Makeup artists sisters, Dani & Silv are a powerhouse duo who go by the name Cosmetique Makeup on Instagram. They work out of their Ivanhoe studio in Melbourne and pride themselves on being Cruelty Free makeup artists. They have shot with the likes of One day bridal and princess polly and are highly sought-after in the Melbourne beauty scene, and it's no wonder why. They create stunning, flawless looks on every face they work on. We're super excited to bring you this interview with the very talented Dani & Silv! 

Hey Guys! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

Hi everyone :) 

My name is Dani and I am in business with my Beautiful sister Silv.

We are Melbourne based makeup artists. I (Dani) started makeup at the age of 16 leaving school young to start my makeup journey and I must say I’m so glad I did, Silv wanted a change of career and started makeup 6 years ago shortly after we opened Cosmetique. 

Favourite movie?

Great gatsby 

Red wine or white?

Silv loves Red I love white! 

Morning person or night person?

Night!!

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

We would love to go to Italy and see the history of our culture.

Where and how do you work best?

In our studio when clients trust us to create a look we think suits them best.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

To do what makes you happy!!!

Favourite quote?

Makeup is not about making you look plastic it’s about enhancing your natural beauty. 

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

We love following and admire lots of artists around the world but we definitely inspire each other.

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

A really bronzed eye with lots of lashes.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Leaving our full time job to open our business and become full time artists.

What has been your biggest win so far?

Having the most beautiful and loyal clients! 

Silv would have to say having her two beautiful boys.

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

Dont ever let anyone put you down!

What’s next for you?

Travel the world to do makeup!

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Live your life to the fullest and surround yourself with positive people. 

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

Giving our face a good cleanse and wearing mascara :) 

Follow Cosmetique Makeup's journey on Instagram here

Helen Samaryan is an Australian Makeup Artist based in Sydney, Australia. 

In her 10 years as a makeup artist, Helen has worked for some of Australia's leading brands such as Showpo, Sabo Skirt & David Jones... just to name a few! Her stunning work has been published in the likes of Grazia, Modern Hair and Beauty Magazine, Fashion Gone Rouge and iMute Magazine.

We are so excited to bring you this Artist Spotlight interview with the incredibly talented Helen, in which she shares her highs & lows and advice for working as a makeup artist in the beauty industry. Enjoy!

 

Hey Helen! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

My name is Helen Samaryan and I’m a makeup artist and hairstylist based in Sydney.

Favourite movie?

My favourite movie would have to probably be the Lion King (the original, I’m yet to see the remake). I’m usually not really into animation but that movie has stuck with me since childhood. 

Red wine or white?

White

Morning person or night person?

Night

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

To the Ukraine to visit my relatives.

Where and how do you work best?

I think I always work best and allow myself to get the most creative when working in a team of other talented creatives. I love to bounce ideas of other people and take on constructive criticism or creative opinions. 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Focus on what you are doing and achieving rather than focusing on what everyone else around you is doing.

Favourite quote?

Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

When I first got into make up I was mostly inspired by fashion seen in magazines and on runaways, as well as talented artist, the persons work I was most mesmerised by at that time would have to be Pat McGrath.

Nowadays I not only take inspiration from my peers and the world around me but also the person’s face that I’m actually working on at the time. A makeup free face is one of the most inspirational things to me, because it’s like a clean canvas that can take you anywhere.

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

This one is a really tough one to answer. I think it really depends on my mood at the time. I do love getting creative and playing with colour and texture however I also love a beautiful and natural glowy bronzy make up.

 

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

I think everything in this business is quite challenging. However I don’t see that as a bad thing. Challenges make life interesting and overcoming them makes things meaningful. I can’t say that I would enjoy what I do as much as I do if it all came easy and without really really hard work.

What has been your biggest win so far?

Every morning that I wake up and go do what I love. That’s my biggest win!

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

I think this goes two ways. There is constructive criticism and that would just be stupid to ignore, without constructive criticism you will never see something from a different point of view and never give yourself the opportunity to grow and better yourself. Then there’s the other side of criticism. Some people criticise to make themselves feel better or to make themselves feel like they have one over you. I think the key here is to identify what sort of criticism you are receiving and to either take it on board and grow from it or just simply brush it off.

