A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CARLY

Ever wondered what the day of a celeb tanner, makeup artist and hairstylist is like? Carly Hobbs is about to give you the lowdown. Hold on tight. It’s hectic…

“My days start super early. As in, 3.45am early. I split my time between Sheffield, Manchester and London, where most of my shoot and celebrity work tends to be.
The Early Morning Breakfast Show is my morning soundtrack as I speed around the country to wherever I’m based that day, with my tanning, make-up and hair kit packed safely by my side. Most shoots have a 9am call time, but I like to arrive at least half an hour early to set up my brushes, products and tanning station.

So, the insider scoop on celeb photo shoots… Well, the honest truth is that they can be very stressful! But they’re always fun and I love what I do. I mostly shoot fashion and beauty for magazines like Heat, Fabulous and Viva, as well as for really varied brands from Matalan and Adidas to Warehouse. Fashion Editors, celebs or brands usually have a brief as to what kind of look they want and it’s my job to translate that to the model’s face. I get my model in the chair and (as we snack on a second breakfast) I get to work creating the perfect hair and make-up look.

I normally have about an hour, whether that’s messy waves and dewy skin, to slick ponytails and full on smoky eyes. I love creating a look that fulfils the brief but also ensures a modern, cool take on make-up. Less is more in my opinion Рmakeup should enhance and highlight rather than completely cover! Of course, it’s not just about the face and skin finishing is the key to completing a look. I often blend a mix of Sienna X Radiance Body Balm and Instant Bronzing Gel, then swipe on with a mitt – they photograph so well and give an airbrushed look in pictures.

Once we start shooting, it’s up to me to make sure the model is picture perfect – I’ll keep an eye out for hairs falling out of place and any shine, which gets taken down with a very lightweight finishing powder. At dinner-time I check my emails, confirming beauty writing stories for the likes of Best, LOOK magazine or the Daily Mail as well as keeping an eye on promotional work that needs doing for my first book, ‘Supermodel Tips’ which I’m mega excited to be launching.

Shoots tend to wind down around 5ish, but my day is far from over. My car-eoke (see what I did there) playlist goes on – think Whitney and Lionel Ritchie – and I sing along as I head off to my private clients appointments. I have a real mixture of clients Рsome are celebs, some are corporate workers and some have very normal jobs! But one thing they all have in common is how great they feel after a glow to go in my Sienna X tent and I love that I can help people feel amazing about themselves.

After tan o’clock, I meet beauty PRs and industry insiders for dinner in London Town. It’s important to keep on top of trends and new launches for my MUA, tanning, hairstyling and journalism work. It’s a treat, especially when we get to go to amazing restaurants like Berner’s Tavern or the Ham Yard Hotel. Sadly cheeky cocktails are off the menu and the Aperol Spritz has to wait until my days off, as afterwards I jump back in my car to head north.

On route I’ll do a bit more singing and wonder why it was Simon Cowell never called, whilst I mentally prepare for the next shoot day. It could be anywhere…back to London, Manchester, Leeds…even Burnley! The destinations can be random and are often confirmed last minute. But I love it; the variation and fun of the job sees you through. It’s amazing that my typical day involves painting faces, playing with hair and bronzing people beautiful. Oh, and eating. Lots of eating.”