Win It! Yaby Cosmetics World of Pearl Paints Palette!

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED!

Because you guys are such awesome people I've decided to do a wonderful giveaway.  I want to share my love for Yaby Cosmetics with everyone.  Some already own Yaby products and some don't (yet).

Yaby was developed by Toroto makeup artist Liz Yu, when searching for a solution to condense her ever-growing kit.  After going through a number of DIY kit solutions, (which were all eventually replaced due to difficulties in finding easily sourced DIY materials) Liz decided the only solution was to create a more permanent and easily customized way for all artists looking for an answer to their kit's organization.

Business Cards - Revised

Business Cards...that lovely 2 x 3.5 piece of paper that you give out...that people keep...that plays a part in getting you work.  A while back I had done a blog post on business cards.  I stated that keeping it simple is the best way to go but if you wanted to add a photo, it had to be tasteful.  Well, my opinion on that has changed.

As artists, we see a blank canvas and we just can't resist filling it up with art and color.  Some people like to put images of their work on their cards and some don't.  Putting an image on your card is totally up to you but remember, it can make or break your card.  Which is why when I am asked "should I put an image on my business card?  If so, how many images should I put?"  My answer...NONE!  Yup, you read that correctly.  None.

Here's why:
* If I put a clean beauty image on my card and hand it out to a fashion client, they're going to assume that all I do is clean work and cannot execute a fashion story.
* If I put a fashion image on my card and hand it out to a catalog/TV client, they're going to assume that all I do is fashion work and won't be able to execute clean every day makeup.

So in turn, I've just lost work because the client assumed that I can only do the kind of makeup that is on my business card.  "But, Yisell, they can always just go to my site and see that I have lots of other work."  Yes that is true...but do they really go to your site?  Does anyone go past page 1 or 2 when searching Google?  Once they see the photo on your card, they won't see a reason to go to your site.  But if there's nothing there, the WANT to see more.  Like the lovely Michael DeVellis once said "Putting a photo on your card tells only ONE story."

Also, what if you've given away your business card 5 yrs ago, and your current work has gone a major improvement?  If I'm looking for a makeup artist or an assistant, all I have is that picture from 5 yrs ago that isn't the best.  What do you think is going to happen?

What should be on your business card?
* Your full real name.  Not "luscious lips makeup" or "sparkles of glitter".  First Name and Last Name (ie: Yisell Santos).

* What you do.  "Makeup Artist", "Hair Stylist" or maybe you do both "Makeup & Hair".

* Your website, which should be your first and last name.  Not "sparklesofglitter.com" or "makeupblush.com".  It should look like this: yisellsantos.com or jessicachoimakeup.com.  Why?  Because "sparkles of glitter" is NOT your name!  I don't say "hey, so glad to see you again sparkles of glitter", I say "hey, so glad to see you again Jane Smith".

* Your email address.  Preferably it should be with yourname.com.  Not gmail or yahoo or aol. (ie: contact[at]yisellsantos[dot]com).

* Your phone number

What should not be in on your business card:
* Photos (as per discussed above)

* Crazy Clipart (or as I like to call it "Foo Foo").  What registers as foo foo?  Clip arts of glosses, mascara wands, powder puffs etc.  Those are extra unnecessary things that your card does not need, causes a distraction and can make your card look amateurish.
NOTE: Foo Foo is not to be confused with Logo's.  Logo's are perfectly ok to have (see Liz's card below).

Here are some examples of really great business cards (phone numbers have been blocked out for privacy purposes):

Liz Washer

Front

Back

Victor Amos

Front

Back

 Mine

Front

Back

Freelancing, Filing Taxes and Keeping Receipts

Filing your taxes and keeping receipts/records of everything is a daunting task but a very necessary one.  Keeping track of invoices, receipts, pay stubs, tax forms etc. is one of the most important things as a full time freelance makeup artist.

Because we are freelancers and most jobs do not take out taxes, when tax season comes most of the time you won't get a return.  It's not like a day job where the government takes out taxes every week from your pay and at the end of the year you get it back.  Most of the time you will probably owe the IRS money.  How much money?  Well that all depends on how much you worked and the amount you made that year  That's why it's important to keep your receipts.

Tax Forms

At the end of the year (or the beginning of the new year), the companies you worked for will send you a tax form only if you made $500 and above.  If you worked for X Company one time in 2011 and only made $400, they are not obligated to send you a tax form and you don't have to claim that in your taxes.  But if you worked for X Company 10 times and made $4,000, then by law they are entitled to send you a tax form (make sure they do) and you must claim it in your taxes.  If it goes unclaimed, I promise you it will come back to you the following year to bite you in the butt.

You will get multiple tax forms so make sure to keep them in a safe place until every single company you worked for sends you a form.  Once you have them all in your possession, that's when you take it to your accountant.  Discuss with him/her what would be best for you (depending on your status).  Are you married, single, kids, no kids, do you want to file joint or separate etc.

