Switch Up Your Smoky Eyes For A Bold Pout

Wanna switch up your usual smoky eye, evening look? Try bold, red lips with inky, black liner to get a sophisticated, chic look that's actually pretty low maintenance. My deal friend Lindsey has the fortune of a gorgeous face that can pull off a dramatic smoky eye and nude lip or a bold pout with subtle liner. For our evening out, I decided to play up her full lips and outline her deep blue peepers.

Here's what I did to create her look:

Skin: To even out her already gorgeous skin, I poured out some L'Oreal Paris Visible Lift Foundation in 147 Creamy Natural onto the back of my hand and applied it evenly on her face and neck with a sponge. Next, I dotted her under eye area with NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer. I then mixed together and applied Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 Light with Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Eye Cream using a foundation brush underneath her eyes and on her lids and brow bone. I then dipped a big powder brush into NYX HD Studio Photogenic Grinding Powder in Medium and swept it across her face to set the makeup.  To give her a warm flush, I applied Kanebo SENSAI Cheek Blush in Sohi with Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder in #3. I highlighted her cheek bones with Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze. 

Eyes: I first swept a neutral shade, Philosophy Pure of Heart, on her lids and brow bone to create a base and added a more taupe-based color, Philosophy Down to Earth, to the crease. Both shades are from the brand's Supernatural Coloring Book Palette. I then took the lightest shade from Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick as a highlighter and traced it lightly underneath her eyebrows with an emphasis directly below her arch. I filled in her brows using the same taupe shade I used on her crease. I then took a slanted eyeliner brush, dipped it into a Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Black Ink and traced her lid, closest to the lash line, with the liner. I swept two coats of Lancome Defincils Mascara in Black to her lashes. 

Lips: To prep her lips, I added a dot of concealer to even out the color and create a neutral palette. I then lined her lips with Stila Long Wear Lip Liner in Passionate and added YSL Lipstick in Le Rouge to her lips using a lip pencil brush. 

Her gorge look lasted all night (through a humid DC summer night) and made her look even more glamorous and gorgeous than she already is! Try it for yourself

Bridal Makeup Tips & Tools

Summer is in full swing and with that comes the influx of weddings and bridal related events. A bride wants to not only look and feel like the best version of themselves, but feel like they’ve been transformed into a bridal goddess.

Bridal makeup is its own sub-genre of makeup application. It’s a special mixture of enhancement, correction and transformation.

By using the right tools, any makeup artist can hear the bride’s gasp of joy after she’s been spun around and shown what she’ll look like on the most important day of her life.  

When doing bridal makeup a few products and application tips are essential to achieving your client’s desired look. Blending is of utmost importance as harsh lines can easily be detected in photos. Building an even-toned, blemish-free canvas is essential to keeping your makeup lasting all night. Applying a matte, shine-free foundation is as critical as properly applying fake lashes. Both need to look flawless and last all night. 

If you haven’t already done it invest in:
An airbrush makeup kit
Face and body primer
Eyelash curler
Fake eyelashes
Adhesive eyelash glue
A great set of brushes including a foundation and powder brush 

     Here are some of the steps I used to create my latest bridal look:

SKIN:

I applied a layer of NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer using a foundation brush all over the face. I then dabbed Guerlain Terracotta Touch Highlighter around her nose, on her brow bone, and around the corners of her mouth to cover dark areas.

Airbrush makeup feels light on, gives a bride a flawless, even complexion that lasts all day and is able to withstand sweat, tears and environmental elements. Using the Luminess Air System, I sprayed the bride with a foundation one shade darker than her natural skin color to match her more tanned body.

I then swept Bare Escentuals Tinted Mineral Veil all over her face to set the foundation. To highlight and brighten I used Julie Hewett Bud of Roses Blush onto the apples of her cheeks and a combination of Physicians Formula Bamboo Silk Bronzer, Duwop Illuminating Blush in Mango and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze on her face to give a bronzed glow. Don't be afraid to blend a few colors together to get your best shade. 

