IMATS New York - Student Competition Tribal Beauty!

 Models from the Tribal Beauty Theme Student Competition.

IMATS, which is produced by Make-Up Artist Magazine, holds student competitions during the show.  On Saturday, students competed in a Tribal Beauty Theme competition, showcasing their interpretations.  It was amazing to watch these students make-up, style and hairdress their models, all in record time.











Who would you pick as a winner?  They are all so good... tough call!

IMATS New York - Mehron Goat Girl - Amazing Fantasy Makeup Transformation!

 Amazing transformation!


IMATS focuses all on the endless possibilities of makeup.  So you want to be a goat girl?   No problem!  Makeup can do that!  At the Mehron booth, there were amazing transformation demos all weekend.  One that I was able to capture from beginning to end was this horned ram/goat mythical figure. 

 See the cute girl in the background?  Watch her go from normal to fantasy!
Capped and read for horns!
 Artists from Mehron attach her horns.
Do you think you could this with makeup?

Mehron specializes in theatrical and stage makeup, but they also make some beautiful foundations and blushes for everyday!  I purchased some of their foundations and a blush and will be reviewing them soon.  To check out Mehron products go to www.mehron.com.

For information on IMATS go to www.imats.net

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Part 2 - Four Leaf Clover Painted Face Tutorial!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  EOTD + Clover!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!   To compliment my St. Patty's Day EOTD, here is a tutorial on face-painting clovers or really any shape.  A really fun, easy way to stencil cute shapes for you or kids on your face.

Tools for your stencil.  Put scotch tape, overlapping the panels, onto a piece of wax paper.  This will make it easy to peel off.
Draw your desired shape on the tape.  I drew a series of clovers, but you could really draw anything.  You can make them bigger for your cheeks. 
 Cut out your shapes. 
 Here are the products I used.  See the step by step for details.
 Peel the tape off the wax paper. 
 Apply the stencil to the face (cheek, eye, lip, whatever). 
Once the stencil is on, make sure it's adhered to skin without any gaps or lifts.  Paint on your base color.  I am using MAC Fluidline Ivy, a bright kelly green with no shimmer.  Fill in the shapes.  Don't worry about staying within the lines.  The stencil helps protect the rest of your face and eye makeup.
 After you've filled in the base color, tap on your pigments and glitter.  Have fun with this part!  Try mixing different shades.  I used Sugarpill ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadow in Tipsy and MAC Antique Green.  Then I dusted Make Up For Ever Diamond Powder on top.  The stencil helps prevent fallout.
 Peel away and viola!  A pretty painted shape.  You could do this freehand without the stencil, but the stencil helps with fallout and keeps the edges clean.  Also you can really have fun shading your shape.  Look at the color variation on the four leaf clover! 
 Now you're ready for a St. Patty's Celebration!
What are you doing for St. Patrick's Day?
Try this technique with kids!  They will love the face painting and using "grown-up" makeup.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! Part 1 - Irish Green Eye Look EOTD

St. Patrick's Day EOTD!
Happy St. Patty's everyone!  Whether you plan on drowning in green beer or are just staying in (like me), here's a fun and light green eye look to help celebrate. 

This look is actually Part 1 of 2.  The second part I will be doing a little face painting for those feeling extra festive.  Whether it's for yourself or for kids, it's just something fun to add to festivities.
1. Prime your eye.  I'm using MAC Paint Pot in Painterly.
 2. Use a lighter green on the lid.  I'm using Fyrinnae's Prince Charming.
 3. Then I put a slight deeper green at the crease.  I'm using Sugarpill ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadow in Tipsy.
 4. Then I highlighted the browbone.  I'm using MAC Vapor.
 6. I sealed the gel liner with MAC Pigment in Antique Green and applied a little to the bottom lashline.  Curled eyelashes and added mascara.  Fill in brows.
 Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What do you guys do today?  Corned beef?  Avoid all bars?  Parade?

