Glad I could help this lovely lady cover that shiner....Ouch!

Someone had a little too much fun on their birthday!

When covering a bruise it is important to remember to color correct. Remember our handy color wheel?

My client's bruise was mostly a dark blue shade, in person at least. If you look at the color wheel the opposite of blue is orange. Therefore, in order to cancel out the blue we would have to apply an orange product onto the bruise then follow with concealer. I applied a sheer layer of Chilli Lipstick to counteract the blue. When I grabbed the bright burnt orange lipstick my client looked at my like I had 2 heads! I assured her that this was a KEY step in order to conceal her bruise. If you apply concealer on top of a bruise or tattoo without doing any sort of color correcting the end result will look grey and muddled.

After lightly applying the Chilli Lipstick all over her eye area I dusted on a small amount of powder. Lightly powdering after each step helps build layers without the product caking.

On top of the powder I used a sponge to apply Studio Finish Concealer. The sponge allowed me to apply a heavier layer of concealer. Again, I set this step with powder.

Luckily that was all we had to do. Sometimes it is necessary to repeat the concealer and powder a few more times. Do as many layers as needed, if the end result looks a little heavy or made up just spray a little Fix + and buff out the edges.

This technique can also be used to conceal birthmarks, tattoos, and scars.. 

I finally forced myself to wear some color! Hooray! I used several shades, which I am not used to doing. I like to keep things pretty minimal...But I am still really happy with how it turned out!

Products Used (All MAC):
Painterly Paint Pot
Coral Crepe Paint Pot (Limited edition)- Lid only 
Rule Eyeshadow- Lid
Magenta Madness Pigment - Crease
Grape Pigment/Contrast Eyeshadow - Outer V
Just Eyeshadow - Inner corner 
Freshwater Eyeshadow- Lower liner
Vanilla Eyeshadow - Highlight
Blacktrack Fluidline, Haute & Naughty Mascara, #3 Lashes...

I know that's a lot! But work with what you already have and try to add your own spin to it! Good luck :)

Hey guys! Here is a lighter version of a smokey eye. It's still dramatic, but not super dark. I used minimal products, so it will be easier to replicate! :)

1. Prep the entire eye area, I use MAC Painterly Paint Pot. This will keep your shadow from creasing, your liner from smudging, and your shadow from fading. A good primer is KEY, and I will probably mention this in every eye tutorial! (Side note: Please excuse my nails! They will be getting filled in soon!)

2. Apply a dark base to the lid area. Most people skip this step, but I find it necessary. When working with dark shades many times people notice the color will go on sheer and not as pigmented. I always find that when I skip this step you can see my skin showing through the shadow. Applying a dark base ensures the color will be more saturated and intense. For this step I used Little Black Bow fluidline from MAC's Glamour Daze holiday collection. It's actually a gel eyeliner, but I really like it as a shadow! If you can't get your hands on that you could use any grey eye pencil..

3. With a blending brush, like the 224, blend the fluidline up towards the crease. Make sure you cant seen any harsh lines.

4. With a pencil brush apply a black shadow just along the lashline and blend upwards.

5. Highlight under the brow and on the inner corners of the eyes. My go to color is Vanilla. A lot of people also like Brule, Mylar, Bisque...I prefer a matte shade on the brow.

6. Line the upper and lower water line and SMUDGE! Don't be afraid of it being a little messy. Smokey isn't meant to be clean!

7. Line the top lashline and smude out with a 214 brush.

8. Finish with mascara!

It's getting to be that time in our lives when we need to shed the college girl look and grow into a more mature style. Transitioning from sweat pants and last nights smeared eyeliner to business attire and lipstick can be quite the adjustment, but at some point we all must do it! A girlfriend of mine contacted me this evening asking advice on how to look more mature for her upcoming job interview. This really got me thinking! As young women entering the workforce we face a significant struggle when we want to be taken seriously and seen as educated professionals. The challenge becomes even harder when we are cursed, and at the same time blessed, with a juvenile appearance. As a young twenty something, I can share the frustration of many young women fresh out of college. Being qualified for a position and being turned down simply because of a young and inexperienced appearance can be very frustrating!  Here are a few tips to help you prepare for that upcoming interview at a "Big girl" job!

1. Do your eyebrows! Keeping your brows groomed and filled in will add an instant lift and structure to your face. If you are blonde choose a shade darker than your hair, and if your hair is dark be sure to chose a shade lighter than your hair! You'd be surprised how something so simple can make such a difference!

2. Wear foundation. Yes, even if you have good skin! Whether its a tinted moisturizer or full coverage, foundation will help even out and brighten your skin. I would suggest going to your local makeup counter and having one of the artists match you up to the proper foundation. Don't be afraid of that "cakey" look! If you are matched to the right kind you wont be cakey! Remember- the key to having good looking foundation is to use proper skin care!

3. Wear a lipstick with some color! Berry and rose tones tend to look good on most people. Stay away from pastels and nudes which tend to look young and trendy. Look for more classic timeless shades that aren't too dark or bright for the office. I love Viva Glam 6 from MAC with Half Red or Whirl lipliner- looks great on almost everyone! For darker skinned girls try Sheer Plum lipstick with Plum, Cork, or Chestnut liner.


A few more helpful tips...
*Use mostly matte shades. A subtle shimmer on the eyes is alright, but try to avoid using more than one shimmery shades. Also, use a matte blush or bonzer.
*Stay away from pastel or bright blush, go with a more neutral shade. Some good colors include Tenderling, Blushbaby, Coppertone, and Raizin, to name a few..
*Leave your dark smudgy eyeliner behind! Smears and smudges always scream "Party girl" to me. Save that great eye kohl for the weekend.
*Less is more! Don't let your makeup draw attention away from your qualifications!


