Inspiration: Mermaids!

I saw my friend Natalia over the weekend, and the girl swears she is a Mermaid - and it randomly inspired me to check out some Mermaid Makeup!  Enjoy!

Loving all these Wedding Appointments!

I love all these Brides contacting me and booking appointments!  I LOVE doing makeup and making women feel amazing, so thank you for contacting me and if you have a special event coming up, you should book with me asap! 

I come to you! (I also have 2 locations I can work out of, one in Syracuse and one in Baldwinsville)
I apply long wear lash extensions!  they make your eyes pop and can be natural or bold!
The Makeup is water resistant/sweat proof and long wearing!
I listen to you to get you the look you want, and I also make suggestions for how to look your best!

Hope to hear from you today!

Loving Demi Lovato's Mani!

Demi Lovato stepped out in this mani yesterday in Hollywood and it was so cute I had to grab this photo of Hollywood.com to share with you!

Two Tone Eyes

I've really been captivated by ombre since it became super popular last year, especially for the eyes...

Some Ombre Eyeliner Inspiration:

Fading your eyeliner from light to dark is not as complicated as you might think, you really only need two colors (three is tricky - I did it last weekend with aqua, cobalt and navy) and I recommend a white liner for the bottom waterline to whiten eyes, which makes the lighter color stand out.

Start with the lighter shade, then when you apply the darker shade, start from the outside and work your way in with light strokes, then use an eyeliner brush to blend the colors where they meet.  If you're using liquid liner, blend the liquid into the lash line where the colors meet so the start/stop point isn't so obvious.

Ombre Eyeliner is super cool, no doubt, but the newest trend now is 'Two Tone" Eyes, where two colors are blended or placed tom and bottom on the eyelids to add drama

Two Tone Eye Inspiration:

You get the best effect by smudging an opposite, but complimentary, color on the bottom lash line to create this look. 

Grab some Urban Decay 24/7 Liners ($19 at Ulta and Sephora) to start creating these looks

Do YOU Change Your Cosmetics with the Seasons?

Whether I mean to do it or not, I always end up with different skincare and makeup products during the seasons, and it’s obviously because my skin has different concerns and needs based on the changes in temperature, humidity and water resistance.

Do YOU Change Your Cosmetics with the Seasons?

And the average woman changes her beauty look every 11 YEARS!  Wow?!  That can’t be good ladies!  If you're a person that has stuck with the same products, brands and looks for several years, you should prob change up your look!  One of the ways we can easily do this is to change our products and colors with the weather/seasons

Interestingly Enough, a survey in 2012 found that:
18% of Women change their cosmetic brands and products frequently
47% will try color changes and some trends, but basically stick to their routine
35% keep their look the same year round


Summer Essentials:  I'll start with summer, since that's our current season - and you need to be looking for products that offer

- Sun Protection (year round!)
- Oil and Shine Control (depending on skin type)
- Waterproof Protection (mascaras, bronzer)
- Warm Tones and Bold Colors to enhance your natural glow

Do the Summer Months make you Extra Oily?
It's important to moisturize skin, don't automatically associate moisturizer with oil or grease, there are PLENTY of oil-free products out there that will give your skin hydration without clogging pores AND there are even ones that will help you control the oil you produce, especially in hot weather.  If you don't moisturize your skin, your skin will overcompensate for the loss of surface hydration and will produce sebum [read: oil] to hydrate you - which results in a mess.  My tips: Wash skin with a gentle but deep cleansing cleanser, use a toner (I love Kiehl's Marigold Toner) and then moisturize

For Acne Prone Skin: Vichy Normaderm Moisturizer (Ulta)

For Oily Skin: Murad's Mattifying SPF 15 Lotion (Ulta, Sephora)

For Normal of Combination Skin: BB Cream (look for features and tints that you like best – hint: Sephora gives you samples, try them before you buy!)

You can also look for foundations that will control shine, or you can carry blotting papers with you if your pores are REALLY out of control....you should apply a pore minimizing serum, they are super lightweight and help minimize the size and texture of large pores.  I have always liked Estee Lauder’s Idealist for this (Estee Lauder Counters $36)

Keep Your Makeup Seasonally Fresh

with bold colors and neons, they look amazing on sun kissed skin!!!

For Colder Seasons You Need Products That:

- Seal in skin's natural moisture

- Contain broad spectrum protection

- Exfoliate (cleanser) to remove dead or dry skin

- A hydrating concealer for under eyes that won’t revel fine lines caused by dry skin

- Primer for face makeup - synthetic primers are key


You're going to have even less moisture in the air, with being inside heated buildings, so you will need to amp up the hydration.  You're also going to want to keep the Broad Spectrum Sun Protection going strong too, which doesn't just prevent your from sun burning, but also helps skin protect itself against pollution and windburn!

For Oily Skin: Cetaphil Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF (Drug Stores, $12)

For Normal to Dry Skin: You need something that will deeply hydrate without feeling thick or greasy, and will brighten and tone skin, something like "Herbal Day Creme SPF 15" from Ole Henriksen (Sephora, $36)

For Acne Prone Skin that Needs Hydration: Eucerin Non-Cosmegenic Day Lotion (Drug Stores $10)

To me, winter makeup can be matte and neutral

OR dark and sexy  

When transitioning to colder weather makeup, invest in a great cream highlighter for face that will allow you to create a glow for the low light chilly months (that you can’t create with bronzer)

One to try: Maybelline Magic Lumi Highlighter (Drug Stores, $10)

So go through your stuff and separate your seasonal makeup and then make a list of the products that you need to get you through this summer – and check out my blog post (coming soon!) on the Summer Makeup Must Haves!

Have a Tutorial With Me!

Looking to get some tips on makeup application?  Like, how to do a more dramatic eye look, apply liquid liner and bronzer, or want to upgrade your cosmetics?

Contact me today about a tutorial consultation, I can help you learn to apply your makeup, or suggest looks and colors for you (and make you a super fun shopping list!)

**Note that I don't sell cosmetics, I am a Makeup Artist and that's my service.  I don't represent any brand, I make suggestions based on my experience.

$75 for an hour lesson/application and shopping list

Clear Lip Liner (why you gotta have it!)

I'm not sure how I didn't know about this before, but thank goodness I know about it now!!!!

CLEAR Lip liner (?!)

Yeah, that's right!  Urban Decay's 24/7 Lip liner in "Ozone" $19 at Ulta and Sephora

is the perfect tool for your lip kit, because you can outline lips for ANY color perfectly!  This product, when used to line the outer rim of the lip line, defines shape and stops feathering and fading!  How smart!

You can easily combine it with a lip pencil in a complimentary shade to the lipstick too, because you'll line your actual lip line with the colored shade - which will be easy to select now that Urban Decay has launched a whole new line of lip pencil shades that perfectly compliment any lip color


and they really do wear on and on, they are super water resistant!

The clear liner is going to really work in your favor with the bold shades

by keeping the pigments from bleeding or running off the lip area - which makes your lip look flawless and fabulous!