Fresh Skin and Natural Brows: The Less is More Aesthetic

Hello Beautiful Ones! Spring is upon us and I wanted to take a moment to push some beauty trends in makeup that are often overlooked and discounted in the quest to create the perfect "flawless" face. I was recently on vacation in my home state of California and was able to enjoy the awesomeness of California sunshine every day! When I'm in work and business mode, I usually wear makeup every day, not because I don't like myself without it, but because I love creating new looks on a daily basis and sharing my love for the art of makeup with the world. However, when I'm on vacation I tend to not wear anything on my face except moisturizer, mascara, and lip gloss. I really enjoyed this break from makeup as much as I enjoy wearing it!

The idea of less being more is definitely a theme this spring in makeup. If you check out the makeup looks in high fashion magazines, beauty work, and on the runways of some of the world's fashion capitals you will discover that the looks of the season are fresh, dewy skin and natural eyebrows. A nicely shaped, well-groomed eyebrow is essential to framing the face and pulling your whole look together, however lately I've been embracing a more natural brow aesthetic that finds the beauty in imperfection. Some days I may sculpt my brows to an extent, and on others I may just groom them with an eyebrow brush and go. I've found that both looks are just as complementary. A naturally groomed brow that is not overly highlighted and contoured is great for a natural beauty look that features glowing skin. Don't be afraid to go with a more natural looking brow as an alternative. There is a time and place for crisp lines but your natural brow shape without additional concealing and "carving" can be just as beautiful.

Glowing skin is, of course, always in style and with the many different makeup formulas on the market this is definitely achievable. Of course, the first base is your skin care routine, which should always involve cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing. Also, remember that you are what you eat and drink! If you want clear, beautiful skin be sure to drink lots of water and eat fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis and minimize the junk food and processed stuff. You may also want to invest in regular facials to rectify any skin challenges you may have. Foundation always looks better on skin that is healthy, and also allows you to use less product to achieve a flawless look.

For the spring and summer you want a makeup routine that lets you achieve a fresh look that doesn't look flat and matte, but allows your natural skin texture to show through. I recommend the MAC Mineralize Foundation line coupled with mineralized concealer and a highlighter like MAC strobe cream on the temples and high planes of the face. Another great "less is more" foundation is Urban Decay Naked foundation, which comes in a wide array of shades. Cream blushes rather than powder ones are also great for a natural flush of color on the cheeks that doesn't look flat but builds on the natural skin texture and can be worked into the skin for a natural glow.

Makeup's possibilities are endless so play around with products and see what works for you! Remember, less can definitely be more. Don't be afraid to pare down your makeup routine and let your natural beauty shine through!

Winter Skin Care, Spring 2014 Makeup Trends, and My Top 3 Foundation Recommendations

Hello Beauty Buffs! With cold winter temps in full effect, it is no surprise that your skin can suffer from dryness, itchiness, and general discomfort. Not only is it important to treat the skin all over your body with tender loving care, but to give your facial skin the same attention. Since your skin's needs change with the seasons, it's important to know your skin type, how the weather and elements affect it, and take the necessary steps to ensure a flawless complexion in the winter time.

I've probably gone over this before, but it never hurts to review the essential steps to skin care which are cleanse, exfoliate, tone, and moisturize. My skin definitely gets drier in the winter time so I switch to a creamier cleanser rather than a gel formula. I use the Clarisonic to cleanse my face with a deep pore cleansing brush attachment for maximum exfoliation. After that I tone with a softening lotion and then follow up with an extremely hydrating moisturizer. Here are some tips for winter facial skin care:

• if you have really dry skin, find a cleanser that is creamier instead of a gel, which typically is great for oily skin in the summer time. Creamy cleansers that I recommend are Origins Checks and Balances cleanser or MAC Lightful cleanser.
• Moisture is the key! Find a moisturizer that is more emollient than your summer moisture products. Be sure to use it at night and after cleansing in the morning. And also make sure to use a deeply hydrating eye cream to moisturize your delicate eye skin. MAC Comfort Creme is a great choice. 
• Still use a sunscreen in the winter time. Even though the sun is not shining as much, harmful rays from the sun can still damage your skin. Find a moisturizer with an spf to use either as your main moisturizer, or after applying your first layer of hydration after cleansing, exfoliating, and toning.
• Be sure to keep your lips moisturized and protected from harsh winds and cold, drying temperatures with a hydrating lip balm before stepping out. 

