the oscars MAKEUP

A radiant Erin in the hotel room ready to go to the limo waiting downstairs to take her to the Kodak theater.

That time I went to the Oscars

The Oscars was a month ago but I came across these images and, upon remembering that crazy weekend in LA many years ago, I felt compelled to share my tale. Enjoy the read.

The excitement of the Oscars for me is the glamour and it was the 77th Academy Awards that brought me there as part of a dream team for nominee Erin Faith Young, producer for the nominated Best Short Documentary HARDWOOD. It was planned that Fashion Television would shoot the dream team getting her ready for the red carpet and Kodak theater stage.

At the dress fitting in Toronto two weeks before the Academy Awards. The tan line was very visible then but when she arrived in LA one day before the big night it was a peeling burn!

I had met Erin briefly in Toronto where she was having a fitting for her dress. I wanted to see the shape, color, and how it moved when she walked. This comes from my many years working on fashion shoots. I want to see how everything looks 360 degrees. Most of the time people just think about how they look in the front, never realizing people will see them from the back. And Erin, not used to all of this attention, wanted to be as relaxed as possible walking on the red carpet. I always say when you are on a red carpet you should feel the ease of being in your pajamas but with the wow factor.

One thing that caught my eye was  Erin was sporting a summer tan that cut right across her chest. I knew she was going on vacation so I asked her to wear a t-shirt and to protect her arms. Those were my last words to her before I would see her in LA.

I met Erin at the hotel the day before the Oscar’s. She opened the door in her robe and did not appear to be as excited as I thought she would. She said, "I am so sorry I have a nasty burn." "I was learning how to windsurf and did not feel anything." One thing I have learned over the years is never to panic. When she revealed the burn it was peeling and bubbling up still in some areas. Now the line was even more defined across her chest. 

Without hesitation I sprung into action, I asked the stylist and dress designer if there was jewelry we could use to take away the attention of the sharp contrast of the two tones of her skin. We tried a few options but it didn't look right, and no matter what we did we could not disguise the area.

I said to Erin I wanted to help heal this burn as quick;y as possible and asked her if she trusted me. She said yes. So we went into the bathroom and I proceeded to gently exfoliate the flaking dry skin. Due to the skin being so sensitive the process took over 2 hours. I began to gently massage her skin with honey, long known for its healing properties and used in burn units because of its antimicrobial, anti-fungus properties. When I finished, her skin was smooth all over which would make applying the foundation so much easier. Erin took the rest of the day off to relax.

Fast forward to the next day. THE big day. You could feel the buzz in the air. Erin's skin was in the process of healing beautifully. The team began to start their work. The hairstylist and Erin decided to put her hair up and the dress was steamed and checked for any last-minute details.

Instead of trying to create Erin's beautiful pale skin tone, I went with tanning the parts of her alabaster skin tone to match the very tanned areas of her body.  This is imperative to blend because the flash from the cameras can pick up any demarcation. I added some shimmer on top to make the appearance of her skin look like it was glowing as it was still very, very tender.

Finally, she was ready. The team had gotten her as far as we could, now it was for her to enjoy the moment and shine.

On the phone the next day with Erin we found out that while at the award ceremony she happen to find herself in the powder room with Oprah who commented how beautiful she looked and could not place her. Oprah asked if she one of the new up and coming actresses? Success! Erin was indeed a star that night! Her transformation complete and noted by many. Oprah wasn’t the only one.

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Measha Brueggergosman MAKEUP

A candid shot - Measha’s ready for the Marilyn Denis show talking about the Heart & Stroke foundation.

Measha Brueggergosman becomes celebrity spokesperson for Heart & Stroke Foundation

I love doing Masha’s makeup, Canada’s soprano sweetheart. I am grateful to have mingled with her DNA last week as she did an interview educating women on heart health on the Marilyn Denis show in Toronto.

When she filled me in on her story I thought of this: Kintsugi the Japanese art of repairing pottery with gold, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. I think Measha's  two heart surgeries was due to her big heart cracking open to give more, and as she says, "serve more."  

While I applied her makeup what was her music of choice? Gospel. With her seraphic soprano voice I am sure the angels in heaven join in chorus.

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nature naturally ROSEHIP SEED OIL

ROSEHIP SEED - after the Rose petals have wilt and blown away it is this seed that remains. This crimson color is embedded in the oil, a perfect and beautiful addition to a face cream.

ROSEHIP OIL could be the fountain of youth - It has a Powerhouse of Benefits

This is a five star oil which spans the test of time. While its remedies have been used by our ancient Egyptian and Mayan ancestors today Victoria Beckham sings its praises for alleviating her acne!

Why is it one of my favourite oils to use to make my bespoke creams? It replenishes the skin with Vitamin C and E while its retinoid acid is anti inflammatory and packed with anti oxidants.

