Monday, December 29, 2014

The Horoscope for 2015: the cosmic forecast says we will focus on skin!


As a makeup artist, I am honored that clients leave their faces and beauty in my hands. I met with many fabulous women this season to do their makeup for holiday parties and they are done up to the nines. I know these ladies take the time to have the right outfit and they hired me as their makeup artist so they definitely have good taste! Lol.  I am in absolute awe with many of these powerhouse women. But wait, something is missing.

What I find strange is that I noticed many of these ladies do not moisturize or hydrate their faces or under eyes on a regular basis. Why is having the perfect dress or the perfect lipstick more important than the condition of their skin? Don’t get me wrong, these ladies have a lot on their plate as we all do, so I get why so many women opt to throw a bit of concealer under the eye and call it a day. Lets face it, for some of us a $22 dollar concealer seems more feasible than an eye cream that costs $100+. But let’s be clear that concealer only covers up the problem, it is not a permanent solution. Your makeup up only looks as good the skin underneath. So the next time you are tempted to buy the shiny shadow that makes your eyes bright like a diamond but you know your skin is dry, maybe consider the skincare as well. You will find that skincare is essential and makeup is more of a luxury. I foresee that Jupiter is in your house of youthfulness!

My favorite skincare item I recently found that has many uses is face oil that is infused with Rose hips. This Christmas I traveled to Chicago and because I packed my bag with heavy sweaters and puffy jackets by makeup bag had to be light. Skincare’s packaging typically are not travel friendly so I decided to grab take a vial of Infusion de Rose Nourishing Oil. I am not sure if this happens to you but sometimes when I travel my skin does not know what to think with climate changes. This sample saved me on my trip. Not only did I use it to moisturize my skin, I ended up using on the end of my hair when my hair got a little frizzy, I used it on my nails and hands when they got extra dry and on my lips when they got chapped. This was an all in one product. My skin is combo to oily and sensitive so I was excited that I was able to pull of just using this Nourishing Oil all on it’s own, and it didn’t leave my skin with excess oil. For extra hydration, you can add a couple drops to your moisturizer as well.

I hope this was helpful tip and that you have a fabulous new year.



As a special offer I'm giving 15% off a Makeup Lesson if you are looking for a new look to start off the New Year! This offer is for the month of January 2015 only.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Makeup and Hair Fall Trends 2014

 
A look with Subtle Edginess.


I love Fall season fashion. This year I see a lot of influence from the late 60’s and early 70’s but with a modern edge. The color palette this season is a variety of shades of green, grays, mulberry burgundies, coopers and rich browns.


What I saw on the runway for NYC fashion week was a very natural, subtle, non–makeup look. Luminous, flawless, and even skin with slightly sculpted cheeks, contrasted with a very graphic defined brow.

There were two looks that stood out, the first is a smudged eyeliner in rich colors that almost looks like it was left over from the night before. Heavy liner surrounds the entire eye with deep browns, grays burgundies, or shades of forest greens. The second look had no eyeliner at all, with just a wash of cooper or burgundy across the eyes. Both looks appeared sporty and edgy with barely any color on the lips. Lip Balm or a very light color would suffice. Even lighter than your natural lip color.

The latest trend in hair is loose textured hair in slouchy ponytails with strong middle or side parts. The hairstyles are very nonchalant, like you woke up with it looking tousled but it still looks good anyway. The look you get when you don’t have time to dry your hair completely and you wind up with air dried waves.


The Fall 2014 make-up and hair trends seem so easy to do, and I’m excited to try this effortless, yet edgy and mysterious look. It’s so simple that you barely have to pull out your drier or have the tedious task of curling every inch of your hair. All you need is a power ponytail or wind swept curls that happen naturally and you’re on your way. For makeup you just need to invest in a couple key items. A luminous foundation that has a good amount of pigment to cover well, a staple smudgy eyeliner, a shadow that adds a wash of color to your lids, and some lip balm. Voilà! Your fashion forward look is complete.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

What is your skin's undertone?

