you’re happy with the saturation of the colour go ahead and apply a cream highlighter such as the RMS Living Luminsier to the high points of the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and under the brow - this product is amazing because it’s completely translucent and doesn’t have any shimmer or glitter to it. It catches the light beautifully.

As we all know brows really frame and shape the face but for this look the brows were super natural. We suggest to fill in any gaps with something like the Hourglass Micro brow pencil, focusing the colour towards the tail of the brow. Once you’re happy with the shape go ahead and brush through some brow gel, ensuring you’re brushing in an upward motion through the front of the brow to achieve a fuller and thicker brow. 

The crystal eyeliner was such a bold statement that we absolutely adored! To translate this from catwalk to real life we've opted for a black winged liner (...crystals are just a little too OTT IRL). This look is a commitment and does require the right eye shape to be flattering on the everyday person.  If you have more of an almond shape eye then lets tackle this liner. A smudge pot style of liner is perfect for this look because its matte and super black, we love the Stila one. The best way to create the wing is to start on the outer corner ensuring the liner you’re about to apply aligns with your lower lash line, doing this will elongate the eye and will create a flattering shape. Slowly start filling the rest of the eye in little by little avoiding dragging and pulling the liner in one swift go. You will have more control doing smaller more controlled lines. Once your first eye is done it’s now time for the hard part of mirroring it on the other side. Our biggest tip is look away for a couple of minutes, go to brows or do something else because staring at a winged liner for long periods of time will make it seem worse than what it probably is…We’ve all been there!!

Now it’s time for lips! Mixing our lip colours is one of our favourite past times, you’d be surprised the colours you can come up with. The lip for this look is simple but polished, a soft subtle colour to balance the eye. Apply Lou Lou Lips in the shade Flora to the centre of the lip by gently pressing, once you’re happy with the amount of colour swipe Dea Dia on the rest of the lip. It’s ok to go over Flora but you don’t want to mask it with too much Dea Dia.

----

Our recommended brands for this look...

Skin: 

Go to Very useful face cream, Face Hero

Cosmetics 27 eyes 27

Complexion:

Foundation - Nars Pure radiant tinted moisturiser 

Concealer - Nars Radiant creamy concealer (use sparingly) 

Cheeks – LLL Dea Dia

Highlighter – RMS living luminser

Brows -
Hourglass Micro brow pencil
Hourglass arch brow gel

Lips:

LLL Dea Dia and Flora

#2 Fave look

Runway 3 - Orange Eye

Of course another beautiful look was created for MFW! We love the vibrancy of this look and think its perfect for the spring time. The skin is simple and polished yet again having the eyes as the main feature of the look. Keep reading to find out how to achieve this look.

In terms of skin and brows, we suggest you do the same steps as instructed in look 1. Remember keeping the skin fresh and minimal allows the eyes to do the talking. We don't want them to be overpowered by too much foundation or colour on the cheek. You can even do the same Lou Lou Lips lipstick combination for the blush!

For this warm eye look, start by applying some of Lou Lou Lips in the shades William with a touch of Flora and Billy to the back of your hand. Dip a fluffy blending brush in the product on the back of your hand, swirl the product off and press into the brush so there isn’t too much product. Starting at the lash-line, apply majority of the colour evenly and then gently blend towards the brow. You want more of a hazy cloud look so ensure the colour is gradually getting softer towards the brow. As you start getting closer to the brow you'll want to use a ‘windscreen wiper’ style of motion to ensure the blending is smooth and there’s no bumps to the shadow. Once you’re happy with how this looks on the eye press a translucent powder or a warm eye shadow on top of the lipstick to ensure there is no creasing. Apply a light layer of mascara to the top and bottom lashes to give a little bit more depth.

The lip for this look is quite nude and subdued! Dea Dia and Billy are the perfect combination for this look.  Apply a generous layer of Billy and sheerer layer of Dea Dia. These two shades will balance the nude and peach tones from each colour creating the most perfect nude ever!

----

Our recommended brands for this look...

Skin:
Go to Very useful face cream, Face Hero

Cosmetics 27 eyes 27

Complexion:

Foundation - Nars Pure radiant tinted moistutriuser

Concealer - Nars Radiant creamy concealer (use sparingly) 
Cheeks – LLL Dea Dia and Flora
Highlighter – RMS living luminser

Eyes:
LLL William, Flora and Billy

Lips:
LLL Dea Dia and Billy

Now you’re runway to real life ready!

We hope you love these looks as much as we do! We would love to see your recreations so tag us in your photos! @lou_lou_lips 

Emma Chen is an Australian hair and makeup artist based in Brisbane. 

She has worked with some of the worlds biggest celebs and models and has an Instagram following of a massive 218K! 

She is one of Australia's best beauty educators and we have been grateful to be a sponsor for her regular workshops around Australia and more recently in the US with Jaye Edwards from the amazing Edwards And Co. Agency.

Emma's work has a tendency to go viral on socials and it's no wonder why! Her signature technique is absolutely flawless with a look of bronzed skin, sultry eyes and glossy lips.

I'm so excited to bring you this chat with the wonderful Emma, where we talk all things business and life advice. 

Hey Emma! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

I’m Emma Chen, a Brisbane based freelance hair and makeup artist!

Favourite movie?

Elf.

Red wine or white?

Red.

Morning person or night person?

Neither !

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

Morocco.

Where and how do you work best?

