Playing with ingredients from the kitchen cupboard

HALLOWEEN !
There are all sorts of amazing things in Kitchen cupboard that can be used to make meaty wounds to blow the trick or treaters away. This little number is made out of Gelatine and Glycerine and even the blood is edible!! A mixture of Golden Syrup and Mollasses with a good dollop of food colouring. With all this in mind, who needs to hire fancy dress for Halloween!!

Hil x

Get Funked Awards in Wellington with section Zero

Well Its been a while and Hell its been busy!!! Have not had time to sit down and blog and to be honest, I still dont, hence Why I am leaving you with a few pics of the Hil Cook team working and partying at the Get Funked awards.... Until the next time.

Hil x

THE HARDEST JOB OF MY LIFE!

The past few days I have been doing the special FX on a Documentary that has left me feeling raw and needing to see a shrink! I have never in all my years in the film industry , come across a shoot quite like it. Withdrawn, anxious and emotionally drained after our first shooting day, I got in my car and drove around the bay in tears. I had just witnessed through our directors eyes the last few days of 3 year old Nia Glassie's tortured wee life. All I can say is thank God that little girl is now free.

This documentary is incredibly special. There are no trained actors, these are real people with real life experiences and know first hand what it is like to be a battered child, or a person whom has been given away by the only mum or dad they have known. These real life actors want to show New Zealanders just what happened to Nia Glassie and all the other abused children in our country, and that its NOT OK! you cant just look the other way.

It has certainly been a biggy for me and I am glad I could be a part of this even though its been one of the hardest jobs of my life.

Keep your eyes open for the documentary of little Nia Glassie, she deserves to have her story heard.

Hil x

Hil Cook makeup workshop with the Section Zero models

Yet another successful makeup workshop, with Section Zero models this time.

We taught 20 girls the tricks of the trade so they would be prepared when seeing potential clients. All seemed to really enjoy them selves and got right in on the action.

At the end of our workshop they went on to have Colin from 'NZ TOP MODEL' to teach the girls how to walk the cat walk and pose. Then the utterly talented stylist Samatha Hannah, helped the girls with styling and how to dress for their body types.

All in all it was an awsome day and to top the evening off, it ended with a smoldering wee shin dig in dimly lit bar just off Courtney place. NICE!

Hil x

A GREAT TIP FOR STAINED NAILS & NEAT FEET

Have you ever noticed that your nails get stained after wearing dark polish or wearing polish for too long? I know I have and with summer only just around the corner, toes will be on show!!!

This thought was brought to my attention this evening after removing my 'winter' toe nail polish (scared to let you know just how many weeks its been hanging in there for ahhhhhhh) I felt it was high time I got 'Neat Feet'.

If your nails are stained from dark polish, stick your fingers or toes into lemon halves for five minutes - it’s an instant brightener. It really works!!!

Hil x

**ALYSSA'S BIG TRIAL DAY**

AAAAA

Alyssa's big trial day!!! Introducing our wedding show winner, Alyssa Hoskins.

Alyssa has to be the most organised bride we have ever had horaaaaaaayy!!!! She came armed with sheets of pictures, photographs, ideas, fabric swatches, and drawings of EVERTHING, we LOVED her!!!!. Her bridesmaids joked that they offered hair samples even, which I think she nearly would of taken them up on!!

Anyway it was great having so much intricate detail to work with that it felt like I could almost see inside this beautiful brides head and completely recreate what she was seeing.

Alyssa was certainly not your ordinary bride in white. She had very individual ideas for her up coming wedding which was a joy to follow along with.

She decided on a Grecian theme with beautiful draped flowing dresses for all, and hair that would be individually tailored with Grecian in mind, but in keeping with each bridesmaids taste and face shape.

We tried out plenty of different styles as you can see above, but decided on a intricate woven ( and braided) hairstyle. Alyssa has reasonably fine hair so we needed it to look as thick as possible, and by loosening her inside out plait, managed to achieve this quite nicely. By adding one of my hair pieces to the back gave her the bulk she was after and whalah! we had the birth of her hair style .

Alyssa wanted to really play up her eyes and use some dark liner, in fact we decided for the day to go even darker and smoldery for her wedding and make the twists in the back of her hair even tighter and more braided.

Watch this space to see her actual wedding day come together, she will look AMAZING!!!!

Another Workshop Fan from SZ models

Hi Hil and Ange!!

