Elke Von Freudenberg is a premiere makeup artist and a brow specialist. She sent out this message on facebook and I thought I'd share. Too bad I'm not in NYC or else I'll be right there. My brow is a huge mess! I think the last person who waxed it messed up my natural shape, so I definitely need help!
If you’re in NYC, you’re so in luck! Why? Starting March 25th, I will also be doing brows at the super chic salon, Janet Rufin’s Parlor in Manhattan.
Janet Rufin’s Parlour 25 W. 19th Street NY 212 627-2243
Wed 11-7 Thur 11-7 Fri 11-8
Janet’s salon is a premiere, top rated hair salon as seen in Allure and New York Magazine and I’m thrilled to be able to offer all my brow services to Manhattan, like The Model Brow Service.
In my previous post ranting about people judging others based on what brands they use, one reader commented on being an elitist in the other direction. She likes super non-mainstream things, like home made products found on Etsy!
Now I've shopped on Etsy before, and even bought these cute soaps molded into shapes of Sanrio characters, but I've never shopped for beauty products on there! I was intrigued, so off I went to search.
I feel like most people on it sell soaps and moisturizers, probably because they're a little bit easier to make at home, compared to say, mascara or eyeliner. But they do have some makeup! I might have fallen in love with 1 particular brand/seller just by its name alone.
"Lulu Beauty is a fun, wearable, 1930's Hollywood glamour-inspired collection of makeup for all women of all ages. Lulu Beauty makes everyone feel like a true glamour girl - whether it is a classic red lipstick, or the shade of the moment, Lulu's color range and gorgeous textures packaged in pretty pink boxes, are sure to bring out the inner starlet in anyone."
My chinese nickname is Lulu, so it just makes me happy to see the word "Lulu!" It's like they've named the brand after me! Just like how that song Gloria was written after me too!
I googled/swagbucked around a bit, and I found a profile page on Sephora for LuLu Beauty, but nothing was there. The Lulu Beauty shop on Etsy only carries perfumes and lip glosses. The lip gloss is $8, which isn't too expensive for me to just try it out for fun. The 3 colors out now, Martini, French 75, and Sidecar all look very wearable. I did find a shop called "Cherry Culture" that carried some more LuLu Beauty items (along with tons of NYX products!).
Have you guys heard of/tried anything from Lulu Beauty? Am I silly for taking interest in a brand based on its name alone? Tell me what you guys think!
I just got this email now with a listing of the 2009 Beauty Awards Finalists. These highlight the best of both mass (drugstore) and prestige (counter/Sephora) products, from body care to eye makeup! I'm ashamed to say that as a beauty blogger, I haven't tried all of them. What can I say except that my wallet is extremely tight! I'll bold items that I think will win, based on either my personal usage or on reviews I've read. =D If nothing is bold, that means I don't have much interest in that category, like perfumes.
So what do you guys think will win? Even though I haven't tried Living Proof yet (um, any PR reps out there, I wouldn't mind trying! I have a lot of hair and would be a great candidate to try), but from all the gushings I've read everywhere, it seems like a sure winner.
I'm a big fan of drugstore/super discount makeup as well as high-end makeup. What can you say, I'm a beauty addict and I don't discriminate. Reading Elke's blog today, she mentioned a clip from Good Morning America where the reporter tested makeup from all 3 price points. For the video, go here:
But what got me was in how they did it. The poor reporter had to apply the cheap and mid range cosmetics by herself. But for the high end range? A makeup artist did it for her. Now don’t you think that automatically changes the look? As in a better application, I’m sure more makeup brushes were used, and a more professional look was achieved. Don’t you think? Why didn’t they have her apply the high range line herself as well? Of course, the high end range looked better. More coverage on the skin, brighter colors on the blush and lips. The reporter did say that she noticed a considerable difference in the feel of the high end products, but the look? Is it really that much different?
So what’s the real story? Hmmm.. let me guess. Were the products that much better because a pro applied it? Or because the products were really that much better?
I have to agree with Elke there. Why didn't the reporter apply her own makeup to test Makeup Forever products? Was it that the brush the makeup artist used was softer? While I don't have an extensive foundation collection, I have tried various foundations from different price points and it's a hit and miss for all of them. L'oreal's TrueMatch is super soft and blendable, but I didn't have such an easy time blending say, my mom's Clarin's foundation.
Anyhow.. I do have to agree with the list of what to go for and what to stay away from in terms of discount makeup. You just don't know how long the liquid/cream products have been sitting in storage, and it's just a lot faster to go to Sephora or a counter to get your foundation matched.
The Christmas season always reminds me of ballet. Why? The Nutcracker. When I was really young, my mom enrolled me in a local ballet school and I'd be in The Nutcracker for roles like a mouse, an angel (that didn't move, but at 8 years old, standing still for 5 minutes is difficult), et al. Anyhow, it got me thinking about dance makeup, which lead me to JAM Cosmetics.
JAM Cosmetics was started by Jessica Dupont, a former dancer whose income was supplemented by being a makeup artist on the side. As a dancer, she learned the best way to apply make up that can accentuate dancer's features under the bright lights of stage. Along the way, she's created JAM Cosmetics, where makeup is made to last long and not break out the dancer's skin, packaged in convenient palettes and packages for all different types of dancers. There's Prima Diva Palette for our prima ballerinas, Stage Siren Palette for our jazz stars, and even Super Fly Funk Palette for our edgy hip hop dancers.