 

What’s next for you?

There are so many things I want to do, first and foremost I’m going to continue on learning and growing as an artist. I truly believe if you stay true to your craft the possibilities are endless.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Do you! And don’t focus your life on what everyone else is doing.

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why? 

DEA DIA, it is just the most gorgeous nude and suits so many skin tones!

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

The love and support of those close to me and my love for what I do are what keep me going on those really hard days.

 

Follow Helen's journey on Instagram here

 

Fashion week is always a great time to source some inspiration and find a fresh new look for the upcoming seasons. It was hard to choose our favourite looks from Melbourne Fashion Week but we narrowed it down to our two favourite and most wearable looks for you to recreate at home. Keep reading to find out how to get catwalk to real life.

 

#1 Fave look

Runway 5 - RMS Show

 

What a breathtaking look this was, the focus was on the bold winged Swarovski crystal liner. But we were really dying over the skin and the little hint of pastel spring colours on the cheeks and lips! This is a great catwalk to real life look that can easily be recreated with our little tips and tricks below.

Runway makeup always has a major focus on skin, everything else comes second. The purpose of this is so the model looks fresh, polished but natural (a ‘I woke up like this’ vibe). Skincare is the most important part of any makeup routine so it’s worth investing in something you love and know that works for you. A lot of runway shows use the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser because of its light weight, glowy finish, it gives enough coverage but really just looks like skin. You can apply this however you like, we personally would use a brush to buff the product into the skin and then use our hands to warm up the product to ensure it’s sitting beautifully and there are no traces of foundation. Conceal with purpose, you want to use a small amount of concealer in the areas where it’s actually required so applying the concealer after the foundation is a must so you don't over use it and apply it everywhere. The foundation is going to do most of the work for you. Use a small brush to pin point the imperfections and again press it into the skin with your fingertips once you have finished with your brush, to ensure there is no build up of product.

Now lets get to the fun part! This runway in particular the cheeks were really glowy and quite sheer so this is the perfect time to put your much-loved Lou Lou Lips to more than its conventional use. We suggest using the colours Dea Dia and Flora – you can either layer the colours separately or work both shades onto the back of your hand and create your own colour by mixing them together. To apply the ‘blush’ use your ring finger to dab the lipstick onto the apple of the cheek. With a clean finger press the colour towards the hairline so that it’s a wash of colour all over the cheek. This look isn’t just about having the colour on the apple. Once you’re happy with the saturation of the colour go ahead and apply a cream highlighter such as the RMS Living Luminsier to the high points of the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and under the brow - this product is amazing because it’s completely translucent and doesn’t have any shimmer or glitter to it. It catches the light beautifully.

As we all know brows really frame and shape the face but for this look the brows were super natural. We suggest to fill in any gaps with something like the Hourglass Micro brow pencil, focusing the colour towards the tail of the brow. Once you’re happy with the shape go ahead and brush through some brow gel, ensuring you’re brushing in an upward motion through the front of the brow to achieve a fuller and thicker brow. 

 

The crystal eyeliner was such a bold statement that we absolutely adored! To translate this from catwalk to real life we've opted for a black winged liner (...crystals are just a little too OTT IRL). This look is a commitment and does require the right eye shape to be flattering on the everyday person.  If you have more of an almond shape eye then lets tackle this liner. A smudge pot style of liner is perfect for this look because its matte and super black, we love the Stila one. The best way to create the wing is to start on the outer corner ensuring the liner you’re about to apply aligns with your lower lash line, doing this will elongate the eye and will create a flattering shape. Slowly start filling the rest of the eye in little by little avoiding dragging and pulling the liner in one swift go. You will have more control doing smaller more controlled lines. Once your first eye is done it’s now time for the hard part of mirroring it on the other side. Our biggest tip is look away for a couple of minutes, go to brows or do something else because staring at a winged liner for long periods of time will make it seem worse than what it probably is…We’ve all been there!!

Now it’s time for lips! Mixing our lip colours is one of our favourite past times, you’d be surprised the colours you can come up with. The lip for this look is simple but polished, a soft subtle colour to balance the eye. Apply Lou Lou Lips in the shade Flora to the centre of the lip by gently pressing, once you’re happy with the amount of colour swipe Dea Dia on the rest of the lip. It’s ok to go over Flora but you don’t want to mask it with too much Dea Dia.

