Thursday, September 27, 2012

Youtube Channel

Hey everyone! I wanted to do a mid-week update. Many of you don't know that I have actually had a youtube channel for quite some time, but I haven't ever put any thing on it. So lately I've been feeling a little more inspired and have had a little more time on my hands due to poor hours at work.

So! With that being said, here is the link to my youtube channel. Also, below is my first video! Check it, love it, share it!




Thanks again everyone for all you do!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Illuminators

First, I'd like to thank Melanie Fioratos for writing me about illuminators.

Illuminators are pretty awesome accessories. They comes in 3 different forms: liquid, cream and powder. Liquids are usually in a pump bottle, creams in a compact and powder is either pressed or loose. Depending on the type of illuminator you have affects what you can do with it/the order you in which you put in on.

The main purpose of an illuminator is to accentuate the high points of the face. There are a few main areas of the face that most people tend to high light.

1. Under eye
Highlighting under the eye is really great for those of you who have dark circles. You can apply a liquid illuminator before your concealer and it'll help to reflect light and make it appear less dark under the eye.

2. Top of the cheek bones
Highlighting the tops of the cheek bones, along with some contouring, tends make the face look thinner. If you put the illuminator in a C-shape, it also give the eye a natural lift, which is a great technique for my mature clients.

3. Top and bottom of the eye brow 
If you follow the shape of the brow with the illuminator, it'll accentuate the shape of the brow.

4. Bridge (middle) of the nose
Placing the illuminator in the middle of nose in a straight line makes your nose look flatter and straighter.

5. Cupid's bow
Putting the illuminator there and around the top of the lips will make the lips look fuller.

The type of illuminator is also very important to the order that you put it on. If it's a liquid or cream, you can put in on before the makeup or mix it with a bit of foundation and put it on afterwards. But if it's a powder, whether loose or pressed, you need to put it on after you've powdered over your foundation. Otherwise, it'll look cakey and it won't blend.

Other uses for illuminators:
-You can mix it with your foundation if it's a liquid and not only will it water down the foundation, it'll also give you a dewy look.
-You can use it as an eye shadow base, on top of a primer to give your shadows more shimmer.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Favorite Eye Shadow Brands

So with all of the brands out there saying that they have the best eye shadows, how do you know which ones are really awesome? Some of them are obvious, others not so much. But here are my favorite shadows:

1. Urban Decay
So this one is more obvious as to why I like them. Frosty, awesome colors and they're really creamy. I have a few of the new ones and a few of the old ones. I have to say that they both are amazing. Plus, they always come out with the best palettes. Basically the only thing that I don't like about Urban Decay is that they don't have enough matte colors. Frosty colors are great, but you can't always make a look with frosty colors. $18 each.

2. MAC
While MAC shadows are not nearly as creamy as the Urban shadows, but the frosty ones are pretty nice. They also have a lot of matte colors, which aren't as pigmented as I'd like, but it's still better than none. Plus, you can get them pre-depotted. And there is one obvious perk: the back to MAC program. For every 6 eye shadows you return, you can get 1 shadow or lip stick/gloss. Awesome! $15 each?

3. NYX
NYX is a cheap brand that can be found at a variety of venues, from HEB to Ulta. But don't let the price fool you! While I'm not partial to a few things in the NYX line, I love their shadows! They're really pigmented and they also have a ton of frosty AND matte shadows. Plus, they have a lot of good palettes at really fair prices. 

4. Bare Minerals
When I was first introduced to Bare Minerals, they only had loose pigments. Some of them are VERY pigmented and some of them are not. Some of them stay and some of them blend away. Overall though, for a mineral pigment, they are pretty great. Just make sure to use a primer underneath them. The pressed ones, while convenient, aren't in my opinion as good as the loose pigments. They're very pigmented and smooth, but perhaps I'm set in my ways. The only real complaints I have are they don't have many matte colors that don't look chalky or difficult to blend.

5. Pur Minerals
While they don't have many colors and they're not overly pigmented, the colors they have are matte and they always seem to have the perfect color I'm looking for. They have the perfect matte pink/cream color. I like them as accessories to a look, not necessarily as a total look. Plus they're easy to blend.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Favorite Fashion Icons: Then and Now

So throughout history, there have been women that have been known for their statements in fashion. These are just a few of mine.

