This month’s Featured Archive Article:

As is the case in many professions, tools are an essential part of what is needed to perform a job well—not just to complete it, but to do the best work possible.
First and foremost for all makeup artists and perhaps the most important tools of our trade are the makeup brushes. Brushes come in a variety of sizes, shapes and materials that can range from the tiniest eyeliner brush all the way to a giant powder brush. Each brush is designed to do a particular job. Lip brushes are designed to apply lip color and lip gloss, eye shadow brushes are designed for the application of eye shadow and so on. But don’t be fooled—if you are more comfortable using a lip brush to apply concealer then by all means do so. It’s all about comfort and what works best for you.
Materials for makeup brushes vary tremendously, from natural hair—sable, goat, otter, pony, squirrel and mixes of one or more—to different types of synthetics, depending on what works best for its intended use. Without brushes we would not be able to do our job, period.
Once we have a collection of brushes we need a place to keep them. A popular choice is a brush roll or brush belt. The brush roll can stand up nicely in front of the mirror for easy access and the brush belt can be worn around the waist for convenience.

Palettes can be metal, plastic or wax paper. Metal and plastic must be cleansed with 99 percent alcohol after each use.

A variety of options

Choosing a case or makeup box is a personal choice based on the amount of product, tools, etc. that a makeup artist needs to carry. Some cases open accordion style with inner compartments that can be adjusted to suit your needs. The small case locks and comes with a shoulder strap. Tall cases have several individual compartments that stack on top of each other and can be reconfigured using one, two, three or all four at a time. Generally, the taller cases lock, have a pullout handle and wheels. Metal is a popular choice and seems to hold up a bit better than other finishes.
In your makeup case you should always carry two small plastic spray bottles: one for water and the other for carrying a solution of 99 percent alcohol. The water bottle is used for any makeup product or application that requires water such as eyeliner and cake mascara. The second bottle filled with 99 percent alcohol is for sanitizing tools and products. These items should be in every makeup artist’s kit and on every makeup station.
Pencil sharpeners for both eye pencils and lip pencils are a must. You can’t get a good, thin, hard edge on a lip line if the pencil is not sharp. Ditto for eye pencils, which can create a defined eyebrow or line the eyelids. Sharpening a pencil just prior to its use will keep the product sanitary before it reaches skin, protecting the client from harmful bacteria. Spraying pencils with 99 percent alcohol further ensures sanitation practices.

All in the details

Palette knives are used to remove any cream product from its containers, i.e. cream foundation, lipstick, concealer and lip gloss. To keep products bacteria and contaminant free wipe with a tissue and spray with 99 percent alcohol after each use.
Once cream products are removed, they need to be placed on a palette. Palettes can be metal, plastic or wax paper. Metal and plastic must be cleansed with 99 percent alcohol after each use whereas the wax paper palette comes in disposable sheets that can be torn out of a tablet and discarded.
Sanitary station mats keep the surface of the working area clean. Made from paper, they are easily replaced when the makeup station becomes soiled. Clean, white, terry towels may also be used, although they need to be laundered after each use.
No kit is complete without professional makeup sponges. Makeup sponges have multiple uses, from applying cream foundation, to dual finish foundation and cream cheek color. These are disposable and are intended for single use only. Powder puffs are primarily used to apply loose or setting powder over cream foundation. Like makeup sponges these too are disposable and intended for single use.
To maintain a clean and well groomed brow, tweezers are a must, as they are used to remove a single hair at a time with accuracy and speed. A small pair of manicuring shears can be very helpful to trim brows when tweezing isn’t enough.

Keep a standard eyelash curler to create beautiful curled lashes.

Cotton swabs are available with either a pointed or round tip—they can be very useful to reach into small and tight places. Swabs are great for fixing small mistakes such as unwanted mascara. They must be thrown out after each use. Makeup remover towelettes are convenient, quick and disposable. Another benefit is that no water is required to cleanse the face.

