Blue Baiul

It was in 94. I sat in my living room glued to the TV watching the figure skating competition during the winter Olympics . I was anticipating the show down between Nancy and Tonya. My focus quickly turned from the 2 Americans to the little pixie from the Ukraine.

It seems like yesterday when that black swan took to the ice, and at the same time took the breath from my chest. I had never seen skating like that before. Where did the ballerina on skates come from? She not only captured the hearts of everyone watching (except for Nancy fans) with her skating, but she also had a heart breaking story of being a orphan. Seeing her win the gold was like a perfect ending to a Cinderella story.

She stood on the podium tears pouring down her face, doing what Oprah describes as the “Ugly Cry.” She held her gold metal up to the heavens so her proud Mother who was watching could boast of her talented daughter to all the other angels. It was a moment I will never forget.

As I watched with tears in my eyes I couldn't’t help but notice another thing that stood out to me. It appeared to be a halo. Was it her guardian angel? As I moved closer to the TV I figured it out . It was back lit frizzy pony tail from a bad over processed perm that hung right below her occipital bone. Her bangs where formed into a crisp sculpture that stood high on the front of her head. It resembled a title wave that was about to emerge with the tears flowing down her face. I looked into the TV and said “Gurl I got to do your hair.”

It was shortly after that day , all the news stations where reporting that our new Olympic champion would be moving to a new skating rink in Ct. She was going to be only a short distance away. Do I have the power of the “SECRET”? Did I will this to be? Was I actually going to be this gifted child’s coiffure?

As fate would have it, I got a call at the salon one day. The voice on the other end had a strong Russian accent that was requesting an appointment with “Jonny”. It was Oksana Baiul. The day she sat in my chair the day our friendship started. And I’ve been doing her hair ever since.

Oksana and I have been through a lot together, and have become super close. I’ve traveled the country with her doing her hair for numerous shows, shoots and commercials. And I often tell her if she wasn’t a skater she most likely would be doing hair and makeup. My nickname for her is “Product Whore.” She cant get enough of it. The down side of her passion is that sometimes she thinks she is a Hairdresser. She not afraid of change nor is she afraid of doing it herself.

This past weekend I got a voice mail from her. She sounded desperate as she begged me to caller her back. I call her worried that she has some tragic news, and tragic it was. With a quivering voice she says “John can you help me?” I ask “what’s wrong”? With hesitation in her voice she answers “John I turned my hair blue. I think I got the wrong blonde color.” I start laughing at her as I have done in the past when ever she has turned her hair a funny color. She tells me its not funny and that she has a show the next day, and doesn’t know what to do. I make the suggestion of a blue dress or something that going to match her new hair. When that failed to humor to her I give her secret formula to try to take her sapphire hair back to blonde. My concoction worked enough for her to get through the weekend.

I promised her I'm going to fix it. I will hound her the entire time with “ I told you so” all the while knowing this wont be the last time I get this same phone call. I guess it’s a good time for us to catch up seeing as we both are always busy.Yes, this ice queen will once again be blonde with no guarantee that it will remain that way for long.

Hello Mexico

Our far south North American brethren can’t seem to get a break these days. Over the last couple of years they have gotten pummeled by hurricanes, when they finally rebuild and make attempts to once again welcome tourist, they are then faced with a drug war, when the media attention starts to become less informative about the violence ,they have new drama, the Swine Flu. With all the media attention Mexico is getting ,it got me thinking of my last visit.

Mexico has been a vacation destination for me several times. It’s inexpensive, beautiful and in most cases easy to get to. I say "most cases" because up until my last visit, my Mexico travel always seemed like a hop, skip, and jump. I have been for work, and for fun. Direct flights to Cozumel or Cancun usually make for an easy trip. My last trip to Mexico was for work. It was a cover shoot for Hello Magazine with Geri Halliwell. Being a product of the 80's 90's I was excited to get to work with the petite lady once known as Ginger Spice.

This time I was going to a different part of Mexico. Me being geographically challenged I just assumed it would be the usual 4 to 5 hour trip. I could already taste the virgin Pina Colada that always greets you at the door as you check into any Mexican resort. After taking a glance at my travel schedule I realized that the taste of coconut and pineapple would not be quenching my thirst any time soon. I first landed in Houston and had a 5 hour layover there that seemed like forever. Finally at some point late afternoon I touched ground in Puerto Vallarta . I was so happy to finally get off the plane and feel the warm humid air and the smell of salt water.

I collected my luggage and made my way to the airport exit. I did not know exactly where I was going, or what I was supposed to be doing. I just followed the herd that seemed to have the same urgency as I did. I noticed a bright pink card with my name on it waving through a crowd of on lookers. I make my way over to person holding my name and he starts instructing me in Spanish. I looked at him and tilt my head, like a puppy that heard a high pitched sound. I do not understand a word he said. I decided it would be easier to just follow him. He walks over to a little airport cafe and sitting there is the rest of the crew. In this crowd is my very good friend Billy B. He is doing the makeup and is the one who referred me to do the hair on this job.

