Bandy’s career took off when he and hairstylist Maury Hopson transformed Martha Beall Mitchell, the wife of United States Attorney General John N. Mitchell, during a photo session with Francesco Scavullo for "New York" magazine. Bandy's emphasis on skin care (he used cold pressed avocado or olive oil to cleanse client's faces) and natural makeup he created and mixed himself made him a favorite among celebrities. Over the course of his career, Bandy was hired by Catherine Deneuve, Farrah Fawcett (Bandy did her makeup for the 1978 film "Somebody Killed Her Husband"), Elizabeth Taylor, Cher, Diana Ross, Lee Radziwill, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Barbra Streisand. In 1976, Margaux Hemingway requested that he be her personal makeup artist for her film debut in the thriller "Lipstick". Bandy also appeared in the film as a makeup artist. Bandy also did work for commercials and television. By the late 1970s, Bandy was charging $2,000 a session for makeup application and earned over $100,000 a year.