Client consultation and preparation of the skin - Week 1

Client consultation

Before starting the make-up or hairstyling session, I always have to check if my model is allergic to any products or has any hair/skin problem that could stop me workig on her/his hair/skin.
I should be aware of any of the following conditions:

Hair:
- Cuts or grazes, head lice, dandruff, over treated hair, general condition of hair;
- Certain medications that are being taken by my model;
- If unhappy due to contraindications, I should stop working on my model.
Skin:
-  I have to look and note on the consultation sheet their name, age, the type of skin I am going to work on, the hair type (colour, natural or dyed), skin tone, eye colour, eye shape, face shape, any allergies, any medication taken, contraindications and any extra notes.
- If it has got any cuts, blemishes, rashes, open sores or any other complaints. I have to make my model feel comfortable and relaxed, I should not recoil if there is something not so pleasant on their face and not diagnose.

 I always have to place a gown around my model before I start any procedure and, most important, to wash my hands with antibacterial soap.

I always have to be aware of health and safety and not double dip, keep my used tools separate and clean them straight away.

 Preparation of the skin - cleansing, toning and moisturizing

The first thing I have to do before applying any make-up on, after I have consulted my model, is to clean the face with make-up remover and cotton pads. Around the eyes I can use cotton buds, and if I'm going to clean the face of a male model who has a beard, I will put make-up remover on napkins instead of cotton pads. 

After I remove all the existing make-up/impurities I have to tone the face using toner and cotton pads. The next step I'm going to make is to apply a moisturizing lotion all over their face. All of the products used should be scent free so no allergies can occur. If needed, we could ask the model to exfoliate their face with minimum 2 days before the make-up session. 

When I feel I have covered all of the above I can begin my work.

Here are two pictures with my model's cleaned, toned and moisurized face:

Skin diseases - First make-up lesson - Week 1

As I haven't got internet connection for almost 3 weeks I have to post everything that we have done until now in just 3 days of weekend. That's a lot of work for me to do, and that's not all, because I have applied for a part-time job and I have to go to work too. I'll try to keep up with everything, uni & work, but firstly, here is a brief of what we have done in the first week:

On our first make-up lesson we were taught about the importance of a clean and tidy make-up kit, starting from the brushes to the products. The teacher presented us what we have in our make-up kit and explained the use of some of the products and brushes. After that, we discussed about skin diseases and how to avoid spreading them through our kit, contra actions and contra indications, client consultation and how to prepare the face for make-up application. We also had to research at home and make blog posts about these topics.


Here are some diseases that a client could have and how to react if we find them:

Sunburn - is the skin's reaction to too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Depending on skin type, this can make the skin go red, become painful, blister or peel. This reaction is the body's way of starting to repair the damage, by blood vessels swelling and bringing more blood to the damaged area.
A person with severe sunburn may also experience chills, a fever, generally feel unwell or malaise, nausea, headaches or dizziness. Someone with severe symptoms of sunburn over a large area of skin, or sunburn on a young child or baby, requires medical attention. 
If we encounter a person that has just a bit of sunburnt skin, it's alright, we can put make-up on their skin.

Acne - isn’t just a problem for teenagers. Many adults also have acne. Around 80% of adult acne cases affect women, thought to be because of changing hormone levels during periods, pregnancy, medical conditions such as PCOS, or as a side effect of medication.

Contact dermatitis - Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin. Contact dermatitis is a localised rash or irritation of the skin caused by contact with a substance.
Substances that cause contact dermatitis in many people include "poisonous" plants such as hellebores, chrysanthemums, primroses and primulas, certain foods, some metals, cleaning solutions, detergents, cosmetics, perfumes, industrial chemicals and latex rubber.

 

Psoriasis - is a common skin disorder affecting around 2% of people in the UK.  Different types of psoriasis cause different symptoms, The most common type, plaque psoriasis, causes thick red plaques covered with silvery scales.  Psoriasis is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person, but it can occur in members of the same family.

Sty - appears as a bump in the eyelid, often with redness, tenderness, and pain in the affected area. There may be discomfort when blinking the eyelid.
If infected, a bit of pus (appearing as a small, yellowish discharge) may also be present, and if the infection spreads beyond the gland, the skin and/or eye may be red.

 If we are working on a client that has sty, we can apply make-up to their face but not on the infected area of the eye.

