“Twenty Makeup Artists. Nine Themes. Five Days. One Unforgettable Experience.”

Since it’s conception, The Powder Group has come to be known by the makeup industry as a resource that puts forward outstanding artist education, events, publications, and more. One of their annual events is an exclusive, 5 day trip to Provincetown, MA. where  a group of 20 makeup  artists come together to partake in a unique experience to the beauty industry as a whole.

The tagline on evolution’s logo tells you enough to entice you, enough to know you need to be a part of the experience, but not enough about what happens each day. The vagueness is purposeful. The more open minded you go into evolution, the more you will get out of it in the end. I had the opportunity to not only experience this program once, but twice, and I want to share my experience with those interested in the process.

So I know you are waiting for the big reveal, what goes on in Provincetown and why isn’t its programs contents widely known by now? There are two main reasons that you may not have heard about what happens at evolution, even though dozens of people, ranging from beginning artists to those who are lead artists of top national cosmetic companies, have gone through the evolution program.

The first is that evolution is planned, while still organic. What do I mean? Each group of 20 artists has a unique culture that only those 20 different personalities can create. There is a an overall plan that creators Michael DeVellis and James Vincent work out for the week, but the plan can be changed at a moments notice depending on the needs of each unique group they work with every year. Some exercises I did in the first year were not the same I did in the second. Some were the same but completely different because of the different personalities in each group. Each retreat will have its own experience so it is hard to explain to another artist what they will be doing when they go to evolution, because it simply may not be the case.

The main reason the contents of evolution haven’t been divulged to everyone by now is because those who have gone through the process of “evoluting” (as my fellow evolutioners like to call it ) respect that they got more out of the program not knowing the line up then they would have if they knew what they would be learning each day. The experience gained our respect and trust enough to not want to ruin it for others who were thinking of joining future retreats.

I have talked to a number of artists interested in signing up for “evolution” that understandably just need to know that this is the right place to make an investment. I say the “food for the soul” you receive will more than make up for the cost. Also know that this won’t be the place to get a half day lesson in how to apply makeup, although there is much makeup to be done! It is so much more than that! You will be taken care of, challenged artistically and personally, brought past your comfort level, all while all being supported by 20 artists you will consider to be family after the week is through. James and Michael create a perfect balance between left brain and right brain to arm you with the skills and know how you need to get ahead in this industry, and in life in general. This program is unlike any you will find anywhere you go.

My advice is to go into evolution with your fears and weaknesses put on the table. To really understand this I will let you know my personal battles and how evolution helped me push through them.

My Story. My Evolution

Michael and James asked me a few weeks prior to evolution to teach a class at the upcoming NY Makeup Show in May of 2009. I was completely flattered but had to be honest with them that I could not do it. I had a lifelong bout with panic attacks that stemmed from speaking in public. I failed out of speech class because I could not deliver one speech all year, and it was something I was paralyzed by in every class I ever had to do a speech in! I would go to the nurses office, cry, would instantly feel “sick”, or I’d skip class and come with every excuse in the world every time a speech was due. The thought of standing on my own for 2 1/2 hours at the New York Makeup Show, surrounded by my peers, triggered a panic attack at the very thought of it!

Needless to say, James and Michael were in shock! All the times they have seen me in recent years I was outgoing and very sociable. What they didn’t realize is that I was never in a moment where “the spotlight”, was on me. I wish I could say that school speeches were the end of my panic attack experiences, but the truth is I went on to have major social anxiety for many years to come shortly after high school. I stopped working for years before becoming an esthetician as I couldn’t face anyone, including close friends, without being petrified. I took all sorts of medications for a long time and started to find comfort in talking to others who had gone through the same thing. This wasn’t a small problem for me, it was the center of my world for a number of years, so I “knew” that giving a speech was something that was out of the question, even though eventually I had managed to get back to a somewhat “normal” life, free from medications and Dr’s.

Michael and James said that they appreciated my experience, but (lovingly  ) they would not take “No” as an answer until I went through evolution program that was coming up in a few weeks. I thought, if they had that much confidence in the program then it would be worth a try. Two weeks later I was headed to Provincetown, Mass and on the first night I met everyone. I was nervous about what was in store for me but I chatted with the other artists all night, laughed, and had a great time. This was the Kathy that James and Michael knew.

