Glow Up - Britain's Next Make-Up Star, Series 4

Season 4 of the BBC TV reality make-up show, Glow Up - Britain's Next Make-Up Star, was broadcast in May 2022, hosted by TV host Maya Jama, with contestants judged by professional make-up artists (MUA) Valerie Garland (L’Oréal Paris Global Makeup Director and British Vogue Contributing Beauty Editor) and Dominic Skinner (Global Senior Artist at Mac Cosmetics). Studio filming takes place at BBC Elstree Centre.

This contestants in this series are:

• Adam, retail MUA, 21 (he/him) of Pakistani family origin, birth name Asad.
• Charlie, office worker, 22, (he/she/they). A self-taught MUA suffering from gender dysphoria. They have a young daughter.
• Kris, retail MUA, 28 (he/him) from Donegal. A gym-goer. Kris works with circus performers at a circus themed club in Soho.
• Lisa, primary school teacher, 26 (she/her). A self-taught MUA who has only ever applied make-up on herself, started experimenting from year 7.
• Mikaél, loss prevention officer, 23 (he/him) grew up in Ghana and moved to London as a teenager. Has been a make-up artist for less than a year.

• Nancé, freelance MUA, 29 (she/her). Born in Congo, moved to the UK at 9 and has been a freelance MUA for almost ten years. She had an ectopic pregnancy aged 23 has no children, but is especially close to her niece, Layla, who also wants to be an artist. She considers herself an under-dog. 
• Rachel, pharmaceutical rep, 24 (she/her), whose first experience wearing make-up was a Prom in her Year 11.
• Ryan, student, 20 (he/him) from Bolton. Specialises in avant-garde looks. He is a survivor of the 2017 attack at the Manchester Arena Ariana Grande concert.
• Sophie, retail MUA, 26 (they/them). "I'm not a weightlifting person, more of a frolic-in-the-forest kind of person!"
• Yong-Chin Breslin, nanny, 25 (she/her). A fashion design university graduate.

Episode One - Gymshark / Hidden Strength

First Challenge: Make-up for a social media campaign for a sport and fitness brand.

Filming Location: Headquarters of Gymshark, Solihill, Birmingham. Pictures.

Guest judge: Ivy Weir-Ikpeme, Gymshark Styling Manager, who graduated from University of Creative Arts in Farnham, and has worked previously with Swarovski and MyTheresa. She is looking for healthy, dewy skin and no heavy foundation as your skin should be able to breathe. Dermatologist Dr Anjali Mahto consults on whether the looks are skin friendly.

Instructions: 25% of responders to a survey of Gymshark's 17m social media followers said they wear make-up to the gym. The contestants must create a natural make-up look that is durable for a workout, keeps health at its core, stops followers from scrolling on by and gets them looking at the Gymshark campaign. It must include a "fitspiration" feature, with one fierce element, and yet still look achievable.

Time: Two hours. Prize: Winner's look will go live across Gymshark's social media channels. Winner: Lisa.  Red Chairs: Nancé, Ryan.

Creative Brief: doing make-up on themselves, "create a look that tells us your hidden strength", with a bold, dramatic look, "pushing creativity to the limits and showcasing your talents"

Time: Two and a half hours (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: Yong-Chin.  Red Chairs: Charlie and Mikaél.

Face-Off Elimination: Charlie and Mikaél

Challenge: Reverse Cat Eye  Instructions: The key to achieving this look is a fierce hand with a confident brush stroke. Using gel liner, apply along the bottom lash line. This is a bold line with one end reaching past the tear duct and the other stretching to an upward flick. The judges are looking for clean lines and symmetry.  Time: 15 minutes

Winner: Mikaél   Leaver: Charlie.

Episode Two - Cirque du Soleil / Body paint

First Challenge: Make-up for a live performance at Cirque du Soleil.

Filming Location: Royal Albert Hall.

Guest judge: Maryse Gosselin, make-up designer and lead MUA with Cirque du Soleil, based in Canada.

Instructions: Each MUA must replicate a look for one character in the cast, following a detailed design guide.

Time: Two hours. Prize: 15 minutes of advice from guest judge Maryse in the next challenge. Winner: Mikaél.  Red Chairs: Ryan, Kris.

Creative Brief: "high impact bodypainted looks inspired by all things weird and wonderful, to deliver a dramatic over-the-top look"

Time: Three and a half hours (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: Lisa.  Red Chairs: Adam, Rachel.

Face-Off Elimination: Adam and Rachel

Challenge: Mermaid lip  Instructions: A mermaid lip that shimmers with an aqua metallic finish. For a mermaid lip start by taking the teal and the pink lip colours and apply them to different areas of the lip. Subtly blend those colours together with a brush where they meet. Press varied glitter colours to the lip until the lip is completely covered. Judges are looking for a symmetrical, well-balanced lip shape and seamless colour blending.  Time: 15 minutes

Winner: Rachel.  Leaver: Adam.

Episode Three - Monsters and Creatures

First Challenge: Create a new creature inspired by those in the latest Doctor Who series.

