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the Bay Bridge at night…
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OK, blog post not happening today – and hasn’t happened this week – due to technical errors within the custom theme I’m using. (I had this blog custom designed for me several incarnations of WordPress ago, and it’s starting to show signs of age).
Thanks for your patience and readership. Look for a re-designed Makeup to Go! coming SOON.
the Invitation
This past Monday, Los Angeles area makeup artists were able to forget (or drown if need be) their tax sorrows and engage with one of the premier makeup artists in the world, Val Garland. The Master Class event was hosted by MAC Pro and held at Milk Studios. If you are not familiar with Ms. Garland’s work, well, you have some homework to do now dontcha? 
If you are one of my past students, or a regular reader of MTG or have in any way heard me discuss the Fashion Week cycle, you will have heard me say that there are truly about 8-10 artists who key the vast majority of ALL of the shows. Val Garland is one of those artists. She is also responsible for some of the most iconic fashion editorial images of the current day, and her reach even extends into pop culture as she has been Lady Gaga’s primary artist for several years now. She is an artist on the level that even if you do not know her name, if you are into makeup artistry, you know her work.
Val Garland’s presentation on Monday was a retrospective – including live demonstration – on a selection of some of her most well known makeup designs from her work with Lady Gaga to her runway work for designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. A picture is worth a thousand words as they say, so here are my images from the event. I will say that nearly everyone I spoke to walked away thoroughly inspired. Val Garland’s presentation was the type of event that reminds you why you wanted to become a makeup artist.
the Program
The master herself, Val Garland…
this is one of the Lady Gaga designs…
face coated with EA 8-Hour Cream and literally dipped into a plate of Glitter. Awesome.
flowers/body makeup is part of the makeup design…
One of my favorites
Good crowd, DJ, tray pass hors d’oeuvres, tray pass wine, champagne & martinis. Very nice event!
…and a Goodie bag! Thanks much to MAC…
In the 80′s the look of this video was everywhere, since that time the look has become iconic. Robert Palmer’s (RIP) “Addicted to Love” may have been a catchy tune, but it no doubt became the massive hit that it did due to the massive popularity of the music video. Nothing really even happens in the video, what’s legendary about the video is the look and aesthetic, both of which were heavily dependent on the game-changing makeup designed by makeup artist, Martin Pretorius. Watch as Martin Pretorius HIMSELF demos how he created this look. That’s right my friends, this is not an “interpretation”, this is the real deal by the artist who created it. Enjoy and learn… (video starts after the commercial)
and in case I have any readers who are so scary-young they’ve never seen the “Addicted to Love” video…
Many thanks to superfab in her own right makeup artist Stella Kae for producing this tutorial and posting it to YouTube and sharing with all of us!
array of cosmetics supplied by Milani
Did she say “Milani Cosmetics”? Yep, sure did. Regular readers of MTG will note that I do not largely discuss mass-market/”drugstore” cosmetics brands because I do not generally use these brands. I am not default 100% against these brands (I use and have talked about some Maybelline and NYX products, for example), but I hold ALL cosmetics – regardless of price point – to a certain standard of performance. Therefore if a product line does not work or if they “work OK for the price”, I will likely not be discussing it here. The Makeup to Go mantra has always been and always will be “how well does this product work when used in a Real World application?”.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of working on an event called “Turn the Beat Around” which was a benefit event for the Jenesse Center (read below for more info), and the cosmetics sponsor for the event was Milani Cosmetics. I have known of the Milani line for a long time, since both the product and the branding were quite different. They were always pretty good, in fact I had one cream eyeshadow from the original line that I clung to for dear life for a number of years. While I was not looking, however, Milani has gone from being pretty good to Pretty Darn Great. For the show we were given an array of products. The Milani line is quite comprehensive now including everything from Brow Kits to Bronzers, so I won’t go into detail on every single item. I will instead focus on those items I ended up using for my final look.
Smooth Finish Cream to Powder Makeup
If you know me at all, you know that I am going to judge a cosmetics line by it’s foundation/skin products because IMO that is the most important part of a makeup. I was pleasantly surprised with these foundations. They do NOT give as much coverage as a Pro foundation, so if you are used to the coverage of a MAC, Make Up For Ever, Inglot, etc. foundation, this is not the one. In my opinion this product gave good “everyday” coverage. As far as application, I applied it with a brush and it went on evenly and smoothly, it was very blendable and I was able to create contour and highlighting with it, and it lasted nicely and did not crease up, cake up or go crazy as the night went on. Comes in a range of colors suitable for all skin-tones.
Secret Cover Concealer Stick
Of everything I tried, this was the most “eh” product of the group. It was certainly not bad, it just wasn’t great. I am definitely more used to the coverage of a professional level concealer. I thought this was a bit too sheer/lacking in pigment to act the way a concealer should. It is build-able, however, and it did last well. Comes in a range of colors suitable for all skin-tones.
