New from Bourjois

At the recent makeup event at Bourjois, I was glad to see the additional products to compliment their Healthy Mix Serum Foundation (Boots RRP £10.99). In case you hadn't read my previous blog on this great product (and why not??) I shall recap.  It is a medium coverage foundation, that glides on the skin giving a smooth, even surface with a radiant sheen to the skin, without looking oily.  Not only does it smell delicious but it lasts for 16 hours too.  Great for all those die hard party animals!

Now there is the addition of  a compact powder called Healthy Balance Unifying Powder (RRP £8.49).  This can be used on its own, to temper your own natural glow or over the foundation to create a more matt yet none cakey finish.  Like the foundation, its gives an even tone and luminosity to the skin. Available February 2012 it comes in 4 shades for pale to olive toned skins. Great for those metrosexual guys out there who want a little blemish control too! ( I know you read my blog, you aint fooling me!)

For those who loved their Volumizer mascara, there is the Volume Glamour Max (RRP £9.49). Volumizer came with two wands, a large round one that applied lashings of mascara and a much thinner wand for the lower lashes or to remove some of the excess from the upper lashes.  The wand in Glamour Max is the size of a tiny toilet brush! For all those Essex girls who like to have half a tarantula hanging from their apertures, this is the ideal mascara, it comes in waterproof  and non waterproof.

Also out in February are the Khol and Contour Ranges.  A selection of duo coloured pencils. I tried out the Black and light look pencil, which is black on one end and white on the other. It is not as soft as their waterproof pencil and the white has a pearlised finish.  Great for all over the eye under their pearlised eyeshadows or on its own as an eyeliner.  Can be applied wet or dry.  I look forward to trying out the other colours and will report my findings as I do.

The "Tram" Woman

Unless you have been down a coal pit for the past week, you will of course have seen the YouTube footage of the woman pointing out the non English/British people travelling with her on a Croydon Tram.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8IlOBKaeTI&noredirect=1

At present, we do not know if she was drunk, high or just plain disgruntled. But let's play devils advocate and assume she was disgruntled, lets imagine she grew up with white being the predominate colour in her neighbourhood.  20 years later, she realises there are a sea of foreign speakers and black and brown skins around her. Now she could move to the furtherst corners of Britain, where there are still pockets of the community where you never see a face browner than a St Tropez fake tan will allow. But, if economics does not allow for that contingency, then what are your other options?

At one point, England (I will not say Britain as that includes Scotland, Wales etc all conquered countries) governed one quarter of the globe.  That meant that England exported  millions of men, woman and children to those continents.  These same people would then tell the indigenous folk, that were still alive after being raped, beaten and degenerated. That they were now part of the British Empire and was therefore obliged to follow the law that governed them. They were taught to respect the King/Queen to study English history and to generally see  themselves as British.

Spring forward to the present day. Those children of the Empire have come home to roost and we now have a multicultural and multiracial society.  With London being the most diverse city in the world.

After viewing this video several times, I did not feel she was racist as she did not use the usual derogatory words to describe other races but I do see that she is seriously xenophobic and extremely ignorant (at one point she told a  Nigerian woman to go back to Nicaragua!!) and of course that great line from the imbasillic minority "you can't be British if your'e black"

The truly sad thing was during her rantings, her two year old son had to listen to words of hate through a tirade of four letters words. A child's mind is like a sponge and until he can think for himself, he will believe what ever he is told.  The result is more killings like that of Stephen Lawrence.

Britain is an Island that is inhabited by people of every race, creed and colour.  It is not unique, every country on the planet is populated by other cultures.   It will never be reversed, because unless you are very stupid, you will find that all the worlds great resources like diamonds, gold, oil etc all reside in countries where the indigenous people were brown or black.  Instead of seething with hate, why don't you knock on your neighbours door and ask them for a recipe for kapuśniak , you can get all the ingredients in Tesco I hear!!

Catch up!

Oh wow! Just realised how long it has been since my last post!.....just where is the time going??? So let's recap the past few weeks.:

Amanda Knox was let out of prison. I myself think she is guilty of something and the fact that she named someone totally innocent for the crime will always erk me!


Micheal Jackson's Doctor has been found guilty.  Well, I think the doctor was more influenced by greed than his Hippocratic oath.  We all long for a personal client. There is a form of security in knowing that you only have to think about one person and that you will be paid handsomely for some period of  time.  But when you start loosing yourself and don't even bother to question something that is morally or ethically wrong, it's time to find a new client!

Gavin Henson took part in the Batchelor and I am sad to say, I got sucked into this particular reality show. Millions of us waited with baited breath for a love story to unfold and for Gavin Henson and Leyla to walk off into the sunset.......but hold on, just a minute! He did not go for the nice girl next door, with the nice welcoming family, instead he went for porn star Barbie, who within days of "getting her man" was getting her baps out to prove what a "winner" she is.  It is a shame that although coming on the show claiming to be looking for love, he instead went for the pulling of his loins, which, quite frankly, being Gavin Henson, he could get a girl like that every day of the week and twice on Sundays! Nice girls are like gold dust and yet he let it slip away so easily.  Now we will all  have to be content with Carriane and most likely her mother too (who is quite proud of her daughter flaunting her assets at the  drop of a fiver), selling every sordid tittle tattle they can.....well, he brought it on himself!

As for work, met some great people and some not so great.  Met a nightmare of a stylist, who like me was booked as a freelancer for a magazine.  We were all given a brief of what the client wanted, but this particular stylist wanted to change everything to suit herself.  Kept reiterating her credentials as if that was to sway the whole team.Well it's a name we won't forget alright, but for all the wrong reasons. Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, also known as Mrs Clegg who is such a warm,down to earth  Spanish 'lady' , who exudes charm and grace, I also got to taste Nigella's Cappuccino Maringue (receipe soon to be published) that tasted sooo good and light, that it hardly touched the sides, even after 4 slices, if I'd had space in my Zuca bag, I would have taken the whole lot home!

Speaking of Zuca's I have recently purchased the Zuca pro backpack.  Yes, I could have waited till IMATs next year, but patience not being my strong suit, I decided to order from the US via Ebay.  At a saving of £20 I thought I was quids in.  That was until it arrived in the country and I was told I had to pay an additional £30 import VAT (not such a bargain as I'd hoped).

So, what do I think of the backpack?.  Whilst, like the Zuca case, there are lots of compartments and I was able to fit almost everything in it. I unfortunately travel with large cans of hairspray L'oreal Elnett satin and Infinium to be precise and until I finish those and can purchase the smaller cans, it is quite a tight squeeze.  As for the wearing of the backpack,   it is quite wide when you have it on your back and I sort of feel like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, but when attached to the Zuca case it stays in place and saves my back and the dreaded widows stoop.  Not sure if its worth £140 though but hey ho, at least I have the matching set!

Legal Highs??!!

