Hi Bellas!

Back with another tutorial and this one fits into my bridal makeup series. I was inspired by my bestie Saiesha to do a Vintage bridal look. She's getting married this Friday...I'm so excited! She wanted the classic red lip but a little extra color on the eyes. I call it Vintage with a Modern Twist. She's going to make a gorgeous bride. In the video, I also tried to add tips to pull off this look if you have a deeper complexion.

This is actually almost the same look from my Ulta Haul video so for those who requested it, enjoy!



The final look!




Here's What I Used (All MAC Unless Otherwise Specified):

EYES
-Urban Decay Primer Potion
-Steelo medium eyeshadow base
-ricepaper e/s
-texture e/s
-brown down e/s
-flip e/s
-bronze e/s
-Eve Pearl Black Pearl liquid liner
-Ardell 120 demis
-Urban Decay Zero 24/7 liner
-spiked brow pencil with cork and espresso e/s to fill in brows - outlined with Bobbi Brown concealer in beige

FACE
-Laura Mercier oil-free foundation primer
-Eve Pearl salmon concealer in medium
-Graftobian cream foundation
-MAC pro set invisible setting powder
-accentuate shaping powder
-shadester sculpting powder
-coppertone blush
-strobe cream

LIPS
-aquaphor
-cherry lip pencil...later for the Final Look pictures I added vino lip pencil on top to darken edges
-ruby woo lipstick
-bobbi brown beige concealer around lips

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas!

Update on MAC DSquared Collection:
FYI, yesterday I went to MAC and was able to pick up a few items from the DSquared Collection. I picked up the blue and violet greasepaint sticks as well as two of the Feline Kohl Pencils (I love these limited edition pencils!). I also went back and picked up Blue Flame Mineralized Eyeshadow and Baby Goth Girl Nailpolish from the Style Black collection...luckily I was able to snatch the second to last ones! I wore the Dsquared blue greasepaint stick as a look last night on top of my Steelo Base and it didn't smudge at all. I'll post pics soon!

Makeup Lessons
Meanwhile, the other week I had a chance to have makeup lessons with one of my YouTube viewers. I offer this service to others so that they can utilize the items in their own makeup bag and learn the basic steps of makeup. That way, they can go home and practice and master makeup on their own. I also offer this service to aspiring makeup artists who are trying to learn the ins and outs of the business.

My client today was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't need a lot of makeup but she did want help concealing her undereye circles. She actually had some good products in her kit...MAC orange corrector and Amazing Cosmetics concealer. I asked her to apply the product and then I showed her my method. If you really want to cover those undereye circles, it's important to follow these simple steps.

Steps to Concealing Dark Circles
1) Moisturize with eye cream to prep the skin (night and day)
2) Pat on orange/peach based corrector using a sythentic concealer brush. Use only a little product, but make sure to really tap on top of the darkest area, being careful not to lift up any product.
3) Pat a concealer a bit lighter than your own skin tone on top of the corrector. Use the same patting motion. If you need to, you can use your fingers to help blend...the heat from your fingers will warm up the product and help it sink into the skin. However, be careful not to remove any of the product. If you want, you can mix a bit of luminzer with the concealer like MAC's strobe cream to give the area a light reflecting look.
4) Set the undereye area with a light powder to make sure it stays all day.

We used my client's exact same products and were able to work wonders. Sometimes it's all about technique.

In terms of the rest of the makeup, my client actually mainly stuck to concealing undereye circles and maybe a little bit of mascara. Eyeshadow was new to her and she wanted to stick to a neutral look that she could still wear for the evening.

I showed her how to create a basic bronze smokey eye. Here are the steps:
1) Apply eye base to the entire lid, from lashline to browbone.
2) Apply your color of choice to the inner half of the lid, staying under the crease.
3) Apply a darker color to the outer half of the lid, staying under the crease. Make sure to keep the outer V shape.
4) Take a lighter color and place it on the brow bone to highlight the eye.
5) Apply black liner to top and bottom, and smudge it with a pencil brush that has a bit of black shadow on it to create a smokey effect. By smoking out the line, you don't have to worry about having a perfectly straight liner application.
6) Apply mascara and that's it!



