Beauty with Betty

Scary, this.

Not this, writing the post.

When I was little, people used to stop me in the street and remark upon my beautiful long auburn hair. I loved that. It was easy then, I was just me, my hair was, well, there. People liked it.

When I got a bit older, I had to have an eye patch on my glasses. Lazy eye you see. I defy anyone to get through that without a bit of mental scarring.

So, I'm a youngster, in primary, ginger, glasses, sometimes a patch. I don't remember it being an issue all that much to be fair, except when in the company of "the beautiful" people and it was more my problem than their actions.

Comprehensive school was awfully different though. Being a "rocker" or "sweaty" as we were known in our day, this attracted rather a lot of unnecessary attention. Involving pushing, spitting, verbal abuse etc, etc, etc, in addition to the sneering down the noses of the other posh kids that were inflicted on the normal people by the local public school's lack of sporting facilities.

I remember complaining of this bullying to our Deputy Head directly and being told that he was surprised that I was a "sweaty" as I'd apparently always seemed like a "really sensible girl". Clearly the two things are polar opposites. Obviously nothing was done. As a teenager I was awkward, lacking in social confidence and funny shaped. My best friend Emma had to take me to one side and tell me that the reason I kept getting invited swimming by boys all the time was nothing to do with my sparkling wit and personality. I'd not notice my humongous boobs.

I had no idea what to do with myself, to be fair. I tried and failed in copying the current fashions of the day, all a bit crap it was really. I never felt like I fitted in, or had any real talent really. I was "unremarkable". In so many ways.

After I left school, things improved dramatically, but I was very easily led. Naive. Easy to say that now, isn't it? I was still trying to find my niche, but taking on too much of other people's baggage. I remember distinctly just before I gave birth to my daughter, aged just 18, I had to go to Tesco shopping with her father. Her father (note the lower case "f") was always telling me that he didn't like women who wore make up or spent time on their appearance. (When I first met him I wore loads of make up and spent time on my appearance which now makes me think it was a controlling behaviour rather than a fact). On this one occasion, I was in Tesco, heavily pregnant, wearing the scruffy 2nd hand clothes which were the only ones I had, and I caught sight of myself in the CCTV TV that in those days was right by the door. Not a scrap of make up, clean but totally unkempt hair. I could have been of any age, just not 18. 30? 40? easily. I knew things had to start to change after that. And the relationship didn't last much longer. The whole thing was so closely entwined with self esteem that it was impossible to differentiate.

Cool people do my head in. How do they do it? I don't mean celebrities, I mean street people. People you actually know that are just, like, really cool. Alright, I don't place such a high value on being "on trend" or highly polished like other people do, but seriously, some people are, or seem to be, effortlessly cool. Not I. I don't think it helps that I've never really had much money to spend on nice things either.

It has taken me an awful lot longer to grow into myself than other people. The value thing probably has been an issue. I find it amusing now to be in the beauty industry after all my experiences of appearance, but I feel it gives me a holistic approach to it - much more healthy. I'm still growing anyway. Not finished yet. I'm still not very good at it!

So, my make up.

First off, I ain't got a make up bag - it's a genuine vintage chocolate tin. Allegedly older than me Muvva.

As a Make Up Artist people assume I'm MAC up the ying -yang. Nope.

I like Aldi foundation. Great (and cheap) for daytime providing you can get the right colour match. Mine's perfect. At he moment I'm wearing the lightest e.l.f. flawless finish. e.l.f. are just fantastic. I have three eye mini pallets I'm still working with two Cliniques and an Estee Lauder - all from Bonus Time! They last ages!

Mascara to die for is Max Factor Masterpiece FX. I just love it. Blush is an Accessorise one that Pricey gave me - and I use the flat square brush that came with it. Either that or an orangey Liz Collinge eye shadow and a rounder brush - I love that too.Every day I use e.l.f. high def powder to seal it all in and make it look more vibrant for longer. Is epic. My highlighter of choice currently is the MUA range (Superdrug) "Undress your skin" although when I need to replace it it will be with MAC skinfinish equivalent.

Skincare. I love Clinique Take the Day off make up remover, the new L'oreal micellular cleanser/toner or Avene cleanser - depending on how I feel. I then use the L'oreal pink toner and Avene light moisturiser. At night I use a Dior overnight serum who's name I can't remember or Clinique turnaround cream. Eye cream is Benefit "it's Potent" which is the most wonderful thing ever in the world ever. As a primer I use the L'oreal Nude Magique CC in lilac - is a great primer and gives skin a lovely brightness.