 

Finding the right foundation color is key to your flawless face. Trying to match your perfect foundation can be difficult. The first step to finding your perfect shade is to know your skin’s undertone. It is the color that lies beneath the skin. It is almost like a shadow below your skin color. While your skin color changes depending on the season or exposure to the sun, the undertone never does.

There are three basic skin undertones. Cool, Neutral, or Warm.

There are a couple tests you can do to help you be clear on your undertone is.

Your Cool if your undertone is: Blue, Red, or pink.

When your out in the sun your skin will appear bluish
If the veins on your wrist appear blue or purple
Silver jewelry will look more flattering on your skin.
Foundation should be pink or neutral based
Blush: cool rosy or pink look best

You’re a Neutral if your undertone is:

Neither pink/red/blue/ nor yellow/ gold / or peach but somewhere in between
The veins on your wrist are blue-green or olive looking.
When you look at your skin in the sun, it appears greenish
Both gold and silver jewelry look flattering on your skin

You’re Warm if your undertone is:

Gold, Olive, or Yellow
When your out in the sun your skin appears yellowish
If the veins on your wrist appear greenish or olive
Gold jewelry is more flattering on you
Foundation: Peach or yellow based
Blush: warm coral or peach look best

When matching your skin for foundation look not only at your face but your neck and decolletage. We typically use so much sun block on our faces to protect our skin from aging, that often times our faces are much lighter than our decolletage.  To even that out you may want to warm up your foundation so that your face looks even with the rest of your body.  Your neck gets next to no sun so you may want to bring down your foundation to blend into your neck. It’s best to match your foundation to your skins undertone if you feel pale using bronzer and blush always gives color back to your skin. Being in Natural light helps when matching your foundation so you can see in the best light see what undertone your skin casts.

Even makeup artists that have been in the industry for years sometimes have problems with this when it comes to working with new foundations colors so I hope these tips helped.

Here is a fun quiz to help find your skin's undertone: http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/What-My-Skin-Undertone-Quiz-34403268

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Master Class Read more about it!


 
A Classic smoky eye never goes out of style, yet so many women are afraid to try it in fear of looking too dark.  I have heard some clients say I don’t want to look like I have Panda bear eyes, which always makes me laugh. Today I’ll show you how to pull off a smoky eye that will work for an everyday woman.


To start, you want to define your brows. Your brows are what frame your face and once defined you can really see the shape of your eyes.


Next you will need a natural eye shadow base. I use wheat eye basic from Laura Mercier since it holds shadows on all day.


Over that I typically use a light vanilla color or shimmer to add light to the inner corner of the eye. Line the entire eye with liner, building the liner up to the outer lid, and smudge with a smudge brush back and forth into the lash line.

From there use a dark shadow and brush along the top of the liner, blending using an eye color brush. Blending is the key to an elegant smoky eye.


In the crease, I use a ponytail brush to blend a medium matte colored shadow. You want to create a cloud effect where the color is darker towards the eye and blend it out softer towards the crease.


Curl your lashes and add two coats of Mascara and you’re on your way from meetings to martinis.



For more in depth demonstrations, I am holding a class Wednesday evening on the 25th.  The flyer with more details is below. I have two spots left so reserve your spot before they’re gone!

Monday, May 26, 2014

What to Expect at the Makeup Counter.

The cosmetic department is a fun place to be. It’s a playground of beautiful products to play with and try on. The Makeup Counter for some can be a bit overwhelming so, as requested, here’s a post on what to expect when you visit the makeup counter

Research
I recommend starting by doing your research first. There are so many different makeup lines and you want to choose a line that fits your lifestyle and that’s age appropriate. If you have a specific look in mind, bring some photos.  If you want to go over the products that you own to see if they are still current, bring in your makeup bag and let the beauty expert go over what you should keep, what you should get rid of and what you might want to add. That way you don’t have to figure it all out on your own when you get home.

Appointments
If you have an event it helps to make an appointment. That way the counter will set aside a half hour to forty- five minutes to spend time with just you and you won’t have to wait between customers. Just call the counter ahead of time to let them know what you want to get done. The more specific you are, the more smoothly the appointment will go. Don’t be afraid to ask questions as this helps with the consultation. If it is last minute don’t worry, walk-ins are welcome.

