#MakeupMonday – Milani Cosmetics

milani cosmetics turn the beat around jenesee dosmetic violence intervention program

array of cosmetics supplied by Milani

Did she say “Milani Cosmetics”? Yep, sure did. Regular readers of MTG will note that I do not largely discuss mass-market/”drugstore” cosmetics brands because I do not generally use these brands. I am not default 100% against these brands (I use and have talked about some Maybelline and NYX products, for example), but I hold ALL cosmetics – regardless of price point – to a certain standard of performance. Therefore if a product line does not work or if they “work OK for the price”, I will likely not be discussing it here. The Makeup to Go mantra has always been and always will be “how well does this product work when used in a Real World application?”.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of working on an event called “Turn the Beat Around” which was a benefit event for the Jenesse Center (read below for more info), and the cosmetics sponsor for the event was Milani Cosmetics. I have known of the Milani line for a long time, since both the product and the branding were quite different. They were always pretty good, in fact I had one cream eyeshadow from the original line that I clung to for dear life for a number of years. While I was not looking, however, Milani has gone from being pretty good to Pretty Darn Great. For the show we were given an array of products. The Milani line is quite comprehensive now including everything from Brow Kits to Bronzers, so I won’t go into detail on every single item. I will instead focus on those items I ended up using for my final look.

Smooth Finish Cream to Powder Makeup
If you know me at all, you know that I am going to judge a cosmetics line by it’s foundation/skin products because IMO that is the most important part of a makeup. I was pleasantly surprised with these foundations. They do NOT give as much coverage as a Pro foundation, so if you are used to the coverage of a MAC, Make Up For Ever, Inglot, etc. foundation, this is not the one. In my opinion this product gave good “everyday” coverage. As far as application, I applied it with a brush and it went on evenly and smoothly, it was very blendable and I was able to create contour and highlighting with it, and it lasted nicely and did not crease up, cake up or go crazy as the night went on. Comes in a range of colors suitable for all skin-tones.

Secret Cover Concealer Stick
Of everything I tried, this was the most “eh” product of the group. It was certainly not bad, it just wasn’t great. I am definitely more used to the coverage of a professional level concealer. I thought this was a bit too sheer/lacking in pigment to act the way a concealer should. It is build-able, however, and it did last well. Comes in a range of colors suitable for all skin-tones.

Brow Fix brow kit
While it was not great enough to make me switch away from Sonia, I was quite pleased with these Brow kits. I think the most impressive aspect is that they include two colors so you can blend to get the right color for you AND the colors are not too red overall. They even include a teeny-tiny set of tweezers.

Pressed Powder
This is a good, basic pressed powder. Nicely milled so it goes on silky and not cakey. I do wish, however, that they had a neutral/colorless option as colored powders can be a bit tricky. I primarily used the #9 – Golden powder which brought some luminosity to my makeup similar to how Ben Nye’s “Topaz” powder works.

Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner
Formerly called “Liquif’Eye” eyeliners, these are likely the product that began the Milani revolution. Why didn’t anyone tell me before?!? These eyeliners can take the Pepsi Challenge™ with Urban Decay’s 24-7 Eyeliners any day of the week. And this is coming from someone who LOVES the Urban Decay liners, I’ve said many times that the liners are my favorite product from Urban Decay. Well, these liners are every bit as good at 1/3 the price. In doing some online reading, the vote seems to be split as to whether they last as long as Urban Decay’s 24-7 Liners. I used the #1 – Black pencil in the Waterline and I’ve got to say it was smooth, creamy, super Black and lasted all night. Am I going to abandon my Urban Decay? Nope. Are the Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner a great option to have? Absolutely.

Shadow Eyez 12-Hour Wear Eyeshadow Pencil
Absolutely fantastic. FANTASTIC. The beautiful jewel tone colors were rich and true, blended beautifully and once set the smudge-proof, water resistant formula lasted all night. Great for personal or professional use.

Eye Tech Bold / Eye Tech Extreme / Ultra Fine liquid eyeliners
The Eye Tech liners are – again – Fantastic. Super rich, dark, true Black color in a smooth liquid formula that stays put once set. The felt tip allows for precision application for those clean liquid lines we all love. While no problem for personal use, the felt tip is a sanitation issue for Kit use so be sure to alcohol the tip and allow to dry before re-inserting into the tube.

The Ultrafine liner is a sparkly liquid liner. I found it not quite opaque enough to stand alone, but it was fab layered over my eyeshadow to add more sparkle, depth and dimension.

Tantastic
Huh, I wonder what product this might be based off of?
Well like its more expensive cousin, this is a very good all-over bronzer/highlight. It is quite shimmery but this shimmer is nice and fine so it give a pretty, subtle luminosity as opposed to being “sparkly”. I used it on both face and body and it applied evenly and smoothly and lasted throughout the night.

Baked Blush
The texture of this blush really is silky smooth and it applied flawlessly. This is really important because what generally does not work about less expensive blushes is that they are too powdery, they do not blend well and they do not last. Milani really got the formula right on these baked powder Blushes AND the blushes come in colors suitable and pigmented enough for deeper skin tones. The only drawback is that all of the shades are shimmery. It would be great if they introduced some non-shimmer colors into the mix.

Glitzy Glamour Gloss
Milani has a number of lip color products amongst its offerings. The Glitzy Glamour Gloss has good texture and weight (not too liquid-y, but not too sticky) and lasted impressively well for a lipgloss. I did not have to touch my model up until after she ate.

The result;

tania d russell makeupwerks makeup to go makeup artist milani cosmetics

pre-show BTS shot. Sorry it’s a bit blurry…click to see larger

This is my model before wardrobe (hence before lips) and before a few other finishing touches. She stayed in tact all night, needing only minimal touch-ups even after a wardrobe change and a meal break. So for anyone aspiring artists who are looking to build their kit, or anyone who wants good quality cosmetics at a great price, Milani definitely fits the bill.

Again, the event I was a part of was a benefit for the Jenesse Center, Inc. Domestic Violence Intervention program. Their mission is to;

“…provide victims of domestic violence with a comprehensive, centralized base of support to assist them in addressing their immediate crisis and changing the patterns of their lives. We seek to prevent and end the cycles of domestic violence through education, research, resources and advocacy provided to individuals, families, the community and agencies throughout the nation…”

To find out more about supporting this vital cause, please visit The Jenesee Center website. Thanks so much to Milani Cosmetics for supporting this important cause! .

