my 2 fav. quotes :D
"Today I see beauty everywhere I go, in every face I see, in every single soul, and sometimes even in myself ." - Kevyn Aucoin
"Not to say there's no good men out there, it's just that they're gay and not with you." --- kareem ajani
FIRST OFF PLEASE READ THIS!! I MAY HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED YOUR QUESTOINS!!! ANND im very sorry to say, but because of the huge amount of mail that i get on a daily basis i will NOT answer/reply to questions/comments that have already been answered on my page..so if you DONT get a response it's because you did NOT read and see everything..so PLEASE look again!! and dont get angry with me!please read on :) :
I am on model mayhem!!! MM#75765 and model place MP#9061
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if u have any questions about MAC products (i tend to use it) or want opinions/suggestions PLEASE feel VERY free to ask, you're not 'wasting my time' or anything :) i will do my do my best to answer to the fullest . also keep in mind that i get SEVERAL pages of mail on a daily basis in addition to not having much time, so i WILL get your message it just might take quite a few weeks to get to it and..im currently still getting to messages from about 6 months ago..SORRY!!!
and i would like to thank EVERYONE who sends and leaves such lovely compliments!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH, i really appreciate it and i'm glad to be some kind of inspiration, help, or reference!!
and dont forget that i have posted what i used in ALL my pictures UNDER the pictures. THEY ARE ALL MAC EYESHADOWS,PIGMENTS,LINERS,BLUSH,LIPSTICK/GLOSS unless i state otherwiseand i have a blog with little tutorial-like photos, to see it just click view all blogs and then go to the right and find where it says "BLOG ARCHIVE" then click older and it'll be there. :) i also have a new blog with all the other pictures ive removed from my page so check in there too! :)
ALSO KNOW THAT ALL MY MAC PRODUCTS ARE FROM MAC A STORE OR PRO STORE. u can look at all the products, prices,and location on maccosmetics.com and see (but not buy) PRO products at macpro.com. i'd also like to mention i no longer ONLY use mac. ive been introduced to Make Up For Ever by the woman who has trained me in so many ways. she in fact brought MU4evr to the US..so im always ever thankfull for her. in addition to makeup forever i do have some Ben Nye and La Femme products as well.:D
one last thing, i promise :) ..i just want everyone to know about my 'name'. a while back when i first started gettin into makeup, there would be these weekly challenges in some makeup groups that i participated in, with my mac sisters. so a couple of them said somethin like "you're the queen of blending" and blah blah, so as a lil joke/nickname or whatever. so thinkin of them, i changed it to that and after that it just stuck, its like ppl know me as that and dont even know my real name so i just left it. i just wanted to put that out there so it doesnt seem like im all psycho into myself that i had to appoint myself as queen, like im the best in the world. haha YA RIGHT! i know there are so many other MA's out there and i mean no disrespect at all. anyway, i just wanted to put that out there that it started out as a lil nickname or whatever that was GIVEN to me by a couple beautiful and also talented girls.2
"how did/do u do that?" or "where did u learn that?" you might ask :)...i did so by blending to the best of my still-learning-self-taught ability..blending is the key to all 'eye art' ;) although i have been to school, they did NOT teach me how to do it the way ive always done it.. I just started not too long ago (2004) and it just evolved. and trust me ive come a long way so i know most ppl have the potential. JUST KEEP GOIN AT IT!!!!
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"do u work for mac?" The answer is STILL no, and quite frankly at the moment, I no longer have that ridiulous urge to do so. A lot of people have been telling me I don't need MAC and I'm starting to believe them. I mean, I've been turned down a few times, so I'm just like, "WHATEVER!!" now. I'm doin just fine with out that job anyway..I get to work when I want and with whoever I want and I still get to spend days with my little girl. Now how could I have it like that with a reg. 9-5?? never. SO right now, I'm not desperate to work for MAC..they aren't "the world" you know? and that's all I have to say about that... ;)4
"can you do my makeup for..." photoshoots,prom,homecoming,formals,a fun night out, wedding, birthday, private lessons, pageant or anything else you want it for the answer is YES! BUT! it must be in/around The Los Angeles area. There is a traveling fee for locations 30 miles outside of Pasadena. Also, i ONLY travel to you! My availability is ALWAYS taken up so be sure to contact me as soon as possible/waayy in advance!! My services include airbrush, long lasting and waterproof products...so if u are interested please send me a message with the subject title JOB or email me directly for a more immediate response to: QueenofBlending@yahoo or gmail.com so we can discuss some business!! Please only email me if you want your makeup done, I will not respond to questions or anything else!! :)
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"what brushes do u use?"
i have two brushes that i got from target , made by sonia kashuk. they were between 1.99 and 3.99. my main and only brush used for blending is a small eyeshadow brush, by her. the other i use for a more defined highlight, is a small angle brush by sonia as well. i know u can buy a whole set for $15 at the red circle botique (TARGET!) :D another main one i use is a small flat brush (i use this to put the shadows and pigments on the lower lid, its NOT eyeliner). but it has no brand or anything. ive had it for a really long time but just started using it. so there you have it, nothing fancy or expensive AT ALL!
