Beauty from Desk to Drinks

A video event brought to you by Sugar Salon 

Let go of beauty as a humdrum expectation.

Embrace beauty as a way of asserting your independence.

Got beauty overwhelm? There’s hope! You just need a better way to fit a beauty routine into your busy day. My friends at Sugar Salon in West Hartford CT are all about Everyday Beauty for Everyday Women, something that I have always been passionate about. And tomorrow, through the 21st of July, Sugar is bringing you an amazing video each day that will inspire you – for free! 

Have you ever heard of a Salon doing something like this? Me neither! That’s why I’m so excited to be one of the 21 speakers during the event. The tips, tricks and tidbits from these interviews will spark beauty from head to toe – and inside out! 

Jon David. Maia Smith. Christine Campbell. 

Sarah Carrillo. Jodi Shays. Danielle White. Erin Infantino. 

Nicole Cudzilo. Allison McNamara. Dr Doris Day.

Here are just some of the topics that will be available to you during the event, I will be talking about makeup of course and the essential things to do if you only have 5 minutes to get out the door!

• Skin care routines
• Hair styling tips
• Makeup dos and some very important don'ts
• Small batch products – the new micro-brew of beauty!
• Nutrition to help produce your best glow
• All about waxing
• Empowering the inner you so your outer you will shine
• Beauty as something both attainable AND affordable

21 days. 21 speakers. FREE! It all begins July 1st

Click here to visit the Facebook event page and here to reserve your seat by entering your name and email (no junk mail we promise)! 

The Easiest Hair Tutorials on the Internet!

I found the Youtube channel and blog of Treasures and Travels about a month ago, and I am in love with their creativity and style. T&T is maintained by three friends: Bethany, Tegan & Lindsay and they create lovely and easy to follow posts about beauty, style, recipes, DIY's and more.

Being a completely hair challenged person, I was astonished when I actually could accomplish the beautiful and complex looking styles in each of these videos. With wedding and party season in full swing, I think all of you ladies should check out these simple but stunning hair tutorials and head on over to the Treasures and Travels blog if you are looking for some light, fun inspiration.

You can click on each of the videos to watch them in a larger size on Youtube.

Blog post on this style HERE

Blog post on this style HERE

Blog post on this style HERE

Which one is your favorite? Comment below if you try out any of the styles!

*Photos and videos were created by Treasures and Travels and shared with permission

Sand and Sea, a Tropical Pin-Up Look

The eyeshadow colors in this look were inspired by the tropical ocean waves, golden sands and the rich orange sunsets of an exotic island. I added a bit of shimmer to the lid to mimic the reflection of the sun dancing across the water and refracting the light.

I added the bold wing because I was wearing this look to a vintage car show and wanted to make it look a little bit pin-up inspired as well. I matched the shades in my eyes to the colors of my dress and I think it came out looking both tropical and retro!

The dress I wore that inspired the look.

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure long lasting, creaseproof shadow application, I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion.
2. Blend a light peach eyeshadow into the crease to add definition and shape. I used all Smashbox shadows for this look.
3. Pat a turquoise blue shade onto the lid and slightly up towards the crease.
4. Softly blend a darker peach shade into the crease to deepen the eye socket and blend out the edges of the turquoise.
5. Place a touch of glitter onto the center of the lid, I used Stila's Magnificent Metals shadow in 'Pixie Dust' without mixing in the liquid primer.
6. Draw on a deep wing with a liquid liner, I used my Kat Von D Tattoo liner in 'Trooper'. A good trick is to use the end of your eyebrow as a guide to tell you how far to go. 
7. Blend a mix of the blue and peach shades together and run it softly along the bottom lashline.
8. Highlight the browbone with a matte off-white shade to lift the eye and add mascara to the lashes.
9. Finish the look by filling in the brows, I used my Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash.

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

Lips
Lipstick: YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #16

American Express "Everyday Moments" Makeovers

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending the day at Milk Studios in NYC applying makeup for the winners of the American Express Mother's Day 'Everyday Moments' contest. I met women from all over the USA and I loved hearing their personal stories and the fun experiences they've had while on this trip. 

