ELLE Style Awards 2010 Backstage

It was a fantastic day amongst a room full of some of the best Make up Artists backstage at the ELLE Style Awards 2010. The team was led by Dirk Jensma and included Chiao-Li Hsu, Katerina Brans, Mascha Meyer, and Severine van Donkelaar.


I'm in the video too!


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Shu On Halloween

An easy solution to a scary Halloween:  Colored contacts, defining & contouring facial features, and a quick sexy over the eye hand-drawn art.  And of course a pair of fabulous Shu lashes!




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And Counting....Holiday Gift Ideas Series

We are gonna start looking at some drool worthy gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season.  The first of this series features a book commemorating NARS Cosmetics' 15th anniversary with.  This image rich book will spotlight icons wearing of course NARS' classic products.  The lineup includes Marc Jacobs, Naomi Campbell, Amanda Lepore, Daphne Guinness, Natasha Poly, Olivier Theyskens, Isabella Rossellini, and Shalom Harlow.  The worst part is that we'll have to elbow each other for a copy in the bookstore.  The book will only be available for ONE month only and you can see the counting down to the release date at http://www.15x15project.com/ .



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Orange Babies

Looking back at the Amsterdam International Fashion Week now long gone (11th edition), my all time favorite show had to be the one put on by Orange Babies.  Enthusiastic displays of dance, fashion, song and makeup artistry wowed audience who were totally immersed in awe.  You can see in the photos below that all of us could not take our eyes off of what was infront of us.  Not to mention the divinely handsome men that marched out in the first section of the show!  I hope you enjoy these photos and that somehow they manage to convey a tenth of what a spectacular evening it was.
 
 





Orange Babies is not a clothing label (although there are shirts with their logo on it).  But rather, they are an organization established by Baba Sylla (1st photo) and John Kattenberg (the famous Dutch makeup artist and founder of House of Orange) to raise awareness and financial support to mothers and their babies affected by the HIV/AIDS virus in Africa.  Their influence in the fashion, sport, music and art scenes has brought and continues to bring real help to those in Africa through organizing fundraisers and various events.  


Please contact Orange Babies for more information.  For donations, please click here.


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A video of people who I really look up to working behind the scenes.


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Palette Of All Palettes

I have to keep this one short even if I would like to share in length of why I adore this color powder palette. I know it isn't contained in any fancy packaging and perhaps the colors look rather bleh from here. But trust me when I say that this palette has ended my search for the most complete and perfect palette of neutral powder colors. This is the palette of all neutral palettes.

Complete and perfect how?

Finely sifted colored powders are pressed into each one of these rectangles the size of about 2 index fingernails within the palette. Count them 12 neutral colors that take any eye from undetectably contoured to dramatically smokey. The colors are not only limited for use on the eyes as several shades would look great on cheeks, as contouring, or all over the face. Texture is creamy (not hard) and colors are never chalky. The powders' matte finish is also what makes the palette so versatile.

I've seen this palette retail in Amsterdam at Backstage (apprx. 47 euros) and in the Viseart Paris store (apprx. 68 euros). It is also seen on several online stores.


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Quick Update

A quick update on what I've been up to lately. Sorry for the lack of posts...maybe it is time for me to get a mobile/cell phone that is from this century. Then I can finally stay connected easily...

The lineup. The makeup I did for a beautiful collection by Tuija M. The clothing was luxuriously adorned with real deer fur.

The makeup we did for And Beyond which I absolutely loved. Shown at the Mode Biennale.

Rahsan Memik, the woman who designed the makeup looks for the designers Peter Hornstein, Monique van Heist, and And Beyond. She led us (the team of makeup artists) at the Mode Biennale in Arnhem.

A shoot I did with Kultivate, a young company who produces statement street wear. It was fun to work that hair!

