Category Archives: Carissa

So… It’s My Birthday!

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Yes, today is the day my mom expelled me from her uterus. It’s that one glorious day out of the year when you make a bunch of promises to yourself about changes you want to make in your life and then never go through with them. It’s like a New Year’s Eve for one.

We’re here relaxing in beautiful Santa Fe – and by ‘we’ I mean me with my hubby and our dogs, Frisco and Meatball. Here we are below in a photo that best describes us. We had the camera all balanced and set up for a perfect picture of us on the beach. Mike was having Frisco sit on the sand next to him and I would hold Meatball, but when I ran back from setting the timer on the camera it caused such a huge stir that the dogs went nuts. This was the first of 6 photos where we’re in total disarray – dogs jumping and barking, and us just trying to get it right. When we finally got that perfectly posed photo of us in front of the water, it didn’t look as good as the others. It was stiff, we weren’t smiling as brightly, and there was just something missing about it. I like this version where we’re ‘off’ – jumping and living and laughing. It’s imperfect, goofy, and fun. That’s how I like this picture, and that’s how I like my life.

Makeup Before and After; Uneven Skin & Airbrush Makeup

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I never remember to bring my camera when I’m working. On the few occasions I do actually remember it I often forget to take a ‘before’ so the ‘after’ photo doesn’t really matter. I’m working though, what can I say?

This is an adorable bridesmaid from a wedding I worked last weekend. She’s a mom and wanted a little sizzle to bring out her gorgeous blue eyes. She also had some concerns about her uneven skin from periodic breakouts.

I used Dinair airbrush makeup on her skin, cheeks, and eyes using lt. Smoke (one of my favorite colors ever) for her ‘basecoat’ eye shadow. I built traditional (powder) shadow over top of the airbrush one to create a longer lasting look that doesn’t crease. Of course I used my good ol Ardell #110′s for her lash. You can see how they add length and drama to her eyes without looking over the top, they’re so perfect. Since her eyes carried most of the look, I did just a little liner with a pink CARGO gloss on her lips to bring it all together.

Girls always ask me if they can (or should) buy an airbrush system and the answer is yes. This kit from Dinair is meant for personal daily use because it’s so compact and easy to use. If your skin tends to be uneven and you’re doing the whole foundation, concealer, and powder thing everyday, you might want to consider one. Just a few drops into the cup is all you need for flawless skin and water-resistant coverage that wears beautifully all day long.

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The No-Makeup Bride & The Wedding Makeup I Did in Mexico

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You’d be surprised how often I hear it, ‘I hate wearing makeup, but I want to hire you!’ Girls who favor the more natural look end up being my easiest brides to work with. Using airbrush and professional makeup are key in getting color without heaviness since weight is the last thing you want when you’re sweating in a hot dress and taking photos outside.

Katie, the beautiful bride who hired me to do makeup for her wedding in Mexico, (the trip I took in May where I was sneaking photos of Heidi and Seal) was the typical anti-makeup girl. She warned me ahead of time that she may want to wipe the makeup I applied off if she didn’t feel comfortable since she didn’t wear makeup ever.

After we chatted a bit about how exactly she wanted to look, I started by evening out her skin with Dinair airbrush makeup which gives undetectable coverage, and then I went to her eyes. I wanted them to stand out without using a lot of eye shadow so I used a Loose Shimmer Powder from BECCA which gave a light sparkle and color. For her eyeliner I made a slim black line on the upper lid only for some contrast that also disguised where the false lash met the eye. I used my go-to Ardell #110 lashes which blended perfectly with hers once I curled them and added L’Oreal Double Extend mascara so smudging wasn’t an option. I airbrushed her cheek color as well using water-resistant Dinair so her face wouldn’t have anything powdery on it, key for natural looking photos taken outside in the hot, humid weather we had in Costa Careyes. Lastly, we used a light lip stain with just a hint of gloss for natural looking pout with a kick.

Here are a few snaps of her, you can see why she doesn’t wear (or need) a lot of makeup.

I love the white space in the photo.
You can just see a hint of depth on her lash line from different angles. I also love that whatever was hanging on the wall in the background gave her sis the illusion of a cone hat.
This is why you want to wear false lashes. Just a hint of a swoop from the side is so romantic and pretty. The day before this she swam in them all day and they didn’t budge. Oh, and those are her sweet doggies Chuy and Taco. 

There isn’t just one way to wear makeup for your wedding. I always tell girls that their face should be as dressy as the gown and the day itself, but that doesn’t mean piles of thick color. Don’t be talked into a look that isn’t you, Katie didn’t want something heavy and we came up with a look that was perfect for her – and she loved it.  If you don’t like it in person you won’t like it in photos, don’t believe the hype that something photographs so differently that you’re talked out of how you don’t like what you see. It’s your face, your day, and your dollars. Get exactly what you want.

