Shandelle Battersby gets expert tutelage to transform her look.
Kaboom! One of the greatest super-heroines of all time is the fun inspiration behind a new super-sized makeup range.
Wonder Woman, in all her Amazonian glory, was created by William Marston in 1941, as a feminist role model who had a Lasso of Truth to flush out fibbers, indestructible bracelets to fend off attacks, a tiara which operated like a boomerang, and best of all, an invisible jet. M.A.C has used the ideology behind the character to create a range aimed at transforming Plain Janes into empowered women, bursting with courage, confidence and charisma.
Colour is big this winter and the new range features bright and bold tones - specifically purples, greens and blues - which are easy to wear either during the day or at night to add some pop to your look.
"We've seen a real trend towards colour blocking in fashion so we're doing the same thing with the makeup," says M.A.C's senior makeup artist Amber D, who is currently overseas working on the Paris fashion shows.
Two glamazon models with vivid electric blue eye makeup and wearing gold hot pants, thigh-high red patent leather boots and enormous hair pieces, escort me through Smith & Caughey to a session with Amber D. The collectible makeup is jumbo-sized too, with giant powder compacts and the Penultimate eyeliner casing so chunky that it is almost like a vivid with a fine tip.
It all seems very user-friendly and fun - I'm no expert, but afterwards I think even I can have a go at applying colour products and wearing them out in public without feeling like a clown.
First up Amber D uses a refreshing hydrating spray, then she applies Prep + Prime skin primer to reduce redness, fill in fine lines and pores and help the makeup go on. Next comes a lightweight concealer, which she dabs particularly around my eyes - I don't need any foundation, she says, because my skin is good, but the concealer evens me out a little and makes my face feel nice and silky.
Now comes the Wonder Woman bit, starting with Mineralize Skinfinish powder in Golden Lariat, from the big compact which contains a coral shade with a gold shimmer, a rosy bronze and soft gold with a fine shimmer. The powder serves to take away some of the skin's shine, Amber says, and is good because it creates nice shadows on the face. She uses the bronze section to contour my cheeks with a small brush, blending it in well.
My eyebrows are combed into place, then left alone, and a light-coloured paint from M.A.C's regular line, called Still Life, is buffed on with a soft brush around my eyes. The paint is an eyeshadow on its own, but once it dries it doesn't crease, which helps it stay on all day.
The Mighty Aphrodite blush comes next using a blend of its warm peach coral and brighter coral pink tones, followed by a few highlights with the mineral powder to catch the light, including a dab above my lips to help them look "full and fabulous".
We opt for the green eyeshadow palette (called Valiant) to match what I'm wearing, starting with the lighter, more subtle end of the four shades. "It's a nice way to wear a bit of colour without going super bright," Amber says, then goes on to add a darker khaki green with a firm brush in the outer corners of my eyes, blending it in with the lighter shade. This creates a little more dimension in this area which is normally hidden behind my specs.
The chunky Penultimate eyeliner is not as wet as a traditional liquid eyeliner and is easy to smudge and blend for a smoky eye effect. Finally, Amber layers the darkest forest green shade on the palette over the black, then adds the bright Army of Amazons green Opulash mascara to complete the effect. Adding the coloured mascara to your normal makeup routine is a good way to have a bit of fun with your look, Amber says. My eyes are definitely transformed and I barely recognise them in the mirror. Very dramatic.
My lips are kept fairly neutral with a lick of the Emancipation pale pink lipgloss then, KAPOW! - my makeover is transformed into evening time with a couple of dabs of superfine reflex glitter in the inner corners of my eyes. This is a simple way, Amber says, to move from day to night, as well utilising the darker shades in eyeshadow palettes.
SHAZAM! I may not have a Lasso of Truth or an invisible jet, but I definitely exit feeling super.
Pro tips
Shandelle's transformation offers some good general guidelines on makeup application: prepare, prime, conceal and cover skin only as needed. Groom your brows and use a good long-stay eyeshadow as a base before beginning the fun bit with as much colour as you feel comfortable with. Get the canvas right and you're more likely to be bold with your brush strokes. Amber D offers this extra advice to refresh your makeup look.
1 Try something new: Shift a shade or two from your normal colour selection, it will still suit, but won't be scary, allowing you to easily intensify your normal lip or eye colours.
2) Learn to contour: This trick got a bad rap from its stripey 80s extremes, meaning many women are scared of contouring, but learning to optically change the shape of your face creates flattering angles. "Defining the face, brings out the features."
To contour correctly go a shade or two darker than your foundation, but avoid powders that are too warm in tone. Start at the hairline above the ear and work the contour down close under the cheekbone to make it stand up and out. (Working outward in avoids depositing a dollop of colour in the middle of your face which can be tricky to blend back). Contouring can also be applied carefully to the forehead, at the high-point above the brow for dimension and for a more defined jaw line.
