Working The Makeup Dept Budget With Desired FX

In the world of film and TV, budgets can be the biggest constraint alongside time, to the creative process. For the makeup department often this means we have to search out cost-efficient options to create a particular look or downgrade the process to fit the money available, thankfully, there are services like Desired FX that can help with this and give you a budget-friendly, professional add-on to your kit that will push the department ahead.

From silicone wounds to scars, tattoos including bruising and standard designs, Desired FX offers up a range of products that will work for most scenarios and even offers a studio custom service to allow further scope for creativity on a budget.

With increasing options in the digital market from Amazon to HOD TV (Horror on Demand), the indie film sector has never been so popular with the on-demand film/TV sector becoming bigger year on year, but budgets being tight in the circuit, having the option of a team like Desired FX who can provide cost-efficient options for the FX department, there is scope to bring a different dimension as a department head working smart with the available funds.

To learn more about Desired FX or to purchase see:

Desired FX shop ( 10% off on all products with the promo code "JamesClark10")

Desired FX Instagram.

Desired FX Facebook.

Adding To Our Book Collection

With the Christmas and New Years’ break in midflow, we wanted to take some time to add to our collection of books for work both in filmmaking and of course in makeup artistry (at the behest of our creative director JamesC). Naturally, with Boxing day sales, and gift cards in our pocket it was a really good time to add to the collection and give us time to read up on new techniques and look at some other perspectives.

Of course, we wanted to share the top 3 books that have made our list and give a brief overview of why we bought them starting with:

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie!: Inexpensive Filmmaking In This Content-Hungry Age by Ivan Peric, aside from the title (which immediately grabs attention) this was one that from the chapter list alone spoke to the team because it does talk in terms we are thinking and puts the emphasis on the commercial aspect of filmmaking, so we did purchase the book in hardback for our collection. We will be going into more detail on this book for the blog soon with the support of the Author, so stay tuned.

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Amazon UK.

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Amazon USA.

A Complete Guide to Special Effects Makeup 3 by the Tokyo SFX makeup workshop, was a real plus as it will add dimension to the collection and be in line with our second makeup-oriented book, which is one that will be bought in again as a backup. Focusing on cuts, scars, and wounds, this book offers up a different perspective on techniques that we are really interested in and want to integrate into our work next year.

A Complete Guide to Special Effects Makeup 3 Amazon UK.

A Complete Guide to Special Effects Makeup 3 Amazon USA.

Special Effects Guide Of Real Human Wounds and Injuries By Mr. Benito Garcia iii, a must for anyone interested in film and TV makeup, this is a truly graphic and comprehensive book that covers different aspects of bodily injury and shows you in real terms what they should look like making it entirely possible to replicate this with special effects.

Special Effects Guide Of Real Human Wounds and Injuries Amazon UK.

Special Effects Guide Of Real Human Wounds and Injuries Amazon USA.

We have other books coming and within the collection but these were real standouts and worth sharing as we move forward with our own plans and goals.

Sideshow IPA Palettes by The AFX Company

The Allied FX company is widely known for their professional-grade IPA (Isopropyl alcohol activated) palettes under the name Bluebird FX and their latest addition to the family: Sideshow, an affordable, quirky, high-grade palette that since its launch in February has in short order become a go-to for makeup artists across the spectrum of the creative fields.

“With a clever mix of old favorites and brand new colors, the sideshow palettes are stealing the show for their cost-effective quirkiness. “

Currently, a range consisting of 7 palettes (with other elements being added soon) each with its own unique color set and vintage style cover image, the palettes are designed carefully to suit a particular requirement and has the savvy of a team who are working artists themselves looking to make not just their jobs a little simpler but also a little more fun, beyond the quirks you can see what is a genius move for the Allied FX Company, opening the door to a whole host of new clients from students to professionals the Festival range is perfect for those working in the low to mid-range budgets of film and TV (with the increasing use of internet services such as HOD TV, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Streamlette, this will be a welcome addition to a makeup kit) and carries over the larger, high scale budget productions, a professional palette that transcends its price range of $59.10 in Australia (in the UK £36) and puts a whole new slant on character work and development.

• Body art: designed for body art and tattoo creation.

• Bruiser: a unique and carefully structured palette suited to its name, bruising.

• Dark Ride: a series of day glow shades that come to life under blue light.

• Dead-Alive: Perfect for zombies and illness, the death pallor look of haunted houses and Halloween.

• Gore: for the creation of scratches, cuts, and wound filling a box of tricks that is worthy of note.

• Gothic: aethereal and suited to those deeper, more cool tones looks (think vampire).

• Rouge: designed for breaking down and creating crusty characters and drunks.