Tessa W. created a collection inspired by the hecticness of the everyday life. The idea is that the white blinders provided a sort of shield. So I did the makeup and hair accordingly :)

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Pampering Your Tools

Fortunately I have been kept very busy and have been getting a taste of working as a Makeup artist. At the end of each day though, I unzip my makeup rolling case to find a whole lot of stained sponges and gooey brushes. And when it has been a long day, I want to be able to get my stuff clean fast and ready to use again the next day....with as little effort as possible!

My saviors are the Beauty blendercleanser and the Kryolan brush cleaner.

The blendercleanser is a makeup sponge cleaner originally designed for the beauty blender (or that pink pointy thing sitting on top of the spout of the cleaner as pictured above). Ever since I got my own beauty blender set which included a bottle of their cleanser, I have fallen in love with it. It is easy to use because of the push-down spout mechanism. The cleansing liquid permeates through a damp sponge with ease simply because the company has adapted this design (similar to the nail polish remover holders that you might see in a professional nail salon). The liquid cleanser is gentle and by far the toughest cleanser I've come across for ridding tough stains and smells on makeup sponges. But do remember that sponges do age with use so there will come a point when no amount of cleaning will do and you simply have to toss it!

"lightly lavender-scented cleanser that’s free of dyes and skin irritants. It’s soothing soy-based, low-suds formula breaks down rapidly, making it earth-friendly and fun to use. Soy has the added benefit of being one of nature’s finest moisturizers, so by all means, clean up with class and do it often." ,beauty blender.

The Kryolan Brush Cleaner is an alcohol based cleaner for makeup brushes. It provides quick cleansing for brushes that requires at the most 15 minutes of dry time for brushes (as opposed to the overnight drying if brushes are washed with soap and water). All that is required is paper towel to wipe off the dirt with. The other ingredient in this cleanser is petroleum distillate. So while the alcohol disinfects and cleans the bristles of your brushes, the petroleum conditions them. As frequent washing of brushes can wear out the bristles, cleaning my brushes this way takes care of the bristles and they actually become smoother and much easier to work with.

Do you pamper your makeup tools? If so, how?

Website: Beauty blendercleanser, danceshopper.com
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Model Of The Day

Some pics from a photoshoot I did recently. This was shot in Eric Kuster's house...possibly the most beautiful house I've ever seen in real life. The feel was very Gucci luxury and celebrity-esque. And that is actually a genuine polar bear skin throw that the models were laying on...

Photograph: Petra Beil
Model: Chelsea Domenica & Thomas de Gier
Makeup & Hair: me


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Model Of The Day

A photo to share with you from one of the last shoots I did.
Thanks to a team of wonderful people, everything went smoothly and we had such a good time!

Photographer: Otto van der Toorn
Stylist: Arnouk Ko
Model: Eveline @Tony Jones
Hair & Makeup: me :)


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hommage a Serge Lutens

Serge Lutens......my god!







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In Training

Hello. It has been a long time since we last chatted. How have you been?

A lot's been happening lately. Every night I stumble into bed and fall asleep for what seems like only a few seconds and awake to the disturbing sound of my mobile alarm clock. I wish there was a gentler way to be awoken.

But honestly I am not complaining. I am finally doing something that I love and even if I am falling asleep on my way to work, I arrive on set excited and intrigued by what is about to take place. I cannot even start to describe the feeling. That feeling of not knowing exactly what you are going to do with the makeup and hair. The little time you have when you and a stylist, a photographer, and a model discuss the ways to proceed. And then we all get to work, doing the things we were all trained to do. Doing our part. What happens in between can be frustrating, tedious or even surprising. But when we sit down at the end to look at the results...it is such a fantastic feeling!

In the past few weeks I've had the privilege to work with some amazing people. I love my job as a makeup artist! I will post pictures of some of the things I've done here shortly. I promise!


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Liquid Glass

There comes a time when I meet a product that feels so good that I wonder what I have been using in the past. I met the MAC face & body foundation in class for the first time yesterday.

This MAC foundation comes in 11 shades ranging from C1 (light/cool) to N9 (dark/warm). The sturdy screw top with a fine spout tip design ensures travel-bility plus controlled and sanitary handling.

