A Beautiful Indian Princess...(Bridal Makeup Tips!)

Today I did makeup for an Indian bride. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the festivities that precede an Indian wedding, here's a quick lesson. The week before a Hindu wedding takes place is filled with other ceremonies, each surrounded with a special meaning. Today was my bride's Henna or Mehndi (as we call it in India), ceremony. 

Not only was her outfit beautiful, but she was the sweetest, friendliest, and excited bride. Those are my favorite! Weddings make me giddy as I envision what my own special day will be like. There is so much love in the air as the bride gets ready to wed. 

My bride wanted her makeup to match her outfit perfectly, so she chose pink and silver as those were the 2 colors on her outfit. After talking about it some more, we decided to do gold and pink instead, and we were both very happy with the results! MUA TIP: Each bride will have a specific look in mind- but remember, you are the expert. If you do not think it will work, voice that opinion instead of doing what she has in mind and then having her be unhappy. As a normal consumer, most brides do not know much about makeup, or what will look good on camera and accentuate her outfit. It is your job to make her look good, so sometimes you need to help guide her to the right decision. And in the end, I guarantee both of you will be happy!

Here she is casually dressed in sweats and a hoodie, with just her eyes done. Still so pretty! Hair is in the works at this point as well..

Most of my brides choose to go with airbrush foundation, and I personally think this is the better choice. I applied 2 layers of Dinair airbrush makeup, some light pink blush NOT on the apples of her cheeks, rather, towards the hairline, and a lot of highlight. MUA TIP: if you choose a blush shade that is similar in tone to the eyeshadow, do not apply the blush to the apples of the cheek. Doing so creates too much of a symmetrical makeup look, and the client will look extremely monochromatic. It is okay to use blush, eyeshadow, and lipsticks from the same color family, but product placement is then very important. Creating a bit of asymmetry through the cheeks lightens up the look.

Here is a quick face shot I took. Sorry for the terrible lighting! I know you can't tell but the eyeshadow was actually a mixture of a bright and dark pink, to create a mid toned shade of pink.

We ended with some pale pink lipstick, and added a plum lip liner to darken the lips a bit and create a shaded affect. We added some doll like lashes, and my bride was ready to go!

Modern, Fun, Holiday Eyes: A Little Twist on the Normal Gold/Bronze Holiday Looks!

I am so excited to share this fun holiday look with all of you! I think its pretty, soft, yet a little more contemporary than the run-of-the-mill looks that most people wear for holiday parties. Below is a list of all the products I used to create this look.

PRODUCTS USED

EYES:

- Urban Decay Primer Potion

- Toasted e/s Urban Decay Naked Palette

- Sidecar e/s " "

- Contrast e/s MAC

- Soft Force e/s MAC

- Sable e/s MAC

- Arena e/s MAC

- Bronze e/s MAC

- Penultimate eyeliner Rapidblack MAC

- Zero eyeliner Urban Decay

- NYX glitter eyeliner- Disco Queen 02

- Reflects Translucent Teal Pigment MAC

FACE:

- Pro Longwear Concealer NW 35 MAC

- Nars Sheer Glow Foundation Syracuse (for nose and cheeks)

- Makeup Forever HD Foundation 173 (for chin and forehead)

- Bushbaby Bush MAC

- Hush Cream Color Base MAC

- Blunt Blush used to contour MAC

LIPS:

- Lip Erase Dim MAC

- BBQ lipliner MAC

- Nouba lipstick NARS

Big Blog Sale!

Going through my makeup kit I found tons of stuff that is barely or NOT used at all. I thought it would be a great idea to sell it at as a fraction of the normal prices for all of you! All prices INCLUDE shipping and handling! Minimum purchase of $15, please. Below is all the info you need to know

DETAILS:

1) Some of the products have been swatched, used 1-2 times, or are un used. 

2) All products will be sanitized to perfection before sending (be aware that many many makeup websites sell used makeup as well, and are hugely popular!)

3) If you are interested in purchasing, please comment in the box below this post with your name, and paypal address. I will send you an invoice then, via paypal. You must reply within 24 hours of my invoice being sent, if you do not, the item will go back on the sale.

