Makeup By RenRen

Sole Society Re-Purchase of the Month - Jenna Ballet Flat

2012-02-13T09:42:00.004-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Does this post look familiar? LOL Well I already did a Sole Society purchase of the month but you may have noticed that I returned that pair...thank goodness for free return shipping! Instead, I got a pair of shoes that I was positive I would be able to use.

There's no way of getting around it...I'm a flats kinda girl. It's funny because in college I used to always wear heels...then I took a trip to Paris. Everyone was wearing flats, even out to the club! This was in 2007 and I've been hooked ever since!

I got this pair, the "Jenna Ballet flats" because I thought it could be cute with slacks to work and also for weekends. I surprisingly don't have a pair of brown flats in my collection and these have a nice edge with their metallic finish.

I usually order 1/2 size up when it comes to flats because I like them super loose and comfy. I'll keep you posted on whether or not they stay with me or get shipped back lol.

If you're interested in Sole Society, pretty please use my invite code: http://www.solesociety.com/invite/rmonteloyola578
For every 3 friends I recommend, I get a pair free, eek!

Do you guys rock flats on the regular? Let me know in the comments below!

P.S - I got these in the mail and I'm keeping them! They're a great basic flat with a bit of metallic finish to them which makes them a bit more fun. They do run 1/2 a size big so keep that in mind when ordering.

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. Product purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Professional Photos - Indian Wedding

2012-02-10T09:34:00.003-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another post! This is a quick one. I was tagged on facebook by one of my former bridal clients and had to share the gorgeous pics taken by Garrett Frandsen. In this post I teach you some quick tips and tricks for applying makeup at Indian Weddings and how to get some great portfolio shots.

If you're working with a new photographer and bride, it's okay to ask them whether or not they want to get some "Makeup Prep Shots". Sometimes it get's hectic with the rushing to get ready that they appreciate the reminder.

One of the fun part about doing Indian Weddings is applying the decorative jewels to the face. It helps to have a pair of tweezers, some clear lash glue, and a steady hand.

You can also put a bit of glue under the Tikka, or the jewel that hangs down from the hairline to the middle of the forehead, so that it doesn't shift out of place. Same goes for the bindi (jewel between the eyebrows). The jewels on the face are stickers but sometimes you need a little extra help with the lash glue.

If you do bridal work, it's worth becoming facebook friends with your clients and your photographers. It makes getting pictures for your portfolio super easy!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Updated Drugstore Foundation Tutorial

2012-02-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another tutorial! I've gotten a lot of questions on my new foundation routine which includes the Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Foundations. In this post I show you the 5 minute process to get a complete look.

Check out the video!

After moisturizing, I prime my skin. I don't always do this but when I want a smooth look that lasts it's an important step. The L'Oreal Studio Secrets primer is really nice. I just use my fingers to rub it in.

Here are my tools: I apply the foundation directly on my face with the spongy applicator. Then I stipple and blend it in with the Qosmedix Sponge. I set my foundation, contour and apply my blush with one brush - the Sedona Lace Vortex Jumbo Fan Brush.

I used the following foundations and concealers. I place Tan on the outside of my face where my skin is darker and Honey in the middle. This also gives me more of a two-dimensional, sculpted look. I used the Medium concealer as a highlight. When I want more coverage, I pair it on top of a salmon corrector.

I don't really have a drugstore powder, but I found that this Milani Bronzer works great for a quick set. Fortunately, the Maybelline foundation also sets on its own pretty well. The right side of my Milani Bronzer is my skin tone. It has a bit of shimmer but nothing crazy. I use the darker side on the left to contour. I'm loving the Milani Baked Blushes. They go on super smooth and they're comparable to higher end baked blushes.

I just can't have a complete look without my brows. I use the middle color in the Milani Dark Brow Fix kit and an eyebrow brush. It takes 2 minutes.

I finish off with a sheer gloss.

The final look!

Hope this foundation routine helped some of you all. Have any of you used the Maybelline Eraser line? Let me know your feedback in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

FOTD: Naked Look - Bronze and Clubby

2012-02-08T00:42:00.003-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another look for you guys. I actually filmed a tutorial for it but the video was corrupted somehow. For this look I did a super wearable bronzey and smokey look that I actually wore out to the club.

To accomplish this look I used warm tones from my Sigma Dare Palette and Urban Decay Naked Palette.

From the Dare Palette, I used Surrender (burgundy) in my outer v, Catch (orange) as my crease transition shade and Escape (matte cream) on my browbone to highlight.

From the Naked Palette, I use Half Baked (warm bronze) on the inner half of my lid and Smog (dark bronze) on the outer half.

I paired them with lashes and a nude lip using MAC Angel lipstick topped with gloss, and voila, done!

The final look! (sorry the pics aren't as crisp, I used my camcorder to take the pictures)

What kind of look do you like wearing out to the club? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Product Review: Eye M Glam by Mario Dedivanovic

2012-02-07T09:25:00.004-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Even if you're not into makeup, I'm sure everyone has noticed Kim Kardashian's gorgeous, made up face. Celebrity Makeup Artist, Mario Dedivanovic has become known for creating gorgeous makeup looks on clients like Kim K. He even developed Eye M Glam by Giella Cosmetics to create the famous Kim K glow. Today I'll give you my honest thoughts on this product.

I purchased my jar for $35 from www.papoledancing.com after seeing fellow guru Tatiana Ward do a video on it. However it retails on the official website www.giella.com for the same price. Mario custom blended this loose pigment to give his celebrity clients that special glow. Anytime you see Kim glowing on the red carpet, you'll probably see a bit of Eye M Glam on her.

The product is described as a sheer highlighting powder used to give a gorgeous, golden glow. Here are some of Mario's Recommended Uses:

MARIO’S TIPS:

Using a small shadow brush, apply EYE M GLAM to the inner corners of eyes to separate and brighten them. Apply onto your brow bone to highlight and lift.
For bullet proof eye makeup that stays in place, use a eye shadow primer first and follow with EYE M GLAM.
Highlight your face with EYE M GLAM. Swipe some down the bridge of your nose, across cheek bones, on your cupids bow and along the brow bones.
Dust EYE M GLAM on your collar bones, dekolletage and legs, or mix some into your favorite body lotion for a flawless glow.
For an all over glamorous glow on your face, blend a bit of EYE M GLAM into your tinted moisturizer or foundation.

As you can see from the swatch it's not uber shimmery or glittery which is a good thing. It has a gold tone which is flattering on a lot of skin tones. I would recommend this as a top of the cheekbone highlight, or for your browbone, tearduct or cupid's bow. I wouldn't use this down the bridge of the nose as recommended because I feel like that would give you the shiny/oily look.

PROS
-pretty and very flattering on a variety of skin tones
-very finely milled
-nice gold tone
-get a lot of product that will last you a long time

CONS
-dupeable
-expensive

Recommended Dupes: MAC Drizzlegold Loose Powder (limited edition), Steelo Fairy Body Shimmer

You can find this product at www.giella.com

Would I Recommend?
If you're a makeup junkie, I wouldn't say this is a must-have. It's a very dupeable product...mix a couple of pigments together in the champagne and gold family and you can pretty much get the same result and for cheaper. Some people seem to really love it. It's pretty on, and I'm glad it works for them, but I honestly never find myself reaching for it. It probably also has something to do with the fact that I prefer pressed products. It's a decent product but with a lot of hype around it - in my personal opinion.

What do you guys think of this product? Have you tried it? Let me know in the comments below.

FTC Disclosure: Product purchased with my own money.

Atlanta Makeup
Atlanta Photographer

January 2012 Favorites

2012-02-06T00:26:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

It's time for another monthly favorites! This time I managed to film a video on my January Favorites. I actually filmed it early in the month so I added a few items to this blog post that didn't make the video. In order to make my favorites I need to use the product consistently and love it, hopefully you all love them too!

Check out the Video!

Sole Society Leylani Booties

I love these little booties from Sole Society. The color is a great neutral and they're real suede. I love pairing these with little sweater dresses and tights. They're extremely comfortable and I get compliments on them all the time. I think i'm going to get them in the black leather version too.

Ninena Raw Virgin Coconut Oil

I've been using this coconut oil as a moisturizer for the last month and my skin has never been better! I used to use a shea butter home made cream but this is much lighter and actually works better. I got mine from Coastal Scents but you can also get Raw, Virgin Coconut Oil from Whole Foods or any other health type store. My skin is so soft, bright and old scars are fading. I definitely recommend!

Nuance Blush Trio

You saw this in my CVS haul video. It's a really lovely product. A little pricey but the quality is great. The blend of colors is gorgeous on my tan skin...and it's subtle enough for everyday. The amount of color in each third is also big enough for you to dip your brush in. I'll often just use apply the shimmery cream shade on top of my cheekbone after I do the swirl of all three to get a nice highlight.

Qosmedix Sponges

I loveeee this sponge. Run it under some water to inflate it and it's amazing to apply and blend foundation. I even use it after my complete face is done to take away the made up look and to make my skin shine through. To me it's much more durable than the Beauty Blender but it's not overly tough like the Sonia Kashuk Blender. Best yet, it's $1.95 each!

Milani Baked Blushes

I got a couple of these in a goody bag from a blogger event and they are as amazing as people say they are. The colors are so pretty, they're not overly frosty, they're affordable and they look great on. I definitely recommend these!

Milani Liquif'eye Metallic Eye Kohl in Black
Everyone has always raved about this liner and I see why. This liner is so black and applies so smoothly on...I'd venture to say it's even black than MAC's Feline eye kohl. Two thumbs up!

Milani Glitzy Glamour Gloss in All About Me
This isn't my first time trying this gloss but I just love this new color! It goes great with my red hair...not something I'd typically wear but i'm glad I ventured out of my box.

Maybelline Eraser Foundation/Concealer

I'm actually wearing these products in this video. I filmed a drugstore foundation tutorial featuring them which will be up soon. They are so easy to apply and the texture is just amazing. This is a great foundation for those that don't like anything heavy or are maybe beginners at makeup. Unfortunately I'm in between colors. I now just use Tan on the outer half of my face. Honey is a bit on the beige side for me.

I love using the Medium Concealer on top of my salmon corrector for a bright, highlighted look.

Not Included in Video:

gloProfessional Renew Serum

You know I love facial serums and this one by gloProfessional is amazing! I started using it after I filmed my huge gloProfessional giveaway video. As soon as you put it on, you immediately feel it working! It has Retinol, Glycolic Acid and Salicylic, wow! These ingredients definitely work to smooth, tighten and soften your skin. I use about 1.5 pumps once a day and my skin feels amazing and definitely has a glow.

Do you guys have any January Favorites? Let me know in the comments below! I'm always looking for something new to try.

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Sole Society Purchase of the Month - Camel Boots

2012-02-03T09:57:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I just wanted to share with you another shoe purchase of the month. This time I decided I wanted some more Winter type shoes. I had a credit to use at SoleSociety and wanted to share with you my purchase!

I purchased the Reese boot. It wasn't a part of my closet for the month but it was featured in their Boots and Booties section. I like how they also feature collections that I can look through when nothing in my recommendations closet is catching my fancy.

I love this Slouchy, Wedge Boot. I've got thick calves so slouchy boots are a go for me! I chose the color in Cognac because it's so rich and warm...very flattering on tan skin tones. I ordered these in 8.5. Usually I go for an 8 but I like my boots a half size bigger so that I can wear thick socks if need be.

I think that i'll actually wear these! I have a similar boot from Shoedazzle but it has a stiletto heel and hurts!

I'd wear it with a casual day dress for a bohemian look or with jeggings tucked in with a a tunic or flowy top.

If you're interested in Sole Society, pretty please use my invite code: http://www.solesociety.com/invite/rmonteloyola578
For every 3 friends I recommend, I get a pair free, eek!

The shoes are $49.95 per month...a little more expensive than Shoedazzle but worth it. I actually paid about 10 more dollars for this boot because it's a bit nicer. If it doesn't work, there's always free return shipping!

Have you guys ever tried Sole Society? Let me know in the comments below!

Update:
So I got the boots. They were really nice. I found that they ran a little small even though I went up 1/2 a size like I usually do in boots. I think they looked better in the box then they did on. As a result I returned them and instead I'll be getting a pair of brown flats which I think I'll be able to use more for work. Pictures coming soon!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. Purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Katy Perry Inspired NYE Makeup Look

2012-02-02T09:41:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another makeover. This one features one of my besties and the colorful and glittery look I did on her for New Years. I told Melissa that even if you're not into super bold makeup, New Years is definitely the time wear it's okay for EVERYONE to wear glitter, lol.