----

Our recommended brands for this look...

Skin: 

Go to Very useful face cream, Face Hero

Cosmetics 27 eyes 27

Complexion:

Foundation - Nars Pure radiant tinted moisturiser 

Concealer - Nars Radiant creamy concealer (use sparingly) 

Cheeks – LLL Dea Dia

Highlighter – RMS living luminser

Brows -
Hourglass Micro brow pencil
Hourglass arch brow gel

Lips:

LLL Dea Dia and Flora

 

#2 Fave look

Runway 3 - Orange Eye

 

Of course another beautiful look was created for MFW! We love the vibrancy of this look and think its perfect for the spring time. The skin is simple and polished yet again having the eyes as the main feature of the look. Keep reading to find out how to achieve this look.

In terms of skin and brows, we suggest you do the same steps as instructed in look 1. Remember keeping the skin fresh and minimal allows the eyes to do the talking. We don't want them to be overpowered by too much foundation or colour on the cheek. You can even do the same Lou Lou Lips lipstick combination for the blush!

For this warm eye look, start by applying some of Lou Lou Lips in the shades William with a touch of Flora and Billy to the back of your hand. Dip a fluffy blending brush in the product on the back of your hand, swirl the product off and press into the brush so there isn’t too much product. Starting at the lash-line, apply majority of the colour evenly and then gently blend towards the brow. You want more of a hazy cloud look so ensure the colour is gradually getting softer towards the brow. As you start getting closer to the brow you'll want to use a ‘windscreen wiper’ style of motion to ensure the blending is smooth and there’s no bumps to the shadow. Once you’re happy with how this looks on the eye press a translucent powder or a warm eye shadow on top of the lipstick to ensure there is no creasing. Apply a light layer of mascara to the top and bottom lashes to give a little bit more depth.

The lip for this look is quite nude and subdued! Dea Dia and Billy are the perfect combination for this look.  Apply a generous layer of Billy and sheerer layer of Dea Dia. These two shades will balance the nude and peach tones from each colour creating the most perfect nude ever!

----

Our recommended brands for this look...

Skin:
Go to Very useful face cream, Face Hero

Cosmetics 27 eyes 27

Complexion:

Foundation - Nars Pure radiant tinted moistutriuser

Concealer - Nars Radiant creamy concealer (use sparingly) 
Cheeks – LLL Dea Dia and Flora
Highlighter – RMS living luminser

Eyes:
LLL William, Flora and Billy

Lips:
LLL Dea Dia and Billy

 

Now you’re runway to real life ready!

We hope you love these looks as much as we do! We would love to see your recreations so tag us in your photos! @lou_lou_lips 

 

 

 

Born in Cairns - Australia, Damian set his sights on the international stage at an early age.
He began his makeup career in Paris assisting some of industries biggest names including former Chanel creative director for makeup, Peter Philips and travelling between Europe and the U.S to work the fashion week circuits.

In 2012 Damian joined Dior as part of their editorial and red carpet team of makeup artists for events such as Cannes Film Festival, and for assignments with VIP clients such as Princess Charlene of Monaco.

Then, in 2015 Damian earned a contract with Clinique in a role which has him travelling worldwide to create new digital content for the brand, as well as presenting new seasonal launches and hosting masterclasses in countries such as UAE, Russia, Spain, Australia, US, Germany & France. 

His work has been published in magazines such as:

Vogue (Spain, Australia & Taiwan), L'Officiel Paris, Vanity Fair, Visionaire, Russh, Purple, Numéro, Narcisse, Marie Claire France, Elle France and many more.

His commercial clients have included:

Chanel, Dior, Lancome, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Clinique, L’Oreal Professionel, Cacharel, Vichy, Garnier, Rolex, Swatch, Fenty X Puma, AMI, Ksubi, Jacquemus, Ellery and others.

