“Everything changed when I got into the Film and TV class at Blanche Macdonald,” smiles superstar TV & film Makeup Artist Zabrina Matiru. “It was a revelation. You mean, I can actually do this for a living?”

Even though she was a big movie fan and had developed into a polished visual artist while growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, Zabrina arrived at Makeup School never dreaming that she’d soon be working behind the scenes on major Hollywood productions. The expectations she brought with her to Blanche Macdonald have been wildly exceeded. Since graduating she’s been the Head of Department for Supernatural, Story of a Girl, Lost In Space and Colony, designed makeup for the leads on Once Upon A Time Season One, and assisted on too many titles to list here. The understanding that a career as a film and TV makeup artist was a realistic ambition planted a seed that continues to bear fruit nearly two decades later.

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“Growing up in Kenya was like a whole other world,” she explains. “You don’t think, one day I’m going to work on Hollywood productions. It’s not even a thought the passes your mind.

“I never had the aspiration to work in film as a child but I always enjoyed watching movies. In Kenya we’d rent videos from mom-and-pop stores that were pirated from British TV. You’d often see extra shows at the end of the movie like little Hollywood behind-the-scenes documentaries. I found it fascinating but still never dreamt I could work in that world. When I found out that there was a big film industry in Vancouver, that Makeup was an attainable job and that I wasn’t bad at it, I knew I would go for it.”

Zabrina had come to Canada to attend university. Uninspired by the Fashion Design program she’d chosen, a friend suggested trying the Makeup Program at Blanche Macdonald.

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I loved watching the machine that is a film unit. It wasn’t about the overtime. It was about the opportunity to be on set doing something I loved.

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“When I started I was probably more interested in fashion than film. But I surprised myself when I took a liking to blood work and building up 3D effects on the body and face. Back then we weren’t using prosthetics. We were building our effects from wax, cotton, tissue and latex.

“By the time I graduated I had a very good base in terms of professionalism and the necessary skill levels. The first job I had after graduating was working on the counter for Bobbi Brown at Holt Renfrew. I was there for a year and a half. That was the best possible training for dealing with different faces and personalities. Every different type of face and skin tone sat in my chair. They all just wanted to look good. I would recommend all aspiring movie Makeup Artists put in a stint on a counter one million percent!”

Zabrina understood that honing her skills was only half the battle. To earn her place on set she knew she needed to make connections.

“As luck would have it I shared a doctor with a Senior member of the IATSE union. My doctor introduced us and she bluntly told me that she would not look at a résumé from anyone unless they had a minimum of two years experience post-graduation.

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“Two years to the day later I had my interview for IATSE permittee status. Over those two years I did some student and independent films with my friend from school. We’d make huge batches of fake blood together. One of the editors of an independent film began producing commercials and I ended up doing a lot of them with her. I still work with her. I did a lot of commercials, including Budweiser and global co-productions aimed at selling vacations in Canada. One commercial was Malaysian/Canadian and involved a lot of stunts including heli-skiing, where one of the stuntmen was a six-foot tall white man with curly red hair. When the skier took off his helmet at the bottom of the run the reveal would be that he’s Asian. So I would have to give the stuntman darker skin and hair so when he was flying through the air he would look passable as Asian. I didn’t use waterproof makeup though, so by the time he made it down the mountain through all the snow, his makeup and hair colour was running down his face! I was mortified, but looking back I can really laugh about it now. That was a lot of fun!”

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There’s always someone better than you so why not keep learning?

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Once Zabrina joined the union there was no stopping her. A day call on Andromeda soon led to a full-time position on the show. Her secret to success, then and today? It’s all about attitude.

“You put your head down and you work. You make sure your work is exactly what the Head of Department wants. People notice when things look bad. So make sure your work looks good!

“I loved watching the machine that is a film unit. I enjoyed the 18 hour days and seeing it all come together. It wasn’t about the overtime. It was about the opportunity to be on set doing something I loved.”

Zabrina’s artistry and enthusiasm were evident, which is why when the opportunity arose to step up to the position of Department Head, she was ready to make the leap.

“Ashanti was the lead actress on The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz. She wanted the Head of Department to be a person of colour. I had a presentable print portfolio at that point. Coming from a music background I think Ashanti was impressed by my glossy prints. Based on that and recommendations from previous Heads of Department I’d worked with I got the job. I was totally ready. Unfortunately I didn’t get to do the makeup on the Muppets. Too bad, I could have handled Miss Piggy.”

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She didn’t get her hands on the porcine superstar, but it wasn’t long before she was working intimately with another pair of global TV icons, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, the Winchester Brothers of Supernatural.

“I’d just finished the first season of Once Upon a Time. I thought I wanted to take some time off when I received a call saying Supernatural was looking for a Head of Department, which was about to go into season eight. Jeannie Chow, who was the Head of the Hair Department, had put my name forward. We’d worked together several years prior to that but at that point we became a team. The show had already transitioned from film to HD but the makeup hadn’t changed much in seven seasons. I asked Jensen and Jared what they wanted to keep. They told me to get rid of all of it and start fresh.

“Luckily they’re both very handsome dudes. They both have a great bone structure to work with. They actually look better when they’re beaten up. It’s harder making them look bad than good. Jensen has that almost perfect face, so making him look sick, tired and haggard is hard. He’s quite accident-prone and would sometimes turn up with his own facial injuries that I had to cover up.  Sometimes we would incorporate his real injuries into a fight makeup.

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“No one had seen makeup effects coming for me at that point so people were looking at me to see if I could do it. I’m happy to say I think I did.”

After four happy and successful seasons of Supernatural, Zabrina felt that she needed a new challenge. She’s been busy ever since, heading departments on Colony, Story of a Girl and Lost In Space, and giving incredible opportunities to the next generation of movie makeup magicians.

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“I will go wherever I feel is the best fit. If that means working with another Department Head who is great, excellent! There’s always someone better than you so why not keep learning?”

“Blanche Macdonald produces great grads. I like to hire people who are skilled artists with personalities that I enjoy. You can always train people in terms of makeup but you can’t teach people attitude. I want to see a willingness to learn. Artists can get used to hearing that their work is amazing in the ‘real’ world. They think they are superstars but when they come on set perhaps their style of work isn’t what’s needed. I’m looking for someone who can take direction without feeling insulted, who can try different things and break out of the box. Someone who is helpful and who can think and assess the situation on their own.

“Do what it takes to make the team great!”

The post Makeup Grad Zabrina Matiru Celebrates Supernatural Success appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Art, for Daniel Takahashi, has always been an escape. One that has called to him since some of his earliest childhood memories. Clad in all black, with flecks of light bouncing off his eclectic collection of silver rings, he begins to explain the important role art played in his formative years.

“I was always drawing and painting. I remember being in class as a kid one day and I was so bored! So I put craft glue all over my hand to make my it look like something had happened to it, then I broke a red pen and put the ink on it – and got sent to the nurse!”

Though Daniel had always loved to draw and paint, his introduction to the world of Special Effects Makeup came from somewhere else.

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“Everything started with Lord of the Rings. I fell in love with the world they created. I just kept asking ‘How did they do that?!’ My mom would say ‘They’re masks. I don’t know!’ But I just had to find out.”

Thus began Daniel’s quest into the Makeup world, searching for the ways that other people were able to bring his favourite fantasy and horror characters to life. A quest that of course, was laden with parental restrictions and made even more difficult without the ever-knowing oracle of Google or Youtube.

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I just kept asking ‘How did they do that?!’ My mom would say ‘They’re masks. I don’t know!’ But I just had to find out.

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“I used to watch horror movies that my parents didn’t know I was watching and then I’d ask for the action figures. Which of course they wouldn’t buy me! So I would take the Max Steel toys that I would get, cut off their heads and sculpt the face of whatever action figured I’d wanted in the beginning. Everything was so far away to me in Mexico. There were no people to ask or places to go to learn things like that. I didn’t have access to the internet or Google so I got any books or magazines I possibly could. I sculpted my first prosthetic out of construction grade plaster.”

Eventually, Daniel’s passions and at home practice got him an invite to the small but knowledgeable film industry in Mexico. Though a definitive turning point in his career, Daniel doesn’t boast or brag, instead he describes, in his soft-spoken and earnest voice, how helpful and insightful his film colleagues were. Daniel’s Makeup career in Mexico was beginning to take off. He was teaching Makeup classes, working on films and even represented Mehron Makeup at the biggest Makeup event in all of Latin America. Though, the perfectionist in him knew he wanted even more skills than the ones he’d been lucky enough to acquire and foster.

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“I was always doing Special Effects. I wanted to improve my other Makeup skills too, like Beauty Makeup I talked to a lot of people in the industry about the top Makeup Schools with a good reputation and everyone was talking about Blanche Macdonald. If I go back to Mexico and I have a diploma from here, that to other people in the industry there is like ‘Woah’. I mean, it’s the top school in Canada – maybe even the world! It’s a really good thing for me to have studied here no matter what.”

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My dream has been to take my experience and knowledge in Makeup from Canada back to Mexico. I know that wherever I go, my diploma from here will take me far.

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Daniel’s Makeup career in Canada has, not surprisingly, taken off faster than he could have imagined. Though one could assume it’s due to his excessive levels of talent, Daniel asserts it was because of his sheer drive to make the most out of every single opportunity.

“The Career department at Blanche Macdonald really helped me. They encouraged me and connected me to all the right people. They knew who I was because I would go by their office so, so often. When they connected me to Special Effects labs, I would stand outside and talk to the managers as they went into work. I gave them my portfolio and asked them what I needed to do to get a job there.”

And it seems, his persistence paid off. Daniel landed a paid contract with Todd Master’s FX studio, one of the top FX studios in Los Angeles and Vancouver.

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“The studios are where things get sculpted and made. I love applying prosthetics and working directly on people but my heart is in the process. Recently the studio was doing some prosthetics for Dwayne Johnson’s new movie and I worked on his leg molds. I’m so excited to see how they look on screen! I was also able to do some things for Power Rangers and Elizabeth Banks’ character. It doesn’t matter how small the prosthetic is or who it’s for – at the end of the day you’re part of it. And that’s the best feeling.”

Of course, studying at Canada’s #1 Makeup School helped him hone and perfect his skills.

“The instructors are all so cool and so knowledgeable. Once they got to know me, they kept me in mind for every possible thing. I did birthday parties, I did makeup for a strip show, music videos – anything they offered me, I took!”

Daniel made sure to take advantage of the opportunities outside of the classroom as well.

“I ended up working with a director to create a short film based on one of my Makeup looks that inspired him. Of course we needed help and so I was able to take some of my classmates with me onto set so we could all get real-life experience together.”

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It’s no surprise that Daniel was selected as one of the competitors for the highly anticipated student competition Battle of the Brushes at the International Makeup Trade Show (IMATS) in Los Angeles. For any aspiring Makeup Artist, a win at this prestigious student-only competition not only cements their status as an up-and-coming Makeup Artist in North America but also catapults their career to unimaginable heights. The exposure combined with potential industry connections can mean great things – especially for Daniel, a self-proclaimed “thirsty” Makeup Artist.

“I met so many amazing people and incredible artists. I made so many contacts of brands and cosmetic lines that want to keep in touch with me once I go back to Mexico. I had the @amazing_jiro come find me after the competition to tell me he loved my creation and that was a huge moment for me because he really is amazing!

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“The theme for the Prosthetics category was ‘Victorian Emporium’ so I wanted to create something that was out of the ordinary for that era – something almost creature-y. I was inspired mainly by scientists and alchemists, along the lines of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I had so many face charts and I worried so much about texture and costume and ‘what if?!’– then I talked to my wife who told me that I was already there and all I had to do was do my best makeup and see what happened. She’s so wise! I was so absorbed in so many other aspects of my life when I left Mexico that pulling this together was a little bit hard but I’m so happy with the results. It was such a great experience for me!”

Very recently, Daniel has added another title to his name: Dad. How does that fit into the life of a busy, up-and-coming Makeup Artist?

“It’s really exhausting! There was one day where I was on set for such a long time and my wife kept texting me asking when I would be home. It can be hard for both of us but at the end of the day, everything I’m doing is for her and my new son.”

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Though Daniel’s time in Canada has given him limitless opportunities, his future lies on the horizon of his home country for now.

“Doing Makeup in another country is such a privilege and looks so good on your resume but my dream has been to take my experience and knowledge in Makeup from Canada back to Mexico. My dream now is to create my own Special Effects lab and host workshops by the incredible artists that I’ve met and the ones I know I will meet one day. I know that wherever I go, my diploma from here will take me far.”

The post Makeup Graduate Daniel Takahashi wins second place in Battle of the Brushes Competition at IMATS LA appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

She’s a world-class Makeup Artist who has travelled the globe and contributed to projects in places like Australia, Berlin, London, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. Shawnna Downing is a Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduate and unstoppable force on the Toronto creative scene, where she is most recently unleashing her creative powers as a freelance Makeup Artist. Topped with a great big mass of curls you can’t miss, Shawnna speaks of life with a fervour and zest that is contagious, punctuated only by her adorable and near-constant giggles. Shawnna speaks and lives exactly as she believes: freely, genuinely, and without limits. She’s recently began documenting this practice in her own podcast, F*ck The How. Her signature makeup style can be described as painterly, planned-yet-spontaneous, and effortless. Her path to her own calling was anything but effortless yet, to hear Shawnna tell it, it happened exactly as it should.

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“It was so random! I moved out west to go to university initially. I went to University of Alberta and took a few years of Nursing. After growing up on the east coast, I just wanted to move out west and see what was there! I soon discovered university wasn’t fitting for me; it wasn’t my path. So I fooled around and took some other classes but nothing stuck. I decided I wanted to live by the water again but I didn’t want to go home. I thought ‘what about Vancouver?’ It’s funny because ultimately, the reason I got into makeup was because I wanted to live by the water! One has nothing to do with the other but life kinda took over! I made one decision and life was like ‘Here you go!’

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I love what I do, I fell madly in love with it right away and my Makeup program at Blanche Macdonald was a really lovely experience.

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“I found it really hard not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. All my friends seemed to be on these paths going somewhere and I couldn’t find mine. I was working at a call center when the recession hit and I got laid off. I called one of my friends back home really upset because I STILL didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. Was I going to go get another job I didn’t really like that paid the bills? Or should I go to go back to school? But what would I take? But she was actually the one who said I should look into being a makeup or hair artist. I’d thought about it before, but not in a serious way. When we were in school together, we had a teacher who was always getting mad at me because I was such a talker in class. I was ALWAYS talking!  He was like ‘You should be a makeup artist you like to talk so much!’ It seemed weird because I’d never really been into makeup but I was also always obsessed with people’s brows. I remember when I was in grade 7, I was watching Oprah and she had some famous brow technician on and I was like ‘COOL! I wonder if I could do that?!’ So I decided to look into it just for fun and see where I could go to study. I googled ‘makeup artistry’ and Blanche Macdonald came up! I also applied to be an X-ray Technician as I was applying for Blanche because I still didn’t even think of it as a serious thing – chalk it up to growing up in a small town! But [Director] Mary [Hombrebueno-Hardy] called me within a couple days and was so inspiring. There was something that had happened with another enrollment and a spot had opened up in the Makeup program that was just about to start, which allowed me to start almost immediately. That was it! I was like ‘Ok I’ll try!’

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“It was a windy road for me! I owe a lot to Mary and all the staff at Blanche Macdonald. I love what I do, I fell madly in love with it right away and my Makeup program at Blanche Macdonald was a really lovely experience. Now I get to travel the world and I’m still doing freelance makeup and I have a roof over my head!”

Let’s delve a little more into detail about your time here! Did you have a favourite module?

I loved Fashion. Jon Hennessey is so amazing and soft-spoken and inspiring. I always wanted to work in fashion. I related to that style more because I wanted to work in Fashion and wanted to be with an agency. He’s had a long beautiful career and done so much, he’s such a capable human and his style – ugh! I loved all of it but his class and him as a person related to me and spoke to me because that’s what I wanted to do.

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What kind of experience did you have with the Career Department?

We always kept in touch and still do! I did lots of volunteering and workshops while I was in school. Now that I’ve moved away and traveled all over, I always still feel like Blanche is right there in the background, they’re just so supportive!

You’ve had a pretty stellar career so far. What would you say has been a highlight or favourite of yours so far?

My cover of Lucy’s Magazine, definitely. It was right after I had a little depression and I wasn’t sure who I wanted to be as an artist. I was tired of trying to get somewhere, tired of trying to please others all the time and never listening to my inner artist. What makes it especially big for me is that I just created what was coming out of me and we shot it, submitted it, and got the cover! From that moment on, I got SO many jobs. I did a national campaign with Tetley’s and Toronto’s Streetcars right after that and from there, things just took off. That was a big lesson for me: always remember to do things that you want, that are for you without focusing on what the market wants or what the industry wants, otherwise why are you here?

