Jessica Jean Myers

Speed Factor

2012-01-30T18:19:00.000-05:00

I hope you guys enjoy seeing my work w/ Lilogi as much as I enjoy showing it b/c there is going to be A LOT more for the next couple of wks! Literally, it's like I'll have a whole new portfolio to print in a mth the way we keep producing such awesome work! I know I keep saying it but it really is fabulous to work w/ a bunch of ppl that can truly collaborate w/ and that respect and get your vision as much as you get theirs and therefore trust you enough to do your own thing!

Here's last week's pics from their Alexander Wang Sports Wear Week! Such a great shoot and such a gorgeous model! This was also a lot of fun b/c I got to work w/ my often mentioned Makeup/Hair partner in crime Ashley Readings. She did the AWESOME hair you are seeing in the pics! And I know it might be hard to appreciate b/c it looks like just a really smooth sleep high ponytail but you have to understand what she started w/! Eunique the model has some very gorgeous and BIG natural hair w/ A LOT of curl at the root so Ashley did an AMAZING job in blowing out that hair into the sleek and slick pony you see in the pics!

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Makeup Jessica Jean Myers

Hair Ashley Readings

Model Eunique (Elmer Olsen)

Seeing Pink

2012-01-26T10:26:00.001-05:00

Here's Last Week's Fashion Editorial from Lilogi - The HOTTEST, New Fashion Website in Town (Yeah maybe I'm a little bit biased ;) )! As you can see last week's theme was PINK! You should see the HOT STUFF up there this wk for Sport Wear Week!

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Model Hayley (Elmer)

Whitening Lightning - Tooth Whitening Review

2012-01-18T19:56:00.000-05:00

About a mth ago the great people at Whitening Lightning sent me a new Tooth Whitening product to try out (sorry Whitening Lightning for not doing the review sooner lol). I used the product for approx. 14 days every night and I have to say I'm IMPRESSED w/ the results!

What makes this whitening product different than a lot of the other ones out on the market is that first off it's a Pen that you twist up and paint the product on your teeth...much like those brush on lipglosses that you twist up to release product. The pen is great b/c it's small and convenient - you can throw it in your purse or toiletry bag if you're going away and need to use it while you're gone. The pen also makes it very easy to apply the product directly to your teeth and you really only need a small amount of the product too.

It's also a lot less messy and less intrusive than those teeth whitening trays or strips that you have to wear for 30 mins at a time. Just put this on before bed, go to sleep and wake up the next morning w/ whiter teeth...couldn't be easier! The product remains on your teeth till you brush it off the next day and apparently it's a lot less harsh for your gums then some of the other brands on the market (important if you have sensitive gums). Although you should still try to avoid getting it on your gums.

There's also no unpleasant taste like w/ a lot of whiteners and one of the biggest pluses for me was that I could use it to remove stains from my teeth bondings (I have a couple of teeth w/ bonding on them and traditional whiteners don't work on them). They also have a money back guarantee so you can't really go wrong there!

As an added BONUS readers of my blog get a special DISCOUNT if you want to purchase the product - just type in JESSICA70 (all caps) and get 70% off your ENTIRE ORDER! How cool is that!

To use you just twist up the product and paint it directly on the teeth. From there just take your hairdryer and blow dry your teeth for approx. 30 secs and that's it! Apparently, it also helps prevent morning breath...nice added bonus ;)

Here's some Before & After pics of my Teeth...I know not the most attractive pics but hey I think it does show a difference! It says you can lighten your teeth 7-10 shades...mine weren't that stained but still there's a difference!

BEFORE

AFTER

Brides, Brides & More Brides

2012-01-10T22:02:00.000-05:00

So recently I've been in contact w/ several of my brides and their photographers trying to hunt down some of the pics from their gorgeous weddings back in the Fall. I LOVE seeing pics after the wedding day. So rewarding seeing my work on these beautiful women and being part of their special day. Plus it's great for my website ;)

I thought instead of doing a million (okay like 4) posts w/ different pics of my brides I'd just do 1 post w/ a collection of the pics I've received recently!

Laurel - Photos courtesy of Tyler @ Mango Studios

This wedding was actually on my b-day so you know it's kind of special for me lol!

I did all the Makeup & Ashley Readings my "Other Half" did all the Hair

Love how all the dresses are jewel tones but different!

Jennifer - Photos courtesy of Josh Cornell @ Naomi Studios

You may remember Jennifer for an earlier post. She is going to be featured as a contestant on Canada's Four Weddings. I think her episode airs in March. I hope she wins! What a fabulous group!

I did all the Hair!

Mona - Photos courtesy of Jenn @ Studio Studios

This was somewhat of a last min booking for me but I'm so glad I got to work w/ both Mona and her Maid of Honour

I did both Makeup & Hair

Natsuko - Photos courtesy of Jag Photography

I did both the Makeup & Hair for Natsuko and she was so nice! It was such a pleasure to be able to fit her into my schedule as I remember that was a crazy day where I had two weddings and a trial booked!

Future, Now

2012-01-09T10:24:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest video from Lilogi that I promised you! ENJOY! FYI if you are watching this from the main blog page you'll have to scroll down and Pause the other Lilogi video Petals b/c they both start as soon as you come on to the blog.

Directed & Edited by Renee Rodenkirchen

Produced by Lilogi

Styled by Alexandra Loeb

Makeup & Hair by Jessica Jean Myers

Hair Assistant Jade Truscott

Model Astrid (Elmer Olsen)

The New Future

2012-01-07T14:14:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest shoot brought to you by the fab ppl at Lilogi! This is the last of the shoot pics on the one day when we knocked out 3 amazing shoots for the website! But don't worry I'm booked 2 full days next wk w/ Lilogi for 6 - YES 6 upcoming shoots/videos...gonna be 2 REALLY long days lol but I look forward to the challenge b/c I know the rewards will be SO WORTH IT! Seriously, in like 3 mths I'll have a completely new book! I'm definitely going to have to go get some more sheets to add to my portfolio b/c I'm already close to the end.

I loved all the shoots that day but I don't know something about this one really made me just go FUCK YEAH! I'll be honest I didn't actually have a firm concept of what I wanted to do in terms of makeup at first and in fact wiped off what I did part way through and started from scratch b/c I wasn't digging it...so glad I did that b/c this was definitely the right direction to go in. Maybe that's why I love it so much - I really just developed it on the spot working w/ the model and her features specifically.

The model (Astrid) is actually wearing a black wig but the style so suits her and makes her piercing blue eyes pop even more! For the makeup I decided to actually keep it somewhat simple. I lightened the brows and did some gold on the eyes but where the drama came in was w/ the lashes and liner. I did 2 full sets of lashes on top and also a dramatic corner lash on the bottom w/ lots of black liner and I LOVE the results! I wanted her to have flawless skin (which was easy cuz her skin was amazing) and not a lot of colour but some really nice contoured cheekbones. Again the lips are rather natural - nude layered w/ a bit of gold. I really went big w/ the nails lol! I did a LONG tip and we painted them gold and dipped the tips in gold glitter! The look was all about Gold and coming into the New Year and The New Future! We wanted to create something that felt very modern and strong and I think we definitely did that.

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Model Astrid (Elmer Olsen)

Hair Assistant Jade Truscott

Look Out for the Video from this shoot Tomorrow!

Goals, Resolutions & Reflections 2012 Edition!

2012-01-06T10:50:00.003-05:00

I know it's about a wk after New Years and usually I would have posted this sooner but after a crazy whirlwind Dec. I wanted to take a week off from the blog and just catch up on some things. Every year I like to reflect on the past year - what I've accomplished, what I still need to work on, how far I've come etc.

I just re-read my post from last year about my Resolutions for the New Year and it really reminds me one of the reasons I love having a blog so much. It's always so amazing and interesting to me go back and remind myself where I was at that point in my life. What was going on, how I was feeling, where I saw myself going...all of that.

Last year I had such a sense of renewed optimism and I have to say for the most part I've really carried that through this entire year! I still feel very optimistic about everything the future holds for me. In general I think I'm a pretty optimistic person. Sometimes, this surprises ppl b/c I am very blunt, sometimes harsh and a realist by nature but I'm also very positive and I do believe in striving to be the best you can and continually working towards the future whatever that may hold.

After re-reading last years Resolutions/Goals I think I did pretty well...but you know what I could have def. done better! Let's talk about what I did well!

I def. accomplished my goals for my Bridal Business and Website! I built a new bridal website and I think that helped the biz a lot! My first year doing Bridal I worked on approx. 20 weddings and this year I kicked my goal to double that out of the water...by year end I had worked on approx. 48 weddings I believe! Plus I already have several booked for this year already! Last year at this time I had no weddings booked at this time!

I def. made more money! I won't get into numbers but let's just say I almost doubled what I made last year from Makeup & Hair work! No I'm not rolling in the $$$ trust me lol! But that's a HUGE improvement and I did get more commercial/fashion paid work and I def. got more bridal work! Plus I'm feeling very optimistic that that number will only continue to grow!

I updated my blog more! And I think overall I was giving some pretty good content so I'm happy about that! In fact last year I wrote more blog entries than any other year I've had the blog!

I've improved on my Hair Skills a ton! As you all know I've even done several weddings where I've just done the hair! Two years ago I never would have dreamed about that! I do still need to work on the airbrushing though...I got some new airbrush foundations and I think that will make a HUGE difference b/c I was just NOT LOVING the brand I had!

I've def. stepped up and started paying off some of my debt so that makes me REALLY happy b/c anyone who knows me knows I HATE debt! It took awhile just to catch up on things b/c I'm not going to lie the beg. of last year was really slow at first, plus there was moving to a new place and all the expenses that go along w/ that. But now I'm on the right track and I'm feeling good! I do need to start saving though...that's one area I still need to work on!

I've networked w/ more ppl in the biz but again it's an area I need to work on...I'll be honest ppl are surprised by this b/c one on one I'm quite outgoing and even a bit loud but I have a real problem at parties and events going up to ppl I don't know and talking...plus I have a weird phobia of the phone...I really don't know where I'd be w/out the internet I swear!

I didn't get an agent but you know what I'm not that sad about that one...it wasn't the right time and I did okay on my own...doesn't mean I'm not going to try again this year though ;)

The thing I actually probably didn't stick to the most was the working out and weight loss. Disappointing I know esp. since I was doing so good at the end of last year! This is the one thing I'd probably give myself an F on! In 2010 I was really good about working out! I was doing Boot Camp, I had a personal trainer at one point, I was going to the gym reg. I don't really know what went wrong on that front in 2011 so I'm not going to make excuses but just say that is def. NOT going to happen this year! I literally live 1 min from my gym so there are NO EXCUSES!

Okay now on to my GOALS for this YEAR!

1. Travel More! Traveling is REALLY important to me and that's one area I really neglected last year. Probably b/c I was busy building my business and trying to catch up on the debt game but I'm going to make it a priority again this year! The only trip I went on last year was a few days in Las Vegas in Feb...that was almost a year ago...that's not acceptable lol!

2. Learn Moderation in Living! I'm not going to make ABSOLUTES about Eating, Working Out & Weight Loss b/c I think that's a bit of my problem - I'm ALL or NOTHING! When I'm on I'm on but when I'm off Holy Shit lol! So this year I want to learn not to beat myself up if I have a bad meal or don't hit the gym 5 days/wk. Of course I want to loss weight and get in better shape but I need to take baby steps. I want to drink MORE WATER! This is something I need to work on...and I actually have to make an effort to drink 8 glasses a day. I need to take the stairs more...I did this in Shanghai and well it doesn't hurt lol. Eat for hunger not boredom or emotional reasons.

3. Grow My Business EVEN MORE! I worked on approx. 48 Weddings last year - this year I want AT LEAST 60! I also want to work on networking and building relationships more so that I can build my Commercial/Fashion business more. Yes, I love my brides but I also need something to occupy more time during the wk lol!

4. MORE Self Promotion! I think I'm okay at getting my name out there but I could do better. This goes along w/ the networking but I want to find more ways to promote myself and "my brand". Whether it's approaching ppl to do Guest Blog posts, reaching out to brands to collaborate w/ or just meeting new ppl.

5. Debt & Savings! I WILL pay off my Line of Credit this Year! And I WILL start Saving more aggressively for the Future! Overall I'll be honest I am pretty good and living within my means and budgeting my money...I'm proud of that b/c there are A LOT of ppl who aren't!

6. Read More! I know this sounds kind of silly but I really feel like I'm not evolving mentally enough lately and I think it's b/c I'm not reading as much as I use to. I'm a curious person and I want to start reading more again and just overall keep myself up-to-date on current events and the world around me. I'm part of what can be a very superficial business and I don't want to let myself become too ill informed or lazy intellectually. I also just feel sometimes like my language and vocabulary skills are going to shit...I only speak one language as it is, it would be nice if I was fluent in it lol!

I think that's a good start there! Those are all pretty big Goals w/ multiple steps and levels...I'm sure as the year goes on the list will grow and change for me but I'm curious to see next year where I'll be and what will have changed!

Good Luck & Happy Belated New Years to Everyone! Many New Posts w/ New & Exciting Work to Come!

