beauty bitz

beauty bitz

Beauty, Makeup, Fashion& Style...

Luscious Photo shoot Lips

 

The above image as taken at night, in my living room, with my 5.0mp Android phone camera.

Now, you may say to yourself... "ha ha, it looks like it too"!... however, details matter and if I can take a picture this good looking of my work, with a crappy phone cam (as opposed to it being photographed by a professional photog with a professional camera) then this is what I would consider very good work.

And WHY would I consider this such a good example???...

(TIP: It has NOTHING to do with the fact that this is my makeup work.)

The reason I think the above image is an example of really good work is beacuse of the effort in executing the look as closely as possible to a Revlon or L'Oreal lipstick magazine ad without having had the benefit of any retouching or editing whatsoever.

Paying particular attention to moisturizing and basing the lips, selecting the right lip color (one that is complimentary to the skintone) precision application and layering of the lip color as well as the lip gloss, making sure that the application is well proportioned /balanced and then standing back to take that final look at your work... (adjusting & amending where necessary) before deciding that your job is done... is what makes it an example of good work..

As a makeup artist, I take my craft very seriously... which means I put great effort into perfecting a makeup look as much as possible BEFORE my model gets on set with the photographer. Some may disagree, but even in the age of Photo Shop, I believe it is my job to assist the photographer by helping to create a look that will require as little as possible in the way of PS post-production.

Oprah says, "Live your best life" and I say... "Do your best work... always."

the ONE item a girl *must* have in her makeup bag??...

 

 

... EYEBROW PENCIL! Yep, that's it!

... EYEBROW PENCIL. It's the ONE item a girl *must* have in her makeup bag.

Even though a brow-less makeup look has been all the rage lately on the fashion runways... unless YOU are actually going to be on a runway, the browless look may not be the best look for you. 

I know someone is thinking... besides all that runway & fashion stuff, why isn't the "one" must-have-item something like... mascara or lipstick?

The reason is simple...

It's because: eyebrows frame the face.

As beautiful as your eyeshape, eyelashes, cheek bone structure or lip shape may be, none of these features bring instant presence and balance to your face... however, the eyebrows do!

TIP: experiment with different shades of eyebrow pencil or shadow. Try them in shades from dark-brown to light blonde to see what shade suits you the best. Brown tones offer a softer and more natural alternative to the standard black eyebrow pencil. 

 Also: be aware of whether or not the shade of brown you are experimenting with is a neutral brown tone or a warm brown tone, as this will directly impact whether or not that particular shade works well with your skintone. If you are hesitant to experiment on your own, you can always take a trip to your local makeup counter and ask the makeup artist to help you find your most complimentary brow pencil/shadow.  

So, the next time you run out of the house bare-faced, and then decide (after you've parked in the grocery store parking lot) that you should have done something to your face... remember to whip out the eyebrow pencil and give yourself a quickie!... (a quick eyebrow application, that is!) You'll quickly see why... this is the ONE item a girl *must* have in her makeup bag! 

Lip Service

Having had the fashion runways usher in the age of NEON - as the new trend for this spring, it turns my mind toward the correlating trend of Neon Makeup, and leaves me wondering... if I dared even to wear neon makeup (like a shade of neon purple eye shadow) what else in the world could I possibly add to such an attention getting look - that wouldn't totally "jump the shark"? Then, it came to me... Lip gloss!

I know, I know... this doesn't exactly sound like a major discovery, however, it is a brain storm of sorts. Think about it; the long standing rule of makeup has always been - to have a focal point - to take the safe route and concentrate on playing up only one aspect of the face (either eyes or lips, but not both). But... if you're wearing neon on your face in the first place... that says all by itself that you are not the one to play it safe; and without overdoing it, a sweet shade of lip gloss or lip stain could only accentuate the positive in your new makeup look.

So I say go ahead and experiment!

A perfectly pouty lip color may be just the thing to balance out that new neon shadow you're dying to wear and bring it into the trend setting realm of the fashion friendly.

Here are a few brands you may want to try:

Avon Mark Gorgeous gloss Lip Stain

http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?src_page=product_list.aspx&level1_id=300&level2_id=469&pdept_id=483&dept_id=488&pf_id=38514

Maybelline Super Stay

http://www.maybelline.com/products/161/lips/lip-gloss/superstay-10hr-stain-gloss/refreshing-red/130?shadeId=899&cm_mmc=LabeliumSearch-_-GoogleBrand-_-MNY+Lips-_-maybelline%20super%20stay%2010&gclid=CKCBj6Wcja4CFeQEQAodmB4NfQ

 Cover Girl Outlast

http://www.covergirl.com/collections/outlast

 

NEON is the new Bling!

This season, the fashion runways are lit with color!...

From clothes to accessories, bright is the new bling, and the bling palette of choice is... NEON. Effervescent yellows, peachs, mint greens and pinks can brighten up not only your wardrobe but your makeup choices as well!

Fiesty new lip glosses and electric new eyeshadow colors are available to help all you fashionistas stay on trend. Check out Bobbi Brown's Neons & Nudes collection for a lippy neon fix. Not-so-new but always true, are MAC's Pigments (one of those "must try" items) - which have tons of color and may be layered for an effect that goes from eye catching to obnoxious (depending on how you feel that day).

Even if neon isn't quite your style, there are lots of other vibrantly lovely lip glosses, eyeshadows and creams to help perk up your spring look. New from Maybelline is the Eye Tattoo, pigmented cream eye shadow line; and under her "True Romance" collection, Kat Von D has a colorful palette called: Mi Vida Loca, available at Sephora.

But in case an eye full of brightly pigmented eyeshadow isn't your thing, there are also some really fun colored eye-liners you can use. For the frugal fashionista, Wet-N-Wild has a line of liquid eyeliners that come in two very cool colors (turquois & plum) and are economically priced. 

So, maybe starting with a sassy little strip of color on your eyelid can be your gateway to a colorful makeup adventure.

One thing's for sure, whether you're NEON... or not,  you'll definitely have fun experimenting with CoLoR!!!... and that's what makeup is all about.

 

*New for Spring*... L'Oreal Color Riche Balm

Specs

  • SPF
  • Moisturizing
  • Lightly tinted color
  • Gloss
  • Lasts up to 8 hrs
  • 8 colors to choose from
  • Price range: $6 - $7.50 (depending on where you buy)

My Findings

  • Glides on very smooth (more of an oil based product, similar to Revlon Lip Butter. Unlike Maybelline Baby lips, which has a creamier base, similar to a lotion)
  • Non-sticky (yay!)
  • Lightly tinted color (unlike Revlon Lip Butter, which has  more of a color pop)  
  • Very moisturizing (the Balm stayed on my lips without drying out or flaking, for about 4 hours while running errands - up until lunch time, after which, I re-applied)

I personally don't mind the slick-like feel and the the very light color tint... after all, it is marketed as a lip "balm", so with that being said, this item is being true to it's name.

From a Professional Perspective

I think I will add the L'Oreal's new Balm to my makeup kit. It has just the right amount of glossiness (not *too* shiny)... and the barely-there tint adds a hint of color to the lip, without looking like a lip stick. The perfect thing for one of my natural-look beauty or commercial photo shoots.

Tip

Visit the L'Oreal USA website, complete the How Can I Help You Consultation and receive $1 off any product. Including the new L'Oreal lip Balm!

(link below) 

http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/?page=top{userdata//d+d//|diagnostic|main:supercategory:inthespotlight|media:_blank|nav|overlay:_blank}

Enjoy!

 

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