Initial thoughts and first impressions

Today, on 21/10/2024, myself, peers and tutors have a masterclass experience in the Liverpool City Centre taking place at Harvey Nichols and the Charlotte Tilbury store. During this day, I had an opportunity, which was a photoshoot in Manchester. Speaking with tutor Rachel, we both agreed that if this would benefit my portfolio and assignments while also networking with other industry specialists, then this would be okay to take on instead of attending the Charlotte Tilbury masterclass. The first masterclass began at 11:00am and the photoshoot began at 9:00am, unfortunately overlapping each other. However, I did make it back in time for the Fenty Beauty masterclass. As I am in the retail industry, I complete masterclasses monthly with the brand I work for (Hourglass) at John Lewis Liverpool and Harvey Nichols. At John Lewis, we have a Charlotte Tilbury counter that also completes masterclasses monthly, where I am allowed to watch the demonstration as it is in a big, accessible area. This goes for many other makeup brands, too. With having masterclass experience, I thought that taking on the photoshoot would be more beneficial for my development instead of attending the first masterclass; this way, I was able to gather and gain experience and networks outside of the industry I am already in.

Photoshoot experience

The photo shoot experience took place at The University of Salford in Manchester. I gained this experience from Pulse Modelling Agency after completing a project for them in September at an 80’s 80s-inspired photoshoot. One of their models Octavia Gourlay reached out to me after this shoot, asking if I could travel to Manchester to do her makeup for her latest headshots, as they needed updating.

Alongside Octavia, I also worked with fashion photographer Molly Britton. Meeting Molly was a fantastic way of building networks that share the same interests as I do. With wanting to take the fashion/editorial route, meeting a fashion photographer has been beneficial as I can now see the importance of choosing the right photographers to achieve correct, desired outcomes.

The shoot was scheduled for 9:00am at the New Adelphi Theatre in Salford. When I arrived, some issues were occurring that were not professional. To be professional myself, I arrived at 8:50am to get started and set up. However, when I arrived, I was waiting for a reply from the model to see where I was needed, as the University of Salford had many buildings, and I did not know my way around. Octavia did not get back to me, which meant I had to seek out the photographer on Instagram and give her a message, as waiting outside, in the cold, with heavy bags, was not appropriate. Thankfully, Molly replied and came to escort me to the studio, Molly also said that the model was not responding to her messages which made us both feel uneasy. One hour later, Octavia turned up at the studio and explained that there were issues with the trains. Although this was unprofessional, it could not be helped. So, we began the makeup straight away!

Octavia wanted to enhance her natural features, glass skin and a healthy glow. For this shoot, I used all Hourglass Cosmetics as the brand itself is perfect for photography outcomes. Two main product ingredients are photoluminescent technology, which uses micro-sized, colour-correcting particles to capture, diffuse and soften surrounding light. This process helps to blur imperfections and refine the appearance of the skin. Their products are all talk-free, which stops flashbacks and keeps the skin from looking grey in the final images. This makeup look took me approximately 35 minutes to achieve, and I explained to the model that I could not stay for touch-ups as I was already 1 hour behind and wanted to make it back for the next masterclass with my peers and Fenty Beauty. I captured some quick behind-the-scenes of one of Octavia’s outfit changes. However, she had 5 changes, so I decided to leave after the first.

Overall, this experience has taught me to always have clear communication and boundaries a few days or weeks before the photoshoot, ensuring I am not left waiting around with no direction or confusion. I was extremely happy that Octavia reached out to me asking for my artistic skills and trusted me to make her look beautiful for her headshots. Meeting Molly was amazing; seeing her work and how she dedicates and edits all her work to fit with her aesthetic is admirable. When Molly edited the final images, she messaged and explained that she was making them look more editorial to fit her portfolio. She asked if I wanted them, too, which again is amazing because this will also fit with my portfolio. The final images came out wonderfully, with many outcomes. The shoot consisted of Gym wear, lingerie, formal wear, fashion and Black & White headshots, which have given me multiple images to include within my portfolio. Learning from this experience, I will now be setting up automated messages for potential future clients when they inquire about my services. This will include full location details, deposits, prices, and cancellation fees, ensuring my time will never be wasted and my back will always be covered. I will also contact more fashion photographers for future photoshoots and portfolio work.

