The Adventures of Rachel in Make-Up Land

Find Me Elsewhere...

2012-02-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

I've had a relationship with Eliza Magazine for years now. If you are interested in reading some of my Spring Product Recommendations, feel free to head over to the Eliza Magazine blog:

http://www.elizamagazine.com/2012/02/spring-beauty-obsessions/

Recent Adventures

2012-02-01T18:56:00.000-08:00

This post is more or less a photo dump from some of my recent shoots and things that have fallen through the cracks throughout the year.

On set for a WD40 Commercial, Starbucks protein pack in tow. I love crafty, but therein lies the problem, I try my best to keep the snacking down to a minimum on set.

Feet on set, super in love with these Jeffrey Campbell Supernova boots.

Shooting with Alex Prager for her new series "Compulsion". Just loved the floral arrangements at the location.

It's always an adventure when I'm shooting with Ms. Prager.

Foam Magazine Editorial in Palm Springs. More to come when it's released!


Silly goose Savannah, such a sweetheart.

Building A Better Bridal Kit

2012-01-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

It might come as a surprise to some, but I actually enjoy participating in the wedding industry. It kind of feels like a way for me, as a reluctant romantic, to explore my technique in a way that rounds me out as an artist. Typically, I am the magic fairy godmother that is making people beautiful- listening to their ideas and just giving them an experience that many of my other clients have on a regular basis. These are not jaded teenagers being styled, or actors or musicians- these are just regular people who want to feel fancy and have the anxiety of their appearance eased by having a professional on site.

I'm a well-rounded and good artist, I'm also a single ladybird who is completely self-reliant with a nest, bills and two scruffy dogs that require food and shelter and a lovely black Accord that is finally at that stage where the little expensive things are starting to go wrong. I do not have agency representation and I make my living solely from being a make-up artist- which means, as much as I'd love to only do commercial print, I don't have the regular client base that the major agencies have. I have a wonderful clientele that I love to pieces, but as a freelancer I need to have a financial future that is a stable one- which means I still work with the general public on a regular basis. Don't be fooled by message boards and artist networking sites- I'm giving it to you real and without pontification. Making a living as an artist is a hustle and it's hard work.

My advice for artists dealing with the bridal market:

It's a business, treat it that way. Keep track of your money, keep contracts, network, etc.
Study the industry: Read the blogs, get involved, meet vendors, find out trends
Charge correctly: please, don't do weddings on the cheap. I'm not saying charge a million dollars or not take a client's situation into account, but you can't make a living doing weddings for $100.

Anyhow, now that we've got the serious stuff out of the way... onto the fun stuff! For artists that are building a kit or are interested in the bridal market, I recommend investing in products that are tried and true and have a history of success.

As far as foundations go I tend to favor Make Up For Ever Face & Body (Mat Velvet + is slowly becoming a favorite for a fuller coverage) for a hand application and for airbrushing, I'm an Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics girl all the way. Water based airbrush make-up has somehow gotten a bad reputation for not being stable, but the truth is- if the skin is prepped and primed correctly and the product is applied correctly at the right PSI, it's going to last. I prefer the Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics foundation because it gives me longevity and a beautiful finish- I haven't had an unhappy bride yet. If I have a client that insists on a silicone based airbrush foundation, I just thin out my Make Up For Ever with 246 fluid and voila. What I love about Make Up For Ever Face & Body and Mat Velvet + is that they are both waterproof formulas because of the volatile silicone oils that keep them emulsified until applied to the skin. I also use Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix at the end of every application to give a last minute refresh and extra staying power to the entire application.

I am a big fan of loose setting powders- whether I want a dewy finish or a matte one, I will always give a dust of powder. Earlier this past year at a trade show, I worked a press event with Royal & Langnickel brushes and as gratis CoverFX gifted me a generous bag of goodies, one of those goodies was the SettingFX translucent powder. It's a water resistant powder that gives a radiant finish- now be aware it DOES have mica in it, so you need to work with it carefully but in my experience it doesn't "flash" weird.

