Ah, the American Music Awards. What an interesting night. The many highs (Janet, Lady Gaga, Mary J.) and the many, many lows (Adam Lambert, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna). Speaking of Rihanna, announcers kept calling this her “return”. Where the hell did she go? Have we not seen her out and about doing various Riri activities in couture outfits since she came out? Whatever the case, I was extra excited to see her perform. I never thought of her as much of a singer, but the girl can crank out some hot singles and dress to impress!
The biggest beauty buzz of the night had to be the red cat eye that she wore, care of Mylah Morales and sick lashes by Jamaal Buster. (Azia or Faces from Azia kindly pointed out that she was most likely wearing the Disturbia lashes. Makes a lot of sense, right?) The picture was sent around the twitterverse by Concrete Loop. The red liner and her green eyes make a lethal combination! ( I thought it was a hot pink, but Mylah told us on twitter that it was red.) So, after many hours of speculation, I had to try it. I used MAC Bold and Brazen Pigment from the Starflash collection. The Verdict: Mine looked a mess.
Not only did it look a mess, I experienced the reason they tell you not to wear certain colors around your eye area. I know they don’t put those disclaimers on products for their own health, but what can I say? I’m a rebel! Now I’m wide awake, eyes blood shot, itchy and crusted over. Why? I was trying to get my Riri on. Okay Scandalous Beauty, fall back!
To see all the highlights (and lowlights) of the American Music Awards, check out the ever fabulous http://www.concreteloop.com!
I’ve been using MAC since I was 15 years old. Yep, I’ve been in the game for nine years. That’s absolutely insane. Within that nine years, I’ve probably attended 6 or 7 classes and presentations from Senior Artist Romero Jennings. I’ve taken most of the classes because he was teaching them. Romero’s a phenomenal teacher, he speaks clearly, explains everything, and works at a pace that everyone can follow! Just a few weeks ago, Azia of Faces of Azia, Patrice of Afrobella and I cornered him at The Artist Summit. He was not only a wealth of knowledge, but he was SO freakin’ cool. He’s the kind of guy you want to sit down with a glass of wine or a latte and talk beauty. He’s a classic. If you ever find out he’s teaching a class somewhere, GO!
I’ll be doing an extensive review on the class and some of MAC Pro’s exclusive products. Until then, here are a few tips that I got while taking the class.
-Use the 219 brush (the bulleted pencil brush) to perfect the lips
-He love to create a nude lip and place a bright color over it for an awesome effect
-He suggests using a shimmery base (like a fluidline) and then uses a matte shadow on top! On the model he used Frostlight Fluidline (this is discontinued, try Bare Study Paint Pot instead) with Yogurt on top. He told us that he used Brassy Fluidline (also discontinued, try Rubenesque or Indianwood Paint Pot) with Saddle on top for singer Estelle.
I can’t wait to try this! (You all know that I only use matte bases, so this is new for me!)
-Applies Prep ‘N Prime Lash, then the mascara of your choice, then coats it in waterproof mascara so the lashes remain perfect through tears and sweat!
Stay tuned for the extensive play by play of the class and product highlights from MAC Pro!
I might have had the longest weekend in history. I flew (sick and disturbed due to my immense fear of flying) to Chicago for The Artist Summit! Three action packed days of beauty! I met a slew of people…hung out, partied, shopped, learned, interviewed (and froze), and it was fabulous. Here are my top 5 highlights, in no particular order!
1. Inglot Cosmetics- I’d never played with (or heard of) this brand before, but they had some intense products! They’ve got lipsticks, pigments, glosses, cream liners, you name it, they have it! They’ve got a cool concept, where you can place your products in a “freedom system”, a palette that includes and of their products. If you want shadows, blushes and glosses in one palette, it’s simple.
2. Crown Brush-Department store quality brushes that start at $2 a pop. I bought 6 brushes that I’ve never seen before…by any brand, for $18. Who can beat it? Plus, they accept Paypal! In depth reviews to come..
