My Blog

Everyday Beauty and Contest

04/21/2012 01:35:00

I am often asked how I first started doing makeup and my usual response generally depicts my love of fine art, painting and drawing and how it transitioned to “painting” faces. While this explanation is true, there is another far more personal tale of my love for makeup that rarely gets told.

Growing up I had a very poor self esteem and little self confidence. I would often spend my time comparing myself to others imagining what my life would be like if I had their life instead of mine. My mirror served as a constant reminder of all that I thought I lacked and all that I thought I needed. But then, something happened...a miracle if you will...I was allowed to wear makeup!

I must have been around fifteen or so when I was finally given the green light to start wearing makeup. From then on, it was a rare occasion that I would spend less than two hours putting on eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick, mascara, you name it. No one would would ever see that ugly duckling again so long as that powder compact was in close reach, which of course it always was.

My two hour routine went on for quite a few years before I realized there was some inner healing that needed to take place, which thank God it has. I now have confidence and can walk out of the house sans makeup and still feel beautiful (although I still love getting dolled up when time allots). But I have learned that it is not the makeup that makes the woman, the woman makes the makeup. Makeup is meant to enhance beauty, not define it. However, getting a little polished did help usher the way for me to see myself in a different light allowing me to be more comfortable in my own skin until I was able to be restored from within.

As a makeup artist, I get to give this same gift to everyone that sits in my chair. I cannot tell you the number of times I have had people sit in my chair to get made up and when they see themselves they start to cry because they feel beautiful. Our bodies are temples and just like a temple, sometimes a fresh coat of paint invites us in to further appreciate everything that lies within. Please understand that I am not saying that cosmetics are the only way to feel beautiful, but it can be one avenue. It has been a door that has led to many positive changes and outlooks for numerous women.

It brings me great joy when I am able to show someone just how a few simple makeup tricks can transform them into the beautiful swan that they are, which is why I am so excited to announce my next project...Everyday Beauty.

I wanted to do a makeover series that captured the essence of natural beauty. Originally, I was going to ask for a few volunteers, do makeovers and snap a few pictures myself, but then the lovely Serena Star of Serena Star Photography caught wind and jumped on board offering her amazing photography services. Serena shares the same heart for encouraging women to feel beautiful in who they are and was so excited to be able to join forces for this project.

With that said, this is where you come in to play. We need faces. We are not looking for “models” so to speak, we are just looking for women of all shapes, sizes and ages who are looking to experience that everyday beauty. If you think this is you, read below to tell us why you should be chosen to receive an Everyday Beauty makeover and photo shoot.

Stay tuned for the pictures from our shoot!

Beauty and blessings,

Mariluz

Everyday Beauty Makeover & Shoot Details

Here are the details for the Everyday Beauty Makeover (read here for the motive behind this contest) and Shoot with Mariluz West and Serena Star. We are looking for women of all ages, shapes and sizes who would be interested in getting a makeover. You do not need to be a model to participate. You must be willing to take a before picture. However, we are not looking for those before pictures where everything is done possible to make you look your worst. Come how you would normally dress and wear your makeup. You must be willing to have your pictures published and sign a release form to participate. Pictures will be displayed on the mariluzwest.com blog and website, Serena Star Website, social networking sites and other sites/publications for promotional uses. The location of the shoot will take place at the photographer's studio in Pittsgrove, NJ. Participants are responsible to cover any travel expenses to the the studio. The date for the shoot is to be determined.

How to enter:

Interested participants are asked to submit a brief explanation in writing as to why they feel they should be chosen for the shoot and why they would like a makeover. Please include name, email address, contact phone and age in your message. All entries should be emailed to info@mariluzwest.com by April 28, 2012. Winning participants will be notified via email by May 5, 2012.

Why a Wedding Makeup Artist is So Important

04/05/2012 01:28:00

For many, the sight of the red breasted robin signifies that spring has sprung. Winter has come to a close, the sun is shining a little brighter, the wind is blowing a little warmer and buds of life are blooming all around. Yet still, for those whose ears are tuned, there is another season whose music plays in the background...can you hear it? Wedding Bells. Spring is when the height of wedding season begins and a lifetime of memories are nearing their birth.

