i returned home last Friday evening, exhausted from a long week at work and limping from a new pair of heels, when I noticed a brown envelope tucked in my door. I immediately felt a spark of energy at the thought of what special treat may have arrived for me. Once I saw the label, I knew what my plans for the evening would be. I was so excited. Yes, my Sam Fine DVD, Fine: The Basics of Beauty, had arrived. Karaoke, Dateline and encore presentations of prime time TV a.k.a. reruns would have to wait. I popped some popcorn and watched closely, paying attention, as if it were X-Men 7 or the next installment of some other summer blockbuster. I have been a fan of Sam Fine, since his book Fine Beauty hit shelves a little over a decade ago.
Fine takes you step by step through makeup application, starting with the tools needed to create a flawless look: Brushes. He reviews each brush,, educating viewers on what each one does and why it is necessary. Trust me, they are necessary. Then he works with three women of varying ages and skin tones, demonstrating the techniques he uses to match foundation based on their needs (minimal to full coverage), then moves on to cheeks, eyes and lips. I really believe that it is the things you do before application that make the difference in the final look. Haven’t you had those moments when you looked at some one’s makeup and thought, “when I put on _______, it doesn’t look like that”? That’s where technique comes in. Let’s just say I kept my finger on rewind.
Fine even touches on shading, something I haven’t quite mastered and white/beige eyeliner. There are also special features and an interview with Fine, where he discusses how he got started as a makeup artist. You’ll be happy to know that his DVD doesn’t endorse any one particular line of makeup, only how to apply products. So this weekend, I decided to put my education to use. After, one “Good Morning, Beautiful”, and a “Girl, your makeup looks good”, I think I got something right. Thanks, Sam. We’re ready for the advanced DVD.
