Makeup and the Mature Gal

No matter what the age, when a woman sits down in my chair, she usually has to tell me everything she thinks is wrong with her. "It's hard out there for us who are not 20 anymore" or "why bother, I don't really wear makeup anyway", are things I hear alot. Insecurities don't just plague the over 30 set though. "I'm overweight because of stress", or "I have breakouts and freckles because"....
In your 50's sometimes you just give up, but you don't have to.... When doing a makeup on a mature bride recently, I took one look at her makeup bag contents (which was out of date) and realized that sometimes we need to be taught how to makeup ourselves up each decade of our lives...

If people are reintroduced to themselves and shown how they can look at 40, 50, 60, they get a new sense of excitement! When I light up a woman's eyes with color, or camouflauge some flaw that they have been looking at for the past 20 or so years, they are amazed and they start to see themselves differently. Just looking good is the name of the game and anyone can learn to play, with shaped brows, defined lips, and a  balanced out skin tone. Please don't feel like you have to resort to drastic measures to feel good about yourself, like surgery. We both know that those procedures can put you one step away from "the crazy face club!" Try things like exercise, drinking lots of water, and eating a clean healthy diet. So you have fine lines, so what? Embrace your good points and play them up! Being over 40 is not a negative thing anymore....Things are changing!

Bridal Makeup Looks: Part 3

For the bride that just can't do the other choices, the neutral look is for you! Who knew such mellow makeup application could be so stunning! Neutral makeup with just a "pop" of pink, peach, or bronze is perfect for those laid back summer weddings. Add a touch of shine on tops of cheekbones and a little under eyes to bring out radiance. Play up neutral eyes with false eyelash pieces, while tightlining between lashes and lid to create some drama. Last use a soft lipstick or gloss to top of this easy, fresh look!

Bridal Makeup Looks: Part 2

If smokey eyes are just not your thing, maybe classic is more your taste! Classic Old Hollywood: This is a gorgeous look that never goes out of style and one of the easiest to re-create. It's all about defined brows, flawless skin, bold lips, and flirty eyes. I would suggest that you check with your groom if you just have to have those red lips. He might not be so excited to have his wedding kiss show up all over his mouth! Your foundation should last long and not look powdery or caked on. Your skin should look radiant and fresh and not shiny and oily looking. For wedding makeup I recommend, of course, Airbrush Makeup!

Bridal Makeup Looks: Part 1

To be or not to be, the smokey eyed, classic, or neutral bride is a question that is often put on the back burner during wedding planning. Therefore, on the day of their wedding, many brides, and also bridesmaids, elect to continue their standard daily makeup style because they often fear branching out and looking too different or having their makeup appear caked on.
My favorite is the smokey eye for the wedding day makeup. It's a step away from the normal routine. It is quite versatile, and can be romantic, formal, sultry, playful, and even sometimes surprisingly natural. Though it has the reputation for being dramatic, when applied correctly, it can be extremely elegant and help enhance the bride’s underlying beauty.

Keep the lip color neutral to make the eyes pop and stand out among all else. It will draw the focus in on the eyes while keeping the rest of the makeup much more subtle and natural.  This technique looks amazing in photos and makes eyes "pop!".  There are varying levels of shading, and it is usually best to keep the darkest for evening weddings. I usually choose from either a charcoal or chocolate smokey eye, but don't be afraid to play it up with colors like green or deep purple. What ever your color choice is, you can't go wrong with this look!

Makeup and your wedding photos

Makeup plays a huge part in walking away with flawless wedding photos! Hiring a professional who is skillfully trained in makeup application ensure that shine areas, smudges, and unnatural shadows are avoided. Makeup after all hides those problem areas we all have; under eyes, cheeks, and lips. If these areas are ignored, it will show in photographs and in turn, make us look aged in the photos.

Down the road, when the wedding is a happy memory, your pictures and videos will be the momentos from that most special day.  Makeup artists are familiar with how the camera reads and translates various colors. The cost of a professional makeup artist is modest in comparison to the cost of a look you don't like, captured forever by the camera....

Have you ever noticed how hair and makeup really do improve a person’s appearance on camera?
Granted, not everyone wants to look like they are wearing a lot of makeup, that is why it's important to find a pro whose style you like. Be sure you are able to convey your ideas to them, and don’t be afraid to let them know if anything doesn't sit well with you. Any true professional will not take your criticism personally, they are only trying to make you happy as well as accomplish the look you are going for.

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your entire life. Most brides dream about this day from the time they are little girls until the actual day itself. You find the perfect man, the perfect dress, the perfect style, and now it’s time to find the perfect bridal makeup look!

I hadn't seen a particular friend in a while, and when I did, she had a weird suprised look on her face. Upon further study I finally realized, that her eyebrows were higher than the McDonald's arches. The way she plucked her brows was just wrong on so many levels. Don't let your brows convey the wrong message about what you are feeling! If you are not already going to a professional to get waxed or threaded, let me help you with the proper way to groom your brows.

 1.) Cleanse skin with a washcloth and warm water. If you are worried about pain, you can use baby Oragel.

2.) Brush eyebrows out with the comb end of your brow brush

3.) Sit under natural light or a bright light with a good mirror or magnifying glass.

4.) Make sure your tweezers are a good pair with the slanted ends.

5.) Start tweezing...Tweeze hair in the direction they grow in, being careful not to pluck to many at one time.

6.) Never tweeze above the brow. I start in the middle of my eyes or (the Unibrow area), then move to clean up the beginning area of the brow.

7.) The best brows have a slight arch, think (Megan Fox)!  To find yours, take a long eyeshadow brush or pencil and hold it parallel to the outside edge of the iris, or the colored part of the eye. Where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of your brow should be. Tweeze the hairs underneath the arch.

8.) The unibrow area should be equal to, or a little wider than, your eyes. To find  out where your brow should go, take the brush or pencil and hold it parallel to the side of your nose. Where the brush meets your brow is where your brow should begin. Tweeze the hair in between.

Step back every so often to see your progress. If you over pluck, there is nothing you can do, and the hair may not grow back like the hair on the rest of your body. Soothe with aloe gel after if you have redness. Fill in where nessecary with an eyebrow pencil when applying makeup. Your brows are a very imortant part of your look, they are the picture frame to the picture!