Healing Image Hi With Eva May – Ariane Poole, International Make-Up Artist, Accessing Makeup

My name is, um, Eva May, and I'm here today doing my first broadcast for the Women's Radio Station, um, about a project that I've been doing basically for myself, and then, um, it grew as I got some help from professionals, and I wanted to try and share some of this information and to see if it would help other people. My background is that I have suffered quite complex trauma in my life, and I've had an awful lot of help with therapy, which I saw as healing myself from the inside. But what I really found that I was lacking and that I needed support with was some healing from the outside. So what went onto my, my skin, my clothes, Everything about me, my hair, I really found that hard to cope with both things. So I went to a— I booked an appointment to have a makeup session done in a department store. I was quite excited about this. I used to look at people and think, wow, their makeup looks beautiful, I wish I knew how to do that. So I asked and I got an appointment. It wasn't— it was half an hour. I couldn't see what was happening to my face. I ended up buying a lot of products that I just would not have a clue to use ever again. I was on a footfall of a very busy store on a Saturday. People were looking at me, and this is for somebody who actually couldn't look at themselves in the mirror. Fortunately, I got in touch, uh, well, put in touch by, um, Karen Franklin to the lady we're going to be talking to today, which is Ariane Poole, who is an international makeup artist, and she has been doing this for now over 40 years. So I'd like to say hello to Ariane, and perhaps over you'd like to sort of introduce yourself a little bit, um, and about how you work with people like me and everybody to try and make themselves feel and be honest and to be— look their best selves so that they can feel good. Oh, absolutely. Hi there, everyone. My name is Ariane Poole. Thank you, Eva-Maria, for having me on. I really think this is a wonderful thing that you're doing, sharing your experience, because I know that so many women across the board for all of your radio things are going to be so interested, and it's going to be be so helpful for everyone. Uh, I've been a makeup artist, as you said, for over 40 years. Um, I started off in Canada and then got headhunted by Biba to come to the UK to be their makeup artist at the end of the '70s. And I have done a lot of celebrities and royals and A-listers and all of that kind of thing. But what I love doing the most is doing makeup on women like you and me and helping look and feel their best so that they can be confident about themselves. And for me, that's what really makeup is about. It isn't just gilding the lily, as they say, and it isn't narcissistic or self-absorbed. What you were saying, which I thought was really interesting, and it's something that I felt for a long time, and actually what really started me doing makeup, is because you said that, you know, you were doing work on yourself on the inside, and we all have things that we've been through, and we try to make ourselves better and trying to, you know, help us heal on the inside. But if you're looking at that same face day in and day out, it makes that healing process that much slower, um, because you're seeing the— you're doing all the right stuff on the inside, but the outside hasn't evolved or changed. And for me, that's where I've come in, and I've done a lot of work with women who have done the same thing as you, you know, they're going through all of those, though, the healing process. And it's almost like the makeup or the hair and the clothes, like you were saying, it's a catalyst to propel them even more forward. That was a very good English, but you know what I mean. Well, I, I didn't know honestly where to find the help, you know. Look at people, um, I'd wish, we really, really wish, but It was something that was really quite overwhelming. If you walk into a store, there is so much product there. And, you know, like we were discussing earlier, that I said to you, I'd actually bought a lot— I was sold, rather, a lot of things during this makeup session that I had that went wrong. And— but I hadn't actually bought them. Where it's good, buying is the choice. But I could not, um, I just could not access this world of, of fashion, or it seemed like all my energy had gone into like my sort of therapy and working on your mindfulness and all that sort of thing. But I was actually known, you know, and I am, um, a mother of 3 adult children, and for years, probably going into decades, I was known, and it is quite true, good observation, as wet hair and no makeup, because I did not know what getting ready was. I didn't look at myself. No. And sometimes I know, you know, depending on what kind of traumas you've been through, looking at yourself is the hardest thing to do, and it, it triggers. So you've done the healing on the inside, or you're working on that healing on the inside, but you then, you look at yourself or you catch it, and it is it's almost propelling you backwards slightly. It's not going to probably propel you backwards all the way, but it, it's like two steps forward, one step back. If you look at your eyes, like everything else about your body grows, you know, you can change your hair, whatever, whatever, but your eyes are still those eyes that you looked at when you were going through trauma and seeing things or experiencing things, and they're still the same eyes that are going to be looking at you now. So you have to be kind with it. It took me a while, and I mean, with your help— well, if you'd like to discuss how you— you didn't really know much about me at all, so how we worked. No, all I knew about you was that Jane told me that, you know, you had— there's this wonderful lady that you guys were— they were doing a makeover on you, and would I come and do the makeover with you? And I said yes. And that was it. That's Jane Galpin, who's a fashion stylist who works with Karen Franklin. And I didn't know about you, so you rocked up at my home with a whole carload full of goodies. It was very exciting actually when you came in with all your things. And the first thing we did was you went through my makeup. Basically a table full of it. Yeah, because most people, when I go to someone either— well, obviously now we can't go to people's houses as much as we used to, but, um, when I used to go to people's houses or they would come to a studio that I would be working from, um, we would go through all of their products that they have and edit the ones that were the good ones, the ones