FOTD: BTEC Coursework - Fantasy Inspired

This was the piece I got most excited about as soon as read the brief, it was themed on musicals and creating a competition piece themed on the chosen piece. I love Phantom of the Opera and instantly wanted to attemp the iconic mask from it usin make up. In Phantom you get two stories, Christine, the brilliant but ophaned songstress that has had private teachings from the "Angel of the Night". It's a twisted and wonderful love story. My inital design was to combine bot stories the phantom one side and Christine on the other.

I started with the phantom side as I knew this would take the longest, the paint is a white face paint taht is activated using water. This means you have to build it up in layers until you get a white canvas, I used a black eyeshadow to soften the lines to look like shadows.

On Christine's side I used the following:

Foundation: Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory
Blusher: MUA in Shade 4
Eye shadow: Sleek Make Up palette in Sparkle 2
Eyeliner: Lancome in Black
Eyebrow: Avon in Black
Lip liner: Estee Lauder in Fig
Lipstick: Burberry in Rosewood

The all over look is stunning, the mask came out better this time than the second. The first time didn't go to plan and I passed because I was abjective in my alaysis of the look. I love the eyes in Christine's side, the golds and black look striking, I did a black and white shot of them and loved them even more. The mask still needs work but it is much better than the first attempt.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

As I have written before I have been studying for my BTEC for a year now and January was spent in a whirlwind of make up frenzy getting assignment pieces ready. These I am hoping to share for you soon, including my fantasy piece that for the assignment that didn't go perfectly but I am determined to give it another try just under less stress.

I had to have my results finalised after I was told I didn't pass but then received all the paperwork with pass written all over it. After discussing this with them they checked with my tutor, I got the email Saturday confirming that in fact I had passed with only one tiny thing marked down on. I am now proud to say that I now am a Make Up Artist. I am over joyed to the point I cannot put into words.

Hours later we had confirmation of our moving van to move back into our previous home (with my in-laws in a seperate annex). This is a huge step as since losing my job last year and taking a new one with a pay cut, things have been a struggle. My husband and I have really strenched our 'For better, for worse' vows to the maximum.  Tomorrow we celebrate being together for 4 years, and without him I think I would be in pieces by now.

This does mean that for the next week as my computer gets discounted and moved I will be taking another break from blogging as time is short for me as I am also working extended hours with no break in sight. I'm disappearing altogether you are more than welcome to follow me on twitter (@unevenlemming) an am also going to Professional Beauty this Sunday which will make a great break from moving stuff.

Thanks to everyone to good wishes and support over the past few weeks and the weeks to come. I'm off to pack up my nail and make up kits!

The Only MAC Lipstick I Own - Milan Mode

As part of my BTEC I have to do design briefs - this is one of them. The brief was to have pale skin, using tones of brown for the eyes, slight pink blush and  pink lipstick. I had to put photos together showing each stage of the look altogether, as well as creating a treatment plan, design, and final evaluation.

I love this look, it's the first time in along time that I've looked at photos of myself and just thought wow. I'm not normally a person who feels comfortable within my skin, but as this course has gone on I feel I've gained confidence to show off my work better.

Anyway onto the lipstick, as this says in the title this is the only MAC lipstick I own. Amongst beauty bloggers its almost unheard of, especially as it is an not very well known colour. This is part of the Luste range, a bright blue toned pink with lots of shimmer. I got this when I was working for Estee Lauder (as MAC is owned by them) from the staff shop and have worn this in Ibiza dressed as a school girl (twice!).

Still available at MAC Cosmetics for £14.00

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A little side note, Collections Halloween Competition finished today and I wasn't the winner (The winner got 200 + against my 25). Thank you to everyone who 'liked' me and voted. You can check out the winners blog here 

How I am spending my weekend

I am rather excited this weekend, I am going to Olympia Beauty 2012 in London. It is a once a year event that the beauty trade goes to see what is coming for the next season as well as share ideas and be tempted by loads of pretty things to buy look at. I missed last years after being on crutches, so I'm determined to make up for it!

Not only it is one of the biggest trade show, but launching this year is the first ever The Art of Make Up competition for New and Junior make up artists. This is alongside Nailympics, where nail technictions compete for 10 trophies and 96 medals. This is where you'll find the creme de la creme of the nail art world. This is one of last years winners, Maria De Loudres Destassiaux Vargara, who won Division 3 in Fantasy Nail Art.

If you want to find out more about Nailympics then go to here, they also have last years winners to browse over.

If you are a trade person who wants to go please visit the show website to register as your ticket will be free (it is £20 on the door).

I'm attending on Sunday and will be tweeting throughout the day, as well as avoiding temptation (like OPI and Essie - Oh dear!)

My BTEC in Make Up Artistry Course

Currently being a Beauty Swot!

As you can tell this week that blog enteries are a little thin on the ground, for those who don't know I am currently studying for my BTEC Level 2 Intermediate Certificate Make Up Artist. After many years of doing it in a sales environment, I decided to put what I've learnt into a bit of paper to confirm that I can do it.

I enrolled with ICS Distance Learning, the great advantage of this is that I can fit in around the times I'm working as well as finish quicker than the year you are given to complete. It does however require a lot of will power to do sometimes, the literature says that you should allocate 3 hours a week to complete. I have been lazy and haven't done some for a few months, however my life is now settled down enough that I can do my first practical piece this weekend (now I have the funds to buy the last pieces of equipment but also having a functioning hand after hurting myself a few weeks back).

The course is split into four assessments:

1. Personal and Career Development as well as legal requirements
2. Preparing skin for Make Up treatment
3. Demonstrating a range of make up designs
4. Demonstrating a range of make up designs for catwalk, special effects and occasions.

You do get supplied with some items for use like a textbook, skin care pack, disposable items, etc. Make up you need to purchase yourself, I have been building a kit over the years and it's not even close to being finished yet! Each practical assessment needs to be provided with photographic evidence of every stage, so you will need to be prepared for a model as well as photographer will you work.

It is a great course, as I have said that it suits my work times and when I want to do more it has that flexibility. I think I have found it easier with my background in already working as a artist for Estee Lauder, as a beginner I would of found it much harder to do as a lot of it is from textbooks (your tutor is at the end of a email). The course fee itself is £557 at the moment, and I pay mine monthly at around £60 for 9 months, there is also a £58.50 fee to pay to the assessment board on starting. If you want to read more then try the ICS Distance website

If all goes well I can post some of the pictures of evidence so you can see what I am doing next week.

This post was not sponsored, I just wanted to write about my course in case someone was thinking about it.