Improvability Blog

“Kim, I held my first workshop two weeks ago, to instruct distributors for a well-know make-up company about the concept of Warm and Cool and how it impacts the cosmetic industry.

I was asked to give a short presentation to some of their distributors a few days before so they could get a better idea of what I’d be talking about. I was thinking maybe 6-10 people would be there.  How about 40?

Just before I went on I discovered that I had taken the wrong packet out of the car and that I didn’t have my outline.  I thought I could “wing it” but as I talked, my voice went completely dry and my voice came out raspy!  When I sat down my granddaughter said (loud enough for everyone to hear) “Gram, you were really shaking up there! Boy, were you nervous!” I left wishing that a hole would open up in the floor so that I could fall in and disappear.

The workshop itself was a totally different experience. I taught them how to use lipstick to assist their customers in deciding which tone looked best on them, gave them key words which indicate the warmth or coolness of lipsticks and blush as well as instructed them on the best colors of eye makeup to recommend for specific eye colors.

Wow! The attendees were thrilled!

You would have also been very proud of me.  My background in education really helped.  I incorporated all learning styles by having great visuals, excellent handouts and interactive participation.  Modest aren’t I?  But even my granddaughter who was my assistant said she had a great time and she is 16…

And after their positive experience the word has gotten out and I will be doing more.” Rebecca, Hawaii

Dear Rebecca,

At the presentation, I think you were putting too much pressure on yourself to try to remember what you’d written in your notes when, in actual fact, your audience had no ruddy idea what you were supposed to say at all, and were just happy to hear what you DID say.

What you have to share is from your heart, not from a set of notes.  You actually care about the people you’re talking to, and they should be your prime concern.

If you ever ‘dry up’ again, then try this

Ask questions of the audience, write them up on a flipchart if you can, and answer their questions within a conversation.  People love this because then they see that you are truly interested in their opinions.

YOU don’t need notes, and you know you don’t. My guess is that you had other ‘stuff’ on your mind at the time and this got in the way. I absolutely believe that you know your subject inside out and could talk for ever about it. Just share what you have with your audience; you’ll enjoy it more, and so will they.

And well done on a fabulous result from the workshop itself.

HOW TO CONTACT Rebecca McCollum in Haiku, Hawaii
telephone (808) 575-9173. Rebecca provides workshops and one-to-one consultations, and loves talking and teaching about make-up.

Part Seven of a great new series of guest articles from Sue Carter, image consultant extraordinaire!
Series Title – How Image Consultants CAN work together!

The first company that I trained with insisted that all clients were correctly made up as part of their session with the colour analyst.  I do not have an argument with that.  I think it is great for a woman to be pampered by an expert.  My problem was with the word expert. 

I am not and no matter how hard I tried, I was never going to be an expert.  I failed at colouring inside the lines at infant school and I haven’t improved much since.  My way round this was to get my clients to do the make-up themselves.  This way they could see the right colours and enjoy the complete look. The problem was that I assumed that all women knew how to make themselves up and this wasn’t the case. 

After one too many ‘Coco the Clownettes’ left my studio, I retrained with Kim, stopped doing makeup and got on with the parts of personal image that I enjoy and am good at.  I have a few lipsticks and two palettes of colours – one warm and one cool from the Jane Fardon range  

I discuss make up with my clients, show them the colours, try out a lipstick or two and then suggest they visit their local department store for a make-up session or I hand them my list of local tried and tested, by me, make-up artists.  This is far more satisfactory for all concerned.

I think that part of my problem was that I just wasn’t that into make-up.  I hardly wore it all until into my thirties and even then I saw it as a chore rather than part of my beauty routine.  As I have gotten older I have begun to see the point of it.  Even more so when I read that research had shown that an even-toned skin was considered a sign of youthfulness.  Remember my ‘before’ photo?  Well, yes it wasn’t great but a good reminder that we don’t all wake-up looking like an extra from ‘Dynasty’.

My biggest problem has always been finding the correct foundation.   For some unknown reason any liquid foundation – be it warm or cool – turns yellow on my skin within a short space of time.  I end up looking jaundiced.  I suspect it has the same root cause as the problems I have with self-tanning lotions. No matter what I try, my legs go orange. 

