BY CARLEY DRYDEN >LA.COM

PHOTOS BY JOHN LAZAR >LA.COM

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Barbara Dally has been an artist since childhood. It just took her some time to discover her canvas.

As a child growing up in Panorama City, Dally would color in the faces of the people in coloring books - nothing else, just the faces.

Looking back, that might have been the first clue to the future of this makeup artist and image consultant, whose first book, Dally began oil-painting at age 10. One day, while admiring the actors on her TV screen, she recalls thinking, "What would it be like to paint faces?"

After using her family and friends as guinea pigs, Dally enrolled in the Newberry School of Beauty in 1978, then took a job at a beauty salon, where her specialty became hairstyling.

Eventually, Dally opened two salons - one in Sherman Oaks, the other in Universal City - and began producing makeup how-to videos for women to use at home. In 1994, the Northridge Earthquake destroyed her Universal City salon, but instead of rebuilding, Dally moved on to freelance makeup artistry at the urging of friends who were executives at CBS.

Dally spent the next 15 years readying for camera the stars of prime-time news, soap operas, reality TV and weekly sitcom shows, as well as preparing celebrities for theater productions, award shows and other special events.

Dally has styled more than 300 celebrities, including Paul McCartney, Dan Rather, Clint Eastwood, Tom Cruise, Cheryl Hines and Wanda Sykes.

"What landed me attention in the industry was my unique artist style, using brushes to paint the face as a canvas," says Dally, whose home office is in Toluca Lake.

Dally says her clients appreciate her ability to make them feel like a human canvas. After one session with Brian Setzer, for an appearance on "The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn," the musician hired Dally as his personal hair and makeup stylist.

"He told me, `I've never had anyone touch my face like you have,' " she says. "Whoever I touch, I can see the beauty inside their eyes. From there, I start my artistry."

Last year, Dally chose to reorganize her career after 15 years of "working like a horse" - arriving at news show sets at 2:30 a.m., moving next to daytime soap sets, and then concluding her days making up the late-night TV crowd.

That's when she decided to write her book, which includes tried-and-true makeup tips gathered from her set notes - the specific products that worked well on each celebrity with whom she's worked.

"This is a way to give back to all the women who I know want to know the secrets of celebrities," she says.

Though she makes it clear that makeup is not a necessity - "You have what you need, you're just decorating it" - Dally says the face is often undervalued and ignored.

"The face is the frame to your soul," she says. "It's the first thing someone sees - not clothes. If your face isn't complementing your outfit, you could get lost. Your outfit could come in the door, but you don't."

She says the key to her makeup style is low-key, easy and soft.

"Makeup adds the final touch to natural beauty," she says. "When used properly, it's undetectable, but you go, `Ohh ... I look good.' We want a response from makeup from ourselves in the mirror and from others."

Dally holds private makeup sessions in her home office. She also holds interactive seminars in women's homes, choosing a guest as a model and explaining step by step the process she uses to make her over. the self-published "Hands On Image," due out at the end of January, will include tips on organizing makeup, makeup techniques, and natural remedies and therapies for skin care.

Though she's content helping the everyday woman look her best, Dally has no plans to stop freelance artistry or to step away from "the biz," where she says she doesn't just paint something on, but also can enhance a celebrity's state of mind.

"With celebrities, image is their life," she says. "It's a delicate position to be in as a makeup artist."

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Carley Dryden (310) 540-5511, Ext. 380; carley.dryden@dailybreeze.com

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look like a star>

Barbara Dally has developed plenty of makeup and beauty strategies during her years as a celebrity stylist and image consultant.

>Keys to healthy skin

Use LED light therapy to reduce wrinkles and fine lines and to stimulate collagen; drink a lot of water; and seal in natural hydration with a product such as Aquaphor.

>Use a foundation palette

No one's face has just one color; it's not one-dimensional. That's why many people look flat - because they use only one shade. On her Web site, Dally sells a palette that includes eight colors.

Load on mascara or color on lips, but keep your makeup soft.

>Always keep foundation neutral

>Use eye shadow as your eyeliner no matter the color

Apply it with an angled brush. Prep eyes with loose powder so the liner stays in place.

>Concealers

Mix concealer with a cream foundation that is one or two shades darker than your skin to cover dark areas around eyes, nose and mouth.

>On a budget

Dally recommends these drugstore finds: Loreal lipsticks; any of the facial products, especially serum, from Boots Botanics, a U.K. line; and Chanel or Prescriptives foundation or mineral powder.

want an image consultation?>

Contact Barbara Dally at (818) 752-3546 or e-mail Barbara@barbaradally.com.
Or go to www.barbaradally.com.