Technorati Tags: benefit, charity, domestic violence, jenesse center, makeup, makeup to go, milani, milani cosmetics

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Stash, Budget Ballers, In the Kit, Makeup Monday, makeup to go · Leave a Comment

#BizTalk: The Kit Revisited

tania d russell makeup artist makeupwerks makeuptogo kit organization

YIKES! My kit being cleaned and organized this morning…

Regulars of Makeup to Go! will know that I had a series a while back called “So You Wanna Be A Pro Artist” wherein I covered some of the basics of moving from a makeup fan to a professional artist. Without a doubt, one of the most topical of these installments is the Kit Building installation of the series. Click on that and you can see what I had to say about it back then. What I want to share now is how my kit has evolved. First a story:

It was a moment I will never forget; I was doing my first shoot involving celebrity talent. There were two actresses, one of whom was travelling with her own artist (unfortunately I don’t remember who the artist was, but I remember that he beat that face!). I was all nervous and excited and I packed EVERYTHING I could think of in order to be prepared. My actress didn’t care for what I did to her initially, although we were able to get it to more what she had in mind. Enter the 2nd artist; he had about… oh 10 products in total wrapped in a towel. He set out the towel, laid out the 10 or so products and his brush roll and KILT his actresses face. Killed. It. Now admittedly, he knew his talent from working with her before and I did not have that advantage, but what I took away from that moment was an artist who is confident in their skills relies on technique not a myriad of product. This was later confirmed – and I’ve mentioned this before – when I read that aritst Francesca Tolot of Beyonce’s Makeup Artist fame has been known to carry as little as a small Art Box as a kit to jobs. I vowed that day to become one of those artists.

Now I am not saying that this approach is appropriate for every job. I just worked a job this past weekend where I would have loved to have had more product and WAY more brushes with me than I did. That said, however, due to my skill as an artist I was able to make it work. And I do still have different kit set-ups for different occasions (if I am doing both makeup and hair, if it’s an editorial, if it’s video, if it’s a catalog with multiple models, etc. ) but in general I try to carry as LIGHTLY as I possibly can. So what’s changed between my earlier picture of my kit and now? Me. First of all in reading my old kit building article, I thought that kit was paired down and was organized. Oh how times have changed, LOL! Looking at that picture of my kit now it looks a complete disorganized mess to me and I’m carrying way too much product. I work a lot more so I am much more confident as an artist. I also travel a lot now, where carrying 50-zillion items is not a realistic option. In short, I am more pragmatic about what I need and how it’s going to be used. Most of all, however, being more pared down and better organized allows me to be a better artist, which in turn makes me a better asset to my client.

Old Kit – Rolling Luggage Stuffed to the Gills
Nowadays I would likely only carry something like this if I’m doing something with a lot of talent (catalog, video of some kind, etc.)

old makeup kit tania d russell makeup artist makeupwerks makeuptogo

click to see larger image

makeup artist tania d russell makeupwerks makeuptogo old makeup kit

click to see larger image

New Kit – Zuca Backpack
This version is my Zuca Backpack set up, which you can see I still have *a lot* of product inside, however I de-pot and palette whenever possible, I carry travel/trial sizes of product where ever possible and practical, and I keep “just in case” extras to a minimum because let’s face it – how often do you really end up using those “just in case” items? Yeah, pretty much.

tania d russell makeup artist makeupwerks makeuptogo new kit

click to see larger image

tania d russell makeup artist makeuptogo makeupwerks new kit

click to see larger image

As far as what to use for actual kit storage, that is a very individual choice. I have 3 different kits/bags on rotation depending on the job; A rolling storage bag that’s actually made for photographers, a rolling bag from the Automotive section at Target, and then the Zuca backpack. As much as I love the Zuca backpack is how much I do not love the Zuca rolling kit. The Rolling Kit does not feel sturdy to me and my brain just does not process the organization of it. I’ve also heard of the wheels self-destructing in NYC where artists are less likely to be driving and more likely to be walking the streets and running to subways. This is why I suggest – if at all possible – to buy kits in person and not online. It is really helpful to see a kit and play with it to see how you might organize it for yourself and your needs. Popular kit options on the e-streets right now are Zuca, Stilazzi and Burton (yes, the snowboard brand). Of the three, the Burton bag is most my style and in fact I do plan to get one (and I love that it comes in COLORS as opposed to just Black). People who insist on carrying a lot will likely love the Stilazzi. The “Godfather” Stilazzi is nothing short of completely huge for when you absolutely have to carry everything you own all at once. What people do like about the Stilazzi is the fact that you can work out of your kit, which is good for times when space is limited. 99.9% of the time I would cry if I had to carry a kit that size, but it would have come in handy – both in terms of size and being able to work out of it – for the job I did this past weekend (a TV show taping with a LOT of talent to do). That is why I say you need to know what you’re buying for. If I did that kind of work more often, a kit that size would make sense for me but since I do not it is not practical for me. If you go Zuca, I recommend going with the Artist Collection, which is a more durable construction designed to keep up with the heavy usage an artists’ kit encounters.

Or you can always go to Target, Ross, WalMart, etc. and get some kind of rolling bag/luggage – likely for less than $50 – and call it a day.

Technorati Tags: burton, kit organization, makeup kit, makeup to go, stilazzi, zuca

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Basics, Beauty Biz, biz talk, In the Kit, Lessons for Aspiring Artists™, makeup to go, so you wanna be a pro artist · Leave a Comment

#MakeupMonday – The Basics: Brushes I

makeup to go tania d russell makeup brushes

a selection of brushes from one of my many brush rolls…

Yep, it’s Tuesday. As I mentioned a couple of times in the last few days, something has been going on with my web host’s servers so we have been having some tech problems here in MTG-land. Better late than never… enjoy.

Returning to our series The Basics, I decided to write about brushes. I would say in my private lessons/teaching this is the item I’m asked about third/fourth most often (behind mascara, foundation and concealer). For makeup artists, however, this is the A-#1 priority. Bottom line while, yes, some products are obviously better than others, with the right tools pretty much any makeup can be applied seamlessly and flawlessly. I love my brushes. LOVE my brushes. In fact I wrote an ode to one of them when I lost it. That is how attached artists become to their brushes. Once you get used to using them and see how the right tool can change your makeup life, you too will be come attached. For this installment, I will be discussing purchasing brushes. Then in a future installment, I will talk about using them.

What To look For
When considering a new brush I look at

- type of hair/fiber used
- shape
- density
- ferrule and handle

The type of hair and/or fiber used helps to determine how to use the brush, as does the shape and density of the hairs/fibers. The last two things I mentioned – the ferrule and the handle – have to do with the construction of the brush and how long it will last. The ferrule is the metal part between the hairs and the handle. High quality brushes have hairs that go all the way down the ferrule and are both glued and clamped into place, hence much less shedding. I was taught that you should be able to take a brush and pull at the hairs and if none come out you know you have a good brush.

Everyone on the Planet makes a cosmetics brush these days. Some are amazing, some are very good and some are turrble. Here are some Pros and Cons of some popular brands I have tried, both “pro” and retail.

Crown Brush – Crown is a manufacturer of brushes who offers professional makeup brushes online and at the trade shows. PROS: Crown Brushes are very cost-friendly. If you are a ‘baller on a budget’ Crown is a pretty good option. Also because they are very inexpensive price-wise, you can try a lot of different styles of brushes (different kinds of eye brushes, different kinds of foundation brushes, different kinds of powder brushes, etc.) and see what you prefer *before* making a larger financial commitment. CONS: I have had Crown brushes completely fall apart on me and/or shed like crazy. The hairs are short and glued in place so you have to be very careful as to how you wash them. If any water seeps up the ferrule and loosens that glue, it’s a goner. To their credit, when I tweeted that 5 Crown foundation brushes I purchased had all fallen apart in less than a month, someone emailed me and offered to replace them so they do have good customer service and stand by their products.

