Hello NB Blog Readers,
Life these days can be exhilarating when words such as Trump. Makeup & Skincare are mentioned, especially during this 2016 campaign period. Seems that this is the ONLY topic of conversation anyone is interested in talking to me about at all and in any and all settings I might be in. I realize my silence has been a source of frustration to several, so, to put those who have been asking at ease, here are a few of my answers to the most frequently asked questions.
With warm regards,
Nicole Bryl xo
TRUMP. MAKEUP. SKINCARE. -MY LIFE.
How did you become a make up artist and cosmetic expert with your very own skin care line?
NB – “I have been involved in the entertainment, fashion & beauty business in one way or another since I was five years old. When I was a child my mother Rochelle enrolled me in several water color and oil on canvas painting classes which I loved and at the same time I would always spend hours tearing through the pages of every fashion magazine studying my favorite hair and makeup styles too. It was kind of an obsession for me. Another of my favorite things to do at that age was to go into my grandmothers beauty bag and take out all of her 30 or so lipsticks and study what every single color looked like on myself one at a time. She used to yell at me when she would see the mess, but hey I was five and I guess it payed off in the end.
When I turned 14, my mother who herself was just beginning her hair and makeup career would bring me with her as her assistant on jobs and taught me everything I needed to know about being a diligent makeup artist. She was and has always been super supportive of my creative interests and we worked closely as a hair and makeup team for all of my high school and university years, after which, I eventually branched off into my own career. Sometimes we still get to work together and those are the very best days of all!
At 16, I was invited to Paris fashion week with my friend whose mom was and still is a very well known fashion photographer Roxanne Lowitt. We followed Roxanne around back stage to all the shows, and because she was also good friends with Paloma Picasso, I ended up spending close amounts of time talking with Paloma on this trip. She inspired me tremendously as a teenager and these creative discussions stayed with me all through my formative years.
After a lifetime of being in the “business” and 30 years as a makeup artist, many cosmetic companies began sending me free products to try out for my professional makeup kit. I became increasingly aware of the products that had Vitamin C in them and the positive anti-aging effects it had on my clients skin. When I myself turned 42, I realized that I wanted something for my own skin that would slow down the effects of time. Custom formulating and mixing various types of skincare products together to meet each of my clients specific skincare needs before I apply their makeup is a normal everyday practice so, I very naturally turned to my kitchen and went to work putting a Vitamin C formula together for myself. After several months of figuring out the perfect formula, my first product (now called “Vitamin C Face Lifting Water”) came to life.
I wanted stronger Vitamin C concentrations than that which were in the products being sent over to me and with less chemicals. I quickly saw the significant anti-aging effects with-in just one week of using my new personalized product. I guess my clients saw it too, because they immediately asked why my skin was looking so smooth and radiant. I was pleasantly surprised they even noticed and explained it was this Vitamin C Face Lifting Water formula I had put together for myself. They wanted in and began ordering their own Face Lifting Water’s too. I never dreamed in a million years it would take off to become my own skincare line. I simply thought that if I could find a way to keep myself looking as good as I could and grow old gracefully all would be fine. I love my products because they flat out work, have no harmful chemicals, are made by hand (Artisanal) and take only 4 minutes a day to use. Now at 44, after two years of using my “4 minute anti-aging tightening, smoothing and lifting treatment” every single day, plus my Vitamin C Body Polish and Body Lift formula’s, I can comfortably say I am happy with the way my skin looks and feels from head to toe and am more than thrilled that I can share my favorite anti-aging formula’s with the world to enjoy too.”
When did you meet the Trumps for the first time?
NB – “Originally and just by coincidence, I met Melania 17 years ago when I was a makeup artist on a commercial and she was the Super Model on that same commercial. The cool thing about that day was she and I had to wait several hours before they were ready to begin shooting and so we spent most of the morning talking to one another in the makeup room. I remember her being an incredible conversationalist and a very confident and positive person. I thought what a special young lady she was even then. I liked her very much and was glad to have spent the day with such a quality beauty.
After that I never saw her again for 7 years until she was Mrs. Trump and was eight months pregnant. Melania had a magnificent baby shower party in NYC’s coolest toy store (FAO Schwartz) just before her son Barron was born. At that time I was doing makeup for the lovely Kathie Lee Gifford, who was good friends with the Trumps and who had been invited over to the event to get an exclusive on camera interview with Melania.
Melania mentioned that she liked Kathie Lee’s makeup and so Kathie Lee, being the super generous person that she is, introduced us and suggested Melania work with me too. It was a cute reunion after so many years, and as soon as Melania’s son Barron was born she hired me to do her makeup for a Trump family portrait photo shoot for the cover of People Magazine. Since then we have never stopped working together. It has been 10 years now.”
How long have you been working with Melania and Ivanka Trump? Was it always both or did one convince the other?
NB – “Melania and I had been working together for about one year when Ivanka one day asked Melania to recommend a makeup artist to her for an event she was going to. Melania kindly suggested me. Since then and 9 years later, I still run over to glam Ivanka up too. It’s been very touching to watch her develop into the sensational super woman she is now.
Both totally stunning, Melania and Ivanka are two beauties whom I admire and respect greatly and consider to be dear professional friends. Always empowering woman to succeed, I appreciate how super supportive they have each been during the development and launch of my skincare products which they both genuinely love and incorporate into their beauty regimes.” Read: Skincare Testimonials
What is your work with the Trump’s like? Only red carpets? How often do you meet them?
