Rock On!

 

This marketing guru is ga ga for the Goo Goo Dolls and wanted a rock star makeover for their debut in good ol' Manchvegas! She asked for green, dramatic, & glam: and this was the result. Very green and very glam. This feirce look is fabulous and wildly fun. We put on the greenest greens and the biggest lashes I could find! So what was the magic concoction to create this look you ask?

First we started with my favorite primer, Porefessional from Benefit. We toped it with Lock It Tattoo foundation from Kat Von D, and set it with MACs beauty powder from the Marilyn Monroe collection (not pictured.) We sculpted her face with Lancome's natural glow bronzer. Highlighted with Nars- Albatross and pinched her cheeks with Mauve blush from NYX.

Next we did the eyes! For her brows I used my trusty Lancome Le Crayon Poudre inTaupe (matches most eyebrows) I used NYX eyelid primer and covered the whole lid in NYX Matte Nude eye shadow. I used a limited edition (no longer in stores) Kat Von D pallet for my green scheme-Luckily to achieve this look you can use similar colors. She does sell one of the colors that I used in the pallet (to wing out the shadow and also used as a liner) separate. It is called Shade Shifter Eyeshadow- On the Road. It shifts from a brown to a shiny dark greenish color. I use this color in a lot of dramatic looks. building inward from the dark brown/green and layering slightly I moved on to a brighter green: pictured is Graffiti by Urban Decay- this shade is very similar to the Kat Von D one I used in the look and it has little green sparkles. Moving closer to the inner corner of the lid, I lightly used a bright lime green. I blended all three together with my shadow blending brush leaving the inner corner with nude shadow only.

Next step: I applied glue to the lashes! I used DUO Adhesive and I let them sit while I applied her liquid liner. The liner I used was Kat Von D- Trooper. Because the lash's glue was not tacky enough yet we moved on to mascara. I did one coat of Rimmel's Scadaleyes, checked the lashes again and they were ready. We carefully applied the big beautiful lashes and brushed Hypnose Star mascara by Lancome from her natural lash to her false lash to really make them stay put. Applying mascara to your lashes against the false lashes helps them not to separate.

On her lips we invented a color. First we lined them with NYX lipliner in Natural. We mixed NYX Extra Creamy Round lipstick in a mauve pink color with Lancome Color Design in Natural Beauty. Topped the lips with MAC's Boy Bait Cream Sheen and we were done.

To make sure her makeup did not move while she grooved we used Urban Decay's All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray.

 

Wow yourself- try something bold! XO

Here Comes the Bride...

This weekend I had the pleasure of doing a bridal trial with the future Mrs. DeLuca. This bride to be shines inside and out! I love meeting new people and hearing their stories.

Melissa is one of the nicest women I have ever met. She is a wonderful Mother and I just know she will make a fabulous wife!

 

I was also lucky enough to have a miniature size assistant! It was nice having extra (tiny) hands to make sure our bride to be was perfect! Thank you Adrianna, you're hired!

Congratulations, Melissa! I am thrilled to work with you and very excited for your wedding day, you will be a beautiful Bride!

Pinup Makeup

Red lips and bold brows are timeless & look great on everyone. Especially this beauty! 

So Fresh & So Clean!

Cleaning your makeup brushes will ensure two things: that they will last longer, and that they will keep your face cleaner. Well maintained makeup brushes can last up to 2 years, depending on the quality of the brushes. Cleaning them regularly will keep the bristles fresh and prevent them from drying out, caking together, or just plain falling apart.

Pictured above are my go to cleaning products:
First in line is my MAC Brush Cleanser- I use the brush cleaner primarily for spot cleaning. I keep my MAC brush cleanser with me in my kit because it is great for cleaning product off brushes in between color changes. What I do is soak the bristles with the cleanser and rub back and forth on a paper towel until there is no more makeup coming off of the bristles. Basically you swipe until it's clear.

When I want to deep clean my brushes (which normally is once I get home after a full day of doing makeup, so that my brushes are clean for my next event) I give my brushes a bubble bath!
I saw on Pinterest that using baby shampoo will clean your bristles thoroughly and leave your brushes nice and soft. They were right!
Baby shampoo washes out all of the makeup grime without haveing to use a harsh cleanser.

I used to soak my brushes when I got home with 1 part brush cleanser to 3 parts warm water, but baby shampoo is just as effective and less than half the cost!

What you want to do is you squirt a small amount of baby shampoo into a glass bowl (or whatever you decide to soak your brushes in) and fill it with warm water. You then one by one swirl your brushes in the bowl and massage the bristles and let soak for a good 5-10 minutes. Massage the bristles once more, make sure there is no more soap on-or-in them, reshape, and place on a towel in a row to let dry overnight. My brush babies love their bubble baths!

The last item pictured above is rubbing alcohol! I use rubbing alcohol to clean all my lipsticks, you can pour some onto a tissue and swipe your lipsticks & pencils or pour it into a spray bottle and spray directly onto the product you want to sanitize. I also use rubbing alcohol to wipe down all my containers and the inside of my kit. I even use it to dab my liquid liner pens with. I am a HUGE germaphobe and I prefer to be safe than sorry.