It's no secret to those who read my blog that I'm obsessed with the Kevyn Aucoin blushes, they are beautiful and worth every stinkin' penny. If you get a chance to catch the Kevyn Aucoin beauty booth at a trade show, you can usually find them for a really good price sans packaging. I'm also in love with MAC Sculpting Powder and Nars Casino Bronzer for definition and contouring.

The two biggest concerns that any bride will have are going to be that their lipstick stays on and that their eye make-up doesn't run. I combat these in a simple way- I always use waterproof cream liners and mascaras and long wearing lip color. Typically, most brides will bring their own lip color- in the case that they don't, I like to use long wearing liquid lipsticks. My two favorites are the Sephora Cream Lip Stain and Stila Long Wearing Liquid Lip Color. To seal the eye make-up application, I use a sponge to gently apply Cinema Secrets Liner Sealer.

I hope these recommendations help you guys create a great kit! As always, please give them a try for yourself and don't just take my word for it- we artists all have different techniques, so what works for me, might not work for you.

Xo,

Rachel

The Home of a Make-up Artist

2011-09-23T10:30:00.000-07:00

I got into a weird mood the other day and just decided to clear out my make-up closet, and inventory everything. It's such an important process, it's really easy to just let a storage area go and that's just a bad time- product goes bad, you end up with multiples of the same items, stuff gets crushed or you just cant find what you are looking for in a crunch. It just helps to know EVERYTHING that I have. I try to go through my stuff at least twice a year and edit it down, donate or give away the stuff that I know I'll never use or that would benefit somebody else a lot more than me- so, that being said, it wasn't TOO bad- just a mess. I cleaned all of my brushes and freshly marked them, I realized that I haven't marked any brushes in YEARS and things just go missing way too easily- they are just easier to recover if they are clearly "dipped". I use nail polish to dip mine, a coat of turquoise, a coat of glitter polish (because I'm girly like that) and then a clear coat to seal it in.

Dipped brushes.

Make-up artists can never really keep what they do a secret, at my house at any given time there is always something make-up related happening or lying around. I recently pulled out my copy of Kevyn Aucoin's Face Forward and Paul Starr's On Beauty to have on my coffee table. As I was looking through the pages of Face Forward it dawned on me just how important Mr. Aucoin's books were to the artist community. Before I even fathomed that a person could make a living doing make-up, my friends and I would just sit down and dissect every look in Making Faces and The Art of Make-up and just gather everything we could from each others' make-up boxes to recreate the looks. I can't even fathom how many other artists' passion for the craft was sparked by his books. For me, my love of make-up started in theater with that little standard issue Ben Nye starter box and I loved it so much that some of my teachers gave me leftovers from the production, so I've always had a fairly large collection. In the 5th grade, Mrs. Sommers taught me how to do a couple latex/tissue FX and in 8th grade when we cleaned out the "drama closet" I scored all of the extra make-up that had been left behind as payment for my services. I scored similar when I was in high school cleaning out the costume closet, however at Elsinore High some of the old stuff was 1970's Max Factor grease paint tubes, so there wasn't a whole lot I could snag. My Dad used to bring me home eyeshadows and nail polishes when he'd find them on clearance. In high school I discovered Pic-N-Save and figured out that I could buy a TON of make-up for super cheap. My collection continued to grow. Eventually, in college it led to me discovering higher end make-up lines, fashion, and an entire online community of people who loved make-up as much as I did, I actually met quite a few people who are also now making their mark into the profession. I can't believe that my parents were surprised that I chose a career in make-up artistry... but I suppose that's not exactly the direction people expect a person to go after they graduate with a Bachelor's in History & Political Science.

Coffee table.

So to all of the educators who wrote the books, gave me the spare Ben Nye kits, let me clean out the drama closets in exchange for 5 year old Clinique shadows and taught me how to create wounds, thank you.

Work Updates

2011-09-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

The past month has been a busy one. I've been relishing my spare time like no other. Here are some photos of jobs I've worked the past few weeks.

When there just HAPPENS to be a camel on location, a picture is necessary.


I swear, this camel was up to something.