Brow Fix brow kit
While it was not great enough to make me switch away from Sonia, I was quite pleased with these Brow kits. I think the most impressive aspect is that they include two colors so you can blend to get the right color for you AND the colors are not too red overall. They even include a teeny-tiny set of tweezers.
Pressed Powder
This is a good, basic pressed powder. Nicely milled so it goes on silky and not cakey. I do wish, however, that they had a neutral/colorless option as colored powders can be a bit tricky. I primarily used the #9 – Golden powder which brought some luminosity to my makeup similar to how Ben Nye’s “Topaz” powder works.
Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner
Formerly called “Liquif’Eye” eyeliners, these are likely the product that began the Milani revolution. Why didn’t anyone tell me before?!? These eyeliners can take the Pepsi Challenge™ with Urban Decay’s 24-7 Eyeliners any day of the week. And this is coming from someone who LOVES the Urban Decay liners, I’ve said many times that the liners are my favorite product from Urban Decay. Well, these liners are every bit as good at 1/3 the price. In doing some online reading, the vote seems to be split as to whether they last as long as Urban Decay’s 24-7 Liners. I used the #1 – Black pencil in the Waterline and I’ve got to say it was smooth, creamy, super Black and lasted all night. Am I going to abandon my Urban Decay? Nope. Are the Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner a great option to have? Absolutely.
Shadow Eyez 12-Hour Wear Eyeshadow Pencil
Absolutely fantastic. FANTASTIC. The beautiful jewel tone colors were rich and true, blended beautifully and once set the smudge-proof, water resistant formula lasted all night. Great for personal or professional use.
Eye Tech Bold / Eye Tech Extreme / Ultra Fine liquid eyeliners
The Eye Tech liners are – again – Fantastic. Super rich, dark, true Black color in a smooth liquid formula that stays put once set. The felt tip allows for precision application for those clean liquid lines we all love. While no problem for personal use, the felt tip is a sanitation issue for Kit use so be sure to alcohol the tip and allow to dry before re-inserting into the tube.
The Ultrafine liner is a sparkly liquid liner. I found it not quite opaque enough to stand alone, but it was fab layered over my eyeshadow to add more sparkle, depth and dimension.
Tantastic
Huh, I wonder what product this might be based off of?
Well like its more expensive cousin, this is a very good all-over bronzer/highlight. It is quite shimmery but this shimmer is nice and fine so it give a pretty, subtle luminosity as opposed to being “sparkly”. I used it on both face and body and it applied evenly and smoothly and lasted throughout the night.
Baked Blush
The texture of this blush really is silky smooth and it applied flawlessly. This is really important because what generally does not work about less expensive blushes is that they are too powdery, they do not blend well and they do not last. Milani really got the formula right on these baked powder Blushes AND the blushes come in colors suitable and pigmented enough for deeper skin tones. The only drawback is that all of the shades are shimmery. It would be great if they introduced some non-shimmer colors into the mix.
Glitzy Glamour Gloss
Milani has a number of lip color products amongst its offerings. The Glitzy Glamour Gloss has good texture and weight (not too liquid-y, but not too sticky) and lasted impressively well for a lipgloss. I did not have to touch my model up until after she ate.
The result;
pre-show BTS shot. Sorry it’s a bit blurry…click to see larger
This is my model before wardrobe (hence before lips) and before a few other finishing touches. She stayed in tact all night, needing only minimal touch-ups even after a wardrobe change and a meal break. So for anyone aspiring artists who are looking to build their kit, or anyone who wants good quality cosmetics at a great price, Milani definitely fits the bill.
Again, the event I was a part of was a benefit for the Jenesse Center, Inc. Domestic Violence Intervention program. Their mission is to;
“…provide victims of domestic violence with a comprehensive, centralized base of support to assist them in addressing their immediate crisis and changing the patterns of their lives. We seek to prevent and end the cycles of domestic violence through education, research, resources and advocacy provided to individuals, families, the community and agencies throughout the nation…”
To find out more about supporting this vital cause, please visit The Jenesee Center website. Thanks so much to Milani Cosmetics for supporting this important cause! 
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YIKES! My kit being cleaned and organized this morning…
Regulars of Makeup to Go! will know that I had a series a while back called “So You Wanna Be A Pro Artist” wherein I covered some of the basics of moving from a makeup fan to a professional artist. Without a doubt, one of the most topical of these installments is the Kit Building installation of the series. Click on that and you can see what I had to say about it back then. What I want to share now is how my kit has evolved. First a story:
It was a moment I will never forget; I was doing my first shoot involving celebrity talent. There were two actresses, one of whom was travelling with her own artist (unfortunately I don’t remember who the artist was, but I remember that he beat that face!). I was all nervous and excited and I packed EVERYTHING I could think of in order to be prepared. My actress didn’t care for what I did to her initially, although we were able to get it to more what she had in mind. Enter the 2nd artist; he had about… oh 10 products in total wrapped in a towel. He set out the towel, laid out the 10 or so products and his brush roll and KILT his actresses face. Killed. It. Now admittedly, he knew his talent from working with her before and I did not have that advantage, but what I took away from that moment was an artist who is confident in their skills relies on technique not a myriad of product. This was later confirmed – and I’ve mentioned this before – when I read that aritst Francesca Tolot of Beyonce’s Makeup Artist fame has been known to carry as little as a small Art Box as a kit to jobs. I vowed that day to become one of those artists.