4) Once an item is sold, I will edit this post to ensure that all of you know it is sold. 

5) All prices of the items have been reduced severely since I cannot provide original packaging.

6) I can ship overseas as well, but I will not be held responsible if the item does not reach in perfect condition after travel

7) After you pay, I will mail out the products to you within 2 business days, and will email you to let you know it has been sent.

PRODUCTS

POP Brown Eyes Eyeshadow Palette (black eyeshadow swatched once, none of the other colors touched) - $24

[SOLD] MAC Paintpot (used 4-5 times) - Soft Ochre $9

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer (used once)- Green $26

Lorac Perfect Tint Tinted Moisturizer (used once)- Tahitian Tan  $24

Benefit Benetint Lip Stain (used 3-4 times)- Pocketpal  $12

[SOLD] MAC Paintpot (swatched 1-3 times)- Blackground $9

Clinique Shimmering Tones Powder (used 3 times)- Blushing Bronze $21

MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder (used once, small crack)- NW 35 $15

[SOLD] MAC Bronzing Powder (used once) - Refined Golden $17

Beauty and Fashion Questions Answered!

Hi Lovelies,

I thought this would be a great forum for me to answer some of the beauty and fashion questions you guys ask me via YT and my blog. Remember, makeup is an art, and therefore there are NO rules. I might answer a question the way I think appropriate, but there are probably many more ways to do the same thing as you asked =)

BEAUTY QUESTIONS:

1) Q: What is a good non-sticky lip gloss that I can buy?

    A: Try out Cargo's Purse Gloss. They are the MOST non-sticky lipglosses I have ever used. However,   due to the fact that they are not sticky, they do not stay on as well as a stickier formula would.

2) Q: What is your favorite drugstore mascara?

    A: I love Lash Stiletto by Maybelline, and Lashblast by Covergirl

3) Q: What is a great dewy foundation?

    A: My favorite is Nars Sheer Glow, as it covers well, and gives a beautiful radiant glow. 

4) Q: Best foundation for oily skin?

    A: Hands down, the Makeup Forever Matte Velvet Plus!

5) Q: To counteract dark circles, should I go for a yellow or pinkish concealer?

    A: I have found, as a makeup artist, that pink toned concealers work better for for under eye circles, regardless of what color circles you have.

Keep your questions coming, and if I think it will be helpful to others as well, I will post it here in addition to answering you privately!

Neutral and Messy Cat Eye Tutorial

A smokey eye is always sexy, but to make it more dramatic, use neutral browns and beiges in the center of your eye. This makes the crease pop, and takes your look up one more notch! Here are some pictures I used as inspiration. The products I used are included at the bottom of this article.

Mila Kunis:

Pamela Anderson:

Rihanna:

And the beautiful Jennifer Love Hewitt:

Products Used:

EYES

- UDPP Original

- Bamboo e/s MAC

- Gunmetal e/s Urban Decay Naked Palette

- Creep e/s Urban Decay Naked Palette

- Ricepaper e/s MAC 

- Zero eyeliner Urban Decay

- Saddle e/s MAC

- Espresso e/s MAC

- Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara

FACE

- Mac prep and prime skin visage spf 50

- Nars sheer glow foundation in Syracuse

- MAC mineralize skinfinish in medium dark

- Lovejoy blush NARS

- Hush cream color base MAC

- Blunt blush MAC

LIPS

- bbq lip liner mac

- heather buff lipstick mac

Try out this look and let me know what you think!

How to Work With Event Planners: Makeup Artist Know How!

As a makeup artist you will quickly see that whether you want to or not, you will have to work with event planners. A bride will come to you for a consultation/trial, and from there on, you will hear from her event planner. Also, if you are having a hard time getting business (especially if you are new!) call a few event planning companies around town to see if they need makeup artists. Most event planners will be overjoyed that you called and will ask you to provide them with a few pictures of your work, as well your website url. Working with event planners tends to be lucrative, as they have a network of brides that you might not be able to get yourself. HOWEVER...below are a few things that you should make sure to do!

