Stage vs. Street

Hey all you gorgeous POP lovers! Hope you are all really well and enjoying life to the fullest! Any of you ever wondered what the real difference between street and stage makeup is? For many Hollywood dames or brave rock ‘n rollers the difference might be slight but for you chameleons out there who like to switch it up and slip into a different persona depending on your mood I have a few tips! As a performer and stage person myself, I would say there are quite a lot of differences in getting ready for the stage or the camera and just getting ready for coffee with your friends. Don’t ever feel restricted though, I do want to add that I sometimes sprinkle myself in glitter just to go and get milk(!) these are a few general tips. Hope they will be of some help-

1) Street: no makeup makeup is the best way to go – natural sunlight enhances the amount you put on and just a touch too much powder easily ends up looking cakey & flaky – not a good look…Keep things to a minimum, put your makeup on in a room with lots of natural sunlight so that you know exactly what you look like before stepping out the door. Less is more when it comes to quantity.

Work with light touches of color to enhance, don’t try to shade or sculpt features too much but rather enhance what you have naturally with light touches of pinks or berry for cheeks, navy, moss or plum lines for eyes and a neutral pink for lips (fair skins go for pinks or peaches to lift and brighten, medium to olive skin try fresh berries to counteract yellow and dark skins give deeper tones like earthy reds and deep plums a go – avoid grey undertones). Don’t be scared of a little glow, choose crème textures with a shimmer rather than glitter for a skin-like texture - this way you will look fresh and vivid without looking overdone!

2) Stage: Just cake it on baby! In the dark and in front of the camera, it seems almost like the more you put on the less it´s noticed! Work with lighting and angles to shade and sculpt cheek bones and nose; choose earth tones and neutrals. Suck cheeks in, shading with darker shades under the cheekbones, building lighter shades upwards so that the lightest shades ends up on top of the bone structure, this enhances & sharpens the cheekbones and opens up the eyes.

Smoke your eyes out or make them pop with tons of neon hues. The options are endless. For stage, faux lashes are a must! Choose a pair that works with the look you have gone for on the eyes - the smokier the eye, the darker and denser the lashes.

Here is also (according to me) the only opportunity to enhance lips with lip liner, drawing the line outside of the lips ONLY works on stage or in front of the camera, it looks almost clown like in the light of day. Use a good concealer and dab over and around the lips so that your natural lip line fades as much as possible – then choose a lip liner that is the same color as the lipstick you plan to use, draw the liner just outside your lip line and also fill in your lips, then follow with lipstick. For a finishing touch sprinkle yourself with fairy dust and have a glass of champagne – Tada! Ready to meet my audience!

With love as always!
Sara x x x x x x x x x

Stranded by a Volcano....

Wow what a week! Apart from erupting volcanoes in Iceland, trapping me in my birth country of Sweden (and millions of others unable to travel all over the world) – there has been a lot happening! Just moved into my new apartment in LA when I was whisked off to spend a week in my native London!

I remembered instantly why I moved there in the first place, the buzz, the people, the makeup, the fashion! Everywhere you look there is street art happening in the people rushing about! In London there is no limit, no rules to what you should and should not wear, do, or say! Makeup becomes an expression of your mood rather than a must or a mask and this was the inspiration for POP in the first place - makeup as an accessory, makeup as an extension of your mood and makeup as another tool, another creative outlet and personal expression!

Trends? Who cares – honestly, just wear what makes you look and feel good! There are too many trends going on at the same time to pin it down, your options are endless. Go your own way, create your own trends, those are the only ones that count anyway! I fell in love with Alexander McQueen all over again as his last collection is just an explosion of pure creativity and talent – what an icon we have lost!

Avant garde is obvious in a city with sharp edges and a week in good old London town gave me a much needed boost of inspiration – like a shot of Spirulina for the soul! Walking down Fulham Road on Sunday evening I bumped into an amazing sax player and his stand up base guy, they asked me to join their gig and subsequently I ended up doing a really fun gig, singing in a club in Chelsea with Dr Johns (one of my personal favorites!) and no one less than Slash´s music guys! Now that’s the kind of thing that only happens in London or maybe NYC…So as you can imagine I have had a great time!