Autumn is here and I am prepared. Are you?  I have been taking Olive Leaf Complex Capsules (Boots or Holland & Barret RRP £29.00) for over 3 years and I have only had the sniffles once in that time (to be fair, this was due to the fact that I was abroad and sharing a hotel room with someone who had a cold and unfortunately, I had not brought my supply with me) Nevertheless, upon my return to London, I took my capsules and rested in bed and on the next day, there was no sign of a cold.  The Olive leaf works at boosting my immune system, although, to guarantee success, I did double up on the recommended dosage!

Due to plenty of work at the moment (all hail San Precario, Patron Saint of all freelancers!) There's been times after a long working day and an early start the next, when it has been hard to get out of bed.   Especially when the mornings have started looking like midnight!    Never one to indulge in narcotics of any kind, (not even caffeine laced libations) instead I opted for a herbal pick me up.  I purchased Bassetts Soft & Chewy Daily Energiser Pastilles (Boots RRP £5.65).

They taste like slightly bitter wine gums and after taking one a day, I noticed no change in my demeanor whatsoever. On the 4th day I decided to up the dosage to the maximum stated on the box, which was no more than 3 pastilles.  Well, since upping the dosage, I have slept for a total of 4 hours....... in the past 3 days!  I should be walking around with matchsticks holding open my eyes, pumping coffee into my veins intravenously, but nothing.  Strange as it may seem, each 30 min "nap" feels like I have been asleep for 8 hours. I feel refreshed and unable to go back to sleep.

I'm not sure when these pills will finally work through my system or how much damage it may or may not be doing, or whether mixing it with the Olive leaf was a seriously bad idea,  but  as I sit in front of my computer, wide awake at 2 a.m! I am utilizing this time by finally sorting out my  Linkedin page, whilst still able to conduct a full days work. After all, what goes up...must come crashing down eventually....even me!!!

Zuca Case Updated

So I have given my Zuca Pro Artist case a really good outing....on public transport! All I can say is Wowza!  There I was on a crowded Jubilee line with no seats in sight and so I sat on my Zuca.  Not only did I not have to lift the trolley onto the tube (because of the wheels, I was able to drag it on with no difficulty...obviously, I would not advise doing this on tube trains with large gaps between tube and platform!) but it was quite sturdy, it didn't budge when we turned corners or stopped suddenly.  I sat there, reading my Metro until I reached my destination and so comfortable was I, that I forgot I was actually sitting on my kit and almost left the tube without it!

Zuca Pro Artist Backpack

At the moment I carry all my hair stuff in an ordinary back pack, which I have fashioned onto the handle of my Zuca, but this has not been successful as invariably it slides off to the side, taking my arm with it.  So I have decided to go the whole hog and purchase the Zuca pro artist Backpack which can be strapped onto the Zuca case (not to be confused with the ordinary Zuca Backpack which is considerably smaller). My only issue now is can I wait for IMATS  in February to bag a bargain or buy it now....Mnnnnn??

Zuca bags stacked

What Makes a Good Makeup Assistant?

One of the many ways to extend your knowledge of makeup artistry, is to assist other makeup artists who preferably, have been in the business for sometime and can offer advice and tips in any given field. Whether that be film, theatre or editorial.

You can make the rounds of all the major agencies (a list of which can be found on www.ftape.com) and ask them if it's possible to assist any of the major artists on their books or you can contact any artist directly.  Keep in mind that most of these people get many, many emails on a monthly basis (if my own inbox is anything to go by and I'm not exactly Pat McGrath!) But the key is to stand out from the crowd.  When you contact these people, talk about your interests and what you are prepared to do. If you are willing to travel, work long hours etc.  If possible, attach any work you have done.

So, once you have been extremely lucky to get your foot in the door, you have to ask yourself if you are prepared to stick it out.  You will, for the majority of the time,  be asked to "work" a full day for no money. To clean brushes and paint models toes (and sometimes they can look a little suspect to say the least!) to make the tea, to run errands, to clean up.  But the things you will learn will be invaluable and allow you to fast track your knowledge.  You will learn things that would have taken you years to find out on your own. More importantly, you will meet people that will benefit you in the long run.

But as I mentioned earlier, it is a very competitive position and it's usually rare to find a "great" assistant.  In fact, there are some, who being inert is an art in itself! The trick to success is to make yourself indispensable.

So based on years of working with assistants, here is my list of do's and don'ts:

Do
Get to location early. If call time is 8:15 get there at least 10 mins earlier, it shows you're keen.

Don't
Get there late and spend most of your time on facebook talking about "the celebrity" your working on.

Do
Make sure if you are asked to bring brushes or a hairdryer, that it is packed.....  and working!

Don't
Spend all your time talking to the model/celebrity instead of actually working, you are primarly there to help.


Do
Remember to practice whatever you have learnt, you never know when you will be asked to recreate it.

Don't
Moan within earshot, no one want's to be around negativity.... save it for when you get home!

Do
Ask before doing anything! It's nice to think ahead, but some artists don't like their brushes cleaned the second it leaves their hands!

Don't
Stay an assistant for more than a year. You will never be taken seriously as an artist in your own write.

Do
Make sure you make an impression for all the right reasons. You are more likely to recommend a great assistant rather than a mediocre one.

So if you're sure that is the route for you, be prepared for some hard grafting and hopefully some fun jobs.

Good luck!

The Makeup Show Berlin - A Must for Makeup Artists?

I have just returned from The Makeup Show in Berlin.  This is a 2 day show that usually takes place in New York, L.A and Chicago but for the first time ever, it has been brought to Europe.  It promised to be bigger and better than IMATS and more relevant than the Professional Beauty Show.  It was a brave boast considering it was going up against the Professional Beauty show taking place in London at the same time, not to mention London Fashion Week!

We arrived on the Friday ready to go to the VIP networking party, which was held at the venue from 6 until 8pm.  Unfortunately, no one told the yanks that Europeans could perform drinking as a national sport and thus the bar ran dry after an hour.  People dispersed fairly shortly after that. To be frank, I was not too optimistic about the next 2 days.

UV Pigments

On the second day, we arrived pretty early soon after they opened, to avoid the rush.  With our VIP wrist bands that we purchased in London, we were able to walk straight through with no problems.  The major stands were Inglot and  Makeup For Ever (which was to be expected as they were sponsoring the show).  Since they closed their stand alone store in London, It's hard to find the full range, so I headed straight to the Makeup For Ever stand.  Dany Sanz co-founder herself,  was due to be at the stand but had to fly home for personal reasons, but there were other Makeup For Ever creatives on the stand to sell and discuss the products.  My personal  best buy/recommendation was Fluo night UV Pigments  in 8 electric shades. They can be mixed with any medium: hair gels, lipgloss, foundation or mascaras.  I also loved their Aqua Liner. A high precision waterproof eyeliner with 15 intense colours. They have them in matt, iridescent and diamond finish. Eyeliner glides on with smooth precision and unlike most glitter type eyeliners,  this uses fine pigments so the intensity lasts all day and no fiddly glitter bits ending up all over the eye.  Has to be removed using waterproof makeup remover (beware, it was still on the back of my hand even after I had washed them!)

