Sephora Royal Beauty Blender

 Beauty Blender, Limited Edition, Makeup Application, Makeup Kit, Makeup Sponge, Makeup Tools, Pantone Color of the Year, Pantone Color of the Year 2014, Purple, Radiant Orchid, Royal, Sephora, Sponges  2 Responses »
Apr 302014
 

Purple Beauty Blender with Sephora bagIn honor of the Pantone Color of the year being Radiant Orchid, Beauty Blender paired up with Sephora to develop an exclusive limited edition “Royal” Beauty Blender for 2014.

I was excited to get this product because pink and purple are my favorite colors.  I love them equally. The original Beauty Blender is Pink. I have a few of those and I also have some in black and in white. I can’t say that I really “needed” any more, but I couldn’t resist not completing my collection and having all of the colors; especially if the newest one is purple. Purple Beauty Blender in case So what’s so special about this particular Beauty Blender? Just the color.  I know when I’ve posted pics on Instagram, people have asked if they needed to get other colors if they already had the original pink one.  The answer is no.  If this one wasn’t purple, I wouldn’t have bought it.  It looks, feels, and works exactly the same.  The only difference I’ve noticed with the various Beauty Blenders is the Pink one bleeds a lot, whereas the other colors don’t. For whatever reason, it seems as though the Pink one is the hardest to clean. I’m not sure why though .Purple Beauty Blender in Hand I ended up purchasing two of the Royal Beauty Blenders. I’ve been using one and I have an extra one as a backup.  I admit to wanting more due to it being Limited Edition and only available while supplies last ( that usually gets me caught up).  Beauty Blenders are supposed to last for a few months so I may or may not buy another Royal Beauty Blender before the year is over. ;-)

Condensing AJ Crimson Foundations for my Pro Kit

 AJ Crimson Creme Foundation, Cream Foundation, Foundation, Makeup Artist, Makeup Kit, Makeup Tools, MUFE Aqua Eyes, Pro Kit  No Responses »
Apr 292014
 

I purchased the limited edition AJ Crimson CCC Palette last year and I’m so happy that I did. AJ Crimson CCC PaletteIt has become a staple in my professional makeup artist kit. I absolutely love this foundation and so do my clients.AJ Crimson Foundations with CCC Palette

I had the full sizes prior to purchasing the palette, but carrying all of the colors was too bulky.  The palette is great not only as a compact version of this amazing foundation, but also as a great way to try all of the colors.  It’s the perfect size for travel,  it was only $30, and it was totally worth every penny.  Because I use this foundation regularly on my clients, I’ve run out of product a couple times since buying it and I’ve refilled the foundations with my full size products.  AJ Crimson CCC Palette being refilled I took this picture a couple days ago as I was refilling a few of the colors and prepping my kit for last weekend’s appointments.  I’m using my spatula to scoop out the AJ Crimson Creme foundation in #2 from the full size container to the CCC Palette. AJ Crimson CCC Palete complete The above pic shows the completed palette.  I refilled #1,#2, #3, and #4.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years as a professional freelance makeup artist is the importance of a condensed kit.  This palette is perfect for reducing how much product I have to carry.

Inexpensive Makeup Place Mat

 Makeup Tools, Makeup Work Station, Work Setup, Work Station  No Responses »
Apr 202014
 

Everyone has their own way of setting up their workstation. I prefer to have my tools on top of some type of barrier instead of just on the table or counter. Lots of makeup artists use towels or paper towels/tissue. Well I happened to try something a little different and it’s worked out really well. :-) While walking down the Kroger Grocery Store aisle, this item caught my eye.Dish Drying Mat

It was only around $5.  I’ve been toying around the idea of purchasing a makeup place mat ever since going to NYFW.  I remember seeing a nice one at the Alcone store but I didn’t get it.  I’ve regretted it ever since.  It came in different colors and textures.  I don’t remember how much it was, but I think it was somewhere around $40…which is why I didn’t buy it.

