Monocromatic Light photo-shoot experiment!

So today I had a test photo shoot for monochromatic light and I decide to do a bit of an experiment with my make-up since I haven't got the correct foundations yet I decided to try and use something else as what would happen if in a brief I was told I couldn't use liquid or something.
  As strange as I am, I was walking through the park on my way home from college and I just started looking at trees, I thought why couldn't I make something look like bark?? Something with heavy texture and just a bit to much? I thought why not after all that why its a test shoot, You have to test to see if it will work or not..It also suited the colour I wanted to work with. I picked the colour Brown, I chose this mainly because its a colour I'm comfortable working with and I think its a colour that suits most peoples skin tones and its not to harsh either.
   Texture is something that I am not comfortable working with as I have never done it and I don't really know much about it. Basically I decide to use what was available to me that wouldn't be really costly.. After all I am a student :) So I used Paper... Well I actually made Paper Moulp.. Yep that's right.. I cooked a paper bag to put on some ones face. I am fully convinced that my house mates think that I have something wrong with me.
   I first covered the face with Vaseline to act as a base and barrier because I was afraid if the paper dried it would like dry into her skin or something and plus I needed something to stick the bits of paper to. Sadly, This didn't work and I was left with wet balls of paper falling randomly off my models face. I then found the spirt gum in my case and glued on every bit of paper with the glue. It was still falling of in places but since I wanted different textures on the face I figured to just go with it falling off.
   I think I needed to work more with her face shape and maybe bring it down onto her neck to really show off the texture a bit more, but I really didn't think it was going to work so I only cooked one bag. I actually like now that bits of her skin are showing as it is showing different surfaces but I think I need to go away and think about it and build on it, how I can make it better, what it was missing etc. I think the hair might look better if it was more like off the face maybe something similar to marge Simpson?
  Anyone has any thoughts or feed back I'd really appreciate it!! :)

Applying make-up the Elizabethan way ... Literally!!

                                             Applying a base Elizabethan Style

So today in class we got to apply make-up the way the women in Elizabethan times would of done it. Obviously we didn't use led but we did use egg whites and Talc powder. It was a lot of fun and really interesting as we have learned a lot about the make-up of that time and it was so interesting to experiment with it and see how it worked and what they did etc
       We started off by Cleansing and toning the skin. We then applied a base to our models but we made it about 1 or 2 shades lighter then what the model would usually wear as it was an Elizabethan style Make-up. We worked with two different techniques. One with just egg whites and one with egg whites and Talc powder. I did the one with just the egg whites which gave a very dewy look in the photos.

                           The photo here shows my model with no egg on just a base

 

This photo shows my model with the egg whites on over the base I applied.

Producer of how I did this:
First I cleansed, toned and moisturized the skin.
I then picked my base colour
I applied the base colour all over the face
I then applied the egg white with a flat foundation brush gently over the base.

I purposely took the photos on different sides of the face so you can see the difference between the two more clearly.

Cleansers and Toners, products , whats available and how much is everything?

                                                                Skin Products Where to start? There is so many different types of cleaners and toners out there to chose from so how do we know which one is the best? How do we know its working with our skin and not against it? Well luckily Iv done some research and found out about some different products and how do we know whats going to work best with our skin? So many questions!

So to start off I thought I'd start off with, What's the purpose of a cleanser? What does it actually do for us and our skin? Without getting to technical, our skin has five layers to it(scary I know) and a cleanser depending on how its used reaches the levels of the skin to actually cleanse and clean the skin effectively, to break down oils in make up to remove it from our skin and to remove surface dirt and population.

So, To start off I'll make a list of the different types of cleansers available to us to buy.
-Cleansing Milks
-Cleansing Creams
-Cleansing Balms
-Cleansing lotions
-Facial gel or foaming cleansers
-Cleansing bars

Now I will begin to explain some of the types Iv come across, their prices and so forth.

Cleansing Milks-
Cleansing milks are mostly oil in water emulsions(When two products are mixed together and one separates) This means there is a higher amount of water as to oil making it quite light. You can get a cleansing milk for all skin types but they are very good for sensitive skin or normal to dry skin type.