I've done Melissa's makeup so many times that it's like doing my own, lol. She just let's me do my thang and doesn't look at the product till the end. I love how much she trusts me lol. I asked her to find a few pictures of looks for inspiration.

She liked the way this one looked.

But she liked the colors in this one.

I went for a similar shape but went for a glittery lilac. I was going to put a pop of green on the bottom lashline but ummm we ran out of time, lol. I actually filmed this tutorial but since we ran out of time mid-way i'll just scrap it. Luckily I got pics! Sorry they're not super clear...camera was acting weird. We completely the dramatic eyes with a peachy lip to make the look more wearable.

Don't you love her dress?

That's all folks! Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

New Hair! I'm a Red Head!

2012-02-01T00:51:00.002-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another video and post and guess what? I'm a red-head! As you know I've been planning to go darker and redder since late last year. This time we went for the plunge and went red!

Check out my video!

I always visit my stylist Erika at Toni and Guy Salon at Northpoint Mall in Alpharetta, GA. She's been doing my color for years! In October I had gone for a darker brown with red tint...this time I wanted more red to show up. I prefer more warm tone reds like Jennifer Love-Hewitt below.

Here was my inspiration:

Before

After: My hair stylist ended up dying my bottom layers a deep chocolate red. Since my hair underneath is bleached, it won't go much lighter. I'm okay with that though because it gives my hair some balance and most of it stays healthy.

The part that picked up the most red was where I had my blond highlights. My roots were black so they didn't take to the color as much. She had to even apply a separate toner in the wash bowl to brighten them a bit. Next time, I'll probably take the color up to the roots.

I do like how my hair seems much richer now though. And I absolutely got no breakage this time around.

My hair is getting pretty long...about time for a cut!

I'm still getting to my new look but i'm loving the change. The hair came out a little more magenta toned than i'd like. Not a surprise though because my hair does what it wants! I'll go for more of a warm/coppery red next time. I also plan on dying my clip in hair extensions shortly...they're dark brown with caramel streaks...hoping I don't mess it up, lol.

What do you all think of the new red hair? Do red heads have more fun? LOL Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Makeup Artist Series - More Qosmedix Disposables

2012-01-31T09:37:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review! I'm such a sucker when it comes to stocking my kit up with Makeup Artist Disposables. With the right tools and containers, you can really condense your kit and make your life so much easier and organized. Today I'll be showing you some of the newest items from Qosmedix and I think you'll be super excited to see some of their latest goodies!

Let's jump right into it! I'm going to show you the item and my thoughts. You'll be able to see just how affordable these pieces are in the picture...and if you need to buy in bulk or not.

I was really happy to see this glitter tool. I've seen something similar at Sephora but of course it's more expensive. Its silicone tip helps to grab glitter and deposit it on the face or eyes without messy fall out and without ruining your brushes. It works really well. I'm definitely using this tool moving forward every time I use glitter.

I don't use brow stencils too often but I think they really do work in creating a new look. However, these are more on the plastic side and do not easily lay flat. I prefer mine to be a bit more rubbery so they can conform to the face better.

These blending sponges are amazing! They totally made my January favorites. They're super inexpensive and I even like them better than the Beauty Blender which is ridiculously more expensive. I've used these in my latest foundation routine video and they are just awesome.

I love this little bottle for travel and for the kit. I screw off the cap and pour my foaming facial cleanser and it works great! No leakage, cap is secure and it dispenses product with no problems. This makes my life a lot easier to I can bring my Aveeno foaming cleanser with me when I travel.

First off, love the hot pink color, lol. I found that this tool actually does help to position your lashes right on the lash line. It is good for those who aren't too good with applying lashes with fingers or tweezers or maybe you're a beginner at lashes. I find that you need to practice a few times to get it down but it works. However, I do prefer tweezers fingers personally for lash application.

I was really impressed with this brush. It's very inexpensive yet the quality is great. It's pretty dense and soft and it's great for buffing in product. I like using it with powder foundation to get a flawless finish.

I used these models on a lash and you can see the picture here. They're so fun and funky and are actually wearable if you pair them on top of another pair of lashes.

Another pair of really fun lashes. These of course are also pretty funky but they're great for those fun holiday looks and avant garde shoots. Overall, Qosmedix lashes are always pretty good.

Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of this brow brush I found that the bristles were too rough and coarsely cut and I wasn't able to apply color evenly or precisely enough. I wouldn't recommend.

I filled this jar with my Ben Nye Loose Banana Powder. Be careful not to fill it to the top. Leave about 1 cm of space because when you put on the sifter cap it pushes down into the container. I made the mistake of filling it too much and some powder spurted out. Besides that...I love the twistable so that way powder isn't all over the place. This is great for condensing your loose powders in the kit.

Final Thoughts
I was really excited by the variety of makeup artist disposables and tools that were sent to me. I will definitely be using most of them and i've even found a few staples. This brand is super affordable and if you're a makeup artist you've got to check it out! Same for my makeup junkies out there who might need some tools or items for travel.

You can find these products at http://qosmedix.com/default.aspx

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

All About Z-Palettes, Depotting & How to Get Shadows to Stick!

2012-01-30T00:14:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another post! I think this one will be super helpful for those of you who struggle with de-potting eyeshadows (aka taking eyeshadow from a pot and putting it into a palette) and getting them to stick to various types of palettes. This technique helped me immensely.

Check out the Video!

In the video I go over several techniques for depotting. I find that the one that works for me is using the flat iron method of placing shadows on the hot panels to melt the plastic, then pushing the pan through.

Z-Palettes in particular have a strong magnetic base. We're used to sticking magnets on the back of our depotted shadows but it doesn't work so well with z-palettes. The magnet to magnet connection is not strong enough to keep the shadows in place. Instead, you need steel. Some shadow pans already stick automatically to z-palettes such as Nars shadows, Aveda shadows, Kevyn Aucoin, etc. Some shadow pans do not stick because they're made of a recycled metal - Elf, Josie Maran, Urban Decay, MAC and Sonia Kashuk.

You can find this affordable steel plated aluminum in the model airplane section at Hobby Lobby. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut pieces of metal to stick behind your depotted shadows.

If you have problems with residue or packaging stuck to your eyeshadow (i.e. foam from depotting ELF encyclopedia palettes or cardboard) then you can use a goo removing product like Goof Off. It's important to do this because that way you have a flat surface on the back of your pans so it sticks on the palettes evenly.

An easy way to get pieces of the steel to stick to the palette is to used pre-made glue dots which I picked up from Michaels.

Here are your materials including the z-palette - cut pieces of the steel, glue dots, and depotted shadows.

Place the glue dot on the back of the depotted shadow.

Then stick the steel square that you cut out on top. You may need two glue dots for bigger pans. I did have an issue with some of the pans separating from the metal but most held up. I keep the shadow on top of a piece of toilet paper to make sure the shadow doesn't scrape, break or crumble and make a mess.

And you're done!

Hope this helps! Do you have any other tricks for depotting and getting your shadows into palettes? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Kim Kardashian Shoedazzle Collective Haul

2012-01-27T17:48:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another haul video! I actually filmed this video during Halloween but it was still worth showing. It's pretty much a collective haul of my Shoedazzle monthly purchases from the last year. You get a chance to really see my shoe style as well as the range of different options that this line has to offer.

Check out the video!

As you can see there are some hits and misses. I definitely think that most of the Shoedazzle shoes are cute...it just depends what your foot pain intolerance is, lol. Some of them are definitely easier to wear than others but pain is beauty right? lol

If you want 20% off your first order, use my invite link http://www.shoedazzle.com/invite/clk4xv5sh . I also get a free pair of shoes for every 5 people I recommend he he.

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. I paid for this product with my own money.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Meaningful Beauty Skincare Starter Set Winner!

2012-01-27T09:37:00.004-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Thank you for participating in last week's Meaningful Beauty Giveaway. It was a really fun experience trying out this skincare system with you over the last few months and thank you to everyone who supported the video. Now it's time to pick a winner!

The winner of a Meaningful Beauty Starter System is:

itsNoyme

Congrats! Email me you mailing address before Sunday at Midnight EST to claim your prize or it will go to someone else.

Meanwhile, I have more giveaways coming soon. Stay tuned!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

It's a Near Year! 2012 Vision Boards!

2012-01-26T09:38:00.002-05:00

Hi Bellas,

It's a New Year! Ahhh how refreshing. I don't know about you all, but I am so excited to see what 2012 has to offer. 2011 definitely had its challenges and i'm ready for this year to be just plain awesome. Last year was my first time making a vision board with my goals and dreams for the year. This year, you know I had to do the same!

A vision board chronicles your hopes, wishes and desires for the future. It's typically some sort of a collage that you put up somewhere. I have mine on a bulletin board in my bathroom. Looking at it everyday reinforces my vision and I was happy to see many of the dreams on my 2011 board come true!

This year I updated my board completely. My life is in a different place a year from now...I have same of the same goals and aspirations but a different look on life. I'd say I'm more hopeful this year and focused on achieving! The BF and I like to do this activity together and it's actually a great bonding opportunity for you to do with your friends, families and loved ones.

Now let's get started: All you need are some old magazines or even some google printouts...along with scissors and either tape or glue.

Get to cutting! Cut out inspirational phrases, pictures or anything that floats your boat! Here's a tip, you can make a bit of a mess so keep trash bags handy lol. This is also a good way to make use of those old magazines lying around. When you're done, recycle them and clear em out!

Here is a shot of last year's and this year's vision board. I bought a nice bulletin board at Michaels last year on sale. It matches my decor and is still holding up. I actually prefer to glue everything to one large sheet of paper so it's easy to remove the next year.

Have you guys done your vision boards this year yet? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Costco Kirkland Holiday Brushes Review

2012-01-25T00:32:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Just $29.99 for the entire set! Great value. You can find these if they're still available at Costco stores. I had no idea that these brushes were from Anisa, the same company that products A-Design brushes. Now I can see the similarities, and that's a good thing!

Check out the video review!

I'm loving my new camera and photo backdrop that I invested in. The pictures look so much better!

Pros

Super affordable
little bleeding or shedding
Gorgeous design
Nice bag and brush roll

Cons

Some of the eye brushes are a bit large
Missing a traditional foundation brush
Soft brushes but could be softer

Overall Thoughts

This set is definitely worth my money. I actually purchased the holiday set from Costco Kirkland brand last year and this one is just as good if not better.

You may be able to find these still at your local Costco. Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Product sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to make this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Photoshoot Makeup: Red Shadow and Rhinestones!

2012-01-24T09:33:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with pics from another shoot. This one is fun and funky! I used red eyeshadow and rhinestone lashes to create a really edgy look. It's been a while since i've posted a photoshoot look so I hope you all enjoy!

My client is a singer who was getting promotional photos done. She wanted something edgy but still pretty. I ended up going for an angular smokey eye with red in the crease for a pop of color. I also ended up giving her two pairs of lashes. The ones on top were these super fun, long rhinestone lashes from Qosmedix. They looked awesome in person!

The final look! We went with a nude, pinky lip to keep the fresh and girly.

The model had really nice skin...my goal was to do some nice contouring and highlighting.

Fierce!

Hope you enjoyed! Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

CVS Drugstore Makeup & Nail Polish Haul

2012-01-23T00:29:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another haul! I picked up some items from CVS before Christmas. It was my present to myself! I picked up some items that I really love!

Check out the video! Sorry If I seem super tired in it, lol, cuz I was!

I had seen other YouTubers review the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Foundations and I was sold! I purchased both Honey and Tan and find that I'm right in the middle of the two. I use honey on the inner portion of my face and Tan on the outer rim and then blend them together. I actually have a drugstore foundation tutorial coming soon. I love the light, super blendable consistency and have been wearing these foundation consistently for the last month. I'm a bit disappointed though that Tan is the darkest shade...hopefully they expand the shade range.

This Cheek Trio in Apricot really intrigued me. I had seen my girl Milly from BeautyLogicBlog review the Salma Hayek Nuance Cosmetic line before and I was intrigued. This trio reminded me a lot of my beloved MAC Pearlmatte face powder. I prefer to wear it all swirled together for a peachy bronzy shimmery cheek color that is actually more subtle but still shows and looks nice. I also like using the pans individually. You get a nice amount of color and can actually fit a small blush brush in each triangle. The packaging is a bit bulky but you can tell this won't break!

I just love glitter nail polishes! The pink one on the left "A Cut Above" is super gorgeous. I love how the glitter is large and different chunks including circular glitter. It looks great on my toes on top of a hot pink polish. The gold one on the right "As Gold as It Gets" is a lot more subtle...more of a fine shimmer but it is very pretty as well...especially topped over another color.

