Alter Ego Shoot with Derek Blanks...

There are so many talented people in this industry, and I am continuously blessed to work with the best of the best. I was actually called last minute to assist celebrity make up artist, Saisha Beecham, with one of the alter ego shoots for actor Laz Alonso. Derek Blanks is known for his creative shooting style, and Saisha is known for her spectacular artist abilities, so I was super excited to work with them both!!

The shoot took place at Box Eight Studios in Los Angeles, and we had an amazing time on set. The process of getting someone camera ready for a regular photo shoot is long, but imagine turning someone into a stone statue...That's exactly what we did. Saisha is self-taught and very knowledgeable about placement, and color selection so it seemed to be easy enough. 4 messy hours later, with clay, paint, water, and glue all over the place, we had achieved our goal. Laz went from a smooth caramel skinned Hollywood hunk, to a cracked stone cold statue (at least that's what he looked like...lol!). The skill behind that kind of a job is well thought out, so I commend Saisha for her dedication. Me being a make up artist who does more beauty work, this was definitely a fun out the box experience for me. Check out shots of the making of Laz into Buddha.

I learned so much that day, and I am grateful for Saisha and the Derek Blanks team allowing me to come give a helping hand!

To see more of Saisha's work visit http://www.saishabeecham.com/ , she is truly gifted. As far as this alter ego photo along with many others...stay tuned. Derek is doing a book with all of your favorite celebs and their alter egos, it's going to be a MUST BUY coming soon! http://www.dblanks.com/

Michelle Williams gives back!

I love what I do, and every job is a new experience. I thank God for all of my experiences, especially when it involves charity. If I'm able to do anything to make a difference, I make myself available, and so does a super star like Michelle Williams! She was invited to San Diego for her participation in a non-profit event for an organization called TERI. TERI stands for Training, Education & Research Institute. It's an entire lifestyle dedicated to serving individuals with special needs, development and learning disabilities and their families. With 1 and 110 children now being diagnosed with autism, the need for these services is monumental. Check out a few behind the scenes shots below.

I had the pleasure of spending the day with Michelle as she met the CEO and founder of TERI, Cheryl Kilmer and rode a horse for the first time on one of the properties.

I was actually able to meet a few of the children, and see how TERI's program has helped to shape their lives. It was heart warming to say the least, and I really enjoyed myself.

They are raising money right now to finish building the Therapeutic Equestrian Center to offer more space, rewards, and programs to all the families. If you would like to donate or find out more information, please visit http://www.teriinc.org/ . You can also help TERI schools win $500,000 by just logging into Facebook/Kohls, search for TERI learning academy, and vote 5 times. Share this information with your friends on Facebook, and make a difference.

Here is a video of Michelle, and founder Cheryl speaking about TERI on KUSI News, San Diego. Check out her new hairstyle by the way...I was loving it all day!! Click the link to view.

http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/Michelle-Williams-101717758.html

"Dysfunctional Friends and a Funeral"...as crazy as it sounds!

I had the pleasure of working for the first time with amazing director Corey Grant, producer Datari Turner, and an all star cast for this hilarious movie!! Getting together Stacey Dash, Meagan Good, Wesley Jonathan, Persia White, Vanessa Simmons, Tatyana Ali, Terrell Owens, Christian Keyes, Stacey Keibler, Reagan Gomez-Preston, Hosea Chanchez, Jason Weaver and Keith Robinson - -this is sure to be a classic film! Everyone was so humble, and the on-set jokes NEVER stopped. I can't give too many details about this wonderful project away, but here are some behind the scenes pictures of what I was doing at least...lol:)

Stacey, Gina and I before her bathtub scene. Also, me with one of the coolest guy's on set. My partner in crime Rodney!

Yes ladies, even Terrell Owens likes to keep those hard to reach areas moisturized. It's a strenuous job being a make up artist, but someone has to do it:) Perfect southern gentleman!

Special thanks to the fantastic crew, New Breed Entertainment, that made it all possible and easy to work those extremely long hours! Can't wait until the premiere...you may even spot me in the film (a little extra cameo)...stay tuned!

TLC's own Chilli...amazing!

I often get last minute calls to do make up for various award shows, celebrity events, movie premieres...you name it! This happened just recently for the BET Awards. The beautiful Rozonda Thomas aka "Chilli" needed my services. Her regular make up artist Day was already super busy, so they reached out to me:) Many thanks to her team, because Chilli was a pleasure to work with!

I was glad I got the opportunity, especially after being a fan of TLC for so many years! Chilli was so down to earth, sweet, funny, and simply flawless. We exchanged skincare tips, but her main thing was drinking lots of water. Her make up regime is very natural, and she knows exactly what she wants. Trust me, after seeing her skin in person, I drank about 4 extra glasses than normal that evening:)

Yves Saint Laurent Beauty....

I've recently been hosting a series of beauty events for Yves St. Laurent Cosmetics! What an exciting line to work with! Coming from a MAC Cosmetics background, I must say that the pigments in some of the YSL products are the best by far!! I am in love with their lipsticks, bronzers, nail polishes and mascara. My own lashes have never looked longer. The mascara is called Volume Effet Faux Cils, and their staple product is this miracle highlighting tool called Touche' Eclat. One of these is sold every 40 seconds all over the world. They even have a product called Gommage, and after only one use, your skin will glow to perfection. I will possibly be at a YSL counter near you, so please stay tuned! In the meantime, check out the brand and the products on their website.

http://www.yslbeautyus.com/

Beautiful Bianca Lawson

Most of you remember her face from the classic movie "Save The Last Dance", "The Vampire Diaries", or a host of other roles. Now you can catch her as a regular on a new ABC series called "Pretty Little Liars", playing a free spirited character named Maya St. Germain.

I had the pleasure of working with her recently, getting her dolled up for a red carpet appearance in Los Angeles. We went with a very natural make up look, and she looked amazing in her dress!! I love what I do, and I especially love when the client knows how to pose....work Bianca!

And the winner is....

We've been talking about the Prom Makeover Contest for a few weeks now, and the Sacramento winner had her makeover today! Congratulations to Davis High School's own, Bianca Brown. After reading her heartfelt story, it was clear how deserving she was. (Bianca tearing up below)

A bad hair day comes and goes for most, but for Bianca Brown “bad hair days” are plentiful. Not so in the traditional way, but in a symbolic way that reflects the current situation of her family. Having to care for her ailing mother each day, Bianca wishes that she could stress over and think of simply having a bad hair day.

For the past 3 years, Bianca has been the rock that keeps her family together as her mother struggles with overcoming brain surgery. Bianca’s mother is unable to work, thus leaving very little extra money for the fun stuff and high school memories such as prom. As Bianca nears her prom, she worries that she will not have all that she needs including the help from her mom to give her the classy sewn in weave that she wants. Though not a professional stylist, Bianca’s mom always made sure her girls looked good. Because of her strength, Bianca deserves a day of fun and excitement that is just about her. I hope that you will consider her and make her prom memorable and special.
We were really excited to have chosen her as the winner of our contest. She had her hair styled by Sharie Lewis of DreamGirls Fine Hair Imports & Salon in Elk Grove, and her make up done by me! The day was full of fun, laughter, and at some moments, tears. Bianca was very thankful, and we were all humbled by the experience.

Here is a before and after shot of Bianca.

Thank you FIDM Fashion Club for involving me in such a wonderful gift!!