Enter the Contest HERE! Beauty By Jemz is giving away a fabulous prize full of goodies from MAC Cosmetics! The prize is valued at $113.00 and contains: “Whisper of Gilt” Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($34) from the Limited Edition Holiday 2012 … Continue reading
I do lots, and I mean LOTS of photoshoots for models and commercial clients where the #1 look I end up doing is creating a, NOT NUDE, but a “natural” lip tone. This also goes for a fair number of … Continue reading
Well… I started this beauty blog not so long ago… in fact it’s been just shy of 7 months now. It really was because I sincerely have too much to say. Seriously. Get me started on makeup, hair products, skin care regiments or skin conditions and I could go on for hours. Somehow I was hoping that somewhere, someone, might actually enjoy this. So, here we are nearly 7 months later and low and behold…
Much to my surprise, I have had a TON of supporters, often from people and places I never would have even imagined wanting to support what I do and how I do it. There have been beauty lovers, makeup mavens, pros, brides, models, consumers, you name it… and in all of that support I’ve just realized there have been over 5,000 visits from 66 countries (and counting) worldwide.
Today, I am celebrating.
You guys are absolutely amazing.
Thank you to those who visit the blog, comment your thoughts and share your opinions with me and the other readers. Thank you to the Facebook followers, Twitterers, and tumblrs who are “liking” and sharing my posts and sending them through the social sphere to all your friends and fellow beauty junkies. Thanks to the gals and guys who have written to me & told me ‘How Noxzema Saved THEIR Cheeks’ too or how they tamed their frizzies with “Better than Mixed Chicks? Say What?!”. And thank you to the fellow young people who tell me I inspire them creatively or am a great role model for speaking my mind (yeesh those are bold statements!).
I hope I can continue to deliver my makeup musings that (hopefully) all 5,000+ of you have been enjoying thus far. And that I can inspire others to try new things & speak their minds too. I think we can all strive to make the world prettier with whatever tools we have, even if it’s just one brushstroke at a time.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all ❤ .
Xo Jem
As a makeup artist, hairstylist & often times stand-in wardrobe personnel, there are some things I sometimes wish a model would have done to properly prepare herself, her skin & her hair for a shoot. This is a quick checklist to make sure you’re bringing everything you need and doing everything possible to ensure your shoot goes smoothly, your pictures look fab & your hair and makeup are perfection.
Please arrive:
1: on time. Do not flake. You may be blacklisted & that team/photographer/MUAH may choose to never work with you again. Especially if it’s a TF shoot. If you’re going to be late, call. And text. Don’t send an email or MM message. Call or text directly. Communicating with your crew is vital, even if it’s just to say that your subway train is delayed 10 minutes.
2: braless or with a strapless bra or tube top on. If you are wearing a bra with straps, the straps will leave marks on your skin and may take a while to disappear after you arrive. If you’re shooting fashion or topless beauty shots, it may be best to arrive braless to avoid all skin markings. Please bring & wear a nude gstring and a black gstring. For more tips on what to pack in your bag for both male & female models, please read this.
3: with no makeup on. None. Just a clean & lightly moisturized face please.
4: hair-free. Take care of any unwanted facial hair 2 days before… freshly waxed skin doesn’t allow makeup to stick to it the same as unwaxed skin, so the face may look uneven. This includes tidying eyebrows & removing upper lip hair, excessive sideburns or chin hairs as needed. Remove all under arm hair & have freshly shaved legs up to the bikini line 1 day prior (incase there are any nicks or irritation bumps or redness that need 24 hours to vanish). This also applies to men: make sure you’ve had a proper haircut (if required to look well-manicured) within 3 days prior to your shoot. Shave and shape your facial hair accordingly. Don’t forget! Trim that back of neck hair, armpit hair, groin hair, and any other long and lengthy hairs we do not want to see. Men being hairy is cool, but men looking like a Sasquatch is not.
5: like you’ve got 20/20 vision. If you wear glasses, please take them off at least 1 hour before the shoot to get rid of the nose pad marks or just wear your contacts. But always bring an extra contact case & solution in case you need to pop them out.
6: with clean, dry hair. Preferably washed the night before, no product in it and no flat ironing please, unless you have kinky/highly textured or relaxed hair then please care for it as discussed prior to the shoot. If you have a wig or weave or clip in hair extensions, make sure it has been washed & styled properly. Do not show up with a ratty looking wig or extensions and expect miracles! Also, styling extensions can be like styling 2 heads of hair on a model, so coming with them properly treated can save a lot of prep time, meaning more time for you in front of the camera!