This is a white nail polish with a thin art pen. It's great for nail art designs. I had bought it for a Christmas Hat nail polish look but my skills were not up to par, lol. I also picked up a Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in White. I'm not really sold on these pens...I feel like the consistency is a bit watery.

I got two shades - medium and honey. I wish I had gotten the yellow corrector but the CVS I went to didn't have it. The medium is actually nice for a highlight. I notice that these on their own aren't enough coverage for me so I use a salmon corrector first and then put this on top to brighten. Honey is more of a spot corrector for me for my skintone.

This gloss is pretty nice. It's the perfect peachy nude and it's buildable so you can actually see the color. It's got a nice sweet taste too.

Hope you guys enjoyed the haul! Since them I've went back and done a haul of the Revlon lip butters. But everyone has those now, lol. I will say that I really love them and if you do want to see a video on them, let me know!

FTC Disclosure: All items purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Come with me to get a Blow Out! dryBar Atlanta Review

2012-01-20T01:11:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another hair post! I'm on a roll for 2012! For New Years, I wanted to get a blow out and I knew just where to go. A few weeks before that I had purchased a groupon for the Atlanta location of drybar - a hair salon specializing in blow outs! This was a brand new location. I had heard of this chain before and was so excited that Atlanta was finally going to get its share of awesome blow outs.

Check out the 5 minute video! You can see my blow-out experience from beginning to end.

I had seen other bloggers review this salon before and was excited to see how my experience would compare. You see, for years my friends and I have been in search for the perfect blow-out. We've had many failed attempts and the one stylist who got it right charged way too much. My perfect blow-out is accomplished with a round brush and a blow dryer and that's it...I like a lot of volume and large, loose waves...some ends flipped out and in...does that make sense?

This time around I was getting my hair done the day before a NYE party. I wanted something similar to that pictured above...but also something that would last till the next day.

I had a 1:30pm appointment on a beautiful Friday. Here are some shots I took of the salon:

Super cute inside

Menu of Services

Wall of products

They had two long rows of chairs and in the back was the wash area...the salon itself wasn't huge but they made good use of the space

In the middle there's a counter...you can read magazines, or watch the TV playing chick flicks...however, you're not facing a mirror like you typically would in a salon. In some other reviews I had heard they passed out old school candy for sale but I didn't see any.

Here is a menu of the different types of looks you can get...there are 9 blow out styles to choose from and you can also choose to get an "Up-Tini" or updo.

I went for a medly between the Cosmo-Tai (I like the big loose curls)

And the Southern Comfort (like I mentioned I like volume)

Here are the products that were on the counter in front of me...I love how they use the Moroccan Oil line

The Final Look!

From the front it doesn't look like anything too special. Kinda just like I curled my hair. I think by the time I got home it had flattened out a bit. My hair is heavy so it's hard for me to keep volume at the top. That's why I like blowouts with focus on blowing out the crown in a vertical motion.

From the back though, I think it looks gorgeous.

PROS

I love the idea of a salon that specializes in blow-outs
Quick process - in and out in an hour
The "Floater" aka 10 minute scalp massage that they do while washing your hair is awesome! Totally worth the $10
Affordable...all blowouts are $35 (I paid less with my groupon)
Cute decor
They work with all hair types - I saw a diverse group of clients and stylists
I like how they have a TV playing chick flicks (we were watching 17 dresses)
Receptionist was super friendly (she helped me film my video)
Liked how they use Moroccan Oil products

CONS

My stylist was nice but not super friendly...I guess I'm used to talkers...in the video you'll notice that I was silent most of the time lol. I think he got nervous with my filming he he
I think blow outs can be achieved with a blow dryer, round brush and expert technique - the use of flat irons, teasing and curling irons seems unnecessary to me (personal opinion).
My hair fell flat only a few hours later
The design of the studio has your back facing away from the mirror...it is probably unintentional but I prefer to see the progress of my hair along the way so that I can make comments and ask questions along the way...at the end it's like "Surprise! Here's your hair, you're done!" LOL

Final Thoughts
In the end, I do think my hair came out really pretty. The scalp massage was great...my hair was soft and I really did like the style. However, I think I could have accomplished the same thing with a curling iron. Like I mentioned, my personal preference is to have an expert blow out with just the brush and blow dryer. Instead of my hair being teased and curled, I would prefer positioning the round brush in a vertical motion to get ultimate body. I let the hair stylist use his technique because I wanted to keep my mind open and try something new. Hair is very personal and as a makeup artist I understand that everyone has their style and preferences - in the end it's just hair!

Would I Recommend? Yes
In the end, I did enjoy the experience....and actually I do plan on going back. I have one more groupon to use and I hope to try a new stylist. This time I'll explain my vision more and i'm excited to see what I get!

You can find your nearest location at www.thedrybar.com. It's a cute website but not the easiest to navigate in my opinion - I prefer simple, streamlined designs where I don't have to look around for information...look to the small picture icons on the screen as your menu.

Have you guys tried the drybar before? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored...services paid for with my own money.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

2011 NYE Look! My outfit, hair and makeup!

2012-01-19T10:10:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Thanks for helping me pick out my look for NYE! Of course I had to show you pictures of everything I chose from hair, to makeup to nails.

I went with the short dress! I went to a house party at a loft and I thought the long dress would be too formal. Since it was chilly, I paired the short dress with a black blazer, black tights and my velvet platforms from Dorothy Perkins. Inside I simply took off the blazer and was good to go!

I didn't realize it till that weekend, but these shoes were one size too big! LOL I put on various stick on shoes cushions to fill them out but they were very uncomfortable. Fortunately I had my flats to go for the party and ended up putting the heels in the corner and dancing in my $10 Dr. Scholl flats all night long.

I went for a neutral smokey with glitter...typical of me, lol. I also kept the lips pretty neutral so that there would be less transfer for a New Years' kiss lol.

For my hair, I clipped in my pre-curled extensions which I curled using a clipless barrell curler. I had pin curled my own hair the night before as well - first time and it worked great! I saved so much money on my hair this year by doing it myself, score!

Oh and here's a shot of my manicure - pink and sparkly! I'm still rocking the combo on my toes.

What look did you guys end up choosing for NYE? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

gloProfesional Review, FOTDs & HUGE Giveaway!

2012-01-18T11:55:00.003-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another brand review, FOTD and a giveaway! I recently had the chance to try out gloProfessional a skincare and makeup brand that actually really impressed me with its high quality products. It's a really comprehensive line and I found some awesome items to share with you all. And I'm doing a HUGE Giveaway worth over $1000 to ten lucky winners!

I received a wide assortment of various gloProfessional items in my initial review, check out my thoughts!

Concealer Under-Eye in Honey $31

I am a sucker for peachy toned correctors. This concealer/corrrectors offers two shades to choose from which is great for adjusting to find your perfect match. I received honey and found that the light side works for me but I probably should have gone for a duo a shade lighter. The product is very creamy but not too much so that it creases...I definitely recommend. I love my Eve Pearl correctors but I'd consider buying this one next time I need a refill.

Vital Eye Cream $35
I had run out of eye cream and was desperately in need of a new one. The company recommended the Vital Eye Cream based on my dry skin. I find that after a few weeks of consistenlyt using it, my eyes aren't quite as dry on the lid but I'm still feeling dryness. I feel like this would be better for someone with normal to oily skin.

Lid Primer $24.50

I enjoy potted primers like this one. It is super creamy and dries to a matte finish. I love the nude shade because it conceals the eye area and also makes colors pop. Be careful to not apply too much...the product is pretty concentrated and if you have darker skin tones make sure to blend out the edges really well into your skin tone.

Eyeshadow Trio in Coffee $30:
This is a great product...the colors are smooth and very pigmented. You have everything you need to do a complete look. A matte brow-bone/all over shade, a shimmer champagne shade for the lid, tearduct and brow highlight, and a dark matte brown for the crease, outer v and I even use it for my eyebrows.

Gloss in Rose Gold $16
I tested out the Rose Gold shade. I was surprised to see how pigmented it is! This isn't my usual color combo but I thought it was really pretty on.

Swatch time!

Here's a look using the products!

Final Thoughts: In sum, this is a really nice makeup line. The price point is a bit higher but the quality is reflected in the price. I really enjoyed all of the items I received which isn't always the case with a review. I definitely recommend trying them out!

You can find these items at www.gloprofessional.com

Check out the video where I feature the Beauty Must Haves Collection and Show you What You Will Win! I also am wearing the products in the video.

GloProfessional has generously agreed to sponsor a huge giveaway! 10 Lucky winners will receive the Beauty Must Haves Collection which is worth $150! I had some time to play with these items and thumbs up! First off you get a full sized face serum (i'm a firm believer in the amazing powers of this skincare item) as well as samples from 3 of their eye creams.

You get the Alloy Eyes Eyeshadow Palette which as an amazing mix of neutral and smokey shades - the top row is shimmery and the bottom is matte, yay! This works well on every skintone...the colors are smooth, pigmented, easy to blend and not powdery at all.

You also get the gorgeous liquid lips in Luna. I wore this and colors from the eyeshadow palette in my boyfriend tag video and got lots of compliments. You also get two mini eye metallic eye pencils. I'm wearing dark bronze in the video.

Here's the look I created from the boyfriend tag video where I used the eyeshadow palette and liquid lips.

In the video I'm wearing a smokier version of this look. Now onto the giveaway.

Here's how to win:

Go to the gloProfessional Facebook page and enter your information into the giveaway subscription box.
By entering you sign up for the gloProfessional newsletter which you can unsubscribe to at any time if you wish
The contest is open through Sunday at midnight 1/22/12
I'll pick 10 winners and announce it next week!

Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with the company and not paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

TJ Maxx/Marshalls New Year New You Bloggers Event

2012-01-17T09:42:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with pictures from another fabulous blogger event! Recently I had the chance to attend Lexi & Danielle's New Year New You Blogger Event Hosted by TJ Maxx and Marshalls. It was a super fun night consisting of style challenges and mixing and mingling with Atlanta's hottest Beauty, Fashion & Hair Bloggers.

I was super excited to hear that the event was hosted at my local TJ Maxx which is literally 5 minutes from me. I shop there all the time! When I got there, there were already a bunch of bloggers huddled around the accessory section playing The Price is Right Type of Games. These Fashion Bloggers were on point guessing the discounted prices on Designer Labels from the TJ Maxx Runway area.

Here are our lovely hosts in Action!

We played a really fun game where we had only 12 minutes to put together a complete, casual outfit. The cheaper the better! My whole outfit was only $59. I got a green military jacket over a nude stretchy dress with a fun colorful scarf and some edgy, slouchy boots.

Here I am demonstrating my outfit to the crowd.

It was fun seeing everyone's different styles. I was a little bit intimidated amongst all the fashion bloggers but I think I held my own! The contest was actually judged by the store's Accessory Managers.

After witnessing everyone's outfit presentations, here are a few tips and trends I learned along the way.

Bright colors are in! From skinny jeans to statement shoes, the brighter the better!
Mix up an outfit by taxing basics like wedges and ballet flats and adding a twist like animal prints.
TJ Maxx is up to 60% off department store prices and each store gets up to 10,000 new pieces in every week.
Feature Racks are placed near the front!
Befriend your store manager so you can get the scoop!

We enjoyed some lovely refreshments along the way!

Everyone who attended received a $25 gift card! I also won a trivia question contest and got an extra one! It was a beauty related question so I had a bit of an advantage lol.

Here I am with lovely hostess Lexi.

Group shot! I was definitely probably the shortest there but I was embarrassed to get in the front, lol. You can see the green arrow pointing to me in the back!

It was a fabulous time! Thanks to Lexi and Danielle as well as TJ Maxx/Marshalls for hosting!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. I was invited to this blogger event but not paid to make or write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Meaningful Beauty Skincare Regimen Update & Giveaway!

2012-01-16T01:42:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

It's about that time to give you an update on my skincare. Last year I started a journey using Meaningful Beauty's Skincare line. I promised that I would try it out and give you my feedback. For the results make sure to read for more!

You can check out my first thoughts on the Meaningful Beauty Line in this video:

Here is my updated video on the results!

I've been using the Meangingful Beauty 5-Piece Advanced System Starter Set for about six weeks now. In includes the following:

Skin Softening Cleanser
Antioxidant Day Creme SPF20 UVA/UVB
Creme de Serum
Lifting Eye Cream
Brightening Decollete/Neck Treatment

This set also came with two extras: Travel Size Glowing Serum and Glycolic Treatment Pads.

