Winter Skin 911

It's the end of the year and the cold dry weather is taking its toll on my skin...again! Luckily this year I am ready and not struggling as I did last year. It was a nightmare really - nothing could quench my thirsty face. Plus everything I tried either had a horrible perfume-y smell or had lots of anti-aging stuff thrown in that ended up irritating. Then my product-loving friend gave me this sample of Atopalm, a thick, creamy, yet surprisingly not greasy (and NO SCENT) cream that can be used on the face or body. Talk about "saving face"! It's made specifically to replenish lipids in the skin but is ideal for super sensitive skin, including those with rosacea and eczema. This was a great discovery for me and I am still using it in winter (too heavy for other seasons). If you're interested, just google it because a lot of sites have free shipping.

Every winter my husband and I would get chapped lips and then our house and car and bags would be littered lip balms. I counted seven different ones on the night stand once. Then I did a wedding where the bride (Brenna, where are you girl?) and her mother were completely obsessed with Blistex Lip Medex. They had them everwhere, including the bridal emergency kit, and could not stop touting its amazing qualities. They were so adamant that I buy it but now I can see why. I put a little on before bed as a preventative measure but if your lips are severely chapped, this will help give immediate relief. It has that cooling feel and a medicinal smell but it works. It may take two or three days depending on how chapped but stick with it.

If the skin on your body is super dry, even after using thick creams or body butters, it's time for Aquaphor Healing Ointment. Like many makeup artists, I have a small one in my kit for various uses. I only recently realized that this would be perfect to put on my arms and legs and feet as a moisture treatment. It's so thick and heavy that you have to scoop it out. It feels like a thicker cleaner version of vaseline. You would think it would be unbearably greasy but it absorbs completely within minutes. It's almost magical! I'm still wondering how it's possible...

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone Happy Holidays. I have enjoyed meeting so many new people this year and re-connecting with old friends. Thank you for your support of this blog and for all of your wonderful ideas. Looking forward to 2010! Love, Cassandra

p.s. Here's a picture of my guys (Kai, Sho, and Takeshi) choosing our tree. This was a big decision that needed serious discussion :)

A Knot for Tying the Knot

I had so much fun hanging out with Jenna and her man during the wedding trial. He played a great mix of tunes for us and kept us entertained with his comedic style. We looked at several pictures she had for hair and makeup inspiration, including this really cool one (pictured here) of hair tied half up in a big knot to the back and slightly to the side of the head. She wanted to keep her hair's natural texture and curl for the most part but just de-frizz the "jew'fro" as she lovingly referred to her mane. We added in a few straighter pieces for fun and re-curled as necessary. For her makeup she wanted pale shimmery lids, brown liquid liner, and nude glossy lips. For the month following the trial I obsessed over it and lost sleep at night thinking about her makeup. I looked at the trial photos over and over. I liked what we settled on at the trial but I often think something better is right around the corner. About a week before the wedding it hit me - this MAC pigment (cream colored that has a hint of pink in certain light) would be absolute perfection on her. I also thought of the perfect gloss for her from Rouge Cosmetics that had a nude look but with a touch more pink. I was afraid her lips were at risk of looking too washed out in photos.
On the day of the wedding I showed her the alternate colors to see what she thought and she loved them. We added a beautiful hair ornament made by her cousin who also did the wedding flowers. When I was all finished and she saw herself in the mirror, she was overcome with emotion. "This is what I wanted," she cried, "I just didn't have the words." Moments like these mean everything to me. It's what I love, it's what I hope for (that every bride loves her looks!), and it's why I lie in bed thinking about things like eye shadow at night. The groom also had to wipe away the tears when he saw her for the first time out on the balcony of their suite. Sharing a private moment together like this is really a fabulous idea. It would be hard to explain this in a blog post, but these two were made for each other. I would like to wish them a long and happy life together. You guys rock! Thank you very much to Stephanie Violette Photography for several of the lovely pictures shown. You can see a cool picture of the crazy matching purple shoes this couple wore on Stephanie's website.

What's the Dealio with Dry Shampoo?

A few years ago, the concept of dry shampoo was foreign to most people but now it's being mentioned everywhere. In fact, Marie Claire magazine just named Klorane Dry Shampoo one of the 15 Best Products of ALL TIME. Rebecca Romijn said the Klorane was her one "desert island" product she couldn't live without. Dry shampoos are basically powders that absorb oil and odors and add texture. They come in a powder form (just like a bottle of baby powder) or a spray form (my favorite). Using traditional shampoo on your hair every day is a sure way to dry it out, damage it, and speedily fade out any color you've had done. Yet for many, hair becomes oily by the second day and something's gotta be done! Who might need dry shampoo? Let's see...

