Celeb make-up artist Lauren Murphy tells us why natural beauty should champion the current beauty trends of contouring and plastic surgery
It’s a craze that, like most trends these days, took over social media when Kim Kardashian championed it on Instagram - and it has since become immensely popular, with vloggers and bloggers uploading tutorial videos and sharing their own contouring creations. But celebrity make-up artist Lauren Murphy thinks that contouring is masking real beauty, rather than creating it.
Lauren, who I meet in the dressing room at The Voice UK, says: “Contouring is a huge craze and I’ll be happy to see it go! I did like but it’s just become too much. I’m all about natural beauty and I think women should be enhancing their features, not changing their face shape.”
“Everyone is wanting this certain look at the moment – the big lips, the contoured face, the highlighter. It’s going a little bit too far and because it’s so easy to change your face, people are doing that rather than working with their own beauty.”
Lauren, who has worked with the likes of Kirsty Gallagher, Martine McCutcheon and James Corden during her career, also admits that she thinks it’s a shame that young people are turning to plastic surgery and cosmetic treatments, such as lip fillers, Botox and nose jobs, and thinks it’s a trend that will die out.
“There’s a lack of education on social media at the moment – people see this one look – the Kylie Jenner type look - and want to emulate it. What young people need to realise is that you can get an amazing effect – of bigger lips, of smoother skin – without having to get cosmetic surgery or fillers. It’s a shame that everyone wants to change their look so much these days – they should be celebrating natural beauty!
“People in the public eye are role models to younger girls as well and a lot of people are doing this at too young and age now. They need to realise you can learn to do make-up well instead of going under the knife.”
“I think it’ll be like boob jobs. It’ll be a craze and then suddenly it’ll be fashionable to look natural, and everyone will wish they never did it.”
Instead, Lauren, who is currently working with contestants from The Voice and advising them on their skincare, celebrates natural beauty and believes that working with your own individual features will create your best look. And Lauren says that good skincare is one of the most essential aspects of looking your best.
“With all the acts, I’m giving them make-up tips but I’m focusing on telling them how to look after their skin at the moment. They’re obviously wearing a lot of make-up currently– stage and TV make-up is heavy as it needs to be seamless – and may be dealing with stress, which can lead to breakouts. So they have to be cleansing their skin properly!
Always cleanse your skin before you put make-up on and I advise putting on a moisturiser before you put on make-up too.
And if you don’t take off your make-up properly after your day, it can clog up and irritate the skin – especially overnight, as that’s when the skin repairs itself. The NIVEA Micellar water is amazing for that – I use it on my clients twice: first to remove make-up and secondly to cleanse the skin.”
While she believes that the exaggerated beauty trends will die down and hopes that people go back to celebrating their natural beauty, Lauren predicts that another make-up may take off.
“I think men’s make-up could really take off! I’ve worked with a lot of men and a lot of them get a full face of make up these days. The main thing with guys is the de-shine – as they don’t want to be looking all sweaty on stage – so most of them get that. Others may just have a bit of concealer or tinted moisturizer.
“All the men I’ve worked with really love it! They love sitting in the make-up chair and having a bit of a goss – it’s like secret pampering that they can get away with!”
Lauren's Top Cleansing Products are:
· NIVEA Daily Essentials Micellar Cleansing Water £3.29
· NIVEA Daily Essentials Double Effect Eye Make-up Remover £3.59
· NIVEA Daily Essentials Micellar Cleansing Wipes - £3.25