Look Good...Feel Better

As a makeup artist, helping people feel good about themselves is all part of the job. Brides, birthday girls, hen parties…they all want to look extra-gorgeous for that special occasion. But there’s another side to the makeup industry that fascinates me – camouflage makeup for people who have been scarred through illness or an accident.

When you look at the same face in the mirror everyday of your life, it’s easy to become ungrateful of what’s staring back at you. The same cheekbones, lips, eyes, nose…some people go as far as to alter their features with plastic surgery.

But what if your face was altered through illness or an accident? How would you feel staring into your reflection? Your self-confidence would hit rock bottom. You’d want your old face back.

The charity ‘Look Good…Feel Better’ is tackling the issue head-on. This fantastic initiative teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients so that they can manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.

Fighting cancer is a gruelling battle, and the added emotional trauma of scarring is enough to drag anybody’s self-image to the ground. When you’re feeling down about yourself, you don’t exactly have the energy to fight. 

‘Look Good…Feel Better’ provides individual, group and self-help makeup sessions that offer support and inspire self-confidence. It’s amazing how much stronger you are when you feel good about yourself.

Makeup professionals work with cancer patients on skin care, nail care and show them how to deal with hair loss using wigs, scarves, hats, hairpieces and other accessories.  It’s these small things that make the difference. And for those who are unable to attend sessions, self-help materials are provided so that patients can master the techniques at home.

This is such a worthwhile cause, and it’s something I would love to become involved in. It’s amazing what a dab of concealer can do, both aesthetically and emotionally.

To find out more about ‘Look Good…Feel Better’, visit their website. It’s a truly inspiring read:

http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/

But it’s not just cancer patients who can benefit from good camouflage techniques – makeup can conceal all types of scarring and skin problems, from burns to acute acne. Veil Cosmetic Camouflage make incredibly effective products. Take a look at their website to read about people’s experiences:

http://www.veilcovercream.com/

In the meantime I’ll be attending relevant training courses in order to get involved in this side of the makeup industry. I love mainstream makeup, but it would be fantastic to apply my skills to a cause that really changes lives in a lasting, significant way.

Practice makes perfect...

I’m going to let you behind the scenes. Or, to put it another way, tell you how us makeup artists always seem to produce such gorgeous photo shoots.

One phrase comes to mind – practice makes perfect. And if you’re a perfectionist like me, it’s probably one of your favourite mottos.

I’m due to work on a drop-dead gorgeous, fully styled photo shoot. Not only do I want the results to be jaw-dropping, but I also want to be prepared. And how do I get on top of the game? By carrying out my very own test shoot…

So, I sorted out a fantastic studio; convinced my photographer brother, Paul O’Rourke, to shoot; and bribed my good friend, Eleanor McCaughey, to model. I’m a fan of involving friends for test shoots, because I feel more comfortable and can focus on just getting it right.

And the look I was going for? Perfect porcelain. I ditched the bronzers and went for Makeup Forever’s Mat Velvet + Matifying Foundation. This wonder product conceals blemishes, evens out complexion, and leaves a flawless mat finish. If this isn’t already in your makeup bag, I strongly suggest it should be!

Just look at the china doll effect it creates…

I also used MAC’s Blackground Paint Pot as a base on Eleanor’s eyes to make sure the colour retained its impact. I find certain colours can fade in photographs, but this stuff always holds its strength and is a favourite amongst us makeup artists.

You can see how powerful this product is. It’ll definitely feature in the final shoot; you just can’t beat it for depth of colour.

As this wasn’t a styled test shoot, Eleanor’s clothes don’t exactly match the very long fake eyelashes I’ve used.  It’s amazing how exaggerated they look without the right outfit! But if you can imagine them partnered with big hair and some fabulous frocks, they’ll look amazing.

The test shoot did its job by highlighting one thing I’ll change on the big day - the lipstick colour. Here I’ve used Hue by MAC, which is too pale, dull, and boring for the look I’m going for. Plus, it doesn’t do justice to Eleanor’s totally gorgeous, full lips. But I do love this line of lipstick, so I’ll just choose it in a different shade next time. Something a little more eye-catching and vibrant.

I will also contour the face more as this didn’t translate well in the photos, and spend more time cleaning up the fall out under the eyes. The whole finish just needs a little more polishing, which due to limited time got neglected.

I’m now prepared and ready for the real thing, and know exactly what products and tones to use to achieve the look I’ve envisioned. Professional photo shoots are complex processes, so it’s important to help them run smoothly. Add to the chaos, and you’ll find a very grumpy photographer indeed!

And now for the object of Eleanor’s bribe – a mention of her website, which features her fantastic paintings and portraits: http://eleanormccaughey.com/home.html. It’s well worth a look. This girl can paint!