1. Marilyn Monroe

2. Audrey Hepburn

3. Jackie O

4. Kate Middleton 

5. Kate Moss

6. Dita von Teese


7. Blake Lively

8. Nicole Richie

9. Leighton Meester

10. Heidi Klum

11. Twiggy

Sunday, September 2, 2012

License or No License?

For those of you who don't know, I'm eventually going back to school to get my estheticians license. I've been talking to a lot of people who went back to school to get their license and most of the time I get positive feedback about it. There are those, however, that don't think it's necessary. So this poses the question: To get license or not to get licensed?

One of the major benefits in my books is that it opens many a door for you. If you run your own business, you can take your skills and license on the road. You can work in a salon if you so choose, as either a makeup artist or an esthetician. Or both! Double the money.

So the obvious benefit to going to school is the education. In order to get a truly beautiful makeup, you really have to understand the skin that the makeup will be on. So much can go wrong if you don't understand the skin you're working with.

Another thing people have told me is that it's really not worth getting an estheticians license, that it's more practical to get a cosmetology license. And to those people I give a straight up no. I toyed with the idea for oh, maybe half a second, and then I realized 2 things: 1. Not only do I hate hair, but 2. It would be a great injustice to who ever got stuck with me as a stylist. So I've decided to leave it to the professionals that love their jobs.

So what's your opinion: license or no license?

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Urban Decay For the Win!

So after a nearly month long hiatus, I am back and feistier than ever. I've been exploring the great divides of brands lately, trying to tell them all apart. I mean, what really does set them apart? They all have skin care benefits in the makeup, they all claim to have the best foundations, they all have essentially everything the others do. But after the launch of the new Naked Skin Foundation, I have come to realize that Urban Decay deserves some kudos!

For those of you who are not aware, not only has Urban Decay recently reformulated their eye shadows to be silkier and more long lasting than before, they've also launched their brand new Ultra Definition foundation and to top it all off, approximately 70% of their products are vegan! Before about 2 months ago, I didn't really care about which products were vegan or organic or whatever the new claims to fame were, but after watching many a documentary about animals and food, I can greatly appreciate the sacrifice that animals make now.

But today's blog entry focuses on the brand new foundation that I keep raving about.

I've tried the foundation on many a woman and on myself as well. It evens out the skin tone, looks exactly like your own skin and has a variety of colors so no matter how pink or olive toned you are, there is a perfect shade for you. It doesn't sit in the pores and as oily as I tend to be, it doesn't make me oily! It also has lots of peptides, which are great ingredients for anti-aging. It's a great finish, not too dewy, but not overly matte either.

Unfortunately for my deeper skin toned audience,
 though, once again your shades have been over looked. There are a few deeper shades, but they are not cute colors :\ That and the fact that sometimes if you apply just a teenie bit too much foundation, it tends to be a little bit hard to blend.

But overall I have to give the Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation 8.5 out of 10. I love it on me and most of the women I have used it on, also love it. So if you're in need of a brand new foundation, go to your local Sephora or Ulta and have someone try it on you!

I also have an announcement. From now on, my blog entries will be made on Sundays. The perfect end to a long week!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Product Review: Better Than False Lashes

So in my heaps of gratis,  along with getting to try the Big Fatty Macara, I also got to try the new Too Face: Better Than False Lashes Mascara ($35).

So this particular mascara requires 3 steps and two different mascara tubes. The first, longer mascara is step one and three. You apply it first, apply the lengthening agent and then reapply the first mascara.

And let me just tell you, I'm also not a fan of this mascara. First of all, the mascara is too sticky for my liking. I understand that it's to grab on to the second step, but it's literally like having glue on my lashes. Secondly, the second step at first look seems like a cotton fibers. Upon more research, it is nylon fibers. Either way, it cannot be Optomologist Tested. I have makeup allergies that have been acting up the last couple of weeks and it irritated my eyes like nobody's business. The entire day it felt like there was something scratching my eye.

And finally, the mascara claims to be "better than false lashes," as it so states in the title. In my opinion, it was a great disappointment. Sure, maybe it made my slightly longer, but there was absolutely no volume added to my lashes. I was told by my boss that in order to add volume that I should use another mascara instead of the first mascara. And who on earth wants to pay $35 for a mascara, only to have to use an additional mascara to add volume?