Sakura Collaboration - Spring Cherry Blossom Eye Makeup Tutorial with Sugarpill Cosmetics

My finished sakura-themed look.  

I am thrilled about today's post.  Anna of Fenua Beauté and I were gushing about our love for Sugarpill cosmetics and had previously discussed how we are weak in the knees for any makeup product with incoperating the theme of sakura.  So, we decided over Twitter to collaborate to do a sakura-themed FOTD on our respective blogs using our favorite Sugarpill products.

In Anna's look, she paints delicate petals on the corners of her eyes.  Click here to see her look.  She looks ethereal!

I wanted to paint the actual blossoms on my face and extend the shadow to the hairline.  I think it would be awesome to bring this look to the next level and make it uber kawaii and outrageous.  But I wanted it to be somewhat wearable for most folks.  You can make this look more subtle by not taking the shadow out as far and limited the blossoms to one (or none). 

The Sugarpill products used.
See the step-by-step for details.  Above are Tiara (silver), Lumi (white) and Paperdoll (purple) loose eyeshadows.  The palette is 4-Color Palette in Sweetheart.  I used Dollipop and Tako pressed eyeshadows.  All products are available at sugarpillshop.com.  If you want to see a review of them, click here for the Sweetheart palette and here for ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadows.

Step 1: After you have put on your face makeup, prime your eye area (lid, undereye and to the temple) with an eyeshadow primer.  I used Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Primer.
Step 2: To create a base, I mixed Inglot Duraline with Lumi ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadow.  Lumi is an irisdescent white with blue and green shimmer.  It is very sheer and makes a nice base for the eyelid.
Step 2 (cont'd): Cover the entire lid to the brow with this base.  Also apply to the lower lash line.  This will help hold color.
Step 3: Apply Dollipop at the crease.  Blend upwards.  Pack on extra color at the center of the eye for a pop of pink.
Step 3 (cont'd): Blend upwards and to the start of the eyebrow, creating a sort of Y shape.  Don't worry if this looks weird now.  You'll blend and mix later to soften edges and bring the look together.
Step 4: Where Dollipop ends, take Paperdoll and blend to soften the line.  Extend outwards towards the temple.
Step 4 (cont'd): Blend outwards towards to temple.
 Step 4 (cont'd): Keep going.... all the way to the hairline.
Step 5: Take a larger blending brush and dip in Dollipop.  From the hairline in circular motions create soft clouds of color towards the eye.
Step 6: With the same brush, dip in Tako and blend towards the eye.  Don't be afraid to go above the eyebrows or onto the tops of the cheekbone.
Step 7: Take Tiara on a clean brush and highlight the eyebrow and the inner corners of the eye, near the tear duct.  Using the same brush, apply Tako to the inner corners of the eye.
 Step 8: Blend Tiara to the eyeshadow in the temple.  Blend to make everything cohesive, but don't over-blend to muddle the colors.
Step 9: Line the waterline.  I used Stila Smudge Stick in Lionfish, a shimmering brown, vs. a black to keep the look soft.
Step 10: Line the bottom waterline with a white pencil.  I'm using Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Fluffy Cloud, a limited edition shade for Spring 2011.
Step 11: Apply top lashes.
Step 12: Apply bottom lashes for an extra doll-like look.  Define your brows.
Step 13: The fun part!  Painting the blossoms.  I'm using creme colors from Make Up For Ever's 12 Flash Color Case.  I mixed the white and fuchsia shades together to create the petals.
Step 13 (cont'd): Obviously, I'm not going for perfection here!  The petals can be more blobs, and then go in with another color to define.
Step 13 (cont'd): The smaller the brush the better.
Pretty petals!
Sakura! Spring is here!
Right eye (blossoms here are dotted with yellow and silver).
Go large or small on the petals.  No reason to just stop at 3.  Go above the eyebrow or onto the cheeks!