Want to know a secret?

I am the world's WORST for not taking my make up off before I go to bed. I know, I know! Do as I say, not as I do people! And for me the having lovely hands thing is good after 20 years of nail and cuticle biting.

I read an interesting article recently. For the life of me I can't remember where, typical. It talked about "excess". Apparently, the psychological reason we find glamorous people so attractive (generally) is because of excess. In order to be "glamorous" it requires an excess of energy. The implication that these people have an abundance of energy in addition to what is required to fulfil their daily tasks. That is enviable. Also often untrue. The same can be said in respect of monetary issues. The reason flash cars are so attractive is that they show an excess of funds available after looking after daily family monetary needs. This bit perhaps not so surprising but you can apply the "excess" logic to lots of human needs and wants.

This is a great article about beauty and perception...

The Perception of Beauty

So what's next?

The Big Shoot! I can't decide whether it's fortuitous timing or bad timing that the make up free selfies are so popular at the moment. Either way, up to today I think they raised £8million or something so I don't think our opinion matters too much!

So in a couple of weeks time, all the ladies you've met will be doing a photoshoot. Well, two, in one. Once looking as good as we can possibly look - and once with no make up whatsoever. Nothing. And no glamorous clothing either. Just a white bedsheet. We can do this! We've all been through our own stories - we're all comfortable in our own skins. We're all beautiful! As are you!

Will you be looking out for us?

Just a reminder too...

Emma

Cat

Sarah

Denise

Michelle

Lizzy

Lucky Choices

I've got lovely friends, and lovely family. I'm very lucky.

Or am I?

A certain amount of a lot of things in life is down to luck, but the people we choose to surround ourselves with - I'm not sure that this is down to luck.

I have always said that getting paid for doing something stops it from being fun and since I retrained to be a Make Up Artist I've been really conscious to make sure that I don't kill it for myself.

Doing free, voluntary or "TF" work is par for the course and how you build your portfolio and gain experience. It's also how you meet other people in the industry and make new friends. I've met the most amazing people.

It's really rewarding as an MUA for someone to hand you the money after a job well done. Rewarding in that you can continue trading but it's also physical proof of your work. It's good.

It's equally, if not more rewarding, however, when it's free. It's low budget, high creativity. You push boundaries, you push yourselves, you create, make do and fashion - at a moments notice. The buzz is fantastic.

I love the free stuff most usually. Working for LGFB (excited to have a session on Tuesday) is just fantastic, creating with students is just great. Some of the best opportunities are free, and I'm always gutted when I have to say no too something wonderful but voluntary - I just don't have enogh time.

In both my professional and personal life, I find people forgetting their manners to be simply intolerable. It has not happened to me yet but I dare say that one day someone who I am engaged with in a business relationship will be very rude to me. I will deal with that with grace and dignity at the appropriate time.

I've had to make some big decisions this week about how I deploy my time. People I care about are right fed up of not seeing me. I don't blame them (sorry love!).

So,  really, I guess what I'm saying is, I won't put up with bad manners if you're paying me, I sure as hell won't if you're not!

I choose the people I surround myself with very carefully. I like positive, inclusional, down to earth people with good outlooks and plently of drive. I choose to spend  my time in the company of these people and I choose not to spend it with people not of this mind.

It's partially luck, I guess, meeting them in the first place, but it's down to you to choose who to invest in.

I Pinched this from Mashable. I liked it.

Trials, Tribulations and Ultimately Triumph with Michelle

Hi all my name is Michelle Roberts, I am 42 and have my own house in Pontypridd. I don't have any children , and am currently single (very fussy)!

I currently work for Estée Lauder as a makeup artist, I have worked for them for 10 years in which time I have had the pleasure of working with Dolce and Gabbana at the fashion rocks awards in the Albert hall in London. I also work for a charity called Look Good Feel Better, I've been with this charity for nearly 20 years and in the last 2 years I became the regional coordinator , the charity is all about helping women living with cancer deal with the after effects of chemotherapy (loss of hair, eyebrows etc).

I love both my jobs but for very different reasons, I enjoy the interaction I have with customers at Estée Lauder , whilst with LGFB I love the way makeup puts a smile back on their faces during one of the most difficult times of their lives. 

After college I started working on cruise ships as a hairdresser, after my first contract I went back as a salon manager for Steiner transocean,I loved it, who wouldn't travelling the world whilst getting paid for it and partying hard. I had the time of my life and met some amazing people, but sadly I knew I had to settle back on dry land at some point and stop running away as you'll later see.

