Showing posts with label Matin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matin. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Re: Is there a beauty junkie who doesn't like Sephora?
Yes, there are really beauty junkies who don't like Sephora, including makeup artist Matin Maulawizada, whom I interviewed for this blog.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin - Part 1
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| Matin Maulawizada |
Because of the length and range of the interview, it will be split over three postings. This post focuses on his upbringing in Afghanistan and what he learned about beauty in Afghanistan.
1. Your biography states that you have six sisters. Were you the only boy?
Yes, I am the only boy.
2. What was your first language?
It is called Dari. A language spoken in Afghanistan and a few other central Asian countries inhabited by Tadjik tribes.
3. What beauty rituals did you observe your mother, sisters, and other female relatives do? A magazine article said that you learned threading by watching your female relatives, but were there any others? What about mehndi (henna), lining the eyes with kajal?
Yes, I learned most of beauty trick watching my sisters go at it decades after decades. My mom would be running around with a masque on her face ordering the staff at the house on what to do and what to cook, a sister would be screaming from pain of waxing her leg, the other would be threading her upper lip, yet another one would be painting her face… It was NICE ;-). My main inspirations were my sister Mina who did incredible eye make-up on herself in the 60’s and 70’s. She cross dressed she had a Beetles style haircut until 11th grade, then did a complete turn and joined miss Afghanistan and got very fem, my sister Shakila is absolutely gorgeous and I used to sit with her and watch her get ready to go out with her fiancé in the 70’s, my sister Trina with her super smokey eyes, pale skin...wow...great 80’s face. So I watched and absorbed these looks not from the books or movies but right in front of me done by very beautiful, very talented women who were my sisters. Kajal and Surma (khol powder) is used by men, women in children in my country (Afghanistan) so it is of course my most favorite thing to use.
4. Would you care to comment on beauty as an act of resistance under the Taliban?
On one of my trips back to Afghanistan, I met a brilliant man that produced lipsticks, nail polishes, facial bleaching creams etc in his garage during the reign of Taliban and sold them to the underground beauty parlors. Make up is IS a form of expression in today’s Afghanistan, it is theatrical and it is a way to show the world that you are modern. You don’t wear it at all and when you do… you go ALL OUT.
In Part 2, Matin talks about coming to the U.S., breaking into the beauty business, and making it.
The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin - Part 2
In Part 2 of The Style Page interview with Matin, Matin talks about coming to the U.S., breaking into the beauty business, and making it.
5. What brought you to the U.S.?
Life brought me to the US. I needed to go to college and we were politically exiled from my country, so we ended up as political refugees in the US.
6. Your biography says that you got into makeup on account of your college roommate. Tell me about his or her influence on you.
As I mentioned, we became political refugees. My family lost everything during the Soviet occupation and I had to pay for school. I was flipping burgers in East Oakland until 3 am. Then finally got a job selling perfumes at the stores on Union Square in SF. My father finally found someone to smuggle him out of Afghanistan and finally joined us in the US after 6 years. I moved out when he arrived, moved to the city with my roommate Marti whom I met teaching modeling at the Barbizon school of modeling in SF (Don’t even ask how and why I got a job there ;-)). She worked also at Neiman Marcus as a make up artist. When I needed a job, she suggested to interview with her boss and she told me how the make up thing worked. Next thing I know, I had a job offer.
7. How did you learn to become a makeup artist?
I do calligraphy and was always good at drawing. Make up was a very natural process for me. I often say that one has to “listen” to the skin and it will tell you what it needs. I guess some of us are born with that “ear”. I do not have formal training. I learned from working at make up counters during my undergraduate years in Berkeley and then I assisted Laura Mercier.
8. Your biography states that you worked as a research scientist after earning your masters’ degree. Was your decision to become a makeup artist full-time sudden or was it something that was planned over time? When did being a makeup artist full-time become feasible?
