I'm in the press "Don't look at me! Im shy!!!!"

First the Bolton Evenin' News (1996.. me as a Bolton born puppy wrangler in a famous spotty dog based film) and now I'm in the Manchester Evenin' News with this article about the Vogue Vintage Fashion night at Manchester art gallery next week...whatever next ?? the Guardian,? the Times? THE SUN ?? Well we are in the centrefold, but not THAT sort! My friend Paula from Mint Vintage gets glamorous in red in the pic, and explains about the event in the full article, at which I will be one of a small team doing make up and hair - very quick fixes .. 15 minute makeovers if that.. depending on demand on the night - so visitors to the event can 'become a cover girl' from any era, in a pop up photo studio, and dress up in any accessories from the vintage stalls at the event, then they can also buy the clothes there and mooch .. or should that be 'sashay' around the vintage fashion exhibits on show.

Come down! Its a free event - there will be a small charge for mini makeovers ( £5 ) and you might want to shop at the vintage stalls too so bring your glitzy vintage purse!

Newsflash * Newsflash * beep beep beep !!!!

So some of you will know that I did my hairdressing NVQ last year, and that Ive been trying to build up my mobile clientelle this Spring.. well an exciting opportunity has arose ( arisen? arose? ) for me to quit racing about on my bike with a child on the backy and a load of kit in my panniers .. for half the week at least .. I'm going to be working Wed to Fri and every second Saturday at Special FX Hair & Beauty Salon in Chorlton ( pictured ) its at the Beech Road end of Chorlton on Barlow Moor Rd.

This is great for me as I will have a base, I wont have to drag myself and my bike out in all weathers in winter.. where I end up arriving at clients houses looking like a drowned rat - not a good advert!...Its also going to brilliant for improving my hairdressing skills as I'll be working with more experienced stylists, and will be a part of a team instead of working on my own which is pretty isolating sometimes.

Its also good for my clients as they'll get the full salon treatment , and can take advantage of any offers that the salon has . Check their website for details or pop in.
http://www.specialfxhairandbeautystudios.co.uk

I do need to build up my clients there, so please pass the word around.

I will still be doing my mobile work locally in the meantime, but obviously not on those days, and also will still be doing my make up work... Im still freelance, so book me for where ever is most convenient. Prices will obviously differ depending on whether you come to SpecialFX or if I come to you. With the special offer days at Special FX, you may find its cheaper to come there!

AND... Soon I am also going to be offering ' Hairmare'  Vintage makeovers at Special FX salon ( make up and hairdoos ) .. great for weddings and events - pass that on too! It will be a great add on to the salons list of services, and as they also have Nails and a beauty team there, you could get the whole works done!

I'll be here from June 19th

Somebody please shoot me now :s this is a joke.. and not even for Comic Relief

Dont you just hate it when a brand that you thought  you rated , does something so inane and ridiculous as this ' how to ' video by Illamasquas' Art Team  ? Gullible me watched it thinking I was going to see some new fantastic creative way to apply blusher... but see what you think.

It makes me really angry.. this 'Art Team' MUA on the video probably got paid nuf dolla for doing this.. and the whole video editting team probably cashed in too, it being a major high street brand these days.. All I can think is that they are laughing at us saying " we just put pink blusher on this girl, in a normal way.. didnt even look particularly special or different.. and now we can afford a month off in Ibiza , and everybodies gonna buy this new brush HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH !!!! Suckers!!! "

And Im not being funny but - elongating the face ?? A) it didn't .. and b) people dont really want elongated horsey faces imo. Heart shaped  or oval is the goal, right?

Im sure the brush is great for contouring and Ill probably go and look at it in store.. but the video just shows about a millisecond of technique and a whole lot of 'cut to MUA laughing' and cut to 'voguing pose by model with already applied full face of make up ' how is that a HOW TO video ??

And how is that ' skill'  worthy of being on the Art Team? Like I said.. somebody shoot me now.

I do still rate Illamasqua for lots of reasons, but I wish they wouldn't do this as it takes the piss out of their followers. Make a video about something innovative, with a creative outcome, .. dont be pointless. I hope they gave the profits to Comic Relief coz it was a joke, surely??

Here's the video link if you can be arsed wasting 3 minutes you wont get back...

http://www.illamasqua.com/explore/tutorials/blush-up-brush/?utm_source=Communicator&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=Untitled6&utm_campaign=140313

Its the all new VE Day!!! Victory in Europe for ANIMALS!!!!!