Tropical Paradise

2011-12-31T17:39:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I promised I'd share w/ you the pics from Tropical Paradise Week on Lilogi. So here you go!

Btw this is actually my 100th post for this year which is kind of exciting being that it's the last day of the year and all! Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year and I hope this past year has been as Exciting & Rewarding for you as it has been for me! Feeling very Optimistic about what the future may hold :)

So weird sometimes when I think I started this little blog over 3 years ago now while living in Shanghai! In some ways I don't know where the last 3 yrs have gone they seem to have happened so quickly and in some ways it feels like I was just there yesterday - not 3 years ago!

Petals - Another Lilogi Video

2011-12-30T17:12:00.000-05:00

Lilogi keeps pumping out the stuff lately I know! That's what's so great about working w/ them is since they change their content and pics everyday they need a lot of material which is great for me b/c it means I get to showcase a lot of work through them.

This mini video was actually shot during the first look that we did that day where we shot 3 different stories and it's in celebration of their Tropical Paradise Week! I'll post the pics from this past wk tomorrow probably!

As usual Renee Rodenkirchen did an awesome job on the shoot and in the editing b/c as you'll see the video is a little more "trippy" then some of the other ones! Sheila was a great model and what gorgeous skin!

Videographer/Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Hair Assistant Jade Truscott

Model Sheila (Elmer Olsen)

Illustrations Stephanie Ayoub

Just a side note - Where the HELL did this YEAR GO!?! Can't believe tomorrow is New Year's Eve! I did break my record for most posts in a year though so I'm really proud of that as it was a goal. Plus I do feel the content this year was overall really good and showcased a lot of awesome work I've gotten the chance to work on! Can't wait to see what next year brings!

Btw next wk Lilogi is taking on The Future...and I think it might possibly be my fav of the shoots....hard to say though as I haven't seen the final pics and I LOVE them all so much!

Mackenzie Final Pics!

2011-12-28T22:54:00.000-05:00

A couple of wks ago I shared w/ you some behind the scenes photos from my amazing (but cold) shoot down at Cherry Beach featuring up and coming singer Mackenzie.

Photographer Zach Hertzman was kind enough to send me a collection of the final pictures from the shoot so of course I want to share some w/ you b/c they look awesome! Zach did an amazing job of getting a great variety of both soft and edgy photos which is great to show her versatility as an artist.

Sorry there are so many but I just LOVE them so much! Such a great backdrop and location too!

Is it just me or does it not look like it's either Spring or Fall in these pics? In my opinion you'd never know these were shot in Toronto in late Nov/beg Dec. Mackenzie was such a professional out there!

Lilogi Holiday Week - Final Images

2011-12-27T23:42:00.002-05:00

So yesterday I promised you a look at the final images from "Holiday Week" at Lilogi. I know it's 11:30 pm here but I just got back to Toronto about an hr ago (God it feels GOOD to be home) so give me a break on the lateness of this entry lol! I promise you won't be disappointed. Esp. if you never made it over to Lilogi and this is the first time you're going to see the images!

I personally LOVE them and I'm so proud to have worked w/ Lilogi on them!

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Hair Assistant Jade Truscott

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Model Oksana (Elmer Olsen)

New Video From Lilogi - WHITE LIGHT

2011-12-26T11:45:00.000-05:00

First off Happy Holidays and I hope you are all having a lovely holiday season whatever you may or may not celebrate! I'm in Windsor visiting family and eating WAY TOO MUCH that is for sure...but it's once a year so I figure whatever lol!

Last Fri. Lilogi premiered their latest Video Editorial - WHITE LIGHT which I had the pleasure of working on! This was actually the last of the 3 shoots we did that day and I'm really proud of the work I did for the whole day and particularly this shoot. This was part of the "Ice Queen" shoot and I've already shared w/ you little snippets of the pics from that shoot. I'll show you the full pics tomorrow don't worry ;)

It's cool b/c every day they change the wallpaper on the site to a different pic from the shoot so make sure you check out the site EVERY DAY for new pics and new content!

So if you haven't had the pleasure yet of seeing the video w/out further adieu here you go!

Also this week is the start of Tropical Paradise on Lilogi...which also features the work of yours truly so make sure you check it out!

Last Minute Stocking Stuff - I Love...

2011-12-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

So the great ppl at I Love... sent me a very nice little package to try out right before the holidays and I just have to say I LOVE - I Love...!

You may have actually seen the products in Shoppers Drug Mart (Canadians) recently and they are fairly new to Canada but got their start overseas in Europe. They are very much in line and look similar to another MORE EXPENSIVE brand that I'm sure many of you are familar w/ called Philosophy. Just like Philosophy they come in all sorts of YUMMY flavours like Coconut & Cream, Strawberries & Milkshake, Lemons & Limes plus a bunch of others! Some ppl don't like body products that smell like food but I love anything that smells like a yummy dessert or fruity tropical cocktail lol! I ended up going w/ Mango & Papaya and it's exactly what I needed to lift my spirits right before this dreary weather really starts to set in! I personally love anything that smells like a tropical vacation so I'm all about things that smell like tropical fruit or coconut.

In my package they sent me a really nice Body Wash/Bubble Bath that lathers wonderfully when used w/ your shower puff, a great exfoliant that I really like b/c it's not too coarse and it doesn't scratch the skin and a body butter which feels great and is very rich and luxurious on the skin esp. in this cold weather when my skin esp. my hands is starting to get all cracked and dry - eww!

As mentioned up above it has very similar packaging and style to a lot of Philosphy's products but one thing it doesn't have is the high price tag! I'm all for Philosphy's Cinnamon Bun Body Wash but I'm not for paying $21 for it to be honest lol! These products are ususally around the $10/each mark...much more affordable and feel every bit as luxurious and indulgent for your skin and your senses. If you're looking for a last min gift or thing to throw in the stocking I think the I Love... products are a great way to go. I mean what girl, teen, woman doesn't LOVE fancy bath products lol!

Plus I just checked out their Coming Soon products and I think I may explode! The next two flavours they are coming out w/ are Juicy Watermelon & Tropical Paradise! I think they are literally creating this brand w/ my smell palette in mind! Tropcial Paradise - UMM YES! And I LOVE Watermelon flavoured things! Watermelon is my fav fruit and it's my fav flavour for Jelly Bellys lol! So seriously I LOVE - I Love...

American Essentials - Behind the Scenes

2011-12-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I got the chance to work on a really fun and easy going Look Book shoot for a Men's Lounge Wear Company called - American Essentials. It's great working on shoots like this b/c

1. It's Men's Grooming which let's be real usually tends to be VERY simple in terms of Makeup/Hair. In fact I stand by the rule I don't even put full foundation on most men. Just moisturize, prime, conceal where necessary and some powder foundation and we're good. The biggest part of my day was just pushing the hair off the model's face lol. Plus they wanted him to have a bed head sort of look for most of the day so it wasn't like the hair had to be "perfect".

2. It's commercial work therefore it pays pretty decent and it's always good to get more clean commercial work in your book. Esp. for a company like this b/c they have a higher end brand and are putting some money into the shoot therefore you know the pics are going to be solid.

3. The team was great and so nice! Very relaxed but professional. I really hope I get to work w/ them all again in the future b/c it just made the day a lot nicer! And the condo we were shooting in was so nice! The owner even left tons of snacks for us to munch on lol! Plus it was only a 10 min walk from my apt...can't beat that!

It's so funny b/c this time of year tends to be a bit slower esp. leading right up to Christmas but I'm actually super busy this wk and I'm really happy that I was able to fit this shoot in. When Catherine Kaiser, the Art Director contacted me about the shoot I was so happy it didn't conflict w/ any of the other work I had scheduled this wk! Plus always great to meet and network w/ new ppl!

The photographer was William Suarez. Another new person for me but I can't wait to see the finished results from this shoot b/c the stuff I saw in the camera looked gorgeous - so cool and sophisticated! Perfect for the brand

There was one familiar face on the shoot for me though. And that was the model Jerald from B&M. I had actually assisted on a shoot he worked on a couple of years back when I first came back from Shanghai. I did his grooming and the second I saw him on set I recognized him. Such a nice guy and professional...plus of course not too hard on the eyes either lol!

Here's some behind the scenes photos from the day! We shot from early afternoon to night but I can't give too much away from the shoot ;)

I slicked the hair to the side for a couple of the looks

Lilogi Creator - Nicky Feix

2011-12-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

Anyone who's been reading this blog lately knows I've been promoting the hell out of Lilogi and it's official launch last wk! Well Holiday Week is finally here and I worked the main shoot for it so expect a lot more Lilogi stuff from me this wk (be prepared ;) ). In fact EVERY day there will be a new picture from the "Ice Queen" shoot I worked on featured as the wallpaper on the main page...that means make sure to visit the site EVERY DAY to see my AWESOME work lol!

Also, today Lilogi was actually featured on INSTYLE.com on their What's Right Now List - #5! VERY VERY COOL!

On Sat. I did a quick headshot shoot for Lilogi creator Nicky Feix. She's a really cool, laid back chick and we wanted to capture that w/ the shoot. This meant keeping the makeup minimal but still keeping her trademark eyeliner and taming her insane mane of hair...but not too much ;)

Here's the official shot courtesy of Arash Moellemi and a couple of behind the scenes photos courtesy of Alexandra Loeb

I actually really like this Behind the Scenes pic of me...normally I look so angry while working but I actually look softer here lol.

Dairy-Free Love - Official Pics

2011-12-15T11:06:00.000-05:00

I wrote to you last wk and shared some of my behind the scenes pics of the awesome promo shoot I worked on w/ my good friend Victoria Murdoch for her upcoming one woman show Dairy-Free Love!

Well photographer Joanna Haughton has already finished up all the pics and can I just say they are AMAZING! Seriously, I'm going to share w/ you a bunch and I'm sorry there are so many but I just LOVE them all lol! It really was a great team effort and there wasn't one weak element in the shoot - it just all came together so well and I love when that happens!

Btw, last time I mentioned I would give you a little write up about the show and I'm just going to steal this right from Victoria b/c being that it's her show she of course can explain it more eloquently then I can lol!

Savory Entertainment presents Dairy-Free Love. A play that examines life, love, and marriage through the eyes of pleasantly quirky, "Dawn", who uses her laptop and web cam to broadcast her daily live-streamed internet cooking show "Dawn's Delight's" to her loyal global audience. This clever blend of comedy and drama takes the shape of a one-hour cooking demonstration, during which Dawn prepares a full batch of dairy-free chocolate mousse live onstage - all while sharing her own brand of advice through a series of laugh-out-loud personal stories. The audience will laugh and cry with Dawn as she invites you into her home, her life, and her heart. Dairy-Free Love is an emotionally fulfilling treat that will leave you wanting seconds!

Doesn't that sound great!

Lilogi Official Launch! Sneak Peak of HOLIDAY WEEK!

2011-12-14T11:19:00.001-05:00

My friends at Lilogi have OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED their site w/ a wk dedicated to ALL THINGS CHANEL! Seriously, the site is gorgeous please check it out you won't be disappointed! Every day they do a new little segment about the brand and it's history and today's segment is about MAKEUP! Specifically Chanel's Lipstick! I mean seriously if you are going to fork out some money on a luxury lipstick why not make it a classic Chanel red lipstick...what a statement piece when you whip that out to re-apply!

They also are featuring an exclusive interview Fulvia Farolfi, one of only five artists recognized in the CHANEL Makeup Artist Program. She speaks in depth about CHANEL's iconic red lipsticks and her favourite shades, tips and tricks for wearing the statement shade!

I'm so excited to be brought in on the ground level of this exciting time for Lilogi b/c I just know the site is going to explode it's just so interesting, varied and different then a lot of other fashion sites out there!

Next wk they also officially launch their Holiday Special which I had the pleasure of working on and I have a couple of Exclusive Sneak Peak images to share w/ you! I haven't been this excited about something I've worked on in a LONG TIME! Seriously, if I do say so myself...I rock! The whole team that day rocked! Special thanks also goes out to my assistant Jade that day b/c she rocked and assistants are often the forgotten unsung heros on shoots!

These images are just stunning and they are only snippets of the FULL images so I'm DYING w/ anticipation b/c I'm IN LOVE w/ these already! I haven't seen the end result images either yet so to say I'm a bit excited is an understatement...it's seriously like waiting to unwrap a gift lol!

The inspiration behind the Holiday Shoot was Ice Queen! We wanted cool, majestic and dripping w/ luxury and "ice" and I think we definitely achieved all that and more! I'm really proud of my hair work that day...I used a trusty "hair rat" to get the job done and I love the simplicity of the makeup in a way but still so striking and avant garde....sometimes holding back a bit and not going "too far" is really what makes the biggest statement! Plus I really couldn't have asked for a better model in Oksana...she was such a Pro! Great energy even in the cold and she really brought that cool Ice Queen character to life!

Holiday

Photographer Renee Rodenkirchen

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Hair Assistant Jade Truscott

Model Oksana (Elmer Olsen)

So PLEASE Check Out & Subscribe to Lilogi! I promise you WON'T be DISAPPOINTED!

