The ABC reality series “Dancing with the Stars” winds down this week.
Karina Smirnoff, photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
In case you haven’t been paying attention, "Dancing With the Stars" ninth season concludes this coming Tuesday. The show is a shimmery, glittery, fraught-with-injuries 10-week competition between dance pairs - one professional dancer and one celebrity - joined in a televised matrimony of sorts.
Every week, the pros teach their partners one dance, either a serious-as-a-heart attack tango and paso doble, a lilting waltz, energetic jive, fox trot, salsa, samba, rumba or cha-cha.
The couples are scored on technique, footwork, posture and overall presence. The results are revealed live on Tuesday nights, when contestants with the lowest scores are eliminated.
We are down to the wire.
The race has narrowed to rocker princess Kelly Osbourne, singer Mya and all-around performer Donny Osmond - one of them will take home the goofy mirrorball.
Tune in for the Finale starting Nov. 23, 8 p.m., with results show Nov. 24, on ABC.
Melanie Mills in action - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Sexed-up hair and makeup are the hallmarks of this strenuous show that pushes people to their physical limits. It is brutally hard work and most if not all the celebrities underestimate the amount of time they have to spend getting through the competition.
The show is tight ballet of Wardrobe, Hair and Makeup, in between endless rehearsals and choreography sessions.
Natalie Coughlin - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
It takes a village of awesome products and people who know how to wield them to turn out a DWTS camera-ready contestant, dressed, coiffed, buffed, bronzed and polished to perfection, ready to take on the stress of dancing intricate ballroom dances on live television.
This is the third year Monsters and Critics was invited to sit and learn, watch and record the actual makeup and skincare that the Emmy-award winning team of artists, led by department head Melanie Mills, are using on your DWTS season nine celebrities.
photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
I got a chance to speak to Bronx native Karina Smirnoff, the pro who was paired with Aaron Carter (eliminated November 10), who now calls Los Angeles home. “I love the weather,” she shared about LA, sitting in the chair and getting an afternoon refresh. “But New York is still my favorite city, it’s an energetic place.”
Aaron Carter - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Dancing has taken Karina all over the world, and she shared some impressions. “The Japanese have a welcoming, interesting culture and they are very appreciative and kind, plus I love the food there. Russian food and the whole eating late at night thing, no way! You wake up with a puffy face, bloated; you cannot eat and drink late at night without it wrecking your looks the next day. Japanese foods are lighter, higher in protein, less fat, just better for you all the way around.”
Karina loved her profession, but shared that if she couldn’t dance, maybe criminal law would be her focus. “I would be a criminal attorney… C.S.I. is my favorite TV show, and I would love to take law classes, but the forensic stuff, ecch.. no way, that’s too much. I have a weak stomach!”
Kevyn Aucoin lipstick Moonbiba - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Karina was rocking a Kevyn Aucoin lip in "Moonbiba," Laura Mercier concealer, Nars blush and being touched up in “Mel’s Mix,” a top-secret blend of bronzed body makeup that gleams out the skin and perfects the self tanned skin. It’s magical stuff.
Emmy winning artist Melanie Mills is aided by her award winning-team, which includes artists Patti Ramsey Bertoli, Zena Shteysel, Angela Moos, and Nadege Schoenfeld, her "go-to" group that consistently turn out inspired makeup designs created by Mills each week that complement wardrobe and dance choices for all.
You know we had questions. Mills and Company had answers.
Zena's bay - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
At first glance, there were previous season’s favorites and ‘old faithful’ products that never failed them, heavily occupied by M.A.C., Armani, Dior, Julie Hewitt, Urban Decay, Laura Mercier, RCMA and Chanel.
photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Skincare first, as the canvas for the makeup is prepped by the Boscia skincare line, along with Murad’s “Lighten and Brighten Eye Cream” and SPF 15 Lip balm. Skinceuticals C+ serum too was favored as a pre-hydration and line reducing item for makeup prep. Another secret weapon used to combat puffy eye syndrome was Angels Collagen Pads, a coveted quick fix.
Boscia skincare was a favorite - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
The Epicuren line was also in use; the makeup remover and various cleansers melt away a heavy application of face paint quickly. Koh Gen Doh skincare was also kicking it on the bays.
Murad - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Hair removal is de rigueur for a show like this, and the Silk’n Sens Epil blasts hair follicles with a blinding jolt of intense light.
Silk’n Sens Epil - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
The portable kit can be used anywhere but the face, and the entire makeup trailer was singing its praises. It looked easy to use.
Neu Lash - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
The lash abuse of repeated false eyelash applications and tons of mascara were remedied by a great product, “Neu Lash” which contains active ingredients that are ophthalmologist safety-tested. Everyone using it swore by this eye lash rejuvenating serum, and their natural lashes looked full and healthy.
