Courtesy of Professional Make-up Artists Interview Series
Q: Tell a little about yourself personally and if you attended school or you are a self taught makeup artist?
A: I own a makeup and hair artistry contracting company called Kensington Makeup and Hair Artists, that specializes in on-site services for bridal and special occasions. We have 3 major regions of operations; Arizona, So. California, and our latest addition Chicago.
I have my masters degree in Neuroscience from King's College London, and worked in the pharmaceutical research industry. After being laid-off, I decided to follow my true passion ... makeup. While I was really great at doing my own makeup, my ability to apply on others was not a strong suit of mine. I decided to attend the Make-up Designory (MUD) in Burbank for formal education in both beauty makeup application and studio hair styling. My makeup teacher Jackie Mgido had suggest to the class to start a bridal business. I knew nothing about business so I started to study. I had larger visions of the seed that Jackie had implanted in me, and In two years I have build a reputable company in the bridal industry with a staff of 50+ and growing.
Q: Do you think going to school for make-up artistry is important to excel in the business later on?
A: I think you can definitely make it on your own, but I personally feel more confident in those who have attended school because their work is closely critiqued and directed, something you can not get from attending seminars and watching youtube videos.
Q: Did you always wanted to be an artist, or did you stumble upon your talent by chance? Who or what inspired you to become a makeup artist?
A: No ...My cousin actually made the suggestion and I just made the decision on a whim, when I was laid off.
Q: What is your favorite or most exciting aspect about your job?
A: My fav thing is to make someone feel spectacular on their wedding day, and then to get follow up emails and notes on how wonderful they looked when they receive their wedding pictures. I also love providing other artists job opportunities and watching them grow in their craft.
Q: What surprises you most about working as a makeup artist?
A: Others lack of professionalism ... my company gets a lot of last minute bridal bookings because the MUA they had originally hired flaked on them for a better job. That is my biggest pet peeve about artists in the industry... The lack of commitment. This is something I make really clear to my staff. I wont tolerate it.
Q: Describe your "Classic Approach to Beauty." how do you define beauty?
A: Flawless skin. I work with a lot of artist who love to focus on the eyes... but I feel creating the perfect canvas is much more difficult and is the most important component to great makeup.
Q: What individual products and brands you're "addicted" to at the moment and you use on a daily basis?
A: Cinema secrets foundations all the way! Affordable, fantastic product for great coverage and longevity.
www.intriguebeauty.com ... I am one of Arthur's best customers!
*** Type in MUA 15% discount when you check out!
Q: What are some of the most basic but effective skin care tips in general that you have, that are really important?
A: wash your face! ... and moisturize
Q: Have you had an extreme, crazy or bad experience with a skin care product or during a makeup session? If so, what happened?
A: Yes ... i went out and purchased a bunch of airbrush fluids from a brand I know and trust ... biggest mistake. The product was difficult to work with and I had lost a few clients because of it. I stick with what I was taught with in school ... my all time fav- Temptu.
Q: What do you find to be the most common mistakes women make with makeup?
A: base matching ... and the girl at the makeup counter is probably not giving correct advice either.
Q: What do you think are best/worst trends in the makeup / skin care industry right now?
A: Best: HD makeup ... the technology is amazing! I can not wait to see what comes out next. There is a true science/technology to it all!
Q: Do teenage girls needs to splurge on high-priced makeup products, or are drugstore items are just as satisfactory?
A: There are a lot of great drugstore brand products out there ... but for everyday use beware of putting crap on your face especially when they are going through puberty break-outs. I love some of the prestige brands that really cater to the heath and healing of the skin, like Cargo's lightweight foundation and concealers.
Q: What feature(s) do you love to accentuate and why?
A: I love contouring the cheeks and adding lots of blusher. Blusher brings back the youthfulness of the skin and give a great healthy glow.
Q: What are your steps for the perfect, flawless, natural look?
A: Primer, foundation, concealer, powder, blush. ... I may use a dual finish to highlight and contour with colors that are two shades lighter and darker respectively.
Q: What is a really quick way to change a day look to a special occasion or nighttime face?
