Although I try not to pay attention, I can’t help but notice an online proliferation of truly outrageous “inspirational” images and tutorials on the subject of contouring. Thinking of the maxim “If you say it enough, it will become the truth”, I have to speak up before war paint techniques of yesteryear become the […]

Creating the right makeup for a blonde is deceptively challenging. Why? Because it’s so easy to overdo it.

To begin with very few women are real blondes, so finding their real color story based on skin tone and hair color demands some expertise. Is the skin yellow-based, pink-based, tan or olive? Or, since her hair color […]

Did you know that until about the 1920’s, the upper classes considered a tanned appearance to be an entirely undesirable effect from being outdoors, only suited to farmers and workers?

As sports and the popularity of outdoor life rose, though, so did the sun-kissed look. It became the craze it is today thanks to the […]

I love working with really vivid colors when I have the opportunity. Bright blues, mint greens and neon orange shades are not for every job nor every client. On the other hand there’s no reason to feel intimidated by a splash of color because there are ways to control the madness.

The good […]

Alwyn is what I call a “Hithcock blond” – a reference to the great film director who cast chic Tippi Hedren, Grace Kelly and Kim Novak in his classic thrillers. He said: “The perfect ‘woman of mystery’ is one who is blonde, subtle and Nordic”. A young Cibyll Sheperd also comes to mind. […]

Hallie’s beauty is what the camera loves! With her fair skin, dark hair and strong eyebrows she screams strength and personality. Her face, coloring and vibe remind me of modern beauties such as Anne Hathaway or Jennifer Connelly.

Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Connelly

The eyebrows are a big part of what makes this look […]

The New Year’s Eve pressure to look gorgeous is ON! For all of you who have been to a bazillion parties by now and who have run out of makeup ideas and even for those of us who have only been to a couple but still can’t think of an idea to vary the inevitable […]

I had the pleasure of working with lovely Nicole a couple of times before the January 2012 issue of Allure’s Minimal makeup story. I knew this is a girl who LOVES her makeup, which I understand perfectly. When you’re rockin’ out on stage in big productions with dancers, back-up singers and a band […]

As a woman matures, looking attractive, feminine, and seductive is never out of reach, but it can no longer be achieved with the same long hair, bandeau tops, short skirts and glazed lips as in the party days. Clinging for dear life to one’s youth is about as futile as stopping the seasons from […]

The key to a successful career in makeup is SKIN. Managing texture, color, luminosity and radiance is one of the most difficult things to learn.

It is so hard to learn because it’s often a case of forgetting what you know and relying only on what you see. It usually takes my assistants a […]