ROSEHIP OIL gets its beautiful crimson color from the fruit of the rose plant that appear on the stem after it flowers. This vibrant red tints the WBLab cream creating a youthful glow on the skin. This natural bronzer will allow you to skip foundation and, one of my favorite things, look sun-kissed all year long.

The Vitamin E is a natural skin brightener, makes skin tone due to hyper pigmentation more eve , and protects the skin from sun damage. A natural source of Vitamin E, which is anti inflammatory, can sooth dry and itchy skin. Rich in essential fatty acids it helps to repair and regenerate damaged skin cells. It is also famed for its use in treating burns, surgical and acne scars reducing their appearance. Loaded with antioxidants it protects the skin against damage from free radicals. This ensures protection from pre-mature ageing and improving the texture of the skin.

These are the key reasons why this powerhouse of botanical goodness is in my formulations.

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I AM SO EXCITED … this is the BEGINNING of a regular blog post I’ve titled NATURE NATURALLY. It is thoughtfully written to share my knowledge about the healthy benefits of skincare and wellness products that are derived from our beautiful natural world. The posts speak to ancestral traditions and new discoveries of natural ingredients that I find and/or I love to work with at WBLab. Please let me know and comment if you enjoy this topic or would like to hear more. Yours truly, Jackie Shawn

beauty counter CLEAN MAKEUP

Women keep asking me which makeup brands I like. Having been a professional makeup & hair artist for 34 years working in London, New York and Toronto I do have my favorites for sure. Recently I been exploring and working with a new clean makeup brand called BEAUTY COUNTER. I’ve written about them before on this blog and now I want to share more plus an awesome article about them in the current issue of Nuvo Magazine.

To be honest I was skeptical when Jane Gill PR gave me Beautycounter to try out even if it was the most searched cosmetic company on Google in 2018. It’s a staple in Goop and constantly reverenced in Allure and Vogue magazines but could it pass my expert opinion, a long list of tried and tested criteria?

It is common for a lot of cosmetic companies to have holes in their performance. What do I mean by that? They may have excellent eye shadows but their foundation does not perform well, or they may be known for their lipsticks but that is about it. That is why you see some brands only focus on what they excel at. You get the picture.

I was pleasantly surprised at Beauty Counter’s performance across the board both in their makeup and skincare line. On top of the excellent performing items the kicker for me was founder Gregg Renfrew’s persistence - advocating for cosmetics ingredients legislation, labeling and also creating The Never List which is made up of 1500 questionable chemicals used in cosmetics today. Although I was excited the products performed well above my expectations it is the latter that is a game changer for me as advocacy for change challenges the beauty industry to become transparent. A great thing for Everyone!

So, it is for these reasons why I choose to sell Beautycounter at WBLab. For more information visit www.jackieshawn.com for a workshop on Beautycounter.

See the full NUVO MAGAZINE article about Beauty Counter here. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Enjoy the read.

bring your own beauty bag BYOBB

Meet me, Jackie Shawn, in the video below and find out about the BYOBB Makeup WORKSHOP coming up JANUARY 15 at Wholistic Beauty Lab.

Find out what you can expect in a BYOBB Beauty WORKSHOP and why it is the foundation of all other workshops at Wholistic Beauty Lab. For more information on services and events see the sidebar on this blog.

happy NEW YEAR

giving GIFTING

Looking for an awesome gift that is made LOCAL, with LOVE, is HANDMADE, FEELS good and radiates goodness? If spreading joy and wellness is your thing treat a friend, or yourself, with a gift of love from Jackie Shawn at Wholistic Beauty Lab.

Below is a selection of WBLab offerings. Check out SHOP and SERVICES to see more great Gift idea’s. Want to find out more or have a question? Contact Wholistic Beauty Lab by clicking here.

left to right: WBLab Love Smudge, Custom Cream, WBLab Crystal Clear Spray, Custom Oil

WBLAB LOVE SMUDGE Wholistic Beauty Lab ($11.00 CAD) - Clear your energy field and surround yourself with the soothing yet stimulating all-natural scent of love. In a shallow bowl put a flame to this artisanal blend of Rose Buds, Lavender Buds and Sage. Then, feel your aura sparkle bright.

CUSTOM CREAM SESSION Wholistic Beauty Lab ($150.00 CAD) - Radiate your energy signature based on what your skin is expressing right now. Relax in a one-on-one bespoke session at WBLab or virtually via video while a face and body cream is made for you with compounded essential oils, organic ingredients. 