I wanted to thank you again for friday. I learnt so much from you two.
From knowing next to nothing about applying makeup, I now feel well educated.
Not only that, you boosted my confidence and made me feel beautiful!
Whether it be at my first tv commercial, fashion shoot or wedding I'll look forward to seeing you lovely lady's again.
I thought I'd show my appreciation by a quick thankyou email.

Cheers
Kasia
P.s. If you haven't guessed you have left an impression on me! :)

Feed back from our workshop with section zero models

"Hi Hil, only had a quick chance to say thanks and good bye to you as you were leaving, so just wanted to again say a HUGE thanks for your work at the SZ Workshop last week. I learnt some great tips and have started incorporated these into my makeup routine, and it definitely makes a huge difference. Please pass on my thanks to Ange as well for looking after me and helping me out with colours! It was a pleasure to work with you and hopefully we can work together again soon :) xx"

Thanks for your email Tara!!!

Hil X

CHECK US OUT IN ONE OF OUR WORKSHOPS FOR SECTION ZERO MODELING AGENCY

We had an amazing day Friday teaching the 'section Zero models' one of our makeup workshops.

Click on the title and check us out !!

Hil X

THAT PERFECT EVENING LOOK - WORKSHOP

"THAT PERFECT EVENING LOOK"

Have you every wondered how to make your eye's "pop" for that special event?

Have you ever wondered how to keep your make up looking fresh all night?

WELL.........

WE HAVE THE WORKSHOP YOU NEED!

With over 20 years of experience in hair and make up for film, television, editorial, weddings and more HIl Cook is bringing her wealth of experience to you!

On the evening of August 13th at the NZ Radio School in Cuba Street, Hil is running a workshop on

"THAT PERFECT EVENING LOOK"

The course will involve working on others, watching demos and working on yourself!!

All of our workshops are sponsored by Bobbi Brown and Dermalogica!! YAH! This means you get to play with beautiful product!!

THE EVENING PROMISES TO BE A GOOD LAUGH AND OF COURSE EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE!

The cost is $80 per person which you can either pay by direct banking prior to the night or cash on the night! The evening runs for 3 - 3 1/2 hours.

TO BOOK EMAIL ANGELA

anglea@hilcook.co.nz or ph 02885001365

BOOK IN FAST AS PLACES ARE LIMITED!! BYO if desired!

www.hilcook.co.nz

http://hilcookmakeuphairartist.blogspot.com/

BlOOD & GORE FOR UP COMING DOCO

FUN FUN FUN!

I spent the weekend freezing my butt off in an old abandoned house in Silverstream for the love of my craft!!!

We were filming a doco that I cant really go into detail about yet until released, but trust me it will definitely be one for the boys!! Lots of guns, special FX and blood. Good old kiwiana at its best.

Thought I would chuck in a few piccies of my latest wounds. I sculpt these wounds up, make moulds, fill the moulds with a Gelatin recipe , apply to the skin , then airbrush. Last but not least, the blood! YUM, Minced hands.

Just a change from beautiful brides.

Hil X

CONCEALING TIRED EYES.

TIPS TO GIVE YOU THE 'BRIGHT EYED BUSHY TAILED' LOOK, EVEN ON A FEW HOURS SLEEP!!!

How many of you have woken after broken nights sleep, a small person creeping into you bed, a night out on the town or perhaps just a hard week. You looked in the mirror and the person looking back is just plain tired looking ahhhhhhhh! ( thats me at the best of times )

Yes it happens to the best of us but rest assured ladies, we have some valuable tips to make your skin and peepers look heavenly and alive.

I am going to tell you about our fabulous way to conceal your eyes and brighten them.

look directly in the mirror at yourself but move your head slightly downwards, this means you will be looking upwards with your eyes into your reflection. This is the best way to see the exact shadows that needs to be concealed. You only want to conceal the DARKNESS -NOTHING ELSE. If any other part of the eye is concealed it will start to look cakey as Skin under the eye is much thinner than the rest of our skin, thus, having the reverse effect of what we are trying to achieve ,'the youthful bright eyed bushy tailed look'!!!! So I do stress that concealing only happens on darkness.

Alway use a shade lighter ( 1-2 tones lighter) than your skin tone to brighten the darkness. For those of you that really suffer from the extreme dark tones under your eyes, look for a corrector concealer with an orangey /gold base to it... Bobbie Brown does fantastic bisque and peach tones which work fantastically to counteract this problem. In fact only a few weeks ago my gorgeous Indian bride had just that problem and we evened her skin tone out beautifully with Bobbie Browns Dark peach.

