Archive for the ‘Guest Artists’ Category
Napoleon Perdis on the Bold, the Beautiful and the Brave
In the beauty world, there are women who rarely deviate from their natural look. There are others who cling religiously to their neutral palette, black liner or red lipstick. And then, god love them, there are those wide-eyed, fashion-obsessives who are up for almost anything. Gothic lips, neon eye shades, enormous lashes—you name it, this client is willing to make the leap from runway to surreality. Admittedly, it takes chutzpah to experiment at this level, and it takes even more skill on the part of the makeup artist to nail the execution. It’s up to us to ensure the client never resembles a caricature, that she looks like a lovable eccentric willing to take a walk on the wild side, at least when it comes to her makeup.
When looks are this strong, my advice is to focus on one part of the face. Adrian Villa, a senior trainer at the Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy, loves a challenge, so I asked him to give us his take on three edgy new looks. His willing accomplice was Laura Yacoe, a young member of my team. Together they tackled three headturning trends: Concealed brows; glitter-encrusted lips; and crazy liner. Yacoe, who rides the metro to our office in Hollywood, received lots of feedback. “I got some quizzical looks on the subway owing to my green eyes,” she says. “And my friends raved about the graphic liner look.” The looks also proved an excellent icebreaker. “A guy at a party inquired why I had a leopard print on my eyelids!”
Minty Fresh: Marion Cotillard peers out from the September cover of French Vogue with bleached brows, green eyes and a dark plum mouth. The look inspired Adrian and Laura to replicate the eye statement. Yet while Cotillard looks sensational, bleaching someone’s brows is a little excessive for real life. Better to mimic the look by covering a client’s arches with foundation. Start by applying a sheer amount of eyelash glue like Ardell to the brow. Wait for two minutes to set, and then gently press the brows to create a flat surface for foundation. Apply a mint concealer over the entire eyelid. Then use an ocean blue eye shadow over the whole eye lid and the bottom lash line. Add a sea green shade into the crease and blend with your brush. Finish off with a white shadow on the brow bone and dust on the cheeks for a ghostly visage.
Graphic Fantastic: Makeup artists at the fall shows extended liner to exaggerated proportions, scribbling the eye area with dramatic lines and adorning faces with all manner of graphic sketches. At Chanel, artists scribbled designs from the house’s shoe and bag collections directly onto models lids. To remake, prep the eyes first with a primer or a small amount of concealer set with powder. Apply mascara first to the upper lashes, and let it slightly transfer on to the lower lashes. Using a black gel liner and angled liner brush, draw a line of inky color onto 3/4 of the length of your lash line, leaving the inner eye area bare. Extend slightly beyond the natural finishing point on the outer corner to elongate the eye. Switch to a small eye brush and draw graphic strokes on the lid. Have fun with it but contain the liner art to the outer lid where it can reach the brow. Restrict your art on the inner corner. Keep it simple.
Sparkle Pout: From Lady Gaga to Givenchy, the glitter pout has been getting lots of play lately. If you ask me, it’s the perfect way to accent an otherwise bare face for a party or club outing. We gave Laura glitter-flecked, ruby-colored lips that recalled Dorothy’s famous heels in the Wizard Of Oz—now if only Hollywood Boulevard was a yellow-brick road. Start with a clean canvas by applying concealer around the lip line. Then, using a lip brush, fill in your client’s pout with a red lipstick like my DéVine Goddess in Aphrodite. Define your work with a red lip pencil, and accentuate the natural lip line for more drama. Add your red glitter—any costume shop variety will do—with a brush, making sure to use a tapping motion to set. The creamy texture of the lipstick will keep the glitter in place. Ask your client to tilt their head down and blow slightly to remove excess glitter. In a word: show-stopping.