1) Upon first starting to work with a new planner, make sure you go over all of your prices. For example...

- bridal makeup (airbrush and regular if you have different pricing for the two)

- bridesmaid/bridal party member

- stage makeup

- all other types of makeup (regular party makeup etc)

- travel rates

- day rates

2) Ask for a contract for EACH wedding (or any other) event you are going to do for her. All professional event planners will send you one as SOON as she books you, but in the case that she does not, make sure to ask her.

3) Make sure to send out an invoice (to the planner) for each wedding that you do for her. This is your way of making sure that you know the total since you made it. Ask her if there are any problems. At this point, if she has said nothing, you should be getting a check for the total amount YOU have written in the invoice. Make sure to include travel costs in the invoice as well.

4) As her if she mails a check out, or will give it to you at the event. In the event that she says she will mail it to you, ask her if she abides by the 14 day rule. Most businesses mail out a check within 14 days of the event taking place.

5) Ask if she needs gas receipts or any other travel receipts. Therefore you can make sure you save them so that you're not searching for them later.

6) Ask if she will need the travel receipts in order to reimburse you. Make sure to follow up on this, as many event planners get off easy in this department. You will forget as time goes on, and no check for your travel costs will come. I have had this happen to me, so be very careful to follow up!

7) Ask the event planner if cost of food is taken care of. This usually is the case, and while working on the bridal party, you can order food to the hotel room. If you are working at a home, the event planner is supposed to arrange food and drink for you after you are done with your task.

I know that I have written a lot about ''ask.." but that is because you should know BEFORE getting into a business transaction with the event planner what you are in for. She will know you are a professional as well, and will not take it the wrong way.

What should you look out for in terms of the DAY OF? Here are just a few things...

1) As a makeup artist, make sure you wear ALL BLACK or whatever attire the event planner requires of you (so make sure to ask!).

2) Be on TIME. Though most bridal parties are never on time, it is a lot worse when you do not show up on time and they are ready!

3) Make sure you have eaten, have a few bottles of water on you, and are ready to go! You don't want to get the growlies while working!

4) Take a few breath mints before starting work. You are working so close to someone's face that bad breath is not an option!

5) Have lots of energy, and smile! A wedding is a huge day for a bride, and a lot of the time, hair and makeup artists serve as therapists. You will hear all about her life, how she met her dream man, how much she hates her mother in law, so on and so forth! Stay professional, and do not start bitching with her. Listen to her, console her, share in her happy day, but never cross the line.

2 Makeup and Makeup Orginization Websites I Would NEVER ORDER FROM AGAIN!

Online shopping has become such a great way to save gas money, time, and effort. It's so convenient to know that your products will be at your doorstep in just a few days! However, I have had terrible experiences with two online stores that I will NEVER shop from ever again, and I thought I should share my experience with you so that you don't go through the same thing. 

#1) www.sharodan.com 

- i ordered a lipstick case from this website that sells makeup organizational aids. I had heard about the lipstick box through Makeup Geek. I ordered this box in April, and did not recieve it until JUNE! Can you believe that!? Nobody from the company emailed or called me to let me know that it had not been sent and the order status on the website said "shipped." Since that was my order status, I eagerly awaited the arrival of this product for 2 weeks before calling the company. A customer service representative nonchalantly told me that the product had not been shipped because they were out of it, so it was being back ordered. I asked why they had not called to tell me that, and he had no response. Similarly, the next 6 weeks went by with me having to repeatedly call to find out what was going on with my order, only to hear that the product had not been shipped. I should have asked for my money back, but I did not. The customer service representative did not offer for this to happen, either. Instead I waited for my product, which, when it arrived, I could not believe how cheaply made it was, and that the inserts to hold lipsticks kept falling out! Nowhere on the description of the item did it state that the dividers were not permanent. Overall, I would not order anything from this website again.

