Beauty Secrets from the Latina Magazine 15th Anniversary Celebration

Hey guys,
 
So yesterday I went to the Latina Magazine 15th anniversary celebration. Although I could only cover the red carpet (my babysitter told me I had to be home by 9) I was able to talk to some amazing Latinas in the media and get some of their beauty secrets. I was really excited to talk to all of these women who are making their dreams come true.

So first up, Natalie Morales (True story: I interned at NBC when I left finance to pursue broadcast. ). Having worked next to her before, I can honestly say she is one of the nicest people in television. Anyway, her must have beauty item is under eye treatments. She says she sleeps very little and under eye treatments are essential! She loves  L'oreal's Micropulse Eye Treatment  for the under eye area. Although  since I'm a beauty blogger, I had to recommend she try Nuance Salma Hayek  Wrinkle Eye Serum (which I'm reviewing this week.) 

Then we met friend to the blog Kat De Luna. I adore this feisty Dominicana. She's always a lot of fun. I asked her what her beauty secret was, she said she loves loves "Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes" but then she said her true beauty secret is waking up with the Latina attitude and saying "I'm up, I may have bags under my eyes, and may look a mess but I'm still going to rock." I love that!

Then I met Rosci Diaz. Rosci had the most gorgeous Stella McCartney dress on! I need it in my life. 

Her beauty secret is just drinking water and she regularly uses Neutrogena Makeup Removing Wipes. She said she drinks so much water, and she really believes it's the reason her skin is so clear. As someone who was extremely close to her, I will say she has a flawless complexion.

Then I met  Angie Martinez. If you live in NYC, you know the name Angie Martinez very well. She's the dj  for radio station, Hot 97. Meeting her was quite possibly the highlight of my night.  Growing up, I really saw myself in her. I was a young Latina girl who loved my Latin music but remember that I grew up in Jamaica Queens (basically hip hop land) so I loved hip hop and r&b too.  I truly admire Angie and her longevity in the business and the fact that I really have never heard her say bad stuff about anyone in all the years I've been listening to her. I love that she has kept her integrity.  Anyway, I gave her my card, hopefully we can feature her in our Entrepemom feature.

In person, Angie is  flawless. Pics do not do this woman justice.  Anyway, her beauty secret is again, Neutrogena Wipes. She loves them! ( I may have to pick up these wipes, both Rosci and Angie swear by them and they both had really flawless skin!)

Then we also saw Julissa Bermudez. Julissa has such gorge skin, and an amazing booty (Jlo and Kim Kardashian might be jealous). I asked her the secret to both the flawless skin, and the perfect butt. lol

She said she is very intense when it comes to her beauty regimen. No sleeping with makeup on. She cleanses her face really well at night. She loves  Origins face moisturizer, with Mimosa. She always wears eye cream and she gives herself facials in the shower.  The secret to her amazing booty is squats every night....with heels! PS: Julissa has the eyebrows I dream of.

Although I couldn't stay long (babysitter wasn't playing) I'd say meeting these women was such an inspiration to me, because all of them are making their dreams come true.

I'm inspired by all of them, and I hope you are too.


Alright, I'm off  to go do squats with heels now.


Hugs,


Milly

MY FASHIONS NIGHT OUT

Last night, NYC was insane. Now my day started off pretty amazing. Myself and a few other bloggers got invited to have lunch with Salma Hayek and talk about her line exclusively sold at CVS, Nuance by Salma Hayek.  How exciting! This woman is so passionate about her brand. It was really amazing to see her enthusiasm. Salma was truly sweet, insanely gorgeous and so funny. Salma's abuela reminded me a lot of mine. Her abuela would always tell her to wake up 15 minutes before her husband, and make sure she had one lipstick  on her dresser that she could quickly apply on her lips and even on her cheeks before her husband woke up. That is so something my abuela would say. Anyway, here's a pic of me and Salma! (Bad pic of me, good pic of her.) You guys know how much I love many of the Nuance products.  I've reviewed them before. Just click on the beauty reviews tab.

Then I headed home to get ready to meet Rachel Roy at Macys. Rachel is collaborating with a basketball player on a womens clothing line. His name is Amar'e Stoudemire. I rushed to Macys and it was insane. 

 Also here I am with Rachel. I asked Rachel about following her dreams while being a mother. She said "try to have balance, but forgive yourself if sometimes you don't. It's ok sometimes." Rachel has amazing energy. She was truly a sweetheart. Here I am with her:

I was with Mr. Milly who was really hungry, so we headed downtown to eat at Pastis.
While sitting down, I spotted Jennifer from Basketball Wives (my guilty pleasure, don't judge me).  I took a pic with her. She's so darn tall and gorgeous.

Then we headed to this Maybelline event

But by then I think Mr. Milly was ready to go home and honestly I was so exhausted. So we left.
A fun night. Lots of insane things happening.Can't wait for the next one.