Spring 2014 Makeup Trends

Spring is a few months away but it's definitely not too soon to start preparing your spring makeup "wardrobe" and think about how you want to dress your face in the days ahead. I don't know about you but thinking about spring and the amazing beauty looks I can create gives me something to look forward to as we transition out of winter. I'm definitely excited about two trends that are generating buzz: graphic, geometric eyeliner and lips drenched in various shades of vibrant orange! 

Graphic, geometric eyeliner is a great way to uniquely accentuate your eyes and put a modern twist on the classic winged eyeliner look. Experiment with triangular and even rectangular shapes. Check out http://www.fashionising.com/trends/b--geometric-makeup-graphic-lined-makeup-69075.html for examples of this exciting beauty trend!

Orange lips are also the rage for the upcoming spring season so don't be afraid to experiment with color. Focus on fresh, clean skin with a subtle sun-kissed glow and a vibrant orange lip that can't go unnoticed. Some of my favorite orange lipsticks include MAC Neon Orange, Lady Danger, and Dangerous, and Melt Cosmetics Lipstick in Bang! Bang! Wear matte or layer on a clear gloss for an extra pop of shine.

My Top 3 Foundation Picks

As a makeup connoisseur, I am always experimenting with products and trying new ones. My foundations are always changing and I have several in rotation that I wanted to touch on. I am currently obsessed with three foundations that give my skin an absolutely flawless finish: MAC Studio Fix Fluid, MAC Face and Body Foundation, and MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation. I sometimes like to mix foundations and I have found that Studio Fix Fluid and Face and Body Foundation, when mixed create an absolutely flawless finish that stays put all day. I typically use more of the Fix Fluid than the Face and Body when I mix the two, but the staying power is amazing with these two foundations. MAC Mineralize Moisture Foundation also delivers a beautiful, dewy finish that imparts a subtle glow and just melts into your skin, adding much needed moisture during the cold winter months. I don't think I would wear it in the summertime, but it is a definite must for the winter and fall. I highly recommend all three of these foundations so be sure to check them out when you have the chance! As always, skincare is so important. When your skin is already healthy, clear, and smooth, your foundation will look so much better and you won't have to use much product, which will translate to he product lasting longer. 

Stay tuned for more beauty tips, trends, and tutorials! 

The Eyes Have It!

Ahh, the eyeshadow question! So many women I meet want to get into eye makeup but they have no clue how to even begin properly applying eyeshadow. And let's not even get into using colors! To me, the eyes are probably the most important feature on the face, and they need to be played up as much as possible. No matter what type of makeup look you are going for, you always want to make sure your eyes stand out. You can achieve this through the use of eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, false lashes, or a combination of all of these components. I want to focus on eyeshadow because it is one of those things that frustrates so many women in the makeup application process. However, by putting some simple principles into practice you can create some very beautiful (and basic) looks to accentuate your peepers!

Your goal with eye makeup should be to open up, lift, and make the eyes appear their most youthful and alluring. You want to take into consideration a few important things:

• eye shape
• eye color

Understanding your eye shape and color will help you choose colors and products (and product placement on the eye itself) that really enhances your natural beauty.

When it comes to basic eyeshadow application, you want to achieve two things:

1. Visually "pushing away" the areas you don't want to see and "bringing forward" the areas you want to emphasize.

2. Define and open up your eyes.

Proper eye makeup application will make your eyes appear more open and alert. 

The techniques for eyeshadow application basically revolve around three components: a highlight color, midtone color, and a contour shade. The general rule to remember is that highlighting brings planes of the face (and eye) visually forward, while contouring is for darkening and receding areas. Though there are literally thousands of eyeshadow shades to choose from, for starters, use the three-shade application technique. It will enhance your most beautiful features and keep the focus on your eyes.

Your highlight shade is the lightest shade of the three shadows and everything you highlight visually comes forward. This shade can vary from more to less dramatic depending on the look you are going for. Matte finish eyeshadows are much more subtle than shimmery finishes. A good highlight shade I recommend is a neutral beige or light cream shade that borders on off-white. Once you've chosen a highlight color, apply it to your brow bone (the area immediately underneath the arch of your eyebrow) and your eyelid using a large flat eyeshadow brush. DO NOT apply this color from your lash line to your brow. In addition, add a little of this color to the tear duct area of your eye and along the inner one third of your lower lash line.

Next up is your midtone shade, which is generally a neutral brown that is a little darker than your skin tone. This shade is deeper than your highlight color but not as dark as your contour color. A good recommendation for a midtone shade would be MAC's soft brown, cork, or texture eyeshadows. These three are all midtone browns. This color is great for blending out the area between your lid and brow, providing a great transition for pretty much any color because it is neutral. You will apply this shade in the crease of your eye (the area right where the crease of your eyelid forms), from the outer corner of the eye inward, using a windshield wiper motion, combined with circular brush strokes. A great brush for this is a MAC #217 or #224 brush. Any rounded crease brush will work for applying this shade. Also sweep some of this color along your lower lash line.