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It’s so important. What are some goals you have for yourself?

I’m playing around with that. I do want to go back to Europe. Potentially play around in New York for a bit. It’s all pretty open right now!

What’s your favourite part of being a freelance Makeup Artist?

Meeting different people and getting the opportunity to be myself. When you all hang out and meet, you really come to respect and understand all aspects of the industry. At first it’s just a set but then lighting and props and art decoration all come in and it transforms! Then you see it on camera and everyone’s part is there contributing to the final piece and it’s really beautiful to see everyone come together and create. Regardless of whether it’s a fashion shoot or commercial, you’re part of something telling a story. I did stuff with Westjet over the holidays and we were surprising people in the airport – it’s just so fun and magical. I love being a part of these crews.

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And how do you choose the projects you work on?

Initially, I took everything because that’s what you have to do. Now I have some rules in play to decide what’s going to be a good fit for me. There’s a lot of variables I consider like the budget the team has, what kind of creativity they’re looking for and the team I’ll be working with. Am I going to get to play and hang out with cool people or get paid well? A few of those boxes have to be checked because time is so valuable – it’s all we have on the planet, really – so I want to invest how I see fit because my time is worth more than money sometimes. Most often the question is “who are you going to spend the day with?” And “are you going to get to be yourself?”

Can you tell us a little bit about your podcast, F*ck The How?

It’s my podcast. I write essays occasionally for it. It’s still forming but it’s basically my philosophy. The idea came from my own journey and how I figured out what I wanted to do.  I had no idea as a young teenager or 20-something where I was supposed to go with life. It seems like there’s supposed to be a plan that leads you somewhere, you know? And if you don’t have that, you feel left out and alone. The reality is most people don’t know what they’re doing! I still don’t even know what I’m doing! But the downfall is to concentrate how to get there and how to become whatever you may want to become. Sometimes there are obvious steps you can take but often there isn’t and so for those times, it’s f*ck the how! It doesn’t matter. Just be yourself and practice and go and make your path by walking. It’s about starting a conversation to remind people not to worry. We all don’t know and life’s not over yet! So f*ck it and go for it and be exactly who you want to be.

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The post Blanche Macdonald Makeup Artist Shawnna Downing Creates Avante Garde Looks Around the World appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Maybe you’ve seen his work on the walls of your local Zara store. Or on the mannequins in various BCBG locations. Now you can find the Blanche Macdonald Fashion Marketing grad and Master Merchandiser, Kyle Ziegenhagel creating the colourful and scented displays at LUSH Cosmetics. And not just any LUSH. EVERY LUSH. Kyle happens to be one of six members on the Visual Merchandising team at LUSH headquarters, which means that Kyle and his team have their hands full conceptualizing and creating the visual displays of over 250 LUSH stores across North America. How does he do it?! We chatted with Kyle about making the change from merchandising wearables to non-wearables, the best place he’s travelled, and what a typical day in his life is like. Step right this way and meet Kyle Ziegenhagel, Merchandising Aficionado!

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You are one of six members of the LUSH Headquarters Visual Merchandising team. How many stores do you work with? How do you approach the task of merchandising for stores that are in wildly different locales?

We are responsible for the visuals in every store in North America, that’s 256 stores and growing. Oh, there are so many things to consider! The location, climate, lifestyle, and type of customer are just a few things to think about. If you consider super hot Texas, maybe they don’t take hot baths in the summer, or at all! So we’re going to push other products than bath ones. It’s the same thing as fashion. You’re not going to put winter jackets on a mannequin in LA because they don’t need winter jackets. The customer in rural Ohio shops differently than the customer in Manhattan. It’s about learning what those markets’ needs and how they shop.

Describe a typical day in your role at LUSH for us.

Oh man, every day is just so different! My main priority is to oversee all new product launches and campaign windows. That starts from the beginning stages like the concept and the idea behind it, and then once that’s settled, figuring out how that will roll into the shops and what it will look like. It’s a lot of brainstorming and mock displays and then getting the tools together to help the stores execute these ideas. When I’m not doing that, I’m travelling to different stores doing whatever is needed whether it’s setting up for a PR event, or helping with new shop openings – it’s a lot of work! Every day is different but that’s what makes it awesome and so exciting.

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We’re curious – what about LUSH drew you in?

I was recruited. It definitely wasn’t something I ever thought I would do, I thought I would be in fashion forever! But as the recruiter told me about the role and the company, I started to do a bit more digging and I started to get super excited about the opportunity to be creating the tools and the directions as opposed to always following a corporate directive. I started to see how fast they were growing and what they were doing and then I learned their company ethics and that pretty much sealed it for me! The cool thing about my love of fashion is that it brought me into this business and through it, I’ve discovered a love of retail. Whether it’s clothing or cosmetics, it’s a massive industry with moving parts and so many things to consider because it’s always changing. That’s what excites me and keeps me going.

Can you compare visual merchandising tactics of LUSH’s products with the fashion and glamour from your previous roles merchandising at BCBG and Zara?

Well, the principles are the same no matter what you’re merchandising. You’re always going to be dealing with proportion, colour, balance, texture, and grouping like products that create visually appealing displays. What it boils down to is creating a customer experience within the shop. You need to know who that customer is, what they’re looking for, and how you can offer it. Zara was fast fashion. Everything was really quick with massive, massive volume. You just wanted to get the product on the floor and keep it fresh, simple and easy to shop. BCBG was a little more elevated. It was more about a luxury shopping experience. BCBG would be merchandised a bit more delicately with a bit more detail. LUSH is a lot more playful, colourful, and ‘out there’ – it’s about a fun experience.  

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Is there training or info from a certain class in the Fashion Marketing program you took at Blanche Macdonald that you still think of when you’re working?

Totally! When I worked in fashion, all of those fashion fundamentals came in so handy! Things like different designers, terms and fabrics allowed me to do my job so much better. Now that I’m not in fashion every day, I use the business side of it. Classes like Marketing and Visual Merchandising – those are huge for me now. I wish I would’ve paid more attention to Photoshop in class though . . . in the moment I was like “Whatever. I’m gonna be a stylist!” but it’s actually super valuable.

What was your favourite class here? Did you have a favourite teacher?

They were all great in their own way but I loooooved Styling. That’s initially what I thought I was going to do so I loved the class. In reality, the freelance world just wasn’t my thing but I was so lucky that Mel [Watts] was my teacher for Styling and my Career Director. She played a huge role in my success and really helped me once I graduated with the interview process and getting my first job. She’s just awesome.

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You’re from Alberta originally so what made you decide to move to Vancouver and come to Blanche Macdonald?

I knew I wanted to go into fashion but I wanted to choose a school in a city that had a vibrant fashion scene happening. Somewhere where there were fashion events, networking opportunities, and volunteer experiences – somewhere I could get real, industry experience as well as education. I was debating between Toronto and Vancouver and in the end, I chose Vancouver because I had a cousin who went to Blanche Macdonald for Makeup and Hair and she spoke so highly of it. That kinda sealed the deal for me.

Did you have any concerns about moving provinces to go to school?

Yeah of course! After graduating high school and coming from a small city it was pretty nerve-wracking to move and not know anyone. I found that pretty quickly the nervousness changed to excitement as soon as I started meeting people with similar interests and making friends who had the same passions.

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When you’re not working, where can we find you?

Travelling! Somewhere hot and tropical hopefully! If I’m in Vancouver, I’ll be at the beach or at a restaurant with my friends.

What are the 3 most important skills you need to do your job?

This is a hard one! Problem-solving is massive, I have to be able to think on my feet. Good communication and organizational skills would be the other two probably.

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Your mantra is                                                  ?

“Be careful of the toes you step on today because they might be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.” My mom taught me that when I was young and it’s always stuck with me! You’re not always gonna get along with everyone and maybe you’d do things differently but there has to be that respect there. You just never know – it’s a small industry!

What is your favourite thing about LUSH?

Above anything else, the really awesome people. I’m lucky that LUSH treats their employees really well. They’ve created a really positive environment that values their employees and their creativity. You’re rewarded for thinking outside the box which is so nice and can be rare. LUSH pushes people to grow in different ways which is so cool.

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Any Merchandising tips you can share?

The most important thing is to land on a direction or message or story and keep the display focused. If you try to say too many things, you’ll end up saying nothing and confusing the customer. Keep it focused and clean.

What’s your favourite place you’ve travelled with LUSH?

That’s so hard to pick! New York is always amazing. I’ve been to London for meetings quite a bit which is so fun. It’s cool because I’ve been to cities that I may never have chosen to go to like Dallas, Atlanta, and Washington, DC that were really, really neat! I’m lucky enough that I can say I’ve been to pretty much every major city in North America.

The post Merchandising Magic: LUSH’s HQ Visual Merchandiser, Fashion Marketing grad Kyle Ziegenhagel appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Snuggled on a black leather sofa inside the stunning South Granville skin clinic, Project Skin, MD sit Christine Palylyk, Jennifer Bowles, and Gwen De La Costa. The posh neon sign above them reads “It’s Glow Time” and even though it’s barely 9am, the three Blanche Macdonald Esthetics grads are positively radiant – one even bears a striking resemblance to Catherine Zeta-Jones. Not only are these women gorgeous, they are insanely kind, funny, and extremely talented backed by impressive careers and credentials. They’re now comfortably nestled in the bright, beautiful, and modern walls of the prestigious Project Skin clinic – which has garnered numerous glowing client reviews and media coverage in the five short years it’s been in business. Wildly different, yet alluring, captivating, and instantly trustworthy, Gwen, Christine, and Jennifer sit to share a small part of their skincare journey and their top tips for happy skin.

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You all do vastly different things here. Can you give us an idea of what a typical day looks like for you and how your role fits into the clinic?

Christine Palylyk: I’m a Laser Technician here so I perform procedures that are prescribed by the doctor. I do a number of different laser treatments, from vascular and retexturing treatments, to skin tightening treatments, IPL Photorejuvenation, vascular treatments and things like that! Right now, I’m the only person who does laser hair removal so we split up some of the other treatments between staff members who also perform them. I also do cosmetic tattooing 2 days a week. That’s pretty much me!

Gwen De La Costa: I’m a Medical Esthetician so I do chemical peels, microneedling, microdermabrasion, clear+brilliant treatments – basically the less invasive treatments.

Jennifer Bowles: I’m Dr. McGillivray’s assistant, meaning I deal mostly with Botox and fillers but I also do a lot of derm services so that means ENC which is electrocautery, which is the process of removing skin tags and millia, and acne. I do things that are more medically based.

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Do you need some sort of medical background to do that?

JB: I was a paramedic before this so I have a background in medicine. I started out in the medical field right out of high school.

What brought you all to Blanche Macdonald?

CP: When I was shopping around for schools, Blanche Macdonald was the one school that when I called to inquire, treated me extremely well. Right from the get-go, they were so kind. They treated me like my business mattered, they invited me in, they took me on a tour so I could see how everything worked and meet people who were going to lead the program.

JB: Absolutely.

CP: Other schools answered my questions and told me the cost of going there but I was looking for something extra. The people at Blanche Macdonald made me feel special as a 21-year-old. I ended up choosing it because it was affordable and I knew I would learn a lot – and I did. I went right into the industry when I finished.

JB:  I worked as a paramedic for quite a while and then I did a complete turnaround and started working in hospitality which put me overseeing food and beverage for Fairmont Hotels, which gave me a great groundwork for management. Then I decided that I wanted to go back into the medical field but in a different direction so I went to Blanche Macdonald, took the Esthetics program and applied here!

GDLC: I did a lot of travelling in Europe after high school and I had no idea what I wanted to come back and do. Skincare was something that I had always been interested in but there wasn’t a lot of choices for schools back then. Blanche Macdonald was one of the few that was available and it was closest to my house! I’m so glad I went there though. The education and instructors were amazing and they got me to where I needed to be.

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The Career Directors in the Esthetics program have some really incredible connections in the industry. Is that how you got started in the industry?

GDLC: Debbie [Nickel] was a great resource that I used after I graduated.

CP: I reached out with a few questions and they always got back to me but once I graduated, I was always working so I didn’t really need to!

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Focusing on Project Skin, what is their training and hiring process like?

CP: I’ve worked for a few different laser clinics, probably a handful of the best clinics in Vancouver. When I applied here, they created a position for me because my resume is really good and I have a lot of experience with a lot of different lasers and I’ve worked under some really well-known physicians. I started off doing makeovers, booking appointments, and promoting the products. From there, I moved into laser work.

What do you feel sets you apart in the industry, as Blanche Macdonald graduates, from other candidates?

CP: Blanche grads are always professional, meticulous, and they know their stuff. It’s a real credit to Blanche Macdonald and the training they give.

JB: That’s all true. It’s definitely a credit to them.

GDLC: I’ve noticed that through various training I’ve given at all different places, Blanche grads have way more confidence. They’re just ready for the world.

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Why did you all choose to make Project Skin the next chapter in your career?

JB: It was a no-brainer for me. It’s an outstanding facility, it’s beautiful to work in, and the team is absolutely incredible.

GDLC: It’s like a family.

CP: The first time I walked in and the elevator doors opened, I was like “Oh my God!” It was just so beautiful. It’s so different in that you have space in the waiting area and in all the rooms. It’s a very comfortable place to be. The relationship between the clients and staff is amazing also. When I was starting, I read through the staff bios on the website and I  was intimidated! Everyone is here is just insanely talented.

GDLC: It’s the people here too. You can feel the warmth and the smiles from the elevator!

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What’s the most important part of your job?

All: Customer care!

CP: All of the aspects of customer care. Providing treatments, not doing harm, being friendly, compassionate, warm – the list goes on!

What’s the most enjoyable part of your day?

GDLC: My co-workers!

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You’ve got a retail component to the clinic on the main floor stocked with numerous brands and the entirety of the SkinCeuticals line. What is special about SkinCeuticals and how are the other brands chosen?

JB: We’re very lucky to be a flagship store for SkinCeuticals. They’re a great brand.

CP: Dr. McGillivray felt connected to SkinCeuticals. He just loves the science behind the line. For the other brands, they choose things that are safe and effective with quality ingredients.

Is there a piece of advice you find you give to your clients more often than not?

All: Sunscreen!

GDLC: Other than sunscreen, I find that a lot of people need a skincare routine. Lots of people think a one-shot treatment deal will be enough but more often than not, they need a plan.

JB: It’s a journey. That’s what Dr. M would say. Nothing is a one-shot deal.

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Do you find your clients ebb and flow with trends in skincare?

CP: We research things extensively before we bring them in but sometimes there’s a surge in inquiries about certain services if there’s a lot of discussion around them. Microneedling, for example, wasn’t new in the industry when Kim Kardashian had it done.

JB: For me dealing with fillers and Botox, people often come in with celebrity photos to give an idea of what they want for their lips or cheeks but this is something they’ve given a lot of thought to.

GDLC: I find that educating clients and being honest over pushing products or services on them makes a difference. In the end, if they see the product or service work, they will come back. With each and every client,  we focus on education. We teach people how to take care of their skin when they’re not here.

CP: Gwen has the most dedicated client base I’ve ever met. She has people that will absolutely not see anyone else. Her clients loooove her!

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It’s evident that education is a cornerstone of Project Skin. It’s on the wall in your entrance and there’s lots of mention of education on your website.

JB: They give us a loooot of training so that we can educate our customers. There’s so much available to us.

CP: A lot of people come in saying ‘This is what bothers me. What can I do?’ and from there we customize a treatment plan. People are pretty savvy nowadays, they usually come in with an idea and it’s our job to fill in the blanks. Specifically for my laser clients, they say ‘This redness here bothers me’ and then we discuss what we can do and where we can go.

GDLC: What’s so different and special about our clinic is that we can cross-reference and promote each other’s skills, services, and knowledge. From a simple facial, they can become a laser client, or they could be looking to add some volume and then we can send them to Jennifer and Dr. M. It’s all about options and a range of service and ours are very broad.

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Top 5 tips for happy skin:

1. Sunscreen
2. Retinol
3. Hydrate
4. Exfoliate
5. Vitamin C serum

CP: But you guys know me, I’m gonna IPL [Photorejuvenation] for the rest of my life!

The post Blanche Macdonald grads Christine Palylyk, Jennifer Bowles, and Gwen De La Costa Stun at Project Skin appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Clad in layers of fabric and a vintage coat, Hannah Eriksson’s pixie-like face greets me with a smile as she fluffs out her half-blue hair from the sticky Vancouver rain. Having recently graduated from the Fashion Design program with top honours, Hannah was chosen by the organizers of Vancouver Fashion Week as one of the breakout designers to sponsor. Though she is relatively new to the design scene, her work has left our Design faculty and the fashion community of Vancouver stunned. Dedicated, artistic, and incredibly hard working, meet one of the most talented and creative artist/designers in Vancouver—who also happens to be the winner of not one, but two awards at 2017’s Annual Fall Fashion Showcase: Hannah Eriksson.