But you realize you've hit gold the moment you experience this liquid foundation on your skin. The liquid simply glistens like liquid glass as if it was lit from within (the foundation is water-based after all; i.e. non-greasy). When you apply it with a foundation brush, the foundation just glides and is then absorbed/accepted by the skin. One layer of this stuff provides very light coverage and can be built to give medium coverage (about 2-3 layers). What I adore is the translucent dewy finish rather than the opaque and matte finish that we see achieved with most foundations. Any spots that need extra coverage can be solved with a little concealer or concentrated application of this foundation. Set with a translucent powder after application (only where needed to maintain the natural dewy finish). The result is a makeup-undetected, polished look!


Website: MAC Cosmetics
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Prime Time For Eyes

Even with knowledge and experience, sometimes we go against our best judgment. As soon as I enter into a drugstore or massive stores such as Target or Walmart, my critical thinking waits outside of the store until I'm done shopping.

Every time I go to Target, I get overwhelmed. Here in Europe making a choice for things like cereal or a drugstore foundation is simple because selection is limited compared to North America. Our stores are alot smaller in size and our isles don't go on for ages.

As much as I enjoy my shopping experience at stores such as those, I do make bad judgment calls when I feel overwhelmed. Let me bring your attention to L'oreal's HIP cream shadow paints.

I'll start by saying that I am a devoted fan of MAC's paint pots. I love their creamy textures (though they take a little practice to get the hang of) and their ability to prolong eyeshadow wear. I do not even think of putting on eyeshadow without a base of some kind because I know that without it only leads to disappointment later. The L'oreal paints score an average of 70% for 'Buy Again' on MUA. Not bad I think for a drugstore brand thus worth a try. These paints even come with their own little travel-size round crease flat brushes of fair quality and are contained in their own chic plastic boxes. The L'oreal range offers a good selection of neutral colors also; ranging from a shimmery beige (picture right) to a charcoal grey (picture left). So far so good.

But the rest leaves little to be desired. First off, they come in metal tubes which I find myself too clumsy for. Getting the right amount out each time is a trying task. The liquid that comes out of the tube's spout is not nearly as creamy as MAC paint pots. I think because of its liquidy-cream texture, the 'cream' starts off with a workable texture at the beginning but then dries unevenly as one attempts to blend it into the skin some more. After having tried different application methods including dabbing, rubbing, gliding, striping, dotting, smudging with fingers and different sized brushes, I gave up. I don't think I can bother with it again as an eyeshadow primer. However, my last resort...I think these could make fair cream liners if used with the Sonia Kashuk bent eyeliner brush. I'll keep you posted!

L'oreal HIP cream shadow paint in Steely (above left)- a shimmery cool tone dark grey that borders on black.

L'oreal HIP cream shadow paint in Secretive (above right) - a shimmery cool tone beige that becomes slightly silver.


Website: L'oreal HIP cream shadow paints
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Fun Makeup - Peter Phillips

"My favorite part of the job is making people even more beautiful than they already are." says Peter Phillips backstage at Chanel.

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The makeup artist who most accentuates a woman's natural beauty through the use of an earthy palette is Bobbi Brown. She has turned 50 and celebrates that by sharing her secrets in her book "Bobbi Brown Living Beauty".

The following is a short interview Brown did on Barnes & Noble Tagged! (a show hosted by Molly) on her new book "Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual". She explains that the book is just as useful for those who are learning to use makeup as it is for makeup schoolers. I guess I am going to have to go and check this one out....



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Her Name Is Black Onyx

So let me report that my first class in makeup training was nerve-wracking but unquestionably exhilarating at the same time.

We have been given a part of our kit and I have since had a chance to play with some of the items from it. Pictured above is one of the items in the kit that I have come to enjoy working with. Her name is Color Shadow Powder in Black Onyx (M) and Il Makiage is her maker.

