NEW WEBSITE!!!

Hi Guys!! 
I know I've neglected my blog forever!!  I've been so incredibly busy with building by business, working full time AND planning my wedding this year... phew, it's been a tad exhausting haha!

I have exciting news though - I have a NEW website!! Woohoo! I'm super excited to say I have (finally) built a professional website to showcase my portfolio and allow clients to view my work and learn a little more about me, and what I do :)   Don't worry, I haven't stopped posting my client makeup looks, and plan on getting details of their looks back up here soon, but if you'd like to see what I've been up to - head over to:

www.beautybykristennicholle.com

I appreciate all of your support and encouragement.  Keep in mind that everything is a work in progress, and I'm still learning! <3

Playing with Products

One of the best things about being a Makeup Artist is the creative license and freedom you have to be a little 'extra' on the daily! Lol.  I feel like it's my "right" and an important part of my job as a professional to try and play around with lots of products and different looks! As an Artist (and beauty enthusiast in general) you are NEVER tired of makeup, you constantly need to add to your kit and update your collection and you want it ALL! Haha! It is a little scary because I'm able to justify my makeup obsession (and purchases) a little too quickly... oops! 

But I NEED it for my clients! 

So recently I've felt extra inspired to try different looks and be a little creative.  I don't believe you need an occasion to wear a smokey eye, or a reason to add lashes.  It's okay to step out of the box.  Be you! Do you! This week, I played with glitter & color.  I was a Mermaid.  On a Tuesday.  No shame.  I think makeup is FUN, and it washes off at the end of the day so don't be afraid to try something new, and don't listen to others who might discourage your passion or creativity.  I love how expressive the makeup medium can be, and I love seeing what others create! 

I wanted to showcase a few of my recent looks:)

Hope you all have fun trying something new!

Say Yes! to the Dress: Bridal Shopping Glam

This is the gorgeous Bri :) She asked me to help her feel/look like a bride for her special day of wedding dress shopping and I was so excited! Who wouldn't want to doll up this face! Bri has the biggest, most beautiful doe eyes I've ever worked on and I knew ANY look we tried would suit her. We decided on a neutral smokey eye with extra depth in the outer corner and crease to give her eyes dimension, while still keeping it soft and romantic.  Of course we added lashes, an airbrushed base, highlighted her up and she was ready to go!  

So happy to hear her makeup helped her feel like a bride! 

For her BASE, we used her own Moisturizer and Primer - Bri has sensitive skin, and we didn't want to irritate it with an overload of new products.  If you too have sensitive skin, and are nervous about having a Makeup Artist do your makeup, you can always bring your own products which the artist can incorporate/sub into your look! Don't be afraid to ask! In fact, I always like to have my clients bring their own mascara (unless they don't have any) because usually we all pick one we like, and know it works for us and I think the wands are better! 

Foundation - Dinair Colair Airbrush, C117 & C125
Concealer - MAC Pro Longwear NC20
Powder/Contour & Highlight - Laura Mercier Translucent and ABH Contour Kit

Blush - Milani Luminoso

Brows - Cameo Powder Medium Brown & Benefit's Gimme Brow

Highlight - theBalm Mary Lou-Manizer

Lips - Rimmel Natural Lip Liner & Maybelline Matte Nude Lipstick in Blushing Beige

For Bri's EYE look we primarily used all Lorac shadows with a few Makeup Geek shades.  Liner was L'oreal Infallible Gel Liner in Black.
Lashes are the Christina/Red Cherry #43's

Love how her skin glowed! That highlight never disappoints ;)

Date Night Glowy Glam

Meet Darci, my gorgeous (soon to be!) sister-in-law :)  She is a wonderful wife & awesome, hard working mama and she deserved a glam session! She hardly ever wears makeup (and doesn't need to - look at her perfect skin!!) and she had NEVER tried false lashes so I couldn't wait to get my hands on her face, ha! I get so excited to glam up clients who don't normally see themselves in makeup.  The final transformation is so fun! 

