Exclusive Interview with Attracta Courtney

Over the last decade, social media and the likes of Instagram and YouTube have played a part as major platforms for the rise of the modern day MUA. In an ever-growing market such as the make up industry, it can often be hard to keep up with new trends and products to implement into our beauty reigimes. This month we caught up with renowned celebrity make-up artist Attracta Courtney on her current must haves and her iconic industry moments.

Attracta’s work and makeup styles have graced countless magazine covers, catwalks and red carpets, she has worked with Royalty, Supermodels and Rock Stars. Now, she’s taken that knowledge to create her own beauty awards and this is how she did it…

There are great products out there for everyone to enjoy and to express their unique, creative style.

Congratulations for your fifth year of the Attracta Beauty Awards! How do you think the beauty industry has changed since your first Awards Ceremony back in 2017?

I feel the beauty industry is only getting bigger and better. The British Beauty Council have very successfully created a platform to highlight how important and valuable the beauty industry is to the economy. Beauty professionals are now more accessible than ever to the public via Insta-stories and IGTV, I feel this has been a very positive development where consumers now have direct access to give honest feedback to brands etc… It’s great to see that brands have become alert to the importance of sustainability in beauty and are starting to address more the excessive plastic wastage that has happened in the past. The new emerging brands both in skincare and makeup I feel are driving a new consciousness towards more mindful, intelligent beauty. The variety of choice today is enormous. The quality of products from the high street to online and new emerging brands is fantastic. There are great products out there for everyone to enjoy and to express their unique, creative style.

At the Attracta Beauty Awards this year I addressed how important it is that the language used on packaging or on media marketing needs to become more positive, inclusive and less fear based related to ageing. We are all ageing, it is a privilege and no-one should be shamed for their signs of ageing. The attitude to growing older in the beauty industry still needs to change more for the better – life is too beautiful and short. All generations should enjoy not being defined by their age.

What first inspired you to create The Attracta Beauty Awards?

I have always loved creating beauty and making people look and feel better about their appearance. Beauty I believe is extremely powerful, positive and transformative when communicated in the right tone. I started the Awards for brands to get a better insight into what professional Hair and Make-Up Artists love about their products and what products we trust and prefer to use on set.

As Artists we are always being interviewed backstage for emerging trends or being asked to quote for the media; these quotes inevitably get adopted and on numerous occasions give rise to how brands create new formulas or products. The Awards are always influenced by the latest developments emerging from the beauty and fashion arenas. When beauty brands enter their products the judging panel are testing the products under intense scrutiny to ensure we award the best brands with the Winning Attracta Beauty logo.

Social Media definitely has given rise to a kaleidoscope of creative makeup expression which is great. The consumer is no longer waiting for beauty editors to come out with the trends rather they are creating new waves of beauty influence by themselves.

Over your many successful years in the industry you’ve worked with Supermodels, Actors and even Royalty. Who has been your most interesting individual to work with and why?

I always enjoy working with Natalia Vodianova when she is in London, not only is she one of the most successful supermodels in the industry, she is also the Founder of the Naked Heart Foundation a charity which raises money each year for Children. Natalia is exceptionally professional and passionate, always seeking new ways to raise awareness for her charity work.

 

What has been your favourite make up looks to date?

I love to reference from the sixties and seventies, I feel both these decades gave a refreshingly abundant choice of makeup & hair styles that were effortlessly beautiful and inspiring. Each decade has its own creative richness as each generation reflects what is happening in society at the time in reference to the music, lifestyle and fashion of that period. Makeup and Hair styles are more colorful, expressive and freer today than at any other time in makeup history. Social media and Instagram definitely have given rise to a kaleidoscope of creative makeup expression which is great. The consumer is no longer waiting for beauty editors to come out with the trends rather they are creating new waves of beauty influence all by themselves.

Are there any under the radar brands and products you’ve recently come across who you now can’t live without/swear by?

