I like em' big, I like em' plumpy!

I am excited to announce that thick eyebrows are back, and they are here to stay !!!

That's right! They are popping up all over the place. From the fashion runways to magazine articles all over. Oh, and let's not forget about Pinterest, thick brows are getting pinned left and right!

Well, I just have to say that ITS ABOUT TIME!
About time this over tweezing epidemic become extinct.
About time, we step back and think about what a benefit it can be to have properly shaped brows.
About time we realize that aside from our smile, our eyebrows are the most important asset of the face.

90% of women I see these days make the mistake of overlooking this important asset of theirs.
It is one of the most frustrating issues I run into, as a makeup artist.
Having healthy looking and properly shaped eyebrows is very vital to your appearance.
More vital than your perfectly blended eyeshadow, more than your smokey liner, thick lashes, or glossy lips!

Don't believe me? Let's see what The lack of brows can do to the face.

Pretty creepy, huh?
How about the effects of over tweezing?

The "Tadpole" Brow

The "If I tweeze one more hair, it'll look just right" brows

Definitely NOT doing the face any justice!If you are still not seeing what I am talking about, take a look at this: Same face, four different looks.

This is my example of those who have very light/blonde brows. If you don't fill them in you look like you don't have brows at all.

Here we have a fully made up face, with overly tweezed and mis-shapen brows:

Since they are tweezed too much in the middle, It causes the forehead appear larger and less feminine.

Why bother doing your makeup, if the base of the whole face is wrong?! NO need...really.


Here is a bare face with only the brows done.

This example, looks much better than the one before. Even though this look has zero makeup, it still looks more flattering.

When your brows are done properly, a lot of makeup is not needed.
If you are in a hurry in the morning, fill in your brows first. Then you just add a little concealer, mascara and gloss and you are good to go. You're brows speak for the rest of your face!

Here is one more comparison between the two:

Top: YES Bottom: NO

Last but not least, a THICK set of properly shaped brows with a fully made up face.

You just can't go wrong when you give your brows the attention they need.

Are you seeing this yet???!!!

 It makes ALL the difference!

Take a moment and think about all the women who have been beauty icons throughout the years and to date. A few that come to mind are: Marylyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie O. These icons had something in common that most don't realize.

It was a thick defined set of brows! You just don't see a beauty icons that have those overly tweezed tadpole brows now, do you?

Speaking of  beauty icons, I'd like to point out that the the women we see in the media these days are not pretty by coincidence. No, they Have a little secret you see, they are called makeup artists. And if these artists are doing their job, they will give the brows the attention they need, in order to do their job, at making their owner look "pretty". Here are some ladies that know the importance of a thick defined brow.

So, trust this makeup artist when she tells you, go ahead, start tweezer detox. Let those anorexic brows restore themselves to what they once were. You know, Before you over tweezed them to near death. And while you're waiting for them to grow back, start filling them in to what you want them to be. Plump them up and help them, help you!

To make it easier for you, I designed an acronym containing the
ingredients to fuller more healthy looking brows:

B-brows should cover THE ENTIRE EYE They are the rooftop over your eyes. A roof covers the whole house, plus some. So should your brows.

R-remember strait lines!  Your brows should not have any round shapes. No half circle holes or gaps, no rounded arches and no rounded beginnings. Think strait lines, strait lines, strait lines!

O-only tweeze under the outer half part of your brow. Most women don't have enough hair growth to be tweezing between the brows, or under the first half of the brow. That is also where most mistakes are made. So, Just leave those areas alone and you can be on your way to fuller more beautiful looking brows.

W-when in doubt, put the tweezers down. One hair can make all the difference. If you are not sure about a hair, just err on the safe side and leave it there. (Trust me, I speak from experience, and not a good one ;)

S-start filling your brows into the shape you want them to be. While you are waiting for your brows to come back, you'll want to start to practice filling them in. That way, by the time they have grown back, (allow 3-9 months) you are a pro at filling them in and you will have less work the more they grow back in.

Wondering where to start, arch and end your brows? I've seen many charts but none that have been very accurate. This is my rule if thumb:

Start: The beginning of your brow should start alongside of the bridge of your nose. NOT the nostril like most charts. The nostril is where they should get a little darker.  You want to see a gradual darkening.The first quarter inch of your brow should be significantly lighter than the rest.