Here are my thoughts on the individual products:

Skin Softening Cleanser: This is a non-foaming gentle wash which feels more like a light lotion. I use it with my Skinsonic Electronic Face Brush. I think this combo works great because you're getting the gentleness of the cleanser along with the action of the brush. You can also use a wash cloth as recommended in the instructions. You may want to use some wipes/makeup remover solution first. The cleanser does soften the skin but isn't heavy duty enough to remove all traces of makeup.
Anti-Oxidant Day Cream: I found this to be a pretty standard lotion. It absorbed into the skin well and also contains SPF which is a plus. I found the smell to be a bit mediciney but no big deal. For my personal skin type which is dry, I didn't feel like I got enough moisture.
Lifting Eye Cream: I enjoyed the eye cream. Like the Day Cream, it sunk into the skin immediately and didn't leave a residue which is important for me. The squeeze tube container is also convenient and more sanitary than some of the jar eye creams out there.
Creme de Serum: I loved this. It sank into the skin immediately and I felt a surge of moisture. I went through this product the quickest.
Firming Chest and Neck Cream. I thought this was actually a great idea. A lot of women show age in this area and it's not often addressed. This product has moisture and SPF. I didn't use it all the time because I was experiencing an eczema issue on my neck but I think it's a good product. I didn't love how it had the same medicinal smell of the Day Cream though. In the end, I noticed that my kit had this product instead of the Night Cream - I think would have preferred the later.
The Glowing Serum: I had a teeny tiny sample of this. I didn't find it quite as nourishing as the Creme de Serum but it did give a glow. I wouldn't say it's a must-have though.
Glycolic Pads: I really enjoyed this product. It wasn't harsh but I did feel like my skin was renewed after. It really softened my skin and gave me brightness and more evening out of texture and tone. I only had a sample pack but I think over time your skin would definitely see improvement.

Final Thoughts
In general I did notice improvement to my skin. It's softer, smoother and more even. I do feel like I have more of a radiant glow back. I think part of this is attributable that I'm back on a good skincare regimen. I feel as if this line would have probably worked better for me in the summer/warmer months. I didn't feel like I had enough moisture for my dryer skin in the Winter. Using the recommended daily products alone, I did notice some flaking and tight, dry spots. I found myself supplementing my routine with organic, unpurified Coconut oil as a base to my moisturizer. After doing so, my skin was great.

I do wish that I could have also received the Anti-Aging Night Cream. I didn't really have a thicker night moisturizer to use so I just used my Cetaphil lotion. In sum, I do recommend this line especially if you're looking for a comprehensive, anti-aging skincare system. It's affordable considering all of the products you get...even cheaper than some drugstore lines.

Meaningful Beauty is giving away one Skincare Starter Pack to a lucky reader! Here's how to win:

Open to US Residents
Follow my blog
Leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win
I'll pick a winner at random next week

Hope you guys enjoyed my 100% honest review. You can find all these products at trynewmb.com. Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am affiliated with this company and being paid for this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Packing Makeup For Travel and Tips!

2012-01-13T00:12:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another video! I made a bunch in December and I want to get them up so I can start getting some 2012 videos under way with my new red hair! (more on that later he he). This is actually a video I filmed when I went to Puerto Rico last month for a mini vacay. I finally got the opportunity to film my makeup packing process for an actual trip and I hope some of my OCDness helps you guys!

Check out the video!

Check out my video highlights:

1:40 Hold Me Bag - My Makeup and Brush Bag that holds everything
4:32 Daytime Foundation - Pur Minerals Pressed Mineral Makeup in Medium Dark
5:02 Nighttime Foundation - Graftobian Glamour Cream Foundation in Desert Sand

5:29 Setting Powders in Stackable Jar - Cover FX Translucent Powder for Foundation and Ben Nye Banana Powder to set undereye concealer
5:55 Concealers - Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer in Medium for undereye circles, Jemma Kidd Duo Concealer in Medium for highlight and regular coverage
6:25 Contour/Bronzer - MAC Blunt Blush (remember to put a folded up tissue in your compacts to prevent them from cracking)
6:40 Blush - MAC Pearlmatte face powder
7:17 Shimmer highlight - MAC Cheek and cheerful Mineralized Blush
7:34 Eyeshadow Base
7:48 Eyeshadows - MAC Royal Assets Metallic Eyes Holiday Palette, Stackable Pigment Jars with neutral colored pigments - MAC Jardin Aires Pigments and Afterglow Cosmetics Pigments

9:35 Eyeliners - MAC Feline Kohl for waterline and NYX Felt Tip Liner in Jet Black
9:53 Brows - Tarte Emphaseyes Brow Pencil in Medium Brown, Smashbox Brow Tech Trio in Brunette

10:12 Mascara - Urban Decay Curling Mascara Mini Size
10:15 Shu Uemeura Lash Curler and Preo Individual Lash Curler
10:23 False Lashes - Sassi eyelash glue in dark, Sonia Kashuk Glamour Lashes & Red Cherry Lashes
10:54 Anastasia Brow Highlight Pencil Mini Size
11:06 Brush Cleanser in Mini Spray Jar
11:09 MAC Pencil Sharpener
11:16 Lips - Neutral and Fun- L'Oreal Fairest Nude lipstick,Dior Addict Ultra GlossGlow in 236, NYX Lipliner in Plum, and NYX Goddess of the Night Gloss in Barbie Pink
12:28 Tatcha Blotting Sheets
12:43 Wet N Wild Matte Palette
12:56 NARS Manoi Bronzing Body Oil

I realize that i'm a bit of a makeup junkie, not really your average makeup user, lol. However, I tried to pick items for my travel bag that were practical, condensed and dual purpose. I'm an OCD packer who makes spreadsheets for every trip! I hate over or underpacking.

First off...you need a good travel bag for your makeup/cosmetics. I know that I couldn't get away with a mini makeup bag so this one from Hold Me Company works great to store all of my makeup and brushes with room to spare. I reviewed this last year...you can find my review of the hold me bag here.

Here is the bag all folded up

There's a large rectangular pocket on the left and a brush holder on the right.

I love how you can just sit the bag on the counter and work straight from it. Usually i'll set the bag ligke this on the desk in the hotel room. The products are within easy reach and there's no digging around and spilling. I had extra space for more brushes and products so it was easy to just zip it up and go. You even have a pocket on the very left which holds a z palette.

A lot of the items show are my daily makeup items that I can't live without. I also have many smaller, mini items that I keep just for my travel makeup because it makes life easier - such as smaller Sigma travel brushes

Try to remember to find some dual purpose items as well. I typically find that everything I pack is enough to do an entire face for both a daytime or night look...I don't usually use all of it but I'm prepared just in case!

I hope this helps some of you guys! Do you have any packing tips? Let me know in the comments below!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Makeup Fail!

2012-01-12T10:07:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Did you ever have the horrible feeling when your heart drops because you drop a makeup item and it crashes to the floor in a million pieces? Well I did recently lol...and I'm going to show you the horrible outcome!

Recently I picked up the Wet N Wild Mineralized Color Icon Shadows in Baked Not Fried.

Here's what it's supposed to look like:

Unfortunately I didn't realize that the lid is not hinged. It's completely removeable so when I lifted from the edge the whole thing flew off and my brand new palette crashed to my bathroom ground.

It's funny because I screamed and my BF ran in the bathroom to check out this "emergency". It's all good, the palette was only a few bucks and it's still kinda useable. I was a bit disappointed to see though that the pans are actually curved up so you really only get a little bit of eyeshadow.

The colors are nice...pigmented and metallic. I would recommend combining them with matte shades to balance out a look. I don't reach for this too often because I don't want to make a mess though.

Has this ever happened to you? Makeup Junky problems right? LOL Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear your stories!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. Product purchased with my own money.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Walgreens - Drugstore Makeup Haul

2012-01-11T00:13:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another haul. I actually filmed this in early December for going on my Winter vacation to Puerto Rico and Iowa. I show you some fun travel stuff I bought and off course some great drugstore makeup deals.

Check out the video!

I have a good amount of hair so I'm always looking for little gadgets to keep it out of my face. These little pins are the old school ones you used to see but they have a 3 prong hook in the back to hold back more hair. I used them in Puerto Rico and they're pretty good. One fell off when I was playing at the beach but those waves were intense lol. I like how they come in various hair colors.

Now that my hair is darker, I'm experimenting with darker brow colors. I purchased this Milani Brow Fix kit in Brunette since I love the lighter one already. I actually find that these brow colors were a little off...still good pigmentation and super smooth though. However, I'm officially a redhead now as of this weekend so I'm going to give them another go.

I totally caved and bought this As Seen on TV Neck pillow. I always need something like this on a plane or car ride. It works alright...lol not a must-have though.

Again, I'm experimenting with brow products. I got this after seeing Tatiana Ward aka BeatFaceHoney on YouTube use it. Honestly though, I'm not a fan of either the pencil or gel side. Skip!

I just had to try out some of the new Wet N Wild Color Icon Mineralized Palettes. These colors are right up my alley. I have an upcoming post on this soon.

I was super excited to see that they also had the Wet N Wild Matte palette available. I had heard it was hard to get a hold of. I'm a huge fan of the Vanity Palette already. After playing with this I'd say it was okay...not a must-have though. The colors didn't seem as pigmented to me as the Vanity Palette series.

Hope you guys enjoyed my haul! I have another drugstore makeup haul coming soon but wanted to get this one out of the way lol. Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored. All products purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Lexi & Danielle's Pre NYE Bash Blogger Event

2012-01-10T08:34:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a blogger event hosted by my girls Lexi and Danielle. It was a fun pre-NYE bash where we got to view mini fashion shows, mix and mingle and get some nice goodies!

Here I am with one of the hosts Lexi from www.curlscoilsandkinks.com. Luv her! I didn't get a chance to take a pic with the other host Danielle from www.thestyleandbeautydoctor.com but she was doing it in her Gray Dress and Red Lip combo!

My girl Melissa was my date this evening! To see how to accomplish this makeup look, check out my Blue and Sparkly Makeup tutorial here.

We munched on sweets and sipped on champagne!

There were mini fashion shows through the night showing different daytime and nighttime looks and even a NYE look!

There were even raffles to win goodies including Clarisonics!

They gave out amazing goody bags from their sponsors - in it I got some amazing full size products from Miss Jessie, Goody Hair Brand, and Milani Cosmetics! I love this huge makeup bag from Milani...i'll definitely be using it!

There were about 17 full sized products crammed in here! I'm super excited to try out the mineralized blushes and Liquif'eye Pencils - I've heard great things!

Check out the huge full sized goods from Miss Jessie's...I used to buy these products for my BF when his hair was a little longer and curly. But he's rocking a shorter look so I gave them to my co-worker who haws natural hair...she loves them!

This is a super cool idea. Goody made hairbands dual purpose - you can rock this as a hair accessory and when you're done, just pull it around your neck and it becomes a necklace. I think I have a big head because these pinched on me a little lol. They also had the same concept for pony tail holders...I wish I had gotten those because guaranteed I always have about 2 random elastic bands on my wrist at all times lol.

It was a really fun night and I got to meet with loads of bloggers in Atlanta. Thanks to Danielle and Lexi for a fab time. They actually hosted another event about a week later which I'll have pics of coming soon!

Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored...I was invited to attend this complimentary blogger event. I was not paid to make this post and these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Big, Curly Glamourous Hair Tutorial

2012-01-09T00:07:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another tutorial and this time it's for hair! I don't do too many of these because I don't feel like i'm an expert on hair by any means, but if I can do it, you can too! I love using hot curlers because you just put them in, and by the time you're done with your makeup, you take out the curlers and you're good to go!

Check out the video!

I received the Babyliss Nano Titanium System $99 from www.Folica.com to test out.

Here's everything you get in the set.

Here are the haircare products I used - hair spray, mousse, and heat protectant. I can also see you using some kind of gel, smoothing cream or serum at the end to smooth out the curls.

Here's How to Get Your Look

Plug in curlers and let it heat up while you prep hair - two settings, one for low and high (I use high for my thick, straight hair)
Start with clean hair
Spray on heat protectant
Apply mousse if you find your hair hard to curl (Optional)
Comb through hair and let it airdry a bit
Apply curlers by rolling small to medium sections of hair around the barrel and securing it with clip. I start at the top using medium/large sizes and then do smaller curlers on the bottom section
Let curlers sit until cool (about 30 minutes). You can do your makeup in the meantime.
Remove curlers and place them back in their case and the clips in the drawstring bag provided. If you remove the clip, the curlers simply roll out.
Run your fingers through your hair to loosen curl. Flip head over and shake out hair.
Apply hairspray for extra hold.

