BEHIND THE SCENES: On Set with Maria Menounos

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Behind the Scenes

BEHIND THE SCENES: On Set with Maria Menounos

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Last Updated (Tuesday, 01 September 2009 13:35)

DebMaria Behind the Scenes from the set of of the film "Serial Buddies"

Written by Debra Macki

I've known Maria Menounos for 16 years. We met at the Miss Massachusetts Teen USA pageant. She was a contestant, and I was a judge. Maria stood out from the other girls and won that year. I always knew she would do great things! I get teary eyed watching her Pantene commercial or seeing her on Access Hollywood because I'm so proud of her. When I got a call from a producer from her staff asking me to help with makeup for a film Maria was producing, I dropped everything.

Maria is no stranger to makeup. She worked at Chanel, selling cosmetics while attending Emerson College in Boston. Her experience with the beauty pageant and the makeup counter taught her a lot and made her confident in her makeup choices.

I was curious if Maria ever did her own makeup for television and she said she does do it once in a while like her most recent appearance on the Today Show. She works with talented makeup artists so she mostly leaves it up to the pros, but in a pinch she can handle it. (I thought she looked great the week in June that she did her own makeup for the Today Show!)

When Maria is doing morning TV, she wears less makeup than when she's on Access Hollywood.

I asked her what her favorite everyday product is and she said "I love Bobbi Brown's Tinted Moisturizer with SPF. It gives me a nice healthy glow. It's luxury in a little jar. I use it everyday in LA."

Maria said her beauty obsession right now is with "Rapid Lash". She said "Kathie Lee told me to try it when I worked with her on the Today Show. This product will change your life!! Your lashes grow thicker and fuller than you can imagine."

I also asked Kathie Lee about it while I was doing her makeup. She swears by this product. I saw her lashes up close and personal and I couldn't believe my eyes! They looked fake. In fact, she told me the Today Show Makeup Artist stopped using false lashes on her because of how great this product worked!

Pantene is Maria's favorite shampoo and conditioner. It's her secret to that gorgeous mane. Krystal B from Lily Artist Management loved working with Maria's hair. Krystal said her hair was very healthy, thick, and shiny. Depending on the scene, Krystal used rollers for volume and flat ironed it with her Chi iron.

Her dogs were on set a lot. I looked forward to seeing her two Bichons Benjamin and Baby everyday! So I had to ask Maria what their beauty secret is! She laughed and said "Pantene!"

It was so emotional for me to do her makeup for the film. My old friend has come a long way since the pageant but she's the same hard working sweet girl I knew 16 years ago.

In the film "Serial Buddies" Maria plays the part of a sorority girl named Caitlin.

Products I used on Maria for her character "Caitlin":