Huda Beauty Rose Gold Pallet - Review

When Huda beauty announced the release of this new pallet I was just as excited as everyone else. I signed up to the wait list on Cult beauty to ensure I was one of the first to purchase.
Conveniently, I was in Dubai the same day the pallet got released, an entire week before the UK launch! I went to Dubai Mall and queued up that night to get my hands on this amazing pallet, also picking up two more for two other MUA's back home (I'm nice like that 😃 )
I was absolutely gutted to see on Huda's snapchat that she was at the launch and I literally missed meeting her by like an hour! I still got hold of the pallet this which sold out half an hour after I got mine!

Some of the colours in the pallet are very similar to the Modern Renaissance pallet but what makes it truly unique are the foil shadows at the top! The pigment in these colours is literally unreal! They stand out so well and it is a pallet that you can literally use it all year round as it has a perfect contrast of colour for every season! If you are going on holiday and space is limited, you can use this for every look, Moon Dust even makes a perfect highlight!
I literally love every colour in this pallet, Bae, Bossy and Maneater are my favourites. Although, I will say that I am a little disappointed with Black Truffle, it is very powdery and unlike the other matte colours, it is not that easy to blend.

Top row with flash

Middle row with flash

Bottom row with flash

I would definately recommend this pallet as it is fast becoming a staple in my kit. It is limited edition though so I am debating on purchasing a second one so that I have a spare when I run out, more so for the foil shadows!

Step by step look created entirely with Huda beauty Rose Gold Pallet

Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection by Becca Cosmetics - Review

When Becca Cosmetics announced they had collaborated with Jaclyn Hill to create the Champagne Collection it was destined to be a major hit. I have searched high and low for this pallet but it was sold out in Europe with absolutely no hope of a return. I then decided I was going to settle for an Anastasia Glow Kit instead (still amazing of course).
Then a miracle happened, I was in Sephora Dubai Mall waiting for the release of the Huda Beauty pallet and there in all its glowing glory was a shelf full of Becca pallets!
Can we just take a minute to appreciate this amazing highlight pallet! It is that amazing in fact, I could swear is was sent from the gods! The entire design is beautiful and contains a really good sized mirror, much better than the one you get on most pallets. The pallet is also pretty robust, unlike the cardboard type packaging of the Glow kit, I feel it is a lot more sturdy.
Inside are 5 absolutely gorgeous shades, perfect for different skin tones, different occasions and you can build it or mix colours to make it as subtle or as glowing as you like.
It is quite honestly the best highlighting pallet I have used and currently my favourite bit of kit!

Outside design

5 gorgeous colours - sorry I used it before I took the pic

Without flash

With flash

You 200% need this pallet in your life. It is an absolute must! Becca have literally just announced they have released a limited quantity in Sephora US & CA so if you are quick you may be able to pick one up.

Make Up lesson with Laura Ellis

Yesterday I had a full day one to one lesson with Laura Ellis who is based at the Kate Hayes Academy in Liverpool. I have been following her on Instagram for months and absolutely love her style. Each look is so bold and the precision she uses is fantastic. Her make up looks are not just a copy of what everyone else is doing and she continuously posts different colours and styles.
The two main areas i wanted to concentrate on were cut creases and blending. I dont think you can ever know enough about blending!
I usually use about 10 eye brushes when doing a smokey eye and Laura managed to do her entire half a face with only 6, including brows and liner! I was basically using a different brush for every colour and going back over so each new brush was getting a darker colour. Laura taught me that if you start low enough on the eye lid with your crease colour, you can buff it lightly upwards to make the transition shade without actually using another colour.
i was super nervous for the first look and as she did one side of the face I was being hyper critical of myself comparing the two sides. I needed to constantly remind myself everyone's style is different and mine was just as good!
I managed to achieve three looks during the lesson (obviously we found time for a Dominos thanks to Laura) and each time with her encouragement, my confidence was boosted and by the end of the lesson I was picking up the brushes and doing my side without any prompting.
I also learnt another tip about taking pictures and where the client should look to capture the full effect of the make up. Dont place the ring light too close to the client and also using the camera flash! I came away with so many brilliant pictures it was hard to know which one to post!
I came away with yet another list of products I want for my kit (thankfully not all high end products) but also wanting to try a new lash brand. Tatti Lashes are a Liverpool based brand and their lashes are amazing! So lightweight and fluffy. I will definitely be purchasing a few pairs to trial on my clients!
Laura is such a lovely, down to earth girl and made me feel so comfortable during my lesson. I didn't feel patronized and she genuinely meant it when she was praising me. I actually came away with a renewed passion for make up and I cant wait for this weekends clients!
Highly recommend paying her a visit if you want to learn something different!
Check out my looks below!!!