And his services have been requested for the likes of:

Eva Herzigova, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Taylor Hill, Winnie Harlow, Alice Dellal, Lou Doillon, Erin Wasson, Daisy Lowe, Melanie Laurent, Melanie Thierry, Chanel Iman, Erin Wasson, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Abbey Cornish just to name a few

We were lucky enough to sponsor Damian with our lipsticks for his masterclass in 2017.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask Damian some questions about his career growth and life advice. 

 

Hey Damian! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

I’m Damian, an Aussie who came to Paris for an internship 10 years ago and never came back..

I’ve been in and around makeup more or less for about 17yrs, 12yrs full-time. 

I grew up in Cairns, North Queensland which I go back to visit at least once or twice a year, I love it there.

I started out in special effects, then when I made the move to Europe I fell into fashion and eventually advertising / red carpet which is the realm I hover in nowadays.

Favourite movie?

I couldn’t possibly pick one.. being a 90’s kid I’ve always loved Fifth Element (Leeloo with her acid orange hair and beige on beige makeup.. it’s still a reference today over 20yrs later!) alongside The Craft, for the same 90’s grunge amazingness. 

Also, any of Tarsem Singh’s films (The Fall or The Cell, with Jenny.. you know, JLO Jenny!) for his incredible colour palette and crazy beautiful costuming.

Red wine or white?

I’m not a big drinker, but I love red wine.. My Aussie makeup artist friend @sunnierplaces and I are those obnoxious foreigners who order a glass of red in a cafe at 4pm, when it’s totally taboo here in Paris to do so without ordering food.. (it’s pretty easy to offend the french!)

Wine is so cheap here, they drink it like lemonade.. my favourite is anything from the St.Emilion region (near Bordeaux, but the reds aren’t as heavy as a regular Bordeaux..) That’s about the extent of my wine knowledge!

We’ve had some serious heat waves here in France lately so I’m learning to appreciate whites for the first time...with ice! Scandaleux!

Morning person or night person?

Morning for sure!.. You learn pretty fast to be a morning person when a 7am call time actually means waking up at 5 to feed and caffeine yourself, then get yourself to the studio in time to set up in time to paint before the model stumbles in.

Also it’s a lot easier for me to reach my family in Oz on the way to work at that time of morning, given the 9hr time difference. 

I love my long, leisurely mornings way more than late hedonistic nights!

I’m a retiree at heart, really.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

My fiancé David & I are 3 weeks out from our wedding back home in Australia (therefore, honeymoooon!) so I cannot wait to spend the majority of this summer horizontal on a beach somewhere.. as far away from my makeup kit as possible, hopefully with something fruity in my hand! (No David, I didn’t call you a fruit..)

Where and how do you work best?

One of the most important things I learnt from my mentors during my assisting years was trying to set up your environment consistently the same almost every time, everywhere you work.

For a lot of us creatives it’s kind of crucial (but not everyone works like this..)

When you have to arrive on set everyday and suddenly be expected to spit out something creative and “extraordinaiirree” on a whim, it helps if at least your set up is consistently on point.

I work best nowadays with as much natural light as possible, so I travel with at least 1 light (“The Makeup Light” is my go-to) and at most 3!

But it’s super rare we have the space or the time to be bougie enough to set-up 3 lights.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

“Turn off Instagram” All of the greats in our industry, back in their time, learnt to find their inspiration from a variety of sources. Most of these sources needed a certain amount of effort to attain (ie: actually getting up and going to an art exhibition, paying for a physical magazine.. getting out in nature etc.) I stopped really scrolling through instagram for any length of time, a few years back. It’s crazy what you can actually produce creatively when you’re not overly influenced by your own instagram feed!

I think we are way too overwhelmed with imagery these days that it’s become kind of all redundant.

Most of what’s done on instagram, makeup wise, is a reference of a reference anyway..and there are a number of very high profile makeup artists who I know for a fact spend hours retouching every inch of their makeup images - so how could anyone humanly achieve that level of perfection in real life? It’s all become a bit out of hand.

Not exercising the muscle in your brain that learns to think laterally is the death of a makeup artists creativity, IMO.

It’s tough, but longevity in this career will span beyond anything you see or learn from instagram - so Artists: get off the couch!

Also: Be nice.. it’s not the 80’s anymore, diva creatives don’t actually get anywhere, we’re replaceable within the hour! It’s not that hard, be a kind, collaborative team player so that people will actually want to work with you again.