#2) www.jennissemakeup.com

- A lot you probably are subscribed to jennissemakeup on youtube. I had heard about her cosmetic line called Glam Couture, and thought I'd order myself some blushes. I did so, and quickly got an email saying my order had been received, and I will receive the products soon. After a week and a half went by, I emailed the company asking how come I had not received any shipping confirmation. No response. After another 4 days, I sent another email asking where my products were. No response. Finally, after 2 and a half weeks, I opened a paypal dispute stating that I had paid and had not received any products. I also stated that at this point I did not care about the products and wanted my money back. Within ONE minute of sending the dispute, I got an email from Jennisse stating that my order had been canceled. I found it interesting that I did not receive any email previously from her, being that I had sent 2, but that she responded quickly to my paypal dispute. Even so, I have not been reimbursed. It has been almost a week since this order was canceled. On her website it clearly states that to get information about product offers, to email her through the provided email address. That is what I did TWICE, to no avail. I found her business to be highly unprofessional and will not be purchasing again. 

Hope this helps you, and that you do not get trapped into ordering from websites that do not care about their customers!

Product of the Week: Earth to Earth Mac Mineralize Blush

As all makeup lovers know, we buy a product, reach for it all the time for a week, then move on to a new product to obsess over before coming back to the original. I bought a mineralize duo blush by MAC from the Cosmetic Company Outlet about 2 months ago, and am loving the color on my cheeks! It is called Earth to Earth, and has the prettiest golden flecks to it. One side is more of a peachy bronze color, while the second side has purple and pink veins. When mixed together, the color ends up being a beautiful peachy pink that is versatile enough to be work with pink OR peach lipstick. Due to this, its a great every day staple product, as you don't have to worry about the color lipstick you end up using! Since it is mineralize, this means the color goes on with a subtle glow, making your skin look radiant and healthy. Sometimes I skip on the highlighter for my cheekbones because the blush gives me enough of a sheen! This product was launched by MAC in 2008, but I am just now discovering and loving it! Though it is not available at the MAC store now, you can find it at Cosmetic Company Outlets and various MAC wholesale websites.

This blush looks great on light to medium-dark skin, but does not show up too much on dark skin. It will show up as a subtle shine, but will not add color to darker skin. Give this a try and let me know what you think!

Here is the Mineralize blush right out of its original packaging:

Here is a swatch:

HUGE CONTEST FOR MY YT SUBBIES AND BLOG FOLLOWERS!!

I am so excited to be doing my first contest via youtube! Being a makeup guru has been such a rewarding and fun experience for me, and I couldn't have done it without all your loving words, kind thoughts, and continuing support! To show my appreciation, I want to give back as well. 

THEME:

All I'm asking for is for each contestant to create a video showcasing a unique, creative, and glamorous Holiday 2010 makeup look. You must be the model in the video, and you have the freedom to create any look you want! 

RULES:

- To enter the contest, you must be subscribed to my Youtube AND blog pages.

- You must be over 18, and if you are not, your parents must enter you or give consent for you to enter.

- The video must be submitted to me via personal message on youtube or through video response to my contest video. AKA the video I put up explaining to you about the contest.

- You must show yourself doing makeup, starting off with a clean, no makeup face, and ending with the final look

- Though the submission is in video format, the makeup look being showcased can be in picture form for those of you who do not want to shoot a video. This means you must take step by step pictures of you doing makeup and create a video with those pictures to submit.

- If you win, I will announce the winner through my blog and contact you via personal message on youtube. You will have 48 hours to contact me back, and if you do not, another winner will be chosen.

- The contest closes on January 15th, 2011.
- This contest is open to everyone, regardless of where you are located
- You can enter 3 different videos, but ONLY 3 guys, no more please!
- You must be following my blog and subscribed to my youtube page with the SAME name, otherwise I wont be able to verify it and you will be disqualified!

I am SOO excited to do this contest, and you guys will love the prizes! Below are some of the things I am thinking of giving away:

1) NYX glitter eye liners

2) MAC eyeshadow in Freshwater

3) NYX glitter pencil eye liner

4) Urban Decay Naked Palette

5) MAC mineralize skinfinish in Petticoat

6) TIGI Your Highness Firm Control hair spray
7) Brush set

Let me know what else you would like to win!