I had an offer to do an event for one of the cosmetics company that I had worked in the past. After that job, I realized how much fun I had doing make up. I woke up one night thinking about creating a make up line. The next step terrified me. It was to move to NY, starve for a few years and maybe make it or I though maybe I could become a trainer for a cosmetic line or a national make up artist. Without applying for any jobs, I got 3 offers in the next two weeks for exactly that position. That just blew me away. I took it as a sign and let the universe take care of the rest. Doors opened up, I met Laura Mercier and my agent Timothy Priano. Laura Mercier line created a position for me and Tim told me to look for him should I move to NY and seek representation. It was like magic. I worked for Laura full time for a year, then moved to NY and went to see Timothy. Now if I knew how little money I was going to make in the beginning, I probably would have talked myself out of it but ignorance is bliss and fate is a strong cushion to lean on.
9. Tell me about your first big break as a makeup artist. What event gave you an entry into the world of being a celebrity makeup artist?
My first full page beauty was for Glamour magazine. Kate Moodie (style director of the magazine then) hired me to do it. I met her during a beauty shot when I was still assisting Laura. Then a few months later, my 3rd year in NY that I got a BIG break. I was working for Laura Mercier 3 days a month still and I got a job for ELLE magazine to shoot a model for a bathing suit story. I was to make a white girl black from head to toe. “Bien Maron” was what the Fashion Editor (Carlyn Cerf De Dudzelee) told me. The photographer was non other that Gilles Bensimon. Intimidated I woke up at 4 am to get the girl painted and ready for a 7 am call time. I was shy, totally stayed on the side, didn’t really fit in at the shoot but the stylist was kind enough to include me in everything. We ended up doing a fashion and a bathing suit story. This meant 16 pages in my portfolio that I didn’t have. I was thrilled and very grateful. At the airport waiting for our luggage, Gilles who hardly said a word to me during the shoot tapped on my shoulder and with a very THICK French accent said: “I’m shooting Liv Tyler for a cover next week and want you to do the make up for it”. WHAT??? Usually you have to slave and test for years in order to get an opportunity like this. I thanked him and truthfully didn’t believe him. 2 days later my agent called and told me that I was booked for the cover. When the magazine hit the stands, I had the cover and 31 pages of work inside the magazine. I did 6 of the 8 remaining covers that year and it launched my career to a completely different level.
Part 3
5. What brought you to the U.S.?
Life brought me to the US. I needed to go to college and we were politically exiled from my country, so we ended up as political refugees in the US.
6. Your biography says that you got into makeup on account of your college roommate. Tell me about his or her influence on you.
As I mentioned, we became political refugees. My family lost everything during the Soviet occupation and I had to pay for school. I was flipping burgers in East Oakland until 3 am. Then finally got a job selling perfumes at the stores on Union Square in SF. My father finally found someone to smuggle him out of Afghanistan and finally joined us in the US after 6 years. I moved out when he arrived, moved to the city with my roommate Marti whom I met teaching modeling at the Barbizon school of modeling in SF (Don’t even ask how and why I got a job there ;-)). She worked also at Neiman Marcus as a make up artist. When I needed a job, she suggested to interview with her boss and she told me how the make up thing worked. Next thing I know, I had a job offer.
7. How did you learn to become a makeup artist?
I do calligraphy and was always good at drawing. Make up was a very natural process for me. I often say that one has to “listen” to the skin and it will tell you what it needs. I guess some of us are born with that “ear”. I do not have formal training. I learned from working at make up counters during my undergraduate years in Berkeley and then I assisted Laura Mercier.
8. Your biography states that you worked as a research scientist after earning your masters’ degree. Was your decision to become a makeup artist full-time sudden or was it something that was planned over time? When did being a makeup artist full-time become feasible?
I had an offer to do an event for one of the cosmetics company that I had worked in the past. After that job, I realized how much fun I had doing make up. I woke up one night thinking about creating a make up line. The next step terrified me. It was to move to NY, starve for a few years and maybe make it or I though maybe I could become a trainer for a cosmetic line or a national make up artist. Without applying for any jobs, I got 3 offers in the next two weeks for exactly that position. That just blew me away. I took it as a sign and let the universe take care of the rest. Doors opened up, I met Laura Mercier and my agent Timothy Priano. Laura Mercier line created a position for me and Tim told me to look for him should I move to NY and seek representation. It was like magic. I worked for Laura full time for a year, then moved to NY and went to see Timothy. Now if I knew how little money I was going to make in the beginning, I probably would have talked myself out of it but ignorance is bliss and fate is a strong cushion to lean on.
