I love my specs. I’ve collected them over the years, friends have given me pairs they know I’d adore, and I’ve picked them up in far-flung places while travelling.  I see specs as an accessory and an investment – after all, they’re on your face all day!

I think the reason I like to have so many spectacle options is how far specs fashions have come, from the 1970s & 80s. If you did love those NHS specs though, you can still find them! Check out Dead Mens Specs!!

I do wear contact lenses for performances and evenings out, but generally you’ll find me wearing my specs with pride.  My favorites are genuine vintage (you’ll need to find a friendly local Optician to put your prescription lenses in though, many modern chains won’t touch them) but there are also lots of fabulous modern styles in gorgeous colours, as well as vintage reproductions.

Wearing glasses does mean giving some extra thought to eye make up – specs draw attention to the eyes, and depending on your prescription, can make them seem smaller or larger.  Here are my top make up tips for specs wearers:

Groomed Brows

This is my top tip, and can make a big difference to everyone’s make up (and even affect the way your face-shape appears!) but it’s especially important for specs-wearers, as your eyes are such a focus for attention. The e.l.f. eyebrow powder kit is fabulous, and if you’re having trouble with plucking and defining your eyebrow shape, try the e.l.f eyebrow stencil kit – choose a shape, fill in with eyebrow powder, then pluck stray hairs!

Mascara

Eyelashes can be a nuisance for specs-wearers – bumping against your lenses, & leaving little mascara streaks, and it’s almost impossible to fit a set of stage-worthy false lashes under a pair of specs! I always curl my lashes with an e.l.f. eyelash curler to help fight against smudges, and I use mascara only on my top lashes which helps to minimise shadow being cast onto the under-eye area.  For daytime wear (especially as I’m dark-haired) I can get away with one coat. 

Concealer

Specs can draw attention to any dark areas under the eye, and even cast shadows, so choose a light-textured concealer very close to your skin tone.  Apply sparingly and dust with powder - too much and your specs may slide away!

Colour & Blending

Because I like dramatic frames, I prefer to keep eye makeup simple and stick to fairly neutral shades, usually just one dark and one light shade.  Careful blending is extra-important for specs wearers as glasses can magnify mistakes.  If you find that powder shadows cause fallout onto your lenses, cream colours are a great alternative.

Highlighter

A creamy pale highlighter dotted onto the inner corners of the eyes and under the arch of the eyebrow will really brighten and open up your eyes.

Anna x

www.annafurlaxis.com

Products Used in Photograph:

Eyelash Curlers

Mineral infused Face Primer

Flawless Finish Foundation in Porcelain

High Definition Powder

Mineral Eye shadow Primer

Cream Eye shadow in Candlelight

Mascara

Eyebrow Powder Kit

Beauty-On-The-Go Palette blush & Eye Colours

Cream Eyeliner - Black

Lip Stain in Red Carpet

In the last couple of months I’ve had shows in Sweden, Paris, Rome and Las Vegas, as well as across the UK. I’m very lucky to travel so much with my job, but all this touring has meant that I’ve had to pick up some shortcuts and tips for moving around on my own with heavy luggage, and since it’s holiday season, I thought this would be as good a time as any to gather my thoughts.

But let’s start at the beginning: For an early flight, should one wear full make up to the Airport?!   Often, for European shows, I have to leave my home at 4 or 5am to check in for an 8 or 9am flight. Is it worth applying make up at that crazy hour?  If I’ve had a show the night before, I might not have made it to bed before 2 or 3am! – But from personal experience, I find it’s always worth taking the time to apply a little e.l.f. Mineral Foundation, Mascara and Red Carpet Lipstain. It takes 2 minutes and I know I’ll regret it at the check-in desk if I don’t.

