Rock it Like a Redhead!

When the popular blog "How to Be a Redhead" asked me to contribute to a feature article on favorite makeup tips for redheads, I was beyond excited!

 I LOVE redheads....I'm an auburn girl myself, and would love to go MORE red, I'm just afraid to screw it up! ( I do my own color)  So for now, I keep it goof-proof by choosing a shade that is spot on with my natural one.  At some point, don't be surprised if I wind up with a shade like Emma Stone rocked earlier this year...love it!

 

Emma Stone - Movie Star style!  Flawless skin, major lashes and bold coral red lip

Redheads are unique in so many ways....did you know that only 1-2% of the population are natural gingers?  The rest are probably paying a great colorist....and often, because red shades are known to fade quickly and require the most upkeep.  Gingers also don't go grey....their red gradually fades to softer shades of peach and then eventually turns white.  Most natural redheads are born with brown or hazel/green eyes...red hair with blue eyes (both recessive genes) is the rarest combination of all.  Makeup on redheads isn't as tricky as you think, as many old-wives tales just aren't true....and yes, a redhead can DEFINITELY rock a red lip, as show in Emma's pic above!  The colors I choose have more to do with the specific shade of their hair, the freckle situation and personal style.  Here are just a few redhead makeovers I've done in the past few months....

Naturally pretty - lightly defined taupe eyes, peachy pink cheeks and  pinky nude lips

Ginger Mama of the Bride - Lilac and plum on eyes, flirty lashes, peaches and cream skin, medium pink cheeks and lips

Sophisticated Bridesmaid - Smoky eye in shades of navy and plum, aubergine liner, lashes and plenty of liner, rosy cheeks and lips

Professionally gorgeous - tawny shades on eyes, defined hunter green liner, ginger peach cheeks and lips

Sultry, but natural - fresh looking skin, black lashes, lightly defined eyes, rosy cheeks and lips

Old Hollywood Glam - Major lashes and black liner, flawless skin, defined brows and bold blue/red lip

Everyday polish - flawless skin, neutral eye, medium pink lips

Natural bride...fresh skin, taupe shadow, flirty lashes, pinky/nude lips

Fiery Bridesmaid - Soft smoky eye in shades of coffee and plum, rosy cheeks and lips

 

Glam Bride - Beige gold eye, major lashes and liner, defined brows, bold fuschia/red lip

From fiery red to soft strawberry shades, these ladies are all rockin' variations on the ginger look!  Notice the makeup ranges from soft and natural, to a sultry smoky eye to a bold red lip and everything in between?  There are even more options, these are just a few redhead pics I could grab quickly from my digital stash.  There are a lot of makeup choices for flame-haired beauties, but I do have some favorite "go-to's for redheaded girls.  If you're a redhead, you've GOT to check out "How to Be A Redhead"....it's a super fun blog with all sorts of fun tips, including my top 7 makeup products that are fabulous on redheads!  Plus you can buy t-shirts like this......

ROCK IT LIKE A REDHEAD!
 

5 Elements of a GREAT Makeover....and this one is TWICE as nice!

I was filing some digital images from recent weeks and couldn't stop staring at these two transformations...stunning 17 year old bridesmaids who are twins!  I love before and afters as much as you do, and we all know we love the after...but why?  What elements make an "after" so eye catching?  Check out the before/afters, and then I'll give you a breakdown of what you're seeing and why it works:

 

In my opinion, here's why these makeovers work...

 

1. The Makeup is age/occasion/personal style appropriate.  They're 17, so they want to look pretty for their friend's wedding, but a super heavy (shall we say, tarty?) look just wouldn't be right on either girl.  The style of makeup you choose should fit your age, your coloring, your style, the occasion....all of the above.  This makeup does!  Incidentally, this look would work on nearly any age....it's a classically pretty look and that never goes out of style.

 

2. Skin still looks like skin! Breakouts and discoloration are minimized without creating a heavy look.  I used highly pigmented products applied in sheer layers to cover what needed to be covered without it looking like a coat of paint!  It's smoother and perfected, but it still looks like skin...not plastic or like they are covered in 3 inches of makeup.  It doesn't feel heavy either, which is important too. You can still see their freckles poking through!  Love that....

 

3. The colors are right/ no harsh lines - Soft pinks and plums look heavenly on brown eyed brunettes!  Everything is blended down well, the lip and cheek color emulates a natural flush and the eye makeup makes their brown eyes really stand out.  Black liner and black mascara (plus false lashes for pop!) work on everyone...everything else is in muted shades with nothing harsh and no unblended lines.