EYES:

I prepped her eyes for shadow using Maybelline FIT ME Concealer in Light on her lids and under her eyes. I set the concealer with Julie Hewett Translucent Oat Powder. Using DUO Adhesive Glue, I added MAC False Lashes in 7. The key to adding false lashes is bending the strip into a semi circle so they’re a little more pliable and then taking the lashes and measuring them on the eyes to see if they fit or need to be trimmed. I took a Q-tip and applied a thin layer of glue on the top of the lash strip. I then put the lashes a few inches away from the inner corner of the eyes so the lashes are exaggerated out and the eyes look elongated and dramatic. I then placed them on the edge of the lids and held them down for 30 seconds. Once they dried I took an eyelash curler and curled them along with the bride’s actual lashes. This lifted the lashes up and brightened the eyes. I then added a highlighter called Mary-Lou Manizer by the Balm onto her lids and blended together taupe shades from a Maybelline Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Motion and a Clinique Eyeshadow Trio in Rain Forest on the outer corner and crease. I added a dab of the gold from the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick directly underneath the eyebrow in her arch to highlight and lift the brow bone and then darkened the brows with a Model Co. eyeshadow in Portofino.

LIPS:

I lined the lips with Clinique Lip Liner in Nudey and filled the lips in with the pencil to create a more natural color. I then added a swipe of All Heart pink lipstick by Clinique with a layer of 15 Minutes of Fame lip gloss by Lipstick Queen in 10 Minutes. Lipstick will come off at some point so having the colors on hand is key for reapplication. More importantly however, is keeping the focus on the eyes and keeping the lips low key rather than relying on lipstick to last all night and tie the look together.

After you’ve applied all the makeup, take a powder brush and go over the face to make sure everything is blended. If you see a streak or excess makeup that has fallen from the eyes, take a foundation brush and blend it off. Both brushes will blend the makeup you do want and remove the makeup you don't want.

Get J.Glow’s Gorgeous Skin

Get the skinny on the products used by the “Most Beautiful Woman In the World”

 The incredibly beautiful Jennifer Lopez landed the top spot on People's annual "Most Beautiful" Person In the World Issue.  The multi-talented mom of two has been a beauty icon for over ten years since her breakout role in 1997’s Selena.  This year fans have seen the triple threat star every week on American Idol looking more and more beautiful.  We also get a chance to see her warm, gracious, and nurturing personality, and of course amazing outfit choices.

Let’s be honest though, beyond her glamorous style J.Lo is known and loved for her flawless, glowing complexion.  We should all be so lucky to have such enviable skin, but luckily there are plenty of ways to fake it.  To recreate the J.Lo “lit from within look” you’ll need a few key products to get her glow.  Start by priming your skin with L’Oreal’s Studio Secrets Professional Color Correcting Primer.  Then, apply NARS Orgasm Illuminator on the skin to get her glowing base.  Next, lightly dust NARS Desire Blush on the apples of your cheeks to get a warm, flushed look.  Finally, to get her signature tone, dab a large powder brush into Guerlain’s Terracotta Light Sheer Bronzing Powder and sweep it across your face in a figure three motion.  This will evenly distribute the powder to give you a natural bronzed look.  The Grammy nominee rarely tans outside, which explains her wrinkle-free skin.  Instead she’s a big fan of fake body bronzers like Body Bling by Scott Barnes.  Lather the liquid potion all over yourself to get your own version of the stunning star’s illuminating skin!  Complete the look by adding a dash of nude gloss and individual fake lashes.

There’s only one J.Lo, but with a little help from our tinted tools we can all achieve the “Most Beautiful Woman in the World’s” gorge glow on our own.

Get Your Glow On Without The Sun

Happy Friday friends!

Hope everyone has some fun weekend plans! If those plans involve lounging by a pool or frolicking on a beach, I jealous. If you're plans don't involve reapplying sunscreen every 30-40 minutes but you still want to look like you spent the weekend in your bathing suit fear not. I have some fantastic sun-less tanning solutions for you!  

