Let the Makeovers BEGIN!!

It's time. Time for us to take a long, hard look at ourselves. Evaluate. Decide now what it is you will change about you. Then, tell me. And I will do whatever I can to help you achieve your goals. NVidel's last post featured a photo shoot with 6RobinsPhotography. I had the pleasure of helping to makeover a group of exciting teens.

Take a look at what the team pulled together!

The Eyes Have It: Bow the Brow

This installment features a subtle, but ever-so-important facial feature: the EYEBROWS. Eyebrows shape our faces and (I know we've read this in other posts) can make or break your look. Can you imagine-facial hair that accessorizes the overall look for men and women. Really, we don't need to discuss makeup too much regarding eyebrows. We should however focus on the shape and grooming of the eyebrow.

The Eyes Have It: Don't Be Out of Line!

Some may not think so, but eyeliner is just as necessary as eye shadow in completing a full face of makeup and can even be worn without shadow. Eyeliner frames the eyes and is one of the few finishing touches in makeup.  It can make or break a look you want to achieve (e.g. bright eyes), or mood you want to convey (e.g. youthful, bright, vixen, etc.) - the key is precision. Well, precision and knowing what looks are most appropriate at any given time. Let's take an informed and strategic look at eyeliner application, considering desired outcomes, colors, liner types and application techniques. First, we'll review application based on eye shape and the goal of your look. Then, we'll cover the different types of liners and application techniques.

Giving Back: I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

I had the awesome pleasure of being a special guest presenter for an I Am B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. (Brave, Energetic, Assertive, Unique, Tenacious, Important, Fabulous, Unequaled, and Loved) event! Along with hanging out with the girls, we got a chance to discuss skin care, self care, makeup, hair and more girls' stuff! Afterwards, we watched the Princess and the Frog and enjoyed popcorn and snacks. Unfortunately, I had to go home :-(...but I'm sure the "girls night in" (slumber party) continued. They were great, and I hope to work with them again!

Check this organization out - what they're doing for girls (and women) is great!

Gift from the girls - thanks ladies!

The Eyes Have It: Eye Shapes, Placement and Dimension

This entry features similar charts to what may be used in formal instruction; no harm in sharing this information with you though, right? First things first: take a look at the charts and discover your type.

Eye Shapes

Average/Standard - For those of us who already have average/standard (sometimes referred to as "almond") shaped eyes, you have the most freedom when going for the basic application. Stick with the 3-dimension makeup application for the eyes (i.e., shade, crease color, highlight), or go crazy with color!

For the rest of us, the goal is to give the perception that we have an almond (sometimes referred to as "standard") eye shape. Yes, "perception."

The Eyes Have It!

Whether you believe that they are the mirror to the soul, or subcribe to accessorizing them with the hottest diva shades; we can't deny that when it comes to makeup: the eyes have it! Let me first say that there are NO RULES with makeup (well, besides making sure your foundation is the correct match and other fundamental guides)! Yep, I said it - and I know someone will remind me of that later on. 'No rules' allows for your creative liberties to be fully expressed. Besides, who am I to hinder your creative freedom?! No, seriously, there are best practices and guidelines that I think are helpful when attempting to achieve a certain look. The eyes only take up a fraction of our face, but require a considerable amount of thought and preparation for certain looks (i.e., smokey eye, everyday, evening, etc.).

Color basics
To shorten the explanation (or an entire chapter of some text books), darker shades deepen the visual perspective, as these shades absorb light. This is why we apply darker shades under the cheekbone (in the hollow of the jaw)