[Leomie Anderson] Glow Up is back.
Insane in the membrane...
[Leomie] From thousands of makeup artists, ten of the best have been chosen.
I'm absolutely seeing myself in the final.
[Leomie] They'll be judged by industry experts, P. Louise.
-Hey, MUAs. -Oh my gosh!
-[Leomie] Trixie Mattel. -[all scream]
[Leomie] Working on professional assignments...
This is the set.
[Sarah] This is Bridgerton.
[Leomie] Sephora UK.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
...and mind-blowing creative briefs.
This is the sort of makeup you do to stay in this competition.
[Leomie] Each week, the two who fail to deliver...
I'm not gonna get this look done.
I just can't fail them.
You've got to be more.
[Leomie] ...will go head-to-head in a face-off,
until just one remains to win a contract
assisting some of the biggest makeup artists in the business.
What?
It's sick.
The concentration...
This is a ding-dong delicious.
-Nice. -Can someone help?
[music peaks, fades]
Now all we need is a host.
[tense electronic music playing]
[music fades]
Did somebody say "host"?
Ding-dong, darling.
[magical chimes]
[Leomie] It's time to Glow Up.
This year's shiny new MUAs are woken with an early call.
[electronic upbeat music playing]
And they have no idea
where they're heading for their first assignment.
[On-May] Oh man, what could it be?
I have no clue. I have no idea where we are.
-It could be, like, a film studio. -[sighs]
I feel quite shaky. Nervous.
I've loved makeup ever since, literally, I came out of my mom's womb. [chuckles]
My secret weapon is being underestimated.
I love competition.
Because the only competition is me. [chuckles]
[Sarah] What about you?
Honestly, I think my ability to work under pressure.
I'm a Scorpio, so there's that sting in my tail,
and if it needs to be used, it'll get used. [chuckles]
Anybody else stressing out?
[laughs]
I'm nervous, but, like, I feel that's normal.
[Leomie] The competition starts here.
First stop for the MUAs,
the film studios of one of Netflix's biggest dramas.
Bridgerton.
[classical music playing]
Is there something more serious you wish to tell me about our little
undertaking?
[Leomie] Global phenomenon and award-winning seriesBridgerton
is one of the most watched series ever on Netflix.
Simply watching will not be enough.
[Leomie] Set in Regency London,
it showcases the sometimes scandalous, yet opulent lives of high society,
but with a modern edge shown through the music and the makeup.
[music fades]
-[Morgan] Here? -[Taisha] Yeah?
Oh my...
-This is the set! -[Morgan] This is the set!
[Sarah] This is Bridgerton!
Seeing the set of Bridgerton, it's just...
It's a dream come true. It's not even real.
[Howard screaming] No sitting!
-[Sarah] Why not sit? -They said no sitting.
[Roo] Don't touch anything.
[excited laughs]
[all scream]
[Val Garland] Hello.
Hi, guys.
Oh my God!
[upbeat electronic music playing]
[Leomie] With an unparalleled reputation for creativity,
L'Oréal Paris Global Makeup Director Val Garland has created looks
for the biggest names in music, fashion, and design.
I've worked with everyone from McQueen to Gaga,
so wow me, or it's home time.
[Leomie] Dominic Skinner has created global campaigns for MAC Cosmetics
and wowed the world with iconic looks at fashion weeks from Paris to Milan.
For me, there are three fundamentals: precision, symmetry, and balance.
Everything's got to be on point.
[music peaks, stops]
How brilliant is this?
It's so great to meet you all,
and we can't wait to see what you're going to bring this year.
The assignments that you're booked on take many MUAs years to get.
So bring it.
[all cheer]
In true Bridgertonstyle...
[upbeat music plays]
...сaller for the MUAs, your host.
[Wezley] Oh my God.
Lady Leomie Anderson.
-[screams] -[all cheer]
[Leomie] Okay, let's go! Hi, guys!
Leomie, Leomie, Leomie, Leomie.
I am in awe and, do you know what, they couldn't have done better.
So lovely to meet all you guys, honestly.
Oh, we're gonna have a good time. How are you guys feeling?
[Wezley] Amazing.
My heart is going pitter-patter. [chuckles]
Me too. My heart is racing with you. [laughs]
Are you guys ready for your first assignment?
Come on then, let's go.
[laughs]
This is maybe the best challenge we could have started with.
I'm just thrilled to get in there already.