Now I am not saying that this approach is appropriate for every job. I just worked a job this past weekend where I would have loved to have had more product and WAY more brushes with me than I did. That said, however, due to my skill as an artist I was able to make it work. And I do still have different kit set-ups for different occasions (if I am doing both makeup and hair, if it’s an editorial, if it’s video, if it’s a catalog with multiple models, etc. ) but in general I try to carry as LIGHTLY as I possibly can. So what’s changed between my earlier picture of my kit and now? Me. First of all in reading my old kit building article, I thought that kit was paired down and was organized. Oh how times have changed, LOL! Looking at that picture of my kit now it looks a complete disorganized mess to me and I’m carrying way too much product. I work a lot more so I am much more confident as an artist. I also travel a lot now, where carrying 50-zillion items is not a realistic option. In short, I am more pragmatic about what I need and how it’s going to be used. Most of all, however, being more pared down and better organized allows me to be a better artist, which in turn makes me a better asset to my client.
Old Kit – Rolling Luggage Stuffed to the Gills
Nowadays I would likely only carry something like this if I’m doing something with a lot of talent (catalog, video of some kind, etc.)
click to see larger image
click to see larger image
New Kit – Zuca Backpack
This version is my Zuca Backpack set up, which you can see I still have *a lot* of product inside, however I de-pot and palette whenever possible, I carry travel/trial sizes of product where ever possible and practical, and I keep “just in case” extras to a minimum because let’s face it – how often do you really end up using those “just in case” items? Yeah, pretty much.
click to see larger image
click to see larger image
click to see larger image
As far as what to use for actual kit storage, that is a very individual choice. I have 3 different kits/bags on rotation depending on the job; A rolling storage bag that’s actually made for photographers, a rolling bag from the Automotive section at Target, and then the Zuca backpack. As much as I love the Zuca backpack is how much I do not love the Zuca rolling kit. The Rolling Kit does not feel sturdy to me and my brain just does not process the organization of it. I’ve also heard of the wheels self-destructing in NYC where artists are less likely to be driving and more likely to be walking the streets and running to subways. This is why I suggest – if at all possible – to buy kits in person and not online. It is really helpful to see a kit and play with it to see how you might organize it for yourself and your needs. Popular kit options on the e-streets right now are Zuca, Stilazzi and Burton (yes, the snowboard brand). Of the three, the Burton bag is most my style and in fact I do plan to get one (and I love that it comes in COLORS as opposed to just Black). People who insist on carrying a lot will likely love the Stilazzi. The “Godfather” Stilazzi is nothing short of completely huge for when you absolutely have to carry everything you own all at once. What people do like about the Stilazzi is the fact that you can work out of your kit, which is good for times when space is limited. 99.9% of the time I would cry if I had to carry a kit that size, but it would have come in handy – both in terms of size and being able to work out of it – for the job I did this past weekend (a TV show taping with a LOT of talent to do). That is why I say you need to know what you’re buying for. If I did that kind of work more often, a kit that size would make sense for me but since I do not it is not practical for me. If you go Zuca, I recommend going with the Artist Collection, which is a more durable construction designed to keep up with the heavy usage an artists’ kit encounters.
Or you can always go to Target, Ross, WalMart, etc. and get some kind of rolling bag/luggage – likely for less than $50 – and call it a day.
a selection of brushes from one of my many brush rolls…
Yep, it’s Tuesday. As I mentioned a couple of times in the last few days, something has been going on with my web host’s servers so we have been having some tech problems here in MTG-land. Better late than never… enjoy.
Returning to our series The Basics, I decided to write about brushes. I would say in my private lessons/teaching this is the item I’m asked about third/fourth most often (behind mascara, foundation and concealer). For makeup artists, however, this is the A-#1 priority. Bottom line while, yes, some products are obviously better than others, with the right tools pretty much any makeup can be applied seamlessly and flawlessly. I love my brushes. LOVE my brushes. In fact I wrote an ode to one of them when I lost it. That is how attached artists become to their brushes. Once you get used to using them and see how the right tool can change your makeup life, you too will be come attached. For this installment, I will be discussing purchasing brushes. Then in a future installment, I will talk about using them.