Fenty Beauty Masterclass

The Fenty Beauty masterclass began at 2:00pm at Harvey Nichols with counter manager Kasey, who has worked with Fenty Beauty for 7 years since the brand first came to Beauty Baazar. Kasey was hand-picked for the events team by the lead artist of Fenty Beauty after showcasing her skills when being trade-tested. Completing the makeup was accomplished by assistant artist Jade, who has worked with many companies, such as Doll Beauty, by creating beauty content on social media. Jade is also a Creative Makeup Design & Practice graduate who completed the same course as us when the course first began.

What did you learn as part of the masterclass experience?

As a part of the masterclass experience, I learnt that Fenty Beauty is a Black-owned brand founded by Rihanna, known for their colour ranges and how they have transformed the non-diverse industry into a fully diverse industry. Fenty was the beauty brand that influenced all makeup companies to become fully diverse within their skin tone ranges, which led to them, as Kasey said, “breaking the industry.” While working for Fenty, they said you get every type of diversity, such as Asian, Black, White, Arab, Older and younger. Meaning that they have all been able to learn about every skin tone, skin type, and skin colour. Fenty has now come out with 50 different shades of foundation, ensuring that no matter who walks through the door, Fenty can serve with great service, ensuring they walk away happy with their purchase.

The masterclass consisted of makeup inspired by Rhianna Met Gala look and Avant-Garde fashion. Jade used Fenty Skin to prepare the face as makeup for any occasion that needs longevity. Jade completed the skin makeup using all the best-selling base products while also choosing the correct types of products to fit the model's skin type. To create an Avant-Garde makeup look, Jade used a Fenty blush in the shade ‘petal poppin’ across the eyes and cheeks for a diffused rosey effect. She then used the end of a mascara wand to dot multiple dots in the shape of a winged eyeliner around the model’s eyes and stated it was a graphic liner. Jade then used a ‘diamond bomb, ' a liquid highlighter in powder formula. It is a powder, glossy hybrid that is perfect for photoshoots. This was my favourite product that was used. I had never encountered a hybrid makeup product before and was extremely interested in it. Jade finished with a bold lip. Bold lips take good practice to get a sharp, crisp edge, which she demonstrated today.

What insight did you gain into the industry?

The manager, Kasey, clarified that hygiene is KEY when working for Fenty. The main skill she looks for when hiring a new employee is that they have exceptional hygiene, which ensures that clients will always be safe from infections and will not give the brand or artists a bad name within the industry. Being hygienic should be every makeup artist's number 1 way of working because the last thing we want to do is get sued or lose business due to this issue. Kasey stated that she looks for passionate makeup artists when hiring, as she looks for skill and constant willingness to learn. She said learning to sell comes with time and training, while passion for what you do should already be embedded within you. Kasey mentioned about the trade test assessment. A trade test is when the person applying for the job has passed the interview stages and is tested on their timing, hygiene, and overall makeup skills. This confirms to the employer that they are fit for the job. The employees will also take part in creating their own face charts and creating looks to fit with Fenty’s brand image. They get 15 minutes to draw and fill the face chart during the trade assessment.

Did you pick up practical tips?

The tips I gathered from this event were: ‘Completing a photoshoot, not to take anything off the face if a mistake is made.’ Usually, I would not completely wipe off the makeup as all the steps completed to get to the specific point in the makeup will be wiped away, leaving a patchy mess on the face, easily visible on professional cameras. Jade's tip was to layer and layer product on top of any mistakes that have been made. However, I would try to gently scratch it off with a spoily brush and then add a very thin layer of product on top to ensure that the products did not cake or become patchy. Jade then went on to say that if a mistake is made on a lip, then we should always be precise when removing it. To get an even, balanced lip with sharp, crisp edges, we need to have a steady hand and take a step back to analyse if the lip is evenly covered and balanced. Jade and Kasey agreed that creating a strong, even, balanced lip is one of the hardest skills to master, especially under a time limit.

A tip I found beneficial was when they both said, ‘Don’t go off brief during fashion week.’ We can all think that the work we do could be better in ways, and there is always something we would want to add to make it look ‘better’ in our eyes. However, this is not the correct way to approach fashion week. If a director has given a makeup brief, we strictly follow this procedure. I can agree that I, too, sometimes get ahead of myself and add more colour or embellishments than necessary, but as I want to be in the fashion/editorial industry, this is a great tip to keep in mind.

What did you learn about career progression?