that they're going to get a lot of use out of, and ones that maybe, like you said, were— they were sold to. And it's just about you know, making sure that they are using the right products, not just something that they had to buy because that they felt pressured to buy that. Yeah, so, um, I mean, you, you sorted mine out pretty quickly, and we use what I, what I had. And then, um, but I wasn't looking at myself in the mirror, but I was making notes I was listening to you. I actually really see, um, as part of like this Healing Image High project, that is what I call my journey, um, as taking in all this new information and learning about it. And it's actually, it's been tremendous fun, and I absolutely, you know, love talking to you whenever I do. And, you know, we've met obviously, and I've seen you, um, at other times too now, and all this knowledge and the fun, and I've got something that I can talk about with some authority now and having fun with. And I actually feel like it's pushed out a bit of the trauma that my mind doesn't have to deal with anymore because I've got some really new good stuff going on now. And, uh, it gives you confidence that you are evolving. I— can I— I can't show— I did, uh, I used to be the beauty person on, on This Morning. We used to do makeovers and everything. And I was at home one day hoovering, as you do, um, and I had This Morning on and I saw this lady that was going through all of these big changes, which she's doing, working on her mindset, she's doing on her a weight loss program and all these kind of things. And I rang up Fern and said, oh, is there any way we can do a makeover on her? And Fern said, oh yeah, yeah, we're going to do that at the end. And I said, no, Is there any possibility I could do something for her before the end? Because she's doing all this work on herself, but it's a slow process. The healing process is a slow process. You don't go one day and it's all— you're all better. And you don't, you know, you know, cut down on your calories and do an exercise class and you've lost all the weight that you need to lose or that you want to lose. It doesn't work like that. I know because I'm trying to lose weight. It doesn't. If it did, I would be jumping with joy. Anyway, so they So I explained to Fern my, my whole idea because I said to her, you know, she's doing all this wonderful work, she's got her affirmations on her fridge and everything, and she's, you know, doing all the positive things, but she's looking at that same face every day in the mirror. Now, she was someone that did look in the mirror because her trauma wasn't the same as yours. So Fern said, yeah, okay, we'll do that. So we went up there, I went up there and I plucked her eyebrows. I did this, I did that. Nothing, nothing major, but shaped her eyebrows, showed her how to hide the dark circles and everything like that. And she wasn't allowed to see it that day. She wasn't allowed to see it on the day that I did it. So I left and I thought, wow, she looked fantastic. All the guys there were thinking how good she looked, all the film crew and everything, but she didn't see anything. Obviously that night she did look in the mirror and did see something. But about 3 months later, I was at This Morning and I was doing a thing on summer makeup or something like that. And I'm thinking, this voice, this woman that's being interviewed, I know that voice from somewhere. It sounds so familiar. And then she went, and the biggest change, the real catalyst was when Ariane came and did my makeup. And I was like, oh my gosh, that's my girl. Wow. And the transformation was phenomenal. Phenomenal. I was, I was so beaming with just joy for her because she looked so— she looked fantastic. But she— the way she spoke was different from the way we'd spoken, you know, 3 months previous. She had lost the weight. She had— she was going back to university or college or something, getting a degree of some sort. It was phenomenal. And then she came back backstage and we were hugging each other, and I was just so grateful. She said She knew that it was possible because she saw a change in her face, and that was a big deal because that change— if it's plucking your eyebrows, if it's hiding a dark circle, if it's doing something— it means it shows you that anything is possible, and all the other stuff that you're doing is also possible. It isn't narcissistic, it isn't you know, self-indulgent. It is a really positive tool as long as you're working with the right kind of people. The experience that you had at the department store— not all of them are like that, but a lot of them are there to sell, and there's a pressure on them to sell. Yeah, they're trying— that's what they have to do. And I, I feel sorry for them because there are some makeup artists there on some of the counters that genuinely really do care about the person that they're making up. They really do. I've worked with many of them, so I do know that that's true. But at the end of the day, that is their prime thing they have to sell, otherwise, you know, they won't be working there for very much longer. And, you know, that's not the— that's not the thing. So for me, it's— it's— I love the fact that I can help someone feel good about themselves. Love it. I mean, I— I mean, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me. Because prior to my booking an appointment, I'm going to go for it and learn about makeup for myself decision, I actually hadn't left the house for 4 years. I was housebound, you know, agoraphobic. I had so much anxiety about going out, so I didn't go out. And I didn't want— I just didn't want this, but I didn't know what to do about it. So that's why I made the decision to try and get some help about makeup, and I thought that was the best place to start. And I could really— I could have given up because I came out looking as though I was about to star in a West End show. It was like thick stage makeup. I didn't recognize myself at all, but I, I just didn't want— I didn't want this. I really— I was quite angry that my whole life had been influenced and impacted in such a big way with things that had happened to me and what it was also doing to my, my family. And I had to do this. So I contacted— I took a risk and I contacted my my cousin who, um, no idea about anything that I've been through, who, um, you know, was, was involved in fashion during her work. Yeah, you worked with her. So my amazing cousin June. Yeah. And she, bless her, she could have said, very sorry, I can't help you, or whatever, whatever. But no, she went and put me in touch, uh, with Karen. I hadn't even— I think I must be one of the only