Triangle of Light

   We've all heard of the dreaded raccoon eyes that can come from running mascara. Ever heard of the reverse raccoon eye? Its when a concealer that is too light for you in applied under your eyes in a crescent moon shape making it look like you have white bags under your eyes. NOT a good look. It can also make it look like your under eye area is puffier than it is. To avoid such a mishap, try applying your concealer in an upside down triangle shape, like so...

   This will help to bounce the light in such a way that it brightens the entire face and dramatically diminishes the look of dark under eye circles. I still like to go with a shade or two lighter than my natural skin tone, just to brighten things up a bit. Apply concealer BEFORE your blush or bronzer, so you don't end up with an obvious line cutting across your cheek. My favorite brightening concealers I have found are the Trish McEvoy brightening pen, YSL Touche Eclat, and Clinique has one too but the name escapes me at the moment (the one with a paint brush tip). This has helped me to look more awake and brighter, and it will do the same for you! :)


K

Fragrance

Well of course you know I'm going to start with the number one selling fragrance in the world, Chanel No5. I hear it everyday "That's my grandmas perfume". Well, your grandma has good taste. I had an elderly woman tell me once that No5 reminded her of an old love lost and when she wore it she remembered the sweet moments they had together. They say fragrance is the strongest sense tied to memory. I think my first perfume was something like Sunflowers by Elizabeth Arden (I think). I also went through a couple bottles of Dolce and Gabana light blue, and Ralph Lauren (the blue bottle they don't make anymore) when I was younger. When I smell these fragrances now they really "bring me back".
  However, I think a persons taste for perfume is acquired over time, like wine. I find that now I prefer much richer, more complex fragrances. Fragrances that tell a story, evoke emotion. That's why I love Chanel fragrance. They use the finest ingredients and the way they blend them together is always so divine. I wish I didn't love Coco Mademoiselle so much because EVERYONE wears it, and I like to be different. So I've been experimenting with mixing it with other fragrances from the line. Different fragrances for different moods is my motto. Some days I need a pick me up so I'll spritz on something citrus and clean. Other days when I'm feeling lighthearted I like sweet and soft. On days when I'm feeling strong and confident I'll go with something rich like Coco Noir, or YSL Elle, or Chance. I only wear Chanel No5 when I want to feel like a classy lady wearing a classy fragrance. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's what I do.
  Maybe after you watch this video you'll understand just a little bit. Its like once you know the history behind a fragrance it becomes so much more intriguing and you have more appreciation for it. Some days, when I'm feeling really large and in charge I'll even wear a men's fragrance. I like the way they generally smell clean and woodsy. Bleu de Chanel is my usual go to. But I also love the Gucci pour homme. Deeeeelicious. Well that's all for now. enjoy the video!

Chanel no 5 video

k

coco chanel

A must watch video. Consider it a brief history lesson... beautifully orchestrated. Link at the bottom. One of the most influential and inspiring and empowering women in history. Fearless.

Click here to watch video

(Love this photo. Sassy little old lady.)

One more just for fun. The sunset of her life...

k

Fall 2013 makeup trends

Ok so, here we have 3 trends that actually can be traced back to a certain era: the 20's! Think The Great Gatsby, or a bit Vampire/Vampy.... 

   The top trend is the Boudreaux lip. Burgundy, wine, plum... What ever you want to call it and which ever looks best on your skin tone, that's it! Here are some great examples on some beautiful ladies. 

You can either wear it matte or glossy, it's up to you. However, I would recommend matte as it will last longer. 

Another trend is winged liner. For a more subtle look you can pair it with a nude lip. This will bring all the focus up to your eyes.

Or... If you really want to go for it, pair it with the dark lip and a little smoky shadow to get a vampy,1920's look.

For shadows it's all about a soft smoky look. Smokes, grays, taupes.... These all go great with the dark lip look. Just make sure you blend really well, you don't want to see any strong contrast. Here are some inspiration pics from my favorite new movie, The Great Gatsby. Enjoy!

:) k

Mary Greenwell's Masterclass: Sweetness and Light

I love the way it lights up her eyes, and the natural glow of the skin.

How to make your hair grow faster

   So recently I made the rash decision to chop off all my hair. I LOVED the cut, but after washing it I had no clue how to style it! Sure my stylist gave me a quick lesson, but it was all quickly forgotten and there I was clueless in front of my mirror. So as much as I love my shorter hair, I am trying to grow it back out. At least all my split ends are gone and I get to have a fresh start! There are going to be a few awkward stages I'll have to work through however. Right now, I'm at about the 4th one...

