Tuesday 1 April 2014

Professionals - Julia Bowden, Make Up Artist








                        Julia Bowden is a professional 
                        Make Up Artist. She has worked
                        on music videos, fashion mags, 
                        runways and with numerous
                        celebrities both in TV and film.
                        She also performs magic with
                        brides (she even tamed my straw
                        like hair and made my sand paper
                        skin all dewy!)











Where do you live?
Battersea -  really near to the park and river - I Iove it.

Ideal breakfast?
Scrambled feta avocado and eggs on brown bread or banana and nutella pancakes would be the dream but only if I'm feeling bad! 

Perfect Sunday?
Some form of exercise if the night before doesn't sabotage me, followed by a nice walk and talk with friends either enjoying the city or a nip out to the countryside - a pub roast must be in the mix somewhere.  My new fave place in London for Sunday lunch is Parlour in Kensal Rise - the roasts there are amazing. 

Favourite holiday destination?
Skiing or I recently discovered the wonders of sailing.  However I'm more about the ski lunch or the lazy boat sunbathing.  I also love the good old English countryside for a holiday -  there's nothing I love more than a trip around a castle and a nice cream tea.

Cannot live without?
Eyelash curlers. They won't save your life but they'll make you look far more awake. My lashes resemble a camels i.e very straight. So they really help to open up my eyes and I think are a bit of an unsung hero of the make-up kit

How did you become a Make Up Artist?
I started out at Sothebys organising the auctions and from there I fell into event marketing in an agency creating and managing corporate events.  I worked my way up to account management level and found that any creativity I previously had in the job had gone. Before I knew it, I was number crunching and doing management reports so wondered how on earth I got there.  I was always more creative than I was corporate and I had lots of friends doing creative jobs and I simply asked myself - why not?  I was always passionate about make-up and naturally good at it. Plus I always had a genuine interest in film, so I did a bit of research and knowing that I was also a people person at heart, it just seemed like the perfect job for me.  I enrolled at Greaspaint in Ealing on a Film, TV, Theatre, Fashion, Airbrushing and special FX Hair and make-up course and I haven't looked back.

What are the best thing about your job? 
No two days are the same, it's brilliantly challenging and creative.

What is the worse think about your job?
Sometimes I have to wipe up a bit of sweat or the odd eye bogey but it really doesn't bother me...that or the long hours but you do get used to it. 

What was your most Bridezilla moment?
A make-up artist never tells! But I will say that there isn't much I haven't seen.  arguments and fall outs are the most common usually between mothers, daughters and sisters.  A recent story wasn't so much of a bridezill moment but more of a brides worst nightmare.  Her dress split and zip broke 10mins before she walked down the isle.  I felt so sorry for her as she cried and panicked. I managed to talk her through it and calm her down..then I had to single handedly sew her into her dress and re-do her make-up from the tears. I finally got her down the isle on time.  You always have to be prepared to do things outside your job description on a wedding morning and stay calm when everyone else is losing it.  In fact that goes for every make-up job - from films to music videos and editorial shoots.  Often things don't go to plan and you're the one that has to come up with a creative solution.  I guess that's the side of the job I actually enjoy the most - managing a small crisis by thinking on your feet and being a calming influence...it's very rewarding.

Who is the most surprising celeb you have met?
There's always a lot misconceptions surrounding celebrities and what they are like but this obviously just the media painting pictures. You never know what someone is like until you spend some time with them and I have been very lucky as the majority of people I come into contact with are super lovely.  I have met a few who have been having a bad day in the past...but again a make-up artist would never tell...plus we all have bad days..right?

If you could only carry take three items in your make up bag what would they be?
Mascara - can double as eyeliner if you have a spare brush, a good compact foundation - one with a powder finish so you don't need the extra powder and can double up as a concealer and a cream blushed can always double up as a lip tint.  If I had those three things I could just about look passable on a desert island.

I'm a knackered mum and cant find the time for a a full 1/2 hour beauty regime every morning.... help?!
Get a good tinted moisturiser or BB cream to wake up the skin and even the skin tone, if you're really rushed this can act as a quick concealer under the eyes.  All you need after that is a swish of bronzer on the cheekbones and a lick of mascara.  All this takes 5 mins max and makes all the difference.

Best winter beauty product?
Rodial dragons blood hylouronic night cream 

Best summer beauty product?
James Reed BB face tan pen 

Never fails nail colour?
Essie in wicked or any Deep, dark sinister red. Always decadent, classy and cool

Would being a Make Up artist suit a mummy trying to get back into work?
Most definitely. Make sure you get yourself on a good course first (Greasepaint, London College of Fashion, CBMA and délamar academy are good ones) then start to assist until you have enough confidence to go out on your own. Once you have a good base of contacts it can be flexible and you can really make it work around you and be your own boss. Weddings can be a great set up because theoretically most weddings are on a Saturday morning. So you can hand baby to hubby for only a few hours and go and earn your cash.

To find out more about Julia and book her for any work or weddings click HERE


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