LipStick on The Cup is Having a Contest!

Hey Pips!!!
Check this out!!
http://lipstickonthecup.blogspot.com/2010/03/bold-bright-intense-make-up-contest.html

Some things are tooo good to let pass by...

Nibbles,

MI Artist of the Week 03/30/2010

New Week, New Contest!

3 Images Submitted, A whole community of peers as judges...and One Winner per week.

Yeah Me! OK that is not very flattering of me to yeah myself...but hey!

Thank you Larry, John and Nancy!!

You guys ROCK!!

Check out the new modeling network site! http://www.modelinsider.com/

Nibbles,

Monday Wisdom...

The smallest feline is a masterpiece.

by Leonardo da Vinci

The Makeup Artist and The Manicure!

As makeup artists, we are responsible for every single square inch of skin on a model/client body, especially it it's a photo-shoot, advertisement or TV commercial.

The overall look is as important as the close up beauty shot, many make-up artist out there forget that and they are done as soon as the face is done...well I hope they have at least blended the foundation into the neck!

That said, one of the little things that are ofter forgotten are nails...finger nails toe nails...claws... some say that they are not necessary the makeup artist responsibility, but I personally hate chewed out, uneven nails. Sometimes I have been guilty of forgetting, and let the client move on without checking... and more often than not I have regretted the over-sight.

I say that when it comes to the hands and feet the minimum should be: clean and tidy.

No washout blues, chipped out oranges and bite marks!

So... I am going to be the good example and start caring a mini nail kit in my make-up kit...just for those "occasions where the clients nails are going to ruin my day.

What to Carry:

• Alcohol
• Hand Sanitizer
• Nail Polish Remover (Oil free and suitable for both natural and acrylic nails)
• Hand Cream
• Nail and Cuticle Clippers
• Emery Boards
• Cuticle Pusher
• Top Coat
• Nude Polish
• Red Polish
• Soft Toothbrush or nail brush
• Small Bowl
• Buffer
• Cuticle Oil
• 2 or 3 Trendy Colors
• 1 or 2 sets of Stick on Nails/Acrylics for really really bad cases of chewed nails.
  

Great! One more excuse to go out shopping! Now some o

The other side of the coin...if you carry a kit you should know how to use it...
YouTube and google will help, or just pay attention next time someone give you a manicure! I should know I get my nails done....once a month...or every 5 weeks, my nail technician hates me!
The same way I do not believe in shaving or permanently re-styling the model/clients eyebrow, of hair...facial or otherwise...I will not do the full spa manicure. You want a massage? Go to the Experts!

Here are the basics of the basics...must know bare necessities...
1. Remove any old polish.

2. Apply cuticle oil and soak in warm soapy water if required.
3. Gently push back the cuticle using either a cuticle pusher. Practice makes perfect...practice on yourself to avoid damaging someone else's nails!

4. Shape the nails with an emery board. Cut if necessary (this is the case of 4 long nails 3 eaten ones and 2 medium size ones).
5. Lightly buff the nails to prep the nail. (if necessary).

6. Wash Hands.

7. Apply color or clear coat or nothing.

8. Apply hand lotion.

Golden Rules when giving someone else a manicure:

1. Avoid blood

2. Still Avoid Blood!

3. AVOID BLOOD at all cost!!!

4. Wash your hands before you start...

5. Wash and disinfect all tool after each use.
6. Unless you are a licenced and trained nail technician do not go out there and start cutting and chopping people's nails!!

7. If there are any open Wounds. STOP!! Get the client to wear gloves or something...I am not touching blood...and neither should you...

Here are some inspirational images:

Nibbles,

Monday Wisdom...

"I dress for the image.

Not for myself,

not for the public,

not for fashion,

not for men."

by Marlene Dietrich

Inspirational Artist: Nelly Recchia

As an Artist I am always looking for inspiration, always looking to improve and challenge myself, push the limits just a little more, create just a little more, and maybe...just maybe be able to break the box and not just think outside of it...

