I very rarely do rambles like this on my blog, and I did try to find a more general interest blog guest post home for it, so I hope you'll indulge me, or skip this post if it is of no interest to you. I'd like to make it clear I'm not attacking Lauren Luke, I'm just trying to give my take on why I think she's ruffled some feathers in the makeup artist world.
Lauren Luke is not a trained makeup artist, but she’s made a career out of the makeup tutorials she posts on Youtube. A couple of years ago she appeared at IMATS UK, a trade event for makeup artists, and ruffled the feathers of a number of professional makeup artists. There’s a bit of me that thinks ‘It’s only makeup’ but then I haven’t spent ten or twenty years honing makeup application as an art. (Also, I am personally crap at makeup. My emphasis is on reviewing and I only show makeup applied to show the colours in situ, but no-one is ever going to be impressed by my techniques. I do the same couple of basic applications all the time.)
I practice a martial art, and have done so for close to fifteen years; eight as a child/teenager, and then just over six years when I hit my thirties and decided some exercise would be a really good idea. I’m reasonably competent at it - in makeup terms I’m not Lisa Eldridge, but I’d be a pretty good makeup assistant and I wouldn’t drop the brushes or poke mascara in your eye.
Imagine now that someone had taught themselves karate by watching the karate kid and other films of that genre. They love karate, but they’ve never actually been to a club and been taught or trained with others. They start putting karate videos on youtube, the stuff they do is easy to copy, and they get lots of subscribers and some attention in the press.
Imagine the press is calling them a karate expert. My organisation invites them to attend our bi-annual four day training event with top instructors from Japan, and invites them to talk about karate or teach a session. I know I could drop this person in a fight in under a minute.
Would I be pissed off? Oh yes, and particularly at idea of the thousands of people who think *this* is karate at its best, or that it’s easy, and that you don’t have to spend your time in the dojo gathering bruises with your arse on the floor when you’ve missed a sweep and the other person has taken your leg away from under you because they are better, and faster, and you need to look at what they do differently and incorporate that into your own training. Would I think I had anything to learn from this person? Only how to make money off youtube.
Lauren Luke knows this. She’s a single parent making money, and so you can’t blame her for saying sod the complainers, but if she loves makeup it must hurt. It’d kill me to think that I didn’t have the respect of the people I respect and look up to in the dojo.
Do you know what I hope I’d do in that position? I’d find a good club, I’d humble myself, put on a white belt and learn.
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Hear hear to everything.
ReplyDeleteas a pro, it kills me to see some of the tips/techniques/hygiene issues going on, those that are suggested to be industry standard.
however, I've only once felt strongly enough to step in and say something. and to her credit, Lauren acknowledged what I was saying and edited her original blog post. I got a bit of a battering from her supporters, but cest la vie.
I do admire her entrepreneurial spirit, and I think any of us, offered similar would grab with both hands.
a bit like those wannabe actresses who did nude modelling in their youth, and it comes back to.haunt them years later. at least its not that bad!
I do agree, a little humility and a couple of training courses would do, or even basic hygiene training.
I'll do it for free for her, if she's interested!
Sam x
ps, apologies for typos, I'm on my phonr!
Hi Sam - thanks for your comment. I can see why she's grabbing the opportunity with both hands, but I think the positioning of her as an expert hasn't helped her - perhaps a mistake by her management team.
DeleteI think the major point is that beauty lovers in general look up to make-up artists who are so skilled that to garner that level of talent with make-up seems almost impossible. Lauren gives a 'real-girl' take on achievable make up looks. Where I think mistakes have been made is with those around her who elevated her far beyond her own reach and she believed in her own hype. It's all very well in hindsight, but I suspect that if she'd kept it 'real girl' there wouldn't be as many complaints. Nobody wants to tread on the toes of the high skill level make-up artists and and there aren't many bloggers who believe themselves to be make-up artists (without training), but beauty lovers who like and are good at (sometimes!) doing make-up. As long as the distinction is made, then it causes less ruffled feathers I think. It's being a pretender that causes issues, not being a fan of make up. x
ReplyDeleteHi BBB - I agree, and thanks for the thoughtful comment. To stretch my analogy even further! - If someone was posting YT vids talking about Martial Arts films or even fights they'd seen, I'd have no problems with it.
