STYLE LIST: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CELEBRITY MAKE-UP ARTIST SAM FINE

Urban Beauty Collective is proud to present our exclusive Q&A with legendary celebrity make-up artist, Sam Fine. His talent and unique approach to make-up have ushered in a new era of urban beauty. His art is evidenced on the famous faces of Tyra Banks, Vanessa Williams, Queen Latifah and Iman, just to name a few.

Mr. Fine recently released an invaluable DVD entitled “The Basics of Beauty,” in which he demonstrates his trademark techniques for the red carpet diva and the everyday woman.

Here is UBC's interview with the man behind the brush, Mr. Sam Fine...

UBC: THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO URBAN STYLE PROFESSIONALS AT ALL LEVELS, AND THE PEOPLE THEY INSPIRE. FROM THE BARBER IN DETROIT, TO THE NAIL TECHNICIAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, TO THE ASPIRING WARDROBE STYLIST IN ATLANTA. YOU ARE SUCH A SUPERSTAR IN YOUR FIELD. CAN YOU REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT, LOOKING FOR INFORMATION AND MENTORS? HOW DO YOU BEGIN WORKING IN MAKE-UP PROFESSIONALLY?

SF: When I first started out, I was working at a makeup counter in a department store in New York City. Working at a place like that gives you the opportunity to see women of all races; with many different cosmetic concerns and that all want to look their absolute best. It was definitely a great place for me to begin my career in the industry and it’s where I got my big break into working with celebrities.

UBC: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DVD, WHICH WE CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH. IT'S GENIUS TO ACTUALLY PUT THE ADVICE IN ACTION FOR US ON A DISK, BRINGING TO LIFE YOUR PREVIOUS ARTICLES AND LEGENDARY BOOK. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE THIS STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL? IS IT SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO DO FOR A WHILE?

SF: There are only so many times you can write about makeup application. You can write about how to shape the perfect brow until you’re blue in the face, but women need to actually see it. Making this DVD gave me the opportunity to really educate my consumers on makeup application.

UBC: WE KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL. WHAT DO YOU FEEL ARE SOME OF THE WORST HABITS WOMEN HAVE WHEN APPLYING MAKE-UP IN AN EVERYDAY SETTING? THINGS WE PROBABLY THINK ARE OKAY TO BE DOING, BUT ARE ALL WRONG!

SF: When women take the time to apply concealer and foundation and then skip setting it with powder! Of course your makeup is going to crease under the eyes, and melt during the day, or start to look shiny – it’s a liquid or cream formula and mixed with our body heat and oils, that’s what it will do, naturally. You have to set it after with loose powder to keep it in place.

Also, a big mistake is when you’re filling in your eye brow and you draw a straight line, instead of using feather like strokes to mimic real hair.

UBC: YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR BRUSHES. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO INVEST IN BRUSHES, EVEN FOR PRODUCTS THAT COME WITH A BRUSH OR FOR TUBES OF LIPSTICK? SCHOOL US!

SF: I go through pulling together a collection of brushes in my Basics of Beauty DVD – to teach women that tools are as important as the products you choose. However, it doesn’t mean you need a full collection like I have, but with every product you own you should begin to gather your collection of brushes and tools. For example, pressed powder and loose powder need a large fluffy brush, but you shouldn’t use this same brush for blush and bronzer, this way you’re not mixing product and getting improper application. For a product like eye shadow, you might need anything from two brushes to six, depending on your level of professionalism. However, it’s ok to use fingers for things like foundation, and concealers – cream products that can use some warming up. The oils in your body and on your hands will change or alter a powder or gel texture and its application, so I don’t recommend using your fingers in these instances. Brushes are investment pieces – like a good coat. With proper care, you can use them time and time again. Also, you should always toss out the powder puff that your pressed and loose powder comes with when you purchase it so the bacteria that it can retain from several uses don’t contaminate the product, and allow it to last longer. Lastly, I suggest washing your brushes at least once a month to remove bacteria.

UBC: DO YOU WANT WOMEN TO INVEST IN DEPARTMENT STORE MAKE-UP AT ALL TIMES, OR IS THERE ANY TIME THAT DRUGSTORE MAKE-UP IS OKAY?

SF: Nowadays you can go into a drugstore and get everything you need from foundation, to bronzer and even trend products. There’s no reason to feel that you have to shop at a department store other than if you want more service and prettier packaging. Some of my favorite drugstore brands are Cover Girl’s Queen Collection, Black Opal, Iman Cosmetics, and L’Oreal’s HIP line. Some of my favorite products from these lines are: Stick Foundation from Black Opal, Luxury Pressed Powder from Iman Cosmetics, Cover Girl Queen Collection Bronzers, Eye shadows from L’Oreal HIP collection, Maybelline’s Twin Brow & Eye Pencil (such a great value!) and lip glosses from Wet 'n' Wild – they’re great.

UBC: YOU'VE WORKED ON THE ABSOLUTE, MOST FABULOUS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MODELS AND CELEBRITIES IN THE WORLD. CAN YOU SHARE AN EXPERIENCE OR TWO THAT STANDS OUT? A SITUATION WHERE YOU JUST HAD TO SAY TO YOURSELF, "WOW."

SF: Working with the women that I have, from Iman, Vanessa Williams and Queen Latifah, each and everyone has an individual face and personality that stands out – for example, I love Iman’s defined cheekbones, and working on Vanessa’s eyes.

UBC: OKAY, SO IF SOMEONE IS READING THIS WHO CAN ONLY DO ONE THING MAKE-UP WISE IN THE MORNING. WHETHER IT’S BECAUSE OF A MENTAL BLOCK, FINANCIAL SETBACKS, KIDS RUNNING AROUND, WHATEVER. IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND THE ONE MOST CRUCIAL THING THAT THIS WOMEN SHOULD DO FOR HERSELF MAKE-UP WISE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

SF: That’s hard to say since every face has a different focus, and each women has different cosmetic challenges. Each woman should work on either highlighting their best feature, or helping to fix what they feel is their biggest cosmetic challenge. For example, if you have dark spots that really bother you, make your one thing spot concealer. Or, if you love your lips, slick on a layer of gloss to add definition. However, if you watch the DVD, you’ll learn to master tricks in a shorter amount of time so you’ll be able to do two or three things.

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