Thanks Anna for collaborating with me on this super fun project!  I had a great time doing it, and I hope it's one of many!

Do you like cherry blossoms?  Do go anywhere to see them? 

Michelle Williams At 83rd Annual Academy Awards - Makeup Tutorial Inspired by Michelle's Silvery Blue Undereye Liner Oscar Look!

Michelle's Oscar Night Look and My Inspired Version.

Close-up of Michelle's eyes.  More subtle use of silvery grey eyeliner.

My inspired look, a little more dramatic.  
We all can't have Chanel haute couture, so we gotta bling another way.

Here's another gorgeous look from Oscar night.  I love it when stars are brave enough to use color in their makeup for the red carpet.  Even though subtle, Michelle Williams wore a shimmering silver blue eyeliner on her bottom lashline.  I recreated a similar, but more dramatic look, here.

On my face, I am wearing Guerlain Parare Gold Radiance Foundation in 03 dusted with MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder.  On cheeks, Chanel Joues Contraste in Rose Dust.  Lips MAC Kissable Lip Color in Enchantee mixed with Mehr lipstick.

 1. Prime eye with Nars Smudge Proof Eye Primer.
 2. Inglot Duraline + Sugarpill Lumi ChromaLust Loose Eyeshadow creates a luminous white, blue/green iridescent base to hold onto color all night.
 3. Add lid color.  I'm using MAC Eyeshadows in Waft and Gentle Fume.
 4. Highlight inner corners of the eyes with shimmering white.  I'm using Rondelle eyeshadow by MAC.
 5. Line the lower lashline thickly with a grey blue pencil.  I'm using Chanel Precision Eye Define in Denim.
 6. Line the outer 1/3 of the upper and lower waterline in a grey pencil.  I'm using Laura Mercier pencil eyeliner in Stormy Grey.
 7. Add MAC Reflects Pearl pigment to the lower lashline.  Use a solution like MAC Mixing Medium to help adhere these tiny glitters to the eye area.  (Remember to use caution and read labels when it comes to glitters.)
 8. Curl lashes and add mascara.  I'm using Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill.
 9.  Add false lashes and fill in eyebrows.  I used Bobbi Brown Gel Long Wear Eye Liner in Espresso Ink on my eyebrows.
A pretty look for your Blue Valentine.
Are there any Oscar winners or nominees that you haven't seen yet?  I have quite a few on my Netflix queue!

Natalie Portman Best Actress Makeup Tutorial - Makeup Look Inspired by Natalie Portman At The 83rd Annual Academy Awards Oscars

 Recreate Natalie's Oscar night look! 

Hello lovelies!  Yes, Oscar night is behind us now, but that doesn't mean we can't relive some of those fabulous red carpet moments with makeup looks inspired by some of our favorite stars.  It was great to see Natalie Portman go home with the Oscar.  Having followed her career for a long time and now to see her as a mom to be, I am thrilled that she went home with the Best Actress award.

Natalie's look from the red carpet.  Bronzey eye with soft lips and cherub cheeks.  Very elegant and composed without too much focus on one feature.  Just letting her radiant face shine through.

 I wish I had earrings like hers!

Here is my step-by-step tutorial on how to get this look inspired by Natalie Portman.  I prepped my face with MAC Strobe Cream to get a lit from within glow.  I primed my face with Make Up For Ever HD Primer in #6 and used Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in #125.  I dusted my face with MAC Prep & Prime Transparent Finishing Power.  For blush I used Make Up For Ever HD Blush in #6.  On lips I used MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Soft Dazzle.

 1. Prep eye with primer.  I used Nars Smudge Proof Eye Primer.  Then MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study on the lid and browbone.
 2. Line lower lash line from the inner corners to the center with a light champagne liner.
 3. Line the top lashline and lower outer 1/3 with a bronze pencil.  Line the upper waterline from the center to the outer corner only with a black waterproof pencil.