dishmat on makeup table When I got home and opened it, I was pleasantly surprised at the size as well as how sturdy it is.  I’ve used it about 5 times now and I really like it.  It looks sooooo much better than using a random hand towel and definitely better than paper towels and tissues.  I love that it stays in place and it feels soft but strong.Workstation at Qwashae BoutiqueAbove is my workstation setup for a photoshoot a couple days ago at Qwashae Boutique.  Closeup of Workstation at Qwashae BoutiqueHere it is a bit closer.  Sorry it’s blurry. I was in a hurry trying to quickly snap a couple of shots before my clients came in.  The above picture is actually just a cropped version of the previous picture.  I didn’t think to take a close up at the time, but I wanted to show you that this dish mat is a nice size.

A quick selfie right before starting to do makeup. ;-)

Selfie in front of Qwashae Workstation

My 1st NYFW Experience Part 2

 Beauty Blender, Celebrity Makeup Artist, Ernest Alexander, Event Coverage, Evolution Man, Glam Squad, Lip conditioner, Models, Moisturizer, Monae Everett, NYC, NYFW, Series  No Responses »
Mar 082014
 

The 2nd Show I worked on was for designer Ernest Alexander. He’s based in NYC and proudly manufactures 100% of  his line in the USA, with most pieces being made in the Garment District.  When I walked into the studio, he was actually one of the 1st people I met as I walked in the room. That was awesome!  He’s so nice and appreciative of all of the people who worked with him on his show. :-)

2014-02-05 17.16.37How cool is this car with the designer’s name on it? :-) IMG_20140205_232900Check out all of the snow that was shoved to the side. *whew*20140205_171312 I love how they went all out with the fashion.  Even with the cars.  I’m guessing Cadillac was one of the sponsors for the show.

I was blessed to have the opportunity to assist Key Makeup Artist Monae Everett. This was another Men’s Wear Fashion Show.  Here she is in action. Monae was showing us the look for the show.  IMG_20140205_142217 Beauty Blender reps came by to supply us with tools to use on the models.  You’ll notice she’s using a Beauty Blender in the picture.   Evolution Man was a sponsor for the makeup team.  Here are the products we used backstage on the models.

2014-02-05 14.09.57

Here’s my very condensed makeup station

These guys were a lot of fun to work with and had great personalities. I even met one model who moved from Houston not too long ago. Here are two of the models I worked with below. 2014-02-05 15.01.152014-02-05 15.24.31 Here’s more behind the scenes action.  2014-02-05 16.11.242014-02-05 16.53.142014-02-05 16.53.542014-02-05 16.55.422014-02-05 16.55.512014-02-05 16.59.16  Below is an #Usie with two of my fellow glam squad members Shrini, and Danielle.  Check out the model behind us doing a photobomb. LOL! :-D 2014-02-05 15.55.56-1

Stay tuned for more of my experiences during NYFW 2014.  Also if you missed the 1st part click here. :-)

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask Review

 facial mask, masks, samples, skin care, skin prep, Tata Harper, Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask  3 Responses »
Mar 042014
 

I’ve been going through my stash of products and I found this sample.  I’ve actually never heard of Tata Harper so I didn’t know what to expect.20140304_20333120140304_203342I’m not even sure where I got this sample from ( I know that’s so bad). It seems to have some pretty good ingredients though.  I noticed Aloe, Witch Hazel, Pomegranate, and clinical grade essential oil blends. There’s also a note stating some of the ingredients came from organic farming.

Here it is on my face 2014-03-04 21.48.19

I like that it doesn’t leave any thick colored residue like a lot of masks do.

Here’s my face after I rinsed it off.2014-03-04 21.45.44 2014-03-04 21.42.59

I can’t tell a major difference in the appearance, however I can definitely feel that my skin is more smooth. The one thing that stood out as far as appearance was that my nose was a bit red. Not irritated, but red.  I also like that my face feels good. Sometimes, masks can leave your face feeling tight and uncomfortable to where you have to immediately put on moisturizer. This one doesn’t do that.

