New Years Eve Eyes

Here is a quick rundown of products to create this fun eye, perfect for New Year's Eve!

Urban Decay Electric Palette (shades: Fringe, Chaos, Jilted, Urban)

Stila Magnificent Metals in 'Pixie Dust'

Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner #14

Sephora Glitter Liner & Mascara in 'Sassy Silver'

Have a happy and safe New Year's everyone!

Jillian & Julian's Glam Wedding

Jillian and I met while she was photographing a wedding that I was the makeup artist for. That's right, she's a photographer too! She and Julian are high-school sweethearts and their love for each other couldn't be any more clear. We went for a sculpted eye to compliment her stunning princess style dress, and flushed her cheeks and lips with color. Scroll to the end of the post for a list of all the products used! Visit Jillian's photography site here.

Eyes

Mac 'Painterly' Paintpot & Smashbox 24 Hour Primer

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette (matte shades to sculpt crease)

Naked Palette (Virgin, Sin, Naked, Buck)

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Ardell Demi-Wispie Lashes

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pencil in 'Dark Brown'

Face

Becca Resurfacing Primer

Illamasqua Skinbase Foundation #6.5

Graftobian Peach & Yellow Correctors

Mac Pro-Longwear Concealer

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders

Nars Blush in 'Deep Throat'

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette

Laura Mercier Baked Radiance Highlighter in 'Highlight 01'

Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray

Lips

Palladio Herbal Lipliner in 'Naked'

Mac Lipstick in 'Craving'

Laura Mercier Lipgloss in 'Sparkling'

***

View more of Jillian & Julian's beautiful wedding gallery here, and make sure to watch their touching wedding video by Everett Freeman Visual Productions.

Hair was styled by the talented Brittany George of Upstyle Beauty, see the beautiful post she did on Jillian & Julian's wedding here.

Images by Elkin & Angie Photography

Matte Red Lips for a Classic Christmas

This is my 'Classic Christmas' look for 2014. It looks good on everyone and is very simple and easy to create. The biggest difference from last year's Christmas look is the matte lips and more defined crease. Take a look at both and see which style you prefer!

Eyes
1. Prime the lids to prevent creasing and ensure long-lasting color application, I used my Mac paintpot in 'Painterly'.
2. Apply an off-white shadow over the entire lid all the way up to the browbone and on the inner third of the lower lashline.
3. Blend a light & medium brown shadow into the crease for definition.
4. Press a gold shadow onto the lid being careful not to mix it with the crease colors.
5. With a thin brush, darken the crease with a deep brown, creating a softer version of a cut crease.
6. Press a white, reflective glitter onto the center on the lid, I used Stila Magnificent Metals in 'Pixie Dust'. This was limited edition at Sephora, but you can still find it at Ulta.
7. Create a simple wing along your top lashline with black liquid liner and add mascara, I used my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in 'Trooper'.
8. Line the outer edge of the waterline and lower lashline with a black pencil and blend it out with brown eyeshadow.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Anastasia Brow Powder in 'Medium Brown'.

Face
Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Powders in 'Ethereal' & 'Dim'
Blush: Nars 'Goulue'
Bronzer: Nars 'Laguna'
Highlight: Laura Mercier 'Highlight 01'

Lips
Lipliner: Illamasqua Medium Pencil in 'Severe' 
Lipstick: Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick in 'Outlaw' 

Emerald-Green & Black-Gold Cat Eyes

I created this wintery look for one of my recent art openings, I wanted it to feel festive yet dark and go along with the style of the two photographs that I had hanging. I also wanted to wear these amazing hand-crafted skeleton finger earrings, so I picked rich colors that would go along with the tones in the metal. I have been really liking this smoky 'cat-eye' shadow shape, keeping the dark colors only on the outer edges really elongates the eyes.

