Amanda Mealing, who plays hard-nosed medical director Connie Beauchamp in BBC's Holby City, scrubbed up beautifully out of scrubs to appear at the Baftas where Holby won Best Continuing Drama.
And no wonder, as Amanda was tended to by Mathew Alexander, one of our favourite stylists, who doubles up as a make-up artist, too. Mathew, whose salon is in central London, told us Amanda was aiming for "fresh faced, smoky eyed glamour" with a 1930s feel to the hair. He used Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, £75, as a base to smooth and hydrate skin, giving it a glow.
To get the smoky eyes, Matthew applied Estee Lauder Pure Color EyeShadow in Smokey, £14, across the whole of the eye lid, blending up into the brow bone and across the lower lash line, too. A little Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Eggplant, £13, with a dash of the Gunmetal shade gave extra, smoky intensity, with an additional layer of Chanel Le Crayon Kohl Intense in Graphite, £14. Individual false lashes dotted through the lash line gave extra length, topped with mascara. Finally, Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper in Rich Brown, £12.50 framed the whole area, lifting the face.
On the hair, Mathew started with Kiehls Heat-Protective Silk Straightening Cream, £13.50, on damp hair, blowdrying thin sections around a small, ceramic, round brush to stretch out the natural curl before shaping it into a coil and gripping against the head to form pin curls. Hair was left to cool for ten minutes then brushed through with a Mason Pearson and blasted quickly with a blowdryer to loosen up the curl. Matthew finished with Kerastase Nutritive Nacre Nutri-Sculpt shine enhancing wax, £16 (0800 316 4400 or kerastase.co.uk for stockists) to give curls definition and separation.
For bookings or appointments with Mathew, call the salon on 020 7495 1122 or visit www.mathewalexander.co.uk.
