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!

Engagement Photoshoot Makeup

Contrary to the rest of our 'selfie' crazed society, I really don't like photos of myself.   Don't get me wrong - I take them, here and there, to showcase my makeup or hair or whatnot but in general, I shy away from photos.  In fact, when someone pulls out a camera (or phone!) I instantly feel extreme anxiety.  I'm not a fan of myself in most pictures, it takes work to get one that I like! I tend to prefer to be behind the camera haha. BUT in this case, I knew we needed to take engagement pictures that we could share with friends and family and that I could look back on and smile over. I always wanted to feel amazing and be immortalized as beautiful and flawless in those classic romantic photos buut.. my awkward, anxious self took control and I pretty much sucked at being a model, haha. Saying all that, we owe our lovely friend Helen a lot for being patient and volunteering her afternoon to take a few images for us and we couldn't have appreciated that more.  Wedding stuff gets expensive! Dang.

So for the day, I wanted my makeup to a.) last and b.) stand out!  I knew that makeup disappears in pictures, especially flash photography or bright light so I went a little heavier on coverage, highlight and contour and bolder on the eyes adding full, fluffy, dramatic lashes by KoKo in "godess".  These are phenomenal and so gorgeous and they actually helped me feel pretty :)  I'm really impressed with the quality of the KoKo lashes I've tried so far, they hold up well, are easy to apply and look stunning on.

For my eyes I used black gel liner in an exaggerated thick wing, and smudged Makeup Geek's "corrupt" black shadow over the top and lightly under the lower lash line. I added lots of mascara and KoKo lashes in "Godess" for drama.  For my face, I used L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation, MAC Pro Longwear concealer, Laura Mercier secret brightening powder, Kat Von D Shade n Light Contour Palette, MAC "Melba" Blush, Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow Pomade in "Blonde", Laura Geller "Gilded Honey" highlight and NYX Butter Gloss in "Eclair"

<3

Senior Picture Photoshoot: Haley's Earthy Bronze Smokey Eye

I've had the pleasure of doing this gorgeous gal's makeup a couple of times, and I was so excited to get the chance to help her feel special for her senior pictures.  She is such a sweetheart and simply stunning, inside and out.  I'm so pleased she loved how her makeup turned out, and I LOVED how Troutman Photography captured her! Her images are absolutely beautiful. If you're looking for creative and artistic photographs, check them out!

For Haley's look, we wanted to keep her feeling like herself (sporty, athletic, 

naturally fresh faced and pretty) but add a little extra glam on top :) I used earthy brown, golden and bronze tones to smoke out her eyes and make them pop and kept the rest of her face natural and neutral. For her eyes I used Urban Decay and Lorac Shadows and Kiss#11 Lashes.  On her (flawless) skin, I used airbrush foundation! For more product info, just ask!

All Photography credit goes to Troutman Photography! 

Soft Purple Bridal

This is my gorgeous bride Tanya. We originally tried a few different looks and she ended up choosing to go for a little extra glam for her big day (why not!?)

She chose soft purple hues - mauve, taupe and plum which complimented not only her complexion but also her whole wedding color scheme! I also mirrored those colors for her gorgeous bridesmaids :)

All photography shown here is by JStoryImages

Happily Ever After: Ashley's Bridal Look

I'm not quite sure how to express how it feels to have friends of mine ask me to do their wedding makeup.  I feel excited, so honored and a wee bit nervous! Haha! When Ashley surprised me with the news she would soon be walking down the aisle, I was so happy for her.  She deserves all the happiness and love in the world, and to be asked to help on that special day felt wonderful. 

 For her big day, she asked for bright eyes and picked out beautiful full lashes to accentuate them.  As it is hot, hot, hot! here, we also went for a flawless airbrush base to keep her overall look light weight and breathable and we added lots of glow ;)

I love how her beautiful blue eyes just pop!

