68th Emmy Award Nominee for Makeup | The Wiz Live!

Posted on July 18, 2016 by queennzingha

Written by NZINGHA for TheGlamSquadFiles

I can’t tell you the sheer joy I had in knowing there was a plan to bring the play The Wiz back into production. You know there’s a gift (well, I’d bee given several gifts actually) that I’ve had ever since I was a little girl and two have always worked for me has been foresight and the ability to speak things into existence!

I knew in my spirit that this play would be revived at some point in time. I thought it would be much sooner than 2015 though! This play is so special to me personally because I was there at the very first performance and the very last when it was on Brodway with the original cast. This was the first play I’d ever seen on Broadway and it shaped the way I would move in entertainment. The singing, dancing, costumes and of course MAKEUP!!

I always loved the Wizard of Oz but when The Wiz premiered it was the soulful adaptation with a Dorothy that I could visually relate to and her voice was so incredibly melodic and it was LIVE! Stephanie Mills the original Dorothy in The Wiz (also the Aunt of one of my dearest and oldest friends). I felt like I could reach out and touch the stage. It was magical…the dances I felt warm almost made me feel like I too could dance like that (of course I was dreaming, and took several dance classes to try my hand at it).

Apparently I wasn’t the only one who loved this millennial spin on The Wiz. I read that 11.5 million people tuned in on that Thursday night! And I can tell you I ran home from work quick fast in a hurry so I wouldn’t miss not even a commercial!! According to Nielsen, roughly 269,400 people sent 1.6 million tweets about “The Wiz Live!” on Thursday night and 6.4 million people saw those tweets a total of 128.9 million times!!

The production more than tripled the number of tweets for either “Sound of Music” (449,536) or “Peter Pan” (474,735). And according to social media analyst company Canvs, “The Wiz” drew four times as many reactions per minute than “Peter Pan” (792 vs. 178) and more than three times as many as “Sound of Music” (238).

It was the very next day that I was on set with two of the Makeup Artists that worked the show my dear heart Christine Dominecki, my spirit sister Stephanie McGee and Bjoren Rehbein. And here we were together working side by side doing “disco 80’s drag makeup” for this new TV show. We pulled out all the stops on makeup that day. But those three really pulled some stunts the night before on The Wiz!!! I couldn’t stop praising them for their great work and as I was saying it…saying, how much I loved their work….in my spirit I heard they’re gonna win! Huh? Gonna win?? Win what??? Oh, yes ratings for the show, right yes, I’m sure they will have great numbers coming in from this performance.

Well, I now think that spirit voice I heard was more referring to The Primetime Emmy Awards!!! I’m rooting for everyone on the team. And I do hope that little voice in me was right! This will mean so much to many who loved the show. Cheering my friends on for their great work is easy…now to send them off to LA for the actual ceremony!!! Yay!!! Here’s a look at their awesome Makeup Work!

The cast of The Wiz Live!

Prosthetic Makeup created by Department Head Makeup Artist for Saturday Night Live Louie Zakarian.

Makeup Artist Debi Young – Makeup for Mary J. Blige as Evilline

Makeup Artist Stephanie McGee – Makeup for Amber Riley as Aderappearl. Pictured here with The Flying Monkey’s from Cirque Du Soleil and Emerald City Citizen.

Makeup Artist Christine Dominecki pictured here with Elijah Kelley as Scarecrow.

Makeup Artist Bjoren Rehbein and his Makeup for Queen Latifah as The Wiz.

Mary J. Blige as Evilinne, Queen Latifah as The Wiz, Amber Riley as Aderappearl

***Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic)***

The Wiz Live! • NBC • Universal Television, Sony Pictures Television, Storyline Entertainment

Cookie Jordan, Co-Department Head Makeup Artist

Matiki Anoff, Co-Department Head Makeup Artist

Debi Young, Makeup Artist
Stephanie McGee, Makeup Artist

Bjorn Rehbein, Makeup Artist

Christine Domaniecki, Makeup Artist

Lupita Nyong’o in Star Wars…Jehdi or Sith?

Posted on June 4, 2014 by queennzingha

Written by NZINGHA for ZFACEINC,nyc

Okay so I’m corny and a Star Wars junkie, I could watch them all over and over again…seriously! So now you put one of my favorite actors in a Star Wars film?!? I’m done!! Lupita Nyong’o in Star Wars? Yaaaasssssss!

I loved Natalie Portman as Queen Amadala! Loved makeup and hair all day all the way on her character accept for Hayden Christianson’s hair as Anakin Skywalker that weave was a disaster (sorry I have to tell the truth)!

So anyway, not even the Hollywood Reporter has given a hint as to Lupita’s latest role but I have a guesstimate of who I think she’ll play and trust me its not a Jehdi! Some dumb report said she would be playing a Jedhi and not just a Jehdi but a supposed descendant of Obi Wan Kenobi…I think that’s just terrible!

