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Night/Holiday Glamour Category

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Category: Night/Holiday Glamour

Judge: Nathan Johnson

What Nathan would like to see:

  • Creativity: How unique and creative is this look? Does it show personality and flair? Don’t be afraid to take risks and express yourself. I recommend not doing Google searches and copying an existing makeup…be yourself.
  • Effort: How much effort has the makeup artist put into the look in terms of products used, textures, effects, and finer details?
  • Skill and Technique: Does the makeup artist demonstrate a high level of skill in terms of honoring the color palette selection, good symmetry, blending techniques, accuracy, and attention to detail? Is it clean and precise with even application on eyes, cheeks, and lips?
  • Overall Image: Does the makeup complement the outfit, hair, and model’s features? Is the photography clear, in focus, and taken with good lighting? Does the image enhance the artistry? Delicate and tasteful Photoshopping is acceptable, but Instagram and Snapchat filters, and Facetone correcting apps are not.
  • Final Look: When comparing the before and after photos, how is the overall, final transformation?

Night/Holiday Glamour Scoring:

Artist: Tori Moore

  • Creativity: 8/10
  • Effort: 9/10
  • Skill and Technique: 10/10
  • Overall Image: 8/10
  • Overall Transformation: 10/10
  • Total: 45/50

Comments: This is a beautiful and clean make-up application. The brow is absolutely perfect. The use of glitter is a beautiful, bright contrast to the flawlessly blended shadows on the lid and crease. There is great precision in the lip and the matte is a perfect contrast, to the glitter in the eye. Very striking. The skin also looks very clean and bright. I would have loved to see something unique and outside the box in their application. This is a very flattering make up. Excellent work!

Artist: Heather Warner

  • Creativity: 8/10
  • Effort: 8/10
  • Skill and Technique: 8/10
  • Overall Image: 8/10
  • Overall Transformation: 9/10
  • Total: 41/50

Comments: This look is a lot of fun. The extreme cat eye is gorgeous. The lid work and crease are beautiful. I appreciate the placement and application of the cut crease. I love the defined brow, but do remember to use a shade that is 1-2 shades lighter than the hair. When it is as dark, or darker, than the hair, attention goes to the brow first instead of the eye. I would also like to see the drop shadow connect to the outer corner of the eye. It appears to only be under the center of the eye. I would also like to see the inner corner of the lips completed. It is also impossible to judge symmetry when I cannot see both eyes. This is wonderful work. Great editorial feel!

Artist: Madeline Martinez

  • Creativity: 9/10
  • Effort: 9/10
  • Skill and Technique: 9/10
  • Overall Image: 8/10
  • Overall Transformation: 9/10
  • Total: 44/50

Comments: This is a beautiful application. The precise use of glitter is a wonderful pop when set against the cut crease. The skin and lip are stunning, just be sure to complete the inner corner of the lip. The glow of the cheek is also phenomenal. It is difficult to fairly judge a make up when the eyes are essentially closed and both side of the application are cut off (photo right by the angle and photo left by the hair). In the future, I would love to see eyes open and at least one full side of the face unobstructed by fallen hair or camera angles. As an image, it is phenomenal.

Artist: Ruth Masilag

  • Creativity: 8/10
  • Effort: 9/10
  • Skill and Technique: 8/10
  • Overall Image: 9/10
  • Overall Transformation: 9/10
  • Total: 43/50

Comments: The skin is glowing and perfect. The brows are perfectly shaped and defined. I think the use of color is beautiful and creative. The blending on the upper lid is gorgeous and the transition to the highlight under the brow is exceptional. Use some caution with the gold inner corner highlight. When this is over applied, it draws attention to the tear duct instead of the eyes. The lips add a rich compliment to this look. Job well Done.

Artist: Shania Gweder

  • Creativity: 10/10
  • Effort: 9/10
  • Skill and Technique: 8/10
  • Overall Image: 10/10
  • Overall Transformation: 9/10
  • Total: 46/50

Comments: I think you really embodied the spirit of the challenge. I appreciate that you put so much effort into the make-up, hair and photography. The lip is very precise and that is very difficult when you use bold colors. The cut crease and blending of the crease into the highlight are perfect. The double wing is exceptional. The one recommendation I would have is to know when to edit. Between the hair accessories, the crystals, the choker, the statement earrings, the head adornment, and the statement necklace, it becomes very busy. Even just removing the necklace would have helped to concentrate the attention onto the eyes and the lips. Too much statement in too many areas will lessen the impact. I would also recommend having a gentle hand when it comes to the gold glitter. I wish I could see both sides of the face to judge symmetry. Excellent work.

Honorable Mention:

Artist: Kayla Ciccone

  • Creativity: 8/10
  • Effort: 9/10
  • Skill and Technique: 10/10
  • Overall Image: 9/10
  • Overall Transformation: 9/10
  • Total: 45/50

Comments: I think this make up is exceptional. The skin and lips are perfect. The blending of the eyes is brilliant. Very, very well done. This make up deserves recognition.


