1940's Womens Institute look for WW2 magazine and BLAND CLOTHING

OUR COUNTRY NEEDS US LADIES!!! To deliver scrumtious cakes and freshly brewed tea and keep the nations pecker up!
Had loads of fun yesterday creating this 1940's hair and make up look to compliment the gorgeous handmade authentic reproduction blouse, made by Sophie Bland of Bland Clothing. This is to be featured in a WW2 re-enactment magazine soon.
Vintage fashion and beauty was WAY more stylish and flattering than those of today , in my opinion! :)

BUZZ DISH WINS AN AWARD!

Hurrah!!!!!! This is the Audience Award from the Cofilmic Film Festival ( for comedy film makers ) and Buzz Dish won it!!! I worked on Buzz Dish as the make up artist and ferret feeder, so I feel quite proud.. aw! sniff.. wipes tear of joy from eye.. All cast and crew were wonderful and the film got loads of laughs at the screening. Well done to Dave Spikey ( director) ,John Lebbon ( writer) and all the actors ,crew and extras from Blue Robot Films..and Chadders the ferret, and the people of Chorley :)

Recommended Wedding Photographer- Dan Tyack

Hi ladies and gents.. if your'e loved up and getting hitched any time soon, take a look at this feature on Wedding Photographer Dan Tyack - his creative and natural photography style will give you a wedding album to cherish.

Copy and paste this link into your browser. http://www.wedding-photography-secret.com/wedding-photographer-manchester-dan-tyack-photography-3947

Dan also took the photos for the Blackpool shots on my website and flickr site.

..and dont forget to give me a shout if you want some lovely bridal make up :)

Supermarket Girl

Here is a still from a short film I worked on in the Summer, by new writer Alex Walker.
It was directed by Matt Greenhalgh ( writer of ' Control' the Ian Curtis biopic ) and produced by Nadia Jaynes ( Red Riding , Bedlam )
The underlying story to this off-beat comedy / love story, is a touching tale of support between two young ' self-harmers' .
In the image are the scars I created on the actress Nichola Burley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nichola_Burley

The other lead actor was Matthew Beard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Beard_%28British_actor%29

.. and the VERY glamorous location was ... TESCOs in Horwich.. or , Horwichwood as its now known in film circles

Blackpool glamourama!

Some candid shots of (probably) the last day of summer 2011 ! I went to Blackpool on a TFP shoot with the photographer Dan Tyack http://www.dantyackphotography.co.uk/ and the lovely Latvian model, Laura Pahomova. After the previous week, Blackpool had been battered by gales from Hurricane Katia, and the weather had been generally awful and definitely Autumnal, we dropped lucky with a beautiful, glorious sunshiney day - not a cloud in the sky! ice creams for a £1 , and sparkly sea, fresh clean sand as the tide just went out in time for us to paddle our feet, and chips on the way home. NICE! Will post a link to completed photos by Dan soon.

Here's the article about the Dave Spikey pilot ( in last post)

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/tv_and_showbiz/s/1458710_phoenix-nights-star-dave-spikey-directs-mini-pilot-for-new-tv-series

UK Vet supports a ban on Cosmetic Testing !!

Pete Wedderburn - a UK veterinary surgeon, has written this fantastic and informative article in the Telegraph - please read if you want to understand the 2013 ban on cosmetic testing, and if its going to happen at all... Lets hope the big brands dont manage to push through a delay on this, for the animals sakes..

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peterwedderburn/100102180/animal-experiments-to-produce-new-cosmetics-no-thanks/

'High' glamour and herpes

mmmmm ! delightful .. this make up was created for a new short film ' Buzz Dish' directed by Dave Spikey of Phoenix Nights, and due to be entered into the Cofilmic comedy film festival in Manchester this Autumn ! The film is hilarious and I really want to work on more comedies now, because the film making process was also hilarious and such a laugh to work on ! In addition, I learned how to relax a ferret, and we were all treated to observing ( and sometimes being accosted by) the oddball characters that really live in Chorley.. oh how life can imitate art sometimes!.. We even had our lunches in a pub called the Dog Inn.. you couldnt make it up!

M'dame Deux Chats Academy du gorgeux .. #1

I have comminsioned the world reknowned beauty guru Madame Deux Chats to write us some regular ' top tips '.

Here is her first piece of advice - you'd be MAD to ignore it..

