For all you Shear Genius and Project Runway fans out there, I wanted to give you a heads up about Lifetime's new reality competition series, Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist, which premieres tonight at 10pm EST. In a format similar to Shear Genius, each hour-long, LA-based episode will show makeup artists from around the country facing two challenges that will test if they have the skills and personality traits to help them succeed in this competitive industry. After the second challenge, one contestant will be eliminated. The ultimate winner will receive a contract as a professional artist with Max Factor, a cash prize of $100,000 and the opportunity to be the makeup artist for an upcoming In Style photo shoot.
So who's this competition's Heidi Klum/Jaclyn Smith? Former General Hospital and Beverly Hills, 90210 star Vanessa Marcil, who was most recently a series regular (and a favorite of my grandfather's) on the dear-departed Las Vegas. The Tim Gunn "mentor" role will be filled by renowned celebrity makeup artist Charlie Green, whose clients include Tyra Banks, Elizabeth Hurley, Kelly Clarkson and Naomi Campbell. The show's judges will be In Style Fashion Director Hal Rubenstein, a leading expert on red-carpet looks, and editorial and celebrity makeup professional Joanna Schlip, who has provided training to artistry teams for top cosmetics companies and published the book Glamour Gurlz: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to Great Make-up and Gurl Smarts (Random House, 2006).
I know my DVR will be set for this six-episode competition—will YOU be watching? Let me know your thoughts on the show! —Lori Morris, Senior Editor