Have you thought about Green Make up?

I'm sure we all have, some more than others, thought about, or started making an effort to become slightly greener. I really believe that making even a small effort is really worthwhile. If everybody does a little something it contributes to making the world a better place for everyone and for future generations. We have noticed none to soon a surge in recycling, and Eco products, organic produce etc....

You will notice in this Article that I sometimes write "Makeup" just like that and sometimes I write it as "Make Up", I like to use both just for a bit of spice so don't let it confuse you it's all the same thing!

Well what about Green Make up / Eco Makeup?..... As a Makeup Artist I have considered these "safe makeup" brands in the past but working within an industry that is very institutionalised can make this quite difficult. Being freelance you would expect to have a little free reign but that is not really how it works. Some artists/performers really prefer specific brands and can be quite insistent that you use them. Make Up in the industry tends to be thought about more along the lines of trend/fashion than its physical or ecological impact. Moreover it depends on which area or speciality of makeup you work in. Also there is no such thing as the Perfect Make Up, everyone is different and if you were to go for an organic brand there would be limitations in terms of range etc. For example working within the theatre industry can present its fair share of problems for a Green Make Up Artist. Most of the products used are fairly standard. Almost everyone uses pretty much the same stuff and i haven't really checked out the green credentials of companies like Kryolan for instance but I'm pretty sure they are not an Eco Makeup company and I'm pretty positive they are not organic! If for example you worked in Special Effects or Prosthetics or even Wig work that would make it even more difficult if not impossible. Chemicals reign in those particular specialities. If you were serious about maintaining your green Make Up credentials it might be wise to consider the different areas of Makeup you could work within. I used to work with and probably will again, a really lovely Makeup Artist and Hair Artist, very talented and probably the most Eco Makeup Artist I have ever met, who would make a concerted effort to avoid toxic chemicals, eg. Acetone and if she were to use them would make sure that she would wear protective gloves and would not use it unless the area was well ventilated and had an extraction fan, which by the way is health and safety regulation anyway. However as much as I admired this trait it was not always practical and in certain cases impossible, which really is not her fault and I actually resent having to do otherwise on occasion, but such is the world we live in. If your intention is to work as a Green Make Up Artist its probably best to stick to Bridal Makeup or possibly, Fashion Makeup (hard I'm sure but not impossible) Children's Makeup, fantasy / facepainting etc..

One particular thing that I recently researched and something I plan to take action on almost immediately are Makeup brushes. Many/most even are made from real hair, there are a lot of Sable Makeup brushes out there and others from fox hair and a whole host of other animals. Now its pretty difficult to research who gets their hair from where but Most companies buy the byproducts from Sable farms or suchlike, where the animals are kept in unspeakable conditions and killed by methods so inhumane (I won't go into detail,) purely to satisfy the thirst of the fashion industry for fur coats/fur clothing and accessories. There are some companies which produce brushes from synthetic materials only and if not, from real hair but by animals which are still alive... I feel rather strongly about this issue. I know there is a company based in Reading(England) that retails brushes like this. They are called: There Must Be a Better Way! Natural, Organic Skincare and Cosmetics. I will be checking their stuff out very shortly so will keep you all posted. Brushes are one of the most important tools for Makeup Artists, they are an extension of your fingers, you will always find yourself digging amongst your brushes for your favourite eyeliner brush even though you have plenty to choose from, some are just better than others. I hope it won't prove too difficult to find some high quality brushes that are suitable for professional use, and if so, then I will have to start my own range!! Keep you posted.

With this I leave you, so for anyone striving to be green or greener and for those aspiring Green Make Up / Eco Makeup Artists, I hope this has given you some organic food for thought and maybe one day we will all Make Up For It!!

Hello, Im a Make Up artist based in London and have decided to start a blog about all things Make Up. So anything from special effects to Eco Makeup, Childrens makeup and even Make up for dead people, I know that sounds strange, ur thinking what??? Dead Makeup ?? but beleive it or not it is actually a profession and some people may have an interest! In all honesty I don't have an indepth knowledge of Make Up application for dead people but if the interest is there I am more than happy to research and write an article. I trained as a Make Up Artist in London and have done almost everything from Theatre, Opera, Film, Television, Commercials, bridal...... the list goes on and on and...... you get the idea. I welcome any questions about absolutely anything Make Up related including make up instructions etc.

I'm new to the whole blogging business so any suggestions are always good.
I'll be back, famous last words but nonetheless I will, with something interesting soon.