For us at the lost creatives, yes we can see a use for the whole set but standing tall in this are 2 in particular that we are adding to our working kit via creative director and head of makeup JamesC, to match the work and styles of shoots we have planned for TV and print: Bruiser and Gore, which will be perfect additions to our work and will see multiple uses with the possibilities of this range being endless and others coming into play with projects in development (early stages of scripting).

In what is a market-led move, the Allied FX Lab are tackling and offering up quality products at a lower price point without compromise, the AFX company are amongst an elite of the profession and are pushing the boundaries of the makeup world giving us what we need to create the most realistic (and surreal when required) and putting the prosumer at the heart of their thinking.

The Festival range fits perfectly with a wide array of requirements and situations including:

• Students.

• Film and TV production professionals.

• Haunted House.

• Halloween artists.

• Cosplay.

To learn more about the range or to purchase see:

The Allied FX company website.

The Allied FX company Instagram.

The Allied FX company Facebook.

Depixym paints in the new media sphere

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.

Future-Proofing Your Pro Mua Kit Featuring Mykitco

As we move closer to returning the salons, TV studios and film sets, this is a good time to start thinking about your working kit and how you can ensure your client’s comfort in the makeup chair. Something that our creative director JamesC is keen to look at is brushes and storage, especially minimizing the kit he carries around and the team behind the British brand Mykitco are on the top of their game when it comes to this and their new releases (8 brushes) show the thought they are putting into working artist kits and how working styles are evolving.

Starting with the basics, the brushes (which are what Mykitco has become famous for), are growing to meet the needs of artists and the new launches are a marker of the care taken and this show’s a development pattern that works with the target audience and as professionals will give you a better working kit to better serve your customers.

*It has always been smart to have multiples in brushes and now planning is going to be even more important with people becoming savvier to what is and isn’t acceptable, it’s better to have a minimal plan of action before you go into a client space. For example, setting up brush tubes or pouches with specific kits for each person may be a little bulky but will give your client a little assurance that you have their health and safety in mind so with a booking or 4 clients you can carry enough kit and plan around that with backups in your bag should you need and the chances of cross-contamination are lowered with individual sets. Multitasking brushes slipped into your kit will also make a big difference to individual applications.

Storing and transporting your makeup will also be a consideration and Mykitco has a wide array of bags big and small to suit your needs. JamesC owns the Mykitco Essential Buddy and loves it for small to medium size gigs where space is at a premium and the Travel Buddy is also a good option *depending on your own personal style and needs.

As the co-founder James Molloy (premier makeup artist) is on the pulse of what’s happening in the industry and leading the way with teaching through his Instagram using the Mykitco face charts and giving advice and tips to move us forward as creatives.

Working with Mykitco products is about more than just having a professional quality kit, its about a sense of community and artistry.

To learn more or shop with Mykitco (See the Faq’s for pro discount details and terms) see:

Mykitco Website.

Mykitco Facebook.

Mykitco Instagram.

Mykitco Twitter.

Professional Supplies With The Makeup Armoury

Founded in 2016 The Makeup Armoury has become a go-to for industry suppliers. From beauty to FX they are a community-style shop designed to support the professional working artists of the industry. Started by a veteran of the industry Jan Sewell, this has become a go-to supply station and all-round makeup hub.

With a wide range of products from across the beauty and FX spectrum, The Makeup Armoury is setting a new benchmark in professionalism with their dedicated team of working artists making the biggest difference to how the shop works, the team are able to answer questions and offer support which can easily be seen from the blog and the general tenor of the reviews and people being interviewed.

A savvy array of products such as the world-renowned Makeup forever and artist dream Viseart palettes, it is the set bags that have become their biggest sellers. As any artist will tell you, carting your kit onset is just not practical. A good set bag, which the working artists behind the brand have found, can make your job so much easier.

Standing out (for our creative director in particular) is the Marlene, with a detachable tissue pocket and dividers internally it is the perfect accompaniment to working on set for film, TV, editorial and more.

 “The makeup industry with all its effervescence and ingenuity can be relentless and ruthless – this is where we come in. We are your comrades. We are your tools. We are your Armoury.”

To learn more or to purchase from the Makeup Armoury store see:

The Makeup Armoury Website.

The Makeup Armoury Instagram.

The Makeup Armoury Twitter.

The Makeup Armoury Facebook.

Brushwork Cosmetics Customisation a Professional Take

As the creative director and senior makeup artist of the Lost Project and Lost Creatives, I do work in different areas from film and TV through to fashion and editorial. My working kit is something I am constantly working on editing it by adding or changing up the kit but one thing I am really big on is an investment in key components such as makeup brushes. With this in mind when I saw the news that Brushwork Cosmetics was offering customization throughout January, I knew I had to talk about it from a professional stance.

