Is she totally far out there? Yes. But she's so inspiring and fascinating to me as an artist. Her look is always evolving and she doesn't take herself so serious that she can't just totally go there and have some fun. We can all learn something from that right?
We probably won't be bedazzling our faces anytime soon, but I get the way her makeup plays off of the symmetry of her outfit. It's all about shapes. And waxing.
Bright pink lips add a feminine touch and bounce boldly off of her bright yellow wig hair.
Have some fun with makeup, explore, experiment. Go for it.
Keep it all for yourself, or break it up to share but Bare Escentuals fans won't want to miss out on their new 9 piece collection. All of the color pieces in the kit are new shades and exclusive to QVC up until the dates specified. Here's what you'll enjoy in the collection and where to find it.
bareMinerals SPF 15 foundation with Click, Lock, Go sifter--full size
RareMinerals Skin Revival Night Treatment--full size
NEW Soul Eye Color, a light cream linen
NEW Heart Eye Color, a light violet rose
NEW Charcoal Big & Bright Eyeliner--exclusive to QVC until May 15
NEW Love Radiance allover face color, a hint of apricot pink--exclusive to QVC until June 1
NEW Heartcake 100% Natural Lip Gloss, a rose pink--exclusive to QVC until June 1
Chantecaille is known for their foundations, I mean they're legendary. So legendary in fact that I was recently compelled to spend $68 for Future Skin even though my personal foundation collection is pretty much complete. What compelled me most (beyond their reputation alone) was the completely original way it covered and treated the skin. Plus, how many oil-free, gel-based foundations do I have? Well, zero.
Not only is the texture thick and dreamy, it also delivers water into the skin in a way that hydrates but doesn't produce shine. Regular use actually decreases sebum production, so if you get shiny, this is perfect. The coverage is medium to full, so you can sheer it out where you don't need a lot of coverage and really build it where you do.
Believe the hype, Chantecaille knows what great foundation is all about.
Today I was lucky enough to go to the Grammy Style Studio at Smashbox Studios in Hollywood. It was a gorgeous event complete with designers, champagne, and of course makeup. I was there to check out Make Up FOR EVER and see first hand what the line was all about.
Couldn't you just play for hours?
The candy color makeup for which they're known served as decor.
They had 4 stations set up with their best artists giving complete makeup applications to Grammy nominees and press.
And then there he was. American Idol star and the latest 'it' pop sensation Adam Lambert checking out Make Up FOR EVER and chatting with the artists about how he loves their HD Microfinish Powder.
So in person, he's pretty much the way you see him on TV. Lots of makeup, jet black funky hair, and piercing eyes. He was reserved and quiet but took time to talk with people and take photos. Really sweet.
Ok, now for the goods. Here's me after the application. Wow right? So it's way more than I normally do (which was the point) but it was fun. Aqua Eyes was the clear winner for the best do-it-all in a snap product that makes appliying eye makeup much easier. You can use them for lining or for shadow and they're a true waterproof (and smudgeproof) formula that glide on easily and blend in well. I wore 12L a blueish green that gave a ton of intensity and bold color on top and on the lower lash line. In the inner corner I wore 17L Pistachio, a light green with a hint of pearl to it that I was so infatuated with I smeared a little on the back of my hand (it's a makeup artist thing) to see the color more clearly. With all of the commotion, I forgot to take it off before I left and then tried unsuccessfully to rub it off in the car several times. It wouldn't budge or smear. I've never come across a pencil that was soft, blendable and a long-wearing. I can't wait to get a few of them in my kit.
They're available in 25 shades, and 4 are brand new. I'll be getting 23L Champange to brighten up the lower waterline and inner corner, and also Forrest- the most perfect deep green since green liner is so sexy and wearable.
A big thank you to Make Up FOR EVER for the invite to the Style Studio which left me scratching my head yet again wondering how I got so lucky to have this amazing job.
Imagine if Julia Child taught you to cook, or if Lance Armstrong taught you biking. I know it might sound like a stretch, but that's exactly how I feel about my trainings with Dina Ousley, the Godmother of airbrush makeup who originated the medium 25 years ago long before it was the 'in' thing to do. All makeup aside, she is the sweetest, most energetic ball of fun whose passion for her craft is contagious. I took the classes to really hone in on airbrushing so I could use it for foundation application, but I didn't know that over the span of two days I would learn more than I have in years and completely change who I am as a Makeup Artist.
Why use airbrushing for foundation only when the soft, natural, long-wearing properties translate so beautifully to cheeks, eyes, and lips? I created Robin's look below using 100% airbrush makeup- yup, even the eye liner and I did it in about half the time it normally takes me for a full face.
