Do you clean your makeup brushes?

You use them everyday but how often do you clean them?
I've found that many people skip the cleaning or rarely clean their makeup brushes. This WILL change by the time you finish reading this blog. I'm going to talk about why you should clean your brushes, how to clean your brushes, and how often you should clean them. You'll practically be a pro!

Why do I need to clean my brushes?
It's SO important to clean your brushes, I cant even begin to stress this enough. Your face has natural oils which can get mixed with nasty bacterias. The brushes become a breeding ground for bacteria. Not only are you spreading that on your face, but you are also dipping it into your makeup and spreading the bacteria to your makeup. If you have acne, this will make it worse. You are spreading the bacteria from your pimples across the rest of your face causing the bacteria and pimples to spread!

So how do I clean them?
There are several ways to do this, and a few steps.
Cleaning and sanitizing
Many makeup companies like MAC make brush cleansers which work well. But if you dont want to spend the money there are alternative methods.

You can use baby shampoo and rubbing alcohol(or as they say in the UK, surgical spirits!)
1. Gently wet the brushes, BUT try your best to not get the metal part of the brushes wet. When the brush hairs that are bound in the metal part get wet they have a hard time drying and can eventually get mildew. This proves to be VERY difficult, and I have yet to find a better way. Just do the best you can, you'll eventually need to replace your brush set anyways.
2. Put a pea sized drop of baby shampoo, or any other mild shampoo, or use a brush cleanser, in your palm and gently swirl your brushes in your hand. Then rinse. Repeat if necessary until no color comes out. (You'll be surprised by what colors will be in your sink!)
3. I would suggest buying a small or travel sized spray bottle and put your rubbing alcohol in it. Mist each of your brushes with the rubbing alcohol and then lay your brushes flat to dry.

How often should I clean my brushes?
I suggest at least every 2 weeks(twice a month) or more often if you have acne. You can use your rubbing alcohol sanitizing spray everyday to keep the bacteria from spreading!
You can also use the sanitizing spray on your makeup! One or two sprays on your eyeshadows, palettes, blush, compacts, almost everything will help sanitize your makeup as well!

Hope this has been informative and that you will clean your brushes from now on! Happy cleaning!

Hair Removal Secrets

The 10 biggest hair removal mistakes you can make and how to avoid them!

Click Here for Hair Removal Secrets!

The right shade of RED LIPSTICK for you!

Red lipstick is a classic staple that should be in everyones makeup bag! But how do you know which SHADE of RED is best for you and your skin tone? And believe me is makes a HUGE difference.

Knowing which shade of red is best for your Skin Tone is KEY:

Fair Skin: Should lean more towards a coral-y red or any red color with orange and pink undertones work really well.
Medium Skin: Has the most red options! Anything from true red and pinky to cranberry undertones will compliment your skins warm undertones
Dark Skin: Look best in red lips with berry colored undertones. Try a burgundy or warm brick red color but make sure not to go too bright!

For suggestions on lipsticks for each skin tone click here

10 Sexy (& speedy!) Makeup Looks!

I absolutely LOVE every single one of these 10 sexy and gorgeous makeup looks from Allure!
Click here to see the 10 sexy & fast Makeup Looks!

Say Hello to Shellac nails!

One of the newest nail trends gaining momentum in 2011 is Shellac Nails. Ever heard of them?

Not a fan of regular manicures, but don’t want to ruin your nails with acrylics or gel nails? You might be saying Shellac, hmm what is this exactly? Shellac is a cross between gel nails and traditional nail polish. It gets applied like regular nail polish, but dries like a gel. Shellac gives your manicure a little more stability than the usual manicure, allowing it to last longer.

Shellac manicures take slightly more time because after each coat you have to put your hand under UV light. You are not getting as much UV light as you do with gels or acrylics. It is totally worth the few extra minutes, because immediately after you take your hand out of the UV light for the last time, your manicure is completely dry. Unfortunately, you can only receive a Shellac manicure at a salon; you cannot do it yourself from home. Salons everywhere are starting to offer this service. It is about 50% more in price, but will last twice as long as your regular manicure(anywhere from 2-3 weeks without chipping!)

BEWARE: You nails will grow out and cutucles will probably start showing around the 2 week mark depending on how fast your nails grow. You will also need to go back into the salon on order to have them removed as its is pretty difficult to do yourself

Right now, there are still a limited number of colors: shades of pink, red and brown. When I went in I decided that with fall fast approaching I would do one more last BRIGHT color and opted for hot pink! Next time I go back in, I'll be doing French Shellac.

My Thoughts:
So far, I'm really loving the shellac! My nails feel very durable and I even got a cute little design on one finger on each hand! I love that it feels like gel nails but without having to having to ruin your nails! So far, I feel thats its very worth the price, especially if you're into acylic or gel nails!

5 summer beauty essentials to keep in your beach bag!

1. Sunscreen! The absolute best thing you can do for your skin is protect it! I got a really bad sunburn on Sunday on my back not only does it burn(and starting to peel) but it makes it hard to sleep at night. Needless to say, its not worth it, use sunscreen and dont make my mistake by reapplying often!
2. Waterproof Mascara! Bargain brand: Maybelline one by one waterproof. Splurge: Cannonball Waterproof Mascara from Urban Decay.
3. A great summer color lipstick! Not only will it look great on your lips but you can blend a little on your cheeks like a cream blush for a rosie tint!
4. Makeup Remover/Cleansing wipes! After a long day on the beach its good to wipe off that sweat and sand!
5. Eyeliner! Take your look from day to night by adding some eyeliner. Try a fun color like purple or teal for the adventourous!

Happy Summer!

Extra, Extra! Read all about it: Newspaper nails and my favorite summer nail trends!

Newspaper Nails:

I'm loving this nail trend and its actually really easy to do! If you're like me, you cant afford to be in the nail salon every week but LOVE the all the chic nail trends you've been seeing everywhere - and this is a super chic and different look you can actually create easily at home! I did mine yesterday and they look FABULOUS!

What you'll need:

• A base nail polish color, I recommend a neutral color so you can see the black print clearly! I used "Like Linen" by Essie, its a creamy, off-white color similar to actual the paper that newspapers are printed on!
• Rubbing alcohol - 70-95% - I used 70% and it worked just fine!
• 10 Cut out Newspaper strips - large enough to cover your nail entirely.
• Top coat nail polish

Go ahead and apply a base polish(if you choose) and then 2 coats of your base color polish.
Make sure the nails have dried COMPLETELY before moving to the next step! I waited an hour just to be sure.
Dip your nail into the rubbing alcohol for 5 seconds then dip the newspaper strip in the alcohol.
Apply the newspaper strip to your nail and push down until it dries, about 20-30 seconds.
Remove newspaper and voila! Apply top coat polish to lock in the ink!

Other Summer Nail Trends I'm lovin'!

White nails are super hot this summer! A stark contrast to glowing skin, white nails are a beautiful way to bring out a tan in summer! Make sure you buy a polish that is thick enough to completely cover your nail. A translucent hue just won't look that good. 

I'm also loving bright colors this summer! Warm colors like pale yellows and corals and cool tones like blues are hot summer nail trends!

Happy nail painting ladies!

How to get a flawless summer glow!

June is finally here! And I'm super excited for the warm weather festivities! So todays blog will feature bronzing powders to get that GORGEOUS, healthy looking, summer glow! A golden glow is a summer essential and its super easy to get without soaking up harmful UV rays or baking in a tanning bed.

Taking a cue from the bronzed beauties that floated down the Spring 2011 runways of Gucci, Donna Karan, and Anna Sui, this seasons secret to bronzed beauty lies in the degrees of shimmer. This summer we will be seeing more subtle glows(keyword here is SUBTLE) than the deep, orange-y tans we're used to seeing. Golds and pink undertones are going to be a major stample this season!

But, before you go shoving your makeup brush into your favorite bronzer here are a couple of guidelines!

Dont sweat the technique! Prep your face with your favorite longwear liquid foundation followed by your favorite powder.

Do not use bronzer to set your makeup! You want to apply it over your usual powder and/or setting powder. HINT: Use a big, fluffy face brush to keep the finish seamless and natural looking.

Bronzer is like icing on the cake! My suggestion is to keep your natural skin color and not deviate from it too much. Keeping it sheer will ensure you get an elevated lift of color without going overboard! HINT: DONT FORGET to blend into your neck as well!

My favorite bronzers are from Stila Cosmetics(available at Sephora) because they come in varying colors to go perfect with your skin tone! You want something with a warm undertone with a touch of gold!

For a slightly more modern look I like to apply a little highlighter with a pinkish tone to the cheek bones. My favorite is Shell from MAC. And then blending a light pink blush with a Stila bronzer! It creates a beautiful natural looking glow!

Your guide to sunless tanners!

Beware of orange snooki glows and streaking! Choosing the right sunless tanner that wont leave you looking like a Jersey Shore cast member is important. lol.

Step by Step Guide to applying self tanner:


1. Prepare your body by showering, exfoliating(you can use a scrub for this or just a washcloth).
2. Dry your entire body thoroughly!
3. Now would be a good time to dry your hair as well! Think about it, you dont want any water dripping from your hair down your back and causing streaking!
4. Use gloves to avoid orange hands
5. Try circular motions instead of straight up-and-down, especially on your legs.
6. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME! Ideally you should not put any street clothes on for at least 2 hours. Definitely no exercising, cleaning, or doing anything that will make you sweat for a few hours.
7. Avoid rain, showering, washing hands, or coming into contact with water in general for at least 12-24 hours.
8. Maintain your tan using a lotion that doesnt contain alcohol.