But what about luggage?! And all the rules and regulations for in-flight bags and their contents?!   It might look like Burlesque Performers wear next to nothing on stage and could fit their costumes into a clutch bag, but I promise you – our bags are rammed full & are heavy. It takes a lot more luggage than you’d think! So, how to maximize your baggage allowance? First things first; check out your Airline’s website before you go for their own baggage limits – individual airlines have a mind-boggling variety of maximum weights for hold bags, from a teeny 15kg to a whopping 96kg. And bear in mind that your suitcase will probably weigh around 4-5 kg before you’ve even packed a thing! With hand baggage it gets even more complicated – but if you’re savvy, you can play the figures. Many (but not all!) Airlines allow one item of hand baggage (check the sizes allowed – they can be strict!) up to around 8-12kg PLUS a handbag or laptop. So I have the world’s-largest-handbag. I can fit my laptop in there, as well as an assortment of other bits and bobs which probably weigh another 10kg. Of course, on approaching the check-in desk, I act as if it’s lighter than air. ;)

So what’s inside the bags I won’t let leave my side during travel? Let me preface what I’m about to say by telling you that about 50% of the flights I take have “issues”, which can be anything from a 10 minute delay, up to spending a weekend stranded in a country in which I neither began, or intended to end my journey in, followed by a week of not knowing if I was going to get my suitcase back. So I always carry anything valuable in my hand luggage. Which includes my giant pink fluffy boa. You’ll also need a few bits and bobs just in case.  So that’s spare underwear, phone & laptop chargers, universal power adapter, any medicines you might need (tip: don’t ask for codeine-based painkillers over-the-counter in a USA Pharmacy unless you like to be looked at as if you’ve just asked to shoot up in the middle of the store) and some toiletries. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be wanting your make up kit, that’s for sure. Before I say any more, it’s important to check current regulations to be sure that you have the up-to-date information on things like liquids and gels (currently you may fly with containers no larger than 100ml – excluding essential medicines – which must fit in a single transparent, resealable, 1-litre bag).  It’s worth separating your powder make up in to a separate bag before you go – my Lipstain, Lipsticks, Cream Eyeliner and mascara all have to go into the little plastic bag. Powders can go into my little bag of brushes I told you about last time.

Phew. That’s a lot to pack!

Of course you COULD go down the route suggested by my lovely colleague Lada Redstar and buy a Rufus Roo Jacket (www.rufusroo.com) which is either the most genius, or the most unglamorous garment I’ve ever seen – possibly both!

Anna xx

Products used in Photo:

High Definition Powder

Mineral Eye Primer

Studio Eye shadow in Raspberry

Cream Eyeliner in Black

Red Carpet Lip Stain

Studio Blush in Tickled Pink

Eyebrow Kit in Dark

Lengthening & Volumising Mascara

Summer’s fast approaching and it’s mere weeks until we’ll be grabbing our suitcases and heading to sunnier climes.

Your foreign holiday will come and go with the blink of an eye, though (sob), but what if you could be magically transported to a desert island for a little longer?

It’s time for that age-old question.... what’s your must-have desert island product?

You’re stranded on a deserted isle with only one beauty essential: what would it be?

Can your under eye circles be overlooked for that stunning summery coral lippie? Would you ditch the waterproof mascara for that beautiful bronzer? Or, will you ditch the make-up for uber cool beach-babe wavy hair, courtesy of your favourite hair spritz?

Let us in on your number one beauty essential that you couldn’t be without this summer….

Warmer days will make way for lighter foundation, subtle spring shades and waterproof mascara. And if Kate Nash's recent make-up look in the video for new single 'Doo Wah Do' is anything to go by, coral is back!

Its official, the English rose look is on trend thanks to the likes of fashionista and Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts and model of the moment Agyness Deyn.

While we’ve all been running around fake tanning ourselves for summer these beautiful girls have been embracing their milky white skin and using make-up to complement their natural complexion. Nicola, who was known as ‘the ginger one’ out of Girls Aloud has blossomed into a beautiful swan since accepting her stunning Celtic looking skin and even beat fellow band member Sarah Harding in FHM’s annual World’s Sexist Women poll recently.

If you’ve got fair skin and want to make the most of your snow white features follow our quick guide to getting the most out of your make-up:

Foundation is the most important tool when it comes to pale skin. Stick to one with a high SPF in order to look after your skin. Try e.l.f. Shielding Hydro Tint SPF15 in Tone 1 to give your skin that angelic look.

Apricot colours are ideal for creating peachy cheeks which is on trend for this Spring Summer. Girls with porcelain skin should really avoid pinky shades as they can clash with fair skin tones. e.l.f’s Mineral Blush in Coral is a great for adding a natural colour to pale skin.

Always stick to using brown mascara and eyeliner rather than black as it will look harsh against milky white complexions. Try our Earth & Water Mascara in Brown and Brightening Eyeliner pencil in Coffee.

Do you have any tricks or tips for fair skin? If so, we'd love to hear them.