Here I am with Curlers in, took about 10-15 minutes to put them in. While they're cooling, I like to do my makeup. I'll leave the curlers in until they cool - anywhere as short as 30 minutes or if I want them to be really curly i'll leave them in longer. This process is a lot shorter than when I usually try to do my makeup then do my hair with a traditional curling iron.

The final look! I couldn't get the best pictures since I was actually using my camcorder, lol.

Here's another shot of when I used the hot rollers. I like the way it came out better here.

And another one...this was last minute and really quick to do.

Here are my thoughts on the Babyliss Nano Titanium Hot Curler System:

PROS

Curler Clips are easy to use and secure hair well - better than some other systems
Curler system conveniently props up vertically so you take up less counterspace and can access the curlers easily...in the video I didn't realize there was an extendable arm to hold it up when I mentioned it was wobbly
Heats up quick
Final result looks great
A lot of curlers of different sizes offered, enough to do an entire head of hair for someone with a lot of hair

CONS

Not enough hair clips provided for the amount of curlers
The curlers can get really hot and are hot to the touch...there is no heat protected edge on them so be careful. This isn't my first time with hot tools and even I found them a little hot to work with.
The system is pretty big and can take a lot of room.
On the pricey side

Would I Recommend? All in all, I am really liking this curler set. It's definitely the nicest one I have. It's easy to use and gives me the end product that I like. I definitely recommend it if you're looking into getting quick and easy curls.

Have you guys tried these curlers or hot rollers in general? Any tips or tricks? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Product sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to make this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Philippines and Hong Kong Haul

2012-01-06T00:09:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another video. This one is kind of fun and different. A few months ago my parents made a trip to the Philippines and Hong Kong and brought me back some goodies - everything from shoes, to makeup to food. If you're from these areas you may relate, lol. Either way, it's a fun way to show you some of my cultural favs!

Check out the video!

Check out the makeup I got from Hong Kong. Have you ever heard of this brand?

My favorite candies!

My mom also picked me up three pairs of the famous "Islander" brand flip flops.

Hope you guys enjoyed and thanks Mom and Dad!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Blinged Out Nails

2012-01-05T10:14:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I was experimenting with different nail products and came up with a really fun look. This is great for a special occasion where you don't mind going all out. I like to think it's a combination of crazy and chic!

Here's how to do it!

I always use the Seche Nail Base and Fast Dry Top Coat.

I used these Nail Bling Stickers that I purchased from Claires. They're supposed to just stick on, you trim the excess, pop on a top coat and you're good to go. I find that after a few hours the stickers already start to peel - this is with me using both top coat AND nail glue. This is my second pack of the stickers where it's been a product fail so it's safe to say that this would go on my "Products I regret Buying List". I will say that they do look fabulous for about a day or so.

For my middle and pinky fingers I painted a few coats of OCC Bone Nail Polish. I like how it's off-white and creamy. It goes better with my skin tone than stark white polish.

I really like the combo of clear rhinestones and cream together. I would of worn this for NYE if the stickers hadn't started peeling off. Ah well! What did you all rock on your nails for NYE? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photogrpaher

2011 Winners! CandyLens, Meaningful Beauty, Pirouette and Aveda

2012-01-04T13:57:00.002-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I hope you all have enjoyed my Friday Giveaways. The goal was to consecutively host them through the end of 2011 and mission accomplished! I'll still have more giveaways to come but now i'm also going to catch up on other posts and tutorials. This post features the winners of my last 4 Friday Giveaways. And the winners are...

CandyLens Giveaway

Khaori Sato

Meaningful Beauty Giveaway

coaxialflutter - Doctors without Borders

Pirouette Brushes Giveaway

Kay L

Aveda Giveaway

ngocupham

Congrats everyone! Please email me by Sunday at Midnight EST to claim your prize or it goes to someone else!

Stay tuned for more giveaways!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

2011 November/December Beauty Product Favorites

2012-01-03T09:45:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

It's that time again...i'm announcing my products favorites for November and December. I don't haul like I used to so the products that make this list are pretty special and I definitely recommend them to you all.

In no particular order, here are my November/December favorites:

YSL Touche Eclat
This product isn't cheap and I do have other products that work to a similar purpose - liquid, yellow toned highlighters such as my Palladio Banana Concealer. However, they are merely cheap imitations of this best-selling bad boy. This product is worth the money. The quality of the formula is exceptional and seamlessly blends into the skin. I received shade #2 in a preset YSL gift combo that I purchased at a Nordstrom Beauty Trends event, but the shade is great as a highlighter.

YSL Waterproof Long Lasting Eye Pencil
This has become my holy grail black pencil for the waterline. It's super dark and pigmented but the best thing is that it applies like a gel liner. It almost feels as if you have a gel on your waterline and it's absolutely budgetproof. I only got a mini size as part of YSL kit mentioned above but i'll definitely be getting the full size when I run out. Again it's expensive but worth it. Loves it!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty
You may have noticed that I've been rocking this blush a lot lately. It's amazingly smooth and pigmented. I am seriously obsessed and can't wait to pick up more colors.

Vortex Brush Collection Zippered Belt
I am super duper proud of this product. As a makeup artist I always had problems with storing my brushes in my brush belts...brushes would always fall out and I'd have to store them in a separate baggie. I'm so glad that I was able to partner with SedonaLace to bring the first zippered brush belt.

Pur Minerals Face Serum
My winter skin was suffering from dry, flaky patches. I heard Pursebuzz mentioning in a video that you actually get most of your moisture from skin serums. I had this Pur Minerals one lying around and decided to try it out. OMG, it really does work! It quenched my skin. I actually finished the entire bottle in about a month and a half and sadly I don't think they sell this version anymore. Now I'm convinced that I need skin serums as a permanent part of my skincare routine and i'm on the hunt for the perfect one.

That's it for my November/December favorites. What products were you loving this month? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Bright Blue & Sparkly Tutorial

2012-01-02T00:06:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another tutorial! This comes by request and it's an Old School Ren Ren look using bright colors and glitter! I meant to upload it in time for New Years but wasn't able to get it up in time. Still it's great for anytime of year. If you love bright eye looks, this one's for you!

Check out the video!

I used my new Canon Powershot camera that the BF got me for Christmas. So far so good! The camera pictures are better and the video quality is supposed to be HD. Unfortunately I have a fingerprint smudge on the lens, lol, so if you see a bit of fuzziness in the video or pics that's why. I've cleaned it off for the future though, he he.

Check out some of the makeup items I used:

The final look!

Here's What I Used:

EYES

Tarte EmphasEyes brow pencil in medium brown

Lancome Artliner
Sugarpill Poison Plum and Afterparty Shadows
MUFE Matte Brown and Eggshell Shades
Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Spandex
NYX Glitter in Las Vegas
Revlon Lash Glue
Sonia Kashuk Glamour Lashes

LIPS

Dior Peach Gloss

FACE
Graftobian Bombshell Cream foundation
Urban Decay Forcefield Tinted MOisturizer
Palladio Herbal Foundation in Sandy Beige
Couleur Caramal Terre Bronzer
MAC Blunt Blush

MAC Shy Beauty Beauty Powder Blush

Hope you enjoyed! I'm trying to work on more video tutorials. If you have any requests, let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Pirouette Professional Brushes Review & Giveaway!

2011-12-30T10:04:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

You all know I love brushes. I definitely do not discriminate among brands and I try out as many brands as possible to share with you all the good, the bad, and the ugly. Today I have a set of vegan approved brushes to share with you all and a lucky reader will also have the chance to win a set of your own!

Check out the video!

I received the Pirouette Master Collection 18 Piece Brush Set to try out. The founder Nika is actually a Vegetarian that created this line with a commitment to finding low-cost, yet high quality products that are cruelty free.

The 18 Piece Master Set retails for $139 at www.pirouettemakeupbrushes.com

PROS
-big brush roll with extra mesh compartment
-brushes are eco-friendly
-$1 from each sale is donated to the World Society for the Protection of Animals
-nice look to handles and ferrules - matte black on black

CONS
-too many repeats of the same brush type
-outer edges bristles are on the rough side (tips that touch your face are soft though)
-missing blender brushes

Final Thoughts
Overall it's a decent brush set but for someone with me with lots of brushes to choose from, it didn't impress me that much. I expected the bristles to be softer I think. I did however, enjoy the two tapered blending brushes - one large one for the face and a tiny one for the eyes. In sum, the bristles could be improved and there could be a better variety of brush styles to choose from.

Interestingly enough, I have the smaller 10 Piece Glam Set (value of $89.95) to give away. This one makes more sense to me because you don't have repeat brushes and it makes a great essential set for travel.
Here's how to win:

Open Internationally
Follow my blog
Leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win

I'll announce the winners next week, Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with the company and not paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Help me pick my 2012 New Years Outfit!

2011-12-29T00:15:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with one of my last posts of 2012. I need your help! I'm going to a NYE party this weekend and I can't decide what to wear. I have two options - a long and slinky number, or a short and sparkly one. Help me decide!

Here are my options:

Option #1: Black Twist Back Maxi Dress from Dorothy Perkins
It's not my typical sparkly, short number that I'd usually rock...but I love how it feels on. It's long and slinky with a deep slit up the thigh and a cute tie in the back. I plan on wearing it with a large statement necklace and platforms with big hair to channel the 70s. The great thing about this dress is that I can definitely wear it again and dress it up or down.

I'm loving this big, curly hairstyle from Geekchic01

Option #2: Mini Dress with Sequins Mesh from Asos
This is more my style. It's short, blingy, and fun. I like how it's the same colors as the first dress so that I can wear the same jewelry and shoes. I'll probably throw in my clip-in extensions and go for a Kim K kinda hairstyle with this look.

I love this hair tutorial by my girl itsJudyTime

Shoes
I'll be rocking these Black Wedge Semi-Platform heels. The fabric is a black velvet which dresses the shoe up a bit. Better yet, they're crazy comfy! I've made the mistake of wearing ridiculously cute but crazy uncomfortable shoes for NYE parties and suffering all night...not this time!

Well what do you guys think? Let me know which dress I should wear for New Years in the comments below, thanks!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored, all items purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Boyfriend Tag

2011-12-27T01:19:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another video. This is only the second tag video I've done about of the 360 plus videos up on my YouTube page. Today it's time for the Boyfriend Tag! I got Mike to take part of this fun video. It's a nice break from makeup and a great way to get to know both of us a little better.

Check out the video!

In case you want to play along, here are the questions and I also have the place mark for the video:

1:44 She's sitting in front of the tv, what's on the screen?
2:49 You're out to eat what dressing does she get on her salad?
3:32 What food does she not like?
3:48 You go out to eat and have a drink, what does she order?
4:16 What shoe size does she wear?
4:57 If she was collecting anything, what would it be?
5:23 What is her favorite type of sandwich?
5:49 What food would she eat everyday if she could?
6:40 What is her favorite cereal?
7:04 What's her favorite music?
7:40 What's her favorite sports team?
8:02 What's her eye color?
8:06 Who's her best friend?
8:28 What is something you do what you wish she wouldn't?
8:53 What's her heritage/Where is she from?
9:06 You bake her a cake for her birthday, what kind is it?
9:42 Did she play any sports?
10:05 What could she spend hours doing?
10:28 What is one unique talent that she has?
11:08 Where did she meet?
11:35 Where was our first date?
12:05 Did you know I was the one?
12:31 What was your first impression of me?
12:54 When did you meet her family?
13:39 Who wears the pants in the relationship?

I tag all of you to participate in the tag! Feel free to leave a video response. Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Happy Holidays from Makeup By Ren Ren!

2011-12-26T13:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm currently on vacation spending time with the BF's family but I wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Holidays!

In the meantime, check out this Christmas Ornament from my parent's Christmas tree. My brother was home visiting and took a picture and tagged me in facebook, he he.

I'll be back in a few days with more posts! I hope you're having a Happy Holiday Season!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Friday Giveaway! - Circle Lens & More from CandyLens.com

2011-12-23T03:01:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another Friday giveaway. You all know that I love rocking colored/circle lenses from time to time. Well i'm going to give two lucky winners a chance to win some of their own from www.CandyLens.com . This is right in time for all the Holiday parties you'll be attending!

