Carl Ray Makeup Artist

As featured on PamelasPunch.com
By Pamela Sorensen

Washington women barely have enough time to curl their own eyelashes much less spend hours poring over the most ideal cosmetic colors for their skin tone, the newest makeup application techniques, or the best most bountiful powder brushes.  We ladies are busy busy busy and even when we sit in the chair getting our hair did, we are tapping away at our iPads, iPhones, or in my case,  an Android.  In this town, time is of the essence, but we do want to look good.  So if there’s a pro out there who can help us achieve the look that we want for a special occasion (or even any occasion for that matter) we know what to do. Make the call.

Read the full article here.

As featured on GuestofaGuest.com
By Sophie Pyle

Michelle Obama is a style icon, not only due to her impeccable taste in clothing and jewelry, but for the beautiful face she puts forward in the public.

We got to know her makeup artist, Carl Ray. Carl’s first canvas was his mother, and he has grown to become the top pick for high profile brides and A-list social functions in Washington—glamming up everyone from Ashley Taylor, to Supreme Court Justices, to Paula Abdul and beyond.

Read the entire interview here.

(Photos above courtesy of Carl Ray and Getty Images.)

The shoot was an all day process of collaborating and I was energized by the entire production. The photographer, David Hartman, has an incredible eye and is a real pro! Styling was done by the multi-talented Julie Savage of Strawberry Milk Events. Julie is a real pleasure to work with and let me tell you … Julie knows style!

And of course I loved doing the editorial-style make up for the shoot, which is becoming more popular with new brides to be. The whimsical wedding hair was done by Murat Durak.

Gorgeous wedding dresses, awesome jewelry & fabulous flowers where everywhere in the studio. I was in heaven because … I Love Everything Bridal!

The Bridal Makeup Look:

To prepare the canvas for the makeup look for the shoot I made sure Jamie Bowersox’s skin was clean, moisturized and primed.

The first feature that stood out on Jamie’s face was her eyes so I really played them up using:

• pale shimmer eye shadow and a deep burgundy matte shade in the crease to give a smokey effect
• this was followed by black kohl eyeliner and a full strip of lashes
• bronzer and a pop of pink blush with a little highlight of shimmer on top of the cheek bones
• lips where nude to blood red and every color in between

Makeup and hair was changed at least half dozen times.

Doreen Tisone, Engaged Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, attended the shoot. Doreen was, and is, an endless vessel for all things fabulous in the wonderful world of Bridal!