Best Pick: AC011 Deluxe Double Sided Blender – a dual ended synthetic fiber foundation / concealer brush.

Smashbox Cosmetics – A lot of women know Smashbox from QVC but they’ve actually been in the Pro landscape for a number of years. Smashbox is a popular consumer-friendly brand and for good reason: they offer pro-driven, pro quality cosmetics at good prices. I have noticed that they’ve changed a bit and become a bit more consumer oriented since being bought by Estée Lauder, but so far the quality of the cosmetics themselves has not changed. As much as I love the brand, sad to say I do not love their brushes, as I have mentioned before. PROS: the Fan brush is great for cleaning away eyeshadow fallout, and has lasted well for several years. CONS: every other brush in the set I was given fell apart. That was a few years back so I do not know if anything has changed, but quality brushes will last you a lifetime. Let’s hope they have re-designed their brush line.

Best Pick: Fan Brush #22

Royal and Langnickel – Like Crown, Royal and Langnickel manufactures brushes (both fine art and cosmetic) and offers professional makeup brushes online, at the trade shows and at various Pro makeup shops if you happen to live near any of those.PROS: The SILK Pro collection line offers very good quality at a very good price. All of my R&L SILK Pro line brushes hold their shape well after multiple uses/cleanings, they all still feel good after multiple uses/cleanings, and I am experiencing very minimal/occasional shedding. They are also one of the few places I can get a tapered, natural-hair lip brush (my preference, gives me much more control over my application than most synthetic lip brushes do). CONS: Not all of Royal and Langnickel’s brushes are on the same level. As I said above I recommend the SILK Pro line of brushes. Last year, R & L introduced the Revolution™ brush line to their collection. Sad to say, but I’m not a fan. The Revolution™ brushes are a synthetic fiber brush line, presumably to capture the growing vegan brush market, but in my opinion, there are much better vegan options available. The couple of Revolution™ brushes I have felt odd to the touch initially, before I even used them, and then really changed texture after I washed them. I would definitely suggest trying a brush or two before committing to an entire set.

Best Pick: C100 Natural Hair Powder & C655 Pointed Natural Hair Lip

Stila Cosmetics – Another popular brand that started in the Pro sphere (Stila was founded by artist Jeanine Lobell) and has become popular amongst consumers via QVC, Stila has long been known for making very good brushes. PROS: Good construction and overall quality materials used. Made to last. CONS: I, personally, am not a fan of the retractable brushes. I would stick to the original, long-handled brushes.

Best Pick: #9 All Over Blend Brush Stila’s legendary crease/lid blending brush.

Esum Brushes – Esum as far as I am aware is a relatively new entrant in the brush world but I have to say I LOVE them. They are the brush line of Muse Beauty Pro which is a beauty store & education resource out of San Francisco (my NYC makeup artist friend Margina Dennis had to point out to me that Esum is Muse spelled backwards. D’Oh!).PROS: Quality construction and materials and the brushes are also – in my opinion – very lux in appearance. They also feel good in-hand. CONS: Decided price increase from the previous brands I have mentioned. Yes my friends, really good brushes are quite pricey.

Best Pick: W35 Large Round-Angle eye contour brush – can be used for crease or all over the lid.

NARS Cosmetics – If you read Makeup to Go with any regularity, you know I could go on about All Things Nars. PROS: Generally speaking, Nars tools are excellent. The three stand-outs are the three Japanese brushes NARS has; the Ita Kabuki, the Yachiyo Kabuki, and the Botan kabuki brushes. These all have very unique shapes designed to various fulfill specific purposes. CONS: The travel brush set retails for $75, the individual brushes range from $21-$75. They are excellent brushes, so if you can afford them, get them. However, they are a financial commitment and some of the designs are not the most consumer-friendly in terms of “How do I use this?”.

Best Pick: Yachiyo Kabuki Brush #27 – It will change the way you apply blush (if memory serves, Shu Uemura had a brush like this at one time, and see note below about Hakuhodo).

Shu Uemura – the first time I walked into a Shu store early in my career as a makeup artist, it changed my life. The entire perimeter of the store was filled with rows and rows and rows of the most amazing and gorgeous brushes I’d ever seen. Changed. My. Life. PROS: You will never encounter a brush more exquisite than a Shu Uemura brush, period. CONS: When Shu Uemura USA was bought out by L’Oreal, they closed all the Shu Stores leaving only the website behind to buy product in the US, and they radically changed the product line such that many of Shu’s best are no longer available here. Quel dommage!!

Best Pick: 20h Natural Brush – an angled powder brush for highlighting, contouring and shading.

Hakuhodo – I am sure it has not escaped your attention that the last few brushes I have mentioned have all been Japanese brushes/brands. This is because the Japanese are well known for the quality of their brushes and their innovative brush designs. I was hipped up to Hakuhodo a few years back by my friend, NYC makeup artist Kim Weber. Hakuhodo manufactures their brushes and in fact, if rumor is to be believed, back before Estee Lauder when MAC brushes were really really good… well… you get my drift. I own brushes from the S100 and J series so those are all I can speak to. PROS: Along with Shu Uemura, these are some of the most exquisite brushes on the planet. All of the Hakuhodo brushes I have are of excellent design, quality and construction and they are beautiful to look at. The primary difference between the various series Hakuhodo offers seems to be in the handle and in the brush hairs used. CONS: They have several different “series” of brushes so can be a bit confusing/daunting to discern the difference and select from the myriad of brushes they have available. Also, it is undeniable that Hakuhodo is a very expensive brush line overall, even their more “basic” brush series are still pricey. Hakuhodo brushes are all the rage right now in the online makeup world. I do not disagree that they are of amazing quality. I do disagree that everyone needs to invest in getting them. I only use them for certain applications (celeb & editorial), and in controlled environments. I cannot lose or damage a set of brushes that cost me SEVERAL hundred dollars to collect. These brushes are investment pieces. For the consumer, I really do not know why a non-pro would buy brushes this expensive. However, if you are a total makeup maven and buying product is how you treat yourself, go for it and have a good time.

Best Pick: S103 Pointed Powder Blush brush, J104 Round Powder brush. NOTE: Hakuhodo also has traditional Japanese brushes which means they have Yashiyo & Ita design brushes like NARS, and Hakuhodo has them in different sizes.

Vegan Options
Vegan brushes are becoming increasingly popular. I do not mind admitting this is an area of internal turmoil for me because I am a vegetarian. So the veg in me would like to switch to an entirely cruelty free brush roll someday. The makeup artist in me, however, needs brushes to perform the way I need them to perform and thus far, natural hair is still the winner, in my opinion. That said, there are more and more good alternatives coming out regularly.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – David Klasfeld, the founder of OCC Makeup is vegan but also a makeup artist so he knows how brushes need to perform, and it shows in his brush line. These are by far the most hair-like vegan brushes I’ve tried so far, and the brushes apply makeup pretty darn close to the way natural hair brushes do across the board. Kudos to OCC Makeup for this great brush line. PROS: Very close to the performance of natural hair brushes, I particularly like the lip brush. CONS: n/a – I think it’s the best of it’s kind.

