Disast-hair!

It was one of those days...you know the sort...you wake up with the laptop whirring gently beneath your chin where you have clearly fallen asleep mid Facebook stalk; the caps lock key imprinted firmly on your temple, your toothpaste falls off the brush - twice - before you make the heinous mistake of using hairspray instead of deodorant and have to start all over again. Cut to...doing your makeup in the car because you've been sitting in a queue of traffic for twenty minutes and are going to be late - might as well make an entrance!

The previous week, I had been in London for a short trip (Landahn baby, innit!) so I was already a week behind and desperate to catch up on my blow drying skills. I've never actually blow-dried someone else's hair before, and I can instinctively sense that today is not the best day to be trying it out, so on arrival ("sorry I'm late, Miss"), I grabbed a tuition head, quickly discarding some of the 'interesting' cuts, colours and weaves of the other dolls before settling on a shoulder length brunette with stunning cheekbones (who can resist?). I set up my station, and take my client (let's call her Belinda) to the sink areas.

Belinda is tall. Very tall. Her stand is making her tower over the sinks in a way that I can tell will soak the entire vicinity before I'm even finished rinsing, so I swap stands with the lovely Jan from the HNC class. Excellent, I'm ready to start. I turn on the taps and let the water run to check the temperature - it's not particularly warm, so I let it run a bit longer. If anything, it's now getting colder so I decide to get on with it before anything else has the chance to go wrong! On we go with the shampoo, using effleurage massage techniques (slow, downward movements) to avoid tangles and evenly distribute the products. Rinse. Belinda's hair is feeling a bit coarse, but it's only the first shampoo, so adding another dollop, I repeat, casually asking my colleague Euan if it was supposed to feel like this. Apparently, last week some of the tuition heads had been a bit tangled, so he advised me to use plenty of serum when I'm done to smooth it out. During this time, Belinda's head has come flying off the stand and landed in the sink on more than one occasion - I'm hoping that doesn't happen in real life, but at this stage, I'm not so sure!

Okay, so I've conditioned her hair and have looked out some smoothing serum to save the day. Wrapping her hair in a towel, I take Belinda to my work station and reveal my first shampoo. Disast-hair! The hair is so matted, that even the towel is sticking to it!

I immediately call on Elaine for some expert advise, who recommends "a leave-in conditioner and a lot of combing!" Cut to...me, over an hour later, still spritzing and combing through this mass of tugs. Tea break comes and goes but determination / stubbornness has kicked in and I WILL NOT LET THIS GET THE BETTER OF ME! Eventually, after much perseverance and the near onset of tears (mine, not Belinda's), I'm done. Belinda's hair is smooth and tangle free. And bone dry. It's taken me so long to get the knots out, her hair has dried - so much for a wet set! How am I supposed to practice a wash and blow dry in these situations?!! AAAaaaarrgghh!

So, I'm off with the water spritzer like an oasis in the desert until her hair is practically dripping - I am FINALLY ready to blow dry.

By this stage, the lovely Jan has asked to swap back our stands and I'm happy to oblige, one stage closer to conquering my Everest. That is until I aim the hairdryer at the nape of Belinda's neck to begin drying, and her head spins 360 degrees; hair flying everywhere and soaking everything in the process like a wet dog coming in from the rain. Now, trust me Belinda, I know exactly how you feel at this point - clearly some sort of poltergeist is trying to take over my thoughts too right now as I do everything within my power to refrain from screaming, crying or wrenching your head off the stand and flinging it as far across the room as possible. However, Belinda, I must fight it. I must remain professional and I must breathe.

I sort of fix her in a 'headlock' position (please note, I WILL NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, nor should anyone reading this blog - this is purely for my entertainment / sanity) and complete the blow dry. I even manage to run the straighteners through her hair, and I have to say - despite the universe's greater powers, I'm very pleased with how it turned out! Now, I'm aware that a shampoo and blow dry with a rummel ow'r wi yon straighteners isn't breaking any huge styling records, but this is quite possibly my biggest achievement at college to date, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

 

Belinda, you've done me proud. Now, who wants to be my first real client?...

