Makeup

With the Oscars still fresh in our memories, I thought it was a good time to answer questions from women readers. As a 30-year veteran makeup artist for film, television and print, I may have done it all. Whether I'm grooming a star for the Academy Awards or doing a backyard wedding here in La Cañada, I've made bad skin look good, small eyes appear large, long noses seem short and collar bones turn boney. I've changed wispy fine hair into a lion's mane and even used gaffer's tape (duct tape)

Robert Chacon Teny Geragos' science project prompted her to cut back on makeup. The Flintridge Preparatory School eighth-grader conducted research on a handful of makeup brushes belonging to her and her mother, and after testing, discovered that 31 types of bacteria colonies lived on the applicators. Displayed in the school's annual science fair, Geragos' project featured several petri dishes pockmarked with bacteria found on several of the blush, eye and lip stick brushes.

Deborah P. Nathan Glamour, glitz, rolled hair and shoulder pads all graced the stage of the Alex Theatre Saturday night. The Alex Film Society's screening of "Mildred Pierce" (Warner Bros., 1945) was rendered an even more stellar tribute to the motion picture icon by way of a Joan Crawford look-alike contest. A pre-show reception gave contestants the chance to strut their stuff before a distinguished panel of judges and guests. This classic film's story pivots on -- to put it politely -- a difficult mother-daughter relationship.

Darleene Barrientos When Jessica Thepprasit watches movies about teenagers, she and her friends often wonder what high school the movie is based on. Jessica, a 17-year-old student at Glendale High School, is Thai, her best friend is from Nicaragua, and her closest male friends are both Filipino. The student government, where Jessica is the art representative, is a breadbasket of cultures -- senior class President Lia Oganesyan is Armenian and senior class Vice President Hera Yoon is Korean.

Darleene Barrientos Last year, when state education officials determined that several Glendale public schools failed to reach state targets for student achievement, Glendale Unified officials were sure the state was mistaken. Last week, the state released a report that only two schools were not meeting standards. Last year, the state said six public schools were underperforming for the Adequate Yearly Progress standard. Clark Magnet, Crescenta Valley, Glendale and Hoover High schools received passing grades.

Marshall Allen About 100 children enjoyed workshops in stage makeup, dance, singing and art at Descanso Gardens on Thursday as a part of BradyLock Productions' summer performing arts workshops. The three-week workshops have been taking place for the past nine years at Descanso Gardens, and give children between 8 and 12 an opportunity to be trained by industry professionals. The stage makeup class was taught by freelance makeup artist Carolyn Simon, who recently did film makeup for Kirk and Michael Douglas.

Tim Willert DOWNTOWN -- Ricardo Romero has traded in his shears for a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt and a new line of work. Romero, a master barber who has cut hair on North Orange Street near the corner of Wilson Avenue for the past 1 1/2 years, saw his last client Friday. That's because the 63-year-old Glendale native has decided to go into the apparel business. More specifically, women's Hawaiian clothing. "I'm trying to make a living in a different way," Romero said Thursday, surrounded by a vivid assortment of sarongs, muumuus and leis.

My Mom didn't raise me to wear makeup or to spend a lot of time on my hair. And, yes, I can hear quiet laughter from the gallery: "No! Really?" I live in jeans and seldom valet park because I'm cheap (more titters). But sometimes, I DO. But it was with increasing uneasiness that I read Jody Kussin's "Women's Secret Society" column as what I thought was a tongue-in-cheek ribbing turned out to be something else. The author's friend chides her to stop picking on these "poor, insipid women."