The way I like to apply concealer is with a small synthetic concealer brush, only dabbing onto the darkness seen. I always let it rest on the skin for about 20-30 seconds , then press it into the skin using the pad of your ring finger until it is completely worked into the skin. Press a small amount of loose powder only on the concealed area as this will set the concealer and stop it from disappearing half way through the day.

Another little tip to brighten those peepers even more... load up a small eyeliner brush with a shimmering neutral shade of eye shadow ( cream shades always work great) , apply to the inner corner of your eye from the top to bottom where lashes don't grow. Watch your eyes sparkle and shine. This has been one of our workshops best tips for everyone from their feedback forms.

Add a touch of mascara and your eyes will look fantastic even after only the smallest amount of sleep.

As for giving dry skin a boost over the winter period, NZ made 'Trilogy Rosehip oil' needs to be in everyones handbag!!! At a mere cost of $23 , the results are outstanding and give you a beautiful glow. I put my gorgeous bride Frances on to it 2 weeks ago at her wedding trial and today , on her wedding day, her skin was truly remarkable with a 100% improvement. She spent the morning telling all her bridesmaids how they must get some & asked me to mention it on our blog. (Happy Wedding day Frances!)

S0 there you have it ladies, No excuses for tired eyes and dull skin. Get cracking, try out these tips and see for yourself!

Hil X

New Sponsor!

We're very excited to be sponsored by Bobbi Brown Cosmetics - their make up range is exquisite and we look forward to working with them to bring you more hot looks, great workshops, and amazing make up products!!!

Please check out their website for more info - and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions about their range. Bobbi Brown is available exclusively in Wellington through Kirkcaldie and Stains - so head to Kirks on Lambton Quay to check it out for yourself!!!

I STUMBLED ON THIS OLD VIDEO AHHHH

WHAT WAS I THINKING WITH THE HAIR ????? IN MY DEFENCE IT WAS THE 90'S

Click on this title to view Hil working on Hobbit feet for Lord of the Rings.

CHECK IT OUT 

HIL X

CHECK US OUT ON NEW YORK FASHION TV!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1PQvFLNCQg   

CLICK ON THE LINK

FANTASTIC FEEDBACK FROM OUR WORKSHOP!

A wee "statement"

 

"My retired mum and me, busy mum of two toddlers, attended Hil & Ang's makeup workshop and loved it! Hil & Ang are obviously incredibly talented and skilled at what they do, yet the evening was relaxed, fun and very informative.  The professional advice and tips they gave was so helpful. The experimenting with makeup was fun, scary, and a lot of laughs, but just the best environment to practice and learn in.  If you get the opportunity to attend a workshop we would both recommended it 100%, what we learnt was practical and invaluable.  Thanks so much Hil & Ang."

 

 I can't speak highly enough of the evening !

 

 

  

 

 

  

BALL GIRLS LOOKING HOT!!!

What a crazy weekend the Hil Cook team has just had!!

6 gorgeous girls from Wellington Girls College had a fabulous pampering day, all in the lead up to their ball that evening.

The Hil Cook team turned an amazing Ngaio home into a powder puffing, shimmering , hair curling session.... catering to 6 lovely young women, and their excited mum's on the side watching.

All the girls had spent the time to source reference pictures so we had a good over view of all their requirements for hair and makeup that day.  I have to say the outcome was FANTASTIC! they looked AMAZING!!!!!

There was a lot of excited chatter, texting and great music in tribute to the late Micheal Jackson,  not to mention a fantastic spread that one of the mums had done up for everyone to nibble on throughout the day.  

Hope the ball was as enchanting as all the gorgeous young ladies looked!

Thanks for a fab day girls

Love the "HIL COOK TEAM" x

NIGHT OUT WITH THE HIL COOK MAKEUP WORKSHOP

OUR FAB GOODIE BAG AT THE HIL COOK WORKSHOP!!
I have to say what a fantastic turnout of people to our workshop this evening in the new city premises.  Every one seemed to have a really enjoyable night , and judging by all your feed back it was well worth the event.    We had all walks of life there from designer, lawyers, artist, mums, and students, all under the one roof learning tricks of the trade.  I must say I was really impressed with the out come and how glamorous everyone ended up!!  15 incredible Hot looking ladies ready to paint the town red and armed with a fountain of knowledge.

The Fabulous BOBBI BROWN MAKEUP whom sponsors the Hil Cook team,  supplied all the makeup for everyone to really get down and have a  good play.  The woman in our workshop, I believe have been converted, never to return to their old makeup again.  Its BOBBI BROWN all the way from now on with the majority of ladies writing up their shopping lists of what goodies they want to purchase , first thing in the morning!  BOBBI BROWN also gave us a fantastic 10 step makeup book and a face chart to put into our goodie bags.  THANKS BOBBI BROWN!!!