1. The Busy Mom - Can't take a shower until the kids are napping at 3:00 but still need to run errands and host a playdate. Luckily Oscar Blandi makes this nice travel size spray called Pronto that fits right in your diaper bag. And smells like lemon verbena!

2. The Partier - Shut the bars down at 2:00 am, hit the all night diner at 3:00, too tired to take shower by 4:00 but hair smells like cigarettes and french fries. Just spray some vanilla scented Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser and pass out.

3. The Always Late One - Oh NO! Overslept again and must catch bus to work in ten minutes. Hair looks a little greasy but no time to wash. Sponge bath and dry shampoo to the rescue!

4. The Oily-haired one - Ok, here are my rules for you. Use a clarifying shampoo, do not use conditioner anywhere on your hair except the roots if you have to, and put some mousse on the roots after showering. If roots seem a little crunchy when dry, just brush through. This will help slow up the oil production. Dry shampoo should get you through the next day.

5. The Thin/Limp-haired one - You already use volumizing products and blowdry your hair upside down and all that jazz. Yet the next day you are back to thin and limp hair. Add some texture and body back with dry shampoo.

6. The Coarse-haired one - Your hair looks terrible when you first wash it, all frizzed out and unruly. Yet by day three, the natural oils have calmed it down and things are looking better. Hey, even Justin Timberlake confesses to only washing his hair every ten days. If there were just a way to wash only the roots of your hair... Oh wait! There is!

7. The Salon Regular - Don't you wish you could have that professional blow-out salon look ALL the time? Some people do. They go to the salon for a blowout once a week (say Monday or Tuesday) and then use dry shampoo to keep the style going through Friday. Multiply the price of a blowout by 4 and it doesn't seem that outrageous for having amazing hair the entire month.

8. The Stylist - There's no better way on a photo shoot to add some grip and volume to a style (especially with super clean hair) than this. Batiste is a hair stylist's kit staple and super affordable.

I thought of some more (The Camper! The Humanitarian!) but you get the idea. Remember to keep spray about 12 inches from your roots. Let dry and then brush through. Powder (try baby powder if you're not sure this is for you) needs to be shaken, then quickly open bottle and poof powder into the air ABOVE hair so that it lightly falls down on head. If you poof it directly onto the hair, you will have big white spots. It's kind of like spraying perfume in front of you and then walking into it. People with really dark brown or black hair need to be careful because even the sprays can show up as white if used too closely. There are some dry shampoos made especially for dark hair (try Orlando Pita T3 Refresh Volumizing Dry Shampoo in dark tone - also comes in light and auburn ). One of the first companies to try colored ones was Bumble and Bumble. I hope they re-formulate because it's a great concept but the product is a little too sludgy. Want to try one that's not so heavily scented? Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo may be the one for you.

L'Oreal HiP review

The thing about drugstore makeup, especially powdery stuff like eye shadows and blush, is that it used to be so sheer. When trying it on, it rarely looked like the color in the case. L'Oreal HiP (High Intensity Pigments) changed all that by giving us "intense color payoff" in a drugstore brand and it has been immensely popular with regular folks and beauty editors alike. I decided to compare a few HiP versions of some of my favorite products, starting with MAC pigments (color shown: melon). A staple in every pro's kit, MAC pigments ($20) are moist (see how it clumps up from the moisture), velevety smooth, and made to adhere to the skin - unlike most shimmers that blow away or fall off without pressing them or mixing them into another product. I found the HiP Shocking Shadow Pigments (color shown: visionary) to be only slightly grainier than MAC's but adhered fairly well and looked almost the same on the skin. HiP Pigments ($12) come in a much smaller jar but it is PLENTY for individual use and it also comes with a nice little brush to apply it with. I have gotten a lot of compliments on this golden color which works great to brighten the eyelid and inner corner of the eye.

The HiP Cream Shadow Paints ($12) are almost exact replicas of the MAC paints ($16) (note: I think MAC stopped making new paint colors and changed the format to Paint Pots). You can use the little brush it comes with to apply the cream but you need to act VERY fast. Once it dries it is literally budge proof and there is no turning back. There is probably a better margin of error if you use a color that is close to your skin tone but with a dark one like steely (shown above), you need above average blending skills to use it on its own. A better idea is to use steely as a base for a super smoky eye then go over it with a dark shadow and use a fluffy brush to blend away any edges.