Ok, here goes my guess: I think she’ll be playing…

Asajj Ventress

Yes, a villainess! Ok for my Star Wars junkies who can really relate and know their galaxy characters…here goes…

Asajj studied under Dooku during the Clone Wars. Although she was only a Sith apprentice, her powers quickly drew a lot of attention. A lot of which came from Palpatine who ordered Dooku to destroy his apprentice (which he failed to do). Asajj struck back at Dooku with two Nightsisters, but was unsuccessful in her assassination plot. Asajj wiped the floor with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan on more than one occasion. Before Palpatine thought she posed a threat to him, he was impressed with her lightsaber skills.
“The child’s skills with a lightsaber are most impressive. You have found a promising disciple, my apprentice. She shall serve us well.” ~Palpatine

I like the direction JJ Abrams is going in with this cast and if my guesstimating is correct he won’t have Lupita as some wimpy character with no gut. I like his quick cut film edit style that keeps you on the edge for Sci-Fi films. Yet he manages to tell a good story in the midst.

This role will not be a passive one…no sir! This one will call for some serious physical dexterity which I think Lupita is ready for. I’m sure shell have to train in combat and some martial arts and most assuredly fencing. It will be a vast difference in character from what we saw in her role as Pasty in 12Years.

Time to move away from those visuals to a new visual for her as an actress.

I could be all wrong about this one but Mmmm I dunno, I could be right. Any feedback what do you all think?

http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/v/HeatVision/GwendolineChristieJo

Why we 💗 Lupita | Lancôme’s Latest Spokesmodel

Posted on April 8, 2014 by queennzingha

Written by NZINGHA for ZFACEINC,nyc

Nairobi’s rose and now America’s darling. Lady Lupita Nyong’o has taken our breaths away in all of her visual forms from us seeing her as her character Patsey in “12 Years A Slave” to her glorious self on the covers of magazines and in every tweet, post or comment. Even when you thought it wasn’t going to happen she was still winning!

Oh and can we say her name correctly please, especially after she’s been on several talk shows showing you how to say her last name not “GO” but “O”softly, smoothly and rhythmically.

I’m hearing people say she just came out of nowhere and stole our hearts. Well, I’m here to tell you she didn’t just come out of nowhere (no one just comes out of nowhere, everyone has a place of origin, a beginning before we met them)…she came from Kenya, Africa born in 1983 to Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o a Kenyan politician.

Her father is the Secretary-General of the Orange Democratic Movement is currently serving as the Senator for Kisumu County

Lady Lupita has a degree from Hampshire College in film and theater studies and her Masters of Fine Arts from Yale University. She has written and directed a documentary film called “In My Genes” stories of life for the albinos population currently living in Africa. She’s also directed a music video that was nominated by MTV Africa in 2009.

Lady Lupita is one of the few actors who has won an Academy Award for their debut performance in a feature film. Lupita was chosen as one of the faces for Miu Miu’s Spring campaign. She has won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress and numerous other awards.

And yes Lady Lupita is *THE FIRST AFRICAN* Actress TO WIN an Oscar.

Ralph Lauren cape dress | Lupita the fashionable

http://youtu.be/bjwYJ11RDcA

Lupita Nyong’o is the newest face of French beauty brand Lancôme

“I am truly honored to join the Maison Lancôme, a brand with such a prestigious history that I have always loved. I am particularly proud to represent its unique vision for women and the idea that beauty should not be dictated, but should instead be an expression of a woman’s freedom to be herself,” Nyong’o said in a statement released by the French beauty house.

“I had to give a speech about beauty right before the Oscars,” she told WWD, “and for me, beauty is a compassion for yourself and those around you. And I think that in focusing on that, the light inside illuminates the beauty outside. The idea that Lancôme now has a few actor ambassadors is significant because actors are not just faces, they are spirits that people enjoy and relate to more than in an aesthetic way. We have the privilege of standing for something other than just looks.”

The ads will start running in September 2014.

The Wonders of Vaseline Review

Posted on April 3, 2014 by queennzingha

Written by NZINGHA for ZFACEINC,nyc

THE HISTORY OF VASELINE’s ORIGIN

Robert Chesebrough, a British industrial chemist, was laboriously working to clarify kerosene from sperm whales. Whales and their body oils and even fluids in the early 1800’s helps to create balms, salves, creams, and various distilled oils.

In 1859, oil rig workers, reportedly found a substance that built up on the machinery, resulting in frequent mechanical malfunctions. They called it ” black rod wax”. The men who worked on those oil rigs used the remnant as ointment for their bruises and wounds. Chesebrough got wind of this unrefined ointment and then traveled to the United States to visit this Pennsylvanian rig. He found that the black rod wax could be distilled to form a light-colored gel.

