Sam and Nic are the OG influencers. Back when YouTube was a little known platform we’d only visit for cat videos and bloopers, they set up a channel dedicated to sharing the skills they’d accumulated over their careers as makeup artists.
Now, everyone and their mum are at it, but few have as loyal a following as Pixiwoo, who have taken many of their fans from their teens well into their twenties.
Today Sam and Nic remain as relatable and as infinitely wise as ever, dishing out tips, tricks and the insider track to followers – despite their careers hitting heights they’d never dreamed of.
Now, with a cult YouTube channel, a million dollar makeup brush brand and even a BBC documentary under their belt, they spill on their biggest beauty disasters, favourite haunts to shop for products and what the future holds.
What is your go-to makeup look at the moment?
SAM: “The Victoria Beckham palettes are currently stealing the show, I’ve been wearing the Tweed palette a lot.”
NIC: “An effortless barely their base I really like the Pat McGrath foundation and cream longwear eyeshadow, my current favourite is Tom Ford spice. I like a rich brown eye pencil, (I tend to reach for either MAC coffee or costa riche), tons of Laura Mercier Volume Caviar Mascara and Chanel Soleil De Tan.”
What’s been your biggest beauty disaster?
SAM: “Badly applied fake tan, always. I don’t have the patience to exfoliate, moisture the right bits, apply, buff and smell like biscuits for 10 hours so I just don’t bother anymore.”
NIC: “I have had so many. Actually one I recently documented in my IGTV. It’s called how to not dye your eyebrows. If you fancy a laugh you should check it out. My look is utter shock and panic when I realise it won’t come off. It’s quite funny.”
Where do you like to shop for your products?
SAM: “SpaceNK for skincare, Liberty for fragrance and Surratt, Cult Beauty for online, Selfridges for Pat McGrath.”
NIC: “Selfridges, Space NK, Liberty’s, Cult Beauty or Feel Unique.”
Where do you take inspiration from?
SAM: “Anywhere I can find it. Mostly films from the 60s, 70s and 90s”
NIC: “Anything and everything but normally fashion and season changes.”
What’s a beauty trend you’ve never been able to get on board with/a technique you’ll never master?
SAM: “I despise nose contouring. Noses are fabulous in all shapes and sizes, I hate the small, upturned, shaded, highlighted drag nose asthetic that has become so popular (unless it’s actually being worn for drag) it always looks obvious and terrible in daylight.”
NIC: “I have never been able to get on board with so much fake tan that you look like an Oompa Loompa.”
What’s the first beauty product you ever bought/your most nostalgic?
SAM: “Rimmel pale biscuit foundation (it was the wrong colour).”
NIC: “Shu Uemura brow pencil in seal brown hard 9. It’s a fantastic brow pencil that has no red in it.”
What’s your best beauty hack?
SAM: “Keeping it simple. One shadow, one brush.”
NIC: “Use a stone coloured lip liner around the outside of the lip to create a fuller lip.”
What’s your biggest splurge?
SAM: “Skin care. I can’t talk about it. It’s too upsetting.”
NIC: “Having facials regularly.”
What’s your best budget buy?
SAM: “Soap & Glory’s towel hair turban. My kids are always stealing them!”
NIC: “Maybelline’s Instant Anti Aging Eye Eraser.”
What one word would you use to describe your look?
SAM: “Undone.”
NIC: “Glowing.”
What’s the best piece of beauty advice you’ve ever been given?
SAM: “Retinol.”
NIC: “Always take your makeup off and always moisturise your entire body when you get out of the shower.”
How do you incorporate colour and graphic shapes in a way that still looks wearable?
SAM: “I don’t in my day to day. I’m a huge advocate for sludgy colours, Navy is my bright colour. Strong makeup looks rarely translate from the catwalk to real life.”
NIC: “I don’t really very often. I tend not to follow the trends. I will sometimes add a pop of colour whether it be a coloured eyeliner or lip.”
If readers wanted to be a little more experimental but didn’t know where to start, what’s the first switch you’d recommend?
SAM: “Swap your eyeliner brighter/lighter/darker/ on your waterline. Change nothing else.”
NIC: “Try a red lip. Don’t wear it out straight away if you don’t feel comfortable but do wear it around the house. As you walk around look in the mirror and get a glance of yourself until you start to get used to it and eventually love it. Then you are ready to wear it out.”
What make-up trends do you think are taking off at the moment and which are you most excited by?
SAM: “I think we’re seeing a return to a bit of an undone smokey eye. Less product, less blending, less false lashes, less photoshop and filters.”
NIC: “I think people have less time so inevitably the make up is moving to less structured looks. This really excites me as makeup has been so heavy and full on for so long. I also think people are starting to take care of their skin a lot more, so are more aware of what they are putting on it and also realising they don’t actually need to cover it so much.”
What 4 products do you always have in your kit?
SAM: “Real Techniques Powder Brush, MAC Face & Body, Surratt brow pomade and Charlotte Tilbury dry sheet masks.”
NIC: “MAC Face & Body, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Lip Balm, MAC Pro concealer palette and Real Technique’s Custom Collection, it’s three brushes in one so a good one for on the move.”
What’s the secret to ultra-fresh looking skin?
SAM: “Preparing skin for makeup with dry masks, skincare and primers (where needed). Using the RT Custom Collection brushes you can customise your finish from sheer to full coverage all with one brush.”
NIC: “Minimal products.”
What’s been the best moment of your career so far?
SAM: “Our MAC lipsticks that launch in June 2020.”
NIC: “Oh my gosh so many. Our BBC documentary, Hollywood Icons, our book, launching Real Techniques. So many.”
