With The Makeup Shoe Artists: James Vincent, Esterique Aidan, Jon Hennessey, Orlando Santiago
Thought I should share some tips I picked up from the seminar…
Q. What is your kit essential for working in a humid country?
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| YoungBlood Mineral Primer |
Esterique. Primer. Because its 70-80% humid in the summer I need to prep the skin really well with a really good moisturiser and primer. I like the one from Youngblood.
Its also not using a lot of powder, you would think that because its very humid and shiny you need to use a lot of powder. Actually when it is too humid, you need to let the skin breath because if you powder too much every thing cracks, or becomes muddy. Powder light and let the primer work, let your base work.
James V. You can mix it with their mineral foundations with the primer to create a new product. I can cover tattoos with this mix.
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| Makeup Forever Flash Color Palette |
Q. What’s your kit essential?
Orlando S. My Makeup Forever flash palette. I use it in almost every single application; to cancel out something, change the undertone in foundation if I’m not carrying so many shades in my kit, as pure colour on the cheek or on the lip. Its my must have because of the range and freedom it gives me. Along with some translucent powder and brushes I can do laterally any kind of work.
James V. It really opens you up to any possibility.
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| Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré |
Jon H. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré. It’s been around for over 30 years and it’s an amazing product. It’s got a beautiful slip to that allows foundations blend into the skin no matter the texture. It works equally well with every skin texture, maybe use a little less on someone with oily skin. That would be my go to “skin food”, its an incredible hydrating boost for the skin.
James V. For me it would be the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré and the Makeup Forever HD Elixir.
Orlando S. I also like the Embryolisse because it acts as a primer as well.
Esterique. To keep your kit small you need to choose products that can do many different things.
James V. When I look at a product I ask “how versatile is this product”
I want to know how versatile it is
Foundation
Esterique. Embryolisse can also be used to change the texture of foundations, mix it with foundation to water down the coverage. When I first use Kevin Aucoin’s Sensual Skin foundations I thought they were too heavy until Orlando taught me how to sheer them down with Embryolise.
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| Kevin Aucoin Sensual Skin |
James V. That’s probably the combo I’ve used the most this past year.
Orlando S. 1st they are small, so I can carry the whole range without breaking a sweat. They are also very oily which is why they work well with Embryolisse which is also oil based. You can use it pure straight on the canvas, or watered down in certain places to give the illusion that the skin shines through. This versatility is why I think it’s so great.
James V. Makeup is situational, you can’t use the same foundation in all situations and that’s the good thing about creme foundations. You can apply it in areas where you need a concealer and sheer it down everywhere else without getting a separation when photographed.
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| Kevin Aucoin Liquid Airbrush |
Jon H. One of my go-to’s is Liquid Airbrush, also from Kevin Aucoin. It gives really seamless coverage, it’s buildable and beautiful when used with the skin enhancers as well. I’m also a fan of the Face Atelier foundations. You can get everything from the most sheer to full covering mannequin skin.
James V. As a MUA you also don’t want to get caught thinking like a consumer. You don’t have to carry 18 shades of a foundation. If I have 6 shades and my flash palette I can do anything I need to do. With a light, medium and dark pink tone, a light medium and dark yellow tone you should be able to create anything.
Mixing foundations also gives you a wow. When you work with everyday women, you want to show them why they are hiring you as a MUA, you should do something that is different from what they do everyday.
Do you use liquid foundation
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| Makeup Forever HD Foundation |
Esterique. Yes. I like the Makeup Forever HD line because the shades fit Israeli women. I like that its fluid but I can build it or sheer it down
James V. The thing about liquid foundations is that they are not buildable. The Makeup Forever HD and Face Atelier are liquids in their formulation but tend to have a formula that is more buildable and versatile for a professional. Those are the 2 I carry when I carry liquids. I also like liquid foundation from YSL.
