I'm super excited about my article this month for Shoestring where I narrowed down tons of red carpet looks from the Emmys before choosing my favorite beauty trends that can translate easily into our everyday routine using inexpensive products.
If you haven't already subscribed to Shoestring, you can do it for free HERE. They have the best ideas for budget lifestyle- from home and shopping to kids to pets, their editors know how to live the good life using the least cash possible.
Take a que from Jessica Stroup who found a way to use a bold shadow in a beautifully understated way. Black eyeliner is key here, drawn around the entire eye to separate her eyes from the color making it less edgy. You don't want colors competing, so avoid additional eye shadow which might cloud the statement and look too heavy.
Kudos to CoverGirl for delivering a long-wearing lip color everyone will love. Choose from over 40 eye-popping shades (the best nudes!) in 6 color categories for the premier color selection among the drugstore long-wearing formulas.
If you had problems with dry lips using other long-wearing lip colors, Outlast's creamy take on this not-a-gloss, not-a-lipstick feel will leave your lips moisturized and perfectly glazed in color for a full 15 hours.
Keep in mind the 2 piece application is key- after applying the lip color, don't rub your lips together for a full minute before applying the clear topcoat. If your color needs a little boost during the day, just use the topcoat to refreshen it like you would a lip balm.
This just might be my favorite long-wearing formula so far!
Time for the Superbowl of beauty- Allure Magazine's Best of Beauty giving you 189 products chosen by editors and readers alike that rise up above the rest to meet all of your beauty needs.
You know I love me some Smashbox, so I was really excited to check out their latest offering, Reign, a regal, luxurious, richly pigmented collection for fall.
I knew that their Spring Muse collection would be a hard act to follow since its contents remain on a super steady rotation in my kit. Muse was a candy-colored, all-out, girly delight- a feast for the eyes that brought out our inner 9 year old delighting to get my hands on every shade.
Reign spins decadence, indulgence, and diva together (think Fergie) into this concise collection of essentials that make sexy a snap.
Front and center are their 2 new eye shadow palettes, Monarch and Majesty (pictured above) which kind of resemble...um... a row of colorful boobs. The outside layer of the circle is a shimmery, lighter companion of the darker middle shade. Both palettes contain fleshy toned base shades, but Monarch has rich copper and ashy chocolate while Majesty has pure black with a maroon combination that I can't use enough.
Their blush, gloss, and new Doubletake Lip Color (liner on one end, creamy lip color on the other) all have a peach meets pink vibe- a color that will flatter all skin tones. If you like the gloss, get the blush too (and vice versa) the two together are powerfully sexy and can make a look all on their own.
I'm still on the fence about the packaging which does fit the overall vibe and message, but isn't as sleek as I would've liked to see, but hey- it's what's inside that counts right? Check the colors out in person the next time you're near a Nordstrom or Sephora, but buy them online since all of the products are currently marked way down.
Here in Denver (with another store in NY), it's Makeup Mania, a store I lovingly equate to being inside a casino in Vegas- you have zero concept of time and stay until you're broke. Eva Marie opened the doors to her NYC location 8 years ago after working on movies like Boogie Nights and Se7en just to name a few.
Makeup Mania strikes a balance between what the pros want (special effects goodies like facial pieces and noses, wigs, and every color in the rainbow for face and body) and what women want to use everyday.
Case in point; my new favorite eyeshadow La Femme;
Matte shadows are an artist's best friend. Anything with shimmer or highlight is just the icing on the cake, matte shadows are where we build the color and contour the eyes. Good matte formulas (and colors) are just so hard to find, they can be chalky or look heavy. La Femme's shades are incredibly intense in color and glide on for easy blending.
But that's not even the best part.
They sell them for $2.50 each.
What?
I got this entire palette of 12 shadows including the 12 pan itself for $35. No wonder why they were taking phone orders like crazy when I was there.
Here are the colors I got, and HERE is where to order them (just let them know you saw the shadows here on HOB, maybe they'll give you a little somethin somethin).
