How to cut your own hair

This TOTALLY works!

You tie up a pony-tail on the front of your head, like a unicorn, then chop off hair in a straight line. Then you cut in to soften the lines.

I tried this on my long damaged hair. I made a few trims until I got the length I wanted.  I love the layers it adds and now my hair looks healthy and styled.

Here's detailed instructions from Cosmo UK.





I also checked out this video.

I used these sheers from Sally's Beauty.




The process took me less than 5 minutes and I saved a bunch of money.
Winner-winner.

New favorite website -

I've spent hours here already.
http://beautyandthebullshit.blogspot.com/



Insider news - stuff I've long suspected.

My favorite post is the BullSh*t on Brushes.

Review of Robert Jones Beauty Academy

I've been a student of the Robert Jones Beauty Academy for almost a year.  This is a phenomenal resource for learning Professional Makeup Artistry. The curriculum is online. There are videos to watch with each lesson and supplemental handouts to download. There are quizzes at the end of each lesson.

I keep going back to the videos for reference which is why I've kept up my membership for so long. The handouts on each lesson provide additional explanations.

The videos give step-by-step instruction and I watch them over and over.  Even though I'm enrolled in an in-person makeup academy, I still need to watch these videos. Hey, sometimes I'm a slow learner so having this resource is a huge help.

The explanations are clear. Robert Jones is a long-time industry professional and not some current youtube sensation.

I find something new each time I watch. Lately I've watched the eyebrow videos in the Advanced section.  I'm glad to see he uses pencils AND shadow to fill in brows, and he uses multiple colors to make the shading look natural.

You'll find other tricks of the trade.  You can watch some of this videos on Youtube. I recommend joining the Robert Jones Beauty Academy. Don't hesitate!

Insurance for Makeup Artists

I recently purchased insurance and verified makeup application is included in the policy.

This post on Model Mayhem explains why you need insurance.

Accidents happen. Your client may have an allergic reaction to an ingredient or perhaps there's a curling iron mishap.

Here is an additional thread with more information.

Because I'm a licensed esthetician, I can receive liability insurance through Associated Skin Care Professional (ASCP) membership.

Insurance is not required by law, but it's a good idea.

One important note: I found professional liability insurance often does NOT cover the transmission of certain communicable diseases. Read the fine print!

What does this mean to you, the makeup artist?

It means you better be careful!!   Lately I've been trying out a variety of disposable applicators - just me being paranoid but also prepared. I want to use the same level of precaution on all clients for both their protection and mine. This is especially important for product applied near eye membranes and mouth.

Now would be a good time to create sheet for customers to disclose allergies.

Cosmetology code - Sanitation - California

I get tired of looking this up so I posted what I need.

Disclaimer: These regulations apply to work in a licensed facility such as a salon or Cosmotology school. These regulations do not apply to entertainment or retail industry work (still it's good to know).

Here's the link:
http://www.barbercosmo.ca.gov/laws_regs/art12.shtml

Some items I copied for my personal knowledge (it's not complete).

Topics:  Disinfecting with EPA-registered disinfectant, towels & washing temperatures, using product to not contaminate, sharpening pencils.

Article 12. Health and Safety

Title 16, Division 9, California Code of Regulations

Board of Barbering and Cosmetology

979. Disinfecting Non-Electrical Instruments and Equipment

(a) Before use upon a patron, all non-electrical instruments shall be disinfected in the following manner:

(1) Clean with soap or detergent and water.

(2) Then totally immerse in an EPA-registered disinfectant with demonstrated bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal activity, used according to manufacturer's instructions.

(b) The disinfectant solutions specified in subdivision (a) shall:

(1) Remain covered at all times.

(2) Be changed at least once per week or whenever visibly cloudy or dirty.

(c) All instruments that have been used on a patron or soiled in any manner shall be placed in a properly labeled receptacle.

(d) All disinfected instruments shall be stored in a clean, covered place which is labeled as such.

(e) If instruments and equipment specified in this section are sterilized in accordance with the requirements outlined in Section 982, the requirements of this section will be deemed to have been met.