As far as makeup for travelling goes, I am sure you know the dilemma I stand in front of trying to pack my 16 drawers and 7 huge boxes of cosmetics into one portable and easy to carry travelling makeup bag that fits in my suitcase and still allows creativity for evenings out and days of color on a whim! These have been my essentials for this trip: Correct & Protect No 2: a must that evens out skin tone invisibly and also has SPF 30. No Show Concealer: if you think you don’t need concealer you are lucky! This one has added caviar extract - one liquid luminous side is a must for jetlagged skin as it hides imperfections AND adds a glow, now that’s working double duty! My One Liner: jet black non-smudge liquid liner, what can I say, I can´t face sunset without it! Lid Neon: for a fun and playful twist and a pop of color to any look! Lash WOW: amazing fake lash effect without the hassle and Lush Blush in cherry blossom, if I have these – I can survive. Hope everyone is having fun, don’t forget to shakeup your makeup!
Love, Sara x x x x

Makeup Takes The Heat!

There’s nothing worse then trying to enjoy the blossoming weather and having makeup melting, feeling and looking sticky and greasy on your face, but don’t worry, there are ways to get around it! Below are my favorite top three tips on how to look good in the heat!

1) its in the skin
Don’t pack on the makeup for days in humid warm weather or frolics in the sun. Choose light, gel based textures that absorb into the skin immediately and avoid face powders as they may cake, streak and crumble as you get hot and it is just not a good look. A lot of people feel that if they keep on applying powder their skin will look fresh and velvety, not the case if you are in hot weather, you are so much better off without it. Try using an oil controlling/mattefying primer and water based gel foundation or tinted moisturizer that sets seamlessly into your skin & don’t forget the SPF. If you are very oily (most people are not as oily as they think) get some good blotting paper.

Suggested POP products: Face Magnet Primer, No Show Correct & Protect

2) no smudge
Use a waterproof/waterresistant mascara to ensure it stays in place - mascara smudged under the eyes is something to be avoided for an every day fresh faced look! There are so many great waterproof mascaras, and eye liners too for that matter, you should never have to put up with or worry about makeup residue moving around on your face! Same goes for eyeliners, use a gel based, water resistant liner for hot humid days.

Suggested POP products: Lash Kapow, In Liner, Hot Pot Gel Liner.

3) make it stay on
My last (but not least) tip for stay put makeup whatever the weather may be is to use a sealer (POP liner creator) mixed with any powder to create a liquid that then sets like a waterproof shield on the skin. This product has saved many a pool parties for me! You can mix with eye shadow, blusher, even a face powder and then apply onto eyes or skin with a synthetic brush or a sponge and it will literally not come off until you take it off, totally waterproofs the pigments - like magic!

Suggested POP products: Eyeliner Creator/Sparkle Sauce

Spring Clean Your Makeup Wardrobe

Hope you are enjoying spring as much as I am - I am basking in the sunlight, loving every bit of it! This is the time of the year that is perfect for trying something new, maybe to even make daring new leaps, and why not start with your makeup routine?!

Spring clean your makeup bag! I am calling out to all blonds, brunettes and redheads out there – throw away the browns and the earth tones! This is the time of the year for budding hues of freshness! Do a proper beauty routine spring clean and have a look at what routine you might have been stuck in – we all tend to do the same things over and over – not noticing if it makes us look and feel revived or not.



Makeup is not a must – it is not an obligation, it is supposed to make us feel good! It is sooo easy to get stuck in a makeup rut. Especially if you look down into your makeup bag and can only find browns and beiges! I know, these hues are “known” for looking polished and what a lot of people call “natural” (even though I would love to know who has “naturally” brown lips? Lips are naturally a fresh pink tone!) but browns can also make you look muddy, tired and old fashioned. Throw some of those old shadows away and replace with some pastel sorbet shades for eyes, fresh berries and pinks for cheeks and a burst of coral on your lips (or just a tinted gloss is fine if you don’t want to go all the way).



On the catwalks this Spring, neons are making their way back – to my great delight, but if you are not brave enough for those ultraviolet hues, start with just introducing pop’s (yes Pop’s ) of color – switch your black liner for a deep emerald green or a midnight blue and you will be surprised at how much fresher it looks – but in a subtle way! Play and find your way of falling in love with color again!

Also make sure to take good care of your brushes – wash carefully with baby shampoo and then soak in a gentle conditioner, rinse thoroughly before squeezing the water out of them, shaping them and then lying them on a towel to dry; this way they will last a long time and always be fresh and clean. Try to wash them once a week (if they are only used for yourself – we makeup artists obviously wash them after each use).