In 1995, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis debuted his line of cosmetics and launched his first concept store and Makeup Academy in Sydney. Today, Napoleon Perdis has 59 stand-alone concept stores and more than 800 point-of-sale locations across Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the brand has three Napoleon Perdis stores and is sold in select independent retailers. Celebrity fans of the brand include Jessica Szohr, Lady Gaga, Becki Newton, Debra Messing, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Adrienne Bailon and more.
Wendy Watkins Unlocks the Keys to Success
Some people say that the key to success is having a clear vision and working that vision. Others would say that it is creating a thriving team, one that is aligned with your vision. It could also be said that success comes from luck, timing or who you know. There are many opinions on that.
Obtaining success first starts with defining what success is to you. Once you have a clear picture of what the completed puzzle of success looks like, you can start putting the pieces of the puzzle together.
Let’s take a look at some successful businesses and see what is there for them. Tony Hsieh, founder and CEO of Zappos believes that profit comes from the connection to passion and purpose. Hsieh says, just after Amazon acquired them, that at Zappos, “we had collectively come up with our own set of ten core values. Those values bonded us together, and were an important part of the path that led us to this moment. Looking over the crowd, I realized that every person took a different path to get here, but our paths somehow all managed to intersect with one another here and now.”
The mission at Zappo’s also speaks to a key to success. Their mission is to deliver happiness to the ends of the earth: one company, one employee, one individual at a time. Be an ambassador of happiness and help get the word out! This speaks to Hseih’s definition of success, as well as the team that he has aligned around a common vision of success.
What is your definition of success? If you do not know your definition, take some time to figure it out. Then ask some of your key employees what their definition is. If you are not on the same page, then it is time to make the shifts that will allow you to be on the same page so that your key to success opens your front door with ease.
Wendy Watkins, PCC, Chief Grower of PassionFruit Creative People Growers, is a seasoned business leader and coach with over 18 years of experience in the salon and spa industry. She specializes in unique programs and keynotes that have helped scores of creative entrepreneurs. Visit www.PassionFruitPeople.com for more inspiring tools and information, or check out her new blog to raise your Joy Factor today.
Brow Expert Malynda Vigliotti Says: Go Bold, Baby!
Have you seen them yet? The big bold brows from the fall runway shows? They are GORG! Right up my alley – I don’t believe in thin women or thin brows! A bold brow can literally transform a person’s face and be the perfect seasonal bang. To tell you the truth, most people overthink brows, and that’s where they get in trouble: a little situation I call anorexic brows. Don’t overwax or overtweeze! Cleaning up strays, balancing the arch and a little brow powder is all it takes to have bold beautiful brows. Why powder? Because it’s more natural looking than a dark pencil, and let’s face the facts, many people have bare spots, imperfections and lack of growth, and powder covers all! I like to apply it with an angled, firm brow brush for precision application. For those in a more serious situation needing brow RE-HAB, offer a special brow tint with wax to help camouflage the grow-out phase and give the appearance of thicker, balanced brows. It’s my fave and a total crowd pleaser. Doing brows is not about following rules, it’s about trickin’ them out to look proportionate. That is the true name of the brow game!
Malynda Vigliotti (aka Boom Boom) is a self-proclaimed eyebrow queen and apparently the flashiest waxer in town. Educated at The Fashion Institute of Technology, she has worked in the fashion and beauty trenches long enough to be an expert. She does more than 500 brows a month at Boom Boom Brow Bar in NYC, and sees no reason why everyone shouldn’t have thick, gorgeous eyebrows. Stylists can get to know Boom Boom better on her blog, Facebook and Twitter.
Napoleon Perdis Helps You Sharpen Your Pencil Techniques
Life’s a little more fun when you read between the lines—especially if those lines are composed of zinging color. With this in mind, I’ve just launched a new pencil collection with arresting shades for eyes, lips and brows. A stellar pencil is both the first and final touch to any look, from winged eyes to power pouts and groomed arches. Look for a pencil that’s ultra soft, glides on easily and blends beautifully. Here are some pencil pointers to really sharpen your makeup skills. Journals ready? Take note.
