Many apologies!!!

Glams! I am so sorry for not being around for the past month but I have been blogging for AOL and haven't had a chance to get back to my own thing! Please forgive me and know that I am BACK!!! 
I have so much to tell you.. There are some great products to share about and I will be doing that this week. Stay tuned...
XOXOXOXO

John Frieda Root Awakening Review

Blotters that Bronze!

Summer. Sun. Balmy nights. Warm rain. Sand if you can find it.  Good times right? Well as wonderful as they are they can also mean oily, shiny skin.  I'm not a fan of the disco ball face so Im always on the lookout for remedies to help me out.  I have found that blotting papers do the trick when you want a fresh face by midday.  There are hundreds of brands but one that has really caught my eye is by Mai Couture.
They have blotting papers that BRONZE! Yes not only can you blot and absorb the shininess that plagues us but will leave a lovely bronze shimmery powder behind for the continuous glow. They also make blotting paper that has blush.  Love love love! This is a must-have item Glams and here's where to find them:
www.maicouture.com

The UGLY truth about beauty...

WARNING:
This post is not a beauty post but certainly more important. However, I will return to my regular beauty post in a few days. Right now, I have an important issue to discuss. Please stop here if you don't want to hear some awful truths.


As you know, it's my job to be as educated as possible about the products I use on my self and on my clients because its important -Just like its important to know where your food came from.  We shop more carefully now because we cant always trust what we're buying and therefore must do our best to be responsible for we put in our mouths and our bodies. As far as I'm concerned, this also applies to the beauty industry. Every product we use;  from what we use on our hair, our skin, our nails must all be considered the same way we look over a tomato before we add it to our cart and ultimately our bodies.  We have to be socially responsible here too.
One of the most important issues to me personally (and we all have important issues that we support) is animal cruelty.  I can't express to you how it makes me feel to know this is happening every day but I do my part to make a difference and am asking the same of you.  Outside of my profession in makeup, I spend alot of effort helping animals (I work with a rescue in my area and support many organizations) and educate people about the horrors that these animals are subjected to. Its sad and ignorant and I wont get into details here but Im sure most of you are aware of whats happens. Its abhorrent.


Animal testing is just not ok by ANY means and so unnecessary! It's 2010 and we are still doing this crap? It's ridiculous that we claim to be intelligent and superior yet we bully and torture living creatures on this planet.  I mean, seriously... it makes me crazy.


The good part is that we can all do our part to help. One of the many ways we can help is convincing these large corporations to stop this barbaric way of testing. If we continue to support these companies they will continue to operate this way.  Luckily, more and more companies are moving away from animal testing and for that I am so glad, but there still many that continue to test. Its unbelievable.


What I am asking is this. Buy what you want but at least be aware and educated about these companies and the products they sell us. Personally, I need to know if a particular product (may it be makeup, soap, shampoo, detergent, etc) is the result of some poor animal suffering excruciating torture.  I cant support it and I wont.  Animals are precious and do not deserve to be tortured for the sake of our beauty or any other reason.  
Please click on the link below to review the list of companies that are currently still testing on animals.  Whatever you decide is completely up to you but at least you know.  The truth isn't always pretty and sometimes it hurts but its better to know, in my opinion.   
We have to speak for the animals that can not speak for themselves. Please pass this on. 

Companies that DO TEST on animals 

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” - GHANDI

Illuminate me...

Happy Hump Day!
Many of you are familiar with the infamous Orgasm line by NARS... Well the gloss has been a staple in my own makeup bag for years and the blusher has never let me down. The multi stick has worked wonders but the newest member of the Orgasm family has really impressed me. The Orgasm Illuminator is just splendid! Its a complexion enhancer that gives you that extra je-ne-sais-quoi... and its fabulous!
It has gold, peach and pink tones AND its sheer and luminous so it really wakes up your face.

Its easily applied to the cheekbone, down the bridge of your nose, and right on your brow bone, it really gives a lovely warm sheen without looking like a discoball.. You can mix it with your foundation or use it alone. I love it and you will too!  Let me know what you think!

The Makeup Show 2010

....Where to begin? Ok...(deep breath) so I may have mentioned that I was attending the Makeup Show today and baby what a day it was... My friend Jennifer and I took the Show by storm and set out bright and early to purchase and conquer.