Colors; Top Row- Bronze, Brown, Taupe, Irid Taupe, Beige Pink, Melon
Bottom Row- Pink Blush Dark Brown Frostee Beige Gold Leaf Burgundy Charcoal
Also available in loose pigments- only $4.25. I got #31 and #36 but here are a few more from their display that I sadly left at the store homeless.
You didn't think that was all I bought did you? More photos of this excursion to come!
Anything cream-based is quickest because it can be applied with your fingers. Find something multi-use like Stila's Convertible Color creme compacts- formulas meant for both lips and cheeks. The same is true for your eyes, cream shadows can be swept on using your fingers, and have better staying power than most powder shadows.
Youthful Looking Skin;
There is a formula to create youthful looking skin, and it starts with a lightweight, luminous foundation like Laura Mercier's Illuminating Tinter Moisturizer especially when you're dry- to add radiance to the face- a quality our skin starts to lose as we age. Skip the powder- you don't need it- and use a cream blush in a bright-yet-sheer hue.
Makeup for Breakouts;
You want to cover the breakouts you have without exacerbating the problem caused by using foundations that heighten inflammation. Use what I typically do, Jane Iredale Pressed Base. All bad opinions of mineral makeup come here to die since JI's version provides complete, long-wearing, natural looking coverage while blanketing the skin with ingredients that help it to heal.
Preventing Eyeliner and Mascara from Running;
Nothing works better than Benefit's She Laq- it's a one-of-a-kind liquid that seals makeup and prevents it from wandering off where you don't want it to go. Sweeping it underneath the eyes will form an invisible seal that color won't seep into. There's nothing else like it.
I'm sure you've heard the news by now that Estee Lauder has decided to pull the plug on Prescriptives starting January 2010. You can get your favorite products online while supplies last, and Calyx (their popular perfume) will continue to be sold with fine fragrances in department stores nationwide.
In this tough economy, Lauder had to make the difficult decision to let go of the brand that only accounted for 1% of its total sales. Its loyal customers aren't going to be happy about it, and I'm going to have to stock up on False Eyelashes my latest mascara obsession that I wear daily. It looks like I'm not alone in that thought since I'm seeing it sell out across several sites.
Note to self; stock up on the mascara before announcing on a blog that it's going to be extinct.
In the beauty blogging business, you get to know tons of people from different cosmetic companies and I can say that the people I knew at Prescriptives were kind and professional. I don't take lightly the fact that they'll now be scrambling for employment in a market that is challenging to say the least and I wish them all the best and thank them for making a part of my job so much easier.
I loved working with Ashley K Photography, one of Houston's premier photographers when we shot promotional photos for the beautiful Magnolia Hotel (with a newly renovated ballroom) here in Denver. She did such a great job with their Houston hotel, they wanted her to work her magic here too.
Our model for the day was Saylee, who was beautiful and statuesque with distinguished features that were so easy and fun to bring out.
I used dusty grey and pinks on her sparkling blue eyes along with black liner, but using white liner on her lower waterline to maintain brightness and to keep it from being too dramatic.
When you have skin that's olive, or tanned like Saylee's, using brown tones on lips and cheeks tends to look muddy and doesn't give that pop of contrast the way pinks do. Since the shoot spanned several hours in various parts of the hotel, I wanted her lips to really last. Touchups can affect the texture- piling on more gloss can look heavy and some glosses bleed so removing all color from the mouth is often necessary to apply from scratch.
I chose L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lipgloss in 806 Plumped Tawny and crossed my fingers that it would just stay put since I loved how natural the lips looked with just the right amount of pink and the slightest touch of shimmer. Hour after hour, her lips remained fresh without needing to be touched-up. Best yet is the plumping formula without the intense stinging sensation that can be uncomfortable and annoying, you'll just feel like your mouth is minty-fresh and incredibly smooth.
Avalon Organics has the best multi-functional, hard-working, organic, spray deodorant in yummy fresh scents like grapefruit & geranium, lavender, and sage & lemon. A mixture of organic essential oils fight off odor naturally while leaving you feeling fresh.
Their delicate mist can liven up anything so it can also be used as a body spray, room spray, and as a clothing refreshener leaving behind a naturally clean smell that isn't artificial or perfume-laced.
$9, 4 Scents, Drugstores and Natural Foods Retailers Nationwide.
