Spotlight - Julie Hewett Los Angeles

Being a professional makeup artist regardless of the venue you choose to work in (i.e., television, film, photography) requires total commitment, but deciding to also manufacturer your own product line and still be on set daily can be as challenging as climbing Mount Everest!

This Pro has known several MUAs that tried to develop their own professional line to only have it fail because they could not afford the advertising, public relations, packaging, testing, FDA approval, etc., and I know a few artists who have gone the route of consultant to major cosmetic companies, as well as continue to apply makeup to a list of celebrity clients.

Alas there are only a few artists that have climbed the beauty product-manufacturing hill and made it to the top. Those people are some of the most talented artists of our time and if you were a smart consumer you would use their cosmetic lines daily because those are the products that truly work and they have been put to every test you can imagine.

Those foundations, powders, lipsticks, liners, blushers, mascaras, etc., have been used on film and television stars and on everyone in between; family, friends, total strangers and the artists themselves personally. They are the secret weapons of many beauty editors and other MUA colleagues because the products do exactly what the creator intended for them to do.

These lines are little in comparison to big name brands like L’Oreal, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Dior or Chanel and sometimes they are not as easy to purchase because they are sold via the Internet. Since we seem to be a instant gratification society, waiting for a package containing the world’s greatest lipstick is too much for us to handle – unless you are a true beauty junkie and you know that the product is worth the wait!

When this Pro wants to feel and look my best personally, I reach for products that are made by other makeup artists, not big manufacturers. One of the product lines I love is Julie Hewett Los Angeles. This line is creative, paired down and designed by one of the best film artists working today.

She developed her line out of necessity while on the set of the film Pearl Harbor. Julie needed to create her own line of long-lasting Technicolor red lipsticks because of the period of time the film was recreating. Do you remember the gorgeous lip colors from the 1940’s? Now try to find those colors made with today’s natural ingredients. Impossible? No! Julie Hewett created classic film noir colors, which are ageless, timeless and for every woman who thought they could never wear red lipstick, this is the line for you!

The success of the lipstick line leads her to continue to manufacturer other products that performed to makeup artist standards. Now with a complete cosmetic line sold in stores around the world from California to Singapore, consumers can experience the luxury of Julie Hewett.

Here are a few of my Pro favorites:

Icon of Beauty – in Annette – it is a classic matte mauve lipstick with a hint of brown. This is an amazing long-lasting lip color that makes me feel instantly glamorous when paired with a pale eye and liquid liner.

Omit – a concealer pencil you can use to “omit” any flaw on your face, this Pro also uses it to line around the lips to make liner and lip color last longer and not bleed. It is my "secret" weapon! I have also used it to line the inside of the waterline instead of using a white liner.

Cheekie - in Peachie, Rosie and Natural - when this Pro wants to add a sheer wash of color onto a client's cheek and lips I reach for a Julie Hewett Cheekie! This product adds just the right amount of color onto the skin without looking heavy leaving a gorgeous, natural flush to the face!

Cheekie & Shimmy Duo – in Peachie/Goldie and Jami/Pinkie – this is my secret weapon for bringing a pop of color to the cheeks and creating a fresh glow on the skin! Used with the Chubby Cheekie Brush that makes applying the exact hint of color possible and not over do it!

Palettes – in Soiree, Ambre and Mandy – this Pro is all about palettes! My test of a great palette is when I have used every single color contained in the palette and not just one or two. That is why I love Julie Hewett’s palette line and she has made it possible for customers to create their own personal palette. Julie also has a Twilight Palette for those who wish to embrace their inner vampire a la team Bella and Edward!

As far as in my professional kit – Julie’s red lipsticks are my go to product. Rouge Noir, Sin Noir, Nude Noir, Film Noir, Oona Noir (a 2009 Emmy favorite) are what I grab when I am looking to recreate total glam on a client and I mix a few of these reds together to create a custom shade!

I trust Julie Hewett’s line because of her own professional experience working with such award-winning actresses as; Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Swank, Debra Messing and Liv Tyler. Her film credits include; The Women, Leatherheads, Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve & Thirteen, Spider-Man 2, American Beauty and Pearl Harbor to name just a few. Her cosmetic line delivers every single time I use it and it makes me feel confident as an artist and a consumer.

Hollywood big wigs have trusted in Julie Hewett’s cosmetic line and artistry skills for the past 20 years and now you can too! To purchase Julie Hewett product log on to www.juliehewett.net, enter the site and click on "locations" to find a retail store nearest you or to purchase directly on line.

PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

Julie Hewett’s line offers custom gift boxes that are fabulous for the upcoming holidays, birthday celebration, wedding shower gifts, sweet 16 parties, etc., choose the size and products you want to include and the staff at Julie Hewett will do the rest! Or choose from several pre-filled beauty boxes including Noir Lipsticks or the Bento Beauty Box. Julie Hewett also offers professional discounts, gift certificates and the Julie Hewett Case of Beauty, which contains 1 each of all products, including brushes and palettes.

STAY TUNED:

Are you aware? Breast Cancer is the number one leading cancer death among women in the United States! Join the Pros at IMPO as we support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation!

*Photos: Julie Hewett Los Angeles and IMDB

Smoke Signals!

Smoldering, sexy, alluring, sophisticated, classic, that is this Pro's definition of a Smoky Eye! In the world of professional makeup artistry, the request for a smoky eye is made daily by my clients no matter if it is day or night. Probably the most popular eye makeup look of all time both on the runway and in real life, the smoky eye has past the “trend” label and become a “staple” look for most women.

You don’t need to attend a red carpet event or concert to rock this look, but what you will need is a little…attitude, which seems to come naturally when you wear a smoky eye. Your demeanor will change and don’t be surprised if you turn heads more than usual! Whether you are in the boardroom or ballroom, this look commands attention and will get you noticed (in a good way if you follow instructions).



There is a “standard” smoky eye look and there are “unconventional” smoky eye looks and this Pro is a lover of them all. Society tends to think that you have to be a rock star, actress or diva to wear this look and that the everyday women could not or should not try to pull it off! This Pro says, step outside of your comfort zone and give “them” something to talk about!

Done right, this look will make your eyes “pop” and speak to the world louder than your words ever could! The smoky eye is like the “bad boy” for women and I often wonder who created this movement. Maybe it all started with “ladies of the night” or witches or vampires. No matter, whoever created it should win an Oscar for their achievement in makeup artistry!



This look can be tricky, messy, frustrating and can make you appear older if you don’t follow the “rules!” Traditionally, the look is created using heavy black, charcoal, silver and purple colors, but cosmetic lines have branched out creating deep tones of blues, browns and greens to bring the consumer a variety and help to make this look acceptable for daytime wear.

This post is going to take you through the steps to create a smoky eye for both day and night, but first you need to gather your tools:

* Eye Shadow Primer
* Tweezers
* Eye Shadow
(4 colors) light, medium, dark and a base color (neutral vanilla shade).
* Eye Liner
(cream, gel, pencil – your choice – in black or coordinating color)
* Brushes
(2 flat eye shadow brushes & 1 each of a fluffy blender, sponged smudger, stiff crease, large powder brush)
* Translucent Powder
* Cosmetic Wipes
* Black Mascara



Here is the how-to for day:

1. Begin with the skin prep (moisturizer, primer, eye cream). Now, apply your eye shadow primer and blend. Give the skin 10 minutes to absorb product and “blot” with Kleenex to remove excess. Analyze your eyebrows and use tweezers to clean up issues. A polished eyebrow is essential for this look!

2. Do not apply foundation or concealer yet – we are doing the eyes first. Take translucent powder and heavily dust the under eye area with product – you want to see the powder under the eye – do not blend in. This technique will “capture” any fall out eye shadow and you will be able to whisk it away after application is complete.

3. You can either apply the liner (of your choice) now to top lashes only and use smudger brush or wait to apply after eye shadow. Remember, you are wearing this look during the day so your color choices should be in the brown or earth tone hues. Save the black, blue, green or purple for nighttime! Another option is tight lining the eye.

4. Using one of the flat eye shadow brushes, apply eye shadow base color all over lid to brow bone (this is the neutral vanilla color and it acts as a base which gives the shadow good “grab” and color intensity). Take a clean flat eye shadow brush and apply the medium tone shadow from lash line blending upward into the crease (depositing most of the color on lid and lash line) – do not take this into a cat eye effect.

5. Using crease brush load deep color and apply to outer corner of eye creating a “V” shape and blend. Take clean blender brush and blend, blend, blend all color together minimizing hard demarcation edges. Return to the flat eye shadow brush used to apply base color and load lightest eye shadow color applying to brow bone and blend again!

