Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall - 2011 Mentors

Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall are the beauty duo behind make-up brand, Ruby and Millie. A regular on Marie Claire beauty shoots, Ruby is an internationally acclaimed make-up artist

Ruby Hammer and Millie Kendall are the beauty duo behind make-up brand, Ruby and Millie. A regular on Marie Claire beauty shoots, Ruby is an internationally acclaimed make-up artist.

We caught up to talk inspiration and her own experiences of mentoring.

What fired your ambition? I studied economics at university, but afterwards I had a lull where I wondered what to do with my life. I started to assist a make-up artist and never looked back. I became a fully-fledged make-up artist, joined an agency and that was it.

What’s the best piece of careers advice you’ve been given? Don’t come into the industry expecting glamour and money. Make-up artists are the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night.

MEET THE REST OF THE 2011 MENTORS HERE

What makes a good mentor? It’s important to have practical experience. I’ve been in the industry 25 years and am still learning.

Millie Kendall is Ruby’s business partner. She started her own beauty PR company and is responsible for launching brands including L’Occitane and Tweezerman.

What’s been a career high? Ruby and I have had some memorable trips together but the highlight was being awarded an MBE for our contribution to the cosmetics industry. When I worked for Shu Uemura, he named a pair of sunglasses after me which was pretty amazing!

What makes a good mentor? Honesty is important. You need to be able to share opinions and not be afraid to be critical or honest.

WANT TO BE MENTORED? CLICK HERE

OR JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND BECOME A MARIE CLAIRE MENTOR, HERE