Liz Taylor has always had them, and so do the new crop of film femmes. In fact they rarely go anywhere without them. They are personal makeup artists. And they are the latest Hollywood elite to come along. In fact many are upstaging the personalities signing their paycheques. Five years ago, few people knew the name Kevyn Aucoin, the famous artist to the stars who passed away in 2002. But now, you often hear either a name like Kevyns, or star artists Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier, who have their own cosmetic lines, or you witness a celebrity thank their makeup artist during awards broadcastseither way, we are getting the message loud and clear that professional artists are lurking behind the famous faces we dream of having. Most women can transform themselves with the flick of a well-directed makeup brush. And they can get professional help. In fact, just internet your way to google, type in makeup artist and you are on your way. Freelance makeup artists who come directly to your home abound, not just in major city centres but all over now. The training and hatching of seedling artists is on the rise big time, as the nations focus on beauty continues to escalate. Maybe youve been so busy planning your hair, nails, massages, waxing, and facial appointments to think of how a makeup artist can add the icing to your beauty cake, but why all the fuss if you are left with a squeaky clean but blank canvas? Think about how an artist can turn your entire look around with a specialized makeup lesson tailored just for you. No time to master the skill for ongoing do-it-yourself applications? Then have an artist on speed-dial for those dinner parties, client meetings or impromptu get-togethers. You just need to know where to find them and how to know if they are worth their weight in lipstick. Not all artists are created equal. To find an artist to come to you, follow a few key guidelines. Find someone who is trained by a reputable school or program known for specializing in the art of makeup not cosmetics sales. Watch out for artists whove been trained to sell products and who only use one line of makeup on you. Youll be up against a big sales pitch to drop a lot of cash on products you end up shelving later because you break-out or your face rejects the horrific colour choices. Also ask to see photos of an artists workpreferably pictures from professional photographers who are fussy about the artists they work with. Expect the artist to speak with you before your appointment about everything that will make your session together successfulskin care, your colouring, your makeup preferences, the products and shades you currently use, your skin condition, the reason for getting together and what you want to get out of the makeover. Beyond makeup, a great makeup artist doesnt just show you where the colour goes. She looks at you and sees the shape of your face and how to showcase its featuresshe can tell you how to shade and highlight areas to make them stand out or disappear, how to shape your brows to suit your face or to make your eyes seem further apart or closer together, how to line your lips to reshape and balance their look, and more. A great makeup artist also looks at a clean face and sees the finished product. The transformations can be theatrical. |
