Former Ullswater pupil Lauren, 24, studied at Carlisle College for two years before studying with top flight make-up artists at the School of Make-up in Manchester.
While saving up for the course, she worked in beauty therapy at the North Lakes Hotel & Spa then Armathwaite Hall.
Since qualifying, Lauren has worked on shoots for Italian-made Manchester label Lino Bianco with Penrith model Christina Muirhead and as make-up artist to Jules B blogger Rebecca Eland.
Lauren also works with Penrith studio photographer Simon Anderson at his St Andrew’s Place premises where she does clients’ make-up before portrait sittings.
She said: "I like doing a lot of creative shoots, which have appeared in the American magazines Pump and Photoshoot.
"I’ve worked quite a bit with photographer Katie Johnston. We’ve done a lot of portfolio building shoots together. Katie started getting noticed then she was found by Lino Bianco and she asked me to do the make-up.
"I also did the shoot with Rebecca Eland. I know Beck from school. Me and her and photographer Camilla Lucina are all friends.
"When I finished school I went to do beauty therapy at Carlisle College. There was a competition between all the northern colleges. I won first prize and my first set of professional brushes for party make-up.
"I decided I wanted to go to the School of Make-up. All the teachers at that place have had incredible careers in fashion and TV but it cost £2,500, although it’s much more now. I saved it up myself. I was really stubborn about it.
"I asked for Bobbi Brown’s Make-up Manual for my 17th birthday. This was what I read and then thought I want to be a make-up artist. I’ve read it so many times.
"With any job you get a bit of a down patch then I read Art & Make-up by Lan Nguyen-Grealis. It’s so inspiring. It goes from high-end fashion through to really crazy work."
* The full version of this interview appears in this month's Carlisle Living, on sale now.
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