Guest judge: Danny Marie Elias, prosthetics designer for Doctor Who.

Instructions: Your alien character must look authentic. The prosthetics must have a flawless application. Covering is vitally important, on both skin and prosthetics. The look must stand up to 12 hours on set.

Time: Two and a half hours. Prize: Opportunity to work with Danny Marie in the future. Winner: Ryan.  Red Chairs: Mikaél, Yong-Chin.

Creative Brief: "monstrous mutation"

Time: (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: Ryan.  Red Chairs: Mikaél, Yong-Chin.

Face-Off Elimination: Mikaél, Yong-Chin

Challenge: Floating Pearl Eyeliner  Instructions: Key to a floating pearl eyeliner is placement. First work out where the centre pearl will be. To apply your pearls work from the centre outwards from largest to smallest towards the tear duct first. Repeat this process towards the outer corner of the eye. Time: 15 minutes

Winner: Yong-Chin.  Leaver: Mikaél.

Episode Four - Beauty

First Challenge: Picture-perfect party looks.

Guest judge: Marjorie Lacombe-Jelinek, Global Art Director for H&M Beauty since Aug 2021, a Harvard University graduate and former Art Director at Sephora.

Instructions: A summer beauty campaign for global retailer H&M. The theme for the campaign is Summer Night Party. The judges want to see bright, colourful make-up looks with a focus on the vivid H&M eyeliners, eye shadows and lip colours, as well as fresh skin with a top-notch glow. It needs to be inspiring enough to catch the customer's attention, but it can't be too far out there. It must be detailed, precise and perfect.

Filming Location: Holborn Studios, N1 7ED

Time: Two hours. Prize: Winning look will go live in the campaign in 50 countries to be seen by millions.  Winner: Rachel.  Red Chairs: Kris, Sophie.

Creative Brief: A creative look inspired by a season of change, showcasing your skills and story.

Time: Two and a half hours (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: None.  Red Chairs: Sophie, Yong-Chin.

Face-Off Elimination:  Sophie, Yong-Chin

Time: 15 minutes  Challenge: Powder Matte Red Lip  Instructions: To create the perfect powder matte red lip start by taking your lip pencil and draw around the edge of your lip, ensuring you get a nice, clean, sharp edge. Follow this by filling in the lip with a matte lip colour. Dust a little loose powder on the chin to help catch any fallout. Then take a small, fluffy brush and slowly press the red pigment onto the lipstick, starting in the centre of the lip, working your way out to the outer edge. Sweep away the loose powder and any pigment fallout, leaving you with the perfect powder matte lip. 

Winner: Yong-Chin.  Leaver: Sophie.

Episode Five - Rolling Stone UK / Be Remembered

First Challenge: A make-up look for legendary music magazine Rolling Stone UK.

Guest judges:  Hector Espinal, Fenty Beauty global make-up artist and one of Rihanna's personal MUAs, creator of her iconic 2021 Met Gala look, Cliff Joannou, editor-in-chief, Rolling Stone UK.

Instructions: Create a look for Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Jayda G who has performed on the world's biggest stages from Glastonbury to Coachella. The brief is 90's raver, inspired by the bright colours and atmosphere of the '90s rave club scene. Jayda loves clean-looking make-up, and today she wants real emphasis around the eyes and a stand-out bold lip, with amazing skin. 

Time: Two hours.  Prize: Winning look will be applied to Jayda G herself for a photoshoot to be seen online and in print.  Winner: Rachel.  Red Chairs: Lisa, Ryan.

Creative Brief: We want you to produce a statue that shows us how you want to be remembered. Your look could be about your personal journey, your current achievements or your future ambitions. You must include the head and shoulders and one 3D element. Be brave and show us something that we will never forget.

Time: Two hours 30 (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: Yong-Chin, Lisa, Kris.  Red Chairs: Ryan, Rachel.

Face-Off Elimination:  Ryan, Rachel

Time: 20 minutes  Challenge: Rectangular, crystal, blocked brow  Instructions: To create the perfect gemstone brow, start by marking the baseline with a skintone pencil. Draw straight across to the lowest point of the brow on the outside edge. Apply lash glue to this line, and once it starts getting tacky, start applying your gemstones to the brow, working from one brow to the other in rotation. When the first line is complete, repeat the process to the line above. Keep repeating this process until the natural brow is covered and only the gemstone brow is visible. 

Winner: Rachel.  Leaver: Ryan.

Episode Six - Instagram Filter

First Challenge: Makeup looks that can be converted into an Instagram filter.

Guest judges:  Paige Piskin digital XR/AR makeup artist, whose looks have been shared over 100m times. Meta AR specialist Dan Moller.

Instructions: Create a make-up look that is innovative and share-worthy. Think about how your design will translate and stand out on the platform. When creating your effects it is important to consider making them innovative, share-worthy and inclusive. Think about a special element that will make them pop. If it is too subtle it will too much like make-up. The AR shape will be used on lots of different face shapes so any lines you create could potentially warp and change.