In environments that are relaxed, positive and fun and to be surrounded by other creatives.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Collaborate, don’t compete and only put out what you want to attract.

Favourite quote?

“You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.”

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

One of my first biggest hair influences was @kristin_ess and @anhcotran and makeup influences are @charlottetilbury, @nikki_makeup, @ortalelimeleh1, @patmcgrathreal.

I admire most by manager, Jasmin, because she has really taught me about how to run my brand as a business and her knowledge and guidance in building my brand inspires me to work on all aspects ‘in’ my business and ‘on’ my business.

I am always inspired by my Husband - he always believed in me more than I believed in myself and pushed me to go freelance in the beginning.

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

Glossy skin makeup for the rest of my life!

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Dealing with online bullying.

What has been your biggest win so far?

Signing with any agency and turning Emma Chen Artistry into more of a brand than a business.

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

I’ve always welcomed criticisms and feedback, as it helps you gain a different perspective and teaches you different ways of looking at things. It makes you more open minded and helps with growth.

It’s important to always be open to feedback, but also being able to distinguish the difference between somebody’s opinion and honest feedback with good intentions.

What’s next for you?

I’ve got some really exciting projects coming up with brands that I’m super passionate about, and I’m looking forward to getting back on set and shooting again in Australia for a little bit.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

I struggled a lot in school and in my early twenty’s with finding out what I wanted and who I was, sometimes being different isn’t a bad thing. The things that make you different are the things later in life make you who you are and like me can even help build a career.

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why?

Dea Dia – it’s the perfect universal nude that looks great on most complexions – perfect bridal lipstick also!

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

Knowing that I’m doing what I love enables me the confidence and determination to tackle each day.

Follow Emma's journey on Instagram here

Serena is a pro makeup artist from Brisbane. Her Instagram page is sitting at a whopping 81 thousand followers and it’s no wonder why. Her technique is simply stunning.

I’m very excited to have Lou Lou Lips as a sponsor for Serena’s upcoming
masterclass for 2019 and I was lucky enough to ask her a few questions about her life and career so far.

You can book tickets to Serena's Masterclass here

Hey Serena! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our

Artist spotlight!

So I recently found out that you’re only 20 years old! What’s more amazing is that I learnt this info from Zoe Foster-Blake’s Instragram story in which you did her makeup!

Your makeup has been shared by the likes of Benefit, Laura Mercier and Nars so it comes as no surprise that you’re working with for some of the top stars, models and brands. Congratulations!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been beauty, makeup and skincare obsessed!  I started my business at 17 years old. Once I finished school, I moved from a small town to the city, worked 3 jobs in my first year to get by, with a goal to one day take on my passion full time. In this particular year I was doing close to 70 hour weeks! RIDICULOUS I know!  At age 18, I took a major risk and leap to focusing on what I love full time and haven’t looked back! When applying makeup I love to enhance natural beauty, I love fresh skin, sun kissed cheeks and glossy lips. 

Favourite movie?

A star is born 

Red wine or white?

Red 

Morning person or night person?

Both! I am definitely a night owl but I still love an early get up... It always makes me feel so much more pro active! 

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

New York. It’s my favourite city! 

Where and how do you work best?

Some of my best work has surprisingly been in stressful timeframes where I haven’t had the time to think too much into the look. I find sometimes  if I over think the makeup look I just over complicate it (and end up not loving it as much)

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Passionately pursue your dreams. As long as you have a vision and a plan, as long as you put in the hard work things will work out. 

Favourite quote? 

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

My biggest makeup inspiration is Nikki Wolfe! Her looks are always so creative and flawless. What inspired me? Growing up, i loved chatting to all of my mums clients in her salon.  I loved getting into all of her products from a very young age, my mum may or may not have had to to put a lock on her makeup cabinet to keep me out! I would make any excuse to be in her salon, so I feel I was always bound to find myself working in the beauty industry or at least something creative as I’ve always loved art. 

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

My favourite look is a bronze eye and dewy skin. A statement bright orange-red lip is another favourite. 

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Establishing a clientele in a new city. I grew up in a small country town, so it was starting from scratch in a city where I didn’t know a sole that has been my biggest challenge so far. 

What has been your biggest win so far?

Of course the incredible honour of doing my beauty idols hair & makeup, Zoe Foster Blake. 

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

You know what, this isn’t an easy one. This one is something I still constantly remind myself to work on. As a makeup artist, it’s our goal to make everyone happy!! We are naturally people pleasers!! I’ve learnt in a short amount of time that we can’t make everyone happy and not everyone will love what we do. This concept is the same for everyday life, you just simply cannot please everyone. What I have learnt is while criticism at the time isn’t a great feeling, there’s always a new day. When facing criticism, I think being confident and kind in the moment to rectify and then remembering there is always a new day is what helps me overcome criticism.

What’s next for you?

I would love to able to keep working on my masterclasses, I would love to host Australia wide and eventually internationally. I love teaching, I have a huge passion for sharing my techniques and how I create my work.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Follow your dreams. Work hard. Never give up.... And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!! 

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why?

DEA DIA, it’s the perfect peachy nude that is so versatile and compliments many looks.

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

I like to set a goal for each day, whether it’s big or small. Most of the time I write them down, when I revisit them and see that I have accomplished it, it gives a great sense of confidence and accomplishment!! 

 Follow Serena's journey on Instagram here