My experience working with legendary make up artist Pat McGrath.

This past Saturday I had the privilege to work with one of my favorite make up artist ever.  Pat McGrath!!
There was an event at Saks for Dolce & Gabbana cosmetics, and Pat was invited, being that she is the creative director for the brand.  She is everything I ever thought she would be times 10.  Such a talented woman with such great personality.  Is always the mega talented people who have the most down to earth attitude.  I guess if you have nothing to prove, you really are kind and polite to everyone and not feed of egos and insecurities to make you look like something that you're not.  For those of you who have not heard about Pat, here is a brief history;

McGrath was raised in Northampton, England by her mother Jean McGrath, a Jamaican immigrant.^[1] McGrath credits her mother for her love of fashion and make-up, saying that Jean would comment on clothes as they watched classic movies together.^[4] McGrath has no formal training in fashion or make-up, having completed only an art foundation course at a Northampton college.^[1] Of her career, she has said, "I really love being a makeup artist. It never gets mundane or predictable and every shoot and show is different."^[5]

McGrath's career breakthrough came while working with Edward Enninful (then fashion editor of i-D magazine) in the early 1990s, when her innovative use of color "brilliantly solved the world's ennui with grunge" and helped launch i-D to a position of international importance.^[4] In the mid-1990s, she worked both with minimalist Jil Sander and with surrealist John Galliano, where she became known for her "latex petals stuck to faces, vinyl lips, bodies drenched in powder paint, [and] stylized Kabuki physiognomies."^[4]

Since then, McGrath has worked with photographers including Steven Meisel (who now rarely shoots without her),^[4][2] Paolo Roversi,^[2] Helmut Newton,^[2] and Peter Lindbergh.^[2] In addition to appearing in i-D, photos of her work have been published in fashion magazines including American, English, and French Vogue, W, and Harper's Bazaar.^[2] She attends fourfashion show seasons (counting couture) each year^[4] and has worked with designers including Prada, Miu Miu, Comme des Garçons, and Dolce and Gabbana.^[2] Additionally, she designed Armani's cosmetics line in 1999^[6] and in 2004 was named global creative-design director for Procter and Gamble, where she is in charge of Max Factor and Cover Girlcosmetics, among other brands.^[1] During McGrath's constant travels to work locations, she takes between thirty and fifty bags of materials, tools, and reference materials.^[4]

As a makeup artist, McGrath is known for her wide range;^[6][7] according to Edward Enninful, her work spans from "the highest couture to club kids."^[7] She is also known for her inventive use of materials: her most creative make-up is handmade, and she works mainly with her fingers instead of with brushes.^[7]

In an interview with Vogue.com UK during London Fashion Week (Sept. 2008) McGrath explained her creative process, saying: "I'm influenced a lot by the fabrics that I see, the colours that are in the collections, and the girls' faces. It's always a challenge but that's the key - to make it different every time."^[8]

(All this was taken from Wilkipedia).

Now you see why I was so fascinated to work with this woman and not exaggerating.  

I also learned when my friend Monique who is a fabulous opera singer, came to have her make up done by me, met Pat.  They both had an immediate connection.  Come to find out, Pat wanted to be an opera singer growing up, and instead she went into make up and my friend Monique had an opposite dream, which was if she didnt succeed in opera, she wanted to become a make up artist. 

Here are some images of Pats work;

I hope you all enjoy this episode of my blog.  I will keep you up to date with some of my upcoming work.

Thanks and kisses,

Julio

1920's Cabaret Sweet 16th party

Hello all my friends and family,

Is been a long week and I do apologize for neglecting my blog page for so long.  Just flew back from Hong Kong and I've been none stop working in a lot of freelance projects.  One of them including the fabulous super sweet 16 birthday bash of my clients daughter Nicole.

It all took place at the Marriott JFK.  I could feel the love as I walked into their hotel suite, all the girls (and boys excited, getting ready).  The sounds of hair dryers and the commotion of beautiful 1920's style gowns and head pieces everywhere was fascinating.  I mean, Dawn, Nicole's mother, really went all out for this.

Regardless all the excitement and running around to get ready, everyone was quite composed.  I mean, there were a few times I felt like I was in a Scorsese film, but that's what happens when you are around fierce italian people.  I LOVE IT!

So, like I said, the style of this mega 16 party was 1920's, burlesque, cabaret style, and the wardrobe, hair and make up was key for this look to be on point.

Bellow, please find some pictures of the unfinished look.  I was not around to see them fully dressed and hair done, but you can get a glance at some of the make up I did.  You will find I used a lot of color to create a smoky, sultry, yet playful effect.  I chose color, because the outfits were in very neutral shades of black, whites, champagne and pearl.  So I felt a little bit of color was necessary to dress up this fancy occasion.
I also feel that back in the 20's cabaret, there was a lot of color, but is hard to tell in pictures, because they are all in black and white.

As you can see,  lashes are also crucial for this look to come together.  Dont be afraid to go all out and get fancy lashes with lace, feathers, pearls, and diamonds to create this look.  I bought these lashes for my client in Hong Kong.  They have great make up stores there for less the price you will find here.