Ms. Hagendorf hosting the black carpet for Myspace Music at the VMA's- Hair & Make-up by me

Look at that skin!


Shooting a press kit for The Dahls with Tyler Parker.

Here's a sneak peak of the shoot. Make-up only by me.

Ah, yes, the studio warehouse floor of Naimie's. I know thee well. Bobby Pins by the pound and every product a person could think of.

A bag full of wigs on set with Alex Prager.

Ginger-me in one of Alex's wigs.

Such a hot day to be chic in a long black dress and docs, but the photos are going to be so cool. I'm so excited for her next art series.

Assisting my BFF Chris Guerra on a commercial. Coolest crimson ghost mural on the wall.

Feet on set. Chucks, Vans and Sandals


Crazy camera aparatus

I've discovered my love for Rockaholic (TIGI) smoothing cream. I did hair for a couple of tween/kids fashion shows at the D23 Convention.

Things that are necessary after working with kids in a high stress environment for hours.

Having a total fan moment with the new OPI Muppets collection.

Taking a picture with the poster, like the big ol' nerd I am.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

2011-09-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

I've had the opportunity to work with the Peppers a few times in the past couple months. For their featured Hoppus On Music episode, Fuse Presents Red Hot Chili Peppers Live at the Roxy and On The Record: Red Hot Chili Peppers. Here's a couple behind the scenes shots of those escapades.

The elusive crew pass, I'm not going to lie, no matter how many of these passes I collect- I still get stoked every time I get a new one. One of these days, I'll post a picture of the huge box I have full of them. They are the best keepsakes of the best gigs.

Huge billboard on the side of the Roxy.

I fell in love with the belt wall in the headliner dressing room.

Marquee

Surprisingly this was my first time at the Roxy.

Setting up the stage. My day started at 7am in a cushy hotel room, the crew dudes started at the same time and their work did not end till hours after the show.

My view- keeping an eye on talent and walking backwards simultaneously is a gift.

Juliya's mean shoe game.

When they started loading in the crowd and my day was ending.

On The Record: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Fancy Rug.

Fancy chandelier.

Fancy location, does not always equal fancy station set up.

I do Mark's show when we film on the West Coast, here's a clip from Chad & Flea's interview on Hoppus On Music.

Most of the time when I'm working with dudes, the product usage is very minimal. Here are some of my male grooming essentials that I couldn't live without.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

I can't tell you how many of my clients have walked away with this in their pockets. But it really is my favorite and the price point is very affordable, so it's worth it to pick up a few for the kit and let clients who love it walk away with it.

This is my favorite liquid foundation for men and women- it's perfect for spot coverage, to add a bit of color and it never looks like make-up, just skin and when you are working with dudes, it's essential.

Cover FX Matte FX powder is a newer addition to my kit, but it's perfect for touch-ups that are time sensitive and when you've only got 10 seconds to get somebody camera ready.

OCC Skin: Primer is the male host's BFF.

Lupe Fiasco

2011-06-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

A promo for one of the episodes of CeeLo's show on Fuse called CeeLo Green: Talking To Strangers. I was hired to groom Lupe Fiasco, he was an absolute pleasure. Check out the episode on June 22nd.

Here are some promo shots from the episode as well:

Jack & White

2011-05-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

From The Archives: Jenn Proske for Eliza Magazine

2011-04-27T22:18:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the Set

2011-04-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

I have a bit of a fascination with on-set pictures... as you can tell. It's been a busy couple of weeks, so I will just do a basic picture dump with captions.

Interviewing the lovely Yvette Nicole Brown.

Did I mention how into Jao products I am? I would bathe in the hand refresher if I could.

Feet on Set: This is a music video I helped out my girl Christina Guerra on. It was super late and there was lots of pyro- good combination, no?

Set bag view from another job, I was kind of obsessed with this carpet.

Sometimes I get so surprised at the places I get to go to- this is the fitness room at the Ritz-Carlton, how motivating.

Always the sign of a good shoot to come.

Shootin'

Feet on set.

Obsessed!

