Posted: Apr 24th.
This week, both a Styled Shoot and a Real Wedding I recently worked on were featured on professional blogs just a day apart from each other. The cool thing I noticed is that the model and bride both had gold sequins incorporated into their wedding gown attire. Coincidentally, the makeup I used on both ladies was similar as well- both ladies had on gold and bronzy eyeshadow paired with a softer nude lip color. I hope you enjoy these beautiful images below!
WEDDING INSPIRATION STYLED SHOOT
VENDORS: Photographer: EE Photography //Wardrobe Stylist: Amanda Marie Styling// Hair: Andrea Juarez Hair & Makeup//
Makeup: Makeup by Adrienne// Rentals, Floral Design, Styling: Sweet Sunday Events // Venue: The Plantation House//
Bride Model: Kaci Scarlet//Groom Model: Zephyr Talent
*This Styled Shoot shown above was featured today on Grey Likes Wedding! You can view more images from this beautiful and fun shoot HERE!
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Now here are a few images from a real life bride I had the pleasure of working with last weekend. Thanks to the uber talented Clayton Austin for the amazing photos!
WEDDING OF SHAWN & KATIE
APRIL 2013
VENDORS: Photographer: Clayton Austin Love Stories// Hair: Mayhem Beauty // Makeup on Bride & Bridesmaids: Makeup by Adrienne
More images can be seen on Clayton Austin's Wedding Blog HERE.
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Posted: Jan 31st.
I'm collaborating once again with the talented Lindsey Stump Photography for a special Valentine's Day Boudoir Session your man wouldn't want you to miss out on! Appointments are filling up so book your appointment soon to reserve your spot! XOXO
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Posted: Jan 25th.
One of the beauty questions that women have asked me is how to EFFECTIVELY CONCEAL under eye dark circles. There are many types of concealers out there in the market that it can be a bit overwhelming to pick the right one. So I have provided a few tips & techniques that have worked for me and my clients that I would love to share in hope that it will simplify your shopping experience when purchasing a concealer. However, before I mention products and application tips, it is important to know that the appearance of dark circles can sometimes be diminished by proper amount of sleep and a good diet. If you find that you still battle with this beauty issue then please continue to read for more information on how to conceal effectively.
First,begin with applying an under eye cream such as MAC Fast Response Eye Cream, which has caffeine as an ingredient to help shrink any under eye puffiness. This lightweight moisturizer also firms and sets a smooth canvas for the concealer(s) to glide on afterwards.
The second step is applying a creamy corrector concealer, which is the most important step, in my opinion, in brightening the area where dark circles tend to appear. Please note that if you do not have an issue with dark circles then you can skip the use of corrector concealers and just use your concealer that matches the rest of your face for the under eye area. If you do want to try out a corrector concealer then Bobbi Brown and Makeup Forever are some excellent high end brands that carry correctors in shade ranges of pink (for fair skinned), peach (for medium to tan complexions), and orange tones (for deep tone complexions). A good low end alternative would be the Sonia Kashuk for Target. To use this type of concealer, apply corrector to the darkest part of the under eye area. Remember to pick a shade based on your match of the complexion shades mentioned earlier. You can use your ring finger or a flat synthetic concealer brush like the Everyday Minerals Oval Concealer Brush to apply in a "patting" motion. Correctors generally have opaque coverage so a little bit of product goes a long way.
NOTE: MAC recently launched their PRO Conceal and Correct Palettes, which include 4 concealer shades and 2 corrector shades for that perfect custom blend match for the under eye and face! They come in 3 kit shades - Light, Medium, and Medium Deep.
Next, apply a concealer in a shade that matches the rest of your face to the under eye area as well to help neutralize the pink, peach, or orange corrector shade previously applied on the skin. I prefer to use a liquid concealer for the under eye area since a lightweight product is more flattering and less heavy looking to this delicate eye area. Some great brands and products I use in my kit are the Clinique Airbrush Concealer and MAC Select Coverup Concealer .You can apply any of these concealers with the same tools and techniques as the correctors. My main tip for picking the right shade of concealer is to avoid anything too yellow as that will tend to draw more attention to dark circles.
The final step in camouflaging dark circles is to set the makeup with a sheer translucent powder using a large dome shaped eyeshadow brush. This will help the coverup products used from creasing throughout the day. My current favorite product is Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. It love it because a little bit goes a long way so it will last a long time. Plus, it really does help add to the brightness of the under eye area without looking like a racoon. Another plus is this powder is suitable for all skin tones! If you are looking for a lower end brand then I would just make sure to look for a product that is translucent and in loose powder form. An example would be e.l.f. Studio High Definition Undereye Setting Powder . Disclaimer: I have not used this product from e.l.f. brand, however, for $3 it would not be expensive to test it out.
And there you go in learning how to conceal dark circles! I hope you find my information helpful and will give these products and techniques a try. Again, please note that this is not the only way to cover up dark circles, however, this is just my personal opinion on doing so based on my own personal and professional experience. Thanks for reading!
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Posted: Jan 12th.
Clients and colleagues ask me all the time what I use in my professional and personal makeup kit, and if the products I use are affordable and easily accessible. Sometimes they are, sometimes they're not. There are times that I will go to a high end department store to hunt down a certain makeup product that has been on my wish list to use because I read about it in a magazine or know of another makeup artist raving about it. And the same can be said for drugstore products,too, which I want to focus on in this review. So here's a short and sweet list of some fabulous low end beauty products that I have been using repeatedly for many months, and in some, for years.
- L'OREAL Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black- This mascara never fails in delivering the blackest most defined lashes that never flake! I usually carry the waterproof version in my makeup kit.
2. Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector (also known as BB Cream)- I personally use the Medium to Deep shade. This product is so great because it has so many benefits in one packaging! It evens out skin tone, hydrates, provides SPF protection, and has a built in luminator so it brightens your complexion as well all without feeling heavy on the skin. I rarely use regular foundation on a daily basis as this product is my go to for a natural sheer look!
3. Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows- These cream shadows are truly LONG WEARING & WATER RESISTANT, which is great for my bridal clients! The color payoff is fabulous as well. I compare these to the MAC Paintpots, which I still love,too. I only wish Maybelline carried a cream/nude toned shade to replace my MAC Painterly paintpot. I like to use these shadows alone and also as a shadow base for powder shadows.
4. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser- Having great skin is important to having flawless makeup! This cleanser is truly gentle enough to remove eye makeup as well as face makeup without any irritation. I will use this product all year round, and I LOVE that it is built for all skin types!
5. Maybelline Super Stay 24 2-Step Color, Timeless Toffee - This has to be one of my favorite lip product shades to use on wedding clients because of its perfect neutral color that is flattering on many skin tones. It is long wearing and non fading,too.
Stay tuned for more product reviews and tutorials coming soon!
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Posted: Nov 1st.
Here are a few behind the scenes pics from a recent photoshoot I worked on with VERB , a professional hair product line. What I love about this company is that they are based out of Austin (Keep it local!), and their products contain natural good ingredients for the hair. Here's more about the products and philosophy HERE. I have recently been using their Finishing Polish to keep my long hair from flyaways while smooth looking, and I really like it because it does not weigh my hair down at all, and it is not sticky!
The purpose of this outdoor shoot was to focus on VERB's new Sea Spray product, which will launch next Spring in time for Summer Beach Hair looks! So thankful the weather cooperated with us for this shoot, especially since temperatures dropped dramatically the next day from a cold front. Our models would have been freezing in their swimsuits,haha!
Photographer: Andrew Chan (one of the best in the business!)
Our model, Lauren, basking in the morning sun!
New hair & outfit look
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