Consultations
No need to fuss with putting on any skincare or makeup since your beauty expert will do all the work. Just sit and relax. Come to the counter with an open mind, beauty experts are trained to translate the latest trends into everyday wearable looks. You might find some new products you would have never picked out yourself that really work for you. If there is something that you don’t like, let us know so that we can fix it. I promise it won’t hurt our feelings since we want you to feel confident and beautiful in your makeup. Have the beauty expert make you a face chart so you have directions on how to do your makeup when you get home. Sometimes you might get home and realize you really need the brush to go with the eye shadow and the chart will have the details of what was used.

Touchups
Just want a little mid-day touchup? No problem. Makeup artists are typically itching to do somebody’s makeup and would much rather be doing makeup than standing there. Of course we hope you find something you like but if you don’t, don’t feel guilty about not buying anything. We will send you off with some samples and hope you will want to come back. Your beauty expert will do demos of products that will only work for you and your skin type.

Come in! It can be exciting to have your makeup done by a pro and come out with a fresh, new look. It’s like getting a new hairstyle, it can be invigorating.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Don’t underestimate the power of brows!



Trust me, a good brow can give you a facelift.  If you do nothing else, perfect your brows since they can really make or break your look.  Laura Mercier always taught us that a sculpted and polished eye brow says a lot about your look

Brow Pencil:

There are many products and tools to help you get the perfect brow. One of my favorites is the brow pencil with a brow groomer, this tool looks a lot like a mascara wand. Before you get started, you’ll need to sharpen your pencil to get a precise point. This sharp point will help create fine, hair-like strokes in the areas that need to be filled in or extended. I recommend using one shade lighter than your hair color so that if you’re going for a fuller brow they won’t stand out. First, use your brow groomer to comb your brow up and out to give them a lift.  Then, use the brow pencil to give your brow shape and definition and add brow powder if a softer finish is desired. 

Tip: Set your brow with translucent powder before any application to remove any residue.

Brow Powder:

You can always use Brow powders by themselves for a quick soft look but you will need the right brush. I am a fan of Laura Mercier’s double ended brow brush because the brush has two sides, a small one for detail and a larger side for the main application. Typically brow powders can be used wet or dry. Use wet for intensity. The key to using brow powder is to begin in the center of the brow with the most pigment, and then blending towards the outer corners. You can see this being explained in the video of Laura Mercier which I have provided below.


Use the lighter color of your brow powder first to apply where needed, to shape and fill your brows. Then you can add a couple strokes of a slightly deeper shade with the smaller end of your brow brush. Filling in your brow with varying shades of color will give the appearance of natural hair.

Brow Gel:

Brow gel can be used alone to control any unruly brow hairs that won’t stay in place, or it can be used as your last step to set your brow for 8 hour wear. It gives the brow a nice conditioned look.

Brow Wax:

I typically suggest wax for clients who already have great full brows and just want to add definition and shape. The brow wax tints and coats the hair in place. Use a synthetic angle brow brush with brow wax products.

Tip: Use a light shadow or eye base on the brow bone to give the brow a lift and open up the eye lid. 



Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Life is Fashion Packed!

 
This spring on the runway, the concept has been Bright Poppy Lips and Crème Cheek colors to match. With barely anything on the eyes and flawless dewy skin, the look needs very defined brows to compensate.

Electric oranges, Miami pinks, and Raspberries are the jam this spring and summer. Right now I love gel lip colors because they give a light pop of color and they look fresh and youthful. If you’re going for bold and aren’t afraid of color, try a matte orange-red lip color.

For Flawless skin, I have been using Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Laura Mercier has the best tinted moisturizer on the planet. If you don’t want to commit to dewy all over, try Radiance primer or Golden Pink highlight from Laura Mercier and place on the high points of your face to give touches of glow. You don’t need to layer powders, instead use a couple of crème products to keep your skin looking natural with a touch of translucent powder on your T-Zone to absorb any excess oil.

