I’m Most Thankful For…

With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow (Can you believe it’s almost December!?), lots of people are making mention of what they are thankful for this year.  I’ve decided to share my list of beauty products I am most thankful for.  Without these essentials, I couldn’t get by in my work…These are my favorites, and what I deem the best of the best.

Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil ($19)  I’m not sure how I got by before the creation of Mineral Veil.  This is the most luminous finishing powder there is.

Benefit Badgal eye pencil ($20)  My favorite black eyeliner.  It goes on smooth, lasts long, and smudges easily.  If you only own one eyeliner, this should be it.

Benefit Georgia ($28)  This brightening powder looks luminous on all skin tones, and is my favorite powder to set under eye concealer.

MAC Lustre Glass in Love Nectar ($14) This is a soft apricot gloss with a high shine pearl finish.  Not as sticky feeling as MAC’s original lip glass.  A universally flattering lip color that looks amazing alone or layered over your favorite lipstick.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($4.50)  A classic.  This will forever be a favorite of make-up artists and women everywhere.

Sonia Kashuk Brow Kit ($9.99)  With 4 versatile shades for you to mix and match, there is a color combination for everyone.

Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box ($36)  I have used at least one of these shadows on almost every job I’ve been on recently.  Scratch is a great champagne pink shadow that creates a beautiful base color for any skin tone, and Zero is a fabulous smokey eye color.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bare Escentuals. Not Just Minerals!

An amazing package of goodies arrived last night from the lovely PR team at Bare Escentuals.  I’ve been a long time supporter of the brand, and think it’s highly undervalued by professional artists.  I can not stress enough how fabulous I think this brand is.  I’m such a fan both personally and professionally, that I think women everywhere should have at least one BE product in their make-up arsenal.  It’s so easy to work with, that even if you’re cosmetically challenged I promise you’ll be able to get this stuff right.

I especially recommend their foundation and blush (the blush in particular is the most luminous blush on the market), and now I can add Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish to my list of BE loves.

This stuff is GOOD.  It’s incredibly lux and the quality rivals glosses at much higher price points.  And the full color offerings such as Roxanne and Sophia are STUNNING.

The best part is that unlike other lip plumpers, they increase fullness without leaving you in tingly fit of pain.

Infused with vitamins A and E, these babies will leave you with a soft and sexy pout for only $18 a piece.

Get yours now!

Tags: Bare Escentuals, Lip Gloss

Stephanie Simek: A Make-up Lover’s Dream Come True!

I’m a very extroverted person who reacts rather viscerally to things…

And, when I came across this jewelry I screamed.  Literally.  And, a part of me wanted to shed a tear that someone out there was thinking about my demographic when creating their latest collection.  I’ve never ever felt so understood.

I love (no, LOVE) unique things.  I also LOVE jewelry.  So, naturally I am LOVE, LOVE, LOVING the following two necklace’s by Stephanie Simek.

The single eyelash with beads is making me short of breath…

I’m obsessed with eye lashes (Hi, I wrote an entire post about my dog’s eyelashes)…so to adorn myself in lashes is…SURREAL.

And then (brace yourself)…There’s the powder necklace…Which…Is a little shell that…(omigosh)…Has TINY LITTLE HOLES THAT LEAVE A DUSTING OF SHIMMER POWDER ACROSS YOUR CHEST WHEN YOU  WEAR IT!!!

DYING = ME

I NEED this.  Both.  I need both.

My birthday is next month.  Won’t someone send me one (or both)?  PLEASE.  It would make my entire LIFE.

K.TX.Kisses.

Get This. Now. A Substitute for the Original MAC Spice Lipliner

This tip comes courtesy of In My Kit – Which is a fabulous resource for professional make-up artists.  It’s also a great product guide for real women because it lists the top products in every category.

MAC spice lipliner was once a gem – A universally flattering shade with a cult following that looked amazing when paired with ANY lip color. Unfortunately MAC went and messed with the formula, and the color hasn’t been the same since.

There hasn’t been a lipliner so versatile since that original formula, and there hasn’t been a quality substitute to take it’s place either…Until now.

Wet and Wild cream lipliners are INCREDIBLE.  They go on smooth and they’re long lasting – And, also ridiculously affordable.  You can get them in almost any drug store or Target for under 3 bucks.

Willow (#712) is IDENTICAL to the original MAC spice both in color and consistency (I know because I went and checked it out at my local Target just this morning).

You’re welcome.

Tags: Lipliner, MAC, Wet n Wild

The Pete Wentz Guide to Guyliner

This is an old video – Apparently he does not wear eyeliner anymore (Perhaps impending fatherhood has something to do with this change?).

Whether he wears it or not, this video remains a surprisingly good guide for boys (Or anyone really), who wants that day old smudgy rock star eyeliner look.