Favourite quote?

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

I’ve been playing with makeup since I was 14 years old, back when I used to be a Ballroom Dancer. I was paired up with a dancing partner at the time who couldn’t paint her face to save herself, so I picked up a brush and taught myself on a whim and became obsessed ever since! She was my first big inspiration, and, poor thing, lived through some pretty awful early experimentation years with makeup haha.

When I came to Paris I was lucky enough to meet some other Aussie’s, who through some degree of separation or another knew makeup artist Peter Philips, and got us introduced. I assisted him and a few other makeup greats (Stephane Marais, Diane Kendal, Dick Page etc) for a number of years on shows around Europe, US, Asia.. it was incredible. Lots of “pinch me” moments, and travelling with them gave me insight also into the business side of the industry which is a whole other animal in and of itself. They were and are my biggest influences today still, alongside other greats like Serge Lutens, Kevyn Aucoin. I almost cried the day Jed Root, Kevyn’s ex-boyfriend/agent signed me onto his agency at 22 yrs old. Kevyn’s books were my YouTube before YouTube!

Last but not least, Rae Morris is a more local hero (but no less an international superstar) who took me in way way early on when I still lived in Melbourne. She was always such a champion of my work, I learnt a lot from her in the beginning and am so grateful that she gave me the little push I needed to chase my dream in Europe!

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

Starting out by learning Ballroom Dancing makeup (ie: Drag!) and then falling in the deep end of the fashion industry and having to un-learn everything I knew and start from scratch, was pretty humbling!

These days I’m obsessed with creating the most skin-like-skin possible.. the opposite of Instagram makeup really!

There’s a real art to creating glowy skin that looks as good in real life as it does in photos, so I’m really into skin prep at the moment. I love ultra rich hyaluronic acid serums, and @mynuface microcurrent device (when I have the time to use it on a client!)

Pair that kind of gorgeous prepped skin with a fabulous glitter eye and a nude lippy (Lou Lou Lips Billy, perhaps?!).. and there’s nothing more modern and sexy. 

Skin is ALWAYS in!

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Honestly, trying to immerse into another culture and language is completely destabilising. Paris is very glamorous from the outset, but all the ancient/backward social codes, bureaucratical headaches (mountains of paperwork!) and pokey little apartments wears away at the charm after a while.

But it’s a city that attracts some pretty incredible, zany, inspiring expats who I make the choice to surround myself with - which makes it all OK!

Also, between here London & NYC, you can’t beat the slow lifestyle à-la-Française, it’s super chill. 

Except when you need a plumber and they don’t show up for 5 days, then it’s a bit too chill!

What has been your biggest win so far?

Without tooting my own horn, managing to survive 10 years freelancing in Paris is quite an achievement, and I think my strictly come-as-it-goes attitude has helped align me with the right people, at the right place/time etc.

Doing Princess Charlene of Monaco’s makeup at her castle in Monaco was pretty amazing too (and hilarious.. she answered the door in workout gear playing Rihanna loudly in the background, she’s super chill!)

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

Makeup Artists are inherently very sensitive about their own work. It’s taken me years to understand that it’s never really “personal”. If the makeup doesn’t work for the client, you can’t always argue it - majority of the time they’ve already decided it’s not right so it’s up to you to decide how to react to that and present a solution. That’s what we’re there for.

There are a few times, however, that they’re actually wrong - so you really need to dig deep and choose language that’s going to convince them it’s a good idea without being condescending. It takes a lot of energy, and practice! But it’s a super valuable tool in the long run.

Occasionally on social media I’ve had trolls say the most random, nasty, irrelevant things about my work. Delete and Block - I haven’t got the time to engage with toxic people like that! And it’s usually them projecting some kind of jealousy on you anyway, so, #bye

What’s next for you?

I try to keep looking forward, and diversifying as much as I can. This is such a selfish industry, so I’m always craving to create more collaborative experiences of my own to keep myself busy and interested! 

