DARE TO GET 'GLAMIFIED'

I spent last Saturday advertising my service of Airbrush Makeup Artistry at the Bridal Faire, what a great day it was, and so nice to see the wonderful response and interest in my services for all the soon-to-be-brides that visited my booth. Remember my show special when you call to schedule your consultations, it is an incredible offer! Now something for you to ponder...
~You have spent countless hours searching for the perfect dress that you will wear only for a fraction of the time you spent looking for it. Now I DARE you… to take photos with your dress on prior to the wedding day. Is the picture what you have visioned will look like on your wedding day? Are you conviced now why its so important to have a professional makeup artist and hair designer? Book your pre-trial application for airbrush makeup and hair artistry, then put your dress back on take another picture and you will be so convinced HOW important it is. I will complete that vision you are dreaming of! Let's face it...professional makeup + professional hair artistry + professional photographer = amazing beautiful pictures to pass down generation after generation. I dare you....

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!

For the last serveral years my family and I have spent our holidays in what we call Paradise. Each year our dear friends play santa to the local vendor's children, and its quite the site to see the children run in anticipation to pick out a toy, the smiles on their faces is a very humbling experience. We feel so honored and blessed to be able to share this expereince with people who so generously give, care and the souls it touches. I know my family and I return home with much gratitude in our hearts and the desire to help more where we can. Happy New Year to you and yours and especially those who have touched our lives and more....

Are Makeup Primers Necessary?

It’s hard enough to get going in the morning without adding another step. So is it really necessary to spend an extra 5 minutes on makeup primer?

Well, it depends on your skin. Most primers are made of a combination of cyclomethicone and or dimethicone, which are silicone derivatives. These ingredients are designed to help your makeup go on more evenly, and “grab” on to your skin so that the makeup lasts longer. If your skin is “normal” (not dry and flaky nor very oily) and your foundation lasts all day, then you probably don’t need a primer.

However, there are two situations where a makeup primer can help you look better.

If your skin is dry and flaky, it can be hard to apply foundation evenly, since it tends to concentrate in the dry patches and ends up looking blotchy. Powder looks even worse, since it settles into fine lines and wrinkles, especially by the end of the day. Unlike moisturizer, which can leave a greasy residue that makes it difficult to blend foundation into the skin, primer smoothes the flakes and leaves a soft, silky surface so your foundation or powder glides on evenly. One of the first products to hit the market was Smashbox Photofinish Primer, which is still a favorite of some of the top makeup artists. It fills in fine lines and pores, and your makeup won’t budge, smear, or melt into your creases, even when it’s hot and humid. Smashbox recently introduced different colored primers (green is supposed to neutralize red complexions; lavender is for sallow skin; apricot is supposed to lighten dark undereye circles) but I’d recommend sticking with the original or light formulas, which are clear. The colored primers are more pricey, and don’t really even out your skin tone. A newer product is Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation. For best results, apply sunscreen, let dry for 10 minutes, then apply primer and makeup.

Oily skin can benefit from a mattifying primer, which can reduce shine, minimize the appearance of pores, and help your makeup stay put all day long. Try Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher, a light serum that absorbs quickly and leaves a matte surface. Make sure you wait a few minutes before applying makeup, to allow the serum to absorb completely.

Before and Afters...

MORE WEDDING MAKEUP TIPS FOR BRIDES...

I have a few makeup tips for brides on how to prepare before their wedding to assure the best possible makeup application for their big day. Please see below and feel free to comment or add any tips of your own.

WEDDING MAKEUP TIPS FOR BRIDES:

*Waxing Tip: If you are getting your eyebrows waxed for your wedding, do it at least 3 days before hand. Waxing removes a layer of skin along with the hair, and if it has been done too recently, makeup has a hard time adhering to the raw skin. If you’re worried about any strays showing up between your wax and your big day, ask your professional makeup artist to remove them. If it’s just a few, it shouldn’t leave you too red. And if it does leave you a little red, it’s probably nothing a little makeup can’t cover (at least the makeup will be able to adhere!).