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You made quite a splash in your year in the Fashion Design program, winning two awards at your graduate fashion show—Best Portfolio and the coveted Overall Achievement Award. How did that feel?

It was completely overwhelming. I definitely didn’t expect it. Portfolio was conceivable for me because of my art background – but Overall Achievement? That one was such an absolute shock.

Tell us a bit about your graduate collection, Elated Exhaustion. Where did it come from?

It’s really hard to say. . .I’m still trying to figure it out myself! My designs are much harder to understand where they are coming from than my paintings. My paintings are abstract but there’s a direct emotional weight that I’m putting

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Honestly, it was just such a rollercoaster. I’ve definitely never worked so hard in my life.

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into them. I do that with design too of course, but it’s harder to draw a line between a feeling or thought and 8 leather pockets that are attached by a cord!

What is your design process like?

I get the idea and I sketch it over and over and over until I feel that it’s become what it should be. Then I draft it. It’s not ‘designed’ until it’s finished though. I often add to it or change it until I’m happy with it.

Now, tell us a bit about yourself. You’re an artist and a fashion designer. Have you always been artistic? What came first?

I’ve always been into art. I didn’t plan or want to go into design until I was in it. I always wanted to be a painter. Actually I wanted to be a geologist until I was 11! But after that, it was all about painting though I had the thought of maybe going into sculpting eventually.

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So how did that turn into a future you taking Fashion Design?

I travelled all over after high school and I was drawing and painting a lot on the road. Partway through my travels, I kept having dreams and thoughts of this black organza cape dress and no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake it. It was driving me crazy! Obviously I didn’t have a sewing machine or fabric with me so I kept drawing it and changing it until I feel like I knew exactly what it was supposed to be. I lived in Brazil for five months and that whole time, I kept seeing the dress and drawing it. When I got back to Vancouver, I had no money and I was sleeping on my friend’s floor. I only had a few things that I didn’t get rid of before I went travelling and weirdly, one of them was this old sewing machine. I set it up in my friend’s room, got some fabric and just started making things! Soon after that I became roommates with [CurliQue Talent and Blanche Macdonald Makeup grad] Evelyn [Affleck] and we would always talk about us doing an artistic collaboration. It was actually her who made me look at Fashion Design as something to pursue and go to school for.

Were you still hesitant at that point to enroll for Design?

Oh, yeah! I made an appointment to meet with someone at the school and I went to the coffee shop down the street right before and I remember standing, waiting for my coffee thinking “It’s OK that this isn’t going to go well because you’re supposed to be a painter.” But then I walked into the appointment and my Director, Pearl was so great and so kind. She also convinced me that maybe this was something that I needed to do. Three days later I was enrolled.

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Was your family surprised?

They were pretty excited. Everyone on my dad’s side is more artistic than anything else. Most people were kind of like “Oh yeah, that makes sense” when I told them. It seemed to make sense to everyone but me!

Wow! So now that you’ve graduated and completed your very own collection—how was your time here?

It was absolutely crazy. Honestly, it was just such a rollercoaster. I’ve definitely never worked so hard in my life. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much stress and so much luck at the same time. It was preceded by a year of me running from fashion and then it felt like being here was a whole year of me finally being in the right place. I have so much gratitude to the mentors that supported me in such a crazy year.

It seems the feeling is mutual! Tyler, the Fashion Director, only has wonderful things to say about you and your work.

Oh gosh. Tyler is a person that you take so seriously in the program. His history [in the fashion industry] is so intimidating. The first three months of the program were really challenging for me, actually. I was spending 24 hours in class, 30 doing homework, and then working. When we first started meeting with Tyler in month four of the program and I was unaware of whether or not I really had a place in the industry, and the idea of showing my first round of collection sketches was certainly unnerving. But Tyler told me it was beautiful and that he was excited I was in the program. That was one of the first times I thought “I should be here.” He was just so, so helpful.

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I do work well on deadlines because you’re kind of forced to make and do the best you can in a limited time. Working like that helps me keep connected to my ideas all the way through the process.

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You were recently sponsored to show your first collection at Vancouver Fashion Week. How did that feel?

It had only been a month since I’d graduated and been able to breathe again. I’d started in the Fashion Design department as a Teacher’s Assistant, it was literally my first day, and Tyler called me into his office and was basically like “They’re offering you this. Do you want to do it?” I was still so fatigued from the program and the graduation rush, plus I’d never even considered it. I have this incredible capability to never see anything coming! So to shorten the story, my first reaction was terror. I had three days to think about it but by the time I went home that night, I knew I’d kick myself for years if i didn’t do it.

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So you added to your graduate collection and showed at VFW.

Yep! It was more so a diversification of my collection. My option to show at VFW was two months before the show so I had to draft and design my new pieces in three weeks, and then I had to actually make them. I ended up showing 8 looks in total. I took one piece that was only a concept in my portfolio but I designed 9 new pieces for my looks that came from absolutely no where. I had no idea what I wanted them to be but—they came out and they’re my collection!

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One of my coats had 37 pockets on it and if I didn’t have a deadline, I may have never finished it because it was NUTS.

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Is it hard to balance deadlines with creativity and getting everything ‘just so?’

It’s tricky for sure. It involves a lot of not sleeping for me. I do work well on deadlines because you’re kind of forced to make and do the best you can in a limited time. Working like that helps me keep connected to my ideas all the way through the process. It also makes you actually finish things. One of my coats had 37 pockets on it and if I didn’t have a deadline, I may have never finished it because it was NUTS.

Where would you like to see your designs go?

Eventually I’d love to be part of larger scale artistic collaborations. My dream is that these collaborations would be big enough to attract an audience. Maybe part of massive art expos that are multi-media based with photography, dancers, and a whole bunch of artists and their art. Of course I’d love to see people wearing my clothes but I don’t design my clothes for commercial purposes. Right now, and hopefully forever, I can design with art being my only purpose because to me, there’s nothing more rewarding than creating and seeing your work in play and collaboration with other, fellow artists.

Dreams do come true as it seems. Hannah is slated to join in on Vancity Street’s next event, Ascension. Vancity Street brings local street creatives together to create culture, collaborate, and of course, showcase their artistic mediums.

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Buried in the heart of Vancouver’s west side neighbourhood, Kerrisdale, nestled among other independent, quaint stores sits India Rose Cosmeticary. Its gilded gold logo on the window shines, acting like a beacon to draw in both neighbourhood wanderers and makeup lovers from all over the lower mainland that are coming to shop the exclusive, illustrious cosmetic brands that lay behind the door, atop gilded shelves, nuzzled together on cascading marble. At the helm of this beauty haven is Blanche Macdonald Freelance Makeup graduate, India Daykin. At only 24 years old, India has assembled a goop-like collection of beauty brands under one roof and expertly navigated life as a Vancouver entrepreneur, having just recently celebrated the anniversary of first opening the doors of her shop two years ago. India sits perched on a white fluffy chair, in the calmness of her stunning space before opening for another busy day to tell us about her exclusive brands, finding a work-life balance, and the benefits of a “Good Will Hunting” view on life’s hurdles.

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Where did the “Cosmeticary” part of your name come from?

That was my branding person’s idea. She found this word and brought it to me and we tossed it around and in the end, I felt like it helped give context to what we sell. People don’t usually know how to say it, but that’s ok.

You carry super exclusive lines. How do you decide which ones to bring in?

When it started, it was mostly things that I found creeping other Makeup Artists on Instagram and seeing what they had in their kits. I tried to find and shop some of these products but I couldn’t seem to find them anywhere. If I really wanted a product, I would have to order it and pay duty for it. I would always think “Wouldn’t it be so nice if all these products were in one store?” So I decided to look into getting all these brands under one roof and it turned out that there was a good number of brands I wanted to carry that had the same distributor. I’m lucky enough to be getting to the place where I’m approached by brands but I still do a lot of research on Instagram.

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Is it a struggle to merchandise so many lines in a small-ish space?

It’s hard! It’s not like fashion where there are seasons and collections that are new then go on sale to get cleared out for new things. Brands will introduce new products and not phase any out and for a long time, I didn’t put anything on sale. Now I decide based on whether or not the product excites us anymore and whether it’s evolved to still be a good fit for the store. There are certain lines that we like two products from that do really well with our customers. It’s really about trimming the fat and looking at things objectively.

And did you always have a vision of what the store was going to look like?

I started getting the store together and planning it about a year out. I worked with a professional on my branding and that helped me get a clear sense of my brand identity and what I wanted the store to look like. A lot of my inspiration for the interior came from Tumblr, actually. My mom used to be an interior designer so I basically just gave her my inspo and she took my ideas and created a beautiful space.

How did you end up in this area of Vancouver?

My mom owns [the bakery] Butter across the street and I also grew up in this neighbourhood. It wasn’t necessarily my intention to open here but I knew people in the community so I knew this space was coming up and I thought it would be a good way to suss out the business world. It’s kind of a low-pressure neighbourhood to test the waters of business, plus growing up in this neighbourhood meant I knew the type of people who live and shop around here. Because of where we are, our customers are moms and people who live in the neighbourhood, obviously,  but, we also get a lot of people who come out from all over the Vancouver area who are health-conscious and into living a cleaner lifestyle and using products that also reflect that.

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You’ve got a wide range of products but it seems that there is a heavier focus on skincare than makeup.

Absolutely. Great skin makes great makeup. Skincare is the work, the foundation. Makeup is the fun stuff that comes after, the icing on the cake.

You’re an expert so we have to know. What’s on your top shelf?

WOW – do you have all day? I use a pretty decent combination of things. At the end of the day, I’m a straight-up consumer so I have products from all over the place. If I had to pick five though it would probably be Vintner’s Daughter Botanical Serum; Agent Nateur Holi(oil) – which is basically their answer to Vintner’s and I think it will build a lot of hype; Kypris’ Antioxidant Dew – it’s life changing! It’s our best seller and we all use it like water; RMS Beauty Living Luminizer – it’s a cult-fave. I put it on yesterday and was like “Ohhh damn” Someone came in the other day and smeared it ALL OVER their face and it’s so nice that it didn’t even look bad!; and a Vitamin C serum – I’m testing five right now actually. I also have a lot of masks – I love to mask. My go-to’s are classic clay, tea tree, and apple cider vinegar. There’s a lip pencil from Kajer Weis that’s kind of like Pillow Talk by Charlotte Tilbury, a ‘your-lips-but-better’ shade and I never go anywhere without that pencil. We’re the only ones on the west coast to sell that brand too.

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You seem to have everything so under control! Are there still days when running your own business can be stressful? How do you deal with it?

Oh, every day. I opened when I was 22 – I still don’t know who let me do that! My biggest struggle, to this day, is that I don’t have a business background. I’m super, super lucky in the fact that both my parents are successful business owners and so are a lot of people in my family but no one has a business background there either. We’re very entrepreneurial, apparently.  Even still, they’re all such great resources to have and I know I wouldn’t be here without them. A large portion of my day is staying on top of spreadsheets, buying, and calculating statistics and data – it’s not just about “What lipgloss is cutest?” I watch a lot of tutorials and read lots of blogs, I’ve also got friends that went to business school so they’re great to call when I have questions – like about Excel. Running the store is a bit easier now that I’ve come this far, but that brings new challenges, too. Those are always welcome challenges though. I’ve kind of “Good Will Hunting”-ed it all and I’m just gonna keep on going!

Do you find it difficult to ‘turn off’ and relax?

You hear those stories of people starting a business and being like ‘I was awake for 23 hours a day for a year!’ – that’s not me. I actually sleep pretty well! I mean, I love my job. At the same time, my work and life and pretty intertwined so yeah, I check my email as I’m watching Netflix sometimes but that’s OK. The only time I have to discipline myself is in terms of customer service and our online store. I love the world of e-commerce because anyone can shop any time, anywhere, from any time zone but that means that they’re shopping and asking questions and for me, maybe it’s 11:30 on a Saturday night. There’s part of me that wants to deal with it right away and give them their answer like, now. But I’m trying to get in the habit of waiting until I’m sitting at my computer and able to give them a thoughtful, coherent response. It usually works out much better than trying to reply quickly while I’m stuffed in a bathroom somewhere typing on my phone.

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Going back a few years, what was your relationship with makeup like when you were younger?

I always wanted to be a Makeup Artist. I bought my first makeup kit when I was like eight at Walmart and I would give makeovers to anyone who would let me – some were better than others. I’d have photo shoots with my friends and do their makeup before dances, I just loved doing it. It was never really about me wearing makeup, though I did go through a major teal eyeliner phase, but I just loved putting it on other people. I’ve always been a product junky. My mom had a bakery on Dunbar that I worked at when I was 14 and I used to take my check to the BMO right beside it, cash it, and go across the street to Shoppers Drug Mart and spend the entire thing on lipgloss!

When you started our program, you were deep into your degree at UBC focusing on Art History. What made you decide to take another program at the same time?

I had always wanted a program where I could actually go and learn the techniques and procedures for proper makeup but there wasn’t really anything at that time. While I was at UBC Blanche Macdonald started their part-time Makeup program and I was like “It’s meant to be!”

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How was your experience in the Freelance Program?

I loved it. I just LOVED hanging out at the City Square campus. It felt like a real university campus. I was the first group to have classes at the Atelier campus which was incredibly beautiful and close to the makeup store [CurliQue] so I shopped all the time. The whole program was just so practical. You’d go to class and watch the teacher explain whatever the lesson for that day was, then you’d practice with your classmates and at the end of the day, you could come away with a new skill. It was so fulfilling and extremely rewarding.

Who was your favourite teacher? What module did you enjoy the most?

I LOVED Win [Liu] – she was so great. And Oz [Zandiyeh]. She subbed for us a few times and every time she did I was like “Yeeeesssssss!” The Fashion module was such a good time. All that period makeup was amazing.

Do you find your Art History complimented the Freelance Makeup program?

It definitely wasn’t the worst combo. It’s obviously not necessary but it was nice having a broader understanding of certain decades and artistic styles. One day in makeup class our teacher referenced chiaroscuro and I had just covered that in Art History and it was like worlds colliding. Like “Hey – I know what that is!” But the biggest thing for me was the kind of analysis I was doing at UBC, which would be helpful in any creative career, has made a world of difference. Through that, I developed a strong curatorial point of view that was invaluable in envisioning the store and choosing and merchandising products in it now.

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Top 5 tips for the budding entrepreneur:

1. Don’t spend all your money prior to opening.
2. Anticipate costs after you open and have enough to keep yourself open for a while. It’s not like you open the doors and people flood in and spend all their money on you.
3. Have a clear idea of exactly what the brand you’re creating stands for and what you’re hoping to achieve. But also keep in mind, things evolve and shift so you have to be OK with that as well.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It sounds cheesy but seeing what your friends and family are good at is super cool. And it’s fun to include the people who are close to you. They probably wanted to help you out anyway!
5. Hire slowly.
6. This is an extra point but it’s super important –  don’t get discouraged. There were days when I first opened that I was like “Oh god, was this the right thing?” But keep on truckin’. It takes around 2 years for things to really fall into place so, stay strong.

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“Bound to give you nails that make you feel super bad and boujee” is how the majority of Vancouver, at least the half that reads Narcity’s “Best Of” lists, knows double Blanche Macdonald graduate, Vanessa Stern. Nearly a Special Effects Makeup Artist, Vanessa’s life was turned upside down and forever changed when she discovered the world of Nails and she’s quickly working her way to being one of Vancouver’s best freelance nail techs. When she’s not cuddling her pooch, Mercedes, or creating a new set of nails, Vanessa is most likely researching Kylie Jenner’s latest manicure. Splitting her time between clients, TV and Film sets, and manicures on the hottest celebs to come through Vancity, @nailsbyvanessanicole is one nail artist you want to keep an eye on.

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You made the Narcity list of 11 Talented Vancouver Nail Artists Who Will Step Up Your Nail Game. How did that feel?

I was SO happy. It came right after I’d had a bit of a difficult time, professionally speaking, and it made me feel so much better. It made be believe in nails, even more than I did. It’s so cheesy but it was basically validation for me following what I loved because I was and still am, so obsessed with nails. I didn’t quit even though other girls probably would have. I just kept going and this was such a reward for that.

That must’ve felt so good! Where do you work from mostly?

I work mostly out of my home studio right now. 

What brought you to Blanche Macdonald?

