Let Me Just Say This.......

COLOR CORRECTION? REALLY?????

5/30/2015

It has been a LONG time since I've written anything and I am SO SORRY!!!! I HAVE been rather busy over these past several months, I'm not gonna lie.....

Lots of work has been happening, I've been very busy. BUT....I took a little trip to visit my daughter who was at school in Santa Fe, NM. And then went back to pick her up for summer, and I took a detour to visit my besties in Colorado and Abileen, TX.

So as most of you who KNOW me already know, I am a very opinionated artist. Over these last several months my head has been reeling from so much of the craziness I've seen. So many artists making makeup much more complicated than i really is. So much out of date info is being passed around, and so much OUTDATED makeup techique coming back into the limelight. And so many techniques that should not be back, are actually back. Which leads me to ask.....WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!!!!
Now...I'm not going to go over the whole contouring thing again, because it's been beaten to death, and most of my colleagues know how I feel about it. In case you missed it, my opinion is NO. Unless it is serving a specific creative purpose...my answer is NO.

I am..I guess, what you would call a "minimalist" artist. Why? Because I don't PILE my clients' faces with pounds of makeup. I purchase products that are easy to work with, containing high concentrations of pigment, and ingredients that blend easily and become "invisible" on the skin. That is the goal of foundations and concealers, you know. To make the client look like they have perfect NATURAL skin.

Ok....so my newest befuddlement, is this whole COLOR CORRECTION thing....

Back in the early 80's, many of the cosmetic companies I worked for carried color corrective products, because someone back then decided that everyone's natural skin undertones were WRONG. If you had golden (sallow) undertones you needed to use this lavender "primer" under your foundation, to make you more....uuuhhhh....neutral? If you were too red (ruddy) they had a loverly green or aqua primer for you. I always kind of questioned this in my head even back then, because I didn't understand how just about EVERYONE'S undertones were wrong. My other thing was...if you're changing the undertones on your face, wouldn't it look weird with your sallow or ruddy neck/body? It never made sense to my makeup common sense. Then I figured out why this whole color corrective thing started......IT WAS TO GET YOU TO BUY MORE STUFF!!!!
TRUTH: Your skin is your skin, and your skins' color is just perfect the way it is. That's why there are foundation colors that match it. Now, if by chance your skin is green or lavender...please go buy a skintone corrector. Otherwise, keep calm and makeup on....

I will never understand why artists make things more complicated that they really are. And those who say that color correction is "key" or "essential" to a makeup artists kit, I say NONSENSE!!!! I'm pretty well respected for my work, and I don't own a color corrector at all. In fact, preparing a face with foundation, etc., is about the simplest thing I do, when I'm doing makeup. That goes for clients, actors, models...it doesn't matter...they all get the same, and it typically takes me less than 5 minutes to prepare my "canvas". Now, I totally get it that everyone's technique/style is different. But color correction is highly outdated. And if someone is telling you that it's necessary...they're probably doing it because the cosmetic line that they represent sells them. Don't waste your money on it...save it to buy more fun COLOR!!!!

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Makeup Soul Searching...(and maybe a few of my rules, too)

12/24/2014

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I have felt a little lost for these last few days. I've felt a bit misplaced and sort of discouraged. Sometimes discussing my craft with other people isn't a very good idea, I think. I've been in the game for a bit more than 30 years. Beauty has been my "thing" the entire time, whether it involves my creative work or not. And I'm like an encyclopedia of makeup, skin and product. I've seen artists come and go. As I've stated, I'm very emotional about what I do, and I absolutely REFUSE to lower my standards or compromise my techniques or good taste.
A couple of years ago, there was a young man that worked at a local cosmetic store, who loved to tag along when I worked on shoots for the magazine I was with at the time (Monster Fashion Magazine). He pointed something out to me one day, that I really hadn't even realized before. He said, "Now see, what YOU do is editorial makeup. What I do, is just consumer based". I never even knew that there was a difference. But he was right. Thinking back, all of those years that I worked in cosmetics, my work was always a bit "different" than the girls I worked with. You see, I didn't start doing makeup while working behind a cosmetic counter. I started playing in makeup because of "Twiggy" and Goldie Hawn in the late 60's. I stuck with it and developed my individual style because of Way Bandy and Kevyn Aucoin. What I do has been in development for years and years...it's STILL evolving. It changes with every season. Every Fashion Week. You'll never see anything from me that everyone else is doing. If a client hires me, it's because she knows that I'm going to really LOOK at her face, and light her face up....make her eyes look dreamy...enhance the beautiful creature that she IS...and not pile 10 lbs of foundation and contour in order to do it.
I'm a makeup ARTIST. And what I do is different. Because I'm an ARTIST.

Here's a few more rules for ya...

Some colors don't work on some people.

Now see....there are two different undertones in skin. There's "warm" (golden undertones) and there's "cool" (pink, red or blue undertones). For example: If you put warm tones on a woman with cool undertones in her skin, it'll age her by about 10 years.....It can even make her look tired and sickly. There are a few neutral folks out there...but they're kinda rare. Eye and hair color play a part in making a good color decision, as well. There are ways around it...but I'll leave you to figure it out.