If you're not familiar with circle lenses or contact lenses, you can check out my previous review of CandyLens here. I just love the way that these items can easily change your look. Here are a few shots of me rocking some of their lenses:

Two Lucky Winners will Receive a Complete Set including the following:

Any 1 pair of Geo Lens
Any 1 pair of Puffy 3 Tones Series
2 pieces of Cute Animal Lens Case
1 piece of Aloe Mask by MyBeautyDiary
1 piece of Coffee Mask by DaintyDesign
1 piece of Magic Hair Paste

Here's How to Win:

Follow my blog
Leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to win
Like the CandyLens facebook page www.facebook.com/candylens
Contest open internationally

I'll pick the winner next week, good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Post and prizes sponsored. I am not affiliated with the company and not paid to make this post.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

2011 Holiday Makeup Tutorial - MAC Merry Berry Christmas

2011-12-22T00:11:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm finally back with a tutorial and it's just in time for Christmas this year. I decided to do a wine and berry inspired look for the holidays. This is a twist on the red dramatic lip that you usually see with Holiday looks. I actually wore this to a Sole Society Blogger event last week but loved it so much I decided to recreate it for you all!

Check out the video!

Unfortunately I didn't have my digital camera at the time of filming this tutorial. I had left it at the blogger event I attended that week and was waiting for it in the mail lol. Instead, here are pictures from the first time I created the look. This version is a bit more amped up.

Here are the MAC shadows I used to create the look:

Here's a better shot of the colors on the eyes.

Time to add in the lips!

Here's What I Used:

EYES
Steelo eyeshadow base in Medium
MAC Shadows in - Naked Lunch, Shroom, Deep Damson (pro color), Post Haste, Louder Please
L'oreal Art Liner
YSL Waterproof Black Pencil
Graftobian Mascara
Milani Brow Fix in Dark
Qosmedix Lashes
Sassi Dark Lash Glue

FACE
NYX Purple HD Foundation Primer
Palladio Herbal Foundation in Golden Beige
Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX11
Urban Decay Tinted Moisturizer in Bullet Proof
Steelo Yellow Toned Mineral Foundation to set concealer
MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark
Coleur Caramel Terre Bronzer
MAC Blunt Blush
Tarte Natural Beauty Blush
NYC Sun to Sun Bronzer (gold side)
Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray (Original)

LIPS
Ben Nye Vino Lip Pencil
Aveda Tanzanite Lipstick

If you end up doing this look, I'd love to see video responses or pictures. I'm off to Iowa for the holiday's the visit the BF's family and his brand new niece. I'm excited for the White Christmas. I'll be bringing this lip combination with me on the trip!

Do you have any plans for the holidays and if so what look are you planning on rocking? If time permits, I definitely plan on doing a NYE look and I'm taking recommendations! Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

My Most Meaningful Moment of 2011 - We're Donating $100 to Your Favorite Charity!ty

2011-12-21T04:10:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Today is a special post. Today's I've partnered with Meaningful Beauty to share with you my most meaningful moment of 2011 as well as to take the time to donate to my favorite charity and yours too! This is a really personal post for me and i'm happy to share it with you all.

Check out the video!

2011 was probably one of the hardest year's of my life. I finished my first year of my Master's Program in Business, I worked full time, Blogged and did YouTube videos consistently, and worked as a freelance makeup artist. On top of it all, I went through a lot of personal issues which had me at my lowest point in years. I'm happy to see throughout all the struggle I made it through the year a success. Work, school, and my personal life is going great.

I'm also proud to say that this year after working my butt off, I got All A's in school, woo hoo! Being able to do that with all that is going on is truly one of my most meaningful moments of the year.

Meaningful Beauty has also been generous enough to donate $200 to my favorite charity. It's a perfect time of the year to give back. This year, I'm selecting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. My mother was recently diagnosed with breast cancer...I haven't shared too much about this but i'm doing this in honor of her. She's currently battling the disease and we need all the help we can get to fight this.

Meaningful Beauty has also agreed to donate $100 to one of my lucky reader's favorite charities.

Here's how to win:

Leave a comment to my video or this blog, or even better send me a video response.
Tell me what charity you'd choose and why. I'll read every response and watch all the videos and select one that I touches me the most.
Make sure to follow my blog or subscribe to my youtube and create a username so I can identify who you are.
The contest is open through December 31st, 2011 and I'll announce the winner in 2011!

Again, thank you all for all your support throughout the year and also a big shout out to Meaningful Beauty for sponsoring this post.

Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

FTC Disclosure: Post and charitable contribution is sponsored by Meaningful Beauty

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Fashion & Beauty Blogger Sole Society Event - Pics!

2011-12-20T11:40:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Recently I attended a fun blogger's event hosted by my girl Eboni from Fashionista Next Door and Sole Society was a sponsor. I couldn't turn down a party especially when there was free shoes involved! Check out the fabulous pictures and of course, shoes!

The event took place at Sunny's Hair & Wig Boutique. As soon as I walked in my eyes lighted up with all the bloggers, shoes, accessories and hair! lol

We each got to pick up a pair of Sole Society shoes. You can see other bloggers trying on all the fab options.

I chose the Carrie - love this sophisticated Nude and Black Mary Jane with a bow!

The event was also sponsored by Clos Du Bois Wine and Voges Chocolate, talk about Heaven!

We got these luxurious chocolate bars in our goody bags as well as Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, Essie Nail Polish and a NYX lipstick!

With fellow Atlanta MUA and Beauty Blogger Mimi J

Group shot!

Thank you to Eboni at the Fashionista-Next-Door and Sole Society for hosting this fab event. I was already a member of Sole Society before and I can't wait to see what's in my closet next month! I love these kinds of events because I get to meet more fabulous bloggers. I'll be attending another one in January and i'll definitely post more pics!

Have you guys ever purchased from Sole Society before? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Madhavi's Indian Wedding Makeup Look #2 - Sexy and Smokey

2011-12-20T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Last week I shared with you all a look from an Indian Wedding I did a while ago. I promised to show you all of the looks from the multi-day event. Today I'm posting my favorite - a sexy, smokey look for the bride.

The bride was so sweet and innocent, but we wanted to bring out her sultry side. This look was fun because we didn't have to do anything too traditional...instead we went for a fun, smokey eye and nude lips. The colors also really complement her skin tone. I love the way it came out!

Check out her beautiful dress!

Here's What I Used:

EYES
MAC antiqued, embark and carbon shadows
Revlon Colorstay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black
Duo lash adhesive in Dark
MAC Spiked Brow Pencil
#747s lashes

FACE
MAC coppertone blush
Temptu S/B foundation
Graftobian HD Pro Powders
Cinema Secrets Cream Foundation
Eve Pearl Salmon Corrector
MAC Sculpt & Shape Powders

LIPS
Steelo Sand Lip Pencil
MAC Queen Bee Lipglass

Hope you all enjoyed, stay tuned for more!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Glamcor Makeup Artist Lighting Kit Review

2011-12-19T09:37:00.001-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review. I can't believe I almost forgot to post this! It's been sitting patiently in my blog post queue for months, but better late than never! The famous Glamour Lighting Kit has been one of the hottest items that have recently released and they sell out at every makeup show. This kit is a must-have for those of us who need good lighting for making YouTube videos or for Makeup Artists that need portable lighting for gigs.

Check out the video!

For those of you who can't watch the video, as always I give a detailed review. First let's start off with the pictures:

Everything comes in this sleek, light weight carrying case.

Here are all the components.

First off, you have the tripod case which expands to over six feet.

Next you have the lighting components including the LED lights, power cord, and connecting piece.

It assembles pretty easily. First you have the special LED bulbs which get the perfect color combination for accurate makeup application.

The bulbs twist into the bulb holders.

Next, the bulb attachment snaps into the tripod.

Last, the power cord plugs into the bulb holder.

The bulb holders (probably not the technical term but that's what I call it, lol) has easy on and off switches to turn on/off the lights.

The lights are bright, color accurate and they don't get hot - aka no makeup meltage.

You can adjust the arms connecting the bulb to get the light into whatever position is necessary.

And here is the final product all set-up.

Here's a shot of me using the lights in a hotel room for a wedding. We all know that hotel rooms have the worst lighting so these lights are a must-have.

Overall, I've had a very pleasant experience regarding this light kit. I've tried a lot of other portable lighting solutions (clip on sun lamps, professional light up kits) in the past and this one is far the best.

I've broken it down into pros and cons for those of you who may be interesting in getting one of your own.

PROS
-lights are adjustable through the flexible arms
-lights get slightly warm but you can leave them on for hours and they don't emit uncomfortable heat - you can actually touch them
-tripod is adjustable
-easy to assemble and break-down
-light-weight
-convenient carrying case

CONS
-unit is a bit top heavy and the stand can fold over if you're not careful
-the light attachment part that snabs into the tripod is wobbly

Would I recommend?
Definitely! This is truly an innovation in the market and there isn't a similar product out there. This has definitely improved my career as an artist and my videos as well. I highly recommend.

You can find this product retailing for $189 at www.glamcor.com

FTC Disclosure: I purchased this product with my own money.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Friday Giveaway & Review! Aveda Fall/Winter Makeup Review "Jewels of the Earth" Collection

2011-12-16T09:48:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review and Friday Giveaway! I've featured Aveda's Fall Collection in a few looks and tutorials already but I wanted to make sure to give you a detailed review and also give you guys a chance to try out the products!

Let's start off with my favorite, the eyeshadows! I love how they come in pans because they stick perfectly to a z-palette. You can also choose to buy the containers separately, but this way is more ecologically friendly. These shadows are really nice...they're pigmented, smooth and aren't overly shimmery. I like that you can wear all of them together without them being too matte or shiny...it's a nice, metallic texture with no powdery effect or crumbling.

Left Column Top to Bottom: Sarioine, Terraverte, Jade

Right Column Top to Bottom: Amethyst, Citrine, Azurite

Next we have the Tessearae tri-color bronzer/blush/highlighter. I find that when mixed together this is a nice, neutral cheek color on me. It comes off as a pinky bronzey brown on my skin tone. I think this is a good option for those who are a little timid of blush - for that reason I gave it to my mom!

You can conveniently place the tri-color pan into this mirrored compact which can also hold one lipstick.

Next we have the lipsticks. I find them all to be nice and pigmented as well as moisturizing. They all have a really refreshing minty scent. Unfortunately, I'm not really a fan of metallic finish lipsticks which most of these are. However, I am absolutely in love with Tanzanite - a creamy deep wine tone. You can wear it sheer or build the color up...watch out though, it's super creamy so it can tend to move a bit. It's best to wear it with a coordinating lip pencil.

Top to Bottom: Vanadinite, Tanzanite, Sheer Petalite. Second Pic: Maracuja

I was able to try one of the lip glazes and I actually love the color they sent - Wineberry Nourishmint Rehydrating Lip Glaze. It's also very moisturizing and minty and this is an everyday, appropriate color.

Swatches of the lippies. Top Row is lipsticks and bottom is the gloss.

I definitely suggest that you all give Aveda cosmetics a try. It's a really wearable line that is high quality and very environmentally friendly.

Now it's the time we've all been waiting for, Friday Giveaway!

One of you will get the following set:

106/Brazilian Sun - Bronzing Ritual Set (featured in a past review)

Eye Shadow Transformer (I use this as a mixing medium)

Here's how to win!

Follow my blog
Leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win
Open internationally

Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review and giveaway. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to make this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

New Skincare Regimen - Meaningful Beauty Post #1

2011-12-15T00:44:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review. This one is a little bit different. I've partnered with Cindy Crawford's Skincare Line "Meaningful Beauty" to do an experiment. I'm breaking out of my shell and trying a new skincare regimen and I'm taking you with me. Today I'll feature my first thoughts on the product. In about a month, I'll show you the results and host a giveaway for you to try!

Check out my video!

If you're up late at night watching TV, I'm sure you've seen one of the Meaningful Beauty Infomercials. They do a really good job of making you want to try it, lol! My friends and I actually talked about this line during the summer, but none of us had ever tried it.

Well I was happy to have the chance to test it out and share my experience with you all. You may notice that I actually hardly ever review skincare lines. That's because my skin is so sensitive and I've had some bad experiences testing out new products that basically made my skin freak out. In other words, I'm pretty selective about my skincare but I really wanted to give this line a shot.

I received a starter kit of the following items that can be used for both my day and night time regimens along with some nice, colorful brochures and instruction sheets.

Skin-Softening Cleanser (day or night)

Antioxidant Day Creme SPF 20 UVA/UVB (day)

Firming Chest and Neck Creme (day - to protect often neglected areas that show the size of aging)

Lifting Eye Creme (day and night)

I also received the following extras:

Glowing Serum (day or night to make you red carpet ready)

Glycolic Pads (I'm assuming you use this at night to help resurface and smooth the skin)

The Meaningful Beauty website claims that the kit will offer the following benefits:

Smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Even out skin tone and texture.
Revitalize and restore skin's youthful appearance.
Protect skin from environmental factors with antioxidants.