Hadi & Gina's Wedding Video

2011-12-12T10:52:00.000-05:00

You may remember a few mths ago I worked w/ a beautiful bride named Gina on her wedding day at The Old Mill. Photographer Paul Nelson shared w/ me some beautiful pictures from the day that I absolutely LOVE! Well his team has done it again! They just finished up a short video of the wedding and I wanted to share it w/ you here b/c it's just FABULOUS! A really captures what a fun and lovely couple Hadi & Gina really are!

I've noticed over the past couple of years wedding videographers are really becoming much more common at weddings and I think it's great to be able to capture live all the fun and excitement of the day in a video that you'll be able to look back. Seeing the live action video really helps take you back to the day and helps you remember just how wonderful it really was!

Hope you enjoy the video! You can even see me a couple of times working my magic in the background lol! I wanted to put it up directly on the blog but for some reason the server keeps rejecting the video when I go to upload so you'll have to just click on the links. Sorry :(

East Meets West - Multicultural Weddings

2011-12-11T09:01:00.001-05:00

As we all know Canada is a very multicultural country so it's only expected then that there would be a rise in recent years w/ multicultural weddings. I love working on multicultural weddings b/c they are usually really unique and I love when the couples try and blend both of their cultures and traditions into the day and really make it their own.

Back in Sept. I had the pleasure of working w/ a lovely bride - Marjorie on her multicultural wedding. Marjorie was marrying Jason who happened to be Korean. Therefore they were blending her Western traditions w/ his Korean traditions. Which meant a very bright, colourful and eclectic day!

I've worked a lot of Asian weddings in the past esp. Chinese but I'll be honest this was my first Korean wedding! They were doing both a Christian wedding ceremony and a traditional Korean wedding ceremony. So Marjorie had two outfits - a more traditional style white western dress (but not too traditional it was tea length) and then the traditional Korean wedding ceremony outfit which was handmade and incredibly elaborate and colourful. It was so intricate and it even had a special headpiece and shoes. I knew I had to have pics from this wedding!

Marjorie is a very simple woman (like so many of my brides) and therefore wanted to keep her makeup very clean and soft. So I used muted browns and taupes on the eyes. Soft pink blush and a beautiful neutral lip. I did a very soft and romantic curled side updo and I'm very happy to see from the pics that the hair held up even after the Korean ceremony w/ the elaborate headpiece! During the Korean ceremony traditional red circles are painted on the cheeks but Marjorie opted for red stickers (a more modern approach) so as to not mess up her makeup lol.

I have to give a shout out and thank you to Irina the photographer for the day. She did a beautiful job of capturing this multicultural event and shared w/ me a lot of great photos from the day...including quite a few of me at work ;) Can't wait to add a couple of these to my site!

Me @ Work!

I like this one of me working..Marjorie is smiling and so am I...so often I look so angry and serious while I work lol!

Marjorie & Jason in their "Western" Wedding Attire

This one was at the end of the night and I was VERY happy to see how good the hair looked still!

So glowing and soft...I LOVE it!

Traditional Korean Ceremony - So Beautiful & Elaborate!

Dairy-Free Love Promo Shoot

2011-12-07T23:49:00.001-05:00

Early last week fellow blogger & my long time friend (she was actually the first person I met & talked to at York University) Victoria Murdoch approached me about helping her out w/ Hair & Makeup for her upcoming promo shoot for her one woman show - Diary-Free Love. The shoot was to take place on Fri. and I didn't have anything booked so of course being the good friend I am I agreed! Also I knew Vicki would have awesome treats to feed us so how could I say no ;)

The theme was sort of vintage 50s/60s house wife but in a modern kitchen setting...another reason I agreed. Anyone who reads this blog knows I LOVE me some RED lipstick, Mad Men style and Vintage Hairstyling! There was actually an element of red woven throughout the shoot from Vicki's shoes, to her nails, to the lipstick and even the bowls she used as props.

I'll tell you more about the actual show when I have the "Real" Promo Pics to share w/ you...I'll let Vicki give me a little synopsis b/c anything I say isn't going to do it justice lol.

So as I mentioned before it was 50s/60s vintage all the way for styling. Victoria has great features for this sort of look - perfectly full lips w/ a great cupid's bow (perfect for a bold red lip), pale creamy skin and full brows. Plus, this shoot gave me another opportunity to work on perfecting an awesome beehive hairstyle! I had brought a "hair rat" for stuffing for volume but you know what I didn't even need it...the pics - that's ALL Vicki's hair! I was going for something over-the-top...even a bit cartoonish and I think I accomplished that one!

The photographer from the shoot was actually another fellow blogger and Vicki's old university roommate - Joanna Haughton. So it was a really relaxed and fun half day shoot where we were all able to catch up, gossip and have some laughs. I can't wait to see the finished product b/c I know it's going to be AWESOME!

Here's some behind the scenes pics. Any pics where you see me working are courtesy of Joanna Haughton and her blog!

Yeah I did some MAJOR TEASING!

Joanna & Vicki

Joanna is birthing a giant light here!

Every night during the show Vicki is actually going to make the dessert she is tasting in the pic - Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse - YUMMY!

VEET GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2011-12-06T22:34:00.001-05:00

Thank you to ALL that ENTERED for the VEET Giveaway Prize Pack!

The WINNER is #6 - FRAGILEHEART

Contact me so I can pass your info onto the correct ppl and you can get your PRIZE!

CONGRATULATIONS!

New ACF Magazine Editorial!

2011-12-02T17:55:00.001-05:00

Just had another editorial published in a really cool all Canadian content magazine called ACF Magazine. It's always a pleasure to work the ACF team and I'm proud to be a part of that's promoting Canada and Canadian fashion. The editorial was actually shot a couple of mths ago over at The Brickworks in Toronto and it features the jewelry and accessory designs of Steampunk jewelry designer Melissa Wartenberg.

Photographer Chris Thompson

Makeup & Hair Jessica Jean Myers

Stylist Alexandra Loeb

Model Shelby (Elmer Olsen)

My Fav from the Shoot!

A Day at the Beach...Yes, Even This Time of Year!

2011-12-01T10:20:00.001-05:00

Last wk I got a really cool opportunity to work w/ an up and coming pop singer Mackenzie on some new promotional pictures. It was a great shoot b/c I got to work w/ one of my fav. young photographers Zach Hertzman who I hadn't seen or worked w/ in mths b/c we've both been SO BUSY w/ weddings all Summer.

Zach had developed a concept that had us down by Cherry Beach which is a great location b/c not only does if have the beach area but it also has some really nice wooded areas to shoot pics in. They had also arranged to have a 1968 vintage motorcycle on set for Mackenzie to pose w/ which was really cool and added a bit of that "rocker edge" lol.

Mackenzie said she was nervous before the shoot but can I just say you'd NEVER know it! Seriously this girl was such a PRO! Not only did she take direction great but in all honesty she didn't even need that much! Plus what a trooper. It was the end of Nov. and yes, it has been unusually mild in Toronto but it's STILL NOVEMBER therefore it was COLD! Esp. when you're down by the water w/ all the wind! I had my winter coat on and I was freezing so I can just imagine how Mackenzie was w/out a coat and everything but she NEVER once complained!

The look we were going for was over all pretty simple but w/ a bit of a dark edge. Now that I think of it kind of young Chrissy Hines. Heavy bangs, rocker edge w/ a dark smokey eye. I didn't want to go too dark w/ the eyes though b/c it was daytime so I opted for more browns/black then straight black or grey/black. Also used a big full MUFE lash, chiseled those cheekbones and did a nude lip. Ran the straightener over Mackenzie's hair to give it that really polished straight look...great hair, very thick!

Here's some Behind the Scenes pics from the shoot! Can't wait to see/hear where Mackenzie's career goes next...hopefully I'll get called on to work w/ her again!

PMD Review

2011-11-28T13:00:00.001-05:00

A little over a mth ago I received an awesome new product called PMD Personal Microderm to review for this blog! I was really stoked b/c 1. This looked like a really cool product 2. I'm obsessed w/ trying anything that's going to help my skin look its best! 3. It's been featured on The Doctors & Dr. Oz

So basically if you're wondering this product like the name suggests is a Personal Microdermabrasion Device. If you're not familiar Microdermabrasion is usually a pricey skin treatment that you get at a dermatologists office or medi spa. Traditional Microdermabrasion helps treat sun spots, acne, scarring, aging and promotes collagen production and cell renewal. This is done by using Aluminum Oxide Crystals to clear away dull, dead skin cells.

As well all know going to the dermatologists for treatments can be booth pricey and time consuming that's why it's so cool that there is now an at home device that you can use on your schedule for a fraction of the cost of traditional spa treatments and offers great results.

I'm not going to lie the device isn't super cheap...the entire system which includes several replacement heads (each head lasts approx. 4-5 uses I think) retails for $179 USD but when you compare that to reg. facials or spa microdermabrasion treatments it's a STEAL! Plus right now the website is holding a Black Friday Sale - 20% off! Or maybe just put it on your Xmas List for Santa to bring ;)

I've actually taken awhile to write my review about the product b/c I really wanted to use the product several times for myself and see if there was in fact any results. I hate when I see reviews and the person has only used the product once...esp. w/ this type of product you need to use it several times before you can really expect any changes and you're only suppose to use it every 5-7 days.

I do see a difference in the texture and evenness of my skin and I do think some of the acne marks on my skin have improved and lessened esp. around the chin/mouth area - I tend to get a lot of discoloration there. I also find that my skin creams do seem to absorb better into the skin after using it.

After using the device personally I can DEFINITELY give you some advice as to what to expect and what to do and not do. As mentioned before the device comes w/ several replacement heads - Blue for Sensitive and Green for Medium. DEFINITELY start w/ the BLUE! I have a tendency to want results fast and therefore go right for the strong one - DO NOT DO THIS! Also the device comes w/ two sizes of Heads - The smaller one is for the Face/ The bigger one is for the Body. There is a sort of vacuum and vibration thing that works in correlation on your skin to give you the microderm results.

There is a video that comes w/ the device - WATCH THE VIDEO! It will teach you exactly how to use the device and how to clean and take care of it. This device is strong so you have to be careful - TRUST ME! It says you can use the bigger head for bigger areas on the face but I have to be honest - I WOULD NOT SUGGEST THIS! Also, it says in the video to try the product out on your hand at first - DO THIS! Me being the Know-It-All Makeup Artist I am DID NOT do this and I used the large head on my cheeks at first and I'll admit it - the first time I used the product I got red marks on my cheeks that sort of looked like rug burn (it was completely my own fault). DO NOT be a Know-It-All like me lol! This device is strong and can leave marks if not used properly. I'm not saying this to scare you but just to let you know it's effective and you just have to follow instructions. Since the first time I used it I've only used the Face head on my face and I've never had any other bad results.

I say it's important to use it on your hand at first b/c there is this sort of suction/vacuum thing that happens when you put it to your skin and you have to move/drag it across the area you are treating quickly. If you aren't use to the vacuum at first (like I wasn't) you'll have a tendency to not move it smoothly or quickly enough therefore causing the burn effect. Also don't go over an area on the face more than once.

The only area I unfortunately found the product hard to use was my nose which is a bit disappointing just b/c I'd really like to work on those damn enlarged pores/blackheads there.

So here are some Before & After Results of my Face - I definitely think my skin looks more Even in the After Pics. Both are w/ No Makeup so sorry to scare you all a bit ;)

BEFORE

AFTER - Fresh From The Shower lol!

Holiday Giveaway From VEET!

2011-11-22T09:11:00.001-05:00

Hey Everyone! As you may remember a couple of mths ago I did a review on some awesome hair removal products sent to me by the lovely ppl at Veet! Well now we've teamed up to give you an awesome giveaway just in time for the Holidays!...Personally I don't care what time of year it is I LOVE free stuff but there is something nice about getting extra free stuff around the holidays lol!

So let's get down to the details! This one is SUPER exciting b/c I'm giving away $100 worth of product from Veet to 1 LUCKY reader - YES $100! That's A LOT of product! What exactly am I giving away you ask - well I'll tell you!

The $100 Giveaway Includes:

- Veet Ready-To-Use strips for Face (Great for short hair &
delicate areas)
- Veet Ready-To-Use strips for Face & Bikini
- Veet EasyGrip Ready-To-Use Wax Strips
- Veet Hydro'Restore Cream (Lasts Twice as long as Regular
Shaving)
- Veet High Precision Facial Wax (Comes w/ instructions on
how to achieve the perfect brow)
- A Pink Stocking
- A Basket to hold the items

That's A LOT of product and w/ all that you should be able to stay hair and worry free for a LONG time! Or you know what share the wealth and give your friends some of your winnings tis' the season after all ;)

So HOW do you ENTER you ask?

So upfront there is ONE rule - Sorry this one is ONLY OPEN TO CANADIANS (It's about the cost of shipping b/c there is so much stuff - The ppl at VEET are sending it not me).

Okay so here's how you ENTER! DO 1 of the Following 3 options below...or do ALL 3 for more chances to win!

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER IN MORE THAN ONE WAY BUT PLEASE DO SO IN DIFFERENT COMMENT BOXES FOR EACH ENTRY!