For 45 and older, less is more....

Heavy foundation/concealers accentuate fine lines and wrinkles. Heavy metallics and shimmers anywhere above the crease on the eye can be a serious disaster. Switch the black eyeliner for brown. And avoid gloss on the lips when you can.

That's all for now...Merry Christmas, folks!!

P.S....the photo in the top corner is the work of the great Peter Max. One of my biggest color influences. In fact...he made me fall in love with color when I was just a kid.

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And All And Everything.....

11/9/2014

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It's 11:30am and I'm STILL in my pajamas. I just deleted the original blog post that was here, because it might have offend a few too many people. Too many cold, hard facts. But I DO get very frustrated with a lot of the things I see. Some of the current random trends, make me a bit cray cray. To me they totally lack common sense.

Makeup trends for me, begin on the New York runways. I consider it a part of my job to KNOW this stuff. NO....I do not GO to NY Fashion Week every season (but someday I will). The shows are very easily accessible on the internet. I don't necessarily follow every one of them, but I definitely pay close attention to them and utilize them in bits of my work.

But my work is my own. .....

I've never had any formal instruction, as I've stated in my first blog. I am totally self taught. I've had people ask me if I'd teach them, and I'll typically agree to mentor but not "TEACH". Why? Well first of all, I'm not really sure of how I do what I do, and therefore can't exactly explain it. But also because I believe that there are only a few basic rules you need to learn, and from there you should take off like a little bird and experiment! I think that when you learn through someone else's ideas and/or habits, you could very well turn into a "cookie cutter" artist of sorts...And that's just no fun AT ALL, now is it? And how do you know that the artist teaching you is really qualified to do so? Well, I'll tell you one thing....if they claim to be a "certified" artist, it doesn't mean squat, because there IS NO SUCH THING.

So how do you tell? It's easy. Just ask to see their artist portfolio and maybe their resume, too. If their work is something you are instantly impressed by, if it's consistent, the makeup style is up to date (if their commercial work looks like it's from the 70's, you need to run) and genuinely beautiful and there's quite of bit of it to look at ....then you're gonna be okay.

The following are a few of the basic makeup "rules" that I've learned over the years. Some might seem a bit vague. But there's a reason for that...and I'll explain as I go. Keep in mind.....I have a slightly emotional and even philosophical point of view when it comes to my work. Each client...whether its a model, actor or non industry client that I'm working with, becomes a working "relationship". They are in my care for the next few minutes, and I'm going to make sure that I do right by them. And to me they are all absolutely beautiful.

For aspiring artists, these tidbits might be helpful. They don't necessarily apply to the creative, editorial and avant garde stuff, of course. But for basic beauty...and a bit of a guideline for the rest.

Rule #1: If it's not broke, don't fix it....And sometimes even if it IS, maybe you shouldn't.

This is so important to remember. If you have someone in your chair and straight out of the gate you're thinking about what you need to change or cover or correct, you've got it all wrong from the get go. Think about it....none of us look the same. Isn't that amazing? It's that way for a reason. So why try to correct what's already perfect?

I can remember back in the late 80's the modeling industry began choosing models for their unique features. Some weren't even really classically beautiful...far from perfect. But those imperfections were praised, and I think it was a wonderful change. I kind of look at faces that way now. Everyone needs to be approached as the unique individual that they are. Freckles don't necessarily need to be covered, neither does beautiful clear skin....contour is absolutely NOT a necessity and skin tones absolutely shouldn't be "corrected".

Which leads me to.....

Rule #2: Foundation is not always needed....

Okay, so this is where I guess I'm a bit old school. In the beginning, foundation wasn't really meant to be slathered ALL OVER the face and used like a mask. It was only supposed to be applied to the areas of the face where it was needed, IF it was needed. I tend to follow that school of thought, whether it's an editorial shoot, or for film production. It just depends. Sometimes just a bit of concealer and powder is all that's needed. Uneven skin tones might require a bit more...putting too much foundation on someone with acne can actually make the problem more pronounced. A makeup artist has to have a really good understanding of when to practice restraint. And I think that's the hardest part for some.

When using foundation or concealer, there are certain rules you MUST follow!
Liiiiiike.....

Foundation IS NOT to be used to give someone color!!!
When you match someone, that color had better disappear on the skin. PERIOD!!!!

Color correctors are WAY outdated! This purple and green to correct the skins' undertone thing? NONONO....yesterday's news. And I mean 1970's old news!

When contouring: White and Gray are not flesh tones!!!! When looking at shadows falling on a person's face, ask yourself in all honesty...is there gray there? Or are they just a shadow in a slightly deeper flesh tone? Do you see pure white anywhere other than the whites of their eyes? Common sense, my friends. Common sense. Shadows pick up the tones of what they're cast onto.

One of these days, grab a friend...sit them down, and just study their face. Take a really good look at it. Pay attention to the natural contours and highlights. Take a few notes on the colors and shapes that you see. Look at the color of their eyes...how many different colors do you see in their iris?
The human face is truly so amazing.

