Bronzed Beauty

Vivica always wants to try new things with her make up and I love that about her! She was eager to have a silver smokey eye with a hint of teal. so I made that happen for her. I will let you know how I achieved that look step by step.

1.I prep her skin with moisturizer and Murad's Acne/Shine Control Primer. 2.I took NARS stick concealer in Ginger and highlighted under her brows, down the center of her nose and slightly under her eye. I filled her brows in with Lingering Eyebrow pencil from MAC, and set them with a clear brow gel.

3.I used MAC Bamboo paint all over her lid, and used the Lorac eyeshadow pallet to create the silver smoke look she wanted. I blended the colors together thru her crease using MAC eyeshadow in Texture to warm the cool tones up. I then took the teal cream eyeliner from L'oreal HIP Color Truth line and lined above her lashes and under her lash line for a pop of color. 4.I lined her water line with Stila Kajal liner in Onyx and used #47 lashes to give her lashes a full but natural look.

On her face I used Kevin Aucoin in SX13 to contour her face while blending Kohgendo's Moisture Foundation in 301 and 302 to give her the perfect skin tone. I then set her foundation with NARS pressed powders in Tahoe and Banares. I took MAC Golden Bronze loose powder and accented her highlighted areas. I used YSL Rouge Pur Couture in #14 with Purr Lip Gloss from MAC for a nude shine.

Koh Gen Do at Sephora...

Most of you know that gorgeous skin is my thing, and Koh Gen Do has amazing foundations and powders. If you're in LA, join me this Sunday as I share my celeb beauty tips using Koh Gen Do.

Vivica Fox...Sweet As Candy

I recently dolled up the beautiful Vivica Fox for the Fire & Ice Gala hosted by one of her best friends, jewelry designer, Lucy Kilislian. The event was to showcase Lucy's fabulous Candy Ice collection and the proceeds benefited Fresh2O.

Vivica Fox & Lucy Kilislian

Vivica and Lucy both wanted a smokey eye look, and I did them both differently.  Here's a breakdown of Vivica's smokey eye. First I prep her skin with Murad Skin Perfecting Primer. I then fill her eye brows in with MAC Spiked Eyebrow Pencil and I highlight her brow with MAC Concealer in NC45. I use MAC Bamboo Paint on her lid for an eye shadow base, then I apply colors from the Smashbox Smokebox II Palette....blending the darkest color in the crease. I add #523 lashes for a more dramatic effect, black liquid liner on the lid and Stila's Black Kajal liner in her waterline.

Her skin is then highlighted with Koh Gen Do foundation in #301 and contoured in Koh Gen Do foundation #302. I then set her foundation with NARS pressed powder in Tahoe and New Orleans. Her blush is MAC Peaches, and her lip is YSL #4 Rouge Volupte and Milani "Puttin on the Ritz" lipgloss for a nude shine. Good luck! xo

Beautiful Bria...

Bria Myles and I go way back. I was the make up artist on some of her earlier shots that still get millions of hits online worldwide. Well, it was only fitting that she come and see me for yet another simply clean and flawless makeup. Known for my "less is more" approach to beauty, a model's natural face can still be seen with the make up on. She had a video shoot with the popular photographer from Indos Place, but she stopped at my studio first!

Here are a few of the shots from behind the scenes.

FACE TIME: I prepped Bria's skin with Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Minimizing Lotion (my new favorite), mixed with a little of Murad's Skin Perfecting Primer. As that combination settled onto her skin, I worked on her brows. I used MAC Expresso Eye Shadow to fill in her brows, and NARS concealer in Toffee as her brow and under eye highlight. I then used MAC Bamboo Paint on her eye lid, adding Texture Eye Shadow through her crease. I lined her eyes with Shiseido Creme Black Liner and Kajal Black pencil by Stila. For her skin, although it's already flawless, I blended Koh Gen Do foundations in #301 and #302 into her perfect match. I set the foundation with NARS pressed powder in New Orleans and Benares, with Tahoe as her highlight. Raisin blush from MAC warmed her cheeks, and YSL Rouge Volupte in #14 with YSL #7 Liner gave her mouth the perfect nude.