1. Tell me an embarrassing hair removal horror story (you know like you were on a date and realized you didn't shave your legs or something like that)

2. Go to Veet.ca and ENTER their $5000 Party Ready Shopping Spree (Yes that's right you can ENTER this contest by trying to WIN another Contest)

3. Tell me YOUR Favourite Veet Product

Please Leave Your Name & Email w/ Your Entry!

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE! CONTEST CLOSES DEC 6!

Wanderlust Stills

2011-11-19T15:57:00.001-05:00

Back in the Summer you may remember the video I did for Lilogi titled Wanderlust. It was for their Gypset Theme week. The videographer Renee Rodenkirchen actually did some still photography that I never actually got my hands on until today. It's been awhile since the shoot but I thought you still might enjoy seeing the pics!

I'm actually shooting a whole bunch of exciting stuff for Lilogi this week actually in preparation for the new website launch! Can't wait to work together w/ the team since again. We always have so much fun and produce such awesome stuff! So make sure you stay tuned for that! I'm sure I'll take some awesome and inspiring behind the scenes pics too!

IMATS 2011 Recap

2011-11-14T14:43:00.001-05:00

So IMATS happened in Toronto this past weekend. For those that don't know it's an International Makeup Trade Show that comes once a year. For the past couple of years I've worked the Yaby booth w/ creator Liz Yu and fellow makeup/hair artist Ashley Readings. This year I could only work the Sunday b/c I had a wedding on the Sat. but it was still a great time, I got to meet some great ppl (nice finally meeting you Delia, Roshar & Angie!) and of course do a little shopping!

I'll be honest I really didn't buy that many "exciting" things when it came to makeup this year. Actually I know this is sad but I don't buy too many "exciting" makeup products in general anymore :( These days I find myself mostly just stocking up on supplies and replenishing my kit.

From Yaby I basically just stocked up on some of my fav/popular Powder Foundations, Liquid Foundations, Concealers and Highlighters...the only thing I did get that was "Fun" was some new lipsticks lol!

From Alcone I got my usual big bag of sponges that I try to make last for at least most of the year. I use to use a lot of sponges while I worked...I'm trying to cut down on this now lol. I use to always get all my disposables from the booths at IMATS too but now I just get things on ebay...God I LOVE ebay lol!

I of course stocked up on my fav. go to moisturizer - Embryolisse . It's a makeup artist staple and I've been using it for the past couple of years now. I also picked up a new moisturizer they have designed specifically for Oily skin (key ingredient being cornstarch) - Emulsion Hydra Matt. I couldn't resist after Vicki Millar stopped by the booth to tell me about it!

I was also lucky enough to get the LAST newly designed brush cup from MUFE! My old one has def. seen better days and when I saw Roshar w/ the new one I knew I had to get it! At first they thought they were out but at the end of the night they found one misplaced and were nice enough to come find me at the Yaby booth so I could buy it! So nice of them! The new one is more rigid then the old one which is great b/c I was having trouble getting the old one to stay standing all the time. The best part is it's bigger...def. a BIG plus for me!

The other stuff I bought at IMATS this year was Airbrush stuff. I've been doing airbrush a bit in the last year but I really want to focus in on it a bit more and I def. needed a wider range of foundations and brands b/c previously I only had OCC. So I bought a couple of Graftobian airbrush foundations (unfortunately they were out of a lot of them so I just got the two colours I use the most in my cream palettes - Vixen & Ingenue). I also got a starter set of S/B foundation, Adjusters, Primer and Airbrush Cleaner from Temptu b/c again Vicki Millar always raves about it!

One of the things I was most excited about for the show this year was the fact that Roshar was guest speaking for Yaby! Roshar is a huge inspiration to me and you know what so NICE in person! Seriously, really friendly...sometimes you're let down when you meet someone you admire in person. He did an amazing look for the Yaby seminar...I only wish I could have actually seen it! That's the only downside to working the show is you never get to see any of the amazing seminars that are held!

Liz, Roshar & Demo Model (Don't you just LOVE the new Yaby pic in the back!)

Ashley, Roshar & Myself

Ashley and I tried on the wig from the demo...not our best looks lol!

Yaby Booth - Busy Busy!

Liz had new display tester units designed - So Much Nicer, Cleaner & Easier for EVERYONE!

Ladies Hard At Work Filling Orders!

Overall, the show was a great success IMO and I def. think it was busier this year on Sunday then last year! I'm also so excited for Liz and to see how the brand is growing in recognition EVERY year! Hopefully the show will just keep getting bigger and better!

No Such Thing As "Wedding Season" Anymore!

2011-11-05T20:34:00.000-04:00

So today I put another wedding in the books for what has already been IMO a VERY successful "Wedding Season"! And you know what I've come to realize this year...there really isn't a "Wedding Season" anymore in Toronto. I'm getting contacted for weddings in Nov, Dec, Jan...mths when you don't think of anyone getting married in Canada. Sure it's not as busy as say May or June but still it's not like ppl aren't getting married that's for sure!

Right now it's looking like I'll close out this year w/ approx. 45 weddings...up from 20 last year (last year was my first official year doing weddings...still pretty good for a first year I think)! Next year I'm aiming for 60! And if you think it's too early to book for next year trust me it's NOT! I already have SEVERAL weddings booked and confirmed for next year including a couple as far away as Aug!

Today's wedding featured a delightful and sweet bride Jennifer. This was another wedding where I was just hired for Hair for Jennifer and her bridal party...and if I do say so myself I rocked it ;) I did Jennifer's trial a couple of mths ago and she was looking for something soft, romantic and reminiscent of a Jane Austen character. I loved what I did at Jennifer's trial and I'll be perfectly honest I was worried it wouldn't go as well today...thankfully it did and both Jennifer and I felt it looked even better than the trial! Jennifer is one of those ppl that just has awesome hair! You curl it, play w/ it, pin it and it still holds it's shape...it's just awesome and makes my life so much easier lol!

All her bridesmaids had great hair choices too. They really understood what worked for them and their hair types which was great. Sometimes you have ppl that want to do things that in all honesty just doesn't work for their hair type or texture. Like Jennifer they all wanted something soft w/ curl. The two w/ the finest hair wanted updos which was great b/c I'll be honest I don't think their hair would have held curl for the entire day/night. Jennifer's MOH - Jen did a half updo and boy did this girl have A LOT of hair. Wonderful, thick, dark, long hair! Took awhile to curl it but once I got that base work in it was a breeze to pin up and create volume just cuz there was so much of it! Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take snap shots of the bridesmaid's hair but hopefully Jennifer will send me some pics in a couple of mths!

One of the coolest and most interesting things about this wedding was that Jennifer is actually a contestant on Four Weddings Canada on Slice Network! I LOVE that show! So kind of cool b/c technically my Hair Work will be featured (and kind of judged) on the show as well lol! Jennifer is actually the last contestant for her group of 4 so I hope she learned a lot from the other weddings and comes out on top! She's such a great girl she really deserves it! Plus I can tell she has a strong sense of her own personal style and would be one of those ppl that brings a lot of personal touches into her wedding which I always think is great!

Here's a couple of pics I quickly snapped of Jennifer's Hair before I left. Really hope she sends me some pics b/c I know they are going to look amazing!

Before she got changed...obviously lol. Wish I would have noticed the collar...dammit lol!

Love the flower...you should have seen her shoes - AMAZING!

Sorry I don't have a better one of the back...I was in a rush and she was moving lol!

Everyday Heroes - Chatelaine Shoot

2011-10-24T20:50:00.000-04:00

About a mth and a half ago I mentioned that I did a little shoot for Chatelaine magazine. Well the new issue is out so I thought I'd share w/ you the pic from that day.

It was actually a really cool and inspiring shoot to work on b/c I got the chance to meet some truly exceptional women who do exceptional things to help the ppl around them.

It was also a really cool shoot b/c I got to work w/ a new photographer - Caitlin Cronenberg - a real up-and-comer and a totally cool girl and Sian Melton, who was the one that introduced me to Caitlin in the first place.

Going Left to Right:

Deborah (wasn't there but in the picture frame) - She opened The Olive Branch for Children, to help the most vulnerable people in rural communities around the world. Projects include setting up medical clinics, organizing HIV testing and opening kindergartens in remote villages.

Janette - After her daughter died of a rare cancer last year she started Gilllie Beans Fund in her honour. They've already raised over $26 000.

Sharon - She started Soup Sisters - a foundation that serves over 8000 bowls of homemade soup to women and children in shelters across the country.

Lia - A woman who lives everyday to the fullest. Was once a homeless teen, now a successful sales executive. She founded Up with Women to help homeless women and children rebuild their lives.

Emma - A lawyer that created a student-run program to address conflicts in schools that's reduced suspension rates by up to 82%.

Miriam - The oldest of the ladies at 92 but definitely still full of spirit. Miriam is a holocaust survivor who walks 5 km for Breast Cancer every year, prepares meals for the homeless for Toronto's Out of the Cold program, marches in the Pride Parade and bakes and sells challah bread every week on behalf of a charity that feeds underprivileged children and seniors.

Everyday Heroes Indeed!

Timeless Elegance Updated

2011-10-17T17:18:00.003-04:00

Back in Aug. I shared w/ you a few behind the scenes pics I took of a beautiful bride - Meghan. Her dress, makeup and hair all looked so stunning and elegantly put together. Meghan has been kind enough to share w/ me some of the beautiful pics that were taken that day by Nancy over at Mango Studios so of course I wanted to share them w/ you! I'm so glad everything came together for her so well on her wedding day! Can't wait to showcase a couple of these babies on my website!

What a gorgeous fascinator!

Bridesmaid

Such a great group of girls!

Finishing Touches!

Meghan and her mom...I think they both look gorgeous!

Bride & Groom

Sneak Peak - Old Hollywood Bride

2011-10-13T10:55:00.000-04:00

Here's just a quick sneak peak from a wedding I did on Sunday. The bride - Megan was so much fun and we hit it off right away at the trial. Seriously, she was one of those brides where I thought afterward I want to make her my friend lol.

Her whole family was hilarious and I can totally see where her and her sister get their personalities from b/c her mom was just a riot! One of those upfront, speak it like it is types...totally my type lol!

Megan wanted a very vintage Grace Kelly sort of feel to her makeup. Soft, elegant and evoking an Old Hollywood sort of feel which totally went w/ her whole dress, fur shrug and gloves. FYI this was the wedding where I used a couple of the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows I mentioned in my previous post. The only thing that bugs me a bit is this pic was taken before I did her lip at the end...can't wait to see a couple w/ the lip! Although her natural lip colour actually looks very pretty w/ the whole look and the lip I did isn't that different.

She had the cutest short curly hair that was so much fun to work w/ and just really bring out her natural curl!

Thanks goes out to photographer Kristin Foster for sending over this little sneak peak! I so can't wait to see the rest!

L'Oreal La Couleur Infallible Eyeshadow Review

2011-10-11T10:10:00.000-04:00

I know I've been slacking on the blogging lately...my apologies it's just been a busy time of year...still lots of weddings, my upcoming b-day...life...you know all the fun things! FYI I'm already booking weddings into next Summer...if you want me for your wedding you better get on it ;)

Anyway, a little while ago I was contacted to review some of the new L'Oreal La Couleur Infallible Eyeshadows and of course I said I was game. When they arrived I was shocked at what they sent. I was expecting 1 eyeshadow to review and instead I got this gorgeous little box w/ 9 FULL SIZE eyeshadows!

How Pretty is THIS!

I should mention right away they are actually more like pigments then eyeshadows and they come w/ a screw off lid on the back. But they are actually kind of pressed together somewhat tightly b/c of this cap that goes over the eyeshadow so they aren't as loose and messy as a lot of pigments. What's great about the texture is that it's a hybrid between a cream and a powder and it has a very velvety texture and feel.

So I wanted to use these several times before I reviewed them and I have now used them on myself and on a couple of brides and I will just say I LOVE these eyeshadows! The colour payoff is seriously insane! They are so intense and long lasting...and not just compared to a drug store brand I mean compared to a lot of professional brands as well! The fact that you can get them at your local drug store is just a huge bonus! FYI in Canada they retail for about $10.99/each or so....don't know about anywhere else.

One thing that tends to bug me about pigments is the fallout on to the face but overall I don't think it's too bad w/ these...as long as you firmly press your brush into the shadow beforehand and give it a little tap before you use it I think you should be fine.

Some other benefits of the eyeshadow is that they have a 24 long lasting hold and are smudge, rub and blink resistant (plus I would say they hold up to creasing very well). They say they are waterproof...I would probably go w/ more water resistant but still that's pretty impressive....so therefore especially useful for your crying brides! And as mentioned before the colour payoff and intensity is just insane!

The only thing I'm not crazy about and it's just b/c I'm a professional makeup artist and not just a consumer using the product on myself is the packaging. It's great if it's just in your own personal makeup kit but of course for me you know I'm all about condensing my kit and as you can imagine these 9 eyeshadows would actually take up a lot of space in my kit.

