2015 Recap

                                                                       (Photo of me in Paris October 2015, inspired at an Art Gallery 59 Rivoli)

Yeah, yeah, I know, I am a little late to the game but I wanted to express my gratitude to everyone that helped me, referred me and worked with me in 2015 and also share with you my wonderful experiences of this past year.

My 2015 started off pretty shaky for me because those crazy winter  months are rather slow and for those of you that know me well are aware of my chronic asthma, so I was cooped up saying no to the seldom jobs I was blessed to be offered. This discouraged me but things picked up at the end of January and I was hopeful my year would be good.

This year was one of growth and discovery in regards to my art. For the most part of the year I focused on television and commercial work. It is hard to say no to work and I feel fortunate to constantly work but to be honest, I felt an extreme emptiness in me because I was not test shooting or doing any creative beauty. My biggest fear as an artist is to become monotonous in my work and bland. So, I realized that for me, I need to balance paid work and self gratifying work in regards to letting my creative juices flow. Both are so different and being on either set really makes me happy and brings me joy.

Below are some of my highlights of this work year:

* Joined the Local 798 IATSE union as a makeup artist

* Worked on Lottie's makeup team for fashion week in Milan. (major dream/goal come true)

* Was on the Maybelline Pro team under key artist Yadim

* Worked in Milan and Paris

* Interviewed in an international publication as an artist

* Two different publications interviewed me regarding a makeup look I did on a celebrity

* Fortunate to be key artist on a handful of national commercials and advertising jobs

* Did makeup and grooming on more notable personalities and celebs I could have imagined

* I was able to obtain new commercial clients, keep them, work with them on a continuous basis

* Did a handful of editorials for smaller scale print publications

* Dayplayed on episodics and I am a regular artist for TV jobs

* Practiced doing blowouts, not a pro but I have worked on my hair skills

I am so thankful to all the creatives that refer me and  pass my info along for gigs, this past year was excellent thanks to you all. I am also grateful to work with people that believe in me and have given me a chance. Excited and thrilled for what's to come this year! Wishing everyone a wonderful, and productive work year filled with love, growth and gratification.

"Comfort in Chaos" for Deux Hommes

One of the awesome things about Social Media is that you get the chance to be friends with other creatives and people before you meet them. So when you finally meet, it's like you already know them and automatically click and feel connected on set. Photographer Patrick Lacsina and I have followed each other on Instagram and FB for some time now. It was super cool to finally get to work with him during his visit in NYC. 

We shot out of a studio in Brooklyn. Funny thing is that we have another mutual friend in common, hair stylist: Matthew Tuozzoli. It was dope to all work together on quick, yet fun shoot. 

"Comfort in Chaos" was featured as an online editorial for Deux Hommes - a digital platform featuring emerging designers. 

Check out the rest of the images from the shoot: 

Photography- PATRICK LACSINAhttp://patricklacsina.com/

Styling – RJ FRAZER

Models – MIKHAEL AYOUB & SAM VISSER @ RE:QUEST 

Hair – MATTHEW TUOZZOLI

Makeup – MARIA ORTEGA using Murad Skin Care & Marc Beauty

Wardrobe – Nativ NY All throughout

Makeup on Jackie Cruz & Diane Guerrero for Enjoue Swimwear on Vivala

This past Sunday I was able to do makeup in a well lit conference room at The Dream Hotel. All makeup artists will understand how thankful and appreciative I was for the natural lighting with huge windows...perfect for makeup application. Hotels have that pretty bad rep for horrible lighting.

It was a lifestyle shoot for Jackie Cruz, a season regular on the hit show on Netflix, Orange Is The New Black, recent partnership with Kimberly Smalls of Enjoue Swimwear. Diane Guerrero, also an actress from OITNB showed her support by partaking in the shoot for the swimwear line and article featured on Vivala.

The makeup look we opted for Jackie Cruz was a mod look in monochromatic neutral tones, nude lips and a bold black liner and lashes.  For Diane, the look was more of a sun-kissed glow in bronze tones and soft neutral lips. Both makeup looks were created using Chantecaille Beaute, Murad Skin Care and Artis Brushes.

Check out the full article on Vivala!

Female talent:
*Jackie Cruz
*Diane Guerrero
*Kimberly Smalls
*Christina Cardona
*Cyndi Ramirez
*Louisa Taadou
*Jocelyn Chew
*Victor Ross

*Photographer:Sasha B Photo
*Hair: Michael Braun
*Makeup: Maria Ortega
*Nails: Elizabeth Garcia

Kimberly Smalls & Jackie Cruz 

Innocent & Green Scene in the Concrete Jungle

Living in NYC, it's not often that we get to be surrounded by trees, plants and just an overall green scenery. It was refreshing to shoot in an area that made me question if I was still in NYC.  The mosquitos situation was mad real though. My legs have the scars to prove it lol.

The makeup look for this shoot was aiming for a fresh dewy look with good skin. It was a pretty hot day so instead of skipping out on powder, I did used cream highlighter and set her face with powder. We had initially prepped at a home studio and then drove to the location in one of the surrounding boroughs. So the drive there and walk from parking allowed for her skin to become dewy and refrain from becoming oily or allowing the makeup to move.

Model: Carlyle @ The Society
Photographer: Jordan James
Hair: Andrita
Makeup: Maria Ortega

Check out the rest of the images:

She's Got The Moves Like Jagger

I recently had the opportunity to work model Kailah at Major Models. She has an amazing hair cut and  a stunning face. I always love doing makeup and hair on models that can easily slip into an androgynous mood and pose like a dude yet still look beautiful. Kailah totally reminded me of an androgynous Mick Jagger.

