Bridal Makeup Trials: What to Remember

Today I had a bridal makeup trial with one of my clients, Sandra. Above you can see the look we came up with together. I thought I'd go into detail how I go about working with clients, and what I feel needs to happen during the bridal makeup trial.

Previous to the appointment I talked to Sandra on her overall wishes for the look, if she had something specific in mind. Some brides will be very concrete about their wishes and have pictures from magazines to show you, others might be completely clueless and need your guidance to pick out something appropriate. In this case, it's helpful to have a peek at the wedding dress if one has already been purchased, and any jewelry and accessories that will be worn on that day. You should also get an overall feel for the bride's personality to see if she would prefer a more bolder, dramatic look, or something very understated.

In Sandra's case, she had a basic idea of what she wanted. She told me she wanted her look to be inspired by Arab makeup, but without the harsh typical eyeliner and sharp corners. She wanted the colors to be a bit more pronounced than normal, with a strong crease blend, but the overall look should still be soft and flattering. She wasn't too specific about which colors she preferred, just that she didn't want any bright bold ones. She also told me she's getting eyelash extensions for the wedding, and she would be removing her nose ring.

Sandra arrived at my house (I prefer to do trial runs at my place), and over a cup of coffee we went on the Internet together and looked at some Arab makeup pictures. I had already got an idea of what she wanted, but I needed to figure out a few details. Together we decided an overall softer look would be more flattering, and more suited to her features and her dress. Then I showed her my palettes to see what colors she liked most, but in this case she relied mostly on my judgement to pick what looks good together. I showed her a few combinations of flattering shades in both matte and pearl finish, and then came up with the look above.

During a trial run it's also a good idea to try out different things. For example, you can see she's wearing two different colored liners on her waterline, and I used different blushes on each cheek. We also did two lip variations until we decided on this one. It's a good time to see what works and what looks nicer for the big day.

I then proceeded to do the makeup on her in natural daylight close to a window, as that will be the condition which she will be photographed in. It's also the best place to make sure the foundation is perfectly matched and evenly blended into the neck and bust line. During the process I showed her a mirror a few times so she could see how things were progressing. Try to make it enjoyable and relaxing for your client; I played some nice music in the background, burned some home fragrance oil, and made sure everything was clean and tidy.

After all the makeup was done, I gave her a mirror to go outside and see how it looked. I asked her if there was anything she would want different on her wedding day, which liner she preferred, etc. Take note of any changes that you will need to make on the big day - Sandra said she wanted a deeper color lipliner and less highlighting around the cheekbones.

Remember that even though you are the makeup artist, your paying client makes the final decision. You can give suggestions and guidance on what looks best, but in the end if they want something that you personally don't think looks good, it's their call. If they want to wear hot pink lips with dark smokey eyes, then just follow their wishes and try to make it as flattering as possible.

Finally I made a Word document of all the products I used on her and placement, so that I will remember exactly on the wedding day. Make a list for your client of products they might need to purchase for touch-ups (unless you are on-hand throughout the wedding), for example blotting powder, lip products, etc. Discuss the final arrangements of the wedding day, how much time you need and when and where to arrive. Also be sure to have your financial aspects in order at this time, such as down payments, contracts, etc. You don't want to be talking money to a stressed out bride on her wedding day! This is also to protect yourself, to make sure you get paid. If you are doing makeup on other members of the bridal party, be sure to discuss that in advance and schedule enough time. Give your client your business card if she needs to contact you, and be sure you have their contact details.

That's it! Happy makeup-ing! I'll be sure to post some final pictures of Sandra's makeup on her big day!

Beautiful Summer pallor

You know what I really hate? That as soon as summer comes along, the big fashion "must" is to get instantly tan and bronzed...and if you have pale skin, better hit the tanning salon or start fake baking. I truly think this trend is strongly influenced by the many beauty companies that have created a multi-billion dollar industry selling tanning products, self-tanners, bronzers, and the like. Ads in magazines showing perfectly bronzed beauties, supposedly lying on a yacht all day in the French Riviera sipping champagne and celebrating parties later to be seen on Girls Gone Wild, make us paler girls and boys feel rather alienesque. Fair skin is on the "out" lists and women are advised to hop to it and do something about that horrible, sickly, white skin.

