[magic chimes]
[Leomie] It's time to Glow Up.
[upbeat music playing]
[Wezley] Guys, what's going on?
[Leomie] For their second industry assignment,
the MUAs are at a photographic studio in London.
[Taisha] I love it. I love it. I love it. Great.
Oh my God, look who it is!
Hey, MUAs. What's going on?
-How are you feeling? -[Wezley] Excited.
-Good. -[Leomie] Yeah?
So, today's assignment focuses
on one of the most competitive areas of the makeup industry,
a beauty campaign.
[Leomie] Mm-hmm.
So, please let me introduce you to your boss for today,
Ms. Arieta Mujay...
-[cheers] ...the Brand Director of Sephora UK.
-What? -[Howard] Oh my...
-[screams] -[Wezley] Oh my God.
Hello, hello, lovely to meet you.
[Leomie] With thousands of stores across the globe
stocking a multitude of brands,
Sephora is one of the world's biggest beauty retailers.
We like to describe ourselves as a playground of discovery,
and we believe in a world that's open to championing all kinds of beauty.
[Leomie] As part of their UK launch,
the beauty retailer is rolling out a major nationwide campaign,
"Express All of You,"
and our MUAs will be working
on the digital looks.
[music peaks, fades]
It is important for us to use real people in our campaigns,
and this assignment has to connect
with the hearts and minds of the British public.
The client wants makeup that resonates with your model.
This is about the model and what they want.
We all know that Sephora stocks some incredible brands,
from Burberry, my auntie Pat McGrath...
Mm.
And have you guys ever heard of, um...
Patrick Ta?
[music builds up]
-[Sarah] Oh my God! -Hi, everyone.
[On-May] Oh my God.
Oh! Oh!
Patrick Ta is here, in real life, in the flesh.
[music fades]
Hi, everyone.
[camera shutters click]
[Leomie] Working with many A-listers, from Gigi Hadid to Camila Cabello,
Patrick Ta is one of Hollywood's hottest makeup artists
with a sell-out makeup range in global demand.
[upbeat music playing]
The look that you guys create today needs to appeal to a wide audience
and allow the consumer to feel just as empowered as the models do.
-Oh my God. -[Axel chuckles]
[Leomie] Sephora will choose multiple looks
by our MUAs for the campaign,
and one standout MUA will create two extra looks.
Knowing the fact that I might have the slightest chance
to create looks for this campaign is absolutely huge.
Makeup artists, you have 90 minutes to create the amazing looks.
Let's go.
[funky music plays]
[Wezley] This way, oh my God.
In the competition, there are makeup artists
who are specialized in beauty. We have Howard, we have Sarah.
Your skin is... ah! You look like porcelain.
[Taisha] We have Wez.
So, it's time to go in and smash this challenge, and take the win.
Fingers crossed.
The key to this assignment is getting to know your model.
I would consider myself to be quite loud.
Yeah, I... I feel, I feel your energy.
Discovering what their personality is
and then being able to relay that in the makeup.
[Keiran] What do you like doing in your spare time?
I love vintage shopping. I go to lots of antique markets.
-Mm. Yes, I love that. Ace. -[laughs]
[Roo] So, you're creative. What kind of creative?
I'm a graphic designer.
So I assume you like colors and shapes, and graphic things, yeah?
It's not about you as the artist,
it's about having your model feel as empowered
and confident in their look,
because they are the ones that are going to be wearing the makeup.
[music fades]
So, give me a wee insight of you as a person.
[Adele] I'd say I'm quite delicate, a delicate personality.
I'm quite sensitive.
I'm thinking of something really soft. Maybe adding, like, a little bit of fun.
Yeah.
Hey, Axel, how are you doing?
Yeah, I'm okay.
It's not my type of makeup, but I am trying my best. [chuckles]
[Leomie] Twenty-seven-year-old Axel started experimenting with makeup
when in their late teens.
When it comes to my style of makeup,
it's heavily influenced by creature and character design.
How I got my start in makeup was really my introduction to drag.
My parents have always been very supportive of me,
but I did grow up in a religious household,
so I kept it hidden.
But that was very awkward.
One day when I came home, and my mum showed me my social media,
she was just like, "So, Axel, what's this?"
[chuckles] I was like, "Uhm..."
[laughs] But they were fine with it. They're chilled.
They're super excited that I'm here.
[music peaks, fades]
[Sarah] My model likes to allow her skin to breathe,
so we haven't gone for any full coverage, um, look.
