May 9, 2013

Party Like It’s Prom Night!

Once upon a time I was 12 (Though it may look like that wasn’t long ago, it was. My oily skin has preserved this face). I used to babysit a few of my neighbors’ kids. What would I do to entertain 3 young girls? Do their makeup and have photo shoots, duh. I would collect random country inspired decor from around the house (My Mom= Country Living) and create some kind of vignette and have the girls sit in front of the display and pose while I took pictures with a disposable camera. However terrible your mental image is right now, it was actually much worse. But we were having fun! I was a baby Creative Director! I remember one time in particular I asked these kindergartners if I could do their makeup for prom someday when we all grow up. Begging them would be more accurate. Of course they said yes, we were kids. Lo and behold! Time flies and they are now grown up! The baby of the group went to prom a couple weeks ago and I wanted to share some of the images because I love them!

This was seriously one of the most fun, kick back makeup gigs ever! The weather was freakin perfect, our families were BBQ-ing in the backyard, it was awesome. Chips and salsa were also involved.

BTW, she has way better style at 17 than I ever did! Look at her dress… Sparkly Melon Jeweled Cuteness!

BMMP_Ang_Prom copy

Just had to show last year’s prom pix of her older sister and friend! Having the opportunity to be there for these girls and do their makeup for such a fun part of their youth has been awesome! They are beautiful and I love them Prom girls, where you at?!

Photo by Kersti Kooiman Photography

May 2, 2013

The Rest Of The 5 Day MU Challenge

Aaaah my face is so big! Anyways…

Day 2

Smokey Focus

15 Min

Products: Smolder Pencil, Sketch Shadow, 217 Blending Brush, 219 Pencil Brush

How To:

Cover lid with Smolder up to crease. Blend with 217 brush.
Blend Sketch in crease and across lid with 217 brush.
Line waterline with Smolder and smudge onto bottom lash line with 219 brush.
Without adding any more shadow, use the same 217 brush and blend Smolder on the bottom lash line to make it all smokey. Like DIS!

Day 3

Bold Lip Focus

10 Min

Products: Smolder Pencil, Ruby Woo

How To:

Line lips with Smolder. Using the side of the pencil, fade the black to the center of the lip. Leave center blank.
Apply Ruby Woo to the center. Lightly roll lips together to blend.
Touch up any spots you think need it!

Day 4

Lash Focus

10 Min

Products: 4 Lashes, 7 Lashes, Zoom Fast Mascara, Blacktrack Fluidline, 210 Liner Brush

How To:

Apply 4 Lashes to lash line like so.
Place the 7 lashes right on top of the 4s.
Pump up the bottom lashes with some mascara… multiple times
I went in between the bottom lash clumps with some Blacktrack liner and drew some baby lashes to create a bolder look.

Day 5

Dewy Skin Focus Focus

10 Min

Products: Mineralize Moisture Foundation, Hush Cream Color Base, 187 Duo Fibre Brush

How To:

Buff foundation into skin with a 187 brush.
I typically set the foundation with powder but skipped that step since I wanted to shine bright like a diamond.
With my middle finger, I lightly stippled a small amount of Hush on the tops of my cheek bones, down the bridge of my nose, top of my chin, brow bone, and cupid’s bow.

April 24, 2013

5 Day Makeup Challenge

MAC 5 Day Makeup Challenge!! I’ll be posting the final photo on Instagram and the how to bit here in case anyone wants to see. Follow me! @brittbrutal

Day 1

Liner Focus

10 Min

Products: Black Creme Liner, 210 Brush, Engraved Pencil, 219 Brush, Swiss Chocolate Shadow, 217 Brush

How To:

Use 210 brush, Water, and Creme Liner to create wing. Liner can be as thick, thin, long or short as you like. I tend to start really thin on the inner corner and thicker towards the outer corner since I have small eyes. Too thick of a line really closes off my eye.
Line water line and bottom lash line with engraved, then smudge with a 219 brush.
With the smallest amount of Swiss Chocolate I blended the bottom liner with a 217 brush.

What It Do:

I heard about the challenge yesterday… at my first Update in the NY Showroom… OMG. I used to envy artists I knew or followed on the internets getting to see upcoming product and trends before the world. To be so deeply involved with product and know what makes things work. It was exciting and I wanted to be a part of it!

I never thought I’d be doing makeup for a living, let alone working for MAC. When I began freelancing for the company I couldn’t believe someone thought I had the potential to be a MAC girl (not to mention I was pretty sure I botched the interview because I was SO sick, ew). I used to look up to the girls and guys at the Montctlair Nordstrom counter. That’s where I bought my first lip glass… Oyster Girl if I recall correctly. The job looked fun! Makeup, fun marketing, cool events, and art art art art art! The journey’s only begun. Don’t quit on your goals!!

I’m pretty sure my 14 yr old, frizzy headed self would high-five present day me pretty hard right now. What?! I didn’t know how to properly use a flat iron back then. You gotta get the curly root girl!

PS. This is me in NY every time. Hi! How are you! Ow nice shoes! This is really good coffee! (Santa was right, just sayin’).

April 10, 2013

HIDE AND NO PEEK

When concealing anything, the first couple questions I ask myself are WHAT COLOR UNDERTONE AM I TRYING TO CONCEAL and HOW DEEPLY PIGMENTED IS IT?? If the obstacle we are trying to tackle is weak in pigmentation, I might be able to cover it with foundation. If that doesn’t do the trick, we just might have to do some color correcting.

Under eye circles are usually a blue or purple hue. Blemishes and pimples are usually on the red side. Scars can be dark brown and so on and so forth. The trick to color correcting is simple, conceal with the obstacles OPPOSITE or COMPLIMENTARY color (I made this Easter egg looking diagram above to help you remember… you’re welcome). Complimentary colors neutralize each other. Ever try to finger paint a sick rainbow in kindergarten and end up with a brown mess when certain colors mixed? Thank complimentary colors and art theory for that disaster. Let us learn from our child like ways and use the same logic to conceal our now grown up, adult eye baggies and blemishes.

So once I have decided on what color corrector to use I’d be liiiiiiiiiiiike:

Apply color corrector to problem area with a small flat concealer brush
Apply a concealer on top of color corrector in a stipple motion being sure not to smear or smudge corrector below
Blend any harsh lines or edges of concealer into foundation or skin
Set with powder of your choice
Be perfect

April 3, 2013

Inspiration

I have a folder on my desktop named Inspiration. Any image on the internets I come across that I find remotely inspiring go here. I have lots of ideas for makeup looks and shoots and they are all stemming from these images. Sometimes I get so caught up in my current work that I lose the fun… Well it’s back! Currently looking for models and trying to hash out the details to make these things in my head come to life! Just wanted to share some things I find amusing and give anyone interested a glimpse at the inside of my head. It’s Spring! Get warmer already so I can go outside and play with Inspiration!

March 27, 2013

Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

Spring is here and so is wedding season. Just wanted to share a few questions I’ve been asked or things I’ve put together along the way.

Makeup can be such a personal thing. Some people like their brows a certain way or their liner just so. There’s a fine line a makeup artist can cross that will forever banish them into someone’s Worst Makeup Artist Ever Hell. So when you are looking for an artist for your big day, STYLE, I feel is the most important thing to look for… followed closely by ability and skill… and hygiene.

The elusive “Bridal” makeup. Descriptive words can mean so many different things to different people. Someone can say Smokey Eye and I’m sure we would all imagine different colors, shapes, and shadow placement. Natural Makeup can also vary based on what your take on natural is. With so many subjective makeup views, finding pictures of makeup you like is so important to obtaining the look you are trying to achieve. COLLECT PIX, that’s what Pinterest is for right?!

I have also run into a few brides who wear dramatic makeup on a regular basis BUT they did numerous trials with different artists asking for a typical bridal/natural/no makeup look and hated the end result every time. For some reason, they felt like they couldn’t look like their daily-selves because they had suddenly evolved into this bridal creature in a monstrous white gown that can only wear sheer shades of taupe and beige. WRONG! It’s YOUR day, do whatever the hell you want. If you don’t feel comfortable, you aren’t going to enjoy yourself, and you sure won’t look comfortable in your pictures. BE YOU

This idea may be how I personally decide if I’d like to work with an artist. Do you like your artist’s makeup? Do they have a look or style or portray the skill set to get you looking good on the biggest day of your life that will be captured in hundreds of photos you and your children and your children’s children will look back on for generations to come??! I. Hope. So. Study their work, look through their portfolio or their website. Trials are the only way to find out if your artist has the guts for the glory. DIG YOUR ARTIST AND GET A TRIAL

After all that nonsense, I leave you with these 3 looks.

Natural- Sheer Foundation, Light Contour, Individual Lashes
Classic- Medium Coverage Matte Foundation, Contour, Individual Lashes, Lined eyes and Darker Shadows
Dramatic- Medium Coverage Matte Foundation, Heavier Contour and Blush, Full Strip Lashes, Smokey Liner and Deep Shadows

All Photos by: Lost Highway Imaging

Makeup and Hair by: Brittany Made Me Pretty

Thank you to Meghan for modeling for us