Bdellium Tools – I haven’t gotten to play with this line as much as I’d like yet, but so far everything I’ve tried has been quite good and they have a moderate price-point (about the same as Royal & Langnickel) so they are affordable. They make both traditional and Vegan brushes, and I have – and like – some of both. PROS: Speaking specifically of the Vegan brushes- the Bambu series as they are called – they do not feel quite as hair like as the OCC brushes, however they do pick up and distribute product well. The handles are also made of sustainable Bamboo, which feels good in-hand and which is great for the environment. And as with all of the Bdellium Tools I’ve tried thus far they are well constructed. CONS: And this is a big one for me: Why are all the fibers colored???? There are 3 different Bambu series; Green, Yellow and Pink. Why is this necessary? I don’t mind if the handles are colored but having the fibers in different colors is an extreme turn off to me.

Old Reliables I Did Not Previously Mention
As I said at the start, this lists a selection of what’s hot on the e-streets and my own personal choices. That said there a couple of brush brands, in particular, that have served legions of women for many years, and those are Bobbi Brown Cosmetics brushes, and Trish McEvoy brushes. Both lines have been around since forever, and were amongst the first to bring professional quality brushes to the masses. I do not have either brand in my kit, but I know artists who do and have done so for years. Both brands are a bit pricey, Trish McEvoy particularly so, but they are the kind of brushes you buy ONCE and then you’re set for makeup life. I recommend both to my private clients frequently. They are both great for the client who wants to buy one, complete, easy-to-use set of brushes and never think have to about brushes again.

As I said, in a future installment I plan to discuss how I use brushes and decide which brushes are the best for which jobs. In the meantime if you want to learn more, Beautylish had a great feature on brushes not too long ago, written by The Powder Group Director of Artistry and Education, James Vincent. Click Here to check that article out…

Technorati Tags: bdellium tools, brushes, Crown Brush, esum, hakuhodo, makeup, makeup artist, makeup to go, muse beauty pro, nars, nars cosmetics, obsessive compulsive cosmetics, occmakeup, royal and langnickel, royal brush, shu uemura, smashbox, smashbox cosmetics, stila, stila cosmetics

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Basics, In the Kit, makeup artist, makeup lessons, Makeup Monday, makeup to go, Shoppin' · Leave a Comment

#MakeupMonday – 2013 The Makeup Show LA Postscript

So the 2013 Los Angeles Makeup Show is a wrap and I’d have to say it was a rousing success. This year’s show featured some of the best in the biz and had something for all artists working in all mediums at all levels. Here’s a photo essay of the Makeup to Go experience of the show…

makeup to go at the makeup show los angeles 2013

my show started at the Bloggers Preview. Many thanks to Make Up For Ever, Temptu, OCC Makeup, Ellis Faas, Kevyn Aucoin, Bdellium tools, Ofra Cosmetics, Model In A Bottle, Stila, Anastasia of Beverly Hills, Crown Brush, T3, Cinema Secrets, Jouer, Monda, Embryolisse, Senna Cosmetics, Youngblood Cosmetics, and Gorgeous Cosmetics for their generosity!

parian spirit kevyn aucoin beauty the makeup show los angeles

I never leave a trade show without getting more Parian Spirit brush cleaner. I also picked up a Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Sculpting Powder…

Swatches of Face Atelier cosmetics new lipgloss colors. Hand provided by @Christinamua

sam fine demo the makeup show los angeles 2013

Master at Work: Sam Fine conducting his Keynote talk and demo “A Career in Makeup”

johnny lavoy, billy b, michelle visages the makeup show los angeles 2013

Johnny LaVoy, Billy B and special guest Michelle Visages “Family Matters” keynote

lori taylor smashbox the makeup show los angeles

Lori Taylor, Global Pro Artist for Smashbox Cosmetics

Face Chart with product info of Lori Taylor’s demonstration….Smashbox did this last year as well… I think it’s a brilliant idea.

lori taylor smashbox demo the makeup show los angeles

Lori Taylor’s finished demo; “Studio Trend – Color Saturation”

allison elliot for nars cosmetics demonstration

Allison Elliot, Nars Pro Artist

Finished product of Allison Elliot’s demo: “NARS – Modern, Audacious, Iconic”

uzo international makeup stylist NARS cosmetics

Uzo, International Makeup Stylist for NARS cosmetics

Uzo, International NARS artist with her finished demos, runway and red carpet. “I’m With the Brand” Keynote talk and demo.

Conclusion – Fantastic show. I look forward to next year!

Technorati Tags: allison elliot, Anastasia of Beverly Hills, bdellium tools, billy b, cinema secrets, Crown Brush, Ellis Faas, embryolisse, face atelier, Gorgeous Cosmetics, johnny lavoy, jouer, Kevyn Aucoin, lori taylor, make up for ever, model in a bottle, Monda, nars, nars cosmetics, OCC Makeup, Ofra Cosmetics, sam fine, senna cosmetics, smashbox, smashbox cosmetics, stila, T3, temptu, uzo, youngblood cosmetics

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Biz, Beauty Stash, Happenings, In the Kit, Latest Greatest, Makeup Monday, makeup to go, Shoppin', trade shows · Leave a Comment

#MakeupMonday – Products Roundup 2012/2013

OK. Back to the fun stuff; talking about product!

We here at Makeup to Go, like most other makeup artists, meet new makeup products all the time. While many products become acquaintances, few become friends, and even fewer still be come Kit Must Haves. So for Makeup to Go’s inaugural “Best of” list, we’re doing it a bit differently. We’re talking only about the products that really stuck in our kit. So some products may not be “according to Hoyle” brand new, but instead they are the products that made their way into our kits in 2012, AND we’re projecting which products we’d like to get to know better for 2013.

Delia’s Picks

Best of 2012

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics LipTar in Anime
A powerful punch of pink (nice alliteration, huh?) that is also pretty universally flattering. I love this one, too.

L’Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Liner in Black
Big, fat, juicy and smooth eyeliner that is truly BLACK. Reminiscent of Benefit Cosmetic’s “BadGal” eyeliner.

LORAC Pro Palette
Delia and I decided that this palette of neutral colors in both matte and shimmer formulations is not only the business, it is the Entire Corporation.

Inglot Cream Blushes 87 & 82
Inglot has been formulating for other brands for years so when they started selling their own cosmetics line buzz grew immediately, and thus far all products tried have lived up to the hype.

Bdellium Tools Contour brush
Rapidly growing in popularity amongst professional artists, Bdellium Tools have become synonymous with affordable excellence.

Looking Forward in 2013

Sam Fine Supreme Color Collection for Fashion Fair Cosmetics
See description below in “Tania’s Picks”

Tom Ford Beauty Eye Color Quads
It is easy to become fixated on the hefty price tag, but so far everything in the Tom Ford collection of cosmetics delivers.