It was for this reason that I was keen to try Suzie and her Bare Minerals Make Up.  I had heard that the minerals were much less likely to change colour on my skin and that they have many benefits.   A major benefit, for me, is that they are so pure you can sleep in them.  How great is that? I wouldn’t have to remember to take my make-up off every night.  OK, I know that is disgusting but I never said I was perfect. There are other benefits:

1. The look the make-up gives is outstanding – at the end of the day, that’s the main reason women apply make-up, flawless, natural, weightless looking complexion.
2. It covers impurities, acne, rosacea, breakouts and  blemishes
3. It treats the skin – yes actually treats problem skin
4. Gives protection from the sun and environment
5. Doesn’t contain all the nasty ingredients that of all other liquid foundations – don’t even get me started with what is in there.
6. Doesn’t cost the earth – yippee!

Suzie did my colours and then my make-up.  She showed me the correct way to apply the minerals and picked the colours that looked great on me.  What amazed me was the coverage it gave by evening out the skin tone and texture.  Plus I didn’t feel like I was wearing foundation or a mask as can sometimes happen.   I’d never seen the eye colours but there are so many of them in their cute pots and they all have great names like:

• You can never be too rich brown
• Devotion
• Fruit cocktail (that’s my bright pink blush)
• Queen Tiffany

and many more.

I really did like the effect and I liked that fact that several hours later, when I arrived home, I still looked as good despite night driving on the A14, M1 and A50.

The photo of me is the first day I did the make-up by myself, not bad for a first attempt and I have improved since then. I would say that there is a learning curve with this make-up.  You need to practise every day to get the application right and I have included a few tips at the end of this article. 

I am messy and so I have had to learn to be careful and protect my work surface; a small price to pay for make-up that lasts all day, doesn’t go yellow and is good for my skin.

So I am a convert to Bare Minerals.  I mean how can you not like a brand that lets you wear ‘Cat Woman’ eye liner every day?  I feel glam just looking at the pot. 

Yes, I know this does sound like an advert for Bare Minerals but no one is paying me.  I like to think it is more an advert for Suzie Rice and her amazing skill with the products.  If you are tempted to try it out then contact Suzie and have a session with her, just see what a skilled make-up artist can do for you when she’s armed with these Bare Minerals products.  It is an eye opener.

Sue’s Tips for Mineral Make Up

1. Make sure you go to someone like Suzie or one of the retail outlets that does make overs.  Don’t be tempted to guess what colours you need and order from the TV or internet.  You need to be shown how to use the make-up.
2. If you are the slightest bit messy, like me, can I suggest you make up in your birthday suit? That way you don’t get the powders on your clothes.   However, Suzie and the shop assistants don’t seem to have that problem, perhaps it is just me.  This is also the best way to eat a ripe mango by the way.
3. Bare Minerals, for reasons that I do not understand, put the names on the bottoms of the pots.  This is no use at all to anyone.  I wrote out and stuck little labels on mine so that I can recognize them easily.
4. Store the little pots on something.  I use a small tray from my favourite Swedish store that fits in a drawer. A cake stand would work just as well.
5. Keep a separate brush for the WARMTH unless you are fanatical about cleaning the bush in-between each colour.   Failure to follow this tip will lead you to looking very odd and having to start again.  Guess who did that then? 

Last and not least and not from me but a tip from Ester who has a two-year-old daughter. 

• DO NOT under any circumstances leave your mineral powder foundation and brush on top of the toilet where your two-year old can climb up and reach it.  Ester’s daughter swirled, tapped and buffed herself, her six-month-old brother and the bathroom all in the twinkling of an eye.  Ah bless.

Suzie Rice lives near Cambridge where she spends her time making women look and feel beautiful.. Give her a call.

Series Title – How Image Consultants CAN work together!
Part One – Let’s Talk Boobies 
Part Two – Suzie and Sue get to know each other 
Part Three – Suzie and Sue share four little words 
Part Four – Suzie has light colouring 
Part Five – What a difference a grey makes! Part 1
Part Six – What a difference a grey makes! Part 2
Part Eight – coming soon