We board a white van and I'm trilled to be arriving at this exclusive resort that I looked up on Goggle before my departure. Billy has made this trip before and suggest to the driver to stop at Wal-Mart to pick up snacks. I ask how long before we get to this tropical paradise and I'm told it’s a 3 hour drive. Ughhhhhh. It didn't help that we found ourselves in a traffic jam due to the fact that we where following a pickup truck filled with natives dressed in white tank tops and bright orange gym shorts. In front of this truck was a girl dressed in the same theme running with what looked like the Olympic torch. I'm thinking to myself "how the hell are they going to get that to China?" During our long ,long ,long drive Billy is warning us with stories from his last visit. 'The last time I was here I was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider and had to have my ass drained".

We arrive to the resort in total darkness and I'm already itching with the thought of a spider bite. I get into my room and pull down the sheets looking for any critters that might contribute in the possibility of me having to have my ass drained. I notice a fact sheet on one of the tables and there is a picture of some fierce looking animal on it that looks like something between a anteater and a raccoon, it is standing on its hind legs with the caption underneath it that says "Do Not Feed Me" I was OK with that request. I try to sleep with one eye open not knowing what might enter my room or my bed without permission.

I wake up bright and early and head over to Geri's suite that is right across a tiled hallway. We are all half asleep and with Billy's arrival we start the process of turning Geri into a bronze beach goddess. We fight the humidity trying to keep the hair curled and the makeup on her face. It’s not long before she is ready for her close up. Her post Bluebell body was looking amazing as she tried on one swimsuit after another. She finalizes her wardrobe and we begin 2 days of shooting.

Although there where a few bumps in getting to my final destination, the trip itself was amazing. I got to shoot with a the great photographer Richard McClaren, work with one of my best friends Billy B and play in the tresses of one of the nicest pop stars of our time Geri Halliwell. Here are a couple of the pictures from our Mexican excursion. Trust me it was as hot outside as she looks in these pictures.

Geri and her beautiful dauther Bluebell.

I recently did a series of makeup videos for the web site Modelina and Maybelline New York. This is the first of 5 videos showing the hottest looks shown on the fall 2009 NYC runways. Check out both websites for updates. Enjoy the look and get your "Liner On".

A little bit of Lipstick

8am on the any NYC subway is usually pretty packed. People are standing shoulder to shoulder fighting for a standing room only spot. Most are plunged into Ipods,lip syncing their favorite songs. Some are reading the free paper that is handed out as your make your way to the bottom of the entrance , and some are breathing through the stench coming from the homeless person who been riding the same train in the same spot for hours and hours.

One morning this week I was doing my daily subway people watching through my dark sun glasses. I noticed a older woman. She sat there staring into space clutching a purse tightly on her lap. Her hair was fine and over processed and was slightly frizzy ,due to the lack of product. Her face was weathered and pale and she looked like she was upset she didn't get her morning coffee.

I found myself staring at her , staring at nothing. I was feeling safe that my dark glasses where keeping me a under cover voyeur.At one point she seem to look right past my sun protection and look right into my eyes. I quickly pretended to be reading a safety warning that was hanging behind her head , asking riders not to try to ride the top of the train.

This lady soon began to frantically search the purse she clutched on her lap. Was she going to squirt me with pepper spray? Was she going to pull out a middle finger? You never know in NYC.

I noticed a scratched silver tube in her hand. She took off the cap to expose a very worn scarlet red lipstick. With one smooth circular motion she was able to perfectly cover her thin lips with out even using a mirror.

Her face no longer had that blank stare. It now had a look of confidence and determination. I was amazed at what a little bit lipstick did for this woman.
Her hand dug back in to her bag several times, each time revealing a new splash of color she applied to her canvas. She added concealer after every step of her paint by numbers routine. "eye liner, concealer,mascara,concealer, blush ,concealer." The last step was my favorite. From her bag of tricks came a eyeshadow duo complete with 2 sponge tip applicators. With two arched swipes her makeover was complete. She finished just in time for her final destination. She put the last of her beauty secrets back in her bag and used her fingers to fluff her fragile hair as she left the train.
I saw a complete transformation in a matter of minutes. Never again should you use the excuse "I don't have time to do my makeup in the morning." Because all it takes is "A Little Bit Of Lipstick"

Something for Prom

I thought I would post these videos seeing as its that time of the year again. Ive seen to many hard crunchy curls on young prom queen hopefuls over the years. I thought this would be a great alternative for that girl who really wants to stand out this year. Give one a try.

Me Test ?

Sometimes I hear from fellow artists." I don't test anymore". I'm not sure why. Is it because they feel like they are at a point in their career where they don't need to? Is it because they feel like testing in for newbies? Maybe someone can leave a comment and tell me why some feel this way.

