Category Archives: Photos

Makeup Before and After: Catherine

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I’ve been remembering to bust out the camera when I see brides for their makeup pre-wedding trial runs lately which is great because who doesn’t love a good before and after makeup pic? Catherine is gorgeous and just as sweet. For her fall wedding, we wanted a neutral colored eye with a dash of plum peppered in and pink lips and cheeks. Here’s the short list of what I used to create the look (lashes were Ardell 110 btw, the ones I use most.)


Click image to enlarge.

Cheeks:

NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Hot Pink

This is some of the best cheek color I’ve used. It’s creamier than Stila’s popular Convertible Color with a perfect consistency that’s so easy to apply and blend. It beats out Stila’s (and many other) versions, and it’s what I’ve been using under powder blush for a guaranteed all-day color pop.

Lipstick:

Estée Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick in Honey Pink:

There are few rules in makeup, but lips and cheeks matching will always be the standard for a look that flows so I applied some pinky lips to match her pinky cheeks. Even a non-lipstick wearer can get behind Lauder’s Pure Color Gloss Stick, the sheerest and shiniest option for those who want color without the weight.

Lip Gloss:

Smashbox Limitless Long Wearing Lip Gloss in Limitless:

A gloss from Smashbox is hard to beat, they aren’t sticky and the colors are right on the money. Limitless is one of those shades that flatters all and gives the right amount of shine for a sexy pout. It gets a lot of use in my kit.

Serum:

Make Up For Ever HD Elixir:

This light as water serum flies a little under the radar, but it’s an essential in my kit. It’s so dry here in Colorado (especially in the summer) which leaves skin thirsty, and makeup doesn’t look good over thirsty skin. Before priming, I always add a few drops of HD Elixir to the skin for a big drink of moisture that disappears allowing whatever you’re adding on top to melt in like magic.

Eyes:

Rain Cosmetics Diva Eye Shadow Quad in Viva Las Vegas:

Vegas-based Rain Cosmetics made a big splash in the world of beauty as a super glam line of makeup essentials as fun and glitzy as its home state. I love this shadow quad which includes a neutral base shade, two matte browns that can double as liners, and a peachy pink that flatters all skin tones. They have a ton pigment and they blend and wear really well. It’s one of the very few non-mainstream brands that made their way into my kit- which says a ton about its quality.

Eye Liner:

Make Up For Ever Kohl Pencil in 10K:

One of the best color stories for fall 2011 is MUF’s Smoky Couleur Collection, filled with plum and jewel tones that are so deliciously sexy. I used their 10K violet liner instead of a harsh black shade to bring out Catherine’s gorgeous blue eyes on both the top and bottom lash lines as well as her lower rim.

Finishing Powder:

Tarte Smooth Operator:

Don’t underestimate the oil absorbing power of Smooth Operator. Its finish is as good as any and its ability to keep skin shine-free without a chalky finish is unparalleled.


Beautiful in the before.


And beautiful in the after.. Click for full sized images.

Four Seasons Denver Shoot with Broxton Art Photography: Part 3

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We were lucky to have 2 talented photographers for our Four Seasons Denver shoot last month, so part 3 highlights uber photog Travis Broxton of Broxton Art. Not only a top-tier shooter, but one of the nicest people I know. Enjoy a few of my favs from our shoot at the Four Seasons Denver.

Posing against a Denver skyline in a suite so massive, it had a workout area, full kitchen, office, and a sauna.
His signature editing of this photo adds a special drama and richness. I love it.

 

Up close you can see the full strip of bottom lashes I added to make her blue eyes sing.

 

A hard crease with a soft, shimmery lid offset for a dramatic look.

 

Look #3 of the day was her Breakfast at Tiffany’s moment.

 

Our last shot of the day. Dramatic, dark, magical, and freezing. She and I were both fighting off colds and were literally shivering outside waiting for the lighting setup.

-What I Used-

Lips: Estée Lauder Pure Color

For her first look (up close shots) I used Lauder’s creamy Pure Color lipsticks and blended together 2 shades (below) to create a not-too one shade or the other look. I wanted the mauve as a base with a shot of perfect pink over top.

 

Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Mystic Mauve

 

Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Pink Lolita

Mascara: Hard Candy Lash Ink

For our final look we went Audrey Hepburn all the way. This meant undoing a little  drama from the previous peacock themed photos and letting a more natural beauty shine through. The giant feather lashes compounded with hours of makeup changes left her eyes really irritated, so we went lash-free for this look. I instead used a few coats of Lash Ink. I wanted a no-smudge, no-fuss lash that wouldn’t need touching up throughout the rest of the shoot. Lash Ink is brilliant because it blackens lashes for several days in a way that water, rubbing, crying, and sweating can’t destroy.