Plus, have you seen her gorgeous freckles? I want that to show through.
Sarah's definitely an artist you want to have on set with you.
Have a look in the mirror.
What I'm seeing right now is a really beautiful interaction.
I think the model feels really comfortable.
I'm really excited to see what the outcome is.
I think she's going to come up with something quite creative and cool
that fits the brief.
As long as my model's happy, I'm happy.
Makeup artists, you've had half an hour. You all have one hour left.
Ooh!
[music intensifies]
I do think it's important, like, to pay attention
to whether your model has warm or cool undertones,
whether they're more red or yellow,
and then match different areas of the face.
I know you don't like a lot of foundation,
so instead I'm just putting color correctors around your under eye.
Did you know that with Howard, he attended one of your master classes?
-Oh my God, did he? -Yes.
That's why the skin prep is so familiar.
-That's why it's so good and juicy. -[chuckles]
-The fact he's left the freckles out... -[Patrick] She loves the freckles.
Yeah, I do, because that's her superpower,
and the campaign is about expressing all of you.
What I'm most worried about is the fact
that Howard is really, really, really good at what he's able to do,
and he is currently standing just a meter away from me. [chuckles]
-[music fades] -Hey, guys.
[Howard] Hello.
So, how are you feeling about this week's guest judge?
-[gentle rhythmic music plays] -[chuckles]
[softly] Sto... Honestly, stop it.
You guys are... Are you guys saying that Patrick Ta...
-Are you joking? -[Leomie chuckles]
You kept it quite composed, though.
Because, I mean, I'm Asian,
and there's a handful of Asian makeup artists, you know.
I see Patrick as a role model.
[Leonie] Moving to London ten years ago allowed Howard to chase his makeup dreams.
[upbeat music playing]
So, I'm from Sarawak.
Most of you know it as Borneo, Malaysia.
My first memories of makeup is definitely from my mum and her sisters.
You know, that bit of liner at the corner, that bit of lipstick on the lips.
I specialize in more red carpet glam.
And I want to be a celebrity makeup artist.
I see myself doing makeup for the world's most renowned supermodels.
And I'm ready.
That's why I'm here.
[music fades]
Yes, sir.
-I'm living, I'm living for this. -You're living.
We're still kind of figuring things out,
but I'm trying to make subtle makeup slightly edgier.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
Becky loves vintage. Her favorite color's lilac.
I'm going to go for a lilac under eye, a Marilyn Monroe type of pullout.
I'm covering but not covering too much.
[Leomie] Last week's winner Saphron has discovered
that both she and her model suffer with similar skin blemishes.
I've got acne and the way, kind of, you know, the post-blemish marks,
it can obviously really affect your confidence.
[Saphron] Yes. I'm using the struggles with my own skin
to help me with this brief.
I like to draw on the flaws that people see in themselves
and make it into something beautiful by not covering scars
or by making, for instance, like, spots more prominent.
[Victoria] Mm-hmm.
I love that we're moving towards real skin being in. I'm here for it.
Amen. [chuckles]
Guys, it's been one hour.
We have 30 minutes before we need your models on set.
[Leomie] As well as perfecting the skin,
the MUAs also need to make sure the eyes and lips are on point.
-What colors are you like, "That's me"? -Yeah, aqua chromes.
Yeah, I like a strong eye, if you couldn't tell,
so I want to bring out a beautiful feature that my model has, which is her eyes.
And kind of emphasize that kind of cattiness, which I love.
Right now I'm doing a smoky liner.
I'm building up that color first before smoking it up.
I want this to look as natural as possible,
so I'm going to mix gloss and try and make some form of lip stain.
[Leomie] We've got Axel here. Do you feel they've gone bold enough?
I feel like it's a bit odd for the model's eye shape.
[Leomie] Yeah.
-Nothing exciting is happening right now. -Mmm.
The skin needs to be, like, woken up. It seems quite flat.
There is a wee part of me that does think, "Hmm..."
"Did you not go far enough?"
I added eyeliner because she doesn't really wear eyeliner,
but I've tried to keep the look, like, as soft and fun as well, if possible.
Right, this might be very risky,
but I'm going to add some blue to your lips as well.
I guess for Roo, I think they've gone way too far now
and need to rein it back in.
Oh, this is nice.
[engaging music playing]
I feel like this is giving the vintage, and the eye is just, like, radiant.
That doesn't say vintage to me.
