Summer time is here!!! Don't you just love this time of year?! The sunshine always puts me in a good mood. It reminds me of when I was younger and I would be on Summer break from school and the only think I had to worry about was which party I had to go to first!
No more books...especially book reports. The only time I didn't mind doing a book report was when I had to do a report on Alice In Wonderland. I knew about the story but never really paid attention to it until we had to do a report on it in school. After that I loved it! The thought of going to Wonderland, to a place of whimsy and odd characters?....that is always fun for a kid.
I guess I never really grew up from it because that story was actually my inspiration for the Spring/Summer beauty spread of Brides Noir magazine. This issue was the "Fairy Tale" issue so I went all out and had a blast creating the "Through The Looking Glass" beauty spread.
Just like in story book, I used the fun off the wall make-believe land of Wonderland to create a magical place for beauty. We had dangling watches, crowns, top hats and edible cookie staffs! From the Mad Hatter to the Queen of Hearts, I was like a kid again! It must have brought the editor-in-chief back to some happy memories as well because this was the first time that the beauty spread also became the COVER! Well....you got no complaints from me for that!
So....? Wanna see what happened when Alice jumped through the mirror too?....well go to the news stands to find out. I already know what happened!
Sometimes there is a misconception that because extensions are "fake" that you don't need to take care of them....but you do!
Beauty question: "Hi, in June i have my final exams as a makeup artist in Zurich. My model has a really dark skin and i have no idea what colour i should take for her lips. I have to do an evening makeup, photomakeup, mannequin makeup, and a wedding makeup..i know, my english is not perfect but anyway, i hope that you can help me."- from Selina in Switzerland.
Answer:
Thank you for your beauty question. Congratulations on going to school to be a makeup artist. I've been a makeup artist for over 20 years and I still love what I do. It's a great career.
No more books...especially book reports. The only time I didn't mind doing a book report was when I had to do a report on Alice In Wonderland. I knew about the story but never really paid attention to it until we had to do a report on it in school. After that I loved it! The thought of going to Wonderland, to a place of whimsy and odd characters?....that is always fun for a kid.
I guess I never really grew up from it because that story was actually my inspiration for the Spring/Summer beauty spread of Brides Noir magazine. This issue was the "Fairy Tale" issue so I went all out and had a blast creating the "Through The Looking Glass" beauty spread.Just like in story book, I used the fun off the wall make-believe land of Wonderland to create a magical place for beauty. We had dangling watches, crowns, top hats and edible cookie staffs! From the Mad Hatter to the Queen of Hearts, I was like a kid again! It must have brought the editor-in-chief back to some happy memories as well because this was the first time that the beauty spread also became the COVER! Well....you got no complaints from me for that!
So....? Wanna see what happened when Alice jumped through the mirror too?....well go to the news stands to find out. I already know what happened!
Beauty Questions
Beauty question: "I purchased foundation from Clinique's make up counter and I kept telling the sales person I have yellow undertones and she stated it did not matter and now my foundation makes my skin look ashen and greenish. Do you have any suggestions for a sheer coverage foundation for African American skin. I just want to apply it to certain areas and blend it and finish up with some bronzer."- from Shontell in Georgia.
Answer: It sounds like a poor color choice by the beauty consultant, but if you are looking for another brand to try....trust me!....there are a lot of brands that have perfect choices for you.
I recently used Stila Natural Finish Oil Free Makeup for a photo shoot and was so impressed with how it blended that I used some on myself as well. I LOVED how it felt (because it didn't feel it on my skin) and how it looked. The true golden undertones were a perfect match.
Since the foundation is "buildable", I didn't have to use a concealer. I first used a sponge apply a sheer coat as a foundation. Then I used the same sponge and kept "patting" more product in areas that I needed to conceal and it covered seamlessly. I think you will love it as much as I did.
Beauty question: "I would love to get hold of some really decent hair for weaving or a lace wig. I have a couple of events coming up and want to look my absolute best. I would love to know actually who does Shaun Robinson's hair. I know there is a lot on the market but I want to purchase what the celebrities use.
Beauty question: "I purchased foundation from Clinique's make up counter and I kept telling the sales person I have yellow undertones and she stated it did not matter and now my foundation makes my skin look ashen and greenish. Do you have any suggestions for a sheer coverage foundation for African American skin. I just want to apply it to certain areas and blend it and finish up with some bronzer."- from Shontell in Georgia.
Answer: It sounds like a poor color choice by the beauty consultant, but if you are looking for another brand to try....trust me!....there are a lot of brands that have perfect choices for you.I recently used Stila Natural Finish Oil Free Makeup for a photo shoot and was so impressed with how it blended that I used some on myself as well. I LOVED how it felt (because it didn't feel it on my skin) and how it looked. The true golden undertones were a perfect match.
Since the foundation is "buildable", I didn't have to use a concealer. I first used a sponge apply a sheer coat as a foundation. Then I used the same sponge and kept "patting" more product in areas that I needed to conceal and it covered seamlessly. I think you will love it as much as I did.
Beauty question: "I would love to get hold of some really decent hair for weaving or a lace wig. I have a couple of events coming up and want to look my absolute best. I would love to know actually who does Shaun Robinson's hair. I know there is a lot on the market but I want to purchase what the celebrities use.
