A beauty blog featuring bridal, celebrity and costume makeup looks, product reviews, maternity paintings, nail art & more. Contact me for an appointment!
I may -or may not- have an obsession with the color teal. The calming blue tones with the cheery green mixed in just lights me up. Makeup-wise, teals (or blue-greens) look beautiful on literally every skin tone. I have a whole palette of eyeshadows dedicated only to my first love, teal, and let's not even talk about my teal nail polish collection. So last night, when I opened the ever-growing nail polish drawer to select a color to paint my nails, I just couldn't decide which darn teal polish to choose. Then I remembered the popular trend we saw on the runways this summer and also for fall-- hello, ombre!
I picked five shades of teal and came up with this look below.
PRODUCTS USED: Thumb: Get in Lime! by OPI Pointy Finger: Mermaid's Tears by OPI Middle Finger: Ocean Love Potion by OPI for Sephora Ring Finger: Turned Up Turquise by China Glaze Pinky: Alpine Gree (Without the N) by L.A. Girl Matte Finish The little green flower gem is from Sally's Beauty Supply.
Orange lip color is so overlooked. I'm not talking about coral or peach, which is what most people lean towards. I'm talking about true, tangy happy-go-luckyorange. Even I am guilty of it. For the mounds of makeup I have littering two thirds of my house, purse and car, I had zero orange lipsticks. What the heck was I thinking? Was I too distracted by the classic reds, hot pinks and nudes that I completely forgot the rainbow had an orange splash in it? Woopsie. Lucky for me, Lime Crime had a discount special for their Facebook followers and I snatched up their My Beautiful Rocket shade of lipstick. It's described on the site as True, luminous orange without red undertones. Now, before you say "Well, Christine, you're a makeup artist and do colorful crazy looks all the time. I'm an everyday gal with an office job, how am I supposed to rock orange lipstick without looking out of place?" let me show you how to wear it in a "normal" way.
Here, I forgoed lip liner and used gold, dark brown and coral shadows to accentuate the look. I even skipped eyeliner. The gold shadow is a frost, but I kept the dark brown and coral matte. Add a touch of matte peach blush and voila! A sweet and simple look with a slice of orange to brighten up your day.
Hello everyone! I'm excited to show you the first of many Halloween looks I will be doing this season. Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday, for obvious reasons. Every week up until October 31st, I will be posting tutorials on Youtube ranging from spooky to sexy for your Halloween outings. Let me know if you have a costume idea in mind and would like to see a video. Make sure you subscribe to my Youtube channel so you don't miss the looks! Watch below for a learn-fest on Vampire makeup.
Here are some stills from the look:
Clearly, I was having too much fun.
Disclaimer: I just wanted to warn people that almost all the colors I used had some kind of red pigment in them. If you have sensitive skin, or allergies to red dye, you should probably just skip this look.
PRODUCTS USED:
Face
Makeup For Ever HD Foundation
MAC Concealer stick in NW 15
MAC Pro Super White FX Pressed Powder
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscapade
Eyes
Urban Decay Primer in Eden
MAC Foxy Lady Eye Kohl
MAC Fluidline in Dark Diversion
MAC Pigment in Blue Brown
MAC Eyeshadows in Passionate (hot pink) and Sketch (maroon)
MAC Mascara in False Lashes
Lips
MAC Creme Liner in Velvetella
MAC Lipstick in Wild About You
Cinema Secrets's Blood Gel
Widow's Peak
MAC Pro Paintstick in Black Black (also used on the corners of the lips)
My good friend Jen and I attended MAC's Pro event at their Hollywood and Highland location last night, where we got to see and play with their three fall launches.
This launch features 8 paint pots in neutrals, blues and plums. I don't love the paint pot's formula as a base for eyeshadow, but I did like the range of colors it came in. Also included were 10 slim Mattene lipsticks. These lipsticks promise a semi-matte, velvety finish without drying your lips out. I adore them and wish I had a reason to rock the deep dark purple one, Potent Fig. Two frost-finish nail laquers complete this launch, a gold and a dark purply blue. Not a fan of frost nail polishes, but they did compliment the trends we saw during NYFW.
This new foundation comes in 14 shades and features a different shade-numbering system than the typical MAC "NW15" or "NC30." Instead, the colors are numbered 1-10. This new foundation is made of translucent pigments to enable "a fully personalized finish influenced by the subtleties of your own skin's undertone." It's a demi-matte, medium finish. I tried a little on my hand. It has a velvety soft texture which leads me to believe it's a line-reducer, but not sure how/if this "new technology" really works. I like the pump-bottle. Although I can't wait for MAC and Makeup For Ever to start making foundations with higher sun protection- SPF 15 is like wearing a bridal veil: the sun can still see and get to your skin! Either way, if you like medium coverage, Matchmaster is worth a shot.
