You need muddy bronzer. No kidding.

08 Jan 2008 09:08 AM | Posted by Editor

Cross a supermodel gene pool with a backstage pedigree and a kabuki brush and you get make-up artist, maker and instructor Jemma Kidd. And some delightful breakfast company indeed.

Bh just enjoyed a suitably refined cup of tea and canapé with Jemma and her catwalk-stalking sis, Jodie, to preview the new English Rose Collection by Jemma Kidd Make Up School, and came away with a lesson or two…

Inspired by the blooms of her own Victorian garden, Jemma's latest line of colours (which hits Kit Cosmetics in April) makes you think of springtime tea parties in the countryside. The fine Eye Essential Shadows feel like powdered petals, the Lip & Eye Dewy Gloss gleams deliciously and the Ultimate Lip Care – Protect and Plump makes lips look rosy perfect.

But it was Jemma's new Bronze Perfection bronzer and Stardust Creme Shadow in Aurora that really caught my attention.

First, the green cream shadow. Until Jemma juxtaposed her fresh, light leaf-green with pink lips and a subtle cheek, I'd never noticed how much green helps more delicate colours come alive. Jemma says she took her cue from the natural colours of garden plants: "If Mother Nature can do it, why shouldn't I?"

The idea behind Bronze Perfection, however, was borne of serious brush time. "I just couldn't find what I was looking for on the market. I wanted a dirty, matte and muddy bronzer, not a shimmery one," she said. Dirty?! Muddy?! Gasp!
 
But this is no ordinary bronzer. "It's not a bronzer for across your nose or apples," Jemma explained to me. "It's for contouring and warming the outer areas of your face and your cheekbones. Think of it as a wash of colour. And the flat matte finish makes it look so real."

Just one warning, she says: "Don't apply it to an oily skin and make sure your skin feels matte before applying it."

Well, blimey. Green shadow and dirty bronzer a la Jemma Kidd Make Up School. Who says you can't teach an old beauty editor new tricks?

 

 

PS: I'll be imparting more gems of Jemma Kidd's wisdom throughout the week, so keep tuning in!