"Harry Potter" Makeup Artist Sophia Knight Dishes Beauty Advice

"Ever since I can remember, I have been fascinated by how make up can change someone's face. I used to buy just Seventeen and smash hits and copy the looks of the latest popstars on my friends; Kylie Minogue's late 90's looks," Sophia Louise Knight says. She has come a long way since those days, as part of the main makeup team for Tim Burton's new film Dark Shadows.



Her work can also be seen in The Social Network, Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood and Lord of the Rings, just a few of the mentionables on her extensive resume. Knight remembers her first stage makeup experience at the Royal Opera House's Faust production. "The whole vibe of theatre is great; there is great rush when it is done and the audience loves it. Quick changes on hairspray were extremely amusing, when all the music is playing and your actor has to run straight on stage."

She famously created a wedding look for a faux Kate Middleton for a T-Mobile video parody this past summer, but the real duchess earns five stars in Knight's eyes. "Her skin is always glowing and she doesn't ever go too far with make up. I like how she defines her eyes and keeps her lips nude. She is very on trend with that, I would like to do a softer version of her look with a brown smoky under eye rather than a black. I think that Kate looked fantastic on her wedding day, keeping it simple and beautiful."

Famous or not, she says that anyone appearing on television must remember that makeup should be heaver and "definition, highlighting and shading is the key. Making the best of what you have; enhancing eyebrow shape, lips, eyes, cheekbones, lash line. Our eye is drawn to symmetry and when our faces are show this, we define this as beauty. I think that if you take care of your skin and have a good base to work on, it creates the best canvas and gives you a great advantage," Knight says. For affordable brands, she recommends Maybelline mascara, Revlon's Eyeliner Pen and Benefit's Erase Paste Concealer. She also regularly uses Laura Mercier's Secret Camoflauge Concealer and her Le Maquillage Grease Based Eyeshadow Kit, "which you can buy from P.A.M. Makeup Shop in Shepherds Bush."



To stay safe, women can stick with pink shades. "A natural flush pink cream is great to add a glow on cheeks and if you add a little on your eyelids, it gives a great lift to your face. Also adding a tinted moisturiser to your skin gives you a great glow, I like skin to look luminous and healthy."

She says, "I would love to work abroad again and miss the winter, and there are lots of movies being made so I am holding out for that. My dream would be to work on the Prada campaigns and do a Vogue cover. I really enjoy texturising hair too, making fuzzy blonde afros is always fun."








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Visit Sophia's official website at sophiaknightmakeup.co.uk and don't forget to follow yours truly, Richárde, on Twitter at @justricharde!