Debbie Bondar Founder

Anyone who has read my previous blogs will know I love, love Face-Atelia Ultra Pro foundations and who was on their stand but the incredible Debbie Bondar, a warm, funny  "jewish mama". A  tiny American, who shouted out "Honey your a 10!" as I walked up to her stand. Obviously I thought she was referring to my striking good looks, but apparently it was the shade of foundations that she has just developed for black skin!...oh well.  She has brought out colours such as 0- (brilliant white), 0+ (mid brown), 0++ (Blue black), which you can use as a mixing medium,  to lighten or darken any foundation meaning you only need 3 basic colours and not the whole 16 colour range.  What impressed me was the 0++ did not look ashy like many of the extreme dark colours I have sampled in the past.  Debbie knows her stuff, I was a 10. I must confess, many of my hard earn Euros went on their products, from the extra long moisturizing lip glosses, to their transforming gel (a mixing medium that stays in a circular blob rather than runs all over your hands like many of the other watery mixing mediums) and their brushes.  And of course there was the exhibition discount (you know how we love a bargain) This is a women I intend to keep in touch with!

Speaking of bargains, there was the Alcone Store which sells everything from Zuca bags to makeup sponges and everything in between.  Now there were a lot of  American stands at the show and as we all know, Americans can be pushy. At times it felt I was back in a Marrakesh bazarre with the shop owner basically following me down the street to get me to come into their store.  But one exhibitor did it with humour and that was the guy at Alcone, he was informative, funny and bitchy with it.  He got the English humour thing and it worked in his favour because his Zuka bags were flying out of his stand like they were stuffed with fivers and this despite the fact they were being sold at double the price sold in the UK and US! 

But my main reason for being at the show was the promise of industry professionals and agents looking at your portfolio. Seasoned makeup artists like James Vincent, Andrea Mayr, Maurice Stein, Loni Baur and many more. Agents like Sternen-faenge and Nude.  Now we all know we get bored of looking at our own books and so we chuck out images we think are not strong enough or we leave in something we absolutely love but no one else shares the same passion for,  or we are weary of showing our book as we doubt it's as good as someone elses you have seen, and if like me, you are not sure what exactly agencies are looking for in your book, this is the place to be.  But let me tell you, this is not for the lilly livered. There were some brave souls out there because some of those queen makeup artists that were critiquing were often brutal but telling you what you needed to hear! Your book is placed on a desk in front of the agent or artist in full view of the crowd who are also trying to peak at your book! As they go through dissecting each image, from the makeup and hair, to the photography and the styling, to the state of the book itself, even the look of your business card!

You could not put a price on this advice, because even though there were some agents that absolutely loved one image that another hated, the basic premise of the advice I received was the same from all.  I came away not only feeling proud of my work, but also felt able to take the advice given and hopefully improve my book 100 fold.

Overall the show for me was a resounding success, but holding it in Germany? No. Most English speakers do not speak German and most of the lectures  and demonstrations, of which there were many, were conducted in German, so I don't think I got the best out of those.  But I look forward to next year and if it's held in Germany again?..... I think I will take myself off to New York City!

Special Thanks to Michael Devellis of The Powder Group (you were my favourite but don't tell the others!)

Debbi Bondar of Face-Atelier for spending time talking to me.
James Vincent who helped put the whole thing together 
Loni Bahr for your great work and my free copy of Tush magazine (my favorite German magazine)
and last but not least Mandy Venter from MAC for filling in the gaps.

Bourjois Review.

This week I have been fortunate to try out Bourjois new Autumn range of products. The last eye shadows I used from Bourjois, I could only realisticaly use them wet (by using MAC water based mixing medium RRP £14.00) otherwise, one would have to continually swipe the eyeshadow pot to get any pigment on the brush.  Well, I am glad to announce they have corrected the issue and brought out their Intense (RRP £6.99) in selection of 10 colours  from deepest black to pink, some with flecks of gold shimmer .  The consistency is slightly powdery so you can still use it with your mixing medium, but because all the colours are so intense you can use it for professional shoots as well. What is more surpising is that Bourjois claim it has 87% mineral pigment, which usually means it's not strong enough for photographic makeup but not the case here.

Using Shades  3,4 and 10

 For a more softer look I used shades 2,8 and 9. I used 10 (black) with mixing medium as eyeliner.

Bourjois have also brought out Healthy Mix serum gel foundation(£RRP£10.99) A new range of light to medium coverage pump application foundations. They contain superfruits like Lychee, Goji and Pomegranate and they smell devine! In 6 shades from ivory to dark olive .  A small amount goes a long way and brings an even tone to the skin without it looking caked on.  It does leave the skin with a sheen, so for photographs  it does need quite a bit of powdering if that's not the look you are going for. I used it on Caucasian and Asian skin tones with minor blemishes and it was perfect to work with.

Last but not least, was a range of Smile Enhancing lip glosses in 6 shades (RRP£6.99). Now I am a big fan of their 3D range so I was looking forward to seeing what new product they had to offer.  This product has a dual application stick. On one end is a tooth brightening Gel (yes, you read correctly!) and on the other end, is the lip gloss.  Well always keen on any red shades, I gave one a go (can't tell you what shade it was as it's only written on the box, which I have since discarded. I have been informed that they will be rectifying this and putting the colour stamp on the actual product in future). Not too gloopy, little bits of shimmer dust for a bit of pizazz and quite moisturizing with a minty taste to it.  As for the teeth gel, well apart from the fact that I thought that was totally gross (I didn't like the fact that you put it from pot to your teeth, build up of plaque etc...I know it's my OCD rearing it's head but nooo!) It also tastes quite bitter, reminded me of topcoat lip fix.   Did I notice any difference in my tooth appearance? Frankly no, but don't let that put you off the lip gloss.

Zuca & James Vincent

Zuca with protective cover

ZUCA PRO ARTIST CASE

So, after suffering bag envy for about a month, I finally succumbed and purchased the pro artist Zuca Bag (£194 from Screenface). Readers of my previous blog on carrying equipment, will recall that my current suitecase (one of several I have purchased over the years) was on it's last legs, so the life time guarantee on the Zuca appealed to me, but I was worried about the actual size. It did look rather small!!

Well after watching various Youtube videos of other artists with their Zuca's, I could take it no more.  So here I was walking in the pouring rain with my new case covered in plastic, just in case I wanted to return it!

It's smaller than I imagined but it comes with lots of pockets in the sides and the front, also 5 zipped mesh pouch inserts, in various sizes.  Even so, I still could not see how a medium sized suitcase of makeup, could fit into such a small case.  Like a child at Christmas, I started emptying all the plastic zip bags that held my compartmentalized makeup and started putting them into the various Zuca pouches; Blushes in one, foundations in another etc. as I completed each one, I  loaded them into the Zuca case.

Colour coded zip pouches of various sizes

. 


