Archive January 2010
Alice in Wonderland Makeup
Special Edition Collections Inspired By Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland
Everybody has been talking about the new Alice in Wonderland movie by Tim Burton! Even cosmetic companies are putting out their own limited edition collections inspired by the movie. Let these products satisfy your craving while you wait for the film to come out.
Urban Decay’s Book of Shadows
Urban Decay’s “Book of Shadows” sold out in record time. The company will be releasing more at a later date, but damn! The collection includes 16 best selling eyeshadows (re-named), in colors such as White Rabbit, Curiouser, Mad Hatter and Mushroom. The book also includes travel sizes of their infamous Primer Potion, as well as 2 mini eye pencils in Zero and Flipside.
OPI Nail Polish
OPI is jumping on the Alice in Wonderland bandwagon as well with their newest collection! It includes a royal blue glitter called Absolutely Alice, a multicolored glitter named Mad as a Hatter and two red polishes, Thanks so Muchness, and Off with Her Red. I’m confused as to why they decided to put out two different, yet very similar reds?? With so many colors to choose from, it seems like a weird decision from the powers that be.
Paul and Joe
Paul and Joe’s limited edition Alice in Wonderland collection looks so fun! The packaging is amazing. They will be coming out with two decorative tins (Fantasy and Daydream) with blotting papers and lipstick inside each one! Paul and Joe is a UK based brand, and very difficult to find in the States. I believe some Bergdorf Goodman’s carry the line.
Speaking of Alice in Wonderland…
I had the opportunity to work on a new music video for one of the songs on the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack. The song is called “Tea Party” by Estonian singer, Kerli. The costumes/wigs and makeup were to die for. I’m really excited for its release. Until then, check out a small behind the scenes photo from the tea party scene! Sorry for the bad quality, my camera phone sucks 
R.I.P Roxanna Floyd
Celebrity Makeup Artist, Roxanna Floyd, Passes Away at Age 49
Roxanna Floyd has worked with celebrities such as Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson. She did the cover of over 60 Essence Magazine covers, and worked as a creative consult on the CoverGirl Queen Collection. She was an asset to the industry and will be deeply missed. 
Check Out Some of Her Work
How To: Make Your Nose Look Thinner
Rhinoplasty is one of the top five most common plastic surgery procedures performed each year! The good news is makeup can be an effective way to slim your nose instead of choosing to go under the knife.
Plastic Surgeons say Kate Middleton has the most requested nose.
Using Makeup to Create the Illusion of a New Nose
What You’ll Need:
Contour Powder/Cream
You can use a product made specifically for contouring, or try a foundation 2-3 shades darker than your skin tone. Soft matte brown eyeshadow can work just as well too! If you’re a makeup beginner, I recommend starting out with a powder product vs cream.
My favorite contour products are Kevyn Aucoin’s Sculpting Powder, and Senna Cosmetic’s Contour kit (cream). The contour shades are really unique and give off a “shadow” color which is exactly what you want your contouring to look like!
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Highlight
I prefer a matte highlighter when contouring noses. An off white/nude eyeshadow can work well. My favorite highlight is a lighter foundation color. Try a color 2-3 shades lighter than your skintone.
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Angled Brush
An angled brush works great for sculpting noses. Keep it small and firm so that you have more control over where your product ends up.
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Fluffy Blending Brush or Sponge
For blending your contouring. I prefer the Beauty Blender sponge to soften lines, but brushes work well too.
How To: Slim a Wide Nose
Step 1- Whether or not you apply your foundation before or after your contour is a personal preference. I like to apply contour after I’ve done foundation because I feel like I have more control over what the end result will look like.
Step 2- Dip your angled brush into your contour powder/cream/eyeshadow and draw a line down each side of your nose. Keep it light. It’s easier to build product than to take it away. (Check out the diagram above to get an idea about where to place your lines).
**Different Contour Placement Options: Depending on Your Specific Nose**
If your nose is wide all the way up, carry your line to the bridge of the nose. Blend into the tip of your eyebrow for a seamless transition.
If your nose is wider at the bottom, draw a small line outward when you get to your nostrils.