Recommended products:

Worth the money: St. Tropez self tanning products ranging from $30-$40. My favorite is the mousse! You can find it at Sephora.com

Bargain Brand: I absolutely love Jergens Natural Glow Foam for $6-$10 (depending on where you buy it)

Lotion to extend your tan: My favorite is Nivea Body Essential Enriched Lotion

Flawless Foundation matching!

One of my biggest pet-peeves as a makeup artist is foundation matching! I see girls CONSTANTLY walking around with a foundation color that is not right for their skin tone! There should be no disctinction between where your foundation color was applied and where it ends!

Picking the right color:

So your at your local Sephora, Ulta, drugstore..etc., trying to pick out your "perfect" skin tone foundation match but alas, picking THE foundation color seems harder than finding THE man of your dreams these days!

Heres what you should know:

1. 8/10 times MOST women require a custom blend of 2 different colors of foundations. Yep, that just blew your mind, didnt it? I almost ALWAYS have to custom mix a foundation color for photoshoots and my clients, including myself! There are a few rare lucky ones whose skin perfectly match one color.

2. Their is another benefit to using 2 foundation colors! Your skin will obviously get lighter in the winter and darker in the summer, so you would most likely need a different "summer" color and a different "winter" color(unless you hibernate in your house all the time.) By already having 2 good foundation colors you can just mix a little more of the darker color in the summer and vice versa for your winter color!

3. Choose foundation colors that have YELLOW/WARM undertones. I've found that these work and look best on EVERYONE! If you hve dark skin aim for an orange/warm undertone.

4.Blend the foundation into your neck and ears. By blending your foundation down your neck, on your ears and behind your ears, you are creating the idea that you have flawless skin! This will help when it comes to getting rid of the distinct color mis hap between the face and neckline.

Flawless skin application

Flawless skin starts with a clean and moistureized face.

1. Apply a good primer based on your skin needs! My favorite is Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Primer. Primers are great for smoothing out uneven skin as well as filling in wrinkles and will help keep your makeup in place all day, as long as you dont use too much!

2. Apply your custom blended liquid foundation color! Remember, less is more - you dont want your skin looking cakey! Dont forget to blend it into your neck and ears. My favorite cheap foundation line is L'Oreal's True Match Foundation Colors in all colors starting with W. (The ones with the warm undertones)

3. Lightly apply some pressed or loose powder in your shade or use a finishing powder to set your liquid makeup.

4. Add a little contour and highlighting if you choose and do your makeup as normal!

If you are still having issues and feel you could use some extra guidance I offer Makeup Lessons!

Makeup lesson/revamp includes going through your current cosmetic bag, makeup application with lesson, as well as product recommendations. Normally $175 but I'm extending last month's special offer!

BEWARE: Buying Cosmetics Online(ebay, amazon, etc.)

Everyone nowadays is looking for some type of discount on the things they normally buy anyways. Like fake Channel and Coach purses, fake Jordans, fake designer anything is being sold from overseas, fake cosmetics have been popping up everywhere! A great rule of thumb is that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. In the past I've looked at products online but have never actually purchased because I was afraid of getting duped! I have looked up MAC brush sets that seemes to have ALL the brushes for a good price as well. After hours of research, comparing the brushes, and talking to the MAC counter, we agreed that they were more than likely NOT real MAC brushes. Same goes for eyeshadow pallets, lip gloss sets, etc. Just because it has the label doesnt mean its the real deal. Generally I stay away from EBay, amazon, and other sites like that offering discounts. I would rather pay the full price from the actual MAC/Urban Decay website knowing its the real thing and saving myself alot of research time.

But if you feel the need to give it a try, here are some guidelines for not getting screwed:
1. Always, ALWAYS ask questions, especially if you are concerned.
2. Buy only "New in Package"(NIP) products. If its not in its original packaging, RUN!
3. Always check seller reviews
4. If you do find a ligitimate person selling REAL cosmetics, I would continue to buy from the same people, that way you know already know the quality.
5. If you ever feel unsure about a transaction or get a "fishy" feeling, listen to your gut and pass on the product.

Remember, it isnt REALLY a good deal if you buy fake products! And because these products are being replicated overseas, you really dont know whats in them or the quality of them! You or the person you apply makeup on could have a bad reaction to a chemical they used in the product. Remember like fake purses, they are not using high quality materials to cut costs, thats why they are able to sell them so cheap.

Be good to your face, and it will love you back! Beware the online sellers and dont get duped! Like I said, if it doesnt feel right, walk away!