I got as far as the fourth pouch. It could hold no more! Even though I had put all the cleansing products into the side and front pockets, I still had a considerable amount of makeup still waiting in my old and slightly dog eared suitcase! I called up reinforcements.  A makeup artist friend who has had her Zuca for years.  She said she fitted ALL her make up in hers and that the only thing she didn't fit, was the stuff she never uses.  So back to the drawing board for me.

I went through and threw out old cream blushers, lipsticks and glosses that were way past their sell by date (really need to keep on top of that stuff). Blot Powders that you would need a knife to scrape around the edges to get any powder out, the same with powder blushers. (I know I'm running low and so I buy new ones, only to keep hold of the ones with hardly anything in...why????).  Any pencils that were less than an inch long, gone! (I hold on to the ones discontinued, but if it's so short, it can no longer be gripped by the sharpener, why is it still in my kit???)  I then started to repack the Zuca pouches in a flatter and neater manner (common sense when you think about it).

Now all 5 pouches are neatly stacked in my new Zuca. The more than generous side and front pockets takes everything else, from my cleansers and tissues to dental floss and plasters.   I feel like Dr Who and his Tardis.  It's hard to believe I can now manage with such a small case. 

Zuca with hair bag stacked on top

I have used it for two jobs now. Once using the car and the other using public transport. It's amazingly easier to carry up the stairs, due to the location of the handle. I felt quite smug sitting on it on a packed  tube train, my own personal throne! It cannot hold makeup AND hair equipment.  But I found resting my hair bag on top of the Zuca and pulling them together, also saves the ache from my shoulders.   So am I a fan?....you bet your sweet fanny I am!

 

James Vincent

Today I attended The Makeup Show event at Inglot in Westfield. With demonstrations from James Vincent an American makeup artist, who has done the likes of Lady Gaga.  As a makeup artist, we should never forget there are always new tricks to be learnt, and I am glad to say,  James did not disappoint.  Not only were there new tricks of the trade demonstrations, but also sound advice about how to get on in this industry.  One that sticks out in my mind is when he said it didn't matter about your size, colour or nationality, but your success was based on your talent (bearing in mind that this was from a slightly rotund gay man who was clearly addicted to tattoo needles ) never a truer word said.


He is here basically to promote The Makeup Show in Berlin (17-18th Sept).  Unlike IMATS this will be solely for professionals.  There will be agents there who will critique and advise you on your portfolio.  There will also be makeup brands like Makeup for Ever as well as the usual favourites like MAC and INGLOT.  We were also informed that not only will the top makeup brands be there, but the main makeup artists behind the brand (as apposed to the usual makeup counter staff) There will be free seminars from industry professionals and most importantly, a networking party, where makeup artists can mingle with industry bigwigs and photographers etc.  Discount has also been arranged with various hotels and airlines.  Well, I for one have booked my ticket already.  Contact www.themakeupshow.com if you wish to join me!
 

A week of Thailand and Riots!

Koh Samui


When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with a refreshing cocktail as we checked in (love these local customs). The place we stayed in was called Centara Villas and whilst I had looked at their website (I know...the accommodation is never as good as the photos, but  I did look at Trip Adviser for their comments) but I was still unprepared for what greeted me.  The apartments were all on stilts in various parts of the grounds and linked by a series of winding steps.  I had the cheapest of the rooms (Garden View) which incidentally, should be considered illegal under trade description laws as all I saw were my neighbours and steps, unless the over grown plants were considered the garden! Don't get me wrong, the villas were nicely decorated and well laid out inside, but it was basically a conservatory on stilts, with glass on 3 out of the 4 walls. I would have loved to have left the  blinds up permanently so I could look out at the sea beyond but every time I rolled them up all I could see is my neighbour walking around in his hammock underpants...God knows what he saw when he looked my way but he was 60 if he was a day! Really not a pretty sight before breakfast.

Close to the neigbours

The rest of my party were higher up the hill, in two spa villas, basically a small whirl pool on their varanda consisting of local flowers and various drowned insects. They were on the outer edges of the complex so where as  I had steps to climb everyday, they just had a steep hill but they did have privacy. As for me, it was like climbing Mount Everest! Breakfast was served on the beach front, at the bottom of the hill, naturally!  So each morning, I would go down armed with everything I needed for the day, I was not gonna climb that beast of a hill more than twice, after all I came for a rest, not a heart attack!

After the first day, I envied their seclusion and I also thought the steep hill was easier to navigate than the steps, also I had "lost" my villa and was wondering around this maze like complex 4 times, this was despite having a map!!  After finally finding it and suffering from lack of oxygen as well as heat stroke I was all set to exchange rooms. I had had enough by day two.  This was before they told me they had been frightened out of their wits during the night as "something" had jumped on their roof and tried to open the door during the night...Tarzan I aint, so thought I was better off staying where I was. We still don't know what it was, but it did become a regular visitor so they had a lot of interrupted nights. I of course would pass out from pure exhaustion and would sleep like a baby!

Centara Beach

Where we stayed was quite quiet and we had most of the beach to ourselves, despite it being rainy season, we had continuing sunshine and sitting under a shade by the beach was bliss it was on average 29 degrees and the sea was like a warm bath.  Centara Villas  was a couples paradise (they have two guitar playing singers who serenade each table with soppy love ballads at dinner. We only ate at dinner there the first night, thank God!) During the evening we would venture out to Chaweng or Lamai a 30 min or 10 min drive depending on which one you went to. These resorts were bustling with tourists and had things like McDonalds, Starbucks, pole dancers and fish and chips all along the main strip, you would be easily fooled into thinking you were in Magaluf! Although shopping was much better value in Bangkok,  it was still far cheaper than the UK.  So after tasting the delights of these resort areas,  we thanked God  we had not booked into anywhere there and went back to our  beach that we didn't have to share with 50 - 60 thousand other people!

There were two local restaurants outside the hotel who served great Thai food and most evenings a 3 course meal with wine came up to a wapping £7.

2nd Waterfall

We did the Na Muang waterfall and elephant ride excursions, the tour operator had informed us that it was fine to wear flip flops...big mistake! The 1st waterfall was small and barely manageable but the 2nd was over 80mts high and at first I had refused to go up the side of the mountain in flit flops and a shoulder bag  but when I saw the whole group making an effort, I thought why not.  So up and up we went via sharp rocks and slippery mud, others passed me by in their rock climbing boots and hard hats.  They offered to stay and help me but I thought I could do it alone, albeit slowly.    I had to pull myself up GI Jane style up this steep hill and  the sweat was dripping off me after each turn.  Then I came to this huge rock and the only means to get up it was via a bit of vine, I tried it to see if it would hold my weight and then I made the biggest mistake of all....I looked down!  I was very high up and there was no one in sight, I could no longer see the others in front and when I called out their names, there was no reply.....I've seen enough movies to know that all it takes is one slip for them never to hear from me again and it's always the one at the back that gets done in (I had already passed the spirit house- a Thai style bird house on stilts that houses the spirit of someone that died!!) so I tried to calm my heart that was now threatening to beat its way, literally out of my chest and walked tentatively back down, I lost count of the amount of times my flit flops flew off or threatened to decapitate my big toe! When I finally got to the bottom I went to the makeshift shop at the bottom to replenish the 2 gallons of fluids I had lost on route, only to run into the biggest spider I have ever seen! I'm surprised I'm still alive to be honest!