For the past few months I’ve been collaborating with a few industry friends to pitch, produce and film a documentary about a local LGBT youth shelter called Le Refuge. My fiancé and I will both be involved by chatting to the kids and learning about their story, on screen, in French! It’s the scariest, most exciting project I’ve embarked on in a long time. I think those kind of challenges are super important to keep you motivated.

I also had the chance with Clinique to spend a few years travelling the globe to places like Moscow, Dubai, New York, Cape Town, Madrid etc to hold Makeup Masterclasses which was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever taken part in.

In 2020 I’m developing a series of Makeup Workshops aimed at makeup artists (beginner & advanced alike) which I’m super excited about!

There is SO much mis-information out there, I truly believe it’s crucial that artists continue to learn and push their creativity to it’s limits so I’m determined to help more young artists realise their potential.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Be whatever you want to be in life, just DON’T become a makeup artist !

(Haha.. Joking)

I’d probably tell them to make those difficult decisions in life with a 100,000 ft view kind of outlook on things.. learning not to take yourself too seriously is usually a good place to start.

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why?

I love both Ned & Billy as nudes, depending on my clients skin tone. They’re the perfect balance of warm & cool so they’re a great accessory to any eye makeup.

I also love Robert all over the lips (excuse-you!) with a touch of William dabbed in the centre for a gorgeous 2 tone “what is that lipstick she’s wearing?!” kind of pop!

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

At the moment I’m obsessed with mixing in any kind of facial tan gel/stain into my face oil for a radiant pick-me-up, especially during the harsh EU winters when my skin starts to look dull AF!

Also - the best thing about being in your thirties is you start to give much less f**s about things in general, so I’m learning to face challenges that used to horrify me in my 20’s, head on without overthinking it. That kind of confidence can take you anywhere! 

Follow Damian's journey on Instagram here

 

Emma Chen is an Australian hair and makeup artist based in Brisbane. 

She has worked with some of the worlds biggest celebs and models and has an Instagram following of a massive 218K! 

She is one of Australia's best beauty educators and we have been grateful to be a sponsor for her regular workshops around Australia and more recently in the US with Jaye Edwards from the amazing Edwards And Co. Agency.

Emma's work has a tendency to go viral on socials and it's no wonder why! Her signature technique is absolutely flawless with a look of bronzed skin, sultry eyes and glossy lips.

I'm so excited to bring you this chat with the wonderful Emma, where we talk all things business and life advice. 

 

 

Hey Emma! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our Artist spotlight!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

I’m Emma Chen, a Brisbane based freelance hair and makeup artist!

 

Favourite movie?

Elf.

 

Red wine or white?

Red.

 

Morning person or night person?

Neither !

 

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

Morocco.

 

Where and how do you work best?

In environments that are relaxed, positive and fun and to be surrounded by other creatives.

 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Collaborate, don’t compete and only put out what you want to attract.

 

Favourite quote?

“You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.”

 

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

One of my first biggest hair influences was @kristin_ess and @anhcotran and makeup influences are @charlottetilbury, @nikki_makeup, @ortalelimeleh1, @patmcgrathreal.

 

I admire most by manager, Jasmin, because she has really taught me about how to run my brand as a business and her knowledge and guidance in building my brand inspires me to work on all aspects ‘in’ my business and ‘on’ my business.

 

I am always inspired by my Husband - he always believed in me more than I believed in myself and pushed me to go freelance in the beginning.

 

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

Glossy skin makeup for the rest of my life!

 

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Dealing with online bullying.

 

What has been your biggest win so far?

Signing with any agency and turning Emma Chen Artistry into more of a brand than a business.

 

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

I’ve always welcomed criticisms and feedback, as it helps you gain a different perspective and teaches you different ways of looking at things. It makes you more open minded and helps with growth.

It’s important to always be open to feedback, but also being able to distinguish the difference between somebody’s opinion and honest feedback with good intentions.

 

What’s next for you?

I’ve got some really exciting projects coming up with brands that I’m super passionate about, and I’m looking forward to getting back on set and shooting again in Australia for a little bit.

 

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

I struggled a lot in school and in my early twenty’s with finding out what I wanted and who I was, sometimes being different isn’t a bad thing. The things that make you different are the things later in life make you who you are and like me can even help build a career.

 

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why?

Dea Dia – it’s the perfect universal nude that looks great on most complexions – perfect bridal lipstick also!

