What Works Best on Scars

When I was 7 years old, I went to live in Jamaica for 3 years. When I came back to England, my mother marched me straight to the doctors. Why? Because I was covered, head to toe in mosquito bites, I looked like a pin cushion. It was as if the mosquitos had been told my blood was pumping pure Crack and they went and told all their friends and family to come on down and fill yer boots! And boy did they.

The doctor gave her a prescription and told her to massage it into my skin each night.  Within months, all the scars had disappeared.  The prescription was for 100% Pure Cocoa Butter and it came in a large block, the size of a tub of lard!

The reason I mention all this is because last week, I managed to get my skin attached to some nipple daisies which have left a brown daisy shape scar around my areolas!...or is it areoli (see Easter Blog). I had some bio-oil hanging around so I decided to use it (it is easier to use), but the scar isn't fading fast enough for me so I decided to go back to old faithful.

These days you can get many cocoa butter products e.g Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula (available at Boots £3.77).  They are a lot easier to work with as they are diluted. The higher the cocoa content the stronger the product will be (look at the ingredients, cocoa should be the 1st or 2nd ingredient mentioned, the lower down on the list, the less amount of cocoa the product contains).  But you can purchase 100% Pure Cocoa Butter in small blocks from Afro-Caribbean shops e.g PAK's Beauty Supplies (usually found in urban areas or online).  The blocks are very small.  I'm not sure why they sell them this tiny but as they only cost £1- £2,  I usually buy 3 or 4 at a time. You have to warm the blocks by rubbing it on your body until the block produces oil as it melts.  Depending on the area you are working on, you will get oil stains on your sheets, but hey, what would you prefer, using up extra Persil or having a nasty scar for the rest of your life?  This product works best on new scars, so the fresher the better. I have used it on and off over the years, depending on where the injury/scar is. My friend used it when pregnant so she wouldn't get stretch marks. 2 children later, not a mark in sight.

Now as an experiment (you lucky people, I'm too good to you!), I have been rubbing the right with bio-oil and the left with the cocoa butter. After 4 days, the left is noticeably lighter.  Now, much as I don't mind suffering for my art, I am not prepared to go as far as to be left permanently scared, so as of tonight both "sisters" will be getting the cocoa butter treatment.  It's either that or a tattoo to cover the scar! Ouch!

Working for yourself

As a freelancer at some point (usually after the 1st year) you will have to decide whether you will do your own accounts or whether you will hire an accountant. You should first register with the Inland Revenue, notifying them that you are going self-employed (do this as soon as possible, even if you don't file a return in the 1st year. Otherwise you will incur a fine before you've even got off the ground!).

A good accountant will charge you between £200 - £500 to do your accounts for you and it's always best to go for one that has been recommended (it helps if he understands the entertainment industry). The more you earn, the more you pay in tax and so the sensible thing to do, is to put a certain amount aside each month for the tax man.

I say that's the sensible thing to do but todate, I have yet to meet a makeup artist that doesn't run around like a headless chicken come January, when they have left it to the last minute to do their accounts and to find the funds to pay their tax!

I do my own taxes. I do it online direct http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/selfemployed.   It's usually quite straight forward. I usually file my return around May, that way I know exactly how much I have to pay and I can easily gauge my budget over the remaining 8 months to find the funds to pay my tax. No surprises, no panic attacks, simples!

The advantage of paying an accountant is that he will know what you can and cannot claim as expenses, so even though you might not like his fee, chances are, he will save you a few bob in the long run. Besides, his fee is tax deductible anyway.  Doing it yourself, saves you the annual or monthly fee but it takes a lot of patience (it's not unheard of for me to lock myself away with copious amounts of herbal tea and toast for 3 days,  doing it all)

Which ever you decide, don't leave it to the last minute and if you do.......DON'T CALL ME!

Clinique Body Spray Update

Well those of you who have read yesterdays blog, would have noted my comments regarding Clinique Body Spray SPF 25 (RRP £17.50). Well I am happy to say that I used it on my niece and nephews on Monday and to date they have been dermatitis free! Now before you report me to child services about using spray on the kids that brought me out in a rash. They refused to wear any of the  white leaving, heavy creams, besides they are always kissing the dog and they haven't keeled over yet! So do a strand test and if its okay after 24 hours, happy bronzing!

Easter's Over!

There is nothing more beautiful than the UK in the sunshine and this Easter has been freakishly hot. Being a freelance makeup artist, I'm basically "on duty" 24/7 365 days of the year, if I so choose. So I decided not to accept any work this weekend and just enjoy myself.