We took photos before Ash had her lips done because she wanted to leave that until right before she walked down the aisle but she picked out a nude gloss :)

Complexion

Base - NYX Pore Filler Primer

Foundation - Airbrush (Dinair)

Concealer - MAC ProLongwear

Powder - ABH Contour Kit & Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

Contour - Cover FX Contour Kit

Blush - Tarte "Trustworthy"

Highlight - theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

Brows - NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Taupe

Lips - LA Girls Glazed Lip Paint in Nude

Eyes

Base - MAC Paint Pot "Soft Ochre"

Eyeshadows - Makeup Geek & Tarte

Mascara - Maybelline Lash Sensational

Lashes - Benefit "Pin Up" 

Blonde Bombshell: Airbrushed Bridal Beauty

I'm so excited to be able to share this look! 

This is my closest childhood friend, Cherice and she is one of the loveliest, kindest women I'm blessed to know.

She has a heart of gold, and I absolutely adore her and her whole family <3

Ok, can we talk about the Marilyn Monroe comparison please? Doesn't she just make the most stunning bride!?  Reece asked me to do her bridal makeup and of course I said yes (I may have asked her several times if she was really, really sure she wanted me to do it, because oh my gosh! It's your wedding day! but she had confidence in me, so I said 'lets do this!')

I felt so honored she trusted me with such an important piece of her special day, and I'm so happy I could play a part in helping her feel extra beautiful.  I had so much fun and I'm so happy she liked what we created.  Her whole wedding was such a great experience, we can't wait for the next visit!

With the exception of my quick cell phone snap as she was walking down the aisle, all the amazing photography is credit to Shane Vandehei Photography.  Shane is so talented, and takes beautiful, artistic photos. If you're in the Utah area - check him out! Find his Instagram Account HERE.

For Reece's Complexion we started with NYX Angel Veil Primer all over, with a little Benefit POREfessional on her T-Zone.

Foundation: Airbrush (Dinair) 2 layers

Concealer: MAC ProLongwear NW20 & Maybelline Fit Me 'Sand'

Setting Powder: Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Banana' and Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Blush: Milani 'Luminoso' & Tarte 'Trustworthy' mixed with 'Empowering'

Bronzer: Contour shades mixed from ABH

Highlight: TheBalm 'Mary Lou-Manizer' 

Brows: NYX Micro Brow Pencil in 'Taupe'

Finishing Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in 'Dim' and 'Incandescent' 

Lips: MAC Lipstick 'Creme d'Nude' with NYX Butter Gloss in 'Eclair' 

Setting Spray: Skindinavia 'Bridal'

Eyes

Base: MAC Paint Pot 'Soft Ochre'

Shadows: Makeup Geek - Vanilla Bean|Beaches & Cream| Barcelona Beach|Corrupt and 'In the Spotlight' Foiled on mobile lid.  I also added MAC Pigment in 'Melon'.  Urban Decay 'Dark Horse' in outer corner.  

Liner: Rimmel 'Nude' in lower waterline

Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Original in WaterProof

Lashes: Extensions

Congrats Travis & Cherice! May you have a lifetime of happiness together <3
And special thanks to Shane for sharing his images with me!

Subscription Service Spotlight: SCENTBIRD

Do you love perfume? 

Do you wish you could try out different designer scents? 

Do you wish you could do that without spending $50- $100 for each bottle? 

If you answered "YES!!!" to any of these questions, then I've found the BEST subscription service for you! Haha, I sound like a TV commercial, but seriously, I really love them.

Scentbird

Can you tell how excited I am by this company?! Haha! I've been a Scentbird customer for 6 months now, and I'm just as obsessed as I was when I first signed up.  I get so excited when my new one comes in the mail! They are the only subscription service that has really caught my attention because you get such an awesome deal. For only $14.95 a month, you get a 30 Day supply of designer perfume to try! Once you go to their website and sign up, as part of that process just like other personalized subscription services, you complete a 'scent profile' survey so they can give their recommendations for you based on your taste and current perfume loves and preferences.  I've been happily surprised with what they've suggested for me, but you can also browse and pick from their entire collection.  