With the Awards I get to discover lots of new emerging brands in both skincare and makeup which is always great. There are so many great new brands;

MEMI cosmetics have been a great discovery. The Attracta Beauty Make-Up judges loved this new range – their palettes are the perfect combination of shimmer and matte shades with a variety of wearable shades which are great for either day or nighttime. They have created a small but niche collection of makeup essentials, their eyeliner pen in black was a winner this year as it was one of the best liners not to smudge.

Etmore beauty is another new brand to watch out for, their Forever Fibre Brows is an ingenious new product to give fuller looking eyebrows that appear natural and healthy.

Daniel Sandler Watercolour liquid blushes are superb for delivering a believable natural color on the cheeks.

Villiers London Lip Butter Balm and Inlight Beauty Lip Serum are fantastic lip balms, both have become necessities in my handbag and professional makeup kit.

Vanderohe No. 1 Nourishing Serum is my holy grail for getting a beautiful skin glow.

QMS medicosmetics Day and Night Collagen are my new go to for advanced skincare.

Caudalíe Eau de Beauté is what all make-up artists are using to get that expensive, heavenly glow to skin for editorial or catwalk shows. Finally, I have to mention Sea Magik Pink Salt Shampoo, this was one of the winners this year and all the hair stylists loved it! It’s an exfoliating and volumising spa hair treatment which is just amazing to get hair feeling super clean.

Over your years and experience in the makeup industry what in your opinion has been the best and worst beauty trends you’ve come across?

I particularly loved the glamour and full on beauty expression of the supermodel era – I was lucky to be starting out in my career, I had numerous opportunities to work with some of the leading iconic models at that time. It was the period when we used lots of color on the eyes, meticulous blending was key to creating beautiful shapes and shades on the eyelids. I also loved the freshness of the No Makeup-Makeup look as I feel it has made us care for our skin better.

I was never a fan of the Grunge period, it was just not my thing.

 

 

Talk us through your current beauty regime (skincare and beauty) on an average day…

My skincare routine is paramount because when I get it correct I always feel more comfortable and confident in my appearance. I am a big fan of double cleansing at nighttime to ensure all my makeup is wiped off and my skin is left super clean. I have been using the QMS medicosmetics recently which I love. I had a facial with the exceptionally talented Rowan Hall-Farrise at Liberty London, who recommended to use their ion equalizing system step 1 & step 2 at night; it is a new targeted skincare range with active peptides which helps to boost fibreblasts in skin to promote collagen production. I have been using this specific regime now for 4 weeks and have seen a very healthy difference in my skin for the better. The products also leave a beautiful sheen on the skin which makes it look always hydrated.

In the morning I always choose to use Vanderohe No.1 Purifying Cleansing Oil followed by their No.1 Nourishing Serum before I apply Caudalíe Vinosource Créme SOS Hydration Intense for my day moistruriser. I am a big fan of the La Roche-Posay sunscreens as they are super lightweight yet very effective, I use their Anthelios Ultra light fluid skin SPF 50 + for maximum skin protection at the moment.

I love Shiseido Synchro Skin Glow foundation as it leaves my skin looking dewy and the texture is light and doesn’t make my skin look dry. I like to use Bobbi Brown’s Smokey Eye mascara as I love the mascara wand in particular as it which coats all the lashes to look longer yet natural. Guerlain’s Terracotta bronzer is one of my all time favourite products to use for a light sun-kissed appearance, it glides effortlessly onto the skin to give a very natural healthy finish. I am a big fan of lip pencils and I usually always reach for MAC’s Anything Goes red lip colour to add a pop of freshness to my lips when I want to wear a coloured lipstick. It’s the perfect blue-red for me.

 

If you could travel back 10 years what advice would you give to your younger self?

The best person you can love first, is you.

When you are happy and comfortable with who you truly are the world is full of adventures and experiences that are only going mold you to become a more loving, grateful person – sharing your love and kindness is the most enriching gift you can give to another person!

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