Before/after

Yesterday I was hired to go do a "makeover" on someone that was to be featured in a magazine in May.  The photographer came from NY and I had to drive in to Norwalk.

I walked inside the house and met Amber--she was very pretty but her skin! that was another story.

I used my airbrush gun and try to do some magic.

Judge for yourself but these were taken with my Iphone and what the photographer took were much better.

I use a DINAIR machine...

Dr. Perricone

I have a job coming up.  It's a beauty video for "Dr. Perricone" skin products.  Some of you guys might have heard of him.  He's written a best seller book called "The Perricone Promise"--yes ladies, he tells you how to be and stay BEAUTIFUL.

I was curious as to why he was so popular so I went to his website and found his "daily blog".  Lo and behold two days ago he posted something that you all might find interesting:

He lists these risks/rewards if you have a Hispanic/Latino skin tone.

Risks:

1- Acne!--all I can say is keep your skin clean and slow down on those tamales you ate at Christmas time!

2- Hispanic skin can suffer from "exaggerated" inflammatory response from chemicals, irritants and mild trauma---I say be GENTLE to your skin at all times!

3- Can suffer from LARGE PORES-- My two cents here would be to clean your face twice a day, never go to bed with your make up on.. Have facials if you can afford it but if not do a mask at least once a week and maybe twice during the summer months.  Don't forget to moisturize.

Ok, here are the good news:

Rewards:

1- Increased melanin offers more sun protection--So all you morenas might stay out in the sun longer but still USE SUNSCREEN-- or you will get sun spots--I know from experience.

2- Not as prone to fine lines and wrinkles--   :)!!!

3- Resists sagging and loss of tone.

**One thing to remember is that Dr. Perricone seems to be referring to all my Latinas who are Olive skin and darker.  Those of you "gueras" with lighter skin --well all these things might not really apply...

Thought you'd enjoy this and don't forget the sunscreen!

If I can have anything to do with it--we are not going back to this

I was flipping the tv channels today and I caught a glimpse of a show called "Operacion Repo"  For those of you who have a more refined tv taste, it is a reality show about a brother and sister who go around taking cars back..

They are like the Latino version of Dog the bounty hunter and his wife.

But let's talk about Sonia Pizarro... Homegirl is not the one to mess with but her make up really is almost unforgettable....

Are cholas with dark lipliner...thin tattoed eyebrows, heavy eyeliner, etc still the thing??

I'm an individualist and back in the day a "new wave kid" with eyeliner on listening to The Smiths and The Cure but is this really what some Latinas want to look like?

Don't get me wrong, I like Sonia and would love to meet her but I would also love to get a hold of her face!!!

Maybe I'll get my wish and you guys will be the first to know...

Why I'm doing this...

It's been a long time coming but a blog was my new year's resolution.

I want to talk to my Latina sisters about their concerns regarding beauty.

I grew up watching my mom, sister, abuelita and 12 tias trying to outdo each other with their make up looks.  Growing up in El Salvador as a little boy I read my mom's Vanidades and Hola magazine and wondered how these women could look so glamorous.

No I didn't end up being a drag queen (even though I love them!) but I became a make up artist.

18 years later, here I am living in LA after having worked and lived in Paris, Munich, Sydney, Mexico City, Miami and New York.  

I really LOVE to talk about make up and wanted to have an outlet to talk about concerns, needs and just plain old gossip.

I want to share with you some of my favorite products and make up looks for Latinas as well as some "behind the scenes" secrets from some of my jobs.

Send me some questions and let's start the chismes!