9. Tell me about your first big break as a makeup artist. What event gave you an entry into the world of being a celebrity makeup artist?
My first full page beauty was for Glamour magazine. Kate Moodie (style director of the magazine then) hired me to do it. I met her during a beauty shot when I was still assisting Laura. Then a few months later, my 3rd year in NY that I got a BIG break. I was working for Laura Mercier 3 days a month still and I got a job for ELLE magazine to shoot a model for a bathing suit story. I was to make a white girl black from head to toe. “Bien Maron” was what the Fashion Editor (Carlyn Cerf De Dudzelee) told me. The photographer was non other that Gilles Bensimon. Intimidated I woke up at 4 am to get the girl painted and ready for a 7 am call time. I was shy, totally stayed on the side, didn’t really fit in at the shoot but the stylist was kind enough to include me in everything. We ended up doing a fashion and a bathing suit story. This meant 16 pages in my portfolio that I didn’t have. I was thrilled and very grateful. At the airport waiting for our luggage, Gilles who hardly said a word to me during the shoot tapped on my shoulder and with a very THICK French accent said: “I’m shooting Liv Tyler for a cover next week and want you to do the make up for it”. WHAT??? Usually you have to slave and test for years in order to get an opportunity like this. I thanked him and truthfully didn’t believe him. 2 days later my agent called and told me that I was booked for the cover. When the magazine hit the stands, I had the cover and 31 pages of work inside the magazine. I did 6 of the 8 remaining covers that year and it launched my career to a completely different level.
Part 3
The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin - Part 3
In the third and final part of this interview, Matin discusses becoming Neutrogena Cosmetics' makeup artist, makeup tips, and his hobbies.
10. Tell me about Neutrogena approaching you to be its makeup artist. Are you also providing creative direction through developing new products and color palettes?
I met some Neutrogena people at a dinner party and we talked shop. Next thing I know, I got a call from them me asking me if I was interested in working with them. It was important for Neutrogena to have a make-up artist who not only understands how to apply cosmetics, but also the science behind them. Because of my science background, it was a perfect fit. I am providing direction on shades, textures and I test drive all the upcoming color products prior to production.
11. Can you share with our readers any advance information about new products from Neutrogena?
As always, Neutrogena will be launching products that are innovative while being both beautiful and beneficial.
12.Women want to know how to apply makeup and look beautiful, so this is probably the part that will interest readers the most:
a. For me (and probably many other women), shading the crease is probably the trickiest part of makeup application. It’s important to me, as I have deep-set eyes. What do you recommend in terms of eye shadow shades, choice of brushes, and application?
If you have deep set eyes, you do not want to “shade” the crease. This will make your eyes look even more deep set. Instead, try a wash of neutral beige (skin color) all over the eyes, then go with a taupe or caramel color and use it lightly on the brow bone to make the brow bone recede. Best is to use a fluffy small eye shadow brush (like laura mercier’s eye color brush) made of sable hair for the wash all over, and a smoother brush (like laura mercier crease brush) made of squirrl hair on the brow bone and under the brow to get a very sheer application of the powder eye shadow.
b. How best to apply foundation? By dotting the cheeks, “stippling,” or other means? Fingertips, sponge, or brush? If you use a sponge, do you moisten it or use it dry?
Use a dampened sponge with oil free foundation. Put the foundation in your palm and press the sponge (egg shape is the best) in to the palm of the hand to absorb the foundation. You should not see the foundation on top of the sponge. Then apply by patting the sponge and moving it quickly starting with flat areas of the face (cheeks) and neck and use very little if at all around the eyes and sides of the nose, smile lines and laugh lines.
For moisturizing, still one can use a damp sponge, or a brush or even fingers
13.Are you planning to write a book on makeup application?