I did swatches of the 9 colours I received using a dry brush and a damp brush b/c sometimes you know the eyeshadows or pigments will just be a lot more vibrant if you use a damp brush to apply but w/ these I don't even think that's necessary unless you wanted to b/c even w/ a dry brush the colour is just so good!

Below are the swatches. The Left (usually wider swatch) is always the damp brush swatch while the Right is the dry brush swatch!

Time Resist White

As you can see here and you'll see w/ the rest of the pics there is barely any difference between the damp brush swatch on the left and dry brush swatch on the right in terms of intensity!

Forever Pink

Flashback Silver

Permanent Kaki

I hadn't used this colour yet but after the swatch I can't wait - it's so pretty!

Unlimited Sky

This looks more pale blue in person...but for some reason more grey in the pic

All Night Blue

This is JUST GOREGOUS...Look at the Colour Intensity!

Purple Obsession

Burning Black

In person there is a lot more red flecks in it that didn't show up in the picture. It actually reminds me of Beauty Marked by MAC a lot (I think that's the black one w/ the red flecks)

Hourglass Beige

Def. the most neutral. I used this w/ the Forever Pink on a bride this past weekend and it was gorgeous w/ a bit on brown on the outside corner

The only two colours I didn't receive are - Eternal Black and Endless Chocolat and I'm really curious about both colours b/c they are probably the two colours I would use most for msyelf. Maybe I'll just have to go out and buy them then!

Another Beautiful Wedding at The Old Mill

2011-10-02T20:07:00.000-04:00

I may or may not have wrote about the fact that I had two weddings in a row at The Old Mill back in Aug. It's a very popular wedding spot for Toronto couples but it was kind of funny to be going there back to back...at least the second time I knew what to expect from the small, poorly lit "bridal suites" - rooms for brides to get ready if their hotel room isn't available yet.

My second bride from The Old Mill just sent me the pictures from the wedding and I have to say I couldn't be happier w/ how it all turned out! I saw the whole photo album from the whole night I'm very happy to admit that she looked beautiful and fresh from start to finish (yeah me)! Thanks goes out to the wonderful photography courtesy of David A Pike.

What was interesting about this wedding was that I didn't actually get to do a trial on the bride Diane before the wedding. I'm not going to lie this is not ideal at all but sometimes it's the way things work out esp. if I'm getting booked sort of last min...and for some reason I do tend to get a lot of last min. brides. I'm not complaining as long as I get booked I don't really care how far in advance it is but in all honesty a trial is usually helpful not only for me but for the bride as well.

But you know what everything went so smoothly that day and I couldn't have been happier w/ the results for not only Diane but her entire bridal party. I did the hair and makeup for her Maid of Honour (who later said I gave her her dream hair lol) but also the hair for her sister and the makeup for another bridesmaid. I even thankfully for everyone had time to fix the mess another hair stylist inflicted on her poor sister-in-law (also a bridesmaid). Her sister-in-law was coming from Markham and thought it would just be easier to get her hair done up there and I'm not going to hold that against her but I couldn't believe what a "professional" hairstylist did to her hair and let her leave the salon with. I'm by no means perfect when it comes to hair trust me but I guess I was just really surprised that someone who went to school would do work like that...but then again I've also witnessed some pretty scary work by "professional" makeup artists too lol. Despite the shit load of hairspray and poor teasing I was able to at least make it look more presentable which made me happy.

Diane and her entire group were such a pleasure to work w/ and her updo was actually a bit different from anything I had done before so w/out a trial or having never met her I'm not going to lie I was a bit nervous but she had gorgeous, thick hair and it actually went quite smoothly and looked beautiful if I do say so myself lol ;)! Like many of my brides Diane wanted the classic natural bride look and that's just what I gave her. I put the emphasis on the eyes and used mostly golds and browns to accentuate her lovely golden skin tones. So thanks again to Diane and her entire wedding party for making this such a wonderful and fun wedding experience!

Diane & her Maid of Honour

Diane w/ a friend - I don't know who the friend is but I was just impressed w/ how well Diane's makeup looked well into the reception lol!

The usual me doing my thing photo!

Really LOVE this photo of the Hair! Gorgeous Hair Piece too!

Magic Hair Pad (Fringe Holder) Review

2011-09-29T21:53:00.001-04:00

So here's a quick little review for a cute new little product - Magic Hair Pad - Fringe Holder. I was sent this product to check out from the cool ppl over at Magic Hair Pad and it's actually a very useful product for us MUAs or anyone who has bangs (fringe) that gets in the way while they are doing makeup.

The pads come in 2 colours - Black or Pink (I picked Black) and basically they are just like mini velcro pieces that you use to hold the bangs off your face while you're doing your makeup. The great thing about them is that they don't flatter or crimp your bangs like a clip might do. I'm constantly pinning girl's hair off their faces when I'm doing their makeup so this is very useful b/c sometimes they've already had their hair done by me (or someone else) and I don't want to mess up their bangs by clipping them out of the way so I can work.

I've used the pads on a couple of my brides thus far and plain and simple they do what they are suppose to which is hold the bangs off the face lol. There are 2 pads in a pack and they are really affordable at $7.00 a pack.

You can also use them when you're washing your face, using a face mask or pretty much anything where you need to have your bangs off your face. So check them out I definitely think it's a neat little product!

She Howls

2011-09-21T19:57:00.000-04:00

Literally, over a year ago I did a shoot w/ photographer Zach Hertzman, Stylist Alexandra Loeb and Models Julia K and Julia C (Elmer)...also just a side note my assistant for the day was Cassandra Forrester I did give her name w/ my credit information and I HATE when they don't credit things right! You guys may remember I even wrote about it on this blog after the shoot! Anyway, even though the shoot was really cool w/ lots of amazing clothes, photography and all that it had a HELL of a time being picked up anywhere...it happens.

Well out of the blue stylist Alexandra Loeb contacted me to let me know that it had been picked up by this magazine called LadyGunn! Really cool magazine and it's even available in print! She had literally submitted it to them eons ago so it was a big surprise to hear from them...but a nice one! They printed the whole story and overall it looks pretty good. There are some things I would change w/ the Makeup & Hair and I def. don't think it's by any means my strongest work but you know what it's been a year so of course I've grown and evolved (and hopefully improved). Plus I was experimenting w/ some techniques and styles and that's all necessary to grow as an artist so even though I don't think it's my best I think it's good to share it w/ you.

It's weird to see an editorial I did SO LONG AGO finally come out...I remember it was VERY hot that day and the girls were such troopers wearing fur and everything. The heat and timing of everything def. led to some complications but like I've said before live and learn. One thing I do still like is the wicked nails I shaped and created for Julia K (the "dark" one). I gotta create some cool nails again for another shoot!

So here it is - ENJOY!

Alice in Wonderland Part 2

2011-09-19T22:15:00.001-04:00

A couple of wks ago I finally got some of the pics from the amazing wedding photographer team Justin & Mary from the Alice in Wonderland Workshop I helped out w/ a few mths ago. Crazy it was Summer when I did this shoot...feels like not long ago at all and yet Fall is already here upon us and the weather is quickly cooling down. Where is the time going!?! But you know what even w/ the temperatures cooling off wedding season is still in full effect! In fact I have 3 weddings next weekend! And I'm getting tons of ppl requesting quotes for next year...book me now before it's too late ;)

Anyway, here are some of the pics for you to enjoy! I love all the little accent pics that really just help to set the scene and tell the story...even if they do have nothing to do w/ Makeup or Hair lol! Can't wait to throw a couple of these up on my website!

Rebel Baby - Marta Pacek

2011-09-14T00:35:00.000-04:00

In between weddings and more weddings every weekend I sometimes like to sneak in the odd job that doesn't involve a bride, a veil or a white dress. Last Sat. I got this opportunity when I was approached by photographer Robert Rafton to help work on the new Album cover for Singer/Songwriter Marta Pacek's album Rebel Baby.

Marta, who originally hails from Australia is an indie singer/songwriter w/ a sort of country/folk feel to her music. Strong on storytelling her music has a sort of moody and intimate feel to it. She had a different cover for her new album Rebel Baby originally but after some advice from some industry insiders she wanted to showcase something that was a bit more raw w/ a bit more sex appeal and to break away a bit from her "good girl" image.

Marta still wanted to keep the makeup very clean. Very minimal dewey foundation, some mascara a bit of lip colour and some contouring/bronzer on the cheeks was basically everything. The biggest thing I did was make her brows a bit more full and dark then they normally were.

For clothes Marta had a whole sort of gipsy/saloon girl thing which matched perfectly w/ the location photographer Robert Rafton found. It was in some park and there was a log cabin as our backdrop...sorry I can't tell you more...I don't actually know where I was lol.

I can tell you though there were a shit load of mosquitoes that went to town on my face and body. Mosquitoes LOVE me! And unfortunately I react a bit more severely to mosquito bites than the average person. Right near the end of the shoot I got a bite right on the corner of my lower lip. I looked like some botched lip injection patient...w/ only HALF my lip swollen. Which wouldn't have been THAT bad except I had one of my best friend's 30th b-day party to attend that night! Thank God for dark lighting and matte nude lipstick! Seriously my lip was swollen for like 10 hrs...No Joke!

Here's some behind the scenes photos courtesy of Neil - Marta's friend! Gotta LOVE iPhone pics! Can't wait to see the album cover when it comes out!

Me doing my thing!

I'm not a smoker and I know it's wrong but I love smoking pics!

I'm covering myself w/ a towel b/c 1. Trying to protect myself from Mosquitoes lol 2. It got kind of chilly

And just for laughs - here's my lip like 3 HRS AFTER the bite! It actually looked WAY worse than the picture shows lol! I know what a WEIRD spot to get bit...at least I can laugh about it now...I was NOT impressed than lol!

Sigma Brush Winner!

2011-09-11T12:20:00.003-04:00

Hi Guys,

Sorry for the delay I know I was suppose to pick the Winner on Fri. but it's just been a crazy couple of days - Magazine Shoots, Weddings, B-Day Party, Album Cover Shoot...I'm a BUSY GIRL lately!

Anyway, did the draw through Random.org and the WINNER is...

MoonRae - Sharon Siqueiros

Thanks again to EVERYONE that entered!

Sharon I'll be sending you an email shortly and forwarding your info off to Sigma and they will get in touch w/ you about sending you the brushes!

Congrats!

Love Good Days - Shoot for Chatelaine, Gifts in the Mail and Cocktails w/ a Friend!

2011-09-01T17:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a particularly good day (beside 1 job being cancelled)...why you ask? Well I started my morning off at a shoot for Chatelaine Magazine. The photographer is the incredibly young and talented Caitlin Cronenberg. First time I ever worked w/ her or for the mag so anytime I get to make new connections is a totally cool thing! How did I get this hook up you ask? Well my good friend Sian Melton (photographer/makeup artist/all around cool chick) was doing the makeup/hair for this shoot and since it was a group shot she needed a little extra help and she invited me to come along and partake in the fun. It was totally laid back and it was actually a group shot for the Women of the Year section in Chatelaine coming out in Oct. Really great experience b/c I got to work w/ a bunch of awesome, real women that do amazing things for their organization, city and country. So inspiring and always fun to work w/ ppl that don't normally get "dolled up" b/c they appreciate it that much more.

So that filled up the morning and it went so great that we were all wrapped and good to go before 2 pm! Got home (b/c as mentioned above my 2nd job was cancelled urrggh) and to my surprise there was a nice little package for me in the mail. I LOVE getting packages in the mail! I unwrapped it immediately to find the most beautiful cosmetic bag I think (actually I know) I've ever owned! A couple of wks ago I was contacted by Yolanda about reviewing one of her BEAUTIFUL handmade cosmetic pouches. The site is called This Magpie's Nest and she has a variety of gorgeous makeup pouches to choose between. Many feature old style photographs on the front w/ old postcards on the back. Really unique and eye catching! I chose the Mrs. Wright...Wishing You Were Here! As mentioned above it's handmade and measures 5X7 (very roomy), it has a zippered pouch and the postcard is printed on Muslin. The inside is lined w/ red fabric and I have to say it's all REALLY well made! Not flimsy or cheap at all! In fact I CAN'T BELIEVE she's selling these pouches for the LOW LOW price of $15/each...seriously I've seen things like this in stores for like $35 and up! Also I just want to mention how beautifully it all came wrapped and packaged...seriously it would make a perfect gift for anyone! It was wrapped in red tissue paper w/ twine wrapped around it and a Magpie's Nest tag. I noticed the package smelled so good and on further inspection when I opened the pouch I realized there was some lavender inside...what a nice touch!

The Front

The Back

Inside

Btw she is offering a 20% discount to any of my readers that mention this post when they are ordering...that means these beautiful pouches would be only $12/each...seriously that's INSANE!!!

So after that my day was complete w/ a nice trip to one of my fav. drink spots in Yorkville - The Avenue. Sipped some white wine and chatted it up w/ a friend! Great end to my great day!

Sigma Brush Review & Giveaway!

2011-08-29T11:22:00.002-04:00

A few wks back the great people at Sigma contacted me about doing a little brush review and giveaway for them so of course I jumped at the opportunity b/c 1. I LOVE getting free stuff to try out and 2. I LOVE giving away free stuff to my readers lol!