[Patrick] A good beauty campaign consists of a look that is aspirational,
but it's a bit pedestrian.
-[music stops] -Yeah.
Makeup artists, you have 15 minutes left.
Come on.
The campaign's about expressing all of you. Let's be bold.
-What do you think of the lip line? -I really like it.
-Do you? -Yeah, I really like it.
I feel like, when you wear red lipstick,
you just feel like, "Hm, I'm ready to take on the world."
[intriguing music playing]
[Sarah gasps]
[Saphron] Victoria has quite a bubbly personality,
and I just wanted to do, like, a bold lip just to match.
-What're you thinking about the lips? -I think the shape's cool.
When I look around the room, I think my look is worthy of being on the shoot.
[music fades]
MUAs, you have two minutes left. Come on, let's do this.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
Concentration.
[music continues to play]
[music fades]
MUAs, time's up.
[sighs]
[Arieta] Models, follow me next door to get photographed.
-[Victoria] Thank you. -Do me proud. [chuckles]
I'd like the models to leave the chair feeling empowered.
And that they felt like they've been at a place where they felt celebrated.
[Leomie] While the MUAs wait next door, their looks are photographed.
[photographer] Oh, that's so beautiful.
Really lovely.
I've always got my eye on winning. I want to do the best at everything.
[Sarah] I will be shocked if I get bad feedback.
I'll be like, "You lost your glasses?" Like, she looks beautiful.
[photographer] That's the magic.
[Wezley] I'm not worried whatsoever.
I think that mine was one of the strongest looks.
[Leomie] Time to see if the models like their makeup.
And whether their looks are up to scratch to be included in the campaign.
[Arieta] So this is Georgie, and Howard was her makeup artist.
It's smokier than I'd usually go for, but I quite like that.
It makes me feel a bit more like womanly, which is quite nice.
[Arieta] He's done really a great job with the eye.
It plays well with her hair color.
I can see the freckling coming through. This feels fresh.
Can we have the next model, please?
So this is Hayley, and she was Axel's model.
[Hayley] Maybe it's a bit too subtle for me on the skin.
And I would've liked some more on the lips.
I think those were my thoughts exactly. I want it to be a bit more expressive.
-Where's the lip, the gloss? -Oh, where's the glamour?
Oh.
[Arieta] So, this is Roo's model, Lana.
I love the blue graphic eyeliner.
I said I'm quietly confident, not just confident... [chuckles]
...and I feel this is a little... [chuckles] ...a little much for my personality, anyway.
The way that they did your eyes resembles you as a graphic designer,
but I do not love the blue line on your cupid's bow.
Can we have the next model, please?
So, Victoria, do you think Saphron captured the brief?
Definitely, because I feel like there were parts of my acne
she covered but also let shine through.
[gentle piano music playing]
It screams beauty, but it also screams believability.
The lips really bring this photo to life, and it gives you personality.
Good job, Saphron.
[Arieta] So this is On-May's model, Adele.
So, we had a chat at the beginning where we got a bit into my personality,
which I described as being a bit fun and wild
but also calm and quiet when I want to be.
With the precision, with that flick, I'm here for it.
I could see a lot of people seeing that and wanting to recreate it.
[Arieta] So this is Becky. She's Keiran's model,
and they have taken on Becky's theme, which I believe was vintage?
For me, this doesn't say vintage.
They took it in a different place to where I would take vintage.
[Val] What about a red mouth?
I would like to have seen a bit more of a sort of like Marilyn Monroe there.
-[camera shutters click] -[Arieta] This is Wezley's model, Letitia.
I really like it. I think it really accentuates my eyes.
I see a girl that is confident and empowered.
I think this is a great makeup.
[Arieta] So this is Saoirse. She's Taisha's model.
[Saoirse] It's more bold than I would probably go for normally.
[Val] I think Taisha missed a trick.
Pink is always going to look raw or sore
unless it's a bright vibrant pink.
It's just lacking fun. There's nothing inspiring about it.
[Arieta] So next we have Liberty, and she's Sarah's model.
She definitely took into consideration, like, my facial features and everything.
Did a really good job.
This is the mono look I'm loving. It's red on red on red.
She really allowed the lips to be the star of the photo,
and I am super happy with how it turned out.
Arieta, you have some promising looks for your campaign.
[Arieta] Definitely.
[Leomie] Before they announce the winners, the judges must decide who least impressed
and will start tomorrow in the red face-off chairs.
I would like to discuss Axel's model.
