Make up Artist on the Prowl

There are times in a make-up artist’s life when the creative process ceases to become the focus of her work and the illusion we call make-up is allowed to subtly do its thing.

The above might sound like cobblers, well, it does sound like clobbers, but it is actually true.

In order for you to understand what I mean I must give you the visuals.

So picture this. There I was working with Hilda Faye from Fair city the other day, for a Woman’s Way Magazine cover, and Hilda is telling me all about her character.

Well, any fair city fan will know what her character goes through and that Hilda plays the amazing, whacky and powerful story lines so well. As I listen, I can feel the passion and commitment she applies to her job and a switch is tripped inside my brain.

As she talks, I start to follow the contours of her face. I notice how it becomes animated, frowns, how she laughs at herself, how amusing she is with her anecdotes. I like her sense of humour. Yes, I like her.

I then notice, without considering it at any intellectual level, that Hilda is a heck of a strong character herself, a powerful, demurely sexy and completely focused female and the make up that would suit her at this exact point, for this photo shoot, takes shape inside my mind’s eye.

Her make-up today should not transform her into a character but should show Hilda as she is.

Still without considering light, shade, features in any conscious way, I start to work on Hilda, whom has great cheekbones and strong features. As I work, a part of my brain, possibly the part that deals with knowledge, kicks in and I intuitively apply her make-up.

I feel natural, subtle, enhancing make-up. I picture her wearing the dresses I have seen, hanging, ready for her. I picture Hilda standing at a function, all eyes on her. She is the star she was born to be and the warm, friendly, strong woman that she is.

I feel a light smoked look on the eyes, mixing a few different shades that contrast with her eye colour, the darker shade always contouring, applied at the crease and pulled to just under the waterline, blended into a smooth and seamless shape to make her eyes bigger, more alert. The light shade applied to the socket. I intuitively know that applying shadow above the crease on Hilda’s eyes would be a mistake. It would make her eyes look smaller and close together. I feel enhanced cheek bones and lips. As I work she inspects what I have done so far.

I give Hilda a couple of tips, based on her eyes. I tell her not to use gel lines or a hash liner. Rather, to use an eye pencil and to smudge the liner slightly to create a softer look. I also show her how to get that beautiful wide awake look by applying a dab of pigment (MAC have the best pigments I have come across), using her fingers, at the middle of the socket, once the rest of the eye is done. It gives a beautiful sparkle and really opens the eyes. I also show her how to accentuate her eyes further by applying a highlighter just below the eyebrows.

I can’t use a light reflecting primer as it doesn’t photograph well. It is great if photography is not involved as it gives a beautiful dewy base. I go for the Illamasqua primer for a flawless canvas instead. I keep her foundation very light, high definition, blended well, as it photographs better. I used make Up Forever HD foundation.

I decide creamy products will work better on her face, so an Illamasqua cream blusher is used. I ask Hilda to smile and apply it to the apple of her cheeks, blending upwards towards her hairline.

Now, I want light reflecting! Hilda deserves light reflecting! I want to enhance some of her features. I opt for a highlighting cream from Smashbox, applied just above her cheekbones, above her eyebrows and the bridge of her nose. I powder and use a compact matt bronzing powder from Dior to give her cheekbones even more definition. The bronzing powder should be applied just under the cheekbone and blended upwards towards the hair line. This is your chance to make sure the blusher and contouring work to your advantage. I tend to use the middle of the eyes as a marker to start the application. Trust me, you don’t want bronzing powder a la 80’s, way too close to your mouth or nose!

I could tell you that cheeks are very contoured this season, hence my selected look. Well, nothing wrong with seasonal trends as long as they works for you but I was working with make up to suit ‘my client’, applied completely intuitively, not the more artistic, trend based side of make-up artistry.

I also enhanced Hilda’s lips by using a vanilla coloured lip pencil on her cupid bow before applying the lip liner and lipstick. I blend it as I want a subtle highlight, not an all out I am trying really hard look.

