Leading the way in all things hair and beauty

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Professional makeup artist Jade Coates boasts a wealth of invaluable industry experience, having worked alongside major brands and leading individuals on countless projects. From wedding cover shoots to fashion shows, film festivals, opera performances, launch parties and TV series, Jade has leant her expertise and skilful hand to a wide range of looks, curating memorable results that far exceed initial briefs.
 
Holding a number of makeup artistry qualifications, Jade also commits to passing on her tips and tricks to students at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College, as well as those enrolled on her specialist beauty courses for adults. And this is all done alongside her freelance makeup work, which sees Jade deliver treatments such as facials, lash lifts and extensions, henna brows, and full-body waxes to customers throughout the Southwest. Here we sat down with the makeup wizard to find out more about her wedding-centred services, best beauty hacks, and future plans.
 
What are the main services you provide?
 
I specialise in hair, beauty and makeup services, as well as lecturing in professional makeup artistry and beauty treatments. I provide a vast range of treatments from henna brows right through to media and special effects makeup (prosthetics/casualty simulation/body art). In the past, I have created looks for bridal magazine front covers and features, provided makeup for professional opera singers, and been the head makeup artist for catwalk shows with major brands such as Bobbi Brown and Shu Uemura.
 
Can you tell us more about what your bridal makeup service includes and why having a trial run is so important?
 
The bridal makeup service involves skin preparation (mini facial) and professionally applied makeup that is photo-ready and tailored specifically to the bride and bridal party. I use a wide range of products, including staples from Bobbi Brown, Mac, Shu Uemura, Chanel, Charlotte Tilbury and Anastasia Beverley Hills. I have been in the industry as a professional for 17 years, and I love being able to share my knowledge and expertise with brides to help them get the required look for the big day. A trial is always recommended and is really important! They typically take place six to eight weeks before the wedding date but can be done at any point before the wedding. At trial, I will work with the bride to achieve the desired look, so she can feel completely confident and like a million dollars on her wedding day!
 
Speaking of major life events, wedding makeup plays a key role in how a bride feels on her special day. How do you ensure that finished looks match up to individual style preferences and needs?
 
I always ask my brides to start keeping a digital or physical folder of looks they like for both the bridal makeup and hairstyle, which they bring along to their trial so I can get a good idea of the style they like. I also ask them questions concerning their wedding’s colour theme, dress style, chosen flower arrangements etc., to ensure the finished look is perfectly suited to them. My motto is “Be your own kind of beautiful”, and so I always aim to bring out the bride's natural beauty. Images for ideas are a great starting point, but ultimately, the look must compliment the person wearing it. And that is exactly where my knowledge and expertise come in, playing a crucial part in creating a bespoke makeup design for each individual bride.
 
From major brands such as Bobbi Brown and Chanel to prominent makeup artists by the likes of Alex Box and Cate Hall, you have worked with a number of industry leaders throughout your career. Can you share with us some of the most invaluable insider tips you have picked up along the way?
 
Always research every makeup brief you are given! Cate Hall very kindly gave a webinar to my level 3 makeup students at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College during lockdown, and the advice she gave them was invaluable and inspirational.
 
One of the main tips she provided was to always research period makeup – which was great as I had been teaching period makeup during that term, and it really emphasised what I had been telling the students myself all along. In order to get an accurately executed makeup look for period dramas, you have to know the era it sits in and not only research makeup looks of that time, but also what year in the decade it was, what the environment was like at that time, what the most prominent fashion trends were, and so on.
 
A few other tips and techniques that I teach my students are things like applying concealer after foundation, always completing eye makeup before base makeup for a flawless finish, and lining and colouring in the lip with lip liner first before applying lipstick, so you don't get that horrible line around the lip where the lipstick has worn off.
 
What are the biggest differences between day-to-day and media/editorial makeup, and where do you source inspiration for your more striking looks?
 
In the sense of preparation workload, there isn't a great deal of difference between the two. For both day-to-day and media/editorial looks, you always have a brief to go on (requirements for the look), pulling inspiration for these from various sources such as books, the model being used, social media, and the latest trends. Creating annotated mood boards from the inspiration sourced is a great starting point and can be followed with a practice run using various materials – which can range from mascara right through to silicone, airbrush and fuller’s earth, depending on the design brief. Creating a face and/or body chart of your finished makeup design which encompasses all of the requirements of the original brief, is the last step.
 
Executing the design is where the difference comes in, as day-to-day makeup is usually time-restricted. For example, bridal makeup has an allocated time of 60-minutes, so you must be precise and quick. For media or editorial makeup, you need to be accurate and use HD-ready products. There are more considerations too, such as heavy lighting, the environment, props, and outfits, amongst other things. Sometimes the time afforded to complete such a look is longer than 60-minutes, especially as models will often need to stand behind the camera lens for long periods, and you’ll need to check that the makeup portrays as intended on camera.
 
What are the advantages of opting for henna brows, and who is this treatment most suited towards?
 
I absolutely adore this treatment; it's one of my favourites! The advantage of henna brows is that you can get a stain on the skin as well as the brow hair which can last between four and eight weeks. There are such a wide variety of colours to choose from and mix up to create a bespoke colour suited to the client, and the shape of the brows after a henna treatment is absolutely pristine. It's a great treatment for anyone who wants a beautifully shaped brow that is long-lasting but not permanent. It's also great for anyone who has sparse eyebrows as it stimulates hair growth as well. As with any dye treatment, you must get a patch test 48 hours before.
 
In your opinion, what are the current biggest makeup trends, and what do you expect to see more of in the coming 12 months?
 
Cut crease or statement eyes are always on trend, and glowing skin never seems to lose its appeal either! I love Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter, it's an absolute staple in my kit, and I have it in every colour. P. Louise Eye Base for cut creases is also a must. Faux freckles are another major trend at the moment, with countless TikTok tutorials enabling those interested to achieve results right at home. I have also heard the 90's concealer coupled with dark liner is on its way back in next year... God help us all!
 
What does the future hold for Jade Coates Makeup Artist? Are there any plans to expand service offerings?
 
I will be moving further into teaching, expanding to offer more short courses in both makeup and beauty areas. As well as having recently completed both my level 3 Assessors Award and my level 3 in Teaching and Education, I hold the current lead position in makeup artistry for levels 1, 2 and 3 at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s Stroud campus. I am seriously passionate about passing on my knowledge and experience to the next generation of makeup artists and love to inspire both my students and my clients, instilling confidence within them and encouraging them to flourish. I will always freelance alongside my teaching, as my passion for makeup artistry is what got me to where I am today. And my clients are the most loyal and wonderful people – they are the reason I do what I do.
 
Is there anything else you would like to add?
 
You never stop learning in life, and it's never too late to chase your passions and ambitions. Life is what you make it, and limitations are only set by you.
 
To browse the full list of services available or to make a booking online, please visit www.jcmua-makeup.com.