Towels:
(b) Towels shall be laundered either by regular commercial laundering or by a noncommercial laundering process which includes immersion in water at least 140oF for not less than fifteen (15) minutes during the washing or rinsing operation.

988. Liquids, Creams, Powders and Cosmetics

(a) All liquids, creams, and other cosmetic preparations shall be kept in clean and closed containers. Powders may be kept in clean shakers.

(b) All bottles and containers shall be distinctly and correctly labeled to disclose their contents. All bottles and containers containing poisonous substances shall be additionally and distinctly marked as such.

(c) When only a portion of a cosmetic preparation is to be used on a patron, it shall be removed from the container in such a way as not to contaminate the remaining portion.

(d) Pencil cosmetics shall be sharpened before each use.

Behind the scenes Caitlyn Jenner Beauty Prep

Caitlyn looks AMAAAZING!!!

You'll find the complete list of products used and the secrets HERE. Makup Artist is Mark Carrasquillo 




What I found most helpful is the lack of contouring and this resulted in a soft look, yet Caitlyn's features stand out enough.

Whaaat??? Kevyn Aucoin's sculpting powder was used for eye shadow???  I can't wait to try this out!!

Eve Pearl salmon concealer, yup. Salmon is my favorite corrector. The result is breathtaking.

Do I need a license to be a Makeup Artist in California?

Please know I'm not a lawyer. I'm posting this for my own personal knowledge.

I checked the California regulations for Cosmetology and there are exceptions to practicing Cosmetology in a licensed establishment.

Basically, entertainment industry is excluded from requiring employees to be licensed Cosmetology professionals. Also, retail establishments are excluded.  And, you may perform unpaid work outside of a licensed establishment (volunteer work).


First, you need to know what the practice of Cosmetology includes. You'll find that in CODE 7316
This is copied from 7316-1 (A)

   (1) Skin care is any one or more of the following practices:

   (A) Giving facials, applying makeup, giving skin care, removing
superfluous hair from the body of any person by the use of
depilatories, tweezers or waxing, or applying eyelashes to any
person.

Then. you need to look up exceptions to the licensed practice of Cosmetology.
You'll find exceptions listed in CODE 7319

Specifically, check out 7319 - C
You'll see there are exceptions in California law for persons employed by various industries including the theatrical, radio, television and motion picture industries.

And, then check out 7319 - E
This explains exceptions for demonstrating or selling products.

(copied from Code 7319 link).
Exceptions to practicing Cosmetology in a licensed establishment

7319

7319.  The following persons are exempt from this chapter:
   (a) All persons authorized by the laws of this state to practice
medicine, surgery, dentistry, pharmacy, osteopathic medicine,
chiropractic, naturopathy, podiatry, or nursing and acting within the
scope of practice for which they are licensed.
   (b) Commissioned officers of the United States Army, Navy, Air
Force, Marine Corps, members of the United States Public Health
Service, and attendants attached to those services when engaged in
the actual performance of their official duties.
   (c) Persons employed to render barbering, cosmetology, or
electrolysis services in the course of and incidental to the business
of employers engaged in the theatrical, radio, television or motion
picture production industry.
   (d) Persons engaged in any practice within its scope when done
outside of a licensed establishment, without compensation.
   (e) Persons engaged in the administration of hair, skin, or nail
products for the exclusive purpose of recommending, demonstrating, or
selling those products.
   (f) Persons who render barbering or cosmetology services in an
institutional program during the course of and incidental to the
incarceration or confinement of inmates, prisoners, or persons
charged with a crime. However, all of the following conditions shall
apply:
   (1) Those persons shall complete a barbering training course,
developed by the Department of Corrections and approved by the
Department of Consumer Affairs, in the proper care of instruments and
the prevention of infectious diseases.
   (2) Those persons shall successfully pass an examination,
developed and administered by the Department of Corrections, on the
proper care of instruments and the prevention of infectious diseases.
   (3) All barbering facilities located in correctional institutions
shall be subject to all appropriate health and safety sanitation
standards, as determined by the Department of Corrections.