3. Alcone- The brand that creates the greatest makeup sponges and makeup wipes of all time were in the house. I walked right up to the booth, got distracted by someone speaking to me, and left them there! Seriously, Alcone is an industry leader, and their teeny tiny makeup store houses just about everything you’ll need as an artist!
4.Web Photo Master-The hands down easiest ( and visually rewarding) way to create a stunning portfolio online. ‘Nuff said.
5. Classes! I sat in on Kathy Aragon’s class on Camera Ready Makeup. I might be ready to tackle the daunting feat! She swears by many cult makeup faves, Face Atelier Foundation (plus, she uses the ultra sheer along the cheek for added dewyness), L’Oreal Voluminous mascara, the Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer and Make Up For Ever Star Powders.
Nars rocks. I’ve been planning to purchase a few of their lipsticks (Shanghai Express, Afghan Red and Jungle Red). I always go into Sephora and swatch a bunch of colors that catch my eye, and these seem to be the ones that I always grabbing!
The Nars Bridal Palette has been calling my name for weeks now. Anywho, I own two colors in this palette, but I need it anyway. Granted, this palette has the word “Bridal” rammed into the title, but you don’t have to be a bride to be, nor a make-up artist to have it! The colors inside give you the option for a lovely day look or a deeper night look. For $65, you receive 10 colors. Yes, the colors are smaller than usual, but keep in mind that Nars isn’t cheap. Lipsticks are $24, and duo eye shadows are $32. This provides you with a great way to try and assortment of colors. Keep in mind that this set is now exclusive to Narscosmetics.com.
The contents include: Eye shadows: Edie, Nepal, Night Fever, Ondine Blush: Albatross, Orgasm Lip Colors: Mitzi, Baby Doll, Sexual Healing, Roman Holiday
Generally speaking, using shimmer on the face is a “makeup no-no” when it comes to the wedding day. It can sometimes make your look dated, or make your photos look shiny or metallic for years to come. It’s a matter of preference, though. This is just what I’ve heard and learned over time. Wedding or not, I can envision some lovely FOTD’s with this palette!!! I’ll have all the details when I get it! Until then, check out Pink’s Youtube Video Review!
Hey everyone! Hope you had a fabulous Mother’s Day! Above you’ll find a video from Celebrity Make-Up Artist AJ Crimson . It’s very, very inspiring, I must say. He is one of the coolest guys I’ve met in a very long time. Can’t wait to link up with him and see the new colors live in action at The Makeup Show NYC! He’s also working on a new series where he answers your beauty questions, and sends you a free gift! More details on this soon!
No worries if you missed out on the last sale. There’s a brand new, even bigger, even hotter sale at Kissable Couture! Kissablecouture.com is having a 45% off your entire purchase or more on the site for the first 50 clients! All you have to do is enter the promo code “SB” at checkout. (Yep, SB stands for Scandalous Beauty! Yeah baby!) I CAN’T WAIT to try “La Fleur Collection!” It’s so pastel, so feminine, so gorgeous!!! It’s got my name all over it! EDIT: You can view all of the glosses that Kissable Couture has to offer here! I didn’t see this part of the website before! There are way more glosses than I thought!
I could be alone, but images like this inspire me to be a better makeup artist. Since I am avidly building my kit, pictures like this give me insight on what the big boys and big girls in the game are doing. To the right you’ll find an image of some of Billy B.’s products laid out for use. This is thousands and thousands of dollars worth of product! Trust me, this is one twentieth of what is in his kit!
If you look really closely, you can see the Studio Fix compacts labeled on the outside for easy location. You’ll also find a bottle of Duo and hair extension glue (aka track glue, hehe), a pill jar full of lip colors (most likely broken-off lip sticks), sponges (I’m guessing they are made by Alcone, the best in the industry!) and Ben Nye and Iman loose powders inside MAC travel containers. Ooh, and over at the top, you will also spot a few tubes of L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara, Billy’s fave.
