Happy Holidays! ! ! {2011 in Review}

Scrapbooking design generated with Smilebox

Happy Holidays everyone! ;)

I remembered a fun tool to make cards, and while I reviewing the smilebox (the only thing that's annoying is the ad, but it won't go away unless you pay their membership fee!!), a cute little tool to make online digital cards to send to friends/family/etc! Of course I couldn't fit every event in, but it's still fun to plug it in and take a moment to remember, and be grateful for all the opportunities I was given with wonderful clients, whether it be fashion editorials/video/film/news/catalogue/bridal/special events/makeup lessons!! 

I saw that they had a scrapbook and I thought to myself...why not!!! I've never done it before, but then again, 2011 has been a year of a lot of firsts!  Some notable ones for me..

- First time in NYC/NY Fashion Week!

- First time being published on StyleMePretty - California

- First time filming a 'real' makeup tutorial

- First time producing a bridal editorial (this one is not released yet!) 

- First time published for makeup/hair/photography in the Siren's editorial!

- First time getting props for a shoot, and buying the wardrobe (the picnic kids shoot in the park!)

- First time having/training assistant(s)! 

- First time doing 2 wedding gigs in a day (Even though I get multiple inquiries on the same date, usually the times end up conflicting and I am unable to accommodate 2 parties)
- First time winning the staff-voted RAW (un-photoshopped) Facebook photo contest! or any contest, really~ ;)

- First time having a public portfolio review (ohh nerve-racking! but worth it for the experience!)

- First time doing a full-on 80s makeup on my husband for his company's Xmas party!  

And here's the iPhone photo again for laughs~ ;) I could barely contain my laughter~ my husband, however, was fully in character for every photo.  He showed me an image of Rob Smith from The Cure, and demanded lipstick/powder and everything! He went through my jewelry box and found a random earring, and he asked me if I had any chunky necklaces to complete the outfit! Some of his colleagues barely recognized him but were 100% entertained and pleased with his look! It was a lot of fun! Bringing laughter/joy to people with makeup lol~!  I made my hair as big as I could tolerate it - I'm usually not a big hair person but it was fun to tease it out and have frizzy hair with lots of hair spray!!!

I want to take an opportunity to thank everyone for their support for my blog and commenting! I really appreciate the interaction! Have a safe & wonderful Holiday season everyone!!!

May 2012 be even better than 2011!!!  <3 <3 <3

"Why are Professional Makeup/Hair Artists so expensive?"

This morning, I woke up and saw a photographer posted this helpful post titled: "Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?" and after reading through it, I feel like if you just switch some words in the sentence around and replace it with words related to makeup/hair services over photography, the article totally works to answer the question "Why are Professional Makeup/Hair Artists so expensive?"  Well...of course as the vendor providing the service, I honestly don't feel it is expensive.  When I was a bride, I also expected my Hair/Makeup services to cost about this - anything less expensive I would start to wonder how they make a living!  I guess this is a post that's a continuation of my previous blog post this year "What you should know before hiring a makeup artist"

I've seen so many threads on wedding forums talking about the 'sticker shock' and I bet a thought that crossed their minds are: "If it only takes 2 hours to complete my hair and makeup, WHY does it cost x?! This is robbery! They are extorting me just because it's my wedding! "

Similar to photographers, the time we spent on one client is not just the few hours we spend performing the makeup and hair service, but additionally, makeup artists need to:

• Administrative (Respond to inquiries, emailing, phone conversations, setting up and confirming appointments, preparing contracts and invoices.)
• Perform makeup & hair services at a trial or consultation appointment.
• Clean & pack kit, double check kit, load it on the car.
• Travel to the session
• Setup, prepare to perform services.
• Perform the services
• Travel from the session/return
• Unload kit from car, pack & clean kit
• etc etc etc.

On average, I spend 6-10 hours min. per client.  If I also take the photos for photography, then the list is the one above, plus the one in the photography article!  Some clients only send you 5-10 emails, and others send 50-60+.  So...while on average I spend 6-10 hours, some I spend double the time.  It depends on the circumstance, and no client is exactly alike! Therefore, in a sense you are always receiving a customized service.

Then, there's experience/expertise.  As wedding coordinator Christine told me during our first meeting about the importance of hiring a professional makeup artist something to think about is: Can the artist complete the service in the specific setting [Bridal]? Can they handle the time pressure, understand time management and also satisfy the demands of my demanding [insert friend/family name here]? 