 

4. Brows!  These girls both have really thick strong brows!  I tweezed to clean up the shape, brushed them up and filled in a bit with brow pomade to highlight them.  Notice I didn't tweeze them down or change their shape too much?  Their natural strong brows work beautifully to frame their faces, it just needed a bit of polishing to look perfect.  Totally reshaping them into a different shape would look unnatural and unbalanced. (That's a whole 'nother topic, I could go on all day about brows!)

 

5. They still look like THEMSELVES.  Unless it's an artistic and stylized shoot, that's always my goal!  I want to bring out your natural good looks and polish them up...not make you look like you're dressed as a Halloween character or celeb wannabe.  The comfortable, warm smiles and sparkle in their eyes says it all...the LOVED how they looked!  Pretty, polished, perfect.

 

Here's a pic of them dressed and ready to go, along with another set of twins (different family) who served as adorable flower girls!

 

Every makeover is different and brings different goals with it....sometimes it's about covering skin issues, sometimes it's about making eyes pop, softening a strong jaw line.  When I'm doing editorial work or photo shoots, all bets are off and I might be totally packing on product, changing your face shape, and indeed making you look like a totally different person...but that's a whole different scenario, and not the way to go for weddings, special occasions and everyday situations.  Trends come and go, but classic, fresh and pretty NEVER go out of style and that's what these two examples are all about!  To me, these 5 elements are what make the ultimate makeover, because in the end, the before/after is about looking like the very best version of yourself. Or, in this case, looking a bit like your gorgeous twin sister....; )

 

 

(Makeup by Jennifer Trotter of Lip Service Makeup, Hair by Renn Traylor and Nikki Lasley)

 

 



Regular People vs Celebrities....Nobody Rolls out of Bed Looking Perfect

Random musings today, thought I'd share....

Something I talk with clients about ALL the time, is makeup vs no makeup....how it makes women feel, how insecure we can be without makeup....how some women never wear it and why that is.  Celebrities always come up in these conversations. We all have our celebs we girl crush over...Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez....whoever.  "Oh, if I only looked like Katy Perry!", etc.  We see them airbrushed and photoshopped....with amazing wardrobes and impeccable lighting.  When we see them, they're usually looking their absolute best and why not?  As a celebrity, looking good is truly part of your job!  That's why they have full time trainers and makeup/hair artists on staff and spend a huge chunk of their time on beauty maintenance. As a result, many people think that celebs are somehow different than the rest of us and look perfect all the time, right?  Compare that to most of us regular peeps, who try to carve out 10 minutes each morning to look presentable before we leave the house, while juggling kids, school, part-time jobs and feeling like having a clean face and brushed teeth is half the battle. Celebs spend a ton of time and money to look fabulous because if they don't, they won't get the part, or could lose fans, or not get offered the magazine spread...it could truly hurt their career and way of life.  Regular people have other stuff to worry about, plain and simple! 

Often, magazines like this come out that touch on this very topic of discussion.....celebs with NO MAKEUP.....

Oooh.....look how so and so has zits, or someone else looks older and puffy..... or whatever.  I think we all kind of  get a thrill from seeing our favorite celebs without makeup, I know I do!  Why?  For me, it's not to be mean and judgy....I love seeing it because they look like US!  It's kind of reassuring to know that they weren't born with perfectly sculpted cheeks and permanently glossed lips.  Yep, they've got dark circles and big pores too....I like knowing that.  My goal ISN'T to pick on those celebrities who might not look as fab without makeup, but rather to illustrate how nobody...not even the famous actress or supermodel...looks glamorous without a little help.  Check out these great examples of stunning stars who look pretty much like regular folk with no makeup on:

 

I love these before/afters because I think these stars all look pretty cute without makeup, but instead of looking like movie stars, they look like any other woman you'd spot at the gym, Starbuck's or grocery store.  Lesson to be learned here?  If you always run around looking plain jane just because you don't think you COULD ever look glamorous....well, you're just wrong about that!  True, looking glamorous probably isn't your biggest concern in life....it isn't mine either.  But having said that, don't give up on beauty because you look at celebs and compare yourself to them.

 

I've done makeup on clients who have NEVER felt pretty before...I mean, women who have truly never bothered with makeup or beauty at all.  In their minds, they're thinking "I'm just a regular person...if I can't look like Angelina Jolie, why bother?"  I know this because they flat out tell me!