The very generous ppl at Sigma sent me Travel Kit Naughty in Black. Which is really a complete set of brushes and perfect for those weekend getaways or longer trips away when you're trying to pack light. What's made this so exciting for me and I know this is going to sound crazy b/c I am a makeup artist and all was I was planning on keeping the brushes all for myself b/c I actually don't even have a set of makeup brushes I use just for me lol!

Yes, that's right I'm a makeup artist who doesn't even use brushes on myself most of the time...crazy I know. Usually, for myself I just use my fingers, a sponge and a q-tip...yes I'm that ghetto lol! For fancy nights I'll sometimes go into my professional brushes so I can do some eye makeup but it doesn't happy often lol. Truth is I barely buy makeup for myself anymore too...it's like I'm a mother and my kit is my child - I give it everything I get and keep nothing for myself lol! Btw my kit is my child...if there was a fire you better believe that would be 1 of the 3 things I would be grabbing if I could only grab 3 things!

Anyway, back to the brushes. First off one of the biggest things I LOVED about the set was it didn't have any crappy "filler" of "useless" brushes in it like you get so often w/ makeup brush sets - you know they'll give you a mascara spooly brush or an eye shadow brush w/ the sponge top that you'll never use. This one has all the necessary brushes to do a complete face IMO.

Here's some details about the brushes in the kit straight from the website:

Pencil - E30 - Precise application of color on the crease, outer corner, and upper and lower lash line. Also ideal to smudge out pencil liner. Natural bristles.

Tapered Blending - E40 - Rounded and tapered top. Specially designed to apply and blend color on the crease. Natural bristles.

Eye Shading - E55 - Soft and dense with a rounded finish. Can be used to apply pressed or loose eye shadows and pigments. Ideal to build intense color on the eyelid. Natural bristles.

Large Powder - F30 - Very dense with a rounded top. Ideal to apply powder products on the face and body. Natural bristles.

Large Angled Contour - F40 - The angled shape makes this brush ideal to apply blush or contour shades. Natural bristles.

Foundation - F60 - Can be used to apply liquid or cream foundation. It is also recommended to apply moisturizers and conceal large areas. Synthetic bristles.

Concealer - F70 - The founded, tapered, flat shape makes this brush ideal to conceal the under eye area. It is also recommended for a precise application in small areas. Synthetic bristles.

So I'll start my review w/ the first brush they mention.

Pencil - E30 - It's a good brush for applying dense colour to the outer corners or crease that you're then going to blend for the smokey eye. It's also a good brush for blended out and strong liner that you want to soften. I like the the brush is dense and firm but still pliable in action.

Tapered Blending - E40 - I'm really picky about my Tapered Blending brushes and for my personal style this is probably my least fav. brush in the set. It's not that it's bad it's just I prefer the bristles in my blending brush to be a little bit more dense and not quite as fluffy. This brush will work of course I just feel I personally have to do a little more work w/ it. But again it all depends on your style...to some they might prefer a fluffier blending brush.

Eye Shading - E55 - Good all over eye shadow brush. Good size for applying that first bit of product all over the eyes and the bristles are dense enough if you later want to build colour on the lid or wherever.

Large Powder - F30 - Being that it's a travel kit I guess I want be too harsh on what they are considering to be a Large Powder brush...IMO it's proper blush brush size and not really large enough to be classified as a large powder brush. That being said yes it does get the job done and of course it can be used for all over Powder...just for my professional work I would never consider it a large powder brush...but it would make a great blush brush.

Large Angled Contour - F40 - Good size, soft feel, dense enough and great for applying highlight to the cheekbones or colour to the cheeks if you know how to manipulate a contour brush for blush application.

Foundation - F60 - What's funny is I almost NEVER use a foundation brush when applying my own personal foundation. It's good. It's got a good size and the bristles are firm yet pliable. It blends out both liquid and cream products well.

Concealer - F70 - Again there is nothing wrong w/ this concealer brush and it does work I just personally prefer my concealer brushes to be a little bit smaller and more angled at the end of the bristles so I can get a more precise concealing application for areas like around the nose, under the eyes and those pesky little pimples.

Btw another BONUS w/ this collection is that they also sent me a FREE Duo Fiber - F50 - you know the Skunk Brush - great for blending in liquid or cream products for that airbrush finish w/out using airbrush. Seriously, one of my fav. types of brushes in my makeup kit and I'm always pulling it out. This one is okay but again and this is just a personal preference it's too fluffy and not dense enough for my likely. I don't like when the bristles give way too much on the skin and I want them to remain a little bit firm when I put pressure on them. I do feel this brush is good for blending out blush though.

So overall I was really impressed w/ this brush set and I'm really excited to finally have my own personal brushes to use on myself every day lol! Sigma has really affordable brushes and overall for the price point they are great quality. They are perfect for the artist that's starting out and needs to build their kit or the makeup enthusiast who just likes to play around w/ makeup for themselves.

So now on to the FUN part - the GIVEAWAY! The great people at Sigma are going to GIVEAWAY a Travel Kit in Naughty Black to 1 LUCKY READER! That's a $49 gift...plus I think you'll get the additional Duo Fibre brush as a bonus as well!

How to Enter you Ask! Well there's a couple of ways.

1. You must first follow my blog!

After that there are a couple of ways to Enter just Please tell me which ONE you did and Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you're the WINNER. You can do all the different ways to ENTER just let me know in separate comments each way you ENTERED so I can keep track of it all more easily.

REPEAT FOR EVERY WAY YOU ENTER PLEASE POST A SEPARATE COMMENT!!!!

1. Like my Fan Page on Facebook
2. Follow me on Twitter
3. Like Sigma Brushes Fan Page on Facebook

BONUS ENTRY

1. ReTweet this Giveaway on Twitter

Open to Anyone in North America - Yes Canada & United States!

CONTEST CLOSES FRI SEPT 9 @ 6 PM!

GOOD LUCK!

Weddings - Unfortunately You Can't Always Control Everything!

2011-08-23T10:17:00.000-04:00

A couple of wks ago I had the pleasure of working w/ a beautiful bride named Gina and her mother and mother in law for her wedding day at The Old Mill (Great One Stop Wedding Destination in Toronto). What made it so neat was I actually knew her groom b/c he is a partner w/ a production company I have had the pleasure of working w/ Encounter Film Studios.

I'm not going to lie this actually ended up probably being one of the more stressful weddings I've ever worked on lol! Why you ask? Well if you haven't realized this about me before you will now...I'm very punctual and almost always early for my jobs (nothing freaks me out more than being late or running behind). Seriously, there are a couple of things I hear over and over again from clients - 1. How insanely quick I get back to them by email (even late at night) 2. I'm always early, professional and ready to go. I'm a bit crazy, I'll admit it lol!

Anyway, I had given very specific instructions to the bride about arriving at The Old Mill at 12:45 pm so I could set up and get to work right away at 1:00 pm. I of course arrived early and was waiting and waiting lol...they wouldn't let me into the bridal change room w/out the bride. While I was waiting Paul Nelson (the photographer) arrived and he was able to convince someone to give him a key so then I was at least able to set up (in the very tiny room w/ dim lighting) and he was able to unload his equipment (did I mention the room was small lol). Few mins later a couple of the guys I know from Encounter showed up which was a surprise to me! They were acting as the videographers that day (makes sense lol) so anyway great to see them b/c they are always fun and then then put their stuff in the tiny tiny room lol. So it's getting later and I'm texting the bride and it's getting later still texting and still no bride. I'm not going to lie I was getting a little worried at this point just b/c I had made a schedule and I knew the schedule I had planned out was good but tight and therefore also meant that I needed ALL the time in the schedule for everything to be ready on time...plus I didn't want to do a half ass rushed job b/c that's just not me!

At about 1:45 Gina's mother in law arrived and I immediately got started on her makeup. She looked gorgeous when I was done - this woman has amazing skin and so wonderfully delightful! Just as I was finishing her up Gina and her whole crew arrived...it's after 2:00 at this point! I'm not going to lie I was a little stressed. They saw the size of the room and knew it wouldn't work and were able to get into their bridal suite early...thing is that it's in a whole other section of the hotel...this meant I had to pack EVERYTHING up and carry it to the new room (this of course is taking up more time!). But I will say they were more then helpful in helping me carry my stuff over...I can't say enough how accommodating and friendly this group was through everything!

Once I finally got to the Bridal Suite I immediately got started on tackling Gina's hair (and boy does she have a lot of hair lol). One thing I will say about everyone even though things were behind schedule everyone including the bride remained SO NICE and SO FRIENDLY and SO CALM...seriously I was more stressed about it all then them...but I guess when you show up an hr late I might have a sneaking suspicion you're use to being late for things ;) lol.

So the reason I was a bit nervous about the timing was b/c I knew Gina's hair was going to take AWHILE...there were a lot of steps and it was a process! First I had to blow out her naturally curly hair (and boy does she have a lot of it), then I had to clip in the extensions I made for her b/c even though she has a lot of it it's not long enough, then I had to curl and style all the hair b/c she wanted big loose curls...very different then her normal curly hair. As you can see it's like styling 3 heads of hair and I knew it was going to take a long time! Once I got all that done I moved on to makeup which I'm not going to lie was a bit hard to do b/c the hotel room was so dim and it was a cloudy day so not a lot of natural light coming in...man hotel rooms always have the worst lighting I swear! I guess it's more suited for sexy times then makeup work ;) lol. After a little hiccup w/ the foundation I got everything to a level I was happy w/. But then of course I had to do finals on the hair and re-curl some pieces and just fix it up a bit. I might add at this point it was probably 4:50 and the wedding was suppose to start at 5:00 (thank God it was all in the same location). I was freaking a bit b/c I didn't know if I could do her mother's makeup but of course I wanted to do her mother's makeup.

Finally, they just said to me we're going to be late it's okay. It's more important to do the mom's makeup and be late then to not do it so go ahead. They said weddings always start late anyway so it's not really a big deal lol! Plus the mom told me at 4:45 she had ppl in Mississauga calling and saying they were just leaving then! Man it must be a cultural thing or something b/c seriously I would be stressed out if I was the bride lol! Truthfully, I don't think a lot of my other brides would have been so calm. It was funny b/c I was apologizing b/c I just couldn't get things done quicker and do a good job and they were like it's okay don't worry about it we understand lol. I'm so happy they were so understanding and accommodating about the whole situation (I mean I guess they have to be they were late lol but still they could have made it a lot worse). So in the end I did the mother's makeup and everyone looked gorgeous and I think they probably started about 30 mins late lol. But you know what it was worth it if that meant that everyone looked beautiful! Rather be a bit late and do a good job then be on time w/ a half ass job...I just can't do anything half ass and not beat myself up about it afterward. Btw I should mention it wasn't like I was running around like crazy stressed person I just literally didn't look up for 3 hrs and just kept focused at the task at hand. I met her bridesmaids I couldn't even tell you what colour their dresses were b/c I didn't look up lol!

Thankfully, I knew the bride (sort of) b/c they let me just stay after they were all gone from the room and clean up my stuff alone and then just let myself out b/c seriously my area has NEVER been such a disaster. Seriously, it was insane looking! My friends at Encounter started shooting some film of my area and I literally yelled "Don't Shoot This it's Disgusting". It probably took me 30 mins just to clean up everything and calm down lol.

I have to say thank you again to Gina and her entire family for being so warm and friendly and just all around lovely to work w/. Even though I was stressed they were really wonderful about everything and actually helped a lot to keep ME calm (man usually it's me doing that w/ the bride lol). I'm so glad everything worked out in the end!

Also BIG THANKS to Paul Nelson for sending me the BEAUTIFUL images I'm going to share w/ you from the day! Yes, he already has a bunch of the pictures done and it's only been 1.5 wks since the wedding - what a PRO! He was also wonderful at not getting in my way, working around me and still being able to capture a great picture (even in my chaos lol)! Can't wait to add them to my Website!

So many GREAT Behind the Scenes Pictures...and overall I don't look like a complete DISASTER in them lol! It's actually good to see that stressed Jessica actually looks very similar to my normal intense working Jessica lol!

Hadi's (the Groom) Mother - Such GORGEOUS skin! This was in the TINY room before we moved!

Me doing some Makeup work on the Beautiful Bride - Gina

I may have been a bit stressed but at least my lines were still clean and crisp! I hate sketchy eyeliner!

One thing I will say is I did a good job on the extensions - they matched PERFECTLY!

They look so HAPPY and she's just GLOWING!

Featured Artist - As Seen In Dripbook

2011-08-17T17:15:00.000-04:00

Guess who is one of this mth's featured artists in Dripbook's mthly newsletter! That's right it's me! For those that don't know Dripbook is this pretty awesome site that showcases the work of a lot of amazing and talents ppl in the biz including but not limited to photographers, stylists, retouchers, makeup artists, hair stylists etc.

They also do my website which I get a ton of compliments on and they make it so easy to update that even a computer idiot like me can do it w/ no problems at all!