Also my makeup seems to fad after a few hours especially if the venue is hot, I mean everything eyeliner, eye makeup and lipstick. Any tips." from Lornamae in London England.
Answer: I can see why you would want to look to Shaun Robinson as an example of beauty to emulate,
she is stunning. As a makeup artist, I get to see people without a stitch of makeup on their face and her skin is truly flawless without anything on it. Before I used anything I started with the Skindinavia Face and Eye primer. I use it on all of the celebrities that I work with especially for TV and video because I have less opportunities to do touch ups but there are more chances for makeup melt down while they are under those hot lights.
Answer: I can see why you would want to look to Shaun Robinson as an example of beauty to emulate,
she is stunning. As a makeup artist, I get to see people without a stitch of makeup on their face and her skin is truly flawless without anything on it. Before I used anything I started with the Skindinavia Face and Eye primer. I use it on all of the celebrities that I work with especially for TV and video because I have less opportunities to do touch ups but there are more chances for makeup melt down while they are under those hot lights.For hair extensions or wigs I suggest using natural instead of synthetic, so you can have more versatility by being able to blow dry or curl the hair with hair tools when you want another look. Another benefit is the option of natural over synthetic is to be able to color the hair to match yours to make detection less noticeable.
One brand that is favorite amongst celebrities is Great Lengths. They have a variety of hair colors and hair textures. Their extensions are also applied "strand by strand", instead of a long weft, to make hair flows naturally as it moves....even on a windy days.
Sometimes there is a misconception that because extensions are "fake" that you don't need to take care of them....but you do!The best way to keep hair in good shape, even extensions, is to keep give them the moisture and conditioning they need to keep them flexible and shiny. You can use cruelty-free products like David Babaii For Wild Aid shampoos and conditioners. They have a variety of hair products that you can use on your hair and your extensions, and 10% of each dollar you spend is donated to Wildaid to better the environment. So you can look good and also do good for the earth.
Beauty question: "Hi, in June i have my final exams as a makeup artist in Zurich. My model has a really dark skin and i have no idea what colour i should take for her lips. I have to do an evening makeup, photomakeup, mannequin makeup, and a wedding makeup..i know, my english is not perfect but anyway, i hope that you can help me."- from Selina in Switzerland.
Answer:
Thank you for your beauty question. Congratulations on going to school to be a makeup artist. I've been a makeup artist for over 20 years and I still love what I do. It's a great career. I'm not going to tell you exactly what to use because that would defeat the purpose of having a "test" but I will give you some advice.
The best makeup artists are known for breaking the rules! So the best thing to do is to get your "hands dirty" and do a practice run before the test by trying several shades on your model. Don't be afraid to try mixing the ones that you THOUGHT might not work with other colors. It will help you to LEARN how to be a good makeup artist and let your creativity move you to perform.
One of my favorite shoots was for a spread called "What Inspires you?". I created crazy lashes for the model to wear...when I wasn't even sure how or IF it was going to work. By letting my creativity move me, I was able to come up with a way to do it and it turned out amazing.
So don't be afraid to let yourself CREATE! Good luck!
Next month will be more beauty answers so keep sending me those questions!
MY FAVORITE THINGS
Next month will be more beauty answers so keep sending me those questions!
MY FAVORITE THINGS
As a 
makeup artist, you try not to wear a lot of heavy fragrances, especially in the hot weather. The last thing you want to do is make your client pass out because your fragrance took over their oxygen.
makeup artist, you try not to wear a lot of heavy fragrances, especially in the hot weather. The last thing you want to do is make your client pass out because your fragrance took over their oxygen. So I decided to look for a few more fragrances that I could wear that everyone would love to smell while I wore it. A fragrance that would make me feel pretty and fresh, not sticky and too sweet. You know that smell...when you let soda pop sit in the your car and the hot sun beats down on it. Yeah...it just smells like thick sticky syrup? Yuck!...that is NOT what I wanted.
Low and behold I found a fragrance...well 2 actually....BONUS for me! Victoria's Secrets has a new collection called the Beauty Rush Tropical Cocktails. Who wants to say NO to a cocktail? 
Ummm...not me! So I tried the Lotta Colada and the scent brought me back to the time when I was in Jamacia. It was fruity yet not too sweet or overpowering. It was light and fresh, and of course....sexy!...it's from Victoria's Secrets, what else would it be?
Ummm...not me! So I tried the Lotta Colada and the scent brought me back to the time when I was in Jamacia. It was fruity yet not too sweet or overpowering. It was light and fresh, and of course....sexy!...it's from Victoria's Secrets, what else would it be?The other fragrance was for my man. What?!....Did you think I would leave him out? My husband isn't really a "fragrance" kind of guy but when I got a whiff of the Tommy Hilfiger's Summer Private Cabana fragrance, I knew it was too perfect to pass up. It has a unique mixture of driftwood backed with the cool notes of Spearment leaves that gives it a crispness that I knew he would like. Kind of like fresh washed sheets blowing in the wind. Love it...and so did my man!
Wow! All this talk about cocktails and sheets makes me want to take a vacation! I think I'll go check on a weekend get away! bye!