I love to test because it give me the opportunity to experiment with new things,it gives me a chance to build new relationships with new photographers, and it helps keep your portfolio fresh. When your busy with jobs that aren't editorial, your book can become dated very fast. This is why is so important to test.

My agent suggested that I do a test with this amazing photographer she knows. His name is Timothy Hogan. His work is quite amazing so i was excited to work with him. We both wanted and needed really strong beautiful hair shots that look like a hair product campaign. My model Bruna, had long beautiful long hair so I knew this was going to be easy. I first blew her hair out for first look. He wanted something smooth and shiny. Sounds simple doesn't it? I thought so . I took Bruna to the set and we layed her down. Timothy took a test shot and the hair just looked flat. So I started to think of ways to make the hair look more dimensional. I decided to actually put something under the hair to make it have that ripple effect.It was looking much better in the next test shot. Timothy then said something to me that almost put me in a sweat. He said " We cant have any cross over hairs" That was something i never even considered . It also told me that Timothy was a perfectionist and I knew these pictures where going to be amazing. It seemed like it took for ever but I lightly went over strand by strand to do the best job I could in getting rid of any "cross over hairs" The next look was something with more curl so I just curled it all with a iron brushed it all to one side and that was it. A whole day for 2 looks .

This test produced these 2 images , and these pictures have gotten me more attention and opened more doors then any other pictures in my book. And that's why I still test. You never just know .

My day with Miss Universe.

Often times I hear " Your so Lucky" from fellow artists who are just starting out in this industry. I think some have the perception that once you reach a certain level in your career its smooth sailing. Let me tell you nothing could be further from the truth. You have to always challenge yourself and set new career goals. Another thing you have to remember is no matter how good you think you are, there is always going to be someone that doesn't agree with what you might consider beautiful. What is important to remember is a situation like that doesn't make you any less talented ,nor should you ever feel defeated. Use situations like this to grow and learn,but at the same time eat a slice humble pie and never let them see you sweat.

With that said , Ill share this story.

My Agent called me to tell me that She booked me on a shoot with Riyo Mori, Miss Universe 2007 with the amazing photographer Fadil Berisha for Stiletto Magazine. As you can imagine I was excited to get to work with both. So I show up to the studio ready to go. The first person I meet is the super friendly Isabelle, she is the makeup artists. She works with Fadil all the time and has a great relationship with him . The next person I meet is Fadil himself and he was super nice too. Then Riyo came in and she was so lovely and friendly. The next person is the stylist / art director of the magazine , she was from France and spoke NO English. Her assistant did all the talking for her.

We started to talk about the vision of the story and all shared our ideas. When we thought we where all on the same page Isabelle took Miss Universe into makeup. I watched and studied her hair and face so that I could do my thing when it was my time. As I start to do her hair and Riyo looks at me and said "wow your really good" This is always a good thing to hear from the model . Then Isabelle chirps is with a " You Better wurk" So at this time I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself. Then Fadil comes over and says." I want BIG hair,make it big" . Now rule of thumb is you always want to make the photographer happy . So big hair it is. As I put the finishing touches on the look . The french lady comes over with a look of Horror on her face and starts to whisper to her assistant. She never bothered to fill me in on what was whispered but I'm not thinking its anything I'm gonna want to hear. So we start to shoot and everything seems to be going well. I was happy with want I was seeing and assumes everyone else was too.

Fadil prints out a few swipes of some of the shots we did to get a idea of a layout and the French Lady comes over with a sharpie and starts to scribble all over the hair in the pictures , with a look on her face that said nothing but ''ewwwwwww''. She soon starts the whispers again and starts rubbing her hands from the top of her head down the sides of her face trying to spit out the word "Strait". What do you do when your being told two different things from two different people? Listen to the one who speaks English lol. I could have pulled a diva or panicked ,but I did neither . I tried to make them both happy. and I changed the hair often till everyone had a smile on their faces.

However I think the best picture is the one I posted. The one with the BIG hair.

Welcome to Johnny's World

Hey gang. I did it , I created a BLOG. Thanks for checking it out. It seems some of the most asked questions that I get everyday is "So whats going on? Whats new? What have you been doing?" I'm sure most of you hear the same. And usually the answers I give are " Oh nothing. Same ole thing . Or Just working." I think the main reason I give such vague answers is because I'm tired of repeating myself 50 times a day.
So I had a light bulb moment and thought a blog would be a fun and great way to let anyone who cares exactly what I'm up to. What I plan to do with this blog is fill you in on some of the things in my life , personal and professional, like tricks of the trade, How to Videos, Story behind the Story, Backstage at events, My Favorite things, My favorite people , and more. So please come back often to visit and tell a friend.
Peace
Johnny Lavoy

P.S. And for those of you that don't know who the heck I am. Here's a little video to let you know.