------------

A little tech talk for MUA's - How to create your blog and use a custom domain name

These are the steps I used:

I decided to start my online presence with a blog while I work on my portfolio. I expect my portfolio to take at least 6 months to prepare. In the meantime, I'll write posts and see what happens.

This post will discuss how to setup a blog with Blogger and then use a custom domain name for your blog, such as www.mydomain.com.

STEP 1
Get a Gmail or Google Apps account.  Blogger is now owned by Google and they require you to have a Google account.

I have a Google Apps Pro account, which is more advanced. It allows me to receive email at a custom address that's not "@gmail.com".

STEP 2
Create your Blogger account and create the blog.  This has been completely streamlined. Just find the "B" logo on your Google account, click on it, type in the name you want to call your blog, then click Create.

Here are detailed instructions: How to Start a Blog on Blogger

STEP 3
I recommend creating a few posts and customizing how the blog looks.


STEP 4
Get a custom domain name.  I like using GoDaddy.  Use the search field to see if your domain name is available. The domain name is what you want to call your website. For example, the domain name for this blog is www.mualisa.net.  Find something you want and purchase it.  I usually don't purchase any add-ons.

Congratulations, you're almost there!


STEP 5
Link your custom domain name to your blog. In other words, when you type in www.yourdomain.com, you will be forward to your Blogger site. Your Blogger site will be your website.

This step has a few sub-tasks. You'll edit some things on the GoDaddy administrator panel and then you will edit some things on you Blogger account.

Follow these instructions are from GoDaddy to map your domain name to your Blogger site.



Additional Instructions:

Custom Domain Setup on Blogger with Godaddy.com

How to Setup Godaddy Domain with Blogger

STEP 6

Create a CNAME record at Blogger for your custom domain.

This is another thing you need to do in order to connect your Blogger site to your custom domain name.

Instructions:
https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/58317


More instructions for using a custom domain name for your Blogger site:
https://support.google.com/blogger/troubleshooter/1233381?rd=1
 - There will be check boxes you fill in to continue the instructions as you follow.


You'll notice when you update your Blogger settings. It will give you an error message.

blog.mualisa.com is forward to www.mualisa.com.


Other things:

1) Change MX records at GoDaddy or your domain provider.  When you send to you@yourdomain.com, the mail will be sent to your domain account hosted by Google Apps.

Google instructions for changing your MX records - do this at GoDaddy or wherever you're registered.
https://support.google.com/a/answer/174125


2) Change CNAME records.
https://support.google.com/a/answer/47283?hl=en

Again, do this to forward your blog.yourdomain.com and calendar.yourdomain.com to your Google Apps account.


3) Add a domain alias at Google Apps if you own more than one domain. I use this to send email using different domains.
https://support.google.com/a/answer/53295


4) Edit account settings in Google Apps to send out using a different email address. I noticed I need to wait awhile in order for the domain alias change to propagate. This can take a few hours.

Today I joined Michael Vincent Academy

Today I joined the Michael Vincent Academy for Makeup Artistry.  I'm very excited. The signup process was easy and the customer support experience was excellent. Marco answered all of my questions and I'm ready to get started.

What is the reason I joined?  I need practice! Plus I could use the extra kick in the tail to jumpstart my MUA career. I've been slacking off lately so it's time to rev-up! When I visited up it looked like they were preparing for a photo shoot. There were people in the waiting room who flew in from New York just to use the facilities. I was very impressed. Visiting the location and checking out the facility confirmed my decision to join. They're fully equipped to shoot videos (I saw the green background screen) and they were also preparing for a runway show. I felt this is the place where I would learn all of the necessary makeup skills to be comfortable in many professional situations, so I signed up.

I look forward to this experience and expanding my portfolio!


Note:  I'm totally obsessed with Michael Vincent's photography of Christina Hendricks.

Bonus: I get to see Christina whenever I walk up the stairs.