Most of you will be familiar with the Pixiwoo sisters – Sam and Nic Chapman. They are amazing beauty Youtubers as well as excellent business women, and I was so delighted to see them at Stylist Live. They were one of the main reasons that I wanted to go to the event, and I was not disappointed.
Just in case you are not aware of who they are, the sisters started on Youtube way back in 2008 with their channel ‘Pixiwoos’. They truly are one of the original beauty channels on YouTube. Chapman sisters are the business brains behind my favourite line of makeup brushes – the Real Technique brushes which they launched in 2011. What I like about these brushes is the quality. I have yet to replace a RT makeup brush that I have brought over the past few years, and they keep releasing new tools which is fantastic. They have not let the brand go stale even though they are so involved in other projects and to me, that shows the passion that they still have for this project.
When they sat down to talk at Stylist Live they were instantly likeable. Sometimes the person that you see online is not the person that you meet in real life – well with Sam and Nic they are exactly who they are on screen!! Down to earth, likeable and hilarious 🙂 A downside… their make up looks even more fabulous in person… seriously amazing on both of them.
They started by talking about beauty icons and who would be a current world icon. Kim Kardashian is their modern icon as she is someone that people could relate to. Kim used to be someone real, and people used to think that they could copy her looks, but over the years she has become ‘less real’ in some ways. But she is still someone who is a living beauty icon. Nic’s own personal beauty icon is Emma Stone or Jennifer Lawerence, and not just because of their make up. It is more than that – it is about who they are as well.
Be more than pretty, pretty isn’t enough.
What I found most interesting about their talk was their reference back to the ‘original’ icons and their impact on current makeup trends. Take for example Pat McGrath – she still used 20’s inspired looks that have been curtailed to fit the modern women’s aesthetic. They also mentioned the legendary Liz Taylor. She was just so beautiful and indeed an icon. Both on screen and also as a beauty icon. She wasn’t perfect, but she was such an amazing woman. She was fun and fiercely loyal as well as having that very glamourous look. Sam mentioned something that I had not noticed before – that although she had a very glamorous look – her look changed over in line with style of the decades.
We also all talked about how none of the original icons were ever caught out and about looking less than glamorous. Now obviously it was before the time of smart phones and social media – but there were still photographers taking pictures. Sam believes that this is because they didn’t leave their house without being all done. They also understood lighting and angles much more than many of us do now.
Another interesting part of the conversation was about plastic surgery. I clearly don’t look close enough as the girls were saying that many of the icons back then were the pioneers of plastic surgery! However, they did it to make more tweaks and not change their over all appearance, so it, therefore, enhanced rather than changed their look. This was so interesting as I always tend to think of plastic surgery as a modern phenomenon. Take for example Marilyn Monroe – she is someone who they noted as having changed. I would never have thought that before.
Pixiwoo also discussed how we are in the most boring of decades for makeup. In the 80’s, people expressed themselves through makeup whereas now we are more paint by numbers and many people look the same. It is all rather boring. The girls are actually after filming a documentary on the history of makeup ‘Pixiwoo Present: Hollywood Icons’ which I am SO excited about. I may have already pre-ordered it 🙂
Overall, I loved this conversation with them – they were so open and funny and loved learning more about the icons of past. Pixiwoo can be found online here and on YouTube, and also on Facebook, Instagram and there are two separate Twitter Accounts – Nic’s and Sam’s. And keep your eyes peeled in November as their documentary is going to be released on DVD (perfect timing for a Christmas present!).
I love them lucky you!
Can’t wait for the documentary. I believe they have a book coming out/out too.
Hi – they were amazing – and of course their make up completely flawless in person as well. You’re right they do have a book out! It is called ‘Face’ and I managed to get a signed copy while at Stylist as well. It’s a fantastic coffee table book and it’s a great one just to sit and look through