Ladies and gentlemen, something very special has been brewing behind-the-scenes at Temptalia, and it appears that we are heading, in person, to New York Fashion Week! Temptalia will be spending February 1st-4th in New York City milling about the tents at Bryant Park, hoping to glimpse at some celebrities, drool over designer clothes, and have some makeup breakdowns and tidbits to share with you all. So while I am busy gearing up (and trying to find winter clothes that will prevent me from turning into an ice cube…), share with me who your favorite designer is (clothes, jewelry, shoes, whatever!).
We had the opportunity to speak to Titi Branch from Miss Jessie’s, and we couldn’t resist asking her for some holiday hair tips because we know holiday parties are in full swing–so of course, you want to look your very best, from the roots of your hair to the tips of your toes. But first, let us tell you about Titi as well as her salon and hair product brand, Miss Jessie’s. Titi and her sister Miko opened up Miss Jessie’s Salon in 1997 in response to the lack of experts in natural hair and naturally curly hair. They had the unique hair experience of being born to a Japanese mother and African-American father, and so their hair texture was always a plight for unsuspecting salons. They learned to style and manage their own hair, and this is how Miss Jessie’s salon was born. In 2004, they launched their own line of systling cremes, moisturizers, and deep conditioning teratments.
Quick tips from Titi:
Curly Pudding: A fantastic styling crème for fingerstyling. Apply to damp hair and air dry or use a diffuser to speed up drying time. Creates wonderful elongated spirally curls.
Curly Meringue: An excellent styling crème for rod setting curls. Curly Sets are great because they last through the party. A lot of us are reluctant to get out there on the dance floor because we are afraid we will sweat our hair out. Not so with a Curly set. They last long after the party is over.
For your Braiders: Apply a dab of Miss to freshly blown out natural hair. It will transform an otherwise bumpy braid to a silky smooth plait.
What are some of the easiest ways to style your hair for a great holiday look? If you are going to wear it out I think accessories are a lot of fun, pretty headbands with ornamentation are really pretty and also keep your hair out of your face.
For straight-haired girls, what are the best products to use to increase volume? Straight haired girls need to increase volume in the root area. So root volumizing sprays are good. Hot rollers for sets are great. For styling straight hair curly I would suggest a spiral rod set with Curly Meringue. Dry under a dryer and separate the set when dry.
We were lucky enough to score an interview with Anne Rogers, age 26, who has spent the past five years working as an independent makeup artist. She also works at a Med Spa in Houston. She has several educational certificates, including Dinaire Airbrush, Stage Makeup training at Sam Houston State University, an internship with Paula Dorf, an apprenticeship with Tree Vaello, and three years of employment at the corporate office of Laura Mercier. Whew!
Temptalia: What advice do you have for those wanting to become a makeup artist? Anne: Be a perfectionist! I’ve seen sloppy makeup artists who do not take care of their products and equipment. This is very unprofessional! There’s nothing that erks me more than a makeup artist who doesn’t treat expensive tools and/or products properly. I’ve also seen artists who skip out on their clients without any prior notice. It’s appalling to me that there are makeup artists out there who receive great work and credibility but they treat their clients horribly. Respect your clientele and take the time to understand their needs and wants. This is important because you’re not just there to make them look pretty, you’re there to make them feel pretty too!
Temptalia: What surprises you most about working as a makeup artist? Anne: What surprises me most about being a makeup artist is how self-conscious people are about their looks. They hire you to do their makeup and yet they sit down and tell you how to do it. It’s amusing how people look in the mirror and see something completely different than what everyone else sees.
Learn about what inspires Anne, and what tips she can’t live without. Continue reading →
Temptalia is pleased to announce the official, public opening of TotalBeauty.com. Total Beauty prides itself on independent reviews and advice to provide honest, accurate reviews for every product you could ask for. Not only that, but they have numerous articles and content that is everchanging.
Make sure to head on over to “Blogs We Love” and click on “Temptalia.” Don’t you want Temptalia to be in the top 10 blogs? We know we do! So please, do us a quick favor and vote for the blog by clicking our link.
Temptalia recently interviewed Sephora makeup artist Michelle (age 23), who has worked as a makeup artist for the past three years. She has not had any beauty-related education, other than her training from Sephora.
Temptalia: What surprises you most about working as a makeup artist? Michelle: That women come in with a bias – such as age vs. makeup – older women can’t wear shimmer, no black liner… etc. And other artists perpetuate these rumors!
Temptalia: What’s in your makeup bag right now? Michelle: Goodness – At least three different lippies from Sephora – a beigey gold sheer, a red sheer, and a coral gold, pressed white powder (Stila) Sue Devitt Black Widow mascara (love!), MUFE #2 blush, NARS Orgasm blush, Fresh lipbalm, and blotting papers from Boscia.
Temptalia: What does your 10-minute look consist of? Michelle: A multi purpose concealer (generally I use the pallettes from MUFE, so much in one!) a cream to powder foundation (Benefit makes a great one), Undressed Beige cream shadow from Dior all over lid, Zero pencil from Urban Decay lined and smudged slightly, a bit of matter bronzer all over and in the brows a bit, a volumizing mascara (Sue Devitt) and a little Orgasm on my cheeks and center of lips. I top off with a little of the sheer red lipstick from Sephora Brand and I am done!
