Like many girls, I have been
fixated with make-up from a very early age. In awe, I used to watch my mum
apply her eyeliner and have been obsessed ever since.
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| My eternal inspiration for all things beautiful. |
I rifled through my aunt’s
make-up basket, who coincidentally does not wear make-up at all anymore (I
wonder if she knows this one of the reasons for my adoration) and the obsession
naturally developed as I grew older. On non-uniform days at school,
I wore make-up (against school policy but I loved breaking the rules). I remember wearing a pink and purple smokey eye on one particularly day, having been influenced by J-Lo's purple smoulder from Ain't It Funny). I'm pretty sure I accidentally used a blusher rather than eyeshadow. Multitasking before I even knew it was a thing.
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| Uncanny resemblance. |
When I left school I pursued a career as a nurse in London. However, this was not for me so I returned
home and explored other avenues which included beauty, make-up and YouTube
learning. Aspects of my private
life fuelled my previous adolescent desire to become immersed in a technicolor explosion and so I began to teach myself about make-up, nails and beauty. I combined this with becoming a member of hobby groups and online forums where I met people with similar interests.
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I think I suit being an old lady. Just call me Doris.
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| My second 'date' with my husband was practicing a special effects ripped arm on him. |
In my early 20s, YouTube make-up gurus were just beginning Enter a plethora of inspiration, ideas, looks and creations for me to
learn from. I learned more from this online hub of social interaction and so I began to share my passion for make-up on various social networking sites, such as Bebo and Facebook where there was instant access to beauty, make-up and style communities. It was like going to
make-up school but for free and learning was at my own pace. Though I
wouldn't encourage any budding artist to just learn from YouTube, you
actually need to go put make-up on real-life faces in order to build your
professional portfolio and put the dream into a reality. What makes you a
competent make-up artist is gaining awareness and expertise on skin care,
brands, products, seasonal trends, modern make-up, beauty for different age
groups, knowing your client’s needs and knowing a little about each type of
make-up artistry available. It’s about evolving as an artist and expanding and
sharing your knowledge that makes you one of the greats. There are separate
artists for separate industries which may or may not require formal training
including, theatrical, film & television, wig making, restoration
airbrushing (in mortuaries), prosthetics & special effects,
weddings & special occasions, fashion, runway & editorial. Pat
McGrath, one of the most influential make-up artists in the world had no
training in make-up and look where she is today.
It’s not all about make-up
though. Anything beauty related has fascinated me. As the years went by, I
networked with professional, amateur and novice make-up artists, photographers,
models, hairdressers, stylists and began putting together creative teams to do
collaborative photo shoots in a variety of locations.
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| Photographer - Matthew McHugh, Model - Cassy Lee Gillespie. |
Bebo's popularity was at
its peak during this time and I met like-minded folks
wanting to informally experiment with make-up and photography.
My first encounter with a photographer was with a sweet-natured, talented, and
humble photographer called Yvonne. Her images of
dereliction, landscapes, urbex and animals were beautiful, charismatic,
artistic and culturally competent, which resonated with me. We
decided to do our first shoot together. It was the first time for both of
us to collaborate with people and we both felt shy. I persuaded some friends
into modelling and even managed to have my boy-crush at the time agree to be a
model for the day (albeit he backed out but then made up for it the next day
with a sort-of-semi-date-thing. Oh I should mention, he is now my future
husband). The experience of this first
shoot at the Catalyst
Arts Centre was low-key, exuberant fun - sentiments I try to
incorporate into collaborations I have done since. Ok, my make-up application
was an unblended, disjointed motley array of chromaticity and texture
but I did it and I loved it.
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| Photographer - Yvonne Martin. Model - Eleanor Downey (my friend since Primary 1). |
Since this first shoot I involved
as many people as I could from everywhere - college, grammar school and even
primary school.
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Photographer - Jaclyn Lindsay. Model - Emma Tully (both primary school pals).
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Networking like this
expanded my circle and I was fortunate to be involved with
charity events and local fashion nights.
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This then led to many
provocative and imaginative collaborations.