Prtty Peaushun Skin Tight Body Lotion
I love collaborating on my blog with other artists because I, too, get to learn about new things. I’ve never heard of this product before, but I am highly intrigued to try it now.

Tania’s Picks

Best of 2012

LORAC Pro Palette
See description above in “Delia’s Picks”. LOVE!

EDIT: Did I manage to leave off my #1 product discovery of 2012? Yep! Sure Did!

Dedra (Formerly Simple Beaute by Dedra)
Clearly I was really sleepy when I was writing this article. I can’t believe I left this off! But anyway, yes, as I’ve previously mentioned (waxed rhapsodic over), the foundations are absolutely fantastic for both photographic use and street wear. Dedra was founded by celebrity makeup artist Dedra Whitt, and the newly renamed line also has 6 new products coming out very soon. Look for a full feature + interview on “Dedra” shortly.(photo is of the original foundation stick)

Tarte Cosmetics Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow
For years pepole have been rightfully afraid of cream eyeshadow because of their tendency to fade and slip. Modern formulations of cream shadows have corrected these issues. Not only do these Tarte Amazonian Clay cream eyeshadows not cause makeup to fade away faster, I often use them as a base to make eyeshadow last longer and eliminate creasing. AND unlike a lot of shadow primers, these eyeshadows are moisturizing instead of drying on delicate eyelids.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter
I always love products like these, I have previously professed my love for the Korres Lip Butters. Like the Korres butters, I use them for natural beauty shoots, lifestyle shoots, kids grooming shoots AND on myself. These feel fantastic and give a nice pop of color. Revlon’s ColorBurst Lip Butters are yet another item in Revlon’s long line of excellent lip color products.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain
Like most women, I experience a disconnect between the hope and the reality of most lip stains. The hope is that the lipcolor will be comfortable and long-lasting. The reality is either or; either it is creamy enough to feel good at which point it does not last long, or it is long lasting but it is drying and feels weird. I discovered the YSL lipstains last year and haven’t looked back. The Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres fulfills in both hope and reality with a nice glossy finish to boot!

NARS Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliner
I do not remember when exactly these came out (I think maybe late 2011) but they became a kit staple in 2012. Like lip-stains, long wear eyeliners often present a dilemma. You want eyeliner that lasts, but you need eyeliner to be smooth and glide on easily and smudge when desired. Nars’ Larger Than Life Longwear Eyeliner is smooth and creamy, easily blend-able and stays put once set. And it comes in fantastic colors.

Looking Forward in 2013

Sam Fine Supreme Color Collection for Fashion Fair Cosmetics
Sam Fine has been working with Fashion Fair on updating the line for a few years now. His latest collection features a brilliant array of colors geared towards the needs of African American – and other deeper complexioned – women. Not familiar with Fashion Fair? I’ll be featuring a full review of this collection, and giving a history on the line soon!

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colours
I’m a little late to the game on these, but they are fab. The formulation is luxurious, the texture is creamy and smooth and the colors are rich and radient. And for the “home user” the roll up stick makes application a breeze. The late Nixie Cosmetics had a product similar to this back in the day. This is the ultimate upgrade.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
I was in the NARS store in LA yesterday and these were on display although not yet available for sale. They aren’t even on the Nars site yet, hence no link. But these are a liqui-cream concealer in a tube and they were amazing when I played with them. You can read more about them on the Temptalia blog, and I’m sure I’ll talk about them more when I get my hands on them.

Bobbi Brown Skin Perfecting Retouching Powder
Makeup artists have long known the power of colored powders. Not colors to “match your skintone” which, depending on your skintone, can often be a very bad idea – but colors to enhance, correct and finish your makeup applications. Theatrical brands (Ben Nye, Mehron, Kryolan, etc) have long had these powders available, but now Bobbi Brown is bringing them to the mass market. It will likely take a moment to get used to using these powders, but the payoff is worth it.

and not a product but…

NARS & TOPSHOP STORES OPEN IN LOS ANGELES – WOOHOOOOO!
Nars opened a boutique on Melrose in October 2012 and TopShop opened in the Grove in February 2013. YES YES YES!!!!

Now you tell us: What new products or brands are you looking most forward to so far in 2013?

Technorati Tags: bdellium tools, bobbi brown, bobbi brown cosmetics, dedra, fashion fair, inglot, inglot cosmetics, l'oreal, LORAC, lorac cosmetics, nars, nars cosmetics, obsessive compulsive cosmetics, occ, occmakeup, revlon, sam fine, simple beaute by dedra, Tarte, tarte cosmetics, tom ford beauty, topshop, YSL, ysl beauty, yves saint laurent beauty

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Stash, In the Kit, Latest Greatest, Makeup Monday, makeup to go, Shoppin' · Leave a Comment

Stila Warehouse 2012 – Los Angeles

It’s that time once again for Los Angeles makeup artists and enthusiasts to wait in line in the cold early morning and spend way too much money on makeup! Items to keep your eyes open for:

- Stay All Day Foundation and Concealer
Stila makes some of the best everyday wear foundations in the biz. This “does it all” formula is oil-free, has a soft matte finish and comes in 13 shades from fair to deep complexions.

- All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer
My favorite highlighter/luminizer for years, the All Over Shimmer is lightweight and not too sparkly. They did, however, change the colors which I’m not a fan of. Hopefully at the Warehouse sale they will have the old school #1 (sheer white shimmer) and #3 (sheer gold shimmer)

- Convertible Color
Creamy pots of color for both cheek and lip (although I tend to use them more for cheeks). Soft, sheer, blendable, buildable, perfect.

- Lip Glazes
Pretty, sheer, lightweight lipglosses with nice amount of color and shine. These are another Kit Staple for me.

- Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner
I have loved almost every eyeliner Stila has ever put out. These come in rich, great colors, blend and smudge nicely and then once they’re set, they are set. I will also add that if they have any of the old-school Convertible Eye Color eyeliners, GET THEM! Those were fantastic!

Those are a few of my top Stila picks. There will also be lots of nice sets and palettes both for yourself and for gifts. Every year I’ve gone I have had a lot of fun and its easy to spend to much money. Get There Early. The line becomes astonishingly long as the day goes on, and all merchandise is first come first serve. I cannot imagine having a 4-hour wait and then not finding anything so grab some friends, a lawn chair and some coffee and do the early morning campout. It will be worth it.

