Cool Hunting: Say Hi To Kim O’Sullivan, Owner Of The Dublin Make-Up Academy

“It was never a case of I’d like to do it, it was more like, I want to do it, and I will do it,” says Kim of her new venture. “I’m a big believer in The Secret (as is a certain Fashion Ed we know!). My friends give me a hard time about it; they say I live in Kimmy-land, but I think it has been a huge help. It’s all about positive thinking and being thankful.”

The award-winning pro brow and make-up artist took the plunge just seven months ago, “I handed in my notice, worked my four weeks, finished on the Friday and started working for myself on the Saturday! I rented a chair in a salon in the city centre.”

The Dublin Make-Up Academy builds on 14 years’ worth of experience, most of those spent at the Giorgio Armani counter in Brown Thomas. “That time was crucial to where I am now,” she reveals, adding, “they taught me amazing customer service skills.” So there was a big customer base relying on her creative touch.

I have great, really loyal clients, and I knew I’d be able to fill up three working days. So at the beginning I did Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I’d figured out that that would bring in enough income to keep me going.

With more and more ladies wanting to brow up, Kim soon began working Mondays and Tuesdays, too. “My only day off is Sunday; Fridays are all about admin, accounts, emails and paperwork,” she tells STELLAR.

The biggest request is for the HD brow. It’s a very bespoke, personalised approach to brow design.

HD brows is a brand, but it’s also become a term that’s been bandied about willy-nilly, so Kim sets us straight, explaining exactly what it involves. “First we tint (I use a custom blend tint), to pick up all the fine, fluffy hairs – those hairs are amazing, most salons would remove them but, once tinted, they fill out a brow. Then it’s waxing, which carves out that really sharp, clean line.” That’s where her talents as a make-up artist come into play; Kim has an incredible eye for the shape that suits.

“After the wax, it’s time for threading to get rid of the tell-tale forehead sign – you know the one, it’s like hair, no hair, hair – so the threading softens that out. The last step is precision tweezing and a trim with the scissors. The end result leaves you with face framers that require little or no filling in or defining with the pencil.”

I’d love to have my own salon – I have it designed in my head already.

Kim is exactly where she wants to be for now, but there are big plans for the future. “I’m so lucky, I love what I do and I love my life. It’s funny, I look back on my college books, and even my school books; and I’ve drawn an eyeball with a brow up on the corner of the page! Even back then I was destined for this!”

And we’ll wrap up with our favourite Kim-ism: “Brows are amazing; I compare them to a Bonsai tree! You really need to nurture them and take care of them and, if you do, you can totally reshape them!”

See thedublinmakeupacademy.com for appointments and details of PRO HD Brow courses.

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• HD brows
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• Kim O Sullivan
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