I’ve always had a love for makeup but I never felt like my ‘game face’ was as strong as it could be. I’m always trying out new products but I’m also hesitant to throw anything away simply because it would feel like a waste of money. Naturally, this led to me having a pretty bulky makeup bag. So I was intrigued to see how Natalie James – The Business Makeup Artist – could help me find the right pieces to create an efficient day time look.

I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect at first but I felt my nerves settle a bit when, prior to our session, Natalie sent over a short questionnaire in order to get an understanding about my beauty routine, what I hoped for from the session and to find out my trouble areas.

The session took place in the Private Suite at Liberty which really helped to highlight the fact that Natalie is literally there to focus solely on your needs. Who doesn’t love talking makeup while enjoying a cup of tea, overlooking Carnaby Street?

Let’s start with a chat….

After a brief chat about my skincare routine she asked me to spread out the items in my makeup bag onto the table in order to begin her assessment. By splitting the products in groups based on each face part (skin/base, eyes, lips) Natalie was immediately able to help me streamline my bag.

She pointed out some products I simply didn’t need – such as two foundations which I had been mixing together instead of just buying one in the right shade – and flagged up items she believed might be able to plug the gaps once the items were removed. Natalie even streamlined my makeup brush collection which I always knew was necessary to do.

The chat then led into a 90 minute strategic look around the Beauty Hall in Liberty. Natalie explained that she loved shopping for makeup in Liberty, both personally and for her clients, because the front section of the Beauty floor has such great access to natural light, via floor to ceiling windows.

Compared to garish store lighting, Natalie explained that by looking at how certain products sit on our skin in natural light, we can get a better idea of how the makeup will look in the real world. It was just one of the helpful tips that I received from the session which I know will help me to make future purchases in a way that will benefit myself and my purse.

During the shopping part of the session we spent time at the Laura Mercier, Hourglass, Sisley and Chantecaille counters with Natalie cherry-picking just three or four items from each counter that she knew provided the right shade, texture and finish for me. We also stopped by Bobbi Brown and NARS for some items she knew would work best for me, despite also being available at other counters.

Time for some shopping!

Natalie is totally unbiased when it comes to the various makeup brands and focused solely on suggesting the best investment pieces for my skin needs and lifestyle. At the end of the session there were around 12 items in my basket based on items in stock that day which we had decided would make great additions to my makeup bag. Natalie also made a note of others I could add to my routine in the future. We then headed back to the Private Suite to have a final discussion about which items Natalie felt would make the best investments for me now, versus ones I could ear mark for further down the line.

While I keep my day time makeup look simple with just foundation, a little eye makeup and a nude lip, Natalie introduced me to the perfect dewy foundation for me, a cream blush (both Laura Mercier) and a creamy concealer (NARS). These three products alone now help me to create a flawless base with minimal time and effort. She also helped me to find the perfect natural lip shade, a red carpet red (both Chantecaille) and a matte brow mascara to give my brows subtle definition (NARS). Natalie kept repeating that there was no obligation to buy anything straightaway and stressed the importance of avoiding impulse buying when it comes to makeup.

What I truly loved was the detailed follow up report which Natalie sent a week after the session. It had everything she had spoken to me about on the day – from suggestions around improving my skincare routine to the list of all the products we had looked at and tried out on the shop floor. She even sent me the photos she took on the day of the products we looked at and one or two of me wearing them.

This session is perfect for people who want to nail their ‘game face’ or for those who want to refresh their look with the best products suited to their skin. The strength of the session is the fact Natalie is someone looking at your makeup bag from the outside and is able to eliminate the unnecessary products and suggest the perfect alternatives.

Investment products work best!

It is pretty pricey at first glance, but I couldn’t help but wonder how much money I have wasted in the past few years on products which I didn’t really need or didn’t know enough about. If I had done this session earlier in my life then I could probably have saved myself double the amount that the session costs.

This is definitely worth investing in if you don’t have time for trial and error, appreciate a personal service and quite fancy an expert guide around the beauty floor at one of London’s most iconic stores.

For more information about Natalie please visit her website.