Not yet. I don’t have any new concept for a book on make-up, but a book I will write, just not on make up ;-)
14.Your biography states that you enjoy “practicing Calligraphy, studying Islamic and Gothic architecture and shopping for exotic ethnic textiles.” I like textiles, too – especially block-printed textiles from India (see my blog posting Block-printed textiles, http://thestylepage.blogspot.com/2006/08/block-printed-textiles.html) and suzanis from Central Asia. However, I can’t find the bold suzanis online that I see in Domino. What textiles are capturing your attention now?
Well, I have always had a soft spot for suzani and chain stitching. I now have a foundation in Afghanistan called Afghan Hands Inc. (www.afghanhands.org) which is mainly a literacy program but it also employs the women (war widows) to do embroidery. We do bold patterns in wearable scarves and shawls using suzani and chain stitching and using the old traditional flowers on the fabrics but with a more modern color scheme.
Postscript: Matin was recognized as one of CNN Heroes for his role as a community crusader in starting Afghan Hands. He is currently on travel in Afghanistan and posts to the afghanhands blog.
10. Tell me about Neutrogena approaching you to be its makeup artist. Are you also providing creative direction through developing new products and color palettes?
I met some Neutrogena people at a dinner party and we talked shop. Next thing I know, I got a call from them me asking me if I was interested in working with them. It was important for Neutrogena to have a make-up artist who not only understands how to apply cosmetics, but also the science behind them. Because of my science background, it was a perfect fit. I am providing direction on shades, textures and I test drive all the upcoming color products prior to production.
11. Can you share with our readers any advance information about new products from Neutrogena?
As always, Neutrogena will be launching products that are innovative while being both beautiful and beneficial.
12.Women want to know how to apply makeup and look beautiful, so this is probably the part that will interest readers the most:
a. For me (and probably many other women), shading the crease is probably the trickiest part of makeup application. It’s important to me, as I have deep-set eyes. What do you recommend in terms of eye shadow shades, choice of brushes, and application?
If you have deep set eyes, you do not want to “shade” the crease. This will make your eyes look even more deep set. Instead, try a wash of neutral beige (skin color) all over the eyes, then go with a taupe or caramel color and use it lightly on the brow bone to make the brow bone recede. Best is to use a fluffy small eye shadow brush (like laura mercier’s eye color brush) made of sable hair for the wash all over, and a smoother brush (like laura mercier crease brush) made of squirrl hair on the brow bone and under the brow to get a very sheer application of the powder eye shadow.
b. How best to apply foundation? By dotting the cheeks, “stippling,” or other means? Fingertips, sponge, or brush? If you use a sponge, do you moisten it or use it dry?
Use a dampened sponge with oil free foundation. Put the foundation in your palm and press the sponge (egg shape is the best) in to the palm of the hand to absorb the foundation. You should not see the foundation on top of the sponge. Then apply by patting the sponge and moving it quickly starting with flat areas of the face (cheeks) and neck and use very little if at all around the eyes and sides of the nose, smile lines and laugh lines.
For moisturizing, still one can use a damp sponge, or a brush or even fingers
13.Are you planning to write a book on makeup application?
Not yet. I don’t have any new concept for a book on make-up, but a book I will write, just not on make up ;-)
14.Your biography states that you enjoy “practicing Calligraphy, studying Islamic and Gothic architecture and shopping for exotic ethnic textiles.” I like textiles, too – especially block-printed textiles from India (see my blog posting Block-printed textiles, http://thestylepage.blogspot.com/2006/08/block-printed-textiles.html) and suzanis from Central Asia. However, I can’t find the bold suzanis online that I see in Domino. What textiles are capturing your attention now?
Well, I have always had a soft spot for suzani and chain stitching. I now have a foundation in Afghanistan called Afghan Hands Inc. (www.afghanhands.org) which is mainly a literacy program but it also employs the women (war widows) to do embroidery. We do bold patterns in wearable scarves and shawls using suzani and chain stitching and using the old traditional flowers on the fabrics but with a more modern color scheme.
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| Red shawl from Afghan Hands |
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