Oscar Makeup

My favorite part of the film awards season is actually before the shows when the stars are walking the red carpet.  Last night was no exception as I ate my chicken nuggets with my glass of red wine.  How exciting it must be to be a stylist or makeup artist to an actress getting ready for an awards show!  There were so many celebrities that just looked incredibly beautiful.  Many of the stars kept the makeup simple and natural which I love.  The key to great makeup application is to use just enough to enhance the beauty you already have by playing up your best features.  There is no need to overdo it since after all,  we're long past the 1980's when bright red lips, streaks of blush and bright blue eyeshadow with thick mascara were THE style.

So instead of focusing on the things you don't love about yourself;  figure out what features you love best and accentuate them:) 

 Below are some of my favorite looks from this years Oscars. 

Red Carpet Looks From The Grammys

These are some of my favorite looks from the Grammys this year.  I read somewhere that Jennifer Lopez used L'Oreal True Match foundation!  Her skin looks luminous and amazing here.  You don't have to spend $50 on a foundation when there are some drugstore brands that are just as amazing.  The main thing about foundation is finding the right shade.  Sometimes that is extremely hard to do on your own, and it's better to have a professional help you find the right color match.  

                                                                                 

Ahhhh...what can I say about Adele.  She has such an old Hollywood look. She has perfected the cat eye and keeps her makeup so simple and  beautiful.  She is such a positive role model for young girls and women and doesn't surrender to the ideas that you must be "skinny" and look a certain way to be successful. 






Lea Michele's makeup was also very simple and the focus was on her pink lip and glowing skin.

Don't Give Up On Yourself!!

If there is one thing that I've learned as a makeup artist it's the importance for us as women to take care of ourselves.  It seems like a no brainer when we're young.  Some of us would spend countless hours trying out new makeup, curling or straightening our hair so it looked perfect and shopping for new clothes to stay on top of the latest trends.  Fast forward fifteen years, a husband and 3 kids later and you're finding that even the thought of putting on makeup seems like a chore.  Heck,  some mornings you feel lucky to even fit a shower in before you have to take your kids to school... and did you brush your teeth??  As we get older and the roles of motherhood takes over we push our needs to the back burner.   We love being parents, but yet inside we're missing aspects of our old selves and the things that seemed so simple at one time.   Now those simple things are luxuries that we sometimes wish we could get back. 

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom and CEO of your household or a working mom trying to balance it all, it's so important to treat yourself to some "luxuries" once in a while.   You deserve it!  Make an effort to to take a few extra minutes in the morning and evening for yourself.  Go to the store and pick out a new lipstick or some new makeup colors.   Make time to fit in some form of exercise at least 3 days a week.   It's amazing what exercise will do to increase your energy level and elevate your mood.  I started running years ago and it's one of the best things I've done for myself.

Try and look past your personal insecurities and remind yourself of all of the qualities that make you an amazing person.  It's okay to put yourself first once a while and NOT feel guilty about.  It will make you a much happier mommy...you're worth it:)

The 2013 SAG Awards- Makeup

Marion Cotillard

Jennifer Lawrence

January Jones

Katrina Bowden

It All Starts With Good Skincare

Sometimes I don't think people realize the importance in having a good skincare regimen.  If you take good care of your skin your makeup will go on better, look better and you won't even need as much makeup!  If I could go back in time and do it all over again I would wear more sunscreen instead of smothering myself in tanning oil.  I would take my makeup off EVERY night regardless of how tired I am, and I would actually use a cleanser meant for my face instead of just any old bar of soap. Haha. Now I'm doing so many things to try to reverse the damage of my younger years by using creams, lighteners for my sun spots, mask, a daily exfoliant, etc. etc. The list goes on.  

I have tried so many different products, but below are some of my favorite....so far.  Not only are they great products, but they're affordable!

Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion-  Great anti-aging product that contains alpha hydroxy acid


Garnier Skin Renew Moisturizer- A great everyday moisturizer

 


St.Ives Facial Scrub

 


Ambi Fade Cream for dark spots

The ULTIMATE Store For Beauty Products!!!

If you're a makeup junkie like I am then you probably know about stores like Sephora where you can get all the higher end brands of makeup.  BUT, have been to an Ulta store yet??? Okay, so I may be a tad biased because I work there a couple of nights a week, but even if I didn't I would still love this store.  What makes this store different is that in addition to carrying brands like Bare Minerals, Smashbox, Urban Decay, etc. they also carry salon brand haircare products, drugstore brands, and they even have a full salon and Esthetician on-site for facials.  What more could a girl ask for??? Well, no they don't serve wine there but other then that I would say that Ulta has everything you would ever need in beauty and haircare products.
You can also sign up for a rewards card and accumulate points which you can redeem for coupons or salon services.  Check it out! www.ulta.com

What Is True Beauty???

What does beauty mean to you?  The way I view beauty is much deeper than the "surface" idea of beauty.  It's comes from within our hearts and radiates outwards.  It means to have a positive outlook on life and to wake up each day making a conscious effort to be happy.  Even when life is throwing a curve ball and it feels like everything is in turmoil, I try to count my simple blessings and think about what I can do to carry on and keep my head up. 

I've created this blog to help women with not just makeup and beauty tips, but to encourage women to be happy with themselves regardless of their physical and personal flaws. Thanks for stopping by my blog and hope you'll come back again soon:)