   After doing some research I learned that the most effective way to grow your hair faster is to stimulate the hair follicle. There are a few ways to do this. First off, wash hair in very warm water, and scrub/massage your shampoo AND conditioner into your roots for as long as you can. This will stimulate the hair growth and moisturize the scalp. Hair grows easier through a scalp that is well moisturized vs dried out. Coconut oil on your roots helps too. Massage a small amount into your scalp for as long as you possibly can (I usually do it for around 15 minutes or so).  

  Another trick I learned was to give your hair a good strong pulling on everyday. Yep, pull on it. Not like a painful "yank", but more like a firm pull for a few seconds. I swear it's working! 

   Prenatal vitamins. These are great not only for your health, but also in providing your body the nutrients it needs to grow healthy shiny hair (and nails!). I picked up this brand at Walmart and it seems to be doing the trick.

   And last but not least, avoid using heat on your hair. Heat damages hair like no other and the less you use the better. I've been rocking the beachy wave for about a week now and it's working for me. I just work a bit of coconut oil into the ends to seperate them a little and tone down any flyways.

I've tried all of this and my hair is growing back pretty fast, and healthy too!  Good luck! 

Corner lashes

   Lately I've been wearing little corner lashes to help make my lashes look a little fuller, without the look of full on fake lashes. It gives a very fresh and healthy look. Like you're done up, but not too done up.

   It's SO much easier than singles or full strips. You can either buy actual corner lashes or take a full strip and cut it in half.

   It's easy to place close to the lash line, put a little extra mascara on to blend them in with your natural lashes and viola! Full and flirty lashes in seconds. You don't have to go out and buy really nice really expensive ones either. Just some that aren't TOO much longer than your natural length, that way they don't look too fake. It's been a favorite go to look for me lately with natural skin and a natural lip! Give it a try, it's easy and makes such a difference!

;)

Summertime makeup

   Summer time is the time to lighten up a little. Both in color and in texture. Matt foundations are traded in for dewy and sheer, dark cranberry lips are traded for bright corals and pinks. Oh how I love living in San Diego where its like summer 75% of the year :) .

  A look that was really popular this summer was a flash of blue on the eyes. Chanel came out with some really fun mascaras. The pic below is more of an "inspirational pic", I don't think I would actually go all out like that.

 I think blue can be pretty on the eyes, but it's all about moderation. No one looks good with a Mimi from the Drew Carey Show blue shadow from lash line to brow. But a little flash on the inner corner...

 or along the lower lash line can be a fun way to add a little color to your look....

  Chanel just came out with new cream blush for fall 2013 which I am actually loving for summer. Cream blush just looks so much more like skin than powder blush. 

  

  It looks moisturized and natural. I think I only own one, and probably 15 powder blush. Time to update my makeup wardrobe a little! 

  I'd also suggest switching out your flat matt lipsticks for ones with more of a shine to them, or add a gloss on top of your regular lipstick. Go for a bright color on the lips and keep the foundation and the eyes light. Glossy, dewy, moisturized... all good things for summer.

Oh, and of course don't forget SPF. I did..... I never will again. (worst sunburn of my freaking life).

How to make lipstick last

   A lot of women have a hard time getting their lipstick to stay on. Honestly, so do I! However, there are a few tricks that will help it to stay on longer than if you we're to just simply swipe it on. The number one thing is to start out with moisturized lips! Dry flakey lips wont hold onto color (not to mention they look yucky). Not so much moisture that your lipstick will slide all around, but just a dab so they are full and supple. 

   One of my favorites techniques is to stain the lips with a darker shade of lipstick first.  Use either a lip brush or your finger to really work the pigment into the lips. Blot. Then line and fill the lips in with the liner. Then apply your lighter color lipstick. This is the lipstick you'll need to carry with you for touch ups. This method works well for me. When the lighter color wears off, you still have a stain on your lips from the darker color. It looks much more natural when it fades away than just a ring of lip pencil being left behind.

*Keep gloss minimal, if any. The more glossy the lip the quicker it will fade.

:)

Cat eyes

   One of the sexiest looks you can do is a cat eye. Creating this feline shape elongates the eyes and gives you a seductive stare. I think everyone looks good with a little flick of a cat eye on the upper lash line like this...

or this...

But if you REALLY want to go for it, take it all the way into the inner corner of the eye too. Like so...

or this...