Where Them Curls At, Curls At?

I remember, years ago, someone telling me that teachers and hairdressers knew as children what they wanted to be 'when they grew up'. Now without any research or substantial evidence to purport this claim, I can pretty much shelve it along with the existence of the tooth fairy and flat-pack furniture assembly instructions as things that might be true - but probably aren't. However, if that were the case, I'd fall quite neatly into the first career option.

Hairdressing, as much fun as it is to learn something new, clearly isn't my thing. Until just recently, I'd only ever been to the hairdressers a handful of times in my whole life (and two of those occasions were to get my ears pierced!). My mum used to always cut my hair, and when she didn't want that responsibility any longer, I'd do it myself (there was always one wee tricky bit at the back that I couldn't reach but was able to sweet talk her into hacking it off!). I can happily spend hours putting on makeup for a night out, only to straighten my hair and leave it 'hanging' - I don't really know how to do anything else, so I'm having a great time trying out all sorts of new ideas in Elaine's class.

So to start us off, we have been working on styling, specifically wet sets - curls ahoy! The first style is known as pincurling. This involves sectioning the hair, winding it around your fingers and pinning it into place. This method is also used during wig applications to prepare the hair flat against the scalp. However, once the hair is dry and the pins removed, it results in some super springy curls! I used Double Prong Curl Clips and Osmo Thermal Defence from Sally's to create this look.

I have also tried using rollers to create a brick set - this involves sectioning the hair, curling it around the rollers and pinning it into place, using a 'brick' formation as if you were building a wall. This pattern helps eliminate any 'tram lines' (where you can clearly see the scalp between each curl) as it creates a more flexible style. The use of rollers from the scalp is also known as 'on base', root-to-point styling (see, I am learning!).

Barrel curls are created by winding the hair around your fingers, but in a much looser and more upright style than is practiced with pincurling. The end result is big, bouncy curls - a volumised and flexible look.  

This is a revelation for me - I have always been jealous of my sister's naturally curly hair, but now I can fake it with the best of them!

Beauty Editor for a Day!

This week, we have been asked to recommend our top 5 beauty products! I don't wear makeup on a daily basis, and like to balance a good product with a good price, so I have included an overview of the basic 'essentials' that can be used to create a finished look.

To begin any look, the 'blank canvas' must be primed, ready for work. A good skincare regime will give a natural glow to any complexion; and any beauty editor worth their salt would firstly recommend cleansing, toning and moisturising. Along with drinking plenty of water, eating as much fresh fruit and veg as possible without fear of turning into a carrot, and ALWAYS removing makeup before going to bed, you will give your skin the best possible chance of achieving a great base, not to mention feeling generally fab and fresh!

Foundations can be used to provide an even skintone and create a great base, however great care must be taken to match the correct shade against skin tone, as you don't want to end up looking like an Oompa Loompa, nor do you want the effect to look trowelled on.

I prefer to use a TINTED MOISTURISER, with added SPF to give a healthy glow, and promote my youthful complexion! An excellent, entry-level product is the Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser from the Boots No 7 range;

"Achieve natural, skin perfecting colour with this sheer, light defusing tinted moisturiser. Created to help your skin look beautiful now and have a more youthful future."

This product is available in three skin tones, containts Ultra UV-Ageing Protection and SPF 15 - it might as well wear a cape and fly! (Boots, £12, 50ml)

My next products are actually my most 'essential' of all; you know the questions - if you were stranded on a desert island, what makeup product could you not live without? - these are mine. EYEBROWS. Do not leave them at home! Eyebrows are very personal - everyone has their own preference as they grow differently, look different, are styled differently and can absolutely change the look and shape of your face. Framing your eyes, the brows should always be cared for; unkempt stray hairs contribute to an unsightly unibrow, however over-plucking can make you look like constantly surprised - just ask Bert and Ernie!

