Paula Callan O'Keeffe is regarded as being one of Ireland's most successful make up artists, having enjoyed a glittering career for over 14 years.Her work has taken her worldwide creating looks for magazines such as Elle, Marie Claire and Harpers Bazaar. She also has a number of celebrity clients including Scarlett Johansson, Jodi Kidd, Anna Kornacova, Sophie Dahl and Girls Aloud.
I caught up with the make-up guru to find out what makes her tick.
Georgina Heffernan: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended college or you are a self taught makeup artist?
Paula Callan O'Keeffe: Self taught, I'm a very artistic person, if I'm not drawing or painting I'm doing up my house or making something. I've been like that since I was a child. I had wanted to be an art teacher before I became a makeup artist. For me doing makeup was a natural thing. I'm that kind of makeup artist, I can teach someone how to do makeup really well but it's up to an individual to have a natural flair for it.
GH: Do you think going to school for make-up artistry is important to excel in the business later on?
Paula: It is more so now than it was when I started. I actually think it's more to do with who you get in with rather than what school you go to though. I was lucky because I started doing modelling when I left school so I knew photographers and models. I worried that it might be a bit of a hindrance that they might not take me ser
iously because I was going from being a model to a makeup artist. But knowing people turned out to be an advantage.
GH: How did Brown Sugar come about?
Paula: When I met my husband Mark, who is a hairdresser, people used to slag us when we walked into a room, they'd say "Here comes hair and makeup!" We'd always said it was a good idea for a shop. No one had done that really, hair and makeup together. Peter Mark had a hair and beauty salon, but this was a new kind of concept, fashion oriented makeup and fashion hair. We were together for a long time, and then after we got married I'd had 10 years experience with Mac and Mark was had been in Peter Mark since he was 16. We were ready for a big jump. We found premises, the place had been a clothes shop called Platform. We'd always loved it as a space and thought it would be amazing for our shop; it was so bright and airy. It came up for lease, so we went for it and got it. It all just worked out.
GH: What is your favourite or most exciting aspect about your job?
Paula: Everyday is different. Every single day I get excited about going to work, and I know I'm so lucky because a lot of people don't feel that way. I jump up out of bed, excited about what I'm going to do. We recently did a massive L'Oreal show, and on the day of the show, one of the newer girls from Brown Sugar asked me what my plan was for the makeup. I said, "I don't really know. I'll decide when we get there." She kind of laughed nervously, and I said "No really. I'll decide when we get there." That's how I work. I get inspired by the moment.
GH: What's been the highlight of your career to date?
Paula: There are so, so many. I couldn't actually say one. Being involved in all the fashion weeks around the world, working with the most amazing artists, hair stylists, and best designers. Although, I have to say a highlight was doing Alexander McQueen's show for London Fashion Week. It was a wow moment.
GH: What individual products and brands you're "addicted" to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
Paula: Obviously my brand Kohl! Champagne Sheer Veil is my addiction at the moment. Also 3 way concealer, honestly I can't live without them. If I was pressed to name a product that isn't my own I'd say Mac Studiofix, I'm an old school Mac girl.
GH: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with makeup? What's the worst thing a woman can do to her skin?
Paula: Too much foundation, and the wrong colour. Foundation should enhance your skin, not be a mask. That's definitely the biggest mistake along with too much fake tan but I think that's a mistake more young people make. It just looks encrusted into the hairline and the eyebrows; girls look dirty not like they've been away. There is a right and wrong way to do tan; we have one in Brown Sugar, Vita Liberata Instant Tan. It's the one they used on X Factor, it doesn't smell, it's organic, it's brilliant. I wear it and people want to know where I've been on holidays.
GH: What are the differences between applying makeup on models and on real women?
Paula: There is really no difference. It's not really about the makeup; it's the people that you meet. Some of the best people I've met are who come into the shop to get their makeup done or have a lesson. Regular woman appreciate it so much more, they're excited to learn. You can really teach them something, whereas getting their makeup done is nearly a burden to models because they're getting it done all the time.
GH: What make up trend will we all be wearing this summer?
Paula: Beautiful shades of your natural skin colour are always in fashion, taupe, peach, champagne. Natural tones but still smokey eyes. Also freckles! Show them off! They're so gorgeous and if you don't have them, fake them. We used to do that for fashion week, we found amazing things in an art shop. They are watercolour markers, fine for skin, and they came in all different shades of browns because they were for painting. So we got 3 different browns and drew freckles on all the models. I recommend subtle rather than overdone makeup. And good groomed brows are very important.
GH: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
Paula: My life motto is something my mother always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." And it really is so important in my career because I meet so many people. When I'm training people in makeup I'm also training them in how to be with people. Gossiping is horrible. People tell me stuff they wouldn't tell family but I forget it straight away. I don't keep that stuff in my head because it's not my business. It's theirs. I hate the idea of people going back and telling others things they were told in confidence. I also believe you get back what you give out.
GH: For aspiring make-up artists, can you outline an idea of what a day is like in your shoes?
Paula: Every day is different so I honestly couldn't say what a regular day would be. I'll tell you about today: Awake at 5:30, up showered ready, out at 6:15 and into a shoot for 7am. Hair and makeup has been done, now models are trying on clothes, and I'll be here till about 5pm. It's all good though; there are lots of coffees and teas!
CHECK OUT SOME OF PAULA'S INCREDIBLE WORK ON THIS PHOTO SHOOT...
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