Read more about the history of Vaseline. Love discovering something new to me but historical in its time.http://www.damninteresting.com/story-of-vaseline/
Mr Chesebrough obviously knew early on about marketing and eventually becoming a brand! Check out these ads over the years

Obviously from its really early days

This ad looks like it may have come in the 30’s-40’s

This display looks like its from the 40’s or 50’s

PACKAGE DESIGN OVER THE YEARS

And now the packaging for Vaseline has this great new flip top and has 4 different scents ; original, baby, coco butter and aloe. Really cool! Love it and love the colours added to the newer scents labeling.

Vaseline internationally. Kinda sad that its played into the obsession of skin lightening in India. I don’t see anything wrong with being brown! Guess its age old in the African American community we have always had lightening/whitening creams too.

I personally love the gels because I’ve got really dry skin and it just guzzles moisturizers as if it were nothing. Although it leaves the skin soft but you can see visible dryness, so love, love, love the gels. I also use them for glossy makeup looks. I keep a little squeeze bottle of it for my Pro Makeup Kit. Yeah!

Here’s that special “glo” you get from Vaseline in a fashion look. Really beautiful. Women used to wear Vaseline for eyeshadow in the 20-30’s all the time. It was used with black coal chips to make mascara (hence how Mabelline got its start).

In fact I learned that eye technique from my Grandmum who used Vaseline for 99 years (literally she died just before reaching 100). She used it as a night moisturizer(every night) and in all those years even at 99 she had minimal amount of wrinkles on her skin all over body.

Special packaging just for men. I guess it’s necessary because let’s face it men like packaging too. And in this era of designer this and that men like to see cool packaging on their shelves too, oh and have good skin as well.

My least favourite product from Unilevers Vaseline brand are these sprays. HATE EM’!!!! And they’re relatively new however, I do not expect to see these on the market next year. The product gets everywhere but directly where it’s supposed to go…ON THE BODY GUY’s, ON THE BODY!! Not on my floors so I can skid on them accidentally as I’m walking by!

The lip balm packaging now is so vast for Vaseline and has over the years added Color and flavours to the brand. I think it’s great!

Of course the “millennials” love anything with bling to it (I’m a bit guilty of it too) so here’s a LIL’ bling thing for those that like a lil’ sparkle with their lip product

The Incredible Artwork of Jason Mercier

Posted on March 29, 2014 by queennzingha

Written by NZINGHA for ZFACEINC,nyc

“Jason Mecier, a San Francisco-based artist creates portraits of celebs using everything from bits of discarded jewellery to empty deodorant cans and bubble-gum wrappers. He has spent 15 years carefully collecting rubbish and using it for his masterful modern artwork. Artist Jason Mecier says that many celebrities have bought the work they inspired. Each one of his creations takes at least 50 hours of his time.”

~ James Pond CEO & Founder of Pondly.com
http://www.pondly.com/

http://www.jasonmecier.com/

My first introduction to the work of Jason Mercier was in 1997 with his work featured in the now defunct Suede Magazine. Suede was a hip trendy African American Women’s magazine to which I’d loaned some of my Makeup services to and had hopes of joining their staff as Beauty Contributor or even Editor at that time.

I’d gone up to the office and saw this future spread they were about to do that was all about celebrity makeup, so I thought. Well these ladies have all been in my makeup chair at some point so I thought they’d request me to do makeup for the shoot. the roster of ladies were Rosario Dawson, Missy Elliot, Ashanti and Mariah Carey.

Well, I never got a call for this amazing shoot! Why? Because it never happened!! I was in shock,… well I thought to myself, at least 2 of the ladies were on promo tours and one was working on a film with Will Smith. So I figured thats why the photo shoot was deaded.

When I finally saw the layout it was indeed the 4 ladies and there was makeup but, it was their portraits done in collage style with makeup products as the paint for their portraits!!!

GENIUS!!!

I was rendered speechless and utterly and completely amazed at this new brand of “Makeup Artist”. No way could I even compete with this work…in fact no Makeup Artist that were my peers could!! This was another skill set none of us had reached it truly was ART!

I began to follow Jason’s work and I have to say each and every piece I’m floored by. I AM A FAN.period.com…Lololol! Just look at these pieces in Jelly Beans

These in licorice

The Comedians

Musicians and their VICES…

The Game Changers…

No Better Drag Than These Dolls…

Actresses and their VICES…

Anyone who argues that this is not Art is a cerebral jerk!! Art is objective, subjective to its viewer. As for the celebrity aspect of the artwork makes it even more interesting that the portrait actually has their personal items in it.

It’s what I’d say is the “new” Pop Art. Pop Art is short for popular art. What’s popular to this generation. Warhol was Pop Art for his generation…his art was reflective of the culture and colors of his era…it’s was psychedelic, psychotropic and bright, multiples.

So what is one mans garbage is another mans treasure!

Here’s more from my FAVORITE Artist…check it out.