This launch showcases 15 Pro Long Wear eye shadows which came in the old-school bigger size. The colors were all lovely and seemed to stay on well. I'm sure you will still need a basic eye primer to go underneath them, but still, that's just a fact of life. The only thing I didn't understand was why on earth they were so...big. Everyone knows a regular sized MAC eye shadow lasts forever, are you supposed to bury this one in the grave with you?! 12 ProLong Wear LipCremes join this launch. Again, the colors were gorge, but I didn't try any on, so I can't comment on how they feel or wear. They did look creamier than the normal ProLong Wears which you paint on with a wand, and seemed more user-friendly. 9 ProLong Wear LipGlasses accompany the LipCremes and might I say I am in love. They are super creamy, incredibly pigmented and look like vinyl on the lip! I bought one in Whoops! Let's talk about the ProLong Wear Lip Pencils- I wish I could have bought all 10 of them, but I settled by getting What a Blast! Long wearing and creamy. It's like the creme liners, except it doesnt smudge or move.
Hi bloggers! Over the summer, I bought a ton of beauty supplies, etc and thought I'd share with you. A haul of sorts, but I'm calling it a "Shop and Tell." Below are my reviews for each product, as well as a video. Enjoy!
1) Organize-Her by MEAD - Sold exclusively at Target I am obsessed with this entire line of notebooks. I have the grocery shopping notebook that comes with tear-out shopping lists and pockets for your grocery cards and coupon clippings. If you're like me and have a million planners and schedules all filled with the exact same information, all because it makes you feel as if you have some kind of control in your life, than this is for you.
2) Nail Tool from Sally Beauty Supply I wasn't really a huge "Sally" girl, but they have the best selection of nail polishes and nail tools. I got my little tool (one side is a dotter, the other is a thin art brush) for about $6.
3) L'oreal Lash Serum Since I filmed the video below, I have applied the Lash Serum nightly for about 2 weeks. Do I see a difference? No. #worthless.
4) Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara Not really a Revlon girl, but ever since the old Opulash formula from MAC made some of my lashes break and fall out, I was desperate to restore them to their original glory. For $7 this is literally a miracle worker. My lashes are flowing and extending. The gentle formula is great for sensitive eyes and feels nourishing, without being sticky or clumpy. I like the fat brush it comes with too. Fan for Life.
5) Crest 3D White Strips- 5 Minute I'm a coffee/soda/red wine drinker and so whitening my teeth every six months is a must. For those of you, who like me, have zero patience and time to wait for those half-hour formulas to work, this is a great alternative. It does the job. I mean, my teeth aren't blindingly white, but I did notice it cleaned up some of the staining and gave my smile a brighter look. I apply the strips to my teeth at night before bed. Put on my PJ's, do my nightly OCD routine of making sure everything is organized for the next day, then remove the films and brush my teeth to get rid of the extra gel. Five minutes. Done. I would totally do it again.
6) Halloween Lashes- Rite Aid Haven't tried these yet, but I adored the teal colors feathers popping out at the ends!
7) L'oreal Ever Strong Conditioner- In love with the entire line. Its sulfate-free formula is gentle and your hair is shinier than Whitney Houston's forehead when she performs onstage. Amaze-balls.
8) Aveeno Face SPF 30- I like trying out different SPF formulas each time I run out, and I always stick to SPF 30 or higher. So far, this formula is great. Not too greasy and stays put under my foundation. I do get a little shiny later on in the day, but let's face it, it's been like 100 degrees in Los Angeles. I'm lucky my makeup stayed on my face at all.
9) Fresh Sugar Honey SPF 15- At $22.50, it's the most expensive lip balm on Earth and I would buy it again and again. I get compliments on the new Honey shade daily "Is that a lipstick or gloss? It's so natural, what are you wearing?" I literally just wear this alone on a daily basis for work, and it's SO soft, has SPF to protect your lips, tastes great and gives off a lovely flesh toned color. It's butter for your lips, without the calories.
10) Clinique Acne Spot HealingGel -At $14 a pop, this little miracle worker will last you at least a year, if not more. It contains salycic acid and softly murders your pimples without burning your skin.
11) Skintimate Cream Shave- Great substitute for shave mousse, which can dry out your skin and is costly. A little bit goes a long way, and you don't even need lotion after.
12) Secret Natural Mineral- I sweat like the cops are after me, and this is the only deoderant to date that has held up to the job. I'm always on the look out for deoderants, and this one will do... for now.
13) Lime Crime Eye Shadow Helper- This is Lime Crime's eye primer. It comes in a cute Tiffany blue container. Since the video, I have tried it and well..it's a little oily. Not my fave, and no where near as good as Urban Decay's Primer Potion in Eden.
14) Lime Crime-Mint To Be- Awesome sea foam green lip color perfect for editorial and Halloween looks! Such a creamy formula too. Here I am rocking it below at the Katy Perry concert. Chantal has D'Lilac on.
