Facebase Academy

Calling all MUAs and beauty fanatics!!!


Are you interested in the application of beautiful, flawless makeup but find it difficult to navigate your way to right tuition? Do you want to develop or build your application skills and knowledge to result in perfect, professional results every time? Are you an MUA wanting to specialise in a certain area of makeup, or looking for possible representation by a highly respected agency?



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Well, I am very excited to tell you that Ella, founder of Facebase studio here in Cornwall, has recently launched a brand new venture for anyone wishing to develop a greater understanding and working knowledge of professional make-up application. Not only this, but Facebase academy will also be offering successful students - who prove to have the necessary skills and flair - representation through Facebase Agency...but more on this later!!



Facebase Academy is a fresh new venture, and is the only specialist makeup academy and working studio set in the heart of Cornwall, created as a result of numerous requests at Facebase for private tuition. 

Ella has provided one on one tuition in the past and has now decided to offer her specialist skills and knowledge in a professional environment for anyone wanting to attend. From those looking to improve their own skills for personal application, to those wanting to get into the world of professional makeup, right through to practising MUAs wanting to add the Facebase Academy string to their bow, the courses provided really do have something for everyone.

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Facebase Academy will be opening it's doors in June, beginning with an intensive 5 day or 5 week HD Visual & Photographic Bridal Diploma course.
Below is the impressive and extensive course breakdown offered over this 5 day or 5 week course:

COURSE BREAKDOWN |
Day 1 |  Introduction, Kit, Etiquette & Skin Prep
Makeup Kit Orientation, Kit Talk, Workstation, Good Brushes, Great Makeup, Professional Essentials, Kit Sanitation, Brush Cleaning, Makeup Artist Etiquette, Wedding Clients, Skin Conditions, Removal of Makeup, Skin Preparation, Before & After Demonstrations, Cleanse, Tone & Moisturise, Primers, Face Shape Assessment, Corrective Techniques.

Day 2 | FACEBASE Bespoke Brows™ & * FACEBASE Bridal Eyes™
The Perfect Frame, FACEBASE Bespoke Brows™ Demonstration, Product & Brush Breakdown, Classic & Alternative Bridal Looks, Colour Palettes, Priming, Shadows, Eye Liners & Mascara, False Lashes, FACEBASE Bridal Eyes™ Demonstrations; 'Radiant', 'Flicks' and 'Smokey', Finishing, Product & Brush Breakdown.
Day 3 |  FACEBASE Flawless Face™
The Perfect Face, FACEBASE Flawless Face™ Demonstration, Foundations, Concealers, Eye Bags & Shadows, Contouring, Blushers, Bronzers & Highlighters, Invisible Makeup, HD Foundations, Colour Matching, Natural & Artificial Light, Young Skins, Mature Skins, World Skins, Problem Skins, Face Etiquette, Product & Brush Breakdown.
Day 4 |  FACEBASE Perfect Pout™ & Revisit of Days 1 to 4

The Perfect Lip, FACEBASE Perfect Pout™ Demonstration, Lip Assessment, Colour Palettes, Lip Balms, Stains, Lip-liners, Lipstick & Lipgloss, Natural Lips, Bold Lips, Corrective Techniques, Highlighting & Contouring, Colour & Texture Selection, Product & Brush Breakdown, Lip Etiquette.
Day 5 |  Professional Portfolio Day
Model & Photographer Introduction, The Camera Never Lies, Kit, Brush & Workstation Preparation, Choice of Makeup Application on Models; FACEBASE Radiant Bride™, FACEBASE Flicks™, FACEBASE Smokey Eye™, Studio Photoshoot, FACEBASE Agency Discussion, Certification, Digital Portfolio.
NOTE | Each day you will be required to demonstrate your understanding of techniques on other attendees, so be sure to bring your camera as 'before & afters' are very important.

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Along with learning all of the skills and techniques listed above, attendees will also receive real-time demonstrations, a professional photoshoot with top photographers and models, a digital portfolio, tea/coffee/refreshments and lunch on site. A professional Facebase make-up kit containing a selection of professional products that are not available on the high street is available, and comes highly recommended for the course, at a very reasonable additional cost. All participants will receive a Facebase Academy Diploma upon course completion, and will also have the opportunity of potentially being selected by Ella to join the ever expanding Facebase Agency - meaning REAL wedding jobs could be just around the corner from course completion!!

The Facebase Academy will work in conjunction with Facebase Agency, who will carefully select and invite the very best MUAs for representation. This would bring with it the possibility of job enquiries via the agency soon after having completed the Academy courses. This representation also has the benefit of no exclusivity clauses, so your freelance work would remain unaffected. However, when working on Facebase Agency jobs you would be a representative of the Facebase brand and so terms and conditions of conduct would rightfully apply.

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Ella is based in Cornwall but travels and works all over the country, and at the busiest times has been known to turn down 10 weddings or more per month due to only being one person!!
Facebase Academy is based in Truro, Cornwall but easily provides nationwide coverage. Therefore students and MUAs from any location are invited and welcome to attend the Facebase Academy as well as potentially being selected for representation via the Facebase Agency!

