fashion makeup kit

Adding To Your Pro Kit For Makeup Artists Featuring Mykitco

In our last blog, we talked about the books we are adding to our working library which included two fantastic makeup books and one on filmmaking which we thought would be beneficial not only to the team but to our readers.

Now we want to talk to the makeup artists out there and remind you that your kit is important, more so now than ever with changes happening on a regular basis and guidance altering how we work collectively, this admittedly varies by company and by budget, none the less it is a good time to invest in solid kit staples that will ensure you are working smart in the new year from fashion and print through to film and TV.

Mykitco is one of the brands that does feature heavily in our creative directors working kit and with a plan in motion to split the kit into 2 parts (more so the tools) a sale is always a good time to buy up brushes and other accessories especially when they are pro-grade and high quality.

What this means for JamesC, is that rather than a full array of kit items brought in and cleaned in stages, he and the rest of the team will focus on small projects that will allow space to clean and in terms of space reduce the need for a larger table so limiting things to 6 f each brush and careful planning for the looks to ensure that we are working smart, and in a time-efficient manner across commercial projects and our festival plans.

*It is worth taking the time to apply for the pro discount available from Mykitco as this will allow you the flexibility to add to your kit over time and add new items as and when you need them.

For further information on the Mykitco range or to follow them across social media see:

Mykitco Website.

Mykitco Instagram.

Mykitco Facebook.

Source: https://www.mykitco.uk/

The iKons Fashion Film 2021

In a year that has seen industry slow down and in some cases completely stop, it is gratifying to see the fashion industry and the creative talent behind it have found a way to showcase not only the designers but the creative talent from behind the scenes.

The House of iKons has stood tall in this with a fashion film and series of collaborations, and partnerships that have shown clearly that fashion talent still has a voice and a place in the world with the people speaking softly and letting the video do the real work. A creative tour de force, this latest incarnation to one of the leading off-schedule fashion events worldwide, has allowed everyone from the makeup staff to the designers to showcase their wares and remind us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Featuring leading designers, creatives, and modeling talent The House of iKons is planning for live events later in the year and into 2022 with their ever-popular show is leading the way for fashion elites and giving a voice to professionals from across the globe.

To learn more about The House of iKons or to get involved see:

House of iKons Website.

House of iKons Facebook.

House of iKons Instagram.

House of iKons Youtube.

House of iKons Twitter.

Source: https://www.houseofikons.com/

The Full Depixym Kit

depixym kit

The team behind Depixym paints have been building the brand and it is now seen as a staple for many in the realms of fashion and print with film and TV artists also reaping the benefits of what is a multipurpose cosmetic grade emulsion that can be used to create a wide array of looks and fits neatly into a working kit. Taking the step to create what can only be described as a covetable working case housing the full collection of the Depixym paints, they have given the artistic a professional case, a full collection in one place of colors that can be blended to make anything that you may require as a makeup artist.

Depixym is a brand that looks at the artist and sees what they need, the tubes are styled to look like traditional art materials and work in any given situation, editorial and creative artists have taken the brand to heart and are creating a storm on social media while others are integrating the range into the more day to day elements of their business, a truly must-have range that needs to be seen.

The newly launched Pro Program (we have joined) offers an even wider incentive to the professionals and has opened the door to new and exciting possibilities, which for us is perfectly in line with the editorial goals we have in motion.

To learn more about the company or to purchase see:

Depixym Website.

Depixym Facebook.

Depixym Instagram.

Depixym paints in the new media sphere

depixym starter kit

As we move into a whole new world for makeup artists, influencers, and creatives in general, many people are having to rethink how they work within the beauty industry.  Starting out of the blocks and ahead of the game in terms of packaging and are starting to think long term with their clients to ensure that they are working safely.  Developed as a brand for experimentation and fun that translated across genres from theatrical makeup to film and television. 

Depixym is going to be a game-changer as the rules and potential guidance long term for how makeup staff can work on set, the products we use creatively will need to change to meet a whole host of new needs and dynamics.  The advantages of having a product that is: 

  • Longwear 

  • Non-transfer 

  • Vegan

  • Cruelty-free

  • Matte, 

  • Blendable

  • Mixable 

  • Waterproof

Those working in fashion and editorial or even the film/TV industry will be able to minimize their kit and get creative without losing the edgy, beauty styles that are often needed or even put together a simple clean makeup look for a more commercial shoot, and with the Depixym emulsions being long wear, it is possible to minimize touch-ups on set as the product itself is designed to be long wear which in the future will be a major consideration when choosing products.  *0194 black emulsion is a multi-tasker (like all the colors) which for liner and mascara should be seen as a potential staple for all artists who need to be able to maximize their output with minimal items for speed.  

