Category Archives: The Professionals

The Professionals….Cassie Steward

The third installment of our Professionals is Cassie Steward, http://www.cassiemakeup.com/ one of our super cool and talented makeup artists that we use for Aussie events. Read on for Cassie’s fabbo interview…

How did you get your first break in the industry?

There wasn’t really a definind moment per se – I’d worked really hard assisting and testing for a few years and slowly started building up my client base and as my reputation grew, the jobs became bigger.

Who or what inspired you to become a makeup artist?

Just like any girl, I’d always loved make-up and hair since I was very young. I used to steal my mum’s lipsticks and eyeshadows and give myself some disasterous make overs at age 3 or 4 – there’s lots of photo evidence to prove it! I suppose the fascination with it just never went away, so I enrolled on a basic make-up course at my local college at 16 and spent the next few years assisting… the rest is history!

What has been your most exciting assignment to date?

I’m not sure to be honest – there have been all sorts of weird and wonderful jobs. I think probably my proudest would have had to have been Triumph swimwear a few years ago as it was my first big campaign at that point and was very exciting for me at the time. The Federicci ice cream ads are always a bit surreal too – not often I find myself working in a chapel with models in full nun/priest outfits kissing!

Who’s been the best celebrity to work with?

Sophie Anderton – very inspiring as it’s so rare to see someone who you’ve seen so many photos of in magazines/newspapers be even more beautiful in real life. Also Peter Crouch was a good one – very funny, easygoing and down to earth.

Who or what has been your biggest disaster?

I haven’t had a single big disaster yet (touch wood) but for the first year or so of my fledgeling make-up career, my models certainly seemed to walk away from my chair with a mysterious orange ring around their face… when I look back at the photos it’s so cringe!

If you could pass on one Makeup artist / hair stylist secret, what would it be?

A good skincare reigime. No make-up can beat finding and using the right products/process on your skin – it’s absolutely priceless, vital to a beautiful make-up application and those who look after their skin not only product-wise but also with their diet, water intake etc will see the benefits for the rest of their life.

What are the key looks right now?

Pastels are a key trend at the moment, in clothes and in make-up. Make-up wise, I don’t find most of them very wearable, but I absolutely love a good coral lipstick – there is a shade of coral for everyone and whilst it’s on trend right now, it’s also quite classic.

What celebrities are really working the look this year?

One that really jumps out for me is Beyonce – her latest video is amazing and I think she always manages to get it spot on. She is always on trend but never looks like she’s trying too hard, and always keeps it quite classic with her wardrobe/make-up/hair, with flashes of colour to keep things on trend. Her make-up artist Francesca Tolot is amazing. Beyonce always looks fantastic. I also like the fact that she seems to embrace her body shape even though she’s not stick thin – I hate celebrities who endorse the size zero phenomena as for most girls it’s unrealistic and quite dangerous.

Which celebrity have you always wanted to work with?

I have two – Mariah Carey (don’t laugh) as I’ve loved her and her music since I was very young and I think her face is unique and gorgeous, and also Jennifer Love Hewitt – very classy, wears her clothes well and obviously looks after herself with her beautiful skin, hair and great features.

If you weren’t a makeup artist what would you be doing instead?

I think when/if I retire, my top choices are leaning towards washing dogs at a poodle parlour or working in a cupcake shop – sounds pretty stress free to me!

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The Professionals, Amber Rose Peake

Our next Professional is Amber www.amberrosehairstylist.com, who many of you may have already met (and loved!) at our Angel events. Amber is a professional hair stylist, and has been doing an absolutely amazing job with us at Aussie. Take it away Amber!

How did you get your first break in the industry?

Styling the hair for The Jasper Gardiva Autumn/winter10 lookbook. The lookbook was given out to every one at his show so it was a great opportunity.

Who or what inspired you to become a hair stylist?

Guido Palau and Eugene Souleiman because of the beautiful way they style hair, it blows me away every time I see their work and I really look up to them.

What has been your most exciting assignment to date?

Working back stage at London fashion week last season was really exciting; it’s pretty busy but I enjoying doing it!

Who’s been the best celebrity to work with?

Brain Friedman and Hofit Golan were so much fun to work with and they were both lovely.

Who or what has been your biggest disaster?

At the start of my hairdresser training my lovely mum had a few wonky hair cuts but her hair is beautiful now!

If you could pass on one hair stylist secret, what would it be?

Always use conditioner on your hair when washing, it will make your life so much easier! If you can try and leave the conditioner on for 3 minutes give it time to work deep into your hair. The secret to good hair is good condition, I recommend Aussie 3 minute miracle!

What are the key looks for Summer?

Soft updo’s like the hair from Spring/Summer 2010 Alexander Wang, Chanel, Prada. Are great looks for the summer, really pretty and perfect for the hot Summer days!

What celebrities are really working the look this year?

I think Alexa Chung and Florence Welch  are both working the soft summer looks this year.

Which celebrity have you always wanted to work with?

Gisele Bundchen and Maria Carey because they both have great hair and I’m a huge fan of them!

If you weren’t a makeup artist / hair stylist, what would you be doing instead?

I love my job so that’s a hard one but I think I would be a clothes stylist or work in child care.

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The Professionals, Jo Saville…

The first of our Professionals is Jo Saville, who’s one of our Aussie Makeup Artists for our upcoming Aussie events. You can check out her work here.

How did you get your first break in the industry?
I assisted different make up artists after I trained; eventually the hard (and often free) work paid off and I got to work on some amazing photo shoots and TV programmes, and I have been lucky enough to continue from there.

Who or what inspired you to become a makeup artist?
Firstly, I have always loved make up! Secondly, A fascination with magazines and celebrities style! I could look at magazines endlessly, always getting inspired from photographs, wanting to be able to re-create looks that I had seen. Now I get to create the different looks myself on a day to day basis and work in such an exciting industry; I still have to pinch myself to believe that this is my job.

What has been your most exciting assignment to date?
Probably one of my first jobs – I loved working on City of Vice, it was a Channel 4 Programme. It was my first TV assignment and I loved the whole experience, something different to anything I had ever done. Also getting my first Front Cover – I loved every moment of the shoot, I enjoyed the pressure of knowing that if we got it right it would make the front cover, and seeing the end results was so exciting and rewarding.

Who’s been the best celebrity to work with?

Everyone who I have worked with to date has been so lovely.

Who or what has been your biggest disaster?

Embarrassingly, asking a lead actor if he could help me clean up a spillage as I thought he was the cleaner! He kindly obliged…it wasn’t until later on set I realised who it was!

If you could pass on one Makeup artist secret, what would it be?
Less is more for any look!

What are the key looks for Summer?
Fresh faced, radiant skin is a key look (and one that will never date). Pastel shades are making a come back over summer; a soft glowing flush on cheeks and pinks and corals for the lips.

What celebrities are really working the look this year?
Lauren Conrad, Kate Bosworth, Kate Hudson – all fresh faced and glowing!

Which celebrity have you always wanted to work with?
Meryl Streep and Julie Walters; I just love them!

If you weren’t a makeup artist / hair stylist, what would you be doing instead?
It would have to be something rewarding, perhaps a form of charity work, helping people or children in need. The most amazing days in my job so far that will stay with me forever have been those spent making people feel better than they ever have, bringing back confidence that has sometimes been lost through illness or hardships in life, through something as simple as a makeover. If I could do that every day for people that would be a dream come true.

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