Your wedding day is a day when you should feel your most confident and most beautiful. You spend countless hours and days searching for the perfect dress. Much thought is put into how you will look on your big day and rightfully so as all eyes will be on you, especially those of your love to whom you are pledging your life. You want to be able to look back on your wedding be it in memory or in photo and still feel as beautiful as you did the day of your marriage. And while you have sought out the perfect wardrobe, accessories and hair, what about your makeup? Is hiring a makeup artist worth it? Is wedding day makeup really any different from your everyday makeup routine? What if you don't wear a lot of makeup? The answers to these questions may surprise you.

Is bridal makeup different from everyday makeup?

Absolutely! Bridal makeup must be timeless, waterproof and photo appropriate.

You want to look back years from now at photos from your big day and feel nostalgic about your wedding. You don't want to look at your photos and see your makeup and say, “What was I thinking?” Your wedding day is not the time to try trendy makeup looks. You should look like you just a more beautiful polished version of you.

Bridal makeup must be waterproof to prevent it from being ruined from crying, sweating and possible weather conditions such as raining. Using the right products will put your mind at ease to be the best you without worrying about your makeup.

What does photo appropriate makeup mean?

It may surprise a lot of brides to know that the makeup you see in the mirror is not the makeup you see on camera. This is especially important when dealing with flash photography. Have you ever seen someone with beautiful makeup and then seen a picture of them with that same makeup and they look pale as a ghost? More than likely, if the foundation was the right color, there was an ingredient in the makeup that reflected the flash that made the person look pale. How about makeup that looked so pretty and glowing in person, but then looked liked the person just got done a high intensity aerobic workout in the photo? Shimmery bronzers and highlighters are wonderful, but knowing how they react to that camera flash is very important. These are just a couple of things that can go wrong with makeup in pictures if the right products are not used. A good makeup artist will know what to use and what not to use so that you look just as beautiful in the mirror as you do in photos.

I should also mention that we live in a world of HD (High Definition). Most cameras see images at least 6x's or more clearer than the naked eye...take this into consideration when thinking about wedding makeup and your skin.

I don't wear a lot of makeup, do I still need to have wedding makeup done?

You know all those images in magazines of beautiful fresh faces that look free of makeup with a freshly washed face? I am here to tell you they all have makeup on.

This is where a good makeup artist really is important. A good makeup artist will know how to give you beautiful makeup, without looking like you have too much on. I will say that if you are used to wearing close to no makeup, even a little bit of makeup may seem like a lot. Here is a tip, take a picture of the makeup. I can't tell you how many times I have worked with Brides and at first they felt their makeup was a little too much, I took their picture and then they were totally at ease when they saw it in a photo and they still looked beautiful and natural. When the camera flash hits your face, the colors on your face are a little downplayed and don't look as intense. However, this doesn't mean you have to have a ton of makeup on either nor should it looked “caked” on.

What is a makeup trial and do I need to have one before my wedding day?

A makeup trial is a time where you try out different makeup looks until you find the perfect one for your day. I absolutely recommend having a trial beforehand because it makes certain that you are going to be 100% satisfied the day of. Remember, your wedding day is when you should feel your most confident and most beautiful, the last thing you want to be doing is figuring out how you want to look right before you get married.

Also, you may have an idea of how you would like your makeup to look, but after you see it, decide it's not what you wanted. A makeup trial will help you make that decision.

What should I do to have a successful makeup trial?

Have pictures of makeup looks that you think are beautiful. This will really help the artist get an idea of what you are looking for.
Wear a white top even if you aren't wearing white the day of your wedding. White will help you see your makeup in it's truest form without having other colors reflecting off your clothing helping you to make a more sound decision.
Take a picture of your makeup. Remember, makeup reads different on camera. Taking a picture will allow you to see a true read of how the makeup will look. A camera phone is great for this. Taking the picture outside in the natural light is even better.
Communicate to your artist any sensitivities or skin concerns you may have such as latex allergies, dry or oily skin, do you wear contacts, oily eyelids, etc.

