You may not know this lovely lady from her picture, but you definitely are familiar with her work. Fiona Stiles, celebrity and editorial makeup artist has been a professional makeup artist for 14 years. It's the only job she's ever had. Nicciknows spoke with Fiona to get the skinny on who she's worked with, how she got her start and what products she loves. Read on and enjoy!
Nicciknows: So how did you get your start in the industry?
Fiona Stiles:
It was a bit of an accident. I went to art school to study fine art photography. After graduation and moved to NYC to look for a job within that industry but found I wasn't a very good assistant. My school was so fine art oriented that I was completely lost in the world of commercial photography.
I had always gravitated toward makeup but I didn't know you could make an actual living at it. I thought I'd give it a try but I didn't have the slightest idea where to start so I looked through all of the fashion magazines and wrote down names of makeup artists. Then I went through the white pages and called them. I had no idea how to find hair and makeup agencies, they weren't listed in the Yellow Pages, so I called the artists directly. Listen, there was no Internet. There was no Google. It took perseverance and creativity to crack open that world. Now I think there's a "For Dummies" book on how to become a makeup artist. It's so much easier, there is so much information out there now.
Nicciknows: What celebrities have you worked with?
Fiona Stiles:
Halle Berry
Bridget Moynahan
Elizabeth Banks
Fergie
David Bowie
Madonna
Zooey Deschanel
Nicciknows: What are your favorite products?
Fiona Stiles:
Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curler ($20 at
Beauty.com). It really gives the best curl.
Guerlain Terracotta Spray SPF 10 ($57 at
Sephora.com). Everyone needs to wear sunscreen, but when you do you're left with a face that's paler than your body. This product is brilliant. It's a tanning spray (I spray it onto my hand and then apply it with a brush instead of spraying it directly on) that doesn't look like makeup when it goes on. There's no shimmer so it looks completely real. You can use it on your face or body. It's great for warming up the color of you legs after a long winter or for evening out your tan lines in the summer. It an amazing product, I use them almost every day at work.
Estee Lauder "Individualist" foundation ($32.50 at
Macys). They make true "beige" shades. It's really difficult to find foundations these days that aren't yellow based and they make the perfect shades for fair skin. Plus the formula is the perfect consistency. There's enough coverage to cover redness without being too heavy or matte.
Nicciknows: What is your favorite beauty trick?
Fiona Stiles:
I can't say I believe in beauty tricks, I believe more in beauty solutions. Finding ways to make makeup work best for you.
Foundation is very important to get right and I think brushes are the key to an even, natural application. I use the #15 brush from Face Stockholm ($18 at
Face Stockholm) to conceal blemishes and under eye circles. I think the Beauty Blender ($34.95 at
Beauty.com) is an amazing product for getting even, beautiful foundation, it really helps distribute foundation evenly without finger marks....MAC's #190 brush ($32 at
Macys) , a big flat synthetic brush, is also great for blending foundation. You often read about makeup artists saying only use foundation where you need it. That may be true if you have beautiful, even skin, but the truth is most women don't. So using the right tools to blend your foundation will give you more control of the product while still giving you the coverage you might need.
Nicciknows: What do you feel is the key to applying beautiful makeup?
Fiona Stiles:
Blend. And then blend again.
Invest in the right tools. Do yourself a favor and buy a few nice brushes. Trust me, you are not going to get the same results as a professional if you're using the applicators that come with the eyeshadows. There are some decent brushes to be bought at the drug store, but be discerning. You don't want something that feels scratchy or rough on your skin.
Find colors that work with you and don't let them "wear" you. I'm not saying that everything should be all neutral, but if you want to wear a bold color take the time to find the one that works best for you. Maybe that means a gloss instead of a matte lip, or a shimmery eyeshadow instead of matte one. Maybe it's navy instead of peacock blue, or peacock blue instead of navy for that matter, either way you need to feel comfortable in your own skin, and that includes what's sitting on top of it.
Remember, there are no rules. Magazines all love to talk about the rules of makeup and makeup application. We all do things differently, lord knows us makeup artists all do things differently than each other, but we all want the same result; beauty. Do what's right for you. Read the advice and adjust it for how you wear makeup and how you feel beautiful. Look at the trends, look at the products talked about, but just use them as a point of inspiration. You don't have to go buy orange lipstick just because we say it's "fresh and modern".
Nicciknows: If you could give a message to all women about makeup what is it?
Fiona Stiles:
Have fun with it, don't let it intimidate you. It's just makeup, it washes right off!
Nicciknows: What is your most important beauty tip for women with mature skin?
Fiona Stiles:
Be careful about your foundations, concealors and powders. They can exaggerate lines and sit in wrinkles. You you don't have great skin, find a good skin care regimen for you don't feel the need to wear as much makeup on your skin. A cream blush is lovely on older skin. Vincent Longo makes a great product called Water Canvas blush ($42.50 at
Beauty.com) that is wonderful and looks great without foundation underneath (unlike a powder blush, which looks best on skin with a bit of product on it; it will blend better that way).
Wear mascara and curl your lashes. Your eyes tend to need a little more focus as you get older. Curling your lashes opens up your whole face and the mascara adds the perfect amount drama, without looking over done.
TInted lipbalms are nice for a pop of color, and you don't have to worry about it feathering around the lip line.
Nicciknows: What is your most important tip for women with oily skin?
Fiona Stiles:
There are some amazing skin care products out there. Salicylic acid products are brilliant for oily skin. They reduce the pore sizes and cut down substantially on break outs. Use an oil-free moisturizer, if you use one at all. You produce enough oil to not bother with moisturizer if you have oily skin (but don't skip out on moisturizing the neck and using a good eye cream).
Foundations and powders can get darker through the day when you have oily skin. Find a foundation formula that is stable and doesn't shift throughout the day. I'm afraid it just takes trial and error. If you're shopping for foundations ask the people at the makeup counter for samples and then take them home for a trial run. You'll have to make a second trip to the store to buy the one you like, but that's better than buying one that isn't going to work with your skin.
Some powder foundations are really good for oily skin. Just make sure you aren't too heavy handed with the application. I like to use a soft, medium sized flat brush to apply them. That way you really control the amount you apply.
