Success Secrets for Makeup Artists.

In case you’ve missed it, makeup artists work in competitive fields - film, TV, beauty, and fashion, to name a few. But, a handful of professionals know how to stand out from the competition regardless of where they work. Here, we share three ways you can set yourself apart from the crowd and succeed in the rough world of makeup artistry.

Photo credit: Efamous.

Know your employers.
This advice might be targeted towards recent graduates of makeup school, but it’s still important knowledge for all makeup artists. Before you can shine in any field learn all you can about who you will be working for. Makeup artists might work for ad agencies, art directors, or photographers. Discover what each type of employer is looking for and why. The more you know about your boss and how they hire makeup artists the better your chances of landing the job you want.

Master your craft.
It’s not enough to graduate from makeup academy. To truly excel in your field, it’s important to become highly skilled in your trade. This means hours and hours of practice. Whether you work at a department store or as an independent makeup artist, it’s important to practice the basics as well as the latest techniques as often as possible. Then, don’t stop practicing.

Know more than makeup.
The most successful makeup artists can do more than makeup. They also know how to style hair and wardrobe. While pursuing your education in makeup or after you’ve graduated, consider taking basic courses in hair and wardrobe styling to boost your skill set and make you more valuable to employers. Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry is one of the top schools for makeup artists in the nation. The school provides comprehensive programs in fashion, beauty, and special effects makeup.

Written by Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry.

Pucker Up! | MUA Lip Boom in OMG and Cheeky.

Last week, I did some much-needed spring cleaning with my train case. I segregated the old and nearly expired makeup from those that are still in good condition but I no longer use or grew tired of using. The latter I gave away to some of my mommy friends at school, while the former went straight to the garbage can.

And with most of my old and unused makeup gone, I now have room for new ones! Simply put, my spring cleaning was an excuse to satisfy my lust for makeup and buy myself new ones (lol) - lip products, in particular. You know how much of a sucker I am when it comes to lippies. I can never get enough of them and can never have too much of them. Haha!

Case in point, my latest haul from Updated Trends, which included two MUA Lip Booms. I was smitten just by looking at this photo, and was on the verge of purchasing all the colors.

Photo credit: Updated Trends

Created with English R&B artist Alexnadra Burke, the MUA Lip Boom is a lipstick and highlighting gloss that gives a dramatic illusion of volume to your lips, making them look fuller and more curvaceous.

Back flap.

Versatility is a key feature for the Lip Boom as they can be worn four different ways:

1. Lipstick alone for a matte look.

2. Lipstick with highlighter applied just to the centre of your lips to create a full volume illusion. 

3. Lipstick with highlighter all over for a super-glossy look. 

4. Highlighter alone for a sheer pearl finish.

Now prior to this I've had no previous experience whatsoever with MUA Lip Booms, let alone any MUA product. So I had to restrain myself a bit and settled with just two colors, the ones that attracted me the most - OMG and Cheeky.

Top: Cheeky / Bottom: OMG.

I've been on the hunt for a nice coral lipstick since the year started, and coming across OMG, I felt like my prayer has been answered.

MUA Lip Boom in OMG.

OMG Lipstick and Lip Gloss.

OMG is a pretty shade of coral, with a hint of pink to it. It has a very creamy texture, and gives a velvet matte finish. I like how it doesn't feel dry when worn, and how it does not settle on the lines in my lips. Color payoff is great, and staying power is pretty good, too. The color fades a bit after you eat - just a wee bit that needs very little retouching (or none at all) afterwards.

Bottom view.

As for the lip gloss, it comes in a matching color with tiny specks of gold glitter in it. Tiny enough that they go unnoticed when worn. Like the lipstick, the lip gloss has a distinct, sweet smell that reminds me a lot of toffee candy. It may smell overly sweet for some, but personally I like it. I also like how the gloss isn't sticky and feels light on the lips.

Swatches. Lipstick on the left, lip gloss on the right.

As for Cheeky, it's a cool toned, pale shade of pink. Think bubblegum pink ala Nicki Minaj.
It has the same creamy texture and matte finish as OMG, and the color payoff and staying power is just as remarkable. Cheeky, however, is a tad easier to apply as it glides more smoothly on the lips. Well, on my lips, at least.

MUA Lip Boom in Cheeky.

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would love this color in actual. I even had doubts if the lipstick will suit me as I was paying for it via the Multiply Shopping Cart. But hey, the color's pretty in the picture so it could be just as pretty in real life, I thought. And just in case it doesn't, at least I didn't pay too much of a price for something I might not like. The Lip Booms sell for Php 280 each - pretty affordable since you're getting two lip products for the price of one.

Cheeky Lipstick and Lip Gloss.

And as it turns out, Cheeky is just to my liking. In fact, I love it even more than OMG, haha!

Bottom view.

But I couldn't say the same for the lip gloss, though. Sure, it smells just as nice, and has the same lightweight, non-sticky feel as the OMG lip gloss, but Cheeky's is just packed with way too much shining shimmering splendid! The glitters are chunkier and more distinct than OMG's - like there's more glitter than gloss in that small bottle.

Swatches. Lipstick on the left, lip gloss on the right.

Here's how the products look like on my lips.

OMG Lipstick.

OMG Lip Gloss.

Cheeky Lipstick.

Cheeky Lip Gloss.

What I love:

- Sleek packaging.

- Affordable price.

- You get two products for the price of one.

- Velvet matte finish ala Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet lippies.

- Doesn't feel dry on the lips.

- Great color payoff, good staying power.

- Smells yummy!

What you might not like:

- Goodness gracious, all that glitter!!!

And now for the Face of the Day... No, make that Faces of the Day, haha!

Products used (for both looks):

FACE: Benefit Erase Paste in Medium, Nature Republic By Flower BB Cream in Natural Beige.

EYES: elf Liquid Eyeliner in Black, Fairy Drops Volume Burst Mascara in Black, 

Ever Bilena Original Eye Brow Pencil in Brown.
CHEEKS: Tony Moly Lip and Cheek Tint in Cherry Pink.

LIPS: MUA Lip Bloom in OMG (left), MUA Lip Bloom in Cheeky (right).

MUA Lip Boom and other Makeup Academy products are available at Updated Trends. Shop via their Multiply page, like them on Facebook, and get the latest product updates on Twitter!

And if you've tried these lippies before, let me know what you think and which colors you love! :)