In the article, they talk about Wal-mart/chain store photo booths that gets the job done fast, with a standard push of a button, and if the child cries, then there is most likely not enough time to care what the outcome is, and "you get what you pay for." But a personalized service provider would take the time to take care of the child, make him/her laugh and deliver a great photo.  On a similar note, if you want to, you can go to a Mall, or to a specific makeup counter, pay $50 in product purchases, and have the "makeup artist"/sales associate do the makeup for you for the occasion.  What if they allocated 30 minutes, but did not completely finish, but there are other customers ready to pay for other products and the makeup artist/sales associate needs to stop the complimentary makeup application, and actually make more sales, as her salary/wage depends on actually making the cosmetic sales, and not how lovely of a makeup job she does for you?  What a sales associate sells is the products, but the makeup artists sell only the service.  On the same note, why not just buy the products, and do it yourself? The authors of the article puts it beautifully: 

"A pair of scissors costs $1.50 at the drugstore. Still, most people will gladly pay a lot more to hire a professional hair dresser to cut their hair."

"

On that note...Do you remember the translucent powder fiasco? You might have seen it on the gossip news or something and the big thing was that it was Makeup Forever's HD powder that caused it but only visible with flash photography.  In the end, if I recall, (feel free to correct me!) it was said that Nicole Kidman did the touch-ups herself in the car, and not the makeup artist.  Makeup artists would have known that you would never use that much translucent powder, whichever the brand!  My point is...is it really worth the risk on an important occasion like your wedding or your very special events to walk out like this by either doing the makeup yourself, or paying a "chain store" for the $50 worth of products and makeup application at the makeup counter?

The bottom line - it's an investment, and there are some things that are worth the investment! 

My Kit: as it is April 2011! [Image Heavy]

I've always enjoyed seeing how other makeup artists pack their kit and recently there was a request on a forum to see specifically a ZUCA kit...so here is mine! ;) with captions! I bought the ZUCA Pro at the MAC PRO store my first year, and I decided to do that because it was the same price as the regular ZUC A, just that I had to pay shipping on top of the sales price and sales tax...so it's just annoying that there's a "MAC" logo on it, but I bought the ZUCA Pro backpack at LA IMATS in 2009, and there was a *small* discount and FREE shipping and I found out that they are based in Los Gatos, which is here in the BAY! I snapped these photos as I was unpacking my kit from a shoot~

Crammed in there is my hair kit, makeup brushes & hair brush, extension cords, and MISC. items like extension cords, body lotion/hand lotion/oil, extra ziplock bags! Hair dryer has a nook there to hang ~

My brush roll - from the sigma kit~ I keep face brushes here!

And..other brushes in my Jane Iredale (discontinued) hard brush case, and all my bobbypins/hair ties

Tissues/disposables, hair products, polish remover, brushes

Top left pocket: hair sprays, altoids (!?) and mirror

Lower left pocket: Mousse, dry shampoo, and...magnifying glass~ ^.~   

Right pocket (with the heat protected pocket): Hair straghtener, 1inch curling iron, Heat protecting matt

and in the inner pocket, teasing brushes/rat tail combs

On to the outside of the rolling case..I use the outer pocket to put my "SOILED" ziplock, tape to tape up trash bags, and plastic bags for my trash if there is no trash bin~

Main inner pocket: makeup cape, disposable palettes, and palettes

Upper pocket: Transforming gel, loose pigments~ so if it spills, at least it would be in this pocket 

lower pocket: alcohol sprays, brush cleaner etc.

4 of the clear cases, and the top one is the smaller one from the Zuca artist backpack!

Hiding on the mesh top is my Nail polish kit!

Nail polish!

All laid out~ my other curling iron was hiding on the side~  there's also room to put a brush roll if you wish~

Prep & Prime materials~ and yes, my favorite PCA Anti-redness serum!  Also in here are highlighting cream/gels, and HD blush

Face - foundations, concealers, powder, blush~ 

Eyeliner, mascaras, brows, eyeshadows

my yaby pink foundations, lip gloss, lipstick palettes, lip liners, MUFE flash colors also live here

...and voila~ restored into their rightful places in my studio! 

Another view! 