The next morning was the first morning all the artists got together as an organized class. Michael wanted us to do a quick round table introduction to start off the week. It was short and simple, we didn’t have to stand up, it was just a quick casual intro. As each student was introducing themselves at their seat I could feel that panic consume my body. By the time they got to me I said my name and… busted out crying! I was a complete basket case and I think everyone had their jaws drop to the floor! It wasn’t that others didn’t admit to being nervous, they just weren’t having a panic attack over it!

I decided to just be upfront with everyone at that moment and let them know of my past with social anxiety disorder. I explained how I was at evolution to grow as a person, as an artist, and hopefully be able to work to getting through these weaknesses that kept me from getting to the next level. I had so many artists come up to me after that session and tell me their own stories , and even tell me how inspiring it was to have me share something so personal. The whole week  I had people hold my hand through challenges, and offer to help in any way. I had another genuinely caring artist give me a stone that was significant to her, telling me how she held it in her pocket while speaking to keep her from getting nervous. She also taught me different breathing techniques she learned to focus and keep calm. She asked that all I did was return the stone to the sea when I didn’t need it to get through speaking anymore. I realized that evolution was not just about the lessons, and The Powder Group, but also about the people who share these experiences with you and what they can offer to the challenges of your career and life as well. I can’t imagine any other situation where I would have such a safe place to build myself up.

If it weren’t for the tremendous support we all received in our own personal way at evolution, through EVERYONE involved, I would not have ever stood up at the New York Makeup Show teaching a 2 1/2 hour workshop, two weeks later. Some of the artists in my evolution group offered to sit in the class for moral support, others assisted. Within a few moments of talking I started to feel very comfortable and officially started teaching for The Powder Group. I went on to teach for every single Makeup Show and Artist Summit since my first time at evolution almost  two years ago, and I have been back to evolution as Michael and James’ guest artist last April. I know for a fact that I would not have been able speak at all the shows if I had not trusted in Michael and James and the process of the evolution program. Michael now jokes he can’t get me to shut up! I also know I don’t see art and this industry in the same way that I did pre-evolution. There is so much more to everything that I had taken for granted before hand. I will forever be thankful to Michael, James, evolution, The Powder Group, and to the people of Provincetown I met along the way.

As for the stone I was given at evolution, it rests safely in the waters of South Beach, Miami, home of Miami’s Artist Summit in October of 2009.

Tags: evolution, James Vincent, makeup workshops, micahel develllis, panic attacks, social anxiety disorder, the artist summit, the makeup show, The powder group

Hi World! First off I want to say Happy New Year!!!

I gave the blog a little makeover, and in my hastiness realized I put up the wrong logo. Greeaat. But as I work that out, I have a lot of great announcements coming up so if you can forgive the time I took in between posts (it hasn’t been a  year, I just erased a bunch of dated stuff in between this and my last thread) then I promise you will get some info that will be timely!

First things first…

I’m pleased to announce since we’ve last talked I have started a company with my husband called “elevate artists”.

elevate artists is a concept that was thought up and brought to fruition by myself and my photographer husband, Luis Aragon. (With the coaxing of some amazing artist friends). Throughout both our careers we’ve met and become great friends with incredibly talented and in demand artists in every genre of the fashion and commercial industry including other photographers, digital retouchers, makeup artists, stylists, models, and more. When we opened the doors to our Washington DC based studio, Studio400, we invited artists to hold workshops at their studio when noticing a trend of top quality education bypassing the area. The workshops that took them up on their invitation included in demand names such as The Powder Group, Billy B., Deshawn Hatcher, Sean Armenta, Suzanne Patterson, and more.

elevate artists is another chapter in what started inside the doors of Studio 400, and has grown into its own entity.

our purpose…
is to provide artists access to guests artists who are currently doing big things in the industry…allowing artists to feel comfortable they are getting the most up to date information and techniques being currently used on sets around the world, without having to go far from the comforts of home. We understand and agree that you can never stop learning in your field and elevate artists looks to be a reliable source of the fuel you need for your career to elevate to the next level.