Cheeks: h.wood.beauty Cream Blush

Popping the cheeks with color is what a fresh bridal look is all about. I used Cream Blush in Azalea from h.wood.beauty, a richly pigmented yet easy to blend pot of brilliant color.

h.wood.beauty Cream Blush

If you have a wedding coming up and are looking for one of the best photogs in the country (he travels everywhere), you can see more of Travis’ work HERE.

Click HERE for more info on the brand new Four Seasons Denver.

Face Painting for Kids

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On yourself it’s called putting on makeup, on kids it’s called face painting although I’ve seen makeup on grown women whose over-usage would qualify them for the latter title. Easter-eve this year was spent drawing on their requested bunny and batman faces for my niece and nephew.

I’m Batman
Cute as a bunny

It’s the best use of my makeup and it’s so easy. Just Google around for ideas and go for it. Don’t worry, these customers are (almost) always happy.

Four Seasons Denver Shoot with Studio JK Photography

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A few weeks back I was asked to be the Makeup Artist for a shoot at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver. The pics would be a part of their marketing materials as well as to provide future brides inspiration on the venue. Our beautiful model wore breathtaking gowns from Priscilla of Boston, and super-stylist Erin Ferris (Tanto Salon Denver) and I got her glammed out with 3 different looks. Here are a few of my favs from her first look and what I used to achieve it. I’ll post parts 2 and 3 of the shoot later on.

First of all, big wow to Studio JK Photography, a Denver-based husband and wife team who rock my world with their brilliant captures. You can see why they travel the world photographing weddings, they’ll be in Greece next month in fact.

Secondly, I used so many different products during the 10 hour shoot that it would take forever to highlight them all. Instead, I’ll give with my ‘hero’ products for this look, and when I post the other 2 looks from the day, I’ll do the same.

I’m working. And, apparently cross-eyed.
Gorgeous Colorado skyline in the background.

Pretty amazing right?

In a shoot like this when you change the model into different looks, you do so with the color aspects like eyes and lips, but typically leave the skin as is so I needed a primer that would hang on to whatever I was putting on top for the whole day. Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light grabbed the makeup and kept it looking fresh. This was the first time I used their light version, it’s as good as the original and absorbed right in.

I wanted a little more coverage and staying power after I applied her foundation so I went to one of my new favorite finds, Estée Lauder Double Wear Powder. It locked in the makeup and kept shine away for the entire day. No small feat when hot lights and tons of movement is involved.

I wanted her to have statement eyeliner (click on the 2nd pic to enlarge) so I laid down the groundwork for the liner’s shape using a dark brown powder shadow and an angled brush. When I got it even, I went over it using Iman Luxury Liquid Eyeliner in onyx, a deep black with specks of shimmer that lightly glistens in the sun.

Klorane’s Soothing Make-Up Removal Wipes helped me out big time. I needed a wipe that would remove all of her eye makeup quickly but also gently. If these wipes didn’t remove makeup so easily, her eyes would have been red from rubbing and it would have taken me much longer to get her looking perfect. Even the waterproof mascara melted right away.

Look for our peacock-inspired part two very soon..

Best Vegetarian, Vegan, (and Just Plain Healthy Restaurants) We’ve Found on Our Trip

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We love food. I’d say that we’re ‘Foodies’ but I hate the pretentious ring to that term so much I’d rather be called a pig. So, fine, we’re pigs. Vegetarian pigs (well, Mike is technically a pescitarian pig but I digress.) Shopping has taken a firm backseat to finding creative veggie eats when we travel as our #1 thing we love to do. Since we packed up our furry children and left chilly Denver for some time in the warmer west last month, we’ve been able to hit up some of our best-loved places and discovered some new ones as well. Don’t worry, they aren’t all just for veggies, they’re for those who just love a delicious (and fairly inexpensive) meal.

Santa Fe Baking Co Santa Fe, New Mexico, Breakfast, Lunch, Dessert, Veggie Friendly, Vegan Friendly.

We always stop at Santa Fe Baking Co on our way to Arizona. It’s a total hot spot for locals with a mish mash of boomers, college kids, and of course the hipster crowd. It’s a menu heavy with breakfast and lunch items with a New Mexican flare. These past few times I’ve gotten the Vegan Bowl, a veggie scramble with tofu mixed in smothered ‘Christmas style’ with both red and greed chile served with 2 freshly made and nicely charred tortillas.