Today is the day to CELEBRATE!! for the countless lives of animals that will be saved from abuse , torture and death in the name of the beauty industry in Europe!!!! A TOTAL ban on the sales of cosmetics that have been tested on animals, including their ingredients. Read the article below for full details !! Its such a massive milestone, but the campaign goes on, to eliminate testing on animals globally. Companies like L'Oreal and Estee lauder will still fund testing for countries like China, where testing is mandatory, so the only way it will completely stop, is if these countries implement a ban too. If you buy from these brands, your pennies will somehow also go in some part to these culprit companies banks, and therefore fund testing for other countries products. Dont be fooled by any smokescreen claims that these companies are now ' cruelty free' . Stay informed. EG.. the once Cruelty Free brands, Urban Decay and, ironically, the Body Shop, who have been paramount in the campaign, are now owned by L'Oreal.. so even though UD wont have their products sold in China, and their own products are not tested, the profits still go back to L'Oreal.. its a minefield!! be careful who you buy from. Plenty of info on the www.naturewatch.org website, and in their regularly updated 'Compassionate Shopping Guide".

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/humane-society-international-welcomes-eu-080000712.html

ITS BIZNISS TIME!!!!! - Price increase (and offer) for Spring 2013

Whoaaa!!!! Travel costs have gone up... postage costs have gone up... bearing in mind I buy most of my materials ( for make up n hair) online, and the fact that I cant fly, and have to use le transporte public'... I'm also putting my prices up ( just a little bit ) in April. Tho you CAN still book me for my current el cheapo prices if you book before April 5th ( even if you book for a date later than that.. deposit needs to be secured tho )... its BIZNISS TIME !! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqZcYPEszN8

Barrelhouse Blues in Lancaster!

http://www.shopccc.co.uk/130223-tipitina-685-p.asp

Debbie Jones is an extremely talented musician and singer, who I met whilst creating this vintage make up and hair look in her photoshoot at Alt. Studio in Manchester.

If you are in the Lancaster area on 23rd Feb, why not get down to see her band Tipitina !! Follow the link above for full details.

Im too sexy for my Angle Grinder

Lucky me... last Friday I was drafted in at the final hour to help on a short live action ad ( which is being entered via Mofilm , to be a PS2 ad ) , and mainly I had to make an adonis of a male model look like a hard grafting angle grinding workman. Oh yeah!

Pity us tho, because it was FR FR FR FREEEZING in that workshop!! Snow 10 inches thick outside.. only tomato soup for warmth...

and its looking like my next commercial / ad work is gonna be involved with semi naked models stripping off to their boxers too. What the HELL is going on ???? Im going to get a reputation! ;)

Victory at Last?? Hope So!!

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG9837467/Animal-testing-to-be-banned-in-Europe.html

So after 20 long years of campaigning, the powers that be have apparently agreed to make a FINAL and absolute ban on animals tested cosmetics products AND ingredients and the importing of any such things to the EU!!! HURRAH!!!!!

Lets hope there are no loopholes or smokescreens involved, and that companies such as L'Oreal and Estee Lauder really stick to the rules, globally, as well as in the EU, and dont just pussyfoot around for the sake of continued sales in Europe. I for one will still be sticking to the brands that NEVER sold out in  the first place.

But this surely is a victory for animals - no more suffering in the name of vanity. Hurrah!!!!!

URBAN DECAY DEMORALISED

I just found out that just before xmas, Urban Decay were bought out by L'Oreal, makeing this their parent company - this is BAD NEWS for anyone who loved Urban Decay products but hates animal testing.. whichever way you look at it, it means that some of UD s profits will be going back into a company that DOES conduct animal testing. U.D will apparently be keeping their policy on their own products being cruelty free, and PETA / BUAV will apparently be letting them keep the leaping bunny logo, but I for one dont want to feel like any of my money is going to end up in L'Oreals coffers so I wont be purchasing from Urban Decay anymore. Such a shame. Ditching their beliefs for quick injection of cashdollaz. Ah well they didn't even do pro discount. ILLAMASQUA all the way from now on ! Urban Decay you've SOLD OUT!!!!! They are gonna lose a LOT of loyal customers because of this.

Oink Oink

New Year arrives and my first job is sounding REALLY exciting! A gothic art-film feature teaser short by Director Lucy Campbell, called 'Pig Child', produced by Loran Dunn of Wearwulf Collective .. check out the synopsis and background of the project here - scary science!! http://www.filmworks.org.uk/the-pig-child/ 

Basically for me, it means that i can get stuck into doing some wigs, hair cutting and sfx make up - which is what I love best about my 'job title' of make up artist, being from the tomboy breed of females I find I fit in better to this kind of project than to the beauty and glamour based work, where i always feel like a really bad advert for what I do!! Wash n go .. out the house in 10 minutes after I throw my daughters and my clothes on and shove a brush through our hair... etc

Yep a bit of gore and Victorian macabre grimness is what I like to do.

BRING IT ON !!