Dots...& Dashes---

I actually shot this last month, but wasn't able to get around to sharing it until now...I'm sure I'll have several of these makeup (no pun intended) posts...Time sure get away from me when I'm busy working...

My favorite outtake of Anna Z from an upcoming editorial shoot entitled "Cold Yet..."

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2009

Work It! Be Sexy, and Have Fun were the instructions in the backstage area at the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. This is the most picture heavy post that I've done, but, I figured that you would want the 'True Hollywood Story' of the behind the scenes. I will say that this show is always highly anticipated from everyone who is involved. Other than touring, by far, this is one of the biggest backstage productions I have been involved with in quite some time, if not ever. I've worked backstage at well over 200+ shows and I have never seen anything like the press that descends upon this show....

The call time to arrive at the venue was 8 am...I did not walk out of there until well over 12+ hours later after prep time, run thru's, 2 live television tapings and catering changing out the chafing stations 4 or 5 times. I stopped snapping behind the scenes pics between the first and second shows because honestly, if I had to be hit in the head one more time with a boom mic or an HD Cam, or someone wearing a Portabrace... Its not so easy to touch up the girls in lineup that are going out when the girls coming back are inadvertently hitting you with their wings. Add to that that I actually wanted to see the show in the green room as I knew I would be out of town when the show aired for the rest of the world...

A quick view of a portion of the backstage show area before all of the hoopla and hub-bub

The makeup for the look and a bag of 'schwag' was already waiting for us upon arrival at our stations.

Body Makeup in the 'Body Room'. The girls get full body makeup/airbrushing and body shimmer dusted in here (you would too if you were literally walking in your underwear in front of the world, on HDTV...)

Angels awaiting...(the calm before the storm)

Marisa Miller in hair; She was the first 'Angel' that had to be camera ready...

All of the models sported the VS 2009 Show Robe, and most wore Christian Louboutin stilettos, but only Liu Wen rocked these amazing studded combat boots with hers. Models always have great personal style...

Anja Rubik and Shannon Click's hair extensions

Each model has her own designated bag of extensions...

...And just when you thought there could be no more hair...

The brilliant Tom Pechaux (key), demo-ing the sexy bedroom look on Miranda Kerr...

Sessilee Lopez

Ms. Selita Ebanks (she should require no introduction) after I've done her makeup

Selita pre-makeup and myself (one of the rare pictures of me as I'm super camera shy believe it or not and usually not as camera ready as my clients), with Selita...Thanks Martha for snapping this one...

Linday Ellingson: The look that Tom designed was bombshell gorgeous. Super sexy, glammed up, almost Barbie like (from what some of my twitter followers said). I fell in love with the new VS Mascara & the lipstick and lipgloss from this look...

Lindsay Ellingson after I did her makeup. Mind you, the day of the taping (Nov. 19) was her 23rd birthday...

Nick Verreos interviewing Lindsey for Modelinia.com (one in a seemingly endless string of interviews that night)

Nick's 'cheat sheet', which was more like a book, with all the VS Angels, Models and interview jump off points

Heidi, camera ready and doing takes...

This is THE most insane Backstage I've ever encountered in my over 11 years backstage doing shows...To zone all of that out and work in it like nothing else is going on is a sheer test of professionalism, experience and willpower...

Alessandra caught in a swarm of press giving interviews...

Lets go downstairs to the 1st floor....

Jewels...YES, its all real...

The model board...

Tatiana K

Not to say that Tatiana isn't gorgeous here, but in the background is that racist security guard who was seriously one of THE most unpleasant unfortunate souls that I've ever had the misfortune of coming across...Yes, I'm putting her on blast here...Please pray and/or meditate for this woman. Poor sad thing, truly...

Freshly polished armor...

...and balloon wings on a stand waiting to be worn

Selita almost ready to go...

Shannon Click

Behati Prinsloo decked out in 'Pink' flashing a peace sign & a smile...

As is the case with most shows that I do, I'm never around to actually see them from a vantage point OTHER than backstage. And since I'm working, I usually miss how everything comes together. That is no exception here either: I missed the airing of "The Sexiest Show on Earth" on Dec.1st but plan to catch an encore showing of it on December 9th at 9pm on the CW...

R.I.P Daul Kim

Japanese Vogue (F. Nars)

I love models; even better when they are of the minority (and even better yet, when their last name is the same as my first). You can imagine how sad I was to hear that Korean top model Daul Kim, who has been a heavy presence on the runway scene for the past several seasons and who also appeared in several high end editorials like Korean, Japanese & British Vogue, Korean Harper's Bazaar and ID, was found dead of an apparent suicide in her Paris apartment yesterday. What a gorgeous and memorable face (especially when she died her hair blonde earlier in the year); So sad that she's gone so soon...It goes without saying that she will be missed by many. May she have found the love & acceptance that she was looking for and may her family and those who loved her dearly remember her fondly...May she rest in peace...

Sharing the cover of Korean Vogue with Coco Rocha

Korean Numero

I-D Magazine (Will Davidson)

backstage @ Cavalli s/s 2009

Backstage @ Luella s/s 2009

(runway ph: Imaxtree)

Daul's blog  

Calvin Klein Kleen...

The Calvin Klein press event was this morning...

The makeup team headed by Kristi Matamoros got going at the ripe old hour of 6 am making the girls and boys pretty and presentation ready. In true Calvin Klein fashion, the look was kept to a bare minimum: Clean dewy skin that wasn't overly matted, softly curled lashes with no mascara and the tiniest dose of lipgloss on the lips. The only makeup on the eyes was a tiny bit of shimmer powder applied ever so lightly at the inner corners and dragged across the upper lashline:  

Juliana (remember her from the Jen Kao show???)

a closeup of Yulia's makeup

Models in final positions and on display...

the "other' merchandise on display

Light, Pretty & Lush...

Lena is a Gypsy...done modern day, with some vintage inspired twists. Erin the stylist pulled a gorgeous Spring 2010 color palette comprised primarily of beiges, blush, nudes and grays mixed with some strategic metallics. Top it off with amazing shoes tons of accessories like headscarves and vintage inspired jewelry and then I finished it off with some succulent, uber feminine soft and pretty makeup...Even though a last minute curveball came our way (last minute model change and me hunting for parking for over an hour), it all came together perfectly!!!

Lena before the 'Gypsy Glam'

Lena after...(I kept it light and pretty and lush)

Anyone that knows me and is familiar with my work knows that I love skin. I had to go back to my roots on this one. The clothes, the mood, the location and the lighting were all the perfect backdrop for me to make the focus of this makeup the skin...

Newstand Alert

Brides Magazine Nov./Dec. 2009 issue. I have the beauty story in the back of the magazine: A lovely 6 page spread on translating the newest bridal trends in makeup. I shot this one a while back, but am only able to share it now. The nail biting can now stop since its currently on newstands. Below is an excerpt from a fragrance story that I did for the same issue...

The entire beauty editorial "From Runway to Your Day" can be seen in its entirety on my website.

Caught out there...

ph: D. Kreiger via Racked.com

This was snapped of me sometime during Fashion Week. I vaguely remember taking it and was surprised when it was posted several weeks later with votes rating my outfit attached to it over on the super cool blog Racked...I was alerted to it via a text message from a friend of mine and thought it was a cool reminder to always be on your toes. I figured that I would share it here...