This look is so effortless, it cuts your makeup time in half in the morning by not having to spend so much time on your eyes. If you choose to add an eyeliner, add some color instead of brown or black, like a teal or shade of blue. This might take you out of your comfort zone, but many times it can be a better fit that enhances your eye color. My clients tell me all the time they would have never chosen that color but they love the way it looks on. If you’re going out, chic cat-eyes are especially big for spring.

Backstage Fashion Show
The moral of the story is keep your skin raw, natural, and dewy rather than using makeup to contour or completely transform your face. You can always throw in some attitude with your bold lip color or rebel eyeliner.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Waterproof Tattoo Cover-up



On special occasions like your wedding day or a job interview you may want to cover up your tattoos.


There are so many over the counter products for tattoo cover up, but I haven’t found any that are truly waterproof and that can be a waist of time and money. What I found that works best is Temptu’s Dura airbrush makeup. Dura is an alcohol-based formula and it is completely waterproof and can last for days with proper care. It does take some skill and practice to get the technique down, but the results will be better than other methods.

Preparation:

 

• Make sure the tattooed area and the area around it is shaved the night before to prevent irritation and because you don’t want to see hairs from the airbrush makeup.  

 • Prep the tattooed area and at least 3 inches around with alcohol.

First step is color correction:


A color wheel is helpful. You want to use the color opposite the color of the tattoo. So for Lena’s tattoo in the image the red needs to be neutralized, so I take that and her skin tone into consideration. Green is the opposite of red and she has a lot of orange/red in her skin tone so to neutralize that we went with a green yellow based color. The tattoo will be completely covered and extended out an inch past the edge of the tattoo. At this point you should not see the tattoo only the corrective color. It may take a couple layers and sometimes I use a blow dryer with cool air to dry between layers.

Conceal:


Now much like matching foundations you will conceal the whole area with the persons skin-tone. You may need to mix a couple colors to find the perfect match. I suggest doing some test patches to make sure you have the right shade. Remember to clean your gun with alcohol so there is no blockage when you use your airbrush again next.

Set:


Lastly you will use a setting powder. Buff it into your puff and roll onto your covered-up area to insure the longevity of the makeup. It can look a little dry but it will stay on. If the cover-up is on your arm it can look texturized if you twist your arm too much so you want to be careful but it looks amazing in pictures like you never even had a tattoo. To take your cover-up makeup off, use rubbing alcohol to remove all the layers.

I am always learning as I go so if you have any questions or anything to add, please leave a comment.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Airbrush Makeup, Is it Worth it?





Many of my clients ask me what is airbrush makeup about. Is it a fad, a craze, or does it really make a difference? 

 

It makes a difference.


Truthfully for everyday makeup I don’t suggest going to the trouble of airbrush makeup. That could get expensive and also it’s time consuming. On an average day I go to my Laura Mercier liquid foundation and use my beauty blender to get a natural look. Airbrush does have its benefits though. Airbrush makeup is typically waterproof and smudge-proof, lasting much longer than traditional foundations, for up to 16 hours. So for those special occasions where you need your foundation to last you through a long day or if you’re being photographed, I would talk to your makeup artist about airbrushing. I urge all of my Brides to go with airbrush makeup for their special day especially during summer months. 

How it works.

 

How airbrush makeup differs is airbrush makeup utilizes a small makeup air compressor, an airbrush gun, and special airbrush foundation. This foundation is thinner than regular liquid foundation because it needs to pass through the airbrush gun. The airbrush sprays a very fine mist on the skin pushed through with gentle air pressure from the compressor. This allows an even and consistent application of foundation, which sits evenly on the skin. Since it’s such a fine mist your true skin tone shows through which makes it look more natural and not so heavy, which if not careful can happen with traditional makeup. The final result gives you a very natural, yet very finished and polished look. Your makeup artist will know how to mix foundation colors for a perfect blend to match your skin tone. 

What to use.

 

There are different kinds of airbrush makeup for the face, some that are water based
and some that are silicone based. If you have every sensitive skin, like myself, or
breakout easily you may want to go for the water-based foundation. Although water-
based foundations tend to be more matte and have less shine, they do break down easier when it comes to tears and sweat. Silicone foundations tend to look like skin and can be more forgiving. Silicone foundations tend to not dissolve as easy either. I use Dinair’s paramedical foundation for my clients that prefer water-based airbrush makeup and I use Temptu for my clients that can use silicone-based foundation. Ask your makeup artist which makeup is best for your skin type.