DeleteI don't think the term 'Guru' has done many favours either - for anyone.
Interesting post. I think plenty of people in Lauren's position would do the same. She's never pretended to be something she's not, she's made the most of opportunities that have come her way and she's, rightly, gathered hundreds of thousands of people who admire her and are inspired by her.
ReplyDeleteYes, she's clearly not a professional make up artist but for the average woman on the street, that's absolutely fine and what she does meets their needs perfectly. I don't see why the only people who should teach others are qualified professionals (as you say, it's only make up). We all pass on and receive tips and advice from friends every single day; she's just doing it to a lot more people and earning some money from it. That's the dream, surely?
If she was promoting herself in the same league as the Eldridge's and Tilbury's of the world, that wouldn't be right but she's not. She's just one of us. I say good luck to her.
P.S. I would not like to cross you in a dark alley.
I think the 'girl next door angle' is a better one for her. I do think the IMATS appearance was a mistake.
DeleteThanks for your take on it :)
Completely agree - and honestly, makeup artistry is often about marketing more than anything else, and Lauren Luke has found a niche.
DeleteAnd social media has changed things simply because it's a new marketing tool that cosmetics companies are capitalizing on. I suppose that that's what led to the IMATS appearance.
It may be a mistake to market Lauren as a makeup artist, but on the other hand, the definition of what a makeup artist is isn't all that clear anyway.
Hi Murt - thanks, that's a good point too. I think social media has blurred the lines of a lot of jobs/roles.
DeleteGreat post, a few MUA colleagues and I have debated this topic, not just on Lauren but others and the use of social media - reality media can take someone of the same guise to the masses, the everyday joe, who dont get to know what an mua does really, the techniques built upon and honed or just pure natural talent. I think is great in someways but not in others and agree Grace IMATS was a mistake but she has reach through to people that alot of industry mua's will never really see but also it can be perceived that its a piece of cake being a creative and you can earn when it takes years and years to make a decent name and $$$ (sorry living in Aus and can't find the sterling sign on this laptop. I say good luck to everyone who follows their passion but be true to what you can really do, if you want to be the best work hard, assist like shite and stay true. So good to see a post on this sort of thing it is as I say a real hot topic along with Social Media Ego's. Good luck to eveyone in all they do xx
ReplyDeleteHi DollhouseMB - thanks very much for your balanced and positive comment.
DeleteBy the way - I wince for you and the price of most cosmetics in Aus!
You are most welcome.
DeleteI know me to, only been here 7mths and its hideous... thats why I have lovely people who send me stuff ;-) and taking an extra case home back to UK in december to fill up lol.
I think that is a good thing to ruffle feathers. Sometimes there can be a lot of snobbery in a given field.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure who this Lauren is. I am probably waaaaaaay out of the box with this comment but anyway...thanks for making me think!
One of my favourite architects is Tadao Ando. He was a truck driver and a boxer before he found a book by Corbusier and decided to chase this path. He is self taught and taught himself in a more practical way rather than just steeping theory. He has gone on to win the most prestigious awards in the field.
I am certain there were a lot of ruffled feathers when he started gaining recognition and good for him for his slogging and perseverance but these people are one in a million!
But I am all for the self taught slogger me!
At the same time, I believe that humility and a good dose of reality/honesty is vital. I cannot will not ever call myself a "DESIGNER" for instance. Yes I design things, I make things and I try to sell them but I did not receive years of formal education in this field. I have no qualifications. I have learned by myself by taking things apart and remaking them, by years and years (about 12 years) of trial and error and many many tears and scars. I have no delusions I am a maker because I make things and I have come to be quite proud of this self given but honest new title of mine.
I have noticed many people who have taken on titles without the hard work and learning that I personally feel one needs to EARN that title. Then there is a a part of me that thinks.....it's just a title......But it's more than that no? It's your occupation and by pulling a title out of a bag a person risks making themselves look like a right muppet!