"Meeeeooooow"

I just love it so much! Makes me want to go put on some sexy makeup even though I'm just sitting at home all day today catching up on chores around the house. Nothing like a sexy cat eye in your pajamas! Wait, did I just admit to staying in my pajamas all day? Eh, oh well. Its the truth, what can I do? I've been online all morning and these looks really inspired me, so I just had to share :)

Bridal Makeup

   On the most important day of your life, you want to look your most beautiful. You want to look like the BEST version of yourself as possible. These pictures will be around FOREVER and you want to make sure you look timeless, happy, and beautiful! This is not the time to try something completely new and different. The last thing you want is your soon to be husband cringing when he sees you walking down the isle looking like someone else. If you're planning on doing your makeup yourself on the big day, here are a few suggestions!

#1) Don't try anything new on your skin or get any kind of new treatments done the week before. You never know how your skin is going to react to something new and it can take a few days to recover from an irritation.

#2) Wear a foundation with little or no sunscreen. Sunscreen will flash back at the camera and make your face look white in photos. If a foundation has spf 15 it is usually ok, but I would recommend testing it out with a camera with flash first.

#3) Black eyeliner close to the lash line will make your lashes look nice and full in photos. Make sure you define your lower lash line too, just stick to a soft brown or plum. Black is too hard looking along the bottom. I personally think every woman looks good with a little flick on the outer corners extending out and up, about a half inch or so past the end of the natural lash line.

#4) WATERPROOF MASCARA. Need I say more? And I think lashes are a must. At least on the outer corners, or a few individuals. 

#5) Wear a little more blush than usual, but be sure to buff and blend as best you can to make sure it looks as natural as possible. 

#6) Sometimes the flash of the camera can make your bone structure seem to disappear. Bronzer blended into the contours of the face, into the hair line, and down the neck help to define your bone structure. I like to bring a little blush/bronzer into the crease of the eyes and onto the temples to create a uniform glow.

#7) Keep the lips fairly natural. You will be kissing and eating and drinking... the last thing you need to worry about is constantly touching up your lipstick. A shade that's two the three shades richer than your natural lip color is all you need. Whether you want to go brighter or deeper is up to you. I like to layer a lighter lipstick on top of a darker one, so that the darker one stains your lips which still provides color once the top lipstick starts to wear off. 

Hope this helps! If it all seems like too much to have to worry about on what's already SUCH a stressful day, then hire a professional like myself! Click HERE to contact me.

:)

 

Vitamin E on lashes?

  I was helping a customer a few weeks ago with makeup for her wedding. She had the LONGEST and FULLEST lashes! They weren't the freaky kind of long and full you get from latisse, but still pretty impressive. I asked her what she did to get them so full and lovely and she told me that every night she pokes a hole in a vitamin e capsule and massages the oil onto her lashes. She swore by it and said her lashes had doubled in length and fullness. So I thought I'd give it a try, and... WOW! It actually works! Not only are my lashes longer and appear more full, but the skin around my eye area looks rested and youthful and hydrated. I'd still like to give latisse a try to get crazy results, but for $5 at Trader Joes this is a pretty nice secret! ;)

Great as a cuticle oil too!

Flawless complexion

  One of the worst things you can do to your face is cover it completely with a full coverage foundation. It looks too heavy and too fake. No one looks good with a thick layer of cake face. I get a lot of questions about how to achieve a flawless looking face, so here is how I like to get the look. Different things may work better for you, experimentation is highly encouraged :)

#1) Exfoliate and moisturize. Removing any dead skin cells will make your skin look healthy and rested. I love my Clarisonic brush for this. Moisturize and add SPF if needed.

#1.5) Prime (optional). Not everyone needs or likes to use a primer. I don't always wear one. If your makeup always seems to come off after only a few hours, or if you have very oily skin, then use a primer. Smashbox and Laura Mercier make good ones.

#2) Apply a sheer layer of foundation all over. Make sure if your adding color with a darker foundation that you bring it down onto your neck as well. I prefer a foundation brush.

#3) Conceal any blemishes or under eye circles. Use a concealer brush to apply, then use your finger to press it into the skin. For blemishes you want a mat concealer that matches your foundation perfectly. For under the eyes go with something creamier and more moisturizing. Under eye concealer can either match your foundation color or be a little lighter. It's up to you. Laura Mercier makes really good concealer a for both.
*If at this point you still feel like you need more coverage, you can apply another layer of foundation.