Good luck! :) 

I rarely wear bold, bright, colors on my eyes, so today Bonnie sat me down and we played with color!

Not the best "after" photo, and please excuse my overly done brow. I filled it in for a photo for my previous post.
She used Gorgeous Gold, Electric Eel, Stars N' Rockets, Contrast, and a purple liquid liner...

THANKS BONNIE!

I have decided that for the next week I am NOT ALLOWED to touch any of my "Neutral" Palettes. I am going to challenge myself to work with more color and less neutrals...I don't know how long that'll last!

Everywhere I turn I see some hot mess brows! Ladies, let's all work together to fix this eyebrow epidemic! As a makeup artist, and I'm sure many other MUAs can attest to this, we love a good brow. The problem lies here- what is a good brow for YOUR face? Not everyone can rock a strong sculpted brow, and not everyone looks great with a thin arched brow. Let's start with figuring out which brow shape is right for you...

     I'm sure we've all seen some sort of variation of the above image. This is a great guideline for shaping the brow and customizing the shape to fit your face. I won't delve too deep into plucking/waxing, but I will share my number one piece of advice: follow the natural shape of your brow! It's a simple tip that is quickly overlooked. Once you have a wax, or go for threading, pluck only the small hairs that grow back over time. Leave the longer hairs alone. Over plucking can leave you looking sad, angry, concerned, and on more mature women it will add age. Keep in mind that a fuller brow is more youthful, however it can also be very masculine on some face shapes. I would suggest going to a professional and having them shape your brows to suit your features.

     Once your brows are groomed they are ready to be filled in! If you are blessed with a beautiful full brow, you can skip this all together! However, a majority of us could use a little brow enhancement.
     I prefer a sculpted brow, but one that is on the more natural side. I only fill in portions of the brow that need filling. Personally, I find that if the brow is completely filled in it can overwhelm the face and give a "tattooed" effect....

Yep, that's me a few years ago. Why anyone let me out of the house like that is beyond me. Clearly I don't have any loyal friends! This is a prime example of what NOT to do!

Moving on....
Here is my updated brow routine in a nutshell:

1. Comb the hair in the direction that it grows. For most people, including myself, the hair will grow up and out.
2. With a pencil or shadow, whatever your preference, draw a line along the bottom of the brow. I prefer to start in the center and work my way out. This helps avoid an "overdone" look. I use both Fling pencil and Omega eyeshadow from MAC.
3. Take an angled brow brush, like the 266 or 208 from MAC and move the brush through the brow to blend the pencil or shadow. This will move the product throughout the remainder of the brow without having to add more, leaving a more natural look. Combing through the hair also helps blend everything together.
4. With a concealer brush, like the 195, and a concealer of choice, I prefer Prolongwear Concealer in NC15, trace along the perimeter of the brow. There is really no trick to this. Simply follow around the edges of the brow with your concealer to "carve" out the shape. This gives a precise, crisp, line..If you like a super natural effect I would suggest skipping this step.  Try to choose a concealer no more than 2 shades lighter than your skin.

I will leave you with a photo I stumbled across this evening...This truly goes to show how the shape of your eyebrows can completely change the shape of your entire face! 

All of my Youtube addicts out there need to go follow GossMakeupArtist right now! He is truly an amazing makeup artist, and one of the few beauty gurus on Youtube that really knows his stuff! I have been following this man since day one!

I was skimming through his videos this evening and came across this one. I can't tell you how many times a day I get asked the question, "Why doesn't my makeup last?"

Here, my friends, is your answer...

     Ok Y'all! Here's my first go at a Pictorial! I used the Jungle Camouflage palette from the Corrine Roitfeld collection, you may still be able to find it at your local MAC counter, or you can find it on the MAC website under "Face Kits." This is an AMAZING product. It has all of the necessary colors to create everything from a natural eye to a very dramatic smokey eye. Under the eyeshadows lies a creme bronzer that can be used to contour or as a bronzer/blush. Definitely a new favorite of mine, and it has a great price point of $44!

Step by step:
1. Prime entire eye. I used MAC Painterly Paint Pot. You can use a concealer brush, I prefer my finger. This step is a MUST! Skipping out on primer can cause your eyeshadow and liner to crease and fade!
2. Using a shadow brush, like the 239 from MAC, pack on the lightest shade all over the lid. The trick here is to press or tap the shadow on to the lid rather than use a sweeping motion.
3. Using the lightest brown shade and a 224 brush I swept the shadow across my crease. If you don't know where that is, or you don't have a crease, follow the shape of your eye socket.
4. Take the dark brown shade and a stiff pencil brush, I used #219, and pack the shadow on the outside corner of the eye, also known as the "Outer V." Don't worry about blending yet, just apply the shadow until it is as dark as you want it.
5. NOW BLEND! I prefer a 217 brush. Focus on blending just the dark brown shade. If you run the brush across your entire eye it will muddle all the colors together and it will all look like one color. I like to just work in small circles over the area that needs blending.
6. Highlight under the brow with the lightest shade.
7,8,9. Liner: I used Blacktrack Fluildline and a 210 brush. First I lined my eyelid straight across. Once I had a good line I created a wing on the outer corner. I lined my waterline with Fascinating Kohl from MAC. White eyeliner is great for making the eyes look bigger, well rested, and to reduce redness.
10. Finish with mascara! I chose Zoom Fast Black Lash.


Let me know how it works out for you!

     I'm a bit behind with this announcement, but I am so proud to tell everyone that I have landed my first published job! The images can be seen in January's issue of Ellements Magazine!
The photographer, Reece, can be found on Facebook under the name "Indie Reece Fotografi" and I must credit the beautiful model, Mary Reschar
     Here are a few sneak peek images as well as a few extras we shot for everyone's port....