Makeup For Life - Beauty Blog, Makeup Tutorials, Product Reviews, Celebrity Makeup, Beauty Advice » celebrity makeup artist

MAC Pro Master Class: Bridal Makeup Tips by MAC Senior Artist John Stapleton

Phyllis — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:14:45 +0000

Last night, I attended the MAC Pro Bridal Makeup Class by MAC’s very own Senior Artist John Stapleton. John has been in the industry for 15 years and has worked in Fashion Week, theater, film, concerts and with celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Kelly Osborne. Read on for some of my favorite tips I picked up from John!

Me with the fabulous MAC Senior Artist John Stapleton
* Forget the trends and stick to classic, timeless makeup. Think smoky eyes, cream liner, peaches and cream complexion, neutral lipstick and red lips (John likes MAC Viva Glam I).

* For acne skin, go matte to help wash out the bumps. Avoid applying color directly on textured skin and try to distract from problems areas by focusing on the eyes or lips. If the client insists on a glowy look, highlight only above the cheekbone and under the browbone.

* Instead of using a waterproof mascara, John likes to coat lashes with MAC Liquidlast Eye Liner for maximum wearability. I too am a fan of the product and it does stay on well until you remove it with oil.

* Got a mascara smudge? Let it dry and it will come right off with a q-tip.

* To apply fake lashes, John swears by one of my favorite methods – gluing them from underneath. Basically, what you do is cut up your strip lashes, apply glue on the top (instead of the bottom) of the strip and apply directly underneath your natural lashes. It looks a lot more natural this way and will prevent that ugly white space you get between your natural and fake lashes.

* To cover up tattoos (which is definitely something all bridal makeup artists should know), John first applies MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolour to counteract the blueness before applying MAC Face & Body Foundation. He uses the peachy shades on light skin tones and the reds on darker skin tones.

* The rule of thumb to figure out which two colors counteract each other: – Mix two primary colors and the remaining one is the complementary color, i.e. red + yellow = orange, counteracts blue ; yellow counteracts red + blue = purple; yellow + blue = green, counteracts red.

* When working on really dark skin tones, be creative. Use your purple lipstick to contour or a bright/yellow eyeshadow to highlight.

* Check all sides to make sure the makeup looks good from all angles.

MAC Senior Artist John Stapleton doing a bridal makeup demonstration with neutral eyes and red lips

MAC Senior Artist John Stapleton doing a quick smoky eye demonstration

And a few tricks to being successful as a bridal makeup artist:

* Referrals are extremely crucial. Team up with photographers, wedding planners and hand out your card to hotel concierges, salons etc. to build up a greater potential clientele.

* Create an online presence with a Facebook page, website and blog.

* Trial runs are key. If you do not feel comfortable doing the client’s makeup during the trial, walk away.

* Have your client come in with her regular makeup on to get a feel of what she likes.

* Protect yourself. Have a mutual understanding of how you will be paid and come up with a cancellation policy or contract.

* Take pictures of your work whenever possible.

Got more tips for bridal makeup? Share with us and don’t forget to follow John on Twitter!

Makeup Tips For The Winter

Phyllis — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 05:26:07 +0000

Having a hard time getting your makeup to go on smoothly in the cold winter? Check out these tips by celebrity makeup artist and founder of Skinn Cosmetics, Dimitri James, to make makeup work for, not against your skin.

Problem 1: Color won’t stick to pale, dry winter skin.

Solution: First, exfoliate away those excess dead skin cells that skin produces to protect itself from the cold. Then, try mixing a drop or two of a natural essential oil like neroli oil or rose hips oil with your favorite moisturizer before you apply it to your face. The extra oil will super-hydrate the skin and help offset winter dryness, and your bronzer and blush will adhere better and last longer.

Another proven method is to first apply a cream blush or bronzer to your cheeks and face then top with a very light dusting of your favorite powdered blush and bronzer. This layering technique will make your color cling beautifully all day.

Extra Tip From Phyllis: Besides the methods mentioned above, you can also try a hydrating sheet mask. It will instantly smooth out wrinkles and plump up dry skin so your makeup can go on easily.

My Product Recs: Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment; MAC Care Blends Essential Oils; myfaceworks Paper Facial Mask

Problem 2: Foundation takes on an orange cast by the end of the day. There should be an orange “caution” sign for this all too common cosmetic problem.

Solution: In the winter, women tend to wear more foundation and oilier skins tend to produce more oil in response to the dry, cold air. Oils in foundation and oils from your skin oxidize during the day and turn orange. This is why we see that tell-tale orange “line of demarcation” at the jaw line as the day progresses.

The solution is using a purple-toned makeup primer under your foundation. The best ones are silicone-based for flawless, smooth make up application. Plus, the purple color counteracts the orange in the skin caused from oils oxidizing.

My Product Recs: Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer 2 Mauve

Problem 3: When skin is dry, foundation and powder seem to exacerbate fine lines and wrinkles.

Solution: Keep skin super hydrated during the colder months. Here’s a great emergency skin rescue tip Dimitri has shared with his Hollywood clientele: First, thoroughly cleanse and exfoliate skin. Then fill a clean sink or large bowl with hot as you can take it water. Add two tablespoons of sea salt to the water and two tablespoons of glycerin. Then splash the skin with this hot sea bath mixture 30 times and you will see even the driest of winter skin look super hydrated and plumped-up smooth!

Then, add just a drop of rose hips oil to your moisturizer before applying to your face. Adding a drop of essential oil to your moisturizer rather than to your foundation will work better because moisturizer mixed with foundation may conflict with he foundation’s emulsion system and create a less than perfect deposit of pigments on the skin which can create a blotchy look.