Finally, I think that a designer can learn from a maker like me and vice-versa. Hiro is a designer and has taught me to question why i am making something over and over. This has helped me believe in what I am doing more. And I have taught him to get away from the theory and get his hands dirty! Can this not work similarly in the makeup world?
There are people who are naturally brilliant and can teach themselves by sheer force of will and the determination to do something over and over again, until it is absolutely right.
DeleteAs I said, I am not claiming any particular makeup talent, but I do recognise brilliant work when I see it. Lauren Luke's application has not evolved from what I can see (I only recently watched one recent video, so I may be missing some brilliant ones.) In some ways, perhaps that is a strength - it appeals to the everywoman/beginner, as Product Pixie says above. I can see why it winds up a MUA who has spent years trying to be better though, and is told that LL is a guru or someone to look up to at a professional event.
I don't think training has to be formal at all - learning from someone with more experience and cross-training in different disciplines is a very respected (and excellent) way to progress, in many fields!
Thank you for the excellent comment :)
Interesting post! As a professional MUA, I remember feeling slightly resentful, but in hindsight, I think most people would have taken this amazing oppurtunity to platform what she loves doing. The reason why she was so popular was because she related to 'normal' people using 'normal' /high st product and simple techniques. Fair play to Lauren!
ReplyDeleteIt also seems that nowadays, mainly via social networking, anyone can be anything they want! A lot of bravado and chat can make someone a great Makeup Artist on twitter but at the end of the day, they aren't going to be hired by big agencies unless they have the goods :) I don't think MUAs should feel threatened or resentful to social media 'gurus'. I think our aims are very different...
x Laura x
That's a really healthy and positive attitude :) Thanks for your comment.
DeleteHere here Laura x
DeleteIn my very personal opinion (of very humble recently trained makeup artist who invested time and money in her training), this is putting one's ego in the wrong place.
ReplyDeleteNo she's no professional, and she doesn't claim to be one. But she was amongst the first ones who thought of doing vids on YT, and she found a gap in the market because women did need that kind of tool and really benefited from her advice. It doesn't matter she isn't a pro, the average women doesn't want to look like a pro makeup artist, she wants to know how to do a smokey eye easily on a Friday night and have her girlfriends tell her she looks good.
For me this is a million miles away from the makeup artist's job. MUA's could, however, have filled that gap themselves if they had thought of it earlier and stopped thinking their knowledge was something they needed to protect and hide. All the Pixiwoos and Lisa Eldriges of the web and such have understood that sharing their knowledge would give them more strength in their field and not take away their jobs.
I think it's too easy to watch your environment evolve, refuse to follow, and blame someone else for the fact.
I don't think there's any problem with what she does (or that she should stop doing it). I just understand why some makeup artists got annoyed when she was invited to speak at IMATS, and I think if I was in their position I'd be annoyed too.
DeleteHmm.. I had completely forgotten about her. I had watched a few videos of hers a few years ago, but they all looked to gaudy and garish that it put me off. I'm not trying to be mean and am not a make up artist, but the way she was applying colours was one step short of placing her face in the eyeshadow palette and then rubbing it on her. I don't get why people liked it, but then again people also like the Twilight 'saga' so what do they know? If she's been given such a publicity opportunity and she hasn't even attempted to educate herself further, then pretty soon people will switch off and follow other people who know what they're doing.
ReplyDeleteThe Twilight Saga is proof indeed that popular doesn't necessarily mean good (in my opinion, of course!)
DeleteI didn't even know she was still going... Dropped off my radar a few years ago, replaced by the likes of Pixiwoo and Tanya Burr who are trained. I think I prefer it that way as I want advice from someone who knows more than me.
ReplyDeleteWell quite :) To push my analogy EVEN further - if I was a white belt, a red belt could teach me stuff. I'd rather learn from a black belt though :D
DeleteI completely agree! How do you think Michelle Phan compares to Lauren Luke? Because Michelle doesn't have training either yet she is so incredibly popular on YouTube. I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI have only ever watched one or two Michelle Phan videos, but I gather she raises the same sort of issues in the US. On youtube, I think people watch for the personality as much as anything else.