I am so excited to introduce you to the Head of Hair
and Makeup Design, Erika Ökvist.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
Welcome to the crowd tent, which is where we're getting
all the supporting artists ready, and I want you to create
a really flirtatious and incredibly beautiful look
for an upcoming ball scene.
The most important thing for me
is that we've got an absolutely flawless skin.
But this isn't your typical period makeup. I want people to take risks.
As long as it works within this special world of Bridgerton,
and the makeup really marry well with the costume.
Whoever impresses me the most will be able to come back here
and join my team for one day on Bridgerton.
Wow.
-Oh my gosh, that is insane. -Right?
[Leomie] How long are they gonna have to do this today?
One and a half hours, not one minute more.
All right, guys. I guess that means let's get cracking. Come on.
[electronic upbeat music playing]
[Axel] How are we?
-What's your name? -Annalies.
Annalies. Taisha. Nice to meet you.
Oh, yes. I am loving that.
I'm ready to make you even more stunning, if that's humanly possible.
[chuckles] It's a bit overwhelming, actually.
Incredible. It's just insane.
This one's mine.
For our first assignment, we're on the set of one of the biggest shows in the world.
We are throwing our MUAs in at the deep end.
-Are you excited? -Yeah.
-Do you trust me? -Yes.
Well, you should. [giggles]
Hey, Sarah.
Hey, gorgeous.
Had you heard of Bridgertonbefore?
Oh my God, yeah.
The Duke is like... [chuckles] Do you need a new Duchess?
-Uh, hello, call me. [laughs] -[Sarah] For real, for real.
The foundation of Bridgerton, for me, is a very flawless skin.
The first thing that I will look for is that they do their proper skin prep.
Trying to make sure that it's a good base for the foundation to go onto.
And we always start with a face massage.
-Chin up for me a tiny bit there. -[actress] Thank you.
[Erika] I am looking for perfection.
My model has this lovely purple and kind of lilac headpiece
and this lilac dress.
I'm thinking of maybe incorporating that color within the eyes. Possibly.
Whoo-hoo! [laughs]
[rock music plays]
Hello, hello, hello.
Whoo! [laughs]
That was nearly a stack.
[rock music builds up, fades]
Makeup has definitely changed the way I express myself.
I think, you know, school was really when I started wearing makeup.
And it was almost that kind of, like, defense mechanism.
A way of being "I don't care."
I would say I've always done things my own way.
Never really listened to everybody.
Although glam is my bread and butter, there are way more tricks up my sleeve,
and I just can't wait to show everybody what I can do.
[music peaks, stops]
We just want her to look ready
to find a man and dance with him all night long, you know. [chuckles]
I'm just applying a thin layer of foundation at the moment.
[Val] What we are looking for
is absolute flawless skin.
That natural glow.
It's much harder than it looks.
This is, like, the industry I want to get into. The TV side of it.
And I'm not intimidated by any of the MUAs,
I'm confident, and I believe in my work.
The secret to doing well today is knowing when to stop.
This is quite scary
just because less makeup is more, if you get what I mean.
I hope what I've got in my head will be all right.
I'm hoping that I can do a good job, but I do feel there's pressure on me
because they know that I'm a beauty artist.
That girl that's across from us is called Saph.
She likes to copy me a lot. [chuckles]
-[Saphron] I know you're talking about me. -I know. [chuckles]
-Hey. -[Saphron] Hiya.
Saucy Saphron. I've been waiting to say that, babe.
-That's not the first time. -[both chuckle]
Who do you think will do really well on this challenge?
Other than me, hopefully... [chuckles]
I know Howard would probably, like, really excel at this.
I hope he does well, but also I want to win.
[both chuckle]
Makeup artists, there is one hour left.
[gasps] It's been half an hour.
I'm a little bit surprised at how much time has gone past already.
So, I can feel the intensity in this room.
Absolutely. I think with everybody,
they need to hone in and need to listen to their gut instinct.
I want the skin to feel light and look fresh.
-[Leomie] What we think about Howard? -Wonderful skin prep.
He did a massage. It really makes the skin look more alive.
Look at Saphron's skin over there. It's looking all right from here.
Yep, it just looks flawless. Very, very, very Bridgerton.
[Leomie chuckles]
As well as nailing the skin, the MUAs need to wow.
Show Erika a little something special but in a Bridgertonway.
I would really love the makeup artists to take a risk within the makeup.
It can be something small, like an angle of how you do an eyeliner
that just throws me, and I go like, "Wow, that's amazing."
Or maybe a color that is unusual but really works with the skin tone.
I want to be surprised.
I've added some burgundy shimmer into her eye
and done this burgundy red lip.