I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school. I went to UBC for, like, a day and I never went back. I sat in the one class I went to, did the homework that we were supposed to have done, handed it in, and peaced! I used to be obsessed with Vancouver FX Studio and because of that, I wanted to go to VFS for TV and Film Makeup. Their program wasn’t accepting people for a few months and so I wanted to do something in the meantime and I thought of nails. I’ve always gotten my nails done and loved it and I’m totally obsessed with Kylie Jenner and her nails. I wanted to be able to do nails like that. So what was supposed to be an in-the-meantime or ‘side hustle’ thing actually completely changed my life! I ended up taking the Freelance Makeup program a couple months after I finished the Nail program because I still wanted to know makeup plus—my parents had started an RESP for me to become a lawyer or something so I figured I might as well make use of it! But I consider myself a nail tech first, then a Makeup Artist.

That’s an amazing story! So were your parents supportive?

My parents were a bit hush, hush about it at first. They were kinda like “You’re not going to spend your life working in a nail salon. You’ll never make enough money.” But I loved it so much and I knew I was doing the right thing for myself. It only took a week for my parents to see how dedicated and happy I was for their attitude to completely change to “Do whatever you want!” They saw how much more there is to the world of nails than just ‘painting nails.’ My dad bought a nail-related domain, they share my work on their Facebooks, and they’ve started showing random people pictures of my nails – followed by pictures of my dog!

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Was there any hesitation or nervousness on your part about pursuing a career in nails?

Not at all. I never had an end goal or dream for after the program, I just knew it would be OK. I remember Simona on our maybe second day of class going around and asking people what they wanted to do after and most people said work in a salon or own one and I said nothing! I just wanted to see where it would take me.

What memories do you have of our Nail program?

I was the class clown and teacher’s pet! I was such good friends with our teacher Christy Denton—we actually still text. But I was always taking up her time talking and asking questions—my classmates always joked about how I left no time for them! I do have a lot of appreciation for the detail we learned about sanitization and proper tool use in class. They covered so much about different nail conditions and cleaning. I remember it was so scary during exams because if you touched anything that wasn’t a tool or your client’s hand, you got major marks off! Even after working at salons all around Vancouver, including some of the best ones, Blanche Macdonald must be the only place teaching proper sanitization techniques! It’s something to be wary of, for both the client and the tech.

You’ve actually crafted a bit of a niche for yourself and your nails in the TV & Film world, haven’t you? How did that come about?

My initial connection to TV and Film wasn’t actually Nail related but I’ve made it to include my Nails now. I apprenticed for a Makeup Artist when I was 18 and thinking about getting into Makeup as a career so when I made the switch to Nails, I just let my contacts from my Makeup days know they could call me for Nail work. I’m not in the union yet so it’s not always steady but I’ve gotten to do some pretty cool manicures.

Can you give us some highlights?

Yeah! I did Anna Kendrick’s nails. She is super, super nice. Everything is ‘perfect’ for her. The whole time I was doing her nails, she was texting Robert Pattinson and my 13-year old heart was freaking out! I did Shirley MacLaine’s nails in her room at the Sutton Hotel – she’s super cool. I was on the set of X-Files and Bates Motel. I was actually supposed to do Rihanna’s nails on Bates Motel and I was SHOOK. But she ended up flying to Barbados so I did her stunt double. No matter what though, whether you’re excited or not, you have to be so professional. I’ve been offered a lot more film work than I’ve been able to take because of my salon schedules, though. The saddest one for me was that I was recently hired to do nails for Madelaine [Petsch] but I had appointments at the salon. I was crushed. That was a job I got from being persistent and tenacious too; not from my makeup contacts.

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What’s your favourite thing about nails?

I love how you can do nails every day. People get their nails done just because. It’s not like other creative things where there is more times than not, a specific event surrounding these services. I also like how everyone has different nails. When I first started, it was tips, acrylic gel, and go! But now I really look at the nail shape and what I can do. Sometimes someone who bites their nails will come in and I will extend and shape then and completely change their life. I especially love doing nails for people who are self-conscious of their nails. People talk about it, people rap about it—“Get my nails did”—it’s a whole thing!

If you could name something as a career highlight so far, what would it be?

My first successful set of nails that none popped off! That was a big worry for me. Starting something new is hard but it’s especially hard when you don’t get to see the progression and wear of your work because it’s on someone else’s hands.

What’s been your favourite set?

I did these nude/pink holographic nails that I really liked. I do a lot of good nude sets because that’s what is most popular with my girls right now.

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If you could be anywhere, doing anything, where would it be?

Omg that’s a gooooood question! I’d probably say, it would be summer and I’d be at the beach my dog watching the sunset. That’s my happy place. I don’t feel like I have to ‘be’ anywhere else. Some people go halfway across the world to be happy but I’m so happy here! And I’d be so sad if I had to leave all my nail stuff!

When you aren’t doing nails, you’re. . .?

Doing a lot of Pilates. Shopping, or hanging out with my friends.

Upcoming trends you like or want to try?

I don’t know about trends but I have a friend who is also a Nail Tech who trained in Russia and she is teaching me this Russian design—I don’t even know what it’s called in English. She taught me in stages and now I think I’ve finally got the perfect polish to brush ratio so I’m practicing constantly. I’m always working on a set though. I was almost done a set the other day and decided one nail didn’t fit in but I liked it so I started a whole other set for that one nail!

Would you say you have a specialty? Or signature?

I’m in the process of developing a signature I think. That’s why I haven’t thought too thoroughly of owning my own place yet, because I want my own style of doing everything. I want my nail place to be something special. I would want my signature to be a way of incorporating the ‘Kylie Jenner’ manicure with good, healthy, nice cuticles. I want my clients to know me for their beautiful manicures and the health of their nails. Right now, I’d say that my cuticle work and nail shaping is my signature. My bread and butter. Or bread and vegan butter!

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You’re vegan! Is that why you use the Evo Bio nail polish?

It’s part of it for sure. I want to make sure I can cater to almost any client. I don’t do Bio Sculpture nails but I love the Evo polish. It’s like finding a good foundation, I just love the formulation.

Where do you get your inspo?

Instagram 1000%! I used to use Pinterest but I like the Nail community and posts that I’ve found on Instagram better. I feel like it’s becoming more and more prominent on Instagram because people are getting to appreciate and think about nails more, thanks to a lot of celebrities. Like Cardi B’s newest manicure. And is Kylie [Jenner] accidentally going to poke her baby with her long nails? It’s not as popular as Makeup but Nails are definitely getting some respect and recognition.

Any accounts in particular?

My two nail gods are @nailsbybano and @fiina_naillounge. I also love @jolene.b.nails. I saw that she was going to be at Coachella last year and I messaged her to meet up so I could pick her brain. We didn’t end up getting to meet but through reaching out to her and making that connection, we’ve got an Instagram relationship which is so cool.

Do you have an Instagram strategy?

I’m at the stage where I’m still trying to build my following but I think the thing is, like my career in Nails so far, never give up! Even if you change your esthetic or what you do, keep posting, keep being you, and keep going! And, one day, your Instagram will just GO. OFF.

The post Vancouver’s Best Kept Secret Nail Artist, Vanessa Stern, is Secret No More appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Claudia Da Ponte didn’t start out planning to become one of Canada’s busiest Costume Designers for TV and film, helping stars like Ray Liotta, Lauren Holly, Courtney Love, Molly Parker and Dominic Purcell slip into character. Far from it. She was already a successful Professional Stylist when a chance introduction pointed her career in an entirely new direction.

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“I approached working on a movie for the first time like I approached styling jobs,” explains the Blanche Macdonald Fashion Marketing Program graduate. “I read the script, saw what the characters were like, talked to the Director and went from there.

“At the time I was really focused on styling. Back then I thought film was full of limitations. Someone else had created the character already. Putting someone in t-shirt and jeans isn’t that creative, right? Now I understand that I get to create a new world as a Costume Designer. I can really get into the characters’ heads. Why are they wearing these things? What’s the psychology behind it?”

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I get to create a new world as a Costume Designer. I can really get into the characters’ heads. Why are they wearing these things? What’s the psychology behind it?

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Claudia’s own psychological traits are relatively straightforward. She’s always loved clothes. As a Stylist that passion took her backstage to work with Céline Dion and Britney Spears, into the halls of government to illustrate Justin Trudeau’s Budget Plan booklet, and onto the pages of major European fashion editorials and high profile advertising campaigns. She’s even appeared on Entertainment Tonight Canada, providing the fashion expertise for Cheryl Hickey’s Makeover segment.

“As a kid I was always into fashion,” she recalls. “I always had my own opinion about clothes. My favourite thing in preschool was to play with the dolls and change their outfits. One day the school got new dolls and clothes and my teacher forced me to paint for a change. I was not a happy camper. I wish she could see me now.

“I realized I could actually make a living putting clothes on people when I was 16. Since then, when people ask me what I do for a living, I say ‘I’m a professional Barbie doll dresser.”

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That’s Claudia’s typically fun way of approaching her chosen career in one of the most competitive businesses out there. It’s an outlook that was honed during her time on the Fashion Marketing Program at Blanche Macdonald. She worked hard, in and out of the classroom, but she made a point of enjoying her time at Fashion School too.

“Blanche Macdonald was intense but I loved it. The styling course stood out for me, although I had to miss one class because I was styling the Coquitlam Centre ad campaign. My life was literally sleep, eat, Blanche, volunteer. And it paid off! I had a lot of contacts when I left school. I still keep in touch with my teachers at Blanche. If you’re good in class, they’ll help you out when they can.

“I knew styling was what I wanted to do so I always tried to figure out how everything I was learning was relevant to that. It’s useful to understand the process of garments from design to how they end up in the stores. Fashion is your industry and the more knowledge you have about it, the better off you are. I picked up my fashion knowledge and history at Blanche. They really drill it through you in Peggy Morrison’s classes, learning about all the different designers and how they got to be where they are.”

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Blanche Macdonald was intense but I loved the whole program. It was literally sleep, eat, Blanche, volunteer. And it paid off!

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Claudia began working in the costume departments for major productions visiting Vancouver immediately after graduation, including Cats, High School Musical, Annie, Cirque Du Soleil and Spamalot. With a growing reputation as a hard worker and a fun person to have backstage, Claudia’s name began to be put forward when touring music superstars like Céline Dion and Britney Spears came to British Columbia.

“When you’re working on a big concert your level of professionalism has to go up even higher. You’re dealing with bigger names, but it’s still costume prep, getting dancers and everyone dressed properly, and watching for cues. It can be a bit nerve-wracking but it’s a lot of fun. At Céline Dion I was eating dinner backstage while she was warming her voice up. I had my own Céline Dion concert!

“If you’d told me back then that I would be a full time Costume Designer I would have said you’re out of your mind.”

She’d dabbled in the movie industry already, providing the costumes for the comedy That One Night when fresh out of Fashion School. She’d moved to Toronto to develop her styling career and then back to Vancouver when an impromptu meeting on a music video opened up a new career window.

“A producer introduced me to her friend, the Director Uwe Boll. His Production Manager took a chance on me and I ended up Costume Designing a feature for him called Suddenly. The lead actor was Ray Liotta. It really was welcome to film! The production company liked me a lot and they offered me Way of the Wicked with Christian Slater and in turn that led to The Town That Came a-Courtin’, which starred Lauren Holly. She and I hit it off immediately.”

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Life’s been a series of TV and movie sets ever since. Of course it’s exciting. It also demands the very highest levels of professionalism. With millions of dollars invested in every major production, Claudia is expected to get the details right every time.

“I’ll read the script, look at the cast, and break it down into how many characters and costume changes will be needed. I’ll make collages and reference boards or sketch ideas. Then I’ll share those images so everyone can see it. Prep is the most important part of my job. For a feature film that can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. I recently did a period piece feature called 1922. I designed some of the costumes myself and even flew to Toronto for 24 hours to pull pieces and fit my lead actress, Molly Parker. I was running and driving around like a maniac all day.

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“I can tweak stuff if the producers don’t like something, but normally we’re all on the same page. I’ll do a wardrobe fitting with the actors to see what needs to be altered or exchanged and then we’ll start organizing what will be worn in each scene, ensuring that nothing clashes and then everyone’s ready for camera. It’s my job to make the characters come to life. Actors normally love their wardrobe. I’ve never done a show where at least one actor hasn’t bought something. Because I come from a styling background I understand peoples body shapes. Costume designers can sometimes say, ‘the character should look like this.’ But if the actor’s body isn’t right for the outfit, that’s not going to work. There’s no point in saying, she’d look great in this if it won’t suit her body type.”

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It’s my job to make the characters come to life.

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Costume can define a character. Working on the Lifetime network’s true story murder drama, Menendez: Blood Brothers, Courtney Love wanted to resemble the real life Kitty Menendez.

“Courtney definitely had a vision for the character,” explained Claudia in her interview with Women’s Wear Daily. “The real Kitty tended to wear a lot of red so right off the bat we said Courtney would look good in red. From there we took it to jewel tones so you’ll notice throughout she wears a lot of red, yellow, emerald green and turquoise.”

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The combination of fashion and film might appear beyond glamorous, but Claudia insists that her role involves as much perspiration as inspiration.

“I often work 100 hours a week. Getting up at 2am never gets easier, especially in winter. My job is 20% Costume Design, 80% problem solving. Everything you can think might go wrong will go wrong. Pants will rip. Messy actors will spill their lunch on the costume. Something will shrink in the wash or production will move a scene forward two weeks. You have to be prepared for a million problems. I don’t get angry. I look at the problem and think about how we can fix it and keep moving forward. That’s why people like working with me.”

The industry doesn’t like Claudia. They love her; honouring her with a Leo Award nomination in the category of Best Costume Design in a Television Movie for her work on A Christmas Truce, a love story set in 1940s Europe. She went back even further in time for Stephen King’s 1922, nudging the young stylist closer to stardom. The industry has already recognized her brilliance. The rest of the world is quickly catching up.

“It took a lot of research to see what my actors should be wearing and I only had two weeks to do all the prep,” smiles Claudia. “The day the Leo Award nominations were announced the crew on the show I was on gave me a standing ovation when I went to set!”

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Recently, Claudia’s name has been popping up in conjunction with a fairly major world event – the Royal Wedding. The Lifetime movie Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance demanded the absolute best and most thorough of Costume Designers and of course, Claudia was ready to step in. With a tight deadline, only about two weeks to research and plan the extensive wardrobe needs for the movie, Claudia knew it was going to be a challenge – but it was one she was ready for! The costumes in the movie for the entire Royal family have garnered some serious press both around the film’s release and Claudia’s skills and ability to recreate near-exact Royal looks.

As with any job for Claudia, it’s all in the approach and careful execution. And lucky for her, it seems she’s gained the world’s royal seal of approval!

The post Costume is Character for Fashion Marketing Grad Claudia Da Ponte appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Carla Sage understands that the journey is as important as the destination. As Corporate Director of Spa Training for Six Senses Luxury Hotels Resorts and Spas, she’s continually travelling the world, helping open new locations and ensuring that every service in every spa meets her own impeccable standards. Home is now a beautiful fishing village overlooking the Atlantic, a short journey from Lisbon, Portugal. But there’s still a significant part of her heart in the Vancouver Esthetics School where her career began as a student and instructor.

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“Blanche Macdonald’s Esthetics department has a comprehensive program,” Carla explains from her Lisbon office. “It’s an established institution that has a strong ethical standard. They keep up with trends. If you want to be in know about what’s happening in the esthetics industry it’s a great school to attend. The knowledge is coming from instructors who have been in the industry. They know what to say and how to say it. I’m often asked about the people who have made a difference in my career and I always say that Lily Lim from Blanche Macdonald made a huge impact on me. Lily has nurtured a group of people who believe in the foundations that she’s established. They’re like a family. If Lily called me tomorrow and asked me to teach again I’d be packing my bags.”

All global journeys begin somewhere. For Carla, raised on a chicken farm outside Red Deer, Alberta, it was the connection that came with touch, followed by a slice of misfortune, that began to gently push her towards a career in esthetics.

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Studying at Blanche was amazing... I knew this was going to be my career for the rest of my life so I needed to commit to being the best I could be.

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“Massage therapy was always interesting to me. I did my Bachelor of Arts at university in Winnipeg and then came back to BC and went to West Coast College of Massage Therapy. At the end of my schooling, I had a really bad car accident and was paralyzed on my left side. My surgeon told me it would be difficult for me for at least a year to think of massage therapy as a career. I knew I had to stay in this industry. I couldn’t wait that long to be a part of the wellness industry in some way.”

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“People had always told me that I have wonderful skin. I started investigating what was possible in skincare, even though back in the 1990s the trends in the spa industry weren’t nearly what they are today, as an alternative to massage therapy. I’ve always cared about skin and I thought it would be a good way to stay in the wellness industry.”

