Friends

Shhh!

April 13, 2009 by Jillian

I’ve been keeping this one to myself for a while.  As a makeup artist, and a blogger I do feel a certain responsibility to let my clients and readers in on the latest and greatest in all things beauty.  Then, sometimes I stumble upon something that is such a find, that I just want to keep it to myself.

I am totally the product of my mother in that way.  For example:  I once had this AMAZING colorist.  I mean…AMAZING.  He moved to another country, so now no one in the U.S can have him.  But before he moved, he made me all sorts of shades of blonde that were all equally fabulous.  My hair was so perfectly colored that women would stop me on the street daily, desperate to know the genius behind my luscious locks.  Whenever they would ask, I would respond with ‘Oh this, this is just some box color.  My friend did it for me.’

LIES.  And all of the curious women who asked totally knew that I was lying.  But, my mother always said ‘DON’T GO TELLING TOO MANY PEOPLE ABOUT AMAZING THINGS JILLIAN, BECAUSE THEN EVERYONE WILL HAVE IT AND THEN IT WON’T BE AMAZING ANYMORE.’

I sort of agree.  I also feel kind of guilty for holding out on all of you.

It’s just that now I’m torn.  I WANT to tell you about this amazing beauty find, because it’s what girlfriends do – They share information on beauty and other girly stuff.  Then there is a part of me that wants to keep this to myself, so as not to ruin it.  Once this catches on it’s going to be huge…Like…Sephora…Only, NEXT LEVEL.

Ugh.  Ok. (Let me catch my breath).  Here it is. (I can’t believe I’m sharing this – God, I am SO GOOD TO YOU ALL).  It’s called…

SASA.

Sasa is kind of like Sephora, but they only have standing locations throughout Asia.  Thankfully, they have a website, and they do ship internationally.  The thing that makes Sasa the next level Sephora is that they have things you have never heard of in the U.S.  Products that are rare and amazing…

Looking for Bird’s Nest Eye Mask?  Yeah.  They’ve got it. (P.S.: It’s edible.  Not sure why you’d want to eat it, but just in case you feel compelled to do so – It’s safe).

Or, maybe you’d like to try hairspray for your EYELASHES.

Dying to try Bai Cheong Lung pills?  They have them!  Don’t know what Bai Cheong Lung pills are?  No problem!  Apparently they moisturize the body, give you energy, help with absent mindedness, and post-partum!  Seriously, why isn’t everyone taking this???

Desperate for that wide eye’d doll look?  Try Sasa’s Super Dolly Powerful Mascara guaranteed to give you dolly eyes that will be the center of attention everywhere you go!

I could go on and on…But I think you get the idea.  Basically Sasa has EVERYTHING.  Things that you can’t even imagine.  Things that you would never know that you needed or even wanted until you realized they were realistic options.  Sasa is all the brands that you already know (Olay, Loreal, Dior etc.), PLUS hundreds of foreign brands that you never even knew existed.

The best part is that they always have sales! I’ve even found products that are carried at Sephora on the Sasa website – FOR A DISCOUNTED PRICE! Before you let international shipping turn you off from trying them out, you should know that you get free shipping on orders over $75.00.

What are you waiting for?  Explore Sasa today!

Joey Pero Record Release!

April 11, 2009 by Jillian

Last week I had the pleasure of turning out to support my friend and neighbor Joey Pero to celebrate the release of his debut jazz album ‘Resonance.’

At a soiree hosted by Resonance Music Group, Veuve Clicquot, and my client ‘Rogan’ – Joey gave a fabulous performance that showcased his amazing talent on the trumpet.

Here’s my roommate, Lindsay, (she’s the one in the fierce leather mini skirt!) – With flawless skin airbrushed by me!

Lindsay wanted a ‘no make-up’ look, and airbrushed foundation created using Temptu aqua make-up was the perfect application technique to achieve the effortless look.

Check out Joey’s new blog, as well as his record – Available for purchase on itunes!

Brush Cleaning Basics: A Dirty Brush Will Give You Zits

March 27, 2009 by Jillian

You MUST do this.  MUST.

I clean my brushes regularly – Both my own personal brushes, as well as the set of brushes I use professionally. I just assumed everyone did this since it makes so much sense to do so.  Brushes touch product, brushes touch your face which has natural oil – Basically, brushes get DIRTY.

Just the other night, I’m doing my regular weekly deep brush cleaning, and both of my roommates ask ‘What are you doing?’

When I explain they shout ‘OMG I DIDN’T KNOW I HAD TO DO THAT!’ And proceeded to break out their own (very poorly cared for) brushes.  When I saw the state of their brushes I cringed, and couldn’t help but wonder if they had any idea what kind of nasty bacteria was probably residing in them – And worse, if they had any idea what kind of bacteria they were passing on to their own face!  Dirty, ill maintained brushes can be one of the top reasons behind a breakout.  Plus, the better care you take of your brushes, the longer they will last you.  With good quality brushes running anywhere from $35 dollars to well over $100 dollars a brush, it’s probably better for your wallet if you learn to make them last.

It had never occurred to me to post about brush maintenance – But, it seems that not everyone is in the know.  So, I’m going show you 2 simple ways to keep your brushes clean which will reduce breakouts and also give your brushes some longevity.

1.  FOR DAILY MAINTENANCE:  Invest in a brush cleaner.  Sephora carries several brush cleaners in a variety of price ranges starting around $6 bucks.  I have tried them all, and honestly there isn’t a big difference between the brands.  You can use the cheapest one and it will work fine as long as you use a daily brush cleaner as written…DAILY.  It’s amazing to me how the package says daily, and some people think they can use this here and there when it suits them. This is not a substitute for a deep cleaning product. I needed to say that, before you assume brush cleaner is enough.  Brush cleaner is, however, a good way to minimize the amount of bacteria and product build up that develops between deep cleanings.  I like to spritz my brushes with this cleaner every night, so that they are dry and ready to be used again by morning.

