Out with the old and in with the new…

Every January I like to start my pre Spring cleaning. I start with my house and bedroom and finish with my makeup bags. It is amazing all the things I find that I have not seen or used in the last year.

I love to start with my closet and get rid of any clothing I have not worn or do not intend to wear. I either donate it to the Salvation Army or take it to Wasteland or Crossroads Trading Company. This is a great way to get some extra cash in your pocket.

Next is my ever expanding makeup kit. I currently have 3 very large duffle bags that constitute my makeup kit, and seriously need to lighten my load. When going through my kit, I get rid of all of my old makeup, cracked or broken eye shadows and powders. Sometimes I find cosmetic items that I have totally forgotten about or have never even used. When discovering these cosmetics items, I instantly get ideas for upcoming makeup projects, and this helps me fuel my creativity.

A lot of people ask me how long does makeup last. I prefer to not keep anything longer than a year. Foundations should be thrown away if they are separating or over 18 months old. Foundations that are water based last about 12 months and oil based foundations can last from 18 months to two years. The same goes for lipsticks, if it is sticky or has an “Interesting” smell, chances are it has gone rancid. Unlike liquid or cream products, powder products (eye shadows or pressed powders) can last a lot longer than a year. Since they are a dry product they are less likely to hold any bacteria like liquid or cream products. Mascara should not be kept any longer than 3 months, since it is constantly in contact with the eye area. Make sure you clean your makeup sponges and dispose of once a week, for they are a breeding ground for bacteria.

I clean my brushes between every job, but you should clean yours at least once a month. Use a mild hair shampoo or a cleaner made especially for makeup brushes. I like to use Baby Shampoo or a  product called Parian Spirits, which is a makeup brush cleaner.

So open up that makeup bag or drawer and start the new year off with some clean fresh makeup. Who knows you might find that favorite gloss at the bottom of your bag and feel inspired to create a new look for your self.

Baby Amelia

 

On January 14th at 8pm. My sister Nicole gave birth to a baby girl. She was named Amelia Elizabeth Romanelli. Amelia weighed in at 7lbs 4 oz.

 

Congratulations to Mike, Nicole, and BIG Sister Isabella !!

Paper Thin

This past December my friend Deborah released her much anticipated book called Paper Thin. Some of my work with model/actress Michele Hicks is featured in the book. You can purchase Deborah’s beautiful and erotic coffee table book on her website at www.deborahandersonphoto.com

Temptu Airbrush

A lot of clients have been asking me for the last year if I do air brush makeup. I had seen it done before and was never really impressed with the way it looked. So I decided to stick to what I do best and that is a hand application of makeup. 

This past Summer while at the Makeup Artist Trade Show, I came across a product at one of the booths called Temptu. I was still very skeptical about air brush makeup and decided to sit in on a demonstration by Temptu’s finest JP McCary and Danielle Fonseca. 

Five minutes into the demonstration I was SOLD! The base foundation looked soft, natural, luminous and not matte and dry like the other brands I had seen. I immediatley went to the Temptu booth and purchased EVERYTHING and I have been using it ever since.

I am now a featured Airbrush Beauty professional on the Temptu website. They also have a great blog that showcases my work as well.

Website:  www.temptu.com

Blog: www.temptu.wordpress.com

The Honey Line

For the last few months, I have been working with Pro Volleyball star Gabrielle Reece. Gabby asked me last month to be a featured Beauty expert on her website for women and men seeking advice on Love, Health, Family, Fitness and of course Beauty, called, The Honey Line. 

Every month I will write a column about Beauty and Cosmetics and how to achieve certain looks from The Classic Red Lip to the Dark Smokey Eye. 

Check out The Honey Line at www.thehoneyline.com

Here is a portrait from a photo shoot I did with Gabby back in November shot by  Deborah Anderson. You can check out Deborah’s work at www.deborahandersonphoto.com 

The Classic Red Lip

A Classic Red lip is the perfect way to spice up your Holiday Beauty look. Here are a few simple guide lines for achieving “The Perfect Red Lip”.

This post is dedicated to Bonnie Holland.

