Beauty Big 3: Gina Brooke

It’s been absolute bliss asking celebs and their Makeup Artists about their Beauty Big 3 because they’re the ones on the front lines of fashion. It’s the ultimate testing ground.

Gina Brooke is a world-renound Makeup Artist who has made up A-List celebs like the Beckhams, Gisele Bundchen, Justin Timberlake, Naomi Campbel, and collaborated closely with Madonna throughout the years to develop custom lashes and looks for 3 globe-spanning tours.

So what are her Beauty Big 3?

Brooke at work

Foundation:

Illusion Tinted Moisturizer from Hourglass Cosmetics which lifts and hydrates skin using their very own INSTALIFT and Hyaluronic Filling Spheres. It’s light in weight and gives a natural, radiant glow.

Mascara:

Gina loves the yet-to-be-released Film Noir Mascara from Hourglass for good reason,  she helped to create it. She has been using lab samples on her star clients and all during Fashion Week for the Fall 2010 shows with dream results. Who better to develop a mascara than the woman who has probably used buckets of the stuff from every line out there over the years? Look for it in August at Sephora and Barneys.

Moisturizer:

Her go-to for giving the skin a healthy dose of moisture, which we all know makes for the best looking skin is Moisture Binding Cream by Intraceuticals. Its vitamins, green tea, essential oils, and hyaluronic goodness will give the face a plump, smooth look so makeup glides effortlessly on.

You can learn more about Gina Brooke and get inspired by her portfolio HERE.

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Beauty Big 3: Iris Moreau

Hooked On Beauty is proud to present a new ongoing series called Beauty Big 3 where I ask Celebrity Makeup Artists what’s their favorite Foundation, Mascara, and Moisturizer since those are the 3 products that most capture our loyalty.

Kicking off the series is Iris Moreau, Celebrity Makeup Artist who has worked with Anna Kournikova, Ashlee Simpson, Eva Longoria, and Rosanna Arquette to name a few. I asked what her Beauty Big 3 were, and here’s what she said.

Foundation:

One of her two picks for foundation was Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation because of its weightless, natural looking finish.

Pro Lumére from Chanel was her other foundation pick because it has light-reflecting pigments that offer the skin a radiant finish.

Mascara:

DiorShow Mascara from Christian Dior has been a favorite of Makeup Artists of years because it’s a super dark black and the brush builds tons of volume and length.

Moisturizer: 

Aloe Vera Intense Moisture Cream by FACE Stockholm is her pick for fav moisturizer for all skin types to soothe and prep the skin before adding makeup.

You can get more information about Iris and see her dazzling beauty portfolio HERE.

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Another Day in Paradise; Choosing False Eye Lashes

Here I am, still in Mexico. We’re actually in the same resort as Heidi Klum and Seal and they’re here to renew their vows like they do every year. I got some secret stalker shots of them to show you.

She’s in the flowey pinkish dress peeking around. Click to enlarge it.

Seal is in the orange shorts. He’s a big dude actually and really sweet.

They were at the main hotel pool/ beach area for several days with the rest of us. They did have security, mostly to keep the paparazzi at bay. Photogs actually chartered a yacht and anchored it near the shore to snap photos of them and their family throughout the day. Any pictures that you see not released to a major mag like ‘hey, here’s our wedding photos’ from their photographer came directly from that boat, or just people staying there. It gave me a glimpse into how photos like these are born.

I was right where their ceremony was and it was all red, even her dress. They had a karaoke party the night before they renewed their vows until the wee hours. for their party the theme was to dress like a bride and groom so all of the guests were all done up like they were getting married too. Our bride and groom were in the home next to theirs so we could hear the music play all night.  I’ll post more photos of them and the action later.

But I digress.

Today we’re talking lashes. I’m like a surgeon when I apply lashes, dead on and precise.  I’m the undisputed self-titled Queen of getting lashes to stay on for days on end. It’s not uncommon for a bride to tell me that she wore them from the wedding up until the first few days of the honeymoon. It’s all about finding that notch barely above the lash line so they rest comfortably and don’t budge, well that and selecting the right lash for you of course.

For years I only used these lashes, which I still do occasionally but I’ve gradually moved over to using Ardell.  I’ve found that their lashes are longer so you can cut them down to fit any eye bed. They’re also made with 100% high quality human hair that looks natural on. Here are the 3 that I use most.