 4. Apply base soft brown shade.  I'm using MAC Rich Flesh Eye Shadow (Matte).
 5. Apply soft gold shade to the upper part of the lid.  I'm using RMK eye shadow in Shiny Brown Gold.
 6. Use a darker shade to cut a crease and work your way through the outer third of the eye.  I'm using Lancome Colour Design eyeshadow in 4Style.
 7. Blend, blend, blend.
 8. Apply a metallic shade to capture light and draw attention to the eye.  I'm using MAC Tan pigment.  Pack on the center of the eye.
 9. Add the same color to the outer third of the lower lashline, on top of where you put your bronze liner.  Smudge it out.   To create a more dramatic effect you can bring this portion to the tear duct and/or try using a darker eyeliner and then smudging it out.
 10. Curl lashes, apply mascara and lashes.  Draw your brows and you are done!
 Swatches of the products used.  Click to enlarge any photo!
  1. Smashbox Limitless Eye Liner in 14K
  2. Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil in Bronze
  3. MAC eye shadow in Rich Flesh (matte)
  4. RMK Eyeshadow in Shiny Brown Gold
  5. MAC Tan pigment
I apologize because I know some of these products are LE or not available anymore, but it doesn't mean you can't get the same look with similar products.  Remember this is "inspired by!"  Just go with what you got!  Why try to be Natalie when you can be you! 

Get ready for your close-up because you are done!

My Superhero Transformation with MAC Wonder Woman Collection! Plain Jane No More!

 Me glamazon-ed (minus the height).

My local MAC store had a makeover event, and I decided to check it out to get my glam on.  The Wonder Woman collection is all about empowerment and getting larger than life.  It's about stepping out of your daily plain Jane routine and being a feminine force to be reckoned with.  So you best come correct.
 My Plain Jane look. (Before)  Save me Wonder Woman!
 Makeovers, photos, glamorizing!
 Inette, my makeup artist and my AFTER look.

The products from my look:
FACE:
Prep + Prime Skin
Mineralized Foundation SPF 15 in NC30
Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus
Cremeblush in Uncommon
Mineralized Blush in Warm Soul

EYES: 
Fluidline in Dipdown for brows
Paint Pot in Painterly
Wonder Woman Eyeshadow Quad in Valiant
Wonder Woman Opulash in Victorious
My own lashes

LIPS:
Creamstick Liner in Creamola To Shop
Wonder Woman Lipstick in Marquise d'
Wonder Woman Lipglass in Emancipation


 Wonder Women! 
 The goddess herself overseeing all beautifying!
 A comic come to life!
 I wonder how this feels?
 Pink Power!  Me comic-con'ed.
After my makeover, you got to transform once again into a comic with your own custom caption! 
Pow! How powerful can makeovers be?

Wonder Woman Collection is available at maccosmetics.com and at your local MAC counters.  Check your local store for events.

Half Dose of Sugarpill - Bright Colors For A Casual Look - Sugarpill 4 Color Palette in Sweetheart

A half dose of Sugarpill.

I love, love bright colors, but when I posted my Sugarpill reviews, I heard from a lot of you that you loved the colors but weren't exactly sure how you would wear them.  The founder of Sugarpill, Amy Doan, aka Shrinkle, has such fun, vibrant, cute style, but not everyone who loves Sugarpill feels bold enough to wear their super saturated colors in a SHA-ZAM fashion (though I do love that).

I decided to showcase some more toned down, casual eye looks using Sugarpill's 4 Color Palette in Sweetheart.  I "cut" the intensity of the colors by using Urban Decay Naked palette (I am using the first edition one with the double sided pencil) for base lid colors and highlights.  I will specify which shades under each image.   Bright colors, even for those who love them, can be intimidating.  So dip your toes in first.  Sugarpill's pressed eyeshadows are so pigmented and blendable that you can easily smooth them with a softer shade to draw back on the intensity but still add pop.  They are easily buildable, so you can go as intense or subtle as you would like.