our goal…
is to not only provide classes that are in demand nationally– but also to provide exclusive appearances by internationally known artists who do not regularly hold classes. This gives you, our student, a chance to choose the education that is most beneficial for the path you want to take in your career.

our vision…
is to keep the event lineup fresh by bringing you different options of classes on a regular basis. No one knows your truest career desires more than you, so what may work for someone else may not work for your own path. We will always be open to suggestions on the types of classes you are seeking.

our promise…
is to serve your education needs with integrity. The artists and students who teach and learn with us do so because they trust us to offer the workshops without any mishandling. If there are any unforeseen circumstances that causes one of our classes to cancel or reschedule, our students will be given the choice to have their deposit refunded or held for the rescheduled date, or even another class entirely. Integrity is important to us so everyone can feel comfortable they are taking a workshop that is being run with the utmost care and respect for your time.

To see what artist’s have graced us with their presence, and to see current workshops scheduled please visit us at www.elevateartists.com and join our mailing list!

Tags: billy b. makeup, daven mayeda, dc studio, deshawn hatcher, hair workshops, kevin james bennett, lottie, makeup workshops, photography workshops, sean armenta, studio400, The powder group, washington dc artist

I thank each and every one of you for entering the UNII Cosmetic Palette Giveaway through this post here.

The winner is, ELISA, comment #5 chosen by Random.org!

Congrats Elisa and email me at kathy@kathyaragon.com with you address and choice of color and we will get that off to you right away. (You can find the colors here)

Enjoy and I look forward to bringing everyone another giveaway very shortly!

For a long time now it has been common practice for freelance makeup artists to consolidate their makeup kits for no other reason than to lighten the load they have to lug around and to have everything as neat and organized as possible.

Those cute packages that may draw our eye to a particular product  may look harmless, but many of them grouped together give off some considerable weight, and ounces can seem like pounds when hauling a makeup kit. This is where magnetic palettes come in. There have been a number of palettes put on the market geared towards makeup artists that serve the purpose but skimp on the style department, but now UNII Cosmetics have come out with their own fun version for consumers and artists alike.

UNII Palette in Twilight

Is that an empty palette you ask? Why yes, it is! Not only is it empty, but it is magnetic, and it’s purpose is to cling on to the metal pans that lie within those pretty packages. This method is known as “depotting”. The metal pans that contain the makeup have a glue backing which adheres the product to the outer casing. Using techniques to warm up that glue loosen the pan, and voilà, the pan pops out and can then be stored onto a magnetic palette! The amount of product you can store in one palette depends on the size of the pan and palette itself, but there is no question…palettes are a great for consolidating your many products into one slim, easy to carry case.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quick Tutorial on Depotting: I had made a video a while back showing one of the processes I use to depot. I warn you, this version is pretty hard core in comparison to some who use the oven and a cookie sheet to warm and loosen packaging glue. UNII’s palettes has a beautiful outside packaging that instructs on another method of heating up the bottom of the pan with a blow-dryer to loosen up the pan. I’m impatient, I go all out or nothing. When I start to depot I mean business, so here is my way to tear up and destroy some packaging while keeping my makeup intact!  Be careful when trying this at home!

In playing around with the UNII Cosmetic palettes I noticed some unique features that it had in comparison to other pro counterparts. UNII first offers many different colors which is great for color coding. If you have ever grabbed for a palette and found yourself opening the wrong one because they all look alike, this is a helpful feature for you. I love that all of the options coordinate with my bright turquoise Tutto case! It comes in Pomegranate, Twilight, Lemongrass, Eggplant, and Snow. Each colored palette is covered by a clear coating making it easy to maintain and clean!

UNII colors/ my Tutto makeup case

Another unique feature is the rubber strip on the inside of the palette which helps to create a seal and the clasp on the outside which keeps that seal air tight and budge proof. In the event that any product did happen to fall out of place inside the palette, you could rest assure the palette would not open and get that product into your purse/kit and all over your things.