And hope that's enough of a pop. But not too much.
I've brought some colors in with the eyes. It's a soft, like, muted pink.
Very similar to what's on the dress.
-Hello. -Hey.
[Leomie] You just notice the smoky eye situation.
Yeah. I want the main focus and the risk to be the eyes,
because they don't have eye makeup as much in the show.
Well, she did say, like, take a risk and be bold.
Yeah. Very confident now.
Ooh, I like that. I like that attitude.
Makeup artists,
Thirty minutes until I need your supporting artist perfect.
Only half an hour?
Oh, lovely.
[On-May] I have just a little bit of gray and a little bit of turquoise on the eye.
I should be adding more. I just think it's just too risky.
[Wezley] I think the risk is going bold with the eye.
This kind of sultry kind of snatched look. You know, makes the men stare.
That's what they tell me anyway, um... [chuckles]
I'm just doing her lip liner and her lips.
I actually haven't looked at any of the other artists
because I just feel like it'll throw me off a little bit.
I'm thinking of maybe, like, a natural sort of heart mole.
I'm worried about my risk being a bit too risky.
But then I think if I don't do it, it's gonna be like...
It's not very risky, is it? So...
Uh...
I'm doing the risk.
So how do you think Keiran's getting on right now?
Well, they are putting on a moucheon the cheek.
[Leomie] Sorry, what is a mouche?
So moucheis a fly. A fly on your face. A beauty spot. [chuckles]
Oh, okay, right.
[Erika] Is that the right risk?
If the outfit is outrageous enough,
maybe it works.
[electronic upbeat music playing]
I'm still not quite sure what risk I'm going to take.
I'm thinking about how to include, um, the kind of very pale lilacy color.
I've never met anybody with a mullet as long as mine.
If they exist, I don't know if I'd want to meet them.
[music peaks]
I've been doing makeup since I was really young.
Because my parents worked in the theater.
They were always just encouraging me to be different.
In my house, it was always a great thing to be weird.
If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be the person I am now.
I think it's not looking sort of young and seductive and beautiful.
But maybe I can still make it work.
Usually, like, with the Bridgertonmakeup, it's kind of, like, subtle.
But I wanna go flirty how I'd do flirty,
so I wanted the lashes a bit more fluffy and stuff.
Okay, makeup artists, there is now only ten minutes left.
[tense music playing]
Hi, Val. [inhales]
I'm a little bit stressed, I can't lie. The nerves are real. [chuckles]
I've just got to make sure everything is even.
The smallest details really do count.
[Leomie] With time running out, Roo finally decides on their risk.
I'm doing this sort of, like, butterfly-inspired swoopy thing.
And keep your eye open for me.
But I don't have much time left.
Two minutes until I need your supporting artists.
[tense rhythmic music playing]
[Howard] I'm happy.
[music continues to play]
Makeup artists, that's it. Brushes down.
Supporting artists, please come with me to wardrobe.
[exhales]
[Morgan] And breathe. [exhales]
I'm not feeling great to be honest.
I realized I didn't have a lot of time left.
So I just, like, attacked the face with color.
I'm feeling really good, actually.
It's something I'd have always dreamed of, doing, uh, makeup for Bridgerton,
so I'm hoping I win. [chuckles]
-[classical music plays] -[director] Action.
[Leomie] While the MUAs wait backstage...
Will you be dancing tonight?
My dance card is already full.
[Leomie] ...the judges must decide which look translates best on screen.
How is everybody feeling right now?
I don't know if I did enough.
This is Keiran's actress with a little beauty mark
married together with the outfit.
I think it's really cute.
But is it in the right position?
For me, higher on the cheekbone
would create the illusion of a better cheekbone.
-[Erika] Absolutely. -[Val] Yeah.
Saphron's actor, I think that was a very successful buttery skin.
The other thing that I really like is that very interesting lilac.
It's a great surprise.
Yeah, it's beautiful. I mean, look at that.
Will you blink at me again like that, madam?
[gentle classical music playing]
So, Morgan's actor.
I'm quite confident.
-[Val] Yeah? -I think I'm quite happy. [laughs]
Yeah, that's a good attitude.
[Erika] I'm worried about the eye shadow.
Is it too strong?
And also, it's not even. I've got to have symmetry.
Axel's actor.
This is a case of not knowing when to put the brush down.
[Erika] Absolutely.
So, here on the left, we've got Taisha's actor.
She's got beautifully kissed lips.
[Dominic] There is a lot of success in this makeup.