I do need space to lay out the clear bags, but I don't need to remove every product out of them. I unzip them all the way, or half way, depending on the space, and I stack it on top of one another, and move it to the one I need~ and only grab the products I need - but I can place them right back in there when I'm done, so packing is literally unzipping everything, and stuffing it back to the case.  The hair kit/backpack contains most of the materials I have to completely remove out of the cases, so there is a bit of 'tetris' involved in that one~ But I'm getting more and more used to my set up! I think the most work is involved replacing it back into my studio, or moving it from my studio to my kit for cleaning or having clients at my studio...unfortunately I don't have $$ to have 2 setups and never have to move it~! 

I hope the photos were helpful and/or interesting! 

Top Model Spotlight: Marcus Schenkenberg

Iconic image! My fav!

I was working on my airbrush post...but I got bored of it half way, and..it's been a bit crazy recently, so today I decided to blog about Marcus Schenkenberg instead! ^o^ The first male model to grace the cover of Harper Bazaar - these classic images of him are definitely my inspiration!

How I got to remembering the greatness of Marcus....(lol) If you ever read my reviews on Yelp.com about businesses I patron, one of my stress-relievers is mindless comic reading (mindless=image and fiction appreciation! not deep thoughts and thinking!), and my husband has been encouraging me because he wants me to stop working after dinner time and kind of "draw my boundaries" - one of the difficulties of being freelancers is to stop working! (or start working when you really don't want to! hehe)  So...the only place that I can rent comic books is closing down FOREVER, and there are no other stores in the bay area that lends you photos.  SO...I still had $25 dollar store credit and I can purchase comic books, and the series I wanted to purchase, my husband talked me out of it!! I'm like!?!?!? But either way, thinking about that Taiwanese comic artist, he based his male characters after models~ and in his recent work "獨領風騷" which is incidentally about modeling, there are some poses that were clearly inspired by Marcus Schenkenberg's photos! Especially the one above! 

Calvin Klein Campaign!!

I saw Marcus by accident on TV in my tween years in the 90s.  Yes yes...giggle giggle~ Dream Boat for a young teen.  Most of the fashion information I paid attention to was from Japan at that time...mostly makeup - but with Marcus, I was just really intrigued by the IDEA of a male super model! It was so revolutionary to me, and sooo fascinating! He's been a model since 1989 and he is still doing it in 2011! He is currently represented by Ford Models in NYC.  That's a 22 year career! Granted, the height of his career was in the 90s, but, it's a fact that he really set the stage for future male super models, and I think...taken some of the most beautiful photos, ever! :)

Marcus more recently~~~

I highly recommend reading this article written in 2003 "Marcus Schenkenberg: Fearless"! You will also see a lot of other classic Marcus photos there, too! In particular, as a 12 year old, I was also particularly in awe that he can rock ANY look - including heels and stockings, whatever makeup they put on him, whatever wardrobe, he just works it!  At times I just need to remind myself that whatever resources I'm given, if I'm part of a team, and maybe my idea wasn't taken into consideration, sometimes you just have to go for it!

Some youtube clips I found - the 2nd one has some of the best photos! The Versace ones? I think? They are BW with a woman..unfortunately I cannot find the images on line! But anyways, check it out!!! :D

A great week of BREAKAGE!

This is a comic relief from all the seriousness going on in my life!  This week was a fully loaded week...and so is next week! @o@ (Liz's scared face...! *Deep breath!!*)  Liz Yu (Founder/Creator of Yaby Cosmetics) warned me that the larger pans are the ones that break the easiest, but usually my palettes are nicely packed into a bag within a sturdy zucca bag so......well on Wednesday's photo shoot, I was asked to bring a few things to touch up the model and help out~ I'm very glad I went - but when I came back, my PF025 (Beautiful beautiful BRONZER) broke!!!  Ahhhhh! I was like NOOO! That's one of the prettiest colors! Universally flattering almost ! 

And today as I was packing up from my gig as makeup/hair/photographer, my brow zing fell onto the hard floor at the beautiful hotel bathroom!!  And....there goes my brow zing in Light!  

:( other than a thinner wallet, I have some sentimental attachments to these things!  ....I have other bronzers I can use, but I do need a lighter pigmented brow powder! Benefit charges shipping fees so getting one thing from them isn't going to save me money with my pro discount - so I decided to go with smashbox...But!  It's SOLD OUT!!  So...um...well I'll figure something out! But comon come back on stock!  I have to say it was very sad to see them c.r.a.c.k. like that! 

I'll end this comic post with a make up tip!  Some of you probably do this already but I just thought I would share anyways!  *drum rolls...* just kidding just kidding! 