I give the Too Face: Better Than False Lashes mascara a 4 out of a possible 10.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please leave a comment below!

***********************

Guys and gals, the seminar is in 11 days! There are only 4 seats left! Everyone will leave with a brand new, full size door prize and the confidence to do your makeup like a pro!

Only $35 to get in attend! E-mail me at eem461@gmail.com to reserve your spot now!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Product Review: Big Fatty Mascara

On Saturday we had some training at Ulta, and I got tons of gratis! I decided to leave some of it for the guests of my seminar and a couple of items I took for myself :)

I needed some new mascara since I got a stye and I had to throw my other one away and one of them happened to be the Big Fatty Mascara. And I have to tell you, I am not impressed thus far.

My least favorite part of it is the brush. It's really thick and made of rubber or plastic, I believe. It looks really scary. This morning I used it and with a brush like that it never fails, it hit my lash line and made me blink really hard and made it look like I had a black eye.

On top of that, my lashes clumped together. So I am just not a fan.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give Big Fatty Mascara a 4.

What did you think about the Big Fatty Mascara? Leave me a comment below!

Don't forget TO RSVP for my makeup seminar. Tons of prizes to be had!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Makeup Seminar!

I am hosting a makeup seminar on Saturday, August 4 at 5:00-6:30 pm @ 11212 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX, 77058. This seminar is for the every day woman to learn to do their own makeup.

The guests will learn to do work appropriate looks on the eye, concealing under the eye, brow shaping, filling in the lips, learning to add definition to the face and lashes!

Each guest will leave with a goody bag full of fun deluxe samples, a tip sheet and a new found confidence.

Hors d'oeurves and beverages will be provided :)

The charge is only $35 per person. Payments will be collected at the beginning of the seminar. The person who can refer the most guests will receive a basket full of goodies, which includes a free makeup application! The entire prize is valued at $290!


Please visit the link and RSVP today!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Learning the Art

At work, many women look at how I do my makeup and wonder how I learned. My mother-in-law even told me that I make it look easy. And for some people, it is. I, on the other hand, worked extremely hard to learn to do makeup.

It helped that when I started getting into the artistry, I was working at Bare Escentuals and was able to practice a lot on others. Plus I had an endless supply of makeup and brushes to use. But slowly I started buying my own supplies and began practicing at home.

When I first started really learning, I practiced constantly. I bought every single book I possibly could. Some great ones are by Bobbi Brown. I also rummaged the clearance section of Barnes and Nobles and got a few more. 

I also used Youtube as a big learning tool. Many of the girls had much more experience than I did with blending and artistry in general. I watched their videos and tried to replicate the looks using Bare Minerals and MAC pigments.

I constantly practiced. I learned what worked and what didn't work. I learned how to make my job essentially easier. I asked my old co-workers questions constantly. I practiced on everyone that would let me. When I realized that I wanted to make artistry my career, I took every job I could, whether it was paid or not.

Eventually I even went to school where I learned even more techniques.

Overall, I've stayed open-minded and take constructive criticism and run with it. I still practice new looks, challenge myself with new techniques, use new cosmetics, etc. I'm no where near perfect, but I keep striving to be great. So if you want to be better at the art of makeup artistry, it's just like any other skill; practice makes perfect!

As always, if you have any questions, comments, concerns, leave a comment below.

Don't forget to RSVP for my event! Go to my event page for more details :)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

A Perfect Primer

***Please read, very important! I have decided to post new entries every Tuesday! So look for new entries every Wednesday!***

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention a primer, your mind is officially about to be blown.

When I started working for Bare Escentuals, I knew what they were, but I didn't know the importance of it, and I also didn't realize you can't use one for the face on your eyes. I was totally clueless!

First, let's discuss the importance. No matter what the texture or skin type (oily, dry, combo), there is a perfect primer for you. Generally speaking primers are silica/dimethicone based. Those 2 ingredients help to fill in any texture on the skin, such as acne scars, wrinkles, etc. They may or may not be oil free, so if you have oily skin, read the labels carefully. Primers also help to keep your foundation on longer and keep it smoother longer. Keep in mind that they do not perform miracles and if you live in Houston, there is only so much you can do to prevent your makeup from melting from your face.

Others are water based. Those are very hydrating for the skin and are great for summer. They were once thought to be only good for people with dry skin, but this simply not the case! When oily skin is dehydrated, it overproduces oil to makeup for the lack of hydration. So oily people have no fear!

