Showing posts with label Urban Decay cosmetics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Urban Decay cosmetics. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Back to School - Part 2 - Color You Gorgeous!

Fall is my favorite season!
As I mentioned in my previous post, I really, really dig fall. As a kid, I grew up in Wisconsin, where fall actually meant crisp air and falling leaves and back to school in September.  In Fort Worth, where I currently live?  Not so much.  Kids start school in August and fall doesn't hit until much later in the year...late October, early November or so.  I relish in it once it arrives!  Whether you're in school, you're a teacher, going to work every day or a mom running kids to class, Back to School is a state of mind...the end of summer, time for transitions.  If you read Part 1 of my Back to School beauty tips (if you missed it, click here to read), then your skin is in shape...now it's time to add a little color to your life!  What are some easy ways to switch up your makeup routine this fall?  Read on....

 
Change up your lip game -  Fall is  great time to switch out your clear gloss or summer lipbalm for a creamy lipstick in a peachy/pink or even a deep berry...these colors look great most everyone and will work well with your new wardrobe too.  If you're not a lipstick fan, try a lipbalm/stain combo like Revlon's fall Colorburst Balm Stain in Crush or Smitten....it applies like a lip balm, but adds a sheer wash of color.
Stick to pinks, berries, reds and peachy shades....brown shades are everywhere in fall, but they're not always flattering, especially on paler skin tones.
Personally, I love a really deep berry for fall!  It looks great with heavier clothing and darker colors, plus it really gives a pop of color to my (year 'round!) pale skin....
One of my favorite shades is "Shame" by Urban Decay....even though it's not technically fall yet in Texas (still around 100 degrees daily), I had to break out a little wishful fall makeup last week!




Try a new way to blush - Have you been skipping blush on top of your tan this summer, or just using bronzer? When cooler temps hit, you'll need to transition to a little more cheek color to compensate for paler skin. Try a sheer, blendable gel formula (Try Butter London's Cheeky blush in Abbey Rose) for staying power to last through long days of class and after school activities.  Blend well onto the apples of your cheeks with a dampened Beauty Blender sponge...don't bring color too low!  For even longer lasting blush, try a gel formula, set with powder and then add a light dusting of powder blush on top.  Pinks, peachy shades, sheer poppy or berry all work on a variety of skin tones.  Go easy on bronzer in fall and winter, use sparingly for a light glow!

(photo credit: lipstickwithsunshine.com)
 
School /Work Appropriate Eye Makeup - Not sure how much eye makeup is appropriate for school , work or PTA meetings this fall?  Easy test.... if your eye makeup would fit in at the club or on a red carpet, it's definitely too much for daytime!  When it doubt, keep it simple.  A wash of buttery gold shadow (try L'Oreal infalliable shadow in Iced Latte) or shimmery taupe shadow provides a bit of definition and looks
(photo credit: seeyourinterest.com)
great on most everyone.....avoid bright colors and too much sparkle, save that for nights out. Dark brown or black liner traced lightly into lash lines,  plus mascara will give your eyes a bit of polish that looks great whether you're a sorority pledge or the one teaching a roomful of students....pretty much any situation! 
 
Fall-worthy Lashes and Brows - If your lashes are very light or got bleached out from summer, be sure to coat your lashes all the way down to the tip!  Choose a mascara with a tiny wand, such as one made for lower lashes, like Maybelline Lash Discovery.  Other ideas?  You can buy small disposable wands at a cosmetic supplier inexpensively to use with your favorite mascara, and Sephora has a great brush to try...it's a tiny fan brush that lets you paint on your favorite mascara root to tip. (Sephora Pro collection brush #220).
If your brows are like mine...much lighter than my hair and bleach out easily in the sun....be sure to fill them in a bit.  Use a bit of brow powder (Senna and Anastasia have great options) and a tiny angled brush.  Don't go overboard!  Just lightly fill in sparse areas and darken them up a bit if they're bleached out.



Follow these tips for a fresh look that is just right for fall!  What's YOUR favorite way to transition your makeup look from summer to fall?  Share in the comments below!




 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Behind the Scenes - Film Noir/ Roaring 20s Shoot at A&M Gardens

Holy Great Gatsby!  I did a photo shoot Sunday night and all kinds of vintage fabulousness ensued.  I've done a Great Gatsby/20s style shoot before, but that one was light and feminine, with a  blond model.  This one had a totally different feel...a brunette model, much darker makeup, a handsome "groom", and amazing lighting that allowed the photographer to create an edgy/moody vibe.  But first, hair and makeup!  Here's what went down:



                                                            Our model, Jenny....

                                                      Creating a major smoky eye....
                                                      Almost done, did a quick test shot.....

                                                 And done!  Makeup is ready to go......

I used a TON of products to create this look, but basically I used a mix of black, gray, brown, taupe and burgundy/red shadows to create tons of depth and dimension in the 20's smoky eye, plus tons of black liner and the biggest lashes I had in stock to go with the extreme, over the top glamorous look.  I sculpted her cheeks with contour powder, defined and darkened her brows and added an oxblood/burgundy lip shade topped with a tiny bit of shadow for a plush look.  Love it! I get super excited when the image I have in my head is exactly how it turns out.  With makeup like this, it's 100% about the context, lighting and photography...I wanted to make it historically accurate, but yet push the boundaries a bit so it would photograph well.  With makeup done, I sent Jenny over to my #1 hair gal, Renn Traylor to create a flirty 20's look reminiscent of Clara Bow:



We also did hair and makeup for our handsome groom, Hunter and then we started shooting just as the sun went down.  Ian Miller of MVision Photography captured some GREAT shots.  The bulk of them will be published at a later date, but here are a few images to give you an idea.  I love everything...the models rocked it, the lighting, the mood even the vintage car....all of the elements really came together.  The old Hollywood glam headshot of Jenny that Ian captured (see below) may be one of my favorite images examples of my work...EVER.  Can't wait to see the rest of the photos...so exciting!



 

Check back for more photo shoot images in the coming weeks!

Photography - MVision Photography
Makeup - Jennifer Trotter, Lip Service Makeup
Hair - Renn Traylor, Renn Does Hair
Dress - Bliss Bridal
(Other elements not pictured are paper goods by Lauren Blake Paper, cake by Kakes by Kay)