I was told as a young child that "Sharing is Caring"...
So let me share with you some inspirational work from a fabulous artist!
Here are some images by Nelly Recchia





Facts to know about Nelly Recchia:
1. She is French
2. Multi Award Winner Body Painter
3. Works only with Brushes
4. Her work takes Hours!
5. She worked with Madonna
6. She worked with Marylin Manson
7. She is now in LA and teaches at the Cinema Secret Makeup School
Nibbles,

Smooth lips with Emulsion

EMULSION LIP EXFOLIANT

Things I hate...
dry cracked lips...
Not only they are painful they look awful under lipstick...and not really nice to kiss.
So Solutions solutions...Exfoliate and Keep Moisturize!

So here is one secret...apply Smashbox Exfoliant to clean lips and rub with finger until desired smoothness is achieved, then wipe clean with a tissue. Leave on for 5-10 minutes for extra conditioning. Follow with lip treatment moisturizer (or Chap Stick, or lip balm, or lip lotion preferably with SPF 15 or higher) to protect and heal lips throughout the day.

My lips are always cracking, and worst since I started the process of using invisalign braces (yeah I am vain and wanted my teeth straight) so EMULSION is the perfect solution for me! This is a sugar-based, peppermint-infused lip exfoliant that is packed with vitamins and soothing conditioners to smooth and soften lips, pretty smelling too. Poppy seeds and sugar granules gently exfoliate while cocoa and shea butter, grape seed extract and jojoba deeply nourish. Lips instantly feel soft and kissable!

This is my next best friend after my 100% Natural Botanical Medley Chap Stick!!

Nibble,

Monday Wisdom...

"The day that you stop being patient is the day that you start decreasing your potential rewards and start suffering from frustration and lower level of contentment!"

Hair Magic and Me

Makeup is my passion...hair is my nightmare...I can not do hair to save my life!!

OK I can do very very little with hair, and it's very very basic...most of the times I just tie it in a bun and put paint. My luckier models get my friend and partner in crime Amanda...she can do hair-magic!!!

Anyhow like many makeup artists I would like to become more comfortable in working with hair, know more than the basics, and perhaps increase my job opportunities., etc...but where to start?

California does not require a Makeup Artist to be a licensed/certified Esthetician or Cosmetologist. One can be a Makeup Artist by just doing makeup and owning your own kit...I do not agree with that I think that the basic Hygiene, Sanitation and Makeup 101 is essential if not a must in my mind, one can not be to careful, how to get these...Well that is a different story!

But because there is not "licencing" requirements it does not man that a MUA should not know the basics. I believe that since I was able to learn makeup I could, eventually, one day, hopefully in the future...learn some basic hair.

So what is the plan?
I have various Options...
1. kidnap Amanda and force her to teach me
2. take a class at the community college
3. buy books on hair
4. Watch as many YouTube tutorial till I drop
5. Experiment on my own hair

Come to think of it a combination might be more appropriate...

OK I can woo Amanda into teaching me or threaten to paint her again...I can get some books and watch some tutorial and if all else fail I will take a class (I'm not big in school at this time in my life, even tho this would probably the most reliable and safe bet)

HA!!

On that note let me show you some inspiration Hair Styles...Maybe in my next life I will be able to create some of these...


Andreas-H & Toni Kalin

Adam Livermore & Steve Rego

Kimmi Le & Noogiestyles

PS. Images are from ModelMayhem Members :)

Nibbles

MAC Give Me Liberty of London Collection

MAC, over the years, has made interesting and unique collaborations, some of the more recent ones with Dame Edna, Hello Kitty and even Cyndi Lauper and Lady Gaga. I have to say that I am not a “I only use MAC” or “I hate MAC” or “MAC Addict” or whatever else you will find out there, I like the packaging, I like the colors, I definitively like the brushes, but like every cosmetic companies they have their weak point and their strong points…now will I own a piece of Liberty? Absolutely!

MAC Give Me Liberty of London Collection and will be released in the U.S. on March 11, 2010 and in the rest of the world in April 2010.

