10 Makeup Hacks I Learned from Working With The Top Makeup Artists in NYC
Oscar De La Renta NYFW 18’, NYC (Key Artist Regan Rabanal)
It took me 5 Years, working 10 plus seasons of NYFW, assisting agency artists and being on set to learn all these hacks. You might find some useful, some silly and some weird but these are my top 10 useful hacks that I learned over the years. Hope it can help you!
Cigarette Lighter
-I will always carry a lighter in my kit. It’s a great tool to not only soften, but intensify your eye & lip pencils. The first way to use this trick is to pass the pencils above the flame 3-4 times until it looks shiny, wait 3 seconds, and it’s ready to apply. The second way I use this trick is by breaking off a little piece of the eye pencil, placing it on a metal palette, then holding the flame beneath the palette. This easy step will turn any pencil into a liquid shadow that goes on smoothly.
Vaseline
-This is the perfect product to get that wet & glowy skin look. I love using this on the lip, eyelid, and cheeks. This is the easiest and most affordable way to get a natural, dewy finish on the skin.
Disposable Mascara Wand & Freckles
-While there are many ways to create faux freckles, this is what I’ve found to be the easiest and fastest. For this, you can use any finishing spray, 3 different neutral eyeshadows ranging from light to dark (i.e. Mac Omega, Cork, and Brun), and a disposable mascara wand. With the wand, scrape the lightest eyeshadow and mix it with your finishing spray, then flick your thumb across the brush end of the wand onto the face about 1 foot away for the first color. Repeat with the 2nd medium and 3rd darkest shades to build definition. I recommend practicing this on a white piece of paper before applying directly onto your model.
Khol & Waterproof in Waterline
-You may have noticed that waterproof liner doesn’t seem to cling to your waterline. This is because your waterproof pencil is repelling the natural moisture around your eyes.. To make your liner last, use both a kohl pencil and a waterproof liner. Start by applying your kohl pencil, then finish everything off with your favorite waterproof liner. Because kohl pencils have a powder finish, they act as a sponge by soaking up excess moisture in the waterline.
Eyeliner, Concealer outline
-After doing makeup for 5 years, I still find myself struggling to create perfectly even cat-eye wings. An easy trick that’s helped me get the sharpest wings is creating an outline with concealer before applying your eyeliner. This allows you to check your symmetry before committing to an eyeliner shape that may be hard to correct, no tape needed.
Stubborn Brows
-If you have thick brows, you know the struggle is real. A lot of brow gels out there just aren’t strong enough to give you that perfectly groomed look, no matter how many times you change your shirt. To keep your brows in check without breaking the bank, you can use Elmer’s purple glue stick, a strong-hold hairspray, hair wax, or a tiny bit of the clear-dry Duo.
Tape & Glitter
-Glitter is only pretty until you can’t get it off. Because of this, tape has become one of the most essential items to have in my kit. If you find yourself in the middle of a glitter mishap, just take a small piece of Scotch tape, wrap it around your finger, then gently pat the areas that need cleaning up. This trick will help save your life, especially backstage. because trying to cover glitter with foundation or concealer is a nightmare. PLEASE, NO DUCT TAPE!
Keep Lash Curly
-If you’re someone that struggles with keeping the curl in your lashes, try switching up your mascara routine. For the most dramatic curl, start with a base coat of waterproof mascara, then finish with your favorite volumizing mascara. For the Asian community, be wary of weighing your lashes down with too much mascara. Instead, stick with one good waterproof mascara and keep your layers light.
Guitar Picks?
-Guitar picks are the one item in my kit that get the most questions. These have become my go-to solution to shield from mascara mistakes. To save time, stress, and retouching the work you’ve already done, just place the pick flat against the eyelid while applying mascara.
Lipstick Hacks
-After you work in the industry for while, you learn to stop categorizing makeup. I now use lipstick on lips, eyes, and cheeks. Using lipstick as a cream blush makes your skin look fresh and glowy. Start by swiping a little bit on your hand, then use a fluffy brush to lightly buff onto the cheeks. If you find yourself going a little overboard with the color, just blend over top with your foundation brush.
Oil Blotting Sheets for lips (BONUS HACK!)
-A lot of cream lipsticks contain oils to moisturize the lips and create a shiny finish. To make your cream lipstick last longer, use a blotting sheet or thin tissue to remove some of the excess oils. Reapply and blot 2 or 3 times for the best pigment.
