Maybe this conversation sounds familiar as a working makeup artist?
Client: This is great! Where can I get this foundation? Me: Well, it’s on an industry makeup website over here. (writes down name on paper) Client: …and what about this sponge? Me: Oh! I love that one, you can find it on Amazon I think, or maybe this site? I usually get it at the Makeup Show when I go. Client: Oh ok, I’ll try that. What about this lip moisturizer, I have to have this! Me: Oh! I get that at the makeup show too, makeup artists LOVE it! It’s always used backstage at NYFW and the artists we learned about it from get it in Paris when they are there. I think it originates in Australia. Client: (blank stare)
Ok, you get what I am saying here. I want to help my clients get high quality products to help them continue to put their best face forward each day that I am not around, but it is truly a hassle to have 100 different resources for them to shop from and a headache for my client and their credit card as well. I also didn’t mind the ideal of finally getting compensated for my natural recommendations as I had been making other companies money for years by doing so. For this reason I have had the serious thought of picking up a direct sales line to retail so that they can order directly from me and have product sent straight to them, but there were a few things holding me back from joining a direct sales line so quickly. I decided I had to at least have the following things in place for me to finally decide to go all in and support a line.
Many artists see getting an agent as one of their top career goals so what can you do to prepare yourself and your book to achieve that goal? Read on to find out…
“Twenty Makeup Artists. Nine Themes. Five Days. One Unforgettable Experience.”
Since it’s conception, The Powder Group has come to be known by the makeup industry as a resource that puts forward outstanding artist education, events, publications, and more. One of their annual events is an exclusive, 5 day trip to Provincetown, MA. where a group of 20 makeup artists come together to partake in a unique experience to the beauty industry as a whole.
The tagline on evolution’s logo tells you enough to entice you, enough to know you need to be a part of the experience, but not enough about what happens each day. The vagueness is purposeful. The more open minded you go into evolution, the more you will get out of it in the end. I had the opportunity to not only experience this program once, but twice, and I want to share my experience with those interested in the process.
Hi World! First off I want to say Happy New Year!!!
I’m pleased to announce since we’ve last talked I have started a company with my husband called “elevate artists”.
elevate artists is a concept that was thought up and brought to fruition by myself and my photographer husband, Luis Aragon. (With the coaxing of some amazing artist friends). Throughout both our careers we’ve met and become great friends with incredibly talented and in demand artists in every genre of the fashion and commercial industry including other photographers, digital retouchers, makeup artists, stylists, models, and more. When we opened the doors to our Washington DC based studio we invited artists to hold workshops at their studio when noticing a trend of top quality education bypassing the area. The workshops that took them up on their invitation included in demand names such as The Powder Group, Billy B., Lotstar, Jamie Nelson, Kevin James Bennett, Deshawn Hatcher, Sean Armenta, Suzanne Patterson, and more…
I pride myself in keeping my blog personal to my experiences and to reviews of things I have tried and come to love. I try not to report on a brand new product or company that is out unless I’ve tried it myself to give you my honest opinion on it. So, in having adapted this philosophy, it doesn’t surprise me when big news slips through my radar, but I am finding that news worth reporting somehow brings itself right into my face, such as with star stylist Ted Gibson!
During Inauguration Pre-ceremonies I had the pleasure to do makeup for Amy Brenneman, the beautiful actress from the show Private Practice. I came a bit early, chit chatted with her amazingly talented husband about how things have been in D.C. thus far while setting up and waiting for Amy to arrive. A few minutes later Amy came in with a hairstylist followed by two videographers. I figured she was going to be doing an interview of some sorts while getting ready. It turns out the two men were actually following the hairstylist, who introduced himself to me as Ted Gibson. The two men had been collecting footage of the events he was doing including an earlier shoot he had with Ted and Caroline Kennedy for VanityFair.
When first meeting Ted I instantly loved how polite and sweet he was and how easy it was to work with him. He completely worked around me and what I needed even after I was insisted that he be comfortable and in good spot for him to work in. It was such a nice experience that I didn’t even mind the two video cameras taping me do makeup while he was doing hair. 🙂 I truly had no ideal what a big star he was until his story started to unfold about his salon in NY and the new one he just opened in DC. When I asked him about the beautiful pink and brown boxed product in front of him he proceeded to take out a few “Styling Hair Sheets” wrapped in a shiny silver foil, embedded design, and his name on the front. He told me I could get his line at Target now and gave me some hair towelettes to try out in the future. Upon talking more about what they did and how I could use them for my own fine hair he then decided that his “Building Spray” would work great for me followed by a blowdry and/or hot rollers and gave me a bottle of it to take home with me.
He held himself in such a great manor and complimented everyone throughout the time we were there. It’s no wonder celebrities and his client’s alike fall in love with him even before seeing the final result of the guaranteed gorgeous style! Ted proceeded to give Amy an elegant hairstyle with a slightly off centered part with hair that swooped down both sides before cascading curls began to fall.
He told me he had just opened his new salon in the Washington D.C. metro area called Ted Gibson Salon & Hela Spa. It has already been visited by great celebrity names on the first day, like Anne Hathaway and Tatiana Ali. He also told me how it sat atop of a Louis Vuitton store at The Collection in Chevy Chase, MD., only minutes away from downtown D.C. How much more fabulous can you get?
Already, not even a week since we worked together I have heard Ted’s praises being sang repeatedly. While working on a model for Elite in NY yesterday I started taking out the Styling Sheets to use on her. When she saw them she shouted out and proclaimed “Ted Gibson! I love him! I just worked with him on an InStyle magazine shoot!”. It’s obvious you don’t have to be around him long to become completely smitten with the man, his talent, and with the fact he is living his dream out loud. I look forward to visiting his salon, trying out all of his haircare line at some point, and costaring with him on some random footage floating out there of us working together! 😀
You can find Ted Gibson Salon & Hela Spa at The Collection in Chevy Chase 5481 Wisconsin Avenue, Level 2 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 Contact: 301.951.4445
You can also find his complete haircare line at Target stores nationwide: Ted Gibson at Target as well as other select products at Sephora.
He held himself in such a great manor and complimented everyone throughout the time we were there. It’s no wonder celebrities and his client’s alike fall in love with him even before seeing the final result of the guaranteed gorgeous style! Ted proceeded to give Amy an elegant hairstyle with a slightly off centered part with hair that swooped down both sides before cascading curls began to fall.