I’m very excited to be launching my series of interviews with fabulous S.H.I.T. people with none other than top makeup artist, Florrie White.
Alexa Chung, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Rosamund Pike, Emilia Clarke and Salma Hayek are just a few of the names who regularly call upon Florrie’s talent.
Her creative flair shines within the folds of Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle & Glamour magazine with photographers such as Ellen Von Unwerth, Boo George, Mel Bles, Tung Walsh and Nico Bustos.
Not just working in editorial she has a client list which includes Ralph Lauren, Vilshenko, Michael Kors and Emilia Wickstead.
Florrie is not only fabulous, but she is also S.H.I.T. having called London her home for 20 years after moving back to Blighty from Ibiza.
Before, during the summers, and after studying at St. Andrew’s University, Florrie worked in bikini shop, Graffiti, in Ibiza, which is where she first met Charlotte Tilbury, whose assistant she later became after completing her makeup course at Glauca Rossi in 2002.
She kicked off her solo career in 2005, and has worked with some of today’s most style-feted and glamorous women.
Apart from her amazing talent, to spend time with Florrie is a joy. She has an energy and joie de vivre which are both dazzling and contagious, and I am very proud to call her my friend.
So without further ado, let’s hear from the lady herself…
What do you most love about your job?
The thing I both love and hate about my job is the uncertainty. Despite still struggling from freelancer’s angst (hate), I love that every day and/or week can be different – a different team, a different country, a different model or actress. One minute I’m in a studio in London, the next I could be on a mountain top in the snow in May, wearing a turban on a beach in the Maldives in January, or in Claridges with an actress I admire.
I also love beauty products and am so lucky to get to play with them every time I go to work. My first ambition was to be a witch, now I transform people with the power of makeup and just a little magic!
What’s the best piece of advice you could give a busy mum to make their skin look good – sleep often not being an option?
Spend more time on skincare and plump up your tired skin instead of smothering it in makeup which will make you look even more tired.
If you properly cleanse your skin at night and apply a rich appropriate moisturiser or mask, you will wake up with skin that is hydrated and healthy.
Cover any redness, shadows and bags with concealer, then apply a bright lip colour to distract from any tiredness in the eyes.
What’s the most amazing location you’ve been to for a shoot?
On a desert island, what are the three luxury items you couldn’t do without?
I can be very low maintenance and wear a lot less makeup now than I did before I was a makeup artist.
I think I could survive and still look and feel confident – just in case a very handsome and strapping Robinson Crusoe appeared – with Sisley Suncare, By Terry Baume de Rose and Troy Surratt eyebrow gel (I am assuming that a comb, nail file and eyelash curlers are given essentials?).
I would make kajal kohl from my fire embers to create a smokey eye when I seduce Robinson Crusoe over my catch of the day!
If you were able to do the makeup of anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?
Your favourite item of clothing with a story behind it?
I am a lazy dresser yet love fashion. I generally opt for a dress and boots and I wear them both until they fall apart. You only live once. I am not keeping the designer dress I bought for a special occasion in its dry cleaning wrapping at the back of the cupboard. I will wear it to work or out to the local pub until it literally falls apart, or I sell it on eBay and buy something else.
However, one of my favourite pieces is an embroidered Stella McCartney bomber jacket which my boyfriend at the time gave me for my 30th. I have worn it all over the world – it doubles as a pillow on a long haul flight and I lent it to one of my best friends, Shelley, when she was eight months pregnant as it fitted perfectly over her beautiful bump. Her waters broke in it and now her son Elliot is my godson.
I claim I want to be cremated in it when I die, but I think it’s too beautiful to leave this earth so I will pass it onto one of my nieces.
Describe a typical day in the life of Florrie White.
There isn’t one which is perfect for a Gemini, yet I do always start my day with a shot of raw apple cider vinegar followed by a Nutri Bullet blend of Supergreens, raw turmeric and ginger, lemon, coriander and parsley. This keeps me alkaline and has cured the most momentous hangovers which I confess I still get at my age as I love a dance floor.
I would like be disciplined enough to do a short yoga workout but I always opt for extra snooze time, and need to be in a class with a teacher instructing me otherwise I just lie on my mat dosing or fretting about the dust on my floorboards!
Trendy bar or old man’s pub?
Who’s your make up style icon?
Stuck in a lift with Peter Kaye, Peter Stringfellow or Peter Gabriel?
I did a two hour shift in a tutu as a barmaid in Stringfellows when I first moved to London after university and that was enough for me.
I do like Peter Gabriel’s music, but prefer Robert Palmer, and recently I have spent time watching Peter Kaye’s Car Share, so as a romantic myself still looking for love, I would like to spend time in a lift with him. We could sing acapella to a few of our favourite tunes. I will start with Fever by Peggy Lee. He will love it!