Examples of Cleansing Milks and Brands that sell them.

Dr.Hauschka Gental Cleansing Milk.
Key ingredients- Plant Alcohol(Used as a preservative and to keep the skin firm and toned)
                           -Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract-Has healing qualities and helps with the           natural renewal and regeneration process of the skin.
                           -Glycerin(a humectant-which attracts water to the skin)
       Dr. Hauschka is available to buy from the john Lewis in Southampton and retails at £24 for 145ml or you can purchase a trial size for £3 to see if you are happy with the product and how it works with your skin etc.
  Personally I love the Dr.Hauschka brand, I'm a fan of the organic stuff and this is just such an amazing brand, although on a student budget Iv found a cheaper alternative.


Botanic's Organic range from Boots( I'm obsessed)

Softening Organic Cleansing milk
 Key Ingredients- Rosehip(Nourishing for the skin)
                             -Olive fruit oil
                             -Glycerin (Humectant, attracts water to skin)
This cleanser can be purchased from any Boots Store that sells the brand. It retails at £4.99 for a 250ml bottle and this is the one I am currently using as it leaves my skin feeling really soft and hydrated after I use it. Iv noticed a huge difference in the texture of my skin since Iv started using it, and well, I'm a fan of Organic anything .

NATorganic Facial Cleansing milk.
                      
           PH Balanced for the skin(Will work with any skin type and wont be harsh)
           This product can be used as a face wash aswell which is really nice as some people like      to use a mixture of both so this is a good option if you are one of them.
            
Key Ingredients- Raspberry Seed Extract( Helps to protect the skin)
                                           Red Seaweed Extract- (This helps to fight any inflammation)
                                           Brown Seaweed extract-(For cellular rebuilding)
This product is available online and retails at £12.00 for 200ml
You can purchase this product  NATorganic.co.uk





Cleansing Creams-Cleansing Creams have a higher proportion of oil to water in them which makes it prefer for mature skin or very dry skin and for removing make-up as the high oil content in them breaks down the oils in the make-up. They are much richer and thicker then a cleansing milk.

Examples of Cleansing creams and brands that sell them.


Clinique Comforting Cream Cleanser
Suitable for dry to very dry or mature skin so this product would have a higher oil content then to water thus making it more suitable for a dry skin type. You can massage it into the skin and then either tissue it off or rinse off depending on your personal preference. Its quite ''student friendly'' retailing at £17 for a 150ml size tube- Also the tube works really well as you can cut it open and get all the bits out!

Shiseido Gentle Cream Cleanser-
This is a slightly more expensive brand and cleanser but it is really just a great brand. This cleanser melts away any make-up or oils on the skin which makes it really suitable for a dry skin type it can then be tissued off with damp cotton wool. for 125ml its £20 so slightly more expensive then the Clinique cream cleanser.

Cleansing Balms-Cleansing balms are probably one of the harder types of cleansers to find but are really great for most skin types, Wouldn't be a good idea for an oily skin type though as a balm is something that changed to a fluid and provides moisture to the skin to help improve skin texture so an oily skin wouldn't need this.

Examples of Cleansing Balms-

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm(Anti-Age)
This is a cleansing balm for a mature skin type but they are available for younger skins aswell. It is a treatment balm that again, dissolves the make up and oil from the face and then removed with a damp cotton wool pad. This balm can be used as a treatment aswell as for everyday cleasning. It is made with Natural oils that are grown within the UK , one of these being Rose Oil which is very good for mature or sensitive skin. It retails at £39.50.

http://www.timetospa.co.uk/anti-ageing/anti-ageing-cleansers/elemis-pro-collagen-cleansing-balm/

Cleansing Lotions-Finally, one for the oily skin type . A cleansing lotion is usually made up of mostly water, there is usually no oil or very little oil on them which makes them perfect for a oily skin type. They would not be a great option for the removal of make-up as there is no oil to break down the make-up

Examples of Cleansing Lotions
Ann French Deep Cleansing Lotion/Milk
This product deep cleanses with a lightweight consistency. It also has a very light moisturiser in it aswell so it helps to keep the skin feeling soft after use. This product is not tested on animals and retails at £3.50. It can be purchased from Any Boots store or from any pharmacy that sells the brand.