I’m guessing if I was to use this mask over time, I could really notice a difference in how my face looks. The package states that your skin is supposed to glow afterwards. I can’t really say that happened.

Have you ever heard of Tata Harper? Have you used any of these products?

My 1st NYFW Experience Pt 1.

 AJ Crimson, Alcone, Backstage, BB+D Cream, Bold colors, Bold Lip, Celebrity Makeup Artist, Dark lips, Event Coverage, Fall Trends, Fashion, Fashion Week, lipstick, M.A.C., MAC, MAC Pro, Makeup Artist, Makeup Team, Models, NYC, NYFW, Runway, Series, Sin Lipstick, Winter Trends  1 Response »
Feb 282014
 

WOW! Would be the short and sweet version of my 1st New York Fashion Week experience, however, I’m sure you’d prefer actual details of my trip. LOL! :-)

NYC Selfie at the Park with Snow 1 I had to take selfies with the snow in the background because before this trip, I’d never been in real snow. :-) NYC Selfie in the park with snow 2 By the way, I’m wearing MAC Lipstick in Sin. It’s a Pro color.  It lasted all day! Like, for real. I took it off before I went to sleep that night.  I tried it on at the MAC Pro Soho store and kept it on.

MAC Pro Selfie

I almost got it, but it’s so close to Diva.  I really couldn’t justify buying it. Here are swatches below.  The Beauty Blogger in me couldn’t resist doing a product review while I was in NYC. LOL! :-) MAC Sin Lipstick Label

MAC Sin vs Diva Hand Swatches

Me in front of the MAC Pro Sign I was on my way to work on a photoshoot with UK Designer Blessed Zion. This explains why I’m at the store with my Zuca and my bag. You know, just in case you were wondering.  Ha ha ha! :-P

Now back to talking about New York Fashion Week. I was blessed to be able to work on 4 fashion shows while in NYC. I almost did 5, but due to the snow on Sunday, the promoter felt it would be best to cancel it. So we did a photoshoot instead.

The 1st show I worked on was on 2/4/14. I assisted Celeb Makeup Artist AJ Crimson who was the Key for the Michael Bastian Show. It was a Mens Wear show and I had a great time. AJ Crimson Michael Bastian TeamAbove is a picture of the AJ Crimson Glam Squad for the Michael Bastian Show. Here are a few behind the scenes shots I took. 2014-02-04 13.02.52The hair and makeup team getting prepared for the models to come in.
2014-02-04 13.00.31Above is my makeup station set up. :-) Below is a picture of the models, and designer team getting the guys ready for the runway
2014-02-04 15.43.55

Muji was one of the sponsors for the makeup team.  They provided these amazing masks for skin prep.  I forgot to take a picture of them, but they’re really small; like the size of a nickle.  Once you wet them, they expand and you just peel it a part and place it on the face for a few minutes.  It provides instant hydration to the skin and makes it smooth and ready for makeup.   Below is a picture of AJ showing us how to use the Muji Masks.2014-02-04 13.12.452014-02-04 13.14.342014-02-04 13.14.46After the time is up for the mask, he sprayed Caudalie Beauty Elixir (also one of the sponsors for the Makeup Team). Then he perfected the skin with his AJ Crimson Creme Foundation
2014-02-04 13.18.20 Here are a couple of the looks from the show below.

Behind the scenes at the Michael Bastian NYFW 2014 show

Behind the scenes at the Michael Bastian NYFW 2014 show

2014-02-04 15.44.10

Michael Bastian NYFW Behind the Scenes

Michael Bastian NYFW Behind the Scenes

I have so much to share with you all. It’s hard for me to know when to stop so that I don’t overload you in one post.  I’m still trying to decide just how many parts I’m going to break up this series into.  In the meantime, I’ll stop here for the 1st part.  Make sure to stay tuned to find out more about my 1st experience working at NYFW!!! :-)

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