people that— well, very few people that hasn't actually watched the clothes show because I could never access anything like that. And I feel a bit annoyed that I've missed out on that because it sounds like it was a good gig. But, um, so for me to sort of persevere and have you, you know, it's got me— it got me outside. It's got people— people comment on my makeup You know, not that it's very sort of unusual or thick, or, um, I just do a light makeup and my skin feels good. And, um, I look— I think I will— yeah, I actually have this far more confidence about me, um, and that I've been able now to, to be in a situation where I'm going to be presenting, um, this series for the women's radio station. And to really talk about things that might hopefully help people. I mean, we were talking earlier about good things to start with if you are struggling a little bit, not quite sure. There's quite a lot of new products that have come out. I mean, there's all different BB creams, CC creams, and things that sometimes it can be a bit difficult to know, um, where to start. But I mean, you now, this week is your 19th, uh, anniversary of creating your own brand. The range has been— is 19 years old. I didn't— you know, it's, it's quite extraordinary. But what you were saying about— when you were saying about, um, it's given you confidence to go out and everything, what you need when you're working with someone, you need to have somebody that can empathize. They won't know what you've been through, but they can understand that if you're someone who doesn't wear a lot of makeup, why would you ply somebody who doesn't wear makeup with a ton of stuff? They're gonna feel really uncomfortable. Yeah. Um, you have to be in tune with that person's lifestyle, their, their likes and dislikes. For me, it's really important to I don't want to know the person, I don't need to get to know the person intimately, but I need to know what their likes and dislikes are. I get people to send me a picture of themselves without makeup and with makeup, and it's really interesting because I get them, they always send me these pictures and go, oh, I'm really sorry, it's a really ugly picture of me. And can I just tell you, it is not an ugly picture of you ever when you send these pictures to me. There's, I don't think anyone is ugly. I, I'm hands down 100%, okay? There are areas that we can all improve upon, myself included, um, but we are not ugly. We have not necessarily know all the techniques. Sometimes you can make your eyes look droopy by just the way you're applying a product, and if you just change that application technique, you suddenly have taking away that droopiness of the eye and make the eye look more lifted. I want to show you things that will make you, the person, look and feel how they want to look and feel, not like somebody else. Like you were saying that you thought you could go on stage. Yeah, so quite easily. Yeah, and it's not about that. It's— you have to listen. If someone says to me, I can't do this, or I don't want to do this, Not necessarily I can't. If they can't because they don't know the technique, then I can show them. But if they say, I don't like that, there is no way that I am gonna pressure them into doing something that they don't like. If someone says, you know what, all I want is a lip balm, a clear lip balm, that's what you get, okay? If you wanna introduce a little bit something here or there, we can do that in a gradual process. You don't have to. And like you said also too, It's a minefield out there. You go into one of the department stores or even online now, and it is like a tidal wave of information coming at you. Not all of it relevant for you as an individual. I know. What's good for one person isn't necessarily good for someone else. And fact for this is you see somebody wearing a lip color that you like and you say, oh my gosh, that's a beautiful lip color. What is that? And they say, oh, it's the blah, blah, blah. And you go out and get it. And it doesn't look anything like that on you because your pH, your skin tone, how it reacts, all of these things play into that. So I'm not trying to make it sound like it's even more daunting, but that's why women get it wrong, because we're looking at a magazine and the person in that magazine isn't the same skin tone, age, etc., as we are. Um, it's hard, and I, I'm trying to make it easier, um, so that you don't have to sit there and sort of we're our own worst critics, so criticize ourselves, you know. And we can all walk away feeling great about ourselves. And all the ones I've been doing, you know, people, they walk away like you. You ended up looking in the mirror that day, didn't you? I did. It was like the— it was, it was like the first time. I think you were putting— talking, putting products, letting me feel them on my skin, on my hand, and then you were applying them, and then also recording what you were using and how you'd applied it on a book that you, you left with me of a face so I could see everything. But yeah, it was, it was just almost like a sort of seamless process where I'd gone from just like— you had a, a mirror there and like, no way was I looking in. I remember that really well. And then towards the end You did. I know, because really felt it. I really felt it. And then, I mean, from this, then I went on to do, um, like for my Healing Image High website, um, with Karen and Jane organized. We did a photo shoot and you were not available. No, I was away. I was in Australia, I think. Yeah. Happened. That was— well, we— so, so, um, we had— I had somebody else who I actually had only spoken to on the phone. Um, she came, she, you know, set up in a room and she was doing my makeup. And, you know, I think it's just testament to say that I got such great help from you, stuff that I understood. I wasn't scared anymore about stuff going on my face, that I was able to work with someone else. Yeah, and it was not a problem. That's a big thing as well. It took you from— I mean, you could have, like you said, you could have totally shut down after that department store experience. I mean, and I can understand that. I have had a couple of people that I've made up. I remember doing a talk up in, uh, Altrincham, and this lady was at the talk, and her friends said, oh, let her do your makeup, let her do her. And she— and I said, oh, come on, I'll do your makeup. No, no, no, no. I went to a department store and I got made up and I went home and my kids fell around laughing. They fell about laughing. And I would never ever do this again. I said, please, I promise you, your kids will not fall around laughing when I've done your