If the tip is wide or bulbous (I hate that word! I had to use it though, sorry), draw a “down-facing arrow” once you reach the bottom. This will give the illusion of a slimmer tip.
Step 3: Clean off your brush.
Step 4: Dip your brush in your highlight powder/cream/ eyeshadow and draw a slender stripe down the center of your nose. (See Diagram).
If the bottom or tip of your nose is wide, only take your highlight half-way down.
Step 5: Take a clean fluffy brush or makeup sponge and blend your lines (try not to blend them together though). Blend until you can’t see a “line” anymore; just subtle shadows. It should look natural!
Obviously, my diagram is just for reference. Please don’t go outside with stripes down your nose..
If you have followed the directions correctly, you should notice a subtle change in your nose! Let me know if it worked for you, or if you have any questions!!
Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper for MAC
MAC’s “From Our Lips” Campaign Pictures
The pictures for the campaign have been released!
Many months ago, it was confirmed that Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper would be MAC’s newest “Viva Glam” spokeswomen. “From our Lips” includes two new gorgeous lipsticks. All proceed go toward MAC’s AIDS fund. .
Viva Glam Cyndi: Burnt Coral-Red
Viva Glam Gaga: Cool Blue-Pink
Release Date: March 18, 2010
Price: $14 each
(Click on picture for full sized version).
Sao Paulo and Berlin Fashion Week A/W 2010
The Good, The Bad and The Bizarre
Patrick Mohr A/W 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin
Ok, is anybody else wondering what the hell is going on here?? lol! The models/body builders walking in the Patrick Mohr show were wearing plastic bags, really bad wigs and lots of triangles. I don’t get it and I’m not sure if I want to.
Stine Goya A/W 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin
The makeup for the Stine Goya show in Berlin was really pretty and clean for the most part. However, the lips are reminiscent of the “I’ve been trapped in the Mohave desert for 10 days without water,” look. It looks like gold glitter over reddish brown lipstick (same technique as the Giulia Borges show in Rio here). I feel that these lips would look amazing in an editorial but not on the runway.
Alexandre Herchcovitch A/W 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Sao Paulo
Alexandre Herchovitch’s models wore skull makeup during his showing in Sao Paulo. This type of makeup is definitely not something you see everyday, especially in Menswear, but at least it’s interesting.
I like it. It goes well with the clothes and the theme of the show.
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A Few Interesting Pieces…
Hausach Couture 2010 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Berlin
The makeup for the Hausach Couture line was nothing to write home about, but I wanted to show you some of the interesting dresses that walked the runway! They are pretty odd, but I’m kind of loving it. Especially the headpiece.
Get the Look: Lady Gaga’s Nails
The Scoop:
Bad Romance Nail Polish!
Chances are, you’re one of the 86 million people that has seen the Bad Romance music video. If you haven’t, there’ s something wrong..
Celebrity manicurist, Kimmie Kyees collaborated with Lady Gaga to create her nail looks for the video. Now you can wear a little bit of Gaga in your everyday life, without even having to go over the top!
The white nails seen in most of the video are OPI’s Alpine Snow Matte polish.
I have been trying to figure out how they created this wire overlay on Gaga’s nails since I first saw the video (about 50 times ago). Kimmie says that the black polish is China Glaze’s Liquid Leather and the screen is actually cut up mesh fabric from Joanne’s fabric store!! Brilliant.
New Prada Ad
Rockin’ the Orange, Glossy Lips
While the the fashion world is currently working on Autumn/Winter 2010, the Spring/Summer Prada ads, shot by the incrediblele Steven Meisel, have officially been released! Look at those lips!!! Neon orange and glossy, just the way I like it. I must say, I did have an “oh my god” moment when first viewing these.
The models wore Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics’ amazing lip tar in “Safety Orange” during their Spring/Summer 2010 runway show in Milan. Chances are, the same product was used by legendary makeup artist, Pat McGrath, to create these ads, and lucky for me, it’s already in my kit
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**UPDATE:
Nylon Magazine has discovered exactly what has been used on the model’s lips for these ads! To get the look, mix Makeup For Ever’s lacquered lipstick in 204, with a gloss on top mixed with CoverGirl’s Shineblast in orange.
