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!