I watched in amazement as one by one, we all were transformed into better looking versions of ourselves with perfect skin that was almost glowing. The photos told the story though, since you can't hide anything from a camera.
Here's me after a quick spray of their foundation, it got rid of my unevenness and redness in just seconds. I loved how perfect my skin looked for once. It stayed on until I washed if off late that night, it looked so good I even considered leaving it on for the next day! Oh, and I wasn't mad, I'm just horrible at the self-portrait thing.
It's also the best method for tattoo covering. Now, he didn't get his skin back to the exact color, it was just a quick demonstration on how complete the coverage was. He even added a few 'spots' to make the skin look more realistic. For scaring, eczema, redness, and port wine stains I think an at-home kit would be beneficial. It's so easy.
I also had the privilege of being in the makeup chair for once, and not hovering over it. Below you'll see a quick video that shows our educator Al applying airbrush shadow and liner on me. It took about 7 minutes for the whole look and didn't budge an inch. Pretty amazing right?
Dinair is fantastic. The makeup stood on its own, but the throngs of professional makeup artists who work on the top A-listers in the biz (even Tom Cruise) who were in and out all day buying Dinair and visiting Dina all proclaimed that her products were the gold standard in the business. Yes, even when Dina was well out of ear shot. They're located in Hollywood and offer personal classes to teach you how to apply airbrush makeup with confidence. They also pride themselves on excellent customer service, so you can call them or have a live chat to determine what colors and personal everyday system would work best for you. If perfect looking skin is something you've always wanted, Dinair has you flawlessly covered.
Sealed With a Kiss is the original gold standard for keeping lipstick in place for hours. Its many loyal customers have been using this $6 roll-on fixative for more than 15 years (I can't find when it was first made since they don't even have a website but I think it's closer to 25) to ensure their favorite lip shades wear all day. You can use the lipstick you already love and just roll a little of this light oil over top to seal it while keeping your lips soft and smooth without a hint of dryness.
Erno Laszlo's Shake-it is the perfect non-foundation foundation. Shake the bottle to blend the pigment together with a skin perfecting toner that absorbs oil and makes pores disappear. You can use it as a primer if you want a little more coverage, but I use it alone when I want natural, great looking skin. I was really surprised how seamlessly it disguised redness and how long it lasted especially when the formula seemed so light and watery. It's just not like anything I've used for coverage on the face.
You can use a cotton ball, but I just use my fingers to apply and rub it in. It's one of those products you have to try to believe how great it looks. Next time you're passing through a department store that carries Laszlo, have them put it on you so you can wear it around and see for yourself that 'coverage' doesn't mean what you thought it did.
Recently I've noticed a huge trend in sun protection- they've been adding SPF to moisturizers in a way that makes it easy to use daily and guard against the damage that occurs over time in small doses of daily sun. PCA Skin's Perfecting Face & Body Hydrator is a skin quencher so light in weight and so neutral in scent that it's an ideal daily SPF 30 that carries The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation.
As a moisturizer, its licorice extract, and kojic and lactic acids help to fade sun spotting in a light also base giving light yet complete moisture. You do get broad-spectrum protection from both UVA (think A for aging) and UVB (think B for burning) rays, but they also pumped it full of antioxidants to protect your skin from future environmental damage.
So many times I think companies claim you can use a body product on your face too just for the sake of marketing, but with this fantastic combination of ingredients , it's actually true. This is a complete moisture and SPF solution that you will find yourself using every day.
Building the perfect smokey eye is a process, an art, and a little bit of a chore. Even the most practiced makeup master can find it impossible to avoid fall-out, you know- the powder from the shadow that falls down beneath your eyes that you have do go back and clean up. It's not the end of the world, but it's annoying enough that someone finally did something about it.
Shadow Shields are woven fabric moon-shapes with adhesive on the back that gently adhere to your under eye area to catch fall-out as you build your shadow. It seems like such a little thing, but they allow you to maintain the integrity of the look by not having to use eye makeup remover that might remove what you've been trying to apply.
It's a time saver for shadow lovers and a must-have for makeup artists. I thought they were just an extra step in a process I've perfected, but they've become something I can't believe I ever lived without.
Koh Gen Do has the same approach to creating skin care as they do with makeup. Keep it light and give the skin exactly what it needs. Their Oriental Plants line is comprised of 6 products that cater to skin in the middle and not in the extremes- meaning mostly normal skin that can tend to be dry or oily but fairly typical overall.
Pictured above are my favorites from the line, their Essence and Skin Lotion. Essence is a clear, weightless boosting serum to balance, hydrate and firm up the skin using plant based technology and known skin soothers. It makes my sometimes oily skin feel balanced with a comfortable moisture level.