Held at the Metropolitan Pavillion on 18th Street the line started at 830am! We made it in by 930am and stopped at every single vendor (over 75 in total) in search of the next big thing.  M.A.C., Makeup Forever, Korres, Inglot, Shu Uemura, Yaby and many many more were there bearing their goods. Of course I was prepared with a list of must-stop-by's but I couldn't help being drawn in to everything.  By 11am, it was packed but we threw some 'bows and got through it.  Needless to say, I went a bit overboard but I got some great products which I will now tell you about : )

At Stila we got some of their new Smudgesticks which are fantastic and stay put! We then moseyed over to Model in a Bottle and purchased their setting spray which keeps your makeup in place all day. I will be trying that tomorrow and will let you know...  We also spent some time at Hakuhodo and I went a little batty for their brushes. They are from Japan and only available online BUT they make the absolute best brushes in the industry.  Jennifer and I couldn't stop touching the bristles and eventually gave in to purchasing a few for a mere billion dollars (seriously these brushes are not cheap at all, but so worth it especially if you are a Makeup Artist).  I even met the owners son and begged him to hire me as their US rep...in exchange for brushes of course..lol.
The M.A.C. stop had their new body paints and had nearly naked models as canvases.. Amazing work! Shout out to Bradford!!xoxo

At Korres we got the most amazing Guava body butter ever! It smells fantastic and feels like you've drenched you skin in some kind of magic..  I've always loved their products especially because they use natural extract formulations and they work!

At Dermologica, we met Catherine who was absolutely lovely and gave us some great samples.  Cant wait to try them!
After a once-round, we decided to sit in on a Makeup Forever seminar on their Aqua Eyes products - which I love because they truly are waterproof and they come in gorgeous colors!

Embryolisse was present with their amazing Lait-Creme Concentre.. I have heard so much about this product from other Makeup Artists so I decided to give it a try. This is another product I will get back to you on but I have a good feeling about it already. Its a face moisturizer which is supposed to create a "natural barrier" to protect the skin. Stay tuned for a review...
Around 230pm I ran into Valente (from the Tyra.com shoot, remember?) and took him back over to Hakuhodo so he could experience the brush-gasm we had earlier. He of course loved them too and while I was there I bought four more (costing the equivalent of a college tuition) and we all left happily ever after... and somewhat in shock at what had transpired within my wallet.  Jennifer gave me a good "SNAP OUT OF IT" slap and after I threw myself on the floor in hysterics I soldiered on as if never happened. : )

So obviously I could go on but its just too much to pack into this post.  However, Im happy to give you more details about the products featured so leave me a comment if you like.

All in all, it was an amazing day! We had a ball, spent too much money, got fantastic products, made fun of the attendees who showed up in full drag makeup as if that were normal for a Sunday afternoon, and ate the most delicious mac and cheese at Cafeteria afterwards. Yes, today was a good day!
Have a great week!

Lashes make me happy!

Hey Glams! What a busy week but Im back! 
OK so I have two products that I must tell you about... So I was in Bergdorfs again and had the pleasure of meeting a fantastic new friend Joseph at the Chanel counter.  We chatted for quite a bit about our favorite products and tricks of the trade. Well, Joseph told me about what-is-now-my-favorite product ever and I ran to Duane Reade to buy it! Glams... may I stress that you all must get the Natural Angel Lash Extender Fibers!!  This product is under the radar but a new staple in my kit and my personal morning routine. OK so they are tiny fibers that you apply to your lashes after mascara and BAM!!! Thick luscious lashes magically appear! I mean WOW... Its a great alternative to fake lashes and they look amazing!  You can get them at your local drug store and they cost about $7. I cant tell you how much I love them! If you cant find them let me know....


My second new fave is the Chanel Bronze Universel.
 This is my summer staple and Im officially in love. Its not a liquid or a powder but something in between and it gives you and amazing natural glow. Truly a must-have! It costs about $45 but will last for many months.  Its fantastic for a more natural makeup Glam and smells nice too.
I also bought the Cle de Peau concealer which a client of mine raved about but I haven't tried it yet so I will save that review for the next post. 
Tomorrow Im off to The Makeup Show with my friend Jennifer and I will have so much to tell you! Im so excited I may not sleep...  
A big hug and shout out to Joseph and much Glam love to all of you! Have a great weekend.
XOXO

Hair is important!

