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Dec 30
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DeShawn Hatcher doing makeup on female model

Industry Spotlight: DeShawn Hatcher

By Education, Featured, From the Experts, Makeup Tips and Tricks, Your Makeup Career No Comments

One of the greatest things any artist can do is continue to learn. Makeup artist classes are essential, but there is also mandatory “real world” learning that everyone interested in working in the beauty world needs. Our “Makeup Artists to Follow” series will introduce you to a new artist who has made an impact on the beauty industry.

Learning about them will give you a free master class in what’s happening with the titans in the industry. You’ll see the birth of trends from the people who actually created them – not the influencers who copied them. You’ll see a diverse array of techniques and styles that will ignite your own creativity, connecting you to the greater makeup community.

The first of these cosmetic pioneers that we’ll take a look at is DeShawn Hatcher.

Meet DeShawn Hatcher

DeShawn Hatcher headshot

As a makeup artist, educator, author, and Guinness World Record holder, DeShawn Hatcher is a true dynamo in the world of beauty. As an artist, she’s worked in every area of makeup, and had many different makeup artist jobs: TV, celebrity, editorial, and runway. She even holds the world record as the Beauty Director for the Cotton Inc. 24 hour fashion show.

With a hefty portfolio of images ranging from crisp and clean, to edgy and editorial, DeShawn’s work is a masterclass in diversity. Her passion is driven by an obsession for people to see the beautiful woman herself, not someone caked in makeup. Anything and everything within DeShawn’s portfolio demonstrates her mastery of creating perfect skin, precise lips, and captivating eyes. With her rich understanding of makeup and diverse use of technique, she’s proven herself to be a force in the world of beauty.

deshawn hatcher makeup example on female model #1

In her book, “Assisting Rules”, DeShawn discusses how critical it is to become an assistant to a professional makeup artist, if you can, because it can be a fundamental move in blossoming your own professional MUA career. The book is a step-by-step guide to helping anyone break into the industry who has an interest in fashion, beauty, and print. It’s a must-have; rich with tips, tricks, and secrets that only someone who did it herself would know.

Not only do you get to see the ins and outs of what it’s like in the actual industry, you also get to learn from a pro in action. Just as importantly, it provides the chances for you to network, make connections, and get your name out there. These are opportunities that may be harder to come by if you weren’t assisting a professional makeup artist in your early days within the biz.

DeShawn has also contributed to nearly every major magazine, such as Elle, Vogue, Harper’s, WWD, etc. Her list of achievements is endless, but some notable contributions include:

  • Campaigns for some of the biggest international companies (e.g. MasterCard, Panasonic, Boost Mobile)
  • Runway looks for celebrated designers like Tory Birch, Tommy Hilfiger, Christian Siriano, etc.
  • Makeup for television, on networks such as E!, HBO, NBC, etc.
  • Makeup for Beyoncé, Tom Cruise, Vanessa Williams, and Anette Bening being just a few examples.
DeShawn Hatcher makeup example on female fashion model

As if this wasn’t impressive enough, she also teamed up with Graftobian to create the much-needed, and world’s first, Multicultural Foundation Palette for People of Color (Inclusion).

With a focus on education, DeShawn is often a featured speaker at makeup trade shows, makeup schools, and she writes her own blog. Her Instagram, @deshawnhatcher, is a must-follow. But her blog and her YouTube channel in particular are, in my opinion, some of the best resources for people wanting to learn about the beauty business from a true pro.

DeShawn Hatcher makeup example #3

Want to take your professional MUA career to the next level? Check out Nathan’s 3 tips to boost your success!

Dec 23
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devyn gregorio holiday makeup look

Holiday Makeup Tutorial [video]

By From the Experts, Makeup Tips and Tricks, Makeup Tutorial, Tutorials & Tips No Comments

Devyn Gregorio is a QC Makeup Academy Student Ambassador. You can find her on her YouTube Channel, Gregorio Girls Makeup, where she makes beauty videos with her sister. Today, Devyn demonstrates how to create a gorgeous, holiday-inspired look you can rock right into the New Year!

