First Look Fridays: Celebrity Makeup Artist Mario Dedivanovic

Have I got a treat for you today! I'm very lucky to feature celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, whose work you've most certainly seen on starlet Kim Kardashian. Mario shared many of his fantastic tips and tricks with me -- read on to discover his number one makeup tip, how he got into the beauty business and so much more!

Tell me a bit about yourself.
I'm a first generation American-Albanian. My parents came to the States from Montenegro about 35 years ago. I was born and raised in the Bronx and am the youngest sibling of four -- two sisters and a brother. I was an advertising and marketing communications major at The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Currently, I'm bi-coastal, living in LA and NYC.

How did you first become interested in beauty, and what led you to become a makeup artist?
I've pretty much been obsessed with all things "beauty" ever since I can remember. I became a makeup artist at 17 years old after getting a job at Sephora as a fragrance consultant. Woman mistook me for a makeup artist and would ask me for advice and I never hesitated. I gave my first makeover soon after and the rest is history.

Your work on Kim Kardashian was consistently flawless and created lots of buzz in the media ... is there a look you've created on her that stands out as your favorite?
Kim carries every look so beautifully and with grace which makes it nearly impossible to choose a favorite!

What are the biggest trends you see happening right now in makeup?
Color, for sure. Brighter lips and eyeliners are big trends right now as well as skin with more of a matte or satin finish. Another popular trend in makeup is lashes -- longer, fuller lashes.

What are your top 3 makeup tips?

1) It's very important to apply makeup in good lighting. Daylight usually is best.

2) Blend foundation with a damp sponge.

3) Set concealer under eyes with a bit of loose translucent powder.

What are your top 5 beauty essentials?

1) The most important and effective is sleep!

2) Sunscreen

3) Moisturizer

4) Concealer

5) Mascara

What is the most rewarding part about what you do?
Aside from being able to make someone feel beautiful and confident, it is incredibly rewarding when I get messages and emails from people who tell me they are inspired by my work. They actually inspire me.

Being a makeup artist must be fun -- but what do you do in your spare time?
I try to spend time with friends and family as much as possible. I'm very into interior design, so I'm constantly changing and improving the decor in my apartment. I love finding special antiques or mid century modern pieces and fixing them up. A good old-fashioned dinner and movie (or reality show) at home is always good too.