Hugs

Milly

Kate Walsh Boyfriend Perfume & Beauty Must-Have & Giveaway!

Really bad pic of me, but this is me with Kate Walsh!

Yesterday I was invited to meet actress Kate Walsh (Addison on 2  of my fave shows, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice) and talk with her about her new fragrance/perfume Boyfriend. Just want to start this off by saying Kate was one of the sweetest celebs we've ever spoken to. She's  incredibly down to earth and just wonderful. Anyway, her fragrance Boyfriend was inspired  by her ex boyfriend. She had just broken up with him, and she was missing him. She was missing him so much, that  she decided to go to the store and buy a mens cologne. After buying the cologne and realizing it was way too masculine, she decided that she wanted to create a fragrance. One that would be a combination of a man's scent on a woman's skin, masculine and feminine notes. That's when the fragrance Boyfriend was created.

This perfume contains notes of Jasmine, Myrrh, Golden Amber, Plum. On me, this dries down to a  delicious blend of  sandalwood, patchouli, and vanilla. It smells so good.  A light  subtle fragrance, nothing too strong. I can' stand strong fragrances. I hate when I can smell someone from like two blocks away. Random fact: Did you guys know that the jasmine scent is considered nature's aphrodisiac? Anyway I applied the fragrance while interviewing  Kate, after that I went to meet Mr. Milly for lunch. I took the subway to meet him, and it was packed with people. A man told me I smelled "delicious. " Then I went to meet Mr. Milly and like I always tell you, if Mr. Milly notices anything, that means it's a winner. The man notices nothing. He was quick to notice this scent. He couldn't stop commenting "Man you smell yummy." This product is a winner in my book.

You can order it here.
Kate will be at Sephora in the Houston Galleria on June 4.
Beginning at 10 AM on June 4th, Sephora is offering the first 200 guests who make a BOYFRIEND fragrance purchase an exclusive wristband that guarantees an event photo with Kate.
Kate will also be on HSN July 30th. 

 We also asked Kate Walsh some questions about her beauty routine.
 
What is your must-have beauty product?

At night it's this weird thing, I use Emu Oil. You can get it at whole foods or online. I put it on my skin. It's non comodegenic won't clog pores,  super hydrating. It's very healing. My makeup artist put me on to it. You can use it on your zits, and on burns. A friend of mine put it on her burn after she got burned with a curling iron. At night, I moisturize and then put a little bit of that before I go to bed. Or even in the morning before I do my makeup. It's very healing.

And what products do you use on your hair?

 I use Joico products. Their stuff is great and Bumble and Bumble Red. I love Bumble & Bumble's  red shampoo/conditioner, keeps the red in. And I do a conditioning treatment once every four weeks.

What life advice can you give anyone trying to do what you are doing?
I will say if you have ideas/dreams, talk about it. Share with other people, and get them for support.  I started talking about it, writing about it, the more people I talked to it about, the more buoyed I kind of got. People kept saying "that's a great idea."   You never know who someone knows that can help you. Talking about it a lot, will get you a lot of support.  Also, If the idea won't leave me alone, then I know I got to do it. If something haunts you, DO IT!

Oh yeah one more thing, because we're Beautylogic we're doing a giveaway for Kate Walsh's fragrance Boyfriend. Win a bottle of the Boyfriend Perfume as well as the rollerball.

To enter, just leave any comment about ANYTHING. But I'll mark you down for two entries, if you  leave me a comment about your significant other or ex-significant other. It could be anything. WAS HE A JERK? SPILL IT. LOL, WAS HE GREAT? SPILL IT. Here's my comment: My last boyfriend was my husband, and the first thing I noticed about him when we went on our  blind date was how much he looked like The Rock (Duane Johnson). Pretty much love at first sight.


Giveaway ends Wed June 1

Have a great Memorial day weekend.

We'll be back Tuesday!

Hugs,

Milly

Getting Rid of Hyperpigmentation-Guest Post Esthetician Cecilia Wong

Hey guys, I recently did a post on how I'm getting rid of my hyperpigmentation. As I emphasized in the post, I am not a skin care professional. However, I recently asked Esthetician Cecilia Wong of Soie Aroma Spa in NYC to give us the low down on how we can get rid of hyperpigmentation on the skin. Just an FYI, currently Cecilia has an amazing deal on www.25tuesdays.com where you can get a Vitamin C Facial with her for $25 bucks.  I reviewed a facial that I had with her here. Anyway, The deal is only for today, so hop to it. Here's Cecelia:

The way I like to approach any skin care concern is by looking for the root cause of the problem as this is the reason why a symptom develops.

The two most common reasons for hyperpigmentation or uneven skin tone are overexposure of the sun and high estrogen levels (hormonal changes) but other factors, such as inflammation (acne), can also cause this condition.  Sun spots can occur on your face, you body, hands and feet.



