Rae Morris

I promised when I commenced this blog that I would pursue my Make Up dream by calling on those who have achieved their dreams and currently operate at the highest levels of the industry. That meant an interview with Rae Morris. I’ve kept my promise, here it is.

I was fortunate enough to land an interview with Rae just before she went on stage to intro her new book Express Make Up. What I wanted to find out from Rae is if there is an Express Make UP Career path.

If you’ve ever had butterflies the size of jumbo jets circling in your stomach you’ll know how I felt heading to this interview. Getting to sit with your idol for thirty minutes may sound wonderful, but knowing you need to supply intelligent conversation and relevant questions that hold their attention for that time is extremely daunting. I’m not unfamiliar with undertaking activities that have me questioning my sanity. This felt a little like skydiving, not tandem, but in an interview there are no parachutes.

So it was in this state of anxiety that I walked up to Rae Morris and her Agent Lisa on Sunday to introduce myself. As soon as Rae greeted me the feeling of free fall subsided. Rae’s immediate and sincere warmth cushioned my landing. Rae is the consummate professional, no uber style bitch here I’m glad to say.

I wanted to know how Rae has risen to the status she has. Did she have to do seemingly endless free work to try to build a portfolio? “I did that for probably a year and a half.’ Assured Rae, which is comforting for us mere mortals, but she continued, “But there’s free work, like the Miss Wednesday competition at the pub and there’s assisting at Fashion Week.” My ears really pricked up at this comment. I’ve done my fair share of Miss Wednesday comps, all the while wistfully fantasising about being back stage at fashion week. So how do you get a gig assisting at a top catwalk show, please Rae tell me do!

I’ll share Rae’s insights in my next post.

Gucci Gucci Goo

I know this blog is about Make Up, however in my research on my favourite subject I see alot of catwalk shows online and FTV. One that has just blown me away is the Gucci Spring Summer 2010 show. The make up is flawless and chic as usual, but it was the shoes that drove me mad. If you are the least bity interested in shoes do yourself a favour and look at this show, they are perfection. I can't believe how amazing they are. They were the highlight of the show, and that is saying something because the clothes, belts and bags were simply incredible as well.

30 Days of Nikki

Just like several other momentous, spectacular or thrilling occasions I remember where I was as clear as day, the first time I set eyes on Nikki Phillips. Well actually it probably wasn't the first time, it was just the first time that it was in the flesh and that I learned the name of the vision before me. If it sounds like I am going a bit overboard, then you probably haven't seen Nikki close up. If you have then you'll know what the fuss is about.

Nikki is like Bora Bora, The Mona Lisa and a dish by Maggie Beer, impossibly better in real life than in the amazing pictures you've seen.

It was at 30 Days last year and Nikki was milling around before interviewing Skye Bortoli. Dressed in black and white and sporting killer heels Nikki well and truly stood out from the crowd of fabulous fashionistas, and that is no mean feat.

I decided then and there that I would need Nikki in my portfolio one day. That day is yet to come, but in the mean time I can look through the new 30 Days spread in Sept Madison and hope one day I can be MUA on something and someone that beautiful.

Mag Watch

September Madison. The cover story is Kylie, "At 42 I've hit my stride". It's certainly a sentiment that rings bells with me. At 42 I've started this blog as a way of getting into my stride. I wonder if Kylie would let me do her make up. I know too funny for words, but you've got to dream big, little Charlene did.

Mag Watch

Is anyone else out there as scared as I am of Amy Winehouse's eye makeup? I'd love to understand the genesis of that look for her. I know soul singers have long been into long lashes and lashings of kohl pencil. Amy just takes it to another level.

Those of us that are a little more fashion conscious than Amy have interpreted it another way still. As with most things that hit the stage the filter that they pass through on their way to the street has refined this cats eye on steroids back to it's pretty past.

A recent shot of Kate Hudson featuring a little cats eye tweak made her leap off the page and me purr. This weeks grazia features a shoot entitled The Big Spring Reveal.

It features model Louise van de Vorst wearing alot of muted pastels and coupled with this she has a suitably subtle cats eye in white. The MUA is the fantastic Max May.

I work with a gorgeous greek girl who wears white eyeliner. On her olive skin, beneath her black hair it looks quite dramatic. In Grazia, Max has masterfully allowed Louise's eye make up to find a definition against her light skin and blonde hair that will have any girl purrring. Check it out

Girls I Like

I have embraced the new trend of saving up all the episodes of a series and watching them back to back. TV in your time is so much better than having to watch when it's aired and then suffering the ads, although sometimes they are the highlight as we all know.

I have found that I have been watching some series that I wouldn't have normally, just because there aren't any movies I want at Blockbuster but their TV section beckons.

So what has this got to do with Make Up. in a nutshell, or maybe bombshell, Yvonne Strahovski. This star of TV series Chuck, is refreshingly pretty and a great female role model in so far as she can really handle her s@#t!

Yvonne plays CIA Agent Sara Walker. She always looks great no matter whether fighting or flirting. More specifically for me though I have become mesmerised by her mouth. As a Make Up madman I always look at lips. I automatically study the lip colour, texture shape and size. What I like about Yvonne/Sara, is her un LA like imperfection. Yvonne has a quirky feature with her front teeth that cause her lips to remain ever so slightly apart in the middle. It is very endearng, I hope she doesn't get any corrective work done. The role demands that her lips are a subtle nude, with a modicum of shimmer. Not usually attention grabbing, but on Yvonne, hell yeah.

Inspiration

Role models are a bit thin on the ground for a heterosexual Make Up Artist. So I was pleased to find out about Tom Bachik. For those not already in the know, Tom is Chanels new nail man. A graphic artist and skater from Cali, Tom started his manicurist journey in 1994. He has had a fabulous career and I find him to be a real inspiration. 'If only I had started my career in 1994' I say to myself head in hands. Oh well, it's all about looking forward. It's all about 'Making Up For Lost Time'.