Some of the great primers are follows:
Makeup Forever HD Microperfecting Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer
Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer
Too Faced Primed and Poreless Oil Free Smoothing Face Primer
Benefit Porefessional

As always if you have any questions/comments/complaints, leave a comment.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

A Great Skincare Routine

So I know that in this fast and furious day and age, having a proper skin care routine seems like more of a job than a priority. But most of us also don't realize how important it really is! We can brush our teeth twice a day, so why not spend an extra 5 minutes taking care of something that we can never replace?!

First, you need a good cleanser. Personally, I usually have 2. My first cleanser is a very gentle one essentially responsible for removing my makeup. My gentle cleanser of choice is Bare Mineral's Purifying Cleanser. It hydrates the skin, melts your makeup and is super soft. A cheaper solution is Cetaphil, found at most drug stores. My second cleanser is to fight my acne. I was given the Dermadoctor Ain't Misbehavin' acne fighting cleanser that has an abundance of salicylic acid to kill the bacteria that causes acne.

This next step is optional. I use a toner, also by Dermadoctor, called Litmus Test. For those of you don't know the purpose of a toner, it helps to regulate the PH level of your skin. This toner also helps to minimize pores, keeps your skin looking young, and is also soap, fragrance and oil free. But please make sure that your wear at least SPF 15

My serum of choice is the DDF Wrinkle Resist Pore Minimizer. Thus far, I'm in love with this product mainly because it helps to regulate the oil production in your face. It also acts as a really nice primer. The main downfall to this product is that it's so expensive. For 1.7 oz, this product costs a staggering $85. Reviews on Ulta.com indicates that it's a pretty popular product overall, so perhaps it's very much worth the money.

Moisturizer is an essential part of your skin care routine. I know that a lot of people with oily skin are thinking that they can't use moisturizer because it will make them more oily, but to the contrary. When you don't moisturize your skin, your skin becomes dehydrated which causes it to produce more oil than necessary. Personally, I have 2 moisturizers, one for day and one for night, but if you can find to suit you for both, I definitely encourage it. The ones that I use are the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel and the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. The gel is for daytime as it's light weight and doesn't make you oily and the lotion is for the night time as it's heavier and more hydrating.
I know that seems like a lot, but you have to personalize your skincare to fit your needs. You don't have to follow my map to a T, and believe me, I'm not always faithful to it either. But as long as you follow a skincare routine the majority of the time, you're heading in the right direction.

Just a reminder, I will be hosting my Makeup Seminar on August 4 @ 2pm. Location is TBA. The price is $35. You can check out the seminar in the link above. 

And as always, if you have any questions/comments/complaints/requests, leave a comment!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Makeup Seminar: Everyday Women


So for those of you who are not linked to my Facebook page (which you should be), I am hosting a makeup seminar for the everyday woman. You will learn how to apply makeup to impress your co-workers, strangers and even the cute guy you've been drooling over. Each guest will leave with an information packet and a goodie bag with deluxe samples, pamphlets, business cards, etc. There will also be hors d'oeurves and drinks available.

The cost? A mere $35.
The seminar will be held on Saturday, August 4 at 2-3:30 pm.
Location: TBA, Houston, TX

The person that brings or refers the most guests will receive a basket of free makeup and a voucher for a free makeup application*. 

So share the good news!

To reserve your seat,  please select Makeup Seminar from the drop box and check out. I accept all major credit cards.
Services


Women and men alike are allowed in attendance. No children allowed under the age of 12 allowed.

*Travel fees still apply.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liners

 Since the young age of 14, I have been on the hunt for the perfect eye liner. And believe me, I have tried EVERYTHING! From Maybelline to Wet n Wild to NYX, nothing has worked on my oily skin that makes everything crease.

I, myself, love liquid liner. I love the way it looks and it tends to stay on longer. It's also easier to make a more precise cat eye.

And then my wonderful hunny bought me a Sephora gift card so I could splurge guilt free. And on my shopping spree, I once again went on the hunt for the perfect liquid liner. And then I re-discovered Urban Decay. I'd bought the mini cream pencil kit for Black Friday and had fallen in love, so I figured I'd try the liquid liners.

