Recently on my blog, you could notice quite an emotional crusade against sequins, glitters and any other similar phenomenon. Being in Budapest, I have a lot of such attractions which, I could basically say makes me sick and tired. So I decided to concentrate on things which are more pleasant and make me happy. One of those things is the minimalism in art, fashion and surely in makeup trends.

Speaking of my vanity case, I can say, that it includes only basic makeup products but good enough, to deal with my first signs of aging. However I am the biggest fan of any sales and various outlets, where for low amount of money I am able to buy sensational clothes, in case of cosmetics especially the one, which I am using for my face and makeup, I don’t save a penny. To be honest – I am spending a lot. The wrinkle spectrum just makes me feel sick, really sick.

Speaking of the makeup – I know only one person in Budapest, whom I could  entrust  my big eyes, skinny cheeks and aristocratic nose and just tell her “go ahead my dear, do whatever you want with my face as I have my total confidence in you”.

Who is this person? She is one of the best makeup artists in Budapest, who works for numerous fashion and lifestyle magazines (Joy, Marie Claire, Maxima), advertisement or shooting. During her career of almost 10 years, she was a team makeup artist for Bobbi Brown and a lead makeup artist for Givenchy in Harrods,(both in London). Agnes Pataky, as what she’s called, met me last Saturday in Castro Bisztró and with lot of passion and cheerful smile, answered hundreds of my questions. Curious?

The Spoiled Queen: From where did you start up in the makeup industry?

It all started when I was a kid, I know it’s funny but you can ask my mum. She just left me alone for couple of seconds in a room, when I was around 2 or 3 and I ate all of her fancy lipsticks, you know Chanel, Estee Lauder – you can say I had a good taste. I was always impressed by the makeup, colors, beauty and when I was around 22 I started to work as an assistant to a makeup artist and quite shortly after that, I started my freelance career. Since then I am mostly working for magazines, advertisements, shootings, films and ramp walks.

The Spoiled Queen: I know that you are working for many fashion/lifestyle magazines; can you tell me who has been your favorite celebrity to work with?

My favorite celebrity client is Anthony Hopkins. It was a short shoot, when he was here in Hungary and he is – (you can really imagine) – a real gentleman.

The Spoiled Queen: Do you feel some sort of major pressure while doing make-up for a celebrity? Is it more challenging to work with a celebrity than anonymous client?

To be honest with you, I don’t like to differentiate between people from the streets and celebrities. I always try to treat everyone like a celebrity. You just need to have a passion to work with people. I always have to have a short chat with my client before the makeup session or while preparing the skin, I just get an urge to have some information about him/her. Besides my career as a makeup artist, I finished my MD as a teacher, and I have studied psychology – I think that helps me to build this intimate relationship and create an atmosphere in the first few minutes .

The Spoiled Queen: So your brush is not shaking when you do make up for celebrity?

Well, if it’s not that cold, no..

The Spoiled Queen: You were working for one year in London for Bobbi Brown, Givenchy in Harrods as a lead makeup artist. How would you describe your experiences?

It was a life changing experience for me, even in terms of my career but even learning lot about myself, my limits. It was really worth to move out of my comfort zone.

The Spoiled Queen: Have you ever noticed any difference between make-up trends in London and here in Budapest?

In London, people are more funky and confident with the makeup and the colors but I saw quite thick and heavy makeup’s like false eyelashes, false nails as well and it’s not my idea of makeup. People there are more confident about how do they look; they don’t really care if they wear black lipstick with the yellow lashes. On the other hand you can see very sophisticated, soft, self –confident and feminine ladies – proper English ladies. In Hungary I can see every type of makeup – a natural one, too heavy one. As I can see the young girls try to follow the trends but they don’t pay attention what suits them.

The Spoiled Queen: What is your opinion, in general about Hungarian girls /women wearing makeup? Do they have enough knowledge and exposure to do it reasonably exact and proper?

It’s a quite tough question, as here in Hungary you can see everything – people with knowledge and people without but as I notice, it’s getting better and better. Girls are quite curious about how to do their makeup.

The Spoiled Queen: What make-up trends are you looking forward to the most for the upcoming season?

Soft berry lips, bright colors which is absolute favorite of mine. Also romantic, soft colors, radiant, glowing, healthy skin.

The Spoiled Queen: What are your favorite makeup brands which you can recommend to others?

Bobbi Brown, Mac – if you want to go crazy with the colors and I love Burberry and Tom Ford make up

The Spoiled Queen: Do you have any particular product which according to you is a must?

BB cream or tinted moist, mascara and the blush or lipstick.

The Spoiled Queen: What inspires you to create new looks and step out of your comfort zone?

The face and individuality of a person inspires me primarily but I also get inspirations from blogs, from fashion bibles like French edition of Vogue. I am always getting some major inspirations when I start my work and when I can play with the texture and the colors.

The Spoiled Queen: Let’s talk a bit about your work for the magazines; recently we heard some dissatisfaction of too much usage of Photoshop in the industry you are work for. Do you think it’s essential for a magazine? Or you believe that, thanks to a perfect make –up, we can avoid using it?

I don’t have any problems with the Photoshop until it starts looking fake, and unless you can see who is behind the makeup, or who is on the cover. If you just use it as professional software with the colors just to make it look warmer/cooler or just to polish the face a bit – it’s ok until the model looks like her, but just a bit better.

The Spoiled Queen: If you could give a particular beauty advice and suggest all women to follow, what would that be?

My first advice is to take care of the skin, this is where everything starts, not to hide discoloration, red spot, treat it before you put make-up. To be more sophisticated as well, not to wear too harsh makeup.

The Spoiled Queen: How would you define your idea of ‘beauty’?

A confident, happy and sophisticated woman. If you are happy, you instantly look beautiful.

As you see minimalism is also ruling in a make up industry and Agi statement „less is more”, is the true meaning of a natural girl – described in the best possible way . Why? Because we should always try to show our natural beauty and use some make-up just to upgrade it a bit. One of the most important things is to get a regular check up of our skin condition, before we even start to think about applying any make-up products. It’s very easy to put tons of fluid, blush, shiners or any other specific products to cover pimples, blemishes or the red spots but this is the way to achieve nothing. It’s exactly like putting up a mask to hide the true you.

Remember my dear friends, a healthy skin is a happy skin, means a healthy woman is a happy and self confident woman.

Agnes Pataky Make-up artist on Facebook

What are your favourite makeup trends?