DeleteI've been away from blogging for far too long (sadly still buying as much makeup as ever!) but I found this to be a really thought provoking post. I think the martial arts analogy was an excellent way of exploring this issue and getting people thinking rather than setting off the overly heated discussions/arguments I have often seen before on twitter and blogs.
ReplyDeleteI am a big believer is training/learning/studying as much as possible to try and improve as nobody knows it all! I would imagine even the best makeup artists still pick up new techniques and discover new products and I think the same is true in whatever profession and whatever your level. Bettering yourself is never going to do any harm! As a law graduate, I am starting at the bottom of the career ladder and can imagine I would not last long if I acted the expert any time soon.
I am full of admiration of anyone who has the determination to carve a niche for themselves and follow their passion
but nowadays I do think humility is sadly underrated.
It's really nice to see you! Thank you :)
DeleteFrom what I've seen of the lady herself through the odd video, she does seem very down to earth. I guess it's marketing at work, the whole guru aspect.
I've always loved makeup and then my sister asked me to do her makeup for her wedding, when she got engaged, 3 years before the date. I panicked. There was no way I wanted to do makeup, that everyone would know I had done , without having proper training behind me. So I went and I got my MUA qualification and it was bloody hard! It took me a year part time but I got my ITEC qualification. The anatomy , hygiene, skin care side of it wasn't easy! I don't work as a professional MUA but I do a lot of voluntary stuff e.g theatres and most recently workshops for kids with dyspraxia which was so much fun. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would be annoyed that a person with so little training and I hate to say it but so little skill ( as you said her techniques have not moved on in years) would be speaking at an event where the best of the best are presenting! Sorry for rambly comment!!
ReplyDeleteI think that's what really got most MUAs backs up. Most of them have a 'good luck to her' attitude, but when she was invited to speak at IMATS, it didn't help relations. Thanks for your comment :)
DeleteThe field of makeup is changing. Anyone can call themselves a makeup artist if they have a youtube channel and have enough followers. Yes, she is making money but is it easy? No, because the fun is over; it is ALL work now and not a hobby on youtube anymore. Getting there and having fun is the struggle and I think that is a masochistic kind of fun. Getting recognized and finally or just surprisingly making it big is a dream. To live that dream and to stay steady is the work and that includes ALL the criticism from the pros and non-pros.
ReplyDeleteA person can evolve and become pro if the person is willing to learn the techniques and understand everyone's skintone, skin type, etc. They also have to learn that everyone's skin is not that of a twenty year old. And they have to learn to apply make up on mature skin and make them look as good as a young woman.
Yes, she is still young, she still has that perky skin and the youthful eyes. Practically everyone that has made money off of youtube has. What will happen when they no longer can do the same stuff on their face due to change in hormones, aging, life, and stress. Can they still hold the popularity they once had?
Yes, hygiene and sanitation is one of the most important things in makeup training. A makeup artist is responsible for the utmost care in keeping their products and utensils clean. After all, it is someone's skin and not to mention a job that has to do with it. If something goes wrong with the skin, the model has no job, no job means the model becomes angry and starts ousting the makeup artist, word spreads and that make up artist is out of job. Then the next makeup artist comes in.
I could go on and on and I don't mean to but if Lauren is suppose to be where she is in life, then her journey in life is really her own and the complexities that come with it is what she will have to learn to make her grow. And hopefully, someday she will grow into a wise, mature, and inner beautiful woman.
Hi Olivia. Thank you for the really thoughtful comment. I think the point about Youtube success being linked to being young and attractive is another good one.
DeleteLauren seems like a genuine and nice young lady. I can just see why MUAs who are more rounded would be annoyed at her being held up as a MU expert/guru to them.
Grace- I am really surprised at your piece (I don't know why- been following your blog for a few years and just surprised you took this view). My view is, it’s her ability that counts- not the training, the years put in etc. A lot of her success is down to her ability- how she explains herself, her style etc. Even the most amazingly skilled and experienced artist might not be able to achieve a following. I actually work in the area of careers advice and this sort of scenario applies to thousands of people (IT immediately spring to mind). Some people can get an amazing job because IT has essentially been their hobby and they are good at it- many can get better jobs that students with master’s degrees in IT.
