Late last year I had the pleasure of working with a very talented singer from Romania named INNA. We shot a video for her super fun song called More Than Friends! The video was shot on the beaches of Los Angeles and at a beautiful mansion in the hills of Malibu. INNA is naturally beautiful so I chose a fresh clean makeup for the beach scenes. As the party progresses later into the evening I amped up the look with a bright pink gloss and a bronze/gold eye shadow.
I have used every brush cleaner known to man. Most of which contain harsh chemicals in them that destroy the natural hair of the brushes so I usually just end up using regular shampoo. That is until I tried The London Brush Company’s Pure Goat Milk Solid Brush Cleaner a few months ago. I picked up a 1oz container at Nigel Beauty Emporium and was blown away by how clean and soft my brushes were. I am now on my 3rd container. This stuff is that good!
The creator of this wonderful product is accomplished makeup artist Sian Richards of The London Brush Company. These brushes are a staple in my makeup kit and are hand crafted in Great Britain. Sian has 22 years of experience as a movie makeup artist and you can check out her latest work in the new movie Cloud Atlas starring Halle Berry.
This brush cleaner is a MUST for any professional makeup artist or makeup aficionado. Pick yours up at www.londonbrushcompany.com
Create the PERFECT Cat Eye using this gorgeous palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills! She Wears It Well Palette has a mix of 9 nude and neutral shades in matte and shimmery formulas that effortlessly glide on the eyes and stay ALL DAY!
The She Wears It Well palette is a perfect blend of Hollywood Glamour and Modern Moxie that imparts a sophisticated smolder to anyone’s eyes. Hurry up before this palette is sold out. Available at Sephora.com and any Sephora Store.
For a step by step guide to creating the perfect cat eye, check out the video I created for Anastasia on YouTube!
Who doesn’t love a little Summer Love? Check out these stunning beauty looks that are perfect for Summer beach party or a hot date. Photographer Giuliano Bekor dreamt up this fun quirky shoot that I so fondly have renamed “Psycho Beach Party”…
We were inspired by all the bright accessories coming out for Spring Summer 2012 and coordinated each look with an equally bright makeup look. Below each image is a list of the product used!
This Ethereal makeup was inspired by a trend that I saw a lot on the Fall/Winter 2011 Runways. Many of the shows had out of this world makeup, the models looked radiant and FLAWLESS! Flawless was my goal with this video, to give an almost angelic look to the skin. I achieved these results by using many of my favorite products that are super shimmery. Check out the gorgeous results below!
Products Used in this video:
Dermalogica Active Moist
MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Foundation in 117 & 118.
MAKE UP FOR EVER Microfinish Powder
Benefit Cosmetics Boing Concealer in shade #2
Benefit Cosmetics Cream Eye Shadow in R.S.V.P.
MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Coquette
Chanel Eye Lash Curler
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Lifting Mascara
Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Ash Blonde
NARS Blush in Angelika
MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle
Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydraful Gloss in Sugar Pink
MAC Cosmetics Pigment in Vanilla
The Holiday parties are all over and now its time to get ready for the biggest night of the year, NEW YEARS EVE! For this look Andrew and I were inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the movie Breakfast At Tiffany’s. To get this gorgeous timeless look, follow the steps below.
MAKEUP: I prepped and primed the skin using Dermalogica Active Moist Moisturizer. I like to use this particular moisturizer cause it is oil free and light weight and doesn’t compromise my makeup and helps it last all day and into the night. With a large flat foundation brush from MAKE UP FOR EVER (35N) I applied MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation in shade 117 starting from the center of the face and blending outward. I then buffed the foundation further with a wet makeup sponge. If you have a Beauty Blender or something like it, that would work great as well. I let the foundation sit on the skin and set on its own before applying any face powder and started on the eye makeup.
LIPS: For the lips, I wanted to have a bright statement lip. I used Urban Decay Supersaturated Lip Pencil in Crush. I lined the lips and filled them in with this highly pigmented glossy lipstick. For added staying power, blot the lips with a tissue and then reapply the lipstick.