The new pencil collection from Napoleon Perdis
Gold Rush: Gold pencils are remarkably versatile and everyone should have one in their kit. Use a warm shade like my Gold Standard eye pencil to define the peaks of the cheeks, enhance a cupid’s bow and enliven the inner corners of the eye. Gold adds luminous definition, and is a great accent to finish a client’s look.
White On: Lining the inner rim of the eyes with white pencil makes a client’s peepers appear larger—and fresher since it softens redness. The same shade can be used to define the brow bone by applying just under the arch and blending. To give the appearance of fuller lips, line the edge of the lip line with a white pencil and blend before you apply lipstick.
Lip Lesson: Lip pencils can also multi-task: Why not apply a mauve pencil to the eyes? Scribble on the back of your hand, pick up the color with a brush and apply it to the client’s lids. Or mix a red or berry pencil with a primer to create your own cheek stain. It creates a gorgeous flush when blended into the peaks of the cheekbones.
Wow Brows: Give your client’s brows some extra pizzazz. Apply a brow pencil to the end of the arch, feathering against the natural direction of the hair growth. Brush hair back into place with a brow comb and set with a brow gel. Now that’s what I call brow-tastic.
Holy Smokes: Instead of potentially messy powder shadows, use dark pencils to create the basis of a smoky eye. Start with a semi-sharp pencil and, in a scribbling motion, work the pencil onto the lid. Start at the base of the lashes and continue over the rest of the lid and lower lash line. Use a medium-size eye brush to blend the product and take into the socket. Set the pencil with a powder of your choice.
In 1995, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis debuted his line of cosmetics and launched his first concept store and Makeup Academy in Sydney. Today, Napoleon Perdis has 59 stand-alone concept stores and more than 800 point-of-sale locations across Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the brand has three Napoleon Perdis stores and is sold in select independent retailers. Celebrity fans of the brand include Jessica Szohr, Lady Gaga, Becki Newton, Debra Messing, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Adrienne Bailon and more.
Wendy Watkins: Don’t You Love a Good Quote?
There is one saying I heard quite often when I worked with Neill Corporation. It went something like, “What you inspect, you can expect.” I shared this with many salon owners. It was an easy way to remember that what you put your attention on will show up in your life.
That pertains to every part of your life and business. If you pay attention to your relationships, you can expect them to grow. If you pay attention to improving your technical skills, you become a better stylist. If you consistently look at the numbers in your business, set goals and measure your results, you will prosper. Where have you have been putting your attention lately? Is it in alignment with what you are expecting in your life? That is one piece of the success and fulfillment puzzle.
The other piece comes from a saying that I found in my Happiness NOW! calendar – “Happiness happens when you least inspect it.” I love that!
This saying speaks more to your heart then your head and is just as important to incorporate into creating success and fulfillment in your life. My work is supporting people in raising their Joy Factor, the topic of my upcoming book. A popular question from my clients is how do I raise my Joy Factor, how do I become happier? My answer is to choose happiness. Just like you choose your hair style, you can choose to be happy today. From there, take baby steps toward what makes you feel joy and goodness.
“Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them.” Thomas Kinkade
Balance the use of your head and your heart as you grow your business and enhance your staff and clients lives. Take time to look at your numbers, your team, your clients and what your heart needs. Put your focus on what will bring you success and watch it flourish.
Wendy Watkins, PCC, Chief Grower of PassionFruit Creative People Growers, is a seasoned business leader and coach with over 18 years of experience in the salon and spa industry. She specializes in unique programs and keynotes that have helped scores of creative entrepreneurs. Visit www.PassionFruitPeople.com for more inspiring tools and information, or check out her new blog to raise your Joy Factor today.