Arachnophobia!

Quiet frankly I could quite happily set up a Yoga retreat and live there for the rest of my life, for despite Thailand being considered  a third world country. I only saw two beggars one in Chaweng and the other in Lamai (they basically just walk a long with a cup in their hand and as they don't hassle you, I'm assuming they were beggars and not just thirsty!) Everyone else is out to make money to feed their family, if not by selling fake designer goods, it's  providing beauty treatments, running a bar, restaurant, shop, tour group, selling goods on the beach or even selling their services to western men eager for a taste of Thai!  They approach you with the same questions; "where are you from and how long are you staying?" and then you know the hustle is coming; a friend with a tailor or jewelry shop you can go to who does "special discount" but it's all done with a smile so you never feel intimidated and I was extremely sad to leave, vowing to one day return.

London and the Riots

There was a 5 minute segment about the riots on Thai TV so I really only caught up with all of it once I returned.  The first paper I picked up on my return was The Standard and from their pictures it would seem that every black person in the UK was responsible for the uprising.  I then started watching all the BBC and You Tube footage.  It was youths in general, black, white and asians and it just wasn't the main cities that was affected but tiny little hamlets around Essex and Kent, some of these areas have little or no black people.  I mention this because I also saw the interview with David Starkey which stated that whites were acting like blacks and I was incensed to say the least!

Starkey, who is a Historian and therefore considered highly educated, seems to believe that all nationalities have a special gene that means they ALL act the same regardless of their circumstances.  Well lets just test that theory shall we? ALL my white friends want to be Jordan, I have Chinese friends obviously, they can ALL fight like Bruce Lee, my asian friends ALL wear saris and break out into song everytime they see the rain, my muslim friends ALL have a bomb making kit in the kitchen, I've lost count of the amount of times I've caught ALL my Swedish friends stark naked shopping in Tescos,  everytime ALL my Brazillian friends hear a samba beat they break out the sequined thong and feathers and start marching down Oxford street and don't get me started on my African friends, ALL sitting on the tube with a dead zebra on their shoulders not to mention ALL my Irish friends lying in a drunken heap 15ft high outside every pub in London.  All of this is completely absurd, but Starkey seems to think as Black people, we go around breaking into shops and stealing trainers and naturally the whites want to copy this "black" pass time so now they are "acting" black because naturally we all act the same as its our colour that determines our actions.  Neither I or any member of my family has cracked the windows of Curry's when we found we needed an extra 40 inch screen TV but I suppose under Mr Starkey calculations, that would mean I was acting white.  But what does it mean to be white using Mr Starkeys rule of thumb? Through out history, Europeans have raped and pillaged every continent, that which wasn't theirs has been taken by force from the indigenous people that owned it.....hold on a minute! That's exactly what these yobs have been doing, far from acting black, these youths have been acting as white as their ancestors once did! Maybe Mr Starkey should brush up on his history!


After the shooting in Tottenham, a peaceful protest escalated into anarchy. I once read Michael Cains autobiography where he stated he was a little bit of a villain when he was a kid but these days there's no parks for the kids to play in (they've been turned into high rises) they have computer games that desensitizes them to violence and they see you can get rich and famous just from showing your tits on TV. Michael predicted that one day the youth of Britain would rise up and start a war and this is exactly what has happened here.  It was a war between the young and the old, the have and the have nots, colour had nothing to do with it and just plain villains taking advantage of an opportunity.  In Thailand, everyone is an entrepreneur, they have a work ethic that the youths here would do well to imitate, but with babies giving birth to babies and the grand mothers not that much older. I'm unsure how we can ever turn things around.

BANGKOK!

Take Off

Well here I am.  After struggling on the Victoria Line with my over sized case (bought one with 4 wheels for ease, but really didn't consider the impracticalities of carrying it up steps!!) and the stop over at Dubai airport (a bit of a disappointment actually....Mcdonalds and Burger King in the food hall and nothing much better in between...you would think the oasis complete with water fall and palm trees in the middle of the departure lounge, could be sacrificed for a decent eaterie! Can't fault the Emerates for flight though, smoothest take off and landing ever, copious amounts of food and all the films I could ever want to see.

Arrival.

We arrived in Bangkok, my name clearly displayed for pickup and my 20 pound limo (actually it was a merc but who's splitting hairs at that price!) Bangkok is full of high rise buildings, long duel carriageways and the skytrain overhead (think DLR only much cleaner, faster and much more important AIRCONDITIONING!...now why can't WE do that???) I was told that the street food was much nicer than the stuff in the restuarants.  Well there are street vendors every 50 yards, and all by the side of the duel carriage way (passing trade I suppose), some of them wore masks, which was either to protect them from germs or the smog, either way I wasn't that daring so if I've eaten substandard, I'm not bothered.

Have been to see the Reclining Buddha, the Emerald Buddha and the Palace, think the King and I but a million times the gold and mother of pearl decorations every where. I have been shopping!! There are huge malls here. One of the largest is in the centre of Siam where they sell designer goods such as Gucci and Prada hand bags at bargain prices compared to England, 5 floors of utter indulgence.....I went to the one down the road, 8 floors of  designer goods like Gricci and Pruda and where you had to haggle for everything, afterall I'm only here for the bargains!  I am here with 3 mixed race children and everywhere we go people want to take our picture, school children line up politely in their navy blue and white uniforms to take our picture one by one, have no idea what that's about but revelling in my celebrity status!  There are a LOT of crusty old western men here, snaggled toothed and one hair on their head, walking around with Thai girls young enough to be their great grand daughters.  I was talking to a much younger guy from Canada and he said he gets more hassled here than the girls do.  Every Thai girl and her mother wants to be his 'girl friend' so I guess these old geezers figure its better than retiring to Bognor Regis!

After a days shopping, I  felt in need of a massage, so booked myself in for a Thai Massage.  I went in and met a little old lady about 60 who asked me to get undressed and put on a pair of Thai pajarmas, the trousers alone wrapped around me 3 times (one size fits all no matter what sex!) I was then asked to lie on a matt on the floor, this old lady then began pushing her thumbs into my spine, I let out a little groan (okay a large cry) and she asked me if it was too hard, I said yes and her response to me was "yu should no go for dis massa den, dis massa vely har, yu should go for sof massa". I said ok and bit my lip as this little old lady used her elbows, knees, feet, anything she could find to inflict the utmost pain into my body for an hour. When it had all finished, she had the cheek to offer me tea....should have just chucked it at her...let her know what pain is!....instead I just walked away barely, maybe I should have found out exactly what a Thai massage was before going in.