[Val] It just looks flat.
There's nothing exciting to capture the consumer's imagination,
so it hasn't delivered what we needed.
I would love to talk about Taisha's model.
I see something very ordinary.
I'm getting basic.
The MUA I think we should consider is Keiran.
Where is the makeup?
The model did say she liked vintage glam.
I don't get vintage or glam from this.
With Roo,
they took it a step too far.
Blue on the eye, great.
Blue on the cupid's bow, I don't think so.
The finish is not quite there.
By the sounds of things, I think we need to order more red chairs.
[suspenseful music playing]
[music fades]
[Leomie] It's time to announce the MUAs who'll have their looks featured.
As well as the standout MUA who'll create two more looks for Sephora.
[suspenseful music continues]
-Hello. -[Howard] Hi.
Some of you really delivered exceptional makeup looks today
and created brilliant moments for this campaign.
The people that impressed me and whose looks will be featured
in the "Express All of You" digital launch campaign are...
[suspenseful music continues to play]
Wezley.
[gasps] Oh my God.
Sarah.
[gasps]
[music builds up]
Saphron.
[muffled chuckle]
And Howard.
[gasps]
[upbeat music playing]
Yes.
I feel so good.
Because my work is going to be on a campaign!
Commiserations everybody else whose look didn't get chosen.
Unfortunately, some of you didn't quite hit the brief.
[suspenseful music plays]
But one of you is going to join me
in creating two further looks for the campaign.
And that person is...
[suspenseful music intensifies]
-Saphron. -Oh my God! [chuckles]
[music peaks]
[screams]
[laughs]
[Saphron] I didn't believe that I would win again.
I'm ecstatic. I just... I can't believe it.
Ah, amazing.
It looks great.
[Saphron] I loved this campaign.
It's all about what I strive for with my art.
[woman] That looks beautiful.
I'm excited to tell my mom about this.
[camera shutters click]
[upbeat music peaks, fades]
[Leomie] The next day at Glow Up studios,
the MUAs are about to find out which of them failed to deliver,
landing themselves in the red chairs,
and first in line for the face-off elimination
at the end of the day.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Leomie] Axel,
Keiran,
your names are on the red face-off chairs,
meaning you will have 15 minutes less to complete your creative brief.
Axel, you didn't capture your model's personality,
and, technically, your look fell flat.
Keiran, your makeup look was just too simple for a beauty campaign,
and you just didn't deliver.
Yesterday, the brief was about connecting with the British public.
Now, today, we want you to celebrate your hometown
and all its glory.
[Dominic] Your look should take inspiration
from the place that you call home.
So sell it.
We thought we should welcome someone who knows about finding
the perfect place to call home to judge your looks today.
Please welcome the star of Selling Sunset,
[gasps]
Chelsea Lazkani.
[all cheer]
[On-May] Oh my God.
[Leomie] From humble London roots to living the glam life in LA,
Chelsea Lazkani is a real estate agent icon
on the hit Netflix series Selling Sunset.
This is LA at its finest.
[Leomie] With a portfolio of megabucks properties
to sell to the super rich, she knows what it takes to succeed.
[music peaks, fades]
Hi, everyone, it's so amazing to be here.
-Stop it. Sorry. -[all laugh]
One thing my job has shown me
is that selling a concept is more than picking out its important features.
Let's see how creative you can get. I can't wait to get to know you more.
Are you ready?
[all] Yes!
Let's bring in the models!
[all cheer]
[upbeat music playing]
Hi, have a seat here.
-What's your name? -Kyle.
-Faz. -Faz? I'm Wez.
-Okay, Wez. -Faz and Wez, I love it.
[Leomie] Axel, Keiran, I'm going to let you know when to start.
The rest of you have two and a half hours,
and your time starts now.
[Howard] Wish me luck.
[upbeat suspenseful music playing]
How are you feeling right now?
It's embarrassing to fall flat on your face,
but, meh, it happens to the best of us, so...
But now do you feel like you're in your comfort zone?
Because this is looking like a signature Axel look.
Techniques I'm using today are theatrical,
which I think is where I am the strongest in.
So, this is a good look to be in the bottom two for.
[Leomie] Having grown up in Ayrshire in Scotland,
Axel has based their look on characters from the "Tam O'Shanter" poem
by local legend Robert Burns.
If you were to do me, would you do me as the witch or the old man?
That's just sacrilege. Why would I do that to that face?
He's fine, like...