Napoleon Perdis Breaks Down the Resort Collection Fashion Shows
Fashion designers preview their resort collections during the summer months, forecasting looks that will land in stores at the end of the year. What I love about the resort shows is, unlike the spring and fall collections, their tone is reliably playful, and so are the makeup looks. Resort show makeup is lighter, brighter and frothier than what we typically expect on runways. To be a leading makeup artist is to be informed on the latest trends. So why not take your cues from the resort shows? Their getaway glamour is so perfect for now. Here are some of my favorite looks and how to replicate them for your clients.
The look Napoleon Perdis created for the Lela Rose show
Coral mania at Lela Rose: I directed the makeup at Lela Rose this season, and it was all about a dewy, coral statement. The star product is my DéVine Goddess Lipstick in Hess. Depending on the client’s skin tone, you can go dramatic or subtle with the color. Use it as a stain by applying to a lip brush and gently tapping onto the lips, or pump it up to a vibrant level. Compliment the look with a coral powder blush on the apples of the cheeks, followed by a wash of peachy-orange color from the lash line to the socket using a soft blending brush. This helps to warm the client’s eyes. Finish with a minimal swipe of brown gel liner on the inner rim of the eyes for definition and a second coat of mascara.
Trés chic at YSL: This woman is ready for a weekend stay at the famous La Mamounia resort in Marrakech. Start with a blank canvas using primer. Even out skin tone by using a matte foundation on the features focus area of the face and blend out. Heighten the eyes with groomed brows, a few coats of black mascara and a smudged application of brown or black eye pencil on the outer corner of the upper and lower lash lines. Then create a subtle contour by sweeping a bronzer in the hollow of the cheek back towards the ear. Choose a plum red lipstick with a lustrous creamy finish like my Lip Patrol in Corporal Drama. One of my perennial tips is to line lips last, which keeps it all neat and tidy. And voilà.
Neon color at Balenciaga: Not for the faint of heart obviously. Your most adventurous clients might appreciate an avant-garde look such as this, with blocks of vivid color on eyes. I happen to love the fuchsia version. When working with heavily pigmented color like my Color Disc in Fuchsia, it’s advisable to map your shape first with a white eyeliner pencil. Using a medium to large flat eye brush, create the outline of your block-like shape with a cream shadow. Restrict the color to the upper eye area extending from the inner and outer corner of the eye socket, taking color just beyond the length of the eye. Fill in the entire shape then press a matching color shadow on top to secure and set. Keep lips and cheeks understated with flesh tones.
Eighties glam at Versace: The strong purple lip and smoky eye combination smacks of the eighties. To recreate this look, start by smoking up the eyes. After applying mascara, work a black gel liner on the lower lash line then blend across the eye lid and into the socket. Also line the inner rim of the eyes. Apply your second coat of mascara. Conceal the lip for a blank canvas and then apply a generous amount of lilac lipstick. Tap along the lengths of lips and repeat the step to build intensity.
In 1995, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis debuted his line of cosmetics and launched his first concept store and Makeup Academy in Sydney. Today, Napoleon Perdis has 59 stand-alone concept stores and more than 800 point-of-sale locations across Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the brand has three Napoleon Perdis stores and is sold in select independent retailers. Celebrity fans of the brand include Jessica Szohr, Lady Gaga, Becki Newton, Debra Messing, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Adrienne Bailon and more.
Napoleon Perdis Shares the Bare Truth About Nude Lips
Erykah Badu raised eyebrows recently in her striptease video, Window Seat, but what about when a client wants to go nude? I say go ahead—but, of course, I’m referring to nude lips. There is something undeniably sexy about creamy beige and taupe lips, especially when juxtaposed with a strong, smoky eye and sleek nails. This past season at New York Fashion Week, natural lipstick tones were in high demand. It’s a trend that has international legs, too. At Australian Fashion Week in Sydney earlier this month, so many of the designers requested a buff look for pouts. The trick is how to make a nude statement as impacting as traffic-stopping red—without pulling an Erykah Badu, that is. Here’s how.
Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in Lianna
Create a base: Priming lips with a balm or primer moisturizes and hydrates the pout and ensures long-lasting lip color. Try my NP Set Lip Primer to properly prep your client’s lips. Then apply a touch of foundation to even out any blotchy pigmentation. Your canvas is ready.