I finish the look with Mascara and a little secret. You see beautiful lips as you flick through magazine pages. Some might have been enhanced by other means but the cheapest and painless way to achieve the same result is to give the lips definition using make-up.

Use a slighter darker shade to line, Blend well with the lipstick. The darker shade contouring the lips won’t be visible to the eye in any meaningful way but it will, very subtly, make your lips look fuller. As will the cupid bow highlighter. Finish with a dab of either a lighter shade (for evening you can use your highlighter) or lip gloss bang in the middle of the lips (inner), blending with your brush or fingers. This will give a 3D effect and make your lips look much fuller and totally lush.



As I finish the look, Hilda pays me the highest compliment by telling me she loves the look because it makes her feel like her.

Ta-da! The compliment meant I achieved the goal.

The shoot was a pleasure. So there I was with Hilda Faye, Hilda’s lovely and talented sister - her hair stylist, Barry McCall whom worked his magic behind the camera ( yet again! The man is amazing!) and the good people from Woman’s Way laughing and being entertained by the sisters and Barry, touching up, watching, and gossiping.

A day in the life. Yes, it does make you wonder huh?


Disclaimer: This blog represents Rossana's views only and is not in any way, shape or form representative of MakeupFabLicious, The City Channel, TV3, Print Media, The Republic of Ireland and most definitely not of the President of the United States.

Ok so if you have no idea who I am, let me introduce myself.

I am Rossana Dickinson, 36 and a make up artist. I do some TV, some editorials, some makeovers...every now and then I also have some fun creating looks with the students. When they (aka Angela) let me that is.

I have done a whole load of training, taking me back to when I lived in London and parabens was something in a foreign language, circa 10 years ago.

I mistrust anybody who tells me they are self-taught. Don't get me wrong. I am self- taught for the most part of my make up expertise. Training will never replace talent but when you are dealing with organic materials (people) I believe you should know what you are doing and have a diploma to confirm that. College gives you the basics and after that you refine your art. That is what I tell my students.

'My students' is a rather interesting term to describe the nice bunch of people taking the make up courses at my make up academy. It implies how protective I am of my students. Territorial even. Yet, I don't actually teach them.

Respect and discipline are fine things. Sheer terror of your principal and trying to be invisible in case she is watching is not exactly conductive of creativity. No, I don't torture them. I think that was outlawed last year, could be wrong so don't quote me.

Rather, I am a perfectionist. I always ask the students to give me more. To hit me bang in the middle of my forehead with their vision. Oh and I hate excuses.

This blog actually goes some way (I hope) to show the students I am actually human.

But you are not here to know about my students or for me to plug my make up academy. I know you are all here because you are stuck in a make up rut or perhaps have, over the years, developed a rather too pronounced dependency. We have all been there so there is no shame. I can promise you it gets better.

Perhaps, and there is hope, you might realise that baby blue eye shadow all over your eyelids is not a great idea or that you really don't need to buy yet another baby blue eye shadow. No don't let the gorgeous MAC Girls tell you otherwise. Trust me. I don't sell make up so I can be honest with you...well up to a point in any case.

Perhaps by reading my blogs you will begin to wonder... Why not try green or brown? Maybe slowly, gently, a day at a time you can break the habit and be free of make up that makes you look like you are stuck in the 60s/70s/80s...delete as appropriate.

I will never be free of historical make up. Or any type of make up. It is my passion, my life, my work. My make up obsession will endure a lifetime.

This is my story.............

Style Me – City Channel - Tuesday 21st July 20:00.
www.city.ie


Having just seen the preview of the show and noting how that one piece I have on does nothing for me at all (when seen from the waist up), I am certain the producers will pay attention to my rather small request to record the show again with moi wearing something else...I am waiting for their call to come through any minute now.