Bria is always a pleasure to work with, and her smile is contagious. Keep an eye out for her hosting one of your favorite entertainment shows very soon. She's a natural in front of the camera.

Check out another natural look I did on her for J'Adore Magazine back in the day. I still think this photo shoot was one of my favs...timeless! xo

Korrina Rico Rocks...

I've known actress Korrina Rico for about six years, and it's always a pleasure to work with her. I met her as a model, which should be no surprise since she is absolutely stunning...but her acting career has definitely been taking off. She's been in several major films, and it's only a matter of time before she is a house hold name. I'm so excited to be working with her on her upcoming projects!

I dolled her up for a charity event for Lupus here in Los Angeles, and she wanted a natural look with a pop. She has amazing eyes, so it wasn't that hard to find the "pop" feature:) I played up her eyes with MAC Jardin Aires pigment, and Texture eyeshadow. I added Stila Black eyeliner in Kajal to her water line to create a more intense look. I used a mixture of Make Up Forever HD Foundation #125 and Koh Gen Do #301 for her foundation, and I highlighted and countoured her face with NARS pressed powders. I used YSL Bronzer in #2 to give her a sunkissed look. Her lip color was #7 YSL Lip Pencil, Rouge Volupte #14 Lipstick, and MAC Nymphette Lipgloss.

Needless to say, her total look was a success on that coralcarpet. Stay tuned for more from this beauty. She is one to watch! xo

Love Frenchie's Face...

Frenchie Davis is known for her beautiful voice, but I can not get over her gorgeous face!! To rock a low hair cut like she does, her face has to be absolutely stunning.....and it is:) I love the fact that she likes her make up to be clean because that's my specialty!!

She was attending GLAAD's "Bravo Top Chef Invasion", a benefit event in Los Angeles. The event was outdoors, and she would be there all day so we had to layer the makeup just enough to not be heavy up close. The look she was going for was soft and pretty, and that's what I did. Her face is an amazing canvas to begin with, so it was easy!

FACE TIME:  I used my favorite Koh Gen Do foundations to highlight and warm her complexion. I used YSL Blond Eyebrow pencil to fill in her brows, with a blend of MAC's Beguile brow mascara. For her eyes I used a light blend of Shimmertime Pigment from MAC, and warm peach eyeshadow. We decided against eyeliner to keep the look soft, but I did smudge a little NARS Galapagos eyeshadow under her bottom lashes for depth. Of course we used a pair of Demi Wispie lashes for that baby doll effect, then coated them with mascara. On her cheeks I used Radiance (Hot Pink) blush by Smashbox, blended with MAC Raisin blush. For her lips I used YSL Rouge Pur Shine in Pink Sorbet #28.

She definitely got the look she was going for...she was glowing on that carpet! xo

Angell Con~Well Done...

Angell Conwell, star of the new show Family Time on Bounce TV, celebrated her birthday and the launch of her new show all in one. She wanted to share this moment with a few of her special friends, cast members, and more! The intimate event was fabulous, and everyone dined on gourmet pizza served by 'Crust' while they mingled.


Angell and cast members Omar Gooding, Bentley Kyle Evans Jr., & Jayla Calhoun

Since it was a daytime event, she wanted to keep her look simple but edgy...especially since her dress was dainty in the front, rocker in the back! We decided to open up her eyes, and smoke out the bottom lashes to add depth. I had to pull out the white eyeliner for this look...so I got excited! Be careful when using white eyeliner. If done wrong, eyes can appear too far apart or crossed.

Blend concealer over the lips before applying nude colors.

FACE TIME: She loves hints of pink in her makeup, so I went with MAC Pigment in Pink Opal on her lid. I blended MAC Blackberry eyeshadow and Texture in the crease, then smudged the same colors under her bottom lashes. I used MAC white eye liner called Fascinating in her water line, to make her eyes pop and appear larger. After several heavy coats of mascara and simple lashes, I lined her upper lid with black creme liner. I used a blend of my favorite Koh Gen Do foundations on her skin, with Murad Dewey Primer underneath. On her cheeks, I blended MAC Peaches Blush and Desire by NARS. For her lip color, I kept it neutral with a hint of pink with YSL Rouge Pur Couture #06 and my summer fave...Milani lip gloss "Puttin On The Glitz".