Now that you know the reasons for sun spots and uneven skin tone, you can approach the problem in any number of ways and the results will be visible to the degree that you apply what you know.

One of the most important things you can do regularly at home is to exfoliate, at least twice a week. Exfoliating increases the cell turnover, exposing fresh new skin. Over time you can fade or erase brown spots and have evenly tone skin.

Too much exposure to the sun can definitely result in damage of the skin. The sun spots can become darker when exposed to the sun further as melanin soaks up ultraviolet rays in an attempt to protect the skin, which results in even darker spots on the skin. Protect your skin by wearing  an SPF 30 or higher( you can apply sunscreen to hands and arms as well), sunglasses and a hat.

Fluctuating hormones can also impact your skin. Speaking to your OBGYN for an alternative contraceptive or a nutritionist to help you maintain estrogen levels down. During pregnancy, many women develop what's called the  "pregnancy mask," which is hyperpigmentation around the eyes.

Another source that may cause uneven skin tone is once that acne has healed, red or brown pigmentation can occur and the skin will eventually even itself out as the skin naturally sheds. Don't extract the blemishes yourself, see a professional who has the right tools and techniques to carefully perform extractions.

An easy and safe solution is having regular LED light therapy sessions. LED repairs sun damaged skin and helps to erase dark or brown spots. The result is of course evenly tone skin. Use products that contain Grapefruit, Lemon, Vitamin C and K, tomatoes (contains lycopene- a powerful antioxidant that protects skin and internal organs.), Raspberry (contains a natural SPF), Bilberry, Licorice and Glycolic Acid.

These solutions will help you work towards to having flawless skin. 


Thanks Cecilia,

Cecilia will be guest posting every week on BeautyLogic, so if you have a question for her, let me know.


Hugs,

Milly

Kim Kardashian Critics Choice Awards Beauty and Makeup

Man you girls are demanding! (Just kidding, you know I love you.) Ever since I posted Kim Kardashians Golden Globe Makeup, I got emails begging to know her Critics Choice Award makeup. She did look stunning though. Friend to the blog and Kim's makeup artist Joyce Bonelli did an amazing job on this look. I'd say this is probably one of my fave looks of Kim. Anyway, here are the deets. Thanks to Joyce for again giving them to us.

GET THE GLAM: Kim’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards

STEP 1: KIM’S SKIN

Refer to this.

STEP 2: PRIMER

I used The Prep & Prime Stick by M.A.C.. *this is perfect because it helps reduce redness and oil & helps improve complexion over all as well. 

STEP 3: FOUNDATION

I like to keep Kim’s overall skin to appear matte so I use Mister Mat Mattifying Foundation Primer by Givenchy. Blend, blend, blend, with a foundation brush to create a more flawless photo-ready look.

STEP 4: UNDER EYES

I use Concealer by Dermablend. 

STEP 5: SET

Finally I set Kim’s entire face with Loose Setting Powder by Dermablend. *REMEMBER don’t use too much of this, just a little touch is all you need.

STEP 6: BROWS

I filled them in with The Brow Pencil by Bobbi Brown. *Top off the brows with a few swipes of The Natural Brow Shaper by Bobbi Brown in order to hold the shape of your brow all day long.

STEP 7: KIM’S EYES

To give Kim a little pop in the eye without being too matchy matchy with her dress, I used Smashbox’s Flamingo Eyeshadow which gives off a coral pink shimmer vibe.  Over the top I applied Stila’s Kitten Eyeshadow in Shimmer Nude Pink to wash out the bright color underneath. I added Eyeshadow in Chopper by Urban Decay to the corners, up to the crease of Kim’s lid.  Along with some Kohl Eyeliner Pencil by M.A.C. in Smolder lining the lid, it becomes subtle, smokey, & complete.

Remember, to finish off the eye, I curl her lashes using Shu Uemura eyelash curler & with a few coats of Loreal Volumous Mascara in Carbon Black, lashes add the dramatics needed for this eye.

STEP 8: KIM’S CHEEKS

On the hollow of her cheeks I applied Bronzing Powder in Laguna by NARS. To give Kim a warm touch of color I applied Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Espiegle by Chanel Cosmetics to the apples of her cheeks. Right above the apples of Kim’s cheeks I applied One Hot Minute by Benefit to highlight her bone structure.

STEP 9: KIM’S LUMINOUS GLOW

I applied Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle right above the hollows of her cheeks & bridge of her nose, this is a gilded peach bronze tone that has a frost metallic finish. *Don’t apply TOO much, just a touch is all you need!!

STEP 10: KIM’S LIPS

 To define Kim’s gorgeous lip shape I used Long Wear Lip Liner in Charming by Stila. Classic Cream Lipstick in Cashmere is what I used to fill in the lip. To give the pinkish tint I applied Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight by NARS over the top of the lipstick. I finished her lips with FUSION BEAUTY’s Lip Fusion in clear to give a high gloss coat.