CUSTOM OIL SESSION Wholistic Beauty Lab ($180.00 CAD) - Wear the scent of your soul on your skin. Access soul-level healing with a fragrant matrix of botanicals to heal your skin. Relax in a one-on-one bespoke session at WBLab or virtually via video to receive a custom oil made for you. This process of compounding essential and carrier oils takes 7 days to create.

GIFT CERTIFICATE Wholistic Beauty Lab ($90.00 - $245.00 CAD) - Can’t decide? Surprise a special someone and let them pick their gift of choice. Give a WBLab Gift Certificate of love and rest assured we’ve got you covered offering an array of customised products and services.

kent monkman THE MET

This is a big deal and therefore something I am celebrating BIG! I did a posting back in March 2019 when THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART (THE MET) in New York introduced a progressive new program. For this special exhibition Canadian Cree artist KENT MONKMAN is one of three international artists chosen for the honor. Well, the time is now here. The opening is December 19, this Thursday!

This is a very big shout-out to the very talented ARTIST KENT MONKMAN, one of my celebrated clients. I am so honored to work with him as his career continues to skyrocket.

I have been collaborating with Kent since 2005 starting with the photographic series "Emergence of a Legend" photographed by Chris Chapman. I am proud to create Kent’s makeup and hair bringing to life Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, his art alter-ego . As we move into a new decade it is exciting and sobering to seek new perspectives that challenge history and I am happy to see THE MET taking this initiative in the art world, a bold move for such an established institution. As Kent’s work is part of this evolution I am grateful for the opportunity to support this man's legacy. I wish him much continued success. If you should find yourself in NYC between December 19, 2019 and April 9, 2020 I encourage you to check out it out.

Capture of THE MET exhibition announcement website page profiling Kent Monkman. Go to the link below to read more detail about the exhibit and the artist.

(Excerpt from THE MET website. Read full overview from THE MET link below)

Exhibition Overview

Kent Monkman has been selected to create two monumental paintings for The Met's Great Hall. Monkman, born in Canada in 1965, is a Cree artist widely known for his provocative interventions into Western European and American art history. He explores themes of colonization, sexuality, loss, and resilience—the complexities of historic and contemporary Indigenous experiences—across a variety of mediums, including painting, film, performance, and installation. Monkman's gender-fluid alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, often appears in his work as a time-traveling, shape-shifting, supernatural being who reverses the colonial gaze to challenge received notions of history and Indigenous peoples. 

This installation is part of a new series of contemporary commissions at The Met in which the Museum invites artists to create new works of art inspired by the collection, establishing a dialogue between the artist's work, the collection, the space, and audiences.

Kent Monkman (Cree, b. 1965). Welcoming the Newcomers, 2019. Acrylic on canvas, 132 x 264 in. (335.28 x 670.6 cm). Courtesy of the artist

Spring 2019 NEW YORK TIMES article announces THE MET and bold new programming showcasing Kent Monkman.

(Excerpt from article dated March 21, 2019. Read full article at NYTIMES.COM archive)

By Peter Libbey . March 21, 2019

As the Metropolitan Museum of Art prepares to close the Met Breuer, where, among other things, it staged multiple exhibits of contemporary art, the museum is making a point of staging high-profile exhibits from contemporary artists in its flagship space on Fifth Avenue.

On Thursday the museum announced two site-specific commissions from the contemporary artists Wangechi Mutu and Kent Monkman. A third contemporary artist, Ragnar Kjartansson, will also debut a new seven-channel video installation at the Met this spring.

“If you take all of them together, it is clearly a statement that shows the Met, in its main building, engages with contemporary art and contemporary artists in a way that is bold but also playful,” said Max Hollein, the Met’s director, in an interview. Playful, for Mr. Hollein, means “using the building itself and some of our more public spaces as areas of intervention, engagement and interaction with the audience.”

get glam MAKEUP & HAIR

It’s the Festive Season. Why not treat yourself to some GLAM by Jackie Shawn with a makeup and hair session for your special eve.

“Come to WBLab, my intimate, tranquil studio, or I’ll come to you. How can you resist that? All you have to do is relax and let me work my magic. Then head off to your office party, family dinner or black tie engagement looking and feeling ON POINT.”

To me this picture of Nelly Furtado, shot by Bryan Adams for Vogue and me on makeup and hair, epitomizes celebration for the season.

speaker THE PINK PORTFOLIO

I love to talk and share about beauty. Last week I was invited to speak about my expertise on navigating cosmetic product choices that will take care of the micro biome of your skin. The session spearheaded by The Pink Portfolio founder and IG Wealth financial planner Gail Fullarton was called TOXIC BEAUTY.

The Pink Portfolio is a community that supports women in business. Sessions focus on finance, business development and wellness in what Gail likes to call "Wisdom meets Grace".

Here I am with Gail Fullerton (far left) of The Pink Portfolio and some of the participants.