I don’t normally wear a lot of make up.
It’s not that I wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and decide that it’s impossible to improve on perfection, it’s more a case of just not knowing where to start. I love the smell when you walk into Boots, but the choice overwhelms me, and even if I did know what to buy, I wouldn’t have a clue how to put it on properly.
I’m sure I’m not alone, which is why the new Outsidethebox Make Up Workshops at Thornbury Castle are an ace idea. They’re a new venture from a woman called Jules, who is both the face of and the brains behind Outsidethebox – a new range of mineral make up that’s totally natural and actively good for your skin. No kidding, if you are too lazy to take this make up off before you go to bed, you could actually be doing yourself a favour.
I know Jules through a business mentoring charity I volunteer with, and she is my mentee! I have been delighted over the last few months to be able to offer my support as she gets her business off the ground and would love it if you could offer your support too, by recommending her to a friend or booking onto a workshop yourself.
The workshops – the first one is on November 26 – are ideal for both make up amateurs and enthusiasts. Even if you’ve been wearing make up a long time already, you’ll learn something new, as the class is all about the differences between Outsidethebox make up and standard make up, and how to use these differences to your advantage. It’s very hands on, as I discovered in the trial run, and, more importantly, the food is amazing.
The surroundings at Thornbury Castle are pretty impressive too, with wooden beams and huge fireplaces seemingly behind every door. Having such a luxurious location definitely added to the feel of the morning – you really feel like you’re treating yourself, rather than perching on a stool for a make up consultation in a busy department store.
A photo posted by Josephine Middleton (@slummysinglemummy) on
As part of the workshop, we had a good stare at ourselves in the mirror – something I’ve avoided doing for about 20 years – and then made notes of our problem areas. These helped to inform Jules about the products that would be right for us.
As you can see from my before picture, I naturally have very greasy skin, and it can be a little patchy. Because I don’t normally wear make up, Jules wanted to keep my makeover very simple, so that I could easily recreate it at home and wouldn’t feel heavily made up. I hope you’ll agree that the after picture does this very nicely indeed.
The workshop costs £89 but included in the price are three hours of tuition, cakes galore and a basket of make up worth over £50, so all in all it’s an absolute bargain! If you can’t make the workshop, Outsidethebox mineral make is available to buy online.
I had a fantastic experience and would wholeheartedly recommend it, even if you’ve never worn make up before in your life!