Pam is a resident at Ryman’s Diana Isaac Village in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Along with her friend of over 40 years, Margaret, they ventured on a ladies’ day out, courtesy of Ryman. A full day of pampering and personal styling isn’t an everyday occurrence for the friends, so there were a few nerves mixed with a lot of excitement when the day arrived.

The day started with plenty of laughter and, unsurprisingly, ended that way too! First up, a professional colour consultation set the mood – and shades – of the day. Next, a fun-filled education in skin care and its related products was enjoyed by the pair. Although, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t enjoy being made up by a professional makeup artist? A hair styling session followed where the ladies learnt how easy it can be to create natural curls on-demand. Made up and coiffed to perfection, it was time for a personal styling session. The two set off to Ballantynes with a personal stylist where they tested their new colour skills to create stunning outfit combinations. It was a fantastic day out for Pam and Margaret, and the whole makeover day crew!

This makeover day was reported on in the 2020 Spring Edition of our lifestyle magazine, Kowhai in New Zealand and Yellow in Australia. The article that you’re currently reading is the full-length version of the day Pam and Margaret were gifted. So, let’s begin!

A special thanks to Bailey Nelson, Abby Button, Ballantynes, Stacey Banfield, and Monique from Graceful Hair Art. 

Colour your wardrobe – and your life!

Stylist and colour expert Abby Button helped Bevis match his colours. She took into account his skin tone and eye colour to select a range of colours that look best on him. An out of the box experience for most Kiwi blokes, this knowledge was put to good use when it came time to hit the shops.

Bevis and our crew headed to Ballantynes, Christchurch and let loose in the menswear department. This is not something Bevis does often, but he was pleasantly surprised at how fun it can be! With Abby’s expert assistance the experience was a great laugh and remarkably easy.

She listened to Bevis as he shared the types of clothing he prefers to wear, then shared some advice for matching patterns. Abby also had plenty of tips on how to embrace the right colours for you. Some colours can make you look tired and washed out while others can make your eyes brighter and complement your skin tone. Once you know which colours suit your skin and eyes, you can focus your future shopping on those colours. Knowing the tricks of the trade always makes things easier!

Bevis and Abby also had fun with accessories. Hats, pocket squares, and sunglasses all add interest to an outfit and matching patterns and choosing colours that suited his skin colour was simple with a little help. The items Bevis chose were ones that he, quite simply, liked the look of and felt comfortable in – “I rather like that to be honest”. When staff queried why we were filming, Bevis let them know that a new “James bond film is coming up.” Well, he certainly looked the part! When his chosen items were paired with some colour suggestions and pattern-matching advice, the result was fantastic. Bevis walked out of his shopping session feeling and looking amazing.

While Bevis was lucky enough to be helped by a personal stylist on his bloke’s day out, anyone can enjoy the same experience by saying hello to the shop assistant and asking for help with their clothing choices. For those who prefer a DIY experience, hold the clothing items up to your face. This will help you see which colour looks best against your skin. While your instinct might be ‘I have no idea’ take a moment and you might be surprised to see that one simply looks better than the other.

Colour consultant and personal stylist Abby Button took Pam and Margaret on a colour journey. In assessing their ideal colour palette, she considered their skin tone, hair and eye colour and personal preferences. She explained that the colours we choose to wear in our clothing, or even to decorate and paint on our walls, plays an important role in our psychology. Colour has the power to alter our mood, both positively and negatively. Take a look around and observe which colours make you feel a certain way. Red is often used by eateries as it stimulates hunger and urgency. Blue is regularly used by professional businesses as it makes us feel secure and calm.

“when you see yellow, you just can’t help but feel happy!” - Abby Button.

The colours we choose to wear can impact how people perceive us. Because of this, Abby suggests avoiding divisive colours like purple or orange when meeting new people. Such strong colour choices can negatively impact a first impression. In fact, colour can be so powerful that you could craft a week’s worth of outfits specific to each occasion and the emotions you’d like to elicit from yourself and others! But, while this sounds fun, it pays to start small. Learning which colours suit you will empower you to wear colour with confidence. After all, nothing enhances an outfit better than a little confidence!