Day 1 Friday in Brighton!
We drove down to Brighton (and with the Blackwall tunnel closed, it took longer than usual to get across the river!..why oh why are they always working on this, They can rebuild whole motorways in 6 days in Japan???!!). Brighton was packed, as was expected, with the sunny weather at 26 degrees. Anyone reading my previous blogs will know my stance on sun protection, so on my face I used Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily Moisturizer SPF 50 (RRP £26.00) and on my body, I used Clinique Body Spray SPF 25 (RRP £17.50). Now, I was looking forward to using the Clinique sun protection spray as I despair at the fact that whenever I use the creams, I have skin that looks like I've rolled myself in ash! This product sprays on, rubs in and is totally transparent. I also wore a nice summer dress on the beach and when you are already hot and bothered, I for one, want to get rid of all restrictive clothing, including the bra. so as an alternative I wore "nipple tape" LaSenza Fabric Adhesive Breast Daisies (RRP £5.00). I had originally bought a packet for a nice backless LBD I wore at a formal occasion and have had no use for them since, until now. After eating fish and vegetarian dishes (it was Good Friday after all) we took the long journey home.

Day 2 Saturday BBQ
So I've woken up with itchy arms and sore breasts! The wonderful Clinique body spray has given me a bad case of dermatitis on my arms, chest and the back of my neck. Legs escape unscathed. As for my breasts, well all I can assume is due to the heat and probably the blocked sweat glands, I have perfectly  shaped daisies around my nipples, where the skin has been stripped bare. I'm hoping liberal amounts of bio-oil 60ml Superdrug (RRP £7.64) will either fade the scar quickly or at the very least, enlarge my C cup to D's due to the constant massaging! Decided to stay close to home and go to a friends BBQ. Thunder storms and lightening put paid to that pretty early!

Day 3 Sunday Knebworth
Stately home, with large gardens and bouts of jousting! I traveled with an Italian and a Brazilian as I thought they would enjoy this touch of quintessential Britishness! We had prepared a picnic with the Brazilian supplying the cooked food (me thinks he was thinking as it was Easter Sunday he may have been called on to feed the 5,000...I've never seen so much chicken!).  For the £8 entrance fee, I thought it was value for money. The Jousting was obviously geared towards anyone under the age of 6 and many older children and adults walked away before the end. The Italian and I found the whole experience tranquil and beautiful.  I fear the Brazilian is still awaiting a conga line to go marching through the open fields!

Day 4 Monday O2
Took niece and nephews to O2 (their ages 8-13) Dinosaurs Unleashed Prices from £11.25 The show promises animatronic life sized dinosaurs, quizzes, Easter egg hunts and interactive games. The show is on going and not just for the Easter holiday.  You have to book a slot as there is an official tour guide supplied before you get a chance to wonder off on your own. Due to the Blackwall tunnel still being closed, we took the long way around and crossed the river via the Woolwich ferry for the 1st time. (Didn't even realise it was a free service). Kids didn't like sailing backwards, but it's a very short trip.  It was fairly empty when we got there, I'm putting this down to the good weather outside, but the children enjoyed it all and were very pleased with themselves for finding all the clues and getting their prized eggs. (Okay so I helped the 8 year old with most of the questions, only for him to be so excited about getting his box of mini eggs, upon opening them with one large tug, sent them flying all over the floor. Having a loving brother and sister didn't help, they refused to share theirs with him! Promised to buy him a new egg...still waiting!)

So now the Easter break is over, I've added 500 miles to my car, I've spent £180 on petrol, tickets and food another £200, rashes on my torso, Daisy looking "tattoo" on my breasts, some great photos and a lovely tan! Time well spent!!!???

Nigella and her Birkini!

Just what is all the fuss about? For those not in the know, Nigella has been spotted on the beaches of Australia dressed from head to toe in a black  Hijaab type swimwear (hereby known as a "Birkini"), especially designed for Muslims who wish to cover up on the beach.

Now, as far as I know, Nigella has never claimed to be a style icon, in fact, she will always correct you if you refer to her as a chef.  She is, by her own definition, a cook. She just happens to be very successful at it, hence the books and the TV shows. Yet everyone seems to have taken quite a dislike to her attire, in particular the Gay brotherhood, who insist on telling me how she SHOULD dress if she wishes to get away from the sun!

