THE BRILLIANT SEA of bright blues, yellows, pinks and reds on costumes in beads and feathers are complemented by faces adorned with rhinestones and equally bright make-up.
But it has gone to another level, with make-up no longer limited to just the face. Whether it is airbrushed legs to get rid of stretch marks and blemishes, rhinestone appliqués made of latex, violent lip tattoos often seen as glittered lips, coloured eyebrows and feather or coloured lashes, these are just a few of the decorative additions to make-up seen as Crop Over must-haves by every make-up artist this year.
The make-up craze has women spending hundreds of dollars to attend parties, concerts, and every event in between.
It could be good business for some with the skill to create beauty, particularly during this season.
Artists brace themselves for the volume of prospective clients they’ll have and create rivalling multiple packages, including do-it-yourself kits and discounted specials and packages.
Being in the make-up industry for four years, the head make-up artist at Next To Natural (N2N) Make-up Artistry said: “If nothing else, you must, must have these – finishing sprays to make sure the makeup stays on, and primers . . . . I mean contouring, fanciness and changing the face structure is like a regular day thing but on [Kadooment], because of the volume, most people really just want bright eyes, lashes [and] rhinestones not necessarily in that order . . . the creations are endless,” she said.
She said most people think either they or a friend can apply the make-up but an artist can do so much more.
Long-time friends Lashawn Clarke and Danielle Archer, the Colour Coded make-up duo, both have artistic flair and Archer works as a professional graphic artist when she isn’t applying cosmetics.
Clarke proudly said that through the pouring rain, water from the trucks and sweat from all the gyrating, makeup stays on for the entire jump, even until the next day.
Giving a client the full job, including foundation, contouring, blush, grooming and filling in eyebrows, highlighting and lips, takes 30 to 45 minutes.
The before-and-after transformation pictures speak for themselves on the quality of make-up artistry.
“You can transform her face, pull her nose up, change the bags under her eyes and still make her look like she just washed her face,” the N2N make-up artist said.
The N2N artist proudly listed orders she receives from clients in Trinidad, Australia, Britain and Canada.
For Crop Over, “people book as soon as Kadooment is over . . . . I find it is a lot of returning nationals or people who are here bringing relatives who come in”.
Using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for promotion is reeling in clients. Artists are seeing an increase in the public’s interest in make-up. Make-up artists are booked for every event of the season from Brewster’s Road, UV and Aurora to Bliss and Bushy Park, and artists make sure they are fully stocked.
The brands Inglot Cosmetics, Graftobian HD foundation, Bdellium Tools, Make-Up For Ever and local-based Jolie Lipsticks are some of the high-end brands that can be found in a kit with the countless colours, creams, powders and brushes to match every client they have.
Clarke said being a make-up artist, especially during Crop Over, isn’t all glamour and fun. Last-minute bookings are a problem but meeting the demands of so many first-time clients around Crop Over expands the clientele.
“There’s no sitting in this job. On Kadooment Day, we’re pretty much on our feet from 3 a.m. until our last client,” she explained.
Make-up application for Foreday Morning can start as early as 7 p.m., said the N2N artist. With prices for a make-up application going as high as $150 for an event, “You could make thousands, the cumulative effect of all the events and Kadooment Day,” she added.
