Rose - How to look pretty not plastered : a step-by-step make-up guide to looking great!

My passion for make-up reaches back into childhood, from the time I first began to paint. Born into an artistic family, I soon discovered I had talent and have continued to nurture it to this day.

I began in art college, where I drew portrait after portrait. I wanted to create some work that was different from everyone elses, so I used my love of make-up and began experimenting with different products, teaching myself, and using the face as my blank canvas. I brought models into the college studio, created a fantastic make-up for them, styled their hair and clothes and photographed them for my portfolio. I knew instantly that this was where my passion lay as a make-up artist.

After I left college I was lucky enough to meet a world-famous make-up artist and skincare specialist who inspired me to turn my dream into reality. When, at 20, I had my daughter Lara I became even more ambitious. I was determined to become a positive role model for her as she grows up. I wanted her to understand that you can achieve anything if you work hard for it and stay true to your beliefs.

After qualifying as a make-up artist I began sourcing work throughout the fashion, advertising, film and wedding industries, working alongside another artist to build up my knowledge and confidence. Eventually I achieved my dream of becoming a successful make-up artist.

I have written this book for young women, to teach you the art of applying perfect make-up and still looking like beautiful you.

I want to replace the myth of perfect images shown in magazines and advertisements and help you to create a look thats right for you, your skin, and most importantly your age. Most of all, I want to show you how to have fun with your make-up.

This is one of the best times of your life. You are young enough to wear the brightest, boldest colours and get away with it. Enjoy!

As modern technology becomes more advanced, so models and celebrities are helped to look even more flawless with the use of digital editing. But is this a positive development for teen girls?

Young girls are looking more adult than ever, as they aspire to the world of celebrities and fashion, seeking guidance from beautiful role models in the media. Everything screams make-up, and lots of it!

Girls relate to this seemingly perfect existence, because being a teen or young adult involves a lot of image consciousness I know, I was one not too long ago. The fact is, nobody is perfect, and these clever Photoshop techniques encourage girls to believe that make-up alone is what makes women look flawless. Its just a clever marketing strategy. But it is my job to show you how it is really done, and that looking pretty isnt about being plastered in make-up.

In this book I want to teach you exactly how to achieve flawless make-up, without airbrushing! I am going to teach you what real beauty looks like.

Magazines are fabulous fun, we all love reading them and catching up on the latest gossip, trends and real-life articles, but please be aware that not everything you see or read is true. Magazines need to look exciting and current, and are therefore as full of stories as they are real life. Fashion magazines are designed to make us think: Wow, I want to look like her!, because that makes them sell! How many times have you seen a gorgeous dress or a pair of shoes in a magazine, maybe the latest lip gloss, and gone out to buy it? I know I have!

If there is one thing that I have learnt along my journey, its that celebrities are just real people, like you or me. In the same way as actors play a part, many celebrities too adopt a particular character that suits the image they wish to promote to the media.

Photoshop techniques are carried out on almost every photo we see in the media. It is possible to retouch an image and completely transform a persons looks.

For example, you can:

add or change the colour of make-up;

boost the colour and texture of hair;

make an imperfect complexion flawless;

whiten and straighten teeth;

whiten and widen eyes;

make arms, legs and waists look slimmer;

make breasts larger;

remove imperfections;

add a tan.

The list is endless!

In recent years there has been a lot of debate about the use of digitally enhanced images. This has resulted in magazines demanding that advertorial images identify where some digital enhancement has been used. For instance, in mascara advertisements where false lashes have been used to emphasise the product, you will often see included some small print at the bottom of the page which identifies this.

So, next time you think, I wish I looked like that, remember that it isnt always as real as you may be led to believe.

Be comfortable with who you are. Dont let spots, blemishes, scars or moles get you down; these characteristics are all part of the beautiful and individual people that we are. We tend to be critical of ourselves and worry about imperfections that other people might not even notice. Remember that confidence makes you glow, and inner and outer beauty work in harmony.

Look at these two images.

You will see immediately that the model looks more striking in the second image. However, it isnt just that the blemishes have been removed and the skin has been airbrushed. Look a little closer and you will notice that:

the jaw line is squarer;

the nose has been narrowed;