I think consumers will really appreciate that the UNII Palettes are also very light in weight and has a magnetic “thumb grip” which can be moved anywhere within the palette to help you balance it while applying your makeup. A wide mirror comes in every palette making it easy to apply your makeup anywhere! If you take a look at UNII Cosmetics website you will see different ways people are using their UNII’s for work and home. Many brands automatically cling onto the magnetic bottom but for those that don’t there are magnet strips with sticky backings provided. These palettes run slightly smaller than other palettes on the market but have lots of features the others don’t. I love this in my purse to tote around while keeping others in my set bag or setting up one for talent whose makeup tends to stay the same for continuity on set.

Extra information for UNII users…

FUN CONTEST GIVEAWAY!

Makeup Is Art Beauty Blog has only been re-launched for a matter of weeks and has such a growth in readership! I want to show my appreciation by offering one of these sweet UNII Cosmetic palettes, in the color of your choice, as my current beauty giveaway!

All you have to do is leave a comment sharing your feedback on the Makeup is Art Beauty Blog thus far or what you would like to see more from it in the future. I will choose a random winner from Random.org on Friday, January 22nd, and let you know of the winner right here on this blog by 5 p.m.  that day. This contest is open to any of my readers so comment away and I can’t wait to get one of these fun palettes in some ones hands!

Tags: consolidating, depot eyeshadow, depotting, magnetic palette, makeup artist, makeup kit, palettes, UNII, you tube tutorial

Eve Pearl Magic Salmon Concealer Wheel

Ok, admit it, how many of you knew I would be posting about this particular product any day now? Many people that know my artistry in any way know that I am a “Salmon Concealer-a-holic” but it’s with good reason! For those of you not in the know about this dream product yet, let me have the honor of introducing you to one of my “Kat’s Kit” specialty items:
Eve Pearl’s Magic Salmon Concealer.

I first learned of salmon concealer when sitting in a workshop at the International Beauty Show years ago, before getting into freelance makeup full time. As the esthetician of my family’s spa, I was in gear to pick up some extra makeup education during my trip to the show. I sat in on an incredibly in depth and inspiring makeup class and it wasn’t until after I became a fan of the presenter that I realized she was 5 time Emmy Award winning makeup artist Eve Pearl herself. I would go to see her present every year and was amazed at all the new tricks I would learn each time I went. I also became very impressed with this special Salmon Concealer she talked about during the demo that just seemed to whisk away darkness under the eyes.  Every year I would vow to buy the salmon concealer by the end of the show day and every single year I would get back to her table to find the concealer was GONE. Snatched up. Sold out before I was able to get my own hands on some!

Gone are the days of running after what I was starting to believe was a mythical product. I started working for CNN a couple of years ago and was ecstatic to see that they used Eve Pearl concealer on all their guests and talent! Every man and woman who came in to get made up for TV would have Salmon Concealer under their eyes as one of the first steps of the makeup process. In fact, we went through tons of this product  on a regular basis as you may  be able to see from the photo I took of our low stock. It was no wonder I soon picked up the phone and called Eve’s studios right away to order my own concealer wheel for my own kit.

We always have backup stock at CNN!

There are four reasons that I flock to the Magic Salmon Concealer before any other which is what I like to call the “Four C’s”.

The Four C’s of Eve Pearl’s Magic Salmon Concealer:
Color, Consistency, Compact, and CosmeNutrients^TM!

Color
The Salmon Concealer boasts a peachy/orange hue in various shades from light to dark and now includes a new deep color which can be purchased separately or in another wheel which I will explain soon. The reason behind the color is a simple one,  yet for some reason is not as widely adapted by many other cosmetic lines. That reason is one of basic color theory.

Does anyone remember the color wheel in art class that looked (kind of) like this?

Basic color theory states that if you mix equal parts of two complimentary colors (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) that the result will be a neutral color. Take a look at the orangey red side on the above wheel. If you go down to the tint (where white is added) you will notice colors that are close to what you find in Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer wheel. If you go directly opposite of those colors you will see what is reminiscent of the blue-purples that can show up under our eyes naturally. When the concealer is added to the under eye darkness it starts to neutralize and blend right into the natural skin tone of the rest of the face.

