More Samples from NYX Cosmetics

I received the 2nd box from NYX Cosmetics today! I feel so blessed :). NYX is one of the cosmetics brand I respect as it focuses on affordable price, quality, highly-pigmented products and it's against animal testing. That is why till today, NYX Cosmetics is not sold in China, as to market the products there means these products must be tested on animal. So I have here in the package various types of foundations, blotters, concealers, eyeliners, eyeshadows, blushes and lip colours. Will post on my favourite item soon and also the face chart ideas - so if you happen to be in Malaysia, Sephora Kuala Lumpur and Penang have these products. Go try and get 'em!

Samples for NYX Cosmetics Fall 2013 launch in Malaysia

The first box I received from NYX Cosmetics! Huge and heavy, I could hardly wait to unwrap my present. Well, these are the samples for NYX products sold in Sephora Malaysia. I have been selected to represent NYX as their Makeup Trainer in Malaysia. At the moment, I really do not know where to start. There are just too many awesome products here and the colours are really pretty. So, I will be testing these products soon and will be writing on which are my favourites. Stay tuned too for the face charts created from these products!

Makeup Artist Brush Belt from NYX Cosmetics

I'm so happy and excited to receive this brush belt today. NYX L.A. is town to prepare for NYX launch in Sephora Singapore in August this year. I have a leather brush belt which I got from Stage back in year 2010 but the design is a regular brush belt design where most of the compartments are meant for brushes. As I use airbrush  most of the time, I don't need too many brush slots. Hence, when I saw this brush belt in NYX 2013 catalogue, I fall in love instantly. It's just exactly what I need. There are many compartments and some with zipper too. There are 3 key-rings attached. At the back, there is another pocket with zipper which I can slot in cash / card while on set. A handy tool that will definitely be my companion for a long time. 

Easter Inspired Makeup

Featuring Pink & Purple Eyeshadow and Blue Eye Liner. Using MAC Cosmetics Face Chart Template.

Let's Go Green!

Here are the different eye makeup you can create just by using an eye palette of Black, Green, Gold / Yellow and, Beige / White. Using MAC Cosmetics Face Chart Template.

Halloween Special Effects Makeup - Featured by Youth.sg

With Halloween coming up next week, I'm sure a lot of people have been checking online video channels to find out how they should dress themselves up. I am so delighted when Youth.sg contacted me early October saying that they would like to do a feature on DIY Halloween Makeup and Professional Halloween Makeup. Well, makeup effects come in various stages. Of course for the professionals, products we used are mostly imported from L.A. or London, and the mixture is a little more complex. However there are various easier methods on creating wounds and nasty looking skin just by using simple materials like tissue, latex and gelatin. Well these are products Professional Makeup Artists were using ways before we started using silicone.

So in this video from Youth.sg, I was using gelatin and glycerine for the skin. And I use food ingredients for DIY blood. One thing I forgot to mention, in order to secure the gelatin on the skin so that it stays longer, you can seal the entire surface area, especially the edges, using eyelash glue such as DUO.

The second video features a technique used by regular professional makeup effects artist using silicone and alcohol-based products.

The full article by Youth.sg is available at http://app.youth.sg/Home/Articles.aspx?id=2108

So here are the videos direct from Youtube. Enjoy!

Sincere thanks to Wan Munirah and Youth.sg for this feature!

Guilin RC Dramatic Makeup & Hairstyling Competition 2012

When I heard that Bukit Gombak Guilin RC is organising a Dramatic Makeup, I decided to offer assistance in helping promote the event to fellow Makeup Artists in Singapore. Afterall, there are almost no such opportunity for Makeup Artists, especially the junior ones, to shine. There are competitions organised by Makeup Schools, but they are all meant for their current or ex-students only. 

So, instead of just focusing on Makeup Artists in the west, the competition becomes open to Makeup Artists islandwide but subject to those with less than 2 years full-time makeup artist experience. So I came out with the Poster -  a dramatic one to entice promising Makeup Artists to come and participate. So as to be neutral, I did not use any photographs from my portfolio - rather, I purchase a stock image online for this poster.

Rigo Foong, the coordinator for this event then invited me to be one of the three judges for this competition. I was deeply honoured by this invitation. 

Host for the event was Ms Low Yen Ling, Adviser to Bukit Gombak GROs and MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC.

14 participants were shortlisted to participate in this LIVE competition. Most were from Makeup schools all over Singapore. They were each given 3 hours to create a dramatic look on their model. While the MUAs were busy with their work, as the judges, we walked around to evaluate their performance. The participants were judged based on hygiene / cleanliness (5 marks), reflection of theme (15 marks), design (15marks), application technique (15 marks), hair design (10 marks) and overall styling (15 marks). As a judge, I would say it is tough to award marks on design as most of the participants did really well on this. However one of the factor that some lose out is hygiene / cleanliness. The sight of dirty brushes and brush pouch really turn me off. So, MUAs - if you need to place sponges on the table, please remember to line it with a tissue or paper towel. Another factor that makes some of the MUAs score less is also originality. I spotted a few copying artworks from others that I have seen online. With all these taken into consideration, we then came to an agreement on the winning 3. So, the award was given to:

1st Prize: MUA: Shradha Agarwal; Model: Femina Chaudhry
2nd Prize: MUA: Fizah Saujana; Model: Zarifah Jean Grey 
3rd Prize: MUA: Valerie Lim; Model: Jojo Joanne

Overall, I would say all the Makeup Artists who participated did a fantastic job for making the competition so exciting. Hopefully this event will be organised again in year 2014.