NB – “I have worked on every kind of shoot with both Melania and Ivanka through the years. Everything from editorial photo shoots, red carpet events, TV interviews and campaigns. Always a day well spent with both of these stunners and there is certainly a sense of pride being by each of their sides. To me giving all of my supportive energy to the people I work for is what keeps me motivated and enthusiastic and the only way this is possible for me personally is if I believe in what each person I work with is all about. With both Melania and Ivanka it’s easy to keep this positive spirit alive as they are each such empowering, focused, super woman who inspire me to give my best each time I work with them, which can sometimes be everyday or sometimes several times a month depending on what kind of schedule they have.”
How long does each make-up take?
NB – “Each makeup takes about one hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted focus. If you want the look to be flawless with every detail to perfection and have it last many hours, you do have to take a little extra time to make that happen. “
What are your favorite makeup brands?
NB – ” In my professional makeup kit you will find an eclectic mix, but the name brand products that are staple items in my kit have for years mostly been: Dior, Benefit Cosmetics, MAC, Lancome, Sisley, Clinique & Cle de Peau. Of course there are individual items from other brands that are also used depending on each client’s specific needs or requests, but these brands listed carry the most significance to my work as a makeup artist.”
When was your first visit to the “Golden Sky Palace”? And what did you think?
NB – ” My first visit to the Golden Palace in the Sky was when Melania hired me to come and do her makeup for a People Magazine Cover photo shoot when her son Barron was first born. It was a family portrait with her and her husband and their new born baby. I remember being VERY nervous and intimidated when I was in the elevator heading up to the 66th floor and when I arrived at the thick big golden door and rang the golden doorbell, I was beyond shy. I wondered how I would make it through the day without everyone knowing how completely overwhelmed I was. It definitely took me a few weeks to get used to it there, but because Melania is such a welcoming host and always puts people at ease with her beautiful smile and warmth when they arrive, it took no time at all before I felt completely comfortable and have since come to love it and appreciate my time there very much.”
What was the most exhilarating day with the Trump family up until this point?
NB – “The most exhilarating day so far was when I flew with the entire Trump family (grand kids and all) on Mr. Trump’s 757 which has been coined “Trump Force One”, to Chicago for one of the last Oprah Winfrey shows she had. That plane is insanely amazing wow. Oprah invited each and every member of the Trump family to sit together as one group and interviewed them for her one hour talk show. Boy oh boy what a cool experience that was having everyone in the same room. They are such a fantastic family, hard working and super smart each and every one of them. Oh and of course totally good looking and tall! I always feel like a little smurf-ette standing next to any one of the Trump’s because they are stallions, especially in heels! “
What is the biggest challenge working with Melania and Ivanka?
NB – “Here is the secret: When you work for a Trump or any A-list client for that matter, you must bring your A-game. They did not get to where they are by being lazy and sloppy, so rolling out of bed after partying the night before and just showing up casually at their house hung over is never an option. You must prepare yourself, get the proper sleep you need, arrive organized and with your head on straight. It just makes you a better artist to work with high standard individuals like these. They expect the people they hire to be the best at whatever they do and to stay the best, and for that I am very thankful”.
Can you say something about Donald Trump’s famous hair? Does he do it himself? Did you ever give him advice about it? Would he listen?
NB – “Hahahaha I always find this question to be hilarious. I have been asked this so many times through the years and I can honestly report that I know nothing about Mr. T’s hair and DO NOT and NEVER HAVE DONE HIS MAKEUP!
I have never spoken to Melania about her husband’s hair either and to be honest we hardly even talk about politics. We have a working relationship that has spanned a full decade and I respect her privacy when we are together and prefer to catch up on how her wonderful son is doing in school, philosophical thoughts on life in general, the progression of my skincare line and fashion trends we are both inspired by. She has such a fantastic eye for detail and I love her style and taste in everything.”
Have you ever gotten negative feedback from people for working with The Trump’s?
NB – “Before this presidential race I had never heard anything negative about working with The Trumps. People enjoyed and regularly watched Mr. Trump’s hit TV show The Apprentice, thought his wife Melania was beyond stunning and wanted to know every single kind of makeup I used to create her look, thought his children were very well spoken, educated, respectable and successful and of course enjoyed his luxury hotels and real estate.
Now, absolutely things have changed, when politics and religion are involved it always heats up and the reactions have been extreme on both sides. Wherever I go in the world now there is LOVE or HATE and people are compelled to share with me how they feel about all of it. Emails, texts, calls, the lines are flooded daily and I often wonder why people feel that reaching out to me would somehow change the politics of the world? I also wonder why they think I would ever discuss any of it with them?
This is a family I have worked respectfully with for 10 years. I genuinely care about them and so for me nothing has changed. I still go to work like I always have and do the best job I can as a makeup artist with stunning clients I am proud of and have worked hard to maintain. I have nothing but deeply good feelings for them, they have always been really good to me and to be honest Mr. Trump is very warm hearted when you are a guest in his home, so my personal experience with him is positive too.
When I am not with them and am out with friends, I respect their privacy as a family, I do not engage in conversation and questioning about the Trump family with anyone and try and change the subject as quickly as I can. Everyone is entitled to their personal feelings about the situation of course this is natural, but I myself prefer not to discuss any of their business unless it’s something positive. For those that have become so emotional they cannot control their out burst’s and negatively judge that I work for them, well, what can I say, I hope they find some peace of mind and a great job they can enjoy going to day in and day out! It makes life that much more enjoyable when you love the people you work with. I do.”
What will you do, if Donald Trump becomes president?
NB – “I feel that it takes a tremendous amount of courage to stand before the world and run for president of the United States and I admire the bravery of all of the candidates who have had the drive to do just that, but to be honest, I have not thought about this out come at all right now. I’ve been so busy running to see clients and filling nicolebrylskincare.com orders in between that I am knee deep in my own work.
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