5 Questions with…Marikit by Kitty Choy

Recently we sat down with one of our favorite designers. We have shared her stuff with you in the past but thought you might like to get to know her a bit better and see more of her work.

 

What made you first start designing and making your knits?

It all started approx. 3 years ago – paying for my wedding was killing me so I was trying to save left, right and centre. I haven’t been knitting for ages and started knitting mohair blankets for my entire bridal party. I ended up knitting around 8 blankets as thank you gifts. They were so amazed and grateful that they suggested I try selling. I decided to pick my 10 year old needles back up and started creating my one of a kind knits

Where do you get your inspiration/ favorite designer?

I totally love Isabel Marant and anything that’s colorful! One of my close friends – Zoe Irvine from The Naked Tiger is another inspiration. My style is very casual/denim/bohemian when I’m outside my 50hr working week as an Executive Assistant

What is your favorite piece?

I love ALL my Marikit babies!! And I hate parting with every piece I finish, but my favorite has to be the red shaggy and my muscle tee. The colours are just amazing and you will definitely be a talking point when you wear either piece.

If you could design/make a knit to anyone (famous, dead, fictional etc) who would it be, what would it look like and why?

Oh god – that’s a scary question to answer and haven’t really thought about it…I just j’adore Nicole Ritchie so would totally love to make her something. It would totally be another red shaggy..it’ll suit her carefree ‘I-don’t-give-a-crap-but-know-I’m-totally-looking-lush’ attitude

Where can we find you/your work?

You can can find me on Facebook, Marikit by Kitty Choy,  and at various vintage markets around Sydney. Keep an eye out on my Facebook page for my next whereabouts.

Contact me via FB or email marikit_kitty@hotmail.com for enquiries.

5 Questions with…Kristy Ferrari.

The Makeup Case are lucky enough to have Kristy Ferrari, professional Makeup Artist and Body Painter as part of this months ‘5 Questions With…’ Kristy has been working as a professional makeup artist for the past 15 years, during this time she has built up an extensive CV working with many talented people. Kristy is also a qualified makeup teacher, teaching certificate IV in Makeup. Talk about busy!

How did you come about landing a career within the body painting industry?

After working as a Professional Freelance Makeup artist and teacher I came across an Artist who had been painting bodies for years here in Australia and over seas, I assisted him on a few jobs including working on a Body painting documentary and also became part of The Australian Body painting team. I was completely excited and inspired with this evolving art form and continued to Body paint from that moment on until now! I am still as passionate now about body art as I ever was.

You have created so many different characters with your body painting, where do you draw your inspiration from?

Inspiration can come from anywhere, nature, other artists, life, just one simple thought, idea or even a colour can start the wheel of creation and expression!

Having had the opportunity to work with a lot of different people from all walks of life, what person or campaign most stands out in your mind as a career highlight?

Wow I’ve had so many amazing and fun experiences with body art! Every job has a unique memory. Painting Grant Hacket, Kirien Perkins and Sam Reily for the Olympics was definitely exciting. One of my most treasured memories would be taking a bus load of makeup student to my home town ‘Trangie’ in the centre of new south Wales, a tiny country town to be a part of filming a body painting documentary,it was like our very own Pricilla Queen of the desert tour with a twist. The locals didn’t know what hit them but loved and embraced it, they still talk about it and so do we, actually it was so much fun were planning another trip possibly next February!

What character or theme would you most love to recreate through body painting?

Couldn’t possibly pick one!!!!! there are so many things I still have to paint and the idea’s will never end!

What advise would you give someone wanting to pursue a career in body painting?

If you have a passion for art , just never give up and never stop painting, being trained in makeup would help but is not necessary, I run weekend work shops and a 5 day Body painting course over summer this is all you need to get your self started!

Want more?!? You can check out Kristy details and view more of her amazing work on her website or Facebook page.