My attempt to get the rest of the gang in to see a lady boy show came to no avail.  Unfortunately, we saw two dressed up for the night, head to toe in pink mini dresses, long Slinky legs with knobbly knees, slim toned arms with hands like a bricklayer and hair that just didn't sit right! After seeing them, the more macho of the group absolutely refused to go to the cabaret.  I was gutted!

So here I am, in the airport lounge typing this blog (hence the lack of photographic evidence of my exploits) on my way to Koh Sumui, where the second part of my adventure begins...... 

This Crazy Job!

It's been a crazy week; shoots with Imogen Thomas (no gossip there though...none that I can repeat anyway). But we went for the more demure look instead of the FHM style she is renowned for.  I think it suits her.

Dramas with  certain TOWIE PIPE (The Only Way Is Essex - People In The Public Eye, for those of you who are not offay with the latest abbreviations!) Fashion shoot and Hollyoaks girls; in particular , Rachel Shenton who plays Mitzeee.  Now anyone who has seen the show, will know Rachel is the doppelganger for Cheryl Cole. I have met Cheryl and in the flesh, when Rachel puts on the Newcastle accent, you would be hard done by to know the difference between the two,....me thinks I would seriously start checking somebody's DNA!!

The Hollyoaks girls were all done on the same day, but with only one photographer and a fairly warm day, I had to find a way to keep the makeup fresh without the need for over powdering.  Now I know some of you have been spraying you face with hairspray...horror!!! but a less lethal method is waiting for you at Face Atelier.  The Face Atelier Face Finish (RRP £13.00)  I bought mine at a trade show but Love-MakeUp.co.uk sell Face Atelier Products. It is the ideal way to finish your face and preserve your makeup all day long. A fine hydrating, alcohol-free mist with the faint scent of  cucumbers.  I spritzed before and after applying makeup and the only thing I had to retouch were the lips..result!

In my hunt for a sun protection that does not leave you looking ashy or like you've just rubbed yourself in lard, as some of  you may recall, I have located one for my body (Nivea Sun invisible) I have at last found one that works for the face Clinique SPF 30 Targeted Protection Stick (RRP £15.50) Clinique blurb states that it  "steps up protection against the aging and burning effects of UVA and UVB rays for fragile areas-eye-area skin, lips, nose, earlobes, even scars. UVA defense helps guard against premature aging. Conditions, comforts. Ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested. Oil-free.".  I use it all over my face and massage it in, it leaves no marks and it also works under my makeup...another result!

Clearing up S**T!!!!

I have woken up on a dreary Sunday morning after having a long awaited lie in. Switched on my phone (I never leave it on all night....have had one too many drunken phone calls at 3am!).  As usual my Blackberry started to ping like a Tesco till on a Saturday morning. I had 82 messages in my email inbox! Bleary eyed, I scrolled through them....only 6 were actually for ME, the others were all SPAM!   I have no interest in Hilary and her blinds! I don't want to spend 3 hours filling out some poxy survey so I can earn 10 points to spend at a later date! Dolphin, your bathrooms look lovely but I don't need a new one! I'm not interested in giving £5000 of my hard earned money to become a financial whizz kid! I definitely don't want my penis/ breast/lips/thighs enlarged/reduced/sucked out! I have no use for diet pills made out of rhino saliva  and if I wanted to be friends with the "very friendly"  Olga from Russia, I'd contact her myself!!!!

So, as I am going away on holiday (did I mention Thailand...so excited!!) and will be bringing my phone with me. I do not want to spend valuable air time scrolling through this pile of S**t. So I have just spent almost an hour, going through and pressing unsubscribe on all of them (you can usually find it in the small print at the bottom of the email).  If I keep this up all week, hopefully by next Sunday, when I switch my phone on, there will only be  2 or 3 inbox pings....like angels saying good morning!

This Weeks Tips

Those of you who have read previous blogs, will know about my feelings with regards to sun protection (a must!) but also my abhorrence for those heavy creams that leave a white film on the skin.  After my disaster with the Clinique sun protection body spray (a rash). I have been searching for a replacement.  A sun protection that provides protection from UVA and UVB and is totally invisible.  Well say hello to my little friend! Nivea Sun Invisible Protection (available 2 for 1 at Boots RRP £14) This product is 100% invisible, 2 weeks on and no adverse irritation.  Result!

Also revising the best body lotion in the world!!! I thought my skin was soft using Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Body lotion...but I take that back.  What's been getting me to purr like a kitten is Kiehl's  Creme de Corps (RRP £44.00) okay, the name isn't so cool in English (it means body cream in French) but ignore that and buy some, my  dry skin feels incredibly soft and moisturized and no greasy after feel.

Which case to buy??

When I first started out as a makeup artist. I wanted to put my kit into something very professional looking.  So I took myself off to Charles Fox and got myself a huge makeup aluminum box with draws and compartments.

1st makeup case

It cost me the best part of £200 and when I put all my kit in it, I thought it looked the business, I carried it on a trolley and I felt brilliant.  This lasted all of half an hour when I tried to lift it up the stairs at the tube station.  It weighed a ton!  It was a great case, if I was hired by the BBC for a long contract and could keep it in the makeup room indefinitely and had it delivered by forklift, but it just was not practical for carrying on the tube.

So I purchased an ordinary suitcase, but with a "durable" hard side to it to protect my makeup during flights. They are easier to carry on public transport, but lets face it, they are not built for the sort of abuse us makeup artists put them through. So I have had handles snap off, countless zips broken, not forgetting the time  a wheel flew off into oncoming traffic.  I had to drag the case home ( like dragging Dawn French home, face down by her hair! Result,  an aching back and a case in shreds down one side).

As I got more regular clients, I didn't always need  to carry everything AND the kitchen sink, so when traveling by public transport, I limited it to a holdall (for tissues and hair equipment etc) and a small beauty case

They are compact and light and I am able to carry everything I need in them. I have two, one filled with makeup for black skins and the other for white and I tweak each case as and when I need to.  These cases are available at BeautyBox and prices range from £40-£60.

Finally, there is a fairly light weight makeup case designed specially for today's form of makeup artist.  It's sturdy, with robust wheels. It even has a hard top, for those moments when you can't get a seat on the tube, just sit on your case. As well as the seat it also has a handle at the top for easy lifting.  If like me, you carry all your blushers, eyeshadows etc in clear pastic zip bags, you can just slip them into your case, but the case also comes with its own little bags. It's made by ZUCA and prices start at £194.00 at Screenface (cheaper if you buy them in the States).    A high price, but when you bear in mind that ZUCA give you  "LIFETIME" guarantee, I think you can consider it a good investment.

Why isn't my butt like Beyonce's???

