Summer Break

Hey guys, I took a little summer break from the beauty blog. Gearing up to post some great NEW makeup tips, new work, products of the week and MORE behind the scenes shots from  photo shoots early next week.

Check back soon!

Los Angeles Magazine Cover

Last month I got to shoot the cover of Los Angeles Magazine with photographer Bonnie Holland. Bonnie called me on the phone giggling and asked me if I would be interested in doing some makeup on feet and legs, I thought this would be a really interesting job. We had some leg and feet models come in and I got to airbrush them a nice golden tan. Los Angeles Magazine “Best Of LA” issue is on news stands NOW!

How to get the look: I used the Temptu Airbrush system and the S/B Foundation to achieve the look we were going for. I first applied a body lotion to the legs and feet and then blotted with a paper towel. I then lightly airbrushed the legs with the Temptu S/B in shades 007 and 008. I then highlighted the legs with the Temptu S/B Champagne Shimmer.

Water Beauty Story

I got to do my first photo shoot with water last week and I was super excited. Ric Frazier is an amazing under water photographer and we have been trying to put together a shoot for months now but our busy schedules kept getting in the way. We shot the beauty story in a shallow pool in his studio downtown on a hot summer day and this is just a sneak peek of our shoot.

I was able to achieve these water proof with the help of Temptu S/B Airbrush Foundation and Make Up For Ever water proof eye liners.

Check back soon for more images from this amazing shoot.

80’s Inspired Shoot

Photographer Gabriel Goldberg approached me with his idea for a shoot. Gabriel sent me some images for inspiration and they were Patrick Nagel paintings.

I was really excited because Patrick’s striking images were everywhere when I was growing up. I can remember back when I was young, my cousin would free hand draw his famous paintings with charcoal and I was always so mesmerized by them. Patrick Nagel’s work has a very dated aesthetic, but at the time, they were really groundbreaking.

We were hoping to get at least 4 shots, but ended up with 8. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this without my assistant Airica Hartsfield. Thank You.

Check back soon for more images.

Favorite Drugstore Cosmetics

Some of my favorite products in my makeup kit come straight from the drug store.  With this tough economy we are all facing, I think it is appropriate to inform you of some great products that cost the fraction of the price of some of the designer cosmetic brands out there.

I tend to use a lot of name brand cosmetics like Dior, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Shu Uemura and Cle De Peau when making up some of my celebrity clients, but I have found that some of the popular drug store brands like Revlon, Max Factor, L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Almay make some amazing cosmetics that work just as well if not better than the the designer brands do.

Foundation: When it comes to foundation I prefer the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation or the Temptu Air Brush foundation (available in September 2009). The only drug store foundation I have actually tried is the L’Oreal True Match Super Bendable Makeup. It has light to medium coverage for radiant flawless skin. True Match foundation comes in 24 different shades.  I have heard a lot of great things about the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless foundation but have not had the chance to try it yet.

Blush and Bronzer: Almay Pure Blends Blush and Bronzer are really soft and natural. They have 4 soft neutral shades that create a natural flush of color. They are also hypoallergenic, free of talk and added parabens.

Lipstick and Lip liner: Revlon Color Stay Liquid Lipstick is a great long lasting lipstick with patented color stay technology. You only need to apply the lipstick once and it will last you all day, even through constant eating and drinking. I really love the Vivid Impact Lip liners from Max Factor, they come in a great range of shades from pink to nudes and has a blending brush on the opposite end.

Lip gloss: Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lip Soother is a great soothing lipgloss, it is ultra sheer, cools/soothes the lips and also comes in several great wearable shades. Almay Pure Blends Lip gloss also has 8 great nude shades of lip gloss that are natural and very sheer with just a touch of color.

Eye Shadow: Almay has just come out with a new line of eye shadows called Pure Blends and come in 10 great wearable shades, Stone, Oatmeal and Ivory are in my kit. Max Factor makes some great eye shadows as well, they come pressed with 3 complementary shades and I have used 130 Cocoa Crazey, 140 Connoisseur & 160 Baja Bronze on Gabby many times. Revlon also has some great nudes and neutral eye shadow quads called Beyond Natural Cream to Powder eye shadows. My two favorite palettes are Spice & Buff.

Mascara: L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black & Blackest Black is a definite staple in my kit. This really adds volume to your lashes and gives you that false lash look. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara is also a great mascara under 4 bucks and comes in several different shades and formulas. I also love the NEW Lash Stiletto from Maybelline as well. This mascara really defines and lengthens those lashes and gives them a glossy look.

