- Working in L.A.: The “Working In” series is a staple of the Powder Group’s education series. Personally, having worked my whole career in Los Angeles, I think L.A. is a tricky market and I was interested to hear what the panelists – Koren Zander & Bryin Smoot – both freelance artists along with Lori Taylor, in-house artist for Smashbox Cosmetics and Sarah Lucero, lead artist for Stila Cosmetics) and facilitated by makeup artist James Vincent – would have to say about it. I would have changed the format for this workshop just a bit. The panelists were obviously highly knowledgable, however there was no directed line of conversation. The floor was, instead, immediately opened for questions and as such the questions directed the flow of the seminar. Most of the questions were quite basic – which is fine because people are there to learn – but for artists like my friend who I was with who has already gotten herself firmly implanted on agency assist lists and is working jobs via agents as well as her own Key jobs and is definitely a more intermediate level artist – there wasn’t a whole lot of new information. Not to mention more established artists like myself (but really, I was there more in Blogger capacity). I think there is just an underlying assumption that artists at these shows are complete newbies and that’s not the case so I’d still like to see the shows develop more content for intermediate and advanced – working – artists.

Exhibitors/Shopping:
The floor was jam packed with tempting goodies. I managed to just take a walk-thru and not spend every dime I had right off the bat but here are a few of the folks I plan to go back to today;

- Korres: Y’all know how much I love Korres so ’nuff said there, but they had their fabulous Provitamin Mascara there at a show price as well as some new items I’ve not tried yet. Trade shows are a great time to try new products at great prices, and Korres is one of the few naturally derived lines that works well for both personal and professional use. If you aren’t hip to Korres already, be sure to check them out!

- Ingot: I couldn’t get to a person to get actual assistance so I’ll have to go back today but in addition to their vast array of products they have something called a “Freedom Palette” that I need to go investigate.

- Yaby: Disclaimer – Liz Yu, founder of Yaby, is a friend. However, her line is great so I don’t have to feel guilty about being completely biased. I am giving myself a late pass for just now discovering the fabulous Pearl Paint eyeshadows but I’ll be rectifying that by buying the palette today.

and the Big Winner:

-I Nuovi: I teach periodically at the MKC Academy and founder Margaret Kimura is the new Creative Director for I-Nuovi cosmetics, so I wanted to check the line out. I haven’t been this impressed with a line in a long, long time. Beautiful colors, beautiful textures, beautiful pigmentations (all the colors showed true and beautiful on my dark skintone), an impressively comprehensive array of products… I’ll be real I felt about I-Nuovi the way I thought I was going to feel about Inglot. I was completely blown away by this new line and I think I Nuovi has definite Cult Status potential.

So what does the Makeup Show have to offer? Like most Trade shows, The Makeup Show is a combination of classes and industry-specific exhibitors. Unlike other trade shows, however, the classes are seamlessly integrated into the exhibition space and most of them are included in the entrance price to the show (the Hands-On/Master classes are separate and carry an additional fee). In my opinion this is really key because as fun as the shopping is at a Trade show – and it is fun, let me tell you – the most important thing an artist can get out of a show is really the education. Newbie or old saw, we all need to stay on top of what’s current in our industry and we can all stand to learn some new techniques and information. Some of the floor workshops that caught my eye are;

• HD Makeup for Print Media Covers – Mary Erickson for Graftobian
Mary is a long-time artist and a mentor to many of us who work in the So Cal market. Her store, Camera Ready Cosmetics, has become one of the online go-to shopping venues for professional artists. (And I love Graftobian HD foundations and their dual finish powder foundations)

Working in LA – Presented by The Powder Group
Let’s be real; Having pretty pictures and a website is nice, but the goal is to get people to hire you. Each market has it’s own quirks and LA is one of the trickiest, IMO so this is a great opportunity to learn how to navigate this marketplace.

The Bulletproof Bride: Durable Bridal Makeup – Kevin James Bennett for Make Up For Ever
In today’s market, most artists are going to start out their career at least partially with Bridal clients. Thinking long-term, however, these techniques are beneficial not only for artists who do bridal but later in your career if you start doing events and Red Carpet, that makeup has to last all night long…

Strengthening Your Online Presence – Victoria Stiles for The Powder Group
I’m definitely attending this workshop. If there is one area of the business that has changed the most, it’s how the internet and specifically Social Media have changed promotion and marketing in this business. I warn you now; Keep up or be left behind.

In addition to the floor workshops, there is full schedule of Keynote speakers (featuring heavy-hitters such as Eve Pearl and Joanna Schlip) as well as a multitude of fantastic hands-on workshops taking place both days, so be sure to check the schedule and see which ones strike your fancy (my makeup buddy Kathy Aragon is teaching two classes. Go Kat!).

On the shopping end there are too many exciting vendors (Becca, Stila, Korres, Smashbox) and too many exciting things to go into (apparently MUFE is introducing Hi-Def Blush!!!). I’ll be covering most of that after the show, after I’ve had a chance to use the new products. However I do want to specifically point out that Inglot Cosmetics is going to have a booth at this year’s show. If memory serves they were in attendance last year, but not selling product. What’s the big deal? Inglot is one of the new “it” lines from Europe currently sweeping the makeup landscape. Their products are highly pigmented and come on a vast array of beautiful colors and textures. The rub? Inglot isn’t available anywhere on the West Coast yet. In fact, they aren’t available anywhere in the US except the one store they’ve opened in New York city. Hopefully this will change soon but in the meantime, us West Coast glamazons will have to get our Inglot while the gettin’ is good!