[Erika] On the right is Howard's actor.
[inhales] He did the lymph drainage massage,
which really just makes the skin look more alive.
The makeup looks incredible in profile.
[Erika] Mm-hmm.
[uplifting classical music playing]
[Erika] Left-hand side, we've got On-May's actor.
I'm slightly concerned about the eyes.
A little bit on the wonky side,
but it also feels like we're in the wrong world.
Wezley's actor.
I think the color on the eyes is overpowering.
It's blended out too much.
[Dominic] It's really distracting.
[Erika] Roo's actor.
I feel that it doesn't belong in the Bridgertonworld.
There's no definition. I can't see a lash at all.
[Erika] We've got Sarah's actor.
-I feel like I could've done better. -As long as you're not in that red chair.
I love the skin.
I love how the flush works with the apricot lip. Gorgeous.
I think we've had some incredible looks from our makeup artists,
but I kind of feel that I've got a pretty clear winner in my mind.
[tense piano note plays]
[all murmur]
Thank you, everyone.
We were so impressed.
Howard,
the way that you did the skin prep just made the skin to die for.
Taisha,
you had this day's best lips.
But the makeup artist who impressed me the most
gave me flawless skin
and surprised me with the color on the eyelid and the eyeliner.
[tense music playing]
The winning MUA, who gets to come back here
and join my team for one day, is
Saphron.
[all cheer]
[upbeat music playing]
Sorry.
Oh my God, I'm, like, in shock. [chuckles]
I can't wait to put Bridgerton and Netflix on my CV. [chuckles]
This is insane.
So, make sure that you get some sleep,
because tomorrow two of you are gonna start your day
in the face-off chairs.
[music peaks, fades]
[Leomie] Now the judges must decide which MUAs this will be.
My thoughts went to Wezley.
The eyes were a little bit harsh and not flirtatious enough.
I'm also thinking a little bit about Roo.
Roo's look didn't belong in the Bridgertonworld.
And then Morgan. The look wasn't thought through.
It wasn't romantic or flirtatious.
I think it won't be a surprise that I agree.
So, all things considered, I think we all know
who should start tomorrow in the red face-off chairs.
[music stops]
[Leomie] The next day at Glow Up studios, it's the moment of truth.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Leomie] If an MUA's name is on one of the two red chairs,
they'll be heading for the face-off elimination.
Keiran. Oh yes.
[suspenseful music continues to play]
[breathes in]
[exhales]
[Leomie]There's only one way to beat the seat.
Wow the judges in the creative brief
and prove they deserve their place in the competition.
[Leomie] Roo and Morgan, your names are on the red face-off chairs.
Meaning you'll have 15 minutes less to complete your creative brief.
Roo, you chose a lilac eyeliner.
I actually like the color,
but the shape of it didn't belong in the world of Bridgerton.
Morgan, I was looking for a cohesive look,
and unfortunately, your elements did not marry together.
Both of you took great risks, but they did not pay off.
Yesterday you entered the world of TV makeup.
Bridgerton is all about the scandalous lives of the elite,
surrounded by gossip and secrets.
[Val] Today, we want you to create a dramatic look
that reveals a secret
that you have kept hidden from others.
A truth untold.
You'll be doing makeup on yourselves. We want to see
how effectively you can tell your story
and how creative and imaginative you can be.
MUAs, you have two and a half hours to get those secrets on your face.
Roo and Morgan, I'll let you know when your time is gonna start,
but the rest of you, your time starts now.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
No, no, no, no, no, no, come here. Come back, come back, got that. [gasps]
Slow and steady wins the race.
Right. [exhales]
[Leomie] The MUAs have been allowed to prep for today's brief.
And Glow Up studios is packed with all the products they may need.
[gasps] Brushes. Jesus Lord, okay.
I've got this seat, so I'm quite happy.
I just need to tell myself that I'm good enough
and shouldn't keep putting myself down all the time.
[Leomie] TV and film makeup student On-May's secret untold
is based on her struggles with binge-eating.
I'm creating a massive mouth with huge teeth singed in
with a tape measure as if I'm measuring my waist.
But I hope that I can get the base down in time.
[upbeat music continues to play]
So, I'm just mapping out where I'm going to lay my latex.
[Leomie] Self-taught MUA Sarah is taking inspiration
from a traumatic event in her childhood.
When I was ten, I burnt my face cooking with hot oil.
I've not done much special effects makeup,
but, hopefully, I can translate my story in the look.
-Hey, Morgan. -Hi.
