Makeup For Life - Beauty Blog, Makeup Tutorials, Product Reviews, Celebrity Makeup, Beauty Advice » q&a

Skincare Q&A: Interview With Hollywood Guru of Glow Kate Somerville

Phyllis — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:19:12 +0000

Regardless of how much makeup you wear and how well you wear it, having good skin is what matters most. Which is why I hooked up with Hollywood skin guru Kate Somerville, to answer some of your skin-related questions. Read on to see the answers!

Question: What is the best way to treat dehydrated acne-prone skin? I have been breaking out on the forehead but my cheeks are so dry and flaky. It’s an ugly mess!
Answer: Make sure you moisturize with oil-free formulations containing aloe vera and hyaluronic acid. Those that are oily or acne prone should cleanse with a salicylic-acid-based cleanser; twice a day, and should exfoliate once a week. Most of us have faces that can be broken out on the forehead, dry and patchy on the cheeks, and calm and clear on the chin. That’s why it’s important to get to know your own skin, both inside and out. The more connected you are to what’s going on and how you feel, the better you can care for your skin puzzle now and throughout the years. I create products and treatments with the goal of making skin a balanced and beautiful ecosystem.

Question: I wear sunblock every day and try to stay away from the sun as much as I can but those freckles just keep coming! How can I lighten them and prevent further pigmentation?
Answer: If you have sun damage and hyperpigmentation, you’ll want to apply an antioxidant serum that will lighten spots and fight free radicals. My Total Vitamin Antioxidant Face Serum is great for this. Think multi-vitamin for your skin. It nurtures & feeds your complexion with the essential nutrients & powerful antioxidants necessary for optimal skin wellness. It contains my trademarked Vitagen Complex which combines, the highest performing & most stabilized form of Vitamin C with Vitamin E to create the ultimate antioxidant! It also fights free-radicals & strengthens the skin’s defenses against future signs of aging, as well as helping to lighten hyper-pigmentation & promoting even skin tone. You might also like the Kate Somerville Complexion Correction products for treating existing dark spots. Some at-home OTC treatment options are available to help fade sun spots. Aspirin treatment: Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid, a salicylic-acid derivative. Heat up a few teaspoons of water. Add two whole aspirin tablets to the water, mash with a spoon, and mix thoroughly. Massage the mixture onto the skin and leave on for about five minutes. Repeated use of this treatment will lighten and brighten the skin over time.

Question: I use a non-abrasive, enzyme-based exfoliator every day – is that too much?
Answer: With acne, use exfoliators that include fruit enzymes, glycolic or lactic acids, but please do not scrub too hard if you have blemishes! You can break them open and spread bacteria. Let the enzymes do the work. I recommend exfoliating once a week for delicate skin types and those with active acne.

Question: What can I do to get rid of acne scars?
Answer: With scarred skin, your goal is to stimulate collagen and elastin, flatten out scarring, improve overall texture and brighten and even out tone. For treatments you can try lasers to help stimulate collagen where there are depression marks. You may also want to try LED phototherapy (red and white light). As for products, exfoliate the skin with fruit enzymes, glycolic and lactic acids, use brighteners such as vitamins A and C and build collagen with peptides.

Question: My pores are HUGE and I have tried everything. Help!
Answer: There are light and laser treatments that can help. Intense Pulsed Light Therapy is a shortwave light that hits the skin, targeting discolored or damaged surface layers and delivering heat deeper in the dermis to stimulate healing. It also reduces pore size and refines the overall texture and tone of the skin. Omnilux LED technology is a combination of noninvasive blue, red, and white LED technology. The blue and red LED eradicate the bacteria that cause the inflammation experienced during breakouts, reduce pore size, stabilize sebum production, and promote healthy cell growth. Laser Genesis is a noninvasive laser technology using near infrared light and heat to get down to the dermis to stimulate collagen production and healthy cell growth. It’s great for gradually building volume and reducing redness, not to mention for textural issues such as “orange peel” skin and fine lines. This is one of my personal favorite treatments. Also, since the 1980s, the laser has been a key technology is cosmetic procedures. There are so many out there, and they can treat a variety of skin conditions and concerns, from acne and pigmentation to refining pores, reducing wrinkles, and tightening skin. Pearl is a procedure that actually takes down a layer of skin by way of a laser for quick results. My team uses the Pearl on all ages because it reduces wrinkles, pore size, fine lines, uneven texture, sun damage, and pigmentation.