There are many products to create your desired look - I like to use Tweezermans Slant Edge Tweezers, approx; £12 from most drugstores (in purple, of course), and a Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Hazel for daily wear to define, sculpt and comb (£2.99, most high street retailers - Boots, Superdrug etc).

For a more dramatic look, I am a fan of brow cakes (not to be confused with cupcakes, yum!). Illamasqua's Eyebrow Cakes come in a fantastic 7-shade range and, like all their products, are beautifully presented in a glamourous, shiny black case with a matching outer box to give a very luxurious feel. Retailing at £14.50 (10g) from department stores such as Debenhams and Selfridges, I get the impression that Illamasqua will be featuring regularly on my blog in future - I might just be a little bit in love!

The Illamasqua website also offers application techniques:

"For a soft enhanced effect apply Eye-Brow Cake dry using a lip brush applying in light feather like strokes following the natural brow shape. For a more defined look, apply with an eye-brow brush following the natural brow shape, thickening the brow closer to the nose area, and thinning and extending it on the outer end. To create sharp, dramatic eye-brow shapes, use an eye-brow brush and mix with water or Sealing Gel."

Whether you want to achieve a full, bold statement brow like Elizabeth Taylor, or pencil thin arches like Pamela Anderson, this product is superbly versatile - also suitable as an eyeshadow or liner - fantastic value for money!

The eyebrow cakes also introduce my next essential products / tools - BRUSHES. A poor workman always blames his tools, but in this case, it really makes a difference. A good set of brushes will contribute to the overall look, as products can be applied precisely and correctly. As the Illamasqua website suggests, most brushes have multi-purpose capabilities to ensure the makeup is applied exactly as you intended.

I love the range of MAC brushes available, however the pricetag allows me to own just a few of these. Ranging from around £7 - £37 per brush on the MAC website, a set of 4 or 5 'kit essentials' retails at £39.50. I can only be jealous of the set below!

I also have a range of brushes from Charles Fox - my favourite is the Big Papa brush from the Illusion range - a large, flat head brush suitable for body painting. It's super soft, and with a hot pink handle - I can't wait to give it a try!

Back to the eyes, and I'm loving Max Factor's 2000 Calorie Dramatic Look Mascara - it creates fat lashes (up to 300% more volume, apparently!) and doesn't flake or smudge easily. At only £7.99 from Boots, it's perfect. Stepping out for an evening, I also like to apply some falsies (lashes, that is!) and bat my way through the crowds. The Mister Mascara Full Lashes Kit does the trick (approx £8-£10 for two pairs).

My final tip for a makeover is to adhere to the old adage "Less is More" - it really works. I love to glam up my eyes to the max, however to keep things under control, I'll choose a clear or very slightly tinted LIPGLOSS to complete my look. If I went for big eyes and big lips, I'd look more like a panto dame than a pretty damsel, so at the moment, I'm using Accessorize's Rockstar Lip Gloss in VIP Purple (a thoughtful gift from a friend who obviously knows me very well!). At only £3 for 14ml, it is a bargain and a half! Not too strong, but with just enough colour to suggest!

Since I can't resist, I also want to share my love for Illamasqua's Intense Lipgloss in Fierce, a blue, purple tone (23 shades available in the 'Intense range', and 15 'Sheer' colours - definitely something for everyone). £13 for 10ml of lush in my opinion! The colour is really strong (Fierce, one might say!), but can be applied lightly for a more subtle tone.

At the counter in Debenhams, Glasgow, Alexandra showed me how to mix some of the gloss with their Pure Pigments to create an altogether more dynamic product that can be used on eyes and cheeks too. Just fab!

So that's me, in a face! I'm now in the mood to go home and recreate some of the looks I've been thinking about whilst considering my favourite products - yipee!

Love, Love! x

Style Icons

"Research your 3 favourite style icons..."

Never before has a research assignment filled me with such dread. Style icons? Do I look like I have style icons?! I don't usually admire people for what they wear or how they look - it's who they are and what they do that inspires me. That's not to give weight to the cliche "I'm an individual - I create my own style" - I just don't have one particular style that defines who I am or what I do - I have 'moods' - is that the same? It's all about comfort and colour to me, and this changes on a daily basis; I don't seem to fit into any style categories (that I'm aware of - but I'm happy to be enlightened folks!). Without a clearly defined sense of style, how on earth do I research style icons, never mind post about my top three?!

