When my audience asked me to try becoming a professional makeup artist for an episode of Lucie for Hire, I initially thought, “That'll be easy!” After all, I do my own makeup every morning. How difficult could it be to apply makeup to somebody else? Incredibly difficult, apparently.

I partnered up with NYC-based makeup artist Stefani Paige Vivian to learn the ropes, and after spending the day with her, it became clear just how labor-intensive, financially challenging, and immensely technical this job is.

I began by familiarizing myself with Vivian's makeup kit — a 60-pound suitcase (plus a supplemental tote bag) that she lugs around to every single job. Vivian broke into this profession without any formal training, relying on trial and error instead. It took her years — and a sizable chunk of money — to assemble her kit, but it's a necessary sidekick; professional makeup artists need to own the right products for every single skin type and tone.

Our model, Katerina, arrived for an editorial shoot at Refinery29, and before getting started, I had to ask the necessary one-liner: “Can I touch you?” With the model’s permission (and after sanitizing my hands various times), I checked her skin for texture and dryness and then applied a primary coat of moisturizer.

With Stefani by my side, I went through the process of applying a full face of makeup on our model, working off an inspiration image the photographer provided. I picked up various skills and application tips along the way, but the biggest thing I learned was just how clumsy I am. Watch above to see how I fared.