Skin Lotion is a hydrator that locks in moisture and refreshes the skin surprisingly well considering it's a clear fluid with a consistency slightly thicker than water. I love the idea of moisture in the absence of a heavy cream so the ingredients can absorb and treat the skin without being trapped on the surface wrapped in thick cream. This is usually why high-potency serums are in a liquid form, it's a cleaner delivery system. It seems counterintuitive, but these light-in-weight serums can actually deliver better and more complete moisture to the skin than their thick and creamy counterparts.
Koh Gen Do is also a line completely against animal testing and has formulated products without petroleum, fragrance, artificial colors, and parabens long before it was fashionable to do so. You'll also love the heavy glass bottles and beautiful packaging which to me are just a continuation of the product itself and the pride and work they've put into it all.
For the first time in about 5 years, Christina Aguilera doesn't look like a tranny. When I think of Xtina, images like this come to mind.
Or more recently this.
Drawn-on brows, bad bronzer and gobs of foundation were all part of the general heaviness that comprised her trademark look. After seeing her at the Globes, it's clear she's turned the fashion page and toned down, well, everything.
She didn't forgo her signature black liner, she just pressed the color in close to her upper lash line to create contrast so you see her blue eyes and not black liner. Her pink lips are my favorite of the look, they're toned down from her usual red but punched up beyond a nude. More than the color though, take note of the consistency which is creamy and gloss-free for a more sophisticated approach to lip color.
Her perfectly balanced eyes are created using berry toned shadows which can be worn casually for every day, or mixed with gray and charcoal to lighten up a sultry evening look. I like L'Oreal Infinite Quad in Subtle Berries because the pinks aren't cotton-candy stark pink so they can be warn on most skin tones.
If your routine includes heavy makeup, try bringing it down a notch for a change. Wearing the right amount of makeup allows you to look fresher and more polished. Too much can add years and take away from exactly what you're trying to bring out.
Kate Winslet is another star whose style is consistently on the mark. She always looks perfectly polished and never over the top. Her makeup does exactly what it should, bring out her very best so the focus is on her and not on the makeup.
Having lips and cheeks in the same shade is an easy start to achieving a polished look, and one of the few 'rules' makeup artists tend to stick to. BECCA's Lip and Cheek Créme melts right into the skin and looks like a completely natural cheek flush. You can use it alone on lips for a subtle tint or add gloss over it for more dimension, it dissolves right into both cheeks and lips and gives a glazed look that's somewhere perfectly in between dry and glossy.
I didn't think it was possible, but BECCA has beat out my long-standing favorite Stila's Convertible Color as the best lip and cheek creme. While Stila's version is a great product and good for cheeks, it's a little too opaque to use alone on the lips, BECCA nails a formula that doesn't just give lip service to being multi-functional, it truly is.
Fresh, pretty, feminine, trendless makeup was alive and well at the 2010 Golden Globes. Here are a few who caught my eye by getting it so right.
Sandra Bullock always looks incredible. Here she saves the inner portion of her lids for some shimmer so she can have some pop while staying age appropriate and formal. Purple makeup with a purple dress is a disaster, so not playing matchy-matchy was the well-met objective. Neutral lips and cheeks broke up the bold purple gown keeping her overall look soft and alluring.
All beauty stuff aside, don't you just want to be friends with Meryl Streep? I adore her. She knows who she is (which clearly includes her personal style) and sticks to it. She favors pinks and corals forgoing the usual black, smokey looks warn to formal events. Lesson learned, dark makeup isn't the only way to compliment a gown and an up-do.
Not all redheads have to stick with the usual neutral and green palette. Julianne Moore makes violet eye shadow elegant and sweet using it just on the lid. The absence of heavy liner allows it to be more glitz and glamour than rock and roll.
Not all stars looked as good as Julia Roberts in HDTV. She gave those 20-somethings a run for their money. I think Julia is a testament to good grooming. Neatly kept brows and healthy skin are 90% of what you see. Yes her makeup is great, I love the pinks and plummy grey, but I'd be willing to bet that she looks just as great without makeup.
Now that I'm obsessed with lash tinting, I find the look of mascara to be too heavy at times. Once you're used to your lashes being dark without any bulk, applying mascara like you always have can be a little much. When my lash tint starts to fade away I sweep a little Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner across my lashes in place of mascara. I do it by using a flat eyeliner brush to wiggle the color on from root to tip concentrating more on the tips since that's where lashes are naturally the lightest. It adds the darkness like mascara does to bring out my eyes- but in a more casual way.
It's also a great trick for those with really fair lashes who find mascara (even in brown) to be too bold. Use the Bronze or Dark Brown colors for the perfect amount of depth to make your eyes pop.
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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