She looks gorgeous! I applied makeup to one side of her face and she did the other...she did a great job.


Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas!

On Thursday I checked out the MAC style black collection. I really liked it! Finally something different! I picked up quite a few items. The collection may seem a bit intimidating to some, but a lot of these colors are very wearable if you layer them with other products. And for those of you who have a flair for the dramatic, this is for you!

Check out my video haul and mini review!


Here are the swatches! I forgot to swatch Penultimate Liquid liner but it's a typical pen liquid liner that goes on black.


Out of the two black lipsticks, I picked up the creamsheen since I don't use my matteens very often. I didn't have a black lippie in my collection unless you count my OCC black lip tar. You can wear this as a base for another lipstick to give intense color or even go for a goth halloween look. Not a must have though.


I love when MAC comes out with new products like this Greasepaint stick. It's a lot of fun to work with...it's like a shadestick but a lot more intense. I like the color on this one, it's a deep purple with like shimmer. Use this under the mineral eyeshadows for a pop of color.


Out of the glimmerglasses I picked up 2 of the 3. The one on the left, Blackware, would look super chic over a plum colored lipstick to dress it up a bit. The one on the right looks amazing over a red lipstick. Check out my video to see what it looks like. On their own they just look like a gray gloss so these are better paired over another product.


These Mineralized Eyeshadows were a pleasant surprise in the collection. They are intensely pigmented and give an intense glitter effect. I kind of want to go back for the other 2 colors I didn't get!


Cream colour bases can be used in many ways. If you use this as an eye base, make sure to wear another base underneath because these do oil up.


The final look! This is my RockStar smudgy, messy look...it's supposed to be the "I don't care cuz I'm cool look, lol". It's a pretty effortless look that takes 10 minutes to do for the entire face. FYI, I wore this look the entire day and noticed that the greasepaint stick does smear on its own...so it's best to wear a base with it.





Here's What I Used (All MAC unless otherwise specified):

FACE
-Jan Marini moisturizer and face products
-L'Oreal True Match foundation
-MSF Natural Med Dark
-Brown/Pink Blush from Graftobian Warm Blush Palette

EYES
-Greasepaint Stick
-Young Punk MES
-Texture e/s
-Vanilla e/s
-Anastasia Mascara

LIPS
-Florabundance lipglass

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,

I'm always in search for a bargain, and recently I had the opportunity to try out L'Oreal's True Match foundation. I picked out my color using a clear card with the different foundation shades. I held it over my jaw and picked the closest match.

Color Matching
Upon receiving the foundation, I noticed I was a little bit off. The foundation is a tad too "beigy" and light for me. I think that there's probably a shade more fitting out of their many options available. However, by setting this foundation with my MAC MSF in medium dark, I was able to correct the color. You can on the left I look a little too beige and washed out, and on the right the MAC MSF helps to warm up the color.



Application
The product goes on really smooth. I was pretty impressed by this drug store foundation. I'm used to using mainly MAC and other professional brands so I wasn't quite sure that this one could compete. However, this definitely reminds me of MAC studio fix fluid. As you can see by the picture it has a very nice finish. You'd still need to wear concealer to correct any undereye problems though.



Staying Power
The foundation lasts pretty good on my normal/dry skin. However like any liquid foundation, to get it to last, you'll need to use a primer and set it with powder. I had no weird allergic reactions or breaking out, which is a plus!

Overall Thoughts
I actually really like this foundation. It's very affordable and can be found easily at your local drugstore. It looks great on the skin. I would suggest getting this when you see it BOGO so you can get two shades in case you're a little off with matching. That way, you can mix and match and you'll also have two shades to carry through your pale days in the winter and tanner days in the summer. I'd say this is actually comparable to the Revlon Colorstay foundation. I definitely recommend!