Finally, there is the contour shade, which is used to create more dimension and give the eye more depth. This color would be darker than your midtone. Dark chocolate browns, black, or a deep purple are excellent shades for contouring the eye. I recommend MAC eyeshadows in espresso, carbon, and shadowy lady, for example. For contouring the eye, I  use a smaller, pointier bristled crease brush such as the MAC #219 pencil brush to add precision definition in the outer "v" area of the eye using tight circular motions, almost dotting the dark color into that outer crease to create more depth. Your goal should always be to have a smooth graduation of color with no harsh lines. By layering your contour shade on top of your midtone shade and blending well, you will get that smooth, well-blended, defined look you want. You can also add some of the darkest shade along the lower lash line to define your eyes after applying eyeliner to the waterline or inner rim of the eye. You can use a smudge brush to blend that lower lash line to smoky perfection! Add mascara and you are ready to go, with eyes that pop and get alot of attention.

As with anything, perfect practice makes perfect when it comes to becoming proficient in eye makeup application. But over time, with the right tools, and consistency you will feel more comfortable. Start with neutral brown shades and progress to colors if you like. Makeup should be fun so don't be scared to play around with eyeshadows and see what looks you come up with! 

Sculpting Your Face with Contouring and Highlighting

One of the things I love about makeup is that it allows you to create and add depth and dimension to every feature of your face. Whether it is deepening the crease of your eye or making your cheekbones stand out, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating new looks for yourself. Sculpting your face through contouring is one of those techniques that allows you to take your makeup game to the next level. Instead of just having a flat canvas to paint on, contouring allows you to highlight and sculpt your face in a way that is nothing less than beautiful, when done right. With the right application of products, you can achieve defined features on your own.

The goal of contouring is to ultimately make your face appear to be more oval shaped. In fact, any face shape can be contoured to look more oval just by applying foundation in varying shades, along with powder. For instructional purposes, commit to memory the following terms and their definitions:

·     Highlighting - lightening certain areas of the face so that they "come forward."

·    Contouring -  darkening certain areas of the face so that they appear to recede.

 By sculpting your face with makeup, you bring emphasis to the areas of your face that you want noticed, and minimize those that you don't. Minimizing the fullness around the outer edges of your face, for example, makes your face look slimmer and gives depth. To sculpt your face you will need to select three shades of foundation or foundation and a lighter concealer and a darker sculpting cream.

1. The first shade should match your skin exactly.

2. The second color, your highlight color, should be at least one level lighter than your foundation color.

3. The third shade, your contour color, should be one to two levels darker than your first shade.

If you want a more dramatic, pronounced contour, use three shades with more contrast between them. Darker skins that want more dramatic contouring can achieve this by choosing a highlight color that is 2 to three shades lighter than their exact match foundation and a deep colored powder for contouring. Remember that the more dramatic the contrast, the more meticulous you have to be about blending. Follow these steps for sculpting:

1. With an angled foundation or cream blush brush apply your contour shade to edges of your hairline, the hollows of your cheeks, or under your cheekbones from your hairline downward (purse your lips as if you are making a kissy face, but do not suck your cheeks in like a fish. Your face does not naturally look that way and you don't have to make that face to locate the hollows of your cheeks). Also, apply this shade down the sides of your nose to give a slimming effect and bring the product up to the eye socket, underneath the eyebrow. 

2. Apply your highlight color, which would be your lighter foundation shade, or concealer, under the eyes, down the bridge of the nose and a little bit on the forehead, and on the chin, as well as under the cheek contour. 

3. With your brush and your fingers if needed, begin to blend the contour colors out so that there are no harsh lines. 

4. After you have softend the contour, with a foundation brush begin to buff your true match foundation shade onto your face, taking care to seamlessly blend the foundation into the contour areas to create a smooth transition between the contour and highlight. 

5. Set your concealer under the eyes with a lighter powder such as Ben Nye Banana powder, with a sponge wedge.

6. Apply a powder to your face to set your foundation, in a shade that matches your skin tone. If you want, you can also add a sculpting powder with an angled blush brush to the contour areas of the cheeks for a little more definition. Add a pop of blush on the apples of your cheeks for a fresh glow!

Contouring is not difficult once you get the hang of it. The more you practice, the more you will become proficient in this amazing face sculpting technique. Give it a try!