Their ‘Demure’ lashes are my choice for women who have very little or no lashes- even   post-chemo (just make sure your skin is strong enough to handle the glue). They’re shorter in length so they look real against a bare eye with just enough length and bulk to look like a completely natural lash.

These #110 lashes from Ardell are what I use on 90% of my brides. The strip is so long it usually needs to be cut down so it’s barely shorter than your lash length. I’ve found that when lashes aren’t cut this way they feel more uncomfortable and you’re always aware they’re on. #110s look best on girls who have average lashes overall because they add volume to what you already have for a look that’s undetectable, even to those who are up close.

When the brides want drama, they get Ardell’s #120. They aren’t nearly as extreme as they look and they photograph really well. You don’t need super long lashes to wear these, but some natural lash will serve you well so they look natural.

When you’re choosing lashes to wear, consider how much drama you’d like and how long your natural lashes are. Use a fine strip of glue and wait a few seconds for it to get tacky and then place the lash on the middle part of your eye first, then slowly press each end to the corners of your eyes. Don’t rush it, you have a lot of play time with the glue- it takes a while to dry completely.

I’ve been using mostly Ardell because of how natural they look and how long they wear. My bride the other day wore them for hours and even had them on after several hours in the pool. They have that type of potential, just a little practice is all you need. 

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Dior Diorshow Extase Mascara

There’s so much technology behind cosmetics these days it can make your head spin trying to understand it. I’m a bottom line kinda gal, so I’ll forgo telling you all about the fancy new Metamorphosis Powders in Dior’s brand new Extase mascara that double in size when applied to your lashes giving tons of volume. Same for the patented ceramide to actually repair your lashes to make them thicker and fuller after each use.

What I know for sure is simply this; Extase is as much of a lash treatment as it is a mascara. It’s also the first Dior mascara I’ve ever liked with a brush that separates each little hair into the longest feathery lashes I’ve had in recent memory, even sans primer.

Best of all for me is its ability to stay put all day without running, but is easy to remove. No specific temperature for hot water, no oily remover, no tugging, it’s cleansed away easily and completely using whatever it is you already have.

If you’re serious about your mascara and love long, dark, feathery lashes, I can almost guarantee that you’ll fall in love with the new Extase.

$28, Sephora.com Amazon.com Select Fine Department Stores Nationwide

Dior DiorShow Extase Mascara

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L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Lash Extension Mascara

You’re up to speed on ‘tube technology’ after I reviewed Blinc Mascara. Now L’Oreal takes a crack at using those tubes in their Double Extend mascara but with a few advantages over Blinc’s.

First, I like the brush better in the L’Oreal version- it’s fuller and fluffier grabbing every singe lash creating fullness which you’ll need since using a second coat once it dries is a big no-no in tube technology. I just re-curl once it’s almost dry and find the coverage to be more than enough.

Double Extend also includes a primer so you get the fattest lashes possible. Make sure you apply primer then mascara right after doing one eye at a time for the best results so it doesn’t dry in between.

More than anything though, I love that the price is less than half ($11 vs $24) for the very same, smudge and tear resistant, long-wearing formula. It’s even buy one get one 50% off right now at Drugstore.com.

L’Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Lash Extension Mascara

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L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

Getting lashes just right is an art form. I’ve personally witnessed women use needles, paperclips, toothpicks, and homemade brushes to groom their lashes into long, swoopy perfection. Since the center lashes are easy to get to, it’s the outer corner of the lashes that we usually miss.

You may not have noticed, but your lashes are longest along the outer corner of the eye, so swiping each hair with a flash of mascara makes a huge difference in your lashes’ overall look and length. L’Oreal designed a mascara with this in mind knowing that a traditional mascara wand tends to miss that very important outer section. Telescopic Explosion Mascara is a good accessory mascara made for the area of lash that tends to get left out.

Its round applicator with firm bristles easily grab a hold of each lash and coat it with their creamy formula. Slightly pull the outside of your eye up and out just to make visible those long, outer lashes and wiggle the brush from the base of the lash line up to the tip. You’ll be amazed at how bringing out those few lashes makes such a big difference.

$7, Drugstores Nationwide, Amazon.com

L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara

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