I'm at a time in my life now where I feel like I'm in limbo. I was never too bothered about school and the research company I was working for has now laid me off as they had to get rid of half their staff.
The industry I REALLY want to be involved in is makeup and fashion. I'm only 19 and feel a little bit out of my depth. I've started looking at makeup colleges and schools and they've VERY expensive (maybe thats a London thing?) but it's really what I want to do.
Does anyone have any advice/knowledge they could share with me?
Thanks!

You'd probably be best looking at a degree/HND course, so you can get a student loan. A private college might cost you a huge amount, and the qualification at the end might not be worth a lot.

Actually I used to work as a make-up artist and you don't need to go to an expensive school if you want to work in fashion, none of the people I worked with or aspired to work with went to beauty school. The best education I got was from other make-up artists who were working on the types of jobs I wanted to do. You don't need a degree, nobody cares! It's all about what you can do, the only exception I ever came across was that I couldn't work in salons because I didn't have an aestheticians license (but who cares the pay sucks in salon jobs). This could be different in the UK but I doubt it (a few artists I worked under reguraly worked London fashion week and they have nothing more than high school diplomas).

Best thing I could say is invest your money instead in a few good books (the 3 by Kevin Aucoin are the best ever) and just practice the techniques. Considering you live in London (I'm jealous) it shouldn't be hard to find some great make-up artists who you could talk to and hell ask about apprenticing - that would be the best way of getting into the biz. There are some agencies that specialize in representing make-up artists, stylists, etc. Find them and go ask the're advice too (they could also maybe hook you up with pros).

Good Luck, it's hard work but totally more than worth it. I hope that helped you a bit.

P.S. Confidence, persistence, and a thick skin are the things you need to stay alive in fashion. If you have those it's not scary and you'll make it.

before i turned 19 i went to school for aesthetics, which involves skincare and they also taught us proper make up application, etc. if i were still in the state of fl i could use my license to be a makeup artist (not a big timer, but a start).

look into that, but i dont know if that applies in the uk as well.

I work as a make up artist and I don't have any formal beauty qualifications, although I do plan to get some next year so that I will be able to work in salons.
Totally agree about the having a thick skin part. The industry is full of two faced bitches and queens.
I'm learning to toughen up fast, despite having to deal with orange faced Pussycat Doll wannabees all day.
It's bloody awful but I love make up and want to work my up to MAC, so I'm perservering.
Good luck with it all.