Clarisonic Skin Brush Review!

It's a new year and a great time to revamp your skincare routine, particularly during the dry winter months. I recently purchased the Clarisonic cleansing brush and am excited about it! My first introduction to the Clarisonic skin care system was during a facial at Natural Body Spa in Atlanta, where I go to get my monthly facials. My aesthetician had not always used it so the first time she did I was pleasantly surprised! I went ahead and got one so I could continue using it at home. The Clarisonic Mia brush is essentially a brush for your skin. It features rotating bristles that buff, polish, exfoliate, and cleanse your skin in an extremely effective manner. It costs about $120 but I can say that it is definitely worth the investment. If you care about your skin and maintaining a clear and flawless complexion, get this beauty tool!

As a makeup artist, I know firsthand the importance of proper skin care. As I've said before, makeup is an enhancer, but it doesn't solve skin issues that result from improper care and maintenance. In fact, without proper skincare, makeup doesn't look good on your skin. The objective with makeup (specifically foundation) is to smooth out the complexion and even out any areas of discoloration. Now, we know that makeup does hide imperfections, and it is used for that purpose; however, the better state your skin is in to begin with, the less foundation you really have to use. This starts with a basic regimen of cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and moisturizing on a daily basis. If you wear makeup regularly, you want to be especially diligent in maintaining your routine.

I have been using my Clarisonic face brush for about a week and, while my skin was already clear and in good condition, i've noticed it looks even brighter and smoother in must one week of using the brush. It comes with it's own Clarisonic cleanser that you can use with the brush, or you can use any other gel-type cleanser, which is the only consistency of cleanser that is recommended for use with the brush. You have to charge the brush for 24 hours and it's ready to go. To use, you wet your face and lather up the soap on your face. Wet the bristles under running water, press the on button and proceed to give your face the best skin massage ever! Using the brush in circular motions over the different areas of your face, you want to cleanse your forehead for 20 seconds, your cheeks for 10 seconds, and nose and chin for 10 seconds as well. When you're done, rinse your face and rinse the brush and let it air dry. The brush, which detaches from the handle, should be replaced every 3 months.

I noticed after using this amazing beauty brush that my skin felt squeaky clean and even smoother after use, than when I was simply using my regular facial soap and lather routine. All traces of makeup are removed, which is critical for me because I wear makeup daily and I had started to break out a little along my jaw line, probably because I wasn't fully getting those areas with my previous cleansing routine. The Clarisonic system knocks out cleansing and exfoliating in one step. After that all I have to do is tone and moisturize!

All in all, this product is a must for your skin care routine. My brush only features one speed, but there are ones that feature two and three speeds for even more intense exfoliation. If beautiful, clear, fresh skin is your goal, you NEED the Clarisonic. Stay beautiful!

Eyebrows are Everything!

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE great eyebrows. To me, your eyebrows are THE most important aspect of your beauty look, after having flawless looking skin. A well-groomed brow not only frames your eyes but it complements your entire face. On the other hand, eyebrows that are not shaped, badly shaped, or badly highlighted absolutely destroy your look! In my opinion, your face isn't complete if your eyebrows aren't done.

Before you reach for your tweezers, consider this CRITICAL advice: adhere to your natural eyebrow shape! Too often you see people with their eyebrows completely tweezed off and then drawn in (not a good look) or they've created an eyebrow shaped that looks completely unnatural. Your natural eyebrow shape should be your guideline when it comes to tweezing, waxing, or threading, as well as your blueprint for how you fill your eyebrows in with pencil or eyebrow powder. When you veer away from your natural brow shape, you run the risk of creating an eyebrow disaster so keep that in mind when you are getting them done or doing them yourself. Some people's eyebrows are naturally thicker than others, but that's okay. You can still get a beautiful eyebrow look if you stick to your natural shape and build around that.

The first step to eyebrow beauty is keeping them shaped and cleaned up. There are several methods you can use to do this. You can tweeze your brows, get them waxed, threaded, or cleaned up with an eyebrow razor. I prefer threading because it does not remove the top layer of your skin or pull and tug at the delicate skin around your eyes like waxing does. While it can be uncomfortable for a few minutes, the results are well worth the pinch! Waxing does the job as well, but it can do damage to the skin around your eyes in the long run and change the texture of your skin. Tweezing is a good option if you just want to clean up stray hairs, and razoring is also good but doesn't last as long because it doesn't pull the hair out from the roots. I am a huge proponent of threading and I encourage you to try it at least once. When you get your brows done, let the technician know you just want to clean up your brows and keep the natural shape. This is the best way to ensure that you keep the basic blueprint of your brows while shaping them well. Then, you can fill them in with pencil and powder later.

