Blush Episode Three: Here Come the Brides
This week’s episode of Blush opened with a surprise visit from celebrity makeup artist and Blush judge Joanna Schlip. In addition to giving the competing makeup artists their directions for this week’s Max Challenge, Joanna also delivered what would be some unhappy news for one of the contestants: Unlike the show’s previous mini challenges, this one would result in an elimination.
The Max Challenge
This week’s Max Challenge was designed, in part, to let the makeup artists make up for their weak performance in last week’s challenge that required them to create a 1940’s inspired makeup look.
Emphasizing how important it is for a makeup artist to be well-versed in the different styles of makeup throughout modern history, this week’s Max Challenge required the contestants to create two different looks (based on luck of the draw) from two out of four available decades: the 20’s, 50’s, 70’s, and 80’s.
After putting the contestants through a harrowing judging round in which she closely inspected their makeup with a magnifying glass, Joanna praised most of the artists and said they did an amazing job.
Rising to the top for her second win in a row, Farah won the challenge with a 70’s-inspired “rollerball” girl look that Joanna described as “genius.” Farah’s spot-on 50’s look that featured fire engine red lips and perfectly arched brows ala Marilyn Monroe also helped to clinch her victory and win safety from the show’s second elimination round.
Though Myke’s underwhelming 70’s and 80’s looks drew criticism from Joann, Sharzad’s lack of attention to detail and her inability to sufficiently create an 80’s-inspired look ended her run on Blush and resulted in her elimination from the show.
“Mary Poppins on Crack”
With emotions running high after Sharzad’s elimination, the remaining six contestants received their instructions for this week’s main challenge. Working in pairs, each team had to do makeup for a bride and all of her bridesmaids on her wedding day.
Like last week, the teams were assigned by drawing straws (or makeup brushes, in the case of this show). While Mo and Farah were delighted to team up and last week’s winning duo Todd and Nolan presented a dangerously talented threat to the other contestants, Maxi’s partnership with Myke for the second week in a row sent Maxi over the edge.
Already disgusted that Sharzard had been eliminated instead of Myke, Maxi threw a tantrum and blamed Myke for their loss during the Wild Animal Max Challenge.
Referring to an earlier controversy when Myke continued to touch up a model even after the judges called time, Maxi confronted Myke, screaming, “You’re a liar, you’re a cheater and you’re a bastard!”
After donning an full-length, high-collared black lace coat with a matching parasol, Maxi haphazardly began cramming clothes into his suitcase and threatening to leave the show. The image was nothing short of comical and Mo aptly described the situation saying, “Maxi was like Mary Poppins on crack.”
Perhaps finding his suitcase too unwieldy for a dramatic exit, Maxi apparently left it behind as he angrily flounced away into the rainy night with his black parasol and cigarette in hand.
Making up over makeup
Having recovered from his outburst, Maxi came back (of course) and explained that he would “rather disappoint Sharon Stone that this sweet woman who’s having her wedding day.”
Myke agreed with Maxi that a bride’s wedding day is all about the bride and the two made up as they prepared to compete in the day’s elimination challenge.
The Elimination Challenge: Wedding Day Makeup
This week’s elimination challenge had a unique structure that gave the competitors a great opportunity to showcase both their makeup and people skills. The bride was to assign each makeup artist to one of her bridesmaids. Based on their finished work, the bride would then decide which of the artists she wanted to do her own makeup.
Maxi and Myke
Maxi and Myke’s bride, Michelle, wanted an elegant makeup look that fit the theme of 1940’s glamour. While Maxi created a glowing, coquettish look for his bridesmaid, Michelle preferred Myke’s heavier makeup application and commissioned him to create a dramatic look for her with plenty of smoking and dark liner.
Todd and Nolan
Todd and Nolan’s bride Grace requested that the artists create makeup that was “simple, classy and not too dark.”
Making an extra effort to ensure that the makeup looks were consistent throughout the bridal party, Todd and Nolan interpreted the bride’s request as a look that revolved around soft, shimmery eyes, gently blushing lips and lush, thick lashes.
Unable to decide whose makeup she liked more (the looks that Todd and Nolan presented were both gorgeous), Grace randomly picked Todd as her bridal makeup artist.
Mo and Farah
Because she was safe from elimination and she wanted to help out her friend and teammate, Farah deliberately downplayed her makeup with the hopes that the bride would choose Mo as her artist.
Whoops. The bride preferred Farah’s style and Mo was left to do the makeup of the other bridesmaids, including a 13-year-old flower girl who presented Mo with the challenge of doing age-appropriate makeup.
Makeup Presentation: The Winners
Unsurprisingly, wonderboys Todd and Nolan earned ample praise for their fresh, feminine makeup looks. Guest judge and celebrity event planner Jo Gartin declared Todd’s look her favorite, saying that the look was timeless and it was one that the bride would be happy to look back on in ten years.
Though Myke and Maxi’s bridal looks lacked consistency, Maxi’s flawless retro makeup looks were more than enough to keep him safe for the week.
The Bottom Two (or Three)
Though Farah’s bridal look was soft and pretty, the judges agreed that the look wasn’t “special enough.” Joanna wanted to see more color and a more finished brow and even went so far as to say that it was simply Farah’s immunity that saved her from elimination this week.
Joanna came down particularly harshly on Myke and found it hard to believe that the bride actually liked her heavily lined eyes (see photo below). Judge Hal Rubenstein agreed that the look was inappropriate for a bride and pointed out that it was a lot of makeup to have to touch-up during an occasion that lasts for such a long period of time.
Perhaps it was simply because Mo was in the bottom two that the judges had to nitpick to find something really wrong with her work. Hal Rubenstein said that the 13-year-old flower girl looked like a “cool 16-year-old” when she really should have looked “sweeter” and more cherubic with pinker lips and cheeks.
In the end, the loser of the elimination challenge was clear: Because he failed to guide his client toward the makeup look that would be most flattering to her, Myke’s not-so-1940’s bridal makeup was his last look.
Next Week on Blush: Vegas Showgirls!
So what did you think?
Should Myke have gone home after the Max Challenge instead of Sharzad? If he had, would it even have made a difference? In other words, would Sharzad have been able to survive the bridal makeup challenge?
Maxi showed a softer and more gracious side of his personality this week (except for the whole “Mary Poppins on crack” bit) and Joann Schlip reiterated how gifted she thinks he is. Maxi is undoubted a force to be reckoned with on the show, but do you think he can clinch the win?
The show has really heated up and we’ve had some time to get to know the competitors. Who’s your favorite so far and who do you think will win?
DISCUSSION:
2 comments so far...
1 Denise // Nov 26, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Great post! I don’t have cable so I can’t see this show, but I feel like I just watched an episode! Hope you & yours have a beauty full Thanksgiving!
2 Jazmin // Nov 27, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Awww! Thank you, Denise! I hope you have a beauty-full Thanksgiving, too : )
P.S. — You can view full episodes on http://www.mylifetime.com : )
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