Better than Roses

Valentine's Day is around the corner and if you're like me, you'd rather have a dozen rose shadows than flowers. Rose is a very flattering color on all skin tones. By either lightening or darkening the base, it's quite versitle.  To carefully curate a Valentine's Day look, I selected items from the NARS Spring line; Hammamet (Limited), Kari (New) and Impassioned (New). I also needed a glowy, barely there foundation look to compliment my rose tones, so I got Laura Mercier's latest collection - Candlelight Foundation in Dusk.

NARS Hammamet & Kari shadows - The Hammamet duo consists of a flattering darker Matte Beige and a medium shimmery rose gold. I love the two together, they are very warm and flattering, especially with Kari eyeshadow, applied wet, in the inner corner. This soft, rosey pink look is oh so romantic. This will look especially nice on blue eyes as it is. On brown eyes, I will mix with Soft Matte Brown or Texture from MAC. Add a winged liner and lashes, and you'll have an incredible, easy look. These colors are going to be a huge stable in my kit for brides. Be sure to use a base before application. MAC Painterly or 24 extend wear are great options.

NARS Impassioned Blush - A lovely neutral rose pink. NARS blushes are long wearing and blends so nicely. Impassioned applies darker than it appears, which is nice to see. When applying, use illuminator first, then apply blush.

Laura Mercier Candlelight Foundation - I believe this foundation gives Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk some tough competition. I especially like the shade for myself - Dusk, which offers more neutral yellow tones than Luminous Silk. The closest I can find in Giorgio Armani is 5.5, and I need to mix it with a little 5.5. If you have nice skin, this is a great foundation for you. If you like  a lot of coverage, I'd mix a pump or two with your full coverage foundations. Mattify the T-zone area with a primer before and a powder after to avoid a greasy look.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Front Page of Style Me Pretty!

I am very excited and honored to share that one of my clients, Kara from Politics of Pretty, has been featured on the front page of Style Me Pretty! Working with Kara was such a joy, she is just as relaxed and easy going as can be. Her wedding makeup was inspired by the gray and pale pink tones of great gatsby era looking photos. We had fun chatting about different products and brands (as expected, we both had a lot of opinions!) Find out all the details from Kara's look below, and yes, I realize the irony around blogging about a beauty blogger being featured in another blog.

Also, I just found out I made Style Me Pretty's 6 MUST-SEE LBB Moments through this feature, woo hoo! Enjoy the pics below and the beauty breakdown everyone! Photography by Liz Fogarty - Hair by Anna Fazio

(Do you recognize this hand? It's me!)

Product Breakdown

Face

M.A.C Fix+

Kheils Ultra Facial Lotion

Giorgio Armani Master Primer

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 4

M.A.C Mineralize Powder - Med

Eyes

M.A.C 24 Hour Extended Eye Base

M.A.C Quarry Shadow

M.A.C Fashion Fit Shadow

M.A.C Smut Shadow

Ardell Lashes - Demi Wispies

Cheeks

M.A.C Stay Pretty

M.A.C Soft and Gentle Mineralize

Lips

M.A.C Lip Primer

 M.A.C Creme Cup 

-Lauren

It's 2016 - Let the wedding season begin

2015 has been so crazy. I have done 38 weddings and 200 faces. And that is just on the weekends! Thank you to all my clients that chose me as their makeup artist. With that being said, 2016 trials have already started. One of my first clients is local celeb hair stylist, @styledbyannafazio. I love a good neutral makeup look with intense black winged liner, so when @styledbyannafazio ordered up this look for her birthday/trial run look, I was more than happy to start applying.

Let's talk prep work first. Anna has normal to oily skin. To mattify the T-zone and create an even base, I used the Sisley Pore Minimizer Lotion. This rosy-scented lotion makes the skin look so flawless and ensures longer wear. It's not technically a primer, but I use it as one. Next, I layered Girgio Armani Master Primer all over the face. Once dry, I applied Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation #315. I have mixed feelings about this foundation, but overall I think it's a good winter foundation. It basically has no mattifying properties, so be sure to follow with the proper powder.  It covered nicely, so I used another layer to really make Anna's skin flawless. Most of the time, we need two light layers of foundation. Think about painting your nails, doesn't two coats ALWAYS look better? Just be sure you don't goop it on. Highlighting on olive toned skin is fun because I get to use Hot Sand by NARS with Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2. It's my favorite part of makeup!