 

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

Knowing that I’m doing what I love enables me the confidence and determination to tackle each day.

 

Follow Emma's journey on Instagram here

 

Serena is a pro makeup artist from Brisbane. Her Instagram page is sitting at a whopping 81 thousand followers and it’s no wonder why. Her technique is simply stunning.

I’m very excited to have Lou Lou Lips as a sponsor for Serena’s upcoming
masterclass for 2019 and I was lucky enough to ask her a few questions about her life and career so far.

You can book tickets to Serena's Masterclass here

Hey Serena! Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for our

Artist spotlight!

So I recently found out that you’re only 20 years old! What’s more amazing is that I learnt this info from Zoe Foster-Blake’s Instragram story in which you did her makeup!

Your makeup has been shared by the likes of Benefit, Laura Mercier and Nars so it comes as no surprise that you’re working with for some of the top stars, models and brands. Congratulations!

Before we get onto the questions, firstly tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been beauty, makeup and skincare obsessed!  I started my business at 17 years old. Once I finished school, I moved from a small town to the city, worked 3 jobs in my first year to get by, with a goal to one day take on my passion full time. In this particular year I was doing close to 70 hour weeks! RIDICULOUS I know!  At age 18, I took a major risk and leap to focusing on what I love full time and haven’t looked back! When applying makeup I love to enhance natural beauty, I love fresh skin, sun kissed cheeks and glossy lips. 

Favourite movie?

A star is born 

Red wine or white?

Red 

Morning person or night person?

Both! I am definitely a night owl but I still love an early get up... It always makes me feel so much more pro active! 

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?

New York. It’s my favourite city! 

Where and how do you work best?

Some of my best work has surprisingly been in stressful timeframes where I haven’t had the time to think too much into the look. I find sometimes  if I over think the makeup look I just over complicate it (and end up not loving it as much)

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

Passionately pursue your dreams. As long as you have a vision and a plan, as long as you put in the hard work things will work out. 

Favourite quote? 

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you’re doing now?

My biggest makeup inspiration is Nikki Wolfe! Her looks are always so creative and flawless. What inspired me? Growing up, i loved chatting to all of my mums clients in her salon.  I loved getting into all of her products from a very young age, my mum may or may not have had to to put a lock on her makeup cabinet to keep me out! I would make any excuse to be in her salon, so I feel I was always bound to find myself working in the beauty industry or at least something creative as I’ve always loved art. 

What is your favourite makeup look to do?

My favourite look is a bronze eye and dewy skin. A statement bright orange-red lip is another favourite. 

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Establishing a clientele in a new city. I grew up in a small country town, so it was starting from scratch in a city where I didn’t know a sole that has been my biggest challenge so far. 

What has been your biggest win so far?

Of course the incredible honour of doing my beauty idols hair & makeup, Zoe Foster Blake. 

What’s your best advice for handling criticism?

You know what, this isn’t an easy one. This one is something I still constantly remind myself to work on. As a makeup artist, it’s our goal to make everyone happy!! We are naturally people pleasers!! I’ve learnt in a short amount of time that we can’t make everyone happy and not everyone will love what we do. This concept is the same for everyday life, you just simply cannot please everyone. What I have learnt is while criticism at the time isn’t a great feeling, there’s always a new day. When facing criticism, I think being confident and kind in the moment to rectify and then remembering there is always a new day is what helps me overcome criticism.

What’s next for you?

I would love to able to keep working on my masterclasses, I would love to host Australia wide and eventually internationally. I love teaching, I have a huge passion for sharing my techniques and how I create my work.

If a young girl or boy walked up to you asking for your advice on life, what would it be?

Follow your dreams. Work hard. Never give up.... And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!! 

What is your favourite Lou Lou Lips lipstick and why?

DEA DIA, it’s the perfect peachy nude that is so versatile and compliments many looks.

For us, lipstick is something which gives us that extra boost of confidence, what gives you confidence to take on each and every day?

I like to set a goal for each day, whether it’s big or small. Most of the time I write them down, when I revisit them and see that I have accomplished it, it gives a great sense of confidence and accomplishment!! 

 Follow Serena's journey on Instagram here