Anyway, every mth they send out a newsletter which features the work of some of the artists on their site and this mth I happen to be the Featured Makeup Artist! A couple of wks ago they contacted me about writing a little bio for the newsletter and I have to admit I was shocked they were contacting me. I'm not being modest here but seriously a lot of the artists I've seen featured have REALLY amazing portfolios and REALLY amazing clients lists...in fact a lot of have been artists that I look up to. Although, I'd like to think my portfolio is relatively strong I know there is always room for improvement and to be honest my client list doesn't include the names you frequently see mentioned by the artists involved.

Maybe it has something to do w/ the new work I've put up recently I don't know but whatever it is it makes me happy to be featured! I noticed the whole newsletter has a sort of Beach/Water theme and they used one of my pics from the Sol y Mar shoot so that's cool too.

So take a look at the little newsletter if you like!

Veet Hair Removal Cream - Review

2011-08-16T20:36:00.000-04:00

A couple of wks ago I was lucky enough to get some cool products from Veet couriered over to my house to test out. I always LOVE trying new products so of course I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on some free things!

I have to admit I was pretty impressed w/ what I got! I got a FULL SIZE Veet Hair Removal Cream for Sensitive Skin and Ready To Use Wax Strips (which I haven't actually tried yet...review to come). It's actually been years since I've used a hair removal cream and I remember the smell being just awful in the past. I was very curious to see if this was something they had improved on over the years and I'm happy to say they have...although I'm not going to lie there is still a smell just not near as strong as it use to be in the past.

The product is quite a large bottle and it comes w/ a nifty spatula to scrap away the excess cream and hair when you're using the product. I really like the addition of the spatula and it's not something I remember the product having in the past. I definitely found it to be useful when removing the product and the hair b/c sometimes I did find I did need to actually scrap the area in order for the hair to full remove (I don't know maybe I have strong leg hair lol). The one I got also has 2X more moisturizers then the reg. cream which is good b/c my legs do tend to get dry esp. depending on the weather or how much I'm shaving. It also has a pump which makes for an easier and cleaner application straight from the bottle.

I'm not going to lie the first time I used the product I actually wasn't that impressed w/ the results but I thought it deserved a second chance. The second time was much better. I think I needed to put a thicker layer of the product on for it to work (it says there are approx. 4 applications/bottle but I think you could get more out of it...guess it depends how far up your leg you go). It says it takes 3 mins and you shouldn't go over 6...again w/ my coarse hair I needed the 6...maybe even more although it says you shouldn't leave it on longer but like I also mentioned after 6 mins I did need t scrap pretty hard in some spots to get the hair to come off.

Things I don't like are very similar to the things I didn't like in the past w/ this product. It's a bit messy, awkward and time consuming to stand in your shower for 6 mins waiting for the product to work...guess that's why I usually just shave my legs. Also the smell isn't amazing but as mentioned above it has improved a lot over the years. I actually think I would like this product a bit more for Winter use - 1. b/c my skin tends to be drier then and shaving can dry out the skin more 2. b/c then I can allow my hair to grow for a couple of days before using the product...in the Summer I tend to shave every day or every other day but I felt this product worked better if I let the hair grow for a couple of days which is hard b/c I wear a lot of dresses and skirts in the Summer and I'm not a fan of leg stubble lol.

I did like that it left my skin feeling very soft and moisturized afterward. Also I found that my hair did seem to grow back a bit slower after then w/ traditional shaving...and a bit finer/less coarse too which is always a good thing!

So overall I would use this product again...esp. in the Winter mths. If you're someone that likes hair removal creams then it's definitely a good option and has great packaging to keep everything clean and tidy. I really do like the pump for the bottle and the spatula for removal.

Wax strip review to come soon...just need to find a willing victim...I mean participant ;)

Timeless Elegance w/ a Modern Twist

2011-08-15T22:42:00.000-04:00

A few wks ago I had the pleasure of working w/ a wonderful and beautiful bride named Meghan and her entire wedding party and mother. It was really such a great wedding and it went so smooth thanks in part to Ashley Readings who did all the hair for the day and Alice who assisted the two of us. It was a large group w/ 7 ppl both Hair & Makeup and you know what my speed and timing has been in the zone lately b/c we finished EARLY! I was so early in fact that when her aunt came over w/ some not so flattering makeup I was able to take her into my chair and fix it for her. It was actually quite amusing, she apparently never wears makeup and her husband had read something online about a "smokey eye" and HE decided to do her makeup for the wedding! Let's just put it this way, basically he took a very dark GREEN eye shadow (her only eye shadow) and just smudged it all over her lid like to black eyes (well green eyes technically lol). Umm I think this goes w/out saying but ladies - DON'T let your husband/boyfriend do your makeup unless he is a trained makeup artist lol.

Meghan actually found me through Mango Studios who she hired to be her wedding photographers. I know Zach Hertzman from a couple of editorials and he works for the company but he actually wasn't shooting this wedding. One of the co-owners Nancy was shooting it and I can't wait to see the pics b/c Mango Studios is seriously one of my fav. wedding photography studios in the city. They do such gorgeous wedding work and it has such a modern feel to it which is what I'm all about when it comes to weddings.

Meghan was a very organized bride and very meticulous in her planning...she even did a second makeup trial to make sure we got everything just right. But she also changed things up a bit...bought a second dress b/c she realized the first one wasn't "the right one", changed her hairstyle from the trial a couple of days before the wedding. You'd think these sorts of things might lead to stress but not at all...Ashley totally rocked the wedding hairstyle that Meghan wanted...didn't hurt that Meghan has TONS of hair to work w/ in the first place lol! And I have to be honest I DEFINITELY think she made the right choice in changing the dress...I wasn't that crazy about the first one but I LOVED the second one. It had a bit of a vintage feel to it but still looked so modern and actually quite a bit different from "usual" wedding dresses I see. Plus this girl rocked an awesome fascinator! I LOVE fascinators and I LOVE when brides are bold enough to wear them b/c they just add so much personality to everything!

For the makeup it was all about accentuating Meghan's gorgeous big blue eyes. We did a bit of a peach/brown smokey eye w/ a touch of gold. Kept the face really fresh w/ a soft flushed cheek and a soft matte lip (also love when brides are not afraid of lipstick).

Most of the bridesmaids were "natural" girls so I wanted to keep them comfortable and play up their eyes in a natural way that wouldn't make them feel "too made up" or "uncomfortable". Meghan actually wrote me one of the most lovely reviews and commented that at one point she remembers looking around the room and thinking that she'd never seen her friends looks so beautiful...I seriously think that's one of the nicest compliments a bride has given me!

So here's a couple of pictures of the beautiful bride, mom and friends!

Even a couple of me working...thanks Ashley ;) I cropped in on this pic and as far as pics of me working go I actually really like this one...I don't look quite as mean as usual lol!

I like this pic b/c we can see both the Front & Back...albeit a little blurry.

Bridesmaids

Bride & her Mom...I thought her mom looked so good too! Man I LOVE that fascinator!

Metamorfik

2011-08-11T19:13:00.000-04:00

Lucky You, Lucky Me - Bringing you Two New Editorials in Two Days! Unfortunately, after this one I'm going to be real there won't be anymore "new" work for a bit b/c I'm just busy doing weddings and things like that but don't worry obviously I'll still be writing fun and interesting entries. Plus I think I am going to do a little video about the layout of my portfolio so you guys can see it all printed and maybe understand a bit more about portfolio flow and stories and all that stuff!

So here is the FINAL story from my epic shoot day w/ photographer Adamo de Pax that I've written so much about these past couple of mths. Originally, we were trying to get this published but no one was biting :( I still think it's gorgeous! To be honest I don't always get magazine editors and the stories they pick up b/c sometimes I see some really boring or crappy stuff published.

Anyway, Adamo and I agreed it's better to just release the images and put them up on our sites then have them published in a subpar magazine. Truth is (and I'm not trying to brag here) I've had a lot of stories published and the majority of stories in my book are published so I don't really care if I have some pics that aren't published in a magazine b/c to me it's better to have a book full of strong stories then to really concern myself w/ the fact of whether or not a couple of stories weren't picked up by magazines. Plus having a story published in a crappy magazine doesn't really mean anything or get me any farther ahead this point so who cares.

I love this story b/c it is a progression of one idea and Andrea (the model) did an amazing job of capturing the mood which is sort of like the makeup is possessing or spreading across her like a disease and turning her evil. Of course Adamo did an amazing job as per usual too! If anyone is curious I mostly used OCC pigments and the Gold is from my MUFE Flash Palette.

I really love that you can see the texture of the makeup in these pics and I esp. love the bit of red that landed on Andrea's eyelashes lol!

Enchantment

2011-08-10T18:47:00.000-04:00

You may remember a couple of mths ago me sharing some behind the scenes photos from an awesome beauty shoot I did w/ the amazing Sian Melton and Vienna (our gorgeous model). Well I can finally show you guys the final product! I think they look really gorgeous and have this beautiful light and airy other world sort of feel to them.

The story was actually picked up by this new magazine called Veux. Overall, considering it's the magazine's premier issue it looks really good and will hopefully only get better from here on. The pics looks good in the magazine but I have to be honest I hate when magazines try to fit more than one pic on one page b/c it just takes away from the impact of the pic but that's just my personal opinion. Plus they cut out most of the makeup credits which doesn't really make sense considering it's a beauty story. I mean yes cut out the repeats but to cut out almost all of them isn't cool. On a positive note my name is spelled right...and we all know that has been a prob in the past ;)

Anyway, here are the finished pics...I'm including my favs. from the shoot not necessarily the pics featured in the editorial just an FYI.

FYI I went to Pikto today w/ Adamo de Pax to print some pics for my portfolio and they all look gorgeous! I may be old school but I still LOVE seeing my pics printed...so much better than just seeing them on the computer screen IMO. I might do a little video showing you guys the layout of my portfolio and flip through it for you if you think that might be something that would interest you.

Weddings - Love When Everything Goes According to Plan!

2011-08-02T22:17:00.000-04:00

Nothing really fancy here. Just thought I'd share some pics I took of a wedding I did recently in Markham. First time this season I was hired to just do Makeup and not Hair or Makeup & Hair...kind of refreshing...and so easy!

I think the thing that actually made me most stressed about this job was the fact that I had to drive out there myself. I know this might sound weird to you all but most of the time when I have weddings outside the city I always have a second person w/ me b/c they happen to be big jobs. If I don't have a second person that means I have to use Zipcar which is this great hourly rental car service for those that don't know. I do btw have a full license but I almost never drive. Before this wedding the last time I drove was Sept...yeah like 10 mths prior lol (If I actually went over my limited driving history it might scare you that I have a license but knock on wood I've actually never been in an accident so don't get too scared lol)! Thankfully, for weddings I'm usually on the road pretty early which means almost no traffic. The following week I actually had to drive again for a job btw...all the way past Muskoka like 2.5 hrs outside the city (fyi I woke up at 3:45 am for this job - that's inhumane). On the positive side actually starting to feel pretty good about this driving stuff lol!

Anyway, back to the wedding. The bride Anna was so lovely (she looks like Olivia Wilde to me) and her entire bridal party was such a pleasure to work w/. Anna was so on top of things that I actually ended up finishing early! It's always nice on wedding days when everything goes really smoothly and there isn't a lot of drama or commotion while everyone is getting ready. Before the wedding I got a lot of emails from Anna about a lot of details and at first I'll admit it was a bit annoying but I realized she's actually a lot like me - always needs to be in control of all the details and planning. This also made me realize I'm going to be a nightmare if I ever get married lol! Seriously, if you didn't know this about me I'm a bit of a control freak and don't really trust many ppl to do jobs I could do myself b/c usually I feel I can do them better lol! I'm sure I was a nightmare to work w/ on school projects! Also just want to clarify Anna was by no means a bridezilla or anything like that lol...she was very lovely always...just VERY on top of things lol! I'll probably be a bridezilla :P

Anyway, here's some pics of Anna and her bridal party...really hopes she sends me pics she was so lovely!

Anna (Doesn't she look like Olivia Wilde)

Bridesmaid & Cousin

Another Bridesmaid - She has the prettiest smile!

Anna's Sister and Maid of Honour

Raw Beauty

2011-08-01T19:03:00.000-04:00

Well Adamo de Pax has done it again! Less than a wk after I put up the last story from him he already finished the next story we did that epic photo shoot day! I LOVE how much variety we are getting all out of one shoot day...seriously it's insane! Every story is so completely different from the other you wouldn't even know they were all shot on the same day and it's so exciting waiting to see what Adamo is going to do next! I should probably stop bragging about him so much...soon everyone is going to want to shoot w/ him and I won't even get a chance lol ;)

I really wish I could show you the one story that we are still trying to shop around to get picked up by a magazine b/c it's seriously gorgeous...and like I said before so different from everything else! It really is amazing how much range and variety you can get out of 4 models that all started w/ the exact same look. Yes, I know I keep repeating it but seriously it's crazy lol!

The last story w/ Sarah was very clean and fresh and this one w/ Bea is so different from that in every way. It's raw and edgy and I really really like it! Bea was really great at emoting that raw sexuality and vulnerability we were looking for w/ this one and she's barely recognizable from the clean face original pic. Yes the makeup is still really clean here but it's amazing what just changing the lighting, switching a pic to B&W and messing w/ one's hair can do to an image. Hope you like!