Do you ever have eye makeup remover you weren't terribly fond of? Either it stung, or it just didn't do the job the way you hope it would?  What about body oils (natural - excluding baby oils or anything petroleum based) that you might use for your skin or hair that just didn't suit your skin type (ie: cause break outs, too oil rich and greasy for your hair and skin)?  A great way to use those products up is to use it as a pre-cleanser to your lip and eyeliner/eyebrow brushes!  If your disappointing eye makeup remover does not have oil in it already, then you can mix a few drops of the body oil and then pre-cleanse the waxy material for your waterproof eyeliner/brow brush and also lip brush.  I like to use that first, and then soap or shampoo, and then sanitize afterwards.  

I hope everyone had a great weekend! And hope all of your favorite makeup stays safe and complete! :)

Blog Awards!

Special thanks to Lilly G. for nominating me for my very first blog awards!! =D

To honor these awards, I will:
1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award.
2. Copy the awards and placed them onto my blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated me for these awards.
4. Identify 7 things that people might find interesting for the Beautiful Blogger & Kreativ Blogger awards and 6 things that people might find interesting for the Gorgeous Blogger award
5. Nominate 7 Kreative Bloggers
6. Posted links to the 7 blogs I have nominated.
7. Left a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

The 7 Kreativ Bloggers/Beautiful Bloggers/Gorgeous Bloggers I nominate are here:

Milk & Cookiie
My Makeup Reviews
Give Good Face
Tony Yang Photography
A Beautiful Sentiment
Smitten Kitchen

So to satisfy point #4, I need to list 13 things people might find interesting about me...that's hard and I don't know if these are interesting, but here it goes:

1. At the age of 5, I won my first set of watercolor paints at an event while living in San Jose, Costa Rica. We went out to the park, and had 3 hours to complete the drawing. I drew a woman with a colorful dress - I think I brought the park scenery into her dress.
2. I can reproduce the Color Wheel with paint, and my eyes.
3. My parents grew up in Taiwan, but I was "made in" The Domincan Republic, but was born in San Francisco, CA. I grew up across 3 continents, and about 6 countries. I don't identify strongly with ethnicity and nationality; if you ask me where I'm from, I say I'm from Planet Earth. And I'm not trying to be funny here.
4. My husband (who is Korean), shares the same transnational identity like me. Between the 2 of us we speak 5 different languages! Hurrah! We're going to dominate the world! Muahahaha! (just kidding..)
5. I started piano lessons right before I turned 4, and harp lessons age 6. I played at the Sinfónica Nacional Infantil of Costa Rica, but experienced racial/ethnic/national discrimination with the rehearsal harp teacher. After the brief passion for 3 years, I was LAZY, and would practice piano scales while sleeping on the seat with my upper body laying horizontally on the piano seat. I stopped music completely at age 15, mainly because my preferred medium of expression is visual arts.
6. I "had" a perfect pitch, but of course it deteriorates if you don't use it all the time.
7. I like to sniff my stuffed animal called Daisy - she is a while seal, from the Japanese plushies company, Mother Garden. Her character is actually called Sirotan, but to me she is Daisy. I usually spray cologne or perfume, she she smells really nice! In the past, my classmate jokingly asked me if I put coke powder on their faces. -_-||...! She and Carobear (Korilakuma) are siblings, and are our babies! :) [FYI=this is why my personal blog is called Chronicles of a Mad-Daisy Sniffer!]
8. In this industry, a lot of people will treat you like an idiot...but actually, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Occidental College, received departmental distinction for my research thesis, and belong to the elite-est honor society (the first society to use three Greek letters to identify themselves. All fraternities/sororities copied them! hmph!)
9. I'm doing what I'm doing because I'm passionate about using beauty techniques to help people. In the near future, I plan to start my own branch of the creative therapies.
10. I will attend a Masters in Counseling Psychology program Fall of 2010, and one of my life goals is to open a Creative Arts Therapy Center.
11. Skyla is the name of my first pet ever - she is a kitten I adopted from the Pasadena Humane Society, and the vet thinks she is a Bengal Cat mix. She certainly is moody and feisty...I wish she would cuddle with me more..
12. In my household, we own all gaming systems because the husband works in the video game industry, and I love video games too(Clearly, that is where all our money goes, and not the bank!) I can probably whip your @$$ in Halo3/Killzone2~ challenge me/our clan if you dare!
13. I REALLY need to find a good Yoga studio soon...I used to exercise regularly, because it used to be convenient. I hate running, so~ well~ I just have to establish a new routine for myself! :)