2011-04-21T11:01:00.000-07:00

EXTRA Repair Foundation SPF 25 ($55)

I've been super obsessed with Bobbi Brown's EXTRA Repair Foundation SPF 25. Now, I don't really carry foundations with SPF in my kit for a number of reasons- I don't have the "fear of the flash" titianium dioxide thing, because to be honest, there are plenty of other common minerals in make-up that are responsible for the same effect- Mica? Anyone? Bueller? Typically, I find that a foundation with SPF can end up being fairly compromised, either in the look, shade or staying power. SPF is something I usually reserve for the skin care regime. However, that being said, the Bobbi Brown foundations never cease to impress me AND they usually have SPF in them. I'm kind of a foundation turncoat- when I run out of one foundation, I'll try another. So far my favorites have been the following: Bobbi Brown Natural Finish Long Lasting Foundation SPF 15, Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Make Up, CoverFX NaturalFX and now Bobbi Brown EXTRA Repair.

The formula itself is infused with Shea Butter and Evening Primrose Oil and I like to layer it over the Bobbi Brown EXTRA Face Oil. I have combination skin that borders on the side of oily, and to be honest, I don't like to be matte at all and I love to use oils in my skincare.

Behind The Scenes: Prager + New York Times

2011-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of working with miss Alex again. Those who read my blog know that I've been working with Ms. Prager for a while now, and it's always fun to be a part of her world. I've done a few shoots with Alex for the New York Times in the past, they are always colorful, quirky and a blast to be a part of and this shoot was no exception. Also, special thanks to our fantastic assistants: Katie, Melissa and Ren.

Feet on set. From top clockwise: Paul, Nichole, Me

One of the best crews.

I love picture cars.

Kind f a beautiful way to store press on nails, no?

Post shoot self portrait on the drive home.

Battlestation- been using a ton of Embryolisse lately and as always the Naked Palette, as well as some of the OCC concealer prototypes and my favorite Make Up For Ever Face and Body foundation.

Voila!

2011-04-04T10:02:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been having great luck (knock-on-wood) with turnaround time for jobs. As most artists in my industry can attest, sometimes the wait for images can be a pretty antsy one- especially when you've seen the images from the monitor and you know they are going to be super-dope. I remember when I did hair on an O'Neill campaign a few years ago, and I was so excited for it to be released but it took a couple months of scouring Teen Vogue- then or course once it was out, it was everywhere. But it's the anticipation, really. You might remember these from one of my first posts called Cataloggin', well some of the images were released as a splash on the website today and they turned out so adorable and adorable lifestyle is right up my alley.

A Lotta Escada

2011-03-25T13:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of overseeing a charity benefit Escada trunk show in Costa Mesa. My assistant Katie and I had to get through ten models hair and make-up. Now, to many this might sound confusing but on smaller shows that are geared more towards private clientele, charity or the public (i.e., things that are not Fashion Week) it's pretty normal operate a very small skeleton crew. We managed to get through all of the girls with fifteen minutes to spare. Sadly I don't have any pictures of the models, but I did manage to snag a couple of atmosphere shots (mainly thanks to my assistant's facebook page).

The runway stretched all around the ballroom.

Since I have such an affinity for pictures of my station. Can I just say I love my GHD Styler and T3.

From The Archives: Fox Trap

2011-03-24T10:29:00.000-07:00

I feel like whenever I post something from my archives, I describe it as "one of my favorites" but the truth is, most of the stuff that's in my book I really love. I really, really, love what I do and when you love your career, it shows in the fruits of your labor. That's not to say I haven't had a gaggle of less than stellar tests earlier in my career, but the nice thing about being in the game for years is that everything just starts to streamline- you find your style and become a part of a team (or teams) and eventually the ratio of shoots that work out to shoots that just don't mesh become more and more in favor of the positive. To any newer artists that read my blog, just hang in there, develop your style, treat every job like it's a $5000 day rate, do the best you can do and always open yourself up to new learning experiences and always, ALWAYS, make your next test better than the last.