A few months ago me and  3 other slightly overweight friends decided to have a "fat off".  I   have always fluctuated between getting healthy and extremely lazy. In my repertoire of exercise equipment over the years has been the fold up multi-gym, the mountain stepper, the hula hoop x 2 (one ordinary and one weighted Devina McCall special) 2 x mini trampolines, 3 x boxers skipping ropes, Thighmaster, Slendertone muscle toner x 2, Wii fit and countless exercise videos (and accompanying Tae Bo gloves) and last but not least, Zumba DVD!!  Don't get me started on the various gym memberships!

None of  them have held my interest for longer than a couple of weeks, but being a competitive individual, I thought the fat off would be an ideal way to get me off my rapid expanding arse!   Alas a couple of months went by and even my competitive edge could not compete with the cheese and onion crisps and family bar of whole nut!  So here I am, about to go on my holidays with people who think a little light exercise is a 10k run around Hampstead Heath.  So to save my embarrassment in those holiday photos, with us  looking like a before and after shot for weightwatchers (me being the before!) I have gone into overdrive.

I have taken heart in the fact that one of the heaviest of all of us is now walking around looking like Jessica Rabbit.  She is literally half the woman she used to be. What has helped is a little App called  Calorie Counter. What I find great  is it lets you add whatever you eat onto a diet diary, whilst telling you how much calories it contains (its amazing all the shopping brands it contains, I was surprised my Tesco fresh BBQ chicken wings contained 850 calories...so much for protein!) it will also work out how many calories you have burnt from doing housework, shopping, to full on exercises like boxing.


So here I am, 4 weeks from my paradise island, with a jelly roll that could start a tsunami!  The Devina Hula, the mini trampoline and the skipping rope, have all come out of moth balls. That and my little App is going to help me get the kind of body Beyonce is always shaking in my face.  God help me!

We are all running from this

to This!!!

Catchup!

Forgive me.  Its been a couple of weeks since my last confession. It has been full on, the past few weeks, with no days off in between...but hey, that's the nature of this business; feast or famine!


So in the past few weeks I have met some great people, Estelle for one. Who gave me a sneak preview of her "hot" new video with Rick Ross ...she got moist in certain sections apparently (I think its premiered now, so not breaking any rules there!) Also photo shoot with rising talent  Bunmi Mojewkwu  or Mercy from Eastenders, if you prefer. As I don't watch it, I only know her from Misfits (she's the one who had the power to make people bald!). She's out of the show now. After you  portray a Nigerian who has to get married to stay in the country (no sterotyping there then!) there's no where for you to go.  But she's got theatre projects in the pipeline though, so good luck to her.   It was her first photo shoot, but she was a trooper and great fun.

Also did a shoot with a TV Psychic who was told what your spirit guide looked like and could then draw them for you to keep. He did come across as if he spent a lot of time cultivating his herb garden, if you get my drift....but maybe that's just me! Also taught at LondonMUSE, a makeup school in Central London. It was refreshing passing my knowledge on to enquiring young minds. Basked in 35 degree heat at one point last week, till the owner of the studio had to order a portable air conditioner. Thank you Jesus!  Still can't stand  Melody from The Apprentice (delusional, lying, back stabbing bitch that she is, surely she can't be in it much longer??)

Did a great test shoot. Got a bit tired of waiting for various photographers to sort out dates, so I  bit the bullet and organized one myself.  The models (decided to use two, one for beauty and one for fashion, heaven knows when I will get the chance again), great stylist, made my own wigs, used airbrushing for the makeup and am truly happy with the results.

To get me back on track  after my back breaking work load. I went to the Six Senses Spa in Canary Wharf. The massage was great (she used her elbows and everything).  So were the various steam rooms and hydra-pool  but I went there when they officially opened a couple of years ago and we had fluffy towel bathrobes and slippers and beauty creams in the changing rooms.  It seams Six Senses have instilled there own austerity measures and the slippers have been replaced by rubber flip flops and the bathrobe by poly cotton with no tie belts and if you didn't bring your own cleanser, hand soap would have to suffice.  As I said, the treatments are still good, so it was still really good value.  I'm just grateful their still around.  Thorntons are closing a lot of their branches...big surprise there, we girls love our chocolate..all making do with cadbury's obviously.  Mothercare, TJ Hughes are going and Jane Norman has gone completely.  These are institutions, I thought would be around forever....When will all this stop???

I'm taking myself off to Thailand shortly. It's only for 10 days, but don't be surprised if I don't return and I 'm found 10 years from now living in some bush in Thailand living on rice and green tea and forever the happier!.....

Just What Are These Celebs Like???

Throughout the years, I have been asked this question many times.  Everyone wants to know the ones I have met and which were the really nasty ones, the bitchy ones etc.  Well, maybe I've just been very fortunate, but I can honestly say, I have never met a "real" celebrity that wasn't absolutely lovely to work with...alright they won't sit still, constantly talking to their people or on the phone or laptop, but none have ever been directly rude or off with me.....But...

The people who work behind the scenes are another matter.   The personal assistants and PR, I have met only a few that were nice.  They will tell you that they are there to make their artists' life as stress free as possible.  I have another theory;  they have no real power of their own, so they use their artist as an excuse to take a power trip.  The amount of times I have been told, not to mention this or that.  The artist doesn't like a particular style of makeup or certain colours. Don't under any circumstances touch her hair (yes I was actually told that once...thought she was bald under there or something!).  So now that the "people" have got you so worked up and walking on egg shells, in walks the artist, who turns out to be so down to earth.  The style of  makeup or colours that she would never wear, is exactly the colour palette she picks up! Not only does the artist want me to touch her hair but she wants heated rollers in it! And that incident I'm not supposed to mention? gets brought up anyway!

What these "people" fail to realise is that a lot of the time, these artist have grafted away for years to get where they are.  They are also very grateful to be in that position and they try and be nice to everyone they meet.

The exception to the rule is the wannabe celebs, the wags and the reality show personalities. Makosi of  Big Brother, (who got her back stage, I have no idea)  once walked into a dressing room where we were doing makeup for a show and announced in a loud voice "Makosi needs lipgloss, who's got lipgloss for Makosi?".. no please help me, excuse me or anything! We took great delight ignoring her, until she walked out of the room shamefaced, if she had any to begin with.  These people put on an act on what they think a celebrity should be....never...ever...confuse the two!

My advice:  use your instincts and follow the lead of the artist not the PA

Back Scratching or Back Stabbing?

When I was studying, decades ago! It was drummed into me how competitive this industry is and success was dependent on who you know. These days, many other industries have adopted the same principles, so it should be the norm that we all help each other to a certain extent.

Unfortunately, there are still far too many out there that have adopted the "All About Eve" approach to getting ahead (great movie with Bette Davis, rent it if you can).  I have met artists who have smiled and encouraged another artist, to their face. Only to trash their name, when a job opportunity came along.  Or an artist, not wanting to say the product they used on a shoot in case it is copied. Or not helping an artist, by withholding equipment  he or she has asked to borrow, even though they have had it gathering dust in their cupboards for years. Or artists who are too busy to do a particular job, but won't pass on the name of another artist, to that client "because they would rather a stranger get the job, than someone they know"!!!