To date, these are the smoothest most long wearing eye liners I have ever used. Whether it's the liquid or cream liner, I cannot get enough.

As always, if you have any questions/comments/complaints, or if you just want to leave some love, comment below :)

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Favorite Foundations

In my day, I've worked with a lot of foundations, so here is a list of my favorites that I've worn and that I've used on others.

Liquid Foundations:

Makeup Forever HD Foundation - $42

I kept hearing about the Makeup Forever HD Foundation while I was in Los Angeles. I was even tempted to buy it, but like a good poor student, I waited. So as a birthday present to myself (after I was finished with school), and to date it is my favorite foundation. It looks amazing, it's extremely light weight and people just assume that my skin looks amazing rather than that I pack on the foundation. Unfortunately we don't sell it at Ulta, or it would always be sold out. The only down fall is that it does make you a little bit more oily, but if you find a good mattifier, you should be okay.


Napoleon Perdis China Doll Foundation - $50

The China Doll foundation has its name for a reason. It's medium to full coverage, oil free and SPF 15. There's also a lot of skin care benefits in all of the Napoleon Perdis products. There aren't many colors, but the colors that they do have are really nice. And actually, if you have a hard skin tone to match, I generally go to Napoleon first because the colors are extremely wearable. You don't need a powder to set it, but if you have oily skin, I'd go ahead and dust some on just to absorb the excess from your T-Zone. To me the only downfall is that it's expensive. But from what I understand you don't need a primer, so in the long run, you're actually saving money.

Smashbox HD Foundation - $38

So I know this is like a conflict of interest, but I do love this HD foundation as well. Mind you, I don't love it as much as the Makeup Forever one, but perhaps I'm just bias. It does give pretty good coverage and it goes only relatively evenly, but you have to be taking good care of your skin in order to get the best wear out of it. Moisturize, prime and perfect are the steps for achieving perfect application. To me those steps have become second nature, but for the woman that hasn't perfected this _____ yet, perhaps this isn't the foundation for you. The last things is that Smashbox has a ton of colors and undertones, so no matter what, the expert you're working with should be able to match you!

Powder Foundations:
Benefit Hello Flawless Powder Foundation - $34

Let me just tell you how awesome this foundation is. It's easy and compact and it gives better coverage than some liquid foundation. It's a good touch up powder if you use a fluffy brush (one is included when you buy the powder). It's great if you're in a hurry or always on the go. It also has SPF 15 which is nice. And a wide variety of colors! I really don't have much to say about it expect that it is just great!

As always, if you like what you see, please leave a comment. And if you have any requests/questions/complaints, feel free to let me know.

Until next time!

Monday, June 18, 2012

My Favorite Mascaras


For those of you who may not know me, I work at Ulta Beauty in the
Prestige (more expensive cosmetics) Department. So I am lucky enough to be able to get a discount and even better, lots of gratis. In that time, I have learned A LOT about mascaras! So I wanted to share my experience with all of you.



I actually discovered this first mascara during Black Friday last year and it is the Tarte, Lights, Camera, Lashes! The packaging is sort of weird, but don't let it fool you because it is amazing. It quickly became my favorite. It volumizes and lengthens the lashes without getting all clumpy and nasty.





This next mascara is from a company that loves to party. The Bag Gal lash mascara has quickly become a consumer favorite. I happen to have this mascara in my kit and I have yet to receive a complaint. It has a great brush and it really volumizes the lashes.


And for those of you who don't have the money to spend on a $20 mascara, Maybelline The Falsies mascara. I got a bad taste for this mascara when it first launched a couple of years ago. I got an eye infection after using the waterproof one, but it turns out I had become allergic to my contact lenses. Any way, it is an excellent mascara for less than $10.

I hope you enjoyed my review. If you're reading this entry, please leave questions/comments/complaints.

Obsessed


For those of you who don't know, my name is Emily and I am obsessed with all things fashion. From fashion magazines, to Fashion Police, to makeup, I am obsessed.

I'm a makeup artist based out of Houston, TX. I formed Emily M Makeup Artistry in 2011 while attending Makeup Designory and then it became Emily M Event Services, as I now offer event coordinating services as well.

My goal is to spread awareness of beauty and fashion. Please join me!

Monday, June 4, 2012

My first posting!

This is my look from yesterday. I love a purple smokey eye :)

There is a bit of a cut crease with some black.