While I appreciate this is a limited offer (for the month of January) it is really savvy for artists in makeup such as bridal and salon, fashion, film, and TV, to take advantage of this deal and here’s my reasoning why:

• Customized brushes with your name on the handle are easy to keep track of when you're on a job or with a client.

• It adds an extra dimension, think of it, clients will see this and know that you have taken time and care over what you have in your working kit and shows you have invested in your business.

• This also allows you to add your brand to the brush and it becomes a subliminal part of your marketing when you post images on social media. People will be aware of your name and associate it with professional brushes.

As someone who is a brush aficionado, I do support and endorse the range and this added dimension of “tagging” is for me a fantastic option that as stated above allows you to keep track of your kit. Brushwork Cosmetics as a whole offers Japanese Heritage brushes and cosmetics that are beyond compare and offer a premium range of well-curated brushes and cosmetics that sit beautifully in a working kit with or without the customization.

To learn more about the range or to purchase see:

Brushwork Cosmetics Website.

Brushwork Cosmetics Instagram.

Brushwork Cosmetics Facebook.

The Westmores of Hollywood

For anyone in the makeup industry, there is a nod of reverence due to the Westmore family that needs to be done as we move into a new decade: acknowledging those whose innovations and skills have helped to drive our industry forward, defining and shaping how we view the beauty side of makeup as well as creating iconic characters and showing the potential of makeup in a cinematic realm, the Westmore family is amongst those founding clans that have changed the way we look at makeup and created an art form second to none with a flourish that has spanned over a century in film and TV.

Icons of cinema and TV makeup, they are often overlooked in the public domain but remain firmly (and rightly), a part of cinema history with a continuing stance of professional standards that echoes across the world.  Hollywood royalty is a term that is often thrown around without knowledge and rarely looks at the talent behind the cameras who helped create the iconic images and star looks that are still held up today as a classics of both stills and moving images.

Credited as the founders of the makeup artist role in cinema, the Westmore family are seen across the board as being innovators at the start of an industry giving it an edge and sense of style to a world that is unrivaled to this day.  With reams of coverage over the years, the family historian, Christiana Benson a makeup artist and beauty marketing guru of repute in her own right, is taking the lengthy and storied history of her family and making them available to everyone as a part of cinema history. 

From its early days with George Westmore and his sons to its current family artists, the Westmore clan is amongst the elite of the elite in cinematic history and worthy of note to anyone in or entering the field of makeup artistry.  

To learn more about the Westmore family and their brands see:

The Westmore’s of Hollywood Site.

The Westmore Beauty Makeup line.

The Westmore FX line.

My Beauty Brand as a Professional Tool

From a professional makeup artist stance (or that of a beauty blogger) the newly launched range of My Beauty Brand has all the hallmarks of a game-changer for the savvy artist. Looking at key areas of the makeup range and potential avenues we wanted to break this down and show different artist positions and how this can be a beneficial range as a sales tool or for the sheer simplicity of access.

1: Salon freelancers/wedding artists: sales can often top up the wages of an artist and having a brand in-store can be expensive to arrange. My Beauty Brand offers up a simplified solution. Having the range in your kit (an investment with a potential return is always good), you can add the link to your own store to your cards allowing clients to choose from your curated favorites or buy from the collections giving you a commission on sales.

2: Fashion/event makeup: our creative director has worked on numerous shows as an artist and a supervisor, so understands that models do ask for information on the makeup used so they can buy it for themselves. What better option is there on two levels than My Beauty Brand, you can control the look and offer a one-stop-shop for a look, earn commissions on sales and ensure that everyone is on the same page for cosmetics with the back up of ease of marketing as stated above, your shop link on a card or linked to your site allows you to promote your own favorites and streamline the process as supervisor.

3: Film and TV makeup: in much the same manner outlined in the previous two, you can work theMy Beauty Brand range into your kit and know that you will be able to recoup some of your outlay (if you shop from your own store) and that the makeup is suited to your needs from the creative to the commercial. With the added bonus of knowing that actors who want to have a piece of the range can buy direct through your store via a business card or link on your site/social media page or account.

4: Beauty blogger/social media influencer: in much the same vein as other commission-based lines, My Beauty Brand is designed for social marketers and gives you not only a professional grade range that can be integrated into your work but a retail store that does not require you to carry stock or handle shipping etc.

It should be noted that this is currently available in the UK only for shipping and each link in this blog is tied to our creative director and head of makeup JamesC who offers his own professional endorsement of the range and is not affiliated directly with the company at this time he is a supporter and has a storefront of his own.

To learn more about the range or shop from the JamesC favorites click here.

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