Sorry for the brief side-bar. This episode of From The Archives features a shoot for Eliza Magazine's Winter issue... 2009... I believe? We shot at the beautiful SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Our vibe was a 60's party girl getting ready to go out. It was a beauty story, so it's a shame you cant see a lot of the fantastic pieces the stylist pulled.

Amber Kerns, doin' some hair.

I know Tyler isn't a huge fan of "action shots" but, I just love this one.


One of the set ups.

MAC provided the color product for this shoot and three of my favorite MAC products played center stage: Strobe Cream, Lipstick and Fluidline.

MAC lipstick in Chatterbox, a beautiful creamy bright pink

A long time personal favorite of mine is MAC lipstick in Lady Danger- a beautiful technicolor red-orange.

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack is ultra-smooth and longwearing and I love using gel liners to do the classic cat eye.

Strobe Cream is phenomenal on the face and on the body- it provides the perfect sheen and gives a stellar luminescence.

L.A. Fashion Weekend

2011-03-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

L.A. Fashion Weekend Sponsored by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (R to L): New concealer palette prototypes, my new favorite brushes- love love love!, My collection of airbrush guns, mostly Sparmax and a couple of Iwata Revolutions and a few of the new OCC shades.

One of my models, wearing Flawed Loose Colour and a mixture of Francine and Grandma Lip Tar. Francine hasn't been released yet, but it is SICK. A super bright beautiful neon deep orange pink.

Another one of my models, airbrushed with OCC Skin, high light is OCC Shimmer in Golden and OCC Lose Color in Burning, Lip Tar in NSFW.

If I were to show you some of my weird crew related hoarding habits, I have almost every credential, lanyard and badge from the start of my career in a box in the closet.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in NSFW

OCC Loose Colour Concentrate in Flawed

From The Archives: Great Lengths

2011-03-19T13:18:00.000-07:00

Stila Convertible Color in Poppy

This shoot was so last minute, but one of my absolute favorites. We had to climb down this awful hill to get the location, which wasn't as bad until the end of the day... when we had to climb UP the hill after shooting. Dallas has this effortless felinesque look to her and along with the bright dresses and her bright hair, I wanted the make-up to me impactful but simple. I opted to use Stila's Convertible Color in Poppy on her lips and a pale gold on her lid.

New Work: Electric Country

2011-03-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

Kryloan UV Supracolor in Bright Orange and MAC Lip Pencil in Temperature Rising

Mac Chromaline in Hi-Def Cyan


MAC Pencil in Pinkie and Kryloan UV Supracolor in Bright Pink

Kryloan Supracolor UV-Cream Wheel

Make-up by Rachel Rose DeSimone (me!)

Make-up Assistant: Teddie B.

Hair: Kristen Ess

Stylist: Sunshine & Sarah

Photo: Angela+Ithyle

These are the images from the shoot referenced in this post a couple weeks ago. I am so psyched with how beautiful these pictures are, so perfect and right up my aesthetic alley. I've been carrying the Kryloan Supracolor UV Cream Wheel with me in my kit for a while now, and I use it quite frequently. This, along with my Make Up For Ever Flash Palette are always in my kit. They are my "ready for anything" palettes. The bright neon colors make fantastic shadows, blushes and lip color. Fear not the bright, it's actually pretty fantastic.

From the Archives: Kindlelicious

2011-03-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is the Amazon Kindle commercial that I worked on with Angela+Ithyle. I did the make-up and hair and also played the part of "monster arms" for about 2 seconds. It was such a fun project to be a part of. For her skin, I used Make Up For Ever Shine On Loose Powder and MAC Strobe Cream.

The model in the commercial, Annie, writes and sings that songs in the commercial with her boyfriend (Little & Ashley). I ended up doing their press kit as well, also shot by Angela+Ithyle, this is my favorite of the bunch.

Here are a few behind the scenes shots from the commercial.

Last looks and brushing out brows, sometimes I forget how tan I am.

Ithyle directing Annie's eyeline.

Glitter, Glitter, Glitter

2011-03-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

When it comes to nail polish, I'm like a 7th grade girl. I've got a box filled to the brim with polish. I love nail polish. Lately I've been obsessed with glitter polish- there are three in particular that I love.