What To look For
When considering a new brush I look at
- type of hair/fiber used
- shape
- density
- ferrule and handle
The type of hair and/or fiber used helps to determine how to use the brush, as does the shape and density of the hairs/fibers. The last two things I mentioned – the ferrule and the handle – have to do with the construction of the brush and how long it will last. The ferrule is the metal part between the hairs and the handle. High quality brushes have hairs that go all the way down the ferrule and are both glued and clamped into place, hence much less shedding. I was taught that you should be able to take a brush and pull at the hairs and if none come out you know you have a good brush.
Everyone on the Planet makes a cosmetics brush these days. Some are amazing, some are very good and some are turrble. Here are some Pros and Cons of some popular brands I have tried, both “pro” and retail.
Crown Brush – Crown is a manufacturer of brushes who offers professional makeup brushes online and at the trade shows. PROS: Crown Brushes are very cost-friendly. If you are a ‘baller on a budget’ Crown is a pretty good option. Also because they are very inexpensive price-wise, you can try a lot of different styles of brushes (different kinds of eye brushes, different kinds of foundation brushes, different kinds of powder brushes, etc.) and see what you prefer *before* making a larger financial commitment. CONS: I have had Crown brushes completely fall apart on me and/or shed like crazy. The hairs are short and glued in place so you have to be very careful as to how you wash them. If any water seeps up the ferrule and loosens that glue, it’s a goner. To their credit, when I tweeted that 5 Crown foundation brushes I purchased had all fallen apart in less than a month, someone emailed me and offered to replace them so they do have good customer service and stand by their products.
Best Pick: AC011 Deluxe Double Sided Blender – a dual ended synthetic fiber foundation / concealer brush.
Smashbox Cosmetics – A lot of women know Smashbox from QVC but they’ve actually been in the Pro landscape for a number of years. Smashbox is a popular consumer-friendly brand and for good reason: they offer pro-driven, pro quality cosmetics at good prices. I have noticed that they’ve changed a bit and become a bit more consumer oriented since being bought by Estée Lauder, but so far the quality of the cosmetics themselves has not changed. As much as I love the brand, sad to say I do not love their brushes, as I have mentioned before. PROS: the Fan brush is great for cleaning away eyeshadow fallout, and has lasted well for several years. CONS: every other brush in the set I was given fell apart. That was a few years back so I do not know if anything has changed, but quality brushes will last you a lifetime. Let’s hope they have re-designed their brush line.
Best Pick: Fan Brush #22
Royal and Langnickel – Like Crown, Royal and Langnickel manufactures brushes (both fine art and cosmetic) and offers professional makeup brushes online, at the trade shows and at various Pro makeup shops if you happen to live near any of those.PROS: The SILK Pro collection line offers very good quality at a very good price. All of my R&L SILK Pro line brushes hold their shape well after multiple uses/cleanings, they all still feel good after multiple uses/cleanings, and I am experiencing very minimal/occasional shedding. They are also one of the few places I can get a tapered, natural-hair lip brush (my preference, gives me much more control over my application than most synthetic lip brushes do). CONS: Not all of Royal and Langnickel’s brushes are on the same level. As I said above I recommend the SILK Pro line of brushes. Last year, R & L introduced the Revolution™ brush line to their collection. Sad to say, but I’m not a fan. The Revolution™ brushes are a synthetic fiber brush line, presumably to capture the growing vegan brush market, but in my opinion, there are much better vegan options available. The couple of Revolution™ brushes I have felt odd to the touch initially, before I even used them, and then really changed texture after I washed them. I would definitely suggest trying a brush or two before committing to an entire set.
Best Pick: C100 Natural Hair Powder & C655 Pointed Natural Hair Lip
Stila Cosmetics – Another popular brand that started in the Pro sphere (Stila was founded by artist Jeanine Lobell) and has become popular amongst consumers via QVC, Stila has long been known for making very good brushes. PROS: Good construction and overall quality materials used. Made to last. CONS: I, personally, am not a fan of the retractable brushes. I would stick to the original, long-handled brushes.
Best Pick: #9 All Over Blend Brush Stila’s legendary crease/lid blending brush.
Esum Brushes – Esum as far as I am aware is a relatively new entrant in the brush world but I have to say I LOVE them. They are the brush line of Muse Beauty Pro which is a beauty store & education resource out of San Francisco (my NYC makeup artist friend Margina Dennis had to point out to me that Esum is Muse spelled backwards. D’Oh!).PROS: Quality construction and materials and the brushes are also – in my opinion – very lux in appearance. They also feel good in-hand. CONS: Decided price increase from the previous brands I have mentioned. Yes my friends, really good brushes are quite pricey.
Best Pick: W35 Large Round-Angle eye contour brush – can be used for crease or all over the lid.
NARS Cosmetics – If you read Makeup to Go with any regularity, you know I could go on about All Things Nars. PROS: Generally speaking, Nars tools are excellent. The three stand-outs are the three Japanese brushes NARS has; the Ita Kabuki, the Yachiyo Kabuki, and the Botan kabuki brushes. These all have very unique shapes designed to various fulfill specific purposes. CONS: The travel brush set retails for $75, the individual brushes range from $21-$75. They are excellent brushes, so if you can afford them, get them. However, they are a financial commitment and some of the designs are not the most consumer-friendly in terms of “How do I use this?”.