Enter the many beauty companies selling us fake tanners, makeup collections featuring lots of bronzers, and all-inclusive packages to tanning salons where we throw our skin's health to the wind and say hello to skin pigmentation spots, premature aging, wrinkles, or even cancer, all to be that enviable tanned beauty in a beautiful summer bikini.

Now some may call me a hypocrite as I once bought a package at a tanning salon myself when I lived in Montreal and the winter bleakness was getting to me. I can't deny that I got some sort of satisfaction being tan and feeling summery as I lay in the bed, roasting my skin. I have, however, learned from my mistakes, and after that one forray into tanning, I soon realized that having a tan wasn't worth the damage to my skin.

On the endless quest to be tan, I decided to broaden my horizons into self-tanners, and tried everything from low end to high end. The results varied, some better and some worse, but in the end I always ended up looking more orange or yellow than my natural tan color, because my base color was so white. I have seen some self-tanners look ok on those who already have darker or olive complexions, but on really white skin, I never had a good result. And then there's the smell too! No matter how much perfume there was in those things, they always had a horrible, faint undertone that just was disgusting.

And let's not forget the horrible oompa loompa syndrome!

Far from attractive.

A few years ago I decided enough was enough and just threw away all my self-tanners and decided natural was miles better than anything smelly out of a bottle could provide. I slather on the SPF now when I go to the pool, knowing that I'll still look years younger than my tanorexic counterparts when they hit 40. So what if my legs aren't baked bronze when I wear shorts? This is the skin I was born with - it's fair, sensitive to UV light, and doesn't tan easily nor hold a tan well. And you know what? That's ok. I'm content with using just a smidgen of bronzer on my cheeks when I feel like, making sure not to overdo it, and I'll get a tan naturally by spending time outdoors in the summer doing activities. I'm not going to ruin my skin by baking in the full sun for hours just so that I look "healthy". I'm not going to waste my money anymore on expensive self-tanners or tanning salons because other people expect it, or tell me I "need to get a tan." And yes, I have been told this frequently by ignorant gits! So go pale this summer; you'll be in good company! ;)

Bridget Regan, actress from Legend of the Seeker

Liv Tyler

Anne Hathaway

Dita Von Teese

Dakota Fanning

Holiday Gift Guide

I've put together a video of some great makeup gifts that you can put on your wishlist, or get for other people interested in makeup and cosmetics. These include some of my favorite products, and other great offers I've been able to find for you on various websites. All stores except MAC, Sephora, Body Shop, and maybe Lush ship worldwide - please see their country specific websites to find out if they ship to where you live. I cannot answer questions regarding shipping of any store mentioned. I've made sure to include gift ideas for all price categories, starting at about $2 and going up from there! So you can be sure to find some stocking stuffer ideas as well.


Urban Decay Book of Shadows, Smashbox palette, Lash Stash Sampler, Stila Lip Glaze Collection all from Sephora stores or:
http://sephora.com/

Handmade Makeup brush rolls:
http://www.etsy.com/ (Various sellers, search for "brush roll" or "cosmetic roll")

Lipsmackers:
Most drugstores / pharmacies in North America

Body Shop Body Butters:
http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/ (they have country specific websites too)

Crown Brushes:
http://crownbrush.com/
http://www.crownbrush.co.uk/

MAC Cosmetics:
MAC Counters at Nordstrom or Macy's, freestanding stores, or online through country-specific websites
http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Lush Cosmetics:
http://www.lush.com/

NYX Cosmetics:
http://www.nyxcosmetics.com (USA only)
http://www.shopcraze.com/
http://www.mscuppycakes.com/

Ben Nye Grande Lumiere palette:
http://bubbasikes.com/supersavers.html
http://sillyfarm.com/

Generic makeup palettes from China:
http://stores.ebay.ch/jolieeeeeboutique
http://stores.ebay.ch/abestlife

Brush Guard:
http://www.thebrushguard.com/

Happy Holiday shopping!

xoxo,
Julia

Winter Skincare Tips

Winter season is upon us and lately I've noticed my skin has been getting a bit drier and has needed a bit more attention than in the hot summer months. Here's some basic tips on how you can adjust your skincare for the colder months.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

A lot of people (but not all) notice their skin starts to feel tighter and drier in the winter months, due to dropping temperatures, exposure to nature's elements like wind, rain or snow, and increased temperatures at home or in public buildings. This can take its toll! If you're using a light moisturizer and have noticed increased dryness, choose a more emollient, richer daytime and nighttime moisturizer. You don't have to break the bank - you can even get some good products on the cheap from Olay, Cetaphil, Dove, etc. Also use a richer body lotion if you experience dry skin on your legs, arms, back, and elbows.

