My Top 5 Favorite Foundations (and my first video!)

I just posted my first Youtube video on my Nicole Marie Makeup channel, and it's all about my favorite foundations! All of them look naturally beautiful on the skin and they photograph wonderfully! 

Here is a list of the foundations I mention in the video:

1. YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat

2. Make Up For Ever Face & Body

3. Nars Sheer Glow

4. Becca Radiant Skin Satin Finish

5. Illamasqua Skinbase

Watch it on Youtube here for better quality!

Let me know what you guys think! Would you want more videos?

Soft Purple Eyes

This look is a delicate, soft smoky eye that can be created with any color combination. I chose to use purples because it reminds me of spring and it felt light and fresh. This look is perfect for any special occasion or for a daring bride. These shades of purple flatter everyone and feel very romantic and feminine, perfect for any summer night.

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure long lasting, crease proof, intense color payoff; I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion.
2. Blend a medium matte brown into the crease to add shadow and to give the purples something to blend into.
3. Blend a medium purple shadow throughout the length of the crease and soften all the edges, this is the base of the whole eyeshadow look.
4. Softly blend a small amount of a dark purple shadow into the outer edge of the eye and drag it slightly into the crease.
5. Highlight the center of the eye and the inner corner with a light, shimmery lavender color in a pressing motion.
6. Press a tiny bit of glitter onto the center of the lid to add some sparkle, I used my Sephora Glitter Liner & Mascara in 'Sweetheart Pink'.
7. Add mascara to the top lashes and the outer corner of the bottom lashes.
8. Highlight the inner corner of the bottom lashline with the same light shimmery lavender and then blend the medium purple into the outer edge of the bottom lashline.
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 Light in 'Ethereal'
Blush: Nars 'Deep Throat'
Bronzer: Nars 'Laguna'
Highlight: Laura Mercier in 'Highlight 01'

Lips
Liner: Palladio Herbal Lip Liner in 'Nearly Nude'
Lipstick: Mac 'Modesty' + Mac 'Creamcup'
Gloss: Laura Mercier Lip Glace in 'Sparkling'

Femme Fatale - a.k.a. - The Perfect Smoky Eye

I love wearing sultry, smoky, sexy eyes because it makes me feel like a mysterious siren from the past. I love creating characters with my makeup because what you wear can really influence your mood and personality. This look is perfect for those who want to achieve the mystery and danger of a Femme Fatale. I used my Anastasia Lavish palette almost exclusively to create this look, but since it was limited edition, I would suggest the Kat Von D Monarch Palette for a similar color selection.

Eyes

1. Prime the eyes to prevent creasing and ensure intense, long wearing color payoff, I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion. 

2. Blend a matte peach shade along the whole length of the crease and up towards the brow bone, I used 'Orange Soda' from the Anastasia Lavish Palette.

3. Define the crease by blending in a darker rust color, I used 'Sienna' from the Anastasia Lavish Palette.

4. Darken the outer 'v' of the eye with a warm dark brown, I used 'Rum Cake' from the Anastasia Lavish Palette.

5. Pat a shimmery, mossy neutral over the inner third of the lid, I used my Laura Mercier Baked Eye Colour in 'Black Karat'. It's an absolutely gorgeous color that can go with so many looks, I think everyone should check it out for themselves.

6. Softly blend in the smallest amount of black on the outer edge of the lash line and slightly blend it upwards towards the crease, I used 'Black Diamond' from the Anastasia Lavish Palette.

7. Place a pop of gold glitter in the inner corners of the eyes to add drama and sparkle, I used my Sephora Glitter Liner & Mascara in 'VIP Gold'.

8. Define the top lash line with a strong winged liner, I used my Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in 'Trooper' and then add mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

9. On the bottom lash line, smudge a mix of 'Orange Soda' and 'Sienna' across the whole length and darken the outer third with the black shadow. Add a couple of individual lashes along the outer corner for intense drama.

10. Full lashes really make this look stand out, first I used a strip of Ardell Demi Wispies and then I interspersed super long individual lashes over the strip for extra length and volume.

11. 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 Light in 'Ethereal'

Bronzer: Nars in 'Laguna'

Blush: Tarte in 'Peaceful'

Highlight: Laura Mercier in 'Highlight 01'

Lips

Liner: Palladio in 'Nearly Nude'

Lipstick: Buxom in 'Nudist'

Gloss: Bare Escentuals in 'Show Off'

Here are links to my review and some other looks I've done with the Lavish Palette: Look 1.  Look 2.  Look 3.  Review.

Elegant Bridal Makeup

This is a timeless and elegant bridal look that is perfect for any season or makeup personality. It defines the eyes without being too dramatic and the skin looks flushed and healthy. Super full lashes add a romantic touch, and they'll make your eyes stand out in photos. Most of my brides request variations of this look, but it's also perfect for any special event or evening out.