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure longwearing, creaseproof shadow application, I used my Mac paintpot in 'Painterly'.
2. Carve out the crease of the eye with warm brown tones, I used two Bobbi Brown shadows in 'Toast' and 'Taupe'.
3. Smudge a green/brown cream shadow onto the outer edge of the eyes to create an intense base, I used Laura Mercier's Caviar Stick in 'Khaki', and then topped it with her Baked Eye Colour in 'Black Karat'.
4. With a damp brush, for a more intense color, pat Laura Mercier's Baked Eye Colour in 'Emerald' onto the center and outer portion of the lid.
5. Highlight the inner third of the eye with a light iridescent shadow, I used my Make Up For Ever Star Powder in #940.
6. Highlight the browbone with a matte cream color to break up the dark shades.
7. Add a black cat-eye with liquid liner and top with mascara, I used my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in 'Trooper'.
8. Blend the same two warm brown shadows from Step 2 along the outer edge of the under eye, and highlight the lower inner corners with the same shadow in Step 5.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Anastasia Brow Powder in 'Medium Brown'.

Face
Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Powders in 'Ethereal' and 'Dim'
Bronzer: Nars 'Laguna'
Blush: Nars 'Goulue'
Highlight: Laura Mercier 'Highlight 01'

Lips 
Lipgloss: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in 'Praline Paradise'

***

I met the artist of these earrings, Wendy Yothers, in 2010 at Peters Valley Craft Center and immediately fell in love with her work. It is mysterious, dark and whimsical and draws from the realm of fairytales. I love unique jewelry and anything that has to do with skeletons, so when I saw a photo of these earrings in her presentation I knew they had to be mine. I had been talking to her assistant Preston, and he told me that another pair was going to be cast that night for the auction in the morning. The students of the photography class I was assisting ended up purchasing them for me as a thank-you gift and they have been my favorite earrings ever since!

"The teapots (below) were designed to illustrate a Russian Fairy tale about Babba Yagga--a terrible witch who dwelt in the forest in a house on chicken legs. Instead of a black cat as a familiar, she had an animated skeleton to do her bidding. The pots are her's for brewing light and dark spells. The glass shapes were designed by me and blown by George Kennard at the Corning Museum of Glass. I learned to engrave glass there, my mentors are Juri Harcuba and the wonderful Max Ehrlacher. The engraving on the dark pot is cameo engraving with diamond wheels.  The engraving on the transparent piece I designed to resemble the steam rising from a hot cup of tea--and the figures one can imagine in the steam as it rises."

"These knives have sterling bolsters that are cast and chased, the blades are handmade Damascus, and the handles are hand carved white tail deer antler."




Images and text taken from 'The Society of American Silversmith's Member News'

Check out this great interview with Wendy in 'Hue Magazine' as she talks about her work and process.

Ms. Yothers ran Tiffany's silversmithing and award design department for a number of years and has been a long-time teacher at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, as well as teaching in Hawaii, and given numerous workshops throughout the United States.

These were my two self portraits from the show opening, so you can see why I wanted my makeup for the event to stay in the same dark-ethereal style. Being a photographer and artist myself, I enjoy featuring the works of other fine crafters and artisans. I was thinking of starting a new mini-series on my blog about these makers and their work & process, as many of my creative makeup looks are heavily influenced by art. Would anyone be interested in a series like that?

White & Minty Christmas

I wanted to make a creative and unique Christmas look but I didn't want to do the overplayed red & green. Instead I went for bold white eyeliner accented with varied shades of mint. Of course you can pair this with a red lip if you are looking to get super festive, but I wanted a more modern approach so I went with a warm honey lip instead. 

Eyes
1. Prime the lids to ensure long-wearing, creaseproof shadow application, I used my Mac paintpot in 'Painterly'.
2. Apply a nude shade all over the lid up to the brow bone. I used the off-white color from the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette.
3. Blend a light warm brown into the crease to add definition, I used my Smashbox Full Exposure Palette.
4. Slightly deepen the outer edge of the crease with a taupe-grey shade, this was also taken from my Smashbox Full Exposure Palette.
5. Take a white liquid liner and draw a dramatic wing, you will have to go over the line a few times to get it super white, so take your time. I used my Stila liquid liner in 'Snow'.
6. Trace the bottom edge of the white line with some green glitter, I used my NYX Liquid Crystal Liner in 'Crystal Jade'.
7. Line your waterline and lower lashline with a mint green pencil, I used my Stila Smudge Stick in 'Mint Julep' and I darkened the outer corners with Sephora's Contour Eye Pencil in 'Indulge Yourself'.
8. Add black mascara to the top lashes and a white mascara primer to the bottom lashes, I used my L'oreal Double Extend Tubing Mascara & Primer.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Anastasia Brow Powder in 'Medium Brown'.

Face
Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Powders in 'Ethereal' & 'Dim'
Blush: Nars 'Goulue'
Bronzer: Nars 'Laguna'
Highlight: Laura Mercier 'Highlight 01'

Lips
Lipliner: Palladio Herbal Lipliner in 'Nearly Nude'
Lipstick: Mac 'Viva Glam V'
Lipgloss: Stila Lip Glaze in 'Kitten'

Would you ever try white eyeliner or mascara?

Sparkling Smoky Eyes (Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadows)

I wore this warm sparkly look for Thanksgiving but it is perfect for any holiday evening or celebration. I used the Anastasia Lavish Palette with mostly the shimmer colors for a glowy, candlelit effect, but the real star is an Inglot Pure Pigment shadow. 

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure long lasting, creaseproof shadow application, I used my Mac Paintpot in 'Painterly'.
2. Define the crease of the eye with warm matte shadows, I used my Anastasia shadows in 'Orange Soda' and 'Sienna'.
3. Pat an intensely glittery copper/red/gold color onto the lid, I used my Inglot AMC Pure Pigment in #82.
4. Deepen the outer corner with a shimmery brown, I used my Anastasia shadow in 'Truffle'.
5. Add a touch of shimmery purple to the center of the crease, above the Inglot pigment, I used my Anastasia shadow in 'Pink Sapphire'.
6. Line the top lashline with black liquid liner creating a small wing, and add gold glitter liner to the inner corners of the eyes. I used my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in 'Trooper' and my Sephora Glitter Liner & Mascara in 'VIP Gold'.
7. Line the bottom lashline with a purple/raspberry liner and top it with a similar colored eyeshadow. I used my Stila SmudgeStick in 'Deep Fucshia' and my Anastasia shadow in 'Pink Sapphire'.
8. Highlight the brow bone with any matte cream shade to break up the shimmer.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Too Faced Bulletproof Brows in 'Universal Brunette' topped with my Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in 'Caramel'.

orange soda, sienna, truffle, deep fuchsia smudge-stick, pink sapphire, #82 pure pigment

Face
Primer: Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Primer
Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient lighting in 'Ethereal' & 'Diffused'
Blush: Nars 'Orgasm' + Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector 'Rose Gold'
Highlight: Laura Mercier Baked Highlight '01'

Lips
Lipstick: Dior Addict Lip Glow (original)
Lipgloss: Laura Mercier Lip Glace in 'Rose'

***

Do you prefer to wear matte or shimmer shadows?

Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face Primer Review

If you have been searching for a super hydrating, calming primer, look no further than the Hangover Replenishing Primer by Too Faced! Now I am not a huge primer fan, they usually irritate my skin and make it appear more patchy and dry, but this primer is a drink of water (coconut water in fact) for your complexion. 

It promises bright, dewy skin that glows with health and will replenish moisture levels with coconut water and probiotics. I certainly noticed that my skin looked hydrated and healthy, possibly with even a bit of shine by the end of the day, which never happens for me. I can't definitively say if it made my pores diminish or my makeup last longer as I don't have issues with either of those things, but it is certainly the most moisturizing primer I have ever used, and I feel like you can use it as your day moisturizer & primer all in one. 