I used for the eyes, shades of blues, greens, purples, gold, silver, hot pinks and lots of glitter.
For the lips I chose shades of eggplant, burgundy reds, fire engine red, and hot pink.

Keep the eyebrows not to filled, but define the natural upper line of the brows.  Technically, if I was to do a shoot and create this look, I would erase the eyebrows completely with make up or bleach them and then just pencil them in thin on the upper brow line, but the girls had school on Monday, and didnt want them to look crazy.  LOL

For the blush rose pink is a great choice.  And the complexion, I kept it a shade or 2 lighter then their own.

I had so much fun with the girls doing their make up.  Cant wait to do another exciting party were the make up plays key to the role.

Bisous,

Julio

Beauty photo shoot for Jessica Code magazine.

Hello sweetie darlings,

Today, I had the extreme pleasure of working with a very talented team from a Hong Kong base beauty magazine name Jessica Code.
It was a 4 page beauty story featuring the new Nars Fall collection 2011 that is not yet available to retail.

The Fall 2011 Collection focuses on rich, bold sophisticated and stylish shades. OUTREMER

Single Eyeshadow, TRAIN BLEU Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and MASCATE Pure Matte Lipstick set a

mysterious, dramatic tone, while shades like GRAND PALAIS Duo Eyeshadow, DELPHES Trio

Eyeshadow and GALION Nail Polish emanate a rich, smoky aura.

FALL 2011 SEASONAL COLOR COLLECTION

Fall turns fierce with a shot of bold, vivid color. Resolutely avant garde: Outremer Single

Eyeshadow, a bright true blue. Pago Pago Lipstick, a sheer shimmering petal pink, and Galion Nail

Polish, a stormy grey, add gorgeous sophistication. Dazzling peach and rose shadows play off

against audacious aubergine on lips. Confident, edgy, intense. NARS Fall 2011.

I also had the privilege to work with aussie model Kate Alexandra Harris.  Here are some pictures from today.  They are not the final look, but you will get an idea of what went on.

The story is how to go from day to evening without having to change but your lips and add to the eyes.

Is very wearable and yet trendy.  

I will keep you posted with the final images when they come out on next months issue.

Hope you enjoy!

XOXO,

ME

Happy Mother's day and homage to my fierce mami!!!

Dear mom,

Thank you so much for being such an inspiration in my life and also in my career.
Since little, I will always remember you getting painted fiercely with emerald green, turquoise, and saphire color eyeshadows.  I also remember clearly you taking some of the lipstick straight from the tube and using it as a blusher.
Never did you wear foundation til this day because your skin was and still is flawless.
I remember you reading me for being in the sun too much.  And even though we had an olympic size swimming pool in Nicaragua, you will never go in because you didnt want to be exposed to the sun and you didnt want your hair to get wet.
I clearly remember how you take hours to set your long, beautiful black hair in rollers and sit under and industrial size hair dryer for hours, til your ears turn red and you will fold them to stop them from burning.
The noise from the drier would be so loud, it would give me the perfect opportunity to ask you for money and since you couldn't hear me, you would always said yes.  LOL
Your nails, always fire engine red to match your lips.
When you would get ready, as you would sit in front of your giant vanity mirror, you would ask me to
to move everything from one hand bag to the other so it would match your shoes.
I love when we would secretly go shopping behind dads back, and you would not buy a dress without my approval and leave all your purchases in the car trunk, until dad went to bed so you can sneak it out in the middle of the night, and try it all on in my room.  Spinning like a princess in front of the mirror with your new dress on.
Thank you for teaching me that "is all about the look."  It really comes handy now.  :^)
I always use you as an example to my clients and in my trainings, who say that they dont have time to put on make up and that all they do is put mascara on and run out the door.
I tell them how you wake up every morning at 4:00 AM, to put your full face on to go to Publix super market to work in the produce department and your nick name is the Queen of Publix.
For that and so much more, thanks again for being my mom.

Love you forever,

Your Flaco

Hong Kong beauties. Before and after make up shows.

Good evening from Hong Kong.  I'm writing to you from the future with some fun pictures of some of my clients transformations at the Nars counters in Hong Kong.
The Chinese women from Hong Kong, are quite cosmopolitan.  They love to shop until they drop, and that includes luxury cosmetics such as Nars.
For the past 2 days, I've been booked non stop with appointments and come to learn a lot about how the women here in Hong Kong love to wear their make up.
First of all , they're not keen on too much of a bright color.  They prefer a soft yet striking smoky eye in shades of browns, and coopers.  Eyeliner is a must since it makes the eye look much bigger.
The complexion has undertones of yellow, so I like to highlight it with the Nars Copacabana illuminator.
Also, chinese women like to have more of a chiseled bone structure, so I showed them how to use the Nars Ita brush made from goat hair.  This brush is perfect shape for contouring, for it has a flat side to create more angles and full on pigment deposit.  To create a natural shade of contouring, I use the laguna bronzer.  This bronzer is quite popular for it has no red undertone, therefore it will not give you a George Hamilton effect from a Ritz cracker commercial.
To balance the smoky eye, I prefer a lighter shade for the lip.  I like to combine the Nars Velvette Matte lipstick pencil with a gloss or the new sheer pencils.  This pencils are fabulous because they will give the lips shine and yet durability.
Bellow, see some of my Hong Kong beauties who were brave enough to allow me to Narsify them;

By the way, I made it to the next round for the Shu Uemura make up competition.
Thanks so much for your votes.
I will keep you posted with the next challenge.  The video is due May 14, so stay tune.

