If you’re really into makeup, fashion and the world of beauty then you may have picked up on the buzz surrounding the new Val Garland School of Makeup. Val Garland is absolutely legendary in the fashion world; I have always admired her for the way that she constantly pushes beauty boundaries, challenging our preconceived ideas about what “good” makeup should be and creating faces that often lean more towards works of art than straightforward beauty looks.

Through her School of Makeup, Val will be sharing her expertise and creativity with a selected group of makeup artists (the applicants must be professional makeup artists already, so slightly different to your usual makeup school!) in order to take them to the next level and give them the tools and knowledge to really be top of their game. The three-month course is kind of like an online apprenticeship with Val; it has been designed to offer the makeup artists the sort of information that you’d only be privy to if you were assisting her. The syllabus is packed with practical assignments, live Q&As and interesting video content to really fast-track the makeup artists towards a new level of professionalism. One of the Val’s quotes on the website really struck me as being quite potent; “A lot of people think that once you’ve learned makeup, that’s it – you’re a makeup artist. The actual skill of applying makeup is only 30 percent of the job…nobody teaches you how to create a world-class business. And I think you need both of these skills to succeed.” It’s not just a course to improve artistic skills or to provoke new ways of tackling makeup briefs, it’s about building a business and knowing how to get those high-end jobs.

One of the most interesting features of the course is the inclusion of a wide panel of experts and industry insiders  – think Nick Knight, Vivienne Westwood – who will be setting makeup briefs and giving invaluable advice about working in the highest realms of the fashion industry. I am incredibly honoured to have been asked to be an industry insider on the course*; I’ll be talking about my experiences as a model, both good and bad, and speaking openly about what it’s like to be on a shoot, to be the “canvas” for the makeup artist. I’m really looking forward to dusting off some of my favourite anecdotes!

Professional makeup artists can apply for the course here – the applications process closes on the 6th May, so do get cracking if you want to be considered for a place. The course team are looking for applicants with ambition and talent and who are truly passionate about what they do. The course runs from May 15th until August 15th and is open to all professional makeup artists wherever they are in the world. You can find out more on the course content, fees and application details by clicking over to the website:

Mastered: The Val Garland School of Makeup

*disclaimer: I am being paid for my time as an industry insider.