As a journalist, I am more comfortable behind a camera then in front of it, but The Society Awards 2022 called on me to get my glam on.
Swapping my typical mum uniform of leggings and a hoody for a slinky black dress meant I was halfway there, but the occasion required a little more than a hurried slick of mascara.
Thankfully, makeup artist and tutor, Rhiannon Soutar had me covered.
As a very happy paying customer, I soon found myself at ease perched on her chair, based within The Studio at Union Point.
With gorgeous views across the harbour, The Studio which is run by industry expert, Sammy MacDonald, is already a go-to for many.
And with Rhiannon also working from the sky-high spot, appointments are quickly becoming sought after.
I can confirm that she did a fantastic job of making me feel beautiful, and I was only too happy to catch up with Rhiannon a few days later.
The glitz of the Society Awards is par for the course in Rhiannon’s world, and at just 22 years old she has been called upon to attend to some serious VIP’s.
From painting the face of none other than Emeli Sande MBE, to working at lavish wedding celebrations which last three days, Rhiannon is the ultimate professional.
And despite her soaring career, she has stayed humble and down to earth.
“I’ve played around with makeup from a young age, my biggest inspiration was Amy Winehouse,” said Rhiannon.
“I used to go to school with big fat winged eyeliner; school just wasn’t for me and I left quite young.”
Rhiannon thankfully found her place at Glam Candy Makeup College based in Aberdeen, where she learnt from the experts before forging her own career.
“I just fell in love with painting people’s faces, and all of the girls at Glam Candy were just so nice to me,” she said.
“It blossomed from there, I really kept at it and kept building up more clients.
“I moved from a tiny town in Forres, it felt like quite a big jump to Aberdeen.
“Whilst the industry is competitive, I’ve made so many friends.
“I think if you make relationships, it can make your job even better.”
Collaborating with fellow professionals has led to Rhiannon working at numerous shoots, and she is often called upon by Aberdeen Performing Arts.
“I worked with APA at True North Music Festival, where Emeli Sande was performing with Mica Paris,” said Rhiannon.
“It felt like a little bit of imposter syndrome, it was one of those moments but both Emeli and Mica were so lovely.
“I went into the dressing room and Emeli was chatting away, she was really nice.
“I think she is one of the most chilled-out people I have ever, she was very calm.”
Rhiannon really gets to show off her skills on shoots, and has previously worked on a brief with Harris and Fox Hair Studio.
“One of my favourite looks to do is glam with a twist,” she said.
“I love a statement look and it is so rewarding to see that final image at the end.
“I think we can expect to see graphic lines and bleach eyebrows in 2023, I love liner and if it’s done right it can work for anyone.”
If you’re a bride-to-be, Rhiannon may just be the girl for you, depending on the look you’re after.
“I tend to work with brides who pick me for me, I am a glam gal,” said Rhiannon.
“I recently worked at a wedding which really allowed me to be a creative artist.
“It was at Drumtochty Castle which is an incredible venue, it lasted for three days and the couple hosted a Halloween party there.
“So we made up all the guests, the bride was a corpse bride of course, and I created lots of prosthetics to use.
“It was such good fun and very different.”
Zombies aside, life has come full circle for Rhiannon, as she now has returned to Glam Candy as a tutor.
From student to teaching the next generation, it’s an impressive career path and I have no doubt that we will continue to see a whole lot more of Rhiannon in the industry.
To find out more about her incredible work, you can follow Rhiannon on Instagram @rhiannon_soutar_mua
Conversation