I think Scentbird are so clever and original because you get enough perfume to actually wear and try day after day (not this "2 spritz and it's gone" sample size silliness)  This gives you enough time to decide if you really want to commit to purchasing a full size bottle.  And if you're someone like me who loves to try many different scents, it's even better because you constantly get to update your perfume wardrobe.  I'm honestly in love with this service because they are continually updating their scent base, so you have new designer perfumes to choose from.  P.S. This is also a great gift idea for a loved one!

Their cute, easy to use packaging is the perfect size to throw in your handbag which is so convenient and handy, I love it.

I'm so happy I signed up with them and if you do too, I'm sure you will be just as hooked as me ;)  CLICK HERE if you'd like 25% off of your first perfume!

Matte Smokey Eye: Face of the Day

I wanted to share the product breakdown for this look I did this week -  it was a super simple matte smokey eye and I liked how it turned out.  It was honestly so easy, and Luke complimented me that morning so you know I memorized what I used so I could recreate it again ;)  I was using several new Drugstore releases that I've recently picked up and I thought it would be a good way to talk about those too!  

Complexion: I used my all time favorite moisturizer Aveeno Positively Radiant, I've used this for years and it's awesome! This morning, I forgot to apply primer (!!whaat?) and because of that, you can still see where I have enlarged pores around my cheeks and some fine lines/texture.  I wanted to show my skin's actual texture so you could see how products sit on top.  

I used the new Rimmel London Lasting Finish 25Hour Foundation with Comfort Serum.  I've only had this about a week, and I'm liking it so far.  It's a thicker texture, and goes on to give a natural satin like finish. It gives amazing coverage, but did feel a little heavy at first when applied with a buffing brush.  I much preferred the application when I used a sponge.  I did notice a little oil peeking through my makeup after about 4 hours so I did touch up with some translucent powder but overall it held up well in the heat.  

To set everything I lightly used the NYX Color Correcting Powder in Banana and added MAC Pro Shaping Powder in Emphasize under my eyes and across my cheekbones for a subtle highlight.

For warmth and contour I used Bare Mineral's All Over Face Color in Faux Tan - this is a holy grail, especially during the summer months, it looks so natural!

My lips are NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair (LOVE these! They are my all time favorite lip gloss formula!)

 Smokey Eye: I used all Makeup Geek Eye Shadows - (don't be confused, mine are in a MAC Palette) :) I used Vanilla Bean all over the lid and brow bone, Beaches and Cream in the crease as a transition and Barcelona Beach all over the lid.  I used Corrupt to add depth to the outer corner and to smoke out my eyeliner (as much as I could).  

For eyeliner, I used the new Cover Girl Intensify Me Liquid Liner on my upper lash line.  This is a cool product in that you can create different effects and alter how thick your line is depending on how you hold the product but it's not my favorite.  I do love how black and pigmented it is, however - I'm used to using Gel eyeliner which you can build up and smoke out, this product simply flakes off if you try and go over the same place twice :( You can see in the image below that I couldn't get my liner to be perfectly even and I stopped trying because it kept flaking off! Lol, the struggle was real that day.  So if you're someone who is fantastically talented with liquid eyeliner and gets a perfect wing with one flick of your wrist, then you'll love this but it's not the easiest formula to work with in my opinion.  I used Marc Jacob's Gel Highliner on my upper and lower waterlines and smoked out the lower lash line with Barcelona Beach.  I LOVE this eyeliner! 

For Lashes I used the Christina #43's .  They are said to be the exact same as the Red Cherry #43 lashes but cheaper! 

For my brows, I used ABH Dip Brow Pomade in Blonde. 

I completed my look with the new Hard Candy Makeup Setting Spray.

May Beauty Favorites!

May was one of my favorite months so far this year! Not only does my birthday fall in May, but we started our veggie garden and we get to see more sunshine and my countdown to summer begins! Yessss. My fiance and I also had the pleasure of attending and helping behind the scenes at my gorgeous Best Friend's wedding which was so, so fun.  I can't wait to share her bridal look! Stay tuned ;)

I discovered and tried out several new products during the month of May which I've been loving and wanted to talk about and share!



First up -  Cover FX Custom Cover Drops.Oh this product is awesome!! I'm sure you've all heard all about these little drops, they've been pretty popular on social media and in the YouTube world lately, and for good reason.  I've used mine solidly for over a month and I'm in love.  So for any of you that don't know - custom cover drops are pure pigment NOT a traditional foundation full of fillers, and ingredients that combine in a formula aimed at doing a particular thing (matte, luminous, poreless finish etc).  You can add these drops to ANY product you like - be it: foundation, concealer, moisturizer, primer, oil, ANYTHING and it will instantly turn that product into a "foundation" for you with customizable coverage and they DO NOT change the integrity of the product you mix them into.  I think this is the best concept ever because you can add 1-4 drops to anything you like (and already own) and create your own product! I usually always add to a foundation or BB Cream I love, to add more coverage on days I need it and can't wait to explore using them with my moisturizers during the summer months.  They come in a huge color range to suit all skin tones and you don't have to stop there - you could even get a darker color to add to a winter foundation and save yourself $ on buying multiple shades! 

I've had nothing but good luck with this so far, it's worth a try (and the $44 price tag)! In fact, Cover FX as a brand is AWESOME and promote skin health above all else.  They carefully develop their products with the aim of improving your skin and all of their range is "Free of the Inflammatory 5: parabens, fragrance, gluten, mineral oil and talc".  Check them out! 


Makeup Geek Eyeshadows - I recently placed an order with Makeup Geek (why the heck did it take me SO long?!) and I've been using her (Marlena's) shadows for the last few weeks (and for my bridal look on my friend) and they are amazing.  They are cheaper than MAC shadows, $5.99 each pan, and just as good of quality (some argue even better) than those.  I only own a few MAC shadows, so can't speak too much on that comparison, but in and of themselves, MUG shadows are lovely.  They blend nicely, build up well and last on the eye well.  I am obsessed with her foiled eyeshadows.  They are a little more pricey at $9.99 each pan, but SO worth it.  They are creamy, metallic and super pigmented.  I am slowly going to grow my collection because I literally want every single product she's created.

PS.  I store mine in a MAC palette (because it was $8 and I already owned it so didn't want to have to buy a Z Palette) and you can too! I simply added some adhesive magnets to the bottom and voila! all my MUG shadows now stay strongly attached (even through travel!)




NYX Micro Brow Pencil - I have purchased this in several different shades, and use them myself and in my kit and they're great.  Again, people have compared them to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz, but I've never owned that product so can't compare other than the obvious similarities in packaging. I love that there's a spooly on the other side of the product which helps when you're doing your makeup in a hurry.  I think its quick and easy to use, holds up well and looks more natural than other pencils I've used for the brows which tended to be too creamy and soft. For half the price of the ABH one, they're worth a try!





As for Skincare favorites - I made my own! I'm a huge believer in DIY projects when it comes to skincare, bath & body and beauty.  I love when you can find cheaper/natural ingredients and combine them to suit your own needs and avoid all the icky chemicals and hefty price tags.  One of my favorite products I make is my night time moisturizer.  I use Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil and Essential Oils. 

You mix everything together and boom, you have yourself a natural facial oil! My skin soaks this up, and feels amazing in the morning.  I swore by this when I traveled to Europe over Christmas, I used this on the plane and every night for 2 weeks and my skin NEVER BROKE OUT. This never, ever happens when I travel, and I credit it to this little combo.  

I recycle and use a 1oz Jar, and fill it 3/4 with coconut oil, add about a teaspoon or so of Jojoba Oil and 5-10 drops of each essential oil (depending on your skin/scent preference you can add however many you like!) and then a little more coconut oil to fill the jar and stir everything until combined.  Pop it in the fridge to firm up for a few minutes and you're done! I love to combine Frankincense, Tea Tree, Lavender & Lemon.  All of these have skin healing and soothing benefits and properties that my skin loves.  I've used Young Living EOs in the past and I'm currently using Mountain Rose Herb's (awesome quality, value, price!)