Maybe it's because I'm not a size 8 who can wear anything the high street or designer boutiques have to offer - I'm never going to look like Kate Moss or Megan Fox so I don't see the point in lusting after what they're wearing or how they're wearing it. Conversely, all of the plus sized celebs seem to have outrageous fashion styles that don't suit my personality (Beth Ditto, anyone?) - it's just not me.

What I've come to realise is that style isn't about the clothes you wear, your hair or your makeup, it's about who you are and what you want to say about yourself; being iconic comes with how you share that with the world.

The 'original' style icons as we recognise them today, are hugely understated - beauties who made the most of what they had, because that was all that was available to them - a sense of glamour that is emulated endlessly in modern society.

Another fashion-related favourite of mine is Gok Wan; his attitude is transferable to any style situation - make it work for you. He shows you how to make the most of your assets (and everyone has assets), and gives you confidence to feel good, and we all look great when we walk tall; with purpose and a smile on our face. He drives forward the mantra "Buy less, wear it more" and shows you how to revitalise your wardrobe; a must for any savvy stylistas in the current economic climate. He has also walked the walk with his own personal swan-like transformation - not that I believe you need to lose weight, wear makeup or undergo surgery to live your life to the fullest, but he has a greater understanding of the internal desire to be 'more' of yourself. Empowering people - that's what I'm about!

So I'm nothing if not unconventional - my last 'style icon' is the one and only Lady Gaga - meat dress included (which is no mean feat for a vegetarian, I tell you!). What I love about the Gaga is her unfaltering belief in what she is doing; she has the fullest commitment to every style, and has created a multitude of interesting characters along the way - Beyonce's Telephone partner-in-crime, her alienesque Born This Way, the wide-eyed Bad Romantic and many more, not forgetting of course, her male alter ego from You and I.

       

These images are more expressive for me than top models on a high fashion runway, or indeed filmstars of the past or present. Beauty and makeup are all too often associated as interdependent; for one and the same purpose, however the structure of the NQ Level 6 in Media MakeUp also offers opportunity to develop skills outwith the stereotypical glamour - and I'm loving it! Creating a character and daring yourself to have the confidence to carry it off is exciting - being the person to unleash that inner 'you' is even better. 

       

Ketchup!

So, I've been at college for 5 weeks now - it's about time I let you into the world of Media MakeUp, as designed by James Watt (College) and what I've learned so far!

Practical classes that I've been studying so far have been Character MakeUp, Wigs, Hairdressing Skills and Special Effects; with an additional element of Essential Skills (including this blog). I'll be uploading photos of my work, research and inspiration, so please be kind - it's all for assessment!

Wish me luck and sparkly things!

Debbie
xXx

Character MakeUp

Character MakeUp classes are held on a Monday morning, and cover a wide range of makeup skills; from straightforward TV and theatre personalities, to creating Hallowe'en and science fiction looks, dancers and pantomine characters - we'll learn it all!

Wigs

Monday afternoons are spent learning about wigs! We will prepare the hair for a wig application by pincurling, create a wrap to measure and fit a wig, set and dress both lace front and hard front wigs, and fit wigs and hairpieces with both real and synthetic hair. Phew!

Hairdressing Skills

Hairdressing Skills is a class that does exactly what it says! Hair types, product knowledge and styling techniques will give any budding makeup artist additional skills that can be used on set to create a total look. Some of the styling techniques include wash and blow drying, and wet and dry setting (pincurling, barrel curling, rollers, straighteners, crimpers etc).

Special Effects

This is a hugely popular class where we create special effects using various products. We will be assessed on creating an accident scenario (bruising, swelling, minor cuts and scratches), burns, scars and the use of prosthetics. It can be very gory at times and the smells can be awful - watch out for the hot gelatine - bleurgh!