makeup. I promise you that. If they do, you can phone me and I will be so apologetic. I'm so sorry. She did call me, but not to tell me that her kids fell about laughing. They thought she looked amazing. Her husband grabbed the phone from her and he said, You've given me my, my wife back. And I'm like, oh my God, that is so wonderful, because I didn't put clownish kind of over-the-top makeup. I listened to what her concerns were, I listened to what she needed and wanted, and I showed her how to achieve it. And then that was it. I wasn't pressuring her to wear this, that, or the other thing. I wasn't I wasn't doing what I wanted to do, I was doing what she wanted me to do, which is the difference. Huge difference. Yeah. And I, I know when I've trained makeup artists and they say to me— I've had one, one of my girls rang me and she was at a wedding and she was doing the mother of the bride and she said, 'Arianne, I'm really panicking. She wants to wear this, this lipstick. It looks awful on her.' I said, 'Okay.' And she said, you know, everyone will know I've done her makeup and she looks awful with that lipstick color on. And I said, well, did you try different colors? And she said she doesn't like any of the other ones. I said, what does the rest of her makeup look like? She said, oh, fantastic. I said, then let her wear that lipstick. And she went, what? No, no, no. I said, is she happy wearing that lipstick that she always wears? And she said yes. I said, well, she's going to go out there feeling a million dollars because she's feeling confident, you've done all the rest of it, and she's wearing her lipstick that she feels comfortable and confident with, um, it's not for us to say that we don't like that color. You know, if she likes that color, then by all means she should be wearing it. It's not for me to tell her that she's wrong. You know, the only time I will say to someone is if someone— if you said to me, Arianne, I really hate this lip color, I want— I'm looking for this kind of color and everything I've tried is not that right color, then I'll help you. But if you say, I love this lip color, this is my signature shade, yeah, everyone knows I've been wearing this, and you don't want to change, I am not going to force you to do something that you don't want to do. And the word force is there, not— I'm, you know, I'm not going to persuade you, force you, or anything. And especially if I've tried different ones on you and you didn't like them, heck, what is the point? You want to be good. I think a lipstick, it can be like your signature thing because I think it goes in your handbag, you know, the size is portable. So, you know, you can apply it in the car when you've, you know, got— not while you're driving, obviously, but when you've got where you're going, um, you know, if you've had a drink, you know, you've got your lipstick. It's, it's the thing, I suppose, because it isn't, you know, you could eat and drink and take a bit off the— you do have them. I, I got used to one that I loved, and I went to go and get another one, which should have been a really easy— they were like it's discontinued. Awful. Yeah, like, what do you mean it's discontinued? That can't— it can't be. It's like, can I have the tester? I've got to have this lipstick. Yeah, somewhere you can go if you have a— this is sharing information. Um, yeah, there's a place called Cosmetics à la Carte, and I think they still do it. They will color match something for you. So if you've got a lipstick that you love, adore, and think that you can't be without it and they have totally discontinued it. They used to do— they used to make up a lipstick to match that. Um, I don't know if they still do it, but I think they do. So if, you know, it's well worth checking out, and you could buy like 4 or 5 of them at a go, and then that's it. Yeah. But yeah, since, um, you know, now people know that I do go out and get ready, and sometimes I'm a bit late now because I am doing my makeup. I've gone the other way. And, um, yeah, I have. And then, um, 3, 3 times since I've seen you, I have been given as a, like, birthday gifts— people have actually bought me, like, lipstick. And it's been great because it's like, oh, I can try this. They know, they've thought about me. That's so kind. They knew that I'm wearing stuff and, like— and then people will say, that color looks really good on you today. And it's just a really nice thing. And you probably don't wear it— you don't wear makeup every single day. You wear it when you want to, and that's when it is. It's when you want to. And some days I won't wear anything. I will be in the office writing and doing stuff, you know, and I wear like a just bit of moisturizer. And other days I'm thinking, oh my gosh, my dark circles are really, you know, bad. I had, you know, it was up all night, or I had a, you know, a not restful sleep. And, and then you want to do something, or you just want to go out with friends and you want to look your best. It's such— it is— it should be tailored to what you want at that time. It shouldn't feel like it's a chore and that you have to do it. No, no, exactly. And that, that's definitely been a massive shift for me. It's now that I, you know, I, you know, have my shower, get ready, think about what I'm gonna wear, and then I do my makeup. And I, I sort of— it's changed the whole sort of my sort of process of getting ready to, to go out. I used to just be dressed, sat there, not even— haven't really looked at what I was even wearing. The, the outfit was probably nice. I don't know if it looked good on me or not. I didn't— I wasn't up to that, uh, yet. But, and then I just like sit and think, well, where— why isn't everybody ready to go out? Because they're everyone was getting ready but me. So, and I think, um, we were discussing, uh, earlier about, um, how your range, you've really honed it down to sort of 3 things for people to think about. So you're the Prime, the Correct, and the Enhance. And I mean, I It's only since I've, I've had met you that I've been actually using primer, and it's just such an incredible product. The, the feel of it, the, the way that it just goes on so evenly, and it really, really makes your skin feel so different before you've even gone any further than the primer. Yeah, everything should feel good on your skin. If something feels yucky on your skin then you shouldn't be doing it. But like you said, the primer makes your skin feel really— it makes it feel just delicious. Not like it feels so lovely. And, you know, things— I, I'm, I'm a really painfully practical person, and I say that in a, in the nicest possible way. I always