Exfoliate!

Use a facial exfoliator to rid your skin of dead skin cells, which can leave a patchy, uneven appearance and make it hard to apply foundation evenly. Some inexpensive brands are from the Body Shop, or St. Ives, or even the generic aspirin mask. Use a loofah sponge or a natural fiber scrub mitten to exfoliate your body such as your legs, back, etc. You won't get that annoying itchiness associated with dry body skin - just make sure to follow up with moisturizer after.

Hydrate yourself!

Drinking lots of water, or non-alcoholic beverages like green tea can help to restore the natural moisture to the epidermis. Especially in winter when you might not feel thirsty as often, it's important to drink enough water each day. Drinking water has many other benefits, such as reduced water retention, and clearer skin that is less prone to break-outs. Keep a jug of Britta water at the office, or a large bottle of mineral water, and make sure to drink it throughout the day.

Turn down the temperature!

Increased room temperatures in the cold winter months can cause your skin to dry out. There's no need to jack up the thermostat like crazy - keep at an even 21 degrees Celsius. If you get chilly, put on a sweater rather than waste energy and dry out your skin by running your heater on high and running around in shorts and t-shirt.

Protect yourself!

Even though the sun might not be as intense as in the summer, UV rays can damage your skin even in winter so be sure to wear sunscreen during the day. People often wear sunscreen in the summer and then totally forget it in the winter - big mistake! Wearing sunscreen everyday will greatly help to prevent the onset of premature wrinkles. Try to go for at least SPF 15 or above - just because the sun might be hiding behind some clouds, doesn't mean your skin is not exposed to harmful UV rays.

Pamper your skin!

Use a moisturizing or balancing face mask once a week. Again, you don't have to splurge on expensive brands, the Internet boasts hundreds of recipes of great DIY home remedy masks using everyday ingredients such as eggs, olive oil, sugar, or honey. I've also found inexpensive but good single-use masks at the drugstore that cost around $1 each.

Switch your Cleanser

If you're using a harsh facial cleanser, try switching to something more gentle. Try a cream or lotion based cleanser without perfumes, this will calm your skin and not strip off your natural oils that lead to healthy, balanced, and supple skin. Cetaphil or Spectrojel are two inexpensive drugstore brands that are geared towards sensitive, dry, or problem skin.

Got any great winter skincare tips? Tried any great products? Share them in the comments below!

The Rules: The Dos and Don'ts of Makeup

This is something that has really been irritating me for a while now. I really hate when people foist their "rules" of makeup on others. If you want to follow makeup rules, go right ahead, but don't force those rules on other people, admonishing them from venturing outside of these rigid guidelines. So, to present an alternative view, here are my own Dos and Don'ts of Makeup for those who just don't give a crap about the rules!

Please take this with a grain of salt. ;)


DO:

• Wear whatever color, brand and style of makeup that you like
• Wear bold lips with dramatic eyes
• Wear dark and smokey makeup in the daytime if that's what you feel like
• Try out bright and bold colors even if you are over the age of 30
• Try out something different from your everyday look just for the heck of it
• Try to master a new application technique, even if it looks horrible - it's just makeup, you can wash it off
• Come up with your own unique style and don't let yourself be dictated to
• Try out artistic full face makeup to improve your technique, even if you just wear it at home
• Feel free to go outside without any makeup at all

DON'T:

• Think that the only color of lipstick that can be worn with dramatic eye makeup is nude
• Tell other people that they cannot wear the makeup they have on their face for whatever reason
  