Oh no, I realized I did Anna's eye's before foundation. Oh well, no matter, her eyes were shades of neutral and undefined. Anna didn't really care if she had any shadow on at all, but you know I had to put some on! So I opted for shades of gold and neutrals. I really love the combo that MAC's Blonde Gold pigment + All that Glitters shadow gives. Layer, layer, layer. It's always more interesting. Then comes the star of the look - the black winged liner. I have 2 gel liners, 2 liquid liners and 5 black pencils in my kit currently. That day, MAC Blacktrack just was not cutting it as far as color was concerned so I layered with Stila Stilo Pen in Black. The combo is great and it will last forever with no smudging, so I was overall happy with my decision.

On her lips, we used NARS Lip Pencil in a rose tint that has a slight gloss to it.  I forget the name but it started with an R. You'll find it. Finally, we finished off with MUFE Spray to set the foundation and make it "last longer". Do I really believe it works for longer wear? The debate is up, but I really do like the look it gives, as if it's "lived in" and not too fresh, so I continue to use it.

Hope you enjoyed this blog post. It's sure to be a busy 2016 and I can't wait to paint some more faces! Thanks for coming in Anna.

Styled Shoot at Breaux Vineyards

Hi all,

I organized my second collaborative styled shoot last week and I am at the edge of my seat in anticipation for the pictures, so I thought I'd share my experience in the meantime. On top of the organization and direction, I also did the makeup for the lovely models @thisisvictoriachang and @mrgeorgekhouri. I was completely inspired by Breaux Vineyards stunning grounds and was lucky enough that all the other vendors that joined were just as inspired too. They're contributions were essential for getting the variety of shots to complete the theme. I was just so excited/ecstatic that Claire La Faye wanted to provide a dress from her newest collection for the shoot!. When Claire sent me pictures let me choose the dress that would best fit the vision, um, it was a dream come true. Not only was the dress insanely beautiful, it was also quite fitting with the theme.

The incredible vendors made organizing and showcasing their talent extremely easy. We all had a great time watching Bonnie work her magic and while the sunset right over the Virginia mountain range. The weather was crisp and cool and it had just rained two days prior, so all the vines were especially green. We were all excited to pop open the wine and tear into the cakes from @tartandcraft, but in the end we managed to resist and snacked on rosemary crackers instead (Note to self, bring more food to styled shoots). Once you see these pictures, I have no doubt you'll be packing your bags for a picturesque trip to Breaux this fall. I can't tell you the theme just yet, but you'll know soon enough! Hint: It is very specific to Breaux. More pictures by Bonnie Sen coming soon...

In the meantime, I AM sharing the products I used to create the romantic and dreamy look on Victoria.

Bonnie Sen Photography

Beauty Breakdown

Eyes

24 hour Eye Primer - M.A.C

Bountiful Brown Eyeliner - M.A.C

"Snake" Eyeshadow - Makeup Forever

Woodwinked Eyeshadow - M.A.C

Lips

Pillow Talk Lip Cheat- Charlotte Tilbury 

Pretty Natural Lipstick - M.A.C

Face

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer 

Melba Blush - M.A.C

Giorgio Armani Master Primer

C4 Face & Body - M.A.C

Medium Dark Mineralize - M.A.C

The Vendor List

Breaux Vineyards, Kathleen Britsch, event coordinator

Photography: Bonnie Sen @bonnielikesphotos

Female Model: Victoria Chang @thisisvictoriachang

Male Model: George Khouri @mrgeorgekhouri

Floral Designer: Meg Dodini @succulentsandsaffron

Stage Designer: Carmela Sangalang @luckycarms5

Hair & Makeup: @styledbyannafazio and @realdollmakeup

Calligraphy: Michele Hatty Fritz @meanttobedc

Cake: Andi @tartandcraft

Bridal Dress: @clairelafaye 

Boost Your Pre-Event Pretty

Getting ready for a big event can be stressful because everyone wants to look their absolute best. Makeup can do wonders, but it can't do it all. Here are my pre-event tips that I highly recommend to boost your pretty.Start practicing these and you'll be glowing in no time. 

1. Hydrate - And start a week before the event, you won't reap the benefits if you do it the day of. Lemon, cucumbers and mint are great flavorings when you get tired of drinking plain water. 
   
2. Nourish - Your skin. Look for a "day of" mask to prep your face before the event. You don't want a mask that is purifying, but one that hydrates or preps before your makeup. 
   
   
   
3. Eat well - Don't try any crazy diet plans, but stay clear from too much alcohol, caffeine, carbs or sugars. This will lead to less inflammation on your skin and less bags under your eyes. In other words, skip the soda, have a unsweetened green tea. (I've personally visited a popular soda factory once, the ingredients in their were enough to corrode the concrete floor when spilled. Imagine what it's doing to your delicate skin!)
   