Time: Two hours.  Prize: All looks will be released as Instagram filters, but the winning look will be promoted to Piskin's 1m followers.  Winners: Yong-Chin, Lisa.  Red Chairs: Nancé, Rachel.

Creative Brief:  Yesterday you created AR makeup looks. Today create a look that transforms your model into a walking, talking, living avatar. Produce a bold and creative digital representation of a person which has a clear story. 

Time:  2 hours 30 mins (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: None.  Red Chairs: Nancé, Rachel.

Face-Off Elimination:  Nancé, Rachel

Time: 10 minutes  Challenge:  Midnight Blue Vinyl Lip Instructions: A steady hand, sharp edges are key to creating a sultry midnight blue vinyl blue lip. Use a lip pencil to create a balanced, precise shape. Fill in the lip with lipstick, remembering to keep within the borders of the lip line. Go back with your pencil to finesse and perfect your lip shape. Finally, apply a generous amount of gloss, concentrating on the centre of the lip. Judges are looking for shape and precision. Shiny, not sloppy.  

Winner: Nancé.  Leaver: Rachel.

Episode Seven - London Fashion Week

First Challenge: Apply make-up looks for the Mark Fast show at London Fashion Week.

Guest judge: Pablo Rodriguez, born in Argentina, moved to London in early 2000s and former Senior MUA for MAC Pro Team, has studied at London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, best know for his make-up work for high fashion labels and fashion shows.

Instructions: The make-up needs to be applied quickly, but must also be uniform and up to the same standard on every model. At least two looks are required; any that are not up to standard will be pulled and replaced. The looks need to be perfect. Speed, confidence and execution are key.

Time: Two hours. Prize: Artist with the stand out look will assist Pablo on a future shoot.  Winner: Yong-Chin.  Red Chairs: Kris, Nancé.

Creative Brief: Over the years Fashion Week has been the place for inspirational, outrageous and rebellious looks. Produce a look that tells us about a moment of rebellion in your life. Show us something that goes against the norm and breaks the rules.

Time: Two and a half hours (15 mins less for the red chairs).

Ding-Dong: Yong-Chin, Lisa.  Red Chairs: Kris, Nancé.

Face-Off Elimination: Kris, Nancé

Time: 15 minutes  Challenge: Black Oval Eye  Instructions: For this high fashion graphic black oval eye load up the top and bottom waterline with loads of black eye pencil, working it into the root of the lash with a short, stumpy make-up brush. Using the round edge of a large eye shadow brush, which is saturated in gel liner, press it against the outside edge of the eyelid, and sweep down into the corner of the eye. Repeat this process starting from the inner corner and connect these two black marks and fill it in with black gel liner. Lightly blend some black eye shadow around the black oval shape to soften the edge. And what you'll be left with is a catwalk-ready graphic black oval eye. 

Winner: Kris.  Leaver: Nancé.

Episode Eight - The Final

Finalists: Kris, Lisa, Yong-Chin.

First Challenge: Make-up masterclass.

Location: Samsung KX, Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross, London.

Guest judges: Manny MUA, a YouTube make-up star since July 2014 with over 4.5m subscribers and 500m views across his various social media channels. Rankin, photographer and director with over 30 years of experience.

Instructions: Prepare and deliver a MUA masterclass, with 30 minutes to demonstrate a signature look, one that tells the audience who the MUA is and what helps them stand out from the crowd. The masterclass will be presented to a panel of influential industry experts, each of whom has a collaboration on offer. Judging will be on skill, technique and style, as well as personality.

Additional masterclass judges: Liz Hambleton, Head of Creative and Content, Space NK, Terry de Gunzberg, By Terry, Amanda Knight Monger, movie MUA, Mona Leanne, Tess Daly, Dominic Cadogan, Jordan Rossi, Ateh Jewel, Munroe Bergdorf, Naomie Pike, Loz Schiavo, Joe Dulude II, Maria Asadi.

Time: One day to prepare a look, 30 minutes for the masterclass. Prize: Collaboration with an industry expert.  Winners: Kris - a collaboration with Amanda Knight; Yong-Chin - a 1-2-1 masterclass with Mona Leanne and work with Space NK; Lisa - assisting Loz Schiavo on her next project and creating a bespoke palette with Terry de Gunzberg.  Red Chairs: None.

Creative Brief: Create a look inspired by your make-up metamorphosis, your final chance to unleash everything creatively you have to offer. Show us the MUA you plan to be in the next chapter of your make-up career.

Time: Two and a half hours.

Ding-Dong: Lisa.  Eliminated: Kris.

Final Face-Off: Lisa, Yong-Chin.

Time: 30 minutes  Challenge: Fashion Full Beat  Instructions: We want you to do a smoked eye using three colours - yellow into blue, blue into black, and your black will be your smoked-out liner. We want a flawless natural skin, a brushed brow, and a tinted, glazed lip. Every element of your look must be flawlessly executed.  

Winner: The winner of Glow Up - Britain's Next Make-Up Star, Series 4, was Yong-Chin, to which the winner exclaimed "Shut Up!".