Question: Is concealer my only solution to the redness around my nose?
For those that need some redness relief, use a cucumber cooler. Grab a cucumber from the fridge and slice it into thin slices. Lie down and carefully place them on your face. The cucumber will reduce redness and swelling and calm any sensitivities. Another solution is to make an ice device. Soak a washcloth in an ice bath for a few minutes. Take the washcloth out, wring out the excess water, and lay the cloth across your face for about five minutes. The cool temperature will also help close down pores and tighten the capillaries that cause redness.

Question: Can you share with us a few tips on how to prep the skin for a major event? I’m getting married next January.
Answer: The best thing you can do is start a daily skin routine, which will get you your skin looking its best with glowing radiance. Your morning routine should always include 5 easy steps. The first step is cleansing, which is key for healthy skin and should be customized for your skin type. Step two is exfoliation, which, depending on your skin type, should be done two to three times a week. I recommend exfoliating once a week for delicate skin types and those with active acne. Step three is to treat, so again, depending on your skin type, you’ll want to feed it based on its particular needs. If you have sun damage and hyperpigmentation, you’ll want to apply an antioxidant serum that will lighten spots and fight free radicals. If you have oily skin, you may want to apply a toner to reduce sebum production, or try a bacteria-busting treatment serum. The fourth step is hydrate/moisturize. Regardless of skin type, it’s key to deliver water to the cells and then seal it in, so skin absolutely glows with health. Remember that your lips are important, too. Use a lip balm that doesn’t contain peppermint essential oils or petroleum, as both can actually dry out lips. And don’t forget your neck and chest! Lastly, step five is protect, which you can do by applying an ample amount of sunscreen over your moisturizer. My Dermal Quench Oxygen treatment is a favorite of many of my clients, especially those who are about to hit red-carpet events, because it ups the hydration level in their skin, keeping it supple, hydrated, smooth and dewy. And something to remember: Never have a new procedure or treatment, or begin using a new product, right before some big occasion. You don’t know how your skin is going to react to it. A red, irritated face or even an outbreak of hives is not the look you’re going for at your wedding.

Question: How can I achieve glowy skin without makeup?
Answer: Protection: Sunscreen and certain foods can provide you with a helpful SPF for your skin.
Hydration: Drink lots of water and use the appropriate moisturizer to give your skin its best hydration.
Food: Feed your face with topical vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential oils and eat well.
Stimulation: stimulate circulation with vitamins A and C, and peptides.
Detoxification: Cleanse your face daily with the appropriate cleanser for your skin type. Limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol, sugar, added salt, meat, and processed foods; add pure, unfiltered cranberry juice diluted with water, a squeeze of lemon to your glass of water, and green tea.
Rest, exercise, and a good diet are absolutely the fountains of youth.

Got a beauty question? E-mail me at makeup_forlife@yahoo.com or leave a comment!

Meet Kate Somerville on Nov 17th at Neiman Marcus Northbook!

Phyllis — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:55:17 +0000

This Thursday November 17th, Hollywood ’s “Guru of Glow” Kate Somerville will be in town to make a personal apperance at Neiman Marcus in Northbrook, Illinois.

During the day, a team of Kate Somerville Skin Health Experts will offer free consultations and one of Kate’s signature oxygen treatments out of her Los Angeles Clinic, DermalQuench. Kate will also be signing copies of her new book, Complexion Perfection! Your Ultimate Guide to Beautiful Skin, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

To make an apppointment, contact Adela Bicazan at (847) 564-0300 ext. 2114. Space is limited!

Can’t make it to the event? E-mail your questions for Kate to makeup_forlife@yahoo.com or leave a comment here and I will have them answered!

Weekly Q&A: How To Make Wide-set Eyes Appear Closer Together With Makeup

Phyllis — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:42:11 +0000

Question: How should I do my makeup to make my wide-set eyes appear closer together?

Answer: While celebrities like Kate Moss and Jessica Alba prove wide-set eyes can be beautiful, here are a few makeup tricks you can use to bring your eyes closer together.