6. Taking medium and dark eye shadow hues move to lower lash line, dip crease brush into both shades and apply. Line the eye from outer to inner corner and smudge. Contrary to popular belief, it is okay to line the inside lower water line for a day look with coordinating eyeliner color – I give you permission, but it will be more dramatic!

7. Analyze eye application and add color if necessary. Fill in brows if needed and apply two coats of black mascara to your upper lashes and one coat to your bottom lashes for definition.

8. Use powder brush to gently whisk away translucent powder, take cosmetic wipes and clean up the under eye area. Now is the time to apply foundation, concealer and complete your look. Be careful not to remove liner or shadow when using wipes, eye cream or other cosmetics.



Pro Tip: It doesn’t matter if you are wearing the smoky eye look for day or night the same rule applies with blush and lipstick/gloss. Use a light dusting of bronzer and highlighter for cheeks and a nude or natural tone lipstick/gloss. Do not apply heavy or very pigmented blush and lip colors because that will “age” and “date” this look and take you immediately back to the future ala Joan Collins on the set of Dynasty and you will arrive there via Marty McFly’s DeLorean time machine! Get it? Good!



Here is the how-to for night:

Follow steps 1 and 2

3. Decide if you are creating a “traditional” smoky look using black, charcoals, etc., or a “colored” smoky eye using purples, greens, blues or metallics. Grab 3 shades (light, medium, dark) and the neutral base color. Apply in same manner as directed above, but you can be slightly more heavy handed and create that cat-eye effect if you wish. Build on the color and play with the look. The messy, slept-in smoky eye is hot right now!

4. Use coordinating liner in a deep hue or black and smudge into upper and lower lash line and in the bottom water line.

5. Analyze look and add color if necessary.

6. Apply three coats of black mascara on top lashes and 1 coat on bottom lashes for definition. This is also the time to use a false lash if you choose.

7. Whisk away translucent powder and clean up eye area same as above.

8. Apply the rest of your makeup and follow Pro tip rule pertaining to cheeks and lips.



Here is a list of this Pro’s must have smoky eye products that are rich in pigment with exceptional blendability:

Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow



Tricia Sawyer Beauty Smoke and Mirrors



Make Up For Ever



Nars



Urban Decay



All product listed above can be purchased at your local Department Store or Sephora.

PRO TIPS & TRICKS:
This Pro just read a very valuable tip from InStyle Magazine and Pro Makeup Artist, Linda Cantello. She says, “the biggest mistake people make with a smoky eye is using a lighter shade of shadow to blend in the darker color – it takes away from the richness of the look!” So basically that means, if you feel that you applied too much color, clean off your blender brush and blend the color in more. That way, your pigmentation will stay true and not change because you added your lighter color on top of or over your darker color.



So ladies, if you think you are too old to smoke out those peepers here is a shot of what 42 years old looks like with a smoky eye!! Grab yourself a "venti" sized helping of self esteem and rock this look like I do and because this Pro is all about changing the conventional image, I will even go one step further and show you how incredible this look can be on a much older woman! Take a gander at the gorgeous Carmen Dell'Orefice, she is working that smoky eye at almost 78 years old!!






STAY TUNED:
Up next on IMPO: Tween to Teen - this Pro has been blessed with two amazing daughters and you can imagine how much they love makeup because of my chosen profession. IMPO's next post will focus on everything you need to know about skin care and makeup for the younger generation!




*face chart courtesy - Wendy Whitelaw, Pro Makeup Artist and some photos courtsey of Haper's Bazaar

Frame Your Face!

Being a professional makeup artist in film and television I see a lot of perfectly shaped eyebrows. My job is so easy when an actress or model sits in my chair fresh from a grooming with her eyebrow guru! However, there are times when I have to shape or clean up an eyebrow prior to makeup application and there are many tricks of the trade that I rely on when using tweezers, razors, brow fillers, tints or gels.

Flawless brows enhance the look of your eyes and face. Following the illustrated guide below, perfect brows should start above the inside corner of your eye and end at the outside corner. The arch happens just outside the iris of your eye and should be natural looking.



SHAPING METHODS:
Tweeze – at home plucking is something this Pro recommends for maintaining a professional tweezing by an expert brow specialist. Your arsenal should contain tweezers (Tweezerman or another reputable company), small eyebrow scissors, magnification mirror and a spooli brush. If you are a “tender” girl or boy and you tear up or sneeze when extracting hair, try using a a small amount of Ambasol to numb the brow area prior to tweezing. Only tweeze the underside of your brow, pull the hair in the same direction as hair growth and be sure to extract the hair from the root.



