Sam Fine

Celebrity Makeup Artist • www.samfine.com

What is your makeup and skincare philosophy?

To make a women feel their most beautiful!

What is your approach to makeup application?

I want to empower women of color and teach them the tricks that work best when applying makeup on their skin so it always looks flawless no matter if it’s a 15-minute face, or more.

How did you come up with the concept for your DVD FINE: The Basics of Beauty?

Having dedicated my career to enhancing the beauty in women of color, I felt that an instructional DVD was a natural step toward my goal of educating women everywhere, in much the same way that I’ve enlightened my clients. Translating trends and finding products that deliver have helped me become more sensitive to “real” women who don’t have the time, patience or know-how to experiment with makeup. This DVD will equip them with simple, useful techniques that will make applying makeup a joy rather than a chore.

What are some of the biggest problems you see with makeup application?

One of the biggest challenges I see women encounter is not manipulating their makeup to work for them – once they try something that promises it will provide them with what they need, and then it doesn’t happen, they become frustrated and toss the product. Sometimes it takes more than putting on concealer or foundation to make it work! For example, if you need the coverage that a concealer and foundation provides but feel you end up looking oily (because it is a lot of product) then you’re going to need to take a 1-ply tissue and remove the oil left behind for a flawless canvas. Also, this will allow your loose powder to go on better since there’s less moisture for it to grip onto. This is just one reason why I wanted to create a DVD!

How can professional women achieve that polished look that is seen in the entertainment industry?

Every woman has to put in a different amount of time to achieve different levels of makeup application. With that said, there are three very basic things that all women can do to look flawless, always, and they are:

1. A Groomed Brow - Most women are concerned with elaborate eye shadow application, but a simple, groomed brow not only opens and lifts the eye, but clears the way for any eye shadow application to follow.

2. A Flawless Canvas – Choosing a foundation to suit your specific needs helps to unite varied tones. If you don't use foundation, then powder is a must! Using a pressed or loose powder helps to alleviate shine and makes the complexion appear more consistent in color and texture!

3. A Glowing complexion - This is very different than creating a "flawless canvas"... Using a dusting of bronzer on the outer perimeter of the face - forehead, nearest the hairline - and onto cheeks, adds warmth and richness to the complexion. After applying bronzer, simply use a peach shade of blush on cheeks for a subtle "pop" of color.

What makeup brands and products would you highly recommend for ethnic skin?

There are many brands that I gravitate towards from drugstore to department stores. Some great drugstore buys are CoverGirl’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. I also like the base products from Bobbi Brown, lipsticks from YSL, and brushes from Shu Uemura.

Must Have

FINE: The Basics of Beauty DVD