home sweet make-up trailer

a haven away from set.....

when it's hot....people want to escape to the cool oasis known as the make-up trailer.

same when it's cold...production assistants seem to ask me questions that require them to linger, for unusually long periods of time...

but another amazing thing takes place when one enters the make-up trailer...

it is not only the beginning of the day's process...it is the beginning of their "transformation"...it is a unique experience where, somehow in the safety of the make-up "cocoon", people feel like they can pour their heart out...

there is an intimate collaboration that takes place between the art director, make-up artist, stylist and the photographer or director, who is like the captain of the ship...an artist's personality has to work with the personalities of a particular team. And there is an even closer bond that gets formed between the make-up artist and the talent....you see them bare bones...bad hair, skin, without the help of their Spanx...you name it.

It is more than just the outcome of how they're going to look...it's the act of letting their true self shine...

I myself, have a very maternal side...I enjoy taking care of people, making them feel happy and encouraged....by doing this I believe it makes them rest their faces and hearts in my hand...

I have been told many details and secrets that I don't think many other people know...I like to just listen to whomever is in my chair, and their heart pours out...and my heart wants to help make them feel as confident and beautiful as what they've opened up and revealed to me...

What happens when someone steps in the make-up trailer....is so much more than just foundation and hairspray....it's bonding and I apply a heavy coat of bringing out the beauty of the person inside...without anyone knowing...just by offering my ear and kindness...oh what fun the make-up trailer had provided:

*a world famous chef made me ice cream on potato chips

*watching a mean actress get her picture taken with cucumbers on her eyes, and then someone printing it on the call-sheet the next day

*watching a 7 foot tall NBA star, struggle to duck inside the trailer door and sit on the chair like it's doll furniture

*finding latex molds of one of the Charlie's Angels stars boobs (ha ha ha)

*listening to people gossip about other celebrities...while I just LISTEN

*kids in the trailer...a guaranteed laugh....

I like that people run to the little haven I've created in the make-up trailer...

kandee the canvas artist

(pre-script...i know this painting is not in proper perspective....it's abstract-ical baby! i made it that way)

i've been packin' paint brushes and sketchpads since I was a toddler...

the only classes i loved in high school were: drawing & painting and graphic design

i really thought I was going to head off for art school...but instead I left high school (yes i have a diploma! correspondence, baby!) and left for Asia...where i got to have make-up put on me...

but in the 80's you'd find me watching fashion shows with my mom- (Style with Elsa Klench)

and I'd be whipping out pages of fully designed collections, like I was Christian Lacroix, Betsey Johnson, or Yoji Yamamoto...

I'd draw hundreds of body silhouettes...and design full seasons of clothes...i still have them...it's hilarious...I did resort wear, swimwear, couture, you name it

I've done a little painting...I like feeling the brush gliding (side note: this is total de ja vu moment right now) all smooth and slippery across the canvas or wood (i like painting on big wood pieces)

I love the veils of color...all the colors I love in my mind that I never find the perfect shade of...I can mix it up myself...similar to whipping up a custom lipgloss color...

Art is in my heart and soul...just like any other person that loves it....I feel alive, like my soul is rejoicing...saying,"yeah, your heart beats for this"....

human touch

i remember being in an acting class off of Hollywood and Vine...in the heart of Hollywood's hey day area...right of the star walk...

I remember doing a scene with a guy that was new to the class...

and in our "two love-birds" scene, he didn't seem to really get into the moment...

The acting coach, told me touch the side of his face with my hand...

and explained that the human touch releases a chemical in our brains, that calms and soothes us, makes you feel loved...

the moment I did that....CLICK.....the scene became real and believable...

the power of touch is amazing

I know, that all the faces, that my hands have artfully touched, have felt the love that emanates from my heart.

The love that I share by making someone feel beautiful...