Receipts

Any and every time you make a purchase for your kit, for a client, for a production, you must keep all of your receipts.  This can help your taxes when filing for a return (if any).  You purchased these things to get the job done, therefore it counts as part of your work expenses.  Type of receipts to keep:

• Transportation - If you took a train, a bus, a ferry, a plane or even if you drove there and filled up your tank.
• Makeup/Hair Products - A can of spray, a simple eyeliner or a sponge.
• Literature - Any magazine or a book you purchased for reference or to help you create a character.
• Food - If you were on the job and you bought an iced coffee or a sandwich.

It is best to keep your work expenses separate from your daily life/home expenses.  It's just easier for you and everyone else at the end of the year when you have to calculate everything.  If you go to Target and buy a lamp and a mascara, have the lamp on one receipt and the mascara on another.

Misc.

Now lets say you worked a job in December of 2011 but your paycheck doesn't come in until February 2012 (and it's dated 2012), you will not get a tax form from that company until early 2013.  Technically it doesn't count as a 2011 job.  Because the date on the check says 2012, that's the year that it applies to.

Shoeboxed

I recently just found a wonderful app for my iPhone called Shoeboxed.  I wish I would have found it sooner, would have definitely made my 2011 receipt tracking a lot easier and more organized (I admit, I lost some receipts along the way).  This lovely app keeps all of your expenses tidy and tied in a little bow.  All you do is take a picture of your receipt, press submit and the lovely shoeboxed team does the rest (they input the date of purchase, amount, name of store...all that jazz).  Once the receipt has been processed they send you a friendly email pretty much letting you know that they're awesome and that everything is finished.  Best part?  The app is FREE.  You can email yourself reports and even log on from a computer.  Here are some pics I captured from my iPhone app.

Now at the end of 2012, I don't have to calculate anything.  Shoeboxed does it for me and I have less stress and more time to do other things...like shopping!

NOTE:  After some research (and a very good question from a blog reader) I read in the reviews (not in the info section of the app) that you get up to five free receipts per month.  You will then have to purchase additional receipt storage at .50 cents a pop OR $9.95/month.  Personally I think it's worth it (I only shop when I need).  

Please note that this is how I do my taxes.  Different states have different laws.

If anyone has any questions at all, I'm always more than happy to respond and help to the best of my ability.

Royal & Langnickel Brushes

A few weeks back I was invited to a Royal & Langnickel Blogger Breakfast where they would have a complimentary breakfast, a presentation by Kevin James Bennett and complimentary gift bags.  Inside the gift bag was a Royal & Langnickel S.I.L.K Pro Synthetic 12 Piece Set and a Majestic 7 Piece Paint Brush Set.  I know what you're thinking, Paint Brush Set?  As someone with an art background (drawing, painting etc) I've purchased art store paint brushes to use in my makeup kit.  Sometimes the art store quality has been better than some of the beauty brushes out there.

Royal & Langnickel is a family owned business that started out making paint brushes and within the past few years started making Beauty Brushes as well.  One of their best sellers is the S.I.L.K Pro collection and I have to say these brushes are absolutely amazing.  They're soft to the touch and literally just glides over the face for a flawless finish.  The construction of the brush itself says a lot.  The ferrule (the metal part that connects the bristles to the handle) is made of chrome-plated brass which pretty much guarantees that the metal wont deform or rust and because the ferrule is pressed twice into the hard wood barrel handle, your brush handle will stay put and never become loose or fall off.  My favorite brushes from this set is the Angled Eye Shadow Brush and the Blush Brush.

SILK Pro 12 Piece Set

The SILK Pro 12 Piece Brush Set Includes:

Powder Brush

Blush Brush

Eyeshadow Brush

Foundation Brush

Smudger Brush

Liner Brush

Eye Fluff Brush

Eyeliner/Brow Brush

Flat Liner Brush

Brow/Lash Brush

Concealer Brush

Lip Brush

Majestic 7 Piece Round Short Handle Paint Brush Set

The Majestic set is also super soft and already I've used them for applying foundation on face and body, concealer (both large and small areas), smudging eyeshadow and applying lipstick/gloss.  Another thing that I love about this brush set is that the handle comes with a slanted end which is absolutely perfect for scooping out product (in the case that you don't have a spatula or mixing knife).

Majestic 7 Piece comes with brush no. 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 & 24.

As for the event, the Royal & Langnickel staff and president were so nice and helpful in answering any questions I might have had.  Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

For more information on Royal & Langnickel, their brushes, brush sets and instructional how to videos please visit www.royalbrush.com.

