A New Addition To The Lost Library

A new addition to the lost library is the fantastic book by Begona F Martin titled Special Makeup Effects & Prosthetics - An essential guide, a truly fascinating and well structured look at the potential of special FX and prosthetics aimed at the cosplay market, it offers up a wealth of information, resources and tips that will be beneficial to a wide range of creatives from makeup artists working in media to cosplayers looking to up their game.

With her extensive background in the arts as well as FX, Begona’s (BB to her friends) book is to me, a must read for those looking to expand their knowledge and test the waters of flat moulds and silicone, with step by step images and detailed explanations of each process with cost-efficient recommendations that will help those on a budget looking to get more creative in their work taking you through materials and techniques in a way that is easy to follow and insightful.

From the images to the text, it is all created by Begona over two years showcasing absolute passion for not just the special FX industry but sharing the skills that she has gained over the course of her career.

To learn more about the book or to purchase from her range of ready made FX or just to follow her work see:

Begona F Martin Website and Store.

BBFX Etsy Store.

Begona Martin Instagram.

Cosplay Instagram.

Talking Business with Lukey Lukey

Something we find fascinating is the desire and passion behind brands, Lukey Lukey is a great example of this with the line already gathering attention we wanted to find out more about the beginnings and future of this eye-catching collection.

Lukey Lukey is a curated, yet all encompassing color range that has really grabbed people's attention. Can you tell us more about the line and how it all started?   

 It all started for me during the lockdown. I had been working in the beauty industry as a stylist, colourist and educator for well over a decade, and I had just started a new career as a freelance beauty editor. It was a nice change of pace from the type of work I had been doing for the longest time. I always felt like there was something missing from my career. Whenever I achieved what I set out to do, I wanted to move on to the next thing immediately. I never felt fully content with what I was doing. Finally, it just hit me: I need to start my own brand. Once I had that "Aha moment", everything just became really clear to me. I was grateful to be working fully remotely at the time because it gave me enough time to research everything that I’d need to know to start my own business. The hard work started there, but my vision was crystal clear, so to me the hardest part was already complete. 

When you were designing the Lukey Lukey range what was the driving force behind the look?   

 Lukey Lukey, it’s branding and everything about the aesthetic is like something that’s been trapped inside my head that’s always been yearning to break out. I can’t explain how easy it all came to me. It didn’t even “come” to me, I just let it all out. I knew exactly how I wanted everything to look, how I wanted the logo to be styled, the type of models I wanted to use, everything just flowed very easily. Getting to be creative and design all of this was a dream for me. My mother is an artist and she painted the original artwork, with me instructing how I wanted it to look. It’s such a fond memory of the brand's creation. 

You chose to lead with a cream blusher collection for your brand, is there more planned for the future and can you share with us your plans?   

“ Yes! Blush is very near and dear to me and my journey in beauty! I was always self-conscious of blushing and having rosy cheeks, so it was me taking back my power!”

Trying to celebrate our insecurities – as difficult as that may be at times. I also find blush interesting in terms of colour theory; colour has always been my passion, in every avenue of my life. I have so many plans for future launches and where I want the brand to go. A collection takes such a long time to create, I started planning the second collection before Dream Cheeks – my first collection – even launched! 

Is there any advice you can offer to aspiring entrepreneurs entering into the beauty industry? 

 It’s competitive, so you need to have a very clear idea of what you want to create. Once you know what you want and you are confident in your choices, trust your instinct. Nobody knows what you want to achieve as clearly as you do. It’s great to have a few people to bounce ideas off, but once you make a decision you need to have the confidence to stand behind it. Running a business is difficult enough without doubting yourself, you need to be sure of yourself, always. 

To learn more about the brand or to purchase see:

Lukey Lukey Website.

Lukey Lukey Instagram.

Lukey Lukey Facebook.

Lukey Lukey TikTok.

Sons of Adonis Concealer: A Kit Must Have

We are incredibly proud of our association with the Sons of Adonis range, so much so our creative director JamesC, was able to consult and is extremely grateful to have a concealer brush with his name on it as part of the collection. As a concealer aimed at the men’s grooming market we can see the advantages for both the consumer and professional and will address key aspects of this here.

With a current 3 shade range, this is a good pro starting point for mixing and will easily fit into your working kit and offer up a premium product that not only works but suits a wide range of different applications.

In what has become an increasingly HD world, men are more and more expected to be camera ready for meetings and presentations, TV appearances, film work and family photographs to name but a few occasions that are integral to life now.

Something as simple as a touch of concealer can wake up your look for an interview, or presentation in the office, and lets not forget the ever present Zoom calls that we are frequently asked for these days. Yes, I too have had to “Zoom” and give speeches and needed that little extra edge that Sons of Adonis gives to make me look respectable.

From a makeup artist perspective JamesC understands that a product like concealer needs to be pro grade (which this is) and stand up to the rigors of a shoot as well as look natural in the real world.

The Sons of Adonis range is our personal go-to for work across genres and features heavily in the work of the lost for good reason and we plan to show why with a Q and A blog with founder Shakti Sood who developed this range and has put a huge amount of time into the product to meet the needs of his clientele.

To learn more about the range or to purchase see:

Sons of Adonis Website.

Sons of Adonis Instagram.

Mykitco Brush Box: The Artist Solution For Shoots

When it comes to kit for pro makeup artists (and aficionados) Mykitco has become the go to brand focusing on brushes, tools and storage, they are an artist brand at heart understanding not just the changing face of the business but being on top of the creative needs of its customers base which is why the latest addition to the range: My Brush Box TM is a savvy addition to the brand.

As we all know, how we work as artists has changed with people being more aware of hygiene and looking closer at the way we store our kit, brushes in this case being one of the most important, the Mykitco Brush box is a real plus on that front for a number of reasons:

Brushes can be packed to suit the work at hand with multiples for a shoot being placed in the box on both sides or *as illustrated above, with brushes and small palettes that can be stored quickly and easily to access during a shoot in a set bag such as the Backstage Buddy available in small, medium and now a large backstage buddy option, without risk of damage as they roll around in the bag.

With its core of artistry led design at the heart of the business, it is no surprise that artists including our own JamesC, have taken the brand on as go-to for their professional needs.

To learn more about the Mykitco range or to purchase see:

Mykitco Website.

Mykitco Instagram.

For details on their pro discount click here.

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.