Vegan Bowl from Santa Fe Baking Co.

Pita Jungle Various Locations in Arizona, Lunch, Dinner, Mediterranean, Veggie Friendly, Vegan Friendly, Gluten-Free and Allergen Friendly.

Our first stop once we hit Arizona is always Pita Jungle. It’s a hard to nail combo of nicely priced fresh Mediterranean that’s pleasing to green eaters and meat-lovers alike. Our table was overflowing (as usual) with Cilantro-Jalapeno and Red Pepper Hummus, Falafel, Taboule, tons of fresh pitas, and of course a Greek Salad.

Hummus, Taboule, Falafel, and Salad at Pita Jungle

Green Vegetarian Tempe, Arizona, Lunch, Dinner, Vegetarian, Vegan.

We found this hidden gem on HappyCow.net, a good thing since we drove past it every day and wouldn’t have saw it because it’s somewhat hidden in a strip mall between a Goodwill and a bike store. We ended up eating there twice, our first meal were these bowls; my spicy Asian-inspired Diabolo Red on the left, Orecciette Pasta on the right- pre-marathon fuel for Mike featuring the best  faux meatballs we’ve ever tasted. Also pictured in the back are the ‘chicken’ wings we devoured, so tangy and spicy with a perfectly chicken-ish texture.

Diabolo Red Bowl, Orecciette Pasta Bowl at Green in Tempe, Az.

The Secret Spot Huntington Beach, California, Breakfast, Lunch, Veggie Friendly.

This takes us to California, where we are now. We found The Secret Spot right close by in Huntington. Apparently it’s so secret that they don’t have a website, but people are Yelping the hell out of it. It’s super casual (read: wipe down your own damn table) and sits in a strip mall behind a gas station so you can hear the not so quiet hum of a car wash behind you as you sit at one of the 3 picnic tables outside. I got the day’s special, a ‘turkey’ bowl which was served with veggies and brown rice and drizzled in some type of yummy BBQ/ hot sauce combo, while Mike ate their fresh ‘turkey’ tacos. Their ‘turkey’ is out of this world yummy, a solid faux meat that’s satisfying and free of any weird consistency.

‘Turkey’ Bowl with Veggies, ‘Turkey’ Tacos

The VeggieGrill Various Locations in California, Lunch, Dinner, Vegan, Gluten-Free Friendly.

The VeggieGrill’s sharp, minimalistic aesthetic suits its concise menu and clean looking food. They do full on ‘chicken’ sandwiches, not the norm for faux meat because most of it isn’t tasty enough to make a full sandwich when it isn’t drenched with sauce to disguise it’s true flavor. VeggieGrill isn’t shy about showing off their house-made ‘meats’ so they present them in all of their naked glory, as sandwiches and on salads. They nail the consistency and flavor of an actual chicken sandwich and their kale and (divine) sweet potato fries make the perfect little sides.

Grillin’ Chicken’ sandwiches, Sweatheart Fries, Steamin’ Kale, Red Cabbage Slaw, Chill Out Wings.

True Food Kitchen Newport Beach, California, Lunch, Dinner, Veggie Friendly, Gluten-Free Friendly, Modern Global.

Our first True Food outing was last weekend, but it won’t be our last. This was the most exciting menu of our food adventure so far. Sweet Potato Hash and Tuscan Kale accompanied my ‘TLT’ Tempeh, lettuce, and tomato which was smokey and sliced thin to mimic the essence of bacon. I won’t pretend that it tasted just like bacon, or came all that close for that matter, but it was a fulfilling attempt that hit the spot on a flavor and texture I haven’t tasted for 5 +years.

If eating veggie was filled with sprouts and beans (yuk), I wouldn’t do it. Google a veggie place in your area and try something totally new, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Gucci Westman: Jennifer Aniston’s Makeup Artist for her Allure Cover Shoot

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I was just checking out some behind-the-scene pics from Jennifer Anison’s Allure cover shoot and I saw my favorite Makeup Artist, Gucci Westman touching up Jen’s neutral pout.

Photo Credit: Allure.com
On set at the Allure shoot with Jen.
And here she is in a photo I took backstage at NY Fashion Week at the BCBG Max Azria show where she was the lead artist.

We were chatting about her then new role with Revlon while she was working on this probably 16 year old model.

Her kit, lots of Revlon since she’s the brand’s Global Artistic Director.

2 things I noticed about Westman; she had an incredibly calm presence while in the midst total chaos, and she had the most perfect, glowing skin I’d ever seen. It was such a thrill to meet her.

You can see more pics from Allure’s shoot with Aniston HERE