"Look Rich, Be Cheap"- Rescue Beauty Lounge


"Only Gold for You" - Sephora by OPI

"Sparkle-icious" - OPI

The Gallery LA/Fashion Week Promo

2011-03-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

Today I spent a few hours working with my dear friend David of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics fame. I got a chance to play with some prototypes and new colors, and it's all very exciting. What we shot today will air on Thursday on KTLA. We went with a bit of a retro bronzed look, using OCC Loose Colour in Dope and Loose Pigment in Red Oxide along with some chocolate brown shadow in the crease. Today helped me remember just how much I love to airbrush and what a wonderful tool it is to have in one's kit. Sure I don't always airbrush, but when it's mastered and understood- beauty make-up can be done so beautifully.

We shot outside of the Golden Girls stage at Sunset Gower Studios and considering my ideal paradise exists somewhere between the Golden Girls' house and Cuteoverload.com, I was pretty psyched.

A little bit of downtime during fittings, me wearing my go-to set gear: 14-hole Dr. Marten's, fabric scarf and black boyfriend blazer, it's also fun to find new places to wear security badges.

One of the female models wearing a blend of Interlace & Grandma OCC Lip Tars as a stain and topped with Rosebud Salve.

The most ADORABLE kid model. This little dude could throw a face like no other.

If you want to see more, tune into KTLA on Thursday morning and keep tabs on Los Angeles Fashion Week you can check out the official website:Los Angeles Fashion Week & The Gallery LA
and of course you can check out the official Make-up Sponsor Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics

Me and Ms. Prager

2011-03-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

UK Observer 2010- Make-up by Me, Hair by Paul Rizzo

I started working with Alex Prager in 2006 after her longtime make-up aritst and friend of mine, Lottie moved to New York. Alex and I have a shared love for subversive vintage and whether it's an image for a magazine or an art show, we always manage to produce some beautiful stuff together- not to mention that Alex is a super cool chick as well. This is an editorial we did for Tank Magazine's Fashoin Supplement in the UK Observer we shot this about a year ago and it's one of my favorite collaborations. The hair & wig work was done by Paul Rizzo, who is just a genius when it comes to hair and wigs.

We shot this editorial at the legendary Spaceland in Silverlake, if you think you haven't seen Spaceland, you are probably wrong. This bar is in so many movies, most memorably for me in "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel. The styling was brilliant, we had some fantastic McQueen and Prada pieces.


Behind the scenes, with an artsy camera app.

The make-up in this editorial was pretty straightforward- the girls all have amazing skin so in lieu of foundation I opted for luminizers- my weapon of choice for this particular shoot was Make Up For Ever Shine On Loose Powder and MAC Strobe Cream. I gave the ladies pink flush on the cheeks and lips with Stila Convertible color in "Petunia".

The Wig Wall in the Prager Studio

Skincare Shcmincare

2011-03-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

I've found so often that skincare can be an afterthought for make-up artists- I know for a long time it was for me. When I was a newer artist I just carried around some generic moisturizer and that was pretty much the name of that tune. Over the past few years I've really been opening myself up to learning about and trying many different types of skincare in my kit. So I've compiled a list of things that I like to use in my kit and some new things I'm loving a lot. There are serums and oils that I love, but I'm going to just stick to what is relevant to my kit and at the end of the post I'll let you guys have a peek into my medicine cabinet and show you what I use on myself.

From left to right, top to bottom:
1. Fresh Sugar Lip Polish- Everybody loves this stuff, great for flaky lips that need TLC.

2. MAC Fast Response Eye Cream- A quick fix for the post travel/party eyes, I also use it to sheer out Amazing Concealer.

3. Witch Hazel- Natural and hydrating toner, super basic, always in the kit.

4. Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Intensive Vitalizing Eye Complex: A bit high-brow, but a fantastic product. I've been playing with it for a couple weeks now.

5. Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25: Sunblock is a must, so a nice lightweight formula that works well layered is necessary.