Three dimensional: Apply a small amount of concealer to an angled brush to sculpt the lips and create dimension. Blend a liquid concealer into the lip line, and apply all the way into the corners of the lips on both the top and the bottom. Avoid thick concealers as they can produce an unsightly cakey effect.
Make the pout pop: Dab a bit of white gel eyeliner onto your brush and blend it with a nude color, like my DéVine Goddess Lipstick in Lianna or Hess. The white liner gives it more dimension. If applying a nude gloss, try jazzing it up with some golden loose dust to create a sensual shine.
Define with a line: Definition is critical when going nude. Depending on your client’s skin tone, select a lip pencil that’s a shade or two darker than their coloring. Apply the pencil using the side (not the tip) and avoid a harsh line by using the edge of the pencil for a fuller outline. It’s nude with attitude.
In 1995, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis debuted his line of cosmetics and launched his first concept store and Makeup Academy in Sydney. Today, Napoleon Perdis has 59 stand-alone concept stores and more than 800 point-of-sale locations across Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the brand has three Napoleon Perdis stores and is sold in select independent retailers. Celebrity fans of the brand include Jessica Szohr, Lady Gaga, Becki Newton, Debra Messing, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Adrienne Bailon and more.
Sam Villa Catches Up With Asian Hair Professionals
I was really excited to be back in Asia recently, educating there for Redken for the first time in seven years. I was in Taiwan, presenting to 400 hairdressers in a theater just outside of Taipei. The local crew put in a lot of effort to get the staging just right. When I walked in, I got goosebumps!
All of the models had been preselected according to the shapes and silhouettes I wanted to explore, and I have to say that this was one of the best groups of models I’ve worked with in a while. They were beautiful women and very open to getting their hair cut, plus they really knew how to work the catwalk! Models can make or break a show, and so can the translator. I was fortunate to have a wonderful translator who was able to deliver my message with the same passion that I was expressing.
I did have a couple of challenges. After I’ve done some very theatrical segments over and over, I drop them and move on. But this audience had never seen anything like our “Changes” segment, so I had to recapture my enthusiasm for it; I didn’t want to disappoint them! Also, although the audience was very hungry for education, in my experience, the Asian culture is not interactive. I work best with the energy that comes from interaction with the audience, so I tried my best to create that give-and-take, and they began responding.
Disconnection continues to be the big story in hair shapes, so I demonstrated our latest disconnected cuts. For an added fee, the hairdressers could attend a hands-on workshop to try out the techniques themselves, and 45 stylists came back the following day to participate in that.
To give credit to the support team, I had the Asian Redken artists come out on stage during the finale and do hair with me. These artists understand the passion that drives someone to want to teach. I could tell that they were already thinking about how they were going to spread the spirit of Redken throughout their country. I advised them: Hold onto your passion, and you’ll be fine. When you love what you’re doing, you’re able to help other hairdressers become better and better.
Sam Villa has more than 25 years experience as a platform artist and educator for major salon professional companies. Part of the Redken family for the past 11 years, Sam is Redken’s Education Artistic Director and Design & Training Consultant and appears on redken.com as a spokesperson for consumer consultations. He is in constant demand at international and domestic trade shows and in-salon programs, where his progressive teaching approach enables stylists to absorb new techniques quickly and for practical use in the salon. In 2008, Sam launched his website, www.samvilla.com, along with his own brand of digital media education and styling tools for salon professionals.