Angell's look was as successful as her event! Stay tuned for much more from this talented beauty! xo

What's in my kit??...

People are always asking me what's in my kit. I just say a little bit of everything, because it's the truth. Starting out at Prescriptives, working 7 years with MAC, 2 years with YSL, and freelancing in Barneys New York....I have way more products than I actually use. My MUST HAVE staples are Koh Gen Do Foundations, NARS powders, YSL Touche' Eclat concealers, MAC eye shadows, and blush from anybody I like at the time. I am a huge fan of YSL lipsticks as well as Milani lipglosses for that hint of shine! I am obsessed with Mally Roncal's Poreless Face Defender, and Eve Lom Skincare for under my make up. If there are any new products on the market, I'm always willing to try them once on a test shoot first to see how the product responds. I never try new things on clients, especially red carpet clients.....I fear unexpected surprises once the cameras go off:) I like to mix it up, but I'm pretty much a creature of habit when I do make up...so although I have LOTS to choose from, I can get a face camera ready with only 7 items!

Check back to my blog as I compare beauty supply and drugstore brands with higher end brands. The look is just as flawless...just you wait and see!

Loving Koh Gen Do...

My foundation of choice for the past year has been the Koh Gen Do's Maifanshi Moisture Foundation. It's a 3D Real Skin High Def Foundation that goes on smooth, has medium to full coverage, and it's long lasting. Even though they have roughly only 10 colors, the colors that they have cover a wide array of skin tones, and can be easily mixed! At $62 a tube, a dab will do you...don't squeeze out too much:)

To balance out redness in the skin or to brighten a dull concealer. This correcting primer is one to try. I sometimes mix it with the YSL #4 Touche Eclat to create a beautiful tawny color that I use as a light foundation if needed.


The Spa Cleansing Water Cloths is a great way to prep your client's skin before applying anything. The small microfibers in the cloth really clean out what sometimes hides in pores. It leaves the skin primed and ready to go.


Give these products a try for yourself or the next time you're on set, and you will fall in love as well! Thanks to the PR team at Koh Gen Do for keeping my kit stocked!

If looks could kill...

Boy o boy, the day of the 'Joyful Noise' premiere was crazy! I had so many clients to do, and right before Vivica's appointment, my car was towed in Hollywood (long story). Anyway, I made it to her with just 35 minutes to get her ready...and the outcome was gorgeous! She glowed on the red carpet, and obviously the press thought so, because they took a million pictures of her. If they only knew, lol! Her look was simple, but this time I used a new component to my process. Vivica's east coast make up artist, Elena George, uses the Smashbox Artificial Light in the deeper color under foundation. So I did just that, and applied my favorite Koh Gen Do foundation right on top. I used YSL Touche Eclat #3 under Vivica's eyes to brighten, with Bobbi Brown stick concealer in #6 blended out. On her eyes, I used MAC Artjam Paint with the YSL #1 Chromatics Palette blended into a light smokey eye. We used our favorite Stila black eye liner in the water line, and Kevin Aucoin's nude lip pencil was her lip color with Chanel gloss #41 over it! Way to sparkle Viv!

Healthy, Wealthy & Wise...

One of the best things about traveling with a celebrity client is being exposed to many different things, meeting different people, and really being involved in more than just the make up. I was fortunate to go with Vivica Fox on a trip to Detroit, MI for a FAB event for black women. It was for the Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Tour. Since Ms. Fox is all of the above, she was a special guest at the Black Women's Empowerment Luncheon. She spoke about her career as an actress, her business endeavors, and even her hair line for some beauty tips! Women who owned businesses, as well as women who worked in politics, and fitness were in attendance. I was at the table sitting by a former Congress woman who loved Vivica's make up:) I look up to women in positions of power, and it makes me want to work harder to achieve the level of success I seek in this beauty industry.

