M.A.C meets Billy Elliot – The 2015 Olivier Awards

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to be invited along to the M.A.C Pro Store in Covent Garden to celebrate the Olivier Awards and specifically, the audience award in association with ITV’s This Morning. Senior make up artist Rachel O’Donnell (@Mac_Rachel_O) showed us how to create an 80’s look inspired by the west end production and audience award nominee ‘Billy Elliott.’

Rachel started the presentation by telling us how she used apsects from the show to inspire the look. She wanted to create a twist on the smokey eye, drawing inspiration from the mining community heavily feautured in the story of Billy Elliot. At the same time she wanted to be sure the look was wearable and beauty based as appose to theatrical. 

Here’s what Rachel did step by step:

• Using the beautiful Louise as her model, Rachel began by using a light moisturiser to prep the skin.
• Next up was applying pro long wear concealer using brush (132) to blend lightly into the skin.

TIP – Spend time on the base, a flawless base will make everything else look better.

• It’s time to contour! Using a pro blusher (Sculpt) sweep under the cheek bones.

TIP – Make a ‘line’ with your blusher brush from the top of your ear to the corner of your mouth. This is the area you want to strengthen/fall into shadow. Apply more product moving up towards the ear to make it look hollow so your cheek bones pop.

• The 80’s loved a bushy brow! Rachel likes to brush the brows through so she is able to see the natural shape and see where the gaps are before applying any pencil/powder.
• Rachel opts for using an eye shadow (Omega) instead of a traditional eyebrow pencil saying it creates a more natural finish.
• For the final touch Rachel used a brow set gel. Going through the brows backwards so the brow brush catches the hair from root to tip adding extra impact.
• Over to the eyes…using an eye cream (Marine Ultra) Rachel applied the blue eyes using a soft brush (217) to buff the cream along the lid.

TIP –  Cream products can be more versatile. They are good for building colour and if adding loose powder on top it sticks really easily.

• To continue the smokey eye, Rachel took the eye cream (Marine Ultra) under the eye using a fine brush (219)

TIP – Blue is considered a dated colour but makeup artists are always looking to the past, using 80’s blue eyeshadow as inspiration you can modernise it by isolating the shade to a single area – blue eyeliner and blue eye lashes have become very popular in recent fashion seasons. 

• Adding a modern twist Rachel added a mustard pro long wear shadow (Uninterrupted) to the upper lid, creating a halo above the blue, using a circular motion to blend. Then adding a red tone shadow to follow the shape of the eye and pulling it out into a little wing.

TIP – A smokey eye can be any colour, it’s the technique that matters. No sharp edges.

• For the eyeliner Rachel used a pencil (Feline) and pushed it right down into the lashes to deepen the lash line.
• Get the 80’s party started! Adding super fine pink glitter with a firm brush and sweeping it over the eyelids adding a little extra in the corner of the eye to highlight.
• With a dark eye you can afford to have chunky lashes so adding coats of mascara (In-extreme) Rachel used the tip of the brush to get into the roots making them nice and dense.

TIP – Take time with mascara, it makes such a difference. Comb the lashes first making sure they’re even, then manipulate the lashes with the mascara brush. Centre lashes to go upwards and side lashes to go outward.

• After the eyes were finished it was time for a clean up with a cotton bud and eye cream, followed by a quick concealer patch up. 

TIP – Don’t be afraid to get messy! To clean up use a cotton bud and eye cream to tidy up around eyes. The cream lifts any unruly eye shadow gently, without removing the make up underneath and doesn’t leave harsh lines.

• No 80’s inspired look would be complete without blusher! Rachel used the blusher (Pinch Me) on the apples of the cheeks and across the cheekbones.
• Finally using a lipliner (Staunchly Stylish) as a base Rachel went on to apply a peachy lipstick (Peach Stock) across the lips padding it in with a brush.

Over and out,

Little Miss Winney x

www.olivierawards.com