*Take me to the warmth of summertime summertime*
Ladies are you ready to turn up the temperature this steamy summer? Let’s get down to basics. Pretty and understated is always in style. I’m focusing all of the attention on smoldering, chocolate and caramel inspired eyes and keeping the cheeks and lips fruity fresh and vibrant. Indulge in a full flavored beauty trend that looks sweet enough to devour.
I am constantly updating the products in my makeup clutch. If you are still lugging around your fall/winter collection you have got to get yourself to your favorite beauty counter for a summer consultation with your favorite beauty expert. This may seem a bit overwhelming at first but if you have an idea of what you need to update this can actually be tons of fun. Here are my suggestions:
FACE:
I love a semi-matte finish foundation for the cooler months. Once we’re blessed with warmer sunny days I switch my old formula for a fresher finish. I’m crazy about Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer SPF 20 ($40). This is a great choice for acne prone skin types. It is extremely lightweight and feels fabulous on the skin. You’ll never feel like your melting under the sun. I carry around oil blot sheets for quick and easy touch-ups. Stop by the Shiseido counter and get your freshly manicured hands on a pack of Shiseido Pureness Oil blotting Paper 100 sheets ($14.50). These special oil-absorbing sheets lift away excess sebum to leave skin fresh and shine free
EYES:
Luscious coco and silky caramel shades create soft diffused warmth on your lids. My pick is Dior’s 5-Colour Eye shadow in Sunset Café 440 ($52). It is the newest addition to our collection and I have to tell you, everyone I’ve used this on falls in love with it. It allows you to create a multitude of makeup looks depending on your mood. The light, smooth texture is a cinch to apply and offers incomparable staying power. This is by far my best seller.
CHEEKS:
Add a little sweetness to your complexion by playing with a combination of cream and powder rouge. Nars cream blush in cactus flower ($23) is a gorgeous coral that makes you look refreshed and sexy in a heartbeat. I apply using my thumb and sweep the color along the apples of the cheeks. Finish the look by applying your favorite bronzer along the forehead, bridge of the nose and chin for ultimate warmth.
LIPS:
Fruity fresh lips are in high demand for this look. A ripe pomegranate shade looks absolutely delish! Skip the liner and play up the pout with a sheer gloss. I get so many clients that complain about sticky and messy textures. The biggest complaint is that their long hair gets stuck to their lips. This can be avoided by using a lip gelee formula. It still packs a punch but feels light and kissable. Keep a tube of MAC LipGelee in Dewy Jube ($14) at hand for a pretty and hypnotizing lip.
If I could encourage one thing it would be to have fun with makeup. Never take it too seriously. Create your signature beauty stamp this season and remember that a smile is the prettiest look of all!
I am constantly updating the products in my makeup clutch. If you are still lugging around your fall/winter collection you have got to get yourself to your favorite beauty counter for a summer consultation with your favorite beauty expert. This may seem a bit overwhelming at first but if you have an idea of what you need to update this can actually be tons of fun. Here are my suggestions:
FACE:
I love a semi-matte finish foundation for the cooler months. Once we’re blessed with warmer sunny days I switch my old formula for a fresher finish. I’m crazy about Laura Mercier’s tinted moisturizer SPF 20 ($40). This is a great choice for acne prone skin types. It is extremely lightweight and feels fabulous on the skin. You’ll never feel like your melting under the sun. I carry around oil blot sheets for quick and easy touch-ups. Stop by the Shiseido counter and get your freshly manicured hands on a pack of Shiseido Pureness Oil blotting Paper 100 sheets ($14.50). These special oil-absorbing sheets lift away excess sebum to leave skin fresh and shine free
EYES:
Luscious coco and silky caramel shades create soft diffused warmth on your lids. My pick is Dior’s 5-Colour Eye shadow in Sunset Café 440 ($52). It is the newest addition to our collection and I have to tell you, everyone I’ve used this on falls in love with it. It allows you to create a multitude of makeup looks depending on your mood. The light, smooth texture is a cinch to apply and offers incomparable staying power. This is by far my best seller.
CHEEKS:
Add a little sweetness to your complexion by playing with a combination of cream and powder rouge. Nars cream blush in cactus flower ($23) is a gorgeous coral that makes you look refreshed and sexy in a heartbeat. I apply using my thumb and sweep the color along the apples of the cheeks. Finish the look by applying your favorite bronzer along the forehead, bridge of the nose and chin for ultimate warmth.