If you’re not ready to go all out with colourful clothing just yet, Abby suggests a clever way to subtly introduce colour is through makeup and accessories. Patterns and prints are also greats ways to add interest to an outfit and introduce colour. As you’ll see in the accompanying video, Abby pulled her accessory and lipstick colours from the pattern on her dress. The result is a cohesive style that works beautifully together and suits Abby’s skin tone and bubbly personality.

“So that’s something that I often do in my outfits to make the whole outfit colourful. So, today I pulled the red out of this (dress) and matched my belt and my lipstick to it.” – Abby Button

Later in the day, the ladies put their new colour theory knowledge into practice with a personal styling session with Abby. But first, they had fun with makeup, learnt about skincare, and discovered how easy it is to enhance even short hairstyles with a few clever tips to try at home.

The big H (let’s talk hydration)

Skincare expert and makeup artist Stacey Banfield gave Pam and Margaret – and the Ryman team capturing their day out – a fascinating education in skincare. Stacey says that the key to flawless makeup starts with beautifully hydrated skin. As we age our skin becomes drier than it has been previously. As a result, hydration becomes more important than ever – internally and externally.

Before you think about makeup start with the basics and make sure that your skin is well hydrated. Stacey recommends a dual approach between SPF protection during the day and a hydrating serum topped with a moisturiser. She also suggests rosehip oil for overnight hydration. Trilogy’s Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is a great natural moisturiser for the whole body. Once you have a good hydration routine for your skin, any makeup you put on top will look amazing courtesy of your healthy, glowing skin underneath. Stacey explains, “It’s a little like when a painter preps a house – if you create a smooth, supple base, the painting is easy, and the end result looks amazing”. Looking at her reflection, Pam commented, “The makeup’s lovely. I mean, you can’t take the wrinkles away, but it’s nice”.

“We want to stay away from matte tones, especially if your lips (and skin) are drier.”

A good hydration layer is best achieved with a good quality serum. This is the first thing you apply to your skin, even before moisturiser. Stacey explains that serums are hard-working products that offer many skin care benefits. They can offer anti-ageing properties, fine line reduction, and other concentrated ingredients designed to penetrate your skin with ease. Once you have applied a serum, the icing on the cake is your moisturiser. While a serum can be an investment, it’s an investment in beautifully radiant skin.

Stacey recommends:

Emma Lewisham Skin Reset Serum
This internationally award-winning serum claims to even skin tone and pigmentation, return skin clarity and deliver glow and hydration. The ingredients are naturally derived, and best of all, it’s made by New Zealand’s very own Emma Lewisham. 

“If you want a powerful product, invest in your serum. Your moisturiser is… the icing on the cake.” – Stacey Banfield

Stacey also recommends Clinique Moisture Surge 72-hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator

Stacey’s Makeup Tips

1. Affordability: Opt for quality over quantity. Products in larger bottles may appear cheaper, but they can have lower potency making them less effective. Instead, choose a select few items that will provide maximum impact, like a high-quality serum.

2. Warm-up with colour: Lipstick is a great way to showcase your personality. Matte lippy will emphasise lines, so opt for a sheer lip colour if you have fine lines around your lips. A sheer lipstick also offers moisturising qualities.

3. Blush a little: When applying blusher, softly swipe the apples of your cheeks. Be careful not to create a stripe as this will emphasise lines. The result should be a soft hint of colour that doesn’t have defined edges.

4. Bright eyes: While you may have used darker eyeshadows during winter, spring is the season for lighter eyeshadow shades. Applying eyeshadow with a brush will avoid pencil drag and achieve a softer, more natural look.

5. Set it: Stacey describes setting spray as “the magical part of makeup”. Which is high praise coming from a professional makeup artist and skincare expert. Using a quality spray will set your makeup for the day. She recommends skindinavia.com. 

Stunning hair on demand

Once their makeup was complete, Pam and Margaret sat down with hairstylist Monique Caddigan of Graceful Hair Art to complete the picture. Monique regularly uses a hair straightener to create simple, everyday hairstyles for her clients. Pam and Margaret both experienced the power of a hair straightener to quickly create natural-looking curls.