 

So, a client is in my chair....a regular woman like me and you, NOT a celebrity. I apply their makeup for their wedding, or for a headshot, boudoir, lesson or whatever.  I hand them a mirror to take a look at the results and invariably, they tear up and can't believe what they see.  My fave response?  "Wow, I look HOT!" 

Real Makeover from cute to Supermodel! (Hair and Makeup by Jennifer Trotter)

 

I love when a client says that, and can truly see what I saw the minute they sat in my chair.  Just like in the makeover above....the minute I met her, I KNEW she'd look like the "after" pic...the bone structure, the eyes...I knew what the end result would look like even before I started.  I was right, she's breathtaking! The beauty was there all along....it just took a little bit of tweaking to let it shine and take it up a notch! You don't have to be a celebrity to look gorgeous.

 

Everyday natural beauty is great, but when you WANT to look flat out stunning or red-carpet worthy, well...just don't be afraid to give it a shot...you might wonder what took you so long!  I'm not promising that any woman can look like Jennifer Lopez by slapping on a little bronzer...that's a bit unrealistic and we can all admit that some celebs are just genetically blessed.  But it's nice to know that when you want to, you can pull out all the stops with hair and makeup just like they do.... and feel fabulous. Even if it's just once in a while for special occasions. The potential is there for every woman, sometimes it just takes a little effort to bring out your inner star!

 

The takeaway? Realize that nobody rolls out of  bed looking perfect, not even our favorite celebrities!  It takes a little polish to get that "look", but being glamorous is attainable....for anyone.  The next time you're feeling blah about your looks or wish you could look like the latest "it girl" famous person, remember these celeb before afters above....remember how normal they all look au naturel, just like the rest of us.  Don't ever compare yourself to others and definitely not to super  models, singers and movie stars....just be the best YOU and work with whatever you've got, whether that's a great smile, awesome hair, or sparkling eyes. 

 

Go ahead, be your OWN celebrity!!  Bonus?  For those of us who aren't famous, nobody will notice or care if you run up to Starbucks in ponytail and yoga pants with a huge zit on your nose.  ; )

Surprise Prom for Ashley - Mascara alert!

Don't have a lot of time, but I HAVE to take a second to tell you about this....
I did prom makeup for a super sweet girl named Amanda just a few weeks ago.  Her mom reached out and told me that Amanda's friend Ashley had been very ill, in and out of the hospital nonstop, missing tons of school and missed her own senior prom.  Turns out Amanda had contacted the local radio station (Kiss 106.1FM Dallas/Fort Worth, Kidd Kraddick in the Morning Show) and they jumped up and offered to hold a special prom...just for Ashley!  They wanted to know if I could do the makeup.  Are you kidding?!?!  I was honored to be asked, and so excited to have even a tiny part of this wonderful surprise.

I called up my dear friend Renn Traylor to assist with hair, we set an appointment for them to come by...ready to go!  Ashley, her mom Michelle and stepdad Rodney showed up and right away, I could tell Ashley wasn't feeling so great...she arrived in a wheelchair and walked very slowly up the stairs, she's suffering from major vertigo and weakness.  Ashley thought she has having hair and makeup done for a prom-style photo shoot, she had NO IDEA what was really in store!  Here is a pic of Ashley "before"

Totally adorable, even without a stich of makeup, right?  She asked me to fix up her brows and create a sophisticated bronze smoky eye for her.  Plus...she wanted to "not look sick"....just pretty! I got to work on this gorgeous face and here's the results!

You know what I see, so much more than the makeup?  The SMILE.  Look at that!  That is the best part of what I do!  When she looked in the mirror, she teared up and said "this is better than I ever imagined" and hugged me super tight.  I just melted into a puddle....humbled and happy to be able to give her that feeling of confidence.  Renn did her hair and her mood just kept climbing....she kept saying "wow, I look GOOD!" as we shared winks amongst ourselves.  Renn created a red carpet ready updo, Ashley got into her dress and we snapped a quick pic with her before she left....

 

 

She had a photography session at the Fort Worth Water Gardens nearby....gorgeous!  (I need to find out who the photographer is, so I can give credit!)

Then, she was whisked away to the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth for the big surprise!  Here are just a few pics that her mom and friends posted...don't you just love the look on her face?!?!  She found a complete prom, just for her...including her closest friends, lovely décor, a photo booth, a DJ, seated dinner and.....her boyfriend, who the station flew in just for the occasion!

Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show cast greets Ashley...she's so surprised!

Ashley was surprise to see Jeshua, her boyfriend who was flown in as another surprise!

Ashley having a blast on the dance floor!