ReplyDeleteHello Anon, and thank you for commenting (and for reading my blog).
DeleteI agree that ability is key, but I'd respectfully suggest that I think that you're exchanging ability for personality in this case - Ms Luke seems like a nice and approachable person, but I don't think her tutorials have evolved since she first started posting them. There are people who can self-teach and achieve amazing results - I don't think a formal qualification is necessary. To push my analogy again, if I trained for 20 years with an amazing martial artist but never took a belt, I wouldn't be less competent. However, if I'd never trained with resistance, or actually fought an opponent, I would have to be one in a million to be as good as someone who had done those things.
I think there is obviously a big market for her tutorials and that's absolutely fine (she doesn't need my permission, after all ;) ) but my main point was that I can see why makeup artists might be unhappy at her being held up as a makeup expert, or giving a talk at a trade show for makeup artists (who apply makeup to other people for a living).
Thanks again for commenting - I do welcome the debate and appreciated not everyone would share my view on this.
I'm wondering if all proffesional MUA have had proffesional training though?? I don't think there is an industry standard or qualafication as such. Perhaps the MUA who have commented could tell us where they trained or what makes them "pro"??
ReplyDeleteHello anon - quite a few people have raised this point. There are some brilliant MUAs (Pat McGrath, Alex Box, just to name a couple) who have no formal qualifications. Just because you don't have a qualification from a specific school doesn't mean that you don't have training.
DeleteMy interpretation (and I know that interpretation differs) is that a professional MUA is someone who is paid (or is building up a portfolio with the eventual aim of being paid) to put makeup on other people. Does putting it on yourself to show other people how to do it fall in to that category? Not quite, for me. Maybe it does for you, and many others.
Thanks for your comment.
Apparently now when a lot of the more popular YouTube Gurus visit IMATS (like in NY recently), fans flock to them, meaning they spend most of their time having an unofficial 'meet-up'. Why shouldn't they have an official appearance then to make it all run more smoothly?
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting viewpoint. I suppose it depends on whether IMATS is still primarily a trade show, or if it is more for MU enthusiasts now. I think IMATS in the UK had a pro-only day this year - perhaps that is the answer.
DeleteI LOVE YOUR ENDING LINE "I’d find a good club, I’d humble myself, put on a white belt and learn."
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry i ended up ALMOST writing an unfinished novel on your blog so i just deleted everything and thought i'd...just stop. Basically to sum my feelings I'm on the fence partly because I don't know too much about her but because I can understand why people idolize Lauren Luke and people like her (everyone wants to feel like things are attainable within reach and modern cinderella story is just that).
However, I agree that she shouldn't consider herself a professional. Plenty of people in her position (Michelle Phan, goldiestarling etc.) don't have makeup training but can be considered professionals in their own right for their quality & diversity of work and also willingness to further their skills. Based on Lauren Luke's thumbnails she isn't doing too much of anything but a couple of similar eye looks.
^ohhh god i did it again. I swear i have no filter
Thanks for your comment! I think it's the way her management team marketed/positioned her a couple of years ago that got some MUA backs up. There's nothing wrong with doing a couple of looks that work for you (people who watch her vids are obviously happy with that, and I do it myself!) but inviting her to talk at a trade show was bound to ruffle feathers in the trade.
Deleteomg...i swear to you i wrote a very insightful comment...but its gone. it didn't publish -______- gahhhhh
ReplyDeleteIt published - I just have comments on approval to catch spam instead of captcha :)
DeleteI've spent far too much time trying to detangle my response to this fascinating post and failed. But peripherally, a while back I stumbled upon a thread on modelmayhem in which some pro MA's were debating the youtube sharing-of-knowledge / dumbing down the profession / 'guru' thing:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=811460&page=1
I don't disagree with anything you've written, Grace, but in your analogy (I know, totally loose), what if the seniors at the dojo were a jealous cabalistic bunch? 'Making it' in a particular field HAS to involve pushing boundaries. LL is one of the first of a new breed, the meedja/her marketing have made crass mistakes, I agree, but the insecure defensive response of *some* MA's-with-official-documents made me lose a great deal of respect for them as professionals too. T
Maybe this has to do with makeup artistry being quite a young and insecure art/schoolwhathaveyou as yet but one with lots of kerching-potential. The closest comparative 'craft' I'm in would be knitting, where there are FAR fewer examples of this kind of territorial kerfuffle. No idea why....
