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Ladies and gentleman, I would love to introduce to you a very special person in my life. She is my fashion soul-mate; she is my label spouse. We both share the appreciation for art and share the importance and devotion to all that is style. She is a former model, certified fashion journalist, and the art director of Daily Star. She is one half of S&M (no, not that s&m), my better half. She is S.
Sabrina will be, from time to time, contributing to this blog. Her knowledge should be taken to effect so I recommend the words you read from her should be put into practice. This specific piece is strictly for the ladies, but gentlemen, this is definitely something you can share with the women in your lives.

Tabula Rasa

Being an art-director for zero-budget photo shoots can be a major pain in the donkey. Not only do you have to find creative ways to make your set look glamorous, (I once had to improvise a backdrop for a Halloween party scene using a clothesline, a couple of old bed-covers, a few dead branches and a bucket), you can’t afford to hire professional models or make-up artists. Finding pretty people to grace your pages isn’t the hard part, contrary to what one may think. Bangladesh is full of pretty faces. Getting those faces ready for the camera? That’s a different story altogether.
Too often have I had to deal with models who just rush in from a long commute and onto the makeup chair without cleansing their faces. The lucky ones with unblemished skin don’t bother with things like skin tone. Models aren’t the only ones committing this basic beauty crime. Go to a wedding, or a high-profile event, and you will be able to spot the improperly applied, brittle cakes of foundation on many a face.
The purpose of make-up is to enhance one’s features and hide one’s flaws. Just as every  painter needs a fresh canvas to work on, and the same principle applies to faces.  Let’s look at how you can get your face prepped for make-up magic.

Working from inside out

Over the long haul, the best way to maintain flawless skin is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, avoid fried and fatty foods, eat fruits, and exercise. Oh, and dont skip the sunscreen. None of this should be news to you, although it’s harder to implement than preach. The hard work definitely pays off, and you’ll end up needing less to look better.

Cleanse, tone, moisturize

This skincare mantra applies whether or not you’re planning to pretty up your face with a little maquillage. The importance of cleansing is a no-brainer; we all know how the build-up of dirt and oils makes for pimples, and is just really gross to boot. Pick your cleansers to suit your skin, though. For me, personally, Bella Pierre’s Milk Facial Cleanser is a favourite, because it’s hypo-allergenic, smells good, and cleanses and moisturises at the same time. I chase it with the Bella Pierre toner for a quick pick-me-up. A word of caution; if you have oily skin, go easy on the toner, because, like soap, strips your face of oil, and this might cause your skin to overcompensate by producing more oil.
There are many people who are also either lazy about exfoliating, or too scrub-happy. Strike a healthy balance, and use your facial scrubs no more than three days a week, follow with a gentle cleanser (never soap) and then moisturize like it’s going out of style.

All primed up

This gets a section to itself because so few people use it locally, or even know what it is. Just as you use a base coat before applying nail polish, you use primer before applying your foundation. This does double duty as moisturizer and toner, and evens out your skin tone. Most importantly, though, it will lock your foundation in place, and prevent your face from going all melty in hot weather, and at the same time, it creates a barrier between your make up and your skin, so that your skin doesn’t absorb harmful pigments, and your foundation doesn’t soak up the oil and get greasy. Nifty, eh? My personal favourite is the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, which is loaded with herbal goodies that soothe the skin and prevent future breakouts. If you’re blessed with acne-free skin, you’re good to go. If, however, you’ve got a spotty issue, it’s time to bring in the concealers to hide the bumps. Start with green concealer, which, when applied to red pimples, cancels out the redness. Pat gently, until the red is covered, then dot over with regular concealer about a shade lighter than your complexion. Remember to pat and not rub, so that it blends in naturally. I’ve found that concealers in pots and tubes are more effective than the ‘stick’ ones. Again, Laura Mercier is a favourite.

Cleansed, toned, moisturized, and primed up for action? Your canvas is now ready for the artwork to begin. Enjoy!