I despair when I hear these stories. Yes it is a competitive industry, but I am also a firm believer that whom ever you help along the way, it comes back to you ten fold. Likewise, if you go around screwing over the competition, eventually,  karma is going to come back and take a huge chunk from your assets!   I'm sure a lot of people wonder about the bookings I have had in the past and thought "how the heck did she get that one??"  but I have always tried to help anyone who has asked for it and if that makes me naive, then sobeit, but I also believe it's positive karma being returned (very new age, I know).  I find that so much easier to live with than the thought of deliberately blocking someones chance to shine. I believe success is down to hard grafting, determination, skill and a whole lot of luck.  I for one, will do anything I can  to enhance my chances of the latter!

There endeth todays sermon!

Which Tip: Chapped Dry Lips Tip

Which Tip: Chapped Dry Lips Tip: "I had to do a beauty shoot this week...extreme close up! The model unfortunately, had the kind of lips you could grater cheese with. So h..."

Chapped Dry Lips Tip

I had to do a beauty shoot this week...extreme close up!   The model unfortunately, had the kind of lips you could grater cheese with.  So how do I correct this?

First of all, I lavishly applied some MAC Lip Conditioner (RRP £11.00). This product not only contains SPF15 but such oils as shea, wheatgerm and almond (so check the model doesn't have a nut allergy first!).  I let it soak into the lips for at least 10 minutes, until the dry skin is white and pliable, then I gently buff with a disposable mascara wand  Thepromakeupshop.com (RRP £4.99 for 25) and voila! You have smooth, photographic lips! ...I gave her the lip conditioner as a gift (those chapped lips should never be seen in public let alone on a set!)

 

This plus

 This

Equals this!

Spots! Spots! Spots!

Well I've just come back from a Spa break (at The Cambridge Belfry, very nice and friendly staff , they have great deals too). I not only had the back massage but also the facial, which involved cleanse, tone, essential oil massage, exfoliate and moisturize. For me that was 20 mins more than my face ever gets.  It was extremely nice and very relaxing and left my face feeling like a new born baby's bottom!....unfortunately, I had a black tie event to go to the following night and I had committed the cardinal sin...NEVER GO FOR YOUR FIRST FACIAL, THE DAY BEFORE AN EVENT!

I had my facial in the morning, so by that evening, the toxins had began to make an appearance in the shape of 2 perfectly formed zits on my forehead (they looked like cyclops and his mate had come out to play!), now I know it seems a bit theatrical, but I am fortunate in the fact that I very rarely get any spots, so getting not one but a couple right smack dab in the centre of my forehead,  24hours before I was due to go out, felt a bit traumatic!

Lucky for me, fate was on my side! I had received a tester from Dermalogica, several weeks prior and I had popped it in my bag just in case this did occur. It's called Clean Start hit the spot (Available at Dermalogica or www.johnandginger4teens.co.uk £13.04). This concentrated spot treatment absorbs without a trace and promises to "minimizing breakouts while controlling future breakout activity". Well I dabbed that sucker to the smell of something minty and went to bed hoping for the best.

You can imagine my surprise when I saw those spots had miraculously disappeared in the morning! I went to my ball that night feeling like Cinderella on a pint of Vodka and had a fantastic time!

A few more spots turned up just below my nose by Sunday morning, which I ignored, but by Monday I decided to dab somemore Clean Start on it and as of today (Tuesday) they had diminished, but not disappeared like it did on the first day, so I think you have to attack them the minute they rear their ugly head....I for one will be having plenty more facials so me thinks I shall be purchasing the full size tube!!!

What's Your Day Rate?

Many makeup artists are faced with the big question. How much should you charge for your services?  If you have an agent, this little dilemma is usually avoided, but if not, how do you judge what you should be paid. Quote too high and you will never hear from that potential client again. Bid too low and you may get the booking and a few more besides, but then when you ask for the going rate, you find suddenly, your services are no longer required!

I usually go via the BECTU pay rate guide. For those not in the know, BECTU is a union for people in our profession as well as camera men and other technical staff.  You pay a monthly subscription and not only get representation (which was a Godsend when I was hired, via my agency, to an American TV production company, who then left the country without paying my fees as arranged.  It was £1000s of pounds and neither I or my agency could get them to pay up. BECTU contacted them and I was paid within a week!) That alone was worth the monthly subscription, but you also get discounted Public Liability Insurance, equipment insurance and MAC Pro card (£10 instead of £25) as well as a host of other perks and I would recommend any makeup artist to seriously consider joining.

Once you know the minimum you SHOULD be asking, you can tweak it accordingly. Ask yourself a series of questions. Will this be a regular booking? Will I be required to do make up AND hair? Will fee include travel? (for me anything outside M25 incurs travel expenses), if the fee is low, will it benefit me in other ways? (magazine submissions are notoriously low paid, but a good editorial tear sheet can be worth it's weight in gold for your portfolio). You can ask how much the budget is, but to be frank, unless the production company just landed from planet moron, they are not going to tell you their budget is limitless and you can write your own cheque.  The answer is always that they have a minimum budget!


Basically, there is no right or wrong answer. Some you win, some you loose. So pick a minimum amount you are prepared to work for and stick to it, (an unhappy make up artist sitting around bitching about how much work she has to do for the money she's being paid, is no good to anyone), but above all, don't feel uncomfortable about asking or discussing money, living on air is not the new Atkins!!!

Tame That Bush Tip!

Have you ever had to work on eyebrows that are totally unruly, even after grooming?. I'm talking about those eyebrows that have a combination of straight and curly hairs or hairs that simply grow in the opposite direction to the others!

Extreme case!

What about foundation?  Trying to avoid getting foundation into the brow hairs can be tricky (pet peeve is seeing a great beauty shot, but noticing that the hairs are coated in foundation!)

Well. to get those suckers clean and laying right....

I DONT use a Mascara Wand

..and I don't use a Brow Brush/Comb

I use one of these!

Yes you got it! It's a baby/toddler toothbrush! You don' t have to go for a top of the range either, you can get 3 for a £1 in Poundland (and Power Rangers or Barbie design is optional!).   This brush is softer than the bristles on a brow brush (which I find quite stiff and coarse) and the depth means it covers a wider area. But as it's not as big as an adult toothbrush, it's great for covering such a narrow area. After brow has been groomed.  Just brush the hairs into the required direction and  when you are happy with the effect,  dab your toothbrush with some Clear Gel Brow Set. Available at Screen Face(RRP £8.99) and comb until you have the correct brows.

As for the removing of foundation, just spritz your brow brush with toner or some Evian Face Spritz if you already have it in your kit, if not, plain old water will do!  Shake off excess moisture from your brush (test on the back of your hand if you wish) before brushing through the hairs, once dry, groom as usual.   It's ideal for removing  powder from mustaches,beards and sideburns  when doing male makeup too!

Perfect!