June 9th, 2017
With a strong beauty background, she’s making waves for herself in the Red Carpet and celeb side of the industry – and is now unveilled as a Barry M’s Angel. Warpaint gets time in the very busy diary of Laura Louise Sproat.
WP: What’s your background and what brought you into the make-up industry?
LLS: I’ve been a working make-up artist now for nearly 14 years. I left school and went straight to college, graduating with a diploma in TV and film make-up. I studied everything beauty-related from hair to make-up, but make-up has always been my biggest passion since growing up as a little girl.
I’m one of six siblings, five of them being girls, so we grew up in a very girly environment. I used to take my mum’s make-up and nail varnishes and play about with them from very early age. I worked at MAC and Estée Lauder counters throughout my adult life until I gained enough confidence to go it alone and create my own business as a freelance artist.
WP: Where did you train? Who were your early influences?
LLS: I trained at Barnet College which was local to me in Mill Hill, North London. My early influences, I would have to say, were Pat McGrath, due to her creativity, and Estée Lauder because of her courage and background, and how she built the foundations of a global empire that it is today But, even as a child, my first introduction to makeup was with brands like Barry M.
WP: What are the things about working in the make-up industry that you love?
LLS: The thing I love the most about the industry I’m in is, without a doubt, how rewarding it is. For me, the feeling you get from creating art on someone’s face is the best feeling. It gives the client this powerful feeling instantly and allows us all to define our own beauty ideals as we experiment and play with colour from one day to the next. I love the diversity of my clientele: from skin tones to backgrounds to events, it’s always different and, no matter what, you are part of making someone feel more beautiful.
WP: Which project are you most proud of?
LLS: The project I’m most proud of is very close to my heart. It was making my client who sadly passed away from cancer feel incredible when all her self-esteem and confidence was lost. There’s so much power in make-up that I’ve never known before; the simplest of applications made her feel beautiful when she felt it the least – like recreating hair on the eyebrows which no longer existed. To see the glow and smile radiate from her when I handed her the mirror when I finished is a moment that will live with me forever.
WP: You specialise in beauty and Red Carpet – do you have a signature style?
LLS: I do have a go to signature style – I call it the Laura Louise Signature Smokey. It consists of a golden brown glittery eye, no harsh lines, just softly blended out, teamed with glossy nude lip paired with super golden, sun kissed skin.
WP: How did you connection with Barry M come about?
LLS: Barry M reached out to me, if I remember rightly. I absolutely love their products and I would tag them all the time on my Instagram when I created looks; I think that’s how they discovered me. When I hosted my first ever masterclass, Barry M kindly wanted to sponsor it and since then we’ve grown an amazing relationship. Now being one of the new Barry’s Angels, I feel honoured that they contacted me out of all the other brands, as this was the first ever make-up brand I owned as a little girl so to now be a part of the company is really exciting.
WP: Which products are your key piece in your kit?
LLS: My key products I have in my kit are:
Barry M – Super Soft Eye Crayon in Brown; Bold Waterproof Eye Liner in Black; Nude Lip Liners in Russet, Toast and Rose; Flawless Mist & Fix Setting Sprays in Matte and Dewy; and Matte Me Up Liquid Lip Paints.
Anastasia Beverly Hills – Glow Kit in That Glow; Liquid Lipsticks in Naked and Milkshake; Brow Wiz Brow Pencil.
Morphe Brushes – 35O Eyeshadow Palette , 35N Eyeshadow Palette, 9bz and 9b Blusher Palette.
Spectrum Brushes, Estee Lauder Double Wear, Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation and Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy.
WP: What continues to challenge you about your work?
LLS: I think the only challenge that continues for me as a freelance artist is there are not enough hours in the day to fit everyone in.
WP: Who inspires you and who would you love to work with?
LLS: My inspirations change a lot. As I grow, I would say at the moment Makeup By Mario has a beautiful style which I love – I would love to work with him. Anastasia Beverly Hills and Huda Kattan are two women I look up to, as these woman started from scratch, like I have, and have successfully established their names in such a competitive industry.
WP: Tell us about a typical day.
LLS: A typical day in the life of Laura Louise is … usually make sure my kit looks pristine, brushes are lovely and clean, my make-up is done and then I’m on to my first client. If I’m filming or on a shoot it’s the same preparation; I drive everywhere so I tend to have to keep snacks in the car and stock up on fruit juices to keep me going. If I have a rare day off, I tend to vlog, catch up on the latest trends, try new looks or relax with my friends and family.
WP: What advice would you give to a student beginning work today?
LLS: I get asked the question a lot of and I always say the same thing … Fuel your passion. If you’re leaving school, head straight into make-up college, it helps a lot to build your knowledge and gives you lots and lots of practice. After all, practice makes perfect – right? I would say you will definitely need to do some time on a make-up counter. That’s the best thing I did for my career; yes, it is hard work and can be very tiring, but use that as way to strengthen you for the freelance world.
Be consistent, it’s so important. You can’t do it half-heartedly if you want a good outcome for the future. Practice, practice, practice… grab your girlies and family members and practice looks on them. Take lots of pictures to build up your portfolio of the work, but remember to be humble and accept constructive criticism, as it will help build you. Never feel you can’t ask for help from someone you know that can do something well, especially when you’re venturing out of your comfort zone as it will help to build your skill set and strengthen your weaknesses.
WP: What’s are you working on next?
LLS: The next thing I’m working on is a photoshoot with Made In Chelsea star, Louise Thompson which is top secret but super exciting. I’m then flying out to Ibiza with talented singer Tallia Storm for another big photo shoot with Boohoo – so watch this space!
