NEXT Magazine Makeover...Gets a Makeover!

Tauranga business owner Chrissy Mochan (of Bliss Baskets) won a makeover with NEXT magazine in late 2010.  The photos in the magazine show her wearing WORLD, and styled by its designer, the iconic Denise L'Estrange Corbet.  

Margaret of Personal Style saw the photos and knew she could do better.  Yes - better than WORLD!  So after gifting Chrissy a Personal Style consultation (to discover her best colours and clothing styles), Margaret assembled her favourite Tauranga stylists for a makeover collaboration on Chrissy - to right the wrongs of the NEXT makeover.

Before Margaret sent me these magazine pages I was a little sceptical she could improve on designer styling.  I thought, she's either being *very* picky to critise this makeover, or there is something VERY WRONG.  I could not imagine a makeover going 'wrong' when styled by a well-respected designer.

So did Margaret do better?  Well, yes.  If better means more wearable in real life (this is Tauranga after all, not Auckland's High Street), suited to Chrissy's best colours and a little more in tune with her body shape.  Surely this should be the mark of a fab makeover?  A new look that can be sustained:  A makeover that takes into account the natural features of the person being made over.  Surely not too much to ask?

Below are the professionally styled 'after' photos, followed by the 'before' shot Chrissy sent into NEXT magazine to win the makeover.  

There is a improvement!  But it is so far below what I am used to seeing in good makeover stories.  I can see problems with the styling in every single photo below - the colours, the shapes, the styles...

This makeover highlights the gap between 'high fashion' and 'good styling'.  The principles of colour and proportion that are used internationally by stylists, artists, interior designers and colour consultants - that simply 'work' - were not used here.  There are rules and principles to looking good - a science behind what we humans find pleasing to look at.  If high fashion is about breaking rules, then there were too many rules broken here for success.

Here's how we 'made over' the NEXT makeover:

• Chrissy had her hair colour corrected to remove the warmth added in the initial makeover as she suits the cooler tones.  Chrissy also has redness on her cheeks and the warmth in her hair was only emphasising this.  Her hair was also styled in a more flattering shape (courtesy of Becky Urquart from B. Hair).

• Makeup was then applied using her best colours (by myself, Lillybeth: A Beautiful Education) - not the barely-there apricot tone seen in the casual photos, but a more visible, pastel pink, then a berry-hot pink for the dressy look, rather than the bold red seen in the magazine.   I avoided applying a true red simply because Chrissy's hair and skin is rather pale and a red lipstick is a bold look that could easily 'overpower' her and is best kept for more dramatic evening makeup with eye makeup that supports it.  Blush was kept to a cool pink and eye shadow to a natural beige and medium brown, to keep within her best cool, or 'blue-based' colours.

 • Chrissy brought her own clothes to be styled in her best colours and fashion 'lines' and styles (by Margaret of Personal Style).

• Then Chrissy posed for professional studio images (by Justine of Sassi Photography).

Applying the lip colour on Chrissy's natural but very polished makeup look.

Compare our finished result to the NEXT magazine makeover:

LEFT: Makeover results from collaboration of Tauranga stylists.   RIGHT: Makeover in NEXT.

I think it's fair to say Chrissy looks more attractive, healthy and shapely in the first image.  If you're not sure exactly why that is or where the NEXT makeover went wrong, I'll comment on each of Chrissy's makeover looks in the next blog post along with more of our photos.

Nicky White on TV3's TARGET & 5 Reasons I'll Show Up on Your Wedding Day

The latest episode of TARGET, a consumer information and hidden camera show, recently featured the business disaster that was Nicky White makeup artist.  Nicky received deposits from many brides and ball-goers for their professional makeup, but didn't show up on the day to do the job.  TARGET tells two of these stories, but I've heard many more.

Watch the episode here.

To avoid getting stung by a mobile makeup artist that doesn't turn up on your wedding day, TARGET advises to: Get word-of-mouth referrals/good references, only pay 10% deposit and get a written contract.  

But I require a 50% non-refundable deposit with the balance in full before the booking.  Why?  Because I value my work and only want to deal with brides who also value my services and are committed to keeping their booking on that date.  Asking for 50% as a deposit means I'm not forever changing my schedule due to cancelled bookings, or attracting customers for whom professional makeup is not a priority.  TARGET suggests your makeup artist needs money as a reason to turn up to a booking - to collect the balance owed on the day.  But as per my terms, my brides pay in full before I arrive with my makeup kit.  Obviously, money's not the only reason to show up.  Keep reading for the 5 reasons I honour my bookings, even when payment has already been received.

I also don't give a written contract.  I know myself I have incentive to follow every booking through to completion and there are many reviews and testimonials available as social proof.  

Here are 5 (rather personal) reasons I'll show up on your wedding day and do what I've said I will:

• Pride in myself.  If I do a sub-standard job or let down a customer, I am most disappointed in myself.  I'm a dedicated makeup artist.  Career-wise, this is all I do.  I pride myself on delivering a good service, a great result and feel I'm only as good as my last makeup.  When you're happy, I'm happy. :-)

• Love of the work.  When you apply makeup (in the right way), it makes you look healthier, fresher, more attractive.  It can subtly enhance or completely transform.  When I work, I get to see that transformation take place (often many times each booking) right in front of my eyes.  And I get paid to do it - what's not to love!?

• A reputation to honour.  As an active part of the Bay of Plenty business community, there are business people out there putting their own credibility on the line as they vouch for me, give out my card and refer to me their friends, family and customers.  I'm a current member of Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, Venus Clubs (Seaside club) and the prestigious BOP Wedding Network.  That gives me another hundred or more reasons to fulfil the verbal agreement I make with each bride.  In each business dealing, regardless of whether my bridal customer came from a referral or not, I'm motivated to do my colleagues proud.

• Something to brag about!  A successful bridal booking means more photos for my portfolio (with permission), another potential review or testimonial and more 'faces' on the Makeup Faces counter on the front page of my website.  The counter is updated regularly for potential customers to see how many 'faces' I've made up that year.  A larger number shows I'm not just a makeup 'hobbyist' or part-timer.  Having that number made public increases my sense of progress and kicks in my competitive spirit as my goal is to beat the number of faces I did the year before.  My aim in 2011 is to have that counter hit 300.  Every booking I fulfill gets me closer to that goal!

• A personal connection.  I'm human.  I love people, no matter how different to me.  I care how a bride's makeup looks and lasts.  I've custom designed her makeup based on her best features and colours.  We've emailed or talked.  She's trusted me with her face, confidence and money.  I would never intentionally ruin or disrupt her wedding day by not turning up to play my part in the day's success.  It should go without saying.

See reviews on WeddingWise.  Reviews on Facebook.  Testimonials on A Beautiful Education's website.

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