The second episode of Blush opened with a fun and frenzied Max Challenge in which the competing makeup artists paired up to create a “high fashion,” full-body makeup look inspired by one of four wild animals the contestants found waiting for them in their studio.
Out of the four resulting makeup looks, the only one that fell flat was Rainell and Mo’s odd spider-monkey-inspired look that mentor and Max Challenge judge Charlie Green deemed “messy.”
As for the other contestants, Charlie revealed that she had some difficulty in choosing a winner. Charlie loved the feather lashes that Sharzad and Farrah incorporated into their Flamingo-inspired look as well as the vibrant colors on Myke and Maxi’s blue, green and yellow-faced model, whose look was inspired by a colorful parrot.
In the end, however, the fierce, graphic black liner and heavily glossed, blood-red lips of Nolan and Todd’s zebra-inspired makeup look earned the talented team a win.
As a reward for winning the Max Challenge, Nolan and Todd received first pick of the models provided for the elimination challenge and the ability to assign the remaining models to the other artists.
The Elimination Challenge: High Fashion Photo Shoot
Illustrious photographer and stylist (and this week’s tough guest judge) Djak Azran laid out the requirements for the elimination challenge: The artists were to work with Djak on a couture photo shoot and create a look that embodied a “modern take on 1940’s makeup.”
Djak further added that he really likes the look of glossy lips…and he expected the makeup artists’ work to be flawless.
Living up to Charlie’s ominous warning that he could be tough, Djak visited each of the competitors as they worked on their makeup looks and gave his thoughts on their progress. While most of the artists took Djak’s critiques in stride, Maxi again demonstrated his knack for irritating judges.
When Djak approached Maxi to speak to him about his work, Maxi shooed him away and said that he didn’t have time to talk — an action that would later drive Maxi to fret over his own abilities while tearfully waving a cigarette in one hand and cooling himself with a handheld fan in the other.
The Winner
Despite Maxi’s melodrama, the judges acknowledged his talent and sent him to wait backstage with Mo, Nolan Todd, and Myke, whose makeup looks didn’t earn them a win, but did keep them safe for the week.
The judges had little trouble choosing the week’s winner. Earning ample praise from resident judges Joanna Schlip and Hal Rubenstein and a huge cocktail ring from Djak, Farah clinched the win by transforming her model into a blonde bombshell with perfect skin, smokey gray eyes and glossy nude lips.
The Bottom Two
After the judges tore apart Sharzad’s makeup look and described it as “drag queenish”, “a little trashy”, and “pornstar-old” (yowch), they turned their sites on Rainell.
Though Rainell took a risk and stood by her bold purple eye makeup look, Djak repeated a sentiment he expressed to her earlier in the show: He hated it. Joanna and Hal pointed out that makeup artists can’t always do what they want and need to be able to take direction. Djak felt that it was unacceptable that Rainell refused to change her makeup even after he had told her that he hated it.
When faced with choosing between “pornstar-old” and a MUA who can’t take direction, the judges’ final decision came down in favor of Sharzad, making Rainell’s purple eye her last look.
Next week on Blush:
The remaining seven contestants get a chance to redeem their failure at achieving a Forties-inspired makeup look before taking on what may be their toughest challenge yet: bridal makeup.
So what do you think?
Did Rainell deserve to go home or were the judges too harsh on her? Should Myke have been eliminated for touching up his model even after the judges called “brushes down”? (Anyone else think it was weird that this issue wasn’t even brought up with the judges? Maybe we’ll hear more about it next week : )
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