Make Up Lesson with Laura Hitchen

I have been following Laura Hitchen on facebook/Instagram for a while now and I am continually impressed by her work. To think the fact she has only been doing make up for three years and already has this level of skill is amazing! I love the eye work she does and I wanted to learn some of her skills so I booked a 2 hour one-to-one lesson.
First of all, I was late! I got my times mixed up and I half expected her to cut my lesson short because of it. Instead, she was absolutely lovely and my lesson lasted just over two hours.
I told her I wanted to concentrate on brows and using colour. Its hard to get into the routine of using the same colours and doing the usual brown smoke. We opted for a blue glitter smoke. The main thing I learnt from Laura was to press lightly when blending. She kept repeating "lighter, lighter" and even when I thought I was pressing as lightly as I could, it still wasn't light enough!!
Usually when i have had one-to-one lessons, the artist will do one side of the face and i copy. This way although good, doesn't feel like your own work and rather than be proud of my side, I become hyper critical and compare to the other artists. With Laura, she coached me through the entire face, I was grateful for her tips and also incorporated my own style so at the end I was proud to say the entire look was my own.
Whilst I was there, I also took the opportunity to ask Laura for some tips when taking pictures as hers always look amazing. She generally uses a camera (new blog post coming soon) a ring light and a soft box. We practiced taking pictures from different angles and i decided that having the ring light directly in front of the client with the soft box to one side was best. I then made sure the camera was behind the lighting.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my lesson with Laura and would defiantly book again in the new year.

Bold blue glitter eyes with sharp winged liner

Ring lights - Worth the investment?

I often look at other people pictures and think "How on earth do they get their make up looking so good on camera?" Besides the obvious filters and enhancing apps, I couldn't understand how other people seemed to take such good pictures.
I was constantly producing what I knew was good work in person but the minute I took a picture, it did not do my work justice. At times, it actually made it look awful!
I don't like to edit or filter my pictures as I believe in selling myself with a "what you see is what you get" attitude.
I had seen people post about ring lights but they were quite expensive at £200 plus which is a big investment when you only work weekends and trying to make a profit! Then there are different specs and sizes to think about. After doing a bit of research and shopping around I managed to find one on sale on Amazon. I also ordered a tripod and a camera attachment for my Nikkon. 

I can honestly say this has been one of the best investments I have made! Not only has it completely enhanced my pictures and done my work justice, it has also proven invaluable for dark venues such as wedding suites when doing bridal make up!
Its not a top of the range product but it works for me and well worth the money.
It is dimmable and comes with its own carry case.

I paid £82.07 on sale from £142.14

Neewer 14 - 18-Inch 600 W 5500K Dimmable Ring Fluorescent Flash Light for Camera

Features: It's a 14" dimmable ring fluorescent flash light. With reinforced flexible arm which will move freely and never droop. Extra Long Cord and Heavy Duty Thumb Screws. A must have for photography enthusiasts. Specifications: Light Source: Fluorescent. Shape: Ring. Outer Diameter: 18 in / 48 cm. Inner Diameter: 14 in / 35 cm. Power: 75W (equivalent to 600W on an incandescent one). Color Temperature: 5500K. Dimmable: YES. Plug: UK .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-14-18-Inch-Dimmable-Fluorescent/dp/B00U8H2EYK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

These are my pictures before and after which really does show the difference the light makes. I mainly only use my iphone camera too! 

I often look at other people pictures and think "How on earth do they get their make up looking so good on camera?" Besides the obvious filters and enhancing apps, I couldn't understand how other people seemed to take such good pictures.
I was constantly producing what I knew was good work in person but the minute I took a picture, it did not do my work justice. At times, it actually made it look awful!
I don't like to edit or filter my pictures as I believe in selling myself with a "what you see is what you get" attitude.
I had seen people post about ring lights but they were quite expensive at £200 plus which is a big investment when you only work weekends and trying to make a profit! Then there are different specs and sizes to think about. After doing a bit of research and shopping around I managed to find one on sale on Amazon. I also ordered a tripod and a camera attachment for my Nikkon. 

I can honestly say this has been one of the best investments I have made! Not only has it completely enhanced my pictures and done my work justice, it has also proven invaluable for dark venues such as wedding suites when doing bridal make up!
Its not a top of the range product but it works for me and well worth the money.
It is dimmable and comes with its own carry case.

I paid £82.07 on sale from £142.14

Neewer 14 - 18-Inch 600 W 5500K Dimmable Ring Fluorescent Flash Light for Camera

Features: It's a 14" dimmable ring fluorescent flash light. With reinforced flexible arm which will move freely and never droop. Extra Long Cord and Heavy Duty Thumb Screws. A must have for photography enthusiasts. Specifications: Light Source: Fluorescent. Shape: Ring. Outer Diameter: 18 in / 48 cm. Inner Diameter: 14 in / 35 cm. Power: 75W (equivalent to 600W on an incandescent one). Color Temperature: 5500K. Dimmable: YES. Plug: UK .

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-14-18-Inch-Dimmable-Fluorescent/dp/B00U8H2EYK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

These are my pictures before and after which really does show the difference the light makes. I mainly only use my iphone camera too! 

Natural light - iPhone camera

Using ring light - iPhone camers

Products and Professional Discount

When I first started out, I wanted to be the best. To be the best, I genuinely thought that meant having all the tops brands and newest releases. I spent so much money and to be honest I really didn't need it all!