* To draw your eyes inward, leave as much hair as possible at the beginning of the brows and try to keep your eyebrows short (see Jessica Alba above). Using a powder to fill in the eyebrows, go heavier on the inner half and make sure to blend well. Finish by blending a taupe or brown shadow from the beginning of the brow down the sides of your nose to further draw your eyes inward.

* Instead of using a light color on the inner corner of the eye, stick with medium to dark colors like brown, taupe, grey and sable. Use a lighter color on the outer half of the lid.

* When applying eyeliner, keep the liner thicker in the inner corner and center. Do not extend it upwards or past the outer corner. If you do like Kate above, your eyes will look even further apart.

Not sure if you have wide-set eyes? Just look straight into the mirror. Well-proportioned eyes only have one eye space in between the bridge of your nose. If you have more than that, your eyes are considered wide-set.

Got a question? Just leave a comment!

Weekly Q&A: How To Prevent Your Foundation From Oxidizing

Phyllis — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:31:17 +0000

Question: My foundation tends to turn orange by mid-day. Why does this happen and what can I do to prevent it?

Answer: The “orange-face” phenomenon you are referring to is known as oxidization. It happens when the oils in your skin or foundation is interfering with the pigments, causing the color to intensify and turn orange, or in some cases, a shade or two darker.

I too have fallen victim to oxidization before, especially with MAC foundations. So what can you to prevent this? Read on!

* Use a primer. Primers can act as a barrier between your skin and the makeup, making it less likely for the oils to interfere with your makeup.

* Always moisturize, even if you have oily skin. When your skin is dehydrated, it tends to secrete more oils. Just make sure you use an oil-free moisturizer.

When choosing foundations, stick with oil-free formulas.

* Try out the foundation before buying to minimize any unpleasant surprises.

Have you ever experienced oxidization? Tell us your experience and your tips on how to prevent it!

Q&A With Black Swan Makeup Department Head Margie Durand and Makeup Designer Judy Chin

Phyllis — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 02:35:02 +0000

Excited about the upcoming Black Swan movie? Then check out the following Q&A with Makeup Department Head Margie Durand and Makeup Designer Judy Chin to learn more about the dark ballerina look spotted on Natalie Portman below!

Q: How does a makeup artist prepare to work on a film? Do you receive guidance from the director or collaborate with the costume designer/art director/key hair stylist on the makeup look?

Margie: When I begin working on a film I speak to the director and all of the creative team if possible. The directors inspiration and vision really drives the process and I try to deliver that vision in makeup.

Judy: As I read the script, I try to envision the characters, taking into account their background (age, personal history, affluence, profession). As I see the plot develop in the story, I make note of how these events might affect their appearance. When I’m designing the looks for a film, it’s very important to consider the director’s visual style and tastes. Occasionally, I get to collaborate with the costume or production designers. I always try to find out how the actors will be dressed, as that can have a significant influence on the makeup look. While our designs are often created independently at first, I find that the hair stylist and I work very closely to be sure that our looks fit together and bring the characters to life.

Q: How long does it typically take for you to prepare to start working on a movie like Black Swan?

Judy: I spend a lot of time drawing and doing practical makeup tests. Depending on actor availability and camera tests, it could take three to four weeks of preparation.

Q: How does a makeup design contribute to building a movie character?

Judy: What I’ve always loved about makeup design is its contribution to the actor’s performance. Makeup helps to create the character visually. I feel that I’ve done my job well when an actor can walk onto the set feeling like the embodiment of the character that he or he is portraying.

Q: Can you give a step by step explanation as to how the Black Swan look was created as well as the products that were used?

Margie: We applied a pale ivory foundation with a white cream highlight on the forehead and cheekbones. To create the swan eyes, we used MAC Chromaline in Black Black. Using MAC Pigment in Silver combined with Mixing Medium, we applied feathery brushstrokes over the Black Swan’s eyes. The lips were lined with MAC Lip Pencil in Vino and topped with MAC lipstick in Dubonnet. We then lined the under eye with a thin line using MAC Chromaline in Red.

Q: Does the makeup have any relation to the makeup in the traditional version of the Swan Lake ballet?