NO.7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion/Water
This product helps to tighten pores and reduce shine from occurring. You rub it into the skin and then wipe it away with damp cotton wool pads.

Clarins Cleansing Lotion with Gentian
This cleanser is very good because it is ph balanced for the skin. It helps the skin rebalance itself after cleansing which means it wont over dry your skin or strip it of to much oil. It leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth as a result. It has a good price aswell . It retails at £18.00 for 200ml size bottle.

So to summarize everything up, When looking for a cleanser think about what you want, explore a few different options. Also take into consideration what skin type you have or think you have. If your not sure ask someone who is informed and find out. If you have a dryer skin type opt for something that is more rich so a cream, balm etc and avoid using something that involves washing it off as often this creates a dry tight feeling in the skin. Look for something that u remove with damp cotton wool pads, but then it depends on what your happy using also. If you have an oiler skin type, opt for something that is a gel, or a wash or lotion as these are all designed for oily skin. If you have a combitation skin you need to decide if you are more on the oily side or if you are more on the dry side and then work from there, or just use certain products on certain areas of the face to target the problem area.

Applying Foundation/Base- The Professional way!

                                         

            Applying Foundation/Base So in our practical make-up class at Solent we learned how to apply a foundation/base.
The base that we used was greese based and it was from the Krayolan platelet.


In the class we learned how to match the colour exactly to the persons skin colour and how to mix the foundation to get it the perfect shade. In this class I learned the following :

-After cleansing , toning and moisturising scrape out the product and mix it to a suitable shade on the back of your hand.

-You can thin down a base/foundation with a primer if you feel it is to thick

- Grease based foundations go on a lot smoother but really aren't that suitable for someone with an oily skin type

-An oil free foundation is better suited for an oily skin type

-You use a satin primer for a dewy look and a matt primer for a matt look

-On a flim set to stop shine occurring, instead of continuing to add powder you can use a matt primer on the t-zone and continue to add a small amount of this each time there is shine on the skin, this stops the make-up looking like it is just sitting on the skin

-Always apply your base first then add your concealer. If you apply the concealer first the base when its applied tends to take off the base

-In colour correcting concealer , pink neutralises blue tones, green neutralises red, and yellow/peachy colours neutralise   brown shades . The reason the colours do this is because they are the opposite colour to each on the colour wheel.

-When doing concealer under the eye you use 1 or 2 shades either darker or lighter depending on what look you are going for and what you need

-When applying the base you will need to conceal around the nose, mouth and eyes as everyone has naturally different colouring around these areas

-Finish off your look by applying powder
-For a great make-up , Grease on grease , powder on powder.

To the right you can see my images of my base application, The first photo before a before photo. There wasn't time in the class for me to do it in the make-up studio so I did it in my house. I used a satin primer mixed with the foundation to lighter the consistency of the foundation and my model has quite good skin to being with and I didn't want to cover it all with make-up as I wanted a very natural finish to my base. I used a satin primer because my model has quite a dry skin time and I wanted to work with her skin and not against it so I felt this was my best option.

Things I felt I could do better on was client care, when I was doing the concealer around the eye area my models eye became quite red and then started to water. I should of been more careful and asked how she felt.  Maybe focus a bit more on concealing around the nose area as the tip is still a small bit red. I felt the colour match was good but this was also in artificial lighting not white light so this would look probably more warmer on her in white light so it wouldn't be a true colour match but I felt I should work to the lighting that the photos where being taken in.
   The eye lids are slightly more dark then the rest of the foundation but as I was going for a natural finish and I felt naturally your eye lids would be ever so slightly darker I wasn't sure which to keep them a bit darker or to bring them up to the same colour as the rest of the face.
  I would have liked to have tried a matt primer just for a different finish and to feel how the skin is with a different primer but my clients skin was quite dry and dehydrated so I didn't feel it was the best decision to make. I'm looking forward to learning how to contour and highlight the different face shapes in the next coming weeks .