The self-tanning process is makeup step one, and the go-to line of product for this show is St. Tropez’s full line of self tanners. I switched to this product a year ago when Melanie gave me some to take and try. It has virtually no odor and the resultant color you turn looks like a real tan, not orange.
The St. Tropez makeup line also is in high rotation, presented in solid Lucite boxes that contain St. Tropez Bronzing Rocks and St. Tropez Radiance Mousse, and the compact holds my personal favorite new product of the year, the St. Tropez Bronzing Powder, a flat, matte finisher that can be used as blush, eyeshadow and all-over color. REVIEW
Zena in action - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
M.A.C. foundations, color products, Fluidliner, automatic brow pencils, and insanely bright and unique palettes of eyeshadows were used in every bay.
Brows are also done justice by Benefit's BrowZings, the self-contained kits have a waxy side, a powder side and tweezers and applicators inside a clever little compact.
Julie Hewitt - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Julie Hewitt also supplies a great deal of powder and lip products, their red range in lipstick is unsurpassed. “Film Noir.” “Femme Noir” and “Cocoa Noir” were prominent. “Nude Noir” lip liner a staple. Julie Hewitt’s Rose water face spray was in every bay, along with the Hewitt Camellia lip balm.
Chanel, Dior and Armani’s high-end foundations also worked beautifully for camera, and the RCMA crème foundation palettes are still the pro artists’ go-to for quick shade matching and ultra-secure coverage. You can get these palettes at pro beauty supplies.
RCMA palette - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Caveat: This stuff has to be worked with a special spray thinner before you apply it, you cannot just dab it on like the other foundations we are talking about here.
Sydney Australia native Pro dancer Kym Johnson shared with me she adored the Armani foundation and was using in off camera too.
Newcomer to the foundation roundup was Kevyn Aucoin’s concentrated line of crème foundations that can also act as a concealer given how densely pigmented they are. Like Armani, Dior and Chanel, these products are all readily available at high-end retailers like Saks, Neiman Marcus and Barneys.
The men for the most part get finished by Christian Dior’s Visiora or M.A.C.’s warhorse foundation Studio Fix, and everyone looked to be using the tried and true genius concealer by Laura Mercier. “Secret Camouflage” is a dual concealer covers and stays, does not crease or travel, even when you sweat. Great stuff.
For finish concealing, YSL’s Touche Éclat concealer/highlighter golden click pen also was seen again this year brightening up everyone in the trailer.
Finish powders widely used included M.A.C., Julie Hewitt and Makeup Forever. Amazing concealer again was used by all, as was the M.A.C. paint pots. Zena was using “Groundwork,” “Nice Vice” and “Blackground” the day I was there.
Z Palettes - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Entrepreneurial Zena has created a new line of makeup containers that all the team were transitioning their loose pan items to. Her Z Palettes have a clear front and are made of a material that doesn’t break like similar hard plastic cases. Just a flat-out brilliant design. Read our review HERE
photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Another clever tool in use was also created by a fellow makeup artist, the odd-shaped pink beauty blender was the only sponge I saw being used.
OPI Nails - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Nails were the domain of O.P.I nail enamels, in every hue of black-red to bubble gum pink. Blues, suede-finish graphite greys and matte colors everywhere. Colors that I recorded being used that day were “ I’m Fondue of You,” “Black Cherry Chutney,” “Keys to My Karma” and “I’m Not Really A Waitress.”
Kevyn Aucoin lips - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Kevyn Aucoin was the big new kid on the block for DWTS, and the line’s lipsticks were beautiful in person: “Moonbiba,” “Baby Pink,” “Bloodroses,” “Faith” and "Tatjanaberry." Lipstick is my weakness, and the Aucoin lipstick texture and colors were exceptional: Dense, luxe, creamy and it wore beautifully for me for hours.
M.A.C. , Cargo, Julie Hewitt, Urban Decay and Nars seemed to be most used for cheek colors. Hewitt’s “Goldie”, “Pinkie,” “Cleo” and M.A.C.’s “Premeditated” crème blush and “Frankly Scarlett” in high usage that day, and Nars perennial “Orgasm -South Beach” duo in crème form was deeply dipped into.
Urban Decay palette - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Urban Decay supplied a lot of very cool pre-made color palettes that were favored too, and their glitter liquid eyeliners were off the hook vivid, perfect for a show like this.
Urban Decay glitter liners - photo by April MacIntyre ©M&C
Ardell lashes were top dog, and used to make eyes pop on camera. Again, when I asked what the favorite mascara was, hands down it was drugstore brand L’Oreal Volumist, and I have used it since Mel told me about it last year. Great stuff.
Tune in to ABC Monday to see who will take the win for season nine!
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