 I have been fortunate to work with Nigella over the years and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that she doesn't take herself that seriously.  I found her to be a warm, fun loving  woman. I can imagine her roaring her head with laughter when she first saw the birkini, rubbing her hands with excitement at the thought of wearing it!  Nigella also has a mischievous side (when working on her Christmas cookery book, she insisted on wearing a pair of reindeer ears in one of the shots...it was kept in!) She would have thought, what a novel way for her to cover up from the sun (she is very pale) and also to have a bit of a giggle.  Nigella looks good,  a 3 dimensional Jessica Rabbit, who looks good in an apron (or have we too soon forgotten the Gillian McKeith comparison???!!)

So whether she did it for protection (and lets face it, who wants skin like a leather handbag) or just to have a laugh with a mate whilst on holiday, what's it got to do with us.  Leave the woman alone!

BRUSHES! Is it good to fake it?

When I studied makeup many moons ago, I was told the brushes I bought should be the very best. They were to last a lifetime, if I took care of them. Over the years, I would say I have spent close to £3,000 on brushes alone. They have always been Sable or Goats hair and I wash them in shampoo and conditioner to hold on to the bristles as long as I can.  But constant use of brush cleaner has meant that eventually they end up as bald as the Sable who kindly donated their fur!

Currently on the market for some time now, are "cruelty free" brushes, made out of synthetic fibres (Sacré bleu! my old tutor would turn in her grave!...if she were dead). Now some of these brushes cost as much as "real fur" brushes but I wondered if there really could be that big a difference, between the top of the range synthetics and the fairly cheaper versions,  so as a cost saving exercise,  (yes I know, I'm so good to you guys!) I went online to my old friend eBay. I decided to buy a set of these brushes, 32 to be precise, brand new, for the princely sum of £12.99 (it even included a very cheap looking brush roll!). I thought they wouldn't hold any powder, they would shed, fall apart the second brush cleaner touched the bristles or the handles would crack and peel from contact with warm water. Wrong!, wrong! wrong! I have been using these synthetics along side my animal hair for the past 3 months and there has been no difference.  Out of the 32 I purchased, only 2 shed their bristles (large blender brushes), but that is no more than very expensive brushes have done to me in the past. So sorry Debbie (old tutor) but I shall be using synthetic brushes in the future, for as any man will tell you, it's not the equipment, but how you use it that counts!

For those who wish to try the same, the eBay link is http://stores.ebay.co.uk/123-accessory/_i.html?_nkw=brushes&submit=Search&_sid=826878100 Price at going to press is  now £14.88. Also note, 8 of the large powder/blusher brushes are made of goats hair (if your sensitivity doesn't allow you to use these, then by all means, pass them on to your less ethical colleagues!).


On another note, I did a shoot with Mary Byrne at the weekend (Irish lady, worked at Tesco, went on to perform on XFactor,...penny dropped?) Now I have met so many so called "Celebrities" and most of them are so greedy for fame that they have yet to realise that there is a whole machine working around a real celebrity: makeup artist, stylists, publicists etc and the nicer you are to them, the better your life will be in the long run, mainly because, people are willing to go that extra mile for them.  Well Mary was one of the nice ones, humble as well as friendly. When she came into the studio she gave the whole crew a big hug as if we were all long lost friends. Z-lists take note! She will be doing a tour with a very big US singing sensation this summer and I for one wish her the best of luck with everything she does. Go'wan girl!

An Eye Liner to "Dye" For!

I have always loved MACs Smolder Khol Pencil (RRP £13.00 ) for it's softness and intensity, but anyone who has ever  placed it into the inner rims of the eyes and used it on a shoot, will know the problem with Smolder is that it ends up smudging around the eyes! Not very good, unless you're going for the grunge look!

I was introduced to 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil by Urban Decay (RRP £13.00) for use on an artist who was on tour and needed something intense, that didn't budge during her exuberant performance on stage and this certainly did the job, as it is waterproof and after a few moments it sets in place.  So good is it, that it's like a good curry....that just keeps repeating on you! No matter how much you think you've removed all traces the night before, you will still find traces of it on your eyes days later!

But my latest find, is quite a surprise! It is  Contour Clubbing Waterproof Black Party Pencil by Bourjois (Available at Superdrug RRP £4.99) Bargain! Its smooth on the eye, as intense as MACs Smolder as long wearing as Urban Decays Glide-on, but unlike the other two, it does not run and it's a lot easier to remove.  At those prices, I shall be stocking up with the full range of colours!