If you are interested in applying for any of the Facebase Academy courses, or would like more information please contact Facebase here.

I have been fortunate enough to be invited to attend a day of the Facebase Academy experience so that I may report back to my lovely readers on what exactly happens on the courses. I will be sure to take lots of photos and jot down lots of notes, so watch this space for a full report!!!

xx

Going Green...

As you may be aware from my previous posts, I am very pro-organic when it comes to makeup and skincare. Of course, this doesn't mean that I only use organic products or that I avoid products which aren't natural - to my shame my makeup drawer is full of chemical-filled lotions and potions!

However, if you stop for a moment and think about your daily routine, about each product you use from your body wash in your morning shower to your toothpaste before bed, you would probably be quite surprised at just how much our bodies have to cope with every day.
This is also before any of the processed food or drinks that we consume, or the air born chemicals we inhale. All of this contributes to various illnesses and allergies, and also to the ageing process and condition of our skin. Most of this can't be helped or avoided, but where it is possible to make a small change to reduce the exposure to these chemicals, this can only be a good thing, right??


With this in mind I have been looking into more natural products, and having been recently recommended by a professional MUA on a recent shoot, I have discovered a fab range by a company called Green People.

I was offered the opportunity to trial some of their products and after much deliberation I decided on their self tan and their deodorant.
You are probably familiar with my ongoing battle against my anaemic skin tone, and as a result of this I normally use self tan 2 or 3 times a week, with a spray tan thrown in for good measure every so often! I've tried practically every self tan on the market from branded tanners to lower priced gradual moisturisers (after a trip to my bathroom cupboard this afternoon I now know that I currently own 2 bottles of Fake Bake mousse (one unopened) 2 bottles of Lauren's Way mousse (again, one unopened) half a bottle of St Tropez mousse and half a bottle of Garnier Summer Body!).
Due to my frequent usage of self tan, and after reading up on some of the nasties found in a lot of tanning products, I decided to give the Green People Natural Self Tan Lotion a whizz and see whether it could stand up to the Fake Bakes and St Tropezs of this world.

When the product arrived, it was in quite a large 200ml pump action bottle. The lotion itself does not have a lead colour, which I actually prefer as it means I can tan at any time and still go out in public afterwards without being stopped by concerned passers by...
It has a beautiful, smooth, almost gel-like consistency and the rosehip, geranium and sandalwood essential oils combination mean that it smells just like you are in the spa. This made the application feel more of a treat than a chore. It is incredibly nourishing when you apply and unlike many other tanning lotions it is non-greasy and absorbs very well.
I applied mine before bed and let it develop overnight. The colour is just gorgeous, it's a perfect, naturally-bronzed colour, subtle enough for everyday wear but it makes a noticeable difference even after just 1 application. I found it gave a really even finish and lasted for a good 4/5 days. My skin was also soft and moisturised and smelled gorgeous.

The real beauty of this product is that it is the first certified organic self tan product, it is fantastic for people who suffer from psoriasis, sensitive skin or eczema and really nourishes your skin whilst avoiding any of the nasty parabens or phthalates (which have recently been linked to diabetes). It was rceently announced as a winner of the Natural Beauty Magazine 2011 Awards and also comes recommended by the Beauty Director of Harper's Magazine.

The normal retail price is £17.95 for a 200ml bottle, so the lower end of branded self tans. However, if you head over to the site now the tan is currently on promotion for just £12.95 - £5 off the normal price!!

I think that if you find a good product which gives a great colour and also great skin, you can't really go wrong, and with this in mind I really do recommend Green People's self tan lotion.  Green People also sell a gradual tanner too, if you are more of a build-it-to-how-you-like-it kind of girl. Their gradual tanner is also certified organic and retails at just £11.95 for 50ml, but is currently also on promotion for just £8.95!!


I also decided to review the Green People deodorant, and was sent a beautiful-smelling lavender and rosemary organic deodorant. Again, this product is suitable for those prone to sensitive skin, psoriasis or eczema and is certified organic.

I have been using an aluminium and parabens-free deodorant for some time now after reports surfaced raising concerns between aluminium and breast cancer. However, choices are so limited and I have only ever managed to find one aluminium-free brand (Bionsen) in supermarkets / drugstores. I don't really like the fragrance of this particular product and I also like to have a little variety (what girl doesn't?!).

Green People's roll-on deodorant range contains no alcohol, parabens or aluminium. They are nourishing and healthy and have a lovely thin texture which glides on quickly.

The rosemary deodorant which I was sent has a really gorgeous fragrance (not a chemically, potent smell) to it, and this lasts all day preventing you becoming pongy, even after an evening trip to the gym!! I find that you can even use it straight after shaving and it won't cause any stinging or burning sensation or irritate the delicate skin.