15) Lime Crime- My Beautiful Rocket- a lovely bright orange that looks beautiful on olive and dark skin tones. A must for my makeup kit.
16) Orbit Sweet Mint- Best flavor of gum out there. Enough said.
Watch the video to see the products and more thoughts!
Let's be honest ladies: we all have some kind of facial/body hair issue. Whether your Middle-Eastern, African American, Latino etc, you suffer from some form of Hairy Monster-Ness. I'm a huge fan of bleach. Whoever Jolen is really hit the nail on the head, because this is the best quality, low-price face/body hair bleach I have ever used. Talk about cheap and easy to use! For about $6-8 bucks, you can find Jolen Hair Bleach almost anywhere: grocery stores, Walmart, Target, Ulta, and even Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens.
Growing up, I was always embarassed of how dark, thick black hairs would grow all over my pale skin, showing up even worse than on other girls my age. I used to cry out "Why, God...WHY?!" Then, a few years later I took control. I've been using Jolen on my fur-spots since that fateful day in fifth grade when my mother brought out the cheery little turquise box from her cosmetics cabinet and said "Your mustache is darker than your father's, honey. It's time."
Nowadays, I don't really have to use it as often, but every once in a while, whether it's my lower back, sideburns or back of my neck, I'll whip it out. For those of you who are bleach virgins, here are some easy steps below:
1) You will need: a Jolen kit, a bowl and rubber gloves.
2) For myself, I use the little spatula it comes with and pick up a heaping scoop of the cream. For each "heapful" I add two little scoops of the activating powder. The powder is what makes the bleach strong. Since I have super dark hair and my skin is not sensitive, I add a lot of the powder to quickly lighten the hair. If you have sensitive skin, I suggest doing a test run on your arm and seeing if your skin reacts before applying. You may want to go easy on the activating powder as well.
3) I mix the cream and powder activator in a small bowl (I use an old Lush container) and mix it together with my fingers. I should point out that wearing rubber gloves is a good idea here.
4) You can immediately apply a thin layer of this mixture to the "affected" areas and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
5) Rinse off with warm water and soap and apply a gentle face lotion.
1. Mood: It's SO hot here in L.A. And before anyone waves the "I live in Vegas and it's way hotter" flag, might I mention that in Vegas, it's a dry heat. The humidity here, mixed with the pollution, makes it atrocious.100 degrees in Las Vegas feels like 85 degrees here. My makeup and hair are melting. My thighs are stuck to every chair and the leather seats in my car are burning my ass. The air is thick with smog and oven-like heat. My deoderant stops working sometime around 11:00am and my feet start sliding around in my sandals from sweating. By the time I come home, my forehead and nose are so shiny I could signal planes to land in our backyard. GROSS
2. Which lip colors do you wear least often and why? Let's talk about dark brown lipsticks. I don't even like them on darker-skinned girls. When doing my clients' makeup, regardless of their skin tone, I'll pick a berry/plum or burgandy shade over blah poo-poo brown. Seriously...SO pointless. It makes people's teeth look yellow too.
Let's face it...it looks like someone smeared.....dirt... on her mouth.
3. What’s one thing you do to simplify your morning routine? I skip the eyeshadow. Eyeshadows (the blending, the layering) takes the longest for me to do, so simply swiping on a waterproof liner, mascara and eye primer to smooth out my eyelid does the trick.
No eyeshadow here
4. When was the last time you groomed your brows? It feels like I groom them every other day. My eyebrows are a growing machine. They crank out long, black, coarse Armenian hairs that take up about half my lifetime to groom. Realistically, I would say that I "groom" them once a week, but pluck them every other day. I long for the days when I am old and gray! Maybe then these crazy brows will stop growing so fast! They'll probably just be super thick and gray, inside of super thick and black. Great.
My eyebrows have been every shape and size throughout the years.
5. The last thing you treated yourself to? This amazing gelato shop near my home created a Nutella flavor of gelato. I'm there about twice a week scarfing it down. No shame. It's worth it.
Yes, those are Nutella streaks on the gelato. I live for this!
6. Something that recently surprised you about yourself? Throughout the wedding planning process, I've realized that I'm a very controlling person. I'd much rather pile on too much than delegate what needs to be done. I just need to chillax a little.
Anxiety City
7. S’mores? Yes please! I actually just made some the other day. I call them City Smores. I spear a marshmallow with a fork and burn it on my gas stove. Then I smash it down in between some graham crackers and Hershey's chocolate blocks and enjoy. MMmmmmmmmmm. Again, no shame.
How cool is this little smores maker?!
