Archive for Makeup

At Long Lash: A Wearable, Green Mascara

October 24, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, New Products, Shopping · Tagged , , , , , , ,

I’ve talked about compromise before. When a bride says she wants green makeup, I talk to her about what works, and what doesn’t. Green mascara (up til now) has largely been a failure. The very ingredients which make mascara stick to our lashes and not smudge are the same ingredients that we’re trying to avoid, namely pthalates, petrochemicals, and even coal tar.

The bride’s reaction is typical, “I want waterproof, smudgeproof, mascara. I plan to cry.”

I totally understand. I carry waterproof mascara (DiorShow Waterproof is most famous, though, really, all waterproof mascara is the same…nothing’s going to lengthen, thicken or curl, once it’s waterproof. I’ve tried at least 15 major brands…waterproofing ingredients make the formula precise, across the board.

Well, I try NOT to cry on a daily basis, but I still don’t want my mascara to smudge left and right, up and down on my face. I keep trying green mascara formulas that claim “smudge resistant”, and I ultimately look like a heroin addict by noon.

If you have shorter lashes, this isn’t going to be a problem for you. So go out already, and buy yourself some clean mascara. Of all places on your face, what goes on your lips and eyes should be as squeaky clean as possible. We’re talking orifices, here, ladies. Keep them happy, keep them green.

If your lashes are longer, however, you’re going to have trouble finding clean mascara that works for you simply because those “sticky” ingredients aren’t there; and every time you close your eyes you are undoubtedly transferring product under your eyes.

A couple tips:

1. After you apply under-eye concealer– you ARE using concealer, aren’t you– the under-eye will be slightly moist, which I prefer to overpowdered, BUT that moisture can make your mascara smudge when you blink. Roll just a touch of face powder under each eye, and THEN apply mascara.

2. Do NOT apply mascara to your bottom lashes. You just don’t need it. It closes up the eye, smudges, and and invariably looks “done”. If you MUST define your bottom lashes (although I can’t imagine why you’d want to, they don’t contribute to sexy eyes at all), then save it for evening, when the smudging will take on a charming, tipsy allure.

3. Apply mascara to the tops of your top lashes first, then fan the lashes upward from the bottom. You get more curled lashes this way, and you also get the look of two coats of mascara without the clumping.

Finally, EXPERIMENT with mascara formulas. What works for me may not work for you, and vice versa.

Here’s a new product that works for me right now: Tarte’s Health Couture Lash Hugger eco-friendly mascara in black. (Sephora carries it). I’ve been wearing this mascara regularly for three weeks, during which I’ve cried (at least three times–what? Who doesn’t cry at least once a week?), I’ve sweated, and I’ve had something in my eye which made me rub it. These are my results: Lash Hugger doesn’t smudge/run unless your face is wet, or you rub your eyes. And that’s totally fine with me. I EXPECT mascara to smudge if I’m crying. I EXPECT it to smudge if I rub my eyes. And I fully EXPECT it to stay put if I’m just minding my own business. This one does.

Lash Hugger Natural Mascara:
Water, Alcohol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Cera Carnauba, Hydrogenated Stearyl Olive Esters, Stearic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Shellac, Triethanolamine, Candelilla Cera, Acacia Senegal Gum, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorophenesin, Iron Oxides (CI 77499).

Now I am by no means a fan of every above listed ingredient! I DEMAND completely clean products that WORK. And I’m still looking. I told you this was going to be about compromise. Tarte’s mascara tube is post consumer recycled aluminum, and the formula contains no parabens, or other evil fillers. I don’t like Triethanolamine (who would?) and the idea of putting shellac on my lashes is not a happy one, so I’m STILL LOOKING.

The next one I’ll be trying is a mascara made from sugar, by Suncoat. You know my philosophy about being able to eat anything that goes on my face!

The following mascaras did NOT work for me, but they are MUCH cleaner than Lash Hugger, and you may want to give them a go:

Dr. Hauschka Volumizing Mascara & Intermezzo Mascara

100% Pure Mascara (made with blueberries)

With any luck, we’ll all be winking clean in the new year!