" Who needs Botox dahlinks! Ive been travelling the Lancashire moors whilst on my vacacione en Ingleterre.. and I have discovered that if you stand for 15 minutes facing into a North wind , on the top of a high peak, such as Rivington Pike, the face lifting effects are amazing! and so natural! No need for needles sweedies! All that fresh air and G-Force will blow your skin back so tight it will not be able to re-sag for AT least 3 months , and the Lancastrian precipitation of fell water in the clouds will be like the words most expensive facial!! "

Wise words Madame! see you next month :)

taster course - One student!

Hahaha! so ONE whole student came to my taster course in media make up! better than none I suppose! He was a magician and he was quite happy for me to run through some basics of stage make up illusions ( ie thin face / fat face ) , but really he wants a bespoke lesson for his own magician make up at some point, and some help in buying products - so we are going to arrange a bespoke ' shopping trip ' lesson to help him spend some money on the make up counter! Abracadabra Alacazam ... and as if by magic he will have Intense David Blaine Eyebrows :) Shazzzaaaaaaaaam !!!!

animal testing and Estee Lauder

If anyone wants to read this email conversation that I had with the head office at Smashbox, please do! and feel free to get involved and send any Estee Lauder brands emails about this subject, if you feel as strongly about cosmetic testing as I do - ie - It should have been COMPLETELY stopped years ago - there seems to be a lot of grey areas and ' legal' loopholes that still keep this cruel practice gong, and all in the name of vanity and profit - its disgusting! and as a make up artist I dont want to think that he products I use have caused any suffering to any animals. There is really no need. My issue with Smashbox is that they print the cruelty free bunny logo on their products, but as they are now owned by E.L , this is quite contradictory.. if you read the email, you'll see why. RANT OVER!

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&note_id=215870341790461

Illamasqua skin base

So this new wonder foundation has just been released on sale in the UK - I had to try it out because of its self proffesssed fantasticness, and also its HD quality and cruelty free-ness..and Im glad to say its fab! Well this is me testing my shade out on me in a normal daytime situation - I have yet to test it out 'on camera' but this week ill get a chance to do just that - I worked with one of the ordinary Illamasqua liquid foundations on a shoot at the weekend and found them to dry on the skin way too quickly under warm conditions, on certain dry / combination skin types, making blending difficult, but this one seems much more ' elastic ' and gives fantastic coverage, which is sheer and dewey, and can be made less heavy by blending out with a damp sponge after application. Quite pricey unless you can get industry discount, so go and get your perfect shade match at the counter, or find someone with ' contacts sweedie' to get you 40% off! If it stands up to HD camera action I will be getting a few more shades to blend. But Ive also got some VERY exciting OCC airbrush shades on their way to test out ( without an airbrush) ... so Ill report back on them soon - Agent Tukatski over and out.

BAD Estee Lauder!!

Well I just discovered the long list of companies that Estee Lauder own, and can therefore add Smashbox to the list of cosmetic brands that I wont be using, as Estee Lauder now own them to0 , along with MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique... I also believe that Chanel are just as bad as Estee Lauder in that they Claim to have Cruelty free policies but actively source new chemicals and other ingredients that have been tested on animals, to create their new ' wonder products' and therefore I avoid using Benefit, Bourjois etc etc..

Ive also noticed that PETA ( People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ) probably arent doing their research, or are cutting these companies a bit too much slack, by including them on the Good Guys List.

Bizarre!

Well, there is good news, its only 2 more years till 2013, when all ingredients testing and cosmetics testing and the buying of these products and ingredients for in Eurpe, will be BANNED!!!!! hurrah! But I bet theyll find a way -like outsourcing from labs in Asia and getting ingredients bought in for ' other uses' then slip them through the cosmetics net..

all in the name of Wonderous new magic potions and profit.

Rant over - well my list of brands that Im prepared to buy is getting shorter! but that just makes things less complicated, and gives me a clear consience. Hopefully the list will get longer as more beauty companies realise that people dont want to be a part of the evil animal testing society that they use. We dont NEED new products!! the ones we have are already fine!! Use them!! make new formulas from them !! JEEZ!! and stop bombarding our skin with carcinogenic chemical compounds anyway !!! RANT RANT RANT!! Its the heatwave.. its getting to my head! :)

Dr Organic skincare

I have'nt reviewed anything for a while, but Ive been really impressed by two products from this range ( available at Holland And Barretts ) Ive been using the Tea Tree roll on deodorant for a month and its great - really works and smells , well, of tea tree oil as you'd expect! which I think is a fab, clean smell, and not all fake and perfumey like some deodorants - it is also a natural anti bacterial, which is probably why it works so well as a deodorant.. and its alcohol free.