From the Runway..
Spring/Summer 2010 Milan Fashion Week. I love that the ads are so similar to the look created for the runway!
Golden Globes Beauty Round-up
A Look Into the Makeup At the Globes
Courtney Cox looked amazing last night at the Golden Globes! Her makeup artist, Genevieve, gave the Cougar Town actress a grey and black smoky eye paired with nude lips. She used Lancome’s Color Design Lip Color in “Pale Lip” to create Courtney’s neutral pout. Can you believe she’s 45??
Kate Hudson never needs much makeup in order to look gorgeous! For this look, her makeup artist, Leslie Lopez, kept the eyes and lips very clean which looked amazing against her white Marchesa gown. Her waterline is rimmed with black pencil and her frosty peach lips are Chanel’s Aqualumiere Sheer Lipcolor in Malta.
Olivia Wilde wore one of the smokiest eyes of the night but it totally worked with her metallic Calvin Klein dress. Her eyeshadow is an earthy sand color, brought out into a sharp cat eye. Her eyes are rimmed all the way around with black pencil and the look is topped of with a hot set of false lashes.
Didn’t Jennifer Aniston look fabulous last night!? I love her bronzed skin, and peach lips; the whole look compliments her so well! She is wearing a little bit more of a smokey eye than she usually does, and she pulls it off perfectly!
When Christina Aguilera hits the red carpet, you never know what to expect! She definitely is not shy when it comes to makeup, but her look last night was surprisingly subdued. Her makeup artist for the night was Kristofer Buckle for NARS. Her eyes were a shimmery walnut brown, smokey but still soft. Her mauve lips are lined with NARS’ Fantasia lipliner, filled in with Niagara lipstick and topped off with Easy Lover lipgloss.
Mo’Nique’s makeup was so clean and glowy last night, she definitely looked like a Golden Globe winner! Her makeup artist, Sam Fine, kept the whole look very neutral but still beautiful and fresh. She was given long wispy false lashes (#747L from Image Exclusives in LA) and a blush colored, nude lip.
Kate Winslet always looks phenomenal at these award shows! Her makeup artist Jillian Dempsey, created a super clean, flawless look for the actress. She carefully contoured Kate’s cheekbones, and used a navy eyeliner on her eyes. Kate’s flushed cheeks are Avon’s Blushing Nude and her lips are Lancome’s L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere.
Scott Barnes is the makeup artist that put Jennifer Lopez’ bronzed, glowy skin on the map, so it’s no suprise that he was responsible for Penelope Cruz’ beautiful golden glow last night! He used a burgundy eyeshadow, jet black liner and mascara, a nude lip, and of course loads of bronzer! Her body was coated in Barnes’ own product, Body Bling.
NYX $1 Sale
NYX is having a gigantic sale as we speak! Most of their products, everything from eyeshadows, liners, and foundation, are only $1! If you are on a budget, now is the perfect time to stock up, or test out some new products.
Stuck on what to buy?? I recommend their eyeshadows! The quality is actually really good for being a drugstore line so I pick up a few of those, along with several of the loose pigments!
FYI: You still are responsible for shipping but at these prices, who cares?
Hurry the sale ends 1/25/2010
Twilight Volturi Makeup Swatches
Twilight Makeup
I was in Hot Topic the other day and spotted this! I heard that Twilight was coming out with a line of makeup, but I didn’t think the rumor was serious! haha. Anyway, I swatched a few of the products because I figured that some people might care 
The Low-Down:
The eyeshadows were nice, a little flaky but the colors were pretty pigmented.
The lipglosses on the other hand, were not that impressive. Enrapture wasn’t bad but it reminded me of the kind of gloss you give to children to make them feel grown up, but it’s really just a creamier chapstick with a hint of color.
Feel me?
And don’t even get me started on Arsenic! Who wants grey lips??? I know that black lips were trending last year, but this is not what they were talking about lol! The color is super sheer and it just made my hand look really dirty.
Needless to say, I’ll be passing on the collection. I am however more intrigued to see the movie! If a movie inspires a makeup collection (good or bad), it must be doing something right!