Several cosmetics lines are coming out with their versions of the immensely popular Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils ($17). These are very creamy and blendable (for a short time only - about 30 seconds) and once set they do not budge. They are even waterproof and come in fun chrome metallic colors. I have been enjoying HiP's Color Chrome Eyeliner in violet volt ($10) - even though the color looks closer to navy blue in some lighting. The package says "liquid pencil" (huh?) but it goes on very smoothly like a gel. In fact it's so smooth that it's almost slippery as it glides across the eye and it's so soft that you can easily put a lot on with just a touch (slightly softer and creamier than Urban Decay's). It therefore needs constant sharpening. I almost always need a little brush or smudger to blend it just a tad so it doesn't look so much like a clear line. Also like the Urban Decay ones, you need to act fast before it sets. It claims to be smudge-resistant and I would agree with that for the most part. There are liners that last longer than this but not many in a pencil form.

Backstage at Bridal Fashion Week

Like Fashion Week, Manhattan is abuzz with designers and shows and parties during Bridal Fashion Week. This year I worked behind the scenes at the Wedding Trendspot Spring 2010 runway show as part of the MG Hair and Makeup (my agency!) beauty team. The look for the models was bronze-y with coppery eyes and a "bitten" mouth. Stainiac's hint of tint lip and cheek gel stain was applied to models' lips in the universally flattering color beauty queen (sheer berry pink) and topped with a dab of sheer melon gloss. Hair was casually smoothed half back with subtle twists on the side and loose cascading curls down the back. We were each assigned a model to help dress during the show. Never a dull moment behind the stage as models sprinted back from the runway over and over, unzipping their dresses and diving into the next one, all while wearing 5-inch heels! At times it seemed surreal with all of the taffeta, chiffon, and silk layers flying around with headpieces and bustles, tulle and jewelry. Fifteen designers' collections were showcased and the pace was fast. These girls rocked it! A very big thank you to Paul Newland at Solvara.com for sharing some of his great show photos with me.

Just One of the Guys? Not Tonight!

I love receiving messages like the one I got from Robyn recently. "I need to book you! I got this invitation and it says 'dress to impress!'". Special events are fun because it's a great excuse to do makeup and hair that's way more glamorous than you would normally wear. Robyn is not a big makeup wearer and dresses pretty casually. She hangs out with a lot of guys doing things like watching football. She decided this was the perfect event to remind them that she is, in fact, a woman. Channeling her inner Jessica Rabbit, she chose a slinky little black dress and super smoothed hair perfectly rounded in front and back. I told her I was feeling bold and that I really wanted to put a ton of black eyeliner and shadow on her. She had never worn black makeup in her life. "But it's a nighttime event and this will be makeup that looks good at night. Circle of trust! Circle of trust!" I said, making my case. She decided to go for it and couldn't believe it when I showed her the mirror. Even her trademark freckles were completely gone. "Woa!" she said. And apparently that's what the guys said too when they saw her. I got a two-word email the next day with these pics attached: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

A Perfect Mess

Erin is one of the biggest characters I've ever met! Larger than life would be a total understatement. Her Motown-themed wedding in the Harlem church where she is a gospel singer was as unique as she is. And just like how she knew her man was the one for her (he agreed to dress as a can of Raid to complement her sparkly cockroach costume for Halloween), she knew exactly how she wanted her makeup. "Not too matte!" she warned me. A nice glow with long lashes and a little melon colored shimmer on the eyes to match her delicious wedding colors of creamsickle and tangerine. "Satin finish on the lips please - I'm not really a gloss girl." No problem. Love a girl who knows what she wants. When it came to the hair, she knew she wanted some texture added and finger-raked back with a few pieces falling out. We played around with the back but it just seemed too curly and "done" for her taste. On the day of the wedding she watched in the mirror as I, under her orders, roughed up the waves in the back. She kept saying "Messier!" so I went for it until I heard the word "Perfect!". Yay! Many thanks to Convey Photography for the photos. Good luck Erin! I had so much fun getting to know you!

