Welcome celebrity professional makeup artist, Belinda Moss, who has had the privilege of working on some of the most fascinating faces in Hollywood, including such names as Eva Longoria, Beyonce Knowles, Scarlett Johansson and Angela Bassett. LoveToKnow enjoyed interviewing Belinda and gaining some valuable insight to benefit us all.
Interview with Belinda Moss
Tell me what it is like to work on the big name celebrities? Are they as beautiful without makeup?
Big name celebrities are just like everyone else but they have more frequent flyer miles. They are beautiful with or without makeup. My job is to get their skin in the best possible shape for a beautiful glow that reads well on camera. The harsh lighting of photo shoots, television cameras, and fashion shows can make skin looked washed out or tired, so I need to use colors and products that compliment my clients' skin tones and natural beauty without making them look fake.
Spring is coming up; do you have any makeup trends to look for this next season?
As the weather gets warmer, your makeup should be light, both in texture and color. You should always avoid caking on foundation or going too heavy on the color, but this is especially important in spring and summer. You don't want to sweat off your makeup! Peachy pinks are a great spring color for lips and cheeks, as they give your complexion a little bit of a bright, natural looking glow to overcome your winter paleness!
Parties and Weddings pick up during the springtime. What are your tips for looking natural and dressed up at the same time?
An effective, easy way to dress up a look for parties or weddings is to apply an eyeliner in a dark plum on the upper eyelid as close to the lashes as possible. This will add an extra flare without looking overdone. I also recommend choosing one feature to "play up" when you're getting dressed up; whether it is your eyes, lips or cheeks. Sticking to one feature helps you look dressed up without going overboard.
With such a variety of makeup on the market today, how should women select the best makeup for their skin types?
The easiest way to select makeup for your skin type is to test it on yourself before you buy it (you know, to avoid adding to the basket you have of all the stuff that doesn't work!) Department stores and stores that specialize in makeup products usually let you try out their products before you buy them. Going to a department store and asking a professional is better than wasting your money on things that aren't right for your complexion.
What about lips? With so many shades of lipstick, how does someone pick the best color?
Your best bet for lips is going with a color with a brown undertone, like nudes. Everyone will look good in a nude shade of lipstick, and you can always add a color over it to dress up your look.
Are there different colors of lipstick which are best for certain occasions, skin types, or times of day?
Nudes are great anytime because they're subtle but still give you that "made up" look. To punch up the color, add a plum or raspberry gloss over for drama. Glosses alone are great for the daytime because they add color without looking extreme.
Red is a very popular color for lips right now, but you must be extremely careful when picking out a red lipstick. Some shades of red have blue undertones, and only women with very fair skin will look good in these colors. Everyone else should stick with yellow and orange undertones, or you'll risk looking like a clown or vampire! To find a yellow-hued red, look for shades with names similar to "brick," "terra cotta" and "chili."
What is the best way to apply your lipstick?
You might not want to hear this, but applying lipstick that looks great and lasts for a long time is a multi-step process! First, you need to exfoliate your lips regularly, either by gently rubbing a damp washcloth or even the damp bristles of a toothbrush across them each day. Then, prep your lips for lipstick, by applying concealer to the outside edge of the lips to prevent lip color from "feathering" or "bleeding." Next, lightly dust powder across your whole mouth- this helps to set the concealer. The next step is lip liner, which is especially important if you're wearing a brightly colored or dark lipstick, which will show bleeds more obviously. The key to lip liner is to NOT just outline your lips. You should apply a nude liner to the entire lip, not just the edges. NEVER outline the lips with a liner that's darker than the lipstick you plan to apply. To seal the lip liner, apply two coats of Softlips® Lip Conditioning Balm, which will also condition lips and protect from sun damage (with SPF 20).
After these steps, your lips will be prepped for color! Apply your favorite lipstick or lip gloss. For maximum precision with lipstick, use a lip brush to apply neatly and evenly. Like lip liner, using a brush is more important if your lip color is dark or very bright, because any little mistake will be visible with these colors. If you're wearing a matte lipstick, you might want to apply Softlips® over your lipstick as well, because matte colors can be very drying.
As a professional makeup artist, which makeup product do you think is the most important and why?
It depends on what your focus is. If you like to wear lipstick, the most important makeup product is a lip balm like Softlips, which leaves your lips soft and moisturized without feeling sticky or waxy- perfect for under lipstick. If you're more into eye makeup, good mascara is critical, as nothing will make your eyes pop like long, luscious lashes!
Professional Makeup Artist
Belinda Moss is a professional makeup artist who works with the Softlips Company. In addition to her celebrity work, she is a major spokeswoman for the lip balm brand that strives to keep your lips conditioned while also tasting delicious. Find out more at the Softlips website:
