Beauty 911: Eyebrow Products

I recently received this beauty 911 alert from a former bride of mine:

My beautiful red-headed mother recently decided to stop dying her hair and let her gorgeous grey shine through. I think it looks great, but one thing that bothers her is that her eyebrows also went grey. They are so light that she almost looks like she has no eyebrows! Do you have any specific recommendations of products for eyebrow pencils and such. She’s never really been a make up maven and doesn’t even know where to start. Any advice would be great, even to just get us pointed in the right direction.

I have found most women prefer pencils to define and shadow powders to enhance . It sounds like her mother has brows (hair), but just needs to add color and enhance them.

Here are my recommendations for brow enhancing products:

The Eyebrow King (Damone Roberts) and Eyebrow Queen (Anastasia), both of Beverly Hills, are my go-to people when I want to learn more about brow art or need to stock up on brow products. Damone’s client list includes Madonna and Beyonce. Anatasia’s includes Oprah and Jennifer Lopez.  Their powder shadow colors are foolproof and long-lasting.

Anastasia’s Brow Powder Duo $24, Sephora.  Why 2 powder colors? Try the dark color from arch to outer corner and light color in the inner corner. Or blend together to customize the perfect match.

Damone Roberts Brow Shadow, $20, www.damoneroberts.com, Blowdry! Blow Dry Bar or Extrados. Why are there so many shades with an ash undertone? The hair follicle is inherently gray. It gets its natural color from a type of pigment called melanin. The formation of melanin begins before birth (we go “back to” gray over time because we stop producing melanin). Unless your hair color is dyed a darker color with warmer tones (red, auburn) you generally want to use eyebrow powders with your natural hair follicle undertone- ash.

“Girl, I don’t have 20 dollars to spend on brow powder.”

Ok. Then try ELF. The makeup brand found at Walgreens. They have some decent products and their eyebrow kit ($3) is a consumer favorite. One side is wax (applied first) to hold the brows in place, the other side is the powder to add color and set. There are 4 shades to choose from.

 

Or try NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder, $5.99, Ulta.  The wax is clear and it has 2 powders in the kit. There are 6 shades to choose from.

NYX products are often found on Pinterest in the “dupe” category (same for less). Check out Makeup Alley’s Pinterest Dupe Board here.

But Don’t Forget the Brush!

A stiff angle brush with spooly like Anastasia’s, $18, Ulta will make your job easier.

The spooly combs the hair in place and the stiff angle expertly places the shadow in place with little fall out (sprinkle). *The stiffer or denser the brush, the more product it will lay down.*

“Girl, I don’t have 20 dollars to spend on no spooly.”

Ok. Then try NYX Brow Brush, $5, Nordstrom. Similar to Anastasia’s brush w/o the spooly but only 5 bucks.

I hope this post helps the ‘no brow’ mama or anyone that is needing a little brow love. For more expert advice check out these local brow experts:

Kae @ Brow Chic, St. Paul

Christina and Brook @ Blink for Beauty,  North Loop Minneapolis

Edwin @ Haus Salon, South Minneapolis

Say Yes To Products that Do What They Say….And my First Kiss

Last week I had the opportunity to meet Ido Leffler, Co-Founder of the natural skin care and hair brand Yes To Carrots. He was in town to promote his new lip balm collection available at Target at the end of this month (10/27).

I have been using Yes To Cucumbers Hypoallergenic Facial Towlettes ($5.99) on my brides, clients and in my makeup workshops for a while now. Everyone swoons about the aroma when I wipe last night’s makeup off their face, the next morning.  I like these towelettes almost as much as I like  Effen Cucumber Vodka. Almost.

But enough about booze, let’s talk about the new lip balms!

So I get it. You have a lip balm on your vanity, in your purse, in your car, and probably in your washing machine right now, why do you need yet another lip balm? Because this lip balm actually works.  But how is it different than my (Insert name of inferior lip balm) Julie? Because of the unique blend of ingredients like Coconut Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, and Cocoa Seed Butter. This powerful combination of ingredients protects, nourishes, repairs and restores the lips. AND you don’t have to reapply it every 5 minutes. AND it comes in 3 sweet flavors: Grapefruit, Pomegranate, and Blueberry. AND they are only $2.99!

One of the questions the Yes To Team asked us  at the launch party was when we experienced our first kiss. Well I was 22 years old.  Just kidding. Anyone that knows me knows that’s a bold face lie.I think I was 6 years old when it happened. I had the biggest crush on a boy named Tom. He was an older boy. I knew this because he was growing leg hair, and also because I knew his age.The rest of my family was sitting down to have dinner but he hung back with me in my living room. I remember staring at him and maybe because he just wanted me to quit being a creepy girl, he kissed me.I just sat there stunned, not saying anything. Eventually we met up with rest of my family and acted as if nothing happened. I doubt Tom remembers kissing me, he probably has a phobia of Asian women and can’t quite figure out why,

Anyway, I am a huge proponent of the Yes To Carrots products, not only because they do what they say they will do but also because they are organic, free of parabens, SLF, petroleum and phthalates (bad stuff) and affordable! Check them out at Target, Ulta, Walgreens, Whole Foods, CVS, Amazon, and at www.yestocarrots.com.

Yes To Carrots Hand Cream ($8.99)

Weird Stuff to Rub on Your Face That Works

So unless you’ve been living in a cave, or a box, or a boxcave, you know what a Clairsonic Cleansing Brush is. It does wonders for your skin–it gets deep into the pores to pull out congestion and it exfoliates the top layers of the skin to bring fresher skin cells forward.

But maybe it’s too much cleansing and/or exfoliating for you, maybe you don’t feel like always having to plug it into the wall, or maybe you can’t stomach spending $100-$150 on a vibrating device that is not a multi-tasker.