Razor – an alternative to tweezing and completely non-invasive. However, you should have your brows professionally groomed and utilize this method only for at-home maintenance. This Pro likes to use a razor for quick clean up when on set because tweezing causes redness and swelling and I can’t afford to spend precious time allowing the skin area to settle when working on a fast-paced production. I use Eve Pearl's Tri-Fold Razor, but there are alternatives like the Tinkle razor found at professional industry beauty salons like Cinema Secrets or pharmacies. I love Eve's because it folds up for safety and it is compact for travel. These razors are also great for quick beard trim maintenance.




Waxing – is quick and easy, but you should not have your brows waxed if you are taking certain medications or using certain anti-aging skincare products. As with all invasive hair removal, waxing can be painful and leave your brow area swollen and red for several hours or even days after the procedure. This Pro personally experienced the unfortunate occurrence of some of my skin being removed from my upper brow bone area, which left healing scabs that were hard to cover up with makeup! Thank goodness the heavy bang was in style!



Threading – this method is newly popular in the United States, but it is a centuries old technique in India. Threading is when a practitioner uses thin, twisted cotton thread and rolls it over the untidy hairline, which “plucks” the hair at the follicle level. Unlike tweezing where you are removing a single hair each time, threading can remove an entire row of hair resulting in a straighter line. The top layers of your skin are not traumatized so threading is recommended as an alternative to waxing and if you are a Retin-A or Accutane user, this method is highly advised. Our Marketing Pro heard of this technique and was able to experience threading at the recent MakeUp Show in Los Angeles. She is not a good candidate for waxing and always plucked but never attacked her upper brow line. After watching several demonstrations, she gave it a go. With speed and clean accuracy, the esthetician downsized and shaped her brows dramatically. Like waxing, there is a bit of pain, stinging and swelling. However, it was well worth it and this Pro is a convert! The esthetician explained that threading hair removal lasts for approximately four to six weeks and that it does not pull on the skin so over time, there is less damage to the eyelid area where sagging can occur after years of waxing.



Laser – this method is incredibly expensive and over time is permanent . It is the leading-edge solution for eyebrow hair removal, especially if you tend to have very course, thick, heavy brows (some men prefer this method). Laser is absorbed best by dark hair so if you are blonde, light brown or red haired, you may need several sessions before you see results if any. There is a warming or sometimes burning sensation during your treatment, which is targeted to your lower sub-dermal tissue region. Your hair absorbs the laser energy, which overtime can alter the growth chemistry and disable hair’s natural growth. It takes several treatments before your hair follicle is totally altered and costs will vary depending on your esthetician’s establishment. You should not be able to grow your eyebrow hair back once your treatments are complete so observing eyebrow “trends” will be impossible.



THE EXPERT:
Elke Von Freudenberg – this lady is one of the “eyebrow guru’s” referred to in the opening paragraph of this post. She specializes in custom brow shaping, correction and redesign. Shape is crucial and Elke thinks “your eyebrows should be as fashionable as you are.” You must check out her many “how-to” videos and instructional guides on her website www.themodelbrow.com. This Pro recommends purchasing her easy to use eyebrow kit and bookmarking her site for future reference. If you are lucky enough to be in the New York area, book an appointment with Elke personally at Janet Rufin’s Parlour or at Slope Suds Salon in Brooklyn. Many celebrities rely on Elke’s eyebrow expertise and this Pro utilizes her step-by-step methods when I need a refresher course in brow shaping, plus her easy to follow guide has helped me personally when my own eyebrows need some TLC.




BROW PRODUCTS:
Stores are flooded with products that can be used to fill in sparse brows or if you’ve got wicked with the tweezers and over plucked! Shadows, pencils, tints and gels are at your disposal and purchasing a waterproof formula is highly recommended to prevent fading during the day, but make sure you get the advice of a professional about color matching. This Pro's technique is to use up to three colors of shadow in the same pigment family, but in varying degrees of depth when filling in eyebrows. In theory, your eyebrows should be at least one shade darker than your hair color to give your face definition and in some cases, three shades darker is flattering.

