Barbara Lamelza, from Model in Germany to MUA in L.A.

Introducing Barbara Lamelza, Make-up artist. Barbara works and lives in L.A., California. To her, Los Angeles is the best place to live her lifestyle & to work.

Barbara, tell us how you started and how you got to where you are.

I was born and raised in Germany and I moved to L.A. in 1995. I have been introduced to makeup artistry in 1989 by a makeup artist who did my makeup for a fashion show, I was modeling at that time. Shortly after, I decided to enroll in a makeup & hair school for 2.5 years in Berlin led by an Oscar-winning mentor.

After graduating, I started my backstage career and I perfected my technique on tour with The Phantom of the Opera in Europe. Then, I had the chance to work in many countries with a lot of celebrities in movies and other entertainment projects. My creativity and the MUA I am today has always been nourished by these multi-cultural experiences. It takes a lot of work & time to get known as a makeup & hair artist but I feel so fortunate to meet and work with genuine people every day and I am grateful for the friends I have made along the way.

I always wanted to do something creative and makeup has been a great way to express myself with color & creativity. 

Wow, it looks like the perfect story but has it been a smooth path, from Germany to L.A.?

There is never a smooth path for anything. When you are a freelancer MUA in L.A. you have no guaranteed income and the competition is fierce. There is always a lot of changes, a contract is never won forever just as it is never lost forever. Models or celebrities change for new art directors often and they work with their own team. It happens all the time, so being a good professional, open to finding new opportunities and, staying true to yourself with a positive mindset, helps a lot in this industry. 

What sets you apart from others in L.A.?

I specialize in doing makeup for Beauty & Fashion magazine shoots in L.A. mainly. On the other hand, I also love doing makeup for movie characters. I can spend hours working on a model to achieve spectacular results. I feel proud to have been working with amazing models & actors/celebrities. I was not really aware when I started doing makeup & hair that I will create great interconnections with so many incredible people.

Barbara, who or what inspires you the most? And why?

I’ve always been attracted by imagery. I mostly draw my inspiration from European fashion magazines because they have no limits and are extremely creative. 

Could you tell us what BEAUTY means to you?

Beauty for me is not only the “container”. It is the whole package inside out. Many people out there don’t look like models but they just have a glowing personality that makes them so raw & beautiful inside out. I’ve seen so many beautiful people wearing no makeup like when I was working in Africa. It’s not just to slap on makeup to be beautiful.

Can you briefly describe your own skincare routine, and why is it so important to you?

Well, first thing first, you are what you eat! I’m a pescatarian. I always drink tons of water and herbal teas. No Sodas, little alcohol, and no canned foods and very little sugar. Lots of vegetables, salads, fruits. In the morning, I have fresh self-made celery juice. At night, I do have a 12-hour break from my last meal to breakfast to give my body some rest also to detox my body and skin.

Can you share with us your professional skin prep tips/tricks before makeup?

Sure, I always prep the skin with a gentle toner to clean the skin. Then, I apply a good moisturizer that also has the ability to give the face a nice radiant glow (Lait Crème Concentré from Embryolisse that I love). If you don’t prep the face properly before the makeup application the face could turn out dry and brittle. It won’t look good and you will look older!

If you should pick only two Embryolisse products, which ones will you choose?

For work, I like to use Lait Crème Concentré and Radiant Eye Stick. The Lait Crème Concentré gives such a beautiful glow in the face. I use it on all my clients and they just love the feeling to have instantly moisturized face with this beautiful & radiant glow. I also love the Radiant Eye Stick, it is great when you have tired eyes!