Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Should you Keep Your Makeup in the Fridge? (Daily Makeover Feature)

Image - Pinterest
Is your fridge full of healthy food, leftovers or "single girl style"... champagne, cake and accessories... like this one?  Probably something a little in between, but can I just say that I really want to know if you really do keep a feather boa in your crisper drawer....#weirdbutfabulous! What about beauty products and cosmetics...do you store any of your faves in the refrigerator?  Nail polish, lipsticks, face creams....do they benefit, or break down...from being in the cold?  There are opinions on both sides of the coin, that's for sure!

When Daily Makeover called to ask my opinion, here's what I had to say.....


When NOT to put cosmetics in the fridge: 
  • Kohl eye pencils ...the ones you use on your inner rims...you want those to be nice and soft, not hard. Ouch!
  • Cream or Gel cosmetics like blushes and lipsticks shouldn't go in and out of the fridge....the inconsistent temps and repeated cooling/warming/cooling cycle will lead to condensation and changes in the texture of the product.  Gels and creams that are too cold also won't apply or blend well.
  • Many people swear by putting nail polish in the fridge, but this can actually make the polish thicker over time,..not good! (Cosmetic manufacturers recommend room temp for nail polish.)
  • If your fridge is overstocked with food, especially potential contaminants like raw meats. If you do put products in the fridge anyway, dedicate a separate drawer or even a small tub with a lid. the last thing you'd want for products going on your face is contamination risk from food products, or makeup that smells like leftovers...yuck!
When Fridge storage could be a good idea:
  • Eye creams and serums feel great refrigerated!  The cold will work especially well in the
    morning to de-puff the undereye area, especially in summer.
  • If you live in a really hot area and it's hard to keep your home cool, keeping a few precious items in the fridge might work for you.  (We're talking ambient temps indoors above 80 or so)
  • If you accidentally melt a lipstick, a few minutes in the fridge will return it to it's normal shape and consistency.  
  • Lip or Eye pencils - If you want a really sharp point on your lip or eye pencil, a few minutes in the fridge before sharpening will do the trick. 
  • Organic or homemade cosmetics without preservatives must go in the fridge, but be sure to check expiration because although they will stay fresh longer, they won't stay fresh indefinitely.

My #1 Favorite beauty item to keep in the fridge?  My gel eye mask!   When you wake up with a puffy face or eyes from allergies or lack of sleep, a few minutes with this cold mask on your face will wake you right on up!  Seriously, nothing works better to de-puff and fake a good night's sleep...I learned this trick during the days when I needed to be in FRONT of the camera, theses babies really work. (A gel eye mask is also a great quick fix post nap...read more here....)

Be sure to check out the article with a few of  my comments, plus a few from other beauty experts on the topic.  I always say, if it works for you, then it's not wrong!  When it comes to keeping beauty products in cold storage, it's truly just a matter of opinion. What about you...any beauty products you swear work better when kept in the fridge? 

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Lip Service Makeup - By The Numbers

Do you read Allure magazine?  They've always got that little feature near the front, "Beauty by the Numbers" that lists out fun beauty stats using numbers.....some movie star uses 27 jars of face cream each year or whatnot...so interesting!  (Check out this article about Fashion Week by the Numbers for an example...)


So....for fun, I just threw this together with my own little set of random Lip Service Makeup number factoids.  I limited it to items where I either knew the actual number, or could somehow find it, or count to get it.  Ready?  Here we go......

Shoot with Troy Aikman at Valley Ranch

Tip published in Bridal Guide
58 dozen - Number of false lashes I purchased last year

Just a few lashes in my stash!
16 - number of different lash styles I keep in my kit

1 - number of SuperBowl winners I've worked with (hey Troy! )

3 - number of "red lip" purses I own (2 gifts, one I bought myself)


7-14 - age range of the group of Girl Scouts I made up for a National Shoot last year

5 - average number of magazine/blog  beauty tips, and articles I write/submit to various publications each week

714 - number of faces...women, men and children that I applied makeup to in 2014 (I only started keeping track 3 years ago...no idea what my annual average was in the past!)

23 - number of years I've been a pro artist (I started when I was 5...ba dum dum...! I wish...)

18 - how many years ago I created the original Lip Service logo

1 - number of feature films I've worked on thus far - hasn't been released yet..: (  It was fun though!

A super cute lip purse I got as a birthday present!
13- Number of lipsticks/glosses in my purse this very second

6- Number of those lipstick/glosses that are various shades of red (what?  You thought it'd be more?!?)

70 - number of lovely brides I had the pleasure of beautifying last year (Love you girls!!)

16 - Total number of those brides who happen to be nurses


Doing Taylor's bridal makeup....


