At the Makeup Show LA, one of the seminars on our list to check out was the Kit Focus with Celebrity Makeup Artists’ James Vincent & David Hernandez. There they shared their favorite products and helpful tips on what to look for to when building a professional kit. While this seminar was geared to other professional makeup artist and students, we feel the information shared here can be very valuable to general beauty consumers like ourselves as we start to really look at beauty products, tools and methods in a brand new way. Let’s take a look at what these two celebrity makeup artists had to recommend.

Skincare

For Vincent, skincare should help extend the longivity of his makeup. “When I look at prepping and priming the skin it’s about having those products in your kit that are super versatile,” he says.

Now for Hernandez it depends on what he’s working on at the moment, whether he’s working for television or red carpet. But one of the products he recommends adamantly is Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè. “You need to have it!” he exclaims.  “if you don’t have it… hello catch up.”

In fact, both agreed that this 24hr Miracle cream is a must have product for any makeup artist, and one they both carry in their kit. This “miracle” cream is a cleanser, a toner, a moisturizer and even a makeup remover in one. But one of the best part is that it helps the skin look like skin.

More Recommended Brands To Check Out: Nuturing Force (shine Control), Dermalogica (great even for sensitive skin), MAKEUP FOREVER (matte), Lucus Papaw Ointment (great healing agent for the skin, and allows us to add shine and control light)

Sanitizer

Both Vincent and Hernandez recommend the JAO Hand Sanitizer as a must have in any professional kit. This antibacterial hand sanitizer is proven to kill 99% of bacteria–perfect product to start the makeup application on the right foot.

Foundation

Choosing foundations is one of those beauty products which depends on skin type, texture, longevity and finish.

For Vincent, he’s all about keeping it minimal. “I don’t like to carry a lot of foundation,” he says. “If I have a light, medium and dark yellow tone, light, medium and dark red tone, black, white and brown, red, yellow and blue I have everything I need.”

While everyone might have their preference, he does suggest going for cream foundations since they can be very versatile as opposed to liquid foundations which were not designed to really build up. With cream foundation, we have the ability to build up the level of coverage and control the finish.

Hernandez has found that 95% percent of the people who play around the different foundations he shows them at Nigels Emporium will pick Graftobian over everything else there because it’s one of those foundations that most resembles skin without feeling or looking too heavy.

In Their Kits:

Liquid
[Vincent: MAKEUP FOREVER HD and Face & Body, Ardency Inn, Ellis Faas Skin Veil ]
[Hernandez: Ardency Inn & MAKEUP FOREVER HD]

Cream
[Vincent: Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer & RCMA ]
[Hernandez: Le Maquillage & Kevyn Aucoin Skin Enhancer]

Color Correction

If there was anything that Vincent and Hernandez stressed most was knowing color theory. “As a professional makeup artist at a professional show, I’m urging you take a look at what you can do to not only built your kit but expand your mind to understand color theorem,” says Vincent. “It isn’t not about layering and camouflaging and hiding, especially in this world of HD.”

Color correction can also make a makeup artist’s task much easier, Hernandez chimes in. If something is too blue, he suggest seeing what colors are missing to get the balance we need.

“Look at it and correct that way, ah it’s beautiful. It makes you happy. You learned. You’ve used your brain,” he says.

Powders

In Their Kits:
[Vincent: MAKEUP FOREVER 0, Cinema Secret Powders]
[Hernandez: MAKEUP FOREVER 0 & 18 Loose Powder, MAKEUP FOREVER HD Compact]

Finish Sprays:

In Their Kits:

MAKEUP FOREVER Aqua Seal,  Mist & Fix, and Model In a Bottle

Brows

Since the brows really do frame the face, it’s important to see what works for a client and even ourselves.

In Their Kits:

Pencil: Senna Cosmetics, Kevyn Aucoin
Cream: Anastasia DipBrow
Brow Gels: Senna Cosmetics, Anastasia, MAKEUP FOREVER Aqua Brow