10 Minutes With Sam Fine

Hey Glamazons! As you probably know by now, I'm obsessed with makeup artists. Oh, and hair stylists. So, you can probably imagine my glee and excitement over interviewing celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine. He's responsible for those beautifully made up faces you see on Mo'Nique, Queen Latifah, IMAN and Vanessa Williams.

Last night, he debuted his latest collaboration: cute pairs of flats created with Cavage shoes in colors inspired by his favorite makeup shades . Myself and Elaine Welteroth (Fashion & Beauty Reporter from EBONY magazine and from Meeting In The Ladies Room) sat down with him to pick his lovely 'made up' brain.

Ferocia: So, Sam, we hear that you like to babysit children. How was that for you?

Sam: You're not going to get me talk about my God children. No! [laughing]

Ferocia: How was that experience for you?

Sam: Babysitting a 5 year old and a 7 year old is not easy. I actually babysat my God son and daughter this past weekend and tweeted about the whole experience and it was a lot of fun. We went to Lion King. We went to Broadway. You need to take kids to a crowd, so that was wonderful. Lion King was a wonderful experience and just really seeing things through their eyes is wonderful.

Ferocia: Oh, because I just read that you sat them in front of a television...

Sam: No. Only when I needed a break. And it was educational. Always.

Elaine: In our industry, you're known as the fabulous Sam Fine. Always at the best parties...we want to know why a flat? Why weren't you drawn to a fabulous stiletto? When I think of Sam Fine, I think of a bedazzled jeweled...

Ferocia: Like lucite...

Sam: Oh Lord..you really think of me as bedazzled lucite?

Ferocia: Hell ass yes!

Sam: Well, you know, having dedicated my career to women of color, I like things that are a little bit more meaningful to me. I think about the emotional purchase that beauty suggests and I also think about a shoe that speaks to a woman's comfort and fashion. That's why choosing 5 different shades to me, was really interesting. I think a flat now has become so dressy as well as comfortable. So you don't have to be in 6 inch heels to be dressy anymore. I think a lot of the women will love me for it.

Elaine: Absolutely. I see Michelle Obama all over that.

Sam: Exactly! C'mon! I have so many clients. You know, whenever Jennifer Hudson comes offstage, she's reaching for a pair of flats. She's like "Those were cute, now give me some flats!"

So, I guess because I'm behind the scenes and I know how women really think, no Patti LaBelle, she would not be caught in a flat, but when she's at home, she's definitely fashionable and I can see her in these as well.

Ferocia: So, did you go to any shows during Fashion Week?

Sam: I didn't!

Elaine: No?

Ferocia: How tragic is this?!

Sam: You know what? I said that I have my God children. I have a ton of work to do. I was doing ad campaigns. Tons of work. Because everybody was in town, it was a great time to get all the editorial and everything in the can. I have to say, I don't miss going to the shows. I've got a wonderful computer. I can skip the crowds. I can see all the trends. Having done shows with Kevyn Aucoin and Fran Cooper and Isaac Mizrahi and Tod Oldhman....people aren't even showing anymore. I remember when fashion was amazingly interesting and it wasn't online yet. And Christy (Turlington) and Linda (Evangelista) and Naomi (Campbell) and Tyra (Banks) were on the runways and you had all these personalities and beauties. So I'd like to remember it the way I experienced it. I don't need to sit front row because I feel more at home behind the stage.

Ferocia: Can I just say that I interviewed Naomi (Campbell) and she scared the crap out of me!

Sam: Where did you meet her?

Ferocia: Backstage at the Fashion For Haiti show.

Sam: Well, you have to be a fighter to be in this industry. To reach the level that she has...she's taught me a lot. Herself, Tyra (Banks), IMAN, these are women who definitely know what they want and I don't think you ever get to a certain level of success without knowing what you want. We've worked with Kimora (Lee-Simmons) recently for a wonderful EBONY cover. There's always a point of view and I love that. Looking at these multi-dimensional women, like IMAN with cosmetics and modeling and Tyra (Banks) with the talk show and America's Next Top Model and Kimora (Lee-Simmons) with a clothing line! They're such wonderful examples to what we all can achieve. I'm really just following in their foot steps by teaming up with Cavage and doing this foot line.

Elaine: So, what's next? Do you see maybe coats?

Ferocia: Accessories?

Sam: Well, you know, when I look at IMAN, she's on HSN with jewelry, handbags, travel gear. Zac Posen is doing the interior for a hotel, they're doing Target. I think that you're seeing a lot more artists have their spin and add their creativity to different things. This is just another notch on my belt. But I look forward to returning to cosmetics, to doing cosmetics. I just released a DVD The Basics of Beauty....

Ferocia: Which is amazing! BTW...

Sam: Aww, thank you! That means a lot. Especially coming from the audience...the real critics. So, I'm looking forward to doing another DVD...I'm looking forward to doing cosmetics and hopefully building upon the fall trends and what I see in shoes. Who knows? I'm sure a heel is in my future.

Ferocia: Children's clothing?

Sam: Well, at least I have the experience having two God children because I let them dress themselves. Hair products...I did their hair. They're multi-racial. So, there's a lot there going on. And they say with the browning of America, we need more products, not just for women of color but for people of color. I think there's a lot more for me to do.

Ferocia: I think so too!

Elaine: What are 3 of your top beauty tricks?

Sam: 1. When you apply your foundation, before you apply powder, take a tissue...like a 2-ply tissue and just tear it in half, separating those two plys and just blotting the excess oil that comes along with foundation. It's a great way to touch up through out the day, but it's also a great way to keep the powder from clinging as heavily and the skin shows through beautifully.

2. Brows! See, you're one of! I'm looking at two beautiful ladies (ie Ferocia and Elaine...get into it!) with groomed brows and tons of mascara on. I think that's like 2 and 3. I mean, these are like natural things that before you get to foundation, before you get to concealer, before you get to bronzer, you've got to address. You want to remove any unwanted facial hair, you really want the brows to look beautiful because you don't already look like you have on makeup.

3. Bronzer! Bronzer is a form that you can use on the outer perimeter of the face, along the hair line, bringing it into the cheeks. It not only illuminates the complexion, but it also brings a warmth. I think a lot of women are scared that their foundation is gonna look fake, but bronzer adds luminosity that you might have lost when evening out and beautifying those very tones.

Elaine: That Queen Latifah bronzer from CoverGirl? I live for that.

Sam: That's one of my favorites!

Elaine: I can't leave the house without it.

Sam: I have some on now! [laughing]

xo

Ferocia