There are so many dupes and drug store alternatives! I will do a separate post on specific products.
My advice is to do some research before making a spontaneous purchase, chances are you could get an equivalent product much cheaper or you may find you already have other products that do the same job!

• Check your local drug stores for offers and discounts. Boots and Superdrug are an example of two stores in the UK. They both have advantage cards that earn you points when purchasing certain items. these offers change so its worth checking. They also have 3 for 2 offers which is always a bonus
• Debenhams - they have all the large brand named make up counters inside but also offer a Beauty Club Card which earns points on all beauty and fragrance purchases. I usually wait until there is a triple point event or a "spend £X and get a product free". I save the points and redeem them for free make up. A simple mascara purchase on triple point days can be worth a free blusher! The lancome counter is a great brand for promotions. I often get a free gift set worth over £60 when I buy 2 or 3 make up items.
• Illamasqua - http://www.illamasqua.com/professional-registration
  Clicking this link will take you to the registration page where you can get between 20% and 40%  discount as a student or a professional when you provide them with the evidence of your training etc. All details can be found on the link above! The best part about Illamasqua is that registration is free!
• Mac - Discount by Mac is a paid for privilege but can earn you up to 40% discount on products! They don't give away many details on the website and advise you to contact them during business hours.  https://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/mac-pro This link will take you to their site where you can read up on a few of the benefits like discount and pro only events.
• NARS - https://narscosmetics.co.uk/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-UK-Library/default/dwb2560f2e/NARS_Pro_UK.pdf  is a link to the application form. Discount in the UK can only be used online at http://narscosmetics.co.uk/ but can be worth from 25% even as a student up to 40%
• Bobbi Brown - Another paid for privilege with rates of £15-£25 per year in the UK. Students are entitled to 20% and 35% for pros. Application is via email to bobbipro@bobbi-brown.co.uk  and their eligibility criteria can be found at http://www.bobbibrown.co.uk/bobbi-pro#bpsections2
• Crownbrush - I have purchased a few of their brushes and I must say they are good quality and value for money! Discount available via https://www.crownbrush.co.uk/index.php/webforms/index/index/id/3/

Another tip when visiting make up counters is to ALWAYS ask for samples!!! Its a great opportunity to try something before you purchase and its a free product!!

Examples of ID required for professional discount:

• Business Card - if you dont have any of these then they are pretty cheap to get made! My first lot were off Vistaprint and were basic but cheap and did the job! http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/
• Certificates - evidence of professional qualifications
• You can join BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematography and Theater Union) for as little as £10 a month. A little bit expensive if you only do a few make ups each month but if you are trying to establish a career then well worth it!
• Call Sheet - mainly used in the TV and Fim industry but also used furing photoshoots. It will have your name credited as the MUA. Doing TFP shoots are a good way to earn this type of credit when you are just starting.

I hope this information helps!!

Getting Started...

When I first started doing make up, my original intention was to just learn enough to do my own. I thought winged eyeliner and a pair of lashes was dramatic enough at the time!
I enrolled on a Fashion and Photographic Make Up course at college. So, every Monday night I went to college for 20 weeks. The knowledge I learnt was only to level 2 standard however it was enough to give me the basic skills to do my own make up. Friends and family then started asking me to do their make up and eventually when I gained confidence, I started working on clients. Two years later I now have a successful business as a make up artist!
Looking back, I would advise anyone wanting to become a make up artist to enrol on a course with an established make up artist/brand rather than in college. Although I have a qualification, I have gained far more experience from doing one to one lessons with other artists. Speaking to other girls who have trained with college and done courses elsewhere they also recommend avoiding the college route.
I still have so much more to learn but look how far I have come from my first few weeks training to the work I am now producing!! From my first smokey eye, I am now producing work good enough for fashion photography!

I still have lessons every few months as I don't think you ever stop learning. Trends change, new styles emerge all the time and I am constantly striving to improve my skills.

My first glitter smoke - I was once proud of this!

Six months on - getting better

Photo Shoots

For anyone wanting to become a make up artist or even develop your skills for your own use, I would highly recommend a professional course. Once you learn the basics, the rest can be self taught. 

 You can also get one to one lessons from established artists in your local areas or attend work shops at salons. 

Peaches and Cream, House of Make Up, PLouise and the newly opened Kate hayes Academy are an excellent example of a local businesses who provide a range of courses to suit everyone.

You Tube tutorials are invaluable and provide so much valuable information from people who really know their stuff!

Some of my favourite You Tubers are:

Danielle Roberts
Amys Make Up Box
Carli Bybel
Melissa Flores

Glam Trash MUA

About me/Welcome

Hi,

I'm Cassie, I am currently a freelance make up artist based in England. The purpose of my blog is to provide information and inspiration to follow make up artists and make up enthusiasts alike!
A lot of my posts will be the "basic stuff" that I really wish I had known when I first started. Some of them are known hacks and others are hints and tips based on my own personal experiences/preferences.
I will also be doing a lot of reviews on both drug store and high end make up.

Feel free to leave comments about my posts and suggestions for future posts but most of all enjoy the blog!