An interview with Samantha Chapman of FashionFace.TV
Samantha Chapman is an accomplished make-up artist and lecturer with extensive experience in the fashion, television and music industry.Samantha who is one half (the other half is her sister Nic) of FashionFace.TV. Samantha and Nicola, run www.fashionface.tv - a unique website which shows how to create fashion forward looks as well as vintage classics. To date the videos have had over 9.7 million hits!
How long have you been working as a makeup artist and where did you train?
SC - Both Nicola (studied in 1997) and I (1994) completed a 2 year course covering Media make-up, Hairdressing and Wig making at the College of West Anglia in Norfolk. Although the course was a great starting point I believe that I learnt so much more from assisting and working on set. I recommend that students study shorter courses and assist as soon as they can.
What Fashion Face TV is?
SC - Fashionface.tv is a make-up tutorial website applicable to all levels of talent from the complete novice to working artists. We have videos focusing on the basics through to trend, period and celebrity inspired looks. Our videos are also available on YouTube and via an iPhone application.
How/why did you create the site?
SC - I started Fashionface as an antithesis to the tutorials on YouTube which lack correct information and skill. As YouTube tutorials have such a huge community it worries me that those videos represent what many viewers think encompasses Make-up artistry and because of that they belittle the talented make-up artists that work really hard to be successful in an incredibly competitive industry.
Fashionface is all about the guts it takes to live on the breadline for what you love and to put in the hours of hard and often unpaid work until you finally earn a decent living. Nic and I want those that watch Fashionface.tv to aspire to work hard and not assume make-up artistry is a 'fluffy pink' career that can be picked up and put down easily.
What have been some of your favourite looks to create?
SC - I love to re-create the seasonal trends. Rather that following the magazines predictions, I research the key shows from London, Milan, NY and Paris and look for the most common trends.
I also love to re-create the period looks. Marlene Dietrich was my personal favourite I also love Nic's Raquel Welch tutorial.
Where do you get your ideas from?
SC - Films books,and magazines mostly. There is a Fashionface library on the website that lists alot of the books and films that we use. Nicola and I also speak on the phone about 5 times a day. We get lots of ideas and expand on others by brainstorming the old fashioned way. 
What are some of your favourite products?
SC - My favourites change all the time but my current faves are:
Beaute Weightless Creme lipsticks
Benefit Babe Cake liner
Bobbi Brown University palette
Illamasqua Brow & lash gel
Estee Lauder Sumptuous Color Mascaras
Louise Young make-up brushes
Illamasqua Medium pencils
Benefit Coralista Blush.