Sara Wong, Nail Artist Extraordinaire

The Makeup Case was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask Sara Wong, Nail Artist and Nail Competition Organiser at the Sydney International Spa & Beauty Expo, a few questions about the amazing world of nails.

What attracted you to a career in the nail/beauty industry?

When I was younger I used to admire my mothers beautiful nails, so I started doing nails as a bit of a hobby. The more I did it, the more I loved it, so I completed a course and got my first job as a nail artist shortly afterwards. Since then I haven’t looked back – I really enjoy the lifestyle, the work, and most importantly, the fantastic and interesting people who I get to meet everyday.

What is your can’t live without product of all time?

There are probably two products I cannot live without, the first would have to be my iPhone (it pretty much has my whole life organised on it), the second would have to be lip balm.

What is your best tip for a smooth running event/competition?

Ha – if you have any great tips then please let me know. It may seem like everything is smooth running to the public and the competitors, but behind the scenes it can be really hectic. In the end it all comes down to having a great team of people all working together to produce a great event.

What criteria were you looking for in entrants in the competition?

This competition attracts the best nail artists from Australia and Internationally, so in order to stand out from the crowd, not only do you need to have flawless technique, you also need to have a passion for pushing the boundaries and creating designs that are contemporary and innovative.

How did the competition designs compare or differ from last year?

The most obvious difference was that the technical standards are continuing to improve each year and that is a great thing to see – this competition is all about encouraging nail artists to keep improving each year. We also added a new competition category, “Fantasy Runway”, where we saw the competitors go above and beyond to create a whole look for their models based on their nail designs.

What is the most creative/interesting nail design you have seen?

To be honest, some of the most creative and interesting nail designs that I have seen were in this years Fantasy Runway competition – I was blown away by talent and execution of ideas by a number of the competitors.

What nail trends can we expect to see for the coming season?

Well I am from Melbourne so I am always hoping that black polish will be all the rage haha. Putting my serious fashion cap on for a moment…I think we will see more dusty metallic tones like dirty rose pinks and tarnished golds and browns for a while. However I think as the weather warms up, people will be back to bright yellows, pinks, corals and blues.

What do you think about the rise of gel polishes like Shellac and Bio Sculpture?

Each product has its benefits. Gel polishes are great for people who wear the same colour polish for extended periods of time and therefore require resistance against chipping – traditional polishes may not last as long but they can be applied quickly and changed just as fast. Personally, I think it is great to see alternative products to the traditional polishes come onto the market – the more choices we can give our clients the better!

As a nail artist, what is something that people do to their nails that really frustrates you?

I am a firm believer in wearing nails as a fashion accessory. All too often, people make the mistake of matching the colour of their nails with their lipstick and outfit – make your nails a fashion statement! And don’t get me started on unpolished toe nails…haha.

What are some basic nail care tips?

It may sound obvious, but the best thing that people can do for their nails is to eat a well-balanced diet – eating right can really help to build strong healthy nails. Also, make sure you give your nails a quick file at least once a week followed by the application of a good quality cuticle oil (like Handbag Holiday Cuticle Oil by Butter London), not only does this remove any chips, it also stimulates nail growth.

 

 

 

 

5 Questions with…Elise Phillips.

Elise is a Sydney blogger and fashionista with a passion for Nail polish. She writes two successful blogs that keep her busy, I am sure does not see much shut eye. The Makeup Case was lucky enough to steal some of this amazing ladies time and ask her a few questions about the art of nails.

You have been blogging for a while now, what do you enjoy most about it?

I love the great feedback I get via email, in comments and on twitter from readers. It still spins me out when I meet someone and they say they have read one or both of my blog – I write them for myself and to know that other people appreciate my words is a total gift.

What nail colors and trends should we expect to see coming into Spring?

I think the next IT colour will be blue. We’re moving away from purple now and into denim territory, so all sorts of shades of blue. Chanel usually has a hand in dictating the colour of the season, and their newest trio is Les Jeans de Chanel – three great blues. I also think, as much as people will hate it, we will see a lot of acid brights this spring/summer – electric lime, chartreuse and tangerine.