Ok so Im not a hair stylist at all but I do know a thing or two about healthy hair and how to get it.  Like makeup, I am always searching for the next best thing. Well..... I think my 20 year search has finally ENDED.  Yes..its a big statement but true.  I have a new hair stylist Kathy who recommended I try this fairly new line called MoroccanOil.  She said it was the best and I believed her.  So, we tried it and wow!! First of all, the smell is intoxicating!    My hair felt so soft and moisturized with the Moisture Repair Hydratant shampoo alone!  Then we applied the Intense Hydrating Mask for 20 minutes under the dryer. Again, the smell is fantastic and its rich and creamy.  I sighed relief as she applied it because I just knew this stuff was hair crack already. And I was right. She washed it out and my hair was thanking me.  
I happen to do a lot of things to my hair (chemicals, color and constant heat from the flat iron), so its important that I keep it moisturized and healthy.  So we went to blow dry and we used a small amount of the Oil (which can be used on wet or dry hair) and I could immediately feel and see a difference in my hair. It was bouncy, not greasy at all and shiny! Even after the flat iron work, it was just bodylicious!
We sprayed a little bit of the Glimmer Sine Spray and VOILA!!! I was a damn hair model!
As soon as I got home, I ordered the entire line including the Luminous Hair Spray (which I LOVE) and have officially become a fan.  No more anything else! This is it for me. You seriously need to try this line.
I did some research and it works on all hair types. They even have a product for my curly haired Glams.
Im in love and it feels so good!
By the way, I am not paid to talk about any of these products on this blog so when I like something, its purely my personal opinion and I pay for everything.
One word! MoroccanOil!!  LOVE IT and try it and if you do, please let me know what YOU think.


By the way I wanna slather the Oil all over my body and burn some in my tealight so the house smells like it too!!... just pure joy..

Be beautiful on the inside!

Happy Earth Day Glams!
So, I recently decided that it was time to really focus on my health and make my insides as beautiful as I try to make my outside.  Healthy is always in and great skin is all the rave! So, I starting juicing a few weeks ago to start the cleanse and drop some elbeez (lbs) of course.  I really went to town with it trying all kinds of combinations (celery, apple, ginger, carrot, kale, cucumber, parsley and the list goes on and on...).  Wow, this wasnt so bad at all - GAME ON!!   


After a week or so I started feeling truly amazing and by golly, I discovered that my skin starting glowing! Seriously, my skin was brighter and clearer and smoother (no lie!). I had more energy and my pants were starting to feel like they actually fit me!  YAY for glowing skin and clothes that fit!!
Now, if I could incorporate what I like to call "beauty juice" into my daily diet then I will have some gorgeous skin and good health, right? RIGHT! 
Seriously Glams,  I highly recommend you add fresh juice to your everyday intake. The results are AMAZING... but if you don't have the juicer or the time, some friends of mine have a juice company called Juice Hugger.  

Juice Hugger is a premium juice company using only the freshest organic produce available.  The have really cool and insanely healthy combo drinks like Berry Blessed and Goji Green Tea which is an anti-oxident power house!  Goji Berries are a super food with more antioxidants than anything known to man. Hands down. Combined with Green Tea, ginger, lemon and agave nectar it's been known to speed up the digestive system, burn fat and suppress hunger due it's high nutrient value.  It's incredible for healthy glowing skin without question!  My personal favorite is the Cucumber Glo which contains Cucumber, Aloe, Celery, Lemon, Ginger and Agave Nectar. It's crisp, light and very refreshing. Celery and Cucumber are well known as electric foods. You feel it after the first sip! So delish!!!
For information ordering information, check them out here: www.juicehugger.com


Anytime your insides look good, your outside is bound to follow. Take care of your bodies! We only get one and who doesn't want to feel and look amazing all while making your body  very, very happy! 


Juice on, my dear Glams, Juice on!

Ready, Set, Get Gorgeous in 4 minutes or less!

Hey Beautiful people!  Hope the sun is shining wherever you are!
So, a good friend of mine who happens to be a Mom with a three year old and is therefore  constantly on the go, asked me about what she can do in record speed to make her face for the day.
Since we all have had to rush out without the proper time to prep and beautify, here is my answer to minimize your routine to four steps and four products.  


Step #1
Use a tinted moisturizer to even out your skin tone and give your skin a perk.
I recommend Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer with spf 20. Its sheer and lightweight and comes in TEN shades. Pop that baby on and on to the next...



Step #2
Blusher is key to waking up that face and giving you a lovely flush.  Powder or Creme will do but make sure its a natural tone which matches your natural flush.  Pinch your cheeks and go with your own tone when picking a color.  I love Benefits Dandelion Pink Perk-Me-Up face powder and Benefit Hoola for more bronzy warmth.  You can use this in a few places.  First, smile for the apples of your cheeks and  brush powder high on your forehead and a touch on your nose.  This step should take approximately 45 seconds.