[Leomie] How are you feeling right now?
I'm all right. Didn't expect it, but 15 minutes is 15 minutes.
I know I can do this in two hours.
Talk me through it there. What's going on over here.
It's like the untold side of me. The caring side, the emotional side.
The side I shut off. The echoing heart is to show
the closer you get to me, the more the caring side of me opens up.
I'm doing my bald cap. I've never put one on before.
-Oh my gosh, you're bald capping it. -[Morgan] Bald capping it.
If I go out, I go out with a bang and taking a risk, so...
Okay.
[exhales]
[Leomie] And it's worth taking a risk,
because if Morgan or Roo impress the judges and beat the seat,
another MUA will take their place in the face-off elimination.
These foam balls represent, like, the bumps I feel on my skin.
[chuckles] It's bound to happen, you know.
But once I get this bald cap on, these will be much more secure.
[Leomie] Yesterday's winner Saphron is hoping to feature polystyrene balls
under a bald cap as part of her design.
[Saphron] So, this look is representative of my anxiety.
These anxieties manifest through my skin-picking habits.
This is the bit where it all falls off, you know.
Oh, here we go.
[Dominic] Ohh.
-Do you want help, Saph? -[Saphron] Yes, please.
I'm gonna be putting this over my head.
Here.
-Yep. Perfect. Thank you. -Welcome.
-Thank you so much. -You're welcome.
[Sarah] She needed a hand. It didn't take too much from me, so why not?
But once we hit the face-off, it's every man for themselves. [chuckles]
-Well done. Teamwork. Nice. -Teamwork.
Do you know,
that's very ballsy.
[laughs]
How many bald caps are we gonna get today?
Hey, Wez.
Hi. [chuckles]
Have you done this before?
No. Can you tell?
[both laugh]
So what is your secret untold, babes?
-So, when I was younger... -Yeah.
I would sneak off out into Bristol with all my friends.
-And we'd be going to the raves. Um... -Oh yeah.
[Wezley] So, I'm creating this kind of, like, completely bald, glam alien.
I've got some crazy big lashes that I'm going to use.
Oh yeah. I'll fly away with these.
-[mimics butterfly flying] -[both laugh]
[electronic upbeat music playing]
Let's see.
This way?
[indistinct chatter in the background]
Or this way?
Okay.
-[Leomie] Hey. -Hey, girl.
What's going on here?
So, I'm doing a little bit of prosthetics. It's my first time doing it.
-[Leomie] Oh, really? -Literally.
So what's your secret untold?
[Taisha] So, mine is about the demon Leviathan.
He basically rules over envy.
For me personally, envy and comparing myself,
there came a point where I felt like it was controlling me.
I still want to keep it quite glam, because I'm a beauty girl.
[instrumental rhythmic pattern playing]
All right, Roo, Morgan, your time starts now.
[instrumental rhythmic music picks up]
I'm taking it as an opportunity to up my game, learn from my mistakes,
and show why I deserve to stay in.
[Leomie] Roo's secret untold reveals their struggles with OCD
and phobia of germs.
My look takes inspiration from bacteria.
Particularly, the way they're grown on a petri dish.
[Leomie] And they're pulling out all the stops to try to beat the seat.
[Roo] There's going to be a color-changing element,
which is quite risky
because it's kid of something I came up with on my own.
[electronic upbeat music playing]
I shaved, like, half my brow off today.
I just want to go in with the eye makeup and really be able to blow it out.
[Leomie] Keiran's look is based on their sexuality,
which was hidden when they were younger.
[Keiran] It's like a really big heart with the rainbow flag inside of it,
with the barbed wire restricting the colorfulness of it.
If the symmetry's off on this, it's going to look terrible.
[Leomie] And it's not just Keiran with their eye firmly on the detail.
I have to get it as precise as possible.
[Leomie] Howard's look is based on a very dark period in his life.
[Howard] It is quite a strong story. It's about sexual assault.
Something that happened about ten years ago.
Going through a traumatic experience, you can't see anything, it's just black.
Hence, my eyes are crossed out, my lips are black.
One of the things
that is also important in my look is the symmetry.
Chin up.
Left and right, just to make sure the angles are all perfect.
[upbeat instrumental music playing]
So, I'm starting to add more dimension into my sea monster look.
I'm just trying to break things up, just with some sparkling.
[Leomie] Axel is using their battle with anxiety as inspiration
and adding prosthetics to their cheeks and head.
My mom used to say, "People that struggle with their mental health
are battling their demons." So I thought it might be a good idea
to create what I believe my mental health demon to look like.