• Advise women over a certain age that they can't wear fun colors anymore and that they need to look more mature and refined
• Exacerbate people's insecurities by telling them certain makeup doesn't look good on them because it makes their eyes look smaller / lips look too big / face look fat, etc.
• Follow every makeup trend just because it's the latest fad - just wear what you like!
• Idolize celebrities as your one and only fashion and makeup gurus - there's lots more diversity out there
  
• Be a jerk - most people don't take kindly to others criticizing their face, some common decency goes a long way

I'm not saying people can't constructively criticize - but often this kind of feedback is completely unnecessary and just plain rude. Especially when people decide that foisting rigid rules onto someone is being "constructive" or helpful. You know what - it's not! It's limiting and stifling creativity. So don't tell others what you would have done differently just because it's following some enshrined makeup rule - just do it on your own face and stop stifling some else's creativity.

What are some makeup rules that really irritate you? Do people tell you what kind of makeup you should or should not wear?

Paypal changes come into effect June 3, 2009

Ok, this sucks. I totally missed the boat on this but Paypal has some new policy changes that come into effect June 3, 2009.

Amendment to the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
Effective Date: June 3, 2009

Beginning June 3, 2009 the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy is being amended to include a new Section 4 as follows:

Prohibited Activities
You may not use the PayPal service for activities that:

"4. involve the sales of products or services identified by government agencies to have a high likelihood of being fraudulent”

Amendment to the PayPal User Agreement


Effective Date: June 3, 2009

Beginning June 3, 2009 PayPal user agreement is being amended as follows:

1. Section 4.2 of the user agreement will read as follows:

“4.2 Receiving Payments for Commercial Transactions and Personal Transactions.
a. Fees depend on whether you are making a commercial transaction or a personal transaction. A commercial transaction involves buying and selling goods or services, and payments received when you send a “request money” using PayPal. A personal transaction involves sending money to and receiving money from friends and family without making a purchase.

b. If you are selling goods or services, you may not ask the buyer to send you a personal payment for the purchase. If you do so, PayPal may remove your ability to accept personal payments.”

2. Section 8 of the user agreement will read as follows:

8. Fees. All fees are in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise stated.

Fees depend on whether you are making a commercial transaction or a personal transaction. A commercial transaction involves buying and selling goods or services, and payments received when you send a “request money” using PayPal. A personal transaction involves sending money to and receiving money from friends and family without making a purchase.

Personal Transactions. Fees depend on the payment source that the sender selects. The amount of the fee will be shown at the time the payment is sent. The Fee is paid by either the sender or the recipient. The sender decides who pays.

Domestic Personal Transactions - U.S. sender and recipient

Ok so if that is confusing to you, here is a site that explains these changes in more detail. Damn, could Paypal/eBay get any greedier? I use Paypal a lot for personal transactions, I might look into signing up for a Google Merchant account now.

HD beauty products - a gimmick?

Seems like the cosmetic industry has caught onto the newest fad - HD cosmetics, apparently designed for high definition television. But is HD makeup just a gimmick? We've seen Makeup Forever garner a lot of success and notoriety for their HD foundation and HD powder, and seems like many cosmetic companies are catching on: Writing HD on the packaging will result in consumer hype and sales.

But I think I've seen it all now: Check out this blog entry by alllacqueredup.com about HD nailpolish by Sally Hansen. I mean really: HD nailpolish? Made with liquid crystals?? Oh, come on! This just bugs me as much as those shampoo adverts with their pseudo-science like "nutrilium" and all that garbage!

I am not fooled by the HD packaging of cosmetic companies, because they ultimately promise no better results than other high quality products. HD-labeling does not an excellent product make. It really has a lot to do with the application method, that is why airbrushing has become so popular for television, film and print media. Now I'm not saying that these new HD products are not good, I've heard a lot of glowing reviews for the HD line from Makeup Forever, but I just want to warn people not to buy into the hype. Buy a product for its quality, not for the labeling alone that promises a lot but might not be any better than other "non-HD" products out there.

What are your thoughts on HD cosmetics? Share them in the comments!

Silica powder - is it safe to use? A controversy analyzed

February 16, 2009

The latest controversy in Youtube-land is the whole debacle over Silica speheres powder which has been lauded by some popular Youtubers to be a much cheaper dupe of the Makeup Forver HD powder (100% silica powder). The silica powder is sold on Coastal Scents' website, as well as other online retailers such as TKB Trading, etc.