Growing up I was always told to use a yellow based concealer under the eyes or one that matched the skin color exactly. Problem is, unless you have truly purple shadows under your eyes, that yellow will just make give your blue/purple shadows more of a green hue. The trick with Eve’s concealers is to pick a concealer that matches the intensity of your undereye darkness, not your skin. If you have pale skin and medium to dark undereye circles I would try the medium concealer. If you have medium to dark skin with deep under eye circles I would go with the dark shade. The majority of the women I work on fall into the light to medium shade. If you are a makeup artist of course you just get the wheel that has all the shades to be used alone or mixed to get the perfect shade.

Consistency
This concealer is very creamy but has holding power.  I don’t know how to explain it better that Twitter friend @Tracey_MUA did after recommending it to her: “It went on so creamy, like buttah!!”. Haha! My sentiments exactly. I can use this very sparingly or I can  put it on heavier and either way it will warm up and blend right down into the skin without unwanted cakey or thick texture showing on the surface. Sometimes I buff it in with a fluffy synthetic brush, sometimes I will just press it in with a finger, sometimes I will use a traditional flat concealer brush to apply it. No matter how I do it, it looks great! It’s consistency stays, well, consistent!

Compact
Not only do I use this word to describe the convenience of having three of the most used shades in once slim case like the ones pictured above but I use the word to describe the options of the actual compacts themselves. There are some serious options for everyone from the at home user looking for their one perfect color to a serious pro artist needing a color for everyone they will ever work on. Eve’s concealers come in 1,2, or 3 shades to a compact in different shade combinations.

I personally carry two of her wheel compacts with me to every job (aside from my other Eve Pearl products). I have the Magic Salmon Concealer Wheel with the three colors Light, Medium, and Dark but I also carry her HD Foundation Cream Blush Trio that includes a deep orange color that is absolutely beautiful used as a concealer for dark pigmentation and undereye shadows on deep skin tones. Between these two compacts I can easily mix and match to cover every range of undereye darkness that I come across. Oh, and I have beautiful cream blush on hand to compliment any skin tone. Score!

HD Foundation Cream Blush Trio

* CosmeNutrients^TM
Last but not least, Eve has put her stamp on the makeup industry by offering a blend of staple beauty products- that give results!- with loads of nutrients that Eve originally developed for her own sensitive and dry skin. She has marked this winning combination as CosmeNutrients^TM. Here is how Eve’s website describes all the goodies her products contain:

* CosmeNutrients^TM: Cosmetics infused with nutrients. Combining the unique blends of vitamins, minerals, proteins, peptides and anti-oxidants into multi-functional cosmetic formulations. This luxurious makeup line provides a light, non-greasy yet smooth application, allowing skin to breath. The nutrients nourish, help protect, restore and renew the skin’s texture and elasticity. It also reduces the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles.

You can also find more benefits of the Eve Pearl active ingredients here.

Now I do realize that this is a lot of info on what seems like it would be one little product rave, but I don’t love a product just to love it. I love it because it is worth it and has more to it than meets the eye. For this reason, Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer: You are a “Kat’s Kit” Spotlight Product!

Tags: color theory for makeup artists, cosmenutrients, Eve Pearl, international beauty show, makeup class, salmon concealer

Skinprep FX Primer by Cover FX

In yesterday’s post I mentioned I used an extra primer for skin that needed a bit more help in the texture department. I sometimes find myself finding my moisturizing/primer in one (Embyolisse) is just not enough for my mature clients. That is when this stellar primer steps in: Skinprep FX by Cover FX.

I ran into this gem at the Chicago Artist Summit I was teaching a workshop at. I was asked to do a class on “Makeup for Mature Women” and I ran right over to the Cover FX booth to find a particular foundation but ended up talking to the reps at the booth about this baby. I started to play around with the consistency on my hand and added it to silicone based makeup to see how it could thin some of my favorite products out. Kevin, from one of my favorite lines, even came over (his booth was across there’s!) and started showing me why this primer was considered “Liquid Gold” in the makeup artist community. I mean seriously, when you have people coming from competitor’s booths to show you something that says a lot!