Best Pick: Yachiyo Kabuki Brush #27 – It will change the way you apply blush (if memory serves, Shu Uemura had a brush like this at one time, and see note below about Hakuhodo).
Shu Uemura – the first time I walked into a Shu store early in my career as a makeup artist, it changed my life. The entire perimeter of the store was filled with rows and rows and rows of the most amazing and gorgeous brushes I’d ever seen. Changed. My. Life. PROS: You will never encounter a brush more exquisite than a Shu Uemura brush, period. CONS: When Shu Uemura USA was bought out by L’Oreal, they closed all the Shu Stores leaving only the website behind to buy product in the US, and they radically changed the product line such that many of Shu’s best are no longer available here. Quel dommage!!
Best Pick: 20h Natural Brush – an angled powder brush for highlighting, contouring and shading.
Hakuhodo – I am sure it has not escaped your attention that the last few brushes I have mentioned have all been Japanese brushes/brands. This is because the Japanese are well known for the quality of their brushes and their innovative brush designs. I was hipped up to Hakuhodo a few years back by my friend, NYC makeup artist Kim Weber. Hakuhodo manufactures their brushes and in fact, if rumor is to be believed, back before Estee Lauder when MAC brushes were really really good… well… you get my drift. I own brushes from the S100 and J series so those are all I can speak to. PROS: Along with Shu Uemura, these are some of the most exquisite brushes on the planet. All of the Hakuhodo brushes I have are of excellent design, quality and construction and they are beautiful to look at. The primary difference between the various series Hakuhodo offers seems to be in the handle and in the brush hairs used. CONS: They have several different “series” of brushes so can be a bit confusing/daunting to discern the difference and select from the myriad of brushes they have available. Also, it is undeniable that Hakuhodo is a very expensive brush line overall, even their more “basic” brush series are still pricey. Hakuhodo brushes are all the rage right now in the online makeup world. I do not disagree that they are of amazing quality. I do disagree that everyone needs to invest in getting them. I only use them for certain applications (celeb & editorial), and in controlled environments. I cannot lose or damage a set of brushes that cost me SEVERAL hundred dollars to collect. These brushes are investment pieces. For the consumer, I really do not know why a non-pro would buy brushes this expensive. However, if you are a total makeup maven and buying product is how you treat yourself, go for it and have a good time.
Best Pick: S103 Pointed Powder Blush brush, J104 Round Powder brush. NOTE: Hakuhodo also has traditional Japanese brushes which means they have Yashiyo & Ita design brushes like NARS, and Hakuhodo has them in different sizes.
Vegan Options
Vegan brushes are becoming increasingly popular. I do not mind admitting this is an area of internal turmoil for me because I am a vegetarian. So the veg in me would like to switch to an entirely cruelty free brush roll someday. The makeup artist in me, however, needs brushes to perform the way I need them to perform and thus far, natural hair is still the winner, in my opinion. That said, there are more and more good alternatives coming out regularly.
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – David Klasfeld, the founder of OCC Makeup is vegan but also a makeup artist so he knows how brushes need to perform, and it shows in his brush line. These are by far the most hair-like vegan brushes I’ve tried so far, and the brushes apply makeup pretty darn close to the way natural hair brushes do across the board. Kudos to OCC Makeup for this great brush line. PROS: Very close to the performance of natural hair brushes, I particularly like the lip brush. CONS: n/a – I think it’s the best of it’s kind.
Bdellium Tools – I haven’t gotten to play with this line as much as I’d like yet, but so far everything I’ve tried has been quite good and they have a moderate price-point (about the same as Royal & Langnickel) so they are affordable. They make both traditional and Vegan brushes, and I have – and like – some of both. PROS: Speaking specifically of the Vegan brushes- the Bambu series as they are called – they do not feel quite as hair like as the OCC brushes, however they do pick up and distribute product well. The handles are also made of sustainable Bamboo, which feels good in-hand and which is great for the environment. And as with all of the Bdellium Tools I’ve tried thus far they are well constructed. CONS: And this is a big one for me: Why are all the fibers colored???? There are 3 different Bambu series; Green, Yellow and Pink. Why is this necessary? I don’t mind if the handles are colored but having the fibers in different colors is an extreme turn off to me.
Old Reliables I Did Not Previously Mention
As I said at the start, this lists a selection of what’s hot on the e-streets and my own personal choices. That said there a couple of brush brands, in particular, that have served legions of women for many years, and those are Bobbi Brown Cosmetics brushes, and Trish McEvoy brushes. Both lines have been around since forever, and were amongst the first to bring professional quality brushes to the masses. I do not have either brand in my kit, but I know artists who do and have done so for years. Both brands are a bit pricey, Trish McEvoy particularly so, but they are the kind of brushes you buy ONCE and then you’re set for makeup life. I recommend both to my private clients frequently. They are both great for the client who wants to buy one, complete, easy-to-use set of brushes and never think have to about brushes again.