Step #3

Mascara will do wonders when it comes to your eyes! It draws more attention to your peepers and magically gives you a slight glam effect!  For a subtle yet defined look, I recommend Lancome Definicils - High Definition Mascara.  I always go with black but if you are very fair, I would use the Brown or Deep brown.  If you're prone to rubbing your eyes, use the waterproof version - Lancome Hypnose 

30 seconds later you have lashes that will take notice and you should absolutely feel free to bat them like Bambi.

Step #4
LIPS!!  Whether its good ole' Carmex or a tinted gloss or even full on lipstick, please make sure its something you can easily re-apply. Stay away from gloss pots and stick to glosses that are not super shiny. You want your lips to look and feel moisturized while keeping the color so it lasts all day.  These days, I am loving E.L.F Lipsticks because they feel and look moisturized with out the shiny discoball look. Save that look for an evening out.  E.L.F has great shades and they cost $5 bucks! (I have 3 of the same color for home, purse and my makeup kit). 20 seconds later and you are ... DONE!! 

So, these steps are quick and to the point and you'll get quicker with every application.  You will feel prettier and smile more while spending your precious time doing something else.  Who doesn't love that??

A fun little (expensive) trip to Bergdorf Goodman...

What a beautiful day in NYC! Sunshine and cool breezes... One particular  breeze blew me right into Bergdorf while I was passing the time before an appt.  Ah... the smell of expensiveness wafted right up to my nosy nose as I made my way downstairs to the Beauty floor. Now as many of you know, Bergdorf's aint cheap and the products they carry are not your everyday Sephora brands.  As I came down the escalator, a lovely woman named Fifi stopped me and asked me if I had ever heard of Natura Bisse from Spain.  Well, being the beauty/skincare/makeup whore that I am, I gasped and said "No... but I would love to hear more about it!!"...  
The next 45 minutes was a blur, but I can tell you this. These products are absolutely luxurious. We tried creams and serums and eye creams and I finally fell in love with their Sheer Creme named the "The Cure".  It's an anti-aging moisturizer with SPF 20 and "self-adapting" pigment.  It looks like a foundation mousse and adds a hint of glowy color to your skin which is nice when you dont want to wear foundation at all.  The self adapting pigment works on every skin tone so keep that in mind.  
My skin can be very dry especially with the change of seasons and when I applied it, my skin brightened and thanked me dearly for the much need moisture.  It felt so good!  Now, I may have been hallucinating but I could have sworn my face plumped and looked ages younger but I have been known to imagine such things after an afternoon Pinot Grigio.
So, the kicker is that it costs.........wait for it...........wait for it................... 
$160 dollars!  YES.... I KNOW (stop yelling at me)!!! But I only have one face and I'm always ready for the next big thing even if it means I can't eat for a few weeks.. (thank God Im juice-fasting this week)!
Ok, so I will use my new Face care and will let you know the results over the next few weeks.  But remember, that is why Im here Glams! I am more than happy to be your Guinea pig when it comes to BEAUTY!!!  Stay tuned...
http://shop.naturabisse.com

Armani rocks my world once again!!

Happy Friday everyone! Its a beautiful day here in New York City and Im loving the sunshine!  This weeks  makeup adventure included a shoot with the one an only Fran Lebowitz.  For those of you who aren't familiar, she is a best known for her sardonic social commentary on American life through her New York sensibilities and was a writer for Vanity Fair.  I had a great time with her as she is quite a character. We filmed as part of a documentary about her life in NY and the director was none other than Mr. Martin Scorsese. Yeah.. I know... Can you say WOW?  I dont have any pics yet but as soon I do I will post.
So we had a 4 hour break between scenes so I sauntered over to Saks Fifth Avenue to pick up my favorite foundation. GEORGIO ARMANI.  This is the foundation most respected in the industry and for good reason. It is just the best and feels amazing on your skin. It is silicon-based so it looks youthful when applied so be prepared for the oncoming compliments.  Now it ain't cheap by ANY means but SO WELL WORTH IT!! Best foundation hands-down.


I found my favorite eyebrow pencil ever! Yes ever! 
The Georgio Armani brow defining pencil is just... (shiver) awesome! Great staying power and smooth in application. Must-have!
I also picked up their Blushing fabric second skin blush which is creme based and ever-so-easy to apply. 
Now this product is great for those of you who want a very super-natural-just-came-in--from-the-cold-and-my-cheeks-are-rosy look. It truly blends in effortlessly and looks uber natural. Honestly its not my personal fave but I would recommend for the upcoming spring months.  Its a great product!
So if you haven't tried Armani, please do. They actually have some amazing products and I am a fan. Have a great weekend Glams!!