I came off ships and started working as a makeup artist for Lancome, I worked there for 4 years and later went to work for CK launching Calvin Klein cosmetics into Cardiff. Whilst working for them I decided to do a makeup artiste course, training with an itv makeup artist. After 2 years I collected my diploma and done some theatrical work as well as tv and also done the makeup for the music awards in the coal exchange in Cardiff, not long after I started working for Estée Lauder . 

I've been through a lot of highs and lows in my life, but I know I've now come out on top. When I was 19, my brother died, and in the same year I was raped by a man I knew. I started being very withdrawn, hated looking in the mirror and thought that what had happened was my fault. I started making myself sick, I finally felt like I was in control, but how wrong I was. I put my family through hell which I'm know deeply sorry. My confidence had gone, my parents were my rock. I was absolutely devasted when the only man I would ever trust my dad was diagnosed with cancer and after battling with this disease for 2 years slipped away, it made myself, mum and sister a lot stronger as a family.

So as you can see makeup for me was like a mask, it hid the person I was behind it. I went through a stage of wearing really gothic makeup, my makeup these days is a lot more reserved. I love experimenting with colour for going out normally making my eyes my main focus, but I do love a bit of red lippy . 

I was taught from a young age to wear skincare, I cleanse my skin twice a day, then in the day I use Estée lauders Even Skintone Illuminator. This helps with uneven skin, brown spots and also brightens the skin. I follow with Daywear moisturiser, I love the fresh cucumber scent it brings. I then use ANR for the eyes, this works on dark circles, puffiness and fine lines, and in the night I use the same cleanser and eye cream but change my serum too ANR for face. It's the no 1 repair serum, it helps to remove cellular debris and also has high levels of hyloronic acid for hydration. I follow with a night cream time zone night, it has all the anti ageing benefits. 

Ohhh so now for my makeup bag! I first apply macs strobe cream followed by double wear foundation in desert beige, then I use doublewear concealer for any imperfections and believe me there's many, and as my skin is on the pale side I use Chanel's bronze universal , this gives coverage which is buildable and can be used on any skintone. Then I wear a very neutral eyeshadow followed by gel liner across my top lashes, and doublewear pencil in onyx across my lower lashes. I wear a mascara called hypnose drama by Lancôme in black, it separates and lengthens my lashes, I have high cheekbones so I like to add a touch of shimmer to my cheeks using Benefits what's up, I then use lovers blush blusher by Estée Lauder, this looks very beige in container but it gives a soft peachy tone, I complete my look using a lip liner and a cherry red lip gloss , I have a makeup box full of different colour eyeshadows, lippys and blushers, it helps that I get most of my makeup of my work allocation as don't honestly know if I could afford it all if I weren't in the industry. 

So you see I still use makeup to mask my insecurities but I am dealing with them, everything I've done in my life including the highs and lows have made me the person I am today,with the help of my family I can now look in the mirror and actually don't mind what looks back.

Unfortunately we live in an era now where magazines, tv and other media reflect on how a young girl thinks they should look stick thin, gaunt etc. there is nothing natural about them. But it is very influential to a young girl just becoming a women and that's very sad. Young girls should have a healthy balance between watching tv and engaging in non sedentary activities. Media is a vast form of communication that permeates nearly every aspect of modern culture. Young women are exposed to all sorts of media outlets from television, movies and advertising to social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. Media isn't inherently positive or negative, however young girls should have a healthy balance between exposure to media and other intellectually,physically stimulating activities. 

Every women is beautiful in their own individual way. There is always somebody in life to put you down, but believe in yourself and everything will fall into place. I agree with Lizzie, why can't women support and empower other women ? :) 

The Scarlett Woman - Cat

Hi, my Name is Cat and I’m your typical run of the mill ‘forty-something’ single mum of two man-boys, Sam, aged 19 and Conor aged 15, affectionately known to me as ‘Kevin & Perry’ (anyone who’s seen this film and has two teenage boys, will understand why I call them this!) and my Miniature Schnauzer, Gerrard (this little dog is my baby and completely and utterly spoiled and definitely runs our household!) and yes, he’s named after a football player (would rather  it was Gerard Butler!).

By day, I’m a Director of a B2B Telecoms company, i-ComSolutions, that provides Mobile devices, landlines, vehicle tracking and lone worker support devices.  For me, being in business is all about building up a long standing relationship with a client (they have no choice with me, ‘cos boy can I talk!). I also help out some of our clients with their social media platforms and also do some blogging for them too!