Also make sure to throw away your old mascaras. The eye area is so incredibly sensitive and if you had a cold or flu and used the mascara, the bacteria can still be in it months later. Mascara should be thrown after a maximum of three months. Try to stick to it!

Alright M’ladies – have a great week, enjoy the budding New Year and make sure to have fun with your makeup – that’s what it’s all about!

Rock ‘n roll and with love as always,

xxx Sara

Spring Beauty Trends - Straight From the Runway

POP your nails!

Our neon nail brighteners (go POP nail glams!) have been flying off the shelves since they launched. For spring and summer, what is more fun than a really loud nail peeking through sandals, or demanding attention on your fingers! The key here is to contradict color, this is not about matching, and it is 100% about contrast!

Basically do not go with the same color as your clothing, hair, handbag, and so on – make it clash and POP! Paint each nail in a different candy colored hue, do neon French manicures, the options are many, as long as they are not conventional, they are good! Some of the key hues this spring are: neon yellow (POP Yellow), Neon grass (POP Radioactive), Neon Orange (POP Mandarin), Neon Coral (POP Orange), Neon lilac (POP Violetta), Neon Pink (POP Pinky). Have fun!

POP the rest!

As far as backstage makeup tips for spring and summer I want to start with the basics, find the right foundation for you and don’t think you need more coverage then you do – it’s sexy to be able to see the skin underneath the foundation, its not meant to look like a pancake across your face.

Opt for a tinted moisturizer when possible and a good concealer to hide dark circles under the eyes and around the nose. To my great delight (as I have been preaching about this for over 10 years) we are seeing some bright colors again. Nothing can make you look as freshly polished as a great red lipstick. We are seeing fresh corals and true oranges for lips and if you dare try it you might get addicted – I have!

Neon’s have made their way from nails up to eyes as well – Wohooo! Make sure you finish off a neon eye with lots of mascara (always curl your lashes!) and double check that your complexion looks as flawless as possible before playing with brights, otherwise these loud shades can amplify redness and/or skin imperfections. Choose one feature for your neons; eyes or lips and keep the rest of the face simple and polished. Another trend that is coming back is the thick white eyeliner; this can look incredibly dramatic if applied in the right way. Apply a thick white liner onto an otherwise naked eye and layer on the mascara for an angelic punky effect. Love it! Play around and have fun and find your personal twist – that’s what makeup is all about!


P.S. Don’t forget your faux lashes – there is no catwalk, stage or red carpet where you can’t find a pair of glam lashes – POP’s Dressed Up, Icons or Fantasy Lashes have just launched! So exiting!

All About Me!! An interview with MF magazine

1. Tell me about your music.
I WAS ALWAYS “OBSESSED” WITH MUSIC. IT WAS (AND STILL IS) SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY LIFE THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE NOT THE SAME! WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG I WAS CATAPULTED ONTO THE MUSIC SCENE WITH ALL THAT THAT ENTAILS (BEING SIGNED BY SONY, WRITING, RECORDING AND PERFORMING LIVE). BEING ON STAGE IS REALLY WHEN I FEEL MOST ALIVE AND VIBRANT. I ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR THE MUSIC, AND HAVE NEVER STOPPED PERFORMING. I HAVE WORKED WITH SOME AMAZING AND INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE AS WELL AS SOME COMPLETE NUTTERS, THAT’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY :)

2. How has your life as a performer influenced your work in the beauty industry?
THE BEAUTY/FASHION INDUSTRY AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY GO HAND IN HAND FOR ME – SURE THEY HAVE DIFFERENCES BUT AT THE CORE LIES THE SAME WISH TO EXPRESS FREE CREATIVITY AND TO CREATE. FOR ME THE TWO MESH RATHER NATURALLY, THE MUSIC INSPIRES THE MAKEUP AND THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

3. What are you hoping to achieve with Pop Beauty?
I AM HOPING TO DEMYSTIFY COLOUR AND ENHANCE THE SENSE OF FUN MAKEUP SHOULD BRING. IT’S NOT ABOUT FEELING FORCED TO ALWAYS HAVING TO LOOK YOUR BEST OR ABOUT A SENSE OF DUTY; MAKEUP IS ABOUT ENHANCING AND SHOULD BE PLAYFUL AND ADD A SENSE OF PERSONALITY TO YOUR STYLE. I AM HOPING TO UPDATE PEOPLE’S MAKEUP WARDROBES AND ADD A POP OF COLOUR. POP IS ALSO ABOUT A CERTAIN ATTITUDE TOWARDS MAKEUP – I SEE MAKEUP AS ANOTHER ACCESSORY, IT’S A WAY TO EXPRESS A MOOD OR A FEELING AS WELL AS BEAUTIFY. I ALSO WANTED TO BRING HIGH END, NICHE BRANDING TO A RATHER UNIFORMED HIGH STREET AND BRING FUN, PLAYFUL MAKEUP WITH GREAT CONCEPTS AND GREAT QUALITY TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. MAKEUP SHOULD BE FUN!