Conjunctivitis - also known as pink eye is inflammation of the conjunctiva (the outermost layer of the eye and the inner surface of the eyelids)^. It is commonly due to an infection (usually viral, but sometimes bacterial or parasitic), or an allergic reaction.
Conjunctivitis can affect one or both eyes and is the most likely diagnosis in someone with eye redness and discharge (fluid coming from the eye). The affected eye is often "stuck shut" in the morning. Bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are highly contagious, and are transmitted through contact with the discharge. Generally speaking, conjunctivitis will go away on its own and poses no serious health risk

 

Herpes labialis - (also called cold sores, is a type of herpes simplex occurring on the lip, i.e. an infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV). An outbreak typically causes small blisters or sores on or around the mouth. The sores typically heal within 2–3 weeks, but the herpes virus remains dormant in the facial nerves, following orofacial infection, periodically reactivating (in symptomatic people) to create sores in the same area of the mouth or face at the site of the original infection.
If we have to do make-up on a person that has these symptoms, we should avoid the lips.

 

 

Contra Indication

A contra indication is something that has happened to the client before you started doing their makeup. It is very important to ask them of any diseases, allergies or reactions before start applying any products to their skin. Some examples of contra indications may include; fever, vomiting, eczema, conjunctivitis, any cuts/bruises or open wounds (mostly just on the face area) and any styes or watery eyes. By you asking the client and them telling you, you can assess whether or not it will be possible to put any products on their skin.

Contra Action

A contra action is something that happens to the client during or after the treatment. Some examples of this include; watery eye, swelling, itchiness, hot skin (allergic reaction) and blotchy/irritated skin. If any of these happen while you are doing someone's makeup, take the makeup off straight away and apply a cool flannel to their face.


References for this post:

• Skin problems & treatments: Symptoms & types (no date) Available at: http://www.webmd.boots.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/skin-problems-treatments-symptoms-types (Accessed: 2015).
• Clough, A. (2015) How to camouflage your embarrassing sunburn. Available at: http://www.mimichatter.com/how-to-cover-and-soothe-your-sunburn-1129372026.html (Accessed: 2015).
• Bainter, P. S. (2015) Sty symptoms, causes, treatment - what are sty symptoms and signs?. Available at: http://www.medicinenet.com/sty_stye/page2.htm (Accessed: 2015).
• Carlile, S. and Contributor, K. com L. (no date) Do you have a sty in your eye?. Available at: https://www.ksl.com/?sid=24205926 (Accessed: 2015).
• Conjunctivitis (2015) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjunctivitis#/media/File:An_eye_with_viral_conjunctivitis.jpg (Accessed: 2015).
• Herpes labialis (2015) in Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_labialis (Accessed: 2015).

Induction week at Solent

My first days /on my own/as a student were amazing and hard aswell.
I moved out of my country and I arrived in Southampton on 15th of September. Until 21 September, when university started, I had to arrange my new home and explore the city which I found really nice.

On our first day of the induction week we met each other and the teaching staff, and after that we had to go to enrollment so we can get our student cards.
I made new friends, Lia and Sophia:

And that's how my student card looks (I almost cried of how excited I was):

Our second day was absolutely fantastic! We had to create a representation of our alter-ego with "our head in a bag". As a source of inspiration we were given Anon magazines and other colorful materials. Unfortunately I didn't finish my "alter-ego" version in the studi so I asked the teacher to let me finish it at home and this was my lovely result:

 

We also had time to explore the city and to take photos for the black and white city contest. Here are the photos I took:

Day 3 was all about the Illamasqua lecture and workshop to me. We met those two amazing artists that represent Illamasqua brand, Spob O'Brien and Helen Roche. They shared with us some of their secrets, some of their experiences and some really useful advices for us. I enjoyed every second of their workshop and in the end I took a photo with them and with my colleague which was their model. 

Day 4, and the last day of the induction week was one of the best days because we met two talented makeup artists from Kryolan and we went to the Freshers Fair. I had a lot to learn from Gemma who has worked with Kryolan for more than 10 years. She explained everything in detail and she has done a beauty makeup demonstration on one of our colleagues. The final result was beautiful and clean, she used neutral colors so that kind of makeup could be adapted to a day makeup aswell. I also purchased my Kryolan kit, and that made me the happiest person alive because I no longer had to struggle with ordering the kit and all that stuff.