I went ahead and snatched some of this product up and used it in my demo as well for many faces I had worked on shortly after. I am not even exaggerating when I say this stuff makes such a difference in the appearance of foundation, not just for mature skin, but for all skin types! Being a makeup artist I do have different primers “just in case” that I hoard in my kit, some I will talk about in a separate post, but this primer makes it out for my normal/mature/sensitive/dry/extra dry… you get the ideal, it makes it out for just about everyone.

I definitely challenge anyone who has a silicone based foundation, who wants to thin down the consistency for a different look and feel to their product, to try mixing this “liquid gold” with it. I have tried it with their own Cover FX cream foundations, Yaby foundation, Make Up For Ever HD, and have loved every result.

Also, don’t even get me started on their ClearPrep FX Primer! That really deserves it’s own post since it is a primer to help mattify and smooth oily skin while helping to prevent/heal acne. YUP! I said PREVENT and HEAL acne- in primer form!  That is basically unheard of these days, but I will have to save that for another love letter, ahem,  post one day.

SkinPrep FX Primer by Cover FX: You are a“Kat’s Kit” Spotlight product!

I’ve found through reading various blogs that there are different types of product reviews. There are reviews of products that one has thoroughly tested for wearability, texture, coverage, and all the other elements that goes into making a beauty product great. It’s tested for the day and then decided upon whether the product is fantabulous, okay, or something you give to your kids to do art with. There are also the reviews that have come from the writer truly knowing the product thoroughly and who has fallen in love with it enough to use it on a daily basis. Those are the beauty products that will be featured in “Kat’s Kit Spotlight” . I have a number of products that I have used and abused on every shoot or event because of it’s reliability. When I use these products I know that it will do precisely what I need it to do which makes the job that much easier. I’m sure over time this section will be condensed more and more to being affectionately known as a “KatKit” product, but for now I introduce you to my first official product spotlight.

There is no better place to start than with one of my basics I use to prep most the skin I work on for print and events: Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre also known as 24-hour miracle cream.

Embyolisse has always been one of those products, for me, that everyone else had and sounded intimidating enough for me NOT to try. I’m a simple girl. Give me some Cetaphil or something that says moisturizer on it and I’ll be A-Ok. Well, when I noticed this moisturizer in artist’s kits backstage  (at- every- show- I -ever- worked- on!) I started to wonder if maybe I wasn’t giving it enough of a chance. I decided to pick some up at  The Powder Group’s NY Makeup Show and see what all the fuss was about.

This cream is seriously lovely! I will say upfront, it’s not for everyone as I wouldn’t go straight for this cream on someone oily, but I would go for it for just about every one else. If someone is only dry around the nose, I will massage this cream around the dry patches until the skin is smooth. If someone is tight or dry on the whole face then this too will go on the whole face. It has a medium thick consistency and you are able to instantly feel irritated and/or dry skin relax.

The neat thing is that this product also has multiple uses. Besides moisturizing and calming irritation, Embryolisse can also be used as a moisturizer/primer in one and a makeup remover!  I will use this as a moisturizing primer for everyone from normal to dry skin. I will only use a separate primer after if I’m working with more mature skin that needs more filling in of fine lines.

I have been very pleased with Embyolisse Lait-Creme Concentre even if for the life of me I still can’t pronounce it. I’ve been in luck though as it’s amazing how the makeup artists in the industry know exactly which product it is when you just call it Embryolisse, even when a whole skin care line is available through them. I have dabbled in some of their other products and do love the eye cream (which I have stolen from my kit for myself) and the lip moisturizer. The whole family uses the lighter version body lotion called Lait CrèmeConcentre Fluide Hydratant. It overall is a fantastic line but to keep it simple…

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate. You are the “Kat’s Kit” first spotlight.

Tags: Embryolisse, embryolisse lait-creme concentre, Kat's Kit, moisturizer, product spotlight, the makeup show, The powder group

Happy 2010 Everyone !!!!

I hope everyone is settled down from the Holidays and just as pumped as I am to start a whole new chapter for 2010! I have been busy so far in making some necessary changes and am ringing in the new year with a clean, uncluttered face lift to MakeupisArt.com. Trust me when I say I have already resolved to blogging on a regular schedule and have so many things up my sleeve I can not wait for you to see! I have a great feeling about this year and things have already been put in motion to make me feel that way.