Eyes
1. Prime the eyes to ensure crease-proof, long lasting shadow application, I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion.
2. Smudge on a base of white pencil to keep the eyeshadow colors looking light and romantic.
3. Press a matte cream colored shadow onto the lid and all the way up the brow bone.
4. Blend a matte light brown shade into the crease to softly add definition.
5. Deepen the outer corner of the crease with a matte dark brown shadow for added depth.
6. Highlight the center of the eye and the tear duct with a pearly shimmery shadow to brighten the eyes.
7. Line the top lashline with a black pencil and blend it with a smudge brush. Add a matte brown shadow over the liner to keep the look soft.
8. Add mascara and add false lashes if you wish. For this look I glued on individual lashes to keep them looking naturally full.
9. Smudge a bit of dark brown matte shadow along the outside edge of the bottom lash line and highlight the inner half of the bottom lash line with a shimmery champagne shadow.
10. Finish the look by filling in the brows to frame the face. I used my Anastasia Brow Wiz in 'Medium Ash'.

Face
Primer: Becca Resurfacing Primer
Foundation: Becca Radiant Skin Satin Finish Foundation
Concealer: Mac Pro-Longwear
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Light 'Ethereal Glow'
Blush: Nars 'Deep Throat'
Bronzer: Nars Laguna
Highlight: Laura Mercier 'Highlight 01'

Lips
Liner: Palladio 'Nearly Nude'
Lipstick: Mac 'Creamcup'
Lipgloss: Laura Mercier 'Sparkling'

Spring Wish List

Spring is on its way! With the warmer weather upon us, people will be sporting brighter colors, fun prints, and shimmery textures! So here are some of my top beauty and fashion spring picks!

* Kat Von D Monarch and Chrysalis Palettes are comprised of velvety, rich shadows that stay true to color. The Monarch Palette is comprised of warm browns, bricks and champagnes and the Chrysalis Palette is a mix of cool greys, purples, blues and silvers. I love how they included the 3 larger base/highlight shades because people usually go through those the quickest.

* Bite Beauty Deconstructed Rose is a set of 12 highly pigmented, non-sparkly lip glosses. The romantic hues are flattering on everyone, and Bite makes all of their products with high quality food-grade ingredients, so you know that only the best will be on your lips. They are moisturizing and long wearing and are the perfect way to top any lipstick or just wear alone.

* YSL Creme De Blush is a long time favorite of mine, but the smooth, pillowy texture makes these blushes perfect for spring! The cream to powder formula leaves your skin with a fresh glow making your cheeks look radiant and healthy. I also love the color selection because they offer bright, fun shades as well as natural ones.

Floral print and nature inspired dresses are always big around springtime, but I love the scary twist of this venus fly trap dress from Pinup Girl Clothing.

These flats are perfect for spring and summer because they will spice up any basic outfit with their bright colors and cute animal faces. A tail is also printed onto the back of the shoe! You can find the cat faces here and the fox faces here.

What are some of your favorite spring styles?

Sephora Senior Artist Training

A few weeks ago I flew out to San Francisco to participate in Sephora's Senior Artistry training and certification process. There were 102 Sephora cast members invited to the training, so I had a ton of fun meeting makeup enthusiasts from all over the country. The week was intense, full of testing, skill practices and makeup applications, but it was amazing meeting so many cool brands and artists (I even met Anastasia, the eyebrow queen herself, from Anastasia Beverly Hills)! I had to wait on pins and needles for the last few weeks to hear my results, but today I was notified that I was one of the 45 that passed! So I am super excited, and I wanted to share some of the photos from the training and the BEAUTIFUL city of San Francisco. 

The beautiful city of San Francisco!

Practicing some face chart styles and getting ready for classes, can you tell we focused on contour & highlight? 

Meeting Gilbert Soliz, Lijha and the Make Up For Ever team, Anastasia Soare, and Marisa of Sephora Collection

Hanging out and getting to know my fellow CT Senior Artist candidates: Laura, Ayriel and Cheryl.

Eating all the garlic a person could handle at 'The Stinking Rose'. It was absolutely DIVINE!

Exploring Powell St. Sephora and the HUGE beauty department in Macy's where I got these awesome Inglot shadows.

All in all it was an amazing learning experience and career building opportunity, but most importantly- I am so lucky to have met these three other lovely Connecticut ladies: Laura, Ayriel and Cheryl, I had so much fun exploring the city, finding the best restaurants, and just getting to know you guys! I hope we get to work together in the future, as Senior Artists or otherwise.

Allure Magazine Beauty Blogger Awards 2014

So excited to announce that Allure Magazine named me one of the Top 15 Beauty Bloggers in the USA. Even though I didn't make it into the top ten to be able to compete for the #1 spot, I am super excited to even be recognized by such a huge publication! Thanks so much Allure!

Super exciting things are still coming from this opportunity, and I can't wait to be able to share it with you guys!