Once you get your eyebrows cleaned up through the method of your choice, it is time to fill them in. A great way to determine where your eyebrow should start is to hold a pencil vertically against the side of your noce and notice where the top of the pencil meets your brow. This is where your brow should begin. To determine where the arch of the brow should be, hold the pencil against your nostril and move it diagonally across the outer half of the iris of your eye. Notice where the top of the pencil meets your brow. This is the best place for the peak of your arch. The brow should be gently tapered from the peak of the arch to the end of the eyebrow. And finally, the end of the eyebrow can be determined by placing the pencil against your nostril and extending it diagonally to the outer corner of your eye. Where it meets the brow is the best place for your eyebrow to end. This is also where your taper should be the thinnest.

When I do my eyebrows I start by using an eyebrow brush to brush the hairs first upward and then in the direction of my natural brow shape. I then take an eyebrow pencil and lightly fill in any sparse areas, LIGHTLY drawing in any areas where i want definition, with short strokes. I then apply eyebrow powder with an angled eyebrow brush and pull the product through the brow from the innermost part of the brow through the tapered end. My final step is applying concealer below and above the eyebrow with a precision concealer brush to achieve a clean, sharp edge below and above the brow. When you apply concealer, make sure you use a buffing brush or rounded concealer brush to blend your concealer out. You do not want what appears to be a white line above and below your eyebrow! Blending is the key when applying concealer to "carve" and highlight your brows.

Here are some tips for doing your brows:

• Don't over tweeze. Overtweezing will cause you to lose your natural eyebrow shape and you will be more likely to draw your brows in and create a shape that looks unnatural and is not complementary.
• Avoid making boxy eyebrows. This is the eyebrow that looks very square and boxy. This is not a natural looking eyebrow.
• Use concealer to lightly blend into the inner most part of your eyebrow, especially if you use a darker eyebrow pencil. This makes a soft transition from your skin to the hair, in the innermost part of your brow rather than the harsh boxy inner brow look that looks like your eyebrow has been "stuck" on your face rather than hair that is a part of your face naturally.
• BLEND your concealer out! Concealer product applied under and above your brow for highlighting purposes should be well blended and seamlessly transition into your foundation. We should not see a line of demarcation between your concealer and the rest of your face.
• Use eyebrow pencil and powder that most closely matches your natural hair color, unless you are specifically going for an alternative look or want to lighten your brows.

Hopefully these tips gave you some valuable pointers on how your eyebrows can enhance (or detract from) your overall look.

Concealer: Taking Years Off Your Appearance

One of the most important makeup products you want to have in your beauty arsenal is concealer. It lightens and brightens areas of your face that are darker than others and it takes years off your appearance. I have had so many clients who were shocked at how different they looked with proper concealer application and how it enhanced their entire face. If you don't have a good concealer, you definitely want to get one.

When choosing a concealer, you want to use the same shade as your foundation, or a shade that is one shade lighter. For extremely dark discoloration, opt for a shade that is actually two levels lighter than your foundation. Going too light can cause you to look ashy and/or gray. You want to choose a concealer that has yellow undertones because it is the best choice for covering discolorations such as dark circles under the eyes, age spots, and redness. This is particularly true for ivory/beige skin. Deeper skin tones also do well with golden orange undertoned concealer or warm brown undertoned concealer.

People apply their concealer in different ways, but for me (and on my clients), I apply concealer after I apply foundation. I like to have the base of the foundation in place and build all other products up after that. So I apply foundation first and then I apply concealer using an airbrush concealer brush which allows me to buff and blend it into the skin for a natural look and seamless transition into the foundation. After applying concealer to areas that I want to highlight such as under the eyes, the bridge of the nose, the forehead, and the chin, I set the concealer with a yellow loose powder using a cosmetic wedge. I then knock excess powder off the skin using a brush, which leaves a clean even look.

As an artist who is constantly trying new products I have found several concealers that are excellent, in my opinion. They are:

• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (a long lasting, water resistant liquid concealer)
• MAC Studio Fix Concealer (a cream to powder formula that applies wonderfully)
• Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer (a liquid with complete, waterproof coverage)
• Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer (a creamy full-coverage formula that gives wonderful natural coverage)

Be sure to invest in a couple good concealer brushes such as an airbrush concealer brush and a flat concealer brush. Both enable smooth, flawless application of concealer products. Try some of the above mentioned products and watch your face transform!