Back then Blanche Macdonald had barely begun its evolution into a three-campus, internationally recognized Centre of Career Success in Esthetics, Makeup, Fashion and Hair. But even in the mid-1990s the School’s petite lone downtown Vancouver campus did have one thing every department still possesses: a commitment to excellence.

“I remember going into Blanche Macdonald and meeting Peggy Morrison, Lise Graham and Lily Lim. I took a tour and saw Lise teaching in an esthetics room. I could see that it was about health and wellness and in some ways, I knew I wanted to do this forever. I also saw that it would enable me to teach these techniques and practices to others.

“Studying at Blanche was amazing. Lise is one of the most professional trainers I’ve ever met. I would hire her to work in my team if I could! She had very high standards and expectations. She didn’t compromise on what’s important. I knew this was going to be my career for the rest of my life so I needed to commit to being the best I could be.”

Carla clearly picked up on Lise’s standards during her time as a student at Blanche Macdonald. She was hired by the School as a Junior Instructor on the day she graduated (“I took my education very seriously when I was a student. I knew I could teach it”) and not long after that was recruited by Dermalogica to be their Canadian Director of Education.

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I worked in the Bahamas, managing three Sandals resorts. After that I opened the spa in the first Park Hyatt in Beijing, China.

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“Dermalogica could tell the quality of what I was doing. The brand was new to Canada so I was establishing their education throughout the country. It was mostly in BC but towards the end of my second year there we branched out more into Ontario. Things really grew quickly. I loved it. I was the only trainer, so I gave all the treatment, business, product knowledge and sales classes.

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After three and a half years with Dermalogica, Carla was recruited by Sandals resorts and traded spectacular British Columbia for sunnier climes.

“I worked in the Bahamas, managing three of their resorts. After that I opened the spa in the first Park Hyatt in Beijing, China. I was there for two and a half years. From there I went to Peter Island, which was a very high-end private resort island in the British Virgin Islands, and then to the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo as a Spa Director; it’s their most iconic and high-end spa. I went all over the world working and consulting. I consulted in India, New Zealand, and Australia, along with living in the United Arab Emirates and the middle east.

“But I’m not a natural spa director,” she happily admits. “I’m happier in fast-paced openings and training. Seeing the satisfaction and joy therapists feel after they learn something is so rewarding. It shapes their lives. And that’s what it’s about for me, what I can do to shape these young students’ lives.”

So when Carla was offered the position of Director of Training for Six Senses, she jumped at the opportunity. She’s been spreading the joy of touch across the world ever since.

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“We have 29 spas and I coordinate all of the training for all of them annually. When I started we didn’t really have a training department so I needed to establish our standards and treatment menus. I created those treatments, which remains an ongoing project. We implement new ideas on a regular basis. I go to our new properties every year and work closely with different product houses. I’m constantly looking at up-and-coming treatment trends. I have four trainers under me that travel the globe and there are three to five new properties opening every year. I help create wellness initiatives in our spas alongside our wellness board. In the last four years, I’ve been invited to work on the development of many of these projects. We develop the concepts from the ground up and sometimes they take a year to see to fruition depending on the details involved. My most recent initiative allowed me, along with the wellness board, to work closely with a neuroscientist to create an anti-aging clinic.

“The whole concept behind this clinic is beauty from within. Aging isn’t just about skincare, although that’s a big part of it. It’s also about intellectual beauty: accepting and loving who you are. Everyone can live to their full potential and be as beautiful and fulfilled as they want to be if they believe in themselves. Physical beauty is only a surface thing. It’s not what drives your wellness in life.”

As Director of Training, Carla was able to reconnect with her love of touch and connection, demonstrating the treatments she designed with the expert therapists on her transnational team. For Carla and guests at Six Senses’ many spas, wellness goes beyond the physical. It’s psychological too.

“One of our philosophies at Six Senses is encouraging guests to connect with themselves, others, and the world around them. We don’t just provide treatments and wellness experiences. We teach that philosophy.”

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It’s a philosophy that harkens back to her days at Blanche Macdonald. Life on the Portuguese coast is pretty comfortable, but there’s something about Canada’s best esthetics school that keeps calling to Carla.

“I’ve talked about Blanche so much over my career. Anyone that I work with now would know that I love my roots. I want to do something very hands-on as I head towards retirement. It’s in my blood. It’s what I love most. The job I have right now is high demand and is very intense. I always love to get back to the touch! It would be an honour to work at Blanche Macdonald again.”

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High school archetypes insist that students can shine as either artists or scientists. TV and Film Makeup superstar Cayley Giene proves that who you are in school doesn’t dictate your future.

“Art wasn’t something you could nurture growing up in Lloydminster,” she explains. “The first time I ever sculpted or painted anything properly was at Blanche Macdonald. I’d already been accepted into a medical program when I decided to come to Makeup School. I wanted to do genetic and microbiology research in disease study. I’m diabetic and wanted to see if it was possible to cure that and other diseases. Then I learned that my cousin, Tracy George, was a TV and film Makeup Artist. I was always into Makeup but until then I’d never realized that was something you could do for a living.”

Now Cayley makes a living doing what she loves. The young lady from the small plains city of Lloydminster is in permanent demand in Vancouver’s thriving TV and film industry. You’ve seen her on-set artistry on worldwide hits like Arrow, DeadPool 2, Wayward Pines, Supernatural, Once Upon a Time and The X-Files, and her creations in effects shops on movies and series including The Killing, The Flash and Bates Motel. The thought of life as a scientist waging war on disease was tempting, but so was the idea of creating movie magic.

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“When I saw the first Chronicles of Narnia movie I loved the character Tumnus. He was half human, half goat. I did some research and saw that Makeup Artists had created him. So I contacted my cousin Tracy and asked where she would recommend I start. She suggested some Makeup Schools, and Blanche Macdonald was the one I liked the best. With the program’s schedule I could see that I could work and volunteer to get my foot into the door.

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The first time I ever sculpted or painted anything properly was at Blanche Macdonald.

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“At Blanche it didn’t take long before I realized I liked the prosthetics and special effects better than the fashion and beauty side of Makeup. I went straight to the blood and gore! But learning about fashion and beauty was so helpful. Something we did in fashion class that I still do today in the prosthetics shop was learning how to make a foundation colour out of yellow, red and blue. When you’re working in the effects shop you’re always starting with primary colours. That was one of the best lessons I learned.”

Understanding that excelling in the classroom was only half of the equation, Cayley was volunteering as soon as she had mastered the basics.

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“I wanted this to be my career so I made it happen. I did a bit of everything. I worked on counters. I did some fashion makeup. I had bridal clients. Towards the end of the year I focussed on film work and had more than a few indie films on my résumé. By the end of the year I had enough hours to apply and become a union permittee. One of my instructors at Blanche gave me the contact details for the effects shops. I cold-called all them and they asked me to send in my résumé.”

Cayley knew how to get her foot in the door of Vancouver’s TV and film business. Her secret? Applying for the jobs no one else wanted.

“I day called on shows like The 100. It filmed over winter, so it was always raining and it was always a night shoot with 16 or 18-hour days. The cast’s tattoos had to be painted on. One actor needed six hours of makeup if he was appearing without a shirt. My job was mainly putting dirt and tattoos on all the background artists, maintaining the continuity from other episodes I hadn’t been on and trying to keep everything intact with the rain trying to wash it off.

“[Blanche Macdonald graduate] Tanya Howard was my Department Head on The 100, Wayward Pines and is now my boss on Arrow. I’m her First Assistant. If Tanya leaves for meetings or appointments I’m Head of Department and I’m also Head of Department for the Second Units. Tanya’s also kind enough to let me do a lot of the Make Up Effects.”

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Creating illusions on set is only one aspect of Cayley’s creative life. With her gift for creative problem solving she’s become a contract employee at two of the city (and the world’s) most prestigious Makeup Effects shops: WCT Productions and Lindala Schminken FX. She may be safe from the cold and rain, but life on the shop floor comes with a new range of challenges.

“In the shop you’re constantly doing physical labour, lifting and rotating moulds. The hours can be even crazier than set hours because the deadlines are so short. Every day you’re making something different and meeting different people. I love the problem solving aspect of the work too.”

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Cayley takes pride in all her creations, from the Abby creatures of global hit Wayward Pines to the Sasquatch she designed and built as Head of Department for web series Paranormal Solutions Inc. Even so, one of her greatest and grossest technical achievements never made the final cut.

“I had five days to create a fabricated beaver that gets skinned on camera for The Revenant. When you work in effects shops you need to know a bit about everything in the world. When taxidermists create animals they have mannequins they put the fur onto. I got one of those, made a fibreglass mould of it, and painted muscle tissue onto it. Then we brought in a taxidermist who worked the pelts for me. I made a plasticised interior and put some blood and slime into that too. It looked great, but it still got cut from the movie.”

Cayley knows that unexpected cuts are part of the job. That industry understanding is a big part of what makes her one of Vancouver’s most respected professionals.

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“You can be silly and have fun, but there’s a point where it’s too far. When we have Blanche Macdonald students and grads working with us they usually understand that. Sometimes grads from other schools act like they know everything. People who understand they have a lot to learn tend to stick around. They’re going to ask the right questions. I had one intern from another makeup school come in and when I asked her to sweep the floor and empty the garbage she told me, ‘I’m not your shop bitch.’ I showed her the door.

“How you act is so important. Work ethic and personality are huge parts of it. It takes a village to make a monster. We’re looking for people who can think on their feet and problem solve straight away. If a mould breaks, how do we fix it? You need a lot of product knowledge too. That’s where my science background comes in useful. It’s chemistry. For example, I know if I mix two products I’ll get a certain result that I can manipulate if I add heat.”

Cayley’s already has an input in selecting Makeup teams for big shows. It’s only a matter of time before she’s heading departments on major shows. Modesty, and an understanding that there’s no hurry, means she’s not rushing into it.

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At Blanche it didn’t take long before I realized I liked the prosthetics and special effects better than the fashion and beauty side of Makeup. I went straight to the blood and gore!

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“I still have a lot to learn. I spent the first seven years of my career in the effects shop, so I know that side of the industry well. When I’m in the trailer I know what’s been made and how they made it. If something breaks, I know how to fix it.”

The technical expertise is already there. So is the wisdom of how to cope with one of the most demanding and time-consuming jobs in the entertainment business.

“I take vitamin packages that give me energy,” she laughs. “And I drink a LOT of coffee!”

The post The Science of Spectacular: Makeup Graduate Cayley Giene Creates TV and Movie Magic appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

London’s Carnaby Street has a well-deserved reputation as being one of the coolest, most cultural, and fashionable spots in all of central London. Sitting alongside this famous street is the first Too Faced Cosmetics store in all of the world. Too Faced Cosmetics has become a beacon for millennial Makeup Artists, with products serious enough to get the job done but cute enough to feature in the perfect Insta-vid. A champion of pink, glamour, and femininity, Too Faced Cosmetics is at the forefront of the beauty industry with its effective and cruelty-free products. It came as no surprise to us that one of the trusted heralds of this store is none other than Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduate Genevieve Liska! Genevieve was kind enough, after a non-stop day satisfying all the Too Faced needs of central London, to talk about her makeup career, the big move to the UK, the London beauty look, and how to land a spot on the team of your dreams.

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First off, what made you move all the way to the UK and how do you like it?

I’d always wanted to go to Europe and I wanted to take advantage of my passport – my dad is Austrian. I just thought it would be so cool to go and experience a different place and travel around. But life in London is amazing. I never dreamed I would be working on one of the most iconic streets in the world, in the first Too Faced Cosmetics store in the world! Every day that I go to work, I just can’t believe I’m here. It’s an amazing feeling.

What role are you in at the store? What does your day typically look like?

I’m the Assistant Manager, so that means a lot of different things! I spend a fair amount of time in the office communicating with our head office in California, especially if we have a launch or event coming up. We’re a new store so there’s always things to follow-up on and stay on-top of. The biggest part of my job really is managing people and spending time on the floor with the team making sure that they are set up to sell successfully and that the customers are getting the experience they should. It’s so different from day-today!

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That’s a huge job! Tell us about the beginning of your makeup career that prepared you for this role.

My makeup career started after I graduated with the Aveda Institute on Robson Street, where I was able to work up from a sales position to being their Retail Coach where I would train all the salons in the Vancouver area. I helped open the Aveda in Oakridge and was the Assistant Manager there. I was with Aveda for four years. Then I began working with Sears in Brentwood as their Cosmetic Business Development Manager. When I went there, they were at the bottom of the district. Thirteen months later, their store was number three and I was able to grow their gala from 7,000 to 30,000. It was a lot of work but I find that retail success comes down to team training and customer education. When everyone has the information they need given in a usable way, great things happen! After that, I was recruited for Sephora. I went to Pacific Centre and was their Colour Manager which was so much work but so, so fun. Once I got to the UK, I took a job with Cover F/X and travelled the London area training all their teams. After that, I got placed with MAC Cosmetics. Their store in London is quite unique so I was so glad and lucky to be there. After MAC, I wanted to work for a brand that was really progressive and that’s when I found the opening with Too Faced!

Wow – that’s quite the career! Was makeup always something you were into?

Yes, I’ve always loved makeup. I actually wanted to go into the film industry and so when I was finishing Blanche Macdonald, I worked on the Andromeda set to get a feel for set life and it was such long days! I realized that I couldn’t do that for very long and knew I had to figure out something else. I found out that I really enjoyed the counters I’d worked at and the retail side of makeup.

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How was your time in our Makeup program?

Oh I had the best time! I just loved it at Blanche Macdonald. I was super excited to learn and go to school everyday. I’m a big advocate of the school here, I just think the program is so great. When I took it, it was really the only school to go to. Others existed, of course, but they just weren’t on top of their game. That’s probably true even now! I had family friends who took programs there and loved it too. Once I applied and started contacting them, the process was so effortless and seamless – it was just enjoyable all around! Everyday was so inspiring.

What do you love about cosmetic retail?

For me, it’s consistently challenging but you also get to see such rewards and see people develop and grow into other positions. Fostering a family environment at work has always been important to me in every position I’ve had. I love retail because it’s always changing so it keeps you on your toes and I find that being able to adapt to fast changes gives you a stronger character and makes you a better candidate for future roles. On top of that, the makeup industry has changed so much and keeps changing! It’s always exciting.

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What was the application process like for Too Faced? Is it quite competitive in London?

It was intense! I didn’t have a connection to Too Faced, I just applied. I’d worked with the brand in Sephora and I always thought it was such a cool brand. Their products were so cute and the whole brand told a really cohesive story. Plus their products were amazing! There were nine interviews – including one by the CEO! The UK is very competitive so you really just have to let your skills and confidence speak for themselves.

Are there major differences in beauty standards in London from Canada?

Oh yes. I actually had to modify my own makeup style to the ‘London look.’ Here it’s a very sculpted look. Lots of ‘insta brows’, contour, with lips as big as you can go!

You’ve already accomplished so much but what are some professional goals you still have?

I love where I am but in the next couple years, I want to go more into a training or education position within cosmetics. I really love that aspect of the job plus, I’m not getting any younger!

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Genevieve’s Top 5 Tips on How to Land on a Team with your Dream Brand

1. Research the brand and speak to someone in a similar role if you can. Make sure you’re aware of what that role asks of their team members.
2. Determine your goals. Do a SWOT analysis if you can and identify the direction the brand seems to be going.
3. Be OK to start at a counter and work up.
4. Get the necessary experience. Whether in Canada or the UK, it’s very competitive.
5. Try to stay one step ahead of what you’re going to be asked to do during a day’s work

The post Livin’ that “Too Faced” Life on London’s Famous Carnaby Street: Genevieve Liska appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

She’s the leader of Ayden Creative, one of Western Canada’s fastest growing, boundary-pushing PR and brand management agencies. She is also a proud Blanche Macdonald Fashion Marketing graduate and a rising star in the world of female entrepreneurship. Skyping on a sunny day from Regina’s warehouse district, one of the hottest addresses in the city’s business community, Tara Osipoff comes in clear, calm, and confident. Her undeniable passion for both Ayden Creative and its sister company, clothing brand IN2BN (it’s nice 2B nice), has been key to their massive growth and success over the last few years. Catch up with Tara as she talks about finding her calling, the highs and lows of owning your own marketing agency, and things you should know before you start a career in marketing!

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You just celebrated the three year anniversary of Ayden Creative in May! Can you share some milestones from along the way?

When we started to see some of our early successes grow into contracts with high-profile brands, that was really exciting and made us stop and think, “Ok, we’re on to something.” I’m really proud of the fact that we have achieved what we have today with a team that is predominantly female. It has given us a unique perspective that brands have latched onto and it has helped us to find our own voice in the marketing industry. Yes, we are a group of professional women, but we have worked really hard not to let our work be defined by traditional gender bias. We work with brands ranging from world-renowned skin care and makeup lines, to automotive groups. Our greatest milestone has been finding our own voice: coming into our own skin, knowing who we are, and being proud of every piece of work we put out.

