6 questions with Kathleen Sheahan, make-up artist

Kathleen Sheahan is a Melbourne based make-up artist, part of the HUB team and offers a variety of make-up services- from bridal to fashion, body art and theatre.

1. How did you become a make-up artist?
I had just finished a three year Bachelor of International Studies and was feeling quite lost. Having always being interested in the arts I stumbled upon an Open Day for the Academy and never looked back. I enrolled in the Diploma straight away and six months later I was a qualified makeup artist!

The perfect dramatic make-up look

websites we love: into the gloss

I can't remember how I came across Into The Gloss the first time- but ever since I did, I've been on the website almost every other day.

6 questions: Amy Kenny, Make-Up Artist

Since when have you been working as a makeup artist and hairstylist? I started working in retail cosmetics in 1999. I worked my way up to counter manager, and I occasionally freelanced on the side. I have been focusing just on my freelancing for approximately 4 years.

When did you know that this career was for you? I have wanted to do makeup since I was a teenager. I always loved doing my friends' makeup. I'd try to steer them away from their blue eyeliner and encourage them to use more neutral colours. I was torn at the end of high school between going to university, or studying makeup, as I had imagined myself working as a makeup artist. But I studied Environmental Science at University as I was good at maths and science, but I left when my desire to do makeup became too strong.

Where does your inspiration come from? I am often inspired by fashion-clothing colours, textures and styles. But I am also inspired by makeup itself. The colour of a product can set of a whole idea for a look or a shoot. I've had one nail polish give me inspiration for a few totally different shoots! But for my bridal and corporate makeup work, I am inspired by the face of my client, and what will work to enhance their features.

Describe your own beauty/skincare routine - I have very dry skin, so I use Jurlique Replenishing Cleansing Lotion, then Jurlique Rosewater mist or MAC Fix+ spritzed on to the skin. Then I use Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+, and I moisturise with Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Cream. I exfoliate only once every fortnight, and use Hydra Intense masque from Lancome as often as I feel I need to. I cleanse with Clarisonic a few times a week for a deeper cleanse, it leaves my skin feeling really soft and radiant. My lips get dry if I don't look after them. I am loving La Roche-Posay Ceralip and Mecca's new Lip De-Luscious Overnight Lip Conditioner.

What is your favourite feature about yourself and can you recommend any products to enhance one's natural beauty? I am obsessed with brows and I am lucky mine grew back after some over plucking when I was younger. They look pretty good now, although I do tint them and pencil them in to enhance them.
I think natural beauty comes from within, if you are a happy and kind person, it shows on the outside. Although a bit of blush and mascara helps too!

List your top 3 make up and/or beauty products-
1. Lancome Hypnose mascara in Noir (I don't leave the house without it).

2. Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser

3. Mecca Lip De-Luscious Overnight Lip Conditioner or Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ (It's too hard to choose)

Is there a piece of advice you'd like to give any up-and coming makeup artists? Assist someone who's work you admire. I didn't know about assisting when I first started, and I think I would have had a lot more confidence those first few years had I assisted another artist.

Have a look at Amy's portfolio here and follow her instagram account @amykennymakeup 

I'm looking to feature creatives more regularly on this blog, so if you work in the fashion industry, feel free to drop me a message here

favourite blog: where I see fashion

The owner of this amazing tumblr studies fashion design in Milan and uses pictures found on the internet to make matches like this

i n s p i r e d

Wanda Waller - make-up artist

How I got started in the beauty industry:

For the first 17 years of my life I lived in Poland and since I can remember, every day on my way to school, I would stop for few minutes in front of a magazine stand and admire all the overseas magazine covers, especially Vogue. I was also always very curious about skin care and cosmetics, what’s in them, how they work and how they feel on the skin, but I'd never thought about becoming a make-up artist until my gap year after finishing high school. By that time, most of the books I owned, and most of my free time, was spent on doing something related to the beauty industry -like researching new products online or watching YouTube make-up videos. Although I was doing all that, I still hadn't connected the dots and never had never even thought about being a make-up artist, until one day my dad pointed it out to me. During my gap year I saved all the money I made working as a barista to be able to do a course called “Diploma of Specialist Make-up Services”. I finished it in December 2012, and since then I've been a  full time freelance make-up artist. Check out my facebook page here or follow me on instagram @MakeupByWanda

My favourite skincare products:

1. Bioderma Crealine H2O Solution – amazing make-up remover and toner that won’t irritate even the most sensitive eyes.

2. La Roche Posay – basically their whole skin care line. I love French cosmetics!

3.  MILK beauty wipes with dual sided technology – basically the best exfoliating wipes out there.

4. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is a fragrance free – multi-use product. I'm a big fan of products that are free of any fragrance.

5. Lush lip exfoliant – comes in variety of flavours and the best part is that you can just lick it off after using it as it's made of sugar!

My favourite make-up products: 

1.MAC Strobe cream – for that editorial glow. It also contains a multitude of great ingredients that will benefit your skin.

2. Kevyn Aucoin curling mascara which comes in slim red tube – the best mascara I've ever used. The formula helps the most straight lashes stay up. I always use eyelash curler before applying any mascara.

3. Inglot Matte lipsticks – better formulated than most high end lipsticks and it won’t dry out your lips.

Final question: mascara or lipstick?

I'm all for educating people about what their best features are, so if you already have amazing lashes, or you've got eyelash extensions, then I would go with a lipstick. You can use the lipstick on your lips (obviously) but also on your eyes and cheeks! But if you already have amazing cheeks and/or your natural lip colour is amazing, then I would go with the mascara, which you can also use as a liner.

    And this look: Wanda by Wanda