Moving up and onward.

Hey!  So it turns out makeup isn't the only thing I'm into.  I've also been doing wardrobe and I grew up on set.  Last year some time, while on set, I realized that that was where I was happiest and that I needed to do what it took to be there.  So I did.  I've been very busy indeed and I'm happy to link to my new(ish) website. www.sashaalewis.com

  I'm finally putting all the experience I gained on set to good use and loving almost every second of it.  Expect to see my name in all kinds of credits.  You can already find me on IMDB as Sasha A Lewis.  I'll see you around!

So sloooooooow

Edit! Due to Google policy, Thumbtack asked that I remove my link to their site.  Something about reward points awarded for a public link on any site being against policy.  That's fine, I never got any business from Thumbtack anyway. 6.10.15

I knew building my business here would be slow, but I had erred on the side of optimism.  That being said, I'm giving a site called Thumbtack which is a site for advertising local services and posting local service needs.  I found one interesting listing, but I haven't really explored the site yet.  I do like it's interface, it's clean and user friendly, fairly intuitive and kind of pretty.  I'm going to keep plugging away at business building and maybe try out a bridal show or two.

Ghastly Flapper

upload, a photo by The Paper Doll on Flickr.

So I've been taking Halloween looks from Pinterest and applying them to the hair heads at the salon, this one is from this post. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/161777811587855163/

Halloween is one of my most favorite holidays, mostly because I love an excuse to dress up and pretend to be someone else. I also love dressing other people up and making them look like someone or something else, it's a great chance to really stretch myself creatively, I'm looking forward to Halloween clients and whatever ideas they bring in.

Before and After 2, Karissa

A big thanks to Karissa for letting me play with her face.  She came into the salon to visit with me and get her hair done and left with hair AND makeup.  Karissa has fabulous skin and a face I could make up over and over and not get tired of. She is also one of those people who cannot stop blinking and flinching when you apply makeup to her so it gets pretty lively and very amusing when it comes time to do the mascara and eyeliner.  I used MAC's face and body for the foundation with NYX's HD Studio Finishing powder and NYX Dewy finish setting spray for the skin.  The face and body foundation would have been fine on it's own but I was experimenting.  On lips are Flower's nude lip pencil and MAC's Blankety lipstick.  I've been using NYX's Black Bean jumbo pencil with a MAC 266 or 212 to get a nice controlled black line.  It can be smudgy on some lids so you can set it with black eyeshadow or a translucent powder like the HD Studio Finishing powder or you can just use a gel liner made specifically for eye lining.  Again, I've been experimenting.  I used MAC's Malt eyeshadow to fill Karissa's brows.  She made it very clear that she did not want me to groom them at all.  I respected that.  You should always listen to your clients if you want repeat business.  It's hard sometimes, but it must be done.  You may know what looks best, but they know what they like best and sometimes the two don't meet.  Lucky for the both of us, Karissa's brows are pretty good looking and don't need much help from either of us.  So that's Karissa before and after.  Thanks Karissa!

What's a Headshot and why do I need one?

So...that's my temporary headshot.  A headshot is industry lingo for a picture of a person's face or just their head, hence "headshot".  Why do I need one?  Well because a position I recently applied for asked for it. It's industry standard.  I don't know why but I can make a guess.  It's because people want to see what their makeup artist looks like.  Have you ever walked up to a makeup counter and picked who was going to help you based on who's face looked most like what you wanted to look like?  Yeah.  It's like that.
  Why do I look so long suffering you ask?  Because I really really don't enjoy having my picture taken.  It's why I always work behind the scenes.  There are only three people on the planet who have ever been able to take good pictures of me, two of them are professionals.  The other is my husband, who can always make me laugh.  I full well intend to get a professional headshot done, I just needed something quick, so I threw on some makeup, grabbed my camera and a friend and had her take a bunch of shots with the belief that one of them was bound to work.  Now you're looking at it.  And that's the story of the headshot. The End.

Fight Like a Girl!

Its October and that means quite a few things, but today, for this post, it means Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Something just jumped up and bit me and I was inspired to take pictures of all the women I know in hot pink lipstick making fight faces.  So all month you'll be seeing pictures and maybe hearing stories about how each person has been affected by breast cancer, because not one of us has managed to go unscathed in this fight.  Put up your dukes ladies!  Fight for yourself, fight for a friend or family member or just fight because it feels right.  Get yourself checked, get a friend checked, take a family member to get checked.  Be aware!  Arm yourself with knowledge and Check out the information the Cancer Center has.
  Now go fight like a girl!

The Mini MAC Haul

Clockwise from Left to Right Red Brick Matte eyeshadow, Swiss Chocolate Matte eyeshadow, Saddle Matte eyeshadow, Clear Lipglass, N5 Face and Body foundation, N1 Face and Body foundation. 

MAC has this great program called "Back 2 MAC" where you can bring your empty MAC containers and get free stuff back.  I have a huge bag of empties.  Like, hundreds of empties.  You see, tragically I live far far away from any MAC counter.  I have to drive no less than an hour to reach the closest MAC counter and farther than that to reach a stand alone store.  Today I happened to be visiting my sister, who lives less than 10 minutes from a stand alone store.  Guess who got to turn in 24 empties?  That's right, this girl.  If you return your empties to a stand alone store you get to pick either an eyeshadow, a lipglass or a lipstick so long as the lipglass or lipstick is not from the Viva Glam collection.  If you're wondering what that B on the lipglass is about, its to indicate that its a Back 2 MAC item.  So, if you have 7 empties, head to your nearest MAC retail spot and get some freebies.
  The Face and Body bottles were paid for.  I was told that they don't need to be thinned out to go into an airbrush, but my airbrush must have issues because its a little too thick for it.  I'm going to try adding mixing medium to it and see how that works, I think a three to one ratio, three drops of FAB to 1 drop of mixing medium should do it.
Speaking of mixing medium, I'm putting a tutorial together on how to mix your own airbrush foundation.  I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps I'm just a dunce when it comes to airbrushing. It's either that or I'm just having a run of bad luck with foundations and my airbrush.  So far, L'oreal's True Match Naturale has been the only foundation that's worked according to plan.  Too bad it's so limited in color selection.  Funny thing that, not everyone is pale and pink.  Why haven't drugstore brand cosmetics realized that yet?  And why do they assume everyone's pale?  If you go to Khol's you can find a fairly decent selection by Vera Wang, they've got a nice deep color, but it runs to the orange and there is glitter in the formulation.  I think it's supposed to create a glowing complexion but really...it just looks like you're going out clubbing.  Glitter may be my favorite color, but I also believe in moderation.  It doesn't belong on your face on a regular work day.  Unless it's a part of your job, in which case, tear it up!