The same holds true for concealers – adding a little rose hips oil to your eye cream will soften those little dry lines around the eye and prevent concealer from looking lined. Plus the oil will eventually seep into the concealer and keep it smoother looking all day.

Got more winter makeup tips? Share with us!

How To: Get Christina Aguilera’s Makeup Looks In Burlesque

Phyllis — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 03:48:32 +0000

Finally saw Burlesque on Friday and totally LOVED the hair and makeup on Ali Rose, played by Christina Aguilera! So here are a few breakdowns and face charts of some of my favorite looks by Christina’s makeup artist, Kristofer Buckle.

Look #1
For Ali’s small-town-girl look, Kristofer used “soft mauves on her lips and a very blushed coral on her cheeks”. He also kept her eyebrows “light and secondary” with Anastasia Perfect Brow Pencil in Ash Blond. Read this to learn how to rock coral blush.

Look #2
To add a touch of “fetish” feeling, Kristofer gave Ali a “strong, long eye with a severe cheekbone” that is nothing but fierce! Need help perfecting the cat eye? Check out this step-by-step tutorial.

Look #3
Ali gets long, almond eyes in a metallic pewter with fake upper and lower lashes and candy-like bright red lips. A black Swarovski crystal was used as the beauty mark.

Look #4
Ali rocks fake eyelashes custom-made by Kristofer that is inspired by an old Man Ray photograph. Try Make Up For Ever Strip Lashes in 137 Michelle for a similar look.

Look #5
With a “ballerina eye” in mind, Kristofer used pale pink glitter on the eyes with spiky lashes on the bottom. The Smashbox Burlesque Beauty Collection has all you will need to recreate the look. For a step-by-step tutorial, watch this video clip featuring Kristofer himself.

Look #6
This look is all about “liquid eyeliner with a wispy lash, glowing skin, and ruby lips”. Loves loves loves!

Look #7
Here, Kristofer used gold and orange shadows on Ali’s eyes and kept the shapes “feline” to go with the red lip.

So, which one is your favorite out of them all?

To learn more about these looks, check out InStyle’s interview with Kristofer and the official Burlesque Movie Companion Book available at Amazon.com.

Image Source 1 and 2.

Holiday Makeup Tips From Celebrity Makeup Artist Gina Brooke

Phyllis — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 00:30:04 +0000

Hourglass Cosmetics Artistic Director Gina Brooke, aka the face behind the gorgeous looks of Madonna, Anne Hathaway, Naomi Campbell and Gwen Stefani, gives us the low down on how to pull off fresh, beautiful makeup that is perfect for the holidays.

* “When it comes to chic cheeks, I have a three-dimensional approach that anyone can replicate at home. Firstly, I “warm” the skin by applying bronzer to the high points of the face. Secondly, I add “light” to the complexion by using a highlighter on the apples of the cheeks, down the bridge of the nose and the jaw bone. Lastly, I “color” with blush applied strategically to the apples of the cheeks – smile when you’re doing so for the ideal application. The result is a flawless looking complexion.”

* “Hold the neutrals. Why not try dramatic eyes for an evening event? Nothing says nighttime glamour like a metallic smoky eye. Choose a shadow duo with a black and a metal shade like gunmetal gray, silver or bronze. Using a shadow brush, apply the lighter shade first. Use your finger to blend for a graduation of color. Then apply the dark shade, but avoid applying the black shadow all the way across to the inner corner of the eyes—it makes your eyes seem bigger that way. Blend the two colors together.”

* “I love bold, red lips, and if you haven’t experimented with their power, now is the time to do so. Red instantly transforms the face for an immediately polished look. Start with a neutral liner first. Don’t just fill in the lines. Use the liner over the entire lips to create a base for your lipstick. Using a lip brush, apply the lipstick from the outer corner to the inner corner, and repeat from the other side. Pair your rouge lips with smoky eyes for a gorgeous classic look (refer to look #1).”

* “Gold is an undeniably festive color and the perfect choice to celebrate the season. An easy combination is to pair a gold shimmering eye shadow with a bright coral lip gloss (like look #2) – it’s a sultry look that flatters all skin tones. You could also heighten the impact of the gold shadow by wetting your brush before application. This technique is called “foiling” and it creates a gilded effect on the eyes. Make sure the shadow dries before moving on to another shade.”

* “To ensure your makeup lasts all night, always remember to prep skin with a primer first. It will ensure a flawless and long-lasting makeup application, and will also lock in moisture, which is ideal for cold weather. In addition, using a primer will help the foundation glide on smoothly and blend easily. Look for a luxurious foundation with anti-aging and light-diffusing ingredients.”

* “If you are going to a party where you will be photographed, I always recommend this trick from the Golden Age of Hollywood: Put a thin layer of Vaseline on your teeth to avoid lipstick transferring onto them. Another good trick from that era is to dab concealer on the outer corners of the mouth to create a lifting effect that makes you look like you’re slightly smiling all the time.”

Below are two looks created by Gina for the holidays:

Look #1: Smoky eyes with red lips

Look #2: Gold eyeshadow with coral lips

A fan of Gina? Read about my Intraceuticals Infusion Oxygen Facial experience with her!

Meet Celebrity Makeup Artist Gina Brooke In Person!

Phyllis — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 03:43:31 +0000

In celebration of Fashion’s Night Out, Hourglass Cosmetics Artistic Director/former Artist Director for Shu Uemura/makeup artist for Madonna, Gina Brooke, will lead a team of makeup artist to host a performance art, avant-garde makeup show on Friday, September 10th.

The event will take place at the Sephora store in New York City’s Union Square (45 East 17th Street between Union Square West and Park Avenue South) from 5 to 10 pm, with Gina’s performance at 7.

I met Gina in person earlier this year and she is truly one of the best! Do not miss out on this great opportunity if you are in the area!