That is why I do what I do.

(to be continued)

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So Here I am.....

11/7/2014

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Annnnd here I go. I'm attempting this blog thing. Not sure how it's going to work out, but I definitely have a point of view I need to express. Experience I need to share. Maybe even a little wisdom that has come from YEARS of experience....and years of experiencES. I don't know if my story is unique at all, but I definitely have a story to tell. I don't know if a blog is where you tell your "bio"...but I don't know how else to begin my blog. I feel like you should know who I AM as both an artist and a person, in order to truly "get" me.
So here we go.....
Let me take take you back to 1966. I was a very mischievous 4 year old. My favorite "celebrity" in the whole world was Twiggy, who was actually named "The Face of 1966", and voted "British Woman of the Year". Her face was EVERYWHERE. Andy Warhol was another big "it" person. "Pop Culture" was born. I used to sit in the bathroom and watch my mom put her makeup every morning. Max Factor was THE brand to use, and she was definitely on trend with it. The thick line of pitch black liquid liner (in the pretty glass bottle with the tall gold top), sometimes she'd put on the prettiest shade of sky blue shadow, pale pink cheeks and pale bubble gum pink or peachy-orange VERY matte lipstick. She would buy these lipstick sets in these cute little cases with bright pink and orange flowers on them. I was FASCINATED...MEZMIRIZED by this transformation that took place every morning. Every chance I got I would dig through her things and play in all of her makeup. Needless to say, I was in trouble A LOT! Little did I know at that time, that my career path was being formed. Even my influences were already beginning to come to the fore.
I feel VERY privileged to have been a child during the 60's. A bit of creativity in the makeup world was beginning to form. Color was REALLY important. The hippy movement was in full swing during this time...by 1969, artist Peter Max was a household word and pop culture icon. "The Yellow Submarine" came out at the end of that decade. But what I remember loving the most about art at that time, were the colors and shapes. Bright, bold and super pretty. It was a wonderful time to be a kid. And some of my most joyful memories are from back then.
For my 14th birthday, my mom finally broke down and bought me a little bit of makeup of my very own. By this time, I had already been sneaking around and wearing makeup to school (that actually began in the 3rd grade). I had been in trouble at school for this offense SEVERAL times. And at the age of 14, I began studying books, and putting makeup on my friends.
Makeup was what I was born to do. I've really never wanted to do anything else. By the time I began my professional career in my early 20's, I already had a PLETHORA of knowledge. I paid careful attention to the works of makeup masters, Way Bandy and Kevyn Aucoin. I worked very hard to perfect my craft, and I was pretty damned good at it even back then. I believe that everyone has at least one natural ability, and it's typically they're "passion" as well. Their natural gift. I was blessed to find mine at a very early age.
I went to beauty college to get my esthetician's license. For me, it felt like a waste of time, because I thought I was going to gain some more makeup knowledge. But that didn't happen, at all. I DID however, learn a TON about skin. I found it very fascinating, and I actually worked as an esthetician for a couple of years after I got my license. The knowledge has definitely benefited me over these years. It's given me a strong desire to really research products in the cosmetic industry as a whole, in turn allowing me to see through so much of the hype and lies that they lead consumers to believe. And trust me....they lie A LOT!! A few tell bigger lies than others. But we'll get into that another time.
So fast forward to today....at the age of 52, I'm pretty much a cosmetic [industry] encyclopedia, with a very well rounded 31 year career. As I've already mentioned I've been an esthetician, I've been a makeup instructor, I have a cosmetics industry resume that spans 17 years including such postions as a major cosmetics company "rotator", a traveling cosmetics company "featured" artist, and a line person, as well as a freelance "blitz team" member for several major prestige cosmetics companies. Who have I worked for? Ultima II (HUGE name in the 80's, for you young folk), Adrien Arpel (again...in the 80's), Charles of the Ritz, Germaine Monteil (now only available in Europe), Lancome, Chanel, Elizabeth Arden, Shiseido, Dior, Clarins, Princess Marcella Borghese, Biotherm, and Smashbox (pre Lauder buy out).

So there is a bit of my beauty background. Just so you understand going forward, that what I have to say is backed with years and years of experience. And I think it's time I became more vocal.

I'm very emotional about what I do. I'm very protective of the craft..and I'm very opinionated, as well. I think there are way too many amazing artists that don't get enough credit, and too many "wannabees" that get way too much.

As I always say....there are people who can put makeup on other people. And then there's the makeup ARTIST. There's a huge difference between the two.

So that's it for this round....Comments and questions are always welcomed!

XXXOOO

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And Let Me Just Say...
(I'm Bloggin'!)

COLOR CORRECTION? REALLY?????

Makeup Soul Searching...(and maybe a few of my rules, too)

And All And Everything.....

So Here I am.....

Archives

Categories

And Let Me Just Say...(I'm Bloggin'!)

COLOR CORRECTION? REALLY?????

Makeup Soul Searching...(and maybe a few of my rules, too)

And All And Everything.....

So Here I am.....

Archives

Categories

And Let Me Just Say...
(I'm Bloggin'!)