Golden Eyes

What woman doesn't love gold? It's rich, beautiful, sparkly and looks great on everyone. What better way to wear gold then on your eyes! Think about it...it's the perfect way to captivate attention when you have eyes that sparkle, and here are the easy steps to accomplish the look. You will need gold and dark brown shadow, gold eye pencil and black mascara. 

1. Prep your lids with foundation to help keep the shadow in place, and then apply a gold shimmer shadow on to your upper lid.

2. Next use a gold eye pencil to rim your inner lash line (not below your lashes).

3. Now apply a dark brown shade on the crease of your lids, with a little more shadow placed towards the outter edge as in the photo.

4. lastly, drag the same brown shadow below your lower lash line to complete this smokey look. Apply black mascara, brush off any loose shadow "crumbs" from around your eyes and face that may have fallen, apply a nude lipstick (matte, not shiny gloss) and.....

Ta-Da!

Super sexy look that will compliment any eye, skin, hair color. What I love most about smokey eyes is as the night goes on, the look evolves, and gets sexier and smokier.

What Are Eyelash Extensions?

Ever have eyelash envy? It's when you see someone with long, full, curled lashes and wonder why you were jipped in that beauty department. Most of us have experienced "eyelash envy", so mascara is the ritual makeup tool we need to use to create those full and lush lashes we dream of, only to wash them away when we cleanse our faces. Sad but true, we need mascara everyday to give the illusion of long and full lashes....until now that is.

Thanks to a fairly new method created a few years ago, eyelash extensions can give you those captivating eyes, morning, noon and night without the need for mascara. The process consists of a trained and certified technician who applies the lashes one by one to your natural lashes with a special glue that bonds them together, creating a water-proof seal. The results are unbelievable, beautiful lashes that can last up to 2 months with proper care.

So what's the difference with eyelash extensions and false eyelashes? Simple; one is temporary, not lasting more than 24 hours and can look fake. While the other is semi-permanent, lasting 4-8 weeks that look amazing and 100% natural. They fall off through the regular growth cycle of your natural lashes without harming them. It's a safe way to get those eyes that capture attention. After all, they say the eyes are the windows to the soul....so why not have a gorgeous frame around those windows?

For more information, visit my website for greater details.

What to Look for in a Makeup Artist

Training aside, there are many factors to consider when picking a makeup artist to do your makeup for an event:

• Experience
• Portfolio
• Addressing your questions/concerns
• Products they use
• Makeup style
• Professionalism

Notice I didn't mention price? Price alone is not a factor and should never be the deal maker or breaker for you. Consider everything before you decide because you get what you pay for. Most women find their makeup artists through a referral or an online web search. Since most makeup artists nowadays will have a website displaying their work, you can get a sense of their artistic style right from the start, which is your first step in finding the one who will be right for you and your needs.

Take your time to go through their portfolio work and see the artistic range they're capable of. If there are hardly any photos, or poor quality images, that should be a red flag for you to move on because professional makeup artists will only show their work in the best way possible, so anything that looks cheap is a bad sign. Also if you see "fake" looking stock photos of editorial pictures, you may have found someone who is claiming someone elses work as their own to dupe you into thinking they are talented, and obviously not someone you want.

If you happen to meet your makeup artist in person (no website), how did they look? Was their makeup done nicely/creatively or in a manner you like? Did they look professional or sloppy? Did they show you their portfolio? Seeing photos is important to know that your makeup will look great in person and in pictures, so don't be shy and ask to see their work. In the event their own makeup is done with too much flare for your taste, don't rule them out yet until you've see their portfolio because their artistic range may surprise you.

Do you have any skin concerns you need to address? Cosmetic allergies? Do you know what you want and don't want? Do you have any picture examples of the look you like? Is there a question about the products they use? When you contact a makeup artist, ask them anything you need to know to help make your decision. A professionally trained makeup artist will know the art and science of makeup because it is a skill learned and perfected over time. They will know the proper application for the lighting, time of day, purpose and event the makeup is for to create the right look for you.

Familiarize yourself with the artists work and take into consideration the look you want for your special event to see if they have the ability to create that for you. Your rapport with them is important too because you want to be able to communicate clearly and get what you want. In summary, their work should speak for itself if you have no questions for them. If you like what you see, book 'em!

