newjerseynewsroom.com

BY LINDA MOSS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Olivia Blois Sharpe

Age: 22

Resides: Montville

Makeup artist, Gatsby Salon, Green Brook

Olivia Blois Sharpe is considered the star and central character of the Style Network's "Jerseylicious."

By coincidence, her neighbor is one of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," the hit reality show that aired on Bravo earlier this year. Teresa Giudice, known for flipping a restaurant table in "Real Housewives," lives off Sharpe's street in Montville.

"I met her before the show ("Housewives") even aired," Sharpe said. "She told me about the show, ‘cause one of my friends is friends with her husband, and I had to drop him off. He had to pick up his car. And I met her and she was so nice and she was telling me about the show."

Sharpe, a petite brunette, denied that she stirs up any conflict at the Gatsby Salon when the cameras are rolling. But Style Network's press release on "Jerseylicious" said that the show's "drama is fueled by Olivia," who apparently battles with stylist Tracy DiMarco for attention — and for a man.

"Me and one of the girls had a confrontation for the past year from other things," Sharpe said. "It's kind of carrying through into here."

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Sharpe is one of the younger characters on "Jerseylicious," and she is seen going out clubbing to places such as the 46 Lounge in Totowa, where the show filmed.

She learned about the Gatsby Salon from her aunt, who is a client.

"Gayle invited me to an open house here, and I ended up getting job in cosmetology," Sharpe said.

She has loved doing makeup for people ever since she was a little girl. "I like hair, but I like makeup so much more," she said.

Sharpe wanted to go to cosmetology school when she was in high school, but that her mother insisted she to go college.

"I went, for fashion design and construction of fashion," Sharpe said. "But I still wanted to go to cosmetology school. That's what I wanted to do. I went to cosmetology school.

Olivia "really, really loves what she does," according to Sarah Weidman, Style Network's senior vice president of development and new series.

"She goes out with her girlfriends and she parties and does everything any other young 20-year-old would do, but you get her talking about makeup and her eyes light up," Weidman said.

"She loves it and she wants to be successful. It's an interesting crossroads where she is in her life, because she's not a kid anymore but she's not 30, so it's how to balance still having fun, but OK, start taking responsibility and make your career happen. It's just an interesting point where we're catching her."

What's the appeal of being a makeup artist rather than a hair stylist for Sharpe?

"I like things that are more intricate, that you can really get in there and be really precise and perfection with it," she said. "I feel with hair, you can't really do that. I'll literally stand there all day trying to get the little frizzes down. I need makeup to be perfect."

And Sharpe's own bad experience with hairdressers also put a crimp in her desire to pursue that line of work, where one wrong move can destroy a woman's crowning glory.

"People have ruined my hair...fried my hair," she said. "I have a phobia now with hair. Hair is not reversible."

Sharpe's personal style seems to fit some of the stereotypes about the New Jersey, in terms of being a bit flashy, and she's proud of it.

"Olivia loves leopard prints and bright colors," Weidman said. "It's a bold style. There's definitely a specific look. When they (Endemol) originally pitched ‘Jerseylicious,' they had interviewed a bunch of these women, like Olivia and Gigi. And on the original pitch tape they're very proud and Olivia I think said, ‘Jersey style is the best style.' OK, you believe that. There's a lot of pride."