In this look below, I used Dollipop, a bright matte hot Barbie pink, to cover 2/3 of the lid, and Tako, a super matte white, to highlight the inner corners of the eyes.  I used Urban Decay's Hustle for the crease and Sin to highlight the brown bone.  I used Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Whiskey to line the eyes.  For mascara, I'm wearing L'Oreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator in Black Quartz for Brown Eyes, which I will be reviewing soon.


Dollipop and Tako
Afterparty and Midori
Here is a look with Afterparty, a bright shimmering Smurf blue, and Midori, a sweet melon green with a pearly sheen.  I used Virgin from Urban Decay mixed with Sugarpill's Tako to create a soft shimmering color to highlight from the crease to brown bone.  Zero 24/7 liner was used to line the waterline and outer third of the lower lashline.  I smudged Afterparty with Zero near the lower lash line.  Mascara here is Make Up For Ever is Aqua Smoky Lash in Extra Black.

I think I pushed this look just a little.  You could even take this to an even softer level by just lining your eyes with one color.  But the idea of this look was bright yet soft and casual.

Sugarpill's 4 Color Palette in Sweetheart from the Addicted to Pretty Collection.
Sweetheart is available for $34 at Sugarpill's site www.sugarpillshop.com.
Dollipop, Afterparty, Midori and Tako are also available individually for $12.

Black and White Swans - Makeup Looks Inspired by Natalie Portman in The Black Swan

White and Black Swans - Inspired by the movie, The Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman.

Last week while back in NYC, two of my beautiful friends volunteered to let me transform them into beautiful swans!  G, White Swan, and E, Black Swan, had just seen the movie and were psyched about recreating looks inspired by the film.

Swans side view.

E as the Black Swan.

Products used for the Black Swan look:
Most of this look was created with Make Up For Ever's 12 Flash Color Palette.  It's a great staple to have in your kit.  The shades are super pigmented.  It seems cliched to say that you can do anything with it, but it truly is a great product to have.  $95 at Sephora.
Eyes: MUFE 12 Flash Color Palette, black and silver.  The black was first drawn on and filled in (use tape to get clean lines, I did the winged part free-hand).  Then set with a matte black eyeshadow (I used one from Inglot).  Then I used the silver in the 12 Flash to create the feathered look.  Set with powder if you are going out in this look.
Lashes:  MUFE 25120
Foundation: lotion mixed with the white from MUFE 12 Flash, set with E.L.F. HD Powder.
Cheeks: Lancome Miel Glace
Lips: Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Terre de Feu

The Black Swan Eye.
The colors here were entirely from MUFE's 12 Flash Color Case.

Lashes are from Make Up For Ever.

Beautiful White Swan.

In the movie, Natalie Portman's character is much more comfortable playing the angelic, virginal white swan.  I wanted to create a soft, innocent look on G's gorgeous face with soft pale colors and dramatic, but not heavy eyes.  Her skin was taken a few shades paler for more of an angel look.


Products used for the White Swan look:
Foundation: Cinema Secrets Foundation - Kit #7
Face powder: E.L.F. HD Powder
Eye base: Nars Smudgeproof eyeshadow base
Eyeshadow and brows: Beauties Factory 120 Palette
Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero
Blush: Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Chased
Lips: Make Up For Ever 12 Flash Color Case, coral shade mixed with gloss


These eyelashes are to DIE for.

I love how etheral these lashes look.

I used two sets of lashes: 1 just a regular but wispy false eyelash to add density to G's already lush lashes; and 2 were Inglot 26F, which gave this dramatic feathery effect.


For the eye look: I used soft pinks and greys from the 120 palette.  
Bottom lashes were Inglot 48S.

Thanks again to E and G for helping me recreate this really fun makeup look!

Have you seen the movie yet?  Would you wear this look out?  Would you like to see Beautyburg post more makeup looks?