My Interview With Emmy Award Winning and Celebrity, Makeup Artist, Melanie Mills
Hi Guys! I had the wonderful opportunity of snagging an interview with Emmy Award Winning, and Celebrity Makeup Artist Melanie Mills. Check out what she has to say about her experience on Dancing With The Stars and her new fabulous product, called “Gleam!”
Brianna: How did you get to be a makeup artist for Dancing With the Stars?
Melanie: I originally came on season 2 to help out with the cast, come upon season three, the head took a different path, and when I heard she was departing, with her blessing I contacted the producers, and had to interview like anyone else, and I got the job!
Brianna: How long have you been a makeup artist on Dancing With the Stars?
Melanie: I did five years as department head makeup artist.I won an Emmy in 2008 for outstanding makeup in a multi-camera series / special (non prosthetic)
Brianna: What do you like best about doing makeup?
Melanie: I love creating something out of nothing, and making people feel really good about themselves, I love the fact you can wash it away and create a new look, I love that I am painting, it excites me! I just truly love makeup, and the results
Brianna: You have had the opportunity to work with some great celebrities…what was that experience like?
Melanie:The experience is always amazing, whether Dancing with the Stars or Six feet under, many films, iCarly or Victorious, everybody is working very long hours to create something important, and you form these gypsy-like relationships, you may not see these people for a year or more but there’s a bond created.
Brianna: What was behind the motivation for coming up with a product like “Gleam?”
Melanie: Necessity, there was nothing on the market that had the right shades for the deeper African-American skin tones, and also that didn’t sweat off and get all over costumes.I created this directly on the show to accentuate the body tans, last through strenuous dance rehearsals and complement the costumes, and came up with the perfect mix, and when I had celebrities driving all the way out to my house outside of LA to get a few ounces to walk a red carpet – I knew I had to do something big.
Brianna: What’s your favorite feature about the product?
Melanie:The wearability, the fresh delicious smell it has, plus the four different shades for all skin tones and ease of application; there’s nothing like it. It imparts a velvet finish to the skin versus a hard shiny look, it is full of fabulous ingredients that tighten and firm the skin, and fill wrinkles and covers imperfections.
Brianna: Will we be able to look for any other beauty products from you in the near future?
Melanie: High lacquer, pigment dense lip glosses that also have fabulous ingredients, luxuriant creamy eye shadows, creamy cheeks, all the things I really use in my kit. And a few cool surprises I am not ready to mention!
Brianna: What advice can you give to other makeup artists that aspire to be as successful as you?
Melanie: I always say if you are available, don’t turn down a gig – even if its free. To this day I still work on shoots for free, youknow, one thing always leads to another and favors are remembered. It is very important to always have a great attitude too, because your vibe carries a lot of weight, along with your talent.
Brianna: What do you do to feel beautiful and glamourous?
Melanie: Getting a morning kiss from my daughter is the best. On a real level I do dance, I take ballroom dance lessons with a pro and I do Pilates as often as I can, up to five times a week. I get my lashes tinted and brows shaped, and I take care of myself, I regularly get Korean body scrubs and I drink lemon water every single morning, and I think being able to let loose, and laugh and enjoy a glass of wine is very important too.I also sometimes wear my Louboutins, Prada, Valentino, and Gucci high heel shoes around the house just to feel fabulous and sexy too, why not? You live once!
If you happen to be in the LA Area, Melanie is holding a special showing of her work at an event called Hollywood Retro! It will be held at “The Salon” on Robertson this Saturday, May 28th from 8pm til 2am. For more information go to www.petragallerie.com.
For more information about Gleam go to www.gleambymelaniemills.com. To check out my review on Gleam click here!