Thanks to my amazing friend Jenn Marasca (@p.p.r.k.v) for helping me edit this article because without her I would sound like a 2 year old writing it. If you enjoy this article, please share with your friends, and leave me a comment or feedback directly below! thank you
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A guide to surviving your first New York Fashion Week Show
I remember the first time I came to New York City & accidentally walking by The Lincoln Center where NYFW was happening. It was loud, hectic, crowed and incredible! Its something I never got to experience while living in Boston. My only plan that day was to drop off my stack of resumes to every single Mac location that I can find. To make my situation harder, the first two jobs I listed on my resume were “Rock Climbing Instructor” & “Freelance Photographer”
I remember that day very clearly. A person dressed in all back with a Mac roller case that had light up wheels running towards me heading to the entrance. She bumped into me and apologized. She introduced herself to me she was a makeup artist running to her next show. At that moment I told myself that one day I want to be there doing makeup.
Two years later I achieved that goal. Today as I am typing this article I am going on my 8th season of NYFW. I am very happy to have people and brands that continuously support me and give me the opportunities that I have today.
Trust me if a random straight guy from a small town in Massachusettes (that could never get a call back from a tiny Mac Counter inside a local Macy’s) can support NYFW then you can too. P.S. they did say “you don’t have any qualifications”.
I am hoping this guideline can give you an inside look on what to expect for your first NYFW show!
Show Details
As much as NYFW is a year ahead of trends, everything comes together pretty much the very last minute including all of the show details. Here are some of the things that you should obtain from your booker prior to the show. The Designer’s name, date, venue address, call time, show time, key artist, your direct contact for that day. This should be given to you the day before the show at the latest. Once you get it, do your research on the designer and the key artist to at least know what they look like. You might wonder when you will get the “look or what products you need”, well unfortunately 95% of the time you will not know what the look is going to be or what key products you will need. =0)
Kit Talk
This is one of the most requested questions I get. What to bring? I have seen artists come in with a small basic kit that fits inside a backpack —> Zuca case —-> Large Suitcase —--> Two Large suitcases. Please check out “FREELANCE MAKEUP KIT 2023”. I break down all the specific products and how I set up my kit. This is the way I’ve been doing it for the past 6 seasons and it’s been working perfectly fine for me. I am sure some artist will have a different perspective on things. As long as you have all your basics that allows you to do makeup on all ranges of skin tones and creating different finishes, then you’ll be just fine.
If You’re on Time, YOU’RE LATE!!!
Can’t stress this enough! In my opinion if you are on time, then you are late. You should always get to the venue 15-30 mins early. Especially during Fashion Week when everyone is trying to get to the same place. Another benefit of getting there early is you can meet your teammates one at a time. Instead of walking into a huge group of people all at once. Most of the time, there will be a check in location to receive your backstage pass. Pro tip: always check the venue and the address on your map the day before including ZIPCODE!! You’ll be surprised at how many street names have duplicates while they are nowhere near each other.
The Set Up
Once you arrive to the Makeup/Hair room, it is usually divided into two sections. The side with the low chairs are usually set up for the hair team while the makeup section will usually have higher stools. DO NOT SET UP YOUR KIT UNTIL THE KEY ARTIST ARRIVES! Remember, I told you to do your research on who the Key artist is? Well this will come in handy. Always wait for the key artist to pick the area they like to set up along with their assistants. Once they are set up, you can pick any available station. Remember I told you to make friends by arriving early? Well this also comes in handy. By setting up to your new friends, if you don’t have a certain product during the application, you can always reach out!
The Demo
Get ready to take notes. The Key artist will ask everyone to stand close for the demo of the look for that day. Some will be very specific and talkative while walking you through the makeup while others may not even speak a word. Stand in a spot where you have a good visual of the model’s face even if you have to stand on a chair. Remember to take notes on the exact products and the steps of how they achieve the look. Once they finish, ask the model politely if you can take a photo for a reference. It is extremely important that you do this because you can go back to your notes and picture while you are replicating the makeup if you get lost. The Key will often provide the main essential products that is required to achieve the look so make sure you obtain your samples before returning to your station.
Replicate & Get Approval
By the time you return to your station the room should fill with models eating and munching on catering. Even if a model is sitting in your stool, do not start their makeup. If there is a backstage manager, they will be the person with papers I hand that will check the models in and direct them to specific stations. Make sure you do that before starting their makeup. After you did your best to replicate the look, bring the model up to the key artist to get it approved. At this time they will either provide you with feedback on what to change or they will approve the look. If they ask you to make an edit, take the model back to your station and correct ONLY what they asked. Bring your model back up for a second approval and remind them what they asked you to fix. Once a model is approved, let your backstage manager know and return to your station and wait for another one.
The Walk Thru
Usually at a random moment, the designer will pull all the models for a walk thru which will range from 15-30 mins. The models will leave the room for a test walk on the runway. If the backstage manager asks you to let the model go, let them go but do kindly ask them to return back to your station after. (THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!) They are almost like lost puppies sometimes they run away thinking their makeup is done while they only have one eyebrows on.