[both laugh]
[upbeat electronic music playing]
I've got a nose, a chin, and a forehead prosthetic.
Wow, okay.
[Leomie] Wezley's also creating a witch using homemade prosthetics.
The hardest element of this is to make sure
these prosthetics are kind of laid flat and smoothly.
[Leomie] He's inspired by a childhood memory,
going to the Sand Sculpture Festival with his gran.
-Hello, hello, hello, Wezley. -Hey, you, how are you?
I'm doing wonderful.
I can't believe you're here. Honestly, I was like, "Oh my God."
I was like, "No way. Come on, budge up."
-You see how I am... Ooh! -Oh, no, oh!
-You say that, so... -[Chelsea] I love that.
-So tell me where you're from. -I'm from Weston-super-Mare.
-It's a seaside town? -It is indeed.
Like Malibu, right?
[scoffs, chuckles]
Not quite Malibu.
Listen, baby, if they look like you in Weston-super-Mare...
-Oh my God, stop. -Then it can't be that bad.
-Not many do. -[both laugh]
[gentle suspenseful music playing]
How're you feeling about being in the red chair?
Uhm, I expected to be in the red chair today,
but I just need to go really loud with this look.
Tell me about your hometown glory look, babes.
-Winsford has got salt mines. -Okay.
So I want to be able to incorporate salt crystals
and a sort of coal miner look.
He's got such an easy face to paint as well.
-So it's going to be really easy. [laughs] -Yeah, not too bad, I must say.
-[Dominic] Okay. -[Val] Oh, so On-May.
-Stained glass window. It's interesting. -It could be like broken pottery?
[Leomie] Raised in Glasgow, Scotland,
On-May has based her look on the stained glass windows
created by Glaswegian artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
The bit I'm worried about
is trying to make the skin actually look like an actual glass,
uh, rather than it all being flat colored.
Axel, Keiran, your time starts now.
Let's go!
[upbeat music plays, fades]
[object smashes, rolls]
[Keiran] I already broke something.
[upbeat music resumes]
I'm doing an expressive painting on the face
using some spatula work and techniques that I used to do when I studied art.
[Leomie] Living with a family of seven in Essex, UK,
Saphron's abstract look will highlight a chaotic home life,
contrasted with the rural tranquility of the surrounding countryside.
So the light's gonna be here.
And this is all the shading. That's why I'm at this level.
I'm forcing perspective and doing it with my eyes.
That is very, very clever.
Hey, Howard. Can you tell me a little bit about your hometown glory?
[Howard] I am from Malaysia,
and I've sort of taken inspiration from the traditional aboriginal shield.
It was meant to be used as a protection for their family.
Hence, they have this demon face.
I know that you are more skilled in doing beauty work.
So this is going to be something that is out of the box for you.
[Howard] The judges told me
that I need to really step out of my comfort zone.
And today I'm trying to copy the exact same symmetry
onto the other face,
but I want to make sure it doesn't go wrong.
You've a lot of work to do. I'll leave you to it.
[Howard] Thank you.
[mellow music playing]
[Axel] It'll go over your eyes, bit by bit.
As soon as you put a bald cap on, you've got so much more surface to cover.
If you've got 15 minutes less than everyone else already...
Well, that's ambitious.
I need to prove myself a little bit more now that I'm in the face-off chair,
so I need to show them why I should still be here.
-Taisha. -[Taisha] Hey, girl.
What's going on? We haven't started, and we're 45 minutes in, girl.
[Taisha] I've literally had to paint my flower petals.
The petals are made of tissue roll and cardboard.
Okay.
[Leomie] Growing up in Croydon, South London,
Taisha's creating a 3D crocus flower,
as it's believed the town's name originates from this.
It's quite a difficult look. I've never done anything like this before.
Well, I wish you the best of luck, girl,
'cause time is ticking, and we've got a beautiful flower to blossom.
Thank you so much. See you.
[sighs, chuckles]
This is what happens when I freak out. I just become a mess.
[music builds up]
[Leomie] Nigeria born, but raised in Manchester, UK,
Sarah's celebrating both places she calls home
by combining the Nigerian eagle and Manchester bee emblems in her design.
I don't just wanna go in with a brush. The edges might be too smooth,
and I want this bee to look fuzzy.
Her precision with the bee is mwah, chef's kiss.
-Mwah, mwah, mwah! -[Dominic] Yes!
One hour has gone, you have one hour and 30 minutes remaining.
