Archive for October, 2009

Getting down to Business

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

london-41A strength of our make-up programmes in LA Make-Up is the emphasis we place on real-life professional skills. Make-up is exciting and glamorous but it’s also a very competitive industry. So our Module 3 training course in Dublin includes a one-day Business Seminar to set you on the right path.

Recruiter Lindsay Browning takes students through the challenges of finding a job, interviews and nailing that dream position.

Lindsay posted here about creating your First C.V. All together now; aww. But actually, it can be a scary business. What do you write on your CV when you’ve just finished Module Three and your portfolio is your class photoshoot?

The trick is to use every connection you have to the make-up industry and make it clear to employers that you know your MAC from your Nars.

Now you know first impressions are key in this industry. You would never turn up to a shoot wearing last night’s makeup and the same is true for CVs. Read the tips on a site like Loadzajobs for some inspiration!

Make sure that you include your contact details, full name and qualifications. Image probably won’t be interested in your Junior Cert results but they will want to know you studied with us! Be selective about what you put in; Lindsay says you shouldn’t have more than 1 ½ pages in total.

Lots of people love makeup but you need to tell employers you’re special! Your CV should show them you’ve got unique skills and potential. So if you’ve done Debs make-up for your friends or helped out at with a film-student’s project put it in.

Spend some time thinking about what to say; you wouldn’t just slop on some eye shadow without thinking about the overall look would you? The recruiters at Monster for example tell us to avoid filling-up on cliché soup with phrases like ‘I’m a team player’ or ‘I had responsibility for….’ Think about what make-up skills and knowledge you can really offer!

And try to ask someone to read it when you’re done. It’s always helpful as they might spot a mistake you missed. Just one wrong spelling could send your CV straight to the bin.

We’ll be linking up with Lindsay from time to time to bring you some more advice on Make-Up as a Career!

What do you want to know about making it in the industry?

Halloween Make-Up Heaven

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

glitter-eye

With Halloween just around the corner, we’re all thinking dark thoughts for the weekend. It can be hard to get the balance between scary and glam so here’s a few tips to make sure you’re A-class all the way!

-If you’re in Dublin come along and let us fright you up for our Halloween Open Day Halloween Open Day on Saturday! Places are going fast so give us a call!
-For DIY jobs, make sure you start with super-clean skin! Use a mask early on Saturday or Friday evening to cleanse everything. Remember it’s all about the base.
-Slather on tons of moisturiser and creams before you start; especially if you’re going for a Zombie or other makeup-heavy look.
-Have your cleaners ready for action when you get home. The dreaded wipes might do the job on a regular Saturday (just about!) but they won’t work on a Halloween look.
-Build a clear picture in your head of how you want to look – clean lines and imagination are key!
-Key products would be a white face cream like this Beetlejuice cream and lots of black liner; no need to worry about smudging this time round!

Accessories!

Don’t forget the details! No self-respecting Goth would head out for the night with coral nail polish so try this Baby Goth Girl from MAC with swirls of purple to soften the Emo look. Or for some full-on festival nails get some inspiration from this falsies specialist Galway Nails

Fake Blood adds a Halloween touch to even the tamest of costumes. You just have time to order some from The Costume Shop in Laois.

And of course you need a costume! Think about the kind of party you’re heading too – you might not want to be the Sexy Vampire at your work-do but when out with your girls the sky’s the limit! If you’re on a budget pop down to Tesco or Penny’s for a witchy look. Or rent from your local costume store which saves on time but isn’t half as much fun!

So think Catwalk and Glam and you’re sure to be a hit! And please remember to cleanse afterwards or you’ll definitely look scarier in the morning …

If all this sounds like too much work, then just follow the link and pop into see us!

Tell us about your Halloween plans!

Halloween Open Day

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

img_0798Can you believe it’s Halloween time already? And you know what that means: time to dress up and scare the good people of Dublin.

Our make-up artists love Halloween and they have some fantastic ideas for you. Last year you may have grabbed one of our Special Effects Halloween Packages! And this year we’re going one step further; we’re holding a Halloween Open Day just for you.

You can be anything you like from a scary but glamorous witch to a zombie weeping with blood. We can do gothic fairies and geishas or even turn you out to walk like an Egyptian. Bring your man along to get some nasty wounds or scars to toughen up his Halloween outfit too. Our artists will take your ideas and turn them into reality – just like in the movies! Pop on one of your favourite horror flicks for some inspiration beforehand or just come and see us; trust us if you dare!