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
You’re sitting around a table with a few bottles of prosecco in the fridge and thousands of crisps. Which five inspirational people would you like to join you for a chat?
A random fact about yourself.
And finally, what makes you S.H.I.T?
Being home in Brixton and grounding myself after travelling, talking to the local business owners who I regard as my friends, although we never meet up out of their shops or bars, going to yoga and the lido, eating delicious food on my doorstep and catching up with friends and family.
I love travelling and equally love coming home.
To see and hear more from Florrie, find her on Instagram: @florriewhitemakeup & Twitter: @florriewhite
Love this. Could you get her to give her top 5 make up products??? Looking forward to reading the rest of the interviews…. xxx
Author
Florrie has very kindly put together a makeup essential summary in her reply to you K. xx
Look forward to reading it 🙂 #bigpinklink
Back again from #globalblogging. (I’m not stalking you honest!)
What an incredible interview and series, LOVE your questions, love your blog (and we seriously need to meet for drinks this year lady, OK)…Florrie is incredible and the story of her friend’s waters breaking in her jacket was so moving. That’s when clothes truly transcend their purpose and become memory makers. You need to tweet Stella McCartney this interview. I adore CT and was part of a film she did for Selfridges years ago. We didn’t get to meet as I was recorded in my house but I’ve been a huge fan ever since x
Wow! This is a great interview lady! You have some great connection! I must admit I am also a lazy dresser yet love fashion too! Love story about the bomber jacket – what a lovely memory and history of it has become!
Thank you so much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost x
Super interview, and what a job getting to visit all those fantastic places and people. Serious job envy here! #fabfridaypost
Author
I always tell Florrie her lifestyle sounds so glamorous, and she really does love what she does, and she’s so good at it. Thx for reading x
Such an awesome interview! She’s so inspiring and I loved your questions so much!!
Author
She is a truly inspiring lady! Thx for reading and so glad you liked the S.H.I.T. questions. xx
loved this! made me come over all glamorous sitting here in NZ! loved her tip on bright lipstick for hiding tiredness, Im always looking so tired lately. Loved her quote which is one of my personal favourites and so true “wherever you go there you are”. thanks for a great post as ever x
#bigpinklink
What an amazing interview! I love the idea of using embers as Kohl!! I also think the idea of learning to love yourself as you are always there is some of the best advice I have ever heard. Thank you for linking up to #BigPinkLink
Oh Susie I loved this interview. Full of interesting personal stories and top tips – a woman can never have enough tips to keep her looking fabulous. Thanks for sharing. #TweensTeensBeyond
A cool kinda gal, but then aren’t all makeup artists? Well the ones I know are anyway! Great little interview – nice to read anothers perspective #tweensteensbeyond
Love your S.H.I.T…defo gonna spend more time faffing before bed now! #PostsFromTheHeart
What a lovely interview! Adore her “best advice” – “Wherever you go, you are there.”
You can’t run away from yourself so you have to learn to love and accept yourself, if not me then who? It is still a work in progress some days… Amen sister!
#globalblogging
Amazing interview!!! What a job this lady has!!! Thanks for sharing with #GlobalBlogging
Hat a great interview. I will definitely by trying to use a moisturiser at night from now on, I haven’t got a clue about skin care so really did appreciate the tips #PostsFromTheHeart
Fab interview with a fascinating lady! I’m a big Debbie Harry fan myself! Thanks so much for sharing with us at #TweensTeensBeyond
What a great interview! Amazing advice, plumping up the skin and distracting with a bright lip colour, will definitely be doing this. I’m so happy you shared this with us at #GlobalBlogging!
Author
I’m all over the bright lip colour now! Not sure it distracts from the big bags under my eyes, but it makes me feel good! Thx for reading x
Fab interview Susie. Lovely to read something like this and what an amazing career. One that Florrie would have had to work incredibly hard at and it’s wonderful to read a success story. I’d love a Florrie – every day of the week. Thanks for sharing with #tweensteensbeyond
I think this is the first post of yours that I’ve read. Keep meaning to read you. Wow! Ok I’ve never heard of her but I’ve hardly heard of anybody but she sounds amazing. And she had me at Debbie Harry. #tweensteensbeyond
Author
Lovely that you’ve read me now – I’m thrilled! She is amazing and such fun to be around too. So proud of all that she’s achieved. xx
Really interesting interview! I love the way no two days are the same for Florrie
Thanks for linking up to #AnythingGoes 🙂
Debbie
Author
Florrie has such an interesting job and she never knows what country she’ll be in next. I’m proud of her as she’s made such a success of her career. Thx for reading. xx