Congratulations Shania Gweder for winning the 2016 QC Holiday Contest, Holiday Glamour category!

Shania wins a a Sephora Favorites “Give Me Some Bold Lip”, a Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette, as well as a Stila “Morning to Moonlight” Waterproof Eyeliner Trio!

Thank you to all the artists who submitted entries for the contest! And to the 5 finalists and honorable mention, you should all be very proud of your work. Have a Happy Holidays everyone and once again, congratulations Shania Gweder for winning the 2016 QC Holiday Contest, Holiday Glamour category!

Holiday Makeup Contest—Day/Winter Splendor Category

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Category: Day/Winter Splendor

Judge: Azzi Williams

Here is Azzi’s advice for contestants:

  • Creativity: How unique and creative is this look? Does it show personality and flair?
  • Effort: How much effort has the MUA put into the look in terms of using the right shades, textures, effects and finer details that work in synergy with the hair, accessories and overall styling?
  • Skill: Does the MUA demonstrate a high level of skill—palette selection to suit a daytime holiday look, good symmetry, blending techniques, accuracy and attention to detail? I’m looking for a ‘clean and precise’ finish with no mascara or eyeshadow fall-out, looking for precisely applied false lashes and even lip colour application.
  • Theme: Is there a clear conceptual connection with the holiday theme of the contest?
  • Overall Image: Does the makeup complement the overall outfit, hair and model’s features? Is the background clean and creative to suit the holiday theme? Is the photography clear, in focus and taken with good lighting to show the makeup application in the best light? Please avoid over-use of Photoshop retouching and editing, and please also avoid any social or smartphone editing filters!?

Day/Winter Splendor Scoring:

Artist: Jessica Puente

  • Creativity: 5/5
  • Effort: 5/5
  • Skill: 3.5/5
  • Theme: 5/5
  • Overall Image: 4/5
  • Total: 22.5./25

Comments: Creative, enormous effort and terrific, dramatic look. Absolutely love the addition of the wig and headpiece and beautiful lip colour. Lashes could be either frosted or slightly shorter for a more balanced look—and watch the blending of the blue contour along the cheekbones and nose

Artist: Jessica Shay

  • Creativity: 5/5
  • Effort: 5/5
  • Skill: 5/5
  • Theme: 4/5
  • Overall Image: 4/5
  • Total: 23/25

Comments: Incredible dramatic look, stunning work showing tremendous creativity and skill. The teeth are just incredible and the glitter is impeccable. Just watch the finer details like the snowflakes—use a more pigmented white and finer brushstrokes and the nails—try frosting the nails or using a more harmonious colour for them.

Artist: Leslie Mendez

  • Creativity: 4/5
  • Effort: 4/5
  • Skill: 5/5
  • Theme: 4/5
  • Overall Image: 4/5
  • Total: 21/25

Comments: A very pretty makeup look that showcases attention to detail and a soft, clean finish. Just love the winged liner and precise intense blue pigment of the lips. Could add more dramatic elements like appliques, stencils or frosted textures to take the look to a more pronounced level

Artist: Isabel Gagne

  • Creativity: 4/5
  • Effort: 4/5
  • Skill: 4/5
  • Theme: 4/5
  • Overall Image: 4/5
  • Total: 20/25

Comments: A lovely creative look that’s very pretty and photographs well. Love the smokey eye and the dash of frosting along the eye. A little more pigment white colour on the stencilling could really intensify the look, as would false lashes and a more dramatic lip colour.

Artist: Abbie Beautement

  • Creativity: 5/5
  • Effort: 5/5
  • Skill: 5/5
  • Theme: 5/5
  • Overall Image: 5/5
  • Total: 25/25

Comments: Beautifully executed, extremely fine elements from the lip colour to the clean intense eyes and gorgeous facial appliques, stunning final image, you worked seamlessly with the theme and just love all the intricate stencilling and frosted details—simply sublime.


Congratulations Abbie Beautement for winning the 2016 QC Holiday Contest, Winter Splendor category!

Abbie wins a gorgeous Sephora Collection Geometricolor Palette Blockbuster, and a set of Clinique Chubby Treats!

Thank you to all the artists who submitted entries for the contest! And to the 5 finalists, you should all be very proud of your work. Have a Happy Holidays everyone and once again, congratulations Abbie Beautement for winning the 2016 QC Holiday Contest, Winter Splendor category!

Holiday Makeup Contest—WINNERS REVEALED!

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It’s time to announce the winners of our Holiday Makeup Contest!

But first, we would like to extend a huge “THANK YOU” to all our participants, the semi-finalists, finalists, and our judges!

This year, our wonderful judges—Nathan Johnson and Azzi Williams—created personalized scorecards for each finalist to determine the winner of their category.

Click the links below to navigate to each category and view the judges’ choices:

Day/Winter Splendor Finalists

Night/Holiday Glamour Finalists

The lucky winner of our student prize is QC Makeup Academy student Maya Reiser!

Thank you to everyone who participated!