7: smooth as a baby’s bum. Please ensure your skin has been exfoliated & black heads/white heads removed the night or 2 before. Smooth skin is key for a beauty shoot.
8: no-ash. All body skin should be well moisturized with lotion, no oil as it leaves residue on clothing garments.
9: not in your Sunday’s Best. Please wear a button or zip down shirt to the shoot in a dark colour to wear while you have your hair & makeup done, or bring a robe. Something you don’t mind getting makeup or powder on.
10: the same. Do not make any crazy changes to yourself after you have been cast for the shoot! This means, don’t go tanning, don’t get 5 inch acrylic nails, don’t change your hair colour, don’t get a drastic haircut, don’t get more tattoos or piercings, and don’t gain or lose any weight. Unless you’ve discussed any of these changes with the shoot organizer/photographer, do not make any changes to yourself once you have been cast. The shoot depends on you showing up looking like you looked when you were given the job, so no changes please.
Coming prepped saves time, money and mostly… it makes you look more professional and desirable to work with again. With this list, you are now ready!
There are a few things models should always have with them, even if there is a full crew expected at the shoot. Heaven forbid, but if your hairstylist doesn’t show & you showed up looking like you’ve got sex-hair, the shoot is about to be a disaster. So, if you pack the following things, you should be good in a pinch no matter what disasters strike!
Please bring:
1: a good attitude. No, not a hungover attitude. A good, wide awake, energetic, ready-to-pose positive type attitude 🙂
2: makeup. These items are your basics & should be in your bag incase the MUA is not there. Items with * beside them include both male & female models.
~foundation*
~concealor
~translucent/anti-shine setting powder*
~clear brow gel*
~mascara
~eyeliner (black, white & a colour to match your brows)
~eyeshadows (neutral brown, black, shimmery white or gold if you are an ebony toned model)
~blush (a peach tone & a pink tone that flatters you, no shimmer)
~bronzer* (no shimmer)
~lip balm*
~lipstick (one nude, one red, one soft pink, one deep brown/deep plum/deep burgundy)
3: directions and phone numbers. Don’t just store them in your iPhone, print them and pack them in your bag. If you get lost & have no reception or your phone dies, you can still go to a gas station or ask a transit personnel for directions. Or if you have the numbers of the crew written down, you can call from a payphone to let everyone know you’ll be arriving a bit late.
4: hair things.
~flatiron. Preferably a round barrel that can do both straightening and curls.
~hairspray
~texturizer/messy hold gel*
~a hair elastic & bobby pins
5: clothing. Always bring the basics, even if wardrobe is provided. I have seen it happen so many times where we have used a model’s white tank or leggings.
~leggings
~skinny jeans (slim jeans for the men)*
~white tank*
~white tee if you’re ivory-medium/black tee if you’re medium-ebony*
~g strings. black, white & nude. not thongs with those thick straps in the back. g strings.
~bras. strapless in nude/black/white. pushup in nude/black/white. at the very minimum you need these 2 types.
~white or denim button down shirt*
~nylons/pantyhose, 1 nude & 1 black
~a blazer/leather jacket*
~a pencil skirt
~ 3 pairs of shoes, minimum. 1 classic black/dressy. 1 bold & trendy. 1 casual (flats, boat shoe, etc. Runners don’t count)*
~accessories. a hat, a tie, suspenders, jewelry, etc. Whatever you have that you like & is vintage, classic, or ultra trendy. Leave stuff from 3 seasons ago at home.*
6: clean nails. Nails should be freshly manicured on hands & toes with a clear or neutral lacquer. No lacquer required for men.*
7: snacks. There may be no break or it may be a long time before dinner. Bring things like fruit or veggie sticks, protein drink, granola bar, cheese wedges, etc. Nothing greasy or carbonated (which could leave your waistline bloated in photos).
8: iPod. Bring music you love. Play it while you model. Put stuff on it that will get you in the right kind of mood for your shoot. Somber, upbeat, grunge… whatever does the trick. And even if you can’t play it in the studio (for whatever reason), you can pop on your headphones in between changes and get re-focused and re-charged.
9: safety pins. Always.
10: your business card/comp card. You just never know who you might meet 😉
beautybyjemz 