Online makeover service - what would you want if one existed?

[Getamakeover]

Hi Im a professional televison and film makeup artist with 20years experience. I was thinking of setting up an online makeover service for busy mums (and others) and i wanted to get your thoughts. Im a friend of abbymumsnet as well. She told me to post here as you might be able to help!

I would suggest what makeup to use, how to use it, as well as dealing with makeup and skincare problems. I was also thinking of offering a service where mums could send me photos of themselves without makeup on and i could give them a complete makeover by email or post..........would be grateful for any feedback.

[mancmum]

personally - I would say no - I think this needs the personal touch you can get advice for free in person on make up counters ... and actually see how to put make up on... it would be no good you telling me to hightlight my cheekbones... I need the exact spot and shade of whatever pointed out to me...

But maybe more competent people than me would find it useful - but then you would be charging when you can get very good makeovers free or for cost of a lippy at most counters...

[MrsBadger]

Slightly agree with mancmum that those of us who need makeovers the most are the ones with no idea at all who need someone to hold the blusher bush with us and say 'do it like this'.

I can kind of see the appeal though - the thought of sending in a ghastly no-makeup photo and an expert saying 'these products applied like this and will make you look amazing' does sound tempting for the solution-orientated women out there.

If you do send out colour charts though, make sure there are colour-true printed swatches we can wave at the girls in Boots rather than saying nebulous things like 'use a rust toned blusher' when we don't know wtf 'rust' means.
Actually, recommendations of actual products (eg 'Try Bourjois 291 Frosted Cherry SuperLongStay Lipstick') would be very handy, especially if they included budget ranges as well as premium brands.

I am slightly cautious though, having had a dept store makeover where they overrode my doubts and merrily used purple on my eyes - 'Oh, I've never met anyone who doesn't suit berry colours, they're perfect for your skintone'. I looked like I'd been punched. She admitted defeat and redid me in green and gold.
I'm not suggesting you're as bad as she was, but I was sitting there in front of her and she still got it wrong - how difficult must it be from a photograph?

[KathyMCMLXXII]

I think the way Susannah and Trinny are very good at showing people what their body shape is and advising tricks to make the best of it, if you could do something similar for face shape and features it would be good.
I don't think make up in isolation would be much use though - ideally you would need to offer advice on hair colours and styles, jewellery etc, as well, as someone could, eg, ruin a great makeup effect by having their hair coloured wrongly.

I see what people mean about the personal touch being important, but personally I am scared stiff of the women on makeup counters with their inch think mask of orange foundation, so maybe your service would be less intimidating!

[AbbyMumsnet]

Bump

[NYceMummy]

Your service could be very useful for those intimidated like Kathy says, or those with young children and no babysitter who can't spend the time a makeover takes at a makeup counter without their children screaming blue murder! However, I have to agree with mancmum and MrsBadger about the lack of personal assistance being an issue.

[AbbyMumsnet]

Thanks for your replies so far. Anyone else got any thoughts?

[doormat]

agree with mancmum

also find that lighting from a camera is not the same as in rl

coloring is very important to a person
and their makeover

could make people look like morticia
or if they have been tango-ed

[AbbyMumsnet]

bump

[Earlybird]

Could be interesting, but could be challenging too. How would it work in practice? Would it be difficult to recommend products based on skin tone from an online description, or photo that perhaps was lit badly? Would we need to surreptiously approach the makeup counter at John Lewis/Peter Jones etc to try out the products you suggest before we commit to purchase? Makeup is expensive, and I'm sure we've all got some very pricey duff purchases languishing at the back of bathroom shelves...

Also think you might need to advise about application - some of us don't quite know what to do with a new product, and are unsure if we've got it right.

Why don't you post some before/after pictures of your work? Or you could offer to makeover a few Mumsnetters (maybe donate a few makeovers as competition prizes), and then let them come online and rave about the difference. Or go to the Christmas party and set up a "makeover corner" - kind of like a giant tupperware or Anne Summers party!