I also have to say that I was so incredibly happy to meet and work with Fer Juaristi, a fantastic photographer from Mexico who travels all over the world capturing weddings and events. He was as nice as he was talented and his photos are incredible.

You can see more breathtaking (their reception was at the same spot where Heidi Klum and Seal have their annual event) photos from the wedding HERE.

To learn more about Fer click HERE.

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Frownies vs Botox

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Is there a ‘natural’ alternative to Botox? Can something so simple be used to chase away wrinkles? What the hell is a Frownie? All of these questions are answered in the short video below.

You can check out Frownies HERE

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Permanent Makeup; As Awful As It Sounds

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Is there a hidden camera on me? Because I’ve been scrubbing away at your eyes for a good 5 minutes and this eyeliner isn’t budging! Oh, it’s tattooed on you say? That info would’ve been fantastic about 6 minutes ago before I nearly rubbed the skin off of your eyes. I felt like a kid trying to blow out trick candles on their birthday cake, wiping and wiping with nothing coming off. Tattooed makeup 1, me 0.

Tattooed brows, lip, and eye liner was all the rage years ago when women discovered an easy way to have makeup perfectly placed at all times. Problem is though, it’s rarely (if ever) that perfect.

Here’s an ‘after’ pic from a company’s website that does the procedures. They’re calling it a success, but I’d say it’s not good, or even, or modern for that matter. Your face is at the mercy of someone who is one extra cup of coffee away from giving you a jagged line around your eyes that resembles the Dow Jones report. Who wants eyeliner in the presence of wearing no makeup anyway? It looks weird by itself which forces you to apply it more often just to balance things out.

Eyeliner trends come and go, do you really want to commit yourself to having a plum colored liner all the way around your eyes for the rest of your life? Yes black is timeless, but it eventually fades and looks like a blueish prison tattoo.

I’ve met dozens of women who have had permanent makeup done and most of them  say they wouldn’t do it again. Today’s makeup is waterproof, smudge-proof, and flake-resistant so it’s meant to wear all throughout the day. I can’t come up with one solid reason as to why makeup should be permanent, and neither should you.

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Yeah, It’s Me Again. Studio JK Headshot Extravaganza.

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Of course being a Makeup Artist is as much fun as it sounds like it would be. I love what I get to do, and I’m lucky that I can do it (and this of course) full time. Another huge bonus for me is getting to work with really creative and talented people, like Joe Keum from Studio JK, a top-notch photographer here in Colorado who travels all around the world taking amazing pictures of weddings with his equally talented wife Joyce.  If you’re looking for a photographer, you have to check them out.

Anyhoo, my head shots were Moldy – capitol M. They were from years ago and didn’t really look like me anymore, so I thought it was a good time to be on the other side of the camera for once. I knew Joe was the right guy for the job because he’s so sweet and puts you at ease, which is key when you feel like to total weirdo striking poses around a hotel in the middle of the day. He took a ton of shots, but here are just a few that I wanted to share with you.

Just sitting on the floor a few feet away from a bar where a full on happy hour was in full swing. Awkward much? 
Sitting, smiley.
Now we’re getting serious. I love the view of Denver in the background.
Right in front of an elevator next to a gym. People were seriously like- WTF are you doing? We had to stop when people would come up or want to do down. I didn’t understand how cool the metal would look, he has a great vision.
Hugs?
Hair whirly twirl.
On the rocks. In heels. Totally normal.
Michelle and I were both taking pics that day. It got really windy so I was holding down the light for her photos and of course being a goof, which is pretty easy for me. 
And one of my favs. The light was threatening to blow away so I was basically hanging off of it to weigh it down. I think I like me goofy best. 

As for makeup? I kept it simple. I used Kett’s waterproof creme for my foundation, it’s what I use on-camera when I’m too lazy to airbrush. I didn’t use lashes, just a lot of LashBlast Length from CoverGirl and I kept my eye makeup pretty simple since I normally don’t wear a ton of eye makeup anyway. I did punch up the blush, a must for photos. You should be just one sweep away from looking like Raggedy Ann, that’s when you know you’re properly blushed.

It’s weird posing for pictures and even weirder seeing yourself in them, but it’s me. Goofball, hair-twirling in front of an elevator, holding lights down in the wind, me.

All photos were taken at the Westin Tabor Center in Denver.

If you need a Makeup Artist for your wedding or special event, you can learn more about my services HERE.

To see complete portfolios from Studio JK click HERE.

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