Technorati Tags: sale, stila, stila cosmetics, warehouse

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Stash, Beauty To Do List, Budget Ballers, Happenings, In the Kit, makeup to go, On Sale · Leave a Comment

#MakeupMonday – Short Notes

As it has been a while since my last post, it has been a while I have talked about product. This in no way means I have not been buying and using new product! Here are some thoughts about items I have recently tried as well as an ode to a dearly departed makeup kit staple…

Urban Decay Naked vs LORAC Pro Eyeshadow Palette
When Urban Decay’s Naked palettes came out I was resistant to buying them for a super long time because almost all of the colors are shimmery and/or sparkly. I can completely understand why a consumer would adore everything about the Naked palettes, the colors are beautiful, but for a professional a palette of All Shimmer All The Time is not entirely practical. I finally relented and purchased Naked 1 when a client all but told me that’s what she wanted me to use on her. Admittedly I do like Naked 1 very much and I use it more than I thought I would. Naked 2, I gave away to a friend who loves it (personal use, she’s not a makeup artist). Enter LORAC cosmetic’s Pro Palette. This takes the concept of the neutral palette one step further by being one row of matte and one row of shimmer. Why no one has thought of this before is beyond me but it is brillant and perfect perfection in a palette. Both brands of eyeshadow give great color/pigmentation payoff and both are creamy and smooth and blend flawlessly. The LORAC palette also comes with a trial sized tube of their eyeshadow primer which converted me away from the Urban Decay Primer Potion because the LORAC is just as effective at making the eyeshadow last long and resist creasing, but it is less drying on the eyelids and less grabby.

As it is, I am happy with both purchases and I do use them both. Had it come out first, however, I probably would have just purchased the LORAC Pro palette and been done. The winner in this round? LORAC.

Simple Beaute by Dedra
You may know Dedra Whitt from her star turn on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Camille Grammer’s friend and makeup artist), but I am proud to say I know her in real life as a friend and talented makeup artist. It is always exciting when a working makeup artist designs a makeup line because they bring in all of their real-world experiences of what has worked and what hasn’t in other cosmetics. After all, we work with a variety of product on a variety of faces and skins EVERY day, so we learn a lot about the Good the Bad and the Underperforming product in the process. To launch her line, Dedra has started out with the single most important element in creating a beautiful face: Foundation.

There really are not words for what a fantastic foundation Simple Beaute by Dedra is.

This foundation is so fab that I am not going to go into it right now, it deserves a full review with photographs which I will be posting soon. In the meantime, you can see the line at her blog, Simple Beaute by Dedra. While you’re there, go ahead and subscribe to her blog so you can read all of her tips insights into beauty.

Tom Ford Beauty
As you know if you are a regular Makeup to Go! reader, I do not base my reviews on the latest, greatest thing to come out. Firstly, I think there are several great Blogs – like Temptalia – that do that already. Secondly, as a pro makeup artist I base my selections on performance after I have had time to really use a product. The Hype Train came pulling into the station at full speed when Tom Ford Beauty came out and even though it costs upwards of $35 per item (meaning the least expensive items in the line start at $35), I have read all types of reviews from end-consumers, semi pros, etc. raving about the line. OK – I am not at all opposed to luxury lines, in fact I have an entire kit comprised of only luxury lines as opposed to my pro-line staples, but I’m saying any makeup product has to perform for me to get excited about it, particularly $45 lip glosses. Products have to wear well, look good in multiple lighting situations and possible lighting changes, and photograph well, etc. Reality Check: Not all luxury brands fit this bill. Most were made for personal, not professional, use. I went ahead and purchased a cream eyeshadow and an eyeshadow quad for my Luxury kit, and I have to say I am pleased and impressed, particularly with the cream eyeshadow. Cream Eyeshadows in particular are tricky; the right one can intensify color and help powder eyeshadow stay in place and last longer. The wrong cream eyeshadow will make color crease and slip off or fade away faster. I have used the Tom Ford Beauty Cream Color for Eyes alone and with powder shadow and it is beautiful, creamy, richly colored, and does not crease. #Winning.

Ode to a Brush

circled – a great makeup warrior #RIP

A few months ago at the end of a long shoot day I left my touch-up bag behind in the studio where we were shooting. Despite contacting everyone immediately, no one claims to have seen the bag. Didn’t really make sense, particularly since I knew exactly where I’d left it, but no biggie. No biggie until I realized the reality of the truth – the first Professional Makeup brush I’d ever purchased was in that touchup bag. As you can see by the photo, I owned that brush for a long, long time. It was a true workhorse. A throwback to a golden age in makeup where brushes were made TO LAST and this one did. I still remember buying that drug at Rexall Square drugstore on the corner of La Cienega and 3rd street back when they were open 24-hours and they were known for being a trend spot to get the latest and greatest in cosmetics. I do not remember the brand of the brush but I remember it was $35, which was not a small amount of money for me to invest in my kit at that point in my career. It was an investment, however, that paid for itself I do not even know how many times over. I used it on every job I had for over a decade, up until that fateful day this past August when she ran away from me I do not know who ended up with her, but I hope she’s found a new home with someone who can really appreciate her. To the day that I lost her, she never lost her shape, she never shed ONE hair, she held product beautifully and distributed it evenly. I hope whoever has her now can appreciate that even if you spend twice as much nowadays, you are in no way guaranteed to get a brush even half as good. Goodbye miss Purple Handle Powder Brush! You will always be an All Star VIP in my makeup career!

Technorati Tags: LORAC, makeup, makeup to go, simple beaute by dedra, tom ford beauty, urban decay

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Stash, In the Kit, Makeup Monday, makeup to go · 2 Comments

#MakeupMonday – Mature Skin Makeup

40 something project by photographer richard radstone

As a makeup artist I have obviously worked on every type of face there is, including mature talent from middle age to quite elderly. If you have only ever worked on 19 year old models with perfect skin, working on a mature client can seem quite daunting but it need not be. Working on mature clientele – or working on yourself if your skin is starting to show signs of “maturity” – is just a matter of knowing how products work on the skin and what products to use when.

Generally speaking when you are talking about mature skin the main issues are a loss of elasticity and moisture. This is how we develop lines, under-eye circles, and the overall appearance of sagging skin. Another concern may also be uneven skintone and texture. This is skin that has been around a while and has seen a few things, hence it needs extra care. For successful makeup on mature skins there are two equally important components; selection of proper cosmetic products – which we’ll get to in a minute – and prepping the skin thoroughly with proper skincare.

Skincare

1 ) Perricone, MD - Advanced Face Firming Activator
I was introduced to this by a client who wouldn’t let me make-up her face without using it and I have had it in my kit ever since. What I like about this product vs. other firming products I have tried is how fast-acting it is while still being gentle. If you purchase this for yourself most users see an overall improvement in the texture and tone of their skin continued use. Yes, it is pricey, but it has proven to me to be a worthwhile investment.

2 ) Kinerase – Intensive Eye Cream and Under Eye Rescue
I was first introduced to the Kinerase line in 2005 or so and their eye creams quickly became my favorites for mature and/or extra dry skin. I first tried the Intensive Eye Cream which is a heavy moisturizing cream fantastic for night-time use when it can really help the skin repair itself. I was then introduced to the Under Eye Rescue cream and I found it to be great for immediate use under makeup. It is not as emollient as the Intensive Eye Cream so it does not cause makeup to slip and it firms to keep lines and puffiness at bay. Again, pricey but a worthwhile investment.

