It was a happy accident when my husband overheard me expressing my desire to attend Jade Kisnorbo’s (Jade K) Melbourne makeup masterclass as I saw the ads roll across my feed. The Melbourne makeup masterclass promised to be an opportunity for Melbourne beauty fans to watch Jade in her element, bringing those dewy looks to life in a collaborative and open format. He bought me a ticket before I could talk myself out of it, and I am so glad he did.
Having watched replay masterclasses in the past from beauty influencers through to branded makeup tutorials, I knew that I wanted to be in the room this time and peppering Jade with my seemingly endless list of questions.
As Jade K put it on the event page ‘there are some things you just can’t learn online’.
Attending Jade K’s Melbourne makeup masterclass
Scheduled for the first weekend in October at Toffee Studios in South Melbourne, I was excited about the 90-minute class. I packed my kit as instructed on the ticket, hoping my hodge-podge mix of brands and products would soon be validated or replaced with a shopping list from Jade.
As I entered the room, the studio decor and vibe had been Jade-ified, with florals and chic styling resulting in a gorgeous set-up complete with the goodie bag at every place setting. I tried to keep my cool and disguise my urgency to inspect the amazing products from sponsors like Mac, Mecca Max, Embryolisse, Eleven & Maybelline. As a Chemist Warehouse partner and an OG MaMaybelline girl with extensive global training – the goodie bag was as incredible as you can imagine.
Jade’s beauty forecast
When Jade introduced herself she gave a brief yet illuminating update on the current makeup trends that she has seen on social media, onset and on the runway. Having a professional validate your own thoughts and dispelling myths was hugely valuable, with her responses and insights backed by experience, proof and on a few occasions, science.
Jade had a structure to the masterclass, but it also felt open to questions, with Jade asking what we wanted out of the day and getting a vibe for what our skin concerns and interest areas were among the thirty attendees.
Here were some of the best takeaways from this sold-out Melbourne makeup masterclass:
- When carving and contouring your face, look straight into the mirror rather than turning your head to achieve a better contour result
- Always stamp your liquid liner, and note that everyone has different eye shapes so a squiggly line when you close your eyes may be inevitable for some
- Your skincare should extend to your nipple – don’t just stop at the face!
- If in product doubt, Japan and France will likely be ahead of the curb with their products
- Never spray more than two sprits of setting spray – use blotting paper if necessary
- Use small brushes as you apply your base to layer more effectively
A unique makeup experience
Jade also stated that in recent months her base consisted of a tinted moisturiser and concealer, which was a surprise to me who still envies women who can master a full-coverage, perfect base. This minimalist approach transformed her model in the chair, retaining a natural glow with her few blemishes covered. It was also interesting to see how Jade used chubby sticks in conjunction with other cream and powder surfaces. It will be interesting to see if the tinted moisturiser and concealer base will catch on for summer.
Jade’s masterclass attendees were made up of women who were thirty and over, so there were many questions about dark circles, rosacea and other visible signs of aging. Jade gave some great insight into how the age-old colour wheel can aid some of these concerns and specific products that can provide smoothing effects in which to build a base. At one stage Jade demonstrated how an orange lipstick can offset dark circles before applying a base – incredible!
I would categorise myself as a beginner make-up buff, as someone whose experience with make-up has consisted of standing over the shoulder of a more experienced friend asking how they achieved that line, this wing and colour gradient. I was concerned that I wouldn’t keep up with Jade’s Melbourne makeup masterclass, but it was a great pace, with even the clearly intermediate beauty junkies experimenting with applications as Jade worked through each part of the face.
What was included in Jade K’s Melbourne makeup masterclass ticket?
In addition to the goodie bags, there was also a two-page shopping list of recommendations from Jade across foundation, concealer, mascara, primer, sunscreen and so many more product types. Jade also included a good mix of affordable and high-end products and at many points in the class Jade passed various products around the room so that we could get a sense of the texture and size of these products.
The session went over time, which surprised no one given the incredible value that Jade had put into this Melbourne makeup masterclass. For $250 and more than two hours, each attendee got to watch Jade create magic and field questions throughout, with her kit open to the entire room to see what this internationally acclaimed makeup artist uses on her clients and her own face.
There was also a gorgeous Jade K cupcake and catered box for everyone, with a mirror at each place setting, a Go-To face mask, headband and sheet notes. There was also some beautiful micellar cleanser water and toner for ladies who wanted to remove makeup and start fresh with Jade.
If you have the opportunity to support the makeup artists that inspire you, attending a Melbourne makeup masterclass is such a valuable experience. Jade has certainly given me many nuggets of wisdom over the years, and it was great to watch her in person and see that underneath it all, she is just a beauty nerd who loves to explore the natural highlights we all have and to execute a beautiful finish with the time we have in the morning.
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