If you want to see the many faces that Billy uses these products on, check out his website at www.billybbeauty.com. And, don’t forget to check out the BEAUTIFUL salon that Billy created with Syd Curry in good ole Mississippi, BillyBBeauty & Syd Curry Salon. It’s just adorable!
Finally, the truth on which promising products will actually help — and which are just money-wasting hype
Many of us are genetically destined to get stretch marks and cellulite. (Yeah, thanks, we know!) But thanks to expert help from two of the country’s most famous rock star-level skin gurus and 200,000 unbiased beauty product reviews from TotalBeauty.com readers, you can effectively prevent and minimize the appearance of these bummer issues. Get the real scoop here.
Three Custom Color is a brand that we’ve begged and pleaded for!! One of the best features of this brand is that they custom make products. What does this mean? Remember that old tube of (insert your favorite discontinued or limited edition color) from (the brand that had the audacity to create the product and take it away from you)? Well, 3CC can remake the product for you!You can search their database of previous requests, or submit a sample to them. Or, if you would like to make your own custom gloss, lipstick, shadow, powder or anything of the like, they can handle that too.
I LOVE the Artists Concealer palette! You can custom make any color that you need to right then and there! I’ll be using this on clients, and I’ve used it on myself to highlight, contour and conceal. It comes with a mini spatula and concealer brush. I read on the website that you can use a damp sponge with it to create lovely foundation for the skin. Niiice. If you don’t need all ten colors, you can also order the trio palettes, or order a single shade. One of the products that I am working toward having in my collection is the Perfectly Pink Lip Palette. Oh, and the A Century of Red Lip Palette. Each case holds 10 vital shades that can be used time and time again. What a genius idea! Can’t wait to check out their booth at The Makeup Show! More details to follow…in May!
Find out what products to splurge on and when to save your hard-earned dollars
You don’t have to spend half your paycheck on skincare products to stay wrinkle and pimple-free. That said, slathering household condiments on your face to avoid paying for the good stuff isn’t necessary either. Dermatologist Dr. Ava Shamban and P&G scientist Mary Begovic Johnson helped us compare products with similar ingredients that are very different in cost. Here’s what we found.
Since I have a few gigs coming up, it’s time for me to add to my kit. This go round, I’ll be doing more Caucasian women, so foundations and powders are needed!
There are quite a few brands of makeup that are widely used by the pro artist community, but not necessarily by consumers. In a few months, I’ll probably purchase the Neutral Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Super Palette. I’m also interested in the infamous RCMA Foundation Palettes. Before I order, I will most likely order some samples of the products. I’ve never used anything from either brand, but I figure it’s worth a shot! I’m really loving Camera Ready Cosmetics, Pro Artist Mary Erikson caters to the individuals in the artistry field! You absolutely must check out her site!
Celebrity MUA Billy B. swears by Face Atelier Ultra Pro Founations. I have watched him use them on several models. After seeing the results, I was instantly intrigued. In a perfect world, if I was making CRAZY good money, I would stock up on every shade of Make Up For Ever HD Foundation. Too me, it’s the ultimate. ‘Nuff said.
As of right now, it is in my best interest to do what I thought of all along. I bought a wide array of MAC Concealers a few months back, including Studio Finish, Select Moisturecover, Studio Stick and today, Studio Sculpt concealers. I haven’t purchased Select Cover Up for my kit, I suppose because I didn’t like the way it looked on myself. For sure, Studio Finish runs my kit. I own 10 shades, because it is so very versatile, you can keep it full coverage, or thin it down for a more sheer coverage. It can cover tatoo’s, birthmarks, moles, and everything else!!! If you’d like to see how I use it as a foundation, check out one of my first video tutorials on Youtube : Flawless Full Coverage Skin!
Lambert, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna). Speaking of Rihanna, announcers kept calling this her “return”. Where the hell did she go? Have we not seen her out and about doing various Riri activities in couture outfits since she came out? Whatever the case, I was extra excited to see her perform. I never thought of her as much of a singer, but the girl can crank out some hot singles and dress to impress!
