what a heavenly shoot

things i love about this shoot:

#1- i got to work with my most favorite photographer Ian Ruhter, (who also happens to be one of my most favorite of friends as well) and be a part of his huge crew of talent...it took around 30 people meshing their skills for this shoot for Heavenly Resort in Lake Tahoe...

check out his how he pushes the envelope (right off the table) with his brilliant work at: ianruhter.com

or for the even curiouser, peek into his blog at: ianruhter.blogspot.com

#2- i got to have a team of hair...my friend Bettina that worked on some tv shows with me...and 2 assistants for her..and I had 2 assistants...well, one couldn't ride his vespa up the mountains...so really just one...i like it when I get to have a posse of my own

#3- i got to do fun make-up...like putting on double sets of eyelashes... this is a trick that gives the eyes that brigette bardot look (like the old Guess ads with Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole Smith) and this is a trick that Pamela Anderson requests for her sexy-mamma-cat-eye look 

Ian had given me some references for the make-up from the pictures in W of Angelina Jolie (the ones where they look like a family from the 50's)...and I love doing make-up from the 40's and 50's....it was so pretty...and girls look beautiful...it was fun to bring in modern tricks like the double lashes....don't try it if your going out...it feels like 10 pound butterflies have landed on your eyelids

how I got started..kinda

I watched this show and didn't even know that Myke was going to be on it...and I had just talked to him a few days before it's premiere...

so this is the fast story...

I was almost done with beauty school (didn't like doing hair..but I'd have tons of make-up applications on my completion lists for each week in beauty school...) and by the way Bonnie is amazing because she let me go to beauty school for free at her school International Academy of Style.......

I go to a hair show in LA....I start talking to Myke Michaels (who has won Emmy's for make-up, has done everyone from Janet Jackson to Demi Moore to everyone......) he asks of I want to work on a movie....and within a month I'm on set, in a make-up trailer, on location in the desert...

I also got offered a job that day, by Laurent D, owner of Prive salons and products in Hollywood....

I was so excited leaving that hairshow......and then I got rear-ended on the 101 freeway going home in my mom's new Lexus that was just a few weeks old!!!! Ahhhh, what's a little airbag smoke, compared to what I had just been offered! ha ha ha

so anyways....I like this show....because it makes me think of what I would've done for the assignments they are given....my friend had told me about the show looking for make-up artists...and I didn't really think too much about it...I had other things cookin' in my life...

Myke is a really great guy....no matter how the show tries to make him look....he's the nicest 7 foot tall man...he's not that tall, but this biggest make-up artist I've ever seen....

Toolbox-brushes

i have a LOT of brushes...these are just my personal brushes...not my kit brushes.....
but they say..."you're only as good as your tools"...
so here'e my top 5 must have tools.......

#1- (i know it's not a brush but......it's right at your fingertips...ha ha ha)
your fingers- yes, i read an article a long time ago by a famous make-up artist from Hollywood's glamour days (40's-50's)...that said his fingers were the best tools he had...
foundation and concealer are best applied with yor fingertips (they are soft and warm...and help emulsify the make-up and "melt" it into your skin...where a sponge, brush, even airbrush...can't duplicate what the human hand an do.... But as a make-up artist, for sanitary reasons, you wouldn't want to really use your fingers, although I do know of lots of make-up artist that do!

#2 fluffy eyeshadow brush-i use it to put the base color all over the lid, blend, and to do the crease blending

#3 rounded blending brush-use it to soften up the edge of your liner and to do the corners of the eye....(making a sideways triangle from the outter corners of the eye)...and to to the crease of the eye...and for a soft smokey effect under the eye

#4 angled brush
i use it to do my eyebrows....and to go over liner...or just dampen the brush with water, dip it in my eyeshadow and draw on liner with it...and to darken the rims of the eye with black shadow

#5 flattish curved blending-this brush will blend colors for a smokey eye..i use it to dab on a highlighting color on the eyelid.....towards the inner part of your eye (where the lashes start)

all of these are MAC brushes...the numbers have long been worn off, but I think they are 223 (big fluffy), and then 220 and maybe 210.....I really can't read em' anymore.....or for an even cheaper option....my favorite angled brush is from the art store and cost a 4th of the price.....you can get good ones at any art and craft store like Michael's...

happy brushing!

Tweezers in Taiwan

This is the scene of my "vanity table" in my hotel room, located in the "fabulous" city of Taipei, Taiwan...yes, unbeknownst to many people...they ship American models over there, they love blonde hair and blue eyes.....I possessed neither of those...but I did have something they didn't....a pink pair of Tweezerman Tweezers...ha ha ha....these babies are still keeping my eyebrows sharper than a Ginsu knife....and that was almost 15 years ago.... I haven't ever sharpened those suckers either... so what if they cost $30 dolla's... you'll have precision in your brow er-rea for the next 20 years...

and you'll be looking in your old pictures and flip-upon a vintage picture of your "vanity table"...and see it's time for your tweezers 15 year reunion....

you betta' raise an eye brow...okaaaay

dude, where's my eyeshadow

even though on this shoot it looks like she has no make-up on....she actually has lots on...this was the idea....but for everyday...you kinda want your make-up to stick around...so...

this is a make-up melt-down intervention......the first in a series of Make-up Mistake Interventions....

#1 where'd my eye make-up go?

first....before putting any eyeshadow/liner, anything!!!

you must put foundation all over our eyelid - from lashes to brows

why? because the skin on your eyelids is so thin and red/pink, that any, and all veins ans redness will show through and ruin any eyeshadow or liner......

second...you have to prepare your canvas (eyelid)...so apply powder all over (from lashes to brows) making sure your eyelid is totally dry

why? for your eyeshadow to go on evenly and so that it blends...you have to have a powdered eye area..... think about it....it's like when you bake a cake...you grease the pan, then you put flour (powder) so the cake won't stick....same thing with eyeshadow....your eyeshadow will stick all unevenly and blotchy if you don't powder it up.....and it takes like 1 second anyway

now throw on as many shades as you like.....put your liner on and for extra staying power....put the same or darker color over your liner to make it virtually water-proof....

example: black liner...black eye shadow over it applied with an angled brush

now you'll be as good as if you tattooed it on...almost

J-Lo and Mascarry stories

Where: Hollywood (just north of sunset) in a make-up trailer on the set of J-Lo's movie "Monster-in-Law"

Who: Another make-up artist

What: talking about how much she loves Dior Show mascara....as it think..."you only like it because it's expensive...and sounds good to have in your kit..."

and then my opinion:

i don't care how expensive your mascara is....$5 bucks from Target....or or $24 from Dior...

and I've tested them all.....I have discovered the most amazing mascara......don't let the description gross you out.....DoubleExtends Beauty Tubes.....

i have NEVER seen a mascara that really makes it look like you have lash extensions...and it won't flake off at ALL! It coats your lashes with a "glove-like" coating...and when you wash it off the whole "glove-coating" (i can't use the word tubes, i grosses me out)...slides right off with warm water...

I love this stuff.....the one thing you should know....wash it off before you go to bed....or as I realized one lazy night...that your face can heat up the "glove-tube" and then it tries to bond with your bottom lashes...not so fun....

But, by far the most amazing mascara I've ever used! Try it..you'll like it...and no, I don't have any ties with L'oreal...happy eyelash batting!