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,

I get a lot of questions from aspiring makeup artists asking for tips on building their makeup kit. This actually isn't an easy question because there are a lot of parts to the kit. Each artist also has their own preferences for tools and specific types of clients they work with.

However, for beginning makeup artists...most artists actually, there are a few essentials. I decided to focus this post on Disposable Makeup Applicators. These come in handy especially when you work on larger gigs (i.e. weddings, fashion shows) where you don't have time to clean your brushes. Also, some products need disposable applicators because you cannot double dip for sanitary reasons (i.e. mascara).

Disposable Makeup Applicators often come in sets...sometimes 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, even 1000. Keep this in mind when purchasing. That way, you can get the most value for your money. I like to buy in bulk because it's cheaper that way...and I can also save on shipping costs.

Q-Tips: You can buys these at any drugstore. You don't necessarily need to get the Q-Tip name brand, but be wary of some of the cheaper ones because they don't contain as much cotton at the ends and it can poke clients. I love using these for a variety of purposes. I use them to clean up eyeshadow, clean up around the lips...smudge eyeliner. They're an essential in my kit.
You can also get the q-tip applicators which are geared for beauty. One end has a pointed tip and the other has a flatter bud. You can use the pointed tip for getting precise application of liner and detail work. The wider end can be used to apply product as well. I usually find these in the makeup aisle with the sponges and puffs.
Makeup Wipes - There are so many brands of makeup wipes and everyone has their favorites. MAC seems to be pretty popular but I've recently discovered my new HG wipes...the Kirkland Brand makeup wipes. They are 100 times better and are way cheaper even when bought in bulk. I talk about them in an upcoming favorites video so I won't go into too much detail. You can find multiple brands like Ponds, Neutrogena, Oil of Olay at the drugstore...and they all have their own brand of wipes. Some also like to buy baby wipes or wet wipes. I use those for cleaning hands and palettes, but I prefer to use makeup wipes on client's faces. I like to have every client wipe off their face makeup and any trails of oil and dirt before I start the makeup application. That way, I have a fresh slate to work with.
Makeup Cleansing Tips - These applicators are optional but I thought I'd share them with you just in case you were interested. These are essentially q-tips that are pre-soaked with makeup remover solution. They cut out the extra step of having to wet your q-tips with makeup remover. I've found that these have come in handy when doing big gigs where I have to move fast. I actually love MAC's cleansing tips. They work great at cleaning up smudged liner or lipstick. They also sell a cheaper brand called Swab Plus at drugstores. These are a little different since you have to bend the tip to get the solution to flow to both ends. I actually find these a bit greasy but they are cheaper.
Disposable Eyeliner Applicators: I recently purchased a bunch of these on ebay. I typically use a small eyeliner brush when applying gel and liquid liner. With those kind of brushes, you have to clean off the product in between uses or it doesn't work as well. I always like to cut some time out of my makeup application and decided to try these out. I have the same ones you might have seen at MAC. To be honest, I haven't tried them yet, but I plan on using them for an upcoming wedding. This would be great if you do use a lot of gel or liquid liner products.

Disposable Spatulas: I remember buying these in my kit when I first started. These spatulas are used for scooping out cream products like cream foundation or lipstick. I actually bought a pack of about 10 from Sallys. However, I've moved onto using the Steel Palette knives. I find them easier to clean and they work better. However, if you have a project which requires scooping of a lot of different products this might be good for you. Also, this would be good for beginners just starting out. Since these are plastic, you can clean them and reuse.

Powder Puffs: Puffs are great for setting and touching up makeup. They come in a variety of sizes from small to large. I actually recently bought a set of 25 from ebay which are about 1 inch wide. I like them because they have a ribbon on the top (like the picture below) so that you can slide this on your pinky when working on clients. That way, if you need to rest your hand on your client during makeup application, the oils from your fingers won't disturb the makeup. I don't use the larger puffs unless I do blotting or touch ups. I do find that these will apply a heavier layer of powder than most brushes...so if you are doing some kind of clown makeup or a theatrical look, these would be perfect for you.

Disposable Sponge Wedges: You can actually buy sponges in all sizes...round, triangle, square, egg shaped...but the most common ones for makeup artists are in this wedge shape. Alcone seems to be the most popular brand for makeup artists with it's super thick, washable sponges. You can use these for a variety of reasons...but most use it to apply foundation. I personally like to do the Eve Pearl method - apply cream foundation with a brush, then sheer it out with one of these damp sponges. These are also good makeup remover tools..if you smudge or apply too much makeup...just run these over the mistake to wipe it off. You can also find these available at the drugstore or even the dollar store but the quality won't be as good as some of the higher end brands like Alcone. I don't discriminate and actually have them all -dollar store, target and alcone sponges!


Mascara Wands: If you only pick up one kind of disposable makeup applicator, it should be mascara wands. Never ever use the brush that comes with the mascara unless you're planning on giving the mascara to the client (i.e. for a bride). Otherwise, you need to use mascara wands. Use one wand for each eye. Never double dip. If you need more product, throw out the used one and grab another. I like to budget two wands per client. These come either with a straight head or a curved head...it's just preference.

Lipgloss Applicators: When applying lipgloss on a client, you follow the same concept...never use the applicator from the lip gloss unless you plan on giving it away to your client. Otherwise, it will be a gross petri dish for infection. Oftentimes I will take the lipgloss and apply some to a palette or the back of my clean hand. Then I'll use a lip brush to take it from the palette and apply it to the lips. For larger gigs or when I don't feel like cleaning my lip brush (because this is harder to clean than normal makeup brushes) I use these disposable applicators. You can use it two ways: stick the lipgloss wand directly into the tube. If you do this, you can't double dip...you'll need a new wand each time you need more product. Oftentimes, I like to apply the product to a palette and then scoop it off with the disposable wand. That way, I don't have to go through too many disposable applicators.


Lipstick Applicators: I actually prefer these wands to the doe-foot applicators above. I find that they apply product more smoothly and evenly, and don't waste as much at the same time. I use these for applying lipstick or gloss. The ones in this picture are black, but mine are white with bristles that are more long and skinny than the short and dense ones below.


Where to Purchase?
There are several resources available for your to purchase these items. Some of them are more economical than others but I'll give you a wide variety.

Ebay - You can find a lot of these for pretty cheap on ebay. When it comes to certain applicators, they're pretty similar no matter where you buy them. I recently bought makeup sponges, makeup puffs, eyeliner applicators, and lipstick brushes. Make sure to buy from a repubtable seller.

Craft Stores - If you have an open mind, craft stores can have a lot of these items for cheap. You can find palette knives for $.99 as well as palettes and sponges. I like to go to Michaels where they often give you a 40% off one item coupon on your receipt.

Brand Name Makeup Stores - Brands like MAC, Makeup Forever that have freestanding stores and boutiques will also carry these. However, I feel that these are overpriced and you can find them for cheaper elsewhere.
Beauty Supply Stores - Beauty supply stores always sell products like these. I used to buy mine from Sallys which was fine in the beginning when I didn't go through that many of them. However, now that I have more clients, I find it cheaper to buy this online and in greater quantities.
Drugstores - You'll often find that stores like Target, Walmart, CVS, etc... have sections for makeup applicators. You'll be bound to find the puffs and sponges and sometimes other goodies.
Dollar Store - I love going to the dollar store to buy a pack of wedge sponges for $1. Can't beat it! It's not as good as the Alcone brand, but they work great for cleaning up makeup smudges and quick thinning of foundation.
Beauty Websites - Many sites cater to makeup artists and they always have a large range of makeup applicators. This is probably where you'll find the most variety. Some of the ones I like are:
There are also sites where you get a really great deal but you have to buy them in bulk, oftentimes 1,000 pieces at a time. This is when you'd split the cost with another makeup artist if you can:

Trade Shows - If you're lucky enough to go to a makeup trade show, they'll definitely have products like these and at a discount!
I hope this helped some of you out there. These are only a few of my suggestions. If you have any recommendations for products or places to get them please leave them in the comments below. Thanks!

Hi Bellas,

I finally took time to take one of my hauls and film it. I went to Ulta a few weeks ago and made a small haul. I bought both high and low end products and wanted to show it to you guys. Don't forget, whenever you go to Ulta, try to google Ulta Coupon first to get a 20% off or $3.50 off a $10 purchase. Some of my viewers told me unfortunately that some of these coupons don't apply to the more expensive brands, booooo, but any little bit helps.

Check out my Video Haul!


For those of you who can't see the video, here are some of the goodies that I picked up.

I picked up the Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Black. I bought it for the sole purpose of painting tiger stripes on my nails, lol. But I know you can use it for much more! It was about $7 and buy one get one half off.


I also picked up a classic - Urban Decay Primer Potion. Honestly, I have a multitude of eyeshadow primers but this is my go-to one for oil control. I also have the Too-Faced Shadow Insurance which does work, but on super oily clients, it doesn't work as well as the UDPP. This is just a personal observation. So I picked up another one. Don't forget that if you are running low on your UDPP, just cut it in half with a kitchen knife and you'll be able to scoop out a lot of product from the inside. In fact, I did this and had enough to completely fill two 5 gram jars.


I finally picked up an item that I've been lemming for a while. I purchased the NYC Bronzers in Terracotta Tan and Bronze Mist (the darker two out of the three available). I had seen them around but paid them no mind. However, after checking out Makeup Artist Extraordinaire KJ Bennett, he mentioned this item in his website In My Kit

On his site, he gives an unbiased review of a makeup and skincare products that he and many in the industry use in their kits. I love this site because it talks about both high and low end products. That goes to show you that there are makeup gems in the drugstore. He listed the NYC bronzer in Terracotta Tan as an awesome, very natural looking bronzer. I've used it already and love how it goes on very smooth and matte. I bought this for buy one get one half off...both bronzers ended up being $7 combined, what a steal!


I also picked up a pair of red Tweezerman Tweezers. I heard YouTube Guru MissChievous talk about these in her Drugstore Must-Haves video and decided to pick them up. I have a few tweezers that have paint chipping off them and that start to lose their "tweezing power". Many talk about how these tweezers last five, six years and more. You can even send them back to the company to be resharpened...however I did hear a few horror stories about not getting them back. These were a wee bit expensive, I picked them up for $22 but used my 20% off coupon. However, I also saw these at Wal-Greens for $16! If you want to invest in a good pair of tweezers, check these out.


In the video, I mentioned that I tried to pick up the Stila All Doll'd Up Palette but it was sold out. Well...I ended up picking it up about a week later from Sephora, lol. It was too good of a deal to pass up! Plus, I had a gift card :) The super cute palette had 12 eyeshadow colors for $28. An even better deal is to get it from the Stila website. They're doing free shipping and 30% off this week. The colors are all shimmery...usually I'm a matte girl but I don't mind it on this one because they are all super pigmented and go on super smooth. The teal color is amazing!

So that was my haul for you guys. FYI, I redid the look in this video for a Bridal Vintage Makeup tutorial. It should be up in the next week or two!
Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

Hi Bellas,

This weekend my good friend Melissa was planning on going to a Bachelorette party where she was seeing a lot of friends from High School that she hadn't seen in years. Of course she wanted to look off the chain! I gave her a makeover and loved the way it turned out. I asked Melissa what she wanted and she knew that she wanted a bright lippie. On the eyes, she wasn't sure, so my other friend Alex suggested a bit of green to go with the pink on her lips.

I wanted to take their suggestions and make them complement each other, so I went with a smokey green on the eye and more of a magenta toned lip. Mission accomplished!

Click on pics to expand



Here's What I Used (All MAC Unless otherwise mentioned):

FACE
-fix plus
-Eve Pearl Priming Moisturizer
-Graftobian Cream Foundation
-Graftobian Dual Finish Powder
-Shadester Sculpting Powder
-Soft and Gentle MSF
-Can't remember the blush?