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Eyelids: The shutters to your soul

October 3, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, Shopping, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

This is going to seem like a strange posting to some; so be it. I have a love/hate relationship with eyeshadow. I am convinced that colored eyeshadow is utterly unnecessary, and I’m still debating it’s desirability. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then eyelids are the shutters. And do we really need to paint our shutters regularly? Wouldn’t it better to work on our windows?

Let me be absolutely clear: I don’t want your eyelids to be red, purple or pink, as is their natural proclivity. Because our eyelids are thin skin, they are somewhat translucent. So the capillaries that feed blood to that skin often peek through, lending our lids a tinge of zombie-like zest. And I am by no means in favor of zombie eyes, or eyes that make you look depressed, hungover, or as though you haven’t slept in millenia. (You may already be aware of my penchant for under eye concealer for the same reason)

After “doing” thousands upon thousands of eyes, here’s what I’ve whittled it down to:

The Vermeer:

On a “nude” day, your eyelids should closely resemble your natural skin color, but a shade lighter. That means, if you’re naturally a fair skinned girl, you’re going to reach for a light creme colored eyeshadow, and sweep it across the area from your brow bone to the base of your eyelashes. You want your lids to match your brow bone (the area under the arches of brows), and brow ridge (that area between your eyebrows, above your nose). If you’re a deep, honey brown, your everyday color is going to be a gorgeous golden honey eyeshadow which matches your brow bone and brow ridge. If you’re a beautiful beige, you’ll find yourself a light beige eyeshadow to brighten and even out your royal beigeness. Get it? That’s one color, everyday, to freshen your eyes.

I call this “The Vermeer Look”. Vermeer (think Girl With the Pearl Earring) was this fabulous Dutch painter whose subjects had the most beautiful eyelids in all of art history. The purity of the skin (as emphasized by that fantastic Northern light) was apparent in every portrait, and lent an innocence, a FRESHNESS to his subjects. Of course, Vermeer’s subjects aren’t wearing eyeliner or mascara, either, but you may find that amount of austerity to be too virginal for your taste. Just remember if your lids look pure, the windows of your soul won’t look so dirty.

The Urban Sophisticate:

You’re a lawyer, business woman or corporate slave, and you need to project confident sophistication. You’re a career gal, and you want to be taken seriously! Use your nude color all over, then reach for a deeper warm neutral tone. If you’re beige, it’s probably going to be a “tan” color. Either apply it just in the lid crease, for added dimension, or apply it on the lower lid. Your nude color will act as a kind of base, remember, it goes up to your brows, and the slightly deeper color will add dimension and depth. If you go for this step, you definitely need mascara, and a fine eyeliner is fab.

Dinner With Andre (or Andrea) :

Eyeshadow Disclaimer: I love a nude eye with back eyeliner and black mascara and red lips as a classic look for a little black dress kind of night.

Of course, another sultry option is the ever popular smoky eye……But if it’s not that kind of night…….

Times Square Special:

It’s New Year’s Eve. Or it’s just “Eve”, and you want to party: You’re prepping for a night on the town. THIS is what eyeshadow was invented for!! THIS is the time to have a party in your bathroom all by yourself!!

Play with color and with sparkle (I hate shimmer…it often looks FROSTY, and since it’s not 1986 anymore–thank goodness–frost has no place on your face. One exception: warm, highlighting shimmer on cheekbones). As a general rule, keep the lightest colors on the brow bone or inner eye (be they light aqua, gold, silver, pale purple, etc.). Keep your darkest colors either in the outer crease or on the lid itself. An easy way to do color is to “build it”, starting with the darkest color at the lashline, and getting lighter as you go up.

(I’d use a maximum of three complementary colors if you’re not shooting for Drag Queen Hostess.  Practice playing with your eyes at midnight when you DON’T have a party to go to. Do each eye differently, experiment, have fun, then wash your face and go to bed.)

Less pressure = better results.

More practice = better results.

Less makeup = better results.

~Save the fancy shutters for Mardi Gras, and let your own light shine through the windows to your soul every day.~

(And don’t forget–if you’re going to use eyeshadow, practice safe eyeshadow! Go paraben free, petrochemical free, toxin free. If you prefer your shadows pressed (though in somewhat limited shades), you have good options with Dr. Hauschka, Josie Maran, Eco Nvey, Lagona, Eco Bella, and 100% Pure to name a few. If you want to really go wild, check out the loose and highly pigmented mineral powders available. I love my fun collection of Larenim matte and super sparkly eyeshadows in colors like Cosmos and 24 carat–bonus: I mix them with clear nail polish to make a rainbow of dazzling nail colors!)

photos courtesy of flickr’s powerbooktrance, neverletmego, realnaughtyangel, and vagamundos

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Taking off the Mask: Why tinted moisturizer is the new foundation

September 19, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, New Products, Shopping, Skincare · Tagged , , ,

As soon as people learn I’m a makeup artist, they invariably weave their burning questions into our conversation, even if we’re only talking about the weather.  “Seems we’re in for a bit of a warm spell…  ..speaking of warm spells, what kind of foundation should I be wearing?”

I’m lucky I’m not a doctor, because my answer is always unoriginal.  I’d like to say that I carefully evaluate each and every person’s skin type and make a qualitative analysis of each line, pore, and wrinkle…but the truth is–I think EVERYONE should wear tinted moisturizer with sunscreen instead of foundation.

I know, that seems rather general, doesn’t it?  I do use “foundation” (a full coverage liquid or mineral) on my brides or models when doing event makeup, but unless you are on a movie set or being professionally photographed, I would never recommend foundation for everyday. It’s simply unnecessary.  The point of makeup should be to enhance your natural features, to make your individual beauty shine, not to reinvent the wheel.

The use of foundation, or “base” is as old as mud; women throughout the centuries have endeavored to cover everything up (and sometimes shave everything off) and paint it on again.  It’s a way of creating a completely new persona, and Hollywood relied heavily on this idea in the 30s and 40s when creating sultry starlets out of freshly scrubbed girls-next-door.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting to start from scratch, but before you camouflage your features in a thick shade of beige, take a look at your freshly scrubbed face.  What is it that you really want to change about your visage?  Here are the typical complaints:

Redness/blotchiness around the mouth & nose, unevenness/blotchiness on the cheeks, freckles/age spots, under eye circles, blemishes

As you can see, the majority of concerns have to do with evenness of skin tone.  The good news is that tinted moisturizer (a lightweight lotion with a hint of color, and spf) will even out your complexion without smothering it. Your skin will GLOW, rather than look matte or cakey.  Your skin will BREATHE, rather than gasping for air, and your skin will IMPROVE in both appearance and texture.

If tinted moisturizer alone doesn’t address problem areas, then all you have to do is use a small amount of concealer (under the eyes, on a blemish or age spot, around the nose).  There’s simply no need to conceal your entire face!

Here’s my favorite everyday 5 Step Fast Face:

1. tinted moisturizer all over

2. concealer under the eyes

3. creme blush on cheeks

4. lip gloss

5. mascara

Your face is your calling card.  Do you really want to be the kind of person who is unrecongnizable without their makeup?  Embrace your face.  Save the foundation for the Big Ball, or your cousin’s wedding.  You don’t need it at 8 in the morning, and you certainly don’t need it in the office.

Special HIPPIE note: If you’re the kind of person who NEVER wears makeup, considering making tinted moisturizer your new best friend.  You won’t look like you’re wearing makeup, because it’s really not makeup–but your skin will look and feel fantastic, and you’ll have the added protection of at least spf 15, everyday.

Here are some of my favorites:

100% Pure fruit pigmented

tinted moistuizer

Suki tinted moisturizer

Juice Beauty tinted moisturizer

mask photo courtesy of flickr’s Flamed

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Nailing It: Non-toxic, custom blendable nail polish

September 12, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, New Products, Shopping, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , ,

I am of two opinions when it comes to painting my nails–While I desperately love to witness an interesting color on my toes, peeking out from under the sheets in the morning,  I hate seeing any color whatsoever on my hands….I’m sure this is mostly due to the fact that I work with my hands, and cannot abide the haggard appearance of chipped nail polish.   The last thing I have time for is touching up my nails all day.  I’d sooner wear gloves to cover up the offending fingers.

That said, I’ve had a devil of a time finding good eco-nail polish in the last few years, so my toe polish collection has been somewhat limited to a vampy red Chanel polish, and some cheap silver polish I found at the drugstore to match my uber groovy Barbarellaesque silver summer sandals.

A couple years ago I was excited about a nail polish line called Honeybee, a water based pigment brand without all the nasty chemicals.  One night I smugly painted my toes in a beautiful watermelon red and headed to a party, where I awaited compliments.  The first thing I heard was, “Oh my God!  What happened to your feet?”

Oops.  It was a warm evening, I suppose, and perhaps the temperature of my feet was particularly high (though my feet rarely sweat); when I looked down, I saw that my toes appeared to be bleeding profusely.  The water-based nail polish was not intended for swarthy atmospheres, apparently,  and had melted and spread across my feet like an ice-cream cone on a hot cement sidewalk.  Gross.  So, rather than move to Alaska, where my new fangled eco-polish might fare better, I simply stopped wearing it.  Gradually, my feet grew bored, and I sought solace in toxic polish.  I mean, what’s a little chemical waste between toes, right?  Who says formaldahyde is just for dead people?

My toxic toe days are over, now.  Peacekeepers has a beautiful collection of non toxic nail polishes, now available at Whole Foods, and the bonus?  The color stays put!  I’ve written about this company before; they donate ALL their profits (post tax) to women’s organizations around the world.  I’m a huge fan of their “lip paints” (lipsticks), which are completely green, moisture rich and gorgeous, with names like “Paint Me Compassionate”, “Paint Me Wise”, “Paint Me Empowered” (one of my favorites–a 1920’s dark wine red).   Peacekeepers nail polishes are toulene-free, formaldahyde-free, and phthalates-free.

This is HUGE… believe it or not, your body absorbs every toxin you put on it–the CDC (Center for Disease Control) did a study in 2000, testing women for toxins commonly found in cosmetics.  What they found should alarm you:  Every toxin used in mainstream makeup was found in some level in all the women.  Highest, though, and particularly in women of childbearing age, were the toxins used specifically in mainstream nail polish. The chemicals are known agents of birth defects, and women who are pregnant or nursing or considering becoming pregnant were urged not to use any products containing these ingredients.

I’m surprised that 8 years has passed since that study, and yet there are only 4 or 5 non toxic nail polish products on the open market (and two of them are only available online).  It’s shameful and upsetting, and we must do better.

Enough of my rant- let’s talk toes!  I have an eco-makeup kit full of some beautiful new sparkly and matte mineral pigment powders by Larenim.   I bought the Bottom/Top Clear Coat by Peacekeepers, and have found painterly passion in mixing my OWN shades!!  Want your toes to sparkle?  Sprinkle a little mineral sparkle onto a sheet of paper, dip your brush, swipe it on!! Want to paint your nails black for the evening, but can’t find an eco-black nail polish?  Make your own!! And rather than dump black pigment into the little bottle and shaking (although, if you always wear black, that’s not a bad idea), sprinkle the pigment onto paper, and dip your brush in, or drizzle a bit of the clear coat onto the paper and mix (this is great if you paint quickly).  The reason I love this technique is that I am not bound by the bottle.  I have ONE bottle of nailpolish instead of an army of them, and I can make whatever color I like by mixing my mineral pigments.  A note: wipe your brush off before re-inserting it into the bottle if you want it to stay utterly clear.

Now that you know, you can set your nails free.  Free from poison, free from delusion.  Seek out a better solution or just go naked!

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Betty Davis Eyes: Classic Eyeliner = Modern Beauty

August 1, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, Shopping · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is there anything sexier than a pair of smoldering eyes, half-veiled by a gorgeous set of dark, full lashes? The “come hither” lashline and accompanying eyeliner have been used to charm the opposite sex with great success since ancient times, and the look of brazen wontoness is coming back in full force this fall. We’re being teased by models with two inches of black liner smeared around the circumference of their eyes as they saunter down the catwalks in Edwardian menswear. It’s adorably gaunt, and while I adore a smoky eye as much as the next girl, what I really long for is a return of the more confidently sexy eye…that clean, classic, dark sweep of black that so neatly frames the upper lashline. It’s a look that is less raw sex, and more ….gourmet sensuality.

On that note, let’s talk about a classic formula: The liquid liner. I’ve gotta sing about a new favorite–It’s a liquid eyeliner which goes on wet, dries down quickly, and stays put. It’s also blacker than black which is great for a classic (top only) lashline, and is drop dead gorgeous when paired with a set of false lashes. (100% human hair, of course)

Zuzu Raven liquid eyeliner is vegan, cruelty free, fragrance free, and WATER RESISTANT!! Here’s where I get excited–It does not contain parabens or petrochemicals. In fact, the ingredients of Zuzu liquid eyeliner (while not organic) are as clean as I’ve EVER seen in a water resistant version of ANYTHING. Here they are: Aqua, Sorbitol, Cetyl Alcohol, Iron Oxides, Mica, Jojoba Seed Oil, Bentonite, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Eyebright, Titanium Dioxide, Cellulose Gum, Hectorite, and Potassium Sorbate.

For those shy gals who are wary of liquid eyeliners, I know, I know—the application can be iffy, even for a woman with the steady hands of a surgeon. The problem with liquid liners has always been two fold; first, the brush is difficult to control and you wind up with an uneven line and second, the fluid dries so quickly that by the time you realize your mistake, you’ve got a permanent map of Indonesia scrawled across your eyelid.

So here’s a trick: Use your OWN eyeliner brush.

You simply need a short, fine, SYNTHETIC brush with which to create your most perfect lashline. Dip it directly into the Zuzu pot, wipe the side of the brush against the lip of the pot to remove excess ink, and make small dashes along the lashline. DON’T attempt to draw a perfectly straight line–YOUR EYE IS NOT A STRAIGHT LINE!! Make little dashes at the base of the lashline (where lashes meet skin) starting from the outside of the eye and allow the dashes to become finer and finer as you reach the inner corner of your eye. Make a mistake? Keep a wet q-tip on hand for quickie fixes.

Remember, it’s not a race. You’ve got plenty of time. Black eyeliner will never look fabulous at 9 o’clock on a Monday morning when you’re running late for work. So save it for 5 o’clock on a Thursday evening, when you’re running late for cocktails. If you’ve done a good job, you shouldn’t get compliments on your eyeliner. You should get compliments on your eyes.

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Come on, Get Happy: Concealing the Shadows

July 21, 2008 · Filed under Makeup, New Makeup Lines, New Products · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The one thing–and I do mean the ONE thing–that makes the biggest difference between looking haggard/sad/hung over and looking fresh/happy/sober is this….are you ready for it? Concealer. Bobbi Brown had it right when she called concealer “The secret to the universe”. A good concealer covers your circles, firms your bags, and brightens your face immeasurably. When proving the powerful effects of concealer to a client, I like to apply it to only one eye and hand them a mirror. The reaction usually goes something like this:

“Oh my god. I look like I’ve been punched under the other eye. I had no idea my circles were so dark. But THIS eye….makes me look younger. And happier.“

Is it really possible to make someone look happy by hiding their circles? Or a better question: How do dark circles make us look unhappy? What do they suggest?

Dark circles are a visual indication that someone is suffering in their life somehow.

When we see people with dark circles, we make a mental note of it (even if only subconsciously). Of course, as a society, we tend to let those sufferers slide when we learn something about their situation.

New mothers are certainly happy (right?), but they don’t sleep. They have shifted from a state in which they worried only about themselves to one in which the weight of the world has been heaved (all 8 pounds of it) onto their shoulders. We understand their suffering, and expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. They never are.

Students are happy (right?), but they rely on all-nighters to study for exams, write papers, and participate in college culture (read: drink). We understand that they’re working hard now so that they may one day be unfulfilled in their jobs and turn into responsible citizens. We expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. They’re not.

Entrepreneurs are happy (right?), but they worry constantly about their investors, their loans, their mortgages, and whether or not their first business success will prove to be a “flash in the pan”. We applaud their talent and their bravery, and expect their shadows and worries to be temporary. Ha!

So look around–happiness doesn’t always show up on our faces in ways we might expect. Happy people often look unhappy, and here’s another blow–unhappy people look even worse, which doesn’t do anything to help their mood.

Dark circles are largely hereditary and hormonal. They are partially influenced by skin tone (the fairest tones and olive tones often have it the worst), and partially affected by lifestyle (stress, lack of sleep, diet). Circles are caused by a collection of blood under the surface of the skin–and no, surgery to cauterize those blood vessels is NOT the answer.

When I was 12, I found a natural recipe which claimed to bleach undereye circles with a blended mixture of raw potatoes and yogurt. It worked. That is to say, it bleached my SKIN, thereby lightening my purple shadows a shade or two. If having slightly paler purple or green circles is enough to inspire you, then rush out and buy some potatoes. What really works, though is makeup. It is easy, it is effective, and it has the added bonus of making you look happy. I will leave my house without lipstick, without mascara, and without blush. If I ever leave my house without undereye concealer, rest assured that it is on fire.

The concealer I currently use (and no, it is NOT green) is Bobbi Brown’s creamy corrector/concealer. It is the very best mainstream concealer on the market. Trust me, I’ve been around. On the department store end of things, I have tried Dior, Chanel, YSL, Nars, Estee Lauder, Lancome, Armani, Laura Mercier, and Trish McEvoy. From drugstores I have tried Physicians Formula, Covergirl, Mabelline, L’Oreal, Max Factor, and Almay. (Circles plagued me from a young age). For some time now, I have been obsessed with finding “green” concealer options. I will not stop until I find one that I can feel good about using everyday for the rest of my life, even if I have to make it from scratch myself. (I guarantee there will be no potatoes in it).

Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

Suki Concealer in Flax or Linen: I used this liquid product at a fashion show, and didn’t like the way it went on. (I worked with another artist and she had the same experience): it tended to “roll” under the eye, rather than gliding and blending. Also, limited by two tones. Really? There are only two colors of women out there?

Josie Maran: I’ve written about this one before. Three stick shades, all of which are too tan/orange for a fair skinned person, and too light for a dark skinned person. Application was fine, but I didn’t find it “buildable”, without it looking cakey, which is important. Also, I hate having to read labels when a company brands themselves as clean.

Dr. Hauschka: The wand is a popular concealer tool, and you can’t fault ol’ Hauschka on ingredients, but the coverage is too sheer, and the shades (there are three) don’t embrace even a majority of the population…except maybe the population of Germany.

Eco Nvey: I was SOOOO excited to try this little pressed pot of concealer (nice and green) BUT with only two shades to choose from…..are you seeing a theme yet? I will say that the consistency of this one was great. It was buildable, creamy, and blended really nicely, but the lighter shade looked positively yellow on me, and I wouldn’t get tan enough for the darker shade even if sailed around the world twice.

Sheer Cover: I was curious about this mineral makeup brand a while back. I had tried Bare Minerals, (who hasn’t?) and found their recommendation for powdered undereye concealer to be suitable for only those women who are naturally very moist/greasy under the eye (who is?). Sheer Cover had a selling point: a two toned creamy concealer with less offensive ingredients than most on the market. Result? It works. It’s buildable, blendable, and moist. And here’s a shocker: they offer a shade that matches my skin. It’s a decent option for women who are already using their mineral line, though I won’t continue to use it (not green enough for my blood).

If I’m willing to compromise a little, I’m willing to compromise a lot. Until I find my dream green concealer, I’m going to keep using the one I love. Everyone’s got their sticking point. Concealer’s mine.

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