Creativity is at the heart of the brand and it is easy to see that but from a pro stance, Depixym has the hallmarks of a kit staple that in the coming months is going to be a game-changer and powerhouse in the cosmetics field as we have to work smarter.   *They also stock brush and sponge soap to ensure you can keep your kit clean which is an important aspect of working today.

To learn more about the brand or to purchase see:

Depixym Emulsions Website.

Depixym Emusions Instagram.

Depixym Emulsions Facebook.

Its All In The Details a tale of Two Beads

One of the fun things about arranging shoots is talking to the other more remote members of the team about details such as bracelets and other jewelry, do we go custom or search charity shops for pretty and unique costume pieces? All of this had to be discussed at length along with different styles and possibilities for our upcoming cover shoots.

In all of the discussions which have covered a range of subjects from clothes to jewelry it has become something of a tale of two beads, with our shoots designed around more of an old school method of character creation:

  • Hero/heroine with lighter color tones and softer touches to the clothing and accessories.

  • Villian more about dark colors and textures.

Amber (Richards) our wardrobe stylist normally works on films and wanted to take this on as a challenge to her own skills and has been really good about creating/sourcing pieces from her own collection, all handmade by the lady herself, and is going to create some specific pieces that will be worn not just by the models but by creative director JamesC for the headshots to be featured on his new portfolio site.

Our first of the female-led shoots is based around a beautiful jacket and set consisting of a pastel green necklace, earrings and bracelet, a portrait shot, this will be submitted to a newer magazine with an amazing following on social media and an aesthetic we at The Lost team can fully get behind.

Lord and Berry Supporting The Fashion Elite

With fashion week coming up and so many shows, designer showcases and events happening across the globe that it is impossible not to talk about one of the leading brands working behind the scenes in the European fashion scene: Lord and Berry. A staple of Milan fashion week and a standout during London and Paris, the company has become a go-to for the premiere event artists of the world for their cohesive, professionally-oriented and comprehensive makeup line.

From a professional stance, the Lord and Berry range is growing to meet the demands of designers and models with key elements and new products that are designed to fit the beauty industries’ commercial needs. As many of us know (especially those from a show background be it theatre or fashion) you need products that are going to work, be cost-effective and give you a comprehensive range from the base (foundations) to shadows that will work with your business.

What catches the eye with Lord and Berry, aside from their stellar credentials, is the dedication. From its start in 1992, when it was considered a niche brand to the current ties to Milan Fashion Week and a household name, they have created a clean, simple line with all the hallmarks that for working artists mark it out professionally as a brand to know, not just developing products in their lab they are using them backstage testing the limits and showcasing the potential of their makeup.

*Noteworthy products like the cream blusher and the new Skin Control Primer (must-see items for the bridal artists and of course fashion) are taking the world by storm, and rightly so, showing the savvy of the team who are thinking of their working artist clientele and giving us products that will work on editorial, event and more. The creme foundations with their clear and concise range of tones and the clever use of plastic bottles making them lightweight and easy to use which realistically in a working kit is a major plus point that shows the thought process behind the company working at fashion week, full understanding that we artists need to travel and extra weight can be a strain.

With a professional discount program: for details of the pro discount click here, their extensive fashion week credentials and of course the range itself, they are in the top list to have in a working kit by many professional makeup artists in the industry today.

To learn more about the Lord and Berry range see:

Lord and Berry UK Website.

Lord and Berry Facebook.

Lord and Berry Twitter.

Lord and Berry Instagram.

*Image courtesy of the lord and Berry website.

Cult Candy Cosmetics For Professionals

In a savvy move that will benefit makeup artists across the board, Cult Candy Cosmetics is taking their range into the pro realm and offering a discount aimed at professionals and makeup schools to open the door to the brand as a staple of a working kit.

What this means is an already affordable and vegan-friendly brand is showing solidarity with the creative community and giving back to the people who are using the makeup.

*For more details on the discount or the potential of the range for schools and artists talk to the team.

“The colours are vibrant, deep, warm, cool and versatile. The palettes each encompass eight diverse shades, with a mix of deep and light. They allow for experimentation and as a vegan product the pigment is vibrant and has staying power.”