With Kellie, J-Si and Jenna from Kidd Kraddick in the morning

Ashley's mom Michelle, Kellie, J-Si, Ashley, Jeshua and Jenna

I've been a fan and listener of Kiss 106.1 and the Kidd Kraddick Show for years and years, I just love these guys even more for stepping up to help with this. Isn't it nice to know how people will jump in and do something so wonderful for someone else?  For more details, check out this Youtube video....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8rSkrfUFk0&feature=share

I hope Ashley's story touched you as much as it did me.  In the short time I've spent with them, I already felt like I've known this family forever, and I can't wait to see the next chapter of Ashley's life as it unfolds.  She's already weathered some pretty tough times, but she's got such a sunny outlook!  So many wonderful people contributed to this event, Birds of a Feather Events, the Omni Hotel Fort Worth, Lacey and the staff of Kidd Kraddick, plus a ton more....I wish I had a complete list of everyone who helped, if I did, I'd list them all here.  Kudos to all of those people, along with Ashley's friends and family who truly gave her a night she'll never forget!

Class of 2014 or Ad for Free People? You decide!

It was a lazy Sunday....nothing booked, so I had slept late and was hanging out with my boyfriend and the kids.   If you know me at all, you know how truly pleasantly weird that is...I'm usually getting up at 6am and going non-stop!  I was looking forward to a day of couch time and catching up on Scandal episodes when I got a call from a photographer I didn't know with a frantic.... "Can you help?  We need makeup for senior pics...stat!"  Me..."Um...when?".  "NOW!"  If I had a cape with MUA on it, I would've thrown that sucker on!   It'd be red with big ol' lips on it, naturally.  ANYWAY,  I packed up my case and headed to Fort Worth where I met the lovely Kelsey, her sweet momma and the amazingly talented photographer Heather Thorne.  Right away, I was super excited...Kelsey is gorgeous! She has incredibly long hair with a fun, hippie vibe..she's tall and has just a bit of an alternative vibe to offset her classic good looks.  Here she is without a stitch of makeup on as I got started:

And the before/after....

I'm telling you, gorgeous girl! She wanted to look natural, but also wanted to be sure her unexpected breakout was covered and that she looked pretty....these are senior pics, after all!  I created a look that both mom and daughter were happy with....fresh, glowing, but yet sophisticated in an age- appropriate way.  I used warm neutrals on her eyes, black and hunter green liner plus some flirty false lashes for pop.  Flawless skin and my signature flushed cheeks and rosy lip and she was ready to go.  You've gotta love it when you can make an 18 year old happy when it comes to makeup! I teased her roots a bit and then twisted sections of her hair around a curling iron for definition (but still loose and "undone" to fit her style) as Kelsey chose her outfits and Heather planned where to shoot around the Magnolia area of Fort Worth.  I could not WAIT to follow up with Heather and see how this shoot turned out...I just had a feeling, ya know?  Are you ready?  Check out these fabulous images...again, courtesy of Heather Thorne Photography...

I just love the boho chic vibe!!  The overall shoot wound up like a lookbook for a chic boutique or Free People, not your everyday senior pics, that's for sure. My senior pic involved floofy 80s hair and some kind of blue feathery thing around my shoulders...just one head shot in the school gym with a bunch of people in line behind me, boom...done.  Nothing special, but that's what everyone's senior pic looked like....yep, I'll say it...back in the day!   Wish I had a copy handy, I'd post it just for grins...and to show the contrast with how FAB these images are in comparison! Wow, things have really changed for the better in regard to senior pics...these show so much more personality. In the end, that lazy Sunday wasn't meant to be, but I'm so glad I picked up the phone and was available for this last minute session!  Can't wait to work with Heather again.  And.....happy graduation Kelsey! What a great way to celebrate......

I'll get to those Scandal episodes eventually....

Too Much Makeup, Tammy Faye and the (hopeful) death of the Spider eye trend

Depending on your age, you may or may not have heard of Tammy Faye Bakker.  She passed away in 2007, and sadly became famous due to a huge scandal with her then preacher hubby.  But she was REALLY famous for wearing way, way, WAY too much makeup...case in point:

Too much of everything, no blending and those spider eyes....yikes!  She was the butt of countless jokes on late night TV, and will be remembered in popular culture as looking tacky.  Poor thing, may she rest in peace!  I can't say anything about who she truly was as a person, and she might have been a very lovely woman,  but this makeup doesn't say confident, sophisticated or pretty...it says "I'm putting on a mask".  Her makeup entered the room before she did!  You don't want that as your calling card.  Flash forward to current times.... I have so many clients who come to me and are really nervous about having their makeup done.  They are fearful of looking overdone, tacky or not like themselves.  If I had a dollar for everytime I've heard:

"I just want to look natural, like myself but better..."