Is airbrush makeup better than conventional makeup?

Airbrush and conventional makeup are different. I wouldn't say that one is better than the other, but can yield different results.

A lot of brides like the look of airbrush makeup because they feel it makes them have a more flawless blended look. This it true when applied correctly, however, conventional makeup can garner the same result providing the artist's abilities are of that caliber.

Many airbrush foundations are waterproof which is a plus, but so can conventional foundations if the appropriate ones are used.

What makes a good bridal makeup artist?

A good bridal makeup artist is first someone who is going to listen to you and what you want or don't want your makeup to look like. A good bridal makeup artist will know what to suggest if you are uncertain about your look, be patient as you are deciding and be able to cater to you on your day. Your makeup artist should have full knowledge of which products to use so that your makeup will be just as beautiful in person and on camera and be able to provide you a good makeup application that will last you all day.

A good wedding makeup artist is worth her weight in Gold and is an investment that will last you years to come as you look back at images from your day. You deserve to feel like nothing less than a queen on your day. Your makeup should enhance you and your beauty making you feel like the best you that you can possibly be. Wishing you years of love and happiness!

Beauty and blessings,

Mariluz

Is Your Makeup Artist Worth It?

02/03/2012 00:30:00

So let's say you are shopping on line for a shirt. You know what color you want, what type of sleeves and how you want it to look...you just don't know where you are going to get it from. You decide to type in red shirt on your computer's search engine under images and up pop endless pictures of shirts. You see a shirt that catches your eye and you click on the link. When the window opens up, you find yourself on the Macy's Website. Getting a closer look at the shirt you decide you like it even more that you see it up close...it's perfect! You know you need not look further because this is the one so you scroll down to check out the price...and that's where it happens...the shirt is a little pricier than you thought it would be. You like the shirt but decide to try and find something cheaper and return to the initial search. After looking awhile, you find a shirt that looks nice...in fact very similar to the one you first found so you click on the image. A window for K-mart pops up and so does the picture of the shirt. It's not as nice as the one from Macy's and definitely looks not as good close up, but you check the price and find it much less and decide to purchase it. Convinced you made a good choice, you await for your shirt to arrive.

Once your shirt is delivered, you eagerly open the package (not that it's packaged so lovely) and find your shirt. Seeing it first hand you notice the quality is not as nice as it looked, but it's still new and you will wear it tonight for your evening out. (There is a point to my story, stay with me!)

Upon getting dressed, you notice there are a lot of stray threads that need to be cut from the shirt. It's new and looks nice, but doesn't quite fit the way you hoped. Nonetheless, you wear it out. Half way through the night a button pops off the shirt and an end has come undone. At this moment, you are thinking you wish you would've gone with the first shirt you saw that day.

How often does the same thing happen when deciding to hire a makeup artist? You search for an artist, even ask for recommendations. You check out their work and decide it is perfect, top quality and exactly what you are looking for so you decide to inquire about rates and that's where it stops...rates are more than you thought they should be. Now, I must say this, by no means am I saying that a good makeup artist can be determined solely by the rates they charge, but there is a reason why a shirt cost $50 at Macy's and $15 at K Mart...you expect a certain quality from each.

A good makeup artist is not something you want to skimp on and are worth their weight in gold. You want to have full confidence that the person working on your face is providing you with a service that is going to make you look amazing the moment they put it on and stay that way the remainder of the time you wear it for your event. A good makeup artist will not only cater to your beauty needs, but also offer you stellar service as a person. You should have total peace when they are working on your face and have even more confidence when you leave their chair than when you first sat in it.

Not to mention, investing in a good makeup artist is investing in yourself. You are entrusting your personal image to this person. There are plenty of things that you can take the "cheaper" route so to speak, but when it comes to you, it should always be top shelf.