Arch: Find the highest point of your natural brow on top and sharpen the point to emphasize.

End: On a 45 degree angle, make an invisible line from the corner of your eye to your brow.

 Perfect brows consist of, fifty percent grooming (what i just talked about) and fifty percent proper filling in. There is an art to filling in brows. And it takes patience and time to get the hang of it. But the most important thing is that it takes practice. So, don't be intimidated and don't get discouraged if its tricky at first. That's normal. Just keep at it and you'll be happy in the end. I promise, it's worth it.
Just an important note: before filling in brows, color choice is crucial!

Here is a "general" guide:
Light hair and light complected or blonde eyebrows: choose a color 1-2 shades darker.

 Medium hair and medium complected or brown eyebrows: choose one shade lighter or the exact color of your brows.

 Dark hair and dark complected or black eyebrows: choose a 1-2 shades lighter than your brows.

For all of these options: stay away from anything that is too warm (has more red or orange tones) it looks very artificial and just unflattering.
Go as neutral as possible (almost a "mousey" grey tone). That is, unless you have red hair. But still avoid too much warmth.

Here is a quick breakdown of products that are available for filling in:
Pencil: most commonly known, easiest to find.
Pros: fast
Cons: needs sharpening often, may look more harsh and or un-natural.

Powder/eyeshadow: Less commonly known. Wide range of colors.
Pros: natural looking, more forgiving of mistakes.
Cons: Requires a brush to apply which takes a bit more time.

Cream color in a pallet: Basically like a pencil, only it's applied with a brush.
Pros: looks very natural, holds brows in place a bit because if the wax in product. Fairly easy to apply.
Cons: requires a brush to apply which may take longer.

I recommend.... Trying all three to see which one suits you and your lifestyle best. I prefer cream in a pallet for me but for my clients I prefer a powder. It's all about personal preference.

I made a video about filling in your brows like the professional makeup artists do. I have a couple no fail tips in there to make it easier for you beginners out there. Good luck with your new thick brows! I know you'll love them ;)

Here is the video link!

 http://pinterest.com/pin/228417012320266126/

Kissing on a star

I am privileged to share my name with a few special people, one being my oldest daughter, Maristela.
My little "Stela", as we call her, is the 5th generation to carry on the special family name meaning "Star of the Sea".
And to me, my Stela is the STAR of  more than just the sea!
She has this ability to light up any room she walks into,  and has a smile that is contagious to just about everyone she comes into contact with, and when I hear laughter from a distance, I can assume Stela had something to do with it.
When we're out in public, she is so friendly and quick to say "HI" (or "HOLA") to others, without judgement or reservations.
You can just see that she is truly happy to be alive!
  
The other day, I observed something about Stela, that I hadn't noticed before.
But, before I tell you what that was, I have to give you a little more background on this little star of ours. Stela, LOVES to give kisses....She kisses the princesses on her clothes, she kisses her dolls, the animals in her story books too. And,  if she particularly likes something you did for her or she feels love toward you, she will grab each side of your face and kiss your forehead or your cheek, over and over again until she is satisfied with the amount of love she has shown back to you.

Now, back to my newly discovered observation...
I watched Stela one day, as she took a seat in her favorite zebra print chair, for a little break after she'd been playing. And for some reason or another, seemed to be exceptionally pleased with herself about something she had done. Then she looked down at her arm and kissed it, next her knee and continued on down to her toes. Just as satisfied and happy as can be.
At first I thought it was just cute and kind of funny too.
But later on, it really hit me, I realized that if she kisses those things or people she loves and cares about, then that must mean she that she loves and cares about herself too!"
I guess it may not seem like a huge deal, but for me, this was more than huge! It made me so happy to realize that at such a young age, she can feel that satisfaction and love for herself. More importantly, her worth as a human being and daughter of God.
She is satisfied with the way she is! She loves her chubby feet ( that she inherited from me :), she loves her little gapped tooth smile, the color of her skin, her weight, hair texture, and all of her unique qualities that make her Stela, the Star.

That got me thinking about the love I have for myself and the qualities that make me who I am? Did I love my chubby feet? My smile, weight, skin color or texture of hair I was given like Stela did? Or did I look at all those unique traits as "not good enough" or as something I "need to fix"???

I have to say that in the society and culture we live in today, It is not so easy to view ourselves as the Stars we truly are.
If you know anything about stars and how they function, you know that they are truly incredible!
Each individual star is made up of the same ingredients and materials. But, the amount and level of each material will differ from star to star.
The result? Stars that are unique in shape, size, and glow factor. But, when we look up into the sky, each and every star has a breathtaking beauty to it. In fact, one of the reasons the sky is so breathtaking, is because of all the variety you see! If each star looked the exact same, the sky just wouldn't be as exciting!

As women, we are constantly bombarded with messages of inadequacy in our daily lives, especially with all the new and ever evolving technology that we are presented with. This unrealistic idea that, we need to be perfect. A "perfect" Mother, with a "perfect" body, a "perfect" housewife, have a "perfectly" decorated home, have a career outside of the home WHILE, may I add, looking like you just came from the salon. And we all know that logically, that is absurd and unattainable, but sadly, a lot of women see that as their ultimate goal. That once they get all of those checked off their "to-do list" they will finally be happy. What a lie!

It seems like the older I get, the more aware I am of "the pull" as I like to call it...the pull to the other side. The side that tells you, you should look like this, be like this, feel like this and if you don't fit into "this" mold, then there is something wrong with you.
In my mind, there is something wrong with THAT, and for some reason, we see that as the norm! How did we allow this to happen? These messages are so damaging to our self worth and to our desire to allow ourselves to shine as individually. Just like stars, we are all made of the same materials, and our level or amount of each material differs from person to person. We can either let that dim the light we are capable of giving off, OR we can embrace our uniqueness and shine to our fullest potential.

I have been a makeup artist for several years now and I have seen how the outer appearance can "seem" more important than the inner self. And many women are under the misconception that you have to be as pretty as an actress to be happy."
Well let me tell you something about those "pretty " actresses. They are just like you and I. Out of the hundreds of faces I have worked on, weather it be a model or a mother of 6. Without makeup, we ALL LOOK THE SAME. All the people you see on magazines and in movies are no more "beautiful" than the people you interact with each day. They just have a team of professionals that enhance their unique features to help them appear the way they do, for the camera. I guess I'm saying this because when I was younger, I thought celebrities had a "wow factor" that made them prettier or above the average person. But now, I know, we all posses that "wow factor" and we can all look just as "pretty" as they do. To sum it all up, All faces are created equally.
On the other hand, not all personalities are created equally. I have worked with many talented people over the years and for some, the makeup I applied, just enhanced their amazing qualities like integrity, humility, cheerfulness, or willingness to help others. But for others, there was no amount of makeup that could hide the self entitled and prideful countenance they carried around with them. These two types of clients may look the exact same "pretty" wise to the human eye BUT, one of these people shines far brighter than the other.

Now, while I do love all the fun stuff that comes along with being a girl. I think it's important to remember that those things ONLY bring temporary and artificial happiness, UNLESS, we are ALREADY happy and content with ourselves the way we are. Let's try to remember the example of  precious Stela and be able to say "hey, I'm happy with myself" and remember that it's important remind ourselves that we do love ourselves the way we are. So much so, that we feel the need to give ourselves a big kiss once in  a while! :) I'm saying this more metaphorically but, I hope you get the point.

I realize we are human, and it is not easy to fight "the pull"  all the time. So, if you struggle to accept yourself the way you are, just start practicing! You can teach yourself and get good at anything ONLY BY PRACTICE!

When your inner voice tells you, "Your (fill in the blank) isn't good enough." Reply, "Yes it is, and I like it that way!" 

Then truly make an effort to see why that part of you is fine the way it is.
Learn to love your hair the way it is, learn to love your body, in WHATEVER stage it's in, learn to love your smile, even if you don't have "perfect" teeth. Learn to embrace your unique traits, rather than compare them to others. Comparing yourself with everyone else is just toxic so, accept your differences and strive to be the kind of *STAR* that shines to its fullest potential.
 In the end, it's up to you and ONLY you!

 

The POWER of a NEUTRAL...