6. Nude Skincare Miracle Mask: Five minutes and you've got the perfect canvas.

7. Make Up For Ever UV Prime SPF 50: A higher SPF with the added benefit of a primer.

8. Super by Perricone Lush Lips: I know I've written about this one recently, but it really deserves all of the praise it receives

9. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentrate: A cult favorite for a reason, my kit has not been without it for years.

10. Clairol Sea Breeze Original: I carry a small bottle of this in my kit for those times when I really need a powerful toner, but I use it sparingly and with great care.

11. Embryolisse Emulsion Hydra-Mat- the BEST mattifying moisturizer, hands down. Great for film, TV and event work.

My own personal skincare routine is a little less complicated. I have a few masks and goodies that I use depending on the needs of my skin, but my life pretty much consists of the items listed below.

From left to right, top to bottom:

1. Murad Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture: Super hydrating and absorbent, but not greasy.

2. Ren Rose Synergy O12 Restoring Facial Serum: People are way too oil-phobic. Oil is AWESOME. This serum and it's oily goodness give that "I just got back from a relaxing vacation" glow.

3. Origins United State Skin Balancing Tonic- I've been using this for about 10 years now, easy peasy toner that keeps my combo skin fit and ready.

4. Fresh Black Tea Perfecting Mask: Once a week or before special occasions, leave it on for 8 minutes- it's like having new skin.

5. Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash: I'm such a fan of this exfoliating face wash, it works well and leaves skin squeaky-clean.

6. Make Up For Ever Extreme Cleanser Dry Oil: When I really really really need to wash the day off, I start with this- it breaks down the most difficult to remove make-up and it does it quickly.

From the Archives....

2011-03-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

Eliza Magazine Spring 2010

Cataloggin'

2011-03-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

For the past two days I've been immersed in a catalog shoot on the West Side of Los Angeles. We started on day one in Marina Del Rey and day two was in Venice. Venice is always an interesting place to shoot; with so many interesting characters on the boardwalk, there really is never a dull moment... "Oh what was that? A man in ankle socks and a fanny pack dressed as an Aztec warrior? You don't say?!" Anyhow, here are some behind the scenes shots that I took with my new iPhone.

Model popsicles... seriously, it's true- whenever you are shooting spring/summer it's always super cold. The girls piled on blankets, sweaters and Ugg boots between shots. Such troopers!

Action shot, all fancy Hipstamatic style.

Video village

Sweet graffiti on the boardwalk.

Fisherman's Village, Marina Del Rey, CA.

I was trying to get a quick shot and the model took a sip of the hot chocolate (yeah, it's a very tropical and fancy hot chocolate)... apparently, it wasn't very good.

Miss Alex, so sweet and beautiful. Loved her.


The beasts: Hair & Make-up Kit.

Now that my bones have warmed up a bit, I want to share my favorite things that I used on this job.

This is my favorite new product by far, hands DOWN. I used Smog, Half-Baked and Darkhorse on all of the girls.

With commercial and lifestyle work you want the make-up to be long wearing and unfussy. I like to use this pencil super tight to the lashline and smudge it up just a bit to emphasize the lashes.

I used this color on everybody on this shoot, this bright coral pink is super versatile and makes a beautiful stain when it's patted lightly on the lip.

I am so in love with Super Lush Lips balm. I have one for myself and one for my kit. It is the perfect cure for wind chapped lips.

Kevyn Aucoin Powder Glow Blush in Myracle- used it on everybody and it looked stunning, I like to use a fluffy brush and get a nice sheer wash of color.

This is my secret weapon for limp hair. Shooting outdoors in a misty environment like the beach can be a hair nightmare especially with when the models are constantly messing with their hair. On day two when we were on the beach, in lieu of weighty product I spritzed a bit of dry shampoo on their roots and had them flip their hair before we started shooting.

I don't know if I'm adding this one more for me or for the models. I like to use a super fine mist to keep the make-up fresh especially after the after-lunch powder and touch up. it keeps the make-up from looking too make-up-ey.... and I really like the smell.

I try to use as little powder as possible, so between changes I like to do a quick sweep with the Clean & Clear blotting papers.