A: using a dark charcoal grey shadow to deepen the daytime eyeshadow. Add more blush.
Q: What are the differences between applying makeup on models and on real women?
A: Typically the age and condition of the skin. I would have to say the biggest difference is in the application -Photoshoot vs. Everyday wear.
Q: In terms of eyeliner, if you had to choose between a pencil, liquid, or creme/gel based, which one would you choose? Why?
A: I hardly ever use pencil ... I like to use my brushes. I prefer cream/gel because it tends to be a bit more forgiving than liquid, however I use liquid on top to "seal" false lashes and sharpen my final lines.
Q: Lip gloss or Lipstick. Which product is best? Why?
A: Can I say both? I think lip stick, even if it is a neutral lip, is a great way to even out the color and shape of the lip. A little bit of gloss on top will soften the creases of the lips and add dewey shine. I stay away from super shinny glosses and glosses with large flecks of glitter, as these tend to not photograph as well.
Q: What brand/type of concealer is your favorite for covering up the after effects of a late night out i.e. under-eye circles, blemishes?
A: Again ... I have to say Cinema Secrets
Q: How about airbrush spray makeup trend? Are these products better or easier to use than standard sponge or finger application? If yes when would you recommend using them?
A: It really depends on the look you want to achieve and the client/talent you are working on. I am a fan of airbrush. If I have a client who has good skin and is looking for a lightweight application, airbrush is great. A little bit of concealer then airbrush. This a great application for working on men as well. If I have a client with really bad skin, I would use a combination of traditional coverage and go over it with the airbrush to finish the look. I have recently started using airbrush for photo shoots and have found that my re-touching time has been greatly reduced because of the longevity of the silicone based (S/B) product.
Q: What do your clients think of you? What are some individual testimonials?
A: Holli, the President of Kensington, did my makeup for my wedding, and I have never felt more beautiful in my life. I looked flawless all day, and the only thing I had to reapply was my lipgloss. Even through tears and the heat, I looked picture perfect the entire time. Even better, I looked like me, just a more glamorous bridal version of me. She is incredible, and I would recommend her to anyone. I also recommend the trial so you can try out colors and ideas with her ahead of time, so that you can relax on the big day.
The day of the wedding was a whirlwind. Holli and her team showed up promptly and went right to work. They were able to get through ten individuals, and we were all ready on schedule for pictures. I was very nervous that I wouldn't feel as pretty as I thought I should on my wedding day. That I would just look the same as every other day with a little more make-up. Honestly I have never felt more beautiful, gorgeous, and confident than on my wedding day. . . which is exactly the way it should be. Throughout the entire wedding process I kept telling myself that the pictures were the most important part, because after the cake has been cut and the guests have left they are the only thing that a couple has left. But the pictures would be worthless if a bride felt she did not look like a beautiful bride. A smile spreads across my face every time I look at any of my wedding pictures, because it reminds me of how good I felt on that day. I hope every bride can feel as good as I did on my wedding day . . . and if she choose Holli and Kensington Make-Up. . . she will!
-Courtney Carrara
Q: Would you share some of your future goals, your life motto, any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career?
A: My future goal is to create a national company that puts customer service and convenience into the the bridal beauty industry. I am currently writing a book on bridal makeup, hair, and beauty.
My Motto is: "Through my understanding of both science and makeup, I am able to unleash the expression of inner beauty to give my clients the confidence to be face-forward in life."
Business Wisdom: Makeup artistry is a business and you need to treat it like one. Study business and marketing. Protect yourself legally: 1) purchase liability insurance -it is about $200/year... and may cover your kit, 2) create a legal entity (DBA, LLC, S-corp), 3) write contracts, 4) make sure you get a photo usage release so you can use your TFP/CD photos for marketing yourself.
Q: What tips and advice do you have for aspiring makeup artists just starting out?
A: Fake it till you make it! I was terrified when working on my first photo shoot ... and many that followed. But I really took notes on what worked and what did not. And the more I put myself out there, the more confident I became. I would also analyze my photos by learning basic photoshop, blowing up my pictures and fixing my mistakes on the computer. This gave me a really good idea as to how to adjust my work and avoid making the same mistakes.
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