Perfect Prep Body Slimmer By Mally Beauty ($35, QVC.com)-Many people don't like using a sunless tanning lotion because of all the preparation time needed or they prefer something instant and temporary. Celebrity makeup, artist Mally Roncal (who has worked with Beyonce) created a bronzing solution that makes you look slimmer from every angle. The pressed-powder formula combines moisturizers, beeswax and lanoline with just the right amount of shimmer to give your skin a gorgeous, vibrant glow. The compact comes with a uniquely designed "The Bone Finder" applicator which features a flat shape that makes it easy to follow the contour of the bones and muscles for a sculpted application. Most people love how slim their tan body looks and this mimics that exact effect without having to roast in the sun. The Slimmer is available in a light shade for fair skin tones and dark shade for tan complexions. I used the dark shade and thought it was a great body bronzer.

Lierac-Autobronzant Hydration Corps ($30, CVS.com or lierac-usa.com)-Lierac's Self Tanning Lotion gives you a streak-free tan without the typical tanning smell. The active ingredients in the lotion include cinnamon (known for its tonic and antiseptic properties and commonly used for its soothing effect) and pure vanilla (concentrated forms of vanilla have deep-tanning qualities which result in more intense and rapid tanning). The self-tanner evens and prolongs a natural tan, while also providing anti-aging benefits.

 

Clarins Delicious Self Tanning Cream ($42, Sephora.com)- This silky, lightly scented self tanner for the body was a  CEW Beauty Awards Winner. The caramel-colored lotion glides on smoothly and provides a mistake-proof application. The golden-glow formula has Pure Cocoa which makes it smell delicious and feel amazing on the skin.

 

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($30, Sttropeztan.com/)-Use this top of the line self-tanning solution on your body and face. The tanning products use Aromaguard™ fragrance technology which eliminated the typical self tan aroma by at least 70% and the mousse makes application quick and simple. The tanner dries in an instant and the color is long-lasting. Remember to exfoliate your body beforehand to optimize the effects of the tanner.

Guerlain Terracotta Spray SPF 10 ($59, Sephora.com)- If you use airbrush spray foundations (like I do) you already know how much you love this type of format for the face. Terracotta Spray uses the technology of a professional airbrush makeup application and goes on in an ultra-light mist. The spray diffuses evenly onto the skin and ensures a uniform application that covers ever inch of the face. It's a fantastic bronzer and has SPF 10. Guerlain has long been the leader in producing high quality bronzers and sun-centric products and this is no different.

L'Oréal Paris Sublime Bronze Properfect Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist ($9.99, drugstore.com)-As mentioned, I'm a big fan of airbrush products. They spray on effectively and truly give the most even, flawless finish. This self tanning mist for the body flash-dries so there's no need to rub it in. You can easily spray your hard to reach places like you back or the back of your legs with this bottle and your natural-looking tan will begin to develop in less than an hour. 

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer people! You're definitely going to want to keep these sunless tanners around after Labor Day to ensure you're golden sun-induced glow doesn't fade away along with the warm weather!

Guerlain Terracotta Summer Collection

Hello summer! Welcome to the season of flip flops and fake tans! While I might not need a fake tan, I, like so many of us, could definitely use a healthy summer glow. Luckily I've been using products from a line that to me, epitomizes bronzey-summer sun-kissed makeup: Guerlain.

Guerlain has been around as long as your mother, grandmother, and even grandmother can remember! They've been purveyors of luxe makeup, fragrance, and skin care for over 175 years! While trendy new beauty brands come on to the scene as often as you need to sharpen your favorite eyeliner, they remain undeniably present and popular. Not to gush or anything…

I know them best for their redonculously amazing bronzers. In fact all the products in their Terracotta line are J.Lo/Gisele beach-glow perfection. As I've stated before, there are many great bronzers out there, but if you want the Rolls Royce best than there's no question about which line to turn to. 

I've been loving their Terracotta Light Bronzing Powder and my only complaint is that it's a limited edition product only available this summer. Teracotta Light is a reinvented/updated version of their legendary iridescent bronzer. It has the same color clusters as Guerlain's Light Sheer Bronzing Powder (which is always available) but also has particles of mother-of-pearl to enhance your complexion. I've been wearing shade 02 Brunette. It's the perfect amount of color and the five iridescent shades help create a completely even glow every time my brush sweeps over the palette.