RAE MORRIS
Renowned as one of the most influential Makeup Artists in the world, Rae Morris is not only a number one best-selling author but also four times Australian Makeup Artist of the Year, the longest serving Makeup Director for L’Oreal Paris (2003-2013) and has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame. Collaborating with some of the world’s leading photographers, Rae regularly works on editorial covers, and fashion and beauty features for magazines such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and I.D. Magazine.
In 2008 Rae’s first book, Makeup: The Ultimate Guide was an overwhelming worldwide success – since then she has published another 4 books culminating in the 2016 release of her 6th book, Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass. These instructional books are currently used as training manuals in top makeup schools around the world.
Rae is also the designer behind the Rae Morris Magnetic Brush Range – the first magnetic makeup brush range in the world – which has been acclaimed as not only the most innovative, but one of the best makeup brush ranges in the world.
Undeniably the biggest creative beauty force in Australia, Rae Morris is the definition of a makeup ‘artist’ – Box Magazine.
There are few people in the world whose name conjures up universal significance and recognition – In the enchanting world of beauty, there’s no one on Australian turf quite as prolific or as significant as Rae Morris – Karen Magazine.
She’s a professional. She’s a beauty legend in her own time, and served as a L’Oreal Beauty Expert for 10 years. She’s written the book (literally, and several) on beauty – Into The Gloss.
MY JOURNEY
I fell into makeup… well not literally, although I have done that too! I was born and raised in Brisbane, Australia, and actually started out as a hairdresser, running my own salon at 19 years of age, and it was through that profession that I found myself at the ‘Model of the World’ pageant in Istanbul in 1993. I was attending to a model’s hair whilst on the other side of the room, Naomi Campbell (one of the judges), was having her makeup done. Suddenly, there was a flurry of angry voices and her makeup artist headed for the door… in the stunned silence that followed, Naomi glared around the room and as fate would have it her gaze fell on me. ‘Fix my lips’ she said. I looked at her mouth, then at the lip gloss on the bench and with a wave of unwarranted confidence thought ‘how hard can it be?!’
I picked up the lip gloss and got to work, and as I did the door burst open and whole room erupted in a blaze of flashlights… the paparazzi had arrived. Next thing I knew, my picture was plastered all over the tabloids and my makeup career had officially begun.
Since then a lot has happened… I returned to Australia and was fortunate enough to be trained by the legendary makeup artist Richard Sharah… with his encouragement I packed my bags and moved to Sydney and since then I have had the privilege of travelling the world and working with some of the biggest names not only in fashion but on the planet!
Even after all this time, I am still so passionate about makeup.. not just the product and the art but what it can do for your confidence and in turn how your confidence can literally change your life. My goal is to bring you completely into my world, for you to see the potential in you that I as a professional makeup artist do, and in doing so change not just the way you look, but also the way you feel everyday.
Rae Morris, Backstage at L’Oreal Fashion Week, 2013
WORLD FIRST MAGNETIC BRUSHES
The Jishaku range features my world first magnetic functionality - conceptualised in 2010 and first launched in 2012 - now redesigned to blend seamlessly with the new streamlined look. The Jishaku brushes can stand securely upright on any surface a magnet will hold to (including my custom designed magnetic stands) – this takes up less space, makes the brushes extremely easy to organise and find, and is the ultimate in hygiene because the heads don’t have to be in contact with anything but your face. Plus, you can secure the brushes upside down for drying after cleaning!
To me, makeup is all about brushes. You can do more with minimal product and an incredible brush range than you can with cotton buds and drawers full of makeup.
Over time I became more passionate about brushes than anything else in my kit – over years I tested different designs and textures and in the process, almost without realising it, I came up with my own range of brushes. My brushes are the secret behind many of my most famous creations.
The culmination of this process was the Rae Morris™ Magnetic Range – everything I knew then about brushes encapsulated in one range. With the ‘Jishaku’ (magnet in Japanese) range I have now refined every brush design, lightened the handles, optimised my ‘world first’ magnetic functionality (patent pending) and I then found the best brush makers in the world, in Japan, to make them for me – these, I believe, are the best brushes in the world.
I made a personal pilgrimage to Japan to find the best brush makers to make these brush designs happen – after an extensive search, I found a company in a region with over 180 years of brush making tradition that had never made a brush for any other brand – their first project, Rae Morris.
The Jishaku range takes traditional Japanese brush making techniques and applies them to my modern designs to create the ultimate makeup brush range. Designed for efficiency and precision, the Jishaku range incorporates my 25+ years of experience as a professional makeup artist to create tools that, even in the hands of a novice, can transform makeup application.
These brushes are so light, you can actually feel the skin as you use the brush!
This is the project of which I am most proud. I’ve been using makeup brushes as a professional makeup artist for more than 25 years, and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that this is in my opinion the best brush range in the world. Jishaku combines the efficiency and precision of modern design with the ancient tradition of Japanese brush making – the perfect combination for any artist.
I personally designed and extensively tested every brush, and my team oversees all stages of production, quality control, logistics and customer service… right down to the email enquiries we receive every day.
I am particularly proud of my signature brush, the Radiance… this brush has literally changed my life. I used to air brush quite a bit, but the Radiance has changed all that. Whether it’s powder, liquid, cream or mineral foundation, this is the only brush I reach for.
You may have gathered I love my brushes… I simply couldn’t do makeup without them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
“Rae Morris has crafted brushes that are an artists dream. Every hair is suited in the perfect shape and density for the most flawlessly blended makeup application. Her unique magnetic drying system is the future of brushes. You can tell an artist created these brushes because they are absolutely perfect.”
– SARAH TANNO, Makeup Artist to Lady Gaga
BOOKS & PUBLICATIONS
What better way to share my secrets than to write them all down and give them to you! I honestly love telling you everything I know, because then I have to go out and learn new tricks… and I’m still learning. It all started with ‘Makeup, the Ultimate Guide’ back in 2008 – I wanted to create a book that would bring high-end fashion makeup into the realm of everyday life. Every single look (even the most glamorous ones) was broken down into a simple step-by-step photo guide with clear and concise instructions, so that no matter your experience, you could teach yourself. This is the format that I have stuck with ever since. The response was amazing and the book became an instant best-seller.
My first book was then followed by four others – ‘Beautiful Eyes’ (2009), ‘Express Makeup’ (2010), ‘Timeless Makeup’ (2012), and ‘Quick Looks’ (2013).
My books are now published in 8 languages and are used as the curriculum text for makeup academies around the world – I’m particularly proud of this because I’m dyslexic, I’m just more passionate than I am dyslexic!
But I haven’t finished yet, I have just released the book I’m most proud of, ‘Makeup Masterclass’. Shot over two years in Australia and New York, this book is absolutely everything I know about makeup, including brand new techniques that I have never shared before. This is the ultimate A to Z of makeup, featuring detailed instructional guides, customised colour charts and over forty beautifully photographed demonstrations on the faces of some of the world’s top models, including Victoria’s Secrets model Shanina Shaik, Alexandra Agoston and Nicole Trunfio.
Not only does this book come in a stunning limited edition 450 page hard cover, I have also done an interactive version for iPad and a pocket companion for iPhone featuring more than two and a half hours of step-by-step tutorial videos – so no matter where you go, it is like having me with you!