If you want to get an idea of how fabulous you could look; log onto our Flickr stream and see what our students got up to for their work experience last week. And that’s just our beginners so with some expert help we can really turn you into something amazing.

The work experience was at The Loft Fashion Show and our students from the Module 3 course certainly rose to the challenge! It was great to see the new season’s lines and so exciting to see our students working away. The got to use everything they’ve learned and really showed us what a great future they’ll have in the industry.

But just to show we can be serious too when we have to be; one of our make-up experts was chatting to you on Monday about politics. Surprised? Well, you might remember reports last year on Bertie Ahern’s make-up budget. We have to admit we’re a little jealous of his deep pockets. Think what we could do with that money down in BT! We sent one of our artists to Spin FM to discuss the whole affair. Log onto the Spin FM site for the podcast and tell us what you think!

In the meantime, it’s countdown to Halloween. We’re open all day on Saturday, October 31st for you to come and scare your friends! But places are going fast so click here to book your place! We guarantee a Halloween like no other!!

(NB: Appointments by booking only)

Who will you be on Halloween?

Module 3 Work Experience at Loft Fashion Show October 2009

Beaut.ie in a Book

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

ultimate-photoshoot-imageWe know how frustrating it can sometimes be to find make-up information relevant to Ireland for our Irish clients and students. Make-up advice is international but you do need to shop! Brown Thomas in Dublin is one of our favourite places to do that. So we didn’t need too much persuading to pop down there on Saturday for the launch of a very special book.

One of our favourite blogs has grown up into a pretty pink book. The Beaut.ie Guide to Gorgeous was launched at the weekend in the BT cosmetics hall. We were delighted to see lots of practical advice and help, just like what we give you here every day.


We are a big believe in LA in keeping make-up real and giving you advice that works, whether as one of our students or a client. And with chapters like Erase and Rewind or Gorgeous Gob we think this yummy new book is right up our street.

We even noticed more than few men in the long queue; claiming to be there for a friend but we know better. You might not be using guyliner or mancara on your man yet but you never know.

We loved the chapter on lashes: Bat for Lashes. If you’ve ever had an evening-style makeover here then you’ll know we’re big fans of falsies and the way they can completely enhance your look. Application at home can be tricky though so we definitely agree with the advice to use individual lashes until you’re sure of your eyelash skills.

And of course our beloved Smokey Eye gets some pages all of its own. It’s our most requested style for Debs and parties. The book has great advice and if you’re still not quite getting the stunning look you want; pop in and see us for some hands-on expert advice.

Stocking up on moisturiser and cleanser is also a must. Our makeup artists are great but you can help them and yourself by keeping your skin pristine all the time. That way when you’re applying foundation, you can just slide it on and expect a prefect glow every time.

And yes, we loved our goodie bag which was stocked up with some of the best brands around and which we use here in LA Make-Up every day.

Did you pop down to BT on Saturday?

Make-Up Boot Camp with LA Make-Up London

Friday, October 16th, 2009

london-4You’d be surprised what you can learn in a week. We know that budding make-up artists don’t have endless hours to perfect techniques so we’ve created a one-week Ultimate Pro Course in our London branch.

You’ll learn everything from airbrushing to fashion make-up to bridal looks; all under the expert guidance of Kym Menzies-Foster the world renowned celebrity make-up artist.

Day One: Learn how to create the look known as Hollywood Trend. This is make-up to help actors and actresses survive today’s high-definition film and create an absolutely flawless look.

Day Two: Airbrushing time with Kym. Spend the day learning skills like stencilling and frisket as well as how to create or cover tattoos. Use all the latest products under Kym’s watchful eye.

Day Three: When model hit the catwalks they need to look spectacular – today you’ll learn how to create sharp lines and bold colour in glamorous combinations while gaining information on lightning and other techniques.

Day Four: This busy day starts off with bridal looks and tips on how to create flawless foundation which stays on all day. And in the afternoon you’ll work with models from different ethnic backgrounds and improve your knowledge of makeup choices for everyone.

Day Five: Put it all together on an exciting photo-shoot with Top UK Models and Fashion Photographers! This will really test your skills but at the end of the day your portfolio will have some stunning headshot and full-length images.

What you’ll get: We will supply products from MAC, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Nars and Stila as well as Temptu products, haircare from Toni and Guy and Bumble and Bumble, NYC. Plus of course all of the air-brushing equipment. It’s all waiting for you in St John’s Wood, London.

All you have to do is sign up!

The course costs €895; an investment with guaranteed returns unlike many things today! Call us on 0044 2031788087 or email lorrine@lamakeupacademy.com for more information!

Why do you want to be a make-up artist?