HAPPY HALLOWEEN DOLLS!!!

I AM ALICE... IN CASE YOU COULDN'T TELL!

The lovely Natalie sporting the smoky eye

Skin Prep

The first step to smooth makeup application is to make sure you treat your skin well. It is important to use a good facial scrub 2-3 times a week. This will get rid of dead skin and oil, and is especially crucial if you have oily skin. Your skin will feel smoother and softer, therefore making your foundation, whether powder or liquid, look flawless. Here are some good options with different price points that I have found work really well. The first is the 7-day scrub from Clinique, which is typically for oily skin. It leaves my skin feeling tingly and cool, and for only 18$. The next is the skin polish from Laura Mercier, for 30$. This one is more creamy and not as harsh, so if your skin is sensitive, it is a good option. Lastly, this scrub from Chanel, intended for combination skin, will smooth and balance your skin while giving it a healthy glow. This one is 45$ so it is more pricey but definitely worth it, and it lasts quite awhile. If you don't use a scrub I encourage you to add it to your skin care routine. You will notice a drastic difference and your skin will automatically look younger and more radiant. Enjoy!

This is a preview of the latest photo shoot with some lovely ladies. Photography by Kate Heimann

"I don't like standard beauty - there is no beauty without strangeness." -Karl Lagerfeld

Product Review: Take It Away by Estee Lauder

When it comes to makeup removers, it can be challenging to find something that effectively removes your makeup while being gentle on your skin. I have gone through many removers and have not been totally satisfied with anything I have tried. Most are strong and make my eyes water, but this product is truly wonderful. It is one of the only things I have tried that truly cleans but is also kind to my skin. To make it even better, there is no need for water. All you do is apply the lotion directly to your face and wipe it off with a tissue or cotton pad. It will leave your skin feeling clean, refreshed and amazingly soft.

Summer Nail Trends

This summer is all about brilliant brands and fun flirtatious colors. Aside from the usual pinks, reds, and nude tones, here are some striking colors that will be sure to look flawless, stay on well (we all HATE polish that chips!), and catch the eyes of people everywhere! These colors can be found in a department store or salon. The colors are "Peppermint Patty" by MAC, "I Know What Boys Like" by Deborah Lippmann,  "Lucky Lucky Lavender" by OPI and "Mimosa" by Chanel. Whether you are at the beach, out shopping or lounging by the pool, these gorgeous shades go perfectly with any summer activities you have planned!

Kristen

Today we did a trial run for Kristen's wedding. It's coming up in three short weeks! I am so excited! We took a little trip to Sephora and bought a bunch of new goodies. I am totally ecstatic about the way it turned out. We used the eyelights trio by Smashbox in "Beam" along with their midnight brown cream eyeliner. I threw in a little Hoola by Benefit (a staple!) and some NARS blush (also a staple). If you want more info about the other products I used, just ask! Please enjoy this sneak preview.

My Favorite Skin Care

If you are like me, you know that the first step to flawless makeup is having gorgeous skin. Finding which products work for you can be a frustrating process. Out of all the billions of products I have tried (Proactiv, Murad, Clean and Clear, Clinique, Boscia, Nutrogena, along with many things prescribed by my dermatologist), I am going to share with you those rare gems that I have discovered and truly do love. I would recommend these to anyone with sensitive, acne prone or problem  skin.  My favorite cleanser at the moment is Shiseido's Pureness Deep Cleansing Foam. It is intended to lift dirt and oil from your pores, leaving it feeling fresh and sparkly clean. A great toner is Dermalogica's Multi-Active Toner. With ingredients like aloe and lavender, this ultra-soothing hydration will leave your skin feeling balanced and refreshed. To keep your skin moisturized and protected, try Philosophy's Hope in a Jar (I like the oil-free one). Not only will it smooth and repair your skin, but it will keep it soft and hydrated all day long. For those stubborn pimples, the spot treatment by Patricia Wexler is fabulous. These products have become my favorites over time, I hope this is helpful!

Mr. & Mrs. Sipes

Here are some pictures of the wedding I recently did makeup for. The bride was stunning and the wedding was beautiful. All the photos were taken by the amazing Clane Gessel. You can visit his website at Clanesblog.com

Some of the lovely bridesmaids

Splurge or Save? Liquid Liner Edition:

For all the dramatic eyes these days, especially when using false lashes, liquid eyeliner is the way to go! It takes a little getting used to, but it will give you those clean and polished lines on your eyelids, unlike a pencil. Is it worth spending money on? Well, Dior gives us an incredible option. It is silky, polished and so easy to use. If you are looking for a less expensive one, Sephora makes a great one for just 10 $. It isn't quite as smooth as the Dior, but it is very close. If you are on a budget, this is a great option!! In this case, it would be safe to save.