[electronic tense music playing]
So, guys, you've had one hour and 30 minutes.
-You have one hour left. -[gasps]
[whimpers] Ouch.
I'm trying to peel off the latex, and it just caught some hair.
[music building]
[Dominic] That's just glue.
I know. And that's clever.
That's really clever.
I'm going in heart by heart, from the outside in,
blending, trying to make sure the lines are super neat
so it gives that illusion look, so there's no flaws or anything like that
that stick out and ruin the whole illusion of the look.
This is so funny, isn't it? Look at me.
It's supposed to look like my face is shiny and glossy,
like the jelly of a petri dish.
Very excited for what Roo's doing.
Yeah. I think it's working. Yeah.
[music peaks, fades]
You forgot to put on your...
[gasps]
I forgot to put on my prosthetics.
[gasps]
[brush clatters]
Goddammit, Axel.
[exhales]
You're stupid.
So, I made a boo-boo. Um...
[clicks tongue] These are already supposed to be on my face.
-Um, but they're not, so not great... -[tool hissing]
...but it is what it is.
Are they putting a prosthetic on now?
[Erika] Why didn't Axel put the prosthetic on before the white makeup?
[Dominic] Yeah.
-Like they're doing everything backwards. -Yeah.
I think they're covering up too much of my face.
-[tense music playing] -[exhales]
[Dominic whimpering] Ooh!
[groans]
-[Val smacks] -[Dominic whimpers]
[exhales, scoffs]
'Cause they're removing the prosthetics, and they're removing makeup,
it'll be really hard to try and patch that in.
[upbeat music playing]
I'm using lids and little cups to make the circles
and take small brushes for the smallest circles
and really just get it into everywhere.
There's not a lot going on.
[Erika] He's very, very into beauty, I feel.
In week one, you wanna make an impression, you wanna show us what you've got.
Sometimes the simplest thing is the most beautiful impression.
-Okay. -It's the most prominent.
We'll see.
[Morgan] I'm quite confident I'm gonna finish on time now.
I've never laid a bald cap before, and I've done one quite seamlessly,
so that gave me the confidence boost to be like, "We can do it."
[Dominic] I'm worried about Morgan.
All that time putting the bald cap on,
and there's still no makeup on the main part of the face.
MUAs, you have 30 minutes left.
Please don't say that because, literally, I've not done
the middle bit of my face at all.
This is really cool.
-I am liking the detail. -[Val] My only worry is...
She may run out of time.
[tense music playing]
[Val] There's some big makeups here in the room.
You know, there's quite a lot of detail.
[music intensifies]
[tool hissing]
So far, I can't see the character.
[Erika] I don't see anything happening in the face yet.
[Dominic] It's a ping-pong, not a ding-dong.
[clicks tongue] Well.
[laughs]
So, guys, we have 15 minutes left.
Oh, 15.
I'm coming up close to you
because I'm going to do a little scientific magic trick,
and I want to make sure you can see it properly.
So take note of how my face looks. And the colors.
I've used a pH-sensitive material,
and then I'm just gonna take this glycolic acid toner.
[instrumental suspenseful music playing]
[all] Wow.
[Val] Major moment.
Oh, that's clever.
Thank you.
Absolutely wow!
All right, guys, you have five minutes left.
[vocalized melody playing]
If I'd remembered to put on my prosthetics,
I think this would have come together a little bit nicer.
[female vocalizing continues]
I'm not gonna get this look done. I'm not. I'm not gonna...
It's time to put in the last contact.
[female vocalizing, rhythmic percussion music playing]
[music fades]
Time's up. Brushes down.
Please take yourselves next door to be photographed.
[sighs]
-[camera shutters click] -[rhythmic music plays]
Hopefully, it'll get me out of the chair.
It's literally identical to how I wanted it, so I'm happy with it.
It's been intense, but the fact that the judges seemed to like the trick
really has made me feel a lot better.
[music fades]
On-May, please step forward.
[tense music playing]
[Val] Please, tell us your story.
My look is based on binge-eating. I actually struggle with this quite a lot.
I wanted to spread awareness, I guess.
On-May, when I look at this picture, I really really feel your pain,
and I'm very grateful that you're sharing it with us.
I'm getting a little bit tearing up, actually.
-Excellent piece of work. -Thank you.
I love the illusion of this makeup,
but if you could have spent a bit more time in the center,
you would have created more of a 3D image.
[On-May] Thank you.