I just wanted to go into a bit of depth on the power of a neutral eye for a second. Most techniques I use or looks I create when doing makeup can  be explained easily and with a lot of logical reasoning behind WHY it works or WHY it looks good. But, once in a while, I come across a look or technique that I have no explanation for, it just looks good. The neutral eye, being one of them.

A neutral eye looks so clean, so minimal yet noticeable, flattering to any age group and oh so natural. There is just something so powerful about neutral makeup. The bronzes, golds, taupes, coppers, silky ivory tones and of course, the dark chocolatey browns.
How can an eye look that only uses colors and tones that are already found on our bare faces look so flattering?... Like I said, I can't seem to come up with a logical explanation yet.
But, it may be because using neutral colors on the lid enhances the existing highlights and contours of the eye and as a result, gives a more sculpted look. Or maybe neutrals give the "no makeup" look that a lot of people want, while enhancing the features they don't naturally have. IE: thick lashes or bright and awake looking eyes. Maybe it's the fact that it compliments a 20 yr old just as well as a 60 year old.

Either way, I know you can't go wrong when using neutrals. SO, for all of you who feel intimidated by eye shadow application or color, this is your look.
For those of you who are experienced and love using color (I love color), don't forget the POWER of neutrals. And, for any of you who are professionals in the industry and get to work on actual clients, It is so important to know your neutral eye like the back of your hand. This will make your work stand out and most importantly, make your client look their best, really!
I'm not trying to say that if you use color, it's not going to look good, I'm just saying that sometimes, we make things more complicated and overly done than we need to.

That being said, here is my video on a super quick and BASIC neutral eye.
And, just so everyone knows, I am not an actress and I like to stay behind the camera where I feel comfortable, not in front of it!
Filming makeup tutorials is VERY hard for me and I feel so out of my comfort zone. I am doing these videos to help YOU and to educate those who have a thirst for knowledge, like myself. This is a passion of mine and I feel the need to share it. SO, I have come to the conclusion that it is more important to me to share what I know and help anyone I can, than to stay in my bubble of comfort. SO, don't judge my video as much as my advice ;)

Thanks and I hope you enjoy (and learn, of course)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwDfcrkfoM4

***Cosmic Nails***

 A NEW twist on glitter polish

Inspired by my Stela :) She wanted all these colors on her toes and her result, gave me this idea! Interesting side note: Stela means Star * How appropriate...

You can do many versions of this technique, just make sure you have 3 colors that go well together and transition well from light to dark to get this effect.

How to pick your colors:

1st color:  Choose a solid, light colored base. i.e.  white, silver, or any pearlescent color. For best results, use a color with a shimmer or a metallic base.

2nd color: Choose a sparkly color that is darker than the first but not your darkest sparkle color you own. i.e. sparkly silver, pink, yellow...anything that shows up on your nail lightly with one coat and is build-able when you layer it on.

3rd color: This will be your darkest color, shimmer is required and sparkle is ideal. I say that because, a shimmer will work but a sparkle is easiest to blend into the other colors.
i.e. sparkly brown, black, dark red, orange...basically anything DARK

Now for the application!

1. Start with color #1, apply a thin coat to the whole nail, let dry. Repeat.

2. With 2nd color, apply starting at the cuticle side and bring down a bit past half way.
3. Again with color #2 apply starting in the same place but stopping right at the half way point.
4. Apply color 2 one more time but only going a quarter of the way down. (this gives the fading effect)

 5. Apply color #3 from cuticle end down to about 1/3 of your nail.
6. Using color 3 once more, apply to the first 1/4 of your nail do add depth.
7. Repeat step 6 once or twice more to add desired contrast.

8. Apply a fast drying top coat to seal it all in!

A Beautiful Heartbreak...

I strongly believe that everything happens because it is meant to happen. Every image our eyes run across, every new face we glance at and every problem we encounter, are all important pieces to our puzzle of life.
On a short stay away from home, I found myself in a hotel room flipping through channel after channel on TV. Since we don't have cable at home, I always take advantage of the abundance in entertainment. One show in particular seemed to catch my eye immediately (No, it wasn't What not to wear ;). There was nothing flashy or catchy about it in particular, I just felt like I should hold off on changing the channel for a bit longer.
They were in the middle of interviewing a Mormon singer/song writer that had recently made history. She was the first Latter Day Saint artist to reach top 10 status on the Christan billboard music charts. Hillary Weeks spoke about her most recent album and her newest music video. "Beautiful Heart Break". She went into detail about what the song meant to her. She explained that sometimes, unthinkable things happen in our lives that we wouldn't wish upon anyone and we just pray for them to go away. But, through it all, we realize how strong we are and how those experiences, though we may not know why they happen to us, help us to inspire, uplift and help others. Our trials are tailored specifically for us and something that may seem easy to you, would seem impossible for someone else and vice versa. Watching the music video that goes along with that song was so incredibly moving and eye opening. It spoke to my heart and I was so overwhelmed with compassion after watching it. It gave me a totally different perspective on life and how we need to appreciate the small things we take for granted, every day.
The video features various women that share their "Beautiful Heart break". At first, they seemed like ordinary women  but, after you realize that they have been through some unimaginable things, all of a sudden, they don't seem so "ordinary" anymore. They were extraordinary!

Toward the end of the video, a group of brave women, each hold up a sign that silently reveals their "beautiful heartbreak" to the world. As you read each sign, you get a small idea of what they have had to painfully endure. I couldn't believe some of the things theses women have had to deal with and survive through! It was so hard to read all of their signs but, it made me realize that even thought they had to deal with these difficult trials, they were still alive and they were making it through, somehow. It was a great reminder that ALL Women have extraordinary abilities. Abilities that can help get them through their heart break with grace, patience, endurance, power, optimism, hope, and most importantly, Faith. A combination of abilities and traits that make them beautiful, truly beautiful.
Please watch Hillary Weeks' inspired video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyX-I-um5Kk

After seeing this, I felt an overwhelming sympathy and respect for these women.  What if I never got to see these women with their signs?  I wondered how I would look at them if I ran into them in public. Would I compare myself to them at first? Would I blindly judge them? Would I treat them with the honor and respect they deserved or would I be so enveloped in my own life that I would be to busy to say hi, or even smile?
These simple, few worded signs, immediately changed my view of these women! I instantly got a tiny glimpse of the pain and anguish they have had to suffer. It's interesting that once I saw their inner strength and power that they possessed, their outward appearance faded immediately and any urge or reaction I had to judge was gone! I was reminded that we should be looking at the real beauty and strength in each other, rather than picking one another apart.
I will surely think twice before judging a stranger from now on, especially because, they aren't strangers if you think about it. We are all women that are struggling through life with different heartbreaks, we have more in common than we know. We should strive to be more united and less quick to put up our guards.

Imagine that we all carried around our beautiful heartbreak signs, how much would we be inclined to judge the lady behind us at the grocery store with screaming kids? She may be wearing the sign of a young widow, left to care for her children all alone. Would we think twice before honking at a slow driver If we could see that her sign was abuse? She might be dreading the pain she will face as soon as she gets home and driving slowly is the only comfort she can get at that moment.

I was at the grocery store the other day and I was up front getting my cart and I noticed a young mother pushing a double stroller in one hand, with a baby in the front and a new born in the back seat. Then she was pulling a shopping cart behind with the other hand. I remember thinking to myself, "Wow, she is a super women! How can I ever complain when I have only one cart to push, with one child in it. I'm sure her everyday life is a million times as hectic as mine. What an amazing woman!"  Then, to my surprise, a lady she somewhat knew (didn't seem like they were best friends, maybe they were neighbors) Said, "Hey, how are you? Do you need help?" The mom said "I've done this before, I think I'll be okay." She unsurely said. "I don't have much to get anyway." Kind of hesitating the offer  but knowing she needed help. The other women said "Well then, if you don't have much, I'll help you with this cart" as she grabbed the cart from her, before she could answer, and headed into the store. There are no words to explain the look on that  moms face. It was like she had been worried all day about making the trip and praying for a way to get it done and just at the right time, her prayer was answered. I could tell she was relieved and it literally looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. My next thought was, "Wow, another Super Women!" How awesome was this lady who didn't think twice about offering help. She just saw the need and took charge.
These "Super Women" are everywhere! But, if we don't see them in their "Super Women" moments or know what their personal heartbreak is, I think we quickly forget how amazing women can be and we resort to comparing and judging one another. I was very grateful to see these women in their "Super" moments. They weren't dressed in designer clothing and their hair wasn't done all fancy, I don't even know if they had makeup on. But, the beauty that I saw in their actions definitely sparkled brighter than any lip gloss ever could. It was a great reminder to me that we need to stick together as women and support one another. That we need to look past the "flawed" outer shell to the "Wow" factor on the inside.

 I know I was meant to be at that hotel, to see that show, to see that inspiring music video, to be reminded of the potential and beauty that women poses, to see those wonder women at the grocery store, to remind me of the remarkable beauty that all women possess. They were all significant pieces to my "Life Puzzle" that I am grateful to have received.

Ever since that day I saw the "Beautiful Heartbreak" Video, I seem to be doing less judging and more understanding. I think of the women I interact with on a daily basis and see, the "Wow" factor they all posses. From my self-less friend who knowing of the baby's disabilities, still chose to adopt and commit herself to him forever, to the many women I run into on a regular basis that are always doing something to help someone else in need. These are all truly beautiful women that I am privileged to know. I hope we can all be more willing to stand united. I hope we can let our guards down and realize that we are all in different stages of our heartbreak that we are struggling with. And if we can be less quick to judge and more quick to understand and support, we will help each other quicken the healing process. We are all SUPER WOMEN! Let's start treating one another, stranger on not, like so.

The "Perfect" Halloweenazzz (End of title done by Stela) How Appropriate

I constantly have ideas in my head of makeup looks/creations that I am dying to try out on a face. Ever since I became a mom of an energetic and demanding baby, I have had to put my love of creating on the back burner for the most part. It's been a hard adjustment for me and sometimes I feel like there is no such thing as "me time"...I'm sure other mom's can relate.

Well, for about a month now, I have been wanting to do a video/tutorial on how to do a day of the dead (Mexican Holiday resembling Halloween) Sugar skull mask!
I began toying with the idea since mid September and planned on making the video at the beginning of October. But, with a one year old running around, I found it would be impossible to make a makeup video and not have her starring in it. So, after a few failed attempts, I finally resigned my plan to make a video of my sugar skull makeup.

On Saturday, I decided to take Stela to the Main Street Trick or Treat. I got her lady bug costume all ready and put her down for a cat nap (that's all she takes) before we left. Once she was asleep, I got the sudden urge to attempt my sugar skull face. I went back and forth for a bit, thinking I wouldn't have time or it would be sloppy and Stela would be awake soon.  But for some reason, I just had to do it! I tried to get as much done as I could while Stela was asleep. But, I didn't get very far. When she woke up I was worried she'd scream when she saw my white face and dark eyes. But, to my surprise,  I found out that she recognized me fine and she didn't care what I looked like.
I finished the rest of the face with her "help" half the time in my arms and half the time getting eye shadow all over the bathroom and I even caught her with a makeup brush in her mouth. It was pretty crazy but, a good memory to have made.
In the end, It didn't go as planned. I didn't get to make my video, make all the details as perfect as I had pictured, or have as much time as I wanted (without, interruption). But, the point is, is that I did it.
I realized that, not only in this instance, but with life in general, things will never be exactly the way you pictured them in your mind. But, what makes your visions and plans memorable, are the details that you never imagined in the first place.
Sometimes, we've just got to allow our "perfect plan" some room to be not so perfect and say to ourselves "This is good enough!"

Stela, My little helper that makes this all "possible"

                         Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Halloween Nails

Halloween would have to be one of my favorite holidays, hands down.
You get to dress up, do crazy hair and makeup and don't forget the free candy!
I've always liked doing my nails to go along with my costume to make it that much better :)
I thought I'd post some ideas of nail designs to go along with your costume. If you are a witch or a spider or anything else that's kind of creepy, this would be great for you.

Any black will do as a base. Then, use an orange that you like to draw on the web with a needle tip, tooth pick even a mechanical pencil.

This is for the more reserved costume...

Bronze brown base and and orange sparkle top coat. 

This top coat was a dollar store find I got years ago. Haven't seen anything like it so I hope I never run out!

Halloween is a good excuse to go out of your comfort zone, try doing your nails to compliment your costume. The little details make a big difference.

                            HAPPY HALLOWEEN!