Hold that for me. Perfect.
[upbeat music playing]
I should've just shaved them off.
[chuckles]
-[Chelsea] Hey, Roo. -Hiya.
I can see that you have quite a complicated look.
What is it inspired by?
[Roo] I took inspiration from the London Underground.
I'm going to recreate the texture of the tube seats with flocking.
What is flocking?
Little fibers. I'll be tapping them on top of the makeup...
-[Chelsea] Okay. -...to give it like a fuzzy textile finish.
[gentle inspirational music playing]
Look in the mirror.
[Val] I believe that Howard
wanted that white detailing to be a lot thinner.
And because it started going wrong, it got thicker and thicker and thicker.
[Saphron] All right, time to get messy.
[roars] Yeah.
[Keiran] I'll be putting sugar crystals onto the face,
almost like a mineresque look.
It does sound tricky, but I'm hoping that I can pull this off.
[engaging music playing]
Smile for me.
Yeah, there we go. Get these lines in.
[Val] What would be your hometown glory?
Something that's very reminiscent of my childhood
is going to my local fish and chip shop.
Oh my gosh, with extra vinegar.
I have never had fish and chips.
-Have you not? -No.
You have to give it a try.
Excuse me, can I have some fish and chips, please?
MUAs, an hour and a half gone. One hour left.
I need to get a bigger brush and just whack this on the face.
[Roo] It's getting a bit tricky because there's a lot of detailed work.
It's going to take a bit of time to get this bit right.
[Val exclaiming]
Oh my God.
-Oh my goodness. -Go on, get a whiff, get a whiff.
[gasps]
They're getting fish and chips.
I do not love this.
Look, what you don't eat, I will.
[upbeat electronic music playing]
Okay, that's not shabby.
[exhales sharply]
I'm a little bit worried about time at the moment,
but I'm trying not to panic.
[music continues to play]
I just need to make sure that I don't lose my cool at any point.
[Axel] The red chair is making me realize how much I want this,
and how much I want my family to be proud, as well as doing myself proud.
[exhales]
Oh gosh.
[gentle piano music playing]
Bitch.
[breathes in]
[exhales]
My mum and dad've always supported me in this.
They've always believed.
[sobbing] I just can't fail them.
It's okay. I'll be okay. [chuckles]
MUAs, there is 15 minutes left.
[gentle suspenseful music playing]
[Taisha] This is stressing me out. I'm not gonna lie.
[Val] One word, sand.
Ooh! Okay.
Whoo! [grunts]
[exhaling intermittently]
[Saphron] It's given me exactly what I wanted.
It's tying in nature to the craziness of my home.
[Dominic] I don't think Roo's gonna finish.
Which is a shame because it could be good.
[Chelsea] Oh my God, I'm on the edge of my seat right now.
[music continues to play]
MUAs, two minutes.
Mmm. Exfoliation. [chuckles]
[woman vocalizing, gentle music playing]
[blows out]
-[Kyle] Do this. -Let's see.
[music continues]
[Taisha] Will it stick?
I'm feeling this one.
[music fading]
MUAs, your time is up. Brushes down.
Please take your models next door to be photographed.
That was intense as hell.
I'm feeling pretty frustrated with myself.
I just didn't get it finished in time.
[dramatic music playing]
[music fades]
Hi, Sarah, please step forward.
[suspenseful music playing]
My hometown glory look is based on the two places I like to call home.
The bee represents Manchester,
whereas the animal linking Nigeria is the eagle.
I'm really appreciative of how you had a clear vision for the bee.
[Val] The bee is fuzzy.
You've created movement through texture in makeup.
I love it.
-[Dominic] Well done. -[Sarah] Thank you.
Axel.
Please come forward.
[gentle engaging music playing]
[Axel] One of the most notable things about Ayrshire
is the birth of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns,
and he created a poem called "Tam O'Shanter."
One side Tam himself,
and on the other side, the witch slash warlock that chased him home.
[Dominic] You've created character.
Contouring is the use of light and dark to create folds and shape
and three-dimensional volume within a face.
And I think it's really well done.
Thank you.
Axel, I fell in love with your shadowing. I found it so believable.
This is one of the most outstanding makeups today.
-Wow. -So, thank you.
Thank you. [chuckles]
[applause]
[exhales]
[sighs, chuckles]
Wezley, please step forward.
[Wezley] My hometown is Weston-super-Mare,
so the sand represents the Sand Sculpture Festival,
which gets held every year on Weston beach,
and the witch represents a memory I have with my gran.