Early Call Times

2011-03-01T05:32:00.000-08:00

I am telling you from experience and from the perspective of a non-admitting "morning person"- it never gets easier to wake up and look presentable anytime before 5am. I'm heading to Los Angeles for the next two days for a sweet catalog job with a client from a couple years back and one half of my favorite styling team, Sarah of Sunshine & Sarah fame.

Oh To Be Fourteen and Gorgeous

2011-02-27T08:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when I'm on set, I get truly struck by the beauty and personality of the models. I find it very impressive that many of these girls (who are mostly 14-20) years old have managed to survive, thrive and be savvy in such a tough industry. This is one of my new favorites, teenaged Tabitha from Next LA. I had the please of shooting with her last week with Angela+Ithyle. Kristen Ess rocked the hair out, my assistant Teddie Bergman was a lifesaver and as always Sarah and Sunshine CRUSHED the wardrobe styling with a very country cutie kind of vibe which absolutely played into my love for all things Nashville. We decided to go a little bit funky and non-country with the make-up- just glowing, dewy skin and a bright technicolor cat-eye. On Tabitha I used MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in Hi Def Cyan as the liner and created the cat eye my manipulating the liner with an angle brush, I also went really tight into the lashline with MAC eye pencil in Indigo just to give a little more depth to the look and make the lashes pop. Also, don't even ask what she is wearing on her lips- because it's just chapstick... that's right, this girls lips are naturally that color.

The Make Up Show Los Angeles

2011-02-27T08:20:00.000-08:00

I'm headed to the California Market Center in lovely Downtown Los Angeles for the final day of the Make Up Show. Today (Sunday) I will be teaching a hands on airbrush workshop on behalf of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics from 3-6pm and I'll be hanging out in the booth slingin' hash, answering questions and generally believing my own hype for an hour or so beforehand. I'm looking forward to seeing everybody's smiling faces, but I am not looking forward to the gnar-gnar Academy Award traffic that always seems to envelope the city once a year- at least it's in Hollywood and fairly far away from where I am.

I was invited to come on the blogger/press preview day on Friday, where I got the pleasure of previewing some of the best products from the brands showing this year. Here are some of my favorites from the goodie bag:

Yves St. Laurent Volume Effect Faux Cils- a mini version that gets the job done.

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine- I love the lot of them, but my particular personal favorites are M4, M0, S26, S12 & D16. Lately in my personal cosmetic wardrobe I've been working out a sort of 90's throwback Mi Vida Loca nutmeg colored lip, so I love to layer S12 over MAC's Creme in Your Coffee and Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip #5C & #7C.

I was super psyched to see this in the goodie bag. A dear friend of mine assisted in the product development of Celebre and I played with it on set a couple weeks back and let me tell you, this stuff is like BUTTER. Goes on the skin smoothly and flawlessly and stays put.

Lip Tars, what are those? Just kidding! If you are reading a make-up blog, you are probably already obsessed with them- as you should be. The colors are sick and the formula is even sicker. My new favorites are Trick, Interlace, Analog and Beta.

The unsung hero of the bag. Where has this lash curler been all of my life? I never thought I'd like a curler more than my beloved Shu, but this one is better. As it turns out, Kevyn actually assisted in the product development of the Shu Uemura curler, so it makes sense that his would be of great quality as well.

Hello My Little Lotus Blossoms!

2011-02-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

Let me start by introducing myself- my name is Rachel Rose DeSimone and I have been a working as a freelance make-up artist in Southern California for six years now. I currently reside in the lovely city of Newport Beach, CA with my two dogs (Nigel & Henry) and a closet full of cosmetics. I absolutely love what I do and thank the maker every day that I get to pay my bills by doing what I love. Seriously, even on my WORST day, I make my living doing make-up... pretty cool, right? I suppose the first post in Make-Up Land should be a bit of a mission statement, eh? This blog will consist of product recommendations, tips, tricks, trends and a behind the scenes exclusive VIP pass into my career and the world of being a working make-up artist.

If you would like to check out some of the work that I've done and am doing- feel free to check out my website or my IMDB page.