As you can see, the shadow has a complete black exterior. The rubbery feel of the top lid gives the container a professional feel in one's hand and finger prints don't seem to get imprinted on its surface as easily as on Nars' packaging.

Black Onyx is a matte true black color. While many matte black shadows can be tricky to work with, this particular one manages to be blendable and with just enough sheerness to enable working in layers. I was surprised that I was able to achieve a smooth winged-eye with a quick flick of a hand. While maintaining its blendability, the powder seem to also have grip on the skin that takes a few moments of rubbing before it will fade.

The maker of the eyeshadow (who has been around since the 70's by the way) has a large range of colors that come in either the matte (M) or iridescent (R) formulation. If all of their products are as outstanding as this little pot of eyeshadow pictured above, I think I have just discovered a new love!

Website: Il Makiage
Color Shadow Powder (5.1 grams)


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well mr. f. NARS, i'm even more in love....

enlarge image

You came and took us by storm. You lit up makeup junkies' hearts at the NY fashion week by wowing us at the Marc Jacobs fall '09 show.

65 different makeup looks after 10 years of not stepping foot backstage of any runway shows? I am now even more in love.

More topics on Nars Cosmetics


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First Steps Of A New Adventure

Makeup by John Kattenberg of House of Orange

It is funny how life pans out sometimes. I really could no longer ignore all the things that were happening around me, even if I tried. And trust me, things were happening. Telling me to chase after something that I have been too scared to pursue.

I took one small step at a time (which occasionally felt excruciatingly tedious). But one thing led to the next and I decided that I wanted to go back to school. It all really didn't happen right away and the moment that I made the decision was more than 6 months ago. After a few months of visiting what I believe to be the best institutes who offer what I was looking for, I decided finally on attending the best of the best. Naturally right? As with any good school, there was a selection process. The thought of being turned away, and possibly told to never come back again, would be a devastating one. I knew that I had to stand out somehow. When I finally got the call to go in for THE interview, I turned into a bundle of nervous/happy wreck when I hung up the phone.

The day of the interview I arrived so nervous that my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't even hold onto that cup of tea that they gave me. I don't remember a thing that I had said or was said to me. All I recall is that they had to tell me three times at the end of our interview that I had been indeed accepted. Ok, not only was I slow but I really could not wrap my head around that when I heard it!

It seems I will get to start school next week and I am elated even though I have never been the school type. Oh I failed to mention that I will be going to Makeup School! That makes it a hundred times more interesting in my eyes. I love the thought of being a student again and I look forward to being a shameless one. I vow to be the one to show up early and that I will show up with all my pencils sharpened ahead of time. I will decide on what to wear to class a week before and even read my materials before the class and not on the way on the bus. Do I sound like I had been a bad student in the past? So true.

Being as well prepared as possible is what I want to do but what I have come to learn is that one can never manage to prepare for everything; especially when it has to do with the fashion/beauty industry. I guess that is something that makes it the more attractive to me and it feels as if I am finally taking on a positive challenge that is invigorating.

I cannot wait to learn all the wonderful things and work with some of the finest when I attend John Kattenberg's House of Orange Makeup School. I hope you are as excited as me on the path that I have chosen and that you will welcome it when I share my journey with you! And thank you for always being there for me because I know that I could not have come this far without you.


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Fuschia For Spring

The Estee Lauder Spring Color 2009 Fuchsia Now collection is too pretty not to be shared with you here. 'Look 1' (cool) shown above with bright pinks looks like it will work equally well worn together (sparingly), or individually to highlight a particular feature. 'Look 2' (warm) consists of honey and caramel tones.

The Fleur de Lys Shimmer Powder (circular compact above) looks like the star item to snatch up as the compact can double as a blush and an all-over glow veil. Actually, there are too many intriguing items in this collection that I am not sure if I can just pick one!

This near half-hour "Private-Lesson" footage from the 90s features former supermodel Paulina Porizkova, her mother Anna, and cousin being given a makeup lesson by a makeup artist using Estee Lauder's products.



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