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It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding and I love it. Blanche Macdonald played a huge role in my success.

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Where did the name ‘Ayden’ come from?

Ayden is Gaelic and it means ‘to start a small fire.’ That is our intention with the brands we work with, to help them to spread like wildfire. As an agency our job is to stay in the shadows and watch the brands we work with take centre stage. We are the gasoline.

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Did you always know that being in Regina running an agency was what you wanted to do?

After I graduated from Blanche Macdonald’s Fashion program, my intention was to come home to Regina to catch up with my family and work for a few months before jetting off to work with a Fashion PR firm in England. I got a term position with a brokerage in Regina, and while I was there I looked after their marketing. They were the ones who said, ‘You have a unique approach to this and would be disruptive to the market. You should think about starting your own agency.’ So I did! Looking back, I was very naive as to what owning an agency would actually entail. I always think about what Steve Jobs said, ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish,’ because you make these grandiose decisions not really knowing what you’re getting into, and if you’re strong enough to persevere, you will be enormously successful.

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It seems to have worked out well for you, though!

It did, I’m really thankful that I have a healthy supply of optimism and resilience. We’ve managed to create a very successful company and I’m proud to say that our business grew 96% last year. We went from doing pretty well the first year, to being placed in a very comfortable position in our third. It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding and I love it. Blanche Macdonald played a huge role in my success.

Yes you’re a graduate of our Fashion Marketing program! What brought you to Blanche Macdonald initially?

I actually started in Blanche Macdonald’s Fashion Design program. I happened to strike up a conversation with a recent Fashion Design grad who was using a sewing machine in our classroom and asked her what her career goals were. As much as I loved the idea of Fashion Design, I realized that my heart was more on the business side of fashion. So I switched into Fashion Marketing which is a perfect fit because our agency primarily works with fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands.

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The entire program is incredibly well-rounded and prepares you for a variety of career roles.

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So once you switched from design to marketing, what did you enjoy about the program?

It was so fascinating. I didn’t realize how much fashion was tied to everything—from art to economics to history in general. It was a insightful process for me sitting in Peggy’s class learning how you could tell what the economy was like in different eras based on the colours, fabrics, and shapes of what they wore. I never realized fashion was so telling of the times. That got me passionate about fashion, but the main things in the program that really ignited my interests were the classes like Retail Buying, Marketing Essentials, and Business Entrepreneurship. I was interested in the classes that sat at the intersection between fashion, business, and economy. The entire program is incredibly well-rounded and prepares you for a variety of career roles. I definitely attribute a lot of my success to what I learned at Blanche. The program is realistic and really preps you for a diverse career path.

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Do you remember the day you found out you were accepted into Blanche Macdonald?

My brother, who I was very close with, had passed away a few years before. The day I found out I was accepted into Blanche Macdonald was on his birthday. It was a very special moment that allowed me to change the narrative of that day into something positive. I had learned so much from him through the way he lived his life and have continued to learn from him in his death. Brian prepared me for challenges, has made me appreciate all triumphs and has allowed me to find courage in times of need. In a way, he prepared me for Blanche, Ayden, and all of life’s chapters. I’d never lived in a metropolitan city like Vancouver, it was a huge change and although it came with its challenges, it was one of the most rewarding experiences to date. The move definitely was an awakening for me. It forced me to grow. You never really know what school is going to entail until you start. Blanche Macdonald was an incredible experience.

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What kind of industry opportunities did you get from our Fashion Career Director and Instructors?

I would say all the teachers I had at Blanche Macdonald had some sort of business outside of Blanche Macdonald and I was lucky enough to intern for a lot of them. I was afforded incredible opportunities from these experienced instructors who were also entrepreneurs themselves. I have an immense amount respect for them and what they’ve created. I’ve maintained relationships with them and continue to look up to them today. They have so much to share outside of school. [Fashion Career Director] Mel [Watts] and I talked often as well—she knows a lot about the industry and has all of the connections which she shares with the students. I had so much support from every person at Blanche Macdonald. There was a point where I was so overwhelmed with school and work and I went to see [Admissions Director] Mary [Hombrebueno-Hardy] to talk about my journey. Mary is truly an angel on earth, I attribute my success at Blanche Macdonald to this woman. She believed in me when I really needed the support—it was powerful. I still think about it now—the strength Mary gave me reminds me in hard times that all I need to do is put in the work and keep pushing forward. Even now when we have a bad day, I’m more energized than when we’re on top and killing it, because our low days allow us to dig deep and challenge ourselves to consider what we could be doing better. I acquired these skills at Blanche and living on my own in Vancouver.

What is a typical day like for you as President of Ayden Creative?

We spend a lot of time developing strategies and plans for our clients, so most days the team arrives at the office with a clear idea of the role they are going to play that day and our direction. We get together in the morning to review any challenges or barriers that we have encountered. My day revolves around managing those challenges and finding solutions to any obstacles.

If you could describe Ayden Creative in a hashtag, what would it be?

#wherebrandscometolife

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You’re running Ayden Creative and in2bn – which came first and why?

Ayden Creative came first and then IN2BN. IN2BN was born out of a need in our community. One of our nonprofit clients needed to find new fundraising opportunities and we wanted to create a brand that projected positive attitudes in a time where there is a lot of negative noise. We wanted to create a brand that spoke of hope, unity and optimism. Our first collection was well received, and from there we decided to develop a brand. We create minimal, sleek, and basic pieces that speak of empowerment, confidence, and kindness.

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How did our program ready you for owning not one, but two businesses?!

IN2BN simply wouldn’t exist without the knowledge I gained during the Fashion Marketing program. The skills I use in managing both businesses were developed and honed at Blanche.

Top 5 things to know before you start a career in marketing:

1. Be introspective and find validation in yourself. You will help other brands and people succeed, but don’t expect direct praise and acknowledgment. Shine when your clients shine.
2. Be energetic. You’re ‘on’ a lot! Prep yourself during your off-time by doing things that are good for your health. Doing so will allow you to think innovatively and creatively when you’re working.
3. Be outgoing. Meeting and talking with people is a huge part of your job.
4. Be genuine. You have to be able to genuinely care about a brand’s success as much as they do.
5. Be patient. When results aren’t immediate, it doesn’t mean you did a bad job. It can sometimes take over three months before for a campaign starts to pick up.

The post Ruling Regina: Tara Osipoff Steers Beauty and Lifestyle Agency, Ayden Creative, into the International PR and Marketing Arena appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

For the students in our Esthetics program, one of their most anticipated events is their “Dragon’s Den” day. As part of their Cosmetic Kitchen class, they are tasked with creating a skincare brand and presenting it to a panel of judges that hosts a mix of instructors, program directors, and even a successful past graduate or two. This round, their guest judge was Esthetics graduate, Spa owner, and self-professed “skin geek” Doug Janczyn. Doug is the owner of Victoria based Eco-Certified spa, Manscape Spa, which exclusively offers men’s services in an environment that is from ‘a uniquely male perspective’. “We’re completely trans-friendly,” Doug explains, “as long as you identify as a male, you’re welcome to book treatments with us.” As a graduate of the Blanche Macdonald Esthetics program, a business owner, and an entrepreneur, Doug’s expertise is vast and eagerly anticipated by our students. Ever the generous graduate, he returned to share not only his expertise, but his own story and the path that led him to a career in Esthetics.

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Manscape Spa is a unique spa in lots of ways. How did the idea come about for it?

We were pioneers with the idea of Manscape Spa definitely. At the time, there was only one men’s only spa in Ottawa in all of Canada but even still we’re the only one west of Ontario and north of San Francisco. I mean, I’m a man and so some of it was seeing a need in the market and figuring out a way to fill it but the biggest push actually came from [Esthetics Program Director] Simona [Gozner]. She challenged me to do something for men. She gave me the initial concept and then I expanded beyond that.

And how long was it until Manscape Spa was up and running?

Not long at all. I started it two months into my Esthetics program! I was working in it and running it while doing the program. I’d spend two days at school in Vancouver and then the other three or four days I wasn’t in Vancouver, I was in Victoria taking clients at Manscape Spa.

Was Esthetics the industry where you always saw yourself working in?

Oh, no – this is a second career for me – the one I chose. We live on the west coast so obviously you have to make money but I would do this even if I didn’t need to work. My first career was in financial services and I was very successful. But when the recession of 2008 hit, it forced me to take a year off and decide what I wanted to do and that’s when the call of Esthetics came. I wanted to work with my hands but I wasn’t skilled like a Carpenter and math isn’t my thing but I loved science, specifically Health Science. So the combination of working with my hands and science drew me to Esthetics. That and my caring nature, I think, too.

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What was your experience in the Esthetics program?

It was great! It was a very in-depth introduction to the world of esthetics. Each and every instructor was so inspiring. When I took the program, I was the only boy but I did see a couple boys coming through the program this morning so that’s really exciting.

You’ve clearly stayed close to the instructors, as well as Simona, to be a guest judge! What was your impression of the program and students from the presentations?

Simona is wonderful, she and I have kept in touch since I finished the program. Manscape Spa’s General Manager is Angie Barnetson, who also is still an instructor here. She was a huge help when I wanted to open Manscape Spa. The program seems to have certainly expanded since I went here but it’s still unparalleled. The best thing about the panel this morning is that no matter what, our feedback helped accelerate their learning and gave them license to think outside the box, which in Esthetics is extremely important. The Esthetics program gives them everything they need to go into the world as Estheticians even if there isn’t a designated class on every single thing. For example, chest hair trims are a service we offer at Manscape Spa. There wasn’t a class or lesson here on trimming chest hair but you’re taught about hair and skin and grooming, so it becomes about taking the foundational knowledge and applying it in the exact way you need to. There were questions I challenged them on that they hadn’t necessarily thought of but were things that I came across in my own life as an esthetician. Things like ingredients in products and shelf life, additives and chemical interactions – we have our own line at Manscape Spa and all of that is so integral when you’re doing it in the real world. Everything I asked them and made them think about was all things I had to figure out when formulating Manscape Spa’s line of products.

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Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of creating Manscape Spa’s line and what the product offerings are?

It was so fun. It was a welcome challenge, really. Everything is naturally sourced with custom-made formulations. That’s why today’s topic even, Cosmetic Kitchen, and the theme of creating lines was so fun. We went through that exact thing! There was a certain ingredient I wanted in our foot cream but it just couldn’t be stabilized with some of the other ingredients so I had to let that specific ingredient go because the end goal is a reliable product. It took about a year and a half from ‘Let’s make our own line’ to a finished product on the shelf. We ended up with a body lotion, hand cream, foot cream, body scrub, bar soap, and shaving foam.

Manscape Spa is Eco-Certified. What does that entail?

It’s a voluntary program that basically takes anything that can’t be recycled, like our spa waste, wax strips, etc, and sends it to a facility in Delta and it’s burned at such a high temperature that nothing is released into the atmosphere or left on the earth. At the same time, the steam that is generated powers turbines and so it puts power back into the BC Hydro power grid. It’s an expensive program but it leaves 1/1000th of the footprint that would otherwise be left.

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What is your client base in Victoria like? Did you find it hard to cultivate a loyal clientele?

Victoria really is changing and becoming a lot more youthful. Eight years ago when we opened, it was mostly mid-to-late 40s to early 50s but recently it’s becoming more of a mid-to-late 30s to early 40s group of clientele. As far as attracting a clientele, it was easy and hard. Easy because we were the only game in town (and still are!) so for the men who wanted to get services we were there. But men aren’t really conditioned to seek out what we do. It was a pretty huge education curve to get men educated and comfortable with our offerings and why it would be a good idea for them to come in. We did a lot of mailers, flyers, postcards, bus ads, ferry ads . . . we even made special water bottle labels that we’d hand out on busy summer days! Everything we could to get the word out.

So what is a typical day like for you? What are some of your most popular treatments?

I do everything! I do bookkeeping, payroll . . . I’m the owner so I’m responsible for everything. I do most of the services, I’m the Lead Therapist as well. Angie is the General Manager so she instructs on the skin care and nail care and day-to-day operations of the spa; it’s her name that’s on the door and mine on the legal documents. Our most purchased service is back waxing, that’s our bread and butter that get our clients in the door, followed by male brazilians, and beyond that it’s massage and relaxation services.

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What part of your job gives you the most fulfillment?

Connecting with the clients. Meeting the client and having them go from zero to wherever they want to be and getting to be the person who takes them there is pretty special to me. Being their service provider, making them comfortable in the space, and then seeing them relax and enjoy the treatment is priceless. When people feel successful in their skin, they are more confident and successful in their life. Being the person who helps them have the chance to present themselves how they want to is so powerful.

The post The Man Behind Western Canada’s Only Male-oriented Spa, <br>Doug Janczyn appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Todd McIntosh is an icon in the Makeup business. His work on Buffy The Vampire Slayer changed the face (and faces) of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, deservingly winning him the first of two Emmy Awards.

He’s also an icon here at Blanche Macdonald. As our Makeup Director, Todd’s expert fingerprints – the same ones that won Emmys for Buffy and Pushing Daisies – can be found over Canada’s ever-evolving and most complete Makeup curriculum.

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As part of that commitment to providing students with the ultimate professional Makeup program, Todd made a weeklong pilgrimage from his Hollywood home to Vancouver this July, which enabled both students and faculty to take inspiration from the wisdom and techniques of this Makeup legend.

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“I travel to Vancouver on a regular basis, primarily to do upgrades to the curriculum,” he explained during a pause in his hectic schedule. I also make classroom visits to talk about the industry and the changes that are happening. I try to inspire the students a bit and to focus their attention.

“There are always small changes to the curriculum. The teachers give us their feedback and we make the adjustments. I look at the content of the curriculum, and make sure we’re talking about new products. In my work experience, if I encounter products that change the way I apply things, I’ll add those in.”

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Students are staying passionate throughout their time here. I love that!

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Perfecting the curriculum is just one aspect of Todd’s Canadian excursion. More important (and fun) are his many hands-on interactions with students and instructors, sharing his many stories and the latest Hollywood techniques in and outside the classroom.

“This particular visit the students have been more energetic and passionate than I’ve seen,” he continued. “These students are staying passionate throughout their time here at Makeup School, and I love that. This time around things are better than they have ever been before. Every day I see beautiful makeups, sometimes very expertly done by people just beginning. I’ve seen students’ second or third bald caps as good as union people I know in the States. I’m very happy with the technical work I’ve seen here.”

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Throughout his time at Blanche Macdonald, the straight-shooting Emmy-winner told it like it is. He knows it’s entirely possible for students to create incredible careers for themselves. He’s seen it for himself many times.

“I’ve never been a salesman,” he laughs. “I tell the truth and have never said anything but the truth. Being a Makeup Artist on a film or TV set is challenging. The work needs to be done to a high standard and often done very quickly. It’s often a high-pressure environment. We want to prepare students for that, but in a classroom situation they should be relaxed enough to open up and learn more. We’re not coddling students. We’re providing a safe space so they can learn to express themselves.”

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Of course, any chance to learn from a two-time Emmy winner should be seized with both hands. Which is why Blanche Macdonald students had multiple opportunities to watch the makeup master work his magic throughout his week in Vancouver, Todd spending hours demonstrating and discussing the finer details of makeup fundamentals, career development, airbrushing, and bald cap and prosthetic applications. Students and faculty agreed that Todd’s eagerness to share made for an incredible educational experience. It turns out that inspiration can be a two-way street.

“My favourite part of my time here is when I get to be in front of a group of 15 or 20 students and can talk to them on a personal level, addressing the things that they want to hear. The more questions they ask, the more interesting those sessions get.”

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The post Makeup Legend Todd McIntosh Shares Inspiration and Insider Secrets at Blanche Macdonald appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Firmly rooted in the beauty industry in Mexico is Blanche Macdonald graduate Ana Gutierrez De Velazco, or as her Instagram handle puts it @anagdev. Ana has made a name for herself as a Makeup Artist on the cutting edge of fashion, tied in with the ultimate in fashion publications like Marie Claire Mexico, Glamour Mexico, Elle Mexico, and Harper’s Bazaar Mexico, and cosmetic brands like MAC Cosmetics (Mexico) and Chanel. Chanel loved Ana’s work so much she’s been working exclusively with them for the past two years. The work she’s been doing includes doing the makeup for mega-popular Latin celebrities like Marina Testino, Belén Chavanne, Cecilia Suárez, Tessa Ia and Calu Rivero.  Ana’s voice is clear, speaking of her time in makeup school and working in Mexico with confidence that translates over our long-distance phone call. From her past life as an accountant (we’re not kidding) to her current life doing makeup on celebrities and meeting makeup heavyweights like Alex Box (not kidding about that either!), Ana chalks up her success to three things: persistence, personality, and versatile skills. Though we love her no matter what!