Using a roll on deodorant does take a little getting used to if you're normally a 'sprayer', but I remember using Sure deodorant as my last spray-on deo and having to use it with an open window!! If I didn't choke on the fumes, the powder residue all over my clothes and arms was quite an attractive feature to sport as I was heading out the door...I certainly don't miss that palaver! I also know with my roll on I'm not filling the air with chemicals, so my children aren't getting a lungful of deodorant either, which is always a bonus.

Green People natural roll on deodorants are at the higher end of the price range at £7.95 for 75ml, but I do think that sometimes a really good product is worth the higher price tag.

Plus if you put it into perspective, this will last you a good few weeks and what's 50p (or a bit less) a week to take care of your skin and your health?

Green People sell a huge range of skincare and beauty products, for both men and women, along with a fab range of children's products. They're really worth checking out if you're concerned about using too many chemicals in your daily routine.

I'll be sampling some of their moisturisers and make up products in the next few weeks, so if there is anything specific on their site you'd like to read a little more about before buying, leave a comment and let me know!

xx

Benefit High Brow in Champagne

I've been using Benefit's High Brow pencil for a few years now and find it very good for lifting and shaping my brows. The soft, matte-pink colour opens out your eye area and makes your brows appear lifted and in return eyes appear more youthful.

Recently though I discovered Benefit's latest brow product - High Brow Glow.

This beautiful version of their High Brow pencil has a soft champagne-pink shimmer to softly reflect light and give a more luminous lift to the brows.
It looks especially good on more tanned skin tones and truly is a summer must-have!

I use it to highlight beneath the brow bone, the upper peak of my brows and the inner points of my eyes to really open them up.

I don't really 'do' sparkly, especially during the day and so am normally put off by 'shimmer' or 'luminous' products by this is so beautifully subtle and understated, whilst making a big difference to your brow area.

I have applied High Brow Glow beneath my brows to lift and illuminate in the picture below. I haven't used any other product to achieve the highlighted effect, just lined and blended the High Brow Glow.

High Brow Glow retails at £14 for a 2.8g pencil.

xx

Luscious lashes take 2...

A few weeks ago I invited my good friend, Katie, to write a guest post on her newest purchase - Benefit's They're Real mascara. This gorgeous new product features a long-lasting, jet black colour and a clever ball-tipped wand to get at the smallest lashes to give that all important wide-eyed look.

Katie wrote a fabulous review and as a result I've been um-ing and ah-ing ever since about taking the plunge and trying it for myself. I'm a dedicated Bourjois fanatic when it comes to my mascara and though I have a vast collection of Benefit cosmetics gracing my dresser drawer, a bad experience with 'Bad Gal Lash' has scarred me and put me off Benefit's mascara range.

I have been using Bourjois' Liner Effect mascara for what seems like an age now and I love it. The different sized bristles and fabulous deep black colour makes it easy to achieve amazing length and coverage, right down to the root. However, I do find myself wishing that the wand had a rounded tip to make it easier to get into the corner of the eyes and open them up.

Now I think I've finally found the answer!

When popping into Superdrug on my lunch break last week I habitually walked straight to the make-up aisle (I had gone in for a bottle of water, which is found on the other side of the shop, yet my legs seems to go into autopilot when near a make-up display...). I suddenly spotted a sexy little cerise tube winking at me from the Bourjois stand and couldn't resist investigating further.

It turns out that Bourjois have released a new product onto the market, meet Bourjois' 'Volume Glamour Max Definition' mascara.

This fabulous little product also features the shorted, thinner bristles which I adore with my Liner Effect mascara but, wait for it, they have added A BALL TIP!! I could not believe my luck, it is a clever little hybrid which means I can stick with the jet-black colour, smooth and even liquid and 'clump free' formula from my current Liner Effect mascara and still have the all important ball-tip wand of Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara! 

I rushed over to the checkout (totally forgetting all about my water) and was pleasantly surprised when the promotional price of just £6.49 popped up on the till! Bargain!

This mascara will retail at £9.49 full price after the introductory offer, but that is still a very reasonable price for such a long-lasting and reliable product! (It is still currently on promotion in stores and online if you want to nab one before they go up!)

I have included a picture below of my lashes - all natural, no extensions or infills - with the new 'Volume Glamour Max Definition' mascara. It is worth noting that I am not wearing any eye liner, neither kohl nor liquid, in the picture. The top and lower lash lines are accentuated as you can use the short bristles to get incredibly close to the lash root and this gives a 'liner effect'...the same as their previous product.

I am used to using the longer bristles of the Liner Effect mascara and so have needed a little practise to get used to the shorted bristles of this new wand, but I do find that these shorter bristles really do meet the claims to seperate and lengthen your lashes to give amazing definition.

The tip of the wand makes it incredibly easy to get to the smaller inner lashes of your eyes, and to highlight your lower lashes without clumping or over-loading.

This mascara also contains black pearl extract for luminous, dark colour and natural wax which protects and fortifies, so it not only looks great but also nourishes and cares for your lashes too!!

I am so thrilled with my new purchase. Not only can I play it safe and stick to my old faithful Bourjois mascara, but I also have a product which ticks every box! 

Volume Glamour Max Definition mascara is suitable for contact lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes.

xxx