Wezley.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Wezley] My look today represents me in my late teenage years
when I would sneak off to Bristol and go to raves.
[Dominic] What you've done here has actually really impressed me.
It's red, but then you've got these gorgeous fuchsia and magentas.
It brings the whole character to life.
[Val] If I was to give you one criticism,
this bald cap area would not pass muster.
This was my first time ever using a silicone bald cap, so...
[Val] Wow. Well, that's impressive.
-[Wezley] Thank you. [chuckles] -He's excited me.
Thank you so much.
-Roo. -[inhales]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Roo] This look is based on my fear of germs.
A symptom of OCD that I've struggled with in secret.
The second you started spraying yourself,
and it changed. It was magical.
[Dominic] I mean, it looks moldy.
All the veins that are coming through, it's just gorgeous.
What you've done is really put a stamp in this workroom.
And I'm excited to see what else you might do.
Thank you.
Taisha,
please come forward and tell us your secret.
[gentle suspenseful music playing]
[Taisha] When I was younger, I always used to compare myself to others.
So, my look was inspired by the demon of envy, Leviathan.
This is my first time using prosthetics.
Sorry, what?
-[Taisha chuckles] -Wow.
Well, for a first go, I think this is brilliant.
Prosthetics, tick. Symmetry, tick.
Color application, tick.
It's all there. Well executed. Thank you.
Keiran.
[gentle music continues to play]
[Keiran] I wanted to bring light to an issue that I feel is very relevant
in queer youths that live in small towns,
and that's hiding yourself to conform to society.
Thank you. I was blown away by this makeup.
It feels very modern.
I mean, your line work, that barbing.
Beautiful.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Howard.
Please come forward.
[pensive piano music playing]
[Howard] When I was younger, I was sexually assaulted.
This is actually something that I kept really personal.
So you can see
that in this makeup there's a lot of darkness in it.
[exhales]
Thank you. It's so brave of you
to be able to stand here and tell your story and tell your secret.
Um, I'm interested to understand your makeup background, actually.
I do more red carpets, more on the beauty side of it.
Okay, yeah. Weirdly, I can see the beauty.
That angle, the line in that brow that's sharp as anything. Gorgeous.
The story is maybe the missing part of the makeup.
Where's the creativity and the imagination?
Whatever you do, you always bring the beauty,
and that is a skill.
However,
you've got to be more than a great beauty artist.
You've got to be more.
Thank you.
-Thank you so much. -Thank you.
[music continues to play]
Sarah.
[Sarah exhales]
[Sarah] When I was younger, I burned my face with hot oil,
and the doctor said I'd be scarred for life.
Miraculously, uh, there's no evidence of that trauma now.
Thank you so much.
I love prosthetics, and you've done an absolutely beautiful prosthetics job.
I think, for me, it's a literal storytelling.
I get the physical feeling,
but I don't get the emotional feeling of pain.
Could you have added a little something more?
I would have liked to see you push your skill set a little bit more.
Thank you.
Saphron, please step forward.
[gentle music playing]
[Saphron] My secret untold is about my anxiety
and how it manifests itself through my skin-picking habits.
For me, this is
simplistic putrification of pustules.
Exactly where I want to be.
I was worried. Trying to get that bald cap over the baubles.
But the result is really weird.
But it looks so good. I'm really impressed.
-Thank you so much. -Morgan.
[gentle music continues to play]
[Morgan] So, my look is based off the untold side of me.
This is the caring and the emotional side.
[Dominic] There's something missing. This story is hearts.
Beyond that,
I don't know what else I'm meant to retrieve from the makeup.
[Val] The amount of work you spent on the outside,
if you'd put that attention to detail into the center,
we would have got that illusion.
I think you missed a trick there, which is a shame.
-Thank you. -[Morgan mouths]
Axel, please come forward.
[inspirational gentle music playing]
Today I thought it'd be a good idea to create my own mental health demon
and what I think that would look like.
I honestly think the horns are wonderful,
but you spent a lot of time adding and taking away prosthetics.
You created a tear here, in your beautiful makeup.
If you'd planned it out in the beginning, you'd have had a better result.
What I would say is you have the skill, you've got the creativity,
you have really told everyone what you are here to do, which is to win.
-I commend you. Well done. -Thank you so much.
MUAs, thank you for sharing your secrets.
If you'd like to go next door, myself, Val, and Erika will be deciding
which artists will be in the face-off elimination.
[suspenseful music playing]
Why don't we look at MUAs who started in the red chairs.
Yeah.
[Val] Morgan.