CHEEKS: To finish off the look I set the foundation with a translucent face powder from MAKE UP FOR EVER. The powder I used is no longer made, but any translucent powder will do. I then dusted the apple of the cheeks and into the contours with TOM FORD Cheek Color in Frantic Pink.
HAIR: This look is one of my favorite looks, inspired by Audrey Hepburn, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This modern take on a classic look is sure to be a hit. Start by brushing hair into a high ponytail, secure the ponytail using a bungee or an elastic. If you have curly hair you’ll want to straighten your hair first. Next, you’ll need to create texture with the tail of your ponytail, by spraying your hair with a texture spray like Fekkai’s Tousled Wave Spray. Follow, by taking a section of the ponytail and back-brush the hair using a boar bristle brush like a Mason Pearson, repeat the previous step until all hair has been ratted. Now, twist your hair into a bun and secure it using a few hair or bobby pins. You can control the size of the bun by back brushing less, and or twisting the hair tighter. Lastly, don’t forget to accessorize your hair, I added a sparkly necklace Anthony and I found on one of our many shopping excursions around the base of the bun.
“ALL THAT GLITTERS” was the theme for this holiday party makeup & hair look! I was inspired by the glittery backdrop I created using two huge containers of silver glitter and some foam core board. I wanted the skin to be gorgeous and sparkle, I achieved this look by using MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation and some reflects glitter from MAC Cosmetics. Once again, Andrew and I wanted to use one of our flea market finds and we adorned the sculpted bun with a pink vintage brooch. To get this sculpted, sparkling look, follow the easy steps below.
MAKEUP: I prepped and primed the skin using Dermalogica Active Moist Moisturizer. I like to use this particular moisturizer cause it is oil free and light weight and doesn’t compromise my makeup and helps it last all day and into the night. With a large flat foundation brush from MAKE UP FOR EVER (35N) I applied MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation in shade 117 starting from the center of the face and blending outward. I then buffed the foundation further with a wet makeup sponge. If you have a Beauty Blender or something like it, that would work great as well. I let the foundation sit on the skin and set on its own before applying any face powder and started on the eye makeup.
LIPS: For the lips, I wanted to go for a fun and easy playful pink glossy lip and applied Anastasia Beverly Hills Hydraful Lipgloss in Sugar Pink for a sexy pout. The Hydraful Gloss from Anastasia is by far my favorite gloss, the silicone applicator is ideal for smoothing this gloss across the lips effortlessly.
CHEEKS: To finish off the look I set the foundation with a translucent face powder from MAKE UP FOR EVER. The powder I used is no longer made, but any translucent powder will do. I then dusted the apple of the cheeks and into the contours with NARS Cosmetics Blush in Orgasm. I then applied MAC Cosmetics Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle to the cheek bones, chin and nose for a healthy radiant glow. To boost the sparkle factor, I applied the same glitter that I applied to the eye with a blush brush on the cheek bones and temples for added drama.
Body: I wanted to add some sparkle to Rebecca’s body. I did this by applying Tarina Tarantino Spraklicity Shimmer Dust all over the décolleté, arms and even a few pouf’s on the face for even more shimmer.
HAIR: For this sleek look, start with dry hair. For those with curly or wavy hair, quickly flat iron hair focusing primarily on hair around your hairline. Next, using a boar bristle brush like a Mason Pearson, brush hair in to a sleek low side ponytail, and secure using a hair bungee. Smooth hair with a strong hold gel like Kiehls Strong-Hold Styling Gel this will control any unruly hairs and ensure a long lasting style. Continue by taking a small section of hair from the ponytail and coat it completely with gel. Follow, by twisting this section of hair and wrap it around the base of the ponytail, secure in place using a bobby pin. Repeat the previous step until all of your hair has been secured around the ponytail. Keep in mind there is no wrong way to create this style, be creative and have fun with the shape. Lastly, finish this look by attaching a beautiful brooch!
Posted by Anthony Merante 