Recently, our photography/makeup studio that we started a few years ago called Studio 400 had to close it’s doors suddenly at the end of  last year when our landlord we were subleasing from decided not to continue his lease. I searched diligently and came across another space in the same Lorton area the was twice the size of our last place, and was not a shared space. We asked more amazing talent to come on board and Studio 400 has opened again and has already been in action every day of the new year!

I also can’t continue on to 2010 without giving the utmost gratitude to the people, events, and relationships that made my 2009 the best year I have had professionally (and personally!) thus far. I took on a new agency who I had my sights set on for nearly 6 years, Artists by Timothy Priano. I thank my Artists family for standing behind me and signing me to their New York board. They have already put me in front of many amazing names such as Demi Moore, Roberta Flack, Mary Tyler Moore, Ann and Denis Leary, and many more, just in this year alone. I’ve also had a great year with my peers and mentors who have included me on their teams and on set for New York Fashion Week, Miami Fashion Week (love you Lottie!) and In Style w/ Paulina Porizkova, Helena Houdova, and Milos Forman (thanks Stella!). For those who know me know I’m a big football fan so one of the highlights of my year was working closely with the NFL Players and being able to spend a week in the Caymen Islands for the ladies of WISPA (squash) was nothing to be sneezed at either.

Teaching for The Powder Group/ The Makeup Show- NY

In 2009 I was also able to get past a lifetime fear of mine that had led me to crippling panic attacks and social anxiety through my life, until now. I was able to stand up in front of crowds and teach with The Powder Group at all of the last year’s Makeup Shows and Artist Summits. I have always wanted to give back to my artist community but the fear of talking in public was one so big I could do nothing but keep to myself.  I could not have done it without Micahel DeVellis and James Vincent from The Powder Group believing in me and investing their time into forming the educator and artist they knew I could be. They turned my lifetime phobia into a success story and I could never thank them enough.

My family and I also ended up moving this summer to a beautiful house on the lake, the first house I can say feels like a “home”. The kids have adjusted so nicely and within the 1st quarter of school they have already been coming home with straight A’s and teachers praises and have made a lot of great friends.

All in all, 2009 is has definitely shaped up to be my best year professionally, to date. To say I’m on “Cloud 9″ would be an understatement. Last year is a year I will always remember.  It’s now time to make 2010 a year I will never forget!

Here is to making all your dreams come true in 2010!

xoxo,

Kat

Tags: "How-to" Makeup, agency, artists by timothy priano, celebrity hair, celebrity makeup, Featured, hair, James Vincent, miami fashion week, Michael DeVellis, nfw, studio400, the artist summit, the makeup show

For anyone who knows me in the industry, you already know I rave about Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) foundation and loose pigments, see post on NFL shoot I exclusively used OCC products on,  but today I wanted to really profess my undying love for OCC Lip Tars and let you in our new exclusive color designed for Clothing Designer and TV Personality, Indashio.

When asked by On Makeup Magazine to do a beauty story with lips as a focus I immediately thought of showing off the then brand new Lip Tar collection which only consisted of about 8 colors at the time. The moment I tried the first color I knew there was something very different about the texture, finish, and wear of this product. To say that the tiniest amount of product is all that is needed to cover the entire pout is an understatement. I lightly touched the very tip of my lip brush into the NSFW (That’s Not Safe For Work folks!) color and I was soon finding the entire mouth covered in intense pigment. It’s always been hard for me to describe the texture I get but the way I have come to think of lip tars is a vinyl finish without the bulk of traditional glosses. It has shine to it without gloppiness, and their is intensity in the colors that I has not come close to anything I have ever tried.

OCC Lip Tar in NSFW for On Makeup Magazine Photo by: Luis Aragon Makeup by: Me

These babies have been rushing to cult classic status in the short amount of time they have been on the market and the eight original colors have been joined by 13 other colors ranging from neutral to shockingly bright. Lip tars can be worn alone or mixed together. You really can create any and every shade your heart desires and really bring the inner artist out of you with these in hand.

