About PAM - If you are not a pro make-up artist you may not have heard about
PAM (Precious about Makeup) and why should you? In fact it may seem as a pretty odd choice to start this 'Where to Shop' series off with a West London based shop aimed towards working make-up artists, but what I love about
PAM is though it is a make-up shop, owned by professional make-up artists, run by working make-up artists for those working in the business they not only stock some fantastic brands but are the nicest people to buy from so even if you are just a fan of make-up and shopping for personal use you will be given the same lovely service and advice - not always the case in other shops!
Established in 1996 by Jan Sewell (
Les Miserables,
The Theory of Everything) and Kate Benton (
The Royals,
Love Actually,
Absolutely Fabulous) as somewhere for professional make-up artists to go to purchase the products they most need in their kits and it is the go-to place for those working in film, TV and special effects. One of the aims of the shop was to create a friendly atmosphere where you are always welcomed and helped no matter what your budget, or ability and since I've been going there that is exactly what I love so much about
PAM and keeps me going back.
All team members are qualified, working make-up artists which means
PAM is also the go-to place if you urgently need to place an order while on set, they have a fast, reliable delivery service and you can talk to someone who knows what you need. With a studio upstairs for brand and make-up artist demos their company line has become 'never stop learning' which adds to the creative, friendly atmosphere.
They are also the leading stockists for some really great, hard-to-find brands - Make Up For Ever, Ben Nye, MUD, MaqPro and Kryolan to name but a few.
In-store - One of the reasons I love shopping in
PAM is it is the perfect mix of relaxed, busy and organised. This may sound a bit strange but the make-up artists working there are always planning the next event, organising orders or helping customers in-store or on the phone. Which means although they are happy to help there's no one hovering around making you feel like you can't have a good browse or you have to purchase something, nor do you feel like you can't ask for advice. There are a few brand stands to see - Make Up For Ever and Louise Young - but also a lot of shelves filled with lots of different, often unusual products, pots of brushes and bits for your kit that has a sort of Aladdin's cave feel about it.
Online - the current website it absolutely fine, if sometimes a little fiddly but I know a new one is under design and should be coming soon. The products are usually up-to-date but as I mentioned above this is really a shop for pro make-up artists so occasionally things are listed as not in stock when they've just come in. If you're desperate for something then it's worth calling to check and if they don't have it, they'll order it for you. International shipping available and a choice of postage options within the UK.
Discount - for working make-up artists there is a discount available between 20%-35% depending on the brand available in-store and over the phone. They are hoping to make this available online with the launch of the new website.
What to buy - although a limited range will be going into Debenhams later in the year,
PAM is the stockist for Make Up For Ever so if you are a fan of them then this is the shop to go to. Also great for weird little kit necessities, sponges, bruise wheels, cotton wool buds, latex gloves and hand palettes. Zucca bags, beauty blenders, brush cleaners, disposables, and palettes are also always in stock. Skincare, suncare, magazines, books, special fx, airbrushing, lighting and things for the studio - if they haven't got it they'll try their hardest to track it down for you.
Best Sellers - top 3's listed below by brand and product
- Make Up For Ever - HD Foundation, HD Powder, Full Cover
- MaqPro - Dirt, Grime and Guy Liner Palette, Jan Sewell Palette, Concealer Palette designed by Shaunna Harrison
- MUD - Primer, Lip Pencil, 500 Mascara Fan brush
- Louise Young Cosmetics - 787SDF Large Tapered Blending Brush, LY38 Tapered Shadow brush, Louise Young Mini Puffs
- Ben Nye - Banana Powder, Fashion Rouge Palette, Mojave Palette
- Brushes - Sigma E45 Small Tapered Blending brush, Sigma F25 Tapered Face brush, Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki brush
- Special FX - Glynn McKay Bruise gels, Probondo, Shaunna Harrisons moulds
- Other - Velour lashes, Make-up Eraser, Dr Paw Paw
Contact info - Precious About Makeup (PAM) 6-7 Goldhawk Mews, London W12 8PA (nearest tube Goldhawk Road). 020 8740 0808.
www.preciousaboutmakeup.com.
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram and
YouTube.
Opening Hours - Monday - Friday 9am-5.30pm. Saturday 9am-5pm
The news is a bit thin this month. Not because there aren't a ton of new releases and things but because I was away in the South of France for two weeks with no wifi which was a strange mix of bliss and frustration. Bliss because it's so nice to not be tied to the phone and frustration because I had not planned sufficiently for two weeks with no wifi and therefore had to keep dashing to wifi cafes.
New Releases 
