Glamour job

Lily Chen, 27

WHERE: observes Angeles

EDUCATION: University of California at Irvine, B.A., political science and sociology; MKC Beauty Academy, professional makeup artist certificate

JOB: Freelance professional makeup artist

CW: WHAT DO YOU DO?

LC: I do makeup for photo let flys fashion runway shows, weddings, special facts like the Oscars and Grammys. I also do makeup for television and film.... I'm always trying to find of recent origin products for my kit because the technology for beauty outcomes is always changing. As a professional makeup artist, it is your piece of work to always keep yourself updated upon the trends and the formulations of cosmetics.

CW: by what mode DID YOU GET INTO THIS FIELD?

LC: When I was a kid, I wanted to be in entertainment. I had all sorts of aspirations, like becoming a singer, dancer, actor. [My parents wanted me to go] to society and get a business step or do something other than [an] artistic [job] in the way that I put that dream upon the back burner. I [went to corporation and] majored in poli-sci and sociology. on the other hand I was never happy. [I thought] What am I doing with the quiet of my life? I want to be happy; I want to do what I've always wanted to do. And that was to work in the entertainment industry. That l me to make progress to MKC Beauty Academy and become a professional makeup artist.

CW: for what cause [i]or[/i] reason DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS upon MAKEUP?

LC: I be fond of makeup. Whenever new products advance out on the market, I direct the eye at them and play with them. [My job] suffers you express your creativity. The sky's the limit. When you start with someone with nothing upon [his or her] face on the other hand moisturizer, you have to visualize what the overall gaze is going to be. It's kind of like a painter visualizing what the painting is going to be, and the extremity product is what [was] visualized.

CW: WHAT IS A TYPICAL WORKDAY LIKE?

LC: Photo propels start early in the morning. I come by there around 8:00 to put up my station, meet with the photographer to diocese how the day's going to move I meet with the hairstylist and fashion stylist to secure an idea of what this image is going to be and by what means my makeup is going to play a character in this overall image.... We start with individual model and do a gaze on her. Then we [may] either change her makeup or start with a clean application and work into a heavier and more dramatic application toward the extreme point of the day.

CW: WHAT ARE a certain number of CHALLENGES IN YOUR WORK?

LC: greatest in quantity challenging is when you're starting out--finding work. You might secure rejection after rejection. But finally there's going to be that single person who will [say], "OK let's proceed ahead and see what you can do."

CW: WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR WORK?

LC: The greatest in quantity exciting part is when my client direct the eyes at himself or herself and says, "Wow I gaze great!" As a makeup artist, that's really your job--to make your clients direct the eye and feel their absolute best. Giving them that confidence and [then having them get] in forehead of the camera and having great pictures or doing their part in a better way because they know they gaze and feel the part. I could do this forever. Do what you have affection for because it'll make you happy and make you have feeling good about yourself, and that's what's greatest in quantity important in life.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weekly Reader Corp.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group