Special thanks to my fiance who was helping me take "action"/progress pics & videos as we went along...

For Darci's look we went for a rosey/bronze smokey eye with glowy skin.  These colors really do compliment everyone and especially bring out blue eyes.

I used all Makeup Geek shadows for her eye look and really packed on "Grandstand" as the focus on her lid.  I added Salon Perfect's "Demi Wispies" lashes for drama.

 For her skin, I did one light layer of Airbrush Foundation and set everything with Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder.  I used Anastasia Beverly Hills' Contour Kit to highlight and contour her face and add subtle warmth to her complexion.  For blush, I chose Tarte's "trustworthy," and her glowing highlight was MAC's "Soft and Gentle" Mineralized Skin Finish applied wet.

How cute are they!? :)

Fiery Copper & Bronze: Smokey Eye

Here's a simple (but glam) look of the day from last week :)  I absolutely adore my It Cosmetics Naturally Pretty Volume 1 Palette - if you're a matte eye shadow lover, you need this one.  I love the pigmentation pay off and the blend-ability of every shadow in here, it's a staple in my kit.  For this look, I was especially drawn to the warm, fiery sunset tones that I see everyone rocking these days - earthy oranges, rusty browns, coppers, bronzes & golds. Normally I steer away from those tones on myself (I'm not sure why!) but on this day I felt like experimenting. 

I used Soulful and Sunrise in the crease for warmth and definition and Sunset packed all over the upper lid.  I topped the center of my eyelid with Bare Mineral's Loose Pigment/Shadow in 'Sugared Bronze' mixed with some MAC Fix+ to bring out the metallic sheen.  For the lower lash line I used the same combo (I love adding a setting spray to shadows to increase intensity!) I added a black wing liner (using a L'oreal black liquid pen which is, ehh just okay - I'm trying to use it up!) and smudged black in my lower water line too for added depth.  Packing on mascara - Maybelline Lash Sensational (awesome!!) - and adding a little half lash for extra flirty oomph and we're done!

Rose Gold: Winter Formal Smokey Eye

I got the pleasure of working with this gorgeous girl again! This time we went for a lighter smokey eye, with warm rose gold tones, lashes and flawless glowing skin :)  Haley's color scheme was black and red (and she added a gorgeous red lip after we took pictures(!)) so we wanted to keep the face softer and neutral but still a little glamorous.  I adore working with Haley, she is so much fun and makes my job SO easy! The stars of the show for her look were definitely Urban Decay's "Half Baked" and Makeup Geek's "Grandstand" Foiled Eyeshadow (LOVE) :)

Can we talk about how perfect her skin is!?

BASE

Skin Prep: Ofra Revitalizing Toner & Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

Primer: NYX Pore Filler

Foundation: Dinair Airbrush

Concealer: MAC ProLongwear NC20

Powder: ABH & Laura Mercier Translucent

Blush: MAC "Margin"

Contour: Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit "Fawn"

Highlight: Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator "Gilded Honey"

Brows: NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe

EYES

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden

Shadows: Lorac "brown", "sand", "granite", UD "half baked", "buck", "darkhorse", Makeup Geek "vanilla bean", "beaches & cream", "grandstand", "corrupt"

Lashes: Christina #43

Haley's finished look, complete with stunning red lip! 
Photo thanks to her mama ;)

I hope her winter formal was a blast! :)

Natural Glow: Hannah's Senior Picture Photoshoot

This is Hannah, before she let me work my magic on her gorgeous face, she'd never worn makeup! Hannah didn't like the idea of wearing much makeup, she didn't want to feel it, and only wanted to bring out her features for photographs, so we kept everything very natural and youthful. With only a light airbrush foundation application, some concealing for rosacea, a touch of golden shadow and a slick of pink gloss, her look was complete!

Thanks to Helen Hilman Photography for her images!