And the lost art of human touch...in a world filled with only the touching of a keyboard through email, myspace, facebook...it's nice to experience the beauty of real human tactility

excuses excuses

i know...i was supposed to be like, Stephen Spielberg, of the make-up videos tonight...BUT...

again my voice is toying with me...here one minute...gone the next...not good for speaking and having people understand you...

however...thanks to Myspace....one of the peeps on a commercial shoot posted some pics..and lo and behold....some show me doing what I do right before the camera rolls.....

yeah...and thanks to the bill on the hat you see me wearing.....when I ducked under that jib-arm-thing that holds the camera, that's made of steel, I hit my forhead so hard on that thing...that when I tried to look at the monitor to see how the girls looked, everything was blurry. 

I didn't even care how bad it hurt, I just wanted to make sure that no one saw me do it.....no one rushed to my aide, except one of the sound guys that was standing right next to me, e asked if I was okay...

to which I replied, "yeah, I'm fine"....but really I wanted to say, "ssshhhhhh, i think only you saw that....don't ask if I'm okay...people will ask what happened!!!"

gotta go sleep, I have to do make-up for a milk ad tomorrow...

eyebrows: the good, the bad, the ugly.

a picture says it all....

eyebrows make a big, bushy, difference....

I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly....and I am ready to share with you my addiction/obsession, with creating eyebrows...that will send people clammoring for  the scoop, on your razor-sharp-lookin' eyebrows...and a good pair of tweezers

so...I was going to do my first intructo-video..but unfortunately my voice has hit the road...via the highway of my cold....

for now I'm gonna get you ready....

tool list for killer eyebrows...

so gather these essentials:

#1- a good pair of tweezers (i'e tried many a tweezer...and nothing works like a tweezerman)

#2- a pair of curved cuticle trimmers (can be purchased at any drugstore...usually where you find nail files, polish....that kind of stuff)

#3- an eyebrow brush/comb (you can pick up one of these for super cheap, in any cosmetics department of your favorite store...Target, Wal-mart, you get the idea)

#4- and last, but not pictured....a business card....any form of hard cardstock will due...index card...anything (you'll find out why later)

get all these babies ready....and hopefully my voice will have a homecoming....and you will be raising some eyebrows of your own.

sick days

since i've been hibernating in my cave of sickness....i thougth I pop into blogville...say hello....and toss out some before and afters.....here's my lovely friend Bethanie...that asked me to do her make-up on her most special day.....cue billy idol singing...."white wedd-dang".....

so as I've been resting on my couch-o-healing....I've planned out some really cool ideas for make-up demo-videos....putting my knowledge into your hands! hooray...

i'm working on MacGuyver-ing up some lighting for the videos...so until then.....I'm cooking up some fun stuff....

wait and be pretty...

all lubed up for the new year

 my-first-day-of-the-year-in-the-morning-face (minus any form of make-up)...with the bonus of a cold of some sort and all my glorious freckles are out to say hello...BUT...

what i do have on...that i smear on every night....is some Un-Petroleum....ahhhhh...the lube-y goodness feels like a velvety layer of Crisco on your face....

just try and invite a wrinkle to form on your face with this stuff smoothing and sealing your face up, with a protective coating of the best greasy-feeling...and it won't clog your pores because it's made with vitamin E which heals, protects, softens, soothes and rejuvenates skin

and doesn't have mineral oil (vaseline is pure petroleum) which is made from real petroleum which is basically waste from making petrol chemicals AKA gasoline, that spreads across the skin clog pores and irritate skin

my super suggestion for infantile looking skin:

slap on your regular moisturizer

then rub this heavenly product on you face

IF

you can't handle it all over..just layer some on your eye area...ABOVE & BELOW and around the crows feet land on the outskirts of your eye (if you're over 20 you know where this is)

and around the "smile" wrinkles...unless you never smile...you're good to go

and if you don't want that big wrinkle line like Kimora Lee Simmons has on her neck....then slap some on your neck too

bonus uses for make-up....*for a shine and highlight on the cheekbones...dab a little Un-Petroleum on the cheek bones

*apply on the eyelids for a glossy look (warning....best used for shoots as this look needs constant retouching)

*just apply the Un-Petroleum after a self-tanner/bronzing foam...and it gives a dewy, clean looking sheen

WHERE TO BUY IT:

UN-PETROLEUM by ALBA

i buy mine at WHOLE FOODS or you can click here to go to their website CLICK ON THIS

happy new year of baby-looking skin....lube it or lose it!