Their day of pampering included makeup applications from Sephora Senior Artists,  hairstyling by Drybar, and a styled fashion shoot with designer dresses provided by Rent the Runway. All of this beauty fun was leading up to get the ladies ready to attend a Maroon 5 concert later in the evening. Besides getting the winners glammed up, American Express brought them to a filming of the Today Show, took them to see a broadway musical and sent them home with lots of goodies. Actress Kristen Bell even attended and mingled with the winners! 

Myself, Jaleesa Parris and Samantha Vega applying makeup for the contest winners

The hair room with styling by Drybar

L to R: Actress Kristen Bell, Stylist Rachel Zalis, Model & Real Housewife of NYC Kristen Taekman and Co-Founder of Rent the Runway Jennifer Fleiss

I had a ton of fun attending the event and meeting all of the women, it was great to be a part of their special trip and see their transformation.

My Skincare Secret... shhhh don't tell!

“Once upon a time, there was a book of spells found on the banks of the Seine, in Paris. Doctor Hertzog, who was renowned for his mesotherapy treatments, found a recipe in it for the youth elixir used by Queen Isabella of Hungary in the 17th century. It is said that she charmed the king of Poland, thirty-five years her junior, with her radiant complexion. The dermatologist entrusted his discovery to Mathilde Thomas, who was just launching Caudalie. In 1996, Beauty Elixir was born. And what is the recipe for this versatile natural cocktail? Benzoin to soothe the skin, myrrh to renew, rosemary essential oil to purify, lemon balm to calm and peppermint to stimulate, along with orange blossom to soften, rose for radiance and, of course, moisturizing grape pulp 
extract, Caudalie’s signature ingredient.” ~ Caudalie


Now that you know some of the history behind my skincare secret, let me tell you a little bit about how I use it and why I love it so much!

Caudalie's Beauty Elixir is a multi purpose spray, part toner and part serum mist of essential oils and plant active ingredients. It is my morning energizer, my midday pick-me-up and my nighttime de-stressor. I will spray it on my complexion in the morning & throughout the day and my favorite part is that you are actually supposed to inhale the mist as you spray it because it's revitalizing for the skin and for the body. It really does refresh me inside and out and it is something that I will always repurchase. It soothes and brightens the skin when worn alone as a treatment and it also makes foundation and powder sit more naturally when sprayed over makeup. It is formulated to smooth the skin, tighten pores and provide an instant burst of radiance, as it stimulates microcirculation.

Formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

I really do suggest it to everyone (except if you are sensitive to plant oils) and the great thing is that it comes in two sizes, a 1 ounce bottle for $18 and a 3.4 ounce for $49, so it's affordable to try and see if you like it.

If you have tried the Beauty Elixir, or if you have your own skincare secret, let me know in the comments below!

Two Summertime Looks using all Drugstore Makeup

Since my last video post was so well received, here is another one for you guys showing how to get these two summer looks using all drugstore makeup! Let me know if you like it and what kind of videos you'd like to see next!

PRODUCTS (in order mentioned):

Revlon Color Stay in 'Sand Beige 180'
Revlon Single Eyeshadow in 'Bone'
Revlon Single Eyeshadow in 'Greige'
Revlon Single Eyeshadow in 'Chocolate'
Revlon 'Exotic Palette' (black and yellow shades)
Revlon Single Eyeshadow in 'Sand'
Revlon Lash Potion Mascara
Revlon Highlighting Palette in 'Bronze Glow'
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 'Sultry 225'
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 'Elusive 205'
Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 'Audacious 245'
Relvon Colorburst Laquerized Balm in 'Tease 130'
Revlon Blush in 'Classy Coral'

I'm on Allure.com!

Super excited to share with you guys that Allure Magazine just featured me in a blog post on their 'Daily Beauty Reporter'! Go check it out on their site to see a short video of 7 days of makeup looks!