15 - number of faces in my largest wedding party thus far

1 - Number of times I've done makeup for a girl going to a KISS 106.1 sponsored 100% surprise prom  (it was so cool!  Read more here...)

40- number of minutes I usually schedule for makeup per person on wedding day (a perfect, relaxed pace)
Ashley's surprise prom!

12 - number of minutes I spent per person when I needed to do makeup for 14 fourteen year olds in just under 3 hours (Whew! that was fast!)

Speed makeup on 14 girls!
2 - number of makeup chairs I own (one stays in my car, one for my home studio)

0 - number of times I've applied brown blush to my clients (yuck...it's a pet peeve of mine)

25, 686 - Number of pageviews on my blog right now

1696 - Number of pageviews on my blog from followers in Russia (Russians really dig Lip Service I guess?)

- total percentage of my social media followers who are men (Thanks guys!)

4am - time I had to get up to do a big, morning wedding on my birthday last year

89 - number of before/after pics I could find with my striped shower curtain in the background (from my cozy, home studio!)
Sweet Ashley again...see that striped curtain on the right?!?
18 - Bags of Hershey kisses I purchased last year to go into touch up kits/goodie bags (a girl's gotta have her emergency wedding day chocolate!)

6 - Average number of Saturdays I have off each year ( #1 goal? SLEEP!  After that, I'll run errands, get a massage., spend time with friends and family....I try to make those days off count!)

365 - Number of days each year I thank God that I stumbled into this profession I love so much!  (Ok that was cheesy, but I had to throw it in!)



For real...this job truly is my passion!  Not just doing makeup, but helping women feel beautiful, teaching, writing, forming bonds with brides who become friends, and vendors who are now like family.  I'm so grateful to everyone who supports and encourages me so I can do what I do.  And the number I'd put on that?  You guessed it...#priceless.

Have a great day everyone!!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Foolproof One-Step Eyeshadow that Works on Everyone...Really!

When I teach lessons and classes, women always tell me that they are overwhelmed with makeup....so many brands, so many types, so many techniques....just too many choices.  That's great for special nights out when you want to experiment and do it up, but for everyday, most women want a simple and quick go-to that always works, no fuss, no muss.  Makes sense, right?  Well ladies, you came to the right place...I have your foolproof plan of action for a simple, easy eye makeup routine that takes seconds, but still looks great!

                                                                 Pinterest.com

SIMPLE DAILY EYE
Start by choosing a neutral shade in a shimmer formulation....bronze, gray and taupe work best! Taupe...or a cross between bronze and gray, works on everyone because it isn't too warm or cool, and the color will automatically adjust to your skin tone.  Bonus....these shades look great with any eye color too!

Apply shadow over lid area up to brow bone and blend well so there are no edges.  Use your finger or a medium size shadow brush to blend.  No need to apply in the crease, you're aiming for a soft wash of overall color.  See how simple this is?!?!  No need for 12 rainbow shades, if you want to keep it quick...this one shade will get it done!

Add a little black mascara and poof, you're ready to go!  If you want more definition, you can add a little black liner like in the photo above, but you don't have to.

A few things to note:

- Choose a shade that isn't too warm (orange) or too cool (frosty or blue looking) for the most flattering effect
- Don't choose a shade with glitter...shimmer and glitter aren't the same!  Shimmer consists of very tiny shimmery particles blended seamlessly into the shadow pigment, glitter is chunkier particles that you can clearly see.  IMO, glitter should be saved for costumes, halloween, cheer competitions, drag shows and Las Vegas.  Ok, MAYBE a girls night out, but you get the idea....it's generally not a good choice for a daytime, natural look. ; )
- Since you're only using one shade, be sure to blend well...no lines!
- Choose a powder, or consider a cream formula.  Cream formulas are super long lasting and don't need eyeshadow primer...again, be sure the shimmer in a cream formula isn't too obvious.

Here are a few of my favorite shades at different price points, but it's not important to choose these specific ones...any similar shade will work.



                                                   MAC Cosmetics - Satin Taupe

                                                     "Barlust" - bottom left corner
                          From the Urban Decay "Smoked Palette" - Sadly, Discontinued!
A closer look at "Barlust" from Urban Decay

                               Maybelline "Bad to the Bronze" - a great cream shadow option!

So there you have it...a super quick eye that anyone can master, with no worries that you picked the wrong color for your skin tone or eye color.  Have fun finding your perfect "one stop shop" shade and tell us what it is!  Everyone can use a new favorite. This eye look  really couldn't be any easier! Simple and quick without sacrificing looking polished and pretty......AND out the door in a flash in the morning.  I think that's a win-win-win!!!!