Judy: Not really. The ensemble dancers wear what might be considered a traditional theatrical eye makeup, but our rendition is more dramatic. It’s practically an opera makeup. Besides that, the only other relation might be that we did portray the Black Swan as a sinister dark foil to the more angelic and innocent Swan Queen.

Q: The ballerinas’ performance makeup in the movie is especially dramatic and visually arresting. What inspired the dark romantic makeup look?

Judy: The look was inspired by the story, and by the director, Darren Aronofsky. I felt that he was looking for something dramatic and visually striking, so all of the intensity was focused in the eyes. Margie Durand realized that there were elements of our beautiful set design that should play a role in our makeup. Thus, the delicate silver branches that played across the swan’s faces came to be. The ensemble swans and the Swan Queen are delicate and romantic with a soft pink lip color, whereas the Black Swan is dark, sharp, and, angular.

Q: A ballerina has an incredibly active job, and in Black Swan, the characters wear both body and face makeup. What products did you use in the film that you were certain would hold up to the lights, movement and perspiration?

Judy: We used pancake makeup with a spray sealant to ensure that it wouldn’t rub off on the costumes. We also used MAC Paint Pots, MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencils, and MAC Pigments. In addition, we applied some alcohol based pigments that are virtually water-proof and rub-proof.

Q: What challenges did you face when designing and applying the makeup?

Margie: It was a challenge to makeup the Black Swan as the White Swan and then switch back to Black Swan during the long filming days. Both makeups had to be retouched because of the strenuous dancing for the close-up shots.

Judy: It would have been a huge problem if any of the makeup rubbed off onto the costumes, so we had to do many tests before we came up with the right combination of products – especially for the hands. The only other challenge was conveying to our team the application techniques, as it really was an operatic style of makeup. The shaping of the eyes and painting the whole eye in cake makeup is unusual for modern makeup artists. Most people are a bit intimidated by pancake makeup and they dismiss it as “old fashioned,” but it can be really beautiful if done properly. In the end, the whole team worked really hard and did a stunning job.

Q: Did you use any products in a non-traditional way?

Judy: We mixed the MAC Pigment in Silver with a sealant to create a waterproof liquid. We then used this metallic liquid to paint our delicate silver branches across the little swan faces.

Q: Black Swan makeup tutorials have popped up all over the Internet. Why do you think makeup fans are fascinated with this look, even before the film’s release?

Judy: What’s not to be fascinated with? The look is intense, alluring, and sexy with a bit of danger mixed in. Frankly, I’m flattered and pleased that there has been this much interest in the Black Swan makeup.

Q: How can the everyday woman translate the dramatic Black Swan makeup into an evening look?

Judy: There are a lot of aspects to this makeup that are standard elements for a classic beauty makeup. The highlights and contours along the cheekbones, nose, jaw line, and the pout of the mouth can all be adapted to a contemporary makeup. I also think one could incorporate the dramatic eyeliner – the angles and the intensity – into a very seductive, catlike smoky eye.

Margie: Think 1920’s vamp makeup: create the smoky Black Swan eyes with slender, silver eye liner applied under black wingtip liner and add thin wisps of silver liner over the eyelid, too. Rim the waterline with black liner and top it off with full, feathery false eyelashes. Apply a very matte foundation with contoured cheekbones and a hint of shimmery blush on apple of cheeks. Lips can be matte or glossy in dark eggplant, wine and even black colours!

Q: Have you ever worked on a fashion show? If so, what are the differences between the creation of a movie makeup and the look for a fashion show? Is the creative process similar or different?

Margie: The creation process is similar; the differences are huge. In film, the makeup needs to be recreated more than once, whereas in fashion on a runway, it is created for one day or one show. In film, there is continuity of passage of time from minutes to days to years, and the character’s look has to adjust for this, sometimes all on the same shooting day. In film, the makeup needs to enhance the actors’ performances and become part of their characters, contributing to beauty, injury, aging, etc.

Q: What is the one MAC product that you cannot go on set without? Why?

Margie: I use so many MAC products on every job, but the Blot Powders are a must for whatever seems to be going on with my makeup at any given moment!

Judy: That’s a really difficult question, but I guess I would have to say a Powerpoint Eye Pencil. I think I could make up anyone with just one Powerpoint Eye Pencil. Or at lease enhance their features.