4. Before Bed - Make sure you remove all traces of makeup before you go to bed (use makeup wipes!) and be sure to apply a good eye cream every night. Continue your normal regimen. 
   
5. Get Mild Exercise - Again, nothing crazy if you don't normally exercise. Just some light stretches and walks. Get that blood flowing!
   
6. A word on Waxing - This is so tricky. Make sure to leave plenty of time for irritations to go down. FYI - Retinols will make your skin burn with wax, so be sure to stop use or tell your wax professional if you are using it. 

HOPE THESE TIPS HELP :) What is your favorite Pre-Event Prep Tip?

My Top 5 M.A.C Picks for Modern Indian Bridal Makeup

Bridal makeup takes on a fun approach when its an Indian bride. In addition to all the pretty, glittery and beautiful-ness of the bride, I get to do not one, but two bridal looks in one day! That is like makeup artist gold. That means, two different eye looks, two different foundations, two different lip colors, you get it! Imagine the possibilities...

I don't do Traditional Indian bridal makeup, but I like to call my approach Modern Indian Bridal Makeup. If you've followed my work, you've seen most of my South Indian brides will have softer, contoured skin during the day, with full lashes and a red-ish lip to compliment their wardrobe. The eyes aren't subtle, but they aren't completely bold until the evening. My bride, Priya, from this Saturday wore All Fired Up! by M.A.C which is seriously the most flattering magenta/red lipstick I've seen in awhile. I also like Russian Red by M.A.C but sometimes that is too close of a match to the dress. At Priya's reception, we re-did her entire look minus the eye makeup, which we built on by adding more golds, black liner and added corner lashes on top of her morning pair (Demi Wispies, Ardell). I also changed up her foundation in the evening to add a dewy look by mixing Prolongwear NC42 and Face & Body from M.A.C. I also defined her eye brows more. Priya wore a coral outfit, so we used Impassioned Lipstick to compliment the dress. Hair stylist Anna (@styledbyannafazio) made a last minute decision and picked a rose similar to the color to add to Priya's hair. It totally completed the look!

Also, the bridesmaids sari's are equally as extravagant, so bring on the bold lashes! Laura Henderson expertly applied the lashes and Magenta lip liner and Dear Diary lipstick (both M.A.C) to create a a custom hot pink/purple shade on all 8 bridesmaids. Thank you Laura!

It was a busy day that started at 6:30am to 8pm at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington DC but I can't wait until my next Indian Bridal party! Incidentally, it will be at the same location for a really good friend of mine in August.

My Top 5 M.A.C Picks for Indian Bridal Makeup

• Med Dark Mineralize Skin Finish
• Med Dark Studio Color Correct Pallet
• FluidLine Eye Pencil 
• All Fired Up! 
• Impassioned

#FOUNDATIONFILES - MAKEUP FOR EVER ULTRA HD FOUNDATION

Hey Dolls, 

Makeup For Ever just sent me a few bottles of the Ultra HD foundation and I could not WAIT to try them! The new formula is replacing the old formula, however, Sephora is still selling the original formula as of today. So, if you're a die-hard fan, I'd purchase it while you can. I hear the new release is coming soon in July.

How it's different:

• Ultra HD is much more fluid than the original. 
• Ultra HD has significantly more shades to choose from
• Ultra HD works with 4k technology 

How it's the same:

• Both formulas still contain no sunscreen (yay! I love adding my own,where appropriate)
• Both formulas glide on smoothly
• Both formulas provide buildable coverage

The greatest thing about this new formula is the fluid texture. It blends immediately into the skin without a ton of extra work. My skin instantly looked more refined and hydrated. I feel this gave a dewy-er look than the original formula which seemed more matte, but that may just be the humid weather.

I used my fingers to pat a small amount into the skin, starting in the center. I'd recommend >1 pump for the entire face, after moisturizer and primer, and building up coverage as needed. By the way, I recommend the BLUE Makeup For Ever Primer, especially for Yellow Skin tones, I love the slight illuminating effect it gives. I was really happy with the coverage of >1 pump because I really like see-through skin.

If you love velvety smooth finishes to foundation, this foundation is a buy for you.

Check our Wayne Goss's Tutorial video, I found it very helpful, hope you do too!

Also, Ultra HD will be introducing Foundation Sticks. Great for contouring, will have to try it to compare to my Tom Ford Foundation Stick, which i LOVE.

Stay Pretty!