On top of all that, she's created awesome tutorials to create perfect stage looks for dancers. You're probably thinking, "But I'm not a dancer, so how would dance make up tutorials help me?" I can only answer, "You have to watch for yourself." There's so many tips and tricks on making your eyes brighter, rounder, the proper way to apply blush, and everything could so easily translate to streetwear. The palettes too, contain really great colors that can create great natural looks that's great for everyday wear.
For dancers or dance teachers, JAM Cosmetics offer classes for all dance students on proper stage make up application. I know my old dance group from college, Chinese Cultural Dance Club, would probably love this. I would have loved this myself more than 10 years ago when I danced!
Here is the tutorial to create a natural Mod look for Modern/Lyrical dancers. I think this look can easily translate to everyday look, what about you?
There are TONS of fashion and beauty surrounding LA. There are celebrity make up artists and hair stylists all over Hollywood and Beverly Hills, as well as super renowned spas and get-aways.
But what's a regular gal making a regular (not by LA standards, but by national standards, which is basically below poverty line for LA) to do here? There's no way I can afford getting my make up done, my brows arched, or my tired muscles relaxed by anyone that's raved by beauty experts. I'm certainly not Tina or Kelly from The Beauty Snobs, so really, what's a gal to do and where's a gal to do?
I initially typed this as a quick response to a comment on Jolie Nadine's blog asking about where to go for beauty in LA. I thought it might be interesting and informative to the rest of you. I've edited my original response just a tad to well, not sound too out of place.
If you are in LA, you definitely should check out Sephora in Santa Monica. It's practically brand new, and it is huge. I went there the day it opened, and again for training as a seasonal, and they just have so much there. They definitely carry more brands at that location compared to smaller stores in the same area, including my home-store in Century City. BUT, the Sephora in Century City has really great people, AND they seem to have more samples on hand to give out.Â
Once in Santa Monica, there's a Fred Segal Beauty about 3 blocks from the Sephora store. I personally haven't been there, but I knew a make up artist that used to work there and she was fabulous. Said make up artist is now in Hawaii, but I'm sure you'll have fun there.
Salon wise, I am deeply loyal to Salon Vivace. I've been going there since I was 12. They have a location also in Santa Monica, also around Sephora and Fred Segal, as well as a location in Beverly Hills and Torrance. Another salon that I like is Taka Hair Salon, which is located in West LA. It's a Japanese salon that offers a lot of Japan's newest hair treatments.
Unfortunately I'm not much of a spa gal. It's simply too expensive of an indulgence for me. I have to rely on my mommy to give me a massage. But for waxes, there's a cute salon in Westwood, Beba Beauty Salon, that I frequent. Ask for Lynn, who is super gentle, and tries to make the Brazilian waxing experience as comfortable as can be.Â
Hopefully you guys will visit the Sephora store in Century City while I'm working. But I'm seasonal and on call, so I don't know when I'll be there. IF you do go, look for a chubby Asian girl with pink highlights, and that'll be me!
I went to Sephora to do some Christmas shopping, as well as to stock up on some new things for myself, when Riley West, the MUA for Urban Decay, started chatting up with me as I was crouched in front of Lancome's Artliner's display case. Ms. Riley is totally into funky color hair like me, so from where she was standing (and where I was crouching), she got really interested in mine. After a while, her, being a pro, started talking about make up. Me, being a make up whore, told her that if she's not busy, I'm up for a make over and she can do whatever she want with me.
Now I wish my camcorder was working, because I had made a small video showing the make up I had put on prior to going to Sephora, so I can show you guys what she was seeing. I was playing around with 3 shades of pink eyeshadows from a Majolica Majorca palette (another Japanese brand that I love), so she took that as inspiration and a starting part for the looks you see up there. She spent a LOT of time blending the colors out so it still looks sophisticated and finished. To get the glitter line to be that thick, so actually used a tweezer to take off that ring on the top so more glitter can go on the brush.
She pretty much transformed my cutesy pink look into a super Urban, super punk fuschia/purple/black smokey look, complete with a super hot line of glitter on top of my lash line. I don't think the pictures captured the intensity of the colors, and again, I wished my camcorder worked. I think my camcorder records in a truer light where you can see how dynamic this look was. I must figure this out!
Anyhow, I ended up buying the key items to re-create the look. I ended up not getting any of the fuschia/pink colors she used since I have a LOT of pinks and fuschias already. But I did up buy the rest of them.
Heavy Metal Glitter Liner in Spandex
Liquid Liner in Perversion (to line the top lash line underneath the glitter liner)
Smoke Out Eye Pencil in Smoke (to line the bottom lash line)
Eyeshadow in Oil Slick (outer crease), Sin (inner crease and brow bones), and Hot Pants (on top of Fishnet)
Deluxe Eyeshadow in Fishnet (used as an all-over color AND my cheeks color)
The Clarisonic is for my 4th sister, who is a skincare fanatic. She's the girl that no matter what or how tired she is, will spend at least 20 minutes washing her face and applying various potions to keep her skin smooth and clear.
For my 3rd sister, she'll love a make up brush set. I can't decide which one she likes more though. I personally love the Kat Von D set, but the anti-bacterial set is pretty cool too.
My 2nd sister would appreciate a nice black bag. I think this bag is just too cute.
As for my oldest sister? She's the girl that has everything and anything. I want to get something really different and unique for her because I want it to be something she'll appreciate. Hmmmm.. Anyone has any ideas?
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