As I said, in a future installment I plan to discuss how I use brushes and decide which brushes are the best for which jobs. In the meantime if you want to learn more, Beautylish had a great feature on brushes not too long ago, written by The Powder Group Director of Artistry and Education, James Vincent. Click Here to check that article out…
So the 2013 Los Angeles Makeup Show is a wrap and I’d have to say it was a rousing success. This year’s show featured some of the best in the biz and had something for all artists working in all mediums at all levels. Here’s a photo essay of the Makeup to Go experience of the show…
my show started at the Bloggers Preview. Many thanks to Make Up For Ever, Temptu, OCC Makeup, Ellis Faas, Kevyn Aucoin, Bdellium tools, Ofra Cosmetics, Model In A Bottle, Stila, Anastasia of Beverly Hills, Crown Brush, T3, Cinema Secrets, Jouer, Monda, Embryolisse, Senna Cosmetics, Youngblood Cosmetics, and Gorgeous Cosmetics for their generosity!
I never leave a trade show without getting more Parian Spirit brush cleaner. I also picked up a Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Sculpting Powder…
Swatches of Face Atelier cosmetics new lipgloss colors. Hand provided by @Christinamua
Master at Work: Sam Fine conducting his Keynote talk and demo “A Career in Makeup”
Johnny LaVoy, Billy B and special guest Michelle Visages “Family Matters” keynote
Lori Taylor, Global Pro Artist for Smashbox Cosmetics
Face Chart with product info of Lori Taylor’s demonstration….Smashbox did this last year as well… I think it’s a brilliant idea.
Lori Taylor’s finished demo; “Studio Trend – Color Saturation”
Allison Elliot, Nars Pro Artist
Finished product of Allison Elliot’s demo: “NARS – Modern, Audacious, Iconic”
Uzo, International Makeup Stylist for NARS cosmetics
Uzo, International NARS artist with her finished demos, runway and red carpet. “I’m With the Brand” Keynote talk and demo.
Conclusion – Fantastic show. I look forward to next year!
blurtastic image taken by me at last year’s Industry Panel / TMUSLA
I’ve written extensively over the years about the 2 main trade shows that happen in Los Angeles (there’s an intriguing 3rd show starting this year that I’ll also be attending and writing about). At first there was a lot of “compare and contrast” to be done as one was quite established and one was the “hot new upstart”. As predicted, however, they’ve booth settled into their own groove and offer unique experiences to their attendees. So with that said, here’s what I’m looking forward to from The Makuep Show this year.
Education
Once again, the education looks like it’s going to be off the hook. I have been an artist since forever and I’ve been attending Trade Shows for years and yet there are ALWAYS interesting classes at The Makeup Show that appeal to artists of all experience levels and backgrounds.
Keynote Speakers
All of the Keynotes look fantastic, but one cannot attend everything (alas) so the ones that are catching my eye are;
- Family Matters featuring Johnny LaVoy and Billy B.
Saturday, March 2nd, 12:00-1:30
Who knows what this is about, the description makes almost no sense to me, but it sounds fun and it features 2 great artists so I’ll be there.
- Impact: Social Media and the Internet in the Beauty Business Sponsored by Beautylish
Saturday, March 2, 2013- 2:30-3:30
Social Media has become The One Ring to Rule Them All. Those who know how to fully utilize it prosper and those who do not fall behind. What I’m finding is the more savvy I become the more there is to learn and the more social media outlets there are to learn about. At this point in my career I take more classes about SM than I do makeup, seriously.
- I’m With the Brand – Uzo, International Lead Artist For Nars Cosmetics
Sunday, March 3, 2013 – 10:00-11:30
Many artists dream of working for one of the premiere brands, but few make it onto the Artistry side (as opposed to selling at a counter/boutique). Nars Cometics’ lead artist Uzo is going to share her story of how she got to where she is, and also demo some of Nars’ signature looks. I. Cannot. Wait.
- The Next Big Thing – Crystal Wright & Michael DeVellis
Saturday, March 2, 2013 – 4:00-5:00
The Makeup Show LA Pro Resource Area 2013 – Throughout Show
Last year I went on and on about the Resource Area that Crystal Wright put together for The Makeup Show. It was a truly amazing resource that SOOOO many people did not take advantage of. Crazy! Well, it was a success and it looks like they are doing an even expanded version this year. Do Not Blow It. Signups are very limited. Take advantage!
EDIT: Sign ups have already begun and are going FAST! As of her last tweet, Ms. Wright reported there are only 47 spaces left! Follow the link to sign up now: Crystal Wright’s Portfolio Review at The Makeup Show Los Angeles.