You cant have great makeup with out great skin and thats where DERMALOGICA came to our rescue!!  Dermalogica , also a major sponsor of the Hil Cook team,  kindly sent us all the goodie bags for the evening .  In them they supplied their fantastic multi active toner, skin smoothing cream,  special cleansing gel, a discount voucher, and a daily microfoliant.  THANKS DERMALOGICA!

All in all we feel incredibly lucky to have two such major brands backing our team and I know all the Ladies in our workshop were incredibly grateful to work with great products.

Our next workshop is fully booked but more are on the way,  please contact angeduncan@gmail.com for more information.

 Hil X

We also 

STICK IT TO YA BY 'BLACK STICKS STAR' LIZZY IGASAN... ALSO QUEEN OF THE DANCE FLOOR FOR DANCING WITH THE STARS!

 

1    Being the busy woman that you are, do you have time for a skin care/make up routine? If yes what is this? What are your tricks ?

Wipes are my training/hockey trick, I have them with me at all times and when I am all over the world. Nothing beats a freshly wiped face. I tend to use dermalogica scrub and gentle cleanser but this is a quick process while in the shower. It is safe to say I am pretty low maintenance...

 

2    What are your fav make up products?

After the dancing experience I would have to say mac foundation and some of the colours that I got to experiment with. Pre-dancing with the Stars I would have said chapstick (and then wondered if that counted!).

 

3   Who's "look" are you most into eg: famous musician, sports chick etc....

I think the music icons are always a bit extreme and maybe a bit diva for the everyday me but I do like Gwen Stefani's originality, Beyonce's diva-ness and Jessica Alba's class.

 

4   What is the best make up and hair look you have ever had? :-)

DWTS Final Episode but you know who....  ( FOR THOSE OF YOU WHOM DONT KNOW,  IT WAS ANGELA DUNCAN FROM HIL COOK MAKEUP THAT MADE LIZZY UP,  AND SHE LOOKED DAMN HOT!!!!)

 

5   Did you enjoy Dancing with the stars?? :-)

Moments of it. It was great to learn the dancing, it was super fun to be dolled up and it was a nice change from the hockey gear and training!

 

6   What are the things you would want to know about make up and hair??

I would love a cheaters guide to hotness if you have one? It would be fab to spend a day learning about skin care, makeup application tips (for dummies) and then to find out what actually suits my face/look and ways to avoid doing the same old thing..

 

7   Whats your fav food?

How many favs do I get? I am a foodie so the list is ongoing... I can't live without: ice cream, burger fuel, the occasional big ben pie, and the fancier things like hummus pesto on hand and cheese n crackers...

 

8   Whats your fav thing to do to relax?

Spend time with my man.

Reading.

DVD/movie watching.

All this can be done while eating.

 

MAKEUP WORKSHOPS with the FABULOUS BOBBI BROWN PRODUCTS

It has come to our attention that most of you lovely ladies are more than interested in learning about good makeup application, choosing the right foundation for oneself and changing your day look into a glam evening look.  Some are even interested in learning how to do the odd GHD curl or a quick n easy up do.  Have no fear ladies,  Introducing the latest HIL COOK MAKEUP WORKSHOP!!!!

 Thanks to all of you that wrote to us regarding what they would like to learn, and your general feed back on ideas from previous workshops.  We now have in place, our first workshop in the NEW PREMISES, happening June 25th at the NZ Radio training school in Wellington.  We are also extremely excited to say we now have a new exclusive makeup sponser... the fabulous BOBBI BROWN. Everyone gets to try out their fantastic range and learn all about great application, not to mention what works well for you!.  Click on the TITLE of this article and check out BOBBI BROWN'S gorgeous products on their website, or better still come and try them out at one of our workshops!!!. 

 We are booked out solid for June 25th workshop , but there will be plenty more!!!  Those of you whom are interested in our future workshops, please contact angeduncan@gmail.com  to ensure yourself a place.   See you there!!Hil X

AIRBRUSHED BEAUTIES!