I’m also a hardcore networker, who’s day sometimes starts at 5am (due to the networking and the time it takes me to get ready and at least try and feel human enough to talk business with other professionals!).

This project I was (nicely) cajoled into through Bethan, who I actually met through Twitter, chatted to for a while and then bumped into each other at the local supermarket! Needless to say, Bethan recognised me by my hair colour!

By night, I’m a Bokwa instructor, running 3 evening classes a week. Running the classes ensures I keep up my training routine, otherwise I may be tempted to sit at home in a onesie drinking coffee!

After my Bokwa classes, I’m then doing all the usual run of the mill housewifey things! Trying to spend some ‘quality’ time with my boys went out the window ages ago!  The 19 year old is either in work, playing football for the local team or out socialising with his mates and the 15 year old gets in from school, either goes to Army Cadets, out with his mates or is locked into the Playstation 3.  We do try and grab some time though and we do call ourselves the ‘dysfunctional four’ (including the dog!) as we all realise we are not perfect, can make fun of ourselves and also act ourselves without worrying what others say about us! Doing Bo’ Selecta impressions in the Supermarket is one of our favourites!

When I do then find the time, catching up with my mates has to be done.  We all have socially defunct calendars as one friend runs a pub, another is a Policewoman, another is a Doctor and the other is a manager for a well known Swedish store (blue & yellow in colour), you can imagine how different our work schedules are, so arranging a social night for us all to be able to attend is like asking Mohammed to move the mountain!

I drink way too much coffee but otherwise only drink water, so in my mind I balance it out………… I also don’t sleep enough!  Nowhere near as much as I should, even at weekends, my brain clicks into gear and I have to get up.  8am is a lie in for me!

I am a lover Kurt Geiger shoes….. I know nearly all women love shoes (and I hate to be stereotypical) but these are my weakness, fuelled by the constant bombardment of emails from Kurt Geiger when there is a sale on!  My finger just clicks that link and off I go into my own little world of shoe porn!

I also love the colour red (as you can tell by the photo!).  There’s a story as to why my hair is red, short version is because I can now!

So what do I keep in my make up bag?  I’d love to say I have a great skincare routine….. It’s getting better as I get older as I do not want to grow old gracefully!  Waking up every morning and staring at the female version of Animal from The Muppets in the mirror kick starts me into action!

I’ve recently been introduced to Theraderm Skincare and wow!  What a difference to my skin!  It feels fabulous and it seems to have taken on a new found glow all of its own! I got given a travel pack trial (around £30 retail price) and after 3 weeks I was a convert!  The full size pack costs around £100 and does last 7-9 months, so this is now part of my daily regime! The Theraderm skincare comprises of, a cleansing wash, Fruit Acid Exfoliant, OPC Reparative Gel and Enriched Facial Moisturiser.  Since I’ve started using it I have had quite a few comments on how good my skin looks, so that’s good enough for me, even though I know I have a long way to go!

Since hitting 40, I’ve started to REALLY worry (I only did a little before) about getting old, how my skin will fare as I’m on the wrong side of 40, will my face look like a pair of Nora Batty’s tights (I hope I’m not showing my age too much by Quoting ‘Last of the Summer Wine?’).

For years I’ve used Boots No. 7 make up.  It is my make up bag staple.  I find their products stay put all day and I don’t have to carry around a full make up bag for ‘top-ups’ throughout the day, especially when I’m leaving the house at 6:30am and have to carry on until 8pm at night! I start off with the No.7 Primer and My favourite foundation is No. 7 Protect and Perfect and I top it off with the No. 7 Bronzer.  Being a red head with the complexion of a pint of milk, fake tan is a must for me.  I refuse to use sunbeds as I don’t want to damage my skin or have the threat of skin cancer hanging over me, so for me Unreal fake tanning mousse is my MUST HAVE beauty product.  I’ve used fake tan for years and have found some great ones and some seriously bad ‘tangoed orange look’ brands but for me Unreal is perfect!  It’s reasonably priced, dries instantly and doesn’t have that awful ‘burnt biscuit’ fake tan aroma.  I met Liz who is the owner of Unreal at a networking event and she sent me a few samples and from that moment on, I knew I would never use another fake tan brand.  I never look like an oomp-loompa and know I can put it on last thing before I go to bed and within minutes, jump into bed without having to do the ‘tan dance’ to dry it off!  As I do use so much fake tan, I do exfoliate a lot using Soap & Glory Sugar Scrub and body moisturiser afterwards (and a cold shower to close the pores back up!)