Honorable Mention
If I were an artist just starting or new in my career, I would not be able to get to Sam Fine’s talk on “A Career in Makeup”, Saturday, March 2, 2013 – 10:00-11:30, fast enough. Heck I still might attend. But particularly when I was a makeup youngin’ talks like that were REALLY important to help keep me motivated and keep my eyes on the prize.
Workshops/Seminars
Whereas the Keynotes are generally business/career focused, the Workshops and Seminars are generally product/makeup application oriented (one exception noted below). Sponsored by various top cosmetics lines, this years Workshop offerings run the gamut from a few different Airbrush Makeup workshops, a couple of different Contouring workshops, and even a silicone prosthetics class. The three seminars, however, that really caught my eye are;
- Saturday, 11:15a – 12:00n How to Get Into the Union-Susan Cabral Ebert for Local 706
Enough said. For certain types of work, you MUST get in the Union, period.
- Saturday, 1:30p – 2:15p HD Makeup-Applying Matching Creme and Airbrush on the same Face featuring Brad Look for Graftobian Makeup Co.
This has been an issue for me with one of my media clients. Learning how airbrush and traditional makeup products work together is crucial in today’s working world. And I love Graftobian foundations. Love.
->> Saturday, 5:00p – 5:45p Streamlining Your Kit to Maximize Efficiency – Sofiya Avakova for Naimie’s Beauty
Center <<- Most of y’all reading this need this class BADLY. Students are always amazed at how small my kit appears to be. Kit paring and organization is essential to working effectively. I cannot carry every piece of makeup that I’ve ever purchased to every job, nor do I need to go run out and buy a new piece of makeup for every job I do. PLEASE attend this seminar! lol
All of the above education is included FREE in the price of your admission ticket. That’s right; F-R-E-E . I could not believe it when I saw only ONE of my students at the show last year! Where else will you get this opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business for a $65/2 day ticket????!?!?! In addition to the Free education, there are a number of very reasonably priced hands-on makeup courses available. This list above is only of the items that caught my eye for one reason or another. For the full list, visit The Makeup Show website or better yet download this handy dandy PDF guide.
Shopping
The Makeup Show, being focused on the “beauty” side of the industry vs. the FX side, always offers unique vendors that other shows may not have. This year in addition to the usual suspects such as Make Up For Ever , Smashbox and Stila (all of whom are show sponsors), the big news this year is that NARS is going to be there as an exhibitor (they are also a show sponsor). I know NARS has re-vamped their Discount program yet again, so presumably attendees will be able to take care of that at the show. I have heard rumours in the past that they had a booth at the NYC Makeup Show one year but didn’t sell product. ???? I certainly hope that is not the case this weekend, I could see a mini-riot breaking out.
For the complete list of this year’s vendors, you can visit The Makeup Show website exhibitors page. One thing I am noticing specifically is that while there are a few listed, there are not an endless streams of schools exhibiting this year. I think this is a step in the right direction. While I do not think it’s unreasonable to have a few schools in attendance, in past years schools became overly dominating and aggressive. Also, this trade show is open to the professional Trade Only.
OH and one more shout out – Greene Street Beauty and the Hair Makeup Artist Network will be having a Mentor’s Corner at their booth (Booth #3019 – The Kim Greene Line/HMAN) where Senior artists will be around for about an hour to answer questions and meet and greet. Kim Green (film artist), Melissa Street (TV artist) will be amongst the Mentors as will my friend and fab celebrity/fashion/editorial artist Anthony Gordon. Hit the link to see the exact schedule.
So there it is. Another weekend of learning, art and community. I hope to see you there!
Behold! The first in Makeup to Go’s version of “swatches”. As you can see, our idea of swatches is a bit different. As a makeup fan, I understand that seeing the actual product on an actual person is a more accurate way to see a color/texture/etc. of a product. As a professional makeup artist, I also want to know how it wears, how it looks in different lights, and how it photographs. Therefore – about every month or so – I hope to pick a product line or a theme or the like and USE them in a professional photoshoot and see how they perform. First up to bat I am featuring the Fashion Fair Supreme Color Collection, designed by makeup artist Sam Fine.
To give a bit of history for those who are not familiar, Fashion Fair was founded in 1973 by the late John H. Johnson and his wife, the late Eunice W. Johnson to address the lack of cosmetics available for women of color, particularly African America women. You can click here to read the full story, but long story short, long before there was MAC or before it was expected for a mainstream brand to have colors for “ethnic” skintones, Fashion Fair was there to fulfill the need. Like many a brown girl of a certain age, I grew up watching my grandmother, mother and all of the women around me using Fashion Fair. To say that the pink packaging with gold leaf writing brings back strong memories is an understatement. Over time, however, Fashion Fair began to recede in popularity as the mainstream brands did start to address the needs of women of color. That coupled with dated color palettes and formulations (and some would say the packaging was dated as well), and Fashion Fair began to slip a bit in the competitive cosmetics marketplace. Enter master makeup artist Sam Fine. In August 2011 it was announced that he would be joining Fashion Fair as it’s Creative Makeup Director and begin designing signature Trend lines for the brand. His first collection came out in 2012 and was an instant success, bringing a much needed breath of fresh air and vitality to the brand.
