In episode after episode of TLC’s “What Not To Wear,” the naturally beautiful makeup artist, Carmindy, who seems to possess a magic wand that is able to transform someone from looking ordinary to extraordinary, never fails to leave audiences in awe with her amazing makeup techniques. Best of all, she makes it seem like such an easy and effortless job to achieve those flawless and natural looks. To give an added grace to what is already beautiful, Carmindy is beautiful on the inside as well! She is so cordial and uplifting! I am sure after watching all these transformations, especially the joy and tears from those internally and externally converted women on the show, an immense audience has been inspired to wish for a similar life-changing day to arrive in their lives, where they can have a makeover carried out by Carmindy.

Have you found yourself envious of the women on the show, who had the wonderful opportunity to get amazing makeup makeovers from this renowned makeup artist? Well, you can drop the envy now, as Carmindy has graciously revealed her secrets with Campus Circle about how to look as stellar as the transformed women on the show all summer long. Just keep on reading, and you too will have the chance to get amazing makeup and beauty tips from this extraordinary makeup artist herself! Today is certainly your lucky day! Why? Because there is no need to go through all the trouble and search for that mysterious “magic wand” that Carmindy seems to own after all! 

Campus Circle: What made you decide to become a makeup artist?
Carmindy: The thought of becoming a makeup artist first crossed my mind when I was really young: I was 15 years old. My mother inspired me a lot as an artist; she was a watercolor artist. Also, I had subscriptions to Seventeen and Elle magazine. I looked at all these pictures with all these women on the beach with makeup on, and I read about the makeup artists. I just thought, “Wow, is there a job being a makeup artist? That is so cool!” I used to paint all the time as well, so that’s kind of what started me. Then, I had a friend at that age whose dad was a makeup artist for TV shows, and I realized there really is a job as a makeup artist. I watched him and started to apprentice as a teenager, and I worked from there. That’s what started me out!

CC: How you did you establish yourself in the makeup industry? When did your big break come?
Carmindy: I was living in Los Angeles, and I went to agencies that represented hair and makeup artists and I signed on as an apprentice. Basically, I would clean brushes…I would do anything and everything, just kind of be their go-for in order to be on set. My big break came when I was about 21 years old. The makeup artist on a bikini swimwear catalog became very sick, and they needed to fill the slate, so the agency called me and asked if I could go for the job. In the end, they hired me instead because they liked my work better. So, that was my big break!

CC: Do you have any advice for aspiring makeup artists?
Carmindy: My advice for any aspiring makeup artist would be to see as many faces as possible because practice makes perfect. Keep doing as many faces and as many ages because this is not about putting it on one face. It’s about the different skin tones, the different eye shapes, the different lip shapes.

CC: Among all aspects of your job, what do you enjoy about it the most?
Carmindy: The thing that I enjoy the most is meeting inspirational women. I meet women all over the world. And even working with women on “What Not To Wear,” there’s always interesting stories. Finding out about people’s lives is inspirational to me. And I get to travel a lot; I love traveling!

 CC: On “What Not To Wear,” you seem to have the power to turn someone ordinary into someone absolutely stunning. Can you share your secrets on how to bring out someone’s best facial features through applying makeup?
Carmindy: Yes! There are two major secrets to what I did. Number one is I never change a woman; I never change her eye shape or anything. What I do is that I just enhance her natural beauty. The second thing is what I called “Carmindizing.” Carmindizing is bringing the techniques that I use to showcase and highlight, and create a glow to the planes of the face. Carmindizing is just using a highlight underneath the eyebrow, on the inside corner of the eyes, and on top of the cheekbones. These three key places Carmindize the face, and create that luminosity that looks so amazing on every episode of “What Not To Wear.”

CC: What’s the most common mistake women on the show make?
Carmindy: Women usually make a couple of mistakes. Number one is they choose the wrong color for their face, and the way to solve the problem is you can download the Carmindy app on the iPhone. The other problem is they do makeup the same way they learned in high school 20 years ago or 15 years ago. They haven’t updated their makeup looks or their makeup wardrobes. They use old makeup, old formulas, and they need to become modern and fresh.

CC: As you mentioned, a lot of your looks focus on enhancing the natural beauty. Where do you get inspirations for the makeup looks you create?
Carmindy: Each woman: they as an individual inspire me. When I meet a woman, I talk about her personality. I talk about where she comes from, what she does, and then what I do is I zero in one beautiful thing about her, whether it’s an eye or cheekbones or a lip line. And what I do is that I use makeup to just enhance what’s already there and what’s already beautiful. That’s where my inspirations come from.

CC: Can you give us some ideas on how to create some simple everyday makeup looks appropriate for college-aged students?
Carmindy: Definitely look into my [book], The 5-Minute Face. I also have videos on YouTube on how to apply the 5-Minute Face, and it’s also on my app on the iPhone and the iPad. This is the easiest way for a college girl on the go because it’s fun, it’s simple and it enhances their natural beauty.

CC: Moving on to questions about summer trends. What are some of the summer makeup trends that you have been seeing?
Carmindy: The summer makeup trend that I see is all about coral: a coral lip and cheek. You can use a cream blush on the apples of the cheeks, and you can use a coral lip gloss. But make sure your coral is sheer and shimmery. Also, bronzer is not overly bronzed. Just a touch of bronze [is enough]. What I do is, I apply bronzer on the C formation of the face: on the temple, along the sides of the face, and under the cheekbones. So, that’s the sunset glow. It is really big. Also, bold-colored waterproof eyeliner in colors like teal and purple. Makeup Forever has a very fantastic line with colors that work really beautifully in the summer.

CC: What is one makeup item that you absolutely cannot live without?
Carmindy: The Fresh Satin Luster Palette. This palette creates highlighter that I use to Carmindize my face and create that all-over glow.

CC: Can you share some of your summer skincare tips?
Carmindy: I always use the Chantecaille 50+ SPF primer. This is the best sunscreen for the skin. It is non-greasy, it makes your skin smooth, and it has full protection. The other makeup tip is use Blinc Kiss Me Mascara because it doesn’t smudge, even in hot humid weather. Plus, you don’t need to use makeup remover to take it off. Simply wash it off your face with warm water and soap.

CC: Any tips on how to achieve a fresh and natural summer look?
Carmindy: The easiest way is to use mascara, because even when you are not wearing any makeup, black mascara makes your eyes look wide-awake and fresh. You definitely want to Carmindize your face for a little glow. And you want pink! Pink on the lips and pink on the cheeks is the quickest way for a fresh face.

CC: What are the hottest eye shadow colors this summer?
Carmindy: There are two. One would be the nude, which is kind of like a sunset glow shimmer shade or the peachy golden shimmer. Pair it with black mascara. The other one is the bold eyeliners. The teal, the purple, the kind of royal blue, the green, turquoise, bright purple –anything bold, those are the colors you want to wear on the upper lash line. Those are the hot colors for your eyes. 

CC: Do you have any favorite drugstore makeup products that you can introduce to us?
C: Absolutely! Just go to drugstore.com, and you can find every product that I have used on “What Not To Wear.” It’s called the Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy line.

CC: What makeup products are worth splurging on? And which can we get away with using a drugstore version?
Carmindy: I always splurge on sunscreen because protecting the skin is the most important, but you can get away with splurging on sunscreen at the drugstore now, because they do have better and better formulas. I would use a Chantecaille or I would use a Skinceuticals Sport SPF sunscreen, and Neutrogena does great sunscreen as well.

See Carmindy on "What Not To Wear," airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on TLC.