#4) Set with powder (optional). A loose translucent powder works best. If you have very dry skin or a lot of fine lines you may want to skip this step. At the very least a little powder on the nose maybe.

#5) Blush/bronzer. Some people like only blush, but I prefer to use both. For bronzer use a big fluffy brush to get the most natural look, and don't forget the neck! 

So that's it! Hopefully that helps. If you want to see a video on "how to" you can watch it here.

For how to cover blemishes watch this. (such an awesome video)

How to apply a red lip

I get asked a lot which to apply first, the liner or the lipstick. The answer is... it doesn't really matter. Just try both and see which works best for you. This is personally my favorite way to apply a red lip. I've tried many different ways and this is what works best for me!

   I really like the Chanel lip pencils because they have a lip brush on the end that you can use to blend the liner and really work the lipstick into the lips. I think probably the most important thing to do when wearing a red lip (or any bold lip color) is to really work the pigment into the skin. If you just slap on a lipstick and go, it probably wont hold up too well. I find that starting with hydrated and EXFOLIATED lips makes a huge difference. Nothing is less attractive than dead skin hanging off your lips... so use a lip scrub or use a hand towel or Q-tip to gently exfoliate your lips. I like to use my Clarisonic brush for this.
   Once your lips are exfoliated dab on a little lip balm. Not so much that your lips are dripping with it, just enough to moisten them up a bit. Give the balm a minute to sink in, then apply a layer of lipstick. Work the lipstick into the lips using a lip brush. I like Chanels Rouge Allure lipsticks (like Passion or Palpitante), and quite a few MAC lipsticks (Ruby Woo or Russian Red) as well.  Blot with a tissue once or twice. Line the lips with a matching lipliner and fill them in a bit with the liner. Then apply a second coat of lipstick with a lip brush. Really work it in and get it perfect. That's it! It should stay on for a few hours then you'll have to touch up.
  If you want to add a gloss you can, just keep in mind that it will make the lipstick bleed and come off a lot faster. The more you layer on the lipstick, blot, layer on lipstick, blot... the longer it will last. When you blot you are removing the moisture but the pigment stays in the skin. How many times you want to do that is up to you though. Once is enough for me :)

  Here is video from one of my favorite makeup artists on how to do the perfect red lip.

Still need more help? Here is the ultimate guide to red lipstick.

MUAH!

Thicker & longer looking lashes

   One of the most effective ways to look more attractive is to make your eyelashes look thicker, longer, and darker. Everyone knows this already. You could also go out and get yourself some latisse, which I still plan on doing asap! Something I think a lot of women should do, but don't, is CURL your lashes. Eyelash curlers make SUCH a big difference! When your lashes are curled and lifted up they can look twice as long, which opens up the eyes a ton. Here's how.

   Black eyeliner, or any dark color really, in between the lashes makes them look much fuller. Get as close as humanly possible to the roots of the lashes, or you can "tight line" your lash line from underneath the lashes. I'll post a video on how to do that HERE. Laura Mercier makes a good liner for tight lining.

   Last, but definitely not least, is apply a healthy few coats of mascara. Sure, there are many different colors out there, but honestly I think black looks best on everyone. A good everyday mascara is Chanel Intimitable Intense. Make sure if its for a special occasion where you think you might cry (tears of joy only) or will be dancing all night, that you go with waterproof. Covergirls Lash Blast 24hour mascara is nearly indestructible (not to mention cheap!) So basically....

#1) Curl with an eyelash curler
#2) Line the lash line in between the lashes
#3) Apply mascara!

You're welcome ;)

Different ways to apply blush

Not every face looks good with blush applied on the "apples of the cheek".  Having someone smile, then applying the blush to the apple of the cheek, can sometimes look dollish or fake. Same goes for sucking in the cheeks and applying the blush in a straight line. I think different strokes for different folks! Experiment with it until you feel like you're satisfied with it. Try different colors and different placement. I think most people look good with a warm pinky peachy color lightly swept in an upward motion from just behind the apple of the cheek, up towards the ear. Circular motions get you the most natural effect. If you ever get too much blush, just tone it done with either a clean powder brush or a touch of loose powder. Here's a video I like to show you different ways to apply blush! 

5 different ways to apply blush

Here's another video on why not to put blush on the apples of the cheek!

Don't apply blush to apples of the cheek!

About this blog

I have worked in the cosmetic industry for quite some time now and I have picked up a lot of tricks of the trade over the years. I'm writing this blog to not only share that knowledge, but also to share things that inspire me. Hope I inspire you too!