I don't think you needed the prosthetics.
I don't think you needed the forehead because I don't see a prosthetic.
What I see is actually contour that could have been done with paint.
It's great that you've made them, but the application is not great.
[Chelsea] Contrary to what Dom said,
I think that the imperfections actually make the witch.
So thank you for taking me to your hometown.
Thank you.
[Dominic] Roo.
[music continues to play]
[Roo] I'm a Londoner.
The main focus of the look is a textile pattern
used on the seats of the Piccadilly line.
I didn't finish the look.
And I'm not happy with it.
I spent a lot of time blocking the brows.
That was a lot of time wasted.
This look at this point, is about a 20-minute look.
[Val] You didn't have time for the flocking,
but if you had given us sharp edges
around the framework,
it might have sold your story more.
-[Roo] Thank you. -Thank you, Roo.
[applause]
Saphron, may you step forward, please?
[gentle engaging music playing]
I come from Essex, and I live with seven people.
This shows the contrast between the manic life at home
and the peacefulness of the nature around us.
[Chelsea] One of my favorite things when looking at makeup
is different textures in different compositions.
I think they work together really, really well.
-Wow. Well done. -Thank you.
[whispering] Go, girl.
This is outstanding.
This looks like you've moved that light to over here so that direction comes down.
It physically feels like the light has changed.
That is... I love that.
[Val] This is sculpture. This is craftsmanship.
And this is a ding-dong delicious.
[applause]
[Dominic] Thank you. Well done.
Thank you.
[Saphron chuckles happily]
[exhales]
[chuckles]
Keiran, please step forward.
[softly] Yes.
[music continues]
[Keiran] So, in my small town of Winsford,
I walk past a salt mine every day on the way to work.
So I wanted to create a salt mine monster
that embodied the gritty beauty of the town and the people.
What I love about this makeup is you have retained the beauty.
[Patrick] The area that you placed the crystals,
you really accentuated your model's features,
and you brought this look to life.
Thank you so much, guys. Thank you for that.
[cheering]
On-May, can you step forward, please?
[On-May] The art style was inspired
from a famous artist called Charles Rennie Mackintosh,
and he designed quite a lot of the stained glass
and buildings all around my hometown of Glasgow.
For me, there's not enough highlight and contrast
to create the feeling of glass.
And that's what didn't work.
Tish tosh, mish mosh, don't listen to them.
[all chuckle]
As soon as you put your first color down,
I was like, "This is stained glass."
Because there was a transparency in that watercolor.
It's not this one tone, flat color.
It is mottled, and it's light,
and it's dark, and it was beautiful.
Taisha, step forward, please.
I chose this look because the name Croydon derives from the crocus flower.
So, I used the beauty of my town,
and I honestly just wanted to make my model really beautiful.
Taisha... [sighs]
...this let me down.
This, to me, doesn't symbolize beautiful.
[Val] It's all about placement.
Because the petals were placed so low down on the face,
you've actually given your model a hooded eye.
-Thank you, guys. -Good. Thank you.
Howard, please step up.
[gentle music playing]
[Howard] I came from Malaysia,
and my look, in particular, was inspired by a shield
that was held by the aboriginal people.
I know that you are a beauty artist,
so with that I would expect you to pay a little bit more attention
to the fine lines.
The shape just isn't there.
[Val] Craftsmanship is off. Symmetry is off.
I don't think this was your finest moment.
-But thank you. -Thank you.
[Dominic] Thank you.
MUAs, thank you.
Please take yourselves next door
whilst we decide who will be going into the face-off elimination.
[music intensifies]
[Dominic] It's really clever.
It's just the way that Axel's used makeup to carve and sculpt.
They made sure they were going to be out of the red face-off chairs.
[Val] What about Keiran?
[Chelsea] To think that they were at a slight disadvantage
having 15 minutes less than the other MUAs is unbelievable.
I totally agree. This is a big look with lots of detail,
but it's really beautiful at the same time.
So it sounds like we've got two seats to fill.
So, whose look didn't deliver?
[clicks tongue] Well, I want to talk about Roo.
They ran out of time.
[Dominic] This was such a missed opportunity.
Because the concept, I thought, was brilliant.
Is an incomplete look better
than a completed look that misses the mark?
You know, like Taisha.
I'm just a little bit emotional
because I don't want to be in those face-off chairs.