PS.  My skin is combo/oily and as I've mentioned before, using oils as moisturizers for the past few years has helped combat the oil production of my skin - bonus!

Beauty Shopping Favorite of the past month has definitely been www.Glambot.com

I felt like I had to mention them because I've placed several orders from Glambot and have been happy with them all! Glambot is a website which you can use to buy and sell pre-owned/used makeup products (for a discount!).  Sounds kinda weird at first, but think about it - how many products do you buy (if you're a junkie like me!) and then forget about in your drawers? I bet we've all done that.  And with Glambot you can sell those items or pick them up at a discount! I've found some total gems on the site, and when the products arrive, they don't even look used. Glambot sanitizes and seals all their products so you know they care about hygiene.  They sell a huge range of designer, high end brands, including limited edition products.  I've found great items, especially for my kit - you have to act quickly though because their 'new arrivals' section is updated daily and products sell out fast! Go check them out!

A Natural Bride: Blonde & Blue Eyed

This lovely lady is Tanya, and she is getting married this summer! She asked for my help to create a look for her big day and I was so happy to oblige.  Tanya is a mascara-and-go kinda gal so for her trial we wanted to keep everything very neutral and natural but still emphasize her features.  Tanya isn't used to wearing any makeup and didn't want anything too heavy, bold or dramatic.  I've not done makeup on a lot of mature skinned ladies before, and Tanya hasn't worn a full face of makeup for a while so it was a learning experience for both of us :)

Doesn't Tanya look like she could be Kate Winslet's sister? I think they have the same beautiful smile!

As an aspiring makeup artist, I believe it's SO important to practice on as many skin types, skin tones and age ranges as possible.  There is no end to education when it comes to the creative art forms. I learned a lot working with Tanya and will definitely be adding some new products to my kit for the future and tweaking her final look on her big day.  I realized that a lot of the makeup that I currently own is catered towards younger skin types and won't work for ladies with fine lines, wrinkles or mature skin especially around their eyes.  This area is so delicate and needs extra attention and the right combination of products to  both highlight & conceal properly.  I will definitely be shopping for some new products!

For the look we created for Tanya, hydration was key.  The more moisturized & hydrated the skin is, the more youthful & supple it appears.  Products will also lay more nicely over hydrated skin, so we really focused on adding moisture first with Embryolisse Lait-Cremè Concentré mixed with MAC's Strobe Liquid Lotion for luminosity.

BASE: 

Primer - Benefit POREfessional

Foundation - Airbrush, one light layer to even out her skin tone

Concealer - NYX HD mixed with Maybelline Dark Circle Eraser Treatment Concealer (this ended up a little too heavy & drying for my liking and I will be using something lighter next time)

Blush - Tarte 'Trustworthy'

Powder - Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder

Highlight - MAC PRO Shaping Powder in 'Emphasize'
Lips - NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme in Stockholm & LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint in Nude

For Tanya's EYE look we used Lorac & Tarte Eyeshadows - all neutral Taupes/Greys and cool tone Browns as requested.  I used all Matte Shadows to keep her look the most flattering and natural & added a nude liner to her waterline to brighten her eyes. We added 3 KISS Xshort individual lashes to each outer corner to add volume to her lash line.  Tanya has THE BEST brows! They were perfectly full and naturally shaped and I didn't think she needed much added to them, so I just used a wax stick from Ardel to groom them and a neutral brown shadow to lightly add further shape.  

For her actual Wedding Day, I think we will end up adding a little extra and defining everything a little more to ensure all her makeup will stand out that little bit more when photographed.  While she was happy with her makeup after our trial, I knew I wanted to tweak a few things for next time :)  Excited to glam her again!