wanted people to use products that deliver results to them. And that they are going to use. There's no point in buying something and having it just sit there in your bathroom or in your bedroom or wherever you do your makeup, um, because you think you should be using it. So I'm delighted that you like to use the primer, and it is those 3 stages. So the priming aspect is where we prep our skin. So it can be so simple as a moisturizer, maybe an eye cream, maybe a serum, maybe a primer. Something. So that's the priming area. The correcting aspect is— I would say practically all of us need a little help in the correcting aspect because as we get older, our skin becomes more blotchy and uneven. We have more dark circles, we have all of these things. And really, the correcting is just evening it out. It's not, it's not putting a, like, a mask over you. It's just evening out the areas that you feel. So sometimes it's not a case of putting a foundation or something all over your face. It could be just targeting, say, if you have pigmentation or high coloring or something like that. So you're not wearing a big full mask, especially if you're someone who's not used to wearing makeup or hasn't touched it for quite a while. Because— and it could be something as simple as, when I was younger, I used to wear tons of makeup. Now it's not looking so great on me, so I've just given up. So that can happen as well. So that someone doesn't necessarily have to go through a trauma. It can be the aging process that could be impacting on you. Going through menopause can be, you know, impacting on you, and perimenopause, all of those things that we as women have to take on board. Um, so the correcting bit to me is one of the bits that I really kind of concentrate on, and that can be even correcting uneven eyebrows. So if you're someone like me that plucked crazy when they were in there in the '70s when I was a teenager, and it was really thin eyebrows um, then you kind of have to redefine that so you don't look like you're shocked or you're, you know, missing some. Or if you've gone through some, um, some types of medication, or if you've gone through illnesses and things like that where you've had to have maybe chemo or something like that, where you need to replace those kind of things. So makeup actually plays a big role because I used to— when we were doing fashion shows, I did the Breast Cancer Care fashion show for 21 years. And it's interesting how, again, like you were saying about makeup, how it makes you feel better. The women, when they were having their makeup done, it reignited their passion of, you know, and their joie de vivre and all of that kind of thing. It was really interesting. Um, so then we go on to enhancing, and enhancing is so personal, okay? Because it could be as little as a lick of mascara and that's it, and a little bit of balm, or it can be the full thing, dark, smoky, sexy eyes. It's completely up to the individual. And it's, it's interesting. I did a group of ladies— I did a makeup lesson on a group of ladies. They were 3 sisters. 2 of the sisters, avid makeup wearers, loved the makeup, the more the better. The third sister— it sounds like the Three Bears, doesn't it? Yeah. And the third makeup She didn't wear any makeup hardly at all. Literally, I don't even— I think she had a moisturizer and a mascara in her thing. But her sisters, they did it as, I think, I can't remember what it was, some kind of celebration, but they were doing something. And so they all came along. And so I did this at the end. I did like a daytime look, and then we did a smoky eye look, and I did a brown smoky eye look on her. And she was sat there looking at herself in the mirror, and I was thinking, oh, she doesn't like this, it looks— she's going to say something. Do you think I could wear this in the day? And her sisters just went, oh my God, really? Wow, it was, it was a complete 360 turnaround. I mean, holy moly, it was incredible. We all just stopped and stared at her. I said, yes, yes, you could wear that on the date. Yes, you— I really like this, it looks really good for the date. I mean, if you can see my face, this is in shock. It was— I, I— if my jaw had hit the ground, I wouldn't have been surprised on that day. It was such a revolution around— not revolution, revelation. Um, but it's interesting, so people's perspective changes and they, you know, what is right for one person isn't right for another. So the, the variable in there is always the enhancing. So Enhancing can be anything. Yes, I'm a little or a lot. I mean, I have, you know, different— I do try to do— I, I do put a little bit more in to go a bit heavier on the enhancing if I'm going out. Yeah, exactly. And I'm also— I'm— because I also used to worry about— not worry, but sometimes I'd, you know, you go to the— use the ladies' room and you'd see that your skin is a bit like gone a bit shiny, you know, it's hot, you're in, uh, away from home. And, and, um, so I really, really like, um, you know, a powder I, I carry. So in my bag I have a lipstick, a lip gloss to go on top of that lipstick, because that was one of the things you showed me, and I just really liked that. So I, I carried that on. And then I also take one of those a non-shiny, a blotting powder with me now as well, because you do— you can just get a little bit shiny, especially on the top of your cheekbones. And also, if you're somebody that's having a little bit of a hot flush— because, you know, I'm guessing that the people, the women that are listening to this are of varying age groups, so there are going to be those of us in this age group. I'm, I'm 64 now, I'm nearly 65, so it's I've been there and done that within the menopause. But do you know, every so often I still get a little bit of a hot flush going on. But I remember going through that hot flush period, and I'll give you a quick tip. If you're somebody that is listening and you are going through perimenopause and menopause and you are having that, instead of applying the powder right away, what I would suggest is take a tissue and just gently pat your face and then put the powder on. That way you're not going to get that kind of congealy kind of thing with the powder. It will really work really, really well. And use a brush to apply it rather than a puff or cotton pad, but blot it first with a tissue and it works a treat. Oh, okay. Oh, that's it. That's, that's excellent. And another thing you taught me as well was like how to tell a good blusher, by the way, that you load it onto your brush, give it a tap, and if the— it's a good pigment as well. So all these sort of little things are things that I probably