It was a great lunch, great people, and the room was filled with such positive energy. Of course everyone was asking about her make up, so I will share what I used on her!
She wanted to go for a more warm fall look since it was cold and rainy while we were there, I used Eve Lom Serum to prep the skin. I then used my mix of Koh Gen Do foundation, NARS stick concealer in Toffee, NARS Tahoe powder to highlight, and NARS New Orleans powder to contour, Sue Devitt Pointe-Noire eye pencil, MAC Raisin blush, with Orgasm blush from NARS, and YSL #12 Lip Pencil with #33 Rouge Pur Shine Lip stick also from YSL. She looked amazing!

My...My...Mai

That's all I can say after spending the day working with the fabulous Jeannie Mai, host of Style Network's hit show, "How Do I Look? I met Jeannie in Brazil while we were both there for the Miss Universe pageant, and after our flight was delayed, we bonded instantly:)
She is a beautiful person, and God is doing so much in her life, so I was honored when she asked me to do her make up for her show's holiday special. Her regular make up artist, Uzmee Krakovszki, was booked and I was happy to be her stand in for the day. Norma Blaque, her hairstylist, sweetly kept me on my toes! The production team was phenomenal, and Jeannie was as well. She is a hard worker, and she looks great while doing it. Her wardrobe stylist Bory Tan, whom I also met in Brazil, is a fashion force to be reckoned with. The looks she creates for Jeannie are ridiculous!! I love them all, and I felt so welcomed on set. Jeannie's husband Freddy is a lucky guy, but so is she, because he is also a gem!

The look I did on her for the day was transitional, from natural to heavier make up as the evening scene approached. She is gorgeous and her skin is flawless, so it wasn't hard to do. Jeannie LOVES contour, so I kept my #4 YSL Touche' Eclat close by! We also used Koh Gen Do's OC. 2 White Illuminator for highlighting, Carmel Bronze bronzer, BE02 Lipstick, and Shell Pink Gloss with a dab of MAC's Crystalled Orange glitter for added sparkle!

This day with the "How Do I Look?" crew was one to remember! Be sure to tune in to her show this season, and check her style tips & updates on her personal blog http://www.iheartjeanniemai.com/ Thanks Jeannie! xoxo

Oh so stunning...

I've been doing Vivica Fox's make up for quite some time now, but this particular look on the red carpet made me the happiest thus far. I dolled her up for this year's Stunt Woman Awards. Whenever you have a client that you do over and over again, you become familiar with their face, their bone structure, and you understand what works and what doesn't. I'm very honest with myself as an artist, and I am constantly learning new techniques, and using products that will make my work look better and better.

She looked stunning and her skin had this radiant glow. Everything about this look worked on so many levels, and I love it when she wears her hair back to show off her face. We used the same products we always used, but this particular time I mixed a little Koh Gen Do OC2 White Illuminator with their #301 foundation to highlight her entire face. I then used #302 and NARS New Orleans pressed powder to contour the face. I kept her blush very soft using Peaches from MAC, and her lip color was Caliope Lip Pencil from NARS lined with #7 lip liner from YSL. I absolutely loved this make up, so you will see me try this look again with minor tweaks!! Gorgeous Viv! xo

First of many...

It wasn't the first time Vivica Fox attended a premiere, but it was the first time she took my 4 year old son, Emanuel Christopher as one of her guests:) It was the "Puss In Boots" premiere in Los Angeles, and Viv wanted to share the experience with some kids she knew. My son, and her manager's son Landon, were the lucky ones to go!! The red carpet was a blast for them with all of the fun characters in the movie. Vivica looked great, and the boys had so much fun!



Since this movie was a family movie, we decided to keep her make up light and fresh. The tones were warm and natural. As usual I used Koh Gen Do foundations, which Vivica loves, in #301 and #302 mixed. I also used MAC Antiqued Eyeshadow, Smolder pencil, and our favorite Demi Pixie lashes. Her lip color was YSL #14 Rouge Volupte Lipstick and Chanel #41 Gloss. Simply gorgeous:)

A Face I Love....