There is even a Clear color which is an absolute must have and can be worn alone, used to refresh color already on the lips, OR mixed with any pigments to create whatever shade you desire right on the spot! I have tried it with some of OCC’s loose colour concentrates, Yaby’s shadows, Nars Orgasm blush, everything! Here is a sample of what it can do:

OCC Clear Lip Tar and LOOSE COLOUR CONCENTRATES mixed to create custom color

These colors can be worn in full color or put or pressed lightly into the lip by finger to create more of a stained look. It has unreal lasting power and the best news?  They only retail for $12.50 each, and pro makeup artists can qualify for an additional industry discount!

OCC has also been working closely with, and has released a special color for, VH1′s “Glam God” winner Indashio and unveiled what they call a “Fiery Deep Sea Coral w/Pink Undertones” named, you guessed it, “Indashio”.  I call it insanely amazing! You can see the behind the scenes fun at Indashio’s recent “Jet Set” show by NY Style Times here.

This is a product that the makeup and fashion industry has been abuzz with for the last several months now. I know it will be only a matter of time before it’s popularity reaches over industry lines and into fashionista’s and style setter’s homes all over the world. You can see the whole list of OCC Lip Tar colors and even put an order in here.

Happy exploring!

Tags: Featured, Indashio, lip color, Lip Tars, OCC, OCC Lip Tar review

This book is called “Wonderland” and is the brain child of the incredible Design Army , The Washington Ballet, and a photographer whose style takes one’s breath away, Cade Martin.

I have since received some of my best works through the Design Army/Cade combination and this is where it all started. I got a call to do about 4 scenes for The Washington Ballet and in no way knew this would be an amazingly grand production when getting into it. I walked into the Meridian House in Washington D.C. and saw all the lights, the fog, the costumes, the dancers, and already knew this would be unlike anything else I worked on before.

Oh, what it would be like to set up in a room like this all the time.

We started with our first dancers of the day, George Washington and King George III, also known as the Nutcracker and the Rat King. Septime Webre, dancer and extroidinary choreogapher for the Washington Ballet showed them what he would like to see in their upcoming scene they were playing out for Cade’s camera. I was fortunate enough to have my blackberry camera on me to get a few shots but not as fortunate to have a camera that worked very well. Alas, I wanted to include some of the behind the scenes shots to show the energy and hard work that went into this production.

Septime Webre showing the dancers the moves for the next shot.

That was practice, this was the magical moment that got caputred once they were on set.

Excerpt from the Washington Ballet Commemorative "Wonderland" Book

We had a couple more shots for a scene from “Carmen” and “The Nutcracker” as well as one of the bigger scale setups for The Nutcracker in which a number of children toy soldiers took part in.

Scene from "Carmen" of The Washington Ballet

Ballerina waiting for her cue for a "Nutcracker" scene

It was finally time for the last shot of the day which was a huge production. Tons of cute children and their parents took over the Meridian entrance in costumes of soldiers, bunnys, and even the older children donned outfits of scary rat soldiers! I think the pictures say it all…

They were all ready and gearing up to go outside and play their part. The young girl, Talia Statesman, who plays Claire in “The Nutcracker” was such a breath of fresh air. She was so talented, sweet, and so excited to be getting her hair and makeup done. I don’t think either of us was ready for the scene outside. On this chilly  fall day Cade and the Design Army created a misty morning scene with streaks of sunlight bursting through the trees. It was truly breathtaking in person and I have proof of just how much so. While I was playing a stand in for the moment I quickly snapped a pic with my dissapointing Blackberry camera phone without even framing the picture. When I went to look at what I caught of the ambiance this is what I saw staring back at me. 

These girls were ready to go and while the Rat Soldiers took their places I went back up to the front and grabbed a few more shots of the craziness.

With all that went into the shot, this is the stunning peice that came out of it!

I can’t stress enough how honored I was to work on such a magnificent piece and am looking forward to receiving my own book for my coffee table to share with my family. This Washington D.C. based book (The Capitol building is right on the cover of one of the editions!)  would make a wonderful gift for the Holidays for anyone from adults, to children, to artists alike! You can find the books at the Kennedy Center right now or order them online at The Washington Ballet’s website.

Tags: Cade Martin, Design Army, Featured, Hair and Makeup, Meridian House, The Nutcracker, Washington Ballet, Wonderland