In this story, I am working with his latest collection, The Supreme Color collection. I am focusing on one eyeshadow palette in particular, the Amalfi Coast quad. I chose to work with the eyeshadows because eyeshadow is one of the areas where rank-and-file consumer cosmetics often do not work for women of color because they lack adequate pigmentation. I’ve even found this to be the case with some of the better brands. On the other hand, a woman wants a palette of wearable colors and not necessarily the extremes of brands such as Sugarpill or LimeCrime. Overall, I was very impressed with this palette. The shadows are wonderfully pigmented and have a creamy texture with good color payoff. Unlike a lot (most) higher pigmentation eyeshadows, they are creamy instead of powdery, which means they are easily blendable and have less fallout. All that said, let’s see the products in action.
Fashion Fair Supreme Color Collection eyeshadow quad in “Amalfi Coast”
and here are swatches of the colors on my model’s hands both dry and damp (most eyeshadows that can be applied dry can be applied damp to increase the pigmentation and staying power).
left – dry, right – damp
As you can see, the Amalfi Coast quad is a more “neutral” palette, although Mr. Fine modernized by Quad by adding a pop of color in the form of this year’s trend color of Emerald Green. It is smart touches like that which make this Collection on trend without being overboard trendy. (The other quad in the collection, Tunisian Nights, is a jewel-tone blue & purple palette).I also used some of the lip colors from the collection in my shoots. Here is a swatch of all of the lip colors in the collection. As you can see, the color palette is fresh and contemporary with a few classics mixed in. The lip colors are also nicely pigmented while still creamy and blendable, and the pigment lays very evenly. Also used throughout the shoot, although not pictured, is the Canary Diamond gloss which is a nude-y/gold shimmer. I liked it, but I wouldn’t say it was remarkable.
Swatches shown on my own hand. Yes, some pre-photo lotion would have been nice…
OK so for look #1 I of course started out with a clean beauty/daytime look using only the burgundy/bronze shimmer (lower left corner) and the light gold shimmer (upper left corner). I used the shadows dry. (all makeup below by Tania D. Russell, photography by Gorgeous Digital. These images are NOT STOCK and unauthorized usage is prohibited.)
Next I wanted to do something a bit more “glam”, so I used a lot of the light gold shimmer on the center lid to create highlight and added the matte brown (lower right corner) to the outer corners of the eyes to add depth. The burgundy/bronze and light gold shimmer shadows blended like a dream dry or dampened. I found that when damp, the matte brown grabbed a bit which is something matte shadows can do. I was able to blend it out by using a bit more of the same brown with a dry brush. The lipcolor is Whispering Rose, also from the Supreme Color collection.
Next I wanted to ramp it up to a full smokey eye. This is where I was wishing for a Quint instead of a Quad, because I was really wishing I had a black eyeshadow to work with (there is a matte black color in the Tunisian Nights quad). As it was, I was able to achieve more depth by using the matte brown color all over the lid, blending out into the burgundy/bronze, and rimming the eyes with black eyeliner. The lipcolor is a mix of Cognac and Deep Suede, topped with a touch of the Canary Diamond lipgloss, all from the Supreme Color collection.
Finally, I got to do my favorite which is a simple but strong wash of the Emerald Green color blended out into the crease. For the lip color I believe I just used the Canary Diamond lipgloss.
And there you have it. Four distinct looks from one eyeshadow quad. I was definitely impressed and I would recommend it to anyone considering this for themselves or their kit. Speaking of “for your kit”, Fashion Fair is apparently hosting a booth at the upcoming Makep Show trade show, and the Sam Fine Supreme Color Collection will be available (no idea if discounted).
Many thanks to Gorgeous Digital for their fabulous photographic & retouching work and our lovely model Ja’Veonna for making this article possible. ALSO – if you’re wondering about the fabulous jewelry worn in this shoot, we had the pleasure of shooting this story in the store, Made In Earth located in Venice CA on Abbot Kinney. Proprietor/Creative Director and master Deisgner Bunny Bedi hones raw gems/earth stones and even meteorites (!) into one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces. Due to the nature of honed stone, no two pieces are exactly alike. We were honored to be able to use his gorgeous creations in our photo-shoot. I became an instantaneous fan! (and yes, that is a “sand rug” on the floor of his store).
Made In Earth store, Venice CA / Tiger Iron pendant by Made in Earth
Fabulous Photography: Gorgeous Digital
Makeup: Tania D. Russell
Fabulous Model: Ja’Veonna
Fabulous Location: Made in Earth
Disclosure: I was given the Tiger Iron pendant pictured in exchange for work on a shoot we did for Made in Earth. (yay me!) All cosmetics used were PURCHASED by me for this story.
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