XO,

Joyce Bonelli

Kim Kardashian Golden Globes Beauty and Makeup!

I have a confession girls. Please don't judge me.... I'm addicted to reality shows. Yes, I said it!!! Wooh, it feels good to get that off my chest. And I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about  Kourtney and Kim Take NY premiering this Sunday. I am counting the days. Hubby has already been warned that if he attempts to talk to me while the show is on, he's sleeping on the couch. I adore that family and having met Kim Kardashian and witnessed how sweet she is, I'm a huge fan.  Anyway, I was getting a lot of emails asking about Kim's Golden Globe look. You girls were dying to know what her super talented makeup artist and friend to the blog  Joyce Bonelli used. Well Joyce sent me her deets today, and you know I couldn't wait to post.  Kim looked  stunning.

STEP 1: KIM’S SKIN

REMEMBER!! It’s Very Important to keep up on your skincare regimen to keep it’s glamour & to help you have a clean smooth look. On Kim I apply PerfectSkin, LaMer lifting serum, & PerfectSkin eye cream. To condition lips I used Clarks Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Balm. *Don’t be lazy, this also goes for washing your face at night! Use makeup remover wipes if you are too tired.

STEP 2: PRIMER

I use Makeup Forever’s HD Microperfecting Primer. *This is on of my favs because it comes in 6 shades for color correction on all skin types, including one in clear.

STEP 3: FOUNDATION

I like to keep Kim’s overall skin to appear matte so I use Sheer Matte by NARS. Blend into the skin with a foundation brush for a flawless touch.

STEP 4: UNDER EYES

I use Lift Concealor by Make Up For Ever.

STEP 5: SET

Finally I set Kim’s entire face with translucent powder by Laura Mercier. *REMEMBER Don’t get all cray cray & over do it, just dust your brush with a touch & then gently apply powder.

STEP 6: BROWS

I tweezed them using Tweezerman tweezers. Then filled them in with Benefit’s Brow Zing. *use an angled brush and apply soft strokes of the pigmented wax to shape and define the brow, then take your small blending brush to apply and set the brow zing’s powder to fill in sparse areas and lock the brows into place.

STEP 7: KIM’S EYES

First I applied the golden shade of NARS Duo eyeshadow in Mediteranee similar to how I did it for her Birthday at TAO. Next on the outer corners of the eyes, crease, & along the lower lash line apply Rose Gold Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow by Bobbi Brown.  Apply & blend in over the lid Champagne Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow by Bobbi Brown. To line the lower inside rim I used Stila’s Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Lionfish. *this eyeliner is perfect for this look because of the light shimmer it gives off to help the look flow. Remember, to finish off the eye, I curl her lashes using Shu Uemura eyelash curler.  I used Hypnose Drama by Lancome to give the a big bold lash.

*As you know, red lips can be risky, so to get away with this look with out appearing to retro I had to use gold tone shimmer for the eye rather than ivory tones. It was also super important that i kept the eye liner thin and purposely didn't wing the liner out in a ‘cat eye’ shape.

STEP 8: KIM’S CHEEKS

To bronze & add warmth to her skin I used Dior Bronze Matte Sunshine in Amber Matte. On the hollow of her cheeks I applied Bronzing Powder in Casino by NARS. *For blush I brushed onto the apples of the cheeks Lovejoy by NARS.

STEP 9: KIM’S LUMINOUS GLOW

I applied Lust Dust by benefit right above the hollows of her cheeks & bridge of her nose.

STEP 10: KIM’S LIPS

First I lined her lips with a Dark Brown liner by M.A.C. and filled in the corners of her lips *sounds cray cray but this is my fav way to make contrast in a red lip shade! Then I applied and blended lipstick in Ruby by Dolce & Gabbana. To add the pop of red I applied lipstick in Fire by Dolce & Gabbana. AND THEN get the sheen from FUSION BEAUTY’s Lip Fusion Clear Gloss.

 Thanks Joyce, She looked stunning!

Hugs,

Milly

Meet Joyce Bonelli-Kim Kardashian's Official Makeup Artist

Hey guys,
You girls know how much I love me some Kardashians. We've met Kim a few times here and just loved her. She's not only stunning, but a really sweet girl as well. I'm kind of obsessed with Keeping Up With the Kardashians too. Her family is so close, and so in love with each other. It's a beautiful thing to watch and I can't wait for Kourtney and Kim take NY on January 23!!  Beautylogic got to talk with the Kardashian's wonderful makeup artist and friend Joyce Bonelli.  She's  giving us the deets on some of Kim's beauty secrets, and giving us some advice too. Let's talk to Joyce:

1) How did you begin working with the Kardashians?

