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A post shared by ⚡️LOTTIE⚡️ (@lottietomlinson) on Jan 30, 2017 at 8:12am PST

How has your background shaped who you are as a person?

Growing up in Doncaster and not having much in my younger years has definitely made me more humble, and it makes me appreciate what I have now so much more. Having a large family and lots of younger sisters also sparked my love for make-up and beauty -- I always had someone to practice on when I was at home.

What's your earliest make-up related memory?

Finding a Benefit highlighter in my mum's make-up bag. I asked her what it was for and she explained that it was used to accentuate your cheekbones. I just found this fascinating and started looking up make-up and what each product does on the computer; I was 12 years old.

So you've pretty much always wanted to be a make-up artist?

Yeah, even though teachers at school told me that it wasn't a proper job and I should think of something else. I was adamant that I was going to get there.

So how did you start to make it in a 'proper job'?

When I was 15 I finished my GCSEs and didn't get the grades to study make-up at sixth form. My mum said, "Why don't you go and work with Lou Teasdale for a week and get some experience, then find a make-up college?" I was convinced that she wouldn't want little old me there getting in the way, but she did and it went from there.

What is it about make-up that appeals to you?

I love the way that it can give people so much confidence; you can transform yourself and become a different person. There are also so many different things you can do with make-up; you can express yourself and be so creative. It's kind of all I've known and it has got me where I am today. I've never lost my passion for it and I think that's the main thing.

A post shared by ⚡️LOTTIE⚡️ (@lottietomlinson) on Feb 19, 2017 at 3:13pm PST

Who or what inspires you?

I get a lot of inspiration from Instagram; it's amazing to see everyone's work in one place. It's so cool to see all the trends that go round. Huda's beauty page is amazing for keeping up-to-date with all the trends.

What's your career highlight so far?

I think collaborating with Nails Inc. It was my first major project and I had so much fun with it.

What advice would you give to anyone hoping to follow in your footsteps?

I would tell them to work hard and don't give up, because it's not always easy to get there, but if you try hard enough, you can do it.

Whose make-up do you wish you could do and what would it look like?

It would obviously be a Kardashian! Who wouldn't want to do their make-up? I'd probably try using some colour.

What does beauty mean to you?

I think it means being confident and being you. It's easy to try so hard to follow trends and be like people on Instagram and online, but you should always stay true to yourself.

What are you working on next?

My book, I'm so excited! It's dedicated to all things beauty and I think it reflects me so well -- I can't wait to people to see it.

What excites you most about your creative future?