How I applied the base:
I cleansed and toned the face and then applied a light hydrating moisturiser.
My model had some dark circles around her eyes so I concealed them using a yellow based concealer. She had slight redness across her cheeks and nose so I picked a green concealer and applied a small amount on the red areas blending and buffing it out with a stippling brush. When I was happy that I had my correction work done I then chose my foundation -Estee Lauder Double wear light in shade intensity 1.0 , I put some on the back of my hand and then applied a small amount on the jaw to test the colour, this wasn't the right colour it was to dark so I then used the Illamasqua white foundation and mixed it together to get the right colour. When I was happy with the colour I then mixed in a drop of the satin primer .
   I applied the base to the face with a stippling brush and I worked from the centre of the face to the ears , apply the product in the centre of the face and working out, I feel comfortable using a stippling brush as I feel I have more control over the product and I'm able to really work the product into the skin with it so its not just sitting on top of the skin-I feel this also helps achieve a more natural and realistic look. When I was happy with the coverage and base I then applied a lose translucent powder to the face in short sweeping motions as this powder was not for coverage but for finish .
  I used the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation because I'm comfortable working with it, it provides good light coverage without feeling heavy on the skin, it has fantastic staying power and really gives a good finish, it also has oil in it so I felt it was a better option for a model with dry skin as Grease based foundation wasn't an option for me .

Skin Disease's and disorders.

                                                        Skin diseases and disorders

So in class we have been looking at and exploring different skin disorders and diseases so we are aware what to work on and not work on. So iv done some research and found some different skin diseases and disorders to discuss in my blog.
  So first I researched what is a skin disease and what is a disorder, what was the difference between them and so on.

A skin disease is something can be treated but may not be cured.
A skin disorder is something that can be cured.

What is a Contra-Indication?
A contra-indication is any infection or disease that restricts a treatment or application of make-up or certain products.

What is a Contra-Action?
A Contra-action is if a client has a reaction to a product during an application or where you need to adapt the  procedure.


Examples of Skin Diseases I researched.

 RosaceaRosacea is a chronic inflammatory disease of the face. The skin becomes abnormally red.

Characteristics of Rosacea
-Skin becomes abnormally red
-Extreme sensitivity to cosmetics
-Most commonly found in adults over 40 but can start to occur at the age of 20
-The redness may be accompanied by dry, flaky patches of skin which may be painful and itchy
-Most people who have it experience stinging or burning sensations



                                         (Primary care dermatology society.org.uk)
                                                


Seborrhoeic DermatitsThis is a mild to chronic inflammatory disease of the hairy areas.

Characteristics
-Skin may appear to have a grey tent or look like a dirty yellow colour.
-You will get dandruff in your hair, i.e  eyebrows etc
-Skin is scally and there is slight redness


       This image really shows the flaky skin and dirty yellow colour around the lash line
                      ( http://hardinmd.lib.uiowa.edu/dermnet/seborrheicdermatitis23.html)


Examples of Skin Disorders.

Acne Vulgaris.This is a inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous glands where they over produce sebum(oil).

Characteristics
-Enlarged pores with oily, greasy skin.
-Blackheads(comedones)
-White heads(Papules)
-appears more frequently at puberty
-inflammation in and around the sebaceous glands
-There are different levels of Acne Vulgaris,  four in total.



                              http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/acne/slideshow/96/


MiliaMilia is tiny cysts found under the surface of the skin, usually on cheeks but most often around the eye area. It often occurs in dry skin types, after a skin trauma or a surgical producer. It is a build up of dead skin cells trapped.