Ta Ta my dears,

Moi

Hong Kong... cities of lights, fogs, food, and lots of shopping.

As part of the theme of my blog and as I promised, I am in Hong Kong, China now for the past 3 days. I am the traveling artist after all.
  Sorry I have not posted anything earlier, but between sight seeing and work and jet lag, it has given me little time to catch up with it all.
First I must say, this is my first trip to Hong Kong.  I've been to other parts of Asia such as Japan and Korea, but I must admit Hong Kong is a bit different then the other places I've been too.
For once, everyone speaks good english here, wish is very helpful when you want to get around in the city and get directions to places.  As opposed  to Japan or Korea , that if you don speak the language, or have an interpreter with you at times it will be very difficult to do simple tasks as to oder a meal at a restaurant.  You will more then likely land up in some tourist trap with pictures of the food that might appetice your palette and never really get to try new things.
Yesterday, I had a day off, so I booked my self a tour guide that took me and whole lot of australian touris to a place called Man Mo Temple. Is the oldest temple in the region. Not as impressive as some of the buddhist temples I visited in Kyoto in the past, but very charming indeed.

I bang the drum 3 times to wake up the spirits and then a giant bell to tell them that I'm here and to wish me luck, and then I rattled a jar full of sticks until one fell out which will tell me the number of my luck for the question I asked to my self. The number that day is 20, still dont know what it means til this day.

We then proceeded to go to a place called the Peak.  Is the highest point of Hong Kong, and on a clear day, you can se 360 degree views of this very impressive cities skylines.  But no luck for me.  It was very cloudy and hardly could see anything.  You go up by a tram 373 meter, pulled by steel cables at a 45 degree angle.  It reminded me a little of Pan de Azucar in Rio de Janeiro.  Where the giant deco Jesus Statue stands.

Check out my tourist sticker on my tshirt.  That's so I dont get lost from the group. LOL

After that we went to Aberden Fishing Village.  Is an old traditional fishing village which is very hard to find in other parts of the world.  You can ride on a Sampan boat for the fee of $55 HK dollars which is like 7 dollars US.

And to finish my trip that day, I went to Stanley Market.  Is a giant outdoor market next to the bay where you can find souvenirs like silks, garments, and chachkis.  Not very impressed with the selections, but I did see some nice fruits and flowers.

The food here is phenomenal.  I did noticed some restaurant would have a sign outside saying they are not using japanese food suppliers due to the recent radiation contamination.  This made me very sad to hear Japan is going thru so much hardship.
I had lots of steamed dumplings filled with pork others with shrimps and I had a delicacy here that you guys may think is gross but is actually very tasty.  Chicken feet! LOL  you should try it, a bit bony but it has lots of sticky collagen great for the skin.

Above, I'm doing some promotions to the restaurant I had this delicious food.
Tomorrow I will post some photos of before and after make ups from some of the clients I've been working on for Nars Hong Kong.  You'll find lots of beautiful gals, with style to spare and attitude to go with it.

Until soon,

XOXO,

MOI

Nars Boutique in Bleecker Street, New York.

Today, I had the pleasure to work for the first time at the Nars boutique in Greenwich village, New York on Bleecker street.
I must say the store is absolutely beautiful.  I also had the pleasure last year to work in the Nars boutique in Istanbul, Turkey and next week, I will have the privilege to work in the first Nars boutique in Hong Kong.
I cant really compare this store in NYC to the one in Hong Kong, but the one in Istanbul is much larger then the one in NYC.
What I love about the one in NYC, is the location.  Is in one of the trendiest streets in the West Village, where the commercial rents are higher then Madison Avenue.
The design is by Fabien Baron, the original designer of the Nars make up units and packaging.  Very minimalist yet warm at the same time.  Worn out black wooden floors, with black and shiny white make up units as oppose to the typical black backgrounds.  It also has a fire place with shelves on top with Francois Nars favorite things, such as books form Guy Bourdin, Hermes, and YSL.  It also has personal things like a hand made Tiki statue from Motu Tane, his gorgeous island in French Polynesia.  Videos that has inspired some of his make up products like Catherine Deneuve's 1960's classic Belle du Jour and Jane Fonda collection of films, etc...http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2011/02/nars_boutique.html#photo=1x78465
The dress code is also very Nars.  Boys wear black button down shirts with slacks and dress shoes, while girls wear crispy white button down shirts with black bottoms and black shoes.   Everyone is very cheery and welcoming to the high end clientele from the West Village, NY.
If you are in the NYC area or visiting the city,  I highly recommend to go there.
You can also visit near by shops such as Michael Kors, Dyptique, Marc Jacobs and other high end stores.
Will keep you posted with my travels in Hong Kong and will let you know my opinion of the culture and make up there.

TA TA,

ME