More and more of our brides and clients are asking to be airbrushed, we thought it was high time to share the light on the subject and hopefully answer your questions...Airbrushing uses a fine mist of color that gently covers the skin for a flawless appearance. The makeup is not rubbed into the skin to exaggerate and irritate the pores. Instead, the airbrushed foundation sits on the skin’s surface for a soft & more natural looking result. The skin is able to breathe, while flaws and discolorations are successfully concealed.We use 2 main types of foundation through our airbrushes, Temptu from Europe and now Mac has also launched their range (which is fantastic!). A few small drops of foundation gets squeezed into the airbrush, which is then connected to a small compressor , The trigger on the airbrush is pulled back and circular motionThe airbrush creates the illusion of skin perfection since it is misted on and does not mask the face. The feel of the makeup is equally pleasant, as the foundation is extremely lightweight & incredibly durable. as though there is nothing on the face at all. The application of foundation with an airbrush has been used for over a decade in the TV and movie world because of its ability to create a flawless look on and off the screen. It looks natural,soft, beautiful in close up , and equally gorgeous on the screen and in print. It is the solution for all women or brides who desire to wear foundation to protect and enhance their skin, while remaining natural and youthful in the process.

MAKEUP TREND: STATEMENT LIPS !

Statement pouts are oh so hot - and the perfect winter pick me up!  From hot pink and blood orange to electric purple and danger red, it really doesn’t matter the colour as long as it can be seen from a distance.

Statement lips are perfect for winter - they liven up cosy outfits and brighten pale winter complexions. The most flattering shade for all complexions is a bright hot pink - just make sure it's not too deep - the key is to find a colour that POPS!

 

 

Unfortunately you can't just slap some bright lipstick on and go (ok, you can, but flaky lips and lipstick all over your teeth should be left to Courtney Love). It is a good idea to exfoliate your lips with a soft flannel or gentle exfoliant beforehand, and condition them well - dry lips and bright colours do not go well together.

 

Liner is a MUST - so a nude coloured lip-liner or clear is a great investment as it will work with all shades. It helps the lipstick stay in place and stops it from bleeding outside the natural line of the lips.

 

The team love the matte look, but if you are more of a juicy lips type of girl then a dollop of clear gloss in the centre of the bottom lip will look fab.

In terms of the rest of your face, keep in simple - a perfect base, a little bronzer, and some fat lashes is all you need.

 

Hil will make my day!!!

Of the MANY competitions I entered at the bridal show, Hil's was the one my fingers were crossed tightest for. I'd seen examples of Hil and team's amazing work before coming to the show so was absolutely thrilled (jumping up and down screaming in the office!) when I found out I'd won this competition! I can't wait to see how everything will turn out on the day. What excites me the most is getting to work with these girls who are not only so fantastic and professional at what they do, but who will also work with me to create a look that is 100% unique to me and the look I want for my bridesmaids. Doing things a bit differently to the norm, I'm looking forward to their input that I know will also help me put the final touches on all of our outfits for a stunning overall image of each girl. I will happily put me and my girls safely into their capable hands to make each of us look as great as we can. With so many ideas out there and so much pressure on what a wedding 'should' be and look like, Hil and team will really help me keep to what's important to me: that mine and Matt's wedding will be about us being absolutely 100% us (the most gorgeous version possible!), remembering that the wedding's only the start of what it's all about - the marriage to come!

CREATING A FULL GORGEOUS LIP!!

A great little tip to a full lip is to apply a touch of shimmer to the top of your cupids bow.  Using a flat square brush, place a touch of shimmer right on the outer edge of your cupid line.  This will give the allusion when the light catches, that you have full curled pouty lips!  Trust me this really works well!

*Use lip plumpers. Lip plumpers usually contain cinnamon oil. The heat from the plumpers draws blood to the surface, which helps to create more fullness. Better yet, just buy plain cinnamon oil and use on after you apply your lipstick. If you use it before, you’ll have to wait for the oil to be absorbed and sink in to your lips. **Cinnamon oil will heat up your lips and may cause a burning sensation!

PUT A MODERN TWIST ON A CLASSIC CHIGNOG

KRISTY from "DANCING WITH THE STARS"


Put a youthful, modern twist on a classic chignog by braiding hair first.  kristy from "Dancing with the stars", danced the Tango with Chris Hobbs in this updated little number.

We took a classic chignog and modernised it by braiding 3 separate fishplaits (a two plait) into a low off centred ponytail.  Each braid was loosened off and pinned in a clock wise direction to create this modern and youthful look.  To give Kristy an edgy twist, we took a triangle section off center of her part and did an inside out french braid , this continued  along her hair line. Braiding can really update a look ! Let our readers know about any hair styles you have tried with braids.

Hil x

HIL COOK MAKEUP & HAIR ARTIST: CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE!!!

HIL COOK MAKEUP & HAIR ARTIST: CHECK OUT THE NEW WEBSITE!!!