Sam Fine Seminar At The Makeup Show NYC

At The Makeup Show in NYC this past Sunday, celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine shared his beauty secrets to a packed, standing room only house. The hour and a half seminar began with a standing ovation when he entered the room, and continued with Sam divulging tips on how to get ahead as a makeup artist (career-wise), flawlessly sculpt the gorgeous skin that his star clients (Iman, Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Jennifer Hudson, Vanessa Williams) are famous for, and other trade secrets. Did you know that Sam was an illustrator before he became a makeup artist? Fact: Sam moved to New York City at the age of 19 to study art at Parson's School of Design. Here, Beautylish has the highlights from Sam Fine's professional makeup seminar.

makeup secrets Sam Fine

1. I don't use color correctors. I switch foundations. The forehead is usually a different color from the rest of the face. Use a different color foundation and blend it into the hairline. [To sculpt the forehead, Sam mixed a black cream pigment and MAC cream foundation and blended it into the hairline]. You can also use a bronzer in the hairline. But contouring is easier to do sometimes with a cream than a powder.

2. Eye shadow is like a pressed powder. Apply enough so it sets. Don't be afraid of the color, just be sure that you apply enough so it won't crease.

3. You have to set cream and liquid makeup. You have a body temperature. It's going to move and break if you don't set it.

4. Apply a concealer one shade lighter under the eyes, then blend with foundation.

5. I spend the most makeup time on foundation and powder. When I was prepping Mo'Nique for the Golden Globes, I applied clear deodorant—the kind that dries down to a silicone—on her T-zone because she sweats and I knew she had a long night ahead of her. That gave me better setting for her foundation. She didn't even know what it was.

6. Keep cream foundations in the fridge.

7. Always use blush with bronzer. It gives warmth to the skin.

8. Blot skin with a single-ply tissue before setting foundation with powder.

9. Apply clear mascara in the eyebrow before filling it in to give something for the pencil to stick to.

10. Call agencies for apprenticeships. Ask to be put on their list for shows and send them your latest work. But keep in mind that assisting isn't always getting a chance to learn, especially when you're working with a celebrity who wants privacy.

11. Are you testing with pictures that show the work you want to do? Are you bringing vision to your book so people can see what you can do? Can you create a story and sell it to enrich your book?

12. You should always have a signature, but listen to what the client wants. When I started working with Patti LaBelle, she always wanted to wear a red lip. So I gave her my eye and her red lip.

Beauties, do you want more makeup tips from Sam Fine? Click here to find out how you can win a signed copy of his DVD: Fine: The Basics Of Beauty