“The very latest in a series of famous M·A·C collaborations, it was only a matter of time before the demure-to-daring kaleidoscopic prints of Liberty of London coloured our world with Brit wit and bohemian chic. From the unstudied, Sienna Miller style of Spitalfields Market to the grit-and-glamour of Portobello Road, the swinging London girl has always been an unstoppable M·A·C makeup force! Spring 2010 insists on the ultimate flower fusion, with M·A·C joining forces with Liberty, creating cool Britannia compacts and Lipsticks, Eye Shadows, Powder, Blush, Nail Lacquers and, of course – blushing, bountiful, quite British accessories.” As so beautifully stated by Addicted to Lipstick

Like every collection MAC Give Me Liberty of London comes with a special treat:
Liberty of London Scarf ($95.00 U.S. / $115.00 CDN)
"A limited-edition scarf designed with an exclusively created floral pattern for the Give Me Liberty of London collection. Rows of coral, orange, yellow and blue flowers form a repeating pattern on a white background. The fabric is a soft wool/viscose blend. Made in Italy. Measures 27″ x 82″."

So ladies Prepare 1 days to go!

Nibbles

Monday Wisdom...

If you make time to list all the things you are grateful for, and you feel the feelings of gratitude, you will feel amazing every day. Your frequency will be high and you will move through your days in love with being alive, bringing joy wherever you go, positively affecting one person after another. When you live a life like this, everything you want will come before you even ask.

by Rhonda Byrne -The Secret...

A must have: PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION PRIMER

There are primers and there are primers.

I accidentally discovered The Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer during one of Sephora's promotions (one of those in store promo where as a member you spend a "certain" amount of money and you get a free gift...) well I got this primer, and I was forever in Love!!

In my mind this is best primer out there, of course if there is something else please let me know... but I doubt it, so far I have tried several and Smashbox has always come up on top.

PHOTO FINISH FOUNDATION PRIMER creates a perfect canvas for any type of foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea.

This miracle primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish.

How to wear it:

1. Alone with a light brush of powder, for a natural even look

2. Under foundation to increase its longevity

3. On Hair to tame frizzies

So there...I use is for all my work, sometimes I use the "light" version depending on the skin quality of my client/model/person/chihuahua.

Nibbles,

The Makeup Show LA

Adventures! Adventures!!!

This was a fun one...a bit disappointing on some aspects, but super cool on others..

Let's start from the basics...
The Makeup Show LA is a Trade show for Pro-Makeup Artist.
Location is The California Market Center in LA, approximately 2 hours way from home (with no traffic) The show is for 2 days, so it's still happening today...but I decided to just go yesterday, and save some chips for the IMATS!

My Adventure partners were Amanda, Nancy and John. It's nice to have people you like around especially when the hamsters start running like crazy! And when the 4 of us are together...oh my...one got to really hold on. We are Trouble!!!

The show was great, but mostly Beauty oriented, a whole lot of beauty products, beauty seminars and beauty workshops, so much to do, so much to learn and the inspiration...the magic of being around so many artist...it's magnificent! So much Creativity in one space...but it's all Beauty...no SFX here, no prosthetic made dead body laying around, no blood and no fangs.

I felt highly under dressed...me and my Chasire Cat Sweater, but hey I went there to learn soak in some creativity, get inspiration and replenish products!

The disappointing aspect, aside from the lack of blood, was the lack of Pashur. I was really unhappy when I discovered that he was no were around...well or no were where I could see him!!! so yes I was very very sad, and what irked me is that there was no change noted in the schedule...no signs that the seminar was changed anywhere where I could see...just all of a sudden the speaker starts taking and well it's not Pashur!!

Well the "replacement" speaker was good, and good thing I like him too so no loss on the liking part and since this happened last year too (change of seminar with no notice) I was quite disappointed.

Ok Check out my Pictures...




MAXI found him wondering around...



EnKore and me and his model...I look bad but hey!!!



Amanda...my partner in crime!



Lisa Berczel and her Creation...


Just Too pretty not to take a picture of Makeup


And the best part of this is....John has the Whole Set!!!

Just a note: most of the images were taken using a Camera Phone...so the quality is not as amazing as I hoped...that will teach me to remember my camera next time...
Image or the Disco Ball Body Paint was snapped my Nancy...no matter where I looked I could not find him anymore :(

Nibbles

Monday Wisdom...

An envious person does not look at those more capable than him and aspire to better himself; he plots to drag them down to his own level. Jealousy is simply an unwitting admittance of one's own flaws and failings.