How To:

Choosing the right shade and formula:  There are 1,000’s of shades of red lipstick in many different formulas from Sheer, Glossy, to Matte. These can be divided into two categories of Warm and Cool tones. Warm tones tend to look best on tan skin and cooler tones look best on pale skin. I recommend trying out several shades of red before committing to one. MAC Cosmetics (www.maccosmetics.com) has an abundance of shades and formulas to choose from. I prefer matte or satin formulas. Matte or Satin lipstick tends to stay longer on the lips, where glossy lipstick likes to move throughout the evening and may need to be re-applied.

Lip Prep: Exfoliate the lips by scrubbing them lightly with a damp wash cloth or by using my favorite Exfoliating Beads (Lipscription), from Benefit Cosmetics (www.benefitcosmetics.com) to remove dea d skin. Apply a light application of your favorite lip balm and blot with a tissue. Line lips with a neutral colored lip liner to correct the shape of your lips.

Lipstick Application: Apply the appropriate shade of your choice directly from the tube or with a lip brush to your lips. Blot your lips with a tissue and apply a second coat, blot again and apply a third coat. Apply a light dusting of translucent powder to your lips to set the lipstick. By applying the lipstick straight from the tube, you should get a very crisp line. If you need to fix any mess ups, I like to use a Q-Tip with a bit of foundation or concealer.

Prevent Bleeding: If you have a problem with your Lipstick bleeding, DuWop (www.duwop.com) makes a great Reverse Lip Liner pencil. It is a clear matte lip liner that is applied on the skin outside of the lips prior to applying your lipstick to prevent feathering or bleeding. 

Eye Makeup: When applying a red lip, I prefer to go light on eye makeup. I love to apply a light dusting of a shimmery shadow to the entire eye area. Stila has a great eye shadow shade I like to use called Kitten (www.stilacosmetics.com). Curl your lashes and apply a coat or two of black mascara. Everlong Lengthening Mascara by Yves Saint Laurent Beaute (www.yslbeautyus.com) is my favorite. Fill in, and shape and groom your brows with your favorite brow pencil or powder.

Face Makeup: Keep your face makeup20minimal and easy. Apply your  concealer or foundation to your face and make sure it is well blended. Set your base with a translucent face powder. Apply a light dusting of a soft blush to the apple of the cheeks. For some extra glamour and pop, apply a liquid highlighter such as High Beam from Benefit Cosmetics (www.benefitcosmetics.com) to your cheek bones.

Here is some of my favorite red lip shades that I keep in my makeup kit at ALL times.

Jungle Red, Heat Wave, Dragon Girl and Red Square by NARS Cosmetics www.narscosmetics.com

Dakota Red by Vincent Longo Cosmetics www.vincentlongo.com

Ondine by Kevyn Aucoin Cosmetics www.sephora.com

Russian Red, Lady Danger, Charred Red and Red Pepper by MAC Cosmetics www.maccosmetics.com

Fire by Chanel Cosmetics www.chanel.com

Maraschino and Classic Red by Estee Lauder Cosmetics www.esteelauder.com

VEGAS BABY!

Last November me and my favorite “Hair Guru” Marcia Hamilton flew out to Las Vegas to do a series of editorial fashion stories for Vegas Magazine and Style Magazine with photographer Bonnie Holland. www.bonniehollandstudio.com

We shot at The Paris Hotel, The Palazzo Resort and The Venetian Hotel and had an amazing time!

Well, I am in Las Vegas for a little New Years fun this weekend and staying at the beautiful Venetian Hotel. In all of the rooms, they feature Style Magazine and I was so happy to see my work being showcased in this great magazine. Here is a few of my favorite images from this shoot.

First Post of 2009!

Welcome to 2009!

Today is the first day of 2009 and what better day to write my first blog entry. 2008 brought some very interesting moments. I am very excited to get 2009 kicked off and I look forward to sharing many more great moments with you. I will be using this blog to update you on my makeup career and posting fun DIY makeup tips. I will also be posting sneak peaks from photo shoots and behind the scenes images. 

I would also like to introduce my new website at www.anthonymerantebeauty.com

Happy New Year!

Anthony Merante