Introducing weird stuff to rub on your face that works.

Weird Stuff #1

Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge $18, Sephora

This sponge is made out of 100% Konjac Root, a root-based vegetable that Asians traditionally used as a naturally exfoliating and detoxifying sponge (crazy Asians rubbing veggies on their faces). It gives your skin a deep clean, it’s safe for all skin types, and it can be used around the eyes!

TO BE CONSIDERED: You need to be mindful how it’s stored. You have to replace it every 2-3 months.

Weird Stuff #2

SpaCells by Supracor, $12, Amazon.com

A sponge that does it all- cleans and removes make-up, exfoliates and massages your skin. It stimulates the blood and lymph flow to decrease puffiness, eliminate toxins and increase cell renewal.

Features two sides of Stimulite®: one for cleansing and exfoliating and the other for massaging. Naturally antifungal, antibacterial and allergen free.

TO BE CONSIDERED: It doesn’t have the ability to get a deep, deep clean, you’ll need to supplement with a deep cleaning cleanser.

Weird Stuff #3

The Martin Loofah King

Just kidding. This is just an example of what NOT to use on your face. Be sure that you’re using products that specifically say, “safe for the face” or that are gentle and soft to the touch (when wet).

DO IT YOURSELF—with OATMEAL

Don’t feel like shopping? Then just grab your oatmeal from your pantry and grind it up into a cornmeal consistency. Oatmeal is good for your skin. It absorbs oils and removes impurities while gently exfoliating your skin. It relieves irritated, red and dehydrated skin and is packed with anti-oxidants that help fight aging.

Birchbox: Better Than a Papa John’s Coupon

I discovered Birchbox 2 years ago. A friend of mine from Los Angeles posted beauty items on Facebook that she received in the mail in a pretty box with a bow. I looked up Birchbox’s website and learned about their concept and thought, how clever, deluxe beauty samples by mail (try before you buy). I purchased a yearly subscription ($120/yr. or $10/mo.) and was elated every time I saw the box  on my front doorstep. I didn’t even care what was in it, I was just thrilled to get something other than Papa John’s coupons in the mail. And I was always pleased with at least 2-3 items in the box (they give you a total of 5). I would get samples of products like BlowPro hair care, Color Club nail polishes,  and Jouer lip glosses. Sometimes I would get a square of chocolate, which always reminds me I need more chocolate in my diet.

I was excited to get a referral from a fellow makeup artist, Emily J, about an opportunity to work with Birchbox, Ann Taylor and Cate of Wild Ruffle Blog.  Hell yea I want to do hair/makeup on a fashion blogger with a box full of full sized Birchbox brands! Brittany from Birchbox sent me a big box of love. Some products I was familiar with like Dr. Jarts+ Beauty Balm (which I recommended to one Exec at FOX TV, Los Angeles, and apparently the whole 4th floor is using it now), and Benefit’s They’re Real mascara (ah-mazing) because it’s a cult classic loved by celebrities like Winona Ryder (who by the way I have helped pick out shampoo in my shampoo selling days and she did pay for it). Products that I hadn’t tried but was eager to was foundation by By Terry and Mereadesso Lip Treats. Both were as I expected– easy to apply and look fresh and clean on the skin/lips. And as always, not available via Birchbox (yet), I prepped the skin with Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics Active Moisture Serum.

Cate, creator and writer of Wild Ruffle Blog, was a joy to work with. Her down-to-earth personality matched the look I gave her for the photo shoot- effortless and radiant. I used Birchbox’s Captain Blankenship’s Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray to give Cate’s hair some texture and grit (think 2nd or 3rd day dirty hair). I wanted her topknot and style to look disheveled sophisticate (yes, that’s a look, I made it up). And I used the Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm to even out the skin and make it glow.  Noemi Hedrick the photographer and the Ann Taylor team were also amazing to collaborate with.

Read more about Cate’s experience, her product reviews, and about her event tonight at Ann Taylor’s MOA location from 6-8pm here.

Thank you Cate, Ann Taylor, Birchbox and Emily J. for the chance to try new products and to spread the gospel of product sampling. It’s a very smart way to shop.

All photos courtesy of NoemiPhotography.

Boudoir Photo Session: A Gift That Keeps on Giving

When we think of photo shoots involving lingerie and heels, we immediately think of Playboy, Fredrick’s of Hollywood, and xxx videos. But modern boudoir photo shoots have little to do with T & A, and more to do with the body’s silhouette and natural beauty of a woman.

I started doing hair and makeup for boudoir photos shoots in 2006. At that time it was still very new and very intimidating for brides. There weren’t many resources to research what  to wear, how to pose or even what photographers to hire. Now boudoir photo sessions are amongst the most popular gift to give the groom on the wedding night. And it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Things to keep in mind before you book your Boudoir Photo Session-

Make sure your photographer agrees to your privacy, both during the session and after. Discuss the amount of retouching that you want done on your photos. Ask how many wardrobe changes you can do and how much total time your session is. Discuss the location(s) of the shoot. Search the internet, specifically Pinterest for ideas for hair, makeup, attire and posing. Think about any accessories and/or props that might personalize the photo. Do not crash diet before you session, this will reek havoc on your skin and under your eyes. Your photographer should know what poses, angles and lighting will complement your curves. Do a full body exfoliation, this will help your skin glow. Spray tan at least 3 days before your sessions to avoid streaking, blotchiness or a funky skin tone. Drink water and stretch before your session. Being beautiful (modeling) can be quite exhausting! And finally, clean up ‘down there’. While your photographer can retouch the area, spare him/her the task of doing so.

I did this boudoir photo shoot with the lovely Megan McCarty and the talented Sally Butler of La Vie Photography.