When deciding how to choose a makeup artist, ask yourself, " What am I really sacrificing when I choose an artist based just on rate alone?"

Please note that names of stores mentioned were in no way meant to indicate anything negative or malice from either brand.

Makeup Myth vs. Makeup Fact

11/04/2011 20:46:00

Urban legends, Internet rumor gone crazy or just simple miscommunication...all things that can cause us to believe the untrue to be true. Makeup myths are no exception and I have decided to shed some light and debunk some theories.

The first myth is one of my biggest pet peeves!

MYTH: The brand of makeup you have in your kit is what makes a good makeup artist or makeup application.

Ohhh how I loathe this! Now, don't get me wrong, certain brands have the reputation they have because they have earned it by the superior quality of their product...BUT, the product itself does not make the makeup artist or the makeup application. We have almost created a type of makeup prejudice if you will. So often, people will look for a makeup artist based solely on the brand of makeup in their kit. I can give you a $20 eyeshadow and a $5 eyeshadow, but if you don't know how to use it, the $20 eyeshadow isn't going to make it better because it costs more or is a better known brand.

Every brand of makeup, whether high end or not, has it's excellent products and not so excellent products, it's simply a matter of knowing what is what and how to use it.

MYTH: A good makeup artist must have formal training.

Absolutely not! I am a self taught artist. I went to school for hair not makeup and there are numerous other amazing makeup artists out there that are self taught. Do I believe in continuing your makeup education and learning as much about makeup and makeup products as possible, most definitely. However, a certificate does not make one artist better than another. May I also say, there is nothing wrong with a makeup artist that acquired their abilities through formal training, after all, I do teach classes. We all have the skills and the talents we have either naturally or learned and one is not better than the other.

Stay tuned for more and feel free to add your own makeup myths.

Beauty and blessings!

Makeup Artist vs. Knock off Artist Part 1

10/19/2011 22:25:00

Be it China Town NYC or a tagged photo on facebook advertising red bottom shoes at 75% off retail prices, we have all seen them...KNOCKOFFS. As with every genuine product, there are tell tale signs of the real deal and the real fake. The same can be said for makeup artists. Now, before the defenses go up, I am not talking about artists who are just starting out or skill level. We all begin at different levels and our work grows as we do...BUT...there are some key things that if you see your makeup artist doing...beware.

Signs of a a knock off:

They use the lipgoss applicator right out of the tube onto your lips. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen other artists do this and how it makes me cringe. If the lipgloss is not brand new and you are not keeping it after they apply it to your lips, just ask yourself one question...how many different lips has this same applicator wand touched before it is now touching yours?
They begin applying your makeup without washing their hands or applying hand sanitizer. Your hands are the biggest carrier of germs. Unwashed/unsanitized hands are a playground of bacteria. A makeup artist's hands touch your eyes and face. If hands are not cleaned, there is nothing stopping the transfer of germs to your skin and face.
Unclean brushes. Makeup artist brushes should always be clean. There should be no residue on brushes from previous use. Now, sometimes, a brush may be stained with a color even after it has been cleaned, but it should not have product apparent. If you are one of a few people your artist is working on in the same time period, brushes should be either cleaned with a brush cleaner between applications or new brushes should be used all together.
Unsharpened lip/eye pencils. Lip and eye pencils should be sharpened before being applied, this insures that the tip of the pencil is new and has not touched another persons eyes or lips.

These are just a few signs to look for. Be sure to keep an eye out for the real deal...after all...you ARE worth it! Beauty and blessings, Mariluz

Stay tuned for Part 2 - Myth vs. Fact

Welcome to My Blog

10/13/2011 14:32:00

Hello Everyone!

I have decided to start a blog. This will be a place for all things Makeup Artistry, life and everything in between.

Come be inspired, be informed and share.

Without further adeu...

Welcome to the world of Mariluz West - Makeup Artist, Mother, Entrepreneur & Wife (to name a few).

Beauty and blessings,

Mariluz