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

I had the pleasure of working with Gretchen Mol this week for the Washington D.C. Premiere of her new movie “An American Affair” out tomorrow, the 27th of February.

Gretchen is a classic beauty that has a look reminiscent of the iconic roles she tends to play. She was Bettie Page in HBO’s “The Notorious Bettie Page”  and you may recognize her past role as Roxie Hart in Broadway’s “Chicago”. In her new movie she plays a character (a mistress possibly?) that has a relation to JFK in the time leading up to his assassination.

Regardless of the complex characters Gretchen tends to play, Gretchen herself is an amazingly down to earth, talented and beautiful actress as well as proud mother.

For her movie premiere I decided to add some waves into Gretchen’s naturally fine and curly hair. I included her input in the whole process and together we decided on a hair and makeup look that would set the right tone for the evening and would work with her classic Jason Wu dress, whom you may know as the designer of Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Ball gown.

I set her hair in medium sized pin curls while doing her makeup and when we released and lightly finger combed through the curls a form started to take place. I kept more of the formed curls in the front, left the hair pretty loose and carefree on the sides and pinned any extra length up in the back, allowing some of the hair to fall naturally out of the pins.

Hair and Makeup by Kathy Aragon for Gretchen Mol / Image courtesy of WireImage

For Gretchen’s makeup we did a soft neutral shadow with a black wing tipped liner. Her face was given a glow with a slight mix of Face Atelier’s Ultra Foundation mixed with a dab of Face Atelier’s Ultra Sheer foundation. I added a little smudged color under the eye, highlighted the cheekbones and opted for a soft pink over the cheek as she didn’t want to look too dramatic for this event. The lips were just a light sheer pink gloss over her natural rosy pigmented lips (lucky Gretchen!).

Hair and Makeup by Kathy Aragon for Gretchen Mol / Image courtesy of WireImage

I had a great time working with Gretchen and I wish her the best of luck with everything she does! I look forward to seeing more of her work and maybe, one day, we will get to see her in more iconic rolls. Let’s talk Marilyn Monroe!

Here is a video of the Movie Premiere After Party held by Washington Life Magazine.

WLTV World Premiere Screening “An American Affair” from Washington Life Magazine on Vimeo.

Tags: An American Affair, celebrity hair, celebrity makeup, DC Premiere, gretchen mol, hairstylist, Kathy Aragon, makeup artist, red carpet, the notorious bettie page