3 ) La Prarie - Anti Aging Day Cream SPF 30
It is really important for mature skin to wear sunscreen to help leesson the appearance of age spots and assorted uneven skin issues. This luxurious cream also contains ingredients to boost collegen production. It is the loss of collegen that causes skin to age, hence maintaining collegen levels helps all of the issues of dryness, loss of elasticity and dullness associated with mature skin.

OK so I know I just recommended 3 skin care products the least expensive of which was $80. I am a believer in good skincare. That said, however, there are less expensive alternatives that also work well.

4 ) Olay - Total Effects Daily Moisturizer
As a line Olay has become quite well known for their anti-aging skincare. This product in particular stays very popular and highly rated and for good reason. This “all in one” product hydrates, exfoliates, refines pores, and contains antioxidants to nourish the skin.

5 ) ROC Skin Care
The entire ROC line is an anti-aging line. Started by a french pharmacist in the 1950′s, ROC has become famous for their use of Retinol in their products. Of the extensive product line, I have used the Multi Correxion® 4-Zone Daily Moisturizer SPF 30, Multi Correxion® Lift Anti-Gravity Eye Cream, and the Multi Correxion® Skin Renewing Serum with good results.

Makeup

With makeup on mature skin it is important to bear in mind that product has both weight and texture. Therefore less is more. Likewise too much powder and in particular too much shimmer and/or glitter can settle into lines and accentuate things you or your client likely do not want to accentuate.

1 ) Face Atelier -Ultra Foundation
In my opinion, silicone-based foundations do wonderful things on mature skin. Since silicone cannot settle or be absorbed into skin, it lays on top minimizing pores and fine lines. My favorite of the silicone foundations is the Ultra Foundation. The color selection is superb (there are shades for everyone from the fairest to the deepest complexions), the foundation is light in texture but fully pigmented so you need very little for complete coverage, and then it sets without the need for powder and once it sets it lasts pretty much all day. This is a fabulous product. Pro Tip: Ultra Foundation photographs beautifully, and it is the foundation of choice for many top makeup artists.

2 ) Illuminare – All Day Eye Color
On mature skin I like to use cream products as much as possible. I find it does not settle as much into any creases, and it adds a more luminous glow to the skin. These Illuminare eyeshadows are weightless, go on smoothly and do not crease. They come in an array of great neutrals in a semi-matte finish to create a variety of daytime and nighttime looks. I also like to use the darker colors as eyeliners.

3 ) Youngblood Cosmetics – Luminous Creme Blush
Cream blushes are the way to go on mature skin, in my opinion. You can layer a powder blush over your cream if you desire but, again, you want to add luminosity to the skin for a more youthful appearance. Also the cheeks tend to be an area where you can add a bit of sheen/shimmer without it being unintentionally aging. These Youngblood cream blushes are oil-free, lightweight, and long-lasting in a sheer, buildable color formulation. Pro Tip: Pink Cashmere is a go-to color in my kit.

4 ) Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon
Lips can be a bit tricky because if there are any lines around the lips, color can seep into those lines. I find the best way to avoid this is to give lipcolor an anchor to hold onto. Lip crayons can be worn on their own as a nice, matte lipcolor that will not move or they make a great base for lip glosses and lipsticks. Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are extraordinary. They feel like silk, they last forever, the colors are glorious, I could go on. Pictured is Dolce Vita which is one of my favorite colors to use as a base for other lip colors. IF however, $24 a pencil is not quite doing it for you Sonia Kashuk’s Velvety Matte Lip Crayons are a very good ~~knockoff of~~ homage to the Nars pencils. The Sonia Kashuk pencils do not have quite the array of colors nor do they feel as soft on the lips but they are quite comfortable to wear and the colors they do have are quite nice. I particularly like Nudey Nude when I am using this as a base for another color.

5 ) YSL Beauté – Touche Éclat
I had to put this wonder product in its own category. Not quite a concealer, not quite an illuminator, Touche Éclat is all of that and more. Used in the under-eye area it is a sweep of light that diffuses dark circles and fine lines for a bright, “wide awake” appearance. My makeup life changed when I was introduced to this miracle product. Pro Tip: I rarely wear makeup myself (I know, right?) but I do use this on myself when I go out at night and it brightens my entire appearance. Another Pro Tip: it is also great for any smile lines/creasing around the mouth.

Technorati Tags: face atelier, illuminaire cosmetics, kinerase, la prarie, nars cosmetics, olay, perricone md, ROC, sonia kashuk cosmetics, youngblood, youngblood cosmetics, ysl beaute, ysl beauty, ysl cosmetics

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Basics, Budget Ballers, In the Kit, makeup to go, Shoppin' · Leave a Comment

#MakeupMonday – Favorite Lip Glosses 2012

Two years ago, early in Makeup to Go!’s existence, I wrote a piece about what I felt were the “top lip glosses” at that time. Funny how time flies because a lot of those lip glosses are no longer on the market. This is both the ecstasy and the agony of being a makeup fanatic; there is new product out all of the time BUT you never know when one of your ultimate favorites will be discontinued. A lot can happen in two years so let us now take a look at what happened to some of my faves and what lip-glosses I’m loving now.

Honorable Mention:

- Three Custom Color
I am not sure why I did not mention them in the first article so I am mentioning them now: Three Custom Color – or 3CC as they’re also known – makes fantastic lip products. They do make individual lip gloss wands, but most makeup artists, myself included, worship their lip gloss palettes. I have had the “Century of Red” palette in my kit since forever and I have recently added the “Perfectly Pink” palette (pictured) as well.

5 )
Then: Cargo Lipgloss Tins
Now: NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss

I discovered these particular NYX lip glosses a while ago and what I love is they are nice little knock-offs of the Smashbox Lip Enhancing glosses. They are not quite as thick in texture hence they do not last quite as long as the Smashbox, but they have a good texture and a good amount of wear, and they come in a great selection of colors including some “wild” colors, some nice reds, and some **great** basics (nude, apricot, rose, cocoa, etc). What is great about these is they are really cheap (in price, not in quality). Like cheap-y cheap. And I never recommend cheap cosmetics because usually cheap cosmetics are terrible but these are cheap and great. Can’t beat that!

What Happened to Cargo? Pretty much the same as I mentioned in the first article, they discontinued the lip gloss duo tins in favor of lip gloss quad tins, and they changed all the color combinations, discontinuing many of their best colors.

4 )
Then: Tarte Double Ended Lipgloss Wands
Now: Smashbox Lip Enhancing Lip Gloss

Yep, Smashbox has dropped down a bit on my list. This is NOT AT ALL due to a lapse in quality, oh no. This is strictly because they have dramatically cut the options of this product. The Lip Enhancing Lip Gloss used to come in three formulations (Sheer, True and Full) with a variety of colors in each formulation. Now Smashbox has cut it down to 17 colors in total, many of which are shimmery. The new lip gloss that Smashbox is offering – the Reflection High Shine glosses – is also shimmery. Smashbox seems to be going through a shimmery phase but unfortunately I am not a fan of shimmery glosses. If you are, yay for you Smashbox has lots of very nice shimmery colors right now. For me, not so much. As if this were not all painful enough, my FAVORITE of the Lip Enhancing Lip Gloss colors – “Debut”, a perfect creamy rose color – has been discontinued. Quel Dommage! (Pictured in the photo is “Tease” – a sheer raspberry)

What happened to Tarte? They have many other fantastic lip color products, but they discontinued the double-end lip gloss wands entirely.