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"whats the difference between pigments and eyeshadows? Do you use a base?" pigments are more vibrant in color, they are a lose powder and they're even more vibrant when u apply them wet! u can also mix them together to make your own colors! AND they are multi-purpose! i love using ROSE pigment on my eyes, lips, and cheeks :) another thing i love about pigments is they also come in matte..they're all not frosty/shimmer..!
and for my base, I USED to go with a cream color base but they crease way too much so i moved on to a shadestick..which is what ive been using ever since. so to help bring the colors out and keep them in place i just stick with my Beige-ing shadestick from MAC and believe me its worth the money, so no more lip balm, vaseline, chapstick, lipstick or anything crazy like that..its very damaging to your poor delicate lids!! :(
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"where can i get that kit?"
welll when i call it more of a collection :D i get all my mac stuff from my local MAC STORE in pasadena..its like my second home :) anyway, thats where i get it all..i did NOT buy it all together or as a package, ive just been collecting for a while. and please know again, not everything i use is MAC!! i think MAC is a great product for everyday use and everyday people BUT its not the best professionally...just my opinion. A TRUE professional has a wide variety of products not just ONE brand. im not bashing mac, i still use several of their products when im on the job and on myself. :)
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"who took your pictures? What camera do you use?" or "are you a model?" or "who does the makeup?"
well i am very proud to say i take 99% of all the photos you see. :D all the ones x-cept when i say it was a photoshoot. for all the photoshoots ive done i worked with REAL photographers. but everything else is me, this includes the big giant flower in the background of my main page :) i LOVE that photo. and the camera i use is a seriously old, busted, outdated, brick of a camera...a nikon coolpix 5200. secondly, NO i dont or never have been a model. i seriously blush everytime someone asks me that or what agency im with or sumthin but im definately NOT model material....unless someone is lookin for a 4'10 chubby girl haha :) and lastly, if u havnt picked it up yet, I do ALL the makeup on my page. its all my work, no one else..i dont think i would ever put up someone else's work...!
Also I'd like to ad that I do NOT use photoshop on ANY of the pictures I take with my busted lil nikon..if its a photoshoot and the photographer wants to do that, hey, thats up to him/her. But when it comes to anything on MY face..what you see in the photo is exactly what you'd see if you saw me on the street..so NO photoshop..those are straight raw images.
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"How did you get started? What school did you go to, did they teach you that? How do I get started?? Any tips for a makeup artist just starting out?"
Wellll....I made this a part of my little Q&A b/c I'm getting waayyyyy toooo many messages with these questions or related ones and I can't stand typing a huge essay to every single person that asks, but then I feel bad if I don't.
SO basically I got started in 04..then got professional with it in 05 and been going at it ever since. In 04, when I joined myspace, I joined a bunch of makeup groups (if you haven't already, JOIN SOME!! they are HILARIOUS!!!! and not just the "fights" people have) anyway, I joined some groups, who had challenges and then I really started to get into makeup b/c people kept giving me compliments and all that good stuff. SO ya, that's how I "started" and really into..
I was kinda like something I really fell into. I never really had major goals for myself, didn't know what I was good at..almost like I had nothing going on til I discovered the joys of makeup! sounds cheezy but I'm forreals!! :D
Then I decided to go to school to figure out what exactly I was doing. And like I've said before, I honestly do my eyeshadow the exact same way BEFORE school..I've just gotten better b/c Ive been able to see where I need improvement AND I STILL DO THAT TODAY! anyway, I decided that empire academy in costa mesa was the greatest option for me. I don't want to get all into it but if you are thinking about going to the school I suggest going for the intro to makeup artistry and expert artistry classes and that's it. Trust me when I say that you'll learn so much about skin and the science of light and dark, and color theory your mind will be pretty close to exploding with info. It's insane how much you get from those two classes. so take the "tour" but be prepared..it's a whole lot more than a tour ;).