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| YSL Touch Eclat |
Esterique A. I also love the YSL Touche Eclat. I love it for putting amazing finishing touches, under the eyes around the lip, to shape and add a touch of light.
James V. The Makeup Forever HD concealer has a similar formulation to the Touche Eclat, it also has a touch of nylon in it. If you have clients with concealer settling in the crease, the slip in the concealer will help. It’s great for performance, its great for brides, its really like the bullet proof concealer.
Orlando S. Quite similar to these guys. If I don’t carry the Kevin Aucoin foundations then it’s the Makeup Forever HD but it depends. I even go back to MAC face and body; sometimes I mix the full cover concealer with the Face and body for full coverage that looks natural. It’s about the formulas, once you know the formulas of different products you know the power of mixing them together.
Esterique. Sometimes working on a model all you need is moisturiser and the Mac Face and body. You definitely want a sheer option in your kit.
James V. When it comes to foundation there are 2 schools of thought. 1 is that you are preparing a canvas, so you use 1 even layer of foundation from hairline to jawline. This is the consumers way of thinking…
*Consumer: 1 shade from hairline to jawline (because that is what the everyday woman will buy)
Pro: at least 3 shades
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| Graftobian HD |
Other great cream foundations: Celebrity pro by Mehron; Mario who works with Kim Kardashian uses it to create a flawless finish. Graftobian HD; works in HD but also for the everyday woman.
Orlando S. Not everything needs to be applied with a brush. I used a lot of brushes but sometimes its organic. I press the foundation in with my fingers because the heat from my hands warms up the product. Or go back with the beauty blender.
Esterique: Many MUAs think you need to do the base, set it then go on. It’s not a good way to go. Do the base and maybe powder lightly, then work on the eyes, contouring and all. Then when its open, u can move it around then when you are done set it.
Orlando S. Technology has changed. HD does not allow for all that powdering. You need to be smart and figure out a way to do what we do so that from up close or in a monitor your make up doesn’t look like makeup
James V. Come out of the cookie cutter way of applying makeup, where you just follow a step by step process. Step back and ask -“What is appropriate for this makeup”, “What is appropriate for the face in front of me” “What is appropriate for the job”
When you go in thinking you need to do something, that’s when you get stuck. You really need to think situationally, and develop your own style.
Concealer.
Esterique A. I don’t do that
James V. I don’t either, think the concealer reflects and absorbs light different from foundation, so it always looks dated or off. I used just foundation and build coverage where I need it
Jon H. I’d rather build sheer layers of coverage to get the opacity that I need. using skin enhancer and soft brushes usually in a stippling motion to build up the coverage.
I love cinema secrets concealer for colour as well and I also colour correct with the Makeup Forever Flash colour palette. I mix lipsticks with the flash colour palette and set it with powder to make the texture more matte.
Orlando. I use a minimum to cancel out, and neutralise under the eyes with the power of colour correction.
Must Have Colour Products.Esterique. Lip stainer benefit/Kevin Aucoin for natural kissable lips. They can also be used for blush. those from Taupe; from eyeshadow to contouring like Kevin Aucoin & Makeup Forever. I use it almost every time.
Jon H. Kevin Aucoin’s Candle light is a fav for highlighter, tear ducts, Cupid’s bow…
Youngblod’ s HD powder in Warmth is also a must, Makeup Forever’s HD powder is also great but for mid range to deeper skin tones Warmth is great.
Orlando S. OCC lip tars, I stick to the primaries and generate the rest from there. It also helps to impress your client because you are not reaching for the same lipsticks.
James V. Stilla convertible colours.
*Trick that makes me a lot of money: I blush the skin and apply bronzer before foundation, so it looks like the skin is blushing from within. I like Nars Multiples, Stila convertibles and Benefits bronzer
To be continued…
xoxo
Disclaimer: Pictures of products shown above contains pictures that are not mine
2 Comments
Beny Boom
thanks for posting this Stella…very very informative and insightful. can't wait for more
Stella
Coming right up 😉