Keep it tidy

Tissues, where to begin? Use tissue to remove makeup from palettes, palette knives and brushes. They can also be used to protect the collar of clothing and for general cleanup. A wastebasket for all disposables helps to ensure a clean and tidy makeup station.
Just as the makeup brush is an important tool, so is the professional brush cleaner. Using the proper brush cleaner will keep your brushes bacteria free and in the long run will extend the life of your brushes. Brushes should never be used on more than one person without being cleaned in between uses.
The 99 percent alcohol solution in a plastic spray bottle is used for keeping tools such as stainless steel palettes, palette knives and pressed powder products, sanitary.
A small glass container with a cork lid to hold brush cleaner is essential. Small amounts of brush cleaner can be poured into the glass jar where you can clean brushes, preventing the contamination of the original brush cleaner bottle. Once the liquid becomes cloudy or dirty throw it out and pour fresh brush cleaner into the glass container for the next cleaning.

Handy items

Scissors are beneficial for any number of uses including opening packages, cutting sponges etc. Carry hair clips with you for pinning hair up and out of your way during a makeup application.
To prevent contamination from one client to the next use disposable mascara wands instead of the fixed wand that comes with a tube of mascara. Be sure not to double dip. Instant hand sanitizer should be on the makeup station at all times and used in between clients. Keep a standard eyelash curler to create beautiful curled lashes. Spray with 99 percent alcohol before using.
Always bring with you a full length cover cloth to help protect clothing. The only two colors to consider in a cover cloth are black or white. Any other color will reflect that color back to the skin, changing the skin tone and base match. A set bag can come in handy for jobs on the go. It comes with side pockets for bottles, tissues or general supplies.
For false eyelashes you will need eyelash adhesive and a variety of lash styles ranging from strip lashes to individual or flare lashes. Lashes also come in a variety of lengths from short to extra long. To help in the placement of strip lashes, try using an orangewood stick in the application process to apply a bead of glue along the edge.

The tools of the makeup artistry trade are the foundation of one’s skills and ultimate success. Carry and use them well.

Lights, camera, action!

Place lighting in front and above the seated client, although it’s not necessary to have lights running down both sides of the mirror. Double lighting only heats up the room. Note that most of these lights seem to have a yellow cast to them, whereas using a natural or white light gives the best results. Proper lighting makes all the difference in a makeup application.
A makeup chair is for the comfort of both the client and the makeup artist. The chair can be a tall director’s chair if you need it to be portable or, when working in a salon you may prefer a stylist’s hydraulic chair, which can be adjusted to the height you need.

Products galore

Products are essential tools for the makeup artist as well. A full color line that is rich in pigment and high in quality ensures that the makeup station or makeup kit is complete. Such items include cream foundation and dual finish foundations in shades from light to dark with undertones ranging from olive to ruddy.
Here are some other essential products to carry with you at all times:
• Concealers or correctors to neutralize unwanted discolorations such as dark circles under the eyes, blemishes or broken capillaries.
• Cream highlight and shadow palette for contouring and highlighting.
• Loose powder to set cream foundation in
light to dark shades.
• Shadow palettes with a variety of colors from neutrals to brights with matte and shimmer finishes.
• Cheek color palettes with a variety of colors to accommodate all skin tones from light to dark.
• Bronzers (one matte and one shimmer) for that all over fresh summer look.
• Eye pencils used for brows or eyeliner and lip pencils to outline and or fill in the lips.
• Lipsticks and lip glosses from sheer to matte.
• Cream mascara in a regular formula, volume enhancing mascara for extra length and cake mascara when length isn’t needed.
• Cake eyeliner in brown and black—cake because it stays on and is versatile. You can get a hard edge or smudge with water for a softer look.
The tools of the makeup artistry trade are the foundation of one’s skills and ultimate success. Carry and use them well.

Yvonne Hawker is creative director of Make-Up Designory, which provides training on beauty makeup artistry and character makeup effects, among other topics. Make-Up Designory also has its own cosmetics line. Contact the company at www.makeupschool.com or www.mud.edu.

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