Watch her video below!

Let’s Recap:

This look is what Devyn calls “classic glam” with “a good red lip”. As we’re in full holiday swing this time of the year, a red lip will always fit right in! The overall look is chic, yet subtle and elegant enough that you can wear for formal events (e.g. work parties, family get-togethers), casual events, or even just to do your Christmas shopping!

Keep reading to learn how to do this makeup look in time for the holiday season!

First Up: The Upper Eyes

Devyn begins by using her Chocolate Gold eyeshadow palette by Too Faced. Though released two holiday seasons ago, it’s still one of Devyn’s favorite Too Faced palettes to use. Most of the eyeshadows within it are shimmery, though there are a couple of matte pigments as well. This will be the palette used for this tutorial.

For this look, Devyn wants to do a natural halo eye. Her first color of choice is a rich brown, aptly named ‘Cocoa Truffle’. Using the back end of a smaller eyeshadow brush, Devyn starts by first applying the Cocoa Truffle to the inner corner of her eyelid, tapping more eyeshadow onto that spot to pack on the color. She then repeats this process on the outer corner of her eye.

Working on the crease

Next, Devyn uses her smaller sized blending brush, from the BH Cosmetics Marble Collection (#9), to apply and work the matte color, ‘So Boujee’, into her crease. This shade is a very soft peachy-brown. Since this is a halo eye, you want to pay extra attention in keeping the shape nice and round. Imagine when working on your crease that you’re creating a half-moon shape. Like Devyn, you may have a tendency to want to blend the eyeshadow outwards, for more of a cat-eye effect. Don’t do that for this look – in order to achieve a halo shape, the eyeshadows on the eyelid need to look round.

Devyn then uses an M139 Morphe Brush (which has a more pointed, tapered brush head) to allow for a more concentrated product application on her crease. She then uses ‘Cocoa Truffle’ again, this time applying it in the crease as well. Be careful not to blend upwards or outwards too much, you don’t want to cover the ‘So Boujee’ shade you just blended there!

The halo shade

From her palette, Devyn selects the color, ‘Gold Dipped’. Using a flat shader brush (#9 from the BH Marble Collection), she then swipes the golden eyeshadow right down the middle of her eyelid. Don’t worry about whether it looks pretty or not! You just need to get it on there. You’ll be able to do damage control shortly, we promise.

If you don’t want to use your brush for this step, you don’t have to! Just like Devyn chooses to do instead, you can always just use your finger to swipe it on. After all, as she says, “They’re the best brushes that you’ll ever have!” Just remember those downward strokes! Once applied, feel free to stipple on more product and tap it around your eyelid to blend it in, should you want that lovely, golden shimmer shade to pop even more.

Fun fact: Devyn is so used to wearing gel or acrylic nails that now that she’s NOT wearing them, she’s reminded of how much easier it is to apply makeup with her fingers!

Going back to her shader brush, Devyn then switches to rosy shade called ‘Classy & Sassy’, which she pats onto the edges of the halo shade she just laid down. She does this because this shimmery rose shade matches very close to the matte shade already used in the corners. This allows for a more natural-looking blend, instead of the appearance of an abrupt, rough line of color between the gold and the brown shades.  Once finished, Devyn goes back in one last time with more of the ‘Gold Dipped’ color, just to make sure it really stands out in the middle.

If you want to go a bit darker…

You can stop your upper eye makeup here, if you’d like. The result will be a bit more of a softer look. However, should you desire a little more dimension and depth in the inner and outer corners of this halo look, there is a black shade in the palette that Devyn recommends: ‘Decadent’. Take just the tiniest amount of this shade (just a tap or two) with a small, pointed brush. You don’t want the black to stand it, you just want to add a bit more depth to the inner and outer corners of your eyes.

