It's easy to see why respected British make-up artist Lisa Eldridge is a cult internet hit. Disarming, photogenic and armed with a breezy authority, Eldridge is noted for making runway and everyday beauty looks accessible to viewers who read her blog. Her video tutorials alone attract more than a million unique visitors per month.
'There are lots of girls doing make-up tutorials on the net, but there's nobody in a position who also does the A-list red carpet,' she says. 'I've been in the business for 20 years and there's a level of trust.' That's something Eldridge feels is incredibly important.
In a digital age when brands have realised that a blogger's 'average joe' appeal and ringing product endorsement can mean big bucks, it's intriguing that Eldridge's website hasn't succumbed to online sponsorship or ad deals.
'I don't put advertising [on the site]; it's impartial, and nobody can pay me enough money,' she says. 'It's worth so much to me to have integrity. I try [products] out and say this works for your skin; I think that's what's struck a chord.'
Eldridge was six years old when she first developed a love of make-up, delving into her mother's kit of Mary Quant products. 'I used to spend a lot of time drawing textures on paper. I loved drawing faces,' says Eldridge, currently the global creative director at Boots No7. But when her mother's friend bought her a book on stage make-up at age 13, Eldridge realised she could pursue it as a career.
It was during the early 1990s supermodel years that Eldridge truly hit the big time. She had been doing test-shoots for a while, and had just signed a representation deal with an agency when Eldridge got a call to do a magazine shoot with Cindy Crawford. 'We hung out a bit and she said 'what are you doing tomorrow?',' says Eldridge. Crawford was covering backstage at the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute concert, and invited Eldridge to do her make-up. '[Crawford] knew everyone, all these acts like Guns N' Roses. They asked Cindy to come on stage, so me and her stood on the side of Wembley Stadium,' says Eldridge. 'After that, I really liked being in these higher echelons.'