TIPS AND TRICKS:
This Pro discourages at-home bleaching of brows and strongly advises that this method only be administered by a professional. If you are drastically changing the color of your hair (i.e., candy apple red or hot fuchsia pink), then it is recommended that you take advice from celebrity icons like Pink, who constantly changes her hair color, but keeps her brows neutral.



STAY TUNED:
Up next on In My Professional Opinion: False Lashes – let’s get it on!



* Photos courtesy of: Elke Von Freudenberg, rtvchannel, Grace n Glamour, Profaces, About.com, Marie Claire, Mail Online, Girlishh.com, Shu Uemura.

It's the Balm!!

Did you know that the first lip balm was made from earwax? YUCK! Totally gross considering how often we lick our lips during the day! Our lips are so abused during the year – wind chapped, sun burned, dehydrated, bitten and injected, it’s no wonder our lips are aching for some TLC! With all this crazy winter, then spring, then winter again weather, I thought it appropriate to post about some of the best lip balms available to consumers, but first you need to know the basics…

Lip Balms are treatments and usually contain beeswax, petroleum jelly, menthol, oils and some can contain sunscreens, vitamins or salicylic acid or aspirin. They are made to seal moisture into your lips and protect them from the external elements and exposure to extreme weather. Dry air, wind and cold temperatures can dry out the lips and draw moisture away from the skin. We use lotion to cure dry, flakey, itchy skin on our body so we should use lip balms in the same manner.

Lipsticks and glosses are cosmetics that have properties unlike a lip balm. Some manufacturers are now producing lipsticks and glosses that include vitamins and sunscreen as well as “plumping” ingredients, but having a good lip balm in your arsenal will be a blessing in disguise.

Your lips are the thinnest layer of skin on your entire body and they don’t have oil glands, which means they need to keep hydrated. Drinking plenty of water during the day will help prevent your lips and skin from feeling dry, but investing in a lip balm is a good idea, just in case you are not as diligent with your hydration routine.

In the April 2009 issue of Shape Magazine, Amy Derick, M.D., a dermatologist in Barrington, Illinois says she wants you to stop purchasing lip balms that come in yummy flavors because, “as saliva evaporates from your skin, it removes not only the product, but the moisture from your mouth as well.” In other words, you are dehydrating your lips by licking off that great tasting lip conditioner! Also, think about it for a second – lip balm is a lip treatment, like skincare. Now I ask you, would you eat your skincare if you could? I didn’t think so!

Here is a list of lip balms that this Pro loves and wouldn’t be caught dead without…

Vaseline Lip Therapy Advanced Formula – Real Simple Magazine testers voted this product the “best deep treatment” therapy and we totally agree! It quenches dryness on contact and lasts for hours. Prices may vary, but we have found this product for the bargain-basement price of $1.99! BAM!



Softlips Original Lip Balm – this product contains an SPF 20 and does have a slight scent of vanilla. Keeps lips soft for hours and protects against the sun. At $4 for a two-pack, this is a great bang for your buck!



Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 – this is the product this Pro carries in her makeup kit because it relieves chapped or cracked lips, prevents drying and has an SPF 4 sunscreen. No color, no flavor, no scent and Kiehl’s is a trusted name in the industry. $6.50, but worth every penny!



Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 – this balm blends reparative oils and waxes together with sugar for delectable and dependable moisture with maximum sun protection. This is a great product that will give your lips the feeling of smoothness with no waxy build up. $22.50 is pricey, but this product will last you through an entire season.



La Mer The Lip Balm – hail the queen of all lip balms! Now, hold on to your Prada handbags ladies because this is going to run you a cool $45 bucks. Yikes, but aren’t your lips worth it? It is a very rich treatment that shares the same secret ingredients found in La Mer’s face cream! It is a perfect base for under lipstick and it will last you for months!



Just remember this: if your skincare is the Lone Ranger, then your lip balm is Tonto! Don’t forget that you only need to apply or reapply your lip balm 3 times a day to trap all the moisture your lips will need!

TIPS AND TRIX:
You should exfoliate your lips regularly by gently rubbing the damp bristles of a soft toothbrush across your lips each day. Apply lip balm, lip liner and then either your lipstick or lipgloss. You will be amazed at how wonderful your lips will feel!

STAY TUNED:
Next up on In My Professional Opinion – special Sunday post, live from The Makeup Show featuring an in-depth interview with 5-time, Emmy Award-Winning, Celebrity Makeup Artist, Eve Pearl!

* Lip photograph borrowed from Ask A Fashion Model - www.askafashionmodel.com