WEEK 1- Skin preparation:

During the first week of my traineeship, we went back to basics and started off by taking a close look at skin prep and what this entails. As a group we looked at what you use to prep the skin, as well as why we skin prep. below is a simple definition of what skin prep is in the eyes of the makeup world.

"skin prep, or skin preparation is the act of applying products, that typically have protective or reparative properties to the skin of ones model or client before beginning the application process of makeup products"

As I mentioned above, we began by splitting into two groups, and began brainstorming what we use to skin prep with, and why we skin prep. below is an image of one of the mind maps that we created.

after we had brainstormed as individual groups, we came back together and discussed our ideas.

Some things that you can skin prep with include:

- water, micellar water, cleansers and toners.

Michelle encouraged us to try and purchase a range of different products that are fragrance free when shopping for skin prep products, as that way we can cater to all skin types.

Michelle also said that we should:

- use SPF products when outside or on location

- stay away from products that include acidic ingredients, as these can sometimes have adverse effects on the skin.

TOP TIP: when looking at skin prep, I should make sure that I have Aloe Vera and other plant based products as these are great for sensitive skin, or if my actor or model has a reaction or skin irritation when they enter the chair.

remember to ask actors about there skin type, so you can tailor your prep to this- if they have oily skin, you can use a mattifying toner to help balance it out. if they have dry skin, you can skin the toner, and use a high moisture cream. if they have combination skin, you can spot prime- using a mattifying primer on oily areas and a moisturising primer on dry ones.

as well as asking about skin type, you should also ask about allergies and skin conditions, as these will also impact the products that you are able to use.

following this, Michelle carried out a demo on Tory, to show us the way that she would skin prep a actor on set. she carried out the following:

1) micellar cleanse using cotton pads.

*recommends the large ones as these can be cut in half if needed!

- go into the hairline and eyelids to remove any excess makeup or gunk

2) use a water spray to rehydrate the skin

3) use a toner on the oily parts of the skin

4) apply a primer (she used the Laura Mercier one) to prep the skin for the base makeup

*spot prime: use different primers for different areas of the face, eg. skin out oily areas and mattify these after with a matte primer.

5) add SPF if shooting outside for a long time

my skin prep set up!

I laid out my silicone mat and placed a sheet protector over the top. I also got out my antibacterial hand gel to maintain a sanitary work area.

I used:

- simple toner

- simple cream cleanser

- micellar water

- simple moisturiser

- cotton pads

Rhiannon has dry to normal texture skin, and she has no skin conditions or allergies.

therefore I used a range of products from the brand SIMPLE to

complete her skin prep.

1) I began by cleansing Rhiannon's face with Micellar water on a cotton pad, to remove excess makeup and dirt build-up.

2) I then toned her face using the simple toner again on a cotton pad, focusing on the oilier parts of her face, forehead and chin.

3) finally, I moisturised her face, giving her a massage at the same time, to ensure that all areas were well covered.