Many companies use interns. Emma, the Daniel Thompson Beauty intern, has very quickly proven to be a very valuable member of our team.
I am always so inspired by young people. They see the world differently and, often, offer such fresh points of view that I am reminded how little I actually know.
Our office recently asked all our staff which great artist inspires them and I was amazed by the responses. Personally I recently discovered Hans Hofman's work and I am planning a trip to NYC to see it in person. Emma, however, introduced me to an artist I had never heard of before and I am making it a point to learn as much as I can about her favourite artist.
So what does all of this have to do with beauty? Well, for me, beauty begins with art. Anyone who knows me knows I adore great art and can spend hours, days even, submerged in art, art history and art appreciation. I have spent hours just sittinging in the Musée de l'Orangerie looking at the 18 metre canvasses of Les Nymphéas and, closer to home, I can never leave the AGO without visiting the most beautiful woman I know: the Marchesa Casati. Her eyes haunt me. Each of these works of art inspire me to create and the results are the beauty products I present to the world.
This season my collection is even called Mineral Artiste.
Below is a copy of Emma's thoughts on Egon Schiele. I thought her words were very inspiring and I wanted to share them with you. All of this from a woman not yet 20 years old. Incredibly insightful if you ask me.
'Art is primordially eternal.'
- Egon Schiele
Aesthetic is fleeting.
How we present ourselves is how we define ourselves.
This is the effect of design. Expression is the portrayal of our souls.
This is art, art is beauty.
Our beauty is ourselves, and we are the epitome of ourselves when we feel as though we have expressed ourselves to our best ability.
This is how art is defined, and this is how we live as artists.
For me, expression has always been a priority. Although because this is a priority, feeling as though I have expressed myself accurately has always been a struggle. When I feel as though I've gotten the look, I feel like I am beautiful. Feeling beautiful is being beautiful.
This is how Egon Schiele lived. One of my personal biggest influences was this expressionist pioneer in fine arts from Vienna. Schiele was a protégé of Klimt, and specialized in distinct and intense lines through portraiture.
As for my own aesthetic, Schiele influenced my thoughts on complexions. After discovering his work, I got involved in the art of contouring. From studying his work, I was able to comprehend the natural lines of the face in a more effective manner.
Somehow from learning how to appear as someone else, I began to feel more like myself.
When we express ourselves, we also express the people who have made impressions on us.
In a way, our influences develop who we are as people.
This is why art is eternal, and beauty never fades.
' The picture must radiate light, the bodies have their own light which they consume to live they burn, they are not lit from outside. '
- Egon Schiele
There is no "correct" way to do a make up. Make up, like anything in fashion, is a personal expression of style. There are, however, some guidelines that are a good idea to follow when creating a personal look. Just like putting a great outfit together creating a make up look that is polished and sophisticated is easy to do with just a couple of pointers.
Here is my top 3 list of common make-up mistakes that can detract from a great make up look:
1. Over-extended lipliner.
Overdrawing lips is a very old fashioned way of creating the illusion of fullness. In my opinion it never looks natural or even remotely interesting. It often comes off looking clown-like and, close up, looks extremely fake. Lipliner is best when it follows the natural shape of the mouth and is placed along the actual Vermillion border (the white area just around your lips).
Alternative: If you want that full lip effect you can get it — injectable fillers will create natural looking plumpness that lasts for up to 2 years. They are safe and effective. Just don't over fill. If you use fillers only use them to create 10-20% more fullness. Anything more than that starts to look plastic and fake.
2. Drawn on eyebrows.
Penciled in brows always look garish; almost Halloween like. It's tempting to really fill in a brown until it looks like a line but that is exactly what the effect creates — a drawn line that, no matter how soft the colour, looks like it was tattooed onto the face. Use powder instead of pencil and gently colour the hair of the brow, never touching the skin, for a more natural effect.
Alternative: if you want full dark lashes that look real try brow tinting. It last for a few weeks and can be done in about 15 minutes at any salon or spa.
3. Coloured mascara.
A personal pet peeve of mine. Coloured mascara always draws attention away from the entire look. It always looks out of place. A great make up look is often diminished when coloured mascara is applied. I have never been a fan of it and I have never seen it done well. It works for a stage show but really does not work for street wear make up. Choose black or brown mascara. It always looks real and never detracts form the rest of the make up style.
Alternative: if you want to create a fun, dramatic and splashy effect with eye make up try using a metallic eyeliner rather than coloured mascara. It can be very fun and does not have the same distracting effect coloured mascara has.
Last night I had the pleasure of making my first personal appearance of the season. To mark the one year anniversary of Terra20, in Ottawa, I was invited to speak on an experts round table for the show Experts on Call, which airs on CFRA580 radio, in the Ottawa market. The episode will air Saturday, October 12. Tune in to hear top industry experts talk about the new wave of natural cosmetics and how the personal care industry is changing in the 21st century. The discussion was very lively and I think listeners will garner some amazing insight as to how to shop for healthier choice products.
After the pre-record I made a personal appearance at the Terra20 store; had such fun helping people find their new Autumn make up styles.
Meeting consumers is my favourite part of my job — I wish I had more time at each location. Last night was extremely fun and I want to say thank you to everyone who came out to see the DTB team.
If you were not able to join us last night remember the DTB team is travelling across Eastern Canada throughout September and we have just added some tour dates for October. These events are always popular and we always book to capacity. You can reserve a personal appointment at any event by contacting the store directly.
I am looking forward to meeting all of you in your city soon.
Mineral Artiste is also available online now!
This autumn Daniel Thompson Beauty exchanges make up for inspired art. This season the imagination is the only limit in creating personalized statements. Dreams become reality when every wish is granted. The depth of pure emotion is reflected in singular pieces which, when together, allow every woman to become a Mineral Artiste.
Mineral Artiste is an assembly of individual options that allow unique expression to reign.
My Inspiration:
For Autumn/Winter I took inspiration from the original concept of Daniel Thompson Beauty: inspired by runways; created for women everywhere. This collection is less theme and more a gathering of great formulas, easy to use tools and fashionable colours that any woman can play with, enjoy and utilize everyday.
Mineral Artiste is my version of absolute freedom to create any look, anywhere and at any time of the day.
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