💄 Q&A with Caroline Mehmet
“Your Makeup, Reimagined”
We sat down with professional makeup artist Caroline Mehmet, whose 30-year career includes work with Chanel, Bobbi Brown and Paris Fashion Week, ahead of our upcoming Afternoomi Makeup Masterclass.
Caroline’s philosophy is simple: you don’t need more makeup, you just need to know how to use what you already have. In this relaxed Q&A, she shares her honest thoughts on contouring, confidence, and what she hopes women will take away from the evening.
✨ What’s one makeup trend you wish more women would leave behind?
Caroline:
“Contour! When I studied contouring, we had to learn it on men because it’s designed to completely change the shape of the face. It’s fantastic for photoshoots or drag queens, under heavy lighting and for performance, but not for the everyday woman.
In real life, it just doesn’t look great. We all want to be individual, that’s the whole point of us as women, and heavy contouring takes that away.”
⏱ If you only had seven minutes to get ready, what makes the biggest difference?
Caroline:
“The biggest difference comes from the basics. Clean your skin correctly, use a good moisturiser, then go in with concealer, mascara and an eyebrow pencil.
Those three products are your best friends. They even out your complexion, open up your eyes and define your whole face.
If you can stretch it to four products, add a bronzer for a lovely daytime glow.”
🌙 How can we refresh daytime makeup for the evening without starting from scratch?
Caroline:
“Blot away any excess oil with tissue, then do some quick correction with concealer where it’s needed and a little loose powder.
After that, add bronzer and blusher to bring life back into your face. Those small steps will take your look from day to evening beautifully.”
💋 What do you love most about teaching other women about makeup?
Caroline:
“Teaching women about makeup is such a feel-good thing. People stress about it far too much. Social media makes it seem like you need endless products just to look normal, and that’s not true.
It’s really about knowing where to apply certain things for your own face. I love giving women confidence in themselves.
And I know many women find department store counters intimidating, especially when they’re talking to someone younger. That’s why I want the masterclass to feel relaxed, welcoming and real. It should be a space where women can learn what they actually need, without pressure.”
👜 What three products can’t you live without?
Caroline:
“SPF, I’d go for a tinted one so you get a bit of colour, mascara and an eyebrow pencil. I’d probably sneak in a lip balm too, but those are my must-haves.”
💫 What do you hope guests will take away from the Afternoomi Masterclass?
Caroline:
“I hope everyone has a fun evening and leaves feeling more confident. I want them to understand where to apply products based on their own face, needs and concerns.
We’ll laugh, chat and make it easy. And if there’s something they’ve always been unsure about, I’ll show them exactly how to do it.
It’s all about having fun and not taking makeup too seriously.”
🌸 Where & When
🗓️ Thursday 20th November
Arrive from 7:00pm for a prompt start at 7:30pm
We’ll wrap up between 9:30 and 10:00pm
📍 Fine Toad, Coulsdon
35 Chipstead Valley Road (Rear Entrance of No. 35)
Coulsdon, CR5 2RB