think about now almost every day. Like, I'm loading my brush, giving it a tap, you know, I've got enough product. Um, and, and yeah, seriously, it is all— even through lockdown, I've still continued, probably not as much, but Definitely been— some of the women that might be listening to this as well, you know, I've had a lot of women contact me because we're coming out of the lockdown as much as we are, and they have been— then maybe they didn't carry on doing their makeup and everything, and suddenly it's like, oh my gosh, I don't know what to do. I've been nearly a year and a half, or maybe nearly 2 years wearing hardly anything, and now I have to get my head back into that game of putting it back on. But I don't want to do it the same way as I did it before because I've changed. Because we do, we change, you know, at the aging process, that's how it works. And it's interesting. So I did, you know, we always do a softly, softly, gently approach. Probably some of that makeup is a bit old, isn't it? It's been hanging around If they haven't used it, if you bought it maybe 3 or 4 years ago, yeah, I would say yes, revisit it, see if it's, it's okay, because some of it may not be okay. And you do not want to put stuff that's on your, on your face that's going to give you any kind of irritation. Um, and it's hard because you think, I've spent the money on this. I, I did that because I had, um, an outfit that I was, I was supposed to be doing a cruise, a talk on a cruise, and I had all these outfits ready for my cruise to do a talk because I was going to theme the talks. Like, you know, if you're wearing— if you're going out in the evening or if you're in the daytime or if you're just, you know, I didn't get to wear any of them. I haven't— I still have not to wear any of them. I mean, we didn't have a nice summer this summer either, so I couldn't even get them out for the summer. I mean, I'm sitting there looking at these things in my closet praying that they'll still be okay looking. And I still fit into them, more the point, next summer. I know, well, I mean, yeah, I've got the same thing, outfits I bought for my children's graduations that have been cancelled. So it's like those things are going to have to come out eventually, and I'm going to have to fit in them eventually. So that's my thing, like, will I still fit into them? I tried on one things the other day, and I was like, please zip up, please zip up, and it did zip up. I was like, thank you. I mean, I had a bit of a problem with weight in— during— well, it just coincided with lockdown that I went on for HRT, because all my friends are skipping about, they feel great, they look amazing, so I wanted to— I wanted some of that. I got, I got mine and, um, I, I put 2 stone on. Oh my gosh, that doesn't make you feel good either. I, yeah, I actually felt like— no, I think, I think I've learned that I'm quite resilient and I'm quite stubborn and also receptive. So it's a bit like the makeup thing. I could have like gone like, yeah, okay, I'm just going to live as as a bigger person, and really I couldn't get in things. I was wearing, you know, like joggers and things that covered me up a bit, but I have— I've lost it all. Um, I know this is not the topic that we're supposed to be talking about, but just— no, no, sorry, just a little— tell me how you lost it, and I'm sure people would like to hear it as well. I have hit the gym so hard that I come out, there's my sweat is still on their floor when I leave. I am absolutely like, it's either live with this or change it and change it yourself. So it's diet, exercise, sleep. Well, that's what I'm going to be doing because I have put on not quite 2 stone but not shy from it. I'm gonna say that. And it's so frustrating because Like you said, there's so many— I've got stuff in my wardrobe that I love, and I, and I know that now they're, they're, they've been around for ages, but I really love these pieces that I bought and I want to wear them. So I'm going to have to do what you've done. I'm going to, I'm going to have to bite the bullet. Yeah. And go and do that. So, and I was thinking that this morning, because you, like you said, you know, your makeup, it's, um, you get an instant result, a quick result. Yeah, but with other things changing, whether, you know, you've got sort of mental health issues or weight issues or, you know, you're not very— physical illness, they don't go— you can't change those quite as quickly as we might want. So I find— and then I know that, uh, we could now— I mean, even now because of the pandemic, you're still not doing your sort of face-to-face makeup tutorials, but you've been using Zoom, which— I am, yes. I love it. It's really hard on trying to get your technique right, and I'm sure knowing you, it's totally amazing. But you've been able to do these Zoom calls with people, you know, who aren't within the UK, people who are in States, people who are in Australia, people, um, and then I thought it was really interesting that you were saying how, um, the benefits— there are some great benefits of this where people will then get to keep the recording of your makeup tutorial. And also it has in there sort of how, how to sort of hold your brush or how to tilt your angle, your face, so that you can apply the products in, in a way that is best to suit you as a person. Yeah, I love doing my Zooms. I was really— I'm not gonna lie— scared about doing the Zooms because I thought, how am I going to convey this information in a way that will benefit the person who's, who's being— that I'm teaching? Because that's the most important thing to me. It's not about me, it's about who I'm making up or who I'm helping to create what they want me to create. And I did my first one and it was Absolutely brilliant. So how I do it is I come— we have a little email session beforehand, and I'll— anybody that wants to know about it, they can email me and let me know. I'll tell them how it works. But on the actual Zoom call, I have no makeup on at all, so you can see me all in my blotchy, my blotchy glory. And the reason I do that is so that I— if I'm trying to show you how to put on a foundation, or if I'm trying to show you how it best works for your eye shape, I'm doing it— I'm going to be mimicking your face shape and your eye shape. So it won't necessarily be my face shape that we're going to be talking about, but you can see how I'm holding the brush, and then I can say, oh yeah, tilt it just a little bit this way, or you need to go up more on an angle, or you need to pull it up here, or push it down that way. And so I'm guiding you along, and what I found is that The women that I've