A Secret Weapon for Skin Care

A Secret Weapon for Skin Care
by Laura DeAngelis, NASM CPT, AFAA Group Exercise Instructor 


No doubt you visit Yisell’s blog and website for great tips about how to keep your skin looking its best. Whether it’s a skin-smoothing body scrub for the shower, oil-free foundation for the face or night cream to keep those Crow’s feet at bay, many of us invest in products to maintain a healthy glow from head to toe. Well, guess what? There’s a secret weapon that can help these products do their jobs even better. It’s called exercise.

There are a several ways exercise can improve your skin’s appearance:  

1. Bye-Bye Toxins! Whether you break a sweat with a morning run, after-work interval training on the elliptical machine or a Zumba® class, sweating cleanses the body of toxins that can actually clog pores and cause breakouts.
2. Boost Your Blood Flow! One of the countless benefits of exercise is that it increases blood circulation throughout the entire body. That means better delivery of oxygen and nutrients to all your organs, and your skin happens to be the largest organ in the human body. Considering many of us purchase skin care products based on the beneficial nutrients they contain, exercise is a way to compliment those products from the inside out by pushing essential nutrients to the skin so your skin can radiate a  natural glow.
3. Get Rid of Stress! It’s no secret stress has a laundry list of negative effects and wreaking havoc on your skin is one of them. I can honestly say a good workout has always been able to right whatever ailed me whether it was a stressful day at work or a challenging time in my personal life. Stress can also lead to flare ups of certain skin conditions including psoriasis, so exercise can be one way to this aggravating factor in check.

One final note: It is crucial to keep your body fueled with the right foods if you want your workouts to produce maximum benefits, including healthier-looking skin. As a lifetime Weight Watchers member, I follow what I call the “everything-in-moderation lifestyle,” and my daily diet is filled with healthy options like fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean protein. Here’s a link to an article that lists some specific foods that have been linked to better looking skin.  

If you’re still looking for some motivation to incorporate fitness into your life, hopefully knowing you’ll be on your way to achieving that healthy glow from the inside-out will get you moving and start your journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!

Laura DeAngelis is an independent personal trainer in New York City who received her certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). She’s also a certified Group Exercise Instructor through the Aerobics & Fitness Association of America (AFAA) and a Licensed Zumba® Instructor. When she’s not training, Laura currently works as the Director of Production at West Glen Communications, Inc. where she also hosts “Health & Home Report.” For more of Laura’s health and fitness tips, check out her blog at LauraLovesFitness.com

How To Handle Peer Over Stepping

In a world where there are so many creative minds all in one room, many times your peers don't realize that they're crossing the line from suggestion to direction.  I'm always open to suggestion.  If you can improve on something, why not?  But when your peer is actually giving you direction and over stepping the boundaries, something needs to be said.

I had this happen a few months back where the stylist of a production I was working on was doing a lot of over stepping.  He felt that because he was friends with the director of the project, that he can tell me what to do.  He was pushy, loved to hover instead of doing what he was originally there to do and I even caught him "adjusting" makeup & hair! As many of you know me, I wasn't having it.  I took steps to make him aware that he was over stepping his boundaries.  Sometimes following these steps works and sometimes it doesn't.  Whether you want to deal with it or not is completely up to you.  Here's what I did:

• I spoke to the AD (Assistant Director) about how I felt.  She pulled him aside and expressed how I felt (that didn't work).
• I spoke to the 2nd AD (that didn't work either).
• I pulled him aside myself and expressed how I didn't appreciate his constant over stepping (that worked for all of 2 days).

In the end, the production and I didn't see eye to eye so it didn't work out, but I can't say that I never said my piece.  It works the same in photoshoots.  Be open to suggestion but the minute it feels like someone is over stepping, stand your ground.  If one runs you over, they all will and you've lost all control of the situation, and that's never good.  You don't have to be mean about it, but a simple "I appreciate your input and I'm very open to suggestions but I feel that you're trying to take over creatively...."  That may or may not work and it may or may not feel tense for a while but you have to express how you feel.  You were hired for a reason and that's to do makeup.  Because the client trusts that you can execute the job.  If they wanted wardrobe to do it, they would of hired them.

A Little Extra...
Did you know that in the real (union) world of TV/Film if anyone over steps their boundaries you can be fired on the spot?  Whether it's hair or makeup or props, you're there to do what you were hired for and in no way are you to over step or give any kind of suggestion (unless you're the director, producer etc).  A friend of mine who's in the union told me a story about a makeup artist who lint rolled the actor (that's wardrobe's job).  Although she meant well, she over stepped and was heavily reprimanded.  If you're makeup, you're makeup.  That's it!  You can't go around handing out bobby pins (that's hair) or giving out band aids (that's props).  Take care of what you were hired to do and everything will go smoothly.

New Work - Ferragamo Catalog

Salvatore Ferragamo Spring 2012 Collection

Always a pleasure to work with the Ferragamo team

Makeup & Hair by Yisell Santos (Me!)