Loreal's PR Department mailed me one of these 'breakthrough mascaras' and I took the multi-angle application for a test drive. Hhhhmmmmm.... is it a gimmick or a must-have?
You decide. Here's the good and not-so-good:
Good: I can finally get those tiny lashes in the corners of the lashline.
Bad: This brush takes getting used to! The look was a little too natural for me.
I got to really pick aesthetician Laura Gaston's brain when I went in for my silk peel this week. I brought in all the skincare products that I'm currently using (above image). I love buying skincare. Can you tell?
I buy at-home peels and use Swissclinical's Glycolic and Clarity RX's AHA peel pads. I also have the Spacells facial sponge and a Clarity RX facial scrub with enzymes.
With all these products, I still have clogged pores! I asked Laura for her advice and she suggested a silk peel, which I loved. My skin definitely looked as smooth as glass after she finished and my pores were flawless.
Laura sent me home with samples of Epionce and explained something I never understood before:
Salicylic acid isn't just for acne. It's the one beta-hydroxy acid that's oil-soluble and can break up sebum and dead cells that create stubborn clogs.
The other glycolic and lactic acids were great for perking up dull skin but not necessarily the best at unclogging pores. She said using glycolic and lactic acid to unclog pores would be similar to using rubbing alcohol to remove nailpolish. It just doesn't work. What does work is Epionce's Lytic lotions and that's what I'm currently using to keep my pores clog-free.
Laura is located in Brentwood, so when you need a facial, give her a call (323) 393-3396. You can also book online at www.lauragaston.com.
Marie Claire's February 2010 issue mentions an American Economic Review study with great findings for us makeup-wearers: "Women who wear makeup earn up to 30 percent more than those who 'can't be bothered'."
Here's another great article that points out that "physical attractiveness is associated with a number of positive outcomes, including employment benefits such as hiring, wages, and promotion, and is correlated with social and personal rewards such as work satisfaction, positive perceptions of others, and higher self-esteem."
The article is written by Samantha Kwan, Department of Sociology, University of Houston; and Mary Nell Trautner, Department of Sociology, University at Buffalo, SUNY.
What’s it like to attend the #1 beauty academy in the nation? Kenneth Moton, a current Cosmetology student, gave me the tour of Bellus Beauty Academy (www.sandiegobeautyacademy.com), the Academy of Beauty & Spa.
Bellus Academy student Kenneth Moton and Makeup Instructor Extraordinaire Judy Edelman at the Bellus Academy Beauty Bar.
Bellus Beauty Academy is plush and looks more like a Saks Fifth Avenue sales floor than what I imagined a beauty school to look like. Kenneth’s aspirations are to master editorial hair and makeup. His course of study reflects that. Kenneth’s day starts at 9am and finishes around 4:30pm.
After a 9am roll call, Kenneth starts at Judy Edelman’s makeup class to hear the guest speaker, yours truly. I talk about chemical-free makeup and do a makeup application demo with La Bella Donna mineral makeup.
Kenneth’s day continues in Judy Edelman’s makeup class and today the focus is contouring. The class is hands on and students apply makeup on each or they snag students in the other courses (master aesthetics, cosmetology, or hair) as models.
Kenneth moves on to the stylish courses in hair, skin and nails. His day is spent learning new techniques and mastering the basics. Kenneth can build his clientele by accepting appointments at Bellus’ Student Salon. (http://www.sandiegobeautyacademy.com/salonAndSpa.html) Instructors are nearby for inspiration and all services are at a reduced cost (to book a Student Salon appointment, call 858-748-1490). Before he graduates (in about 10 months for Cosmetology), Kenneth will do 90 haircuts, 80 perms, 50 hair colors, 20 eyebrows, and 10 facials!
Feeling inspired? Call the Academy for more info on their courses. 800-396-9187.
First, bend your strip lash together so it will be bent to fit the curve of your lashline. Then hold the lash near your real lashes (without glue) to see if they fit your eyes. You'll probably have to trim them.
Then, use the wooden end of the Q-tip and drag glue on your lashline. You'll basically make an eyeliner out of the glue. Then apply glue to the band of the strip lash. You now have TWO lines of tacky lash glue: one on your eye and one on the band of the lash. When the two lines of glue get pressed together, they won't come apart so make sure you place them on quickly and precisely. Use tweezers for this.
The final step is covering the band of the lash with black eyeliner. The image on the bottom left shows the lash band before its been covered. The image on the right has been covered.
I do all this lash work after eyeshadow. I would wait to put concealer and foundation on AFTER you do your eye makeup and lash application. The lashes go well with bold shadow and a defined lip.
For my latest short film on the Battle of New Orleans, I turned my lead actor, Jimmy Lee, Jr., into Andrew Jackson circa 1815. To do that, I needed to take his hair color from dark brown to white. I got great advice from wigmaster Cynthia McCourt (permasmudge@yahoo.com). She creates custom wigs and can save you a lot of hassle. I didn’t have that option due to time and budget restraints; luckily, Cynthia shared some great advice and the results are below.
Jimmy Lee Jr. as Andrew Jackson (Before & After Makeup/Hair by Jessica deBen)
The edge of the wig is where you need to be very careful. Because I was working with high def, Cynthia recommended that I cut off the hard edge of the wig and ‘lay down hairs’ one at the time to blend the edge toward the hairline.
The step-by-step picture from set is below. You can see that I left Jimmy’s real hair out of the front of the wig. I used a tiny flat iron and curled his hair to match the wig. Then I colored his real hair with Mehron’s white liquid makeup. I also coated his real hair with spray on hair color that I got at Hollywood Toy & Costume. I used a disposable mascara wand to coat the sideburn and eyebrow hairs. Be careful not to get the white makeup on the skin.
And to avoid all the hassle, just get Cynthia to create a wig for your film’s lead characters.
La Bella Donna is a revolutionary, pioneering concept in cosmetics: Minerals that behave like makeup. La Bella Donna's mineral foundation has only 4 pure mineral ingredients and is safe for use on even the most sensitive skin. La Bella Donna is the only makeup recommended by Dr. Perricone.