Alas, as I wait, I might as well tell you, the ladies in the audience, that you can also enter the competition to win a makeover on the show. To enter the competition check out the page: style me. The prize includes a whole load of goodies as well as a makeover on the show. Yep, free stuff. Hooray, you can look great without spending a cent, courtesy of the nice show sponsors! Get e-mailing!

The winner for the first episode, the rather lovely Alwyn Kinane, was stunned at how we transformed her into her most beautiful self. To be fair, it isn’t that hard to change one’s look for the better, once you know a few basic techniques.


Alwyn Kinane - photo sent with her entry.

Take make-up for instance. Even just changing your foundation can give your skin a different, fresher, look. It is all about knowing what suits you and making the most of your best features.

For that reason, I will cover some of the techniques and products I have used on the show here.


PREP.

No matter what make up brand you are using, if your skin is not clean and/or you don’t take care of it, the make up won’t look great. Exfoliate once a week, use a face pack, drink lots of water, use an eye cream (make sure you use something light. The thick creams will make your eyes puffy) avoid sun beds and when outdoors use sun protection.

The sequence for a good daily pre-make up facial routine: wash, tone, moisture skin, apply eye cream, leave to be absorbed by skin, apply prime.

Now that you have been PREPed we can move on to the next step.


FOUNDATION

If you are under 18, get out of here! You don’t need foundation! Send us a postcard and let us know how you are getting on with your life in the World Wide Young On-line Web and come back in a few years.

For everybody else, broadly, choose a foundation that is light, allows for extra coverage if required and suits your skin type/age. Make sure the foundation matches your skin tone to avoid the dreaded foundation lines and blend it well using either a foundation sponge or a foundation brush.

I won’t talk about blending techniques here. Instead I will give you a more valuable tip. Ask for samples!

Visit make up counters and tell the nice people there you are thinking about buying the foundation of your dreams. Alas, you would like to try it before hand. Nope, thanks but you are not looking for a makeover. No siree. Make up artists can blend anything to make it look great. You are to take the samples home and try them out (ideally one by one but hey, that’s your call). In particular, make sure before buying a foundation that you try it against day light. You hear me missy??? Samples. Home. End of.


EYE MAKE UP


In general two to three shades blended in different eye areas will make your eyes look amazing and create shading, contouring and all that. If you find it hard to blend eye shadow, try using eye pencils instead.

In the show I used the Boots Number 17 Metallic Silver and Black on Alwyn’s blue eyes. Gold is also a stunning colour for bl

ue eyes. If you have green eyes try the bronze blended with black or the purple. Brown eyes would look beautiful against the green shade.


EYEBROWS

I didn’t cover eyebrows in the show but it is also an easy way to get a glam/polished look fast. Some people find it hard to get a nice smooth eyebrows shape so the good n news is that help is at hand.


I have come across two amazing brows related products in the past two weeks.


One offers a template and everything you need to create fab brows! Oh and Darling, the templates are by celebrity, what ever else? Yep, that was a slight from their part but the eyebrow kit offers amazing value and quick yet a great way to shade your brows and make them look ever so groomed. The kit can be purchased from Dunnes Stores (I kid not!) for about 15-Euro. Look up the section where they have Fake lashes et al and you will


The other, from Illamasqua, is an eye brow cake. I have never used brown cakes before (powder) although I am a cake liner girl. Alone, the product is amazing. Used together with their lash gel it is so easy to apply.


I love their sealing gel (can also be used over liner, eye shadow, etc) as well. They actually have a video on their page as well which I think might help you see how the eye brow cake and other products should be applied: www.illamasqua.com


Illamasqua gave the competition winner a goodies bag (She was over the moon about it) and hopefully me a Pro discount card!


I am sure I will be seeing you all at their counter in BT2.


Now, having fulfilled my make up artist duty and spilled the goss on the make up used behind the scene, I can cover the real gossip from the show. Well, the word out is that Laura….