So, how did you get into doing makeup?
A little bit about me. Growing up I always cared a lot about getting perfect grades so I could get a scholarship to a really good college. The turmoil started my senior year of high school when I knew in my heart that I wanted to move to Los Angeles to attend makeup school, instead of continuing my college education. The rational thing (plus the opinion of pretty much every adult around me) told me I should go to college because that’s the stable and wise thing to do. Considering my less-than-ideal family situation, I craved stability in my life, so looking back I’m surprised I didn’t take the stable route.
But it’s interesting how life’s challenges and hardships, can be what motivates and drives us.
So at 17 (I was young for my grade) I graduated high school and had completed a couple of semesters of college, so I moved to Los Angeles to go to makeup design school. I was SO excited to conquer the world and I SO did not know what I was doing. But I was excited! 
(on graduation day)
Keep in mind this was BEFORE the days of youtube, and blogs….I hadn’t even met a real makeup artist before. It was considerably less common, at least in my universe. At the time there weren’t a lot of options when it came to learning how to do makeup, you couldn’t really just google something.
So there I was. A determined teen in Los Angeles.
I even slept in my car and showered at the 24 hr Fitness I had a membership to for a little while when I was in between places to live. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND doing this! It is dangerous and scary and really UNCOMFORTABLE! 😯)
I loved living in the city and Makeup Designory was awesome. Eventually the nagging question of “well, should I go to college?” got to me and I moved to go to BYU. I love learning so I did that college thing for a while and then put my full force into my makeup biz.
Here’s what I’ve learned over the last 14 years of chasing my dream:
-Be kind and loving. People, will be the reason you get jobs.
-Try to keep your word. And be dependable, even when it’s inconvenient.
-This industry has a strangely high overhead. Doing makeup just for kicks vs. running a business doing makeup, are very very different.
-Every minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution. (Every time I remember this, I am grateful!)
It’s been a fun journey and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
concealing imperfections
When your skin looks great, your face looks great. I wanted to talk more about some of the products I use to conceal imperfections, like in these photo’s
This is the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer. I use it mostly to cover blemishes and hyper-pigmentation. It has a matte finish and is long wearing and you can customize the color by mixing the two shades together.
I use this Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brush because the fine tip makes it easy to get a precise application so you’re only applying product where you need it.
This is a great under eye concealer. It’s fast, does it’s job, and stays on. It has more of a radiant finish which I typically prefer for the under eye area because I think it looks more natural. On myself I don’t typically need to set it with powder but I will sometimes set my clients concealer using this brush and a translucent powder if concealers tend to always crease or if they need it to last for 16 hrs or more.
OR
This Under Cover Pot has mini sizes of the Secret under eye , one shade of the Secret Camouflage and the setting powder. I like that the products are all in one place and it’s great for travel or touch ups. I ran out of the under eye concealer quicker than the rest so I bought another Secret under eye and just refilled it. (I do wish it had 2 shades of the camouflage concealer like the regular size so the color would be more customizable, but it still does it’s job!)
So, I entirely forgot about this makeup I did last year. I’m not going to lie….I don’t remember exactly what I used on her but I’m sure I used concealer! And probably the ones mentioned above! 😀 And I do remember she made a lovely mermaid-y model…
Photo of Alexis taken by Jessa Kae
xoxoxo
Makeup for Kristin
So I was in Walmart the other day and got a little sidetracked….. I heard that an article that I wrote for Train Magazine was out (the one with Thor on the cover.)
I talked about how to make your makeup sweat proof. You should check it out. But after seeing all the fun photos of makeup in the article, I was curious about what kinds of treasures Walmart possibly had.
So I wandered to the makeup aisle and found THE cutest lipstick and it was only $6.98
It’s by Flower Beauty and the color is called LS11-Morning Glory.
Kristin’s birthday was coming up and she wanted to do an extra special photoshoot for it so she hired me to get her ready. So I used that lipstick for her first look.
I wanted you guys to be able to see what it looks like by itself 🙂 I love it. It’s kind of a cream finish that blots down to a more matte finish.
Here’s Kristin’s before and after, I added a little gloss to vamp it up. 
Isn’t she already beautiful in the before photo?! She gave me free reign on her makeup look and said she just wanted big messy hair so for that I used my fav’s:
Hair: Oribe Beach Spray, Oribe Dry, and the Sultra 1 inch
Complexion: Lancome Teint Miracle, Contour by Maskcara in Stone, Temptu Matte Bronzer, Lancome Effacernes Concealer
Eyes: Urban Decay Eyes Shadow Primer, MAC Eyeshadow in Saddle and Brun. I also used Brun in her brows using the Anastasia angled brow brush and set them with Brow Gel.
Photos of Kristin taken by Emmy Lowe Photo
Class for Marae
I was stoked when Marae, this super stunning model, booked one of my makeup classes (if anyone is interested in any of the classes I offer, email info@vivianmakeupartist.com 🙂 )
There are so many variables when it comes to makeup. Especially something like someone’s complexion, so I love when I can make really specific recommendations. She really wanted to learn how to look fresh and pretty but as fast as possible, so for her first look, she learned how to do this fast, everyday makeup look. 
We used:
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer, Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, Walnut Contour by Maskcara, Pink Grapefruit Blush by Maskcara, this Smashbox palette for eyes and brows, Hypnose Mascara, NYX Butter gloss in Maple Blondie
So I am kind of always in a constant state of looking for the best of the best when it comes to anything, but mostly, makeup. While I was browsing Nordstrom’s online cosmetics, I happened to stumble upon this photo.
And I realized “Hey! I know her!”
I did this model’s makeup on a job I had a few months ago.
Isn’t she gorgeous!? (*I didn’t do the makeup in that photo, just have done her makeup. 🙂 Just to clarify) These Charlotte Tilbury makeup looks are so pretty! I’ll definitely be re-creating some of them soon!
Who’s seen the new Cinderella movie? I loved how natural and pretty Cinderella’s makeup was. And she had so many cute hairstyles! 
She amped it up a bit here for the movie premier but I think she looks gorgeous!
Definitely a chic Cinderella!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!
