In the Kit - Cleansers

I carry two types of cleanser in my kit; a misceller water to remove make-up quickly and clean up after application and a lovely balm to prep the skin properly before application and to give whoever is in the chair a bit of a pamper too.

My misceller water of choice is Bioderma Sensibo H20. In all my years of using this, from back in the day when you used to have to bulk it when in France, I've never found anyone who has had a bad reaction to this. It removes make-up really well and dries quickly making it the perfect thing for ensuring your flicks and lips are really precise and any drop-down from shadows or glitter is removed. If you don't have time to cleanse with a balm cleanser this will get every scrap of make-up off the face without you having to scrub - it's also great for waterproof mascara. Would I use this on myself everyday? No, although I do have some for tough make-up removal and a quick first cleanse but repeated use causes irritation on my skin (that's when I use it every day for years...)

In the Kit - Louise Young Make-up Brushes

Being a make-up artist and writing about beauty, make-up and skincare means I'm not slavishly loyal to any brand. I try what I get my hands on and if it works I'll keep using it until I find something better. For many make-up artists brushes are an almost guilt-free shopping pleasure. You always have an excuse to buy new brushes, there's nothing worse than not having the exact one you want to hand and no one likes having to clean brushes mid-way through a job so it's best to have plenty to hand. And ones that can do more than one thing are often the best.

However, if I was told I was only allowed to use on make of brushes both in my kit and on myself there's no question that Louise Young Cosmetics is the brand I'd go for. And I'm not alone. Her brushes are found in kits all over the world - in TV studios, film sets, bridal specialists and the backstage areas at all top fashion shows. And with good reason. These brushes are handmade in the UK (you can see how in the video link below) and all created by Louise, one of the hardest working artists in the business and a complete perfectionist. All the brushes (and the make-up in her range) are made for her, they are things she wants to use when she's working. Which means I've yet to use one of her brushes and not really get why it's in the range.

What's In Your Make-up Bag with Leila Boyd - Friday Video

This is another video with the lovely Leila Boyd. This blog actually partly started with my obsessive compulsion to rifle through peoples make-up bags.

In the Kit - The Bits 'n' Bobs Bag

Every make-up artist has one (or their assistant does!), a bag of non-make-up things you might need, or someone else might need or that's just plain weird, but useful. I was doing an inventory of mine the other day (so there are a few things missing from the picture that need replacing in my bag) and thought it may be worth a little blog post.

The bag I use is a see-through make-up bag, probably this one from PAM or similar. I can see everything in there which makes finding things quick and easy and although it looks really full this really doesn't add that much extra weight to my bag and it comes in really useful. As a make-up artist you not only get to spend time with people but often you are needed to be on stand-by making you the perfect person to solve any little problems, like microphones slipping, feet hurting or armpits smelling!

So what's in it?

• A plastic mixing palette - for, well, mixing (something like this)
• Small scissors - for cutting out labels, trimming false lashes, opening stuff
• A mini nail kit
• Blister plasters - really useful for weddings
• Micropore Tape - can be used as tit tape, to hold microphones in place or as an eye make-up guide (Boots do one... of course)
• Headband - to keep hair out of the face
• Disposable chopsticks - weird I know but actually very useful
• Shadow Shields
• Dry Shampoo - Batiste or Percy & Reed
• Deoderant - spray not roll on, no one wants to share a roll on
• Tic Tacs
• Spray bottle full of IPA - for brush and kit cleaning
• Hair Spray - Elnett obvs
• Metal spatula - for mixing (something like this)
• Brush guards
• Gaviscon - nothing worse than indegestion
• Shine absorbing blot sheets
• Sugar free polos
• Snack bar (Jordans honey and almond preferably)
• Pritt Stick
• Glass ramekin - for cleaning brushes or mixing
• Orange stipple sponge - great for 'doing' sweat
• Hand cream 
• Green nail varnish - to mark my stuff
• Small tester of perfume - Chanel Chance at the moment. Should be one with a spray so it doesn't leak. Brides quite often forget perfume!
• Tissues
• Nail file
• Hair tie
• Tampons
• Lighter
• Vaseline
• Hair pins
• Nude nail varnish (not pictured but something like Madmoiselle by Essie)

How I Store My Make-up - Friday Video

Everyone seems to use Muji. I don't. Not because I don't like their stuff but because I'm so happy with what I've used for the past eight years...



I use the Small Shoe Box from The Holding Company but you can check out all their storage boxes here.

Whats in Your Make-Up Bag?

This month I pestered Miss M until she relented and let me have a peek at her make-up bag. What can she not leave the house without?

• Almay Skin Stays Clean Foundation
• Hoola Bronzer by Benefit
• Natural Collection's Juicy Lips
• Lancome Black Eyeliner
• Clarins Eclat Minute
• Natural Collection Cover up Stick
• Maybelline Turbo Black Volume Express Mascara

I love this because there's not a lot but if you left the house with no make-up and needed to make yourself look fabulous this would cover everything.