EYES
-UDPP
-jardin aires pigment (inner lid)
-texture e/s (crease)
-soft brown e/s (crease)
-humid e/s (outer v)
-shroom e/s (highlight)
-Eve Pearl liquid liner
-Red Cherry Lashes
-spiked brow pencil and espresso e/s on brows

LIPS
-magenta lip pencil
-show orchid lipstick
-funtabulous dazzleglass

And the winners of the Dove Body Wash Giveaway:
Exfoliating Body Wash: Melissa from Crown Point, IN
Moisturizing Body Wash: Joyce Angelica
Sensitive Skin Body Wash: Sunkissed Nina

You have until Thursday night to email me your addresses as I will be mailing out all winners to date on Friday. Thanks!

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,

I was super excited to do today's look. I used one of my favorite shows "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" as my inspiration. Recently, the cast participated in a series of alter ego photos with famous Atlanta celebrity photographer, Derek Blanks. When watching this episodes, I was excited to see some super dramatic makeup. My favorite housewife, Nene Leakes, was rocking a smokey eye featuring red glitter on her lid. I loved it so much I decided to do a tutorial. Again, I used one of my favorite lines, Graftobian Cosmetics.

Here is the final image from Nene's Alter ego shoot. She plays two roles: the stripper on the left, and the uppity housewife on the right. Unfortunately you can't see Nene's makeup up close, but her eyes match her red and black corset top.

***Credit to Derek Blanks Photography

Check out the video tutorial!


Here is my interpretation of the look. Unfortunately I could only find one picture of the look, the pictures seemed to have disappeared from my memory card. Make sure to check out the video tutorial to see the whole look and how I created it.


Here's What I Used (All Graftobian Unless Otherwise Mentioned):

EYES
-white cream foundation
-red e/s from Fantaseyes Palette
-black smoke mineral e/s
-white whip mineral e/s
-red glitter
-white luster shimmer power (brow bone)
-Steelo Earth Brown brow liner and brown mineral e/s from Graftobian palette
-kohl pencil in black velvet
-red cherry lashes

FACE
-cream foundation from warm super cream palette
-dual finish powder
-blush from warm blush palette

LIPS
-Steelo mocha pencil
-lipstick from Super Lip palette
-vanilla spice lipgloss from lip palette

Lastly, the winner of the Graftobian Lip palette is Commenter #249 "Beyond Outer Beauty". Congrats girl! You have till Wednesday at midnight eastern standard time to claim your prize or i'll give it out for another giveaway.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,


I recently had the opportunity to try out a new hair product from L'Oreal's Everpure Sulfate free line. I like this line because it's an affordable drug store option for those of us who don't like Sulfates and processed chemicals in our hair.


Purpose: The Everpure UV Protect is a spray meant to product the hair from harmful UV rays which cause damage and fading of color. Just like the skin, our hair needs sun protection as well.


My Thoughts
Where was this product a year ago when I went to Costa Rica? Around this same time last year, I was scouring the beauty aisles for a sunblock product for my hair. I color my hair year round, and I didn't want my hair turning brassy from being on the beaches. It was really really hard for me to find something! I ended up with a tiny, oversized Paul Mitchell product which didn't even seem like it was meant for sun protection.


After Application

I've used this a few times in my hair and it has a herbal, clean scent. It's almost like spraying water into my hair. I don't notice any heavy residue - which is a good thing! I think I'd really notice a difference if I took this with me on a tropical vacation. It's been super overcast in Atlanta lately, so I haven't noticed too much of a difference. However, I'm very glad this product is finally on the market. If I wasn't super lazy, I would use this daily...I bet it would really help the color in my hair last.

Would I re-purchase again? It's a pretty big bottle so it should last me a while...but I would definitely recommend using this if you have colored hair or if you're a beach bunny :)


You can check this product out in the haircare aisle of your local drugstore.


Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,


With the last days of summer ahead of us, I'm trying to hold onto my tan as long as possible! I'm of Pacific Islander (Filipino) descent, so I usually have somewhat of a tan year round. However, my skin does tend to get a bit sallow as it fades into the colder months. I no longer use tanning beds (yes, I used to do this before, I know I'm bad) and don't really lie out to tan. I'm trying to preserve my skin and avoid sun damage. As a result, in the last year or so I've been relying on Sunless tanners to give me that coveted bronzed glow.


I've been using Jergens Golden Glow express for a while now, but I had a chance to use a new product, L'oreal Sublime Bronze.






First Application
When I first tried this, I was surprised because it's so different from the Jergens version. This one actually comes out like a Brown Gel with gold glitters. My Jergens came out like a normal, white colored lotion. I prepped like I normally would by showering and exfoliating all over. I then like to rub this into slightly damp skin. After first application I noticed a huge difference. My skin looked nice and bronzy. The lotion leaves pretty gold shimmers onto the skin - bonus!


How Did It Hold Up?
A few hours later, I did a recheck and noticed a little bit of streaking - uh oh! I reapplied the product the next day and the difference is that I made sure to rub the product in until it was completely dry. Then I was streak free! My glow has lasted a while, I'm pretty impressed actually. The product instructions state to use this daily until you achieve your desired color, and then use once a week to touch up.


PROS
-large bottle
-you get significantly tan from one use
-pretty gold shimmers
-affordable and easily available in the drugstore
-dries quick, and transfer resistant


CONS
-not for those who want a gradual/subtle tan
-to me, this still has that self-tanner smell
-if you don't like shimmer and gold flecks, this isn't for you.



I really like this product. I think this will replace my former HG Jergens Global Glow. The bottle is also much bigger and I find that the product lasts a lot longer. I'm definitely using this for my bestie's wedding on October 2nd with our tea length bridesmaid dresses. Matter of fact, i'm using this year round. I would definitely recommend.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another tutorial! I've been making a bunch of new videos in the last 2 weeks to get back into the swing of things. Poking yourself in an eye with an eyeliner brush and seeking medical treatment for it (happened a few weeks ago) can really be a set-back on making Makeup Tutorials, lol.

This is a look I've been meaning to do for a while. I wore this look to a Magazine release party a few weeks ago. It seems to come at the perfect time since glitter on the eyes have been rocked by quite a few celebrities lately - i.e. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry at the MTV VMA's the other day.

I used the professional makeup line Graftobian Cosmetics to show you how versatile this brand can be - from theatrical to everday glamour.

Check out the video tutorial!


Here's What I Used (All Graftobian Unless Otherwise Mentioned):

EYES
-white cream foundation
-white whip e/s
-black smoke e/s
-dark chocolate e/s
-cosmetic powdered metal - silver
-glitter glam in opal confetti
-cake liner in jet black
-black velvet kohl liner
-natural beige e/s
-bliss 128 lashes

FACE
-soft orange corrector
-oxyderm moisturizer
-HD Glamour Cream super palette in WARM
-Dual finish powder foundation
-Warm Blush Palette - Peach Sunset blush
-Warm Creme e/s (highlight)

LIPS
-Graftobian Lip Palette - Vanilla Spice lipgloss and Sandalwood Lipstick (I accidentally said I used Spice lipstick in the tutorial but I used a different one)






Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert!!!!!!!!
Edit: Contest has been extended to give more of you a chance to win. I will announce the winners on Monday's post (9/21/09). Good luck!


Today I will be giving away Graftobian's Super Lip Palette. This amazing palette has 18 very wearable shades. I have been using this a lot lately and really love it. One of the shades is even modeled after MAC's famous Spice lip pencil. This is valued at $64.99 but I'm giving it away at no charge! Thank you to Graftobian for generously sponsoring this. It was recognized in In Style Magazine (J-Lo on the cover) this month as a must have product. It's amazing for a Makeup Artist's kit as well as for anyone who loves lippies.