been teaching this way feel much more empowered even than the ones that I do face-to-face, because when I'm doing face-to-face, I'm doing one half of their face, they're doing the other. This time they're doing the whole face and I'm guiding them along and I'm going, okay, put it up higher. So I have to communicate much more clearly and explain it. But the best bit is that they keep the recording so that they don't have to sit there going, what did she mean by that? Because makeup to me is like watching a cooking program. You know, you watch somebody do a makeup on TV or you watch a cooking program and you think, yeah, yeah, I know all that, that I can remember all that. And then you go to do it and you think, ah, what did they say? Do I put the garlic in now or do I wait and put the garlic in later? I can't remember whether it goes— it suddenly you forget the stuff. And then, but with this video, you can go back and say, oh yeah, she told me to put it that way. Oh yeah, that makes sense now. Because we do forget. It's not, you know, it's not something that, you know, just because we're women doesn't mean that we're inbuilt with this, with knowledge. We're not inbuilt to know makeup, cooking, whatever else that women, you know, I mean, if it was sewing, I would be the disaster because I can't sew a thing. I can sew a button on and that's it. You know, so, you know, just because, you know, we're women doesn't mean that we know how to do all the things that are out there. And we don't. And also, I think, like, being— well, I, you know, I've gone through the menopause now. I actually want to sort of embrace this time of my life. And, you know, my children are older and sort of are no longer here at home, and I want to so there's more time for me, um, in, in theory. And so I want to use that time. And, and I think for people who, um, maybe are listening who have got family members or they've— or friends who they know, you know, maybe struggle or trying makeup and things, that, you know, give them— give them support, um, or let them know 'You look lovely,' 'Gosh, your skin looks really nice,' or 'That color looks really nice on you,' because it really— it's almost as important. I know you can do your self-affirmations and everything, but it's about, you know, it's your face, it's what people see, and it's how you feel you're being seen. So if you can give somebody some, you know, a little bit of encouragement— I mean, I don't mean in a false way, Positive. You're being truthful and you're being positive. As a matter of fact, I will— if I see someone, you know, like in the grocery store or something and they've got a really nice lip color on, I'll say, I really love your lip color, or, oh, what nice nails you've got, I really love that nail color. I talk to everyone. My kids go, Mom, you don't have to talk to everyone. And I said, but I like to. But do you know what I do that now? I said to a girl in the shop the other day, I said, you've got your foundation, it's beautiful. It's amazing, you know, where did you get that? And the eyebrows— wow, your eyebrows are so— yeah, I know. So, um, I've also started going to shops to have my eyebrows done. So like, very nice, I like it. But we— I think I'd really like to just talk about, um, your, your range, your product range, because you did work for, uh, Boots, for quite a long time, and I, I know that you were really honored to work for them and launched, uh, No7 in quite a few, uh, different countries. Um, but your, your products, um, you know, I've been using them ever since I met you. Um, I've bought stuff, I've bought them for, for friends, even for like my family members. And then you have so kindly offered— well, not only have you got information on your website, you've got your videos, but you're going to give our readers a 20% discount with a code WRS20, all uppercase. All up case, yes. Um, so, and also, um, you are available as well for, for questions, and, um, I know you're doing your Zoom, uh, tutorials. And I would really strongly— of all the things that I've done through Healing Image, this was the first one that was my really 'I need help with' thing, and it has just carried me forward. We're talking about 6 years now, but I've gone on. I'm— I didn't wear makeup for this, I'll admit, but I completed the London Marathon. Wow. Yeah, I've gone out and I've done— I've done an acting course, I've done, um, residential boot camps. I've— I don't know, I've got— I've gone play pigeon shooting. I can now open the champagne bottle with a sword because I've I don't drink alcohol. That's my little celebration. Somebody— and yeah, it's really changed my life, Arianne. It's totally fantastic. Oh, I'm really, really pleased because it is wonderful to hear that, because that for me is why I started doing what I was doing, makeup. I've always loved it. I used to do makeup lessons in the school bathrooms as well. I was— yeah, a friend of mine you, how did you get into being interested in makeup? Because you did your degree. No, yeah, well, I, I have loved makeup since I was 3 years old. So I mean, I have— it's probably ingrained somewhere in the— it's— I don't know how that happened, but I've loved makeup ever since I was 3. And I remember getting my first makeup set when I was 3, and it wasn't real stuff, it was just clear stuff that you could pretend, but it was good enough for me. And then when I was 6, I started making my own lipsticks and blushers out of geranium petals. Did you really? Oh gosh, well, you were absolutely born to be a makeup artist. Yeah, but I, you know, it was, it was, I've always been passionate. I was passionate about because I knew, I mean, I'd not, probably not at 6 I knew, but when I was a teenager going through all that teenage angst which we go through. Um, you know, every, every decade of our lives we have something else that, you know, impacts on us. Um, and it was that. And it was— I was talking to a friend of mine, she said, oh, do you remember when you used to do makeup lessons in the school bathrooms? I went, oh my gosh, yeah, I do. I'd forgotten that I had done that. But it was really— it was great fun to do that. But I love what I do. And, you know, if you go— if anybody wants to go and look at my Instagram, I do a lot of videos. I do a live normally every Wednesday. I say normally because there's always one odd Wednesday that I can't do it, but normally every Wednesday. And we just— I discuss all sorts of issues and concerns and everything. And the feedback that I've been getting from the people that have been watching, not only that, but I, that I've done the Zooms with, it's very much what, like you're saying, it