Beauty Journal

Notes from the chair

Part method, part local knowledge. How a Cambridge wedding morning actually runs, what graduation day and a May Ball ask of a face, and the discoveries made in this city that quietly sit in every makeup bag.

Beauty Discoveries Made in Cambridge: From Newton’s Spectrum to Stem Cells

A surprising amount of what sits in a makeup bag traces back to this small city — colour theory, vitamins, the science behind skincare’s biggest claims, even the camera you take selfies with. A tour, with practical notes.

Cambridge Wedding Venues: A Makeup Artist’s Guide to the Getting-Ready Morning

Every venue guide tells you about the ceremony room. This one is about the other room — where you get ready. Colleges, hotels, country houses and barns around Cambridge, and how the morning runs in each.

Cambridge Graduation: The Day, the Gown and Makeup That Lasts It

Gown, hood, a Latin ceremony, a walk through town and several hundred photographs. How the day runs, and how I build graduation makeup that still looks like you at the celebration dinner.

Black-Tie, Gala and May Ball Makeup: A Face That Lasts Until the Survivors’ Photo

A May Ball starts at nine in the evening and ends with a photograph at sunrise. Here is how formal makeup is built to last that long — base, eyes, lip, and the three things to carry in a clutch bag.

Your Bridal Makeup Trial in Cambridge: What to Expect and How to Prepare

The trial is where the wedding morning is decided. When to book it, what to bring, what should happen in the chair, and the questions worth asking before you leave — a Cambridge bride’s guide.