I went to the Freshers Fair with one of my new friends, Lia. We had lots of fun ad we also learnt a lot of new things about extra curricular activities at Solent University. 

Overall, my first week at Solent was very exciting and I have learnt a lot of new things about the Uni, the city and about what I love most, about make-up. I've met new wonderful, talented people and this made me want to work harder, to push me over my limits to become better and better, taking them as an example.

 

Summer project

If I could... I would

If I could I would be, in 5 years time, the result of my past 5 years of work and commitment, the result of today's Simona dreaming of doing what makes her happy, doing that something that fuels her passion.

When I was a child I had no idea what future will bring me, but I knew that when I grow up I want to share my passion to the world. I've always been fascinated by this world of arts, by painters, by actors, by writers, by people who managed to make a living using their talents and sharing the beauty of their soul with others. I wanted to be like them, to wake up everyday and do what makes me feel free and happy. I felt the freedom in art. I got to know myself. I am the result of all these past years spent behind or in front of the scene, doing theatre, drawing, writing, singing or just listening to music. All of these inspired me to  become who I am now and I don't want to stop here.

In 5 years time, I want to wake up in the morning and simply be happy thinking that I will go to work. I want to be like the painters that inspired me in the past, taking my brushes and my colours and just paint. Not on canvas, but on people's faces. I want to make them look and feel the way they always wanted, and when they look in the mirror to smile and be amazed of their enhanced beauty. I want to be a complete makeup artist. That kind of beautician that really knows how to paint smiles on peoples faces, and not fake ones, that kind of smiles that reflect the inside on the outside. I truly believe that people are beautiful and I want them to believe that too, and if I could make them see themselves as a piece of art, as I see them, then I will be happy.

In 5 years time, I want to grab my Starbucks coffe in my way to the fashion show. I want to be in the backstage, setting the details of the designer's show. Preparing the models for all those flashlights. As a future makeup artist, I know that the details make the difference. I know that a bold lip and a pale skin, that a gorgeous smokey eye and a nude lip or just a graphic eyeliner on a no-makeup makeup base makes a statement.

This gorgeous weapon, makeup, can transform everything. Can make me Smeagle or The sleeping beauty. It's all about talent, technique and products. And hard work, of course. I am motivated and willing to learn, and learn, and learn... and maybe in 5 years time to work for a film studio. Maybe at Hollywood, who knows?! Maybe in Los Angeles, working with Anastasia Beverly Hills at my new line of eye palettes, because as I said, every painter needs colours to paint with. I want to inspire others like other great artists inspired me. Maybe one day I will... If I could, I would.

I don't really know how I will be in 5 years time. As I was when I was a child, I am unsure about what my future will bring. I just want to make what makes me happy. I just want to spread my happiness to the world and to create art, this kind of freedom that only artists can feel. 

The Great Gatsby is one of my favourite films of all time, not just because of the actors that act and look amazing but also because it reflects a period of history, the '20s, that was clearly the highest expression of class and beauty. The film is based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel with the same name and is a romantic drama that takes place in the summer of 1922.

                This era started a revolution in makeup, hair design and fashion and the film encompassed these changes so today we could learn more about people's style and culture back then. That's why I believe that the film is iconic in terms of fashion and style.

                It was a time when people started to express themselves in literature, dance, music, fashion and women were also not afraid to make a statement out of their makeup and hair looks. The '20s looks were extremely dramatic and were based on the most classic contrast of colors, black and red. Ladies makeup was bold, with pale skin and black descendent brows, smokey eye looks and heart-shaped red lips that were a must to look fancy. The descendent makeup gave ladies a melancholic and tragic expression, despite the fact that the '20s were called "The jazz age", as dancing was extremely popular.  Their hair was short, usually styled in sleek black or blonde bobs with bejeweled headbands. Accessories were a must for women and men too. Men wore statement rings and hats and women wore statement necklaces, rings, earrings and headbands.

                The makeup artists, hair and fashion designers worked together and achieved a wonderfully stylised version of the '20s looks in the film, because, in my oppinion, the original looks from the '20s were too harsh. Maurizio Silvi, the makeup designer and Catherine Martin, the set designer and costumer are truly a great source of inspiration for us all. 

 This is a good facechart example of the '20s makeup.

References:

• Team, A. 13 and naomi (2013) Maurizio Silvi archives. Available at: http://www.naomimckeever.com/tag/maurizio-silvi/ (Accessed: 2015).