Showing Off Some Gorgeous Hair

Tristanne has some of the most beautiful hair I've ever played with: long, thick, lush, and a gorgeous deep brown color. I was excited that she decided to show it off and wear her hair down for the wedding. We went for a combination of waves, curls, and her hair's natural texture so it didn't look too "done" and had nice movement. We ended up having a fun little beauty party that morning with her sister (a complete beauty junkie like myself) doing the bride's makeup and then I did her sister's makeup. The groom's mother also joined our little beauty party. There was something very special about the way they interacted with each other. They all had so much respect and love for one another. It was such a pleasure to spend time with them. Lina Jang photographed this wedding like the rock star that she is. Good luck, Tristanne! Come back to New York soon! We miss you!

My Allure Magazine "Debut"

On my very first blog post I talked about how exciting it was to have my ideas for an Allure magazine article make it all the way to their editor. She even said the ideas were great! The story was to be a re-cap of "The Year in Beauty" so I submitted ideas for makeup, hair, and fashion. I was absolutely thrilled to receive the October 2009 issue and find three of my ideas there in print! Of course I'm sure I wasn't the only one with those ideas, but still....! The three ideas that made the cut were 1) the uproar over Michelle Obama's bare arms - especially in her official First Lady portrait, 2) the media backlash over Jessica Simpson's "mom jeans", and 3) the "ugly duckling" story of the year: Susan Boyle. So I have to recommend this issue to everyone, not just so you can see my "debut", but because it's the Allure Best of Beauty 2009 issue. People like me wait for this issue all year to see what products win in each makeup, hair, and skin category. If you are confused about products or find the sheer amount of them overwhelming, this is the issue for you!

Lash Lengthener Last Call

The Estee Lauder Company just announced that they are closing their Prescriptives division after 30 years as of January 31st :( That means you only have a few months left to purchase one of the best mascaras ever created and their best selling product: False Lashes. It has tiny fibers mixed into it that adhere to the ends of your real lashes to make them look even longer. If you already have a mascara that you love but like the idea of trying the fibers, get their Lash Builder Mascara Base Coat. It is a clear primer full of fibers that you put on before your regular mascara is smoothed over the top. When visiting with my neice earlier this summer, we got the chance to talk about her upcoming wedding makeup and play around with some products. Penny had just bought the new Maybelline Pulse Perfection by Define-A-Lash Vibrating Mascara [many of you know I'm a fan of the Define-A-Lash mascaras -not sure I need it to vibrate though!] and tried it with the Prescriptives Base Coat, which she often uses with her mascara. Since she already has pretty long lashes, we agreed that it was kind of "overkill" for a wedding so she ended up wearing the vibrating mascara on its own that day. As you can see from the picture I snapped, the lashes were certainly out there! For those with sensitive eyes and contact wearers, mascaras and primers that contain fibers are not recommended as they can be irritating to some wearers.

To Each Her Own

Each year I wonder what the trends for bridal parties that I work with will be. This year brides seem to be very relaxed when it comes to their bridal party's hair and makeup, letting them choose a style that they like and that suits their hair length and texture. I am always careful to make sure that none of them come too close to the bride's look unless she approves of it. As an artist, it's fun to work with a "variety pack" like this wedding where I styled the bridal party's hair. They were such a fun group that I smile whenever I look at this picture. Thanks to Bill Fredericks Studio for the photos.

Mascara for Sensitive Eyes

Putting mascara on your eyes is like putting shoe polish on them. For those with sensitive skin, mascara is usually the worst offender. I was just visiting with my friend Kristina and she said "You know, I'm still using that mascara you recommended to me a couple years ago. It's the only thing I've ever found that doesn't irritate my eyes or smudge all over." That is exactly the reason I love blinc mascara. You don't even need soap to remove it! A few brush strokes form micro "tubes" around the lashes that can be removed with warm water and gentle wiping. The result is a sink full of what looks like little spider legs. Weird, yet somehow great. The "tubes" stay on your lashes all day until removed but are not harsh on your eyes or lashes like a waterproof mascara is. The mascara seems to perform better after using it for about 2 weeks so give it a chance to "air out".

Born in Japan under the name KissMe, it soon became a hard-to-find cult item in boutiques across the U.S. The packaging and name have since been updated but the formula remains the same. No trendy brushes or fibers here. Just straight up wonderful mascara!

Naturally Curly Solutions

I was very happy to receive an email from Nicole, a bride whose hair I styled for her wedding, reporting that her hair remained frizz-free the entire day. Yes!!! Nicole has super curly hair that is seriously prone to frizz, especially in the humid New York summers. Even so, I applauded her for choosing to showcase her beautiful natural hair (and for choosing a red wedding dress!). We decided to start with the BEST gel for curly hair on the planet: DevaCurl's AnGell, applied to super wet, combed hair. Nicole recognized and loved the gel since she had just gotten her hair cut at their famous salon, Devachan. When it comes to curls, the top two rival salons in the country are Devachan and Ouidad.