You’ll probably notice, like with on Devyn, that immediately after applying this color, it will look black at first. Don’t worry! Take a mini blending brush with a bit of that ‘Cocoa Truffle’ shade again, blend it over the black. The brush that Devyn uses to complete this step is a Morphe M506.

Next Up: The Lower Lash Line

This step is relatively quick! First, using this same M506 small blender brush, Devyn dips back into the ‘Cocoa Truffle’, this time to blend along her lower lash line. She finishes off this part of the look by taking a little bit of the ‘Gold Dipped’ and patting it right in the middle, so it matches the gold shadow applied to the middle of the upper eyelid.

Highlighting the Brow Bone

For this next step, Devyn uses the same highlighter used on her cheeks: wet n wild’s ‘Precious Petals’. Since this is a halo eye you’re creating, Devyn reiterates that you don’t want to highlight the inner corner. You want to keep the shade nice and round, with the focus drawn to the center of the eye. That being said, the brow bone shouldn’t be neglected either. “It can still use some love!” Devyn insists, gently swiping on and creating that subtle glow.

In the Home Stretch: Adding Eyeliner

So long as the eyeliner is brown, any kind will do! (That being said, if you’re curious about the brand Devyn uses, it’s Butter London.) While you can use black eyeliner if this is your preference, Devyn has found brown to be an overall better choice for this holiday glam look! Apply to your lower and upper waterlines.

Note: Though Devyn does her eyelashes off-camera, any mascara and/or falsies will do! Devyn’s false lashes of choice are ‘Flirty’ by KISS Looks So Natural Lashes, because they’re dramatic – but not too dramatic. “Kind of like me,” Devyn adds with a giggle.

Last But Not Least: Lips

Because of the chosen colors used on your eyes, a red lip is the perfect way to tie everything together and bring more of that holiday vibe into the finished look! Devyn begins by taking her NYX lip pencil, in the bright, orange-red shade of ‘Summer Tease’, to outline and then color in her lips. If you’re thinking to yourself “this shade is way too bright!”, you’re not alone. Devyn agrees, but assures us that the actual lip color you’ll use next is a more blue-based red. The final result will be exactly what you want.

This next product is Lippie Stix’s ‘Bossy’ shade, by ColourPop. It’s a bit more of a cherry red, so if you don’t use this exact product, that’s alright. So long as it’s around this shade of red, it’ll do the trick.

Why Devyn Loves this Look

Admittedly one of her favorite looks to wear, Devyn feels the final product is super glam; a heavenly balance of the traditional red lip look, with the modern twist of the halo eye. Capable of dazzling others, while still delicate enough to be worn for every occasion. Truly the best of both worlds!

And there you go! Will you recreate this look for the holiday season? Let us know in the comments!

Interested in enrolling in QC Makeup Academy, but want to hear a real graduate’s opinion on the courses? Check out why Devyn chose QC, and how it’s helped her professional MUA career!

Dec 11
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4 Questions I Always Ask My Special Effect Clients

By From the Experts No Comments

Gabrielle Rivera is a QC Makeup Academy graduate and professional makeup artist. To see more of her work, visit her Instagram here.

As a Special Effects makeup artist, one of the most important things I’ve learned is that it’s crucial to ask the right questions to your clients before the makeup application. During each consultation, I ask my client a variety of questions. That way I can guarantee that the desired look can be achieved, using the appropriate products, to create a flawless and lasting look.

Keep reading to see which important questions Gabrielle always asks her clients.

special fx makeup - man airbrushing animal look on client's face

1. “Do you have any skin allergies or sensitivities?”

This is the most important question to ask any client when applying products to the skin or face. As a makeup artist, you want to ensure that you’re protecting your client’s safety, as well as your own! For example: if she were to have an allergic reaction to a product used on her skin, you could be held liable for a lawsuit. But more importantly, you wouldn’t want to traumatize your client with such a reaction in the first place. Not only would that leave a sour taste in her mouth towards future makeup artists, it can damage your reputation as a makeup artist.