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| Model - Rachel Tracey (school pal). |
However, even though I consider myself a make-up artist, I am not a professional MUA and I do not work as one. I never pursued it in a vocational manner. I consider make-up as a form of escapism. For me, make-up is a hobby, a passion, a keen interest. Ok, more
like an obsession, a sufferer of make-up mania. If ever there was a neurosis
for make-up, I'd happily be a member of the injured party.
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Patient details: Neala, 28, manic make-up neurosis.
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I stopped collaborating for the most part just before I started my law degree and in my spare time I would organise my own make-up shoots as a one woman show.
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| Models: Rebekah Guilar, Rachael Guilar, Stephanie Morgan. |
I prefer the comfort of
being in my home, making up familiar faces and taking pretty pictures for the
person to have as keepsake reminder that they are forever beautiful. I suppose
you could call it make-up
therapy.
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| Model - Mori McKnight (school chum and beauty blogger). |
Now, people from my school
and college days want to be involved in some way with this industry. Whether
that is to be a model for the day or just receive make-up tips. Some even
have qualifications and aspirations to be make-up artist which I find very inspiring.
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Model - Nicole Liddy (college buddy and aspiring make-up artist).
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And now I have taken baby steps into beauty blogging and vlogging. This is something I aim to incorporate into my future career along with developing make-up therapy and artistry as it combines my favourite thing to talk about (make-up) in the place where I feel I can do my best and achieve my goals (home).
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| From my guide to bridal make-up. |
As for brands, I don’t have one
in particular that I get absolutely everything from. I find myself preferring
products from several brands rather than one brand's entire collection. I love Chanel foundation, MAC pigments
(the old formula), Max Factor mascara, MAC lip liners, Sleek lipsticks, Urban
Decay eyeshadow palettes, Real Techniques brushes, Barry M nail paints and
Illamasqua blushers. Even still, it depends on the colour, the longevity and
the price. Having said that re: price, I do have my eyes on some expensive Ells
Faas products, which I have hinted to my future husband that I need for our
wedding day. Yes, I need them. Ok, that is a lie,
I want them but I know I'll more than likely use some old faithfuls for the day
(Sleek Oh So Special and Chanel vitalumiere), I just need to satisfy the
make-up neurosis. It's kind of like that Snickers ad with your man in the blue
shirt acting like a diva. I'm the Joan Collins of
make-up shopping.
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| "Better?" "Better." |
When it comes to make-up, it’s
hard to find something I don’t like. Although it’s rare for me to dislike an
entire look. One trend I never understood is permanent make-up. Why put
yourself through that for something that may end up a disaster? I enjoy the whole
make-up application process, it is one of my favourite times of the day. But I
suppose it would be nice to sometimes just roll out of bed looking like this:
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| Queen of Selfies |
All in all, I have a huge passion
for beauty and adore everything about make-up and nails - anything
aesthetically pleasing really. It can do anything for a person from
transforming what they naturally look like – to simply highlighting the
features they already have. Personally, I like to have fun with it and I like
that you can be inspired by anything or anyone to create a look. I also love
make-up throughout the decades and I enjoy watching others re-create timeless
looks. You can be as artistic and self-affirming as you like or play it down.
You can look like your favourite Hollywood star, your favourite singer or even
a character from a film just by make-up application. I like being extreme with
make-up as well as being low-key. It depends on my mood and what look I want to
achieve that day. I like how make-up can make you look very-well groomed or
messy and asymmetrical. I love how make-up has an entire history – from Ancient
Egyptian Queen Nefertiti’s kohl rimmed eyes to Queen Elizabeth of the Tudors’
alabaster skin and cherry bitten lips to the. I also love the cultural
diversity of make-up such as the Geisha girls of Japan to the Coco Chanel
inspired flapper style of 1920s America. Make-up even has connections with
social and movements. The anti-Vietnam war rallies and Black power shaped what
was considered beautiful in the 60s, along with psychedelic movements of the
decade. Nowadays, anything goes really – history repeats itself, people adopt
their own signature style of make-up and brazen displays of colours are widely
used professionally and by men and women alike. I find that no make-up is bad
make-up, and if I haven’t said it enough already, I love it – I LOVE IT ALL!
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A ten year make-up expansion compacted into three photos. Aged 17, 22 and 27.
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