Like I mentioned previously, she has dope hair and I opted to keep the same type of texture. When she arrived at the shoot her hair was a little wet and sweaty. So I opted to spray wet a little more, add some Kevin Murphy Body.Builder mousse hair mousse, dry with my T3 Micro blow dryer and a blow dryer "sock" or mitt diffuser. I then took my T3 Micro Whirling Wand and loosely spiral curled hair in different chunk sizes, alternating between going forward and backward with the curls. Her bangs were blow-dried with a boar bristle  round brush. Using my hands and fingers, I loosened up curls and had her shake hair aka whip her hair back and forth. I set flyaways with Kevin Murphy Session.Spray hair spray.

For her makeup we kept it bronze and smokey using Murad skin care to prep and Chantecaille Beaute on her face.

Skin: I used Chantecaille Future Skin foundation in Vanilla, Concealed with Le Camouflage Concealer under eyes, and to spot cover where needed. I applied Chantecaille Radiance gel bronzer to sculpt face, Demure cream blush and set with HD translucent pressed powder from Chantecaille.

Eyes: I used a shadow palette to apply shadow on lashline, Patchouli color on lash line and blend and smudge upward, Shale shadow on crease and outer edge and defined with Patchouli on outer edge and under eyes. a mixture of Shale and powder foundation on her lids. Mascara, two coats on top lashes.

Lips: I used Demure creme blush mixed the concealer and topped with Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream-all applied with a lip brush.

Check out the images:

Model: Kailah @ Major
Photographer: Jordan James
Wardrobe: Melissa Roca
Makeup/Hair: Maria Ortega 

Minimalist Beauty at the Beach

One of the most important things to do as a makeup artist is to be well prepared for on-location shoots, which is pretty much shooting outdoors: at the park, on the streets, on a rooftop, on a beach-anywhere outside, not in a studio.

Some important products that I carry with me (besides my basic kit and set bag)  for beach shoots are:

*Spray Sunscreen (everyone on set usually takes advantage of this too lol)
*Lip balm with sunscreen
*Sunscreen for the face
*Baby wipes
*Umbrella
* Hat & Sunglasses (for yourself)
*Paper Towels to blot off extra perspiration on models

I had a great time shooting with a fun team for this beach editorial. The model Alexa from The Society, is very fair so the products mentioned above aided in not getting sun burned.

To ensure extra protection, I used Murad Oil Control Mattifer Lotion with 15 Spf and Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum 30 SPF.

Model: Alexa @ The Society
Photographer: Jason Laswell
Wardrobe: Nicolas Eftaxias
Hair: Yianni Tsapatori
Makeup & Manicure: Maria Ortega (me)

Summer Twist on Liner: Bright Blue & Mint Hues

It's good to switch things up a bit, especially with makeup. Sometimes we get into the routine of doing the same exact thing day after day. I am guilty of this, I usually rock a black liner and red lips all the time. Summer is here and we should be happy, even though not all of us have the luxury of being beach bums like those of you who live near a beach. So, why not bring a bit of the beach to your makeup routine to spunk it up a bit?

During the SS2015 Runway shows across the world we saw aquatic hues as well as mint and pastel colors grace the lids and bottom lash lines at the show. There was so much inspiration. These were my favorite:

*Peter Philips, the key at  the Fendi runway show created a bold graphic blue liner, but not in pencil, gel or cream...they used leather, he also used satin on the lids in pastel colors at the Dior show!!!

*Holly Fulton even had a statement ombre water line that started with bright blue at the outer edges and faded into a white.

*Terry Barber kept minimal makeup with a strong lower liner in black for Just Cavalli.

*For the Ellie Saab, key makeup artist Tom Pecheux kept it very interesting with bright aquatic hues, primarily in the blue family.

The great thing about being a creative artist is that all my friends are also fellow creatives and sometimes we get together to play and have fun. A couple weeks ago I got to spend the day with two of my best friends here in NYC. Photographer: Eduardo Acevedo and Hairstylist: Andrita Renee. We shot some fun looks.

For the makeup, I wanted to keep the skin clean and healthy and play with the eyes. Gathering inspiration from all of the SS2015 runway shows, I decided to do my own little spin by interchanging and mixing some of my favorite looks of the season.

For Carola @ Major, I opted to go with a color that would contrast and pop against her beautiful skin color. I did bright blue graphic line on lids, winged out in a straight angle.

The pencil I used is OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil in "Pool Boy," it's also vegan and cruelty free. 

With Lauren @ Major, I decided to go a complete different route than to do a typical heavy liner on top lids like most people do with models and women that have smaller creases or no creases. It was a great opportunity to enhance her eyes by lighting filling in her full brows and going with a pastel, mint green lower liner. For this I used the pencil from the tear duct and drew going outward, finishing the wing detail with a Hakudo Pro Series liner brush. Using a small pencil brush also from Hakuhodo, I topped with the green color from the Dior 5 Couleurs Trianon Edition #234 Pastel Fontanges.

The eyeliner I used is by Nars, the Larger than Life Long-wear Eyeliner in "Barrow Street." 

Dior 5 Couleurs Trianon Edition #234 Pastel Fontanges.

I hope you ladies are courageous and switch up your makeup look during the summer, at least on one weekend outing. It doesn't even have to be something extreme, just a pop of color! Both liners I used are amazing but if not, use a bit of water, setting spray or rose water to foil your eyeshadow and apply with a brush to create a liner. 

*Photographer: Eduardo Acevedo, Hair: Andrita Renee. 

*Product images obtained from Sephora.com, Ebay.com and OCCmakeup.com