I'm not afraid to admit that i'm getting older. Now is the time to really get serious about anti-age prevention. I'm excited to share my results with you. I really do hope to even out my skin tone and texture and get back my glow!

A complete kit retails for $39.95 with free shipping which is actually a really good deal. You also get a 60 day money back guarantee.

I've been using the line for the past week and I will say my skin is softer and more moisturized than it's been in a while! I can't wait to share more results with you. Stay tuned!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for giveaway. I am affiliated with this company and paid to make this post. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Madhavi's Traditional Indian Wedding - 1st Look Pinks & Plums

2011-12-14T10:09:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another bridal post! I haven't done one of these for a while and I've been meaning to show you pictures of a wedding that I did a while back. We actually did three looks on the bride and I did her mom as well. I'll be showing you a different look each day ranging from pretty in pink to sexy and smokey.

We decided to do something soft and pretty for the first look. I applied pinks and browns on her eyes - always a flattering combination. For many traditional Indian Brides, it's expected that they wear wine/red lips. Many of my younger brides prefer something softer and a lot of the time I'll go for a plum lip instead.

I actually spent most of my time correcting the brides skin...she had a good amount of dark discoloration around her eyes. It was combination of a large birth mark and under-eye circles. Using color correctors and my airbrush foundation, we were able to give her a flawless finish.

The final look!

Look at her gorgeous outfit!

Here's What I Used:

FACE
NARS Super Orgasm Blush
MAC Pink Rebel Luster Drops
Temptu S/B Foundation
Eve Pearl Salmon Corrector in Deep

EYES
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
MAC shadows in naked lunch, expensive pink, haux, and swiss chocolate
Individual lashes in short and medium

LIPS
NYX Silver Plum Lipgloss
MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass

I have two more looks that I did for Madhavi that I'll show you soon. Stay tuned!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Winners! Brush Lab Mirror and Skindinavia Giveaways

2011-12-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Happy Tuesday! Sorry for no post yesterday but I was enjoying a much needed vacation in Puerto Rico for the weekend! I had a fabulous time...from the beach, casino, horseback riding, ATV and yummy cuisine, i'm going to be catching up on sleep for the next few days, lol. School is officially over for the semester so I'll also be doing lots of blog posts and videos. Meanwhile, I wanted to share with you the winners of my last two Friday Giveaways!

Congratulations to:

Brush Lab Mirror Winner: L.Christine
Skindinavia Winner: dreafashionista

Please email me by midnight EST on Friday to claim your prize or it will go to someone else. If you didn't win, no worry because I have another Friday Giveaway this week!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Friday Giveaway! Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray

2011-12-09T00:02:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another Friday Giveaway! I am seriously in love with the Skindinavia makeup finishing sprays. You've probably seen me use them in tons of my YouTube videos. Well today i'm giving you a run-down of why I love the product, and of course I'll be giving one away to a lucky reader!

This truly has been a must-have product in my kit and personal collection for the last year. I use it after every single makeup application. When I'm done with my makeup, I usually do 3-4 sprays to cover my entire face and then let it dry for about 15 seconds.

I find that the product makes the makeup settle into the skin better...taking away any powdery, cakey look. It also makes the makeup last longer and it also serves as a makeup refresher.

Skindinavia has several different formulas for different skin types and occasions. This includes No More Shine Makeup Finish, 10 Years Younger Makeup Finish, Moisture Lock Makeup Finish, and Bridal Makeup Finish.

This isn't my first time talking about the product so you know that I definitely recommend it for the kit! You can find these products at www.Skindinavia.com They range from $19 (2oz spray) to $39 (8oz).

I also just saw they have a coupon code: save20 for 20% off your order and free shipping, not bad!

I'm giving one bottle away to a lucky winner! Here is how to win:

Subscribe to my blog
Leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win
Open internationally
I'll pick a winner at random and announce it next week

Good luck! Meanwhile, today I'm in Puerto Rico for vacation. I'm uploading this the night before. I'll see you guys on Tuesday!

FTC Disclosure: Product sponsored for review and giveaway. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Makeup Artist Series - Celebrity MUA Sam Fine Beauty Class - Tons of Pics & Tips!

2011-12-08T10:14:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

This blog post was way overdue...but I wanted to make sure that it included every single piece of knowledge and all the pictures I could fit in. I attended an amazing class featuring Celebrity MUA and my personal inspiration Sam Fine a few weeks ago. The class was packed full of makeup enthusiasts and artists just eager to learn from the man himself. I have video, plenty of pics and tips!

First off, let's go ahead and congratulate Sam on his new appointment as Creative Director for Fashion Fair. Everything that Sam touches turns to gold. I personally cannot wait to see what they come up with and believe me, you will be seeing a haul and review.

Throughout the entire event, I was on my best student behavior...taking notes and pictures and I decided to share with you everything I learned from Mr. Fine. I wanted to give you a quick snippet of the event. I filmed about 2 minutes of Mr. Fine's presentation in the very beginning. I didn't want to film the entire class because in respect to Mr. Fine, everything is covered in his fabulous DVD: Fine - The Basics of Beauty which is available on Amazon.

Check out the quick video! He teaches us how to prevent concealer from creasing and how to do the "makeup face".

OMG, check out his kit! I did not spare on the pictures:

Sam loves Cargo Laguna, Iman Bark Blush (discontinued...can you believe he accidentally dropped it and it shattered during class? so sad), YSL #1 and #3 Loose powders, Kiehl's Ultra Creme d'Elegance

Sam prefers Wedge sponges to stipple and apply foundation...he'll use powder brushes to whisk away excess powder.

On sanitation - One MUA asked about Sam's Practice of not using palettes and scoopers to take out the product (such as cream foundation) and then apply. Sam, like many other pro artists I've seen, applies product directly from the pan and will double dip his brush. He keeps foundation in his fridge to store it, and wipes off surface before application and that's the extent of it. In his career, Sam says he's never had a problem with his method of sanitation and his work on clients.

Sam loves to bleach his client's brows to lighten them. I agree!

Check out Sam's homemade lipstick case.

Before Shot of Sam's Model - Gorgeous Bone Structure!

Sam's Tips for Applying Foundation:

On the model Sam uses Dermablend concealer and Black Opal Hazelnut foundation
Use a tissue in your foundation application - separate the two-ply and blot after foundation and concealer application to prevent creasing. This reduces the shine but keeps the color and coverage.

YSL #3 loose powder to set - Apply with sponge and whisk away the excess with a brush. In the show below, you can see how Sam literally traces out the contour with the powder - amazing!

Use liquids in tandem with cream. For example, Sam will use lighter coverage liquid foundations on the outer perimeter of the face where less coverage is needed...he'll blend this into a heavier cream foundation in the center of the face where more coverage is needed. He does this with Gabrielle Union, just to name a few.
Cream foundation is more maleable, easier to mix, and offers higher coverage.
Contour with foundation because it doesn't look like a powder and you have time to work with it-it doesn't dry. In this picture, Sam is using a Black Opal foundation which he put inside a MAC container for easier access.

Sam doesn't use correctors, instead he layers concealer for coverage
You don't have to match the center of the face, just relate

On brows

Apply brow gel before and after
Sam used Damone Roberts black and brown brow pencil on the model.
Start at the middle of the brow, softer in front, go a shade lighter than your normal brow color.

Sam believes that the everyday woman should have the following basic items in their makeup bag:

Concealer
Loose setting powder
Mascara
Bronzer
Gloss

"Do what you're comfortable with and take your time" - Sam Fine

Shot of the set prior to the class

On pricing for makeup artists - depends on the following:

Pricing is related to bragging rights
Remember, this is a business
Depends on the market you're in
Remember, we don't get a raise as a MUA
Include compensation for gas/mileage

Tips for Makeup Artists

No matter how long you've been with a client, try something different - be a servant but have a point of view
Know what you're good at and learn where to grow
It's okay to condense your kit - every makeup artist experiences anxiety doing this, but it's okay!
For contouring dark skin tones, try using eyeshadow such as a burgundy tone, just make sure it has pigment
Even out lip colors with concealer, then use lip liner and follow with color
When doing makeup for television and film - no shimmer!

Sam's Everyday Makeup Commandments

Do what you're comfortable with and take your time
Never forget, moisturizer first!
Conceal - Spackle before you paint (uses dermablend)
It's not about the product, how you use it

Check out me and my Blogger girls Natural Chica and CurlyGirlLexi

My girl Mattie asked Sam, "What advice would you give Sam 20 years ago?" Here's his response:

Get incorporated and get a tax account sooner
Be less judgement of yourself (words of wisdom!)

Check out some of the goodies we picked up!

Thank you to Marian Anderson of www.hautetravelsbeauty.blogspot.com for hosting the event!

All in all, it was truly an amazing experience. Sam was funny, wise, super packed full of knowledge and just an all around class act. I learned so much and definitely recommend that you try to catch him the next time he's around your neck of the woods or at least check out his DVD Fine: The Basics of Beauty.

Last but not least, I love this picture!

I hope you enjoyed that super duper long post! Sorry it took so long but I wanted to make sure and get this one right. Till next time, Ciao Bellas!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

FOTD - Sultry Smokes for the Sam Fine Beauty Event

2011-12-07T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another Face of the Day. This is actually a pre-cursor to the Sam Fine Event Beauty coverage that I'll finally feature in tomorrow's post. Today's FOTD features the look I wore to the event. I went with a sultry look featuring neutrals and smokes.

I didn't want to do anything too over the top. Not only was it a day time event, but I just feel that when you're around other seasoned makeup artists, you want to focus less on crazy eye popping colors but more on the canvas as a whole. I went for neutral colors but really wanted to beat my face out ...taking my time with blending and layering. I also wanted my skin to be super dewy and glowy. I was in a rush that morning so I only had a chance to take pictures in the car at the parking lot of the event, lol.

Unfortunately I didn't list everything I used on this FOTD. I have a palette of neutral colors that I always use on myself...this includes colors from Sonia Kashuk's Neutral palette, Aveda Shadows, Wet N Wild Shadows and Urban Decay Shadows.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post featuring the fabulous Sam Fine including lots of tips and tracks, picture of his kit and even live video!

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Sephora Friends & Family Haul

2011-12-06T00:04:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another haul! This was from the Sephora Friends & Family Sale and I found some items I love and some I would probably skip. It's probably the shortest haul I've ever done but still worth mentioning! I can't wait to share the video with you all.

Check out the video!

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Natural Beauty
Wow thumbs up! I really enjoyed this product. It goes on super smooth, it's ridiculously pigmented and I can't wait to purchase more. FYI use a light hand with this color!

Shiseido Mascara Base
This is my second time purchasing this product. The first go was when I first started my blog. Honestly, I don't find it working as great as I thought. The brush doesn't pick up enough product and I don't see a huge difference with this lash primer. I won't be purchasing again.

NARS Chihuahua Lipgloss
I enjoy the pigmentation and consistency of NARS glosses but really hate the smell/taste. Still the quality is so good I can overlook the weird smell. I picked up this product because I wanted a nice rosy pink...I'm trying to get out of the mauve liptones I usually wear. I actually found this to be a bit sheer on my lips which are on the deeper pinky brown side. However, layered on top of a pink lipstick it's really nice. I like how it has a creamy consistency and it has no glitter and it's not too shiny...it's the kind of gloss you can wear at any time for any occasion.

You can find these products at www.Sephora.com . Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: All items purchased by me.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Products I Regret Buying - NXY Lip Lacquer in Georgia Peach

2011-12-05T10:34:00.002-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another post in my Product I Regret Buying Series. It's been a little while but I've been meaning to share this particular product. I actually picked it up because some other gurus mentioned getting it at IMATS about a year or two ago. What I learned is that what works on some, doesn't always work on others.

The problem with this gloss is not the quality of the product, but the color for me. I never knew that this pot of gloss would be so pigmented. The color is Georgia Peach and in the container it appeared to be a nice peachy nude. On my lips however, it was a different story. The gloss appeared almost white...it wasn't even worth salvaging with a deeper lip liner or lipstick underneath, lol.

PROS
-affordable
-opaque coverage
-not sticky

CONS
-too nude (color in packaging looks nothing like the product itself)

Would I Recommend? Even though this is in the "Products I Regret Buying Series", I think this is a nice product it's just that the color was all wrong for me. I would give it another go but definitely in a different shade - something darker and brighter perhaps. If you're tan like me or have a deeper skin tone, I'd recommend doing the same to avoid the nude zombie lip syndrome, lol.

