Make-Up Maestro

By: Ruth Donnelly
Created on 05th October 2010

Hannah Maxwell is a celebrity make-up artist who has worked with some of the music industry’s top names as well as stars of TV and film. Here, she shares with Cosmetic Surgery & Aesthetics Guide some wisdom she has gained over the years

Is there a particular type of make-up you would recommend, and why?

I favour mineral make-up. These days a lot of people seem to have sensitive skin and allergies, and mineral make-up is the way to solve that problem.

I’ve been able to use it on people who haven’t been able to wear make-up for ten years, because they’ve been so sensitive to other products.

My particular favourite is glominerals, because the products are really top quality, and the range is so large that you can suit anyone, no matter what situation you’re faced with.

I go on jobs where I won’t know who I’m going to be working with and with glo products I can turn up knowing that I’m going to match their colour.

A lot of make-up artists carry round a lot of different products in their kit and you don’t have to do that if you work with glominerals.

Does it differ from commercial make-up in terms of application?

You have to use a lot less of the product than you do with traditional make-up, and that’s sometimes the problem people have initially; they use a little bit too much.

Because the products aren’t diluted and are pure pigments, you just need a very small amount. That’s why it’s so good for camouflage, because you can get a lot of coverage very easily.

What do you think makes glo standout from other mineral make-up ranges?

There are a lot of reasons really. You’ve got a huge range;you’ve got innovative, seasonal products; you’ve got the tools.

A lot of cosmetic companies don’t have the right tools to use so you have to go and get brushes elsewhere, whereas glo has designed professional brushes that you can use every day and that last and last.

It’s also great because it can be applied straight after aesthetic procedures, including injectable treatments, chemical peels and medical microneedling.

But mainly it’s the skincare benefits – it’s not just make-up, you’ve also got vitamins A, C, E and green tea in all the products, which means that you’re actually caring for the skin at the same time as putting the make-up on.

And in my profession, when you’ve got people coming day after day, sometimes month after month on films, having make-up taken on and off, you need to prevent blemishes and keep the skin in good condition.

With glo products you don’t have to worry about the impact that make-up is having on the skin, as you would with most brands.

What do you consider to be the standout product from the range?

It’s a tough call, but probably the Concealer, which has a creamy consistency, as it’s primarily for use under the eyes, where the skin tends to be quite dry.

Each pot is split into two different shades, so you can really match anyone. And people’s skin tone changes throughout the year; sometimes they’re darker under the eyes, sometimes they’re lighter, and you can really counteract that. It also gives beautiful coverage and it doesn’t cake.

Another great product is Camouflage, which is oil-free and can cover anything. My mum has a port wine stain, and she’s always used traditional camouflage products like Veil, but they’re so thick and look unnatural, whereas glo can do the job easily and looks really stunning.

It also has great staying power, which is ideal for camouflage and makes it great for my clients who work under powerful lights and do long days.

The advent of High Definition film must make your job more difficult – how do the glo products help you ensure that the stars still look good in close-up?

Because again, you only need to use a very small amount to get a really flawless look, and if you’re caked in make-up, that’s really going to show up in High Definition, so the less product you can use to do the job, the better.

Take someone like Kristina Rihanoff from Strictly Come Dancing, who is one of glo’s advocates. She wears glominerals make-up to dance, which is a high pressure environment, under hot lights, live on a Saturday night, and she swears by it, she won’t wear anything else.

That’s because it looks good on camera – it looks like skin on skin, it looks perfect.

Do you have any top make-up tips you’d like to share?

Firstly, always use a primer before applying your make-up, because it will make your skin look smoother and your make-up last.

Also, less is more. Maybe use a tinted moisturiser – something like glo’s Sheertint – and then concealer, but only put coverage where you need it, rather than putting a thick layer over everything.

Finally, think about your tools. Glo have got a great range of brushes and the reason that all make-up artists use brushes to apply products is because they do make a difference. It makes make-up much longer lasting, and easier to apply as well as more hygienic.