Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star intensifies in its latest episode, airing on BBC Three on Wednesday 17 April as the seven remaining make-up artists (MUAs) face challenging assignments that push their creativity and technical skills to the limit. The competition heats up as the MUAs are booked to create campaign looks for Foot Locker, one of the world’s leading sneaker retailers. Under the scrutinising eyes of sneaker influencer Sherlina Nym and Foot Locker’s vice president of marketing, Slavka Jancikova, the artists must design youthful and aspirational looks that complement the provided sneakers with a pop of colour.
The pressure mounts as the MUAs learn that all models are required for the campaign, leaving no room for error. Unfortunately, one artist falls short, forcing them to redo their look under the stressful constraint of time to meet Foot Locker’s exacting standards. The stakes are high, as the best look will be displayed in Foot Locker’s flagship store in London, and the winning artist will be invited to work on a future campaign. This incentive fuels a fierce rivalry between two competitive MUAs, adding drama to the already tense atmosphere.
Back at Glow Up Studios, the artists face their second creative brief, with the theme ‘Opposites Attract’. The challenge is to create looks that celebrate and unite the beauty of contrasting concepts. Adding to the excitement, the guest judge for this brief is none other than the legendary social media star and cosmetics empire owner Mitchell Halliday, aka Mmmmitchell. Mitchell, famous for his colourful transformations and easy-to-follow hacks, is a personal icon to several MUAs, with one artist sharing an emotional story of how Mitchell inspired their journey into make-up.
Determined to make their mark, the MUAs deliver breathtaking looks, including a zebra-lion hybrid, a sweet and sour lime-strawberry fusion, and an X-ray vision that transforms under an inverted filter. The artists’ creativity and skill are on full display, with one lucky MUA earning a coveted Ding Dong from Val, signifying exceptional work.
However, the episode is not without its challenges, as the two MUAs who struggled with the campaign look find themselves in the dreaded red face-off chairs, burdened with a 15-minute time penalty for the next creative brief. As the episode draws to a close, they face off in the Elimination round, creating glitter lash looks on identical twins. The pressure is on, and only one will secure their place in the competition, while the other will sadly have to go home.
Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star airs on BBC Three at 8.00 pm on Wednesday 17 April 2024.
