I apologize if you've received a spam email from my email account. Someone has stolen my account name and is using it to spam people. I do not contact people unless they contact me first. Sorry for the inconvenience!

- Christa

Christa McCarthy is a professional makeup artist for theatre, film & TV, print, and special events. She has eight years of experience and studied under international makeup artist David Nicholas. Customers frequently mention her responsiveness and easygoing manner, personality traits that set her apart and generate repeat business.

As a MAC Pro makeup artist member and an avid makeup researcher, she constantly furthers her education by learning new techniques and enhancing her current skills.

Contact info:
310-569-1855
christa@cmmakeup.com

Makeup can change a face and create a personality. A professional makeup artist understands the look and feel that a photographer is striving for or the character a director envisions. Communication skills are as important as talent and creativity in order to translate the directions into a final product and truly develop the right look.

In a photoshoot the makeup artist is only a quarter of the equation of how the model will look. The makeup should always be flawless, but flawless makeup alone does not make for a great result. Other key factors include the persona of the model and the expertise of the photographer. Expert lighting and skilled composition contribute above all to a professional looking photo. A professional makeup artist knows how her makeup is going to look with expert lighting, but in bad lighting even a gorgeous well made up model can look less than beautiful. The remarkable composition of the skillful eye contributes to the overall aesthetics.

Then there's the photo-retoucher. They are often the model's, photographer's, and makeup artist's best friend. Most pictures you see in magazines have been retouched in some way or another. While a makeup artist can cover a blemish, they can not make it reseed and therefore it will be visible at angles. The reduction in wrinkles or a general smoothness of the skin will also be left up to the retoucher. The retoucher adds perfection to the model and photograph.

As a model, if you have prints that you feel don't represent you well, hire a professional retoucher to make it perfect. You’ll be amazed at what they can do and see for yourself that makeup is only a portion of the magic.