To learn more about the brand or purchase from the range see:

Cult Candy Cosmetics Website.

Cult Candy Cosmetics Instagram.

Creating an iKonic Show

When talking about fashion week or even the off-schedule events, there is one show that stands out above and beyond the rest: House of iKons. a stellar showcase weekend of fashion that is fast becoming a household name globally for their savvy marketing, press coverage and the divine array of designers whos work grace the catwalk.

From humble roots to a leading light in fashion in a few short years, it goes without saying that the talent-driven event holds a place creative director JamesC’s heart as he was there for the very first show working backstage as a makeup artist.

Through the years House of iKons has built a solid reputation for the shows and taken risks in film and music supporting various projects both inhouse and on a global scale with CEO and founder Savita Kaye taking on the line producer role for projects more than once in her career.

Giving a platform to the creative and working that tricky middle ground of commercial, it is within our sites to return to the fold and possibly pitch for members of our own team to work (alongside a sponsor) at the show which at this time has an extensive waitlist for not only the designer slots but the backstage area and we will be discussing the options with the CEO later in the year, although we most likely will be sponsors and front of house as a blog team.

With so much on the table with the lost creatives and our sister site Lost Project, we love the potential to showcase and it is little to no wonder that the House of iKons is top of the list for fashion bloggers and magazines with an ever-increasing TV channels like BBC worldwide, etc, vying for a slot at the prestigious show and a waiting list for the press pit.

To learn more about the iKons show or to purchase tickets see:

House of iKons February Ticket link.

House of iKons Website.

House of iKons Twitter.

House of iKons Facebook.

House of iKons Instagram.

Source: https://www.houseofikons.com/

Digital Magazine Research

In the grand scheme of editorial, it is a great tool for marketing when you handle it correctly and put a little effort into the background work of creating and then the marketing after the image(s) are published. Over the last week, we have been really carefully planning around this idea and thanks to certain websites, we have pulled together a list of potential magazines we will shoot Marketing content for.

We are putting together a budget for this, as its a marketing tool, we will be spending a little extra time and money to make this work the best for us as a team.

looking at this as part and parcel of running a business, we decided that alongside our social accounts, website and film plans (a separate blog will come soon on this), editorials are a great tool for putting out your information and showcasing the work we do and what we are planning for 2020.

Each of our planned shoots will be built around themes that suit the magazines we are targetting and interestingly there is an option that will give us front cover style images that can be showcased across the board on our social media accounts.

An option we are looking at which a few of the magazines do look for is behind the scenes stills and video to be included in the submission, which admittedly is a great concept and allows a greater degree of marketing to the images and opens up an interesting dialogue about shoots that we do love.

As creative director and head of makeup this also allows flexibility in changing up the products used, JamesC is looking to downsize some elements of his kit and bring in new products including the My Beauty Brand range for one shoot, in particular, offering an overall experimental feel to the shoots we have planned.

More updates will be coming soon on the forward momentum of The Lost Creatives.

Smartere Secrets London a New Professional Kit Staple

From a media and fashion perspective the Smartere Secrets London concealer has all the hallmarks of an artist staple; waterproof with a good shade range that can be mixed and customized, a built-in brush for convenience, it is the total package for longevity and artistically can and does suit multi-use from concealing blemishes to contouring and sculpting the face (a must in the fashion arena). 

Ideally suited to the rigors of fashion shoots with strong lighting and longevity on a film TV shoot minimizing the interruption to scenes allowing additional time to other areas.  Smartere Secrets London is a brand that must be seen for anyone working media and fashion. 

When it comes to male grooming there is often a demand for quick, easy solutions as most male presenters and on-air talent (including models) want to look clean and tidy rather than made up (news readers often make this request).  

In fashion terms, the ability to use two of the six shades to sculpt and contour the face with minimal hassle is a savior for time when on a shoot or backstage at a show.  Defining the face and giving coverage with a few simple strokes of the built-in brush, again minimizing the need for brushes, etc. 

A range that is designed to work with both consumers and prosumers, it is vegan and cruelty-free with the added and frankly noteworthy certification from the World Land Trust an accolade alone that makes this a brand worth noting and integrating into a fashion and media artist kit. 

To learn more about the brand or to purchase see:

Smartere Secrets London Website

Smartere Secrets London Instagram

Smartere Secrets London Facebook