Professionalism is key when meeting high-profile people; these people could change our lives or make a significant impact on our careers. Being professional will always be something that employers look out for, but don’t be afraid to let some personality shine through. Forming relationships with high-profile clients is also essential, as most people want to associate themselves with people they enjoy working with. There is a fine balance between being professional and having some personality shine through. If you do or say something unprofessional, you could jeopardise your future relations and opportunities. Gaging the atmosphere and who the client is will guide your professional conduct whilst also maintaining expected standards of hygiene and uniform.

A strong point they made was to be able to take constructive criticism. This is when photographers, directors, employers, etc, give feedback on your work. Sometimes, a fresh pair of eyes or a unique perspective can open a whole new dimension to how you see things yourself. This is a huge part of career progression within the industry, indicating the willingness to keep learning from all areas of creative specialities. Everyone can always improve, and receiving constructive feedback supports continuous professional development.

For an aspiring editorial MUA, timings are essential to master. Skill drills were mentioned during today's masterclass, which I had never thought about practising. Skill drills and timing yourself on intricate skills such as winged liner or bold lips will lead to success in the industry, with fashion week being so fast-paced. Setting personal and professional goals are 100% going to improve your ability within the area you want to excel in, this should be a weekly or monthly goal to keep track of as a forever progressing artist.

Your own thoughts on key moments of the day and how this experience can

benefit your professional practice.

Key moments of my day were networking with new industry specialists and learning some insightful tips on what to do on photoshoots. The photoshoot will benefit my professional career by teaching me about barriers and obstacles and ensuring that I learn from them. I need to be more confident in the finance area of my work because I enjoy what I do so much, and gathering as much experience as possible is important to my education. This has led to me doing many volunteer jobs, and now I have enough experience and knowledge to be paid for my skills. During this shoot, I was nervous about sending her the price and how much to charge for travel, time, and products, which I will focus on from now on, making sure I have a set price list and not get taken advantage of as a student. I do not want to sell myself short or be paid less than I deserve, so developing a payment plan for all areas when doing photoshoots, brand jobs, agency work, etc.

As for the masterclass, this will develop my professional practice on what not to do and what to do when completing my masterclasses for Hourglass. Hosting student events is a great idea and a way of educating aspiring MUAs within the area. However, I would gather insight into what they need to learn and how advanced the students are before tailoring the class to suit their needs.

Summary

Today has been a good practical way of learning outside the classroom. Learning from the retail industry is important to be around when studying the makeup world. Securing a retail job as a makeup artist is a reliable source of income, and it offers benefits like building your professional makeup kit, attending corporate events, and learning from new people every day. Starting your career as a makeup artist, being freelance, is unrealistic when there are bills to be paid, so to get started in retail is an achievable and reliable job to start off from and build your career.

During the masterclass, I wondered why the hand-selected events team manager did not stand up and present the masterclass properly instead of sitting down, making it harder for the makeup artist to do her makeup. If there was a model, makeup artist and presenter, this could have been more professional and interactive. Making it easier for us to understand. Sitting at the back when the makeup artist stood before the model made it difficult to fully understand what she was saying. I understand that the masterclass was for three separate years of students, but for most of the event, Kasey spoke about getting retail work and how to get a job on a counter, which I agree is beneficial for those who are beginners. However, this did not apply to me, as I have experience in this role and would have benefited from a more tailored and advanced class to fit my personal needs. Such as with the brand being so inclusive and diverse, a possible colour match class, or tailoring our skills to the wide range of customers they receive. However, this event provided some insightful information about photoshoots and fashion week, which I found beneficial for my desired career.

Lastly, my tutors mentioned an issue with Jade's hygiene and how she used the mascara wand straight from the product without using a disposable. However, this was not a hygiene fault. Hosting masterclasses myself, we have mini mascara samples for people to try before they buy. When completing a masterclass, it is more time-efficient to hand the model a mascara sample displaying the full potential of the mascara on the correct wand rather than a disposable one.

References

Britton, M (2024) Photobymoll [online] Available at: www.instagram.com Accessed on: 21/10/2024

Caswell, M (2024) BTS [online] Available at: www.thecreativemua.co.uk Accessed on: 21/10/2024

PulseModelAgency (2024) Octavia [online] Available at: www.pulseagency.co.uk Accessed on: 21/10/2024

Week 5 | 21/10/2024 | Photoshoot & Fenty Beauty Masterclass

Week 6 | 04/11/2024 | ‘FROM PRODUCT PERSONALISATION TO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, BEAUTY BRANDS ARE USING AI TO SUPERCHARGE CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION’

Week 4 | 14/10/2024 | ‘45% of People Worry About Toxic Makeup — Should You?’