Clean Beauty With A Pop of Colour!

2011-07-29T09:34:00.001-04:00

Remember that amazing shoot I did a couple of mths back w/ that amazing, hot, new photographer Adamo de Pax. Yes, the one where we did 5 Beauty Stories w/ 4 girls and it was the most productive shoot EVER! Well I now have in my possession the next series of pics from this shoot! I've shown you guys the complete Clean Beauty pics w/ all 4 models...I've also seen another set of pics from the series that I can't release yet b/c we're hoping they get picked up somewhere. So now this is the 3rd series of 5 from the shoot...seriously it's like the gift that keeps on giving mths after it's done lol!

This was actually the first model of the day Sarah (Elite). Sarah is So Fresh and So Young! Really energetic and enthusiastic about everything. Sometimes it's fun to work w/ new models b/c everything just makes them so happy b/c they haven't gotten jaded or bored of the industry yet lol. Sarah had beautiful, soft features...very young and very innocent looking. She also had very full, pillowy lips that I knew would be fun to play around w/. For her "story" I wanted to keep the basic clean face look w/ the same high bun and just play around w/ her lips b/c they were so perfect and just calling out for pops of colour! I pretty much exclusively used my OCC Lip Tars for this one...I just thought why not - they give great colour and in all honesty I don't actually use them that much.

I think this story is also a great example of the fact that you can still keep something really clean but still play around w/ it a bit and have fun! Just b/c I'm giving her a strong lip doesn't mean I have to suddenly go in and start doing more to the rest of her face. It looks really fresh and clean and a little more interesting to just give that one little tweak in every picture. IMO this is still pretty much clean beauty...just clean beauty w/ an "edge" ;)

So here's the rest of the Sarah story - hope you Enjoy!

This pic and the 3rd pic are my FAVS from this story!

LOVE This One!

The Importance of a Good Brow!

2011-07-28T12:08:00.002-04:00

I don't know if you guys have realized this about me but I'm a bit brow obsessed...partially b/c I don't naturally have the best brows in the world anymore (women PLEASE I beg you DO NOT over tweeze!) and partially b/c they really do frame the eye and are such an important but often overlooked feature on the face.

It's like I was saying before w/ guys and makeup when something is good and done well like a good shaped brow you don't even really notice it you just notice that that person has great features but when someone has messed up brows (we've ALL seen them) you notice right away and you realize how much it messes up the balance and aesthetic of the over all face.

For me it's even more so...like I'm seriously brow obsessed when working on clients and looking at ppl in general. I ALWAYS notice the brows! Whenever I have someone w/ good brows sitting in my chair I make sure to tell them and say DON'T ruin your brows they are AMAZING! Whenever I have someone w/ sad little over plucked brows I don't hold back either and I will politely suggest that they might want to try growing them in a bit b/c it would help shape their eye better.

On a side note one of the biggest ways to see how good a makeup artist is IMO is check out their work w/ brows in their portfolio. Newbies often forget about them or neglect them but will still do a very strong smokey eye and w/out the brows filled in a bit it just looks unfinished or they will go the opposite way and shade them in too dark or just not understand what needs to be filled in and what needs to be left alone to make a nice, balanced shape on the face.

There's also a lot of different products on the market for filling in brows and really it does come down to a matter of preference. It's funny b/c on my own brows I often use a brow pencil but on clients I NEVER use a pencil and pretty much stick to brow powders...this is also b/c I don't like to carry around a lot of loose pencils in my kit...I almost never use lip liner either believe it or not. There are also various waxes and brow gels that can also be used to fill in the brows.

So anyway, getting down to business. Anyone who knows anything about brows has probably heard of Anastasia - the brow guru of Hollywood and beyond...if you haven't heard of her what rock have you been living under lol! Seriously, her reputation is intense and her client list includes ppl like Oprah, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez just to name a few...umm that's some pretty big names w/ even BIGGER standards!

I got an email yesterday asking me if I wanted to review Anastasia's Beauty Brow Express Kit and of course being the brow freak I am I jumped at that opportunity. So in the next couple of wks look out for my review on the Beauty Brow Express Kit and until then enjoy this little tutorial from Anastasia herself on what you need to do a great brow!

"Beauty Express" brow-kit instructional video from Anastasia Beverly Hills on Vimeo.

Romantic Bridal Hair

2011-07-27T10:29:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned the other day I've really started to develop a niche when it comes to wedding makeup - Natural and Glowing. I've also noticed a trend for w/ the ppl that hire me for hair as well. Many of them want very soft, romantic hair either down or up. I think it does sort of go w/ the soft, natural makeup so it all makes sense and I think it is a very modern approach to bridal looks in general which again makes sense why the go w/ me...I am after all a very modern girl lol!

I def. would say if someone was looking for more of the old school, very stiff, perfect curled updo they probably wouldn't be looking at me or my work. That is not to say I couldn't do that sort of thing but it is to say it's probably not my specialty...and in a way I think it for the most part is a bit dated anyway. Nowadays, I find brides want to be a lot softer and looser w/ their hair. They want the hair to still move and have life and not be crunchy or stiff. No one (at least the ppl that hire me) wants to seem "too done". I think this also goes w/ why they tend to like the more natural makeup as well. They want to look done up and beautiful but in an effortless, soft, romantic way.

Another reason I love these sorts of soft, romantic styles for hair is they wear well throughout the night. If a hair falls out of place it's not going to ruin the pictures and look obvious...b/c sometimes there are a few loose hairs in this sort of style and it just makes it look all the more organic and natural. I also love this style b/c everyone will look slightly different b/c there are basic rules but then everyone's hair is different so you could do the same style on two different girls but it will look different on both of them depending on their hair texture, length etc.

I just got a couple of pictures on a wedding I did back in May where I ONLY did Hair for the wedding and you may recall I was actually really really happy w/ what I did that day! The bride, Beatrice probably ended up having one of my favourite updos ever! She had beautiful thick hair and it was just shoulder length which was the perfect length for this sort of style. Often girls think they need to have super long hair for updos but that is actually not the case at all and often times makes the hair harder to work w/ b/c there is just so much hair to deal w/ and place. Often shoulder length or just past the shoulders is perfect.

I want to thank Scott McQuarrie at Re:Action Photography for sharing w/ me these beautiful pictures of Beatrice...really gorgeous hair shots and a great addition to my portfolio! Thanks again to Beatrice for being such and awesome and beautiful bride...her whole bridal party was really a pleasure that day - such great girls!

Wanderlust - Another Video Editorial for Lilogi.com

2011-07-26T08:09:00.001-04:00

You'll remember about a wk and a half ago I brought you some amazing behind the scenes pics of my latest venture w/ the AMAZING people at Lilogi for their Gypset Themed Week on their site. Well the latest video editorial is out and I LOVE IT! I really think we are hitting our groove as a team and our work is only going to get better and better (hopefully I still get brought back for videos as they are so much fun to work on).

I just LOVE how quick the turn around time is for these videos...it's always SO PAINFUL waiting mths for an editorial to come out when you're just so pumped about it and want to share it w/ the world right away! Also can I just say I actually wish the video was longer b/c I just enjoy watching it so much...it's like a little pretty moving piece of art. Plus it's a great song choice to go along w/ the whole thing!

So anyway, I'm not going to keep you guys waiting either...w/out further adieu here's WANDERLUST!

Wanderlust from Renee Rodenkirchen on Vimeo.

Credits:

Directed by Renée Rodenkirchen

Produced by Lilogi Inc.

Styled by Alexandra Loeb

Model: Émilie at Elite Model Management

Hair & Makeup by Jessica Jean Myers

Production Assistant: Blair McGregor

Music by Skybox – Slipping

Photographs by Renée Rodenkirchen

Natural Bridal Makeup

2011-07-25T13:58:00.000-04:00

The more weddings I do the more I start to develop my own little niche in the market. That isn't to say that this is all I do but I do definitely find that there is a certain style of bride that tends to search me out and hire me. What is my niche you ask...well I would definitely say it's the "Natural Bride". This is a bride that probably typically doesn't wear a lot of makeup day to day but understands that on her wedding day she's going to need a little extra something to make her wedding day and her pictures stand out and look beautiful.

My personal philosophy when it comes to bridal makeup is to make a bride look like the best version of herself. I personally don't really believe that any bride wants to people to say "Wow, I barely recognize you" on her wedding day. I think most would probably want people to say "Wow you look so gorgeous and glowing". But it is important to remember that natural makeup doesn't mean NO MAKEUP...there is a BIG difference and it actually takes a very skilled artist to achieve a natural look that just enhances the bride's natural beauty and features.

I think it's also important to remember that yes, for those brides that never wear makeup it will of course feel like more than usual but that doesn't mean it needs to feel like it's caked on. Often I hear ppl talk about the idea that you have to cake on the makeup for the pictures. Yes, it is true that you do need a little more makeup for your features to stand out in pictures but that doesn't mean the bride can't look beautiful up close and in person as well. I don't think any bride no matter what style of makeup she is wearing should ever feel like she's wearing a mask. I often actually ask my brides throughout the trial if they are feeling comfortable or if it ever feels like too much makeup or too heavy on the face...most respond w/ no lol.

As I mentioned before natural doesn't mean that a bride can't wear makeup...and in some cases a good amount of makeup. It just means the artist working on her has to understand what her face can carry off and what products/colours are best going to accent her natural beauty. Different faces can carry off different levels of makeup and colours and it's always important to remember this when working on a client. Also, a good artist can actually put on a good amount of makeup and still make it feel natural and like the bride is barely wearing anything...it's all w/ technique, blending and having a good understanding about the products you use and how much is really necessary to achieve the look you want. IMO a lot of times what separates a BAD makeup job for a Passable to Good makeup job is literally just taking a fluffy squirrel brush and blending out the eye makeup for an additional 30 secs...seriously the wonders that will do to a face.

I know I keep referencing it but a great example (w/out sounding too vain lol) of a lot of makeup still being able to look natural was my post on Cover FX makeup. It has Heavy Duty coverage...like it can cover scars, birthmarks, acne, tattoos etc. but w/ the right technique you can actually still make it look very natural and glowing. Many people have commented on how natural I look in the end result pics when really I'm wearing A LOT of makeup! If only I actually looked that "Natural" w/ no makeup lol...truth is NO ONE DOES!

I know woman often also say their fiances/boyfriends don't like makeup or don't want to see them w/ caked on makeup. Again, truth is men LOVE makeup...they just don't realize they LOVE makeup (naive and stupid little creatures lol). What they HATE is bad makeup or too much makeup...that's the only time they really notice makeup is when it's bad. Truth is like a lot of things when it's good you won't even notice it but you'll definitely notice it when it's BAD and that's why we sort of take it for granted. I have NEVER had a man say to me that I wear too much makeup...you know what I wear a lot of makeup if I'm going out they just can't tell b/c they don't know any better. But I will tell you that I have had men/people ask me if I'm sick when I'm not wearing makeup lol. So again it all comes back to technique and that again is why even if a bride is looking for a natural look it is so important to hire a good professional that knows what she/he is doing.

I received a couple of pictures from my bride Karri just recently who just got married last mth. To me Karri is a perfect example of a "Natural Bride" - glowing/clear skin, natural but still defined eyes, touch of colour on the lips. Some of you might also be surprised to know that she is wearing false lashes in the picture. Again, you can still wear false lashes and look "natural" it's all in the style of lashes and ALMOST ALL of my brides take me up on the offer for lashes (esp. since I don't charge extra for them). To me it's important for my brides to look as beautiful as possible on their wedding day and to me that includes false lashes.

This is just a reminder of a quick snapshot I took of her the day of her wedding.

Brides this is also why a trial is so necessary to make sure both you and your artist are on the same page for everything. If during the trial the artist does things a little more intense then you want speak up - you are hiring them at the end of the day and you need to feel comfortable (I'll be completely honest a lot of times what other artists call "natural makeup" is not at all what I would call natural makeup so don't worry). A good artist will not be offended or insulted that you want to tweak things a bit. In fact I welcome the bride's opinion - it's her face after all and I want her to leave feeling comfortable and happy. Of course listen to your makeup artist and their suggestions too b/c they might know something you don't but at the end of it if you still leave feeling misunderstood or like they didn't quite get you or weren't receptive to your ideas or worse yet were rude to your suggestions and were insulted by the idea of changing anything don't completely lose hope and forgo hiring a makeup artist completely just understand they weren't the right makeup artist for you. It might take a little more searching to find your right match...it's a lot like dating sometimes you have to go through some bad apples before you find a good one!

I LOVE My Laura Geller Makeup From Apothica!!!

2011-07-19T20:55:00.001-04:00

As some of you know I'm sponsored by Apothica. For those that don't know Apothica is this great cosmetics site (kind of like Sephora) that has a million different brands of makeup...a lot I've never even heard of + they also have two other sites connected w/ them Skin Care RX & Skin Botanica that you can also shop at.

The sponsorship is great b/c it allows me to experience, learn about and be partnered w/ cosmetic brands I might not have even known about otherwise. Every 6 mths I get a credit to use towards products on their websites...great deal for me as