Have you tried this product before? Let me know in the comments below!

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

FTC Disclosure: Post not sponsored.

Brush Lab Mirror Review and Friday Giveaway!

2011-12-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review and Friday Giveaway. If there's one thing I always need to have when doing makeup...I'd say a mirror! Sounds silly right? But a good mirror can really help you get precise makeup application. Today i'm reviewing a gorgeous one from www.BrushLove.com and giving one away to a lucky winner!

Here's a shot of the mirror. There are also other styles to choose from but I like this round shape. Did I mention it's absolutely huge? I was surprised because I thought it would the size of a typical powder compact but it's about 2 inches wider and longer.

One side is a regular mirror and the other has a magnifying glass. I usually find myself using the regular side to apply makeup. I'll use the magnifying side for something like tweezing eyebrows. I find this mirror really helpful for personal makeup application so I can really see what i'm doing.

Pros

Huge mirror is great for applying makeup
Cool rubber-like surface on the outside of the compact
Affordable
Nice look

Cons

A little too big to carry in your purse
Rubbery surface can show dirt easily, just like NARS packaging
The hinge on the mirror seemed a little loose

You can find this product, called the Satina Large Compact Mirror ($11.98) as well as other styles at www.brushlove.com

Guess what? I have an extra mirror to give away! Here's how to win:

Subscribe to this blog
Open Internationally
Leave a comment to win!

I'll pick a winner randomly and announce it next week. Have a great weekend!

FTC Disclosure: Product sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to make this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Collection Winners!

2011-12-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

Thanks to everyone for participating in last week's Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Collection giveaway. I appreciate your support and I hope all of you love the updates and updgrades! Now to announce the winners!

The winners of the Updated Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Collection in the new Zippered Brush Belt are:

Blog: SeeTrinny
YouTube: Xilkh
FaceBook: Boo-Boo Wug
Contest will be held tomorrow on Twitter: TBD

Winners, please email me by Sunday at Midnight EST to claim your prize or it will go to someone else. Stay tuned for tomorrow because I'm having another Friday Giveaway!

FTC Disclosure: I am affiliated with the company and paid to make this post. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Pixi Holiday Palette Review and Nude Look

2011-11-30T09:32:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another review and this one is right in time for the Holidays. Recently I had the chance to try out some fun makeup sets from Pixi's Target line. I was pretty impressed.

Endless Silky Eye Pen Trio

You get three mini pencils for $9. First off, this is a great basic color set. You receive a nice dark black, a brown, and a deep purple. I was actually really impressed with how "silky" they really were. This is a great pencil for the waterline and for sensitive eyes in general because it goes on super smooth and pigmented in just one swipe. As for being waterproof, I found that pretty average for a smudgeproof type product.

When I saw this next palette, I felt like a kid in a candy store. There is a lot to play with. The packaging itself is pretty simple, but I like how it's compact and foldable. You can definitely fit it in your purse and it also has a good sized mirror. It's one of those palettes that I can see myself throwing in my purse for a girl's weekend...so that I can make over all my friends.

For comparison's sake it's about the width and height of one and a half MAC 15 pan palettes, placed next to each other.

Up close shot of shadows: you get 16 neutral shadows with a range of matte, shimmer, and glitter.

This is the "bright" side. I think they're definitely missing a deep purple and maybe some fun greens and blues. The dark navy is nice but I'm also missing a good smokey black.

The middle section contains 16 lipstick/glosses, 6 blushes, and 2 highlight powders. The blushes are a little on the sheer side but I can make them work. I was impressed with the glosses...they can build up to nicely opaque coverage.

Random assortment of shadows swatches. As you can see, the pigmentation is pretty good actually. They aren't overly powdery and you get some decent color payoff. I would say that every shade in the palette is wearable.

Random assortment of blushes and lipsticks/glosses. The blushes are decent...I found that they actually showed up on my tan skin but they might have a difficult problem showing on darker skin tones. The shimmer highlights are nice too. The lipstick/glosses are actually better than I thought they'd be. Some can run more sheer than others but they actually did a good job of covering up the pigmentation of my lips...letting the product color shine.

Here's a neutral look I did with the palette. Check out how the nude lips came out...really pretty right? I've done darker looks with this palette as well and they came out nice. I'll try and do a tutorial on a look from the palette...any suggestions?

Would I recommend it? Yes. It's a good value for your money. The products in the palette actually work...instead of being overly sheer and just pretty to look at. I love how it's easily accessible at Target and I think it'd make a nice gift.

You can find this palette retailing for $40 from Target.

What kind of look would you like me to do with this palette? I'd love to do a tutorial. Let me know in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company nor paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist

Atlanta Photographer

Cyber Week Sale - Yazmo Traincases!

2011-11-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving break. Sorry for no post yesterday but I was recouperating from my trip to Orlando these last few days and on top of it, I have finals for my MBA this week, craziness! Who studies during Thanksgiving break, sheesh! LOL

Anywho, I wanted to share a great deal for those of you looking for a traincase. My friends at www.Yazmo.com are having a Cyber Week long special!

I've reviewed tons of traincases from www.Yazmo.com. To this day, I still use the Tas Merah Soft Sided Rolling Makeup Case for my smaller gigs. I absolutely love the pull out drawers feature. Here's an actual shot of my traincase in action.

They have tons of styles to choose from...small, large, hard sided and soft sided, rolling and carry-on...whatever your preference. They also carry brush belts, palettes and lots of stuff that would come really handy in your kit.

This week www.Yazmo.com is hosting a CYBER WEEK sale. Get 10% of all purchases using promo code: cyber10. This is valid until Sunday at midnight and you also get FREE SHIPPING (domestic) and a FREE GIFT (8pc brush set) for purchases over $99 which is what you'll usually spend for a traincase. Can you beat that?

So if you're in the market for a new traincase, now's the time to get it! Let me know if you guys are planning to purchase or have purchased from www.Yazmo.com before in the comments below!

FTC Disclosure: Post sponsored. I am affiliated with this company and paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

FTC

Sedona Lace Vortex Brush Updates & Giveaway!

2011-11-25T15:56:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with my biggest friday giveaway yet! I have some super exciting changes for the Vortex Brush Collection that I designed for www.Sedonalace.com. On top of it, I'm having a huge giveaway! Stay tuned for more!

Check out the video!

Now you all know that I'm a perfectionist and the same thought went into this brush line. Along the way, I'm always thinking of improvements, upgrades and I'm listening to you comments and feedback as well!

Here are some of the new updates:

You'll notice that the brushes now look a little different. We've updated the Sedona Lace logo on the brushes from a regular screen print to an engraved and foil printed design. This not only looks nicer, but will ensure that the labels last on your brushes longer. On top of this, we have implemented a new naming/number system for brushes. You all mentioned that you wished that we had written names on the brushes. That way you can easily refer to them and know what you're using. Here's how we did it:

Every eye brush begins with EB
Every face brush begins with FB
There is a 2 digit number system begin with 01, and going up in odd numbers from 03, 05, 07 etc...that way we have room to grow as we add more brushes to the line.

Everytime you purchase from www.Sedonalace.com, you'll know receive a complimentary Synthetic Blender/EB13 Brush. You'll get the full size version and i'm telling you, this brush will change your life. It's my favorite in the collection.

Here's a description of the brush that I personally wrote for the website:
This brush is not only great for eyeshadow but concealer as well. Makeup artists have been using crease brushes for years to help blend out creamy product like concealer or eyeshadow base. This brush was formulated with synthetic bristles to apply the perfect amount of product. The bristles are also nice and dense to for easily blending out darker crease colors.

Tip: Use this as brush for contouring the nose. The shape and tapered bristles will help you blend out hard lines easily.

This brush retails for $8.95...yes that's right. You can now buy the brushes individually! They range from $8.95 to $14.95. You guys wanted the chance to buy individual brushes and we made it happen. I personally have some favorites in the collection and like to keep multiple on hand for my personal collection and the kit.

Here's another exciting update...One of the collection favorites the Flat Top Buffer or FB07 has also been upgraded. The bristles are now more densely packed to offer even better foundation application. It's really amazing!

The last update and my most exciting, is the development of a new brush belt with zipper! I've had this idea for a long time of having a brush belt that can zip close to protect brushes from dirt and basically falling out. It's exactly the same price as the original brush belt - $19.95. The only con is that you fit a few less brushes in this belt than the original since it needs to zip shut. If that's an issue for you, the original belt case is still up for sale.

Here's a description of the new zippered brush belt that I wrote for the website, it pretty much explains it all:

A brush belt is a great way to keep your brushes organized. However, during travel and storage, one common issue is that brushes can fall out of the belt if it’s tipped over. Also, unlike a brush roll, it doesn’t close shut to protect the brushes from dust and dirt. We have solved this problem by creating the first brush belt with a zipper. When you’re not using your brush belt, simply zip it shut. You’ll never have a problem with brushes falling out of your traincase or travel bag again.

Thank you guys again for your commentary and feedback. I'm always listening so feel free to send me and Sedona Lace your brush reviews! With that said, I'm going to give 4 lucky viewers a chance to win their own upgraded brush belt and set!

Here's How to Win:

Blog Winner: Follow my blog and leave a comment on this post telling me why you'd like to win!
YouTube Winner: Subscribe to my YouTube channel, leave a comment on this video and tell me why you'd like to win!
Facebook Winner: Follow me on FaceBook and "like" my page. Every like will be considered for the giveaway.
Twitter Winner: Follow me and SedonaLace on twitter...we'll host another Friday Twitter giveaway trivia contest! First to correctly answer wins!

Good luck everyone!

Also, Sedona Lace is having an amazing Black Friday Sale! 25% off all products including the Vortex Brush Set! The new zippered brush belt is only $8.95 and lip brushes are $1.95!

FTC Disclosure: I am affiliated with the company and paid to write this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Happy Thanksgiving and Winners! Tatcha Blotting Sheets Giveaway

2011-11-24T17:24:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

First off, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm currently home in Orlando with the BF and the parents celebrating the holiday and giving thanks for the year's blessings. It's been a great year and I have so much to thank you all for. As a thank you to everyone...I promise to have a Friday Giveaway through the end of 2011 to shower my lovely viewers with Holiday goodies. I hope you all (at least those in the US lol) are having a fantastic Thanksgiving.

Also, thanks to everyone for participating in last Friday's Giveaway for the Tatcha Blotting Sheets! Check out the winners after the jump!

Each winner will receiving their own evening Aburatorigami Clutch-Sized Blotting Sheet Pack:

Congrats to:

Blog Winner: Elsa Espindola

Twitter Winner: Vivien Lee

Facebook Winner: Aneela Ch

Please email me by Midnight on Sunday to claim your prize or it will go to someone else, thanks!

FTC Dislcousre: Products sponsored for giveaway. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to make this review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer

Makeup Tutorial: Aveda Smokey Jewel Tone Eyes

2011-11-22T12:50:00.000-05:00

Hi Bellas,

I'm back with another video tutorial! Halloween is far from over, so it's about time that I post a good old, wearable makeup tutorial, lol. You recently saw my recent FOTD featuring Aveda. Today I went for a dramatic, jewel toned look featuring many of the vibrant colors from the collection. If you like deep, smokey eyes with color, this one is for you!

Check out the video!

The great thing about these shadows is that the finish is a mix between satin and subtle shimmer. As a result, I didn't find the need to find other mattes and shimmers to mix in with the look, since these colors all blend together so well.

The final look!

FYI, sorry if the picture quality is not great. My Sony CyberShot that I bought in June takes really bad pictures but great video...but now it's not working at all. I'll hopefully be getting a new camera for Christmas :)

Here's What I Used (All Aveda Products Unless Mentioned):

EYES
glo minerals eyeshadow base
Anastasia Beauty Express Kit in Brunette
Aveda Eyeshadows in Sarioine, Jade, Amethyst, Azurite and Jasper Trio
MAC Penultimate Liquid Liner
YSL Black waterproof pencil
False Lashes - (unknown brand)

FACEglo minerals honey undereye concealer
YSL Touche Eclat #2
Graftobian HD Glamour Cream in Desert Sand
MAC MSF Natural in Medium Dark
Steelo Minerals Mineral Foundation in LM20 to set concealer
MAC Blunt Blush
Aveda Tesserae Tricolor Blush/Bronzer Color
Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray

LIPS
Aveda Wineberry Gloss

I'll have a formal review of the Aveda Jewels of the Earth Fall/Winter 2011 Collection coming soon!

FTC Disclosure: Products sponsored for review. I am not affiliated with this company and not paid to write this post. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Atlanta Makeup Artist
Atlanta Photographer