I'm going to fight to make sure, if I am, I'm not going home.
I know you.
It's a complete makeup, but it does not sing to me.
It was just her applying these petals to the face, and that's all we saw.
The only way Howard's makeup looks attractive
is in the profile.
-That is not enough. -[Dominic] No.
Honestly, I can't get past the smudging of the eyelids.
So, guys.
It's a toss-up.
Is it a great idea that's unfinished,
or is it a finished makeup that underwhelms?
[suspenseful music playing]
Axel, Keiran,
you started off today in the face-off chairs,
you made your hometowns proud,
you both fought your way out of those seats.
Congratulations.
[all cheering]
Yes!
[music fades]
Howard,
we commend that you pushed yourself,
but your attention to detail was really lacking.
So therefore, you will be the first MUA going into the face-off elimination.
Roo,
you delivered a great idea,
but your time management just let you down.
[exhales] I hate doing this.
[gentle suspenseful music playing]
Roo, you will be the second makeup artist going into the face-off elimination.
You were fine. I told you, you were fine.
Thank you, judges. I'll bring them through shortly.
[sobbing]
Roo, Howard, get ready and say your goodbyes
because one of you will not be returning.
I know how it is like to be in the face-off elimination.
I will put up my best fight.
[Roo] I'm facing off against Howard,
who is known for his technical skill, but I'm not going to let that affect me.
I need to stay in the competition.
[sniffs]
[tense music playing]
[Leomie] To level the playing field,
the MUAs will face off over a set of identical twins.
For your face-off today, we want to test your knowledge of color theory
by asking you to create a custom-colored eye.
We want you to replicate
the color on the swatch provided
to create a bold eye
with smoked-out edges on the upper lid and the lower lash line.
-Okay. -Okay.
For a custom color match,
start by taking the primary base color
and the undertone color and mixing them together.
Then swatch it against the card.
Keep adding these colors and swatching until you match up your color exactly.
Use an eye shadow applicator to apply the color to the eyelid.
Then use a soft, fluffy blending brush to soften and smoke out the edges.
Not only do we want an eye that is perfectly color-matched,
but the application needs to be balanced and seamless.
MUAs, you'll have 15 minutes.
Good luck.
And your time starts now.
[upbeat suspenseful music playing]
MUAs, you have ten minutes left.
[softly] We're halfway through, and they're still blending the color.
[Dominic softly] What's really interesting is you've got Howard
that has gone straight in with more of a basic color theory,
so gone in with the red and the blue and the black to create his burgundy.
Whereas Roo has gone in with processed colors.
So, that's the magenta and cyan,
which has created more of a richness.
We'll see.
[Roo] If you close your eyes for me.
[suspenseful rhythmic music playing]
MUAs, you have two minutes left.
Three, two, one.
Brushes down.
[music stops]
[suspenseful tense music playing]
Dom, are you ready for a conflab?
I think so.
[Dominic softly] Howard's color has got a lot more red in it.
So it's coming out looking pink.
Whereas Roo has delivered more of a cool, blue, burgundy undertone
that matches this closer.
[softly] Which makeup artist gave us the best bold smoke?
[both] Howard.
So it's only fair we go to the creative brief
and work out which artist should stay.
[Val] It's a tough call, isn't it?
[both] It's too close.
Howard's makeup with the creative brief.
He should know that you need a thinner brush to create finesse.
He does beauty.
[Val] Roo, on the other hand, it may not have been finished,
but they told a great story.
They also delivered a contemporary,
modern, fresh take on makeup.
-Yeah. -I liked that.
[music stops]
[suspenseful tense music resumes]
[Leomie] Judges.
-Have you made your decision? -We have.
Howard,
you gave us
a big, bold, smoked-out eye.
But, Roo, you gave us a perfect match.
So therefore, we've had to refer back to your creative brief.
[music intensifies, fades]
Howard,
pack your kit, you're going home.
[sad music playing]
[sobbing] Thank you.
-I'm so sorry. [sniffles] -It's okay.
[Roo] I'm so sorry.
-I think we need a group hug. -[Roo] Yes.
My journey has been amazing.
I cannot stress about how much I've learned.
It was one of my best experiences in my whole, you know, 30 years of living.
[chuckles]
[all cheering, screaming]
[On-May] Oh my God! Oh my God!
It means so much to still be here
because I know that I haven't shown my full potential.
I'm really going to learn from every bit of advice,
um, and just not make any more mistakes.
[upbeat music playing]