I have some clients who just love to let me do whatever to their face, and Eboni is one of them! We play when it's time to get her ready....from glitter to triple lashes....there is no boundaries:) Any new techniques I learn, I practice them on her to master it.

This time we wanted smoky glamour, and we created it using Chanel's #85 cream shadow, YSL #1 Black Waterproof Eye Pencil, NARS Goddess Eye Pencil in the water line, MAC Texture Eyeshadow, and double lashes. (Demi Wispies)

She loves the nude matte lipstick pencil from NARS called Caliope to finish the look. It's the best neutral lip with any gloss on top!

How Sweet The Sound...

I love Gospel music, so I was more than happy to lend my talents to the beautiful Michelle Williams while she hosted segments for reality show, "How Sweet The Sound." Choirs from various cities battled for the chance to be named the BEST!! I worked on the LA and Oakland shows, and we had a blast!

Michelle is a natural beauty, so my job wasn't that hard. I used my favorite mix of Koh Gen Do foundations #301 & #302, very matte eye shadows, and neutral lip shades for a fresh faced look. We changed her look so many times, and she looked fantastic! Special shout out to China Upshaw on the hair quick changes! :) Check out the behind the scenes shots and let me know what you think!

In The Hive...

Vivica had to go to DC to promote her new movie, "In The Hive", directed by Robert Townsend. The movie has not been released yet, but it has such an amazing message. A few members from the cast were asked to come speak at Duke Ellington School of The Arts about the movie, after all the students had a private screening.

I was also able to see the movie, and meet the woman who inspired the movie to be made. This screening took place at the US Navy Memorial building during Congressional Black Caucus week, so many greats were in attendance. Loretta Divine was also one of the cast members there, and she was as sweet as the characters' she plays. We had an awesome time, and afterwards our dinner plans were at a restaurant right across from The White House:) What a fabulous trip!!!

We chose a classic fall look for her wardrobe of beige and browns, so the make up was natural with a red lip to brighten and contrast.

MAC Bronze eyeshadow on the lid, Orgasm blush from NARS, YSL Touche' Eclat #3 to highlight, Koh Gen Do Foundations #301 & #302 blended for her perfect match, and YSL #7 Lip Liner with #1 Rouge Pur Couture lipstick. I love this look on her, and the hair is jammin!! I guess her fans thought so too, she could barely walk without someone stopping her for an autograph or picture. We did good:)

And the winner is...

Yes, I was in Brazil sitting in the third row when Miss Angola was crowned Miss Universe, and it was the most unbelievable experience ever!!! Vivica Fox was asked to be one of the judges for the pageant, which took place in Sao Paulo. This event was televised worldwide. So she took me with her to make sure she was camera ready.

I must say that this trip was over in a blink, we were in and out so fast. We spent most of the day at the venue getting her ready to work, so there wasn't a lot of sight seeing. The good times didn't stop though because we had a great time! We ate at this fabulous Italian restaurant, and I was able to try Brazil's most popular drink, the Caipirinha. It was delicious!

The pageant was a beautiful representation of many countries, and it was a great live show to watch! I had to get Vivica dolled up for a few quick changes each day. It's always easy to just change the lip color for a new look once proper foundation is in place. YSL's Rouge Pur lipsticks and YSL lip pencil were best for pops of color throughout the trip. I also used a lot more burgundy's and berry colors since it was already feeling like fall while we were there. Her look was much warmer in Jamaica:)

It was a blast....I will be back!

K. Briscoe Music Video...

Take a look at some behind the scenes footage of an artist who is slightly new in front of the camera, but she's been a very popular songwriter behind the music for many years. Some of her clients have included Keri Hilson, as well as Britney Spears for whom she wrote the hit "Womanizer". So, K. Briscoe is no stranger to the spotlight, but now it's her turn to shine. I had the pleasure of doing her make up for her first video "Dishes" featuring Busta Rhymes, and directed by the legendary Benny Boom. It was a great day of shooting, great location, and a great team She is definitely one to watch! Special thanks to YSL and Koh Gen Do for sponsoring my kit for this video! Her skin looked amazing!

Click link to watch a sneak peek....shhh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUv2UR-WYsc