now, still talking about getting started and if you're a makeup artist lookin for some tips on that..seriously, it's all about the networking. SERIOUSLY!! You just need to do anything and everything to get your name and work out there. Go to vistaprint.com and get free biz cards, join modeling or industry sites to help get yourself out there. Like onemodelplace.com, modelmayhem.com, modelplace.com, musecube,etc..I'm sure theres more but I don't know about them, YET. And PLEASE only join once you've got some decent images so people take you more seriously!! Nothing pains me more than to see some girl with horrible horrible and tacky myspace-like photos on their model mayhem..it's out of control. Same goes for models. I mean, come ON!! Who's going to be jumpin out their chair to work with you when they see a picture of your in a car with the seatbelt on, or some random bedroom pic with clothes all over the floor and dirty mirrors..bleech..
anyway anyway, get your name out there! Myspace really helps me alot..I still have no idea how I've managed to get soooooooooo many "friends" but Im tellin you it does help. business for me is really starting to pick so I'm feelin really blessed each time myspace leads someone to me. same thing on modelmayhem.
SO in conclusion,get a modelmayhem, start asking models, photographers, hair stylists, and wardrobe stylists if they need a makeup artist for a shoot. And DO AS MANY TFP/TFCD's (Time For Prints/Time For CD) as possible!!! you may be workin for free, but getting images to promote your work should and will = $$$$$. Just get practice, practice, and more practice. And when you do that practice, you're gettin your name out there!!!! It's all about the networking and meeting that ONE person or workin that ONE job that will lead you to the top. I'm still waiting for my turn.:)
Hope that helped!!
now if theres anything that i have missed out on do send me a message!! it'll be more than welcomed by me!! :)
now...
if u really care to know more ABOUT ME ..continue to read on :) i have a great sense of humor & am brutally honest...annnnd....im nice, IF you're nice ;)
my name is LAUREN ; im 4' 10 3/4" , im native american(shoshoni),scottish, black, filippino,with puerto rican. :) i do my absolute best to be THE best mother..yes i really do have a child..her name is Malaea. she was born in April 2003.. she was 5lbs. 13 ounces :) you can see a little of her in my hero section.
before she blessed me with her existance i was planning to go to college in alabama with a scholarship for tennis..but u know, plans change. i still play, in fact, i am frequently an assistant teacher for a USTA sponsored youth tennis group held at my local park :) and my other 'hobby' is piano. im alllll about classical.ive been playing for 14 years and still goin at it!
ive been thru a lot in my life..lots of emotional,physical,and verbal abuse from one particular person and a horrible x-family member of mine, BUT on my way to fast quick recovery and trying to get my life started with my passion, makeup!
another big part of me is my handful of friends :) I love my brother Harry, hes the only one to stick with me for so many years and never left my side when things were really really rough. he definately has the other half of my heart and always will. and "Auntie Bal" Val is def one of my best buds, she really is one of the best things maranatha could have given me, my hetero LIFE PARTNER..yaaa! those two and my daughter are all i need in life :)
and thats pretty much me in a nut shell!!!
heres more info if ur really myspace-ing right now :P
i'll be anyone's friend so dont be scared to send a request b/c i'll always accept....as long as ur not hating,jealous,insecure,and bitter. and if u wanna start sumthin then do it sum place else and do everyone a favor and talk all the crap you want TO MY FACE, IN PERSON....please grow up and save a whole lot of people the annoyance and ignorance of YOU!! okay? :)
and guys/men/boys!!!! DO NOT send me messages saying "your real pretty , what do u think about me?" if you have to ask other people to tell you u look good, because inside you're not sure yourself....umm...sumthin aint rite....go get that checked out...immediately
another thing
I AM HERE FOR "FREINDS"& MAKEUP & NETWORKING ONLY!!...........NOTHING MORE, IF U GOTTA PROBLEM WITH THAT DO ME ANOTHER FAVOR AND KEEP IT TO YOURSELF...
the following was made by a wonderful, helpful friend!!Denisha check her out!!
and do feel free to spread the word :D
Here's another to help spread the word!! Just copy and paste the code, that's inside the box, into any section on your myspace or anywhere else!!
this was made by: ¤« Im So Glam...I Piss Glitter »¤ !!
and this one was made by this friend ~~ Miss Odessa
i usually dont promote profiles or whatever, but hey, its MAC...so add 'them' and be sure to say u heard bout the profile from me!!!!!!
here it is: MAC COSMETICS