PIXIWOO COURSE | Throwback

I am sure that as I am getting older, time is passing by quicker. It has been a whole year since I travelled 5 hours to Norwich on my own for the Pixiwoo Course. A YEAR?! If like me, you have a passion for makeup and you also watch a lot of YouTube, you will almost certainly know who I am talking about when I say Pixiwoo. They are two sisters, Nic and Sam who run the YouTube channel Pixiwoo, they have a blog, a magazine and are also behind the incredibly successful Real Techniques brushes. They have also just got back from LA from filming their own TV show all about the history of makeup. It wasn’t long after I had subscribed to their channel that I learned they ran a makeup course for beginners. I got all of the information about it in early 2014, but as that was the year we were getting married I just couldn’t fit it in along with everything else. Towards the end of 2014, when I had my blog up and running and was certain I wanted to learn more about makeup, I enquired again and got the dates for the 2015 course. It was all booked and paid for a week later!

I was so so excited, but also very nervous. It hadn’t been a year since I had been told by the doctor that I was suffering from depression and had an anxiety disorder. I had no idea if I was going to be able to cope travelling so far on my own and completing a week with not only two talented and inspirational women, but also 12 other girls I had never met before. But then I knew it was something I needed and wanted to do. I booked a little apartment for the week and headed down the day before the course. I vlogged almost every day when I was there and I have linked the playlist of videos at the end of this post if you want a better idea of what I got up to!

The top picture was a little Instagram I took of the makeup I had taken down with me for the week. Beneath, is me trying to get a sly photo, sat in the Pixiwoo offices, pretending it wasn’t a big deal at all! Each day we were paired up with a different person and practiced the techniques we had learnt in the little tutorial session at the start of each day, demonstrated by Sam and Nic. Stacey was also there every day, she is Pixiwoo’s right hand woman and also a trained makeup artist so we really did have the best teachers. The first day I was paired with Liz, who was so bubbly and beautiful she made me feel so much more at home! The first days makeup was a natural look, and this was the makeup I created on Liz.

Now, I obviously had to get a picture of Sam working on my face, didn’t I? This was the day we practiced smokey eyes and more dramatic makeup. The rest of the week included drag makeup, (see below!) and also going back through history at how makeup has developed and changed which was so interesting.

It was also my birthday whilst I was on the course, and the girls got me cards and cakes and balloons – it was one of the best birthday’s yet! Although the course was only for a short amount of time, we all settled in so quickly with one and other and just had the most wonderful week. On one of the days, the idea was to focus on a technique that we felt we struggled with, incorporating it into a historic makeup trend. I love 60’s makeup, but could never master a cut crease and winged liner terrified me! After some help from Sam and Nic, I was able to confidently create this look on Rosie and I was so happy with how it turned out. My confidence was being boosted by the hour!

Before the week was over I made sure I got a photo in the studio that the girls film in, background and all! It was probably one of the most daunting things I have ever done, and on the first day when we had to introduce ourselves I almost cried with nerves, (so embarrassing!) but I soon realised that I had no need to be worried, because it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I met some incredible women, who I am still in touch with today and spent the week learning about makeup and application. The makeup storage room in their studio was heavenly, and we were let loose in there everyday to test and play with whatever we wanted. Sam and Nic were as lovely in person as they are to watch in their videos and their passion for makeup is just so obvious to see.

I don’t think the girls are running a course this year, as their schedules are so busy, but if you are after any information on future courses this is their Facebook page, that they update regularly.

I hope you enjoyed this little throwback post, please do take a look at my videos from the week and subscribe to my channel if you enjoyed!

ALF x