Secrets From Behind the Beauty Counter!

Hello Gorgeous! 

Okay I admit I do spend a lot of time at the makeup counter.  Why? Two reasons! One, I love makeup and the latest trends and secondly I am a freelance makeup artist from time to time.  It is so much fun playing with new colors and talking to the "beauty experts!"  Sometimes I have even walked away spending way too much for stuff I don't need, even on days I worked as a freelancer!  

These so called "beauty experts" sure know how to pull the wool over anyone's eyes!  After spending years behind the counter and in front (as a customer) I realized that people need to know what really goes on behind the scenes.  Here is an article that says it better than I ever could!

http://www.beautyriot.com/makeup-beauty/9-secrets-makeup-counter-g10341

Hello Gorgeous! 

These harsh winter days are making my skin look dull. It's time for a detox bath!  Here is my version of a great way to bring back that glow to your skin and detox it at the same time!

First start by running a hot bath, this opens pores and prepares your body for cleansing.

Ingredients:
2cups of Epsom Salt
5-10 drops of essential oil (my choice is lavender or rose).
add a bunch of rose petals.
Next, soak for about 30-40 minutes. 



Afterward you will want to drink lots of water.  This will help replenish what has been pulled out of your system.

DIY Peppermint Foot Soak

Hello Gorgeous!

I found this great foot soak recipe that I decided to give as Christmas gifts this year!  This is so simple to make, and the cost is minimal at best.  All you need is Epsom salt, peppermint oil, shakers, and a large mixing bowl.  

Ingredients:

Epsom salt

8-10 drops of peppermint oil

Pour into shakers that you can get at the dollar store.

I made the labels myself and taped them on.

Daytime Smokey Eye!

Daytime Smokey Look using Smokey Palette from UD

Hello Gorgeous!

I have gotten a few requests on how to create a smokey eye for an appropriate daytime look.  If you know me then you know I love a smokey eye day or night!  Sometimes we want something a little smokey during the day, and for this look to take us into the night.  If you are like me you don't have time to leave the office and go home to glam it up some more.  I always suggest that you take your smokey palette with you (Urban Decay has a very compact Smokey Palette that fits in any bag). 

When you do a daytime smokey eye use medium shades of browns, greys, greens, or even blacks.  One of my favorite looks is using a plum shade.  

Here are the steps to achieve this look. 

   Start with a bronze shade on the lid and fill in to the crease using a patting motion. Build in an upward motion.  Use the lightest color under the brow. Next, put a dark matte color similar to the bronze color in the crease with a dome shaped brush using a windshield wiper motion.  You can use the same eye shadow color from the crease on the lower lash line as an eye line. Line you waterline with a Kohl eyeliner pencil (Smolder by MAC).  I then took a gel eyeliner by Bobbi Brown and lined the top lash line of the lid.  To give you that "I just had 8 hours of sleep" look dab a light champagne color on the inner corner of the eye. To lift your eye highlight the top of the brow line using the Mally’s highlighter.  Finish with mascara on upper and lower lashes. This really intensifies the look. 

   Here is what I used:

Mally Highlighter sold at QVC

Tom Ford Blush in Wicked

Tom Ford Lipstick in Deep Mink

My Day of the Dead Looks!

Hello Gorgeous!

Here are photos of my Day of the Dead looks.  My friend Velma and her daughter and I had so much fun recreating these looks.  

The makeup I used for these looks were MAC pigments, Armani cosmetics, MAC Chrome Cake, and Bobbi Brown Jet Black Ink Gel liner.  I always went to Michaels and bought self adhesive jewels and fake flowers for the hair.  These looks are so easy to do.

e.l.f. A Makeup Look for the Villainous Beauty in You...

e.l.f Villainous Makeup Palettes

Hello Gorgeous!

With Halloween around the corner I couldn't resist to stop by my nearest Walgreens and purchase e.l.f.'s latest and greatest Halloween makeup palette.  If you have never heard of e.l.f. here is the 411. e. l. f. stands for eyes, lips and face and is pretty much sold at Target and Walgreens.  It is very inexpensive makeup ($3 blushes etc...).  This year they have put out a gorgeous makeup palette featuring the three famous Disney Villains: The Evil Queen, Cruella, and Maleficent!  Each palette costs $9.99 and comes with gorgeous step by step instructions, a magic mirror, eight eyeshadows, 1 set of eyelashes, eye primer, 2 lip and check color, and liquid glitter eyeliner.  I love the packaging and since I am a collector of things like this I am probably not going to use it much.  One thing I will mention is that you really need a great eye primer in order for these eyeshadows to really apply well.  The shadows are powdery and will not give good color payoff if you don't use a primer. 

Maleficent

Maleficent

Maleficent

Evil Queen

Evil Queen

Evil Queen

Evil Queen

Cruella

Cruella

Cruella

GLAM GLOW! Glowing Skin for days!

Hello Gorgeous!

OMG! OMG! OMG!  I just tried an awesome product called GLOW GLAM!  My skin is super soft like a baby's butt! 

What It is:
An exfoliating anti-aging facial mask for women who want to stay looking young!

What It Does:
Resurfaces the face for soft, glowing, smooth skin!

Key Ingredients:
Volcanic pumice rock (exfoliator), French sea clay (pore minimizer and oil absorber), green tea leaf (antioxidant), Teaoxi (moisturizer and antioxidant)

How It Feels/Smells/Looks:
It feels grainy; it tightens as it dries, and also has a tingling sensation letting you know it is working.  It is suppose to smell like a green herbal-scent, but to me it smells like poo a bit (sorry! you want my honest opinion and that is what I think it smells like).  

Why I LOVE It: 
This mud feels pleasantly natural with its French clay and tea leaf bits.  I love the feel of the tingling sensation, but not as much as I love the glowing radiant super soft skin that lasts for days! I never thought that my 40 year old skin could look and feel better, but it does. I also love the price at $69.  

FYI:
If you shop with Neiman Marcus during Beauty Week this week (Sept. 6th- 16th) and buy a jar of GLAM GLOW you get a mini Little Sexy GLAM GLOW for FREE!