How To Win: To win all you have to do is be a follower on this blog and leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win. I'll announce the winner on Friday's post! Good luck!



Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas,

I recently had the opportunity to test out Dove's new line of Body Washes. They gave me three different ones to try, so I enlisted the help of two of my friends who are regular body wash users.
Here are our reviews!

Option 1: Dove Body Wash - Sensitive Skin
I chose this product since I do have sensitive skin. I was a little reluctant to try since I'm more of a bar soap type of girl, but I still wanted to give it a fair review.



Pros
-Nice, clean smell
-Feels soft and milky
-Moisturizing...my skin felt more moisturized using this than regular bar soap
-Didn't irritate my sensitive skin
Cons
-Not much lather, didn't feel as if I was getting super clean
-A lot of product comes out of the bottle opening, I feel like I'm wasting it!
Would I Repurchase?: Probably not, I'm a bar soap kind of girl.

Option 2: Dove Body Wash Deep Moisture
My friend had already tried this body wash while visiting a friend and testing out her bottle. I told her I was about to review it and she was so excited already!

Pros:
-Clean smelling
-Rich and thick and very creamy
-Left my skin feeling soft and refreshed
-No residue or dry feeling at all

Cons:
-I found that this product did not create much lather. That was fine with me for I don’t really care for bubbles.

Would You Repurchase?: This is a wonderful product. I plan to continue using it.

Option 3: Dove Body Wash Exfoliating
I gave this body wash to my bestie Alex because I thought she might like the exfoliating beads. She's a Body Wash Guru so I knew she would really test this product out.


Pros:
-Liked the exfoliating Beads
-Nice Lather
-Moisturizing

Cons:
-Had a clean fresh smell, but I prefer the permune smell.
-The design of the bottle was not very appealing. Didn't seem to be targeted towards women, more of a generic look. Don't like how you can't store the bottle upside down when soap gets low.
Would You Repurchase? No, I like it, but wouldn't repurchase.
As you can see, we all have different impressions of this Body Wash. Overall, I think it's a good quality body wash, but it really comes down to your preference on smell, bottle shape, etc. You can try these out yourself buy checking them out at your local drugstore.
Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert Giveaway Alert!!!
Dove has given me three of these body washes to give away. All you have to do is be a follower of this blog and leave me a comment telling me which one you'd like to try. Easy right? I'll announce the winners on Friday!
Good luck!

Hi Bellas!

Thanks so much for participating once again!

Each winner was chosen using a random number generator to be completely fair.

Blog Winner: msmommylee
YouTube Winner: seiyaodango

Please email me your name and contact information. Please make sure to tell me which contest you have won, and where you won from. For example, I won the Eye and Face Set giveaway and I'm the blog winner. That way I keep everything straight!

You have until Wednesday at Midnight Eastern Standard time to email me at makeupbyren@yahoo.com or the prize will go back into the contest pool. I will mail all prizes at the completion of the Friday giveaways. It's easier for me to make one trip to the post office instead of going each week.

Thanks to Sigma Makeup again for donating these prizes. I'll be having one last giveaway on Friday to give out the remaining prizes.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Hi Bellas!

Happy Friday! Like last Friday, it's the end of the week and time to celebrate with a giveaway! Today I will be giving away a Nice in Pink and Naughty in Black travel set! There will be one winner on my blog, and another on my YouTube page.




***Picture Credit to www.sigmamakeup.com It's really easy to participate and there are two ways to win. Here's how to participate:



1) To win on this blog, make sure you're a follower. Hit the follower button, that's it! Also, leave a comment with an idea for a makeup contest...I'm planning on another one for my YouTube/Blog 2 year anniversary!

2) To win on my YouTube page, make sure you're a subscriber to my channel and leave a comment with an idea for a makeup contest! Easy right?

Check this blog on Monday, September 14th, 2009 for the winners. Winners will need to email me their contact information at makeupbyren@yahoo.com by the Friday after (September 18th, 2009) in order to not forfeit their prize for another giveaway.

Good luck!

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