*disclaimer: watched about 3.5 Lauren videos in my life, recall approx 3 seconds' worth, not about *her* per se etc.
Hi Kate. That's a really good point. I think the very personal attacks don't reflect well on the people making them (isn't that true of everything in life!)
DeleteKate i quite agree. The fact her appearance 'ruffled their feathers' and some have obviously spoken out negatively on the matter makes me lose respect for them too. Tho i suspect the really professional makeup artists will not think it worth speaking out over.
DeleteUnfortunately this is the world we live in. Marketing people will make money out of the Lauren Luke's of the world, 'real' artists will get up tight about the 'right' education and artistic knowledge, and the media will twist it all. Grace is right it's all a bit sad. I'm not necessarily comparing her to Van Gogh, nor should she be told she's not educated and must learn the proper way- there are just different ways to learn an art and someone who has been educated by the best in the business can still be surpassed by an amateur with a special gift. Again Lauren Luke probably isn't that special amateur- i'm just referencing the way things are judged.
This is just my opinion. It's just such an interesting topic i thought i'd way in. Sometimes it's nice to add such topics in between the swatches and reviews. Thank you Grace! :)
I think she must have the wrong people advising her. Or the right people if big money is her goal, tho i expect she got carried away and excited and she might be a bit sad now- hindsight is a wonderful thing! Agents and managers etc go on the hunt for people like Lauren to exploit and show them how to be successful! They got her at the right time as well when blogging and vlogging was becoming more popular- now look how many people are on youtube! She was a Marketing dream at that time. Tbh whoever booked her at the IMATS made a mistake, though nowadays lots of bloggers go and are excepted. I suppose if you want the truth of it you need to hear it from the horse's mouth.
ReplyDeleteIt took me a sec to realise why she had been brought up as i hadn't heard about her in quite a while... Big Brother what else. Not my cup of tea i'm afraid tho reading about their kitchen prank it did sound quite funny.
Love your blog and thanks for the continued posts. :)
Hi Vicky - and thanks for the comments. It was just a post that was inside my head and wanted to write itself (a bit self-indulgently, I think, with hindsight!) but it's been a great conversation in the comments.
DeleteNot self-indulgently at all! I think it's great to have such an interesting piece that people can come together and discuss. We love makeup but we're also intelligent women (-to all those who think our love of makeup is frivolous!). :D Thanks!
DeleteI am sure I heard her say she was going to a beauty school. She mentioned not really having a freind there yet....
ReplyDeleteSzui
Good for her then, and I didn't know that! Thank you.
DeleteWell yes, contrary to what you say, you are attacking Lauren Luke. I have to wonder why you feel only 'trained' make up artists should recieve accolades for what they do?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the self taught (pick any occupation) 'professionals' making thousands of dollars per day? Do you think that's unfair to the trained professionals who for some reason or another cannot seem to make more than a few hundred dollars per day?
Ms. Lukes videos are geared to the everyday woman wanting to learn how to apply makeup. I highly doubt many of those women can afford, or want to pay, a professional makeup artist to teach them.
Seriously, there's a multitude of self taught men & women out there who are making, and who've made, more money than you or I would see in 10 lifetimes. It's a fact of life, you've either got the knack to make a success of yourself or you do not, & all the training in the world won't change that.
Ms. Luke, I believe has that knack.
Jay
Hello Jay
DeleteI'm sorry it has come across that way. I didn't meant to say or imply that Lauren Luke doesn't have any place or isn't helpful to lots of people. I do feel like a bit of a cow, having seen the stand she's recently made to help speak out on domestic violence.
The point of my post was that I can see why makeup artists might have been aggrieved to have her invited as a speaker to a (formerly) professional event. On reflection, I think my last sentence was arrogant in tone, and I deserved to be called out on that.
I don't automatically directly link making lots of money to being the best at something though!
Thank you for your comment.