4. What is your best makeup tip?
CURL YOUR LASHES, FIND A GREAT BASE THAT WORKS FOR YOU, SWAP YOUR BROWN/BLACK/GREY LINER TO A PLUM/MOSS GREEN/ NAVY, FOCUS ON ONE FEATURE TO REALLY MAKE IT POP, HIGHLIGHT PROPERLY AND DON’T BE SCARED TO USE A POP OF COLOUR!

5. What is the worst mistake women make in choosing their makeup?
TRYING TO ACHIEVE A TAN WITH YOUR BASE IS A BIG NO, NO – ALWAYS LOOKS WRONG. INVEST IN A HOLIDAY OR A GOOD BRONZER! OVER APPLYING, GOING TO MATTE ON MATURE SKIN, USING TOO MUCH BROWN, TRYING TO “MATCH” TOO MUCH (MATCH LIPSTICK TO YOUR CLOTHES, YOUR HAIR SO ON) NOT BEING WILLING TO EXPERIMENT - FIND NEW AND EXITING WAYS TO MAKE YOU LOOK YOUR BEST!

6. When you create color palates and seasonal ranges, where does your inspirational process begin?
HMMM LET ME THINK …I GET HINTS AND SPARKS FROM EVERYDAY LIFE AND MY EVERYDAY LIFE CAN SOMETIMES BE A LITTLE CRAZY I GET INSPIRATION FROM TRAVELLING, NEW PLACES, VIBES, CULTURES. DIFFERENT HUES AND PALETTES IN NATURE. ALL KINDS OF ART, MUSIC AND FASHION. AN IDEA CAN SPRING FROM ANYTHING - FROM A NEW SONG TO A NEW LOOK I CREATED FOR A MODEL TO A FLOWER I SAW IN THE GARDEN, A BACKSTREET IN LONDON OR NY, A SUNSET OR EVEN JUST A GOOD COCKTAIL I HAD LAST TIME I WAS OUT. A LOT OF THE TIME IT’S AN INTUITIVE FEELING OF WHAT FEELS NEW, FRESH AND EXITING AND ALSO OF COURSE WHAT I KNOW IS MISSING IN MY MAKEUP BAG. POP ALSO HAS A FINGER ON THE PULSE WHEN IT COMES TO POP CULTURE AND WE ALWAYS TRY TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME AND BUILD NEW COLLECTIONS ON QUIRKY AND FUN IDEAS THAT ARE EDGY AND SAFE AT THE SAME TIME. A BOTTLE OF WINE AND A BRAINSTORMING SESSION IS USUALLY WHERE IT ALL COMES INTO FRUITION FROM IDEA TO REALITY.

7. What is the most important thing that a beauty product should offer?
EXCITEMENT & EFFECTIVENESS – IT SHOULD DO WHAT IT SAYS IT DOES. IT SHOULD HOPEFULLY PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP AND MAKE YOU LIGHT UP WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR. IT SHOULD ADD A SENSE OF FUN TO A NIGHT OUT WITH THE GIRLS OR A BORING MONDAY MORNING.

8. What is the one thing you wish all women knew about makeup?
THAT IT IS NOT PERMANENT, IT’S NOT A TATTOO SO YOU SHOULD REALLY FEEL FREE TO PLAY AND EXPERIMENT – IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, WASH IT OFF AND START OVER! I ALSO WISH EVERYBODY KNEW THAT THEY CAN WEAR COLOUR, AS LONG AS YOU FIND THE RIGHT HUE; SO MANY PEOPLE GO – OH, NO I CAN NOT WEAR GREEN - YES YOU CAN! THERE ARE A THOUSAND TONES OF GREEN; WE JUST NEED TO FIND THE ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU! A LITTLE BIT OF COLOUR CAN MAKE YOU LOOK SO MUCH PERKIER IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, IT’S NOT ABOUT GOING CRAZY WITH COLOUR, IT’S ABOUT A TOUCH THAT CAN REALLY LIFT THE FACE.