makes them feel more confident. And, and, you know, and not in a cocky kind of way and not in a full of themselves kind of way, but it makes them feel good about themselves. And to me, that's really important. And I'll say one thing, the products that I've created are all tested on humans, on people, not on animals, which is very important. But I want to get that across. And also a lot of them are vegan as well. Not every single one of them, but pretty— I would say probably about 75% of them, or even more are vegan. So I'm really aware of that, and we don't— I don't overpackage and things like that. I really do do what I say with, with all of that kind of thing. I've been conscious of that before it became trendy and fashionable to do all of that, because I think it was— it's just how I've always felt about things. So it's, it's really important for me. And like I said, making it about the individual, it's not about the look of the season or whatever, although we talk about looks of seasons in case that is something that you're interested in. But it's about you as an individual and solving your dilemmas or your concerns or what you think that is your problem. And I'm, I'm there to help. That's what I like to do, and that's just always been like that. So, um, now all your, uh, links to all your social media Yeah, and we will, um, we'll be putting those, um, up and also, um, for the advertising for this broadcast, which will be going out, um, every day this week, twice a day, 7 in the morning and 7 PM. So, um, we also, um, Arianne's very kindly thought that it'd be nice to offer somebody a complimentary Zoom makeover. Yes, um, we will, um, it will be completely picked at random. Yeah, and I have nothing to— I'm not doing any of the picking. It's going to be done whatever, however way you guys can pick it. I think they— there's like a log of algorithm or something that they do the picking from. I don't know how to do it, but yeah, and it you know, whatever your issues or concerns, enter into it. And, and, you know, hopefully you'll, you'll get the, the Zoom. And even if we— if it was a couple of people, like two friends or something like that, that'd be quite fun because they're fun to do as well. I think that would be quite fun. You know, I now have fun with my, my children, my girls. Got to go. You said that you had just come back from Ireland where you had visited your daughter, and you went out and did makeup shopping, and you did getting ready in the evening, and Oh, sounded great. We did. And I was saying to her, hang on a minute, how did you learn to do this? And she's like, oh, you know, we do this, Mum. I put my concealer slightly here and into my eye a little bit on the top. I was like, why haven't you shared that with me? Because I taught you how to use a knife and fork. I've taught you how to tie your shoes and do all sorts of things. And then you've missed out this crucial little bit of information for your mother. So it's actually, it's a really great thing. For me, um, and my family now. Like, you know, I have— I enjoy this girly time, if you like, um, which for me it is because I've got the girls, um, that I, I missed out on a little bit. So I'm almost reclaiming a little bit of what I should have had, um, before. And, you know, hopefully other people can, can feel like that too, um. But what you said was really funny, you saying, why didn't you— my mom, who is in her 80s, her mid-80s, she rang me the other day, she said, I have a bone to pick with you. I thought, oh no, what have I done? And she said, I was reading in a magazine about this, this, and this for makeup, why didn't you tell me about that? And I said, because that works on this kind of face shape but not on our face shape. And she went, okay, that I'll let you off on that one. Oh, how funny. Oh no, really? You mustn't forget your mum. She said, "Do I need the navy pencil?" It's a Voyage, the colour's called Voyage, it's a navy pen. She said, "Do I need the navy pencil?" She said, "I've tried other ones," and she said, "I really like yours." I thought, gee, thanks, Mum. Oh really? Well, I think that must be probably the best recommendation if your mum is on it, then yeah, that's amazing. And I think One of the things that I just, I'd just like to end with is like obviously thanking you so much for your time. Thank you so much. Just like getting to know you has just been amazing. I, I, you know, you're just one of the most loveliest people that I, I've met along this journey. Um, but you know, when you started out doing all this makeup, it was during the time where there wasn't photoshopping or filters thing. So, you know, you've really, um, carried on this sort of makeup where people can actually— it's real. And it's— yeah, and I don't Photoshop. I'm, you know, I'm not against people doing Botox and fillers and things like that. It's just not for me. So I want to show— if there's ladies out there that aren't interested in that, or for whatever reason they don't want to do it, go down that road, I can show you ways to make your look great without having to go through all of that, if it's not your choice. If it is your choice, then that's fine as well. But it's, you know, I, and I, I have absolutely loved meeting you, and I am so, I so admire what you're doing. And I think what you're doing is— no, no, and truthfully, what you're doing and sharing with people is so, so important because we do need things that will help us heal, uh, all of us have gone through something, some more horrendous than others, but it is all, you know, it is wonderful what you're doing and sharing the information that you have, because I know you're going to have some really other great guests on as well. I have. I've met some absolutely incredible people who I, you know, I, I've so, so enjoyed getting to know. Um, and yeah, it's been me, it's really helped. So I think we've got an absolutely great series. So glad to have had you today as our first one. I feel very honored because, yeah, makeup is— is— was my first stop. And, well, rather than making it a stop, I made it a green light, and it's all go. So, yeah, thank you. It's absolutely fantastic. And, um, I hope if people want to send in any messages, um, you can do that via the, the radio station. And so I'd just like to say thank you so much for, um, lovely discussion with, um, our makeup artist Arianne Poole today. And I look forward to doing my next broadcast as well. And I hope people will listen to them. I've got 12 in my series for the first series. So this is Eva May, and saying goodbye and thank you for listening to the Women's Radio Station. Thank you. Bye-bye. Bye-bye.