However, there has been some controversy surrounding this powder! Here is one video talking about the questionable nature of using silica powder for makeup purposes.

In addition, this thread on Model Mayhem, a makeup forum frequented by professional makeup artists, also discusses the topic. Makeup Artist David Klasfeld writes in conjunction to the silica powder sold on Coastal Scents:

What is sold to be used in formulation as is the case with this site, is often done so in presumptive accordance with appropriate manufacturing regulations (i.e. amount, concentration, method of application). This does not speak to its safety if applied directly or undiluted. For example, pure pigments that are used in formulating eyeshadows, can cause irritation, allergic reaction or dermatitis if applied directly to the skin. In this case, through continued use, you may be risking something more serious: Silicosis

I'm going to assume that Make Up For Ever has found some way to regulate particle size, etc. to prevent this from occuring with the continued use of their powder, but I would never, ever use something that wasn't designed with this as its intended use, like the way the HD Powder evidently was.

He then goes on to write:

What's important to note about this product in particular is that it's being sold as an ingredient, and not as a finished product. If you read the recommendations on the page it's all geared towards being part of a larger formulation (ex: "This can be used for slip in small amounts , oil control formulations of mineral makeup."). They aren't recommending that it be applied directly as a face powder.

Given what I know from the manufacturing side of the cosmetics, I personally wouldn't use any silica product with the potential to become airborne, and I definitely wouldn't recommend using the raw ingredient as a finished product.

As far as silica products that are sold for direct use, there's no reason to assume they're unsafe. Especially if a major company is marketing one, I would presume they took every necessary precaution currently known to ensure its safe use. If there's little or no potential for inhalation (i.e. liquid and creme formulations, pressed powders), then there's probably no cause for concern at all. But again, if you want to err on the safe side, then avoid it.

Kathy, the propriertor of Coastal Scents, goes on to call a loyal customer ignorant for spreading "lack of knowledge" on Youtube, and then posts this in response on the comany's website:

1. No, you will not contract silicosis by using cosmetic grade, fda approved silica powder by itself or mixed with other products.
2. Yes, the silica we sell, and the silica others sell, including companies selling it as a finished product are the same product.
3. Yes, all cosmetic silica has gone through special processing, just as the silica used by finished makeup companies, the same exact process.
4. No, Coastal scents silica is not any different than any other silica being sold on the market, we are not special nor should we be singled out.

You can read the entire stance of Coastal Scents here and I leave it up to you to decide if you want to use silica powder or not. I personally can only add that Coastal Scent's business practices leave much to be desired, to say the least! I feel they could have handled the situation much more professionally. You can read some more discussion on this controversy here, or share your thoughts in the comments!

Pigments or pressed eyeshadows?

Some people prefer pigments or loose eyeshadows, while others prefer pressed eyeshadows. I personally prefer the pressed variety and here's why.

The argument goes that pigments, such as MAC pigments or other loose eyeshadows have better color payoff - as they are essentially pigments, or pure color. This isn't entirely true, since most pigments contain fillers which are necessary to help the color stick on your lid, add shimmer, etc.

So the statement that pigments as a rule have better color payoff is untrue. I have a large collection of MAC pigment samples and some full sized pots, and not all of them are equally as strong in pigmentation payoff. They suffer the same fate as pressed eyeshadows, while some have great pigmentation, others don't. I want to dispel the myth that pigments have better color payoff than pressed eyeshadows in general; I personally have some Ben Nye Lumiere eyeshadows that would blow MAC pigments out of the water.

There's also the messiness factor. Eyeshadows are easy to use and don't get all over the place, if they are of good quality. Pigments come in screw top jars, or sometimes the dreaded plastic baggies, all of which have the potential for messiness, spillage and fallout. That all being said, there are of course some stunning pigments out there, for which it is nearly impossible to find dupes for in pressed eyeshadow, and some pigment colors are also multi-usage.

So in conclusion, for me it's good quality pressed eyeshadows any day over pigments. What about you - what would be your choice? Let me know in the comments below!