E with her new friend at IMATS

One thing that I've mentioned that I love about IMATS compared to other trade shows I've attended is its focus on makeup artistry in industry. How are people pushing the boundaries of makeup for professional purposes? The best place to think about where these limits are being constantly tested is in movies and TV. With increasingly better technology, the scrutiny over the makeup artist's work is intense, to put it mildly. You know you gotta be good.

I loved how on the first floor as you walked in, there was a mini-museum with some amazing examples of makeup work for seriously theatrical purposes. The displays ranged from chins and cheeks to create a distinctive character... to full blown twitching and bleeding mutilated hearthrobes that are wired to work at a push of a button.

All great examples of how makeup can be so much more than just making someone look pretty. The ideas are seriously limitless! And it was all very inspiring!

Don't be confused by the Paul Giamatti picture, that's Eddie Murphy (well not the real one).

Walking Dead? No, just makeup!

Gory guts, yellow rotting flesh. You have to make it look real or go home.

If you are getting squimish, this person has done their job.

**Now For Something DRAMATIC**

NO JAKE NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!

Psych! It's not the real Prince of Persia, but a latex model wired to twitch and bleed. This was created for his latest movie, Source Code.

But doesn't it look REAL?

I still can't believe how life-like it is!

Thank you IMATS for exposing me to a world beyond perfect skin and smoky eyes.

White and Black Swans - Inspired by the movie, The Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman.

Last week while back in NYC, two of my beautiful friends volunteered to let me transform them into beautiful swans! G, White Swan, and E, Black Swan, had just seen the movie and were psyched about recreating looks inspired by the film.

Swans side view.

E as the Black Swan.

Products used for the Black Swan look:
Most of this look was created with Make Up For Ever's 12 Flash Color Palette. It's a great staple to have in your kit. The shades are super pigmented. It seems cliched to say that you can do anything with it, but it truly is a great product to have. $95 at Sephora.
Eyes: MUFE 12 Flash Color Palette, black and silver. The black was first drawn on and filled in (use tape to get clean lines, I did the winged part free-hand). Then set with a matte black eyeshadow (I used one from Inglot). Then I used the silver in the 12 Flash to create the feathered look. Set with powder if you are going out in this look.
Lashes: MUFE 25120
Foundation: lotion mixed with the white from MUFE 12 Flash, set with E.L.F. HD Powder.
Cheeks: Lancome Miel Glace
Lips: Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Terre de Feu

The Black Swan Eye.

The colors here were entirely from MUFE's 12 Flash Color Case.

Lashes are from Make Up For Ever.

Beautiful White Swan.

In the movie, Natalie Portman's character is much more comfortable playing the angelic, virginal white swan. I wanted to create a soft, innocent look on G's gorgeous face with soft pale colors and dramatic, but not heavy eyes. Her skin was taken a few shades paler for more of an angel look.

Products used for the White Swan look:
Foundation: Cinema Secrets Foundation - Kit #7
Face powder: E.L.F. HD Powder
Eye base: Nars Smudgeproof eyeshadow base
Eyeshadow and brows: Beauties Factory 120 Palette
Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero
Blush: Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Chased
Lips: Make Up For Ever 12 Flash Color Case, coral shade mixed with gloss

These eyelashes are to DIE for.

I love how etheral these lashes look.

I used two sets of lashes: 1 just a regular but wispy false eyelash to add density to G's already lush lashes; and 2 were Inglot 26F, which gave this dramatic feathery effect.

For the eye look: I used soft pinks and greys from the 120 palette.

Bottom lashes were Inglot 48S.

Thanks again to E and G for helping me recreate this really fun makeup look!

Have you seen the movie yet? Would you wear this look out? Would you like to see Beautyburg post more makeup looks?

IMATS New York - Makeup Artistry in Entertainment, Over Jake Gyllenhaal's Dead Body!

Black and White Swans - Makeup Looks Inspired by Natalie Portman in The Black Swan