Make Up Artist Valentine Alexander is the name behind Face Focus, a unique approach to make up artistry using simple, modern, highly effective techniques. Valentine has refined her consultation into an art form, at the heart of which is the use of light reflection to draw out out the youthful beauty in everyone.

Valentine began her career as a Make Up Artist in Paris where she worked in fashion and beauty for photographers such as Peter Beard, Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton and Dominique Issermann among others. Valentine learned what a precious commodity light can be on faces when she was working in the film industry. She saw the way lighting technicians use light reflection to enhance faces and bodies. This is the very essence of make up because it improves your looks by illusion. 'When you put light into a face, its personality emerges' she says.

Instead of looking at the latest trends, Valentine takes her inspiration from Renaissance paintings. "During the Renaissance, women sitting for portraits didn't wear make up, but look at the finished paintings and you see them as beautifully made up," she says. "It was the artists who added this make up to their subjects on canvas. I try to recreate the natural radiance and glow of those portraits on the client's face.'

Valentine has worked with Isabella Rossellini, Tina Turner, Sigourney Weaver, Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche and Susan Sarandon.

Expert biography

Valentine Alexander

Make up artist

Paris

France

+44 (0)7956 846 909

As featured in:

Tatler, Sunday Times Style, ES Magazine, Hello, You Magazine, Harpers & Queen.

A few of my favourite things:

1. Winter Facial Oil de Mamiel
2. Prescriptives Vibrant C Cream
3. Darphin DERMABRASION
4. Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleansing Oil
5. Guerlain Terracotta Loose Powder Kohl
6. Armani Skin Correctors
7. La Prairie Light Fantastic
8. Dior Diorshow Unlimited mascara
9. Aesop Rejuvenate Aromatic Hand Balm
10. Chantecaille Tinted Moisturiser