I hope this helps answer any questions on the topic of airbrushing. If you have any other
questions I would love to hear them!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Bronze Ambition




How to use bronzer without looking like an umpalumpa or too fake! Let’s face it, we all what to be a bronze goddesses once in a while rather it be for an event or vacation or just because most of us look healthier a little bronzed. But we want to do it with out the harmful sunrays and with out sun spots and bronzer is a great way to do that. Bronzers can be intimidating because we have seen it be abused.

 There are several Bronzers on the market I prefer either powder bronzer or crème bronzers. For Powder Bronzer I recommend a big finishing brush I swirl the brush in the product and tap the access powder on my hand before I apply it to the face because it’s easier to blend on the hand first than on the face, that way we don’t get splotches of bronzer on our face. The finishing brush gives the bronzer a veil like finish on your skin so it doesn’t get too cakey. You will then apply bronzer where the sun would naturally hit your face. Basically the application with your brush will be in the direction of a backwards three. Start on your forehead, then under your cheekbones to emphasize them, on the bridge of the nose and the top of your chin for a naturally bronzed look. I apply crème bronzer in the same places except I use a large crème brush or simply my fingers.

If you were contouring I would use a smaller more detailed brush like a blush brush. Darker Matte bronzers work best for contouring. Apply on the tip of the nose to shorten it or along the sides of the nose to narrow it, a deeper application under the cheekbone to create emphasis and on top of the forehead to shorten the length as well as along the jawbone to strengthen it’s appearance.

Bronzer first and then it’s time to blush. This spring and summer women are really stirring towards using Crème Blush because it gives your skin a bit of Glow and it blends right into the skin so smoothly. Use it on the apples of the cheeks and blend the color out with your fingers crème blushes are so easy to use and they really enhance your cheekbones. 

Now go get your Bronze Glow on!

Monday, March 10, 2014

Spring Cleaning Alert

 
Most the time you think of Spring-cleaning you think of your closet, but what about your makeup?  I just got rid of my gemmed torn jean shorts because I finally realized I’m not twenty any more.  Makeup is no different, so maybe it’s time to let go of that glitter shadow or 5 year-old lip color also.



If your brushes look like they’ve been in a fight, time to let them go and get new ones.  We all have been guilty of not cleaning our makeup brushes enough so spot cleaning once a week with a brush cleaning spray gives you longer time between deep cleanings.  For deep cleanings, use a soft shampoo, I recommend a baby shampoo.  This prevents your brushes from carrying bacteria.  The better you treat your brushes, the longer they will last, but yes sometimes you will need to replace them from time to time.



If you have six makeup bags, narrow it down.  I use a great Laura Mercier Portfolio to store my cosmetics.  It has separate pouches for lips, for eyes, foundations and concealers, as well as section for your brushes.  I find the more organized I am, the less time it takes in the morning to do my makeup and we all know how important beauty sleep is



Mascara should go in the trash if it’s over six months old, foundation only lasts a year once it’s opened, and powder, eyeliner, lipsticks and gloss last 18 months.  Typically, most products on the box have a symbol with a number that signifies the number of months of how long that product will last.  It’s always a good idea to keep your makeup properly stored in containers, not on your bathroom counter, where the heat and steam from the shower can form bacteria and degrade ingredients.



If it smells… throw it away, if the color is off… throw it away, if the consistency is off… throw it away. Basically if you bought it in 1994, Throw It Away.  Trust me, I know it’s hard. I have very fond memories of my favorite Vixen lip color that was discontinued.  I tried to make it last, but reality set in that it smells and it’s time to find a new favorite color.  A good way to make your lipsticks last is to store them in your refrigerator.



If you’re not sure what you should get rid of and what you should keep, bring your makeup bag to your makeup artist and she/he will help you decide what products you should update.



Happy Spring Cleaning!