Characteristics
-White Cysts found just under the surface of the skin
-The cysts appear as white pearly hard spot like things under the skin
-They have to be removed with a sterile micolance



http://www.bodyconfidential.co.uk/Beauty/Skin-Nasties-And-Electrolysis


 All written information reference-
  McGuinness, H. 2012. Facials and skincare in Essence

An Elizabethan Portrait

                                                     My Elizabethan Portrait

So we have been studying the Elizabethan Era in Solent and have been asked to choose a portrait that particularly interested us and visually engaged us. This is to help us further our study of the make-up and Hair styles of the era and also so we have a clear understanding of what is happening in the portraits on a symbolic level.
   The portrait that I found particularly visual engaging was The Plimpton Sieve Painted by George Gower. The painting itself is an oil on panel painting and was painted in 1579.

            

                                       (Image taken from Folger Shakespeare Library)

I chose this portrait because it was one of the final portraits that was done of Elizabeth and it highlights her at her height of power. It is also very symbolic in many ways. First lets explore the symbols in this painting and what's going on in it and what it is all symbolising. The Sieve in her left hand is a symbol of chastity and purity, thus reinforcing Elizabeth's images of the virgin queen. The globe in the background is thought to refer to Elizabeth's explorers discovering and finding new lands. The saying above the globe is written in Italian and is suppose to mean ''I see everything and much is lacking''
   All of the colours she has on where colours worn by only the most elite of people, Red, gold, white etc where worn by elite and royals because they were considered expensive and precious. She is lavishly dressed wearing a jewelled head cap and a pearl edged veil which hangs from the top of the cap.
   This portrait was painted by George Gower. George was an English painter and he did most of Elizabeth's portraits and if he wasn't painting them he was inspecting them to make sure they were suitable to be released to public for viewing. I wasn't able to find out what the symbol on the left above the sieve  was suppose to reference to.
                 (Information taken from Folger Shakespare Library accessed on Mon 7th October 2013)
  Now lets observed the portrait from a Hair and Make-up point of view. First of all the most obvious is that she is not smiling, this is thought to be because of poor hygiene back in this era they did not have facilities to wash and clean their teeth so their teeth would have been rotted and back if they had any teeth left. The other and next most obvious thing is that her face is abnormally white, This was done for a number of reasons to cover scars and to make the skin look flawless. She also has a high forhead and thin arching eyebrows. Elizabeth wore wigs a lot so this would suggest a high forehead and unnatural hair line.
   Hair and Make-up design influenced power. If you look at Elizabeths hair in this portrait for example, it is quite big, and really makes a statement. If you look at her earliest portraits, she has long flowing hair which doesn't have such a power impact in the effect that her later portraits do. Her hair is also darker in her later portraits. She projects the symbol of female power in every portrait and always has a message to send in them which is quite inspiring even in todays world.

    (Information gathered from notes taken in class on Tues 1st October and from a separate class on 7th October and also from the film Elizabeth 1998 and Elizabeth the golden age 2003 )


 

My first week at Solent :)

                                           My first week at Southampton Solent
  
My first week of Southampton Solent was pretty impressive, It is really really different to anything I've ever done before. We had a brief over view of what the course would consist of and we even had 2nd and 3rd year students to come in and give us a bit of guidance and support and handy tips to remember while at Solent and in the course.
  We did projects to practice transforming ourselves where we had to make masks in the form of a collage and wear them. The big thing was for us was we had the make-up team Illasasqua come in and show us a few make-over techniques where we could ask questions about the different products in our kit etc. It was really exciting and really fun. We also met all of our lectures for our course and got to know a bit about them which was also really interesting and inspiring . So far the course seems really exciting and I'm really looking forward to my next three years at Solent studying Hair and Make-up Design.
   At present we are studying the Elizabethans and their culture, ways of life and their hair and Make-up Techniques. At present we have a project to create an Elizabethan character of our choice. Im expecting it to be extremely interesting and very creative. I'm very fascinated by  the movement of Make-up and how we got from then to now. I'm excited to learn the styles and make-up techniques as I think they will be quite classical and will overlap a lot in other projects. I'm planning on doing lots of research before starting my character so I'm able to make it as realistic as possible. I plan on watching historical films, comparing and contrasting images and portraits from the time and carefully analysing them paying close attention to make-up and hair styles. Also collecting quotes from the time and putting them into practice.