Eyeliner & Brows: Line Express from Maybelline is a fantastic eyeliner that has intense color and a tip on the opposite end for easy blending and comes in 6 shades. Maybelline’s Define-A-Brow Pencil is also great for getting that perfect arch and filling in sparse areas in your brow. Define-A-Brow also comes with a comb attached to brush your brows into place.

Removers: In my opinion, Almay has one of the best eye makeup removers. The oil free eye makeup remover pads are gentle on the sensitive eye area and get all your eye makeup off with just one pad while nourishing the skin.

Tools: Sonia Kashuk has a great line of brushes at Target and they are all reasonably priced. Sonia Kashuk also makes an affordable version of the popular Beauty Blender sponge that I like to use. Boots No. 7 has some really great brushes too.

Product Of The Week: The Beauty Blender

The Beauty Blender makeup sponge has been around for awhile now and I must admit to avoiding it like the plague. A friend had told me about the Beauty Blender and I decided to look it up online.  I saw that the Beauty Blender was priced at $19.95 for a single sponge and that was enough for me to say “No Thanks”.

A few years go by and just last week I am at my favorite beauty supply store in North Hollywood  called Nigel’s Beauty Emporium and I once again see this Beauty Blender sponge. The sponge is also hot pink and that is one of my favorite colors… I was in a shopping mood and  decided to purchase a few sponges and a bottle of cleanser. I must say that I am really disappointed in my self for neglecting such an amazing product just because of the price. I had never shied away from a beauty product in the past  just because of its price.  

This product really does a great job at blending my favorite Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation into the skin seamlessly. All you have to do is dampen the sponge with some water and apply your foundation in a stippling motion and then set with a translucent powder. It really is that easy! One of the best features of the Beauty Blender is that it is washable and latex free. It is also great for the environment by not using and wasting as many latex sponges.  So check out the Beauty Blender at www.beautyblender.net and order one today.

Vintage Lady Gaga

Before LADY GAGA became a POP Superstar. I did a little test shoot for her record label. These images were shot by Raquel Olivo, makeup by Anthony Merante and Hair by Marcia Hamilton.

Lady Gaga entertained us by telling a story about how she was being chased around at Lolla Palooza and her captions were reading “Amy Winehouse” so she decided to bleach her hair and go for another look. I think the blonde look fits her well.

OK! Magazine with Gabby Reese

Check out this weeks issue of OK! Magazine with Gabby Reece. Last week I had shared a few behind the scenes images shot by photographer Phillip Dixon. Ashely Tisdale is on the cover of this weeks issue. Inside Gabby gives a great interview about being a mother, a wife, work and how she manages it all.

How to get the look: 

I created Gabby’s natural makeup by first prepping Gabby’s skin with the Lisa Ashley Ultimate Moisturizer and Ultimate Eyecream. Gabby has a beautiful complexion and I like to keep her base really light and natural. I acheive this by applying a light application of Temptu S/B Foundation in #005 and #006, I then mix a few drops of the Temptu Champagne Shimmer with the foundation and highlight her cheek bones. I set all of this with the Makeup For Ever HD Microfinish Powder and then I sculpted the cheek with Giorgio Armani Sheer Bronzer in #5.

For the eyes I apply the Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye Shadow in Sparkling Sand #4 all over lid and up to the crease. I then line and smudge with the Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil in #12. The eye brows are groomed and shaped with Smashbox Brow Tech in Taupe and the lashes are then topped off with two coats of the Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils Luxurious Mascara in High Density Black. Lips were lined with the Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Lip Pencil in #10 and then glossed with a touch of Korres Cherry Lip Gloss in shade #11 Light Pink.

Walmart/Danskin Behind The Scenes

Here is a couple behind the scenes shots from my shoot with Gabby for Walmart/Danskin.

Since this was for fitness, I kept the makeup really natural but still pretty. I prepped and primed Gabby’s skin with Embryolisse Skincare and applied Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in shade 153 to even out complexion and set with Make Up For Ever HD powder. I used the Giorgio Armani Blending Blush Duo in shade 3 to sculpt her cheek. Lips were left nude, lined with Armani Lip Pencil in #2 and glossed with Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss in Light Pink #11. The eyes were enhanced with the Armani Maestro Eye Shadow Quad in #4 Stone and lashes were coated with Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in black.

Whoop Ash Body Butter

Last year, I worked with Sheree Fletcher to create her ad campaign for her Whoop Ash Body Butter Cream. These amazing shots were shot by Bonnie Holland and hair by Marcia Hamilton. Whoop Ash is a concentrated body moisturizing cream that really works. It is formulated with Pure White Honey, Mango and Shea Butters. This is a heavy duty body cream that really works, last all day and doesn’t leave a greasy residue.

Whoop Ash can be pre-ordered starting June 2nd and is available exclusively online at www.whoopash.com for $19.95 plus tax.