3 )
Then: Korres Lip Butter
Now: 100% Pure Lip Gloss

I still like Korres Lip Butters and Lip Butter Glazes quite a bit but these days I am going to have to give the nod to 100% Pure Lip Glosses. A ) I think they are better glosses. The butters are pretty but they are more like lip balms. B ) 100% Pure is committed to being a vegan, naturally derived, cruelty-free line. Korres USA is under a licensing agreement with Johnson and Johnson so while most of their products are naturally derived, I do not honestly know how natural Korres is or if they are cruelty-free with regards to their testing policies.

With 100% Pure, I know what I am getting. Their lipglosses are fruit pigmented and vegan and gorgeous. They have great texture, great scent, wear well, feel great and come in super pretty colors. I particularly love the “Raspberry Sorbet” gloss tube and “Shimmery Cocoa Berry” and “Pink Caramel” gloss wands.

2 )
Then: Nars Lipgloss
Now: Stila Lip Glaze

Stila’s Lip Glaze pens have been around for a little bit now. I think I got into them when I went to the Warehouse Sale a couple of years ago, and they have been a fixture in my kit ever since. When I want a light, sheer hit of color and gloss these are amongst my Go To-s. The weight and texture are very light, the amount of gloss is very flattering, they are just very pretty. Another big plus is that they come in a variety of shades that all skin tones can wear. Stila changes/adds new colors regularly but as of right now they still have “Watermelon” “Apricot” and “Blackberry” which are three of my favorites.

Steeeellllllaaaaaaa!!!!! (Nars Cosmetics Lip Gloss in “Stella”)

1 )
Then: Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss
Now: Nars Lipgloss

I remember it being a difficult to choose between Smashbox and Nars for the top spot when I wrote the original lip gloss article. If memory serves, my heart chose Nars but my mind chose Smashbox basically because I felt Smashbox was more accessible to more women. That may be true but I should definitely have followed my first mind. Nars is just phenomenal. What is more, they do not just randomly drop great products for seemingly no reason (Well, almost. They did drop all of their best Artist Palettes on me a few years ago but I digress…). They introduce new colors and formulations regularly, but in Nars world that does not mean the existing great colors have to be dropped. This pushes them to the head of the class by a mile for me. For makeup artists new is fun but for every ten new products if you are lucky one might prove to be a classic. Once you have found a classic you never want your kit to be without it. Consistency is key and I need products that I know are going to be fabulous every time I use them. All this said – yes Nars is pricey. If you can afford to get a few of the glosses, do so, you will not be disappointed. If you cannot afford to go whole hog, save up and get a couple. You are worth the occasional splurge and again, you will not be disappointed. I do not even have a particular color recommendation for Nars lip glosses. Pick whatever color strikes your fancy, it will be amazing.

Technorati Tags: 100 percent pure, 3CC, Cargo, korres, nars, nars cosmetics, nyx, nyx cosmetics, smashbox, stila, stila cosmetics, Tarte, tarte cosmetics, three custom color

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Basics, Beauty Stash, Budget Ballers, In the Kit, makeup to go, Natural Beauty · Leave a Comment

#IMATS Los Angeles 2012 Wrap Up

I ended up having a fantatic time at the International Makeup Artist Trade Show Los Angeles this year and I figured I’d better write about it before no one cares anymore. First a moment of full disclosure on why I am so late…

This time last week I was sitting in jury duty awaiting questioning for jury selection, and I was in more pain than I have ever been in at any point before in my life. During the previous week I had what I thought was some minor shoulder soreness, and by last Friday night I was sitting in the emergency room unable to move my right arm. Did I mention that I am a right-handed makeup artist? Eventually the pain went away but my arm remained immobile. What I had going seemed similar to a condition that can last for as long as a year or two so needless to say I was in a bit of a panic as to how I was going to take care of myself and work. Through good treatment at the emergency room, good self care at home, and a little bit of Grace, my arm regained enough mobility by Sunday for me to do a basic portraiture shoot job. A couple of days ago (say Wednesday this week) was the first time that I could sit at a computer and type without discomfort. It has been a wild week!

Therefore, needless to say all of this changed my plan for IMATS. I was originally planning to go to the Pro Night and then go for a little span of time on the two weekend days. Instead I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been well enough to attend on Sunday. And I was super fortunate to have a running buddy at the show as my friend and fab makeup artist Renee Loiz, was also going that day so we were able to meet up.

Due to my compressed schedule I was not able to attend any of the workshops, lectures, or demos. This was a real bummer as there were several on Saturday I really, really wanted to see including the incomparable Kabuki (WHICH I hear was sadly under-attended by the largely non-pro crowd on Saturday). That aside I did much more walking the floor than I had in years. Years. It just seemed like it was waaaaaaay less crazy this year than last. The usual suspects (MAC, MUFE, NYX, etc.) were bustling but otherwise Renee and I were able to walk the floor, look at and touch product, and talk to the artist/representatives at the booths. Here is the scoop on what I got…

1 ) Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner
Gotta start with the basics and this was THE MAIN thing I needed. I had to make sure I left the Trade Show with this product in my hand. I know brush cleaners are very personal to each artist and everyone has their favorite. Parian Spirit is my favorite and it has been ever since I learned about them clear back at the very first IMATS show (yes, I’m old). NOTE: I am noticing a lot of young artists do not realize that Japonesque brush cleaner IS Parian Spirit (even says so on the Japonesque label). Instead of buying small retail bottles it makes more sense for a working artist to get the larger professional sizes of Parian Spirit. Continue reading →

Technorati Tags: obsessive compulsive cosmetics, occ, OCC Makeup, parian spirit, royal and langnickel, royal brush, urban decay, viseart, yaby

Like This? Share It

Hide Sites

Filed Under Beauty Biz, Beauty Stash, Happenings, In the Kit, Latest Greatest, Shoppin', trade shows · Leave a Comment

Contact Us

Makeup to Go! Tweets

Tania Russell – Makeup Artist

Subscribe to Makeup to Go! – RSS Feed

Subscribe to Makeup to Go! – Email

Search Makeup to Go!

Makeup to Go! Archives

Categories

Blogroll

Other Links I Like

Press

Industry Events

Where The Pros Shop

Tags

#MakeupMonday – Milani Cosmetics

#BizTalk: The Kit Revisited

#MakeupMonday – The Basics: Brushes I

#MakeupMonday – 2013 The Makeup Show LA Postscript

#MakeupMonday – Products Roundup 2012/2013

Stila Warehouse 2012 – Los Angeles

#MakeupMonday – Short Notes

#MakeupMonday – Mature Skin Makeup

#MakeupMonday – Favorite Lip Glosses 2012

#IMATS Los Angeles 2012 Wrap Up