On Saturday I attended Stylist Live at the Business Design Centre. Hosted by Edith Bowman and Dawn O’Porter, Stylist Live was a four-day festival of cocktails, culture, catwalks and conversation, and for an extra tenner, you could gain entry to the ‘Stylist Inspires Stage’. I’ve been interested in the beauty industry for a number of years, since I was thirteen really, so the chance to hear from cult beauty journalist Sali Hughes and A-list make-up artist Lisa Eldridge was amazing and I snapped up a ticket straight away.

‘The Secret to Being a Beauty Powerhouse’ did not disappoint and offered insights into both Sali and Lisa’s love for make-up and beauty, as well as touched on the business side of beauty and what the future holds for such a lucrative industry.

It is commonly known that in trying times, such as instability in the world or during recessions and economic downturns, that the sales of luxury lipsticks shoots up. I feel this is because despite everything going on, women still want to feel good, aspirational, luxurious. Sali and Lisa spoke on this; on how make-up is a growing industry that is ever adapting and changing to the world we live in.

So what two factors are shaping the future of what we use on our faces?

Lisa – Technology

Star of 10 Years Younger and YouTube video blogger extraordinaire Lisa explained how developments in technology have shaped and will continue to shape the beauty industry. For example, the reason the shimmer in eye-shadows now is so fine and small yet also still so shiny and glittery is because of new technology discovered by the automobile industry who were looking into shinier paint for cars. They found that crushed pearl particles emitted a shimmery glow, and hence this moved into cosmetics which is why we can now shine bright.

Looking forward the industry will continue to develop innovative ideas on how to make make-up more effective, with Lisa visiting a number of cosmetic factories across the world to stay up-to-date on the very latest.

Sali – Social Media

Basically, if Kim Kardashian puts it on her face, you’ll be wearing it soon. I still haven’t mastered trout pouts, falsies and the smokey eye (will I ever?!?!) so I wasn’t 100% on what Sali was saying when mentioning the K family, but that is probably because I am not their biggest fan. However, she does make a really valid with models and Instagram becoming increasingly influential and indeed I do get inspiration from followers and from people on Facebook and Twitter. Plus I have started wearing lip liner – thanks Kylie!

I liked what Sali said though about how the runway follows reality – in other words just because a designer wants his models to wear chopped up eyelashes as a bottom set doesn’t mean I will. Instead it is much more likely to hear backstage a make-up artist talking about their inspiration from a girl who walked into a café they were in and thought her look was j’ai ne sais quoi.

So there you go! Keep a beady but beautifully made up eye on the latest technological developments (in both beauty and the car industry it seems) and make sure you are following everyone and anyone with a hand for make-up mastery on Instagram and YouTube.

P.S. Both Sali and Lisa have books out which are so worth the read.  

Pretty Honest: The Straight Talking Beauty Companion is a witty, wise and truthful beauty handbook for real women by Sali. Get it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pretty-Honest-Straight-Talking-Beauty-Companion/dp/0007549792

Face Paint: The Story of Makeup is such a pretty book and full of inspiration and knowledge on beauty history throughout the years. Get the book here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Face-Paint-The-Story-Makeup/dp/1419717960

Lisa also just posted a video on her YouTube channel showing how dramatically make-up trends have changed. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8e5D83P6UI