Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 10, 1 October 2010 — Reality TV star launches cosmetics line [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reality TV star launches cosmetics line

By Melissa Moniz Along-lasting cosmetic line with a fashion edge is just what Nolan Robert Makaawaawa created thanks to big dreams and a $ 100,000 grand prize after winning Lifetime's reality TV contest Bhish: The Searcli for the Next Great Makeup Artist.

"I was inspired by fashion and fitness because I amalso a fitness instructor, so I wanted something that's going to wear well throughout your workout and all day long, but also pigmented enough to be used on photo shoots, in film and so forth," says the Honolulu-born entrepreneur who lives in Newport Beach, California. His new cosmetic line, Nolan Robert Cosmetics, took about eight months of development with three different labs. The process of perfecting the colors, texture and consistency was a smooth process for the artist who spent almost his entire career involved in the makeup biz. "Being a MAC (Cosmetics) employee for 1 1 years, I knew what I wanted, and what I didn't like," he says. "When I got the testers I tested it on every person I know, including all my celebrity clientele because they would tell me if they didn't like it and be completely honest. I didn't have any negative feedback."

The star-studded line includes products such as Dream Cream, an oil- and fragrance-free age-defying, light-diffusing moisturizer; Erase It, a waterproof primer for the eyes and lips; and Diamond Dust, a loose translucent powder with micro-fine silver glitter. Just last month, at around the same

time he returned home to showcase his new line

at Valerie Joseph boutique at Ala Moana Center, he amped up his line with 10 makeup sets called The Starlet Collections. Eaeh Starlet set comes with all the colors needed to recreate the look, and a step-by-step directional face chart designed and hand drawn by Makaawaawa, a Native Hawaiian who was featured in these pages in July 2009. "After the summer collection I wanted to do a bundle set for the holidays, so I created looks for the most Googled women (Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Lea Miehelle, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Rihanna and Scarlett Johansson) and I created these sets that include everything needed for that look," he adds. In the works right now is a Spring eolleehon called Coconut Girl that he says will be eompletely Hawaiian-inspired. Infused with some personal touches, the eolleehon will be pay tribute

to his Island home and his 'ohana. "When I was younger my favorite song was Coconut Girl by Brother Nolan," says Makaawaawa. "The eolleehon has a lot of personal intluences. My

dad's musical group in Hawai'i is called A Touch of Gold, so there's going to be a lip gloss called Touch of Gold. There's a song called Clieryl Moana Marie, my mom's i name is Cheryl, and my dad sang that I song to my mom on their

wedding day so there's a color called Moana Marie. And I love the fragrance of plumeria, so I may do a body bronzer with the scent derived from plumeria." Here's a great beauty tip: "Right now the trend is hlaek and white with a very strong lip," says Makaawaawa. "Definitely going into winter, women should think about color on the lips. So a very elean face and bold color on the lips. A lot of plums is another thing that we're seeing on the runway now."

For more on Nolan Robert Cosmeti.cs, speei.al offers or to purchase products, visi.t www. nolan robertcosmeti.cs. eom.

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Nolan Robert Cosmetics' Totally Cute, a limited-edition highly pigmented wet-to-dry eye shadow pallet with a splash of micro-fine silver glitter, and Erase lt, at top, a flesh-tone creamy primer that helps eye shadows and lipsticks stay on longer. - Photos: Courtesy of Nolan Robert Cosmetics