That center bit, the bit where you really need to focus on,
doesn't tell the story.
Are we all in agreement
Morgan will be the first MUA going into the face-off elimination?
-Yes. -Definitely.
[Val] Let's talk about Roo.
The spraying of that liquid, I've never seen that before.
Roo beat the seat.
-Hands down. -Absolutely.
We've got a seat to fill.
I think we need to start by looking at Sarah.
I felt that the story that she's telling is too literal.
One person I do feel we need to discuss is Howard.
It's editorial makeup,
but it's not really a narrative expressing a story he presented to us.
[music continues to play]
[music fades]
Roo, Morgan,
you were the first two MUAs to find themselves in the face-off chairs.
Morgan, you gave us ambitious makeup, but you weren't able to convey your story,
and the center of your makeup lacked detail.
So therefore, you will be the first MUA going into the face-off elimination.
I got this, man.
Roo,
you took a risk, and, golly, did it pay off.
Darling, you've beat the seat.
Thank you.
But what this means is we have another seat to fill.
[tense piano music plays]
This artist gave us a technically good look.
But they found themselves stuck in the rut
and wasn't able to get themselves out of it.
Unfortunately, Howard,
you'll be joining Morgan in the face-off elimination.
[music peaks, stops]
Thank you, judges. I'll bring them through shortly.
-[Wezley] Thank you. -[Axel] Thank you.
Morgan and Howard, say your goodbyes
because one of you guys will not be returning.
[sobbing]
[electronic upbeat music playing]
[electronic upbeat music stops]
[suspenseful music playing]
[Leomie] To level the playing field,
the MUAs will face-off over a set of identical twins.
The face-off is the ultimate test of technical skill.
Our MUAs need to show us perfection
under time pressure.
For the first face-off elimination,
we want you to create a dynamic chrome lip.
We are looking for clean, sharp edges,
and a consistent chrome shine.
The key to achieving a chrome lip is to mix clear lip gloss
with metallic pigment to make a liquid chrome finish.
[upbeat music playing]
[Dominic] Use a small brush to work around the edge of the lip,
outlining your lip shape.
Next, take a large brush to fill and coat your lip.
Then stand back and admire the beauty of your liquid chrome lip.
[music peaks, stops]
MUAs, you have 15 minutes.
And your time starts now.
[inspirational upbeat music playing]
Ten minutes remaining, guys.
[both exhale]
[Val] It's neck and neck.
The difference is
that Morgan is doing a shorter brushstroke.
It can help you get crisper lines.
It can start feathering.
Howard's gone in with a thicker consistency
in one clean stroke,
but if it's too thick, then it'll start bleeding.
And also, if you keep overworking your chrome finish,
it's going to go dull.
Two minutes remaining, guys.
[suspenseful rhythmic music playing]
[Leomie] Five,
four,
three,
two, one.
-Brushes down. -[music fades]
Judges, you can take a closer look.
[suspenseful gentle music playing]
That was the quickest 15 minutes. Ever.
[suspenseful music continues to play]
-Conflab? -Yep.
What we're seeing is two great chromatic lips.
-Yeah. -[Val] Morgan, her lip is really smooth.
But I feel like there's a bit of a milkiness.
[Dominic] That's because Morgan has overworked the lip gloss.
When I look at Howard's model,
I see instantly chromatica.
-[Dominic] It is so metallic. -[Val] You know, it's metallic.
-And there's a sharp clean edge. -Yeah
[Val] I think we've got a clear winner.
We do. Shall we tell them?
-Yeah. -Okay.
[suspenseful music playing]
Judges, have you made your decision?
-[Val] We have. -[Dominic] We have.
Howard,
you gave us a lip that was clean, sharp, and well-balanced.
And your chrome effect has a mirror-like finish.
Morgan,
your lip is a great shape and a consistent color,
but your chrome effect lacks vibrancy and has a slightly dull finish.
Morgan,
you will be our first MUA to leave this competition.
Thank you.
[Val] So pack up your kit.
You'll be leaving shortly.
-[Howard sobbing] -[Morgan whispering] You got it, man.
Oh God, I'm gutted, gutted to be leaving, but I'm only 19.
This is definitely not the last you're gonna see of me.
I'm so, so proud.
[On-May] Oh my God!
[all gasp]
You did it. I knew he would.
Yes, I'm still in the game. [chuckles]
Being in face-off is definitely not a good feeling,
but it keeps me on my toes. I need to...
"Wake up. [chuckles] You're in a competition."
[upbeat rhythmic music playing]