With over 550 polishes in your personal collection how do you decide what color to wear?

Because I’m always trying new polishes to review them, I usually go with whatever catches my eye that day. I change my polish A LOT, so I’ll paint to match my mood or my outfit. I have also been known, on more than one occasion, to try an entire collection in one go with a different colour on each finger. So fun!

What is your most favorite beauty product that you can’t live without right now?

That’s like asking me to choose between my unborn children (or my favourite polish, which are like children)! Right this very minute, my skin has been playing up recently and my new regime of md formulations cleansing gel, skin perfecting gel and antioxidant moisturiser has miraculously saved my skin. I’m also having a passionate affair with Benefit They’re Real mascara – sex-on-legs eyelashes.

Do you have any hints and tips for keeping our mani’s in perfect shape?

A picture is only as good as its frame – keep your cuticles looking healthy and your mani will look twice as good. Slap on lots of cuticle oil and moisturiser. You can also extend the life of your mani with an extra top coat every few days. And don’t ever, for the love of chicken and gravy, use nail polish without putting a base coat on first! If you skip this essential step, I’ll personally hunt you down.

Make sure you check out Elise work at Stuff That I Bought and The Nail File you will not be disappointed!

5 Questions with…Jo Hampson

Jo Hampson has been working in hair salons around Sydney cutting, colouring, styling and chatting her way through the past few years. She has been overseas more times than we can count and has now launched her own mobile hair business. We sat down with Jo to ask her a few things and if you want to know more check her out on twitter @HairStylingJoJo

How long have you been a hairdresser?

I’ve been a hairdresser for 9 years now.

What made you want to become a hairdresser?

I love being creative and I have a passion for people. My job lets me interact with all walks of life, from the corporate professional to the home maker, to the one year old coming in for their first hair cut. Hairdressing gives me a great opportunity not only to be able to style, and bring the best out of their hair but also use whatever time I have with my clients to place value on them and hopefully have them leave the salon with more confidence and a wider smile.

Who is the best/most famous person you have done hair for?

I think the most famous person is Carly from C-Corp. She was featured on the television show “secret millionaire”. She’s 28 and a very successful business entrepreneur. She also has been featured in editorials in a hand full of fashion magazines and was a finalist for The Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards.

What’s your favourite, can’t live without hair product?

I couldn’t live without a REALLY good hair treatment! I use Goldwell Kerasilk ultra moisturizing treatment.

What’s the best tip you can give about hairstyling?

Blow-Dry with body- grab some medium/big Velcro rollers from the local $2 store and roll your hair up section by section as you dry-off/blow-dry your hair. Take them out at the end and comb your fingers through with a little gloss and your ready to party! Oh and be careful of very hot showers in winter- heat of any type will damage your hair!

5 Questions With…Ben Webb.

Ben Webb is a Freelance Makeup Artist and all round styler. A country boy at heart who has lived in London and now resides in Sydney. Ben has also worked as a Makeup Artist for M.A.C, Rosemount Fashion Week and various fashion and film shoots around Australia. We sat down with Ben and asked him a few Makeup questions as part of our new Makeup Case section “5 questions with..”

How long have you been working as a Makeup Artist? 

I have been an artist for over 8 years now and still love it everyday.

What made you want to become a Makeup Artist and who inspires you as an artist? 

I actually fell into this career by mistake, i dabbled in fashion and styling for sometime and picked up artistry to further my styling.

Who is the best person you have ever done makeup for? 

The late Isabella Blow while i was working in london. She was a magazine editor, international style icon and founded Alexander McQueen.

What is the makeup product you can’t live without?

Mac Fix + spray. Sets your makeup perfectly and is super hydrating.

What is the number one tip you can give someone about putting on makeup?

Closing one eye at a time to apply mascara, you get the top and bottom lash at the same time.