Tags: Eyeliner

R.I.P TRL: My Inner 12 Year Old Is DEVASTATED.

Confession:  I’m addicted to MTV (and also Music Choice on Demand, but that’s another thing).

Why:  I was once a contestant on Say What? Karaoke and subsequently have a love for the network like no other.

I lost to Tiki Barber. He was terrible.  But, he’s Tiki Barber…And, I’m obviously not Tiki Barber.  I lost and he won – And I’m still mad.  I don’t even know why he was allowed on my episode anyway.  It wasn’t celebrity Say What? Karaoke!

Shit.  I want a rematch.

Anyway, my parents have that video.  If I still had it I would upload it here because I am 99% positive my make-up was…Interesting.  My outfit was also interesting and I still own part of it (I keep it for the memories…And maybe a costume someday).

That was almost 10 years ago.  I don’t even think I was 18.  I’m pretty certain that I even lied about my age so I wouldn’t have to seem lame and bring a parent with me to the studio.  I also used an alias…(So I wouldn’t get caught lying about my age).

That appearance would mark the beginning of many MTV events I would attend over the next 2 years.  They were lots of fun – Especially New Years Eve.  I rang in the millennium laughing and pointing at all the suckers freezing their asses off in Times Square, while confetti streamed by and Sisqo hugged me, like, 20 times.  Seriously.  He did.  It was really intense.  You remember Sisqo, right?  The ‘thong song’ guy.  I wonder what ever happened to him?  I also wonder if Dru Hill will ever re-unite.  I LOVED him in his Dru Hill days.

Now that I’ve shared this, maybe you understand why I felt so sad this weekend when I heard that TRL was ending. › Continue reading

Tags: Beyonce, MTV

OMFG: ‘Not Fergie But Still A Video’ Edition

I haven’t done one of these in a while…Mostly because I’m too busy trying to be focused on my own work to notice a job well done by others lately.

Usually I reserve an OMFG post for a celebrity with make-up that I would die for.  Those celebs are usually working the red carpet, although there may have been one or two times that I’ve referenced a magazine.

In any case, there has only been one OMFG post in which I have referenced a music video.  Sometime back in the summer I posted a link to a video of the Fergie x Nelly callabo “Party People’, where she’s got these insane, cherry red, glossy lips that are BANANAS. If you are unfamiliar with this video, you should know that they look so delicious that I’m STILL dying over how fabulous they are.  (Side Note: If you still haven’t seen that video yet, you can still peep it on youtube here.  Do it.).

Anyway, I haven’t posted a video in this category since then.  There also hasn’t been an OMFG post in a minute (Not since Alexis Bledel rocked fuschia lipstick on the red carpet at the Pantapalooza Traveling Sisterhood sequel).

Now, what I’m about to do is really rare.  I’m about to post a video – And an OMFG post – With…boys (gasp!).  I know.

OK so, watch the boys (They’re friends of a friend and are actually quite lovely)…And then freak out over the girl (Her make-up is AMAZING).

P.S: GLITTER.  There is mad glitter in this video.  GLITTER!!! I. Love. It.

Tags: Glitter, The Urgency

Ariel @ Next

Kimber @ Elite.  Styling: Rose Garcia.  Photos: Marley Kate

Tags: 55dsl, Missbehave

Behind the Scenes: House of Jackie Brown

More photos after the jump… › Continue reading

Tags: 80s, Bikini's, Lookbook

Happy Birthday Toby!

My little man is turning 5!

It’s true what parents say about how quickly time goes by – I can’t believe it’s been 5 years since this little fur ball came into my life!  At 10 weeks old he weighed in at a whopping 1.8 lbs of destruction, tearing up tissues, biting ankles and growling at significantly larger animals in passing.

Toby truly is a special dog.

(This is an older photo, and I promise to replace it tomorrow with a more current one when I have more time)

With his messy hair and perfect lashes, I can’t think of another dog better suited to be mine.  And I know lots of dogs have eyelashes – But – Toby has the most sunning lashes ever.  I can’t imagine a more destined animal for a make-up artist!

People have come and gone…My career has changed…Everything is different than it was 5 years ago…

And Toby and I are inseparable through it all.  I am lucky to have him, and I count him among the things in life I am most grateful for.

He is the best dog.  Ever.  Even better than yours.  I’m sure of it.

In honor of Toby’s birth (Although, as a side note I think they lied at the pet store and he was younger than they said.  I just can’t prove it)…I thought it might be appropriate to share my essential must-have’s for lashes.  Toby’s lashes are a big part of what I think makes him so handsome and special…so here is a list of my favorite products to make your own lashes a little more special and enviable too:

Tags: Lashes, Toby