Smokin'

 

It’s been forever since I have done a smokey eye on myself. Using browns I took more of a babystep approach. Normally when someone asks me how to do a smokey eye this is the look I start with, unless they ask for a dramatic smokey eye, only then will I whip out the black shadows!

For this complete look I used:

Kat Von D Lock It foundation

Kat Von D Everlasting Blush in Bellisima – which is a peachy pink

Nars-Albatross as a highlighter

Sonia Kashuk Illuminating bronzer in Godess (Very similar to MAC’s Gold Deposit Mineral Bronzer)

Makeup Forever- Aqua Brow on my eyebrows

On my eyes I used my Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint:

Lid-Sunny (pearlized gold)

Inner and outer corner of lid- Bookworm (pearlized brown)

Brow Bone- Heavens (pearlized vanilla)

I also dusted my upper and lower lash line with Caravaggio (dark matte brown)



Using these colors (exact or similar) will create a smokey eye. This take on the smokey eye is dramatic enough to make eyes pop-but it isn’t too over the top for an office setting-or-bridal look. This works great for brides that want more of a glamorous look than natural and it also photographs really well, which is a bridal bonus!

Eyelash Mystery

I get a ton of questions about false eyelashes. There seems to be 2 common problems, "I can't get them to stick on," and "The corners always lift!" Well, ladies I am here to save your day!

False eyelashes are the finishing touch to any look whether its sweet and flirty or bold and dramatic. It even adds that extra "oomph" to the natural look.

Eyelashes come in all shapes & sizes for your personal preference. My favorites are demi wispies, sometimes I will even layer them for double the drama.

There are 3 things that I feel are important when applying lashes:

1) The adhesive: I never use the adhesive the lashes often come with. I swear by DUO Eyelash adhesive. My favorite is the "Dark Tone" one. The label is red/magenta. I normally use liquid liner on my upper lash line and I just feel this one works better for me. I dries almost black. For most of my clients I will use the traditional blue tube. It dries clear & it is waterproof.

2) Measurement: Did you measure the lash up to your normal lash line? I personally have small eyes. Most eyelash strips are too long for me. If I glued the lashes straight out of the package to my lid, they would most certainly lift. I clip a little from the corner and there is no lifting at all! It's like magic! Make sure you measure your lashes before you apply the adhesive and get upset that your corners are lifting.

3) Finally and most importantly: Be patient!!! Please apply a thin strip of your DUO lash adhesive and then WAIT. Put the lashes down and please do something else for at least 30 seconds. The adhesive will then be tacky and MUCH easier to apply. Line up your inner corner first and smooth the lashes down to the outer corner and hold the lashes against your lash line for another 10 seconds.

I hope these tips and tricks helped! Good luck! XO

Top 10 Beautifiers

You wouldn't believe how difficult it was to narrow it down to 10 ultimate favorites of all time! Hardest thing ever! So decided to pick what would send me into melt down mode if they ever got discontinued. Shall we begin?

In no particular order:

1) The POREfessional from Benefit- holy guacamole & hello flawless complexion! I use it as my primer.

2) Urban Decay's all All Nighter Setting Spray- They are not kidding with the all nighter phrase. I am ashamed to admit I am a face toucher. I cant keep my hands away from my face. This is no bueno for makeup. My makeup does not last (on my own face) unless I set it!

3) Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation- Best foundation I have EVER used!! Lasts all day and covers perfectly. I like to say the finish is matte but not flat!

4) Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint- Seriously best of the best eyeshadow palettes I have ever purchased. Highly pigmented!

5) Lancome Effacernes Waterproof Concealer- Covers & doesn't cake.

6) NARS Highlighting Blush Powder in Albatross- AKA Kim Kardashians secret weapon. We see you baby!

7) MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Gold Deposit- My beloved. It gives you a nice tropical tan/glow.

8) Ok there was no way to pick only 1 lip. (from left to right)

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Love (can you tell I love Kat Von D product?) in Backstage Bambi- Intense color that stays!
MAC Lipglass in Double Happiness- Favorite nude gloss
Lancome Rouge Inlove #174- Best red lip...ever.

9) Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara- I prefer waterproof. This mascara gives you va-va-voom volume.

10) Benefit Cosmetics Highbow Glow- Use it under your brow, use it on your cupids bow, use it on your lower lid, use it on your upperlid.... So many uses! It's like a magic wand!

And lastly my beloved numberless demi wispies. I could never go with out my beautiful demi wispies. No one should....

 

Beautiful

I'm fortunate to play makeover for a job. I love it!

With makeup we can take a beautiful girl and kick it up a notch... We make the beauties glamorous! And exquisite! You know what else? Makeup can make us feel beautiful, and THAT is my absolute favorite part: the confidence it brings out! 

First Post!!

Hi guys! Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope that you enjoy my reviews, makeovers, tips & tricks! I will try my best to post regular updates! For requests, questions or advice please feel free to send me an email