I actually worked with Kim on a 944 shoot almost 5 years ago. This was before Keeping Up With The Kardashians so I didn't even know who she was at the time. Weird to think there was ever that time. She was the same sweet, fabulous and gorgeous girl then as she is now. Kim is an on going inspiration to work with! We worked on numerous projects over the years together. Along with Kris Kourtney & Khloe too. And now Kendall & Kylie. I Die for their whole family!  

2) How did you get into makeup?

I grew up watching the show The Munsters and that’s what made me want to do makeup.

3) What beauty product do you seem to always use on Kim time and time again?

Kim loves when I use Armani foundations on her. I often use Nars shadows too. But, I always use L’oreal’s Voluminous mascara. Kim and I die over Lumifill by Fusion Beauty.

.

4) What is your favorite look that you have done on Kim? What products did you use? 

My most recent fave look that I did on Kim was for the Apprentice Red Carpet. We used Smashbox eyeshadow & bronzer, Benefit’s Lust Duster. Ardelle Lashes and a Revlon Lipstick.  

5) What is Kim’s personal Fave beauty product?

Kim loves Lip Fusion Plumping Gloss 

6) What beauty product do you think all women should own?

All women need to own a contour powder. This changes women’s lives everday. Chisel Chisel Chisel!

7) What beauty advice can you give us? 

Eyebrows are everything. They frame your whole face. So wax, trim and dye as needed!

Also, pick one facial feature at a time to be  your statement piece. A Heavy eye, 

bright lip, or rosy cheeks. Don't over do it by going Cray Cray on all 3 at the same time. 

 

8) What are your 5 must have items in your beauty bag?

  I can NOT live without the following:

  La prairie Dermo Caviar Foundation

  Burberry pressed powder

  Mally's Liquid Eyeliner

  Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara

  And obviously my RED LIPSTICK! 

  (but its a secret)

Joyce, you're wonderful. Follow Joyce on her twitter @glamsquadbts and check out her own makeup blog  http://makeupbyjoyce.tumblr.com

Thanks again

Hugs,

Milly

Loren Ridinger-Our First Entrepemom

 I'm noticing something that makes me a little uncomfortable.  Many mothers seem to think that once their child arrives, their own dreams have to come to an end. In my opinion, there's nothing selfish about going after your dreams while being a great mom. I'm starting a new series here called Entrepemom. These are women who are balancing motherhood, making their dreams come true all while looking fabulous!

I'd like to introduce you to our first Entrepemom.

.

                             Loren and her daughter Amber

.

Her name is Loren Ridinger. She's the Senior Vice President of Market America, and the founder of Motives Cosmetics . She also has a great site called Loren's World where she dishes some great career and life advice.  Let's talk a little to Loren about how she balances motherhood and making her dreams come true.

How did you start Motives? 

Motives Cosmetics has been around for about 5 years, but it wasn’t until 2 years ago that I took over and reinvented the entire product line.  I wanted to create a collection that I felt comfortable using; a product that was better quality than Chanel and retails less than Mac Cosmetics.

How do you balance motherhood with being an entrepemom? 

Being a mom, wife, businesswoman and friend can be challenging at times, especially when it comes to juggling my personal time with my work life.  One thing I’ve learned is to set time aside for myself especially when it comes to my family. I try to protect my private time, that means when I’m with my daughter or my family I try not to take business calls or answer e-mails, I try to focus on things that are most important first, that means dropping unnecessary activities lastly prioritizing and staying organized.

                                                   Loren and her bestest Eva Longoria





What is your beauty regimen morning and night? 

I make sure I take off my makeup if I have any before going to sleep, wash my face with Timeless Prescription face wash , apply Cellular Laboratories de-aging cream lastly I apply Matriskin which is a liquid collagen serum.

What beauty product can't you live without? 

Matriskin Collagen Serum, Cellular laboratories de-aging cream , Motives lip plumper , Motives liquid powder foundation and Motives 10 years younger setting spray .

What beauty product do you think all women should own? 

Matriskin collagen serum, Motives liquid powder foundation and Motives 10 years Younger Setting Spray. 

                                                    Loren and her close friend Kim K

What beauty advice can you give us? 

Drink plenty of water, protect your skin by using sun block, sleep and don’t pick your pores.

What life advice can you give us (mothers)? 

Try to spend as much time as you can with your kids and family.  Enjoy and be present for anything you are doing at the moment, enjoy every second you spend with your kids and make sure to prioritize as family comes first.

What advice can you give to a mother who thinks her dream has to stop because of her child? Stay motivated.  I had my daughter Amber at a  young age. I had limited funds and lots of dreams, but I never stopped trying; always surrounded myself with very positive people and if I failed I only kept trying until I made it right. Believe in yourself, you are the key to your success and if you feel you can't or the world is just crumbling down, take a step back or a day off reenergize and try again. 

Thanks Loren for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to talk with Beautylogic.