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Tell us a bit about how you found Blanche Macdonald, why you came to Vancouver, and what your life was like at the time.

I was an accountant in Mexico, a career I chose when I was young and naive. I had a friend in Vancouver who knew I wanted to do something different with my life and so he invited me to come to stay with him. So I came and was just hanging out here, working regular jobs. One day I came across Blanche Macdonald and I really liked it. I wasn’t creative but I have always liked and been interested in makeup on other people. I never really wore it myself though! My Admissions Director, Pearl, gave me a tour and explained everything, all my career options and the classes and I just went for it. By the time I started, I already knew I was going to love the fashion module because I did so much research. I also knew Vancouver had so, so much film work but not as much fashion. I also knew my time in Vancouver was limited and I would have to go back to Mexico eventually so I really wanted to make the most of my time there. The Career Director told me that MAC was a good way to get trained and get my techniques down—plus, it’s MAC! I ended up working for MAC for 4 years in Mexico.

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That’s the dream! What was it like working with MAC?

The first year was retail mainly which I didn’t particularly enjoy but that was that experience that opened the doorway to the position of Resident Trainer—which I loved. I did that job for 3 more years. With that position, I got to train staff, do runway shows and partake in contests for senior and resident trainers. One was a body painting competition and our MAC team was flown to Austria to the World Bodypainting Festival where we discovered we knew nothing about body painting! But it was such an amazing experience. I also got to take training in places like Miami and LA where I was lucky enough to meet people like Alex Box and Val Garland.

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So what made you make the jump to life as a freelance artist?

MAC was great, but I was spending so much time training and it didn’t allow me time to do what I loved, which is makeup. Eventually I made the decision to jump into life as a Freelance Makeup Artist. I had a good network and foundation in the beauty industry.

You are also working with Chanel. How did that come about?

After a year working as a freelance artist, I started to work with a lot of the most popular publications in Mexico. Then, Chanel approached me and asked if we could work together. It has been wonderful because Chanel is a very beautiful brand.

Were you scared to come to Canada?

No! I was so bored in my hometown. My moving to Canada was the result of some soul-searching I did. I really wanted to do something different with my life. I got here in the summer and it was the most beautiful time. It was my first time leaving home, but I had no regrets.

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Did you feel confident in your English proficiency before you came up and did being here help you improve your English too?

My English was OK—I guess—when I came to Vancouver. But going to school and working as a server really helped me improve. All my friends spoke English and they were so patient and that helped me a lot too.

How would you describe your makeup style? Would you say you have a signature?

I like clean makeup and beautiful skin—I do a lot of that type of look. There are so many pages in magazines that I flip through that I can name the artist just by looking at their work. So I think I do have a signature in the way I actually physically do the makeup, but it doesn’t mean that I can only do certain looks. I prefer clean looks but I can also do and enjoy doing messy and creative looks. I don’t want to have only one style. I can do natural but I can also do something crazy, too.

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What’s been the biggest career moment so far for you?

Travelling so much for work. It’s nice to go to really cool places that you maybe wouldn’t go to otherwise. And you get to meet the coolest people! I guess my biggest career moment is always happening when I get to go to a new and exciting place or work with people that I admire such as photographers like An Le and Stockton Johnson or models like Adwoa Aboah or Duckie Thot. 

Give your younger self some advice.

I was never a creative child so I would tell myself to do more of that. I don’t know how to draw or paint and those are skills I wish I had. Not necessarily because it would make my makeup any better but because it helps you develop a creative mind and builds your creativity skills.

What was your favourite module in the Makeup program?

Fashion definitely. That was where we got to get creative and research Makeup Artists, trends, shows, and different editorials. Heaven!

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Your IG paints you as the ultimate career woman. What tips would you give to Makeup artists who are looking to get their foot in the door?

It’s so important not to be shy. When I started doing freelance, I did a lot of networking—which doesn’t mean kissing ass! But get people to know you and be true to yourself. I had a PDF of my book, and I would add to it everytime I did a project I was super happy with, that I would send to every editor I could find. And it worked! Eventually, they started recognizing me and calling me for work.

What is different about working in Mexico City from other places?

The industry here is not that big. We all know each other so it’s good for friendships and collaborations but it’s also limited. For example, there are only a few artists that do editorial work so it can be hard getting into the industry or into a different part of the industry.

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What are the beauty trends there?

I mostly do runway makeup, editorial, and creative makeup—which is different from what everyday people wear. People here like the Kim Kardashian makeup—very heavy and intense and contoured.

Coolest place you’ve travelled?

Oh, that’s so hard. Maybe the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas. Or Cuba. Or Tulum Beach, which is a little beach on the coast of the Caribbean that is so, so special. Panama. I don’t think I can choose! Every place is so special to me when I’m there.

How do you choose your jobs?

It depends on my calendar. But now that I have a bit more experience, it depends who is asking and for what. I have to make sure I spend my time either with a good crew or getting well compensated. I will do things with friends or that I really love even if they don’t have much of a budget, but I have to make sure I can pay my rent! I also need to make sure that no matter what I do, there is a great result for my book. Otherwise, there isn’t much of a point!

Ana’s top 3 Chanel product picks

1. Soleil Tan—It blends great and it looks so natural on everyone. I have it in my purse now!
2. Vitalumière Aqua Foundation—So light and beautiful and looks great in photos.
3. Rouge Allure ink Lipstick—A liquid lipstick that is super long-wearing but not extremely matte so that it dries out your lips.

The post Made in Mexico: Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduate Ana Gutierrez De Velazco is Mexico’s Go-to Fashion Makeup Artist appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Laura Sanchez is a living example of the wondrous things that come from fearlessly and relentlessly chasing your passion. Laura has built a life around her passions, which have now become her profession. The Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduate has gone on to become the first Hispanic winner of the NYX Face Awards (2016), and is a regular contributor to Popsugar, Univision, and People En Español. She was featured in Meghan Trainor’s “Lips are Movin’” music video, and collaborated with Latin pop stars Thalia and Camila Cabello of Fifth Harmony. A quick Google search pulls up photos of the professional Makeup Artist with everyone from Nick Jonas, to Luis Fonsi of “Despacito”, to Patricia Field – the costume designer behind screen hits Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada! She’s done a makeover on Perez Hilton’s mom, been featured in Glamour Mexico, HOLA Magazine, Latin Times, racked, Tiger Beat, Teen Vogue, CNN Chile, Latino Scoop – where she recreated horror looks from the film Krampus – Enews, and El Tiempo.

In short, she’s become a beauty icon for millennial Latinas. She sits in a purple-themed room (though she says she’s often changing the colours for her Youtube videos) while a cat and dog dip in and out of the Skype-frame every few minutes. Fiddling with her rainbow hair, she laughs unassumingly as she talks about the success her career has met in its few short years. Charming, dazzling, and incredibly talented, Laura Sanchez is more than a beauty influencer. She is a beauty professional.

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First off, what initially brought you to Vancouver?

I came to Vancouver to study English with my school for a few months. While I was in Vancouver, I made some friends from Mexico who were studying film. I started helping them with their homework and doing the makeup for the short films they would do. I started having to Google ‘how to make blood’ and ‘how to make zombies’. That’s when I started thinking about doing makeup professionally.

How did you know Blanche Macdonald was where you wanted to study?

I was having so much fun working on set with my friends and they told me that Vancouver was the place to be for the TV & Film industry. So I started looking around for schools and Blanche Macdonald had great connections and classes for me to succeed in that industry – that’s what made me decide to enroll!

What did you think of the program and your time in it?

I loved it! I remember when I got there I wanted to go into the Global Makeup program but I had to pass the TEOFL exam first. I was so happy when I did! I loved my whole experience! The teachers are so experienced and nice, you can always ask questions and they’re there to help. And the classes are so small and personalized! I really feel that I was able to learn almost everything about the whole world of Makeup in the time I was there, from beauty makeup to Special Effects, to body painting. Then they also told you how to find and apply for jobs and how to create a portfolio. And they helped you actually know how to be a Makeup Artist once you were done studying!

Were your parents supportive of your career choice?

My parents have always been supportive of me, I’m very lucky that way. When I left Colombia to come study English in Canada, I had no idea what I wanted to do. When I called them and said I’d figured it out, they were so glad I found something I was passionate about.

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You were based out of Colombia but are now living in LA. How did that come about?

After I finished my Makeup program, I went back to Colombia and I was working as a Makeup Artist on photoshoots and in TV. One day, I just decided that I wanted to create my own Youtube channel and do makeup on there too. The main thing that seperated my videos in the beginning was that I did my tutorials in Spanish – not many people did at that time and so my videos took off really quickly. I met a woman through my makeup jobs in Colombia that lived in LA most of the time and she kept telling me how LA would be so good for me and my brand. So I made the move from Colombia to West Hollywood and she is my manager now!

How incredible! What made you decide on using Youtube?

I followed a whole bunch of Youtube channels, but they were all in English and I couldn’t find any in Spanish. When I was in Vancouver posting photos of my makeup at school, people were always re-posting my work and asking questions about what I used or how I did that look and it just made sense to me to start making videos where I could properly explain. Sometimes descriptions or captions just don’t work to explain it fully.

You obviously do a lot of makeup videos but you also do a fair amount of video that focuses on other areas of your life. How do you decide what makes it into a video and what is your own personal life?

Youtube is definitely becoming more of a blogging platform that shows your day-to-day life. My rule that I try to work with is that if I can relate something to makeup, I’ll film it. Like if I’m going to a party, I’ll film me getting ready for it and doing my makeup and then a bit of the party and my friends. But I’m careful to keep my life with my family and friends private, otherwise it’s not my private life anymore!

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In addition to your Youtube following, you’ve also got a massive Instagram following (over 900K!). How would you describe your demographics?

My Youtube audience is people from about 18 years old to 26, probably Hispanic and kinda funky. My Instagram is a little bit of everything. Spanish doesn’t matter as much on Instagram. I have followers from North America, South America, Latin America – all over! Everytime I post a video on Youtube, I promote it on Instagram. Instagram needs activity everyday so I post more daily makeup on there and Youtube is where I do my more elaborate tutorials, and so those differences always draw certain kinds of followers too.

Can you explain some of the main differences in beauty between Latin America and North America?

Latin America uses more makeup and does more crazy makeup. North America is more natural, focusing on healthy and dewy skin. Now though, more boys and girls in North America are picking up the ‘full glam’ look and wearing a lot of cool makeup! I think it’s changing a lot right now. It used to be that only some people did fun makeup but now it’s becoming something for self-expression and for anyone to have fun with.

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What does a typical week in your life look like right now?

It can be so different! But if I’m working on a video, I film it at home. Then I take one day to edit it and then I upload it the next. I’m on my computer most of the day. If I go out, it’s for events, a product launch, or a party. I do travel a lot too to Latin America, places like Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and Spain. Depending on the week, I could be a host one night, doing my makeup videos, or fulfilling my influencer duties with a brand – my weeks are a little bit of everything!

That sounds amazing! With now over ONE MILLION subscribers, you must get recognized everywhere you go! Do you remember the first time it happened?

Oh yes! I was in Colombia going to the movies with my parents and two girls came up and asked me if we could take a photo. My mom was so confused and I was so nervous! I was scared I’d accidentally been too nervous and not talkative enough so I found the photo they had taken and tagged of us and I wrote them apologizing saying how nervous I’d been to be recognized.

What is the coolest thing you’ve gotten to do being an influencer and profesional Makeup Artist?

Everything to me is cool! I never thought I was going to have a life like this. It’s so cool to have your own brand and live off of something you enjoy so much.

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You won the NYX Face Awards in 2016. Can you tell us about your win and what it was like?

It was incredible. It was the first time someone Hispanic, who did their videos in Spanish, had won. That was so exciting for me and for the Hispanic community in the United States because sometimes we feel like we’re not recognized. I got so much support from the Latin community voting on my videos and sharing and commenting on them – it was such a great experience. After I won, I got brand deals and collaborations – it’s opened so, so many doors and created so many opportunities for me! NYX is such an amazing company and they have so many good products.

You were just invited to the Latin Grammys! What was it like?

It was so fun! I was invited because I’m a brand ambassador with Colgate but I did makeup for Leslie Grace as well, who was nominated and presenting. So I did a little bit of everything!

What does the future look like for your brand?

My own makeup! But it takes a looootttt of time, effort, and money. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to launch something by next summer though!

What’s your dream product to make?

A palette. I love, love, love palettes. But I also want to make concealers, foundations, lipsticks, blushes… HAH!

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Laura’s Top Five Tips on starting a social media brand and empire:

1. Be consistent
2. Be disciplined
3. Don’t try and become famous
4. Like any job, it’s hard work. So make sure to put that work in!
5. Be online. A LOT!

The post Latin America’s Millennial Beauty Icon: Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduate Laura Sanchez appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

What do you do when you’re tired of your job and want to do something new? Quit your job and do something new! If it sounds simple, that’s because it is. Nicole Robertson made the simple yet scary decision and quit her full-time job in pursuit of her true calling which she has found as a social media entrepreneur. Now, she sits with her perfectly-freckled face topped with a bob and thick gold hoops; wearing a nearly sepia-toned leopard print onesie which harkens to her personal aesthetic in the most real way—“a vintage California meets Australia vibe.” Happy to delve into the background of her business venture, Marcy Media, just how many times she gets called ‘Marcy’ (it’s a lot), and how she’s managed to set herself apart in the ultra-saturated sphere of social media and photography, Nicole takes us back to 2010 and the beginning of her story.

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She’d been living in Australia, right on Bondi Beach, with a close friend who worked for a designer and encouraged her to pursue her love of fashion as a career. Already harbouring a love of vintage clothing, “I was actually going to open up a vintage store when returned home to Winnipeg,” Nicole explains. It was this first glimpse into a life of fashion that got Nicole thinking of ways to turn her passion into a career.

“Once I got back to Winnipeg, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to live there forever, let alone open a store! I was about 22 then and I thought ‘OK, if I’m going to move elsewhere, it has to be strategic.’ I chose Vancouver because it was most similar to Sydney but still within Canada and not so far away from my family.”

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I didn't know a soul in Vancouver but it didn't take me long to meet some pretty amazing people. Our class was super tight and we had so much fun!

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The city was decided. Now Nicole had the daunting task of figuring out just how she was going to mix fashion into her future and where that instruction would take place.

“I found Blanche Macdonald and it was very exciting. I moved to Vancouver in October and I started my Fashion Marketing program that same month. I didn’t know a soul in Vancouver but it didn’t take me long to meet some pretty amazing people. Our class was super tight and we had so much fun!”

But, as Nicole soon discovered, the fashion industry was much more massive than she expected. And with limited contacts and a desire to stay near Vancouver, it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where she felt her career lay. Enter Blanche Macdonald Fashion Career Director supreme, Mel Watts.

“I was in a meeting with Mel all.the.time. I was always like ‘Mel! What am I going to do?!’ and she was always so helpful. She gave me this very genius concept which I still think back on today. She told me ‘Don’t scatter yourself. Pick a career direction and go with it. From there, you build contacts and you advance further, quicker—and eventually, you’re there. You’ve built your career.’ That has been such a help to me—even now, years later.”

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And so, armed with Mel’s inimitable advice, Nicole decided to set her sights on a career in the fashion wholesale industry.

“I researched agencies that represented my favourite brands and I got hired at my first (and only) pick, YBrands. I was really lucky!”

Fast forward three and a half years later, Nicole had conquered the world of wholesale thanks to the teachings of her experienced and respected boss, Kathy Sinclair. It was time to find her next venture.

“I’m the kind of person who needs to be learning all the time. I loved my job and working for Kathy. I had all the freedom that comes with being at a job for three years but I was just too comfortable. I knew I had to take a risk and push myself—I just didn’t know what that would look like for me. So I quit my job and travelled Europe for two weeks with my best friend.

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I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I knew I had the spirit but never had enough direction to know what that business would be. It’s incredibly intimidating at first, but once you decide to just do you, opportunities will come your way.

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“When I came back, I moved to North Vancouver with my now-husband and there was a local community website that was just starting up. They were accepting freelance articles and so I thought ‘I’ll just try my hand at writing.’ From there, I started doing their social media and through that I got another client who had seen my work. And then the light bulb went off ‘If I get enough clients, I could make a living out of this’”.

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With two clients almost immediately, Nicole began to think that this avenue just might be the ‘something new’ she’d been looking for.