Know what's funny?  More than half of the girls who tell me they want the "natural look" really don't...they just don't want to look like that ^^^^!!!  They want impact, or smoky eyes or false lashes or glamour, but they are afraid they might look like like a drag queen.  Or hoochie.  The truth is you can wear plenty of makeup if it's blended well, the right colors for you and right for the situation and for YOU as a person. There are many options between a bare face and the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills look.  Think about this....when you see women out in public and you think "wow, she's got WAY too much makeup on",  what you're really seeing is:

- Too much product

- Lack of blending and harsh lines

- Wrong colors for her particular skin tone

-  Wrong makeup for situation, lifestyle, or personal style

Let's break those down a bit: Too much product....

In this age of "more is more", that isn't the case with makeup!  The secret to pro results is using as little product as you possibly can to get the results you want.  This takes patience, time and practice.  Start with a tiny bit of concealer...blend.  Does it cover?  No?  Add a tiny bit more, blend..check again.  And so on and so forth. Use highly pigmented products so you can use less product to get the results and coverage you want. Don't just cake it on!

Lack of Blending - this one wears me out!!  My rule?  Blend, blend and blend some more.  Think you're done?  You're not, blend more! (Anyone who's ever booked a Lip Service private

Blend, blend, blend!! (Makeup: Jennifer Trotter)

lesson has heard this one!) Again, patience, time and practice, plus decent brushes to get the job done.  If you slap it all on, it looks slapped on...

You should never see any harsh lines anywhere....a buffed on appearance is softer and more sophisticated, and definitely makes you look younger.  A well blended smoky eye is appropriate anytime!  It doesn't have to be super dark and goth. Just check out this example!

Wrong colors -  a pale blonde shouldn't wear the same colors as JLo or Beyonce, but yet I see this all the time! We are all so different...skin tones, hair, style, face shape....all need to be taken into consideration when choosing cosmetics.  Makeup is meant to enhance your natural beauty, so if you're puzzled.... you can't go wrong with soft black or dark brown eyeliner and mascara, rosy pink cheeks and lips....all look good on absolutely everyone.  For eyes, soft plums and taupes work on nearly every skin tone too....easy!  Do people comment on your makeup, or your beauty?  If it's your makeup, could be the wrong colors....
The right colors will make you look healthy and glowing!  And not like a clown....

Wrong makeup for situation or personal style: this one can age you faster than anything!  Just like you don't wear the same clothes to walk the dog as you wear to a black tie event, your makeup should adjust accordingly.  If you're a stay at home mom who wears yoga pants and t-shirts daily, you probably shouldn't have on false lashes and daily highlight and contour for carpool and grocery store runs.  Date night with the hubby?  Perfect time to break out the red lipstick and false lashes for all out glamour with your hot dress!  If you are an executive and wear strong suits daily, just swiping on a bit of gloss may not be enough...you'll want to be sure your dark circles are covered and you look fresh and awake, so some foundation and blush may be in order.  In short, if you're wearing the exact same look for a PTA meeting, night out with the girls, important work presentation and the gym?  You are missing the mark, and worse, might look older than you are.  We've all seen the lady at the gym with a full face of makeup and false lashes just sweating away on the treadmill...it's very kind of 80's, isn't it?   Or the woman at the black tie wedding who didn't wear makeup and looks like she looks like she doesn't care about the formality and importance of the event.  Don't be that chick.  Just like all of these occasions call for different clothing options, your hair and makeup should adjust too.  Think about YOU....your style AND the situation you need to be in that day...tailor your beauty routine accordingly.

One last note.....that DEFINITELY ties in the with the "too much makeup" theme of this post:

To all the ladies I see out in public with 12 coats of mascara, IE "spider eyes":  I have news for you, you're not fooling anyone...we know that's gobs of mascara and not your lashes. Not that it looks anything like lashes, but more like...as the name implies...freakin' spiders.  On your eyes.  Not cute! Seriously....just stop. PLEASE. Get extensions or buy false lashes in bulk....either will look better if you really feel you need more impact and drama.  If you're tempted to "spider it up", I hope you'll think of Tammy Faye and pare down...take a chance and come out of the shade of those lashes!   We don't want to hear jokes about you on Jimmy Kimmel.  Love, JT from Lip Service