8. What’s one good thing that happened to you this weekend? I got my wedding dress and booked a venue! We hosted a "Meet the Parents" night too and all went well. Here's a pic of some of the Armenian engagement candy that is customary to bring to the bride's house that my mom gave us:
9. If you could star on a reality TV show, which one would would it be? While we are on an Armenian note, I would star on the Kardashians' show. I would teach them how to speak Armenian and teach those spoiled fame whores to give back to the motherland. There are starving orphans and villages in Armenia that could really use some of their millions.
10. Weekly goals: Book our church for the wedding, swing by a MAC store to pick up some supplies for my appointments this weekend, order my hair brooch and make it to the gym at least once!
Do you know when to throw out your makeup? How old is that mascara? Wondering if you should hold on to that eyeshadow you stole from your sister in 1998? Look below to have all your beauty shelf life questions answered.
Liquid makeup: 6 months – Liquids have water in them that give bacteria a great, humid place to grow. Try to store them in a bedroom drawer at room temperature, right side up. The bathroom is probably the worst place to store your makeup, since it can get rather humid during showers. Gross. This isn't to say that liquids can't last longer than six months, but you will notice a change in the color payoff and wearability. Just sayin'.
Stick Makeup: 1 year – Stick makeup (such as concealers) contains less water than liquids but is still considered an emollient (water-based). If you do notice your stick makeup is starting to change in texture, swipe the top layer onto a paper towel to reveal the fresh makeup underneath.
Powders: 2 years – Powders can last a pretty long time since they are dry. My biggest nightmare is when people use the same unsightly sponge the powder came with for years. CHANGE OUT YOUR SPONGE, PEOPLE! A dirty sponge will transfer oils that are on your face back to the powder and create unsightly "hard" gunk on the top layer. If this happens, simply take a spoon and "scratch" the gunk off, then swipe the entire top layer of the powder with a clean tissue to reveal the softer, new layer of powder underneath. I recommend using the same sponge for about two weeks. You can buy cheap replacement sponges pretty much anywhere, from beauty counters and makeup stores to Rite Aid and CVS. This means you have no excuses.
Eyeshadows: 2 years- But let's face it, we have all kept shadows way longer than that. I actually still have some cool eyeshadow that belonged to my mom in the 80s that I still use from time to time. I think it really just depends on the quality, and that you keep it dry in a cool place.
Mascara: 3 -4 months - Another reason why I hate spending more than $10 on a mascara: they dry out faster than a tree in the Sahara Desert. A mascara tube is a dark and wet environment, which is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. The last place you want any irritation is your eyes. Try not to "pump" the wand, as this dries out your product by pushing air back into the tube.
Lipstick: Some experts say 1-2 years. Others say up to 4 years. What everyone agrees on is that if it smells rancid, throw it out, it's spoiled.
Lip Gloss: 2-3 years- Similar to lipsticks, you can keep these as long as they don't smell. I've kept glosses for longer, then regretted it as I twisted the cap open and singed my nostrils with the smell of death. You have been warned.
Pencil Eyeliners: 3 Years- These should be sharpened regularly, and should last you a very long time.
False Lashes- Honestly, it depends on how you take care of them. If you rip them off coming home late in a drunken stupor and forget them somewhere between your bed and the wall, then chances are they are bent out of shape and unwearable again. However, if you carefully peel them, pick off the excess glue and store them back in their containers, these babies will last you 10- 12 wears. False lashes are synthetic, so technically they can never "go bad."
Gel/Cream Liners: 6 months - It will be about six months before you start noticing your gel or cream liner has started to dry out. I truly hate when this happens. It doesnt' mean it's gone bad, it just needs a little TLC. To revive a dry gel or cream liner, simply add half a drop of face lotion to the container and mix it well with a brush.
Brushes- Again, depends on the quality. If you are using brushes from E.L.F. or Revlon, the hairs will start falling out within the first year. If you are going to spend any money on makeup, the area you should splurge is on brushes. High quality brushes will last you 10, sometimes up to 20 years. Wash them every two weeks with warm water and hair shampoo (I use $1 Suave on mine). This will help keep them and your skin clean from bacteria, as well as keep the brushes in tip top shape.
Nail Polish- It definitely depends on the quality. Hello Kitty $2 polish will last you about a year. I know my personal collection from brands like Essie, OPI, China Glaze and MAC have lasted me years upon years. If you are wondering whether your polish has "gone bad," take a look at the texture in the bottle. Has it changed? Is it gluey or sticky? Chances are, you should throw it away. If you have an impressively-and unneccessarily- large collection of nail polishes like I do, and you know for a fact that you won't get through them in two years or less, just shake up each bottle from time to time to keep it fresh. I know it's hard to remember that neglected orange glitter polish in the back of your drawer, but if you want to get the most out of your products (and your money), shaking or rolling the bottles between your palms every couple of months will ensure they last a little longer. Another trick is adding a few drops of clear top coat to any old nail polish to give it a little life.