Napoleon Perdis’ Tips for Slimming Down for Summer—With Makeup
If I had a Tim Tam—an Australian cookie—for every time I heard, “I want to look thinner,” I could open my own bakery. It’s a common complaint from clients, but especially as the hot season approaches and all the glossy magazines go into overdrive with features on being “Bikini-Body Ready!” One of the silliest magazine coverlines of all time was the one that blared “Drop A Dress Size By Saturday.” It sounded as if the editors were prescribing starvation. While I’m all for diet and exercise, there are cosmetic shortcuts one can use to sculpt faces, slim the complexion (and the legs) and camouflage any disproportionate features. Here’s the skinny on makeup:
From Round to Oval: Let the foundation do the work. Contour your client’s face with two shades, one a bit lighter and one slightly darker than the natural skin tone. Apply the darker shade with a moist sponge to the fuller areas of your client’s temples, under the cheek bone and along the jaw line. Apply the lighter foundation under the eyes, on the bridge of the nose, chin and lightly across the forehead. A finishing powder is best for locking all of the foundation in place. When applying blush, avoid using it on the apples of the cheeks as this may make the face appear fuller. Instead, use blush on the hollows of the cheeks.
The Power of the Brow: Embrace perfect eyebrows as a way to create a slimming illusion. Strong eyebrows on a smaller, delicate face will appear overwhelming, while thin brows on a fuller visage will make the face appear larger. Make sure your client’s eyebrows are not too close together or too far apart. Balance and proportion is the key for a slimming effect. Angled eyebrow lines counteract facial roundness and help to give the face balance. Instead of centering the peak of the brow, the highest point of the brow should be skewed a little closer to the end of the brow line. Sculpt the brow so it is gradually thinner from peak to tail. Create a lifted effect for the face by aiming the end of the brow higher, rather than lower. An effective guide is to aim the end of the brow line towards the tip of the ear.
Shrink The Upper Body: Women often use shimmer and highlight on the décolletage to enhance a fuller, voluptuous bust. If your client’s goal is to shrink the neck and décolletage, shimmer or shine is not your friend. Instead, use tanning products with a matte bronze payoff. A matte shade will achieve a subtle, slimming effect. Try Napoleon Perdis Summer Lovers Self Tanning Mousse.
Flirt In A Short Skirt: What woman doesn’t want legs that go on for miles? I have been chiseling and sculpting legs (no tools required) for runway and red carpet appearances for years. Use a darker cream like my NP Set Liquid Veil in Buenos Aires on the outer leg to shrink any bulk. Create the appearance of thinner, elongated leg by applying a lighter shade of NP Set Liquid Veil in Houston or London. Avoid the pool.
In 1995, celebrity makeup artist Napoleon Perdis debuted his line of cosmetics and launched his first concept store and Makeup Academy in Sydney. Today, Napoleon Perdis has 59 stand-alone concept stores and more than 800 point-of-sale locations across Australia and New Zealand. In the U.S., the brand has three Napoleon Perdis stores and is sold in select independent retailers. Celebrity fans of the brand include Jessica Szohr, Lady Gaga, Becki Newton, Debra Messing, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Shenae Grimes, Whitney Port, Adrienne Bailon and more.
Wendy Belanger’s Tips for a Greener Salon
To make your salon more environmentally friendly, there are small steps that you and your salon staff can take to benefit our environment. For Earth Day, April 22nd, try one or all of these ways to help preserve our earth:
- When providing guests with water, use purified water and glassware as opposed to disposable cups or plastic water bottles.
- Switch to energy efficient light bulbs.
- Only run full loads of washing machines and dishwashers and choose an Energy Star certified model.
- Use your best judgment when rinsing clients. Not every client needs to be rinsed twice.
- Provide iPads in the reception area with online subscriptions to fashion and trade magazines.
- Email receipts to your guests instead of providing a paper receipt.
Some of these tips are easy for everyone’s salon to participate in while others are more innovative and creative. Share these steps with your salon friends to help make going green an infectious, global act. For more information and sustainable tips, visit Pureology.com/globalgreen
Wendy Belanger is a member of Pureology’s Artistic Team. Along with creating seasonal trends for Pureology, Belanger has traveled the country styling celebrities backstage at awards shows. She is based in Calgary, Canada, where she owns Influence Salon.