The rest of my make up bag is made up of an array of No.7 Blushers, Eyeshadows, eyeliner and Long lash mascara, as I have the worst eyelashes EVER!  I have no length or curl on them and I they seem a little sporadically placed around my eyes, so if I use too much mascara I look like I have spiders hanging off my eyelids!……  I’ve only used fake eyelashes once, by the end of the evening they were hanging off my eyes, which resulted in me ripping them off in the middle of a pub!

In my quest not to grow old gracefully, I am going to admit that I do visit The Heaven Sent Day Spa based in Newport for a treatment called CACI on my face.  I’ve just started having these and CACI is a non-surgical Botox for any part of the body.  The CACI Machine was originally invented for people who suffered Bells Palsy or a Stroke as it puts electronic pulses into the skin to re-train and stimulate the muscles.  My weathered face is having the CACI treatment at the moment and in a few sessions, my winkles, frown line and lip lines are all looking so much better.  It’s also making me feel good, which is what it’s all about for me!  It’s all part of me feeling good, trying to look (relatively) good for my age and all part of my health and maintenance, which for me is paramount.  It’s also a relaxing experience, doesn’t hurt and leaves me feeling quite serene.  The sessions only last about 20 minutes each, so doesn’t even take up a lot of my time (not that I have much spare anyway!).

I suppose all this boils down to how I perceive myself and how I think others see me.  You see, I was one of the ‘ugly kids’ at school, you know the ones, buck teeth, terrible hair, chubby.  I did however have a sister who was beauty personified.  This obviously made me feel a lot worse and I was always being compared to her.  She was stick thin, gorgeous long flowing thick dark hair, beautiful face….you get the picture?  When you stood us together, we looked like the number 10 (she was the number 1, I was the big round 0).  I suppose in a way I’ve always had to compete with her in the looks department, so for me, now having treatments at the spa is my way of making me try to look and feel the best I can with what I’ve been given.  That’s all part of why I train too, I don’t want to look or feel my age!

 I’m not sure if being single has something to do with how I look after myself too?  I’ve been on my own for 2 ½ years now and not that I’m complaining, as my second husband wasn’t the mot charming of men…….  He is one of the reasons my hair is red.  Silly as it sounds, he stopped me having a life, going out with friends was not an option, dying my hair brown was ok, he liked to destroy the house a lot (ripping doors off was his speciality!) and made me feel completely worthless and trapped, so now my confidence has suffered and my beauty regime is being reflected in this.  Does this make me vain, or just another victim of manipulation and bullying by a man? I can’t even go to the local shop without make up on! We’ve all been there….I can go out all made up and see no one I know, yet the minute I step out the door without a stitch of make up on, hair all over the place, looking horrific, I bump into my Ex or a person I don’t get on with!

I do think however, the beauty magazines and industry have a lot to do with it.  You pick up a glossy brochure and spy a model or actress with perfect skin, no blemishes, no marks, just pure. Stick thin and long legs (I do have those!) I am under no illusions that I will ever look that good or have skin like that but do those models have it either?  The media are so good at airbrushing and touching up photos now that I do look at them and think, are these real people?  Do they look like that all the time?  Catwalk models are so painfully thin, it’s unreal!  The pressure put on those poor young ladies to be that thin must be immense!  Is any woman naturally that skinny?  It’s the young teenage girls who see these pictures that it affects….. They think they HAVE to look like that in order to be loved or noticed.  Not the case!

WOMEN NEED CURVES!  Bust and hips are a must!

I do love it though when you see photos in magazines of these models and actresses without the make up, lighting and fabulous clothing, all looking a little more ‘natural’ and more like us!…… Makes you realise that they are all human after all!  Can we have more of these please? 

Social Media is changing the boundaries of photos too….  Instagram for instance…. Filters….to make your face look better.  Ok, so we all use a little one now and again to enhance our features……  There is also an app called ‘Perfect 365’ which can completely alter your face!  You can slim down your face and jaw line, smooth skin, change eye colour and even add make up, which to me seems pointless!  I did one as a comparison (I did however take it to the extreme) and put the two photos side by side, my natural face and the made up face.  I looked like a mannequin!  Completely un-natural and plastic! Why would anyone want to make themselves look fake?  Or is that what I do anyway by having treatments, dying my hair and wearing false nails?  Am I not being true to myself or just trying to give myself a confidence boost?

Someone told me recently, you’ll never look as bad as your passport photo or as good as your Facebook photo and I think they may be right!