Final Touchups & Lineup
The backstage manager, the assistants or the key will pick a group of artists for final touchups during line up. This will often happen in the changing room or the line up right before the stage. At this time, the key will give you a run down on what needs to be done. DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT THE KEY DIDN’T TELL YOU. I have witnessed an artist putting lotion on everyone’s body before asking while the designer specifically mentioned that the fabric is extremely fragile and to avoid lotion at all cost. I honestly was nervous for that artist but hey, you learn from your mistakes right? Also, if the model is half naked while changing, just wait till they finish before you jump in to touch up their makeup. It can wait.
Pack up & Thank your Key Artist
Return back to your station after the final touchups and wait until the key returns to give you a green light to pack! Don’t be that person that is fully packed, ready to go while the key is still working. Before you leave, always thank your key artist for having you on the team and tell them you hope to work with them again one day! Leave a lasting impression!
Retrieving contents for Portfolio!
You worked hard, it is important that you get content from the show for your portfolio! If the show is on the official NYFW Calendar, you will find photos on these 2 sites in less than 24 hours Vogue Runway, WWD & The Impression. They have the best quality of work and it’s free.
I hope you find all this information helpful. It was almost impossible for me to obtain this information when I first started out. I kinda just dived right in, hoped for the best and learned as I went. I know this is a long article but I felt like it was extremely important for me to be specific. I hope this can be your guide if your goal is to do NYFW one day! Please feel free to leave me a comment or questions. I would love to hear your feedback. follow me on Instagram! @vanmakeupnyc
PS. Shout out to my amazing friend Tiffany (_beautycrazed_) who is also a makeup artist in NYC for helping me proof read this article so I don’t sound like I am off the boat! So much love for you!
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5 Important Values on Becoming a Great Makeup Artist
The key word for this read is “values”. I have met and worked along side with countless artists from all around the world. Wanna know one thing they all have in common? They are so good at doing makeup. Being able to do beautiful makeup looks is essential but it is not the most important thing in my opinion. I remember a few years ago, I assisted an amazing artist in NYC for a campaign. She said to me “Makeup can be taught, but being a good person and having great values, you either have it or not”.
Be respectful to others & Remember where you came from
Sounds simple right? this is probably the most basic thing that we were taught since we were young but for some reason it’s not always the case. We are a community, no matter if you are a makeup artist, hairstylist, nail technician, model, and etc… we have to work together and not against each other. Always remember the people & brands that was there with you in the beginning. I worked for Mac for 3 years as a retail artist, they have taught me everything I needed to know and gave me every tools to be successful in the real world. For that I will always be thankful for them. The reason I bring this up is because I met a lot of artist who started with a brand for many years, now they move on to bigger and better things, they feel like they can start talking negatively.
Don’t compare to others but be inspired by others
Listen, most people don’t just get to where they are overnight as much as you would like to believe that. I constantly hear from artist saying “How do they get book on that huge campaign, they didn’t even put any makeup on the models”. Wanna know the truth, I thought the same thing when I first started. As I grow as an artist, i’ve learned that it’s not always about the most difficult or the most intricate makeup; it’s more about collaboration and working as a team to create one single vision. I truly believe we can all get there if we just stay focus on improving ourselves, and be passionate at what we do. When you meet someone that is successful, be inspire by them, ask them about their journey instead of guessing. Believe me “knowing people” can only get you so far, especially in NYC
Ask Questions & Accept Feedback
it’s 2018, we are very lucky to be living in this era. It is so easy to obtain informations and connect with people that we look up to. You can literally message someone on instagram or facebook, and chances are if you genuine, they will get back to you with an answer. Don’t be that person who is a “know it all” you can learn from any artists, no matter if they are just starting out or been in the field for many years. So start asking questions even if you think you already know the answer. It might surprise you. Here comes the big one, Being able to accept feedback. For some reason, a lot of artist take feedback as an attack. Im not sure why but in my opinion, listening and seeking for feedbacks is what got me here.
Be happy and appreciate what you do
Listen guys, I mowed lawns, washed cars, pushed carts at Walmart parking lot, cleaned bathrooms in restaurants, and done roofing in the summer heat. When I hear someone complaining about how hard their job is as a makeup artist, it really bums me out. Don’t get me wrong, our job is not easy but it is definitely not worth complaining especially when it comes to what they serving for catering. Yes that is a real thing, people flipped when they don’t see what they like on the catering menu. For real, be happy that you get to do makeup as a job and get paid for it. There are much harder jobs out there, I promise.
Help others
One of the best feeling for me is when I am able to help someone achieve their goal and see them successful. Have you tried it? it feels amazing. This is actually my number one motivation. I work extremely hard just so I can one day get to a point where I have a platform to help more people. Giving artists more opportunities to be on shoots, campaigns and assisting on set. If you ask me if I know a lot of artists that share this same value; I would have to say I can count them all with one hand.
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