The Best Mascara EVER

And believe me I have tried them all. Alright, it may not be perfect for every living soul out there, but Benefit's Bad Gal Lash quickly became my favorite mascara for its lush application without clumping. I swear - No clumping. From the first time I open the tube till it is time to buy a new one (5 months later) the application is great. I will say that the newest tube isn't as juicy as the first 3 I bought which was a disappointment (I even exchanged it for a new one but still the same issue) but the application is still great. Each lash is defined and twice as long.

Benefit Cosmetics LLC

Makeup Mistake: Brushing off Good Brushes

It can be tempting to skimp on buying good quality brushes with an assumption that cheap ones should do just fine. It can be particularly tempting to skimp when you see the prices of professional brushes. Sticker shock is a common reaction by women I work with when I mention the price of individual professional makeup brushes. I may show her a pony hair powder brush that is $40 and she temporarily stops breathing. What's interesting is the lack of context many women fail to have comparing purchases. She may be willing to spend $30 on a bottle of foundation (which lasts 6 months) yet be reticent to purchase quality tools (which if taken care of can last 5 years or more). I tell my clients to think of buying good brushes like buying good shoes. They immediately get the point: good shoes are at least $40 but women don't flinch because they are very accustomed to shoe shopping. Its simply a matter of exposure.
So why are professional brushes better? The answer is: the application and the wear. Cheap brushes have a tendency to streak and drag color on in uneven ways. The synthetic bristles often do not hold the pigment and you will end up with more on the ground than on your skin. You will also notice that it is very common for cheap brushes to fray easily and shed. (Nothing is more annoying that trying to pick off little hairs all over your skin). The wear of good brushes, if taken care of properly, is also ten times better.
When you are ready to purchase brushes visit a retailer where you can actually feel and test the various types. Sephora is a terrific store to be able to test out brushes from many different lines. Sephora also has their own line of professional brushes that are actually very good quality. It is important to be able to feel the brush in your hand and try application. This is definitely where a professional sales person will come in handy. He or she should be able to tell you what type of hair the brush is and how it is assembled. The best brushes will have the hairs sewn into the handle not glued.
You may feel overwhelmed by how many brushes there are to choose from but you will likely only need 5 or 6 to complete your basic needs: A well rounded powder brush, an angled blush brush, concealer brush, an all-over eyeshadow brush for depositing base color all over the lid, a dome-shaped eyeshadow brush for blending color in the crease, and an eye smudge brush that can be used smudge eyeliner and to apply brow color. There are many others that I love that I would recommend, but these are the best basics for you to have.

Why A Beauty Blog?

I have been around the makeup and fashion industry for over 16 years; long enough to have seen my fare share of makeup triumphs (and yes makeup disasters). The one fact that has surprised me most over the duration of my career is the lack of basic knowledge many very intelligent women have about makeup colors, application and skincare. Most women innocently fall into bad habits that persist for years - women with educated girlfriends who were simply not brave enough to admonish them - "sweetie, you have a foundation line that looks like a 5 O'clock shadow!"
Over the years thousands of women have sheepishly admitted to me their ignorance and their desire to start getting things right. Unfortunately there are many makeup consultants out there who either give faulty information to make a sale, out of their own ignorance or out of a lack of interest to help. That is why I created this blog for beauty. This is your place to access quick answers to your beauty questions and where you will receive pertinent tips and information to help you make well informed makeup and skincare purchases as well as guidance on makeup application.

Makeup Isn't Everything... But...

When I decided to go back to college in 2002 to earn my degree - I did so with the intention of completely changing careers. In a post-9/11 environment I felt doing makeup wasn't really a service to my community and I wanted to delve into a career that would "change the world." I had absolutely no idea what that would translate into; only a very broad sense: would I help starving kids in Africa? Work in a battered women's shelter? I just didn't know. I just felt very guilty that my life wasn't serving anyone but myself. I actually majored in journalism before changing my mind on a dime one day in class on a sudden whim. I got to thinking: what do most journalists really do to change the world? I mean, they talk about problems, but do they ever do anything to actually solve them? We have too many journalists who talk and talk and offer information that is more often than not fear-mongering gossip and blather.

Alright, so fast forward to today and you know what? I'll donate my money and time to various charitable causes in order to give back to the world - but as for my career, my talent lies in art and creativity. Doing makeup may not seem like a vocation that really contributes any real value to the world, but I have finally learned that value is not precisely in what you do - but how you treat people. Lots of women really need a confidence boost and an excellent makeup artist will help point out what's beautiful. Some women actually tell me they feel "ugly." Right there I have an unusual opportunity to help her recognize what is pretty about her: her hair or her full lips or long lashes. Every woman has something striking about her. I know its a shame that our world is so caught up in beauty. Darn it, we can't help it - we're human. The least we can do is learn to expand our vision of what we view as beauty - if only for the sake of making another person hold their head a little higher. I don't think that is far off at all from my original intent when I went back to college. As a matter of fact, I think that is precisely what I meant when I said I wanted to change the world.

Getting The Glamour Groove On

Not every model I get to work with is as awesome as Melissa and Kristen. We bonded instantly and had a great session together. You'll certainly gather that by the amount of laughter in nearly every shot! But truly, the session was really all business... (yeah, right.)
For Melissa's look I chose to recreate a photo I saw in a magazine where the model had similar features. I used soft taupes to fill the lids of the eyes complemented by a pretty pink on her cheeks and lips. The foundation used was Bare Escentuals. I wasn't as happy with the application of the foundation and blush as I usually am - I think my poor kabuki brush has seen its last days. Kristen's makeup was inspired by a photo I saw of Winona Ryder with incredibly smoky eyes and pale lips. With the high flash of the camera I could have even smoked it out even more. All in all a very successful session. The ladies looked marvelous and we had a great time capturing some hot photos.