Tyra and Andre and Valente ..oh my!!

GLAMS, glams, glams! So this week has been truly fabulous and super busy!  On Monday, I had the opportunity to work on a Tyra Banks shoot and was assigned the lovely task of beating the faces of her lovely and fabulous staff at Bankable Enterprises.  It was a long but fabulous day and yes.. I met Tyra and Andre Leon Talley...lol.  I actually got to touch Mr. Andre up during his shoot too..heehee.. "Meghan darling, please make me gorgeous!!" He and I also got the chance to chat about the fashion world and the ANTM show which he is currently a judge.  He is so over the top and I loved every millisecond of my time with him.  I also spent some time with Tyra's makeup artist Valente Frazier who is the absolute nicest person.  I send a huge shoutout and hug to my bestie Adaku Okpi who produced the whole shoot and made it all happen. MUAH!
Here are some pics from the day:
My makeup setup...

Valente Frazier and me...

Left to right Me, Adaku Okpi (Tyra Shoot Producer and Bankable Staff), Kelly Keelo (Bankable Staff), Beagy Zielinski (The Stylist)

Me hard at work...

By the way, I had the pleasure to watch Tyra at work and damn that woman knows how to work it!!  She was impeccable and lovely to meet.

Check out the pics on www.tyra.com soon...

Nothing small about E.L.F.

Monday, Monday..  SO i receive my shipment from ELF and again I was truly thrilled with what I received and more importantly the cost..lol.
Glams..They really have quality products and I love, love, love their eyeliners! Rich and pigmented just the way I like em and they go o smooth which is perfect for smudging.
The pressed powder can easily rival my Laura Mercier Foundation powder so that went directly into my personal makeup case and back into my purse.  Bravo E.L.F!!  They have made a fan out of me!

NYC Fashion Week

Happy Monday and what a Monday it was!! I worked on the Ecliptica fashion show this morning and have some great things to share with you all. SO the lead makeup artist was Javier Romero and the look he designed was a beautiful shimmery smokey plum eye with highlighting and a very nude lip.
The models were stunning of course and after a brief demo we went to work recreating the look.
One of the models I worked on had these huge stunning blue eyes so the smokiness really worked for her. Here is the video of the show http://vimeo.com/9489081
Here's the best part! The makeup was provided to us by E.L.F. (www.eyeslipface.com) and they were more than generous with the products.  Now, I am vaguely familiar with E.L.F. and am aware that they are on the rise and VERY affordable (as in ridiculously affordable - everything is like $1 or $3 dollars) but what I didn't know was that the products are really great!
So for the runway look, we used a mineralized shadow in ROYAL

and it was GORGEOUS! All over the eye and a bit underneath. Really beautiful.
We used a beautiful Blush Bronzer Duo which is a must-have. 

and a nude lip and gloss. with a highlighter on the cheekbones.

I have to say that I was impressed by this line and definitely recommend you check it out!  The show was flawless and the girls were stunning.  It was beautiful.  

Until the next time Glams!! xoxoxo

We're back! And the eyes have it!

OK y'all, I have been slacking on my pimpin but I am back! Had a bit of a personal crisis but life does go on right?
I have been playing a lot with eye liners lately..  liquid eye liner, gel eye liner and pencil eye liner. Which to choose you ask?  Well, it depends on two things; your skill/patience AND your desired look.
Lets say you want a smudgy, smokey eye... use pencil and smudge it.  Now, you can also do that with a gel liner but work quickly because it dries even more quickly.  If you want a more clean classic cat eye then you are going to want to use a liquid liner or gel.  A pencil can also be used but you will not achieve the same sharpness.
My favorites?  Well, here we go!

Gel liner:  I have 2 favorites. Clinique and Stila Smudge Pots
The benefit is once applied, they DO NOT MOVE!
Have to love it!


Liquid eyeliner: Well you may be a bit suprised by this by I LOVE Sephora's version.  You must have a steady hand and practice but once you get it, it looks gorgeous!


 Last but not least.... Good ole' eye pencils...  Great for lining the eye and tight-lining (inside the eye line).  My ultimate favorite is MAC... you can't go wrong...



So there you have it.  Eye liner 101..  If you have any questions please comment and I will get back to you with some customized tips.  OK Glams! Until the next post. Be beautiful inside and out!