It's Wedding Season!

Last weekend, my beautiful friend Heather was married to the man of her dreams. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do her makeup for that wondrous occasion. I will have pictures up soon of the finished product. In the mean time here's a picture of the morning of, while she is getting her makeup and hair done.

It's Prime Time

One of the most important factors in having a flawless complexion is investing in a reliable primer. These are intended to smooth the skin before applying foundation, whether it's powder or liquid. Gliding over your face to make your skin soft and silky,  this magic potion will also make your pores appear significantly smaller and will help foundation sit better on your skin. Benefit's "Dr. Feel Good"  has an incredible velvety texture that will make your skin feel smooth and touchable. Dermalogica also makes a moisturizing product called "Barrier Repair" that is intended for sensitive skin and will actually heal your skin while working as a primer under makeup or by itself.  "Pores no more" by Dr. Brandt is thicker than the other two and will smooth over your pores like a charm. I would suggest this if you are planning on applying makeup over it. It is slightly tinted and it is sulfate, fragrance and dye free. Enjoy looking perfectly photoshopped as you walk around with this magical little secret.

Alex

Bright colors are always hot for spring and in this case, I used all mac shadows. Fresh water, Hepcat, Too Dolly and Romping are the colors. They are all fabulous and really pigmented so if you are into bright and bold, these are definitely the way to go!

Rain, rain go away...

Yes, it is raining... even in LA. It hasn't rained here in awhile, so this morning I was reminded how important it is to set my makeup, otherwise when I step out in the rain I become a drippy icky mess. Even the heat sometimes melts my face off like an ice cream cone. Thanks to all the moisture, our foundation can easily be compromised. That is why our handy little setting powders and sprays will save us the embarassment of being a shiny hot mess. Here are two fabulous options for you to try. Simply apply all over your face after you have put on your foundation! I recommend using this every day, regardless of the weather. This is the rice setting powder by Youngblood and the All-Nighter setting spray by Urban Decay. Both are great!

"A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous." -Coco Chanel

Being Cheeky...

This season, it's all about the cheeks! We've seen the dramatic eye done over and over, and lately the bold lip trend has resurfaced, but what we are seeing a lot of these days is a simple eye and lip with a dramatic pop of color on the cheeks. It can be fun and vibrant, or a natural glow. Either way we are looking for a little burst of life. If you want to achieve the bronzed beachy look, try applying bronzer, like Estee Lauder's "Bronze Goddess" with a brush to the lower part of your cheekbones. For an effortless dewy appearance, try dabbing some of Stila's convertible color cheek cream to the apples of your cheeks with your finger. For an extreme surge of shimmer, try applying a dramatic blush, such as NARS super-orgasm to the upper part of your cheeks, almost up to your ears. This look will make you a distinct and ultramodern woman in any crowd.

Product Review: Time Balm by TheBalm

This product is a little tub of magic. It conceals beautifully and makes your skin look flawless. It comes in six shades ranging from "Lighter than Light" to "Medium/Dark," so  it works well with most skin tones. I have pretty sensitive skin and not only is it gentle, but it also gets rid of discoloration like a charm. It will make baggy tired eyes look refreshsed and glowing. I have searched high and low for the perfect concealer and even Smashbox (which I love) didn't measure up to this bad boy. It is 0.25 ounces and costs 18$ at Sephora. I highly recommend giving this a try if you are on the hunt for a great concealer, which we all are!

For Christmas, I co-hosted a makeup class with Chelsea, the lead makeup artist at The Retreat Day Spa and Salon. The women had so much fun and we had a blast entertaining and educating them. I demonstrated this New Year's look on the lovely Molly!

Product Review: Active Moist by Dermalogica

First of all, any product by this brand is amazing. I have found that this product is everything I have wanted in a moisturizer. It is lightweight, smooth and NOT GREASY! It's a miracle, I know. Purchasing a 1.7 oz tube costs 37$, which may seem a little pricey, but a little bit goes a long way. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a lightweight moisturizer to go underneath your makeup.

MOLLY