*Facial Tip: If you plan on getting a relaxing facial before your big day, make sure you do it at least one week prior to your wedding day and no less! The purpose of a facial (besides feeling amazing and leaving your skin glowing) is to draw impurities to the surface of the skin, so that your skin can rid itself of these pesty impurities. HOWEVER, the impurities typically show up in the form of zits, pimples or blackheads – yuck! Did the facial make you break out? Yes! But that’s the purpose of it! Plus, some facials include extractions in which the esthetician will remove any existing impurities. All this poking and prodding can leave your skin red and tender, not to mention you may have a few impurities waiting to show up any minute after the facial. This is one of those cases where things tend to get worse before they get better. That’s why I say do it at least a week prior to your big day! Give your makeup artist a little less work : )

*Hydration Tip: Make sure you drink plenty of water and moisturize often before your wedding day! I know the days leading up to the big day can be very stressful and hectic, leaving little time to take care of yourself, let alone drink some water. But alas, it’s very important that you stay well hydrated because I know you want that dewy, fresh, glowing, blushing-bride look, and staying hydrated and moisturized is one way to help assure this! Think of a desert that hasn’t had any rain in quite some time, the dirt begins to crack. This is what will happen to your skin (and especially your lips) if you don’t stay hydrated and moisturized – eew! So make sure you drink lots o’ water and lacker on that moisturizing cream weeks prior to the big day!

*Bridesmaids, Mothers, etc. Tip: If your bridesmaids, Mothers, etc. will be getting their makeup done professionally along with you, make sure you give them these tips as well. And, most importantly, make sure they (and you) arrive with a clean, makeup-free and moisturized face! Things are going to be hectic enough that you don’t want your makeup artist to also have to worry about scraping last-night’s makeup from the bachelorette party off everyone’s face. Keep things simple for the big day! And make sure everyone is on the same page about what time they need to arrive! Better yet, give them a schedule with these tips and instructions included to make things a little easier.

*Trial Tip: I always reccomend doing a trial run with your makeup artist before your wedding day. A trial run will allow you to discuss your makeup needs and desires with your makeup artist prior to your big day, ensuring less stress on the day of your wedding, and it will guarantee that you’ll get the look you want. You can also discuss makeup ideas/colors for the bridesmaids, Mothers, etc., so that your makeup artist will have something in mind prior to the big day, making sure things run smoothly and efficiently. This is especially important if their is a large bridal party getting their makeup done. The trial will give both you and your makeup artist an idea of what to expect on your big day as well as peace of mind.

INSPIRATIONAL NEW YEAR QUOTES...

Edith Lovejoy Pierce
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

Irish toast
In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want.

Sydney Smith
Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of general enjoyment.

Anonymous
Your Merry Christmas may depend on what others do for you. But your Happy New Year depends on what you do for others.

Aisha Elderwyn
Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This
year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.

I hope you find the quotes as inspirational as I do, and I wish you a very healthy, happy, prosperous and blessed NEW YEAR...

BIG GRATITUDE...

Here is the beginning of my 10 day quest for a worthy cause, my first blog for "Can for Comments"!
On Thanksgiving I sent many clients, friends and family a sincere message expressing my gratitude for what they have brought to my life. A few days after I received some messages from a few who expressed how special that made them feel, that it brightened their Thanksgiving day that much more. With all that being said it made me realize how important it really is to express your gratitude and what it can do to others.
So today I'm making a concerted effort to focus on gratitude this holiday season. These last few months have made me realize, more than ever, how truly blessed and fortunate I am.
There are about six weeks until the new year, and I want to spend those six weeks living my gratitude, instead of just feeling grateful. I want to recognize the things I’m grateful for, and recognize the people who make my life complete.

Consider it a pre-New Year’s resolution.