I first learned about Devachan working as an assistant at a wedding several years ago. A curly-haired bride had hired her own special stylist for the day (Lorraine Massey, Devachan founder). The bride's wet hair was so loaded with gel that I was alarmed. She was instructed to let it air dry. Both could see the concern on my face and told me not to worry - to wait and see what happened. As it dried, the hair strands plumped up into smooth, bouncy, frizz-free curls. It astounded me. I got to hear all about the philosophy behind her products and salon and none of my curly-haired friends who I've forced to go there have ever been disappointed.

Nicole's hair needed a finishing cream to smooth the strands a bit more and to add some shine. I worried that my favorite Fekkai Glossing Cream would be too oily on the gel (contains olive oil) but an extensive search of other products turned up only products that are applied to wet hair before styling. I decided to go with the John Freida Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream. I found it to be very light for a finishing cream (perfect for someone with thin or oily hair) so I had to use quite a bit on Nicole. We finished with the Frizz-Ease Moisture Barrier Firm-Hold Hairspray. This spray is too firm for everyday use in my opinion, but good at blocking out humidity for special occasions. I'm looking forward to trying the new Garnier Fructis anti-humidity hairsprays (Sleek & Shine, Volumizing, and Full Control). Congrats Nicole! And thank you to Ryan Brenizer Photography for the photo!

Lauren Luke's Makeup Launch

I am so proud of my girl, Lauren Luke! Long ago my friend Julie sent me one of her YouTube makeup instructional videos. It had a real homemade feel but she was incredibly bold with color and did an amazing job on herself. Best of all, she seemed like England's version of a "down home" girl. I got the feeling I was chatting about makeup with a girlfriend. In other words, you can't NOT love her. Apparently I was not the only one who liked her "every woman" appeal. Her youtube channel (screen name panacea81) subscribership grew to over 250,000 and has had millions of hits. This week her dream of having her own makeup line came true. I can't wait to try her beautiful, affordable palettes. Sephora even had a special launch for her By Lauren Luke collection at the opening of its Times Square store. Good for you, Lauren!

Indian Wedding

When I met Sarah for her wedding hair and makeup trial, she told me about the Indian wedding she had planned and showed me the most gorgeous red embroidered dress and ornate jewelry she was going to wear. I was immediately excited and a little bit jealous (I want an Indian wedding! How cool!). She has straight hair that does not usually hold a curl so she had already ruled out her favorite styles and was ready to settle on a simple bun. I asked her what her dream hairstyle was and to let me decide whether or not it was doable. She wanted textured hair that was finger combed to the side into a subtly messy curly little chignon. I thought we should at least TRY for it - it is a trial after all. We were both pleasantly surprised with the result. We decided on a grey smoky eye but kept it very very light since she was not used to wearing so much makeup. Then came the element that we would both lose tons of sleep over: lip color. She normally wears pale pinks but they seemed washed out and did not match the dress. Warmer versions looked too warm. Sheer reds and darker colors looked too vampish. As a former bride myself (who obsessed over the day's lip color for ages), I decided we needed more time to shop for the perfect color. She would go to the makeup counter and find one that she liked and I would continue to search. It began to haunt me. Should I break my "red lips" rule? No red lips at a wedding unless it is part of her everyday makeup routine and people are used to seeing her that way. But this was an Indian wedding - certainly cause for a waiver. I consulted my colleagues and they all recommended a flesh tone. Yes. Something close to the natural color of her lips. When we met back up on her wedding day she showed me the results of three trips to various counters: glossy red, long lasting red, and exactly-matching-the-dress red. I showed her the two fleshy nudes I found (ones with enough color that she wouldn't looked washed out) and you cannot believe her reaction. Is there a word that means jubilant relief? We tried it on and she sighed so heavily I could see the weight on her shoulders instantly lifted. "I didn't want to wear red!" she confessed. "You don't have to" I said. And with that I was reminded of why I have the "red lips rule" in the first place. You can look more glamorous on your wedding day - it is a special occasion after all - but you still should look like you. Congratulations Sarah! You are a sweetheart! A special thanks to Lewis Studios for the beautiful photos.