2.  FOR DEEP CLEANING ONCE A WEEK:  Add two capfuls of a gentle shampoo (I like to use Baby Shampoo), to a bowl full of water.  Take your brushes and swirl each one around in the bowl several times.  I promise you will gag when you see the buildup at the bottom of the bowl.  Once you’ve gotten the gag reflex under control, rinse the brush under running water, and wipe off any remaining product on a tissue.  Reshape the brush, and stand upright in a bowl with the bristles facing up.  Allow brushes to air dry over night.

Awesome 80s by Debra

March 26, 2009 by Jillian

These images are courtesy of Debra:

I got Debrah these fabulous loose pigment shadows, at The Make-up Show two years ago.  They are from Naked Cosmetics and come in a little tower with 6 different colors.  Debra is wearing the “shock effect” collection.

The great thing about Naked powders, is that you can use them as shadow or liner.  They can even be added to clear lipgloss to create a custom blended color, or mixed with lotion for a subtle body shimmer.

I’ve mixed the colors into clear nail polish too.  While the polish LOOKS great, it does leave a funny taste on my hands which can transfer to food – So, I’ve stopped using the pigments in that way because it made everything taste weird.

Good job Debra – Thanks for sharing!

Eyeliner Modeled After Mont Blanc Pens? Fact or Fiction?

March 24, 2009 by Jillian

Usually I’m pretty good at being in the know about anything and everything beauty related. But, occasionally someone around me hears about a cool product and puts me on to something I hadn’t even noticed.  Such is the case with a particular eyeliner from the French cosmetic line Le Metier.

My friend Charles claims that Le Metier based their eyeliner design on Mont Blanc pens.  The reason?  Apparently Mont Blanc pens are so expertly crafted that they write under any circumstances.  And so, by basing an eyeliner on Mont Blanc technology, the result is an eyeliner that will draw a perfect line every time it’s handled. Supposedly even the shakiest of hands, and the most cosmetically challenged can achieve line perfection when armed with this eyeliner.

I haven’t tested it yet, but I’m planning a trip to Bergdorf next week to check it out and will let you know what I think.

Have any of you heard about this? Is this just another urban legend, or is this eyeliner the real deal?

Is this the Holy Grail of eyeliner?

Peep This: My Monday Night Make-up

February 17, 2009 by Jillian

As most of you know, it’s Fashion Week in NYC. Sure the shows are exciting, but the really fun part are all the parties around town all week!  I kicked off the party hopping on Monday night with a stop at the Street Peeper Party at the Tribeca Grand.

Here I am with my friend Linda – She’s the one very politely giving the finger.

Note:  I am wearing the following make-up products:  Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer mixed with a drop of Avon Anew Foundation for a bit more coverage (It WAS evening, so more coverage is a must). Stila Convertible Color in Poppy applied to cheeks and set with a light dusting of Benefit Thrrrob Powder.  Benetint applied to lips with a light pink gloss on top (gloss color unknown as the label came off but it was mos’ def’ from Benefit).  Stila Kajal Eyeliner in Sapphire (a fabulous navy blue), with a trillion coats of Benefit BADgal Mascara on my lashes to finish it all off.

Linda is wearing some Dior ish, which she very cleverly applied on the low at a Sephora somewhere downtown after work before steppin’ out.  No judgement though because I think we’ve all done that once – and by everyone I mean EVERYONE.  Including yours truly. And don’t try and front like you’ve never gone into Sephora and pulled that move before because I KNOW that you probably have.

P.S:  Linda’s wearing blue eyeliner too and we did not intend to be all matchy matchy – We are not those kinds of girls.  It was completely random, and can only mean that blue liner is where it’s at right now.  That means you should skip on over to your nearest make-up counter or drugstore and pick some up!

Q & A: Big Strong Brows

February 10, 2009 by Jillian

I haven’t done one of these in a while…

And this one is extra special because it was sent in from KAT via TWITTER which she supposedly HATES, but clearly finds ADDICTIVE and USEFUL.

She writes: So I am obsessed with Big strong eyebrows right now…I may need your assistance…maybe you’ll come over …I need some good brow advice…mine are thin and light and I tint them from time to time, I guess I need a good browliner and powder…whadda ya think? I do alright sketching em in…but could be better.

My response is this:

Dear Kat,

The obvious answer is to grow them in.  Obviously this is best.

If they don’t grow in very full (from too many years of plucking, tweezing, whatevs) then yes, you should fill them in.  I do not like pencil.  Actually, let me rephrase that: I HATE BROW PENCIL.

It is harsh, and will make you look severe.

I personally like powders or creams.  My favorite budget product is from Sonia Kashuk and it’s only 10 dollars at Target.  It comes in a quad with 4 colors so you can custom blend the perfect shade for you (I use this in my kit and swear by it). My second favorite, higher end selection is from Vince Longo – And if you move fast you can get it on sale at Sephora because Sephora is going to stop carrying the line soon.

Use a small, hard edged angle brush to apply the product (I like one from MAC and have linked it here). The key is to start with a little bit of product and build on it until you get the desired effect keeping in mind that with brows a little bit of product goes a long way.

Links to both products are below.

And, I will happily come by and demo proper eyebrow filling – But only if you admit that twitter is amazing.  Oh…and Staci has to make Shepards pie.  Those are my terms.

Good luck!

Sonia Kashuk Brow Quad

Vincent Longo Brow Powder Pomade

Are you on Twitter? Follow me!

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