9. Who is one person you would like to see done up in Pop Beauty products and why?
EDIE SEDGEWICK IF SHE WAS STILL AROUND, AUDREY HEPBURN, AS FOR PEOPLE OF TODAY; AGYNESS DEYN, KATE MOSS, KESHA, LADY GAGA, I WOULD LOVE TO DO AMY WINEHOUSE’S MAKEUP OR GWEN STEFANI (SOME OF THE ABOVE ALREADY USE POP ACTUALLY :)

10. What is the brand all about?
OUR TAGLINE IS “SHAKEUP YOUR MAKEUP” AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES I THINK! THE BRAND IS ABOUT BRINGING MAKEUP ARTISTRY TO THE STREET, HIGH END TO HIGH STREET, AT A GREAT PRICE POINT. IT’S ABOUT POP ART, POP CULTURE AND POP MUSIC. IT’S ABOUT ADDING A FINISHING TOUCH AND USING PRODUCTS TO MAKE YOUR FACE POP! HOW DO I MAKE MY SKIN, EYES, LIPS, LASHES POP? IT’S ABOUT GIVING YOU PRODUCTS THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT’S ABOUT AN ATTITUDE AND A ZEST FOR LIFE. IT’S ABOUT ENCOURAGING UNIQUENESS AND BEING NON-CONFORMING! IT’S ABOUT PLAYFULNESS AND CREATIVITY, THE FAST LANE AND THE FINGER ON THE PULSE. IT’S TIME TO MAKE IT POP!

11. What are you doing in music now?
I AM WRITING AND RECORDING AT THE MOMENT, AND HAVING MY SONGS MIXED BY SOME DIFFERENT PRODUCERS TO REALLY CARVE OUT THE SOUND OF WHAT IS TO HOPEFULLY BECOME MY NEXT ALBUM. I AM ALSO PUTTING A BAND TOGETHER TO START PERFORMING LIVE HERE IN THE STATES – I AM READY TO ROCK N ROLL! ALSO HAVE SOME UPCOMING SHOWS IN EUROPE.

12. Who is the one person you would like to perform with?
WOW THAT’S TOUGH! SOOO MANY OF THEM! BOB DYLAN, THE ROLLING STONES, STEVIE NICKS, ELLA FITZGERALD, FRANK SINATRA, TINA TURNER, STEPHEN STILLS, JONI MITCHELL, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, SUPERTRAMP, ALISON KRAUSS & ROBERT PLANT, STEVIE WONDER….FOR MORE CURRENT I WOULD LOVE TO JAM WITH: PETER, BJORN AND JOHN, AMY WINEHOUSE, LYKKE LI, PRINCE, ADELE, MIKA, THE SOUNDTRACKS OF OUR LIVES…I COULD REALLY GO ON AND ON!

POP Lash Shop Launches at the Golden Globes

POP Beauty's lashes were the buzz at Access Hollywood’s "stuff you must lounge…" for the Golden Globes. The bright and fun "beauty boudoir" setup and our gorgeous Lash Shop display (of course!) attracted a lot of attention – it was hard to walk by without wanting to stop and have a play! A lot of celebs, needing to always look their best wear faux lashes daily.

Jane Krakowski was so sweet but already had a gorgeous pair on when she arrived. She was still tempted to stop and play with our collection and LOVED the Dressed Up lashes (especially Dishy), she likes to wear lashes that are more like an enhancement of her own - the Dressed Up and some of the Icon lashes are perfect for her! Amanda Rigetti also took a few Icons home with her to wear to another party as she also was already wearing a set of falsies when she arrived.

Sporty and gorgeous Kym Johnson was so delightful and fell in love with a pair of Icon Lashes (Edie) - maybe we will see her sporting them on the dance floor soon! As far as the Fantasy, bright feathery and sparkling lashes I was the only one rocking them at this event! Had Lady Gaga stopped by - I am sure she would have probably joined me with some fabulous fantasy lashes! I have actually sent her a few pairs already :)

When I did Mischa Barton's makeup and lashes in NY she looked amazing and like a pretty rock star in a pair of blacked out Twiggy Lashes. Also DJ Mia Moretti who absolutely rocked at the Tea Room in LA on New Years wore a pair of dense, eye magnifying Marianne lashes and looked so cool! We are launching next week in store and I can’t wait to see what the reaction will be - no else does what we do and at that price point. I have a feeling our prettying falsies will literally fly off the shelves!