We makeup artists are a picky bunch. Especially when it comes to foundations, we're always searching for the next big thing that covers imperfections while creating the look of natural, fresh skin.
Makeup artists are reaching for Koh Gen Do on the sets of 90210, Entourage, and Nip/Tuck, and on the faces of starlets like Olivia Palermo (above) from The City at the 2009 MTV VMA Awards. They rely on Koh Gen Do's Moisture Foundation to deliver the goods, even in HD.
Moisture Foundation strikes a delicate balance combining water, moisture, and powders to fill in pores and lines while creating a smooth surface on top of the skin that reflects light, erasing the look of uneven skin. Formulated from minerals and free of parabens, this foundation boasts a 10 hour wear time, even in the most demanding conditions.
Rich, romantic golds and mauves are everywhere for fall, and Estee Lauder has created them in their most wearable forms we can all enjoy.
Sensuous Gold, their limited edition collection is luxurious, feminine, and unique. I understand why it's quickly selling out online (check with your local counters where inventory varies) due to the collection's eye-catching rose gold packaging and the knock-out colors inside.
Both shadow palettes contain 4 shades, each in different finishes from matte to pearl in colors I dare you not to love- like perfect tones of pinks, plums, and mauves with a flash of gold that makes them universally flattering. Consider these your anti smokey eye antidote for the holidays, makeup for celebrating in dressed-up, grown-up, fool-proof, eye-brightening shades you're sure to wear over and again.
Rose Gold gloss has 3 shades in one tube that combine together when used into a slightly deeper than your lips color that will rock your socks. It's the alternative for those who prefer a natural looking lip but need something with a little color.
Of course the collection wouldn't be complete without lipsticks and nail lacquers, both having a tinge of gold in them. Although it's sold out online, I'd search the counters for their Rose Gold Nail Lacquer since the glossy mix of rose gold and pearly luminosity generate a rare shine that's slow to dull even after weeks on toes.
Remember when I said eyeshadow was back in a big way? Here's further proof taken backstage at the Derek Lam show at Fashion Week New York. NARS provided a step by step recipe should you choose to re-create the color-rich look.
What do you think of fall's latest shadowy trend?
Face:
· Blend NARS Sheer Glow Foundation with a foundation brush into skin
· Set with NARS Loose Powder
· Buff skin with NARS Kabuki Artisan Boton Brush for a porcelain doll effect
Eyes:
· Using the emerald side of NARS Misfit Duo Eyeshadow and NARS Eye Shader brush, drag the shadow along the lower lash line straight across until just past the outer corner
· Dust the violet side of NARS Jolie Poupee Duo Eyeshadow on the eyelids; use the darker side in the crease and fade into the temple joining the emerald green from Misfit
· Highlight the inner corners of the eyes with NARS Bains Douche Glitter Pencil (NEW for Spring 2010), making the connection between the purple and green
· After curling lashes with NARS Eyelash Curler, apply three coats of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara on the top and bottom lashes
· Dust the burnt orange side of NARS Mediteranee Duo Eyeshadow along the brow bone
Lips:
· Fill in the lips lightly with NARS Red Square Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, dotting the lips with your fingers to blend it in
· Outline the lips with NARS Easy Lover Lip Gloss (NEW for Spring 2010) to create a plush-looking, glassy pout
Cheeks:
· Apply NARS Nico Blush to give a subtle hint of highlighting
· Dust Desire Blush in round, circular movements onto the apples of the cheeks
· Finish with NARS Taj Mahal Blush, blending it in with the pink cheeks and up towards the temples
I was her Makeup Artist for a Women's World Mag cover
With Chad Kroeger of Nickelback
I was his makeup artist for an on-air interview
Robert Verdi and I at Fashion Week NY
Walmart's Beauty Expert, Makeup Artist, TV Beauty Expert, and a girl who has tried it all.
I'm never compensated for any reviews in any way. The products I receive at no cost are reviewed after I try them and only if I think they're worth your money.
I'm 100% independent, and the products I write about are the same ones I suggest for friends, family, and clients.
Interested in personal makeup services from me? Check out CarissaBeauty.com for more information.
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