Feature on FaceBase, A Rare Gem in the Centre of Cornwall

CornwallsCoolest.com reporter Georgina Yates experiences Cornwall's most talked about Style Studio, FaceBase.

Only two weeks ago I saw the establishment of an exciting new business, the nature of which has been, until now, completely alien to the South West. The business that I speak of is FaceBase, Cornwall’s first luxury high definition make-up studio and brow design bar located in The Old Bakery Studio Complex, just on the edge of central Truro.

The FaceBase Studio has been created by local freelance professional makeup artist Ella Butler. Self- taught from an early age, she began her makeup career with Benefit Cosmetics and went on to complete a diploma in Advanced Makeup Artistry at the London Academy of Media. Since completing her diploma, Ella has enjoyed a successful make-up artistry career. Word of her makeup artistry skills has spread and consequently she is in high demand for wedding assignments. Ella works on a daily basis with models, actors and musicians, creating flawless make-up on set for photo-shoots and films. Recently, she has shadowed Marcus Whitney on the set of BBC3’s Being Human and also qualified as a high definition brow technician under the leading figure in this field, Nilam Patel. Ella is further skilled in creating the ultimate flawless look, as she has trained as an airbrushing specialist with Airbase. Only in the past week Ella has trained with international makeup artist Max Van de Banks, the head of makeup for Ford Brothers’ film, The Dead, which is to be released in September. Under the tuition of Max Van de Banks, Ella has perfected her skills in the fields of prosthetics and casualty makeup. She will soon be assisting this renowned makeup artist with his future film projects.  

All professionals working in the field of makeup artistry agree that there exists a huge difference between true makeup artistry and the basic makeup techniques that are taught at beauty therapy level or are available at most beauty counters. Ella emphasises that she specialises in high definition make-up; ‘this being makeup that looks flawless to the eye and under the scrutiny of a high definition lens’. When applying make-up, Ella takes many factors into consideration, such as, lighting, weather conditions and heat, all of which can affect the way in which make-up translates on camera. The effect of these outside factors is something that on the whole only professional make-up artists are aware of, and is crucial to creating a look that appears both highly detailed and natural, rather than caked.

Furthermore, Ella has trained extensively as a brow technician, and she describes the seven step high definition brows procedure as an ‘essential saviour’, with the end result providing the perfect frame for each individual client’s face.

Ella’s career as a freelance make-up artist has taken her across the globe. From her travels through England, Europe and New York she noticed the vast amount of luxury beauty treatments and amenities that were readily available to the citizens of larger cities. This observation sparked the inspiration from which Ella’s headquarters ‘FaceBase’ was born. The purpose of her studio is initially, ‘to promote the true technical and artistic skill of make-up artistry’. Secondly, it is to fill Cornwall’s professional beautification void, providing luxury makeup and brow treatments that are commonplace for people living in a big city and are a daily requirement for any model, actor or celebrity figure.

Owner, Ella Butler (left) with Georgina Yates (right)

I was fortunate enough to attend the FaceBase launch party on the 1st of July, along with a V.I.P guest list of models, actors and musicians and, of course, plenty of champagne.  Various examples of Ella’s work lined the walls of her studio space. I found the before and after makeover shots incredible and was taken aback by the striking transformations that Ella can create through high definition make-up and brow design. Ella’s studio space can only be described as a woman’s make-up utopia, as her dresser is very neatly strewn with an array of intriguing cosmetics. She uses an assortment of brands from designer to top-end high street, as well as products that are only available in the US. As my eyes scanned the desk I noticed readily available products by Calvin Klein, Mac and Bobbie Brown, along with Makeup Forever HD, Airbase, ScreenFace, Ben Nye and Sephora!

I for one am grateful that Ella has made professional make-up artistry and brow design available to us in Cornwall. She has dealt with many clients who previously have suffered very unflattering experiences at the hands of people who profess to be ‘make-up artists’. I myself am one of these, with my make-up disaster involving black lip liner and green eye shadow up to my brows, (no joke)! At last, we can put all out faith into Ella at the FaceBase studio and know that the outcome will be beautiful, flawless and yet adhere to our own personal style.

For further information or to book a one- on- one beautification experience at FaceBase, visit www.facebasestudio.com or call 07709 353097. To find out more about make-up artist Ella Butler, visit her website; www.makeupbyella.com and don’t forget to check out her show reels and tutorials.

Reviewed by Georgina Yates from Penzance.

Images by Donna Sharpe

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