Make it "Pop" with Turquoise Eyes

If you haven't already noticed, the holidays are here, which means lots of parties to attend. One sure-fire way to dress up your holiday ensemble is with the right makeup look. Even a simple LBD (little black dress) can have the "wow" factor when your makeup is smokin' hot, so here is an easy lesson on how to achieve it.

1. Apply a light turquoise shadow to your upper lid.


2. Outline the lower eye with the same shade.


3. Put a darker blue shade accent on the eyelid crease and around the outter corners of eyes (follow photo for precise application place).


4. Apply black eyeliner to the inner top and inner bottom lid and finish off with black mascara.


Brush off any residue flakes that have fallen on your face to clean up the area, apply a pale/nude colored lipstick, very light blush and you're done. Enjoy the party!

Honeysuckle: THE Color for 2011...what do you think?

I love fashion forecasts! The whole point of Fashion Week worldwide is to set the tone for the following season and it starts the trends. Last years "IT" color was turquoise, and this year it's honeysuckle (almost like a peach/salmon/berry color). Click here to read full article on Pantone's color choice.

I personally love this color and how it can warm skin tones. Makeup will be easy to compliment this color because it will be a flattering shade for all. Warm bronzers, coral or berry lipsticks and vibrant eyes will all work. What do you think of the color for 2011?

Ready for a Make-over?

Ever wonder what a new lipstick color or complete makeup make-over would do for you? Ever wanted to try a new look but didn't want to invest in the product or color first in case you didn't like it? Well now you can see a realistic virtual make-over of yourself thanks to www.taaz.com. 

Just upload a close up photo of your face, follow the easy to use tools and create a new makeup look in seconds! The precision application is awesome with a realistic side-by-side view of your new look. See my fun before & after photo with a darker look.

The best part about taaz is that the colors you pick to apply are actual products that you can buy (online or retail), so if you wondered what fuchsia lipstick, peach blush, blue eyeshadow and a black cat-eye liner would look like on you, now's your chance to try it on. Did I mention it's free? Did I also mention you can even try on different hair styles, sunglasses, colored contacts, brow shapes and other fun things?

This is a super fun and affordable way to try all those makeup products and looks without any investment, so go wild. Who knows, you might find a new look for yourself you may not have ever considered had you not seen it for your own eyes, so have fun.

Good Gracious!

Nothing makes me cringe more than bad makeup. What's considered bad? It's when you see a woman made up and you do a double-take because you can't believe she walked out of her house that way thinking it looked good. Granted I do accept that artistic creativity can sometimes play a role in wanting to "stand out" from the crowd, but if your makeup is so distracting that people are giggling or whipping out their camera phones to take a picture, see that as a sign to tone it down!

I was standing in line at Starbucks this morning to get my hot chocolate with a pump of peppermint syrup and among the the usual crowd there was a "which-one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-others" standing two people in front of me. She casually turned around and glanced my way and I was a deer in headlights. Her makeup was atrocious and I am being kind when I say that. I looked around to see if there were hidden cameras to capture peoples reactions because it was THAT bad. Her clothes were completely normal, but her makeup looked like she lost a bet, did it in the dark, while color blind and without a mirror.

Without the given opportunity to disperse my makeup advice (by being asked!), I kept my glossed lips zipped and waited patiently for my hot chocolate while positioning myself to get a better look. Good gracious she needed my help! I tried to think of an opening to start a conversation with her while we waited on or orders, so I found something I could compliment her on, her attache case, and jumped in hoping she'd take the bait:

Me: "Morning. What a great bag, is it calf-skin?"

Woman: "Good Morning. It's actually treated leather"

Darn....that didn't work. What was I thinking, I need to talk about makeup!

Me: "This weather is so unpredictable. I'm wearing chapstick under my gloss so my lips don't dry out" (hey don't laugh, I only had a moment to engage her!)

Woman: "Oh I know what you mean. My skin and hair get so dry in the winter".

Double darn, that didn't work! Usually I find an opening to exchange beauty tips or advice with women in any situation. I know it might sound weird but it happens all the time. She got her order, wished me a good day and walked away. I looked at my watch to remember the time and felt it was now my obligation to hopefully run into her again and at the same time tomorrow to try and pick up where we left off. I can't let an otherwise attractive woman with no makeup sense continue to walk around looking like a clown's "before" photo.

I promise you if I could have taken a photo of her to post I would have, so in the matter of photo-shop fun, here is my rendition of what the woman looked like.

See what bad makeup on an otherwise pretty face can do???