“I was doing photography and content creation and then people started reaching out to me for photography for their social media platforms. From there, it’s grown into a full business with two separate outlets, social media and photography. I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I knew I had the spirit but never had enough direction to know what that business would be.  It’s incredibly intimidating at first, and hard not to compare yourself to others, but once you decide to just do you, opportunities will come your way.”

“I knew I was going to get married and I wanted to keep a token of my maiden name, hence why I called my company ‘Marcy’ Media. You wouldn’t believe how many people e-mail, DM, and call me ‘Marcy’. It’s pretty funny but I don’t blame them.”

It’s been nearly three years since Nicole had her ‘accidental entrepreneurial’ moment and it’s been non-stop since. From Rogers Foods, “They were my second client. We’ve really been able to grow together and they trust me. That account is my baby!,” to Gentle Fawn, Nicole has her pick of all sorts of global brands.

“It’s just like in wholesale,” Nicole explains, “you have one denim line, one knitwear line—you don’t want competition but complimentary brands. From a food brand to a trendy restaurant to a realtor, it’s all the same rules for a media agency.”

And the Fashion Marketing diploma she worked so hard to get? It comes in handy nearly everyday, she says.

“There’s always stuff that translates. I had to style a shoot the other day and I was remembering what goes into a stylist’s kit. Fashion Elements has been huge for me, especially when speaking with fashion brands, I know my stuff. Fashion decades too—knowing your eras is so important for creative photography.

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“The biggest skill I got through Blanche was learning Photoshop in Art and Technology.  The training I have from Blanche Macdonald is the only Photoshop training I have! I remembered absolutely everything. Vicky taught our class and I absolutely loved her.”

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I decided that instead of building my portfolio on me trying to be like other people, I was going to build it doing exactly what I wanted. And man, is it liberating!

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Her website describes her as a ‘Jack of all Trades’ when it comes to social media—and it isn’t wrong. From the admin duties to being on set on shoots, to creating and posting content, it all rests on Nicole’s shoulders.

“It’s a blessing and a curse—as I’m sure any business owner would agree. Time management is one of the hardest things to balance, ” she laughs “I was 15 minutes late today because I was running tight on a deadline…which I was running tight on because I spent an hour on Snapchat this morning!”

It’s exactly this sense of humour and creativity that can set her behind 15 minutes that her clients love about Nicole.

“I focus almost solely on the creative aspect— that’s my strength and that’s what my clients appreciate about me. I pick a theme for them and their brand and I roll with it in a way that’s welcoming to their targets, not pretentious, yet cohesive and on-brand. It can be a challenge!”

Despite the responsibility and challenges, Nicole is living her dream life with the world she’s created with Marcy Media (Instagram: @marcymedia).

“It’s so empowering and I’ve grown so much. When I started I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t compare myself or my work to others. It’s such an easy thing to do nowadays. Of course I still have my moments but I decided that instead of building my portfolio on me trying to be like other people, I was going to build it doing exactly what I wanted and man, is it liberating! After working for other people so long, I’m doing what I want. Making it, doing it, and putting it out there all by myself.”

Nicole’s Top 5 tips for the budding Entrepreneur

1. Know when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’(but say ‘yes’ to a lot in the beginning—that’s how you learn).
2. Know your worth.
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
4. Stay positive and say ‘absolutely!’ whenever speaking to your clients. This keeps them coming back.
5. Stay on top of your taxes! It is no joke. Life will be so much easier if you do.

The post Nicole ‘Not Marcy’ Robertson Lives Her Best Life in the World of Media—with Marcy Media appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

Aubrey Bonnah-Vink’s philosophy is simple. If you’re going to pursue something, why not pursue it to the very best of your abilities? Aubrey’s refusal to settle for second best took her all the way from the small town of Beaumont, Alberta, to Canada’s leading Hair School. Since graduating from Blanche Macdonald, she has gone on to become an in-demand Hair Stylist at Topknot Beauty Room; a new but already bustling studio in Vancouver’s always-fashionable Yaletown neighbourhood.

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“I took hair and cosmetology in high school,” she explains. “I also took welding, which I wasn’t very good at. But thankfully I did have a passion for hair styling! When our cosmetology teacher started bringing in beauty industry guest speakers I realized that I could see myself doing this professionally. I liked the idea of travelling and meeting people while perfecting my craft.”

Having already learned the basics, Aubrey was eager to ensure that her next step would take her straight into the heart of the hair industry.

“I started doing hair for friends and family while I was still in high school, but I knew that if I was going to do this as a career I didn’t just want to work in my town. I wanted to advance my skills and be the best I could. So I Googled ‘Top Hair School in Canada’ and Blanche Macdonald came up. I thought, ‘That’s where I’m going,’ even though I’d never been to Vancouver before.”

Fresh out of high school but eager to write the next chapter of her life, Aubrey soon discovered that Blanche Macdonald’s high-end hair training was exactly what she’d been looking for.

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Blanche Macdonald gives you a broad spectrum of what you can do. It's real life education. The instructors did a great job of making sure that everyone kept an eye on their clients and acted professionally.

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“The first couple of levels were more detailed and theory-based than what I’d learned in high school. That was exactly what I was looking for in terms of becoming a professional. I really enjoyed the TV and Film module and the photo shoots. Of course, I loved being behind the chair, but I wanted to explore the creative side as well. Blanche Macdonald gives you a broad spectrum of what you can do. It’s real life education. The instructors did a great job of making sure everyone kept an eye on their clients and acted professionally from the moment we walked through the door.”

Though initially daunting, the cross-province move from Alberta helped Aubrey develop useful skills. “I was totally out of my comfort zone coming to Vancouver from Alberta. I didn’t know anyone. My classmates became my friends and family, but I still had to branch out on my own to get clients and models to practice on. That helped me once I graduated. I learned how to communicate with strangers and persuade them to sit in my chair.”

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Looking for a salon to call home for the work experience section of the hair program, Aubrey once again went searching for the best of the best.

“I was looking through the list of salons and asked my instructor, ‘On this list, which is number one?’. He said ‘You have to go to Avant Garde and work with Jon Paul Holt’. So I called Avant Garde right away and they asked me in for four days. It was survival mode. ‘Can you shampoo my client?’ ‘Can you do a blow dry?’ They know how good Blanche Macdonald is and they trusted me to do whatever they asked, even though I was still a student. I loved it!”

Aubrey had her foot in the door at Avant Garde. Her next task was winning a job there.

“Jon Paul’s team of stylists work on so many photo shoots and fashion jobs, so I volunteered like crazy for five months. Every time they had a shoot, I was there. It was like, ‘Remember me? I’m here helping again!’ Students should volunteer for as many projects as they can. It will pay off in the future.”

It didn’t take long for Aubrey’s efforts to pay off. The job offer from Jon Paul arrived, beginning seven beautiful years at Avant Garde. While there Aubrey built an extensive client base, won the Live Goldwell Upstyling competition, and had the opportunity to work backstage at Vancouver Fashion Week. During this time she also reached the semi-finals of the Goldwell Global Color Zoom and was named one of Canada’s Top Ten New Stylists at the prestigious Contessa Awards. Aubrey achieved all this while simultaneously learning the ins and outs of developing relationships and managing a busy salon. Those skills were vital when Aubrey was approached by her friend and colleague, Ashlee Oldenburger, with a great idea.

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“As much as we loved doing hair, we also loved the business side of the job. We began dreaming and talking about a place of our own. We wanted to create an environment that celebrated luxury, beauty, and diversity.”

The collaborative process that began with those conversations culminated in Ashlee and partner Kim Carruthers opening Topknot Beauty Room earlier this year. The studio’s unique business model is based on one crucial yet simple concept: friendship.

“Everyone here started as friends,” smiles Aubrey. “We still go to dinner together as much as possible and try to plan weekends away as a group. We have a balance of work and play.  We’re all independent, strong businesswomen, so we have our own ideas sometimes, but not a day goes by that we don’t work together and ask each other for input. Whether it’s a hair cut, hair colour, or how we run our businesses, we respect each other’s opinions and have nothing but support for one another.”

“Every single person in here has my back. I never have to worry about who can look after my clients if I’m out of town. There’s much less stress when you trust and love your co-workers.”

As Aubrey is keen to point out, Topknot Beauty Room is called a studio, not a salon. It’s a subtle but important difference.

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“Salons usually focus on hair, but we want to be about everything beauty. We have Makeup Artists, an Esthetician, and photographers we work with. Naming our space Topknot Beauty Room allowed us to have more options to grow and transform. We want to work with people doing creative projects. That’s helped me become more inspired and outgoing. My colleagues here are great at pushing me out of my comfort zone. A lot of the time people come in here looking for a new look. You want to constantly be improving and adding skills to your tool kit.”

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The thing I love about bridal work is that it’s always about more than the hair. It’s about being a part of that moment in someone’s story.

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Aubrey’s metaphorical tool kit is practically overflowing already. She’s fully booked every day at Topknot, but she’s always eager to have fresh clients in her chair (“to stop taking new clients is to stop making new friends”). She’s started educating in salons across the Lower Mainland for world-renowned professional haircare company Goldwell. Aubrey also actively pursues creative shoots, the most recent being her and her colleagues’ entries into next year’s Contessa Awards (“I tried to get more edgy, moving away from the soft and pretty to do something different and out of my comfort zone”). And yet, Aubrey still finds time to be an in-demand Hair Stylist to brides who turn to the Topknot team for their big day.

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“Patience is the most important thing when you’re working with brides. When someone comes into the salon it’s a very different experience than going into someone’s home on a very special day of their life. It’s important to remember how much nervousness and excitement there is in the room, to stay calm, and to help them feel beautiful and at ease.  The thing I love about bridal work is that it’s always about more than the hair. It’s about being a part of that moment in someone’s story. I feel honoured to have been flown to California and Mexico as part of someone’s special day. I’m so lucky to be able to work and play at the same time!”

Brides and business. Competition and education. Aubrey has become one of Vancouver’s rising hair superstars. Still, the art of leaving clients delighted remains at the heart of her work.

“It’s nice to meet new people and find out what they’re all about and why they’re in my chair. It’s a relationship you have to build if you want to keep them as clients. It’s their time to feel special and to do that they need to enjoy your company.

“I love being busy. I’m always searching and never say no to a project. For me everything is an opportunity!”

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The post The Best of the Best: Hair Grad Aubrey Bonnah-Vink Rises to the Topknot appeared first on Blanche Macdonald Centre.

In the midst of one of London’s hottest summers in years, Meredith Lacosse sits on her patio looking incredibly cool. Catching up over Skype from the city she’s called home for just about two months, Meredith’s voice rings with confidence as she talks about life after makeup school in Europe with unabashed honesty, authenticity, and a great sense of humor.

“It’s gross hot here right now! Everyone told me London doesn’t really have a summer but it’s been 35 degrees everyday. I just got back from Paris, where I was shooting with a client from New York. It was nowhere near as hot there so I’m readjusting to the weather. I’m melting here!”

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Meredith is an internationally renowned Makeup Artist and Male Groomer, based in London and New York, with an impressive list of clients including Fairmont Hotels, Coca-Cola, Lululemon, Mavi Jeans, Kit + Ace, Herschel Supply Co, MEC, Artizia, Gillette, Facebook, The Coveteur, Nintendo, Cadillac, Volvo, Subaru, Lexus, Toyota, Sport Chek, Chevron, Nicorette, Behr Paint, Jeep, HP, Nike, David Suzuki, and Oceanwise. Though she works almost exclusively on the international scene, the Vancouver homegirl is still repped by Vancouver cool kid agency, Nobasura, owned by fellow Makeup Artist powerhouse and Blanche Macdonald Graduate-turned-Instructor, Jon Hennessey. Who, as it turns out, is a big part of why Meredith’s career has reached the heights it has!

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My instructor Jon Hennessey has been the biggest part of why I’ve done as well as I have. He’s my agent, but he’s also my mentor.

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“Jon was my instructor at Blanche Macdonald and he was so amazing. He was so patient and always had time to help me figure out what I was doing with my makeup. We got along really well and so we kept in touch once I finished the program. Once I had the start of a book, he kept putting me forward for little things with his agency, Nobasura, his artists couldn’t do. After a while, we realized we had a good fit and so I signed with them. Jon and his wife, Ana, have been the biggest part of why I’ve done as well as I have. He’s my agent, but he’s also my mentor. He’s my biggest cheerleader and was actually the first one who pushed me to think about going to New York originally!”

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New York may be famous for a lot of reasons but affordability and ease of lifestyle aren’t any of them. So what was it like for a Canadian Makeup Artist to transplant into the New York Makeup industry?

“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard! I worked exclusively in Vancouver for six years before I went to New York with one of my best clients to shoot. For seven days we ran around the streets of Manhattan, and I just fell in love with it. I started reaching out to people in the industry through social media and email trying to build relationships and a client base. One of my clients in Vancouver is actually based in New York and they were instrumental in helping me go to New York. I started setting up shoots and flying to New York on my own dime to shoot there. Then last year I worked with a lawyer building my book and visa application, and it worked! Being on the ground and willing, no matter what city, always finds you success.”

Meredith, however, is an unbelievably talented over-achiever and found herself on the lookout for another international city to call home.

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There was just this electricity in the air I couldn’t ignore. I applied immediately, got accepted, and a week later, I dropped out of university and moved to Vancouver.

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“I’d come to London a few times this year and I just fell in love with the city, art, and culture. I applied for a Commonwealth Visa that you can apply for until you’re 30, and I’m 29 so it was my last chance! Since London is so close to everything, I work all over Europe and it is so exciting!”

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Considering the beauty of her work and the success she has already found, you’d never think that Meredith was destined for anything other than a career in Makeup. And yet, she made it to her third year of university in Manitoba taking a Bachelor’s of Psychology and Sociology before she realized she didn’t know what the rest of her life was going to look like. After seeing a makeup tutorial on a daytime talk show, she began researching makeup schools all over North America. But when she came to Blanche Macdonald for a tour, it was clear to Meredith that there was something there beyond a center for education.

“Everyone was just so nice. The students were so excited, there were photo shoots happening and people were running everywhere—there was just this electricity in the air I couldn’t ignore. I applied immediately, got accepted, and a week later, I dropped out of university and moved to Vancouver.”

Once she made the move, Meredith had barely settled into her new life in makeup school when she realized that she had stumbled upon everything she knew was missing from her life in Manitoba.

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I did demos at Shoppers Drug Mart, student films, photo shoots, music videos—anything I could. They were a huge help in finding me work and helping me build a book and a reputation.

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“Within the first couple days, I could feel that everything was clicking into place like a puzzle. I loved it instantly! I had CJ for Fundamentals and just the way she laid it all out, and talked about work and Makeup as a whole, it just excited me in a way that never turned off. I’m still as excited now as I was then when I wake up and get to go to work.

“Every module we started I was sure would be my favourite. But then we’d start the next one and I’d fall in love with that one and it would become my favourite. Even Special FX, I’d never considered things like that interesting but I fell in love with everything makeup school covered!”

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It’s no surprise that Meredith took full advantage of everything our Makeup Program offered, right from day one.

“I was in the Career Offices almost every day! I’m sure Jen and Heather will remember me constantly being there. I wanted to learn as much as possible so for the four days that we weren’t in class, I did demos at Shoppers Drug Mart, student films, photo shoots, music videos—anything I could. They were a huge help in finding me work and helping me build a book and a reputation. They were always there to help me or answer questions; Jen and Heather were really some of the most incredible and nicest people I met at makeup school.”

Meredith ended up becoming a staple on the Makeup scene in Vancouver, which is where she ended up learning a skill set that would be a huge aid in her career later down the line—male grooming.

“Men’s grooming is its own beast. I learned out of necessity when I worked on commercials in Canada because Hair and Makeup Departments aren’t divided in unions so you just do what you have to to get the job done. I learned on the job, and day-by-day and it actually ended up taking over as one of my biggest bookings and setting me apart from other Makeup Artists once I started booking in big cities like New York.”

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So what differentiates Makeup from Male grooming?

“Skin texture! Covering anything is so much different. Most women spend time on their skin on their own so you mostly need to amplify a feature of theirs and smooth things out. For men, you’re moisturizing, tending to ingrown hairs, razor burn, and correcting their skin.”

Meredith now spends her days among the streets of New York or buried behind the scenes of major European shoots with globally renowned clients. As you can imagine, it’s hard to pick career favourites when every day seems to be better than the last.

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Show up and do the job. The biggest thing is to stick with it.

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“I’ve been really, really lucky in my career. I’ve put in a lot of hours and free days passing my kit around but it seems to have worked out. I’ve stumbled into jobs I didn’t know that I was even capable of doing! I’ve done festival circuits, and seen Dead Shack—a feature I worked on—win awards. I’ve been incredibly blessed to cross paths with the people I have.