It's cruelty free & vegan friendly and is free of silicone so it doesn't have a heavy feel when applied. It costs $32 for 1.35 oz and comes in a squeeze tube with a pump for convenience. There is a faint, pleasant coconut scent that fades quickly upon application. 

Ingredients:
Water, Lactobacillus/Salix Alba Bark Ferment Filtrate, Propanediol Dicaprylate, Propanediol, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Olive Glycerides, Lactobacillus Ferment, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cellulose Gum, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Pectin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil Unsaponifiables, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Juice, Lauryl Alcohol Diphosphonic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Lecithin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Fragrance, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates 
- Phthalates 

If you loved the Korres Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Face Primer this Too Faced one is very similar but even more hydrating! *You can still find the Korres Primer on Sephora.com but it is being discontinued.

The only others primers I personally enjoy for my skin are the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, the Hourglass N° 28 Primer Serum and the Becca Resurfacing Primer.  

What are your favorite face primers and which ones should I try next?

Blue Morpho 'Halo' Eyes

I was inspired to create this look by a gorgeous piece of jewelry I bought at Peters Valley Craft Center over the summer. They have amazing handmade gifts of every sort, from photography to ceramics to jewelry. Definitely check out their online gallery & store if you are looking for a unique gift this holiday season!

The artist of this piece is Neile Cooper and she hand crafts beautiful jewelry using real butterflies encased in glass. Mine is a Blue Morpho butterfly but she makes pieces with everything from swallowtails to luna moths and also makes custom pieces.
Visit her Facebook page here and her Etsy site here.

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure longwear, crease proof shadow application. I used my Mac paint pot in 'Painterly'.
2. Blend a medium brown shadow into the crease and outer corner to act as a guide for the bright colors. Blend this up to towards the brow to help transition to the blue shades, I used the warm browns from the Smashbox Full Exposure Palette.
3. Place a dark blue shimmery shadow along the outer third of the eye, making sure to keep all of the edges rounded. I used Illamasqua's Pure Pigment in 'Alluvium'. This shadow will create the outer edge of the silver 'halo'.
4. Take a bright blue shadow and pat it onto the inner third of the eye making sure to keep the edges rounded, this color will create the inner edge of the silver halo. I used my Inglot eyeshadow in #33.
5. Run a white, shimmery pencil on the center of the eyelid, blending the pencil lines into the blue shadows on either side. Make sure to keep the shape rounded for the halo effect. Then top the pencil with an iridescent silver/white/lavender shadow. I used Sephora's Contour eye pencil in 'Blonde Ambition' and Nars Dual Intensity eyeshadow in 'Cassiopeia'. This shade will create the center of the halo.
6. Place some reflective glitter onto the lid within the halo part of your eye to add dimension and luminosity like that of a butterfly's wing. I used Stila Magnificent Metals Foil Finish shadow in 'Pixie Dust'.
7. With a small brush, pat a liquid shimmer onto the inner corners of your eyes and onto the center of your lid within the halo. I used Lorac 3D Liquid Lustre in 'Diamond'. I recommend using a liquid shimmer so that it stays exactly where you place it and doesn't get all over your face throughout the evening.
8. Re-blend the eyeshadow edges with a clean brush and make sure all of the colors stand out. Repeat all the steps for the bottom lashline and add multiple coats of mascara since we won't be adding liner or false lashes.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Too Faced Bulletproof Brows in 'Universal Brunette' topped with my Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel in 'Caramel'.

Face
Primer: Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Primer
Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting in 'Ethereal' + 'Diffused'
Bronzer: Nars 'Laguna'
Blush: Nars 'Orgasm' + Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector 'Rose Gold'
Highlight: Laura Mercier 'Highlight 01'

Lips
Lipliner: Palladio Herbal Lipliner in 'Nearly Nude'
Lipstick: Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in 'Nudist'
Lipgloss: Laura Mercier Lip Glace in 'Sparkling'

***

Butterflies have a significance to me because they were very special to my grandmother, and I feel like she is with me when I wear them. Do you have a favorite or especially significant piece of jewelry?