Consultations are absolutely necessary for this reason. As a professional, you should make sure to address any and all skin concerns prior to the application of any product on the skin. This is also a great way for you to check that you’ve prepared the appropriate makeup and supplies for the specific look being requested.

Lastly, when conducting a trial, it’s essential to test small areas on the client’s skin, with the products you intend to use on the day of their event. Testing the products on her skin helps confirm that the client won’t have a reaction.

2. “What are the conditions of the event/occasion?”

Certain factors to include are:

a) Weather

This is the second question I always ask: “Is your event indoors or outdoors? Will weather or other conditions (water, heat, etc.) be a variable?”

The answer can be something that makes or breaks the makeup look. For instance, if the client is attending an outdoor event in the heat (or indoors, where heat may be a factor), the types of products you use will vary, in order to ensure the makeup will be long-lasting.

If the desired makeup look requires face or body painting, you may need to use water-proof makeup, and set it afterwards with powder. This will prevent the makeup from running or smudging due to high temperatures. Similarly, if working with prosthetics, you may need to bring with you a heavier or long-lasting adhesive, so that the prosthetic won’t lift due to heat or moisture throughout the event.

special fx makeup female elf look

b) Length of the Event

In addition to weather, another question that plays a factor in product choice is, “How long is the event?”

This can be just as crucial in determining what specific products should be used, to guarantee a long-lasting makeup look. This is also a necessary question because the client will most likely eat and drink throughout the event. Gathering this information during the consultation provides you with the opportunity to make specific recommendations for the look, if needed.

Say your client wants to create a look that requires a prosthetic around the mouth. You may need to alter the prosthetic – or even the overall look – to ensure that she will be able to drink, eat, or speak comfortably. Likewise, you can also make sure you’re properly prepared to use certain products on the day of, to stop the prosthetic from wearing or lifting.

3. “What is your skin type? Do you have any skin concerns?”

When applying makeup to clients, it’s always a smart choice to ask what her skin type is. Although it might seem obvious if her skin is oily or dry, you can never assume. Remember: although you’re the professional, the client has valuable information to share that can help make the application flawless. Whether she has oily, dry, or combination skin will help determine if you’ll use cream, grease, water-based, or silicone-based products to create the desired look.

This also provides you the opportunity to listen to any concerns your client may have about her skin. She may be acne prone, have areas of dry patches, an oily t-zone, large pores, etc. Allowing your client the opportunity to speak and be heard creates good rapport with her. She’ll feel that her needs and/or concerns are being taken into consideration. This is especially important for client’s who wear minimal makeup, or for those who don’t wear any makeup at all.

Keep in mind that the application process for Special FX makeup can come as a big shock, so you want to keep your client feeling confident and assured that they’re in good hands!

special fx makeup - woman covered in broken shards of glass

4. “What are you wearing for the event? What hairstyle have you decided on?”

Last but certainly not least, your job as a makeup artist is to help your client achieve her desired look. But we can’t forget about the hair or outfit!

An outfit and hairstyle can add or take away from a desired look. So it’s equally important for you as the professional to give your input/recommendations on something you feel compliments the rest of her ensemble. Sometimes, clients don’t take their clothing or hairstyle into consideration when planning the Special FX makeup itself.

Depending on the hairstyle and wardrobe selected, your client may need to come dressed prior to. The hairstyling may also need to be completed before the makeup application. Something else to consider asking is: “Will the look require any makeup or prosthetics to cover her neck or ears, or will the hair and/or outfit cover these areas?”

Always remember to plan for areas of skin not covered!

All makeup artist jobs require that the final product all be a cohesive look. This is particularly important when it comes to Special FX makeup. Never hesitate to tap into your knowledge on color theory, hair styling, Special FX, and Fantasy training. This is what makes the look realistic and more effective, and your client will be sure to love it!

Unsure what Special FX looks to include in your professional makeup portfolio? Check out these recommendations and you’ll be golden!

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