This Fashion Week marked a couple of significant changes in the fashion landscape – one bittersweet and one tragic. First, after 16 years, this will be the last Fashion Week to take place in the tents at Bryant Park. Come September for the Spring shows, Fashion Week will take place in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center. On the sad side, this came after much dispute and scuttlebutt about interference with public usage of the park. Even Mayor Bloomberg intervened on the behalf of the fashion community, but ultimately it was decided that the Tents should move. On the plus side the new location is said to offer more space to the designers and attendees. While change is often for the better, it is important to acknowledge the end of an era. Fashion Week will undoubtedly have a different feel come the Spring shows.

The other reason Fashion Week – New York and around the world – will feel quite different from now on is the sudden and untimely death of designer Alexander McQueen. McQueen died Thursday – reportedly suicide – at 40 years old. Needless to say this has rocked the fashion world. Every time I read about it somewhere I could not believe it, and even typing about it now I just cannot believe it. McQueen was known as an agitator and an innovator but he was no gimmick. He was a gifted tailor and craftsman and underneath all the showmanship and extravaganza were impeccably designed and constructed clothing. He was a one of a kind legend, and he will be missed.

1 ) Stating the Obvious – Maybelline Great Lash and L’oreal Volumizer mascaras. Let’s just get these out of the way. Every makeup artist I know has one or the other or both in their kit. I’m a Great Lash girl, myself. Yes it’s thick. Yes it can be goopy. Yes you have to work it. But the rewards are worth the effort and I think Great Lash is just one of the best cosmetics products ever, drugstore, prestige, or professional.

2 ) Sonia Kashuk Cosmetics – I’m always surprised how many people aren’t hip with Sonia Kashuk cosmetics. A high-end makeup artist (with clientele such as Cindy Crawford and Kim Bassinger), Kashuk decided to make a department store quality brand available in a mass market retailer (Target). By simplifying the packaging instead of the product, the Sonia Kashuk line was able to keep the quality where it matters most. Notable items in the line are the “How to Create a Smokey Eye” palette, and the mighty, mighty “Arch Alert” brow kit. Of the items I discuss in this article, the Arch Alert kit along with Great Lash are the two absolute must-have staples for my Kit.

3 ) Vichy – Skipping to skincare, Vichy is a fantastic line. I don’t know what’s happening nationally, but here in Los Angeles you can actually get Vichy at good ole CVS (which is like Long’s Drugs, Duane Reade, etc.). Vichy is particularly known for it’s hydrating products that are great for oily and/or reactive skin and it’s anti aging products. The rub – Vichy is on the higher end of drugstore in terms of pricing. Of particular note are the Normaderm Pro Mat Ultra Moisturizer and the Reti-C Intensive Corrective Care moisturizer. Vichy also used to make the best lip balm ever. I mean ever. And then they discontinued it. Why do companies do this???

4 ) Black Radiance and Black Opal Cosmetics – One of the things that makeup artists don’t like about drugstore brands vs. professional brands is that drugstore brands are usually not very well pigmented. Because of this the colors don’t read true, and the product wears off quickly. Want true colors that last? Look to brands made for black consumers. Due to the increased skin pigment, the makeup products made for black skin has to have more pigment or it just won’t show up. I mention both of these two brands because I think they both have their strengths. Black Opal has been touted by makeup artists such as Sam Fine and Dick Page for years because their foundations and powders are actually quite good (the line was initially developed by a black dermatologist). They also have a great selection of bronzers and lipcolors. Black Radiance has surprisingly good eyeshadows and eyeliners in all the bright, fun colors. They are smooth and creamy enough to actually blend (most drugstore brands are too dry and chalky) and again, they are pigmented enough where you can actually see the color.

Ms. Floyd influenced many an artist – myself included – through her work. As a young aspiring makeup artist I followed with baited breath as Roxanna Floyd made up one fabulous famous face after another for the famed covers of Essence magazine building a clientele that would include Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Ashanti and Halle Berry. In a time when it was common to hire one makeup artist for certain magazine covers and another for films and TV appearances and yet another for advertising featuring celebrities, Roxanna Floyd broke the mold and worked with her clients through all of their projects in all mediums. As one of the first very high end working African-American makeup artists she changed the face of beauty for African-Americans and later in her career she would lend her talents as a consultant for cosmetics companies and advertisers. In short, Roxanna Floyd was a legend in the world of makeup.

There really aren’t enough words for how influential Ms. Floyd has been to my own career. Even though I ultimately came to work in a different market segment for a different clientele, Ms. Floyd proved to me that a ) someone, and a female someone, who looked like me could work at the highest levels in this profession and b ) African-American beauty IS distinctive, unique and beautiful

Picking out the best of for the Grammy’s was a bit more challenging than the Golden Globes. To be honest, there was a lot of Just OK in my opinion. Personal taste aside, there was also a lot of the same look going on. All of my makeup friends made the same comments all over Twitter – too many smokey eyes going on, and all pretty much the same heavy black/charcoal smokey eye. That’s the thing – smokey eyes can actually vary quite a bit, can be achieved through the use of a lot of different colors and create a look that is both dramatic and new and fresh. Alas, most ladies stick to the heavy black/charcoal variety. A well done dark smokey eye is never a bad look, but lets just say it’s a look that’s been around for a long time now if you catch my drift..