Monique used a high-quality GHD brand hair straightener to create both straight styles and soft curls for Pam and Margaret. The ladies were astounded at how easy it was to create volume and softness with curls that gently framed their faces. When confronted with her new look, Pam proclaimed “I’m different!” quickly followed by a clarification that “no, that’s good!”.

“Curling your hair with a straightener is a little like curling a ribbon on a present.” You twist the straightener as you’re pulling it gently throughout your hair and voilà, much like curling a ribbon, the hair is curled! – Monique Caddigan

Another trick Monique uses for volume is dry shampoo. Often used when hair needs to look good but is overdue for a wash, dry shampoo can also add texture and grit to clean hair. You simply add a small amount of the powder or spray to your roots then roughly massage your hair at that point. The dry shampoo will make your hair easier to manipulate, provide volume, and add texture. It’s also a great product for thinner hair.

En Vogue

With their makeup and hair complete (and a little spring in their step), Pam and Margaret sashayed off to Ballantynes in Christchurch, New Zealand for a personal styling session with Abby Button. This was the perfect opportunity to put their newly acquired colour knowledge to use!

Abby likes her clients to be in control of their future styling. Her approach is educational so that when their session is complete, both Pam and Margaret will feel empowered to choose future styles that will look fantastic while also complementing their skin tone and personality.

Abby tells us that when we’re choosing an item of clothing, always place the fabric next to your face. Take a moment or two to observe how the colour and texture reflect on your skin. If the colour makes your skin ‘pop’, then you know it works in harmony with your skin tone. Be sure to repeat this process every 5-10 years as the undertone of your skin will change over time.

“Colour has a profound effect on how we look, how we feel, and how we are perceived by others.” – Abby Button

When it comes to choosing clothing items, wear colours that aren’t in your ideal colour range below your waist. Pam and Margaret had a wildly entertaining time trying on all sorts of colours, shades, and patterns to see which choices made them look and feel the best. With Abby’s expert eye guiding them along, the trip was a huge success and the ladies looked utterly fabulous by the end of their shopping trip.

Abby's Styling Tips

1. Opt for chic: Black is a common go-to for everybody, but it isn’t a universal colour! A universal colour is one that suits everybody and appears in stores year-round. If you’re a regular black wearer, give navy a try instead. Navy is a softer, chic alternative to black which can be harsh and draining against some skin tones. It’s also perfect for creating a polished, professional look.

2. Accessorise with colour: Much like interiors, it’s fun and easy to introduce colour to your wardrobe through accessories. You can add colour with hats, earrings, necklaces, shoes, bags, you name it! The best part is that accessories can be as inexpensive as you like, making accessorising an easy way to transform an entire outfit.

3. Frame it: Glasses and sunglasses are everyday accessories with high-impact potential. Choose your frames wisely and have fun with patterns and colours. While this might involve an investment now, the payoff is long-lasting. The right colour and frame style can significantly impact how you look and feel.

4. It’s a cinch: Belts aren’t the only way to emphasise your waist! Try wearing a long necklace that stops at your waistline. This will draw the eye and accentuate your waist. Sleeves that drop to the elbow and waist-height skirts worn with an airy blouse will also emphasise your waistline.

5. The power of tailoring: If you’d like to add shape to a floaty dress, pair it with a well-tailored blazer. The combination will accentuate your waist and add an air of formality to the outfit. Collecting a few blazers in different colours, textures, and patterns is a great way to add sophistication and finesse to any outfit.

Pam and Margaret left their ladies’ day feeling fabulous! Which is what skincare, hair, and fashion styling are all about. The key to mastering your personal styling is making time to learn some key tips that you can use daily. A flush of blush, a nightly skin hydration routine, bright accessories, and colours that enhance your skin, hair and eyes.

Perhaps you’ve been hiding brightly coloured pants at the back of your cupboard. Well, now’s the time to dust them off and have fun with colour! With knowledge comes confidence so save this article URL in case you want a refresher course. Or book a session with a colour expert if you’re excited to learn your colours and apply them to your wardrobe and makeup.

We’d like to thank our experts for their talent, advice, and laughter throughout the day. Pam, Margaret, and their Ryman team had a wonderful time learning from you.