Studio Spotlight: Makeup Artist Alexandra Dale

Studio Spotlight: Makeup Artist Alexandra Dale

• What inspired you to begin a career as a makeup artist?

• As a child I enjoyed both learning about beauty from magazines and television shows (it was before the internet!) and practicing on myself. The first time I put on eyeliner I felt so powerful and from that point on cosmetics played an important part of my self-expression. I continued practicing makeup on friends throughout high school and college. Knowing I wanted to be in a creative line of work, I studied studio art for my undergraduate degree, giving me great understanding of the elements of art (color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value). Once I figured-out I could apply those art elements to the medium of makeup, started planning out my career path for becoming a professional makeup artist.  

• How long have you been doing makeup for?

• I’ve been working as a professional makeup artist for the past ten years, but playing and experimenting with makeup since I was a teenager. 

• What’s your favorite part of doing a client’s makeup?

• When a client looks in the mirror at the completion of a makeup application, and they feel strong and awesome and beautiful, I know I’ve done my job and done it well. When I can pass along empowerment and confidence by creating a look that expresses my client’s individuality and personal beauty, I feel super fulfilled. 

• How has living in the city of Boston influenced the way you think about and do makeup?

• What I love about the Boston market is that it’s made me an extremely versatile makeup artists. I book so many different types of gig (corporate, commercial, bridal, lessons, etc.) and work with such a plethora of clients, I really feel confident walking on set, or into a studio or into a clients home knowing I have the skillset to deliver whatever type of makeup they desire. Working with different ages, ethnicities, skin types and genders, makes my job interesting and fun, and the diversity of Boston plays a big role in that.   

• What is the one piece of makeup you will not leave the house without?

• Tinted Sunscreen. I love getting the sun protection from a tinted screen or tinted moisturizer, as well as a hint of color to even the tone of my skin. My other two essentials are a buildable, long-wearing mascara and a brow pomade. Right now my go-to essentials are:Beautycounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer

  Smashbox Super Fan Mascara

  Benefit ka-BROW! eyebrow cream-gel color

   

• What is the biggest makeup myth out there?

• That makeup makes your skin breakout. Sure, there are brands with low-quality ingredients that can cause clogged pores, reactions or irritations, but a lot of times I find that it isn’t the makeup that is causing a client’s breakout, it’s how they remove it at the end of the day. Washing your face is not enough! You must remove your makeup first (with a cleansing balm, oil, makeup wipe, etc.) before washing your face. Just using your cleanser will only take off some of the makeup, and the skin will not actually get clean. Don’t have a makeup remover? Double cleanse your skin at the end of the day (wash your face twice). 

• What are your favorite brands to use?

• I hail from the land of Sephora (I worked there for years before starting my freelance career) so I like to think of myself as “un-branded.” If you look at my professional kit, it includes a huge range of brands. But, if I had to name a few of my go-to cosmetic companies, I would say NARS and Smashbox have excellent camera-ready products, as well as classics like Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown. Some of my new favorites are Beautycounter (for my ingredient conscious clients), Kaja (Korean Beauty brand), Glossier (hip, chic and cool) and JUVIA’s Place (amazing eyeshadows).
  1. What are your top three makeup tips for clients?
     1. Where in your home are you applying your makeup? Think about where in your home you apply your makeup. Remember, when you are in your bathroom it makes it a lot harder to put on your makeup and enjoy the application process. With overhead lighting it is hard to see what you are doing because of the shadows cast on your face. Leaning over a sink makes your body tense and your arms are too far away from the body to do detailed precision work with your hands. Try sitting in a place that has non-overhead lighting (a window, an illuminated mirror, adjustable desk lamp etc.) with a mirror at a desk, countertop or table. 
     2. Classic Beauty Makeup: Remember, classic beauty makeup is like a well-executed painting. If someone looking at your face, their eye should travel evenly around your complexion, not getting stuck on one feature. You can prevent the eye “getting stuck” by giving a little makeup attention to each feature and not over-emphasizing a certain feature. 
     3. Makeup Application placement tip: After loading up your tool (brush or sponge or fingers), wherever you first place that tool on the skin, the product will deposit the most color there and the makeup will be the most saturated in that location. So think about placement of your brush before the tool touches your skin. For example, if you want more foundation coverage in the center of your face, place the brush near your nose and blend downward. If you want your blush to be brighter on the apple of your cheek, place your brush there and then sweep and blend up the cheekbone. 

   

• What do you look for when buying or using new products?

• I love following fellow makeup artists on social media, to see what products they’re using and loving. When I’m shopping for my makeup kit, I’m looking for products that not only will photograph well but will feel comfortable to my client or model’s face. I love products that have lightweight, creamy textures, so that I can blend the products for a seamless effect. And so that the product doesn’t look to “makeup-y” on the skin.  

• Who are some other industry professionals that you admire? Anyone you would want to work with or under?

• I have such a talented cohort of colleagues in Boston; we all support, encourage and inspire each other. It’s a great community. Some New England artist colleagues I really admire are Kacie Corbelle (@kaciecorbelle), Arturo Draper (@arturodraper), Dianna Quagenti (@diannaquagenti), Natalie Shafie (@natalieshafie), Alicia Dane (@aliciadane), Erica Gomez (@_ejgomesmakeup), Mel Paldino (@mel_paldino), Maya Landi (@mayalandi) and obviously my studio-mate Bre Welch (@pixxiediva).