Nicole 'Pinky Thompson needs little introduction. If you're not familiar with her, you undoubtedly will have seen her work or at least recognised her - she's hard to miss, you see as she dons pink hair, pink nails, and everything... well, pink.
She's a celebrity makeup artist, mother, author and beauty extraordinaire who knows no bounds, making it up as she goes to defy the rules, advocating and celebrating diversity, exploration of colour and self-expression, and this ethos is recognisable in everything she does.
We sat down with Nicole and quizzed her on all things skincare and beauty, how the name Pinky aptly came to be. Here's how it went:
We know you as Pinky. How did the name come to be?
My love affair with pink started early on. I have been colouring my hair different tones of pink for over 10 years! One person calling me pinky turned into 2 which then turned into now often receiving Call sheets for jobs with Pinky Thompson on it! I think more people in Sydney know Pinky rather than Nicole and that suits me just fine!
And you're a rule breaker, tell us more!
Ha! I have had SO many people over the years ask me about what they SHOULD wear, so worried about beautifying in the “on trend” way! Real beauty for me is about celebrating and enhancing the skin that you are in. Makeup is like a fun accessory for your outfit not a covering up tool!When I wrote my Book “Making It up, Makeup Minus the rules” - I really tapped into this feeling, I wanted to create a safe and inspiring space for people to create their own beauty.
Personally, I have wrestled with the feeling of needing to fit in and blend in as a makeup artist in the Fashion Industry. Having pink hair and wearing wild outfits hasn’t always been celebrated, far from it over the years.
Getting to 39, I have become much more comfortable in my own style and craziness and with that comfortability came a sense of - IM DOING THIS FOR ME AND NO ONE ELSE! Rule breaking for me is just about thinking outside the square, putting my own spin on things, as I think we should all do.
My daughter asked me the other day why I always wear lots of colour. I answered her with “because it makes me feel good is that a good reason?!” She said “yeah I love wearing lots of colour”
Wear and do what makes you feel great. Life is too short to be beige!
You've worked with the creme de la creme of talent and your artistry is extraordinary. What role do you think skincare plays in achieving beautiful results?
Skincare is the MOST important ingredient when it comes to creating and achieving beautiful skin. FULL STOP. It does not always mean expensive. But the minute you curate a skincare routine to suit your skin and your taste only, you will see and feel the difference.
People often think I am younger than I am, and I owe this all to not frying myself in the sun (suncare is the second most important thing!) and actually taking a moment to look after my skin with great skincare!
What are the latest beauty and skincare newbies you're loving?
I love BLURRING! Who doesn’t want to soften fine lines and smooth out pores!? I love these blurring primers to give you the ultimate smooth start before foundation and seriously transform skin texture!
-
YSL Touché Eclat Blur Primer
-
TRINNY LONDON Miracle Blur, Lip and Line Filler
I’m also obsessed with super charged waters for the skin. have used them on my clients for years, having to transform the skin when it’s sitting in my chair- I thought it was about time to actually do it on myself! These FAT waters boosted with highly concentrated ingredients can re-balance the skin and give supreme hydration. Simply put, they GET YOUR SKIN PUMPED. You feel moisturised and bouncy whether you are oily or dry.
Because they are thin compared to just slapping on a moisturiser, they penetrate deeper into the skin. So you feel great but don’t feel all heavy and greasy on the surface of the skin. I love:
-
FRESH KOMBUCHA ESSENCE
-
MAC Fix + Magic Radiance
-
LA MER The ESSENCE
Pour into your hand or spritz onto your skin, massage, repeat. Don’t be shy with that product and you will feel the difference.
What is the beauty trend we should embrace and/or part ways with and why?
Insert a serum into your skincare routine, immediately if not sooner. I am obsessed with serums. I love them because they target specific skin issues and you see the results instantly. Now, there are SO many to choose from - you can carve out the competition by thinking about:
What you are trying to target?
Uneven skin texture, dryness, pigmentation, acne, dark spots, oiliness
How much do you want to spend?
Go into your local beauty department store and have those things in mind, it will make the process a little easier (remember, expensive is not always better)!
Then SAMPLE AND TRY! Before you buy!
Most brands will give great samples, try for a few days to see how it feels on your skin!
Do you have any beauty or skincare hacks to share?
I love mixing serum into my full coverage foundation to give it a hydration and glow boost without making the skin feel greasy!
I love using the 2D Hyaluronic Hydro Boost serum, or Vitamin C Brightening serum as these marry well with makeup and who doesn’t want to look dewy or bright!
Start and finish your skincare routine with a Hydrating mist. These spritzes liven up the skin, and when massaged in to start, the skin is left feeling bouncy and ready to accept the skincare, and penetrate deeper into the skin.
Once finished give your skin another drenching of the spray to lock in moisture. You will absolutely feel the texture change in your skin. When your skin is hydrated makeup will sit on top super smoothly and stay on longer!
Want more beauty-goss and make up tips? Follow Pinky on Instagram or grab a copy of her best-seller: Making It Up: Makeup Minus the Rules.
