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Gentlewoman No. 3



A Gentlewoman of Chidoriya No. 3:  

Andrea C. Samuels

Make-up artist


How long have you been doing make-up and how did you start getting into the makeup industry?
I've been doing makeup artistry for 12 years now. I started as an oil painter as a child and learned about color theory and facial anatomy at the age of 9, but my passion for makeup started when I was a teen. I practiced makeup looks on myself for a few years and I did my own makeup for my senior year prom dance. I started practicing makeup on my friends and family around age 21, I also started working at retail stores like Macy's and Nordstrom to gain more practice on different skin tones, eye shapes, and face shapes. I worked retail for about 6 years, saved up my money and I attended school to learn about makeup artistry at age 26. I am now 33 and I work in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and overseas for clients. My career has grown bigger than I could have ever imagined and I feel very fortunate to be part of the world of makeup. www.andreasamuels.com
 
What kind of make-up works have you been doing these days?
My current focus on make-up is beauty, advertising, commercial, fashion, and editorial work. I love to show my creativity and skills for different clients and brands. My most frequent client this year is Nike; they prefer very clean and fresh makeup for their models and they also give me creative freedom with the hairstyling.
 
Do you have any new & exciting projects coming up?
Yes; I am planning to teach a class about Clean and Editorial beauty makeup on Saturday, October 28th, 2017 inside my makeup studio. The class is titled, "Clean To Supreme". A lot of young Chicago makeup artists tend to struggle with their makeup application because they follow Instagram makeup trends which tend to be overly done, cakey and unnatural. I want to show young and new Chicago makeup artists the techniques I learned while assisting and working in NY fashion week the past few seasons so they can excel and grow within their artistry. The date will be Saturday, October 28th at 10 am inside Chicago Artist Studios.
 
Any makeup trends for this Winter and coming Spring 2018?
While working in NY for the Spring 2018 season, I noticed that fresh, clean skin was a pattern from designers like Prada and Bottega Veneta; they really love dewy skin to compliment the garments. Bold red and pink lipstick was a big trend in shows like Badgely MischkaKimora Lee Simmons, and Naeem Khan. Nude lips are also trending with designers like Anna Sui and Oscar De La Renta. I also saw a few shows with graphic eyeliner like The Blonds and Marc Jacobs. The trend of heavy contouring and extreme highlighting is slowly going away.
 
Any simple tips for daily skincare and make-up?
I highly recommend using a facial scrub with sugar or charcoal granules at least once a week to remove the dead skin cells on the top layer of your face. I also highly recommend using a sheet and/or clay mask to add moisture and vitamins back into your skin; this should be added to your skincare regime at least once a week. Also, adding a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer to your daily skincare will make a huge difference in your skin's elasticity, vitality, and hydration throughout the day.
 
What are your favorite products from Chidoriya's line?
I absolutely love Chidoriya's Brightening Eye Serum; I currently use this product on my clients before applying any makeup because it blends well with any brand of concealer I use. The serum has rosehip seed oil so it smells very fresh and it absorbs into the skin giving it a beautiful sheen. I love to make sure the skin absorbs a lightweight oil since the skin around the eyes is the most delicate and sensitive. I also love Chidoriya's Translucent Face Powder; I've used the powder on set working with HD cameras and it is truly translucent; it blends in very well with any skin tone while lightly absorbing any excess oil. It's one of my favorite powders to use for clients with sensitive skin or clients that prefer I use an all-natural product on their skin.
 
What's your favorite make-up line?
I have many, many favorite makeup brands, but the top 5 brands I used the most in 2017 are currently:
Nars
RCMA


What's most important for you being a professional make-up artist?
The most important thing to me about being a professional make-up artist is being clean and sanitary; it is very important to keep our makeup brushes, products, and our work area clean. Clients always look at the way we present ourselves and I always make sure I create a beautiful, clean, and colorful presentation in my portfolio as well as with my work environment. I also think being prepared for any situation is very key: This is something I learned over a long time, but artists have to be prepared for clients that might be allergic to certain products, or if we forget to bring a certain product with us to a job, we have to be innovative and create something that will work on a client in a short amount of time. I also think it is important to live in the moment: Sometimes we can get caught up thinking about a personal, troubling situation and it can distract us from doing our best at work. We have to learn to not bring our issues or problems to a work environment so we can make the client feel comfortable and at ease while applying the makeup. Overall, professional makeup artists should have fun too! If you work hard and make the right connections, this can be a wonderful, exciting, and lasting career.


All photos / Copyright by  Andrea C. Samuels

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