The other product is this night cream, which Im about to try - as its based on the wonder ingredient of olive oil Im expecting to wake up tomorrow looking like Giselle. The ingredients list is also a joy to behold, featuring NO chemicals or wierd laboratory potions things that Ive never heard of.. and NO parabens or SLS . And it smells good too. And its only £8

I fully intend to try more of the Dr O range. The only reason I didnt also buy the day cream was that it didnt have an SPF in it, but maybe they cant make them organically? if anyone knows about this pls tell me. Although I guess if I used a Dr O moisturiser and then a tinted moisturiser or base with an SPF ( from Urban Decay or someone else ethical )then it would do the same trick.. Mind you.. dont think theres gonna be much call for anything above factor 5 in this British 'Summer' ! ...can someone emigrate me please?

Mini taster course in theatrical/ media make up THIS SUMMER!!

Ive been asked to host this course at the Alternative fashion emporium that is Afflecks , in Manchester... due to some Dutch Courage ( inspired by my Dutch friend Annelies!) to take a more D.I.Y approach to creating work for myself, and the spooky chance that the theatrical shop Ghosts in the Machine, needed some tutors for its new range of summer courses, I proposed this to them.. or did they propose it to me? I dunno!! anyway its happening! So book it Danno! Every Tuesday morning, for 6 weeks we will be having a crash course in some basic media effects, including, ageing, casualty effects and other simple but effective techniques .. lots of info for you too, incase your thinking about a career move into this area, or a long term college course.. or simply just a bit of fun, to get your crazy Halloween skillz ready for pumpkin season.

Daniel screens at Edinburgh film fest

So this is the poster for the Nokia Shorts event at Edinburgh Film Festival, in which the short film shot in Manchester ( in which what i didst the make up ) will be shown, and hopefully will win some wonga for Blue Robot films :)

Rare evidence of me working !

This is a link to some photos from the set of short film ' Daniel' , part of the Nokia Shorts , set to screen at Edinburgh film festival this summer. The location for the shoot was Chethams School of Music in Manchester - muchos historias!!

One of the oldest libraries in Britain, and the schools been there since like. 1500AD or something. Crazy!

Mainly I was creating burns, scars and general stress and sweatiness. oh the glamour!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150633823450352.686277.794910351

Wayne Goss Make Up Artist - Youtube Channel

I love this guy's youtube channel!!! He is a make up guru! Just honest reviews and NO BULLS**T!!! if your gonna get suckered in by some make up companies marketing tactics,first of all see if Monsieur Goss has reviewed the products on youtube before you part with your hard earned cash.

For example - this review of Illamasqua's Toxic Nature Creme pigments. At £17 a pop for each pigment, if you wanted to create a variety of looks you'd need 3 or 4 different shades.... thats a lot of wonga if they are not gonna perform like they claim to!!

So its great to ge an honest review from an industry pro who is not biased towards any brand and is even honest enough to admit that he uses time honoured money saving tips like using affordable high street lipsticks as cream blusher!!

WAYNE GOSS ROCKS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUpmZdhCzgc&feature=autofb

We come in peace..

This week, I had to 'teach' students how to apply bald caps ( which we had all made in class from scratch, using a magic liquid plastic called Glatzan )

I was dreading it as I have'nt fitted one for years - in fact I can't think that I've ever had to do a complete bald cap make up actually... anyway, as its the basis for many SFX make up effects.. especially aliens.. and hoping that my students will have more luck than me and actually get to work on Doctor Who or some Hollywood Sci Fi blockbuster, its an important skill for them to know.. and I dont think my efforts were too bad either ! Centre pic is my demo 'bal'head gal' Taryn, and there is a pic of the bald cap in its moulded and powdered state, ready to be fitted, and the end pic is two of my other star students..Sercan creating the ' slap head' effect on Stuart .. literally !

Step aside Betty Suarez !

OK so Ive gone off the make up artist radar temporarily, due to 'Dynasty-esque' dramas at home making it tres difficile to accept much freelance work in the real world.. BUT.. I have a new presence in the PUBLISHING world !

A monthly column in a funky little South Yorkshire magazine called 'TOAST' ( which is also very apt as it's my favourite food )

Each issue I will be writing an article ' loosely' based on beauty.. fashion and all things Suarez

So if you are anywhere near Sheffield, pick up your free copy of Toast Magazine, I guess in any 'culture vulture' venue such as student union, trendy bar , clothes emporium , restaurant,

vice den.....

http://www.toastmagazine.net/