LIPS:
Fruity fresh lips are in high demand for this look. A ripe pomegranate shade looks absolutely delish! Skip the liner and play up the pout with a sheer gloss. I get so many clients that complain about sticky and messy textures. The biggest complaint is that their long hair gets stuck to their lips. This can be avoided by using a lip gelee formula. It still packs a punch but feels light and kissable. Keep a tube of MAC LipGelee in Dewy Jube ($14) at hand for a pretty and hypnotizing lip.
If I could encourage one thing it would be to have fun with makeup. Never take it too seriously. Create your signature beauty stamp this season and remember that a smile is the prettiest look of all!
Full-Figured Beauty
This year light was shone on the controversial issue over waif-like models dying to be thin. The modeling agencies say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look. Feature focus for spring- Full figured beauty. Gone are the days of the anorexic brow, we now set the tone with a bold daring ‘Brooke Shield’ inspired brow. The eyes will twinkle like shining stars, cheeks will have a heated glow that almost seems to radiate from within and plump stained lips make the look of the moment come alive. Boundless beauties are sauntering down the runways, filling pages of fashion magazines and flutter through the city like butterflies. `
High Brows:
Over tweezed Marlene Dietrich inspired brows are a look of the past. Naturally grown in brows have made a comeback! I’m not talking Frida Kahlo brows; I’m simply speaking of well-groomed neatly perfected ‘high brows’. We find less of an exaggerated arch in brows this season. Demanding brows with a futuristic flare are getting all the attention. If you are going from waify to full bodied brow, you must let your brows grow in. This is probably one of the hardest challenges. The in-between stage is hideous. Here are some pro-tips to get you through this stage:
1. Find an eyebrow pencil in a shade lighter than your natural hair color and a pencil in a shade deeper. I love Lancôme ($23)
2. Using the well-sharpened pencil in the lighter shade, begin filling the start of the brow using feathery light pressured stokes. Draw in the direction of the hair growth but fill in a little heavier to create a template for new hair growth.
3. Switch over to the slightly darker pencil to deepen up and create dimension towards the middle and outer parts of the brow. End with a clean strong stroke to emphasize the shape.
4. I can’t live without a durable pair of tweezerman tweezers ($20 Slant tweezers www.tweezerman.com). Your brows have been perfectly filled and now take care of tweezing the strays. If your plucking becomes too painful, apply a little anbesol (yes, that pin reliever for teeth also numbs the brows) Finally use a pencil concealer (www.maccosmetics.com studio touch-up stick $14.50) to define and highlight the perfect brow. Begin by highlighting the entire brow. Finish by blending with your ring finger.
Eyes:
I love a sparkly bright eye. Visine for contacts (www.visine.com $3) are perfect for contact lenses wearers. These drops hydrate and get the red out. Rim the inner lower lash line with a buttery gold liner (www.maccosmetics.com PowerSurge $13.50, Blooz $13.50) to brighten and rim the top lash line with a navy to make the whites of your eyes stand out.
Cheeks:
Gently slapping the cheeks was an old beauty secret shared to bring a healthy flushed finish to the cheeks. My pick for this look was Diors Pro Cheeks ultra radiant blush #755 Catwalk Pink $26 (www.diorcosmetics.com) See through color to promote a healthy vibrant complexion.
Lips: I recently started using Clarins Instant Light Lip Corrector. (www.clarins.com $19) I can’t stop raving about this product! Shea butter keeps lips supple and extremely kissable. This comes in two shades. Available in Rose Shimmer or Coral Shimmer to gently color and glaze the lip.
Do a little spring-cleaning and declutter your makeup bags. This season is all about pretty and healthy faces. Keep an easy approach to makeup and flaunt that naturally beautiful look were born with.
True Romance
A fragrant bouquet of red and pink roses, lavender and patchouli scented candles, love letters, or the intensity of a passionate stare would definitely spark the flames of romance and passion. Romance is the foundation for the look of the moment. Women have practiced beauty rituals for centuries. From elaborate to minimal, passion and love set the tone for the process of beautification. Both passion and love house my motivation for transforming faces, the art of makeup artistry has opened my eyes to the genuine beauty in all of my subjects. The color palette for this look is a perfect matrimony of cool and fiery tones. The texture and complexion is reminiscent of a porcelain dolls. The end result- breathtaking!
EYES: If I’m creating an intense eye combination, I focus on the eyes before working on complexion. A nice tip to remember is to apply a loose powder under your eyes to catch falling eye shadow residue. Once you have created your look, simply dust the excess powder with a large powder brush. I love the natural highlight that this technique creates. For this look I only worked with my collection of MAC pigments ($19.50) Copper Sparkle, Fuchsia, and Old Gold was the dynamic trio used in this kaleidoscope of burnt coppers and 24 karat inspired gold.
FACE: As a rule of thumb never apply your foundation to a bare canvas. There’s a hot new primer that’s the talk of the town. MAC Prep + Prime ($22) is the latest ultra fluid lotion with silicone to soften the appearance of fine lines and create a velvety smooth finish to your complexion. Follow up with your favorite foundation. During the winter months I typically use a liquid foundation. This helps with keeping your face supple and hydrated; skin is always my top priority. I set the foundation with a buffing brush and dust loose powder with light reflecting pigments all over the face and neck. I keep an over-stock of MAC Iridescent loose powder ($20). A mixture of Mica and pigments, this loose powder creates a beautiful veil of sheen for a photo-finish perfection.
CHEEKS: Think about how your cheeks naturally rouge when you’re involved in a serious flirting match. A bright baby doll pink is all you need to look flustered and ultra sexy. I love MAC Pink Swoon ($17.50). If you prefer a bronzier glow than a romantic pink, continue to wear your favorite bronzer but switch it up a notch and dust pink swoon across the apples of your cheeks. I am completely inspired by Sarah Jessica Parker’s gorgeously flushed cheeks, a combination of pink and gold always deliver the best results.
LIPS: I hooked my model up! For a show stopping lip that is still kissable, I used my finger to gently pat an unbelievably delicious translucent cherry red onto her pretty pout. MAC Lip Gelee in Dewy Jube ($14) works like a charm. Lips like sugar, sugar kisses!
Hopefully you picked up a few new ideas to keep you out of that makeup rut that we can all fall into. Remember, true beauty lies way beneath the hypodermis.
EYES: If I’m creating an intense eye combination, I focus on the eyes before working on complexion. A nice tip to remember is to apply a loose powder under your eyes to catch falling eye shadow residue. Once you have created your look, simply dust the excess powder with a large powder brush. I love the natural highlight that this technique creates. For this look I only worked with my collection of MAC pigments ($19.50) Copper Sparkle, Fuchsia, and Old Gold was the dynamic trio used in this kaleidoscope of burnt coppers and 24 karat inspired gold.
FACE: As a rule of thumb never apply your foundation to a bare canvas. There’s a hot new primer that’s the talk of the town. MAC Prep + Prime ($22) is the latest ultra fluid lotion with silicone to soften the appearance of fine lines and create a velvety smooth finish to your complexion. Follow up with your favorite foundation. During the winter months I typically use a liquid foundation. This helps with keeping your face supple and hydrated; skin is always my top priority. I set the foundation with a buffing brush and dust loose powder with light reflecting pigments all over the face and neck. I keep an over-stock of MAC Iridescent loose powder ($20). A mixture of Mica and pigments, this loose powder creates a beautiful veil of sheen for a photo-finish perfection.
CHEEKS: Think about how your cheeks naturally rouge when you’re involved in a serious flirting match. A bright baby doll pink is all you need to look flustered and ultra sexy. I love MAC Pink Swoon ($17.50). If you prefer a bronzier glow than a romantic pink, continue to wear your favorite bronzer but switch it up a notch and dust pink swoon across the apples of your cheeks. I am completely inspired by Sarah Jessica Parker’s gorgeously flushed cheeks, a combination of pink and gold always deliver the best results.
LIPS: I hooked my model up! For a show stopping lip that is still kissable, I used my finger to gently pat an unbelievably delicious translucent cherry red onto her pretty pout. MAC Lip Gelee in Dewy Jube ($14) works like a charm. Lips like sugar, sugar kisses!
Hopefully you picked up a few new ideas to keep you out of that makeup rut that we can all fall into. Remember, true beauty lies way beneath the hypodermis.
Creme De La Femme
The Birth of Venus
This month IMAGE celebrates the world of art and design. As a makeup artist I find myself heavily influenced by all things beautiful-nature, music, emotions, art, etc. For this month’s look I’ve considered the fresh and beautiful beginnings that the New Year promises and find my inspiration in one of the most individual painters of the Italian Renaissance. Sandro Boticcelli. Birth of Venus (c.1485) is one of my personal favorite paintings. Venus, Goddess of love and beauty has a demure and intoxicating splendor that represents all the harmony and love of the universe.
The look of the moment is focused on a sheer healthy complexion , ultra flushed rose cheeks, sparkling eyes with soft airy accents, lots of peach and apricot tones for a soft supple beauty that invigorates the senses.
FACE: The harsh winter season instantly takes a toll on delicate skin. Focus on your skincare regime before you dive into makeup. A serum and moisturizer duo is my recommendation to correct any signs of fatigue and dehydration from all the holiday partying. Dior’s Capture Totale Serum ($125) combats all signs of fatigue and aging. The corrective serum brings back a radiance to the dullest complexions. Follow up with the protective Capture Totale moisturizer ($115) This is guaranteed to keep you hydrated and safe from environmental damages and all signs of aging.
CHEEKS: Warm up this translucent look with a rouge of a dozen roses! Become ultra blushed with excitement with Dior’s Sunrise Party blush ($38)
Sweep your brush along all four rose inspired shades for the perfect wind blown cheek. I always rave about Dior’s Healthy Glow 002 ($23). This cream based highlighter is that one product that I would never leave home without. A dollop blends beautifully on your high cheek and orbital bones.
EYES: Step one to beautiful sparkling eyes is a rich eye cream. Every woman should be using her favorite eye cream day and night! Erase all visible signs of aging by prepping with Dior’s Capture First Signs of Aging Eye ($52).Once you have dabbed a concealer throughout the entire eye for maximum brightness, sweep a deliciously warm apricot shadow from lid to brow. My pick for a sheer shadow that opens and refreshes the eye is Dior Powder Mono Eye shadow 629 in Peach ($22). To open the eye and give a hint of purity, rim your inner lash line with Dior’s Crayon Kohl 007 Blanc ($23). Lashes will remain soft and ultra wispy. I recommend Dior Show in Chestnut ($23) for long, full luscious lashes.
LIPS: Pretty and innocent is the feel behind this lip. Not high glossed and never ultra matte. Dior Addict Lip Fluid shade 455 in Soft Nature ($23) delivers the most breathtaking shade that I have ever seen. I’ve worked with hundreds of different colors but none give me the satisfaction like soft nature. A flushed beige pink that works on everyone!
Start this year off right! Rejuvenate your inner beauty goddess by following a routine skincare regime, trying soft application techniques to maintain a clean, elegant and timeless look, and always nuturing in the beauty that lies within.
This month IMAGE celebrates the world of art and design. As a makeup artist I find myself heavily influenced by all things beautiful-nature, music, emotions, art, etc. For this month’s look I’ve considered the fresh and beautiful beginnings that the New Year promises and find my inspiration in one of the most individual painters of the Italian Renaissance. Sandro Boticcelli. Birth of Venus (c.1485) is one of my personal favorite paintings. Venus, Goddess of love and beauty has a demure and intoxicating splendor that represents all the harmony and love of the universe.
The look of the moment is focused on a sheer healthy complexion , ultra flushed rose cheeks, sparkling eyes with soft airy accents, lots of peach and apricot tones for a soft supple beauty that invigorates the senses.
FACE: The harsh winter season instantly takes a toll on delicate skin. Focus on your skincare regime before you dive into makeup. A serum and moisturizer duo is my recommendation to correct any signs of fatigue and dehydration from all the holiday partying. Dior’s Capture Totale Serum ($125) combats all signs of fatigue and aging. The corrective serum brings back a radiance to the dullest complexions. Follow up with the protective Capture Totale moisturizer ($115) This is guaranteed to keep you hydrated and safe from environmental damages and all signs of aging.
CHEEKS: Warm up this translucent look with a rouge of a dozen roses! Become ultra blushed with excitement with Dior’s Sunrise Party blush ($38)
Sweep your brush along all four rose inspired shades for the perfect wind blown cheek. I always rave about Dior’s Healthy Glow 002 ($23). This cream based highlighter is that one product that I would never leave home without. A dollop blends beautifully on your high cheek and orbital bones.
EYES: Step one to beautiful sparkling eyes is a rich eye cream. Every woman should be using her favorite eye cream day and night! Erase all visible signs of aging by prepping with Dior’s Capture First Signs of Aging Eye ($52).Once you have dabbed a concealer throughout the entire eye for maximum brightness, sweep a deliciously warm apricot shadow from lid to brow. My pick for a sheer shadow that opens and refreshes the eye is Dior Powder Mono Eye shadow 629 in Peach ($22). To open the eye and give a hint of purity, rim your inner lash line with Dior’s Crayon Kohl 007 Blanc ($23). Lashes will remain soft and ultra wispy. I recommend Dior Show in Chestnut ($23) for long, full luscious lashes.
LIPS: Pretty and innocent is the feel behind this lip. Not high glossed and never ultra matte. Dior Addict Lip Fluid shade 455 in Soft Nature ($23) delivers the most breathtaking shade that I have ever seen. I’ve worked with hundreds of different colors but none give me the satisfaction like soft nature. A flushed beige pink that works on everyone!
Start this year off right! Rejuvenate your inner beauty goddess by following a routine skincare regime, trying soft application techniques to maintain a clean, elegant and timeless look, and always nuturing in the beauty that lies within.
Beauty Workshop
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