Kirstin really noticed makeup when she was a teenager.  It was through various things like watching pop videos with its strong distinctive looks.  The strong makeup, as she would say “Shakespeare”, and the dramatic look of Boy George.  She also noticed a more settled and sophisticated approach to makeup by looking through fashion magazines where you had super models such as, Helena Christensen, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss.

Kirstin and I had a wonderful chat while she was in Amsterdam on tour with soul singer (as I would call her) Joss Stone.  Kirstin got up very early Tuesday morning the 13^th of November, catching a flight to Amsterdam, rushing to get back to her room for her interview with me, as the next few days will be very hectic and exciting at the same time.

Kirstin didn’t work on any fashion show for spring/summer 2010.  “I’ve been working with Joss Stone and her new album coming out. “Color Me Free” which is out now.  I’m doing a tour with her in Amsterdam and other places.  The whole tour started in September during New York and London fashion week.  I was totally busy with Joss, so I didn’t get an opportunity to do that, which I’ve been doing for years. Joss is a good friend of mine and a client.” 

Kirstin explains why she loves what she does.  “I feel incredibly lucky to be around lots of very nice people.  And I think sometimes when I started getting into this business people would say “ you know people in fashion are jaded, they’re this and that, so I’m sure there are some people out there like that, but I have been very fortunate to work with nice people who are excited and enthusiastic. And that’s why having great people around you keeps you upbeat for sure.”

Rimmel London is one of the leading makeup brands in the UK.  Kirstin is the spokesperson for Rimmel.  “I have a contract with Rimmel, so I use a lot of Rimmel products.”  Kirstin’s favorite product is the Rimmel mascara, the “Max mascara.  It’s like 14 times the mascara, thick eye lashes.  I love it!  I don’t know many girls that don’t (Laughs).”

Rimmel is a great product to use and affordable.  Kirstin tells me the shoot she did for Harper’s Bazaar UK for December 2009 which is already on bookshelves.  “I just did a shoot for Harpers Bazaar this month for December with Victoria Beckham.” Kirstin says, “She’s great!” 

“I used that great Rimmel shade.  It was nice for her lips which are Spot Light beige and nude something and the thing I love about the product is the lip gloss and it’s also what I use on Joss a lot.   It’s called stay glossy.  I do use other brands, Mac, Estée Lauder, Chanel, and Bobby Brown.”

Victoria Beckham has recently been seen on other fashion magazine covers, as well.  Kirstin tells me little details about Mrs. Beckham and the Harpers Bazaar UK Cover shoot and the glamorous fashion spread.  “I’m really pleased with the story, but they’ve also did two different cover versions, which is fantastic.  They did a really nice close up and long shot of her.”  I had no idea that you did Victoria’s makeup.  She was lovely.”  Was she great as a client?  “She was so funny (laughter) she was really, really nice.”

Kirstin also worked on the November 2009 cover of Harper’s Bazaar UK.  Supermodel Claudia Schiffer was fierce, it was fabulous.  I loved the cover, because I’ve never seen a cover with just the ‘face’.  All you see is the makeup.  And that’s one of the reasons why I had to interview the makeup artist Kirstin Piggott.

“The cover is slightly different from the inside story.  So they basically wanted her to look sexy.   To be honest with you, she looks amazing.  She was a great canvas to work on obviously,” And the inspiration?  “The inspiration really, they wanted something that was strong, we did a few different changes.  We thought about the red lips, and maybe a bit of an eye.  We didn’t want it to be dated; sort of a strong eye and a strong lip.  We didn’t want the eighties’ look, so we played around with it.  Wanted to keep the skin a soft contour, and then give her a bit of an eye.”  The fashion spread was a completely different story and look.  “The story inside was more about the red mouth.  It wasn’t really a Brigitte Bardot reference, but she has that look going on. So I did the eyes and stuff and then we sort of played around with the red lips and I thought what about a little flesh tone?  So it was gorgeous, yes it was a sexy lip.  She loved it and they loved it so that’s why we went with it.  For me, I do makeup that helps women look sexy and have youthful eyes.  I think eyes are very important in my work.  And it’s funny, you don’t really notice it much yourself, but when people keep mentioning your work and say you are all about the eyes and then you look at it and you say, oh maybe I am (Laughs).”  I’ve also seen dark around the eyes and nude lips.  Will that be the new makeup trend?

“I think that will always be a really good makeup trend, but especially when it’s got a rock-n-roll edge and it always look chic in a way; having a stronger eye, and a smoky eye and the beige mouth, it is a great look.  And I think you will definitely see it around.” 

Kirstin gives tips on how we can sport the look smoky eye and the nude lip look. “What will change is the texture around the eyes you have a very soft metallic smoky eye, as well so they’re not flat and mat or you might have it so it’s glossy and the texture will change.  Now I saw a great makeup shoot the other day and it was dark smoky eye with lots of glitter and that kind of inspired me with Joss’ makeup.  I gave her really beautiful smoky eye and put some gold metallic highlight and then put on this super fly.  Mac products in the corner of the eye, but the eyes are incredible and they’re not too flat and heavy, it still pops open the eye and I do that beige mouth.  I think it’s important to go for a nude lip base, I think you need to go for something more peachy.  You don’t want your mouth to look dead either.  You want to have a little bit of life in the lip.  Otherwise it can look really draining on the skin.  When you choose your shade get a pinky nude or a peachy nude and work it into your skin tone.”