If you want to be featured in our Entrepemom's section, or know anyone that does, please email me at beautylogicblog@yahoo.com

Danessa Myricks -Interview MakeUp Artist & Win her DVD The Art of Contouring

When Sam Fine recently recommended on twitter, makeup artist Danessa Myricks instructional  DVD's you know I had to get the inside scoop on her. Known for her amazing makeup artistry and her wonderful classes, Danessa Myricks is a very busy woman. So I was incredibly happy when she agreed to answer some of beautylogic's questions, and agreed to do a giveaway with us for one of her fabulous DVD's The Art of Contouring. So without further ado, let's meet Danessa.

1) How did you get started with makeup?

For my entire life I have always believed that my purpose in this world would be that of service to others. Although I felt that purpose I really did not know how it would manifest itself. I spent most of my adult life serving a boss in corporate America. I did my best work and enjoyed the privilege of climbing the corporate ladder. Time and time again after reaching the top of my career path the rug was suddenly pulled from under me. Be it corporate downsizing or the economy, after years of great work I was always forced to start again. My last corporate position was as a VP of marketing at a publishing company. I spent years learning the business and growing with the company only to find my self faced yet again with "corporate restructuring".

I was basically out of work again and collecting unemployment. I knew right away that I wanted to take the path of ownership because I wanted to be in control of my destiny. As a single mother with two children I had no time to waste in the decision making process so I looked to what was closest to me.

In my last position we did many photo shoots for our magazines. I knew that we often hired hair and makeup talent both good and not so good and at the end of the day everyone got paid. Since going to school for a year to learn hair was not an option, I picked makeup as a way to create instant income for myself and figured that I could learn on the job and earn money in the process. I did not have any previous training beyond playing with my own makeup so I decided to research makeup artists who were considered "greats". I purchased 2 books, "Fine Beauty" and "Making Face". I simply studied the pictures and learned what great makeup looked like. I then called everyone I knew and asked them to give me an opportunity. A wedding was the first opportunity given to me by a friend. The day before the wedding I cashed my unemployment check for that week, ran to Walgreens, and purchased a handful of Black Opal Foundation, some pencils, sponges, a few lip glosses, and eye shadow trios. I was really nervous but somehow I made it through. The client was happy and that wedding lead to other referrals.

I worked for free for a while to build my skill and get pictures and then started to get paid a couple of hundred dollars for the day. By the end of my first year I did my first be commercial job with Luster products and the rest is history.

2) What are some makeup trends that will be popular in the fall?

Strong Brows

Multidimensional Eye Looks

Metallics

Smoldering gold, copper and brown eyes

Glitter on the eyes and lips

Berry lip stains

Orangey/red lip tones

3) Is there a certain product that you think is flattering on all skin tones and types?

Everyone looks great in a smoky eye and pale lips. 

Lashes are also a gal's best friend. Everyone looks beautiful with lashes and lipgloss!

4) What 5 products are always in Danessa' s makeup bag?

Cover FX Foundation

Mac Brow Pencils

Imakeyoubeautiful.com Glitter Eye Pods

Matte Neutral toned shadows

Black Liner

5) What is the biggest mistake you see women making with their makeup?

Trying to force one color of foundation to work over their entire face.  Skin will generally have multiple tones, darker on the edges and brighter throughout the t zone area. When you use one shade of foundation, the tone of the makeup is not a great fit in one or more parts of the face.

6) What other makeup artist have you admired. 

Like most makeup artists I have always admired Sam Fine, Kevyn Aucion, Billy B, Roxanna Floyd and Pat McGrath

7) Tell me a quick make up tip?

Make your eye shadow last around the clock by basing all of your shadow colors with a creme color base.

8) What beauty advice can you give us?

Be true to yourself and your personality. Don’t be a slave to trends. They don’t always work for everybody especially of it is not within your comfort zone

9) What life advice can you give us?

Live your life in service of others. Always remember that you can get whatever you want in life as long as you help enough other people get what they want.

10) What is in your makeup bag that is under $10.00

I Envy By Kiss Lashes and Adhesive

Ruby Kisses Eyeshadows

Ruby Kisses Lip gloss

Kiss New York 24 hour Luxury Liners

11) What are 3 makeup items that come from the drugstore that you think are just as good as high-end products?

All of the items in my answer to question #11. Kiss products are very well thought out and very well made. Much of their cosmetics are made in Germany which is known for pumping out some of the top beauty products in the industry

12) What makeup item do you think every woman should use and why? Whether it be mascara, gloss. 

Wearing a great coat of mascara is the perfect way to instantly wake up the face and give it a little lift . 

13) What is you favorite feature to emphasize on a woman? 

If I had my choice to always wear or apply makeup on one feature I would always choose the eyes. They make the biggest statement. Eyes tell an instant story. They are intoxicating! Eyes are also the one feature that you can effortlessly use to recreate yourself a million times over.

14) What advice can you give to someone who wants to become a makeup artist, but doesn't know where to begin. 

Find a makeup artist that inspires you and does the things that you see yourself doing then walk directly in their footsteps. The fantastic thing that we all have in our reach right now is a path that has been trail blazed by someone else. Follow their path until you find your own way. 

Secondly, Never be afraid to volunteer. It will be your best teacher.

15) What gave you the courage to leave the industry you were in, and take over the makeup world. 

I love this question. I’m not sure that I have taken over the makeup world but I am certainly aspiring to leave a memorable mark!  One thing that was said to me that I will never forget is that if you always do what you always did you will always get what you always got. I know what my part looked and felt like. I wanted a different result. I wanted to control my destiny. For me the challenge of pursuing a career in makeup was a necessity and it has proven to be the biggest and best career decision I have made in my entire life.

Danessa will be teaching at :

Bronner Brothers International Hair Show in Atlanta GA Aug 6-10.

On Sunday there will be "A day with Danessa" This is a day of free look and learn education.

Bennet Career Institute, Washington DC 8/22

Contours and Finishes 8 hour hands on Boot Camp

Eyes Eyebrow & Eyelashes 8 Hour Hands on Bootcamp Oct 10th NYC

Thanks Danessa for your great answers. We love you here.

You can win a copy of Danessa's DVD

The Art of Contouring by just entering a comment here or emailing me "I need to learn to Contour by Danessa". Winner gets announced on Monday, August 9.

 Danessa thanks for this. You're wonderful. 

Hugs, 

DE 

Chit Chat with Vera Steimberg (Personal Makeup Artist to Zoe Saldana)

You guys know how much I adore Zoe Saldana. I've mentioned her many times on beautylogic. Her personal makeup artist Vera Steimberg is a friend to the blog, and we got a chance to talk to Vera a little about herself, and how she started in the business, and how she got to not only be Zoe Saldana's makeup artist, but Eddie Muryphy's personal makeup artist as well. So without further ado, let's meet the lovely Vera Steimberg. 

Vera tell Beautylogic a little about you and how you got be the personal makeup artist of Eddie Murphy and Zoe Saldana:

i was born and raced in Argentina and went to make up school in Buenos Aires. I moved to LA in 1995. always loved doing make up and making up my friends before we went out.

After a few years of working for different people, I finally entered  union local 706 and started working on movies. I worked on many movies, and became Eddie Murphy's personal make up artist.

I was the make up department head on a movie called Death At A Funeral which came out in April 2010, that's  where i met Zoe Saldana. Since then I've been working with her.

What's your beauty regimen in the morning?

My regimen in the morning and nite time is always to use a cleanser and moisturizer!!!! Hydrating the skin and keeping it clean its a MUST!!!!

What's your daily beauty regime?

On a daily basis, I use very little, natural make up. But i do love make up when i go out on my eyes. I love doing eyes the most.   Eye Liner, Smoky Eyes.....always works!

What beauty products must all women have?

I cant live without moisturizers and lip balm! I dont like feeling dry on my face or lips. It  feels as if you wrinkle faster.

What's your beauty advice to us? 

My advice is always to keep the skin clean, and hydrated!!! Lots of water and rest makes miracles on the skin!

What's the best advice you've ever received?

The best advice I've ever received was to always think positive with love and focus and visualize what you really want in life. Everything is in divine order!

Thanks for chit chatting with us Vera.
Check Vera's blog out on www.makeupbyvera.com

Vera asked us not to use a photograph

Interviews: Tia Dantzler-Celebrity Makeup Artist

We love featuring amazing women on Beautylogic and we're so excited to introduce you to the brilliant Tia Dantzler. Tia  is one of the most sought after makeup artist around, having worked with not only  the president of the United States Barack Obama, but  celebrity clients like Jennifer Hudson, Maxwell, Kanye West and many more.  Her work can also be seen gracing the cover of Vogue, Glamour and many other publications. We're excited that Tia decided to talk beauty with us so without further ado, let's meet celebrity makeup artist Tia Dantzler.

1) How did you get started in Makeup?

I was asked to do makeup for a Bride, and reluctantly, I did and that's when I actually discovered my gift and I immediately started working behind the makeup counter to gain the necessary experience I needed to be a working Makeup Artist.

2) What are some common mistakes you see women doing with their makeup?

One mistake that I have seen with women, is finding the perfect foundation match to achieve that flawless look.  I suggest visiting your local cosmetic counters so you can actual apply the makeup and also get a second opinion.  When you purchase foundation from your local drugstores, buy a couple of shades so you can match perfectly and simply return the foundation that didn't work out.

3) This is a very competitive industry, how did you go from a regular makeup artist to a celebrity makeup artist?

I believe in working hard, being consistent and treating everyone that sits in my chair like a celebrity.  So I had a very organic progression into the entertainment industry.  I aimed at being the best at what I did and everything else fell right into place.  I truly believe that becoming a "Celebrity Makeup Artist" was apart of my destiny.

4) You worked with President Obama. How was he?

Receiving the call to work with President Barack Obama the 1st time was such a honor for me.  Both times were absolutely nerve wrecking however, each time President Barack Obama said something funny to ease my nervousness so that I could do my job.  It was truly some great experiences for me that I will not soon forget.

5) What is always always always in your makeup bag? 

One staple product that my kit can not survive without is Bobbi Brown's Creme Gel liner in Black Ink. 

6) What is in your makeup bag that is under $10.00?

I'm big on well groomed brows so I would have to say my Ardell Clear Brow Set which keeps your brows tamed and polished.

7) What is the one makeup product that you think all women should own?

One product that I believe every woman should own is MASCARA because it serves so many purposes depending on your needs.  Mascara can brings definition to the eyes, it opens up the eyes, it curls, lengthens, and thickens all at the same time.

8) What are some of the trends you see now in beauty?

One trend that I'm loving is the flawless barely there makeup look.  Skin that's breathable and glowing, fits in perfectly for the spring.

9) For newbies in makeup what resources can they use to learn more?

The best resource for "young" Makeup Artist is the internet. You can gain so much knowledge on the net whether it's researching your favorite Makeup Artist path to success, to finding a Makeup School in your area.  I also recommend going to the library do more research for your industry.

10) What advice would you give to young women trying to make it in the industry?

 My advice would be to work hard, study your craft, and to do all the free work you can so you gain knowledge and experience.

Thanks Tia, you're amazing. 

Big Hugs, 

DE 

Denise Vasi- Beauty of the Week

There’s something you guys don’t know about me. I’m quite the soap opera addict. Well not just any soap, but one in particular-All My  Children. Growing up, I clearly remember my nine aunts  gathering around the television anxiously waiting for it to begin. I never quite understood why they were obsessed with the soap, until around a year ago when my work schedule changed to nights and all of a sudden, I found myself hooked on it as well. There is one particular storyline that I can’t get enough of- Randi and Frankie. If you don’t know about these two, you need to start watching. The character of Randi is played by the  beautiful Denise Vasi. The first time I watched her on screen, I swore to myself that I knew her from somewhere. I quickly realized I didn’t know her personally but from the countless modeling, commercials and tv series that I had seen her in. This stunning woman of Puerto Rican, Dominican and Greek ethnicity is literally everywhere, from Target ads, Disney Films,

 to being the face of Olay,  to also being in the new book,  Cosmo’s sexiest Beauty Secrets. When I reached out to Denise and asked if she would share her beauty secrets with beautylogic readers, she was more than wonderful. I’d like to thank Denise for being so sweet, and for giving beautylogic readers the inside scoop on her beauty regime so without further ado, let’s meet Denise Vasi

What is your  beauty regime morning and night? 

My morning regimen starts off with make up remover called Bioderma Crealine TS H20 to remove anything I may not have gotten off the night before.  This is the most amazing makeup remover. It’s like water, doesn’t irritate the skin, contains no oils and works like magic. There was a point you could only find it in France or the French occupied islands, but now I’m pretty sure you can get it online. Then I use a cleanser, usually Olay facial scrub and follow it with L’oreal Hydra Renewal moisturizer. This product is just as good as high-end brands. At night its pretty much the same steps but, I'll use a facial cream made specially for night called Emergin C (d-red strengthening balm). I must be truthful I'm really bad about taking off my makeup. I try and keep my routine minimal. Wash and go. I love simple products like Cetaphil.  Skin is genetics!!!

 

What’s your makeup routine? 

I keep two makeup routines. One I call “The Quickie” which takes no more than ten minutes. I use L’oreal’s True Match Concealer, a splash of color on the cheeks with my Artistry Timeless palette, some  Maybelline Great Lash Mascara or Anastasia mascara and some Lancaster Infinite Bronze Lipgloss.  Then there’s the  "Full Routine." Basically that’s more for evenings, events and special occasions. It includes my Armani Foundation, L’oreal True Match Concealer,  some eyeshadow from my Artistry Timeless Palette. ( I love color on the eyelids) Two coats of mascara, blush from my Artistry Timeless Palette, a little bronzer, powder to set and lastly lip gloss like my Mac varneesh.

 

What piece of beauty advice can you give us?

Buy products that you can use for an array of purposes. I have this amazing palette from Artistry. It has 4 colors from a nude hint to burgundy. I use it for my lips, cheeks, and lids separate or all together. A product like this is worth it because of the multiple uses you can get out of it. 

What's your hair Regime?  

I use  Remane Sidoine color retention hair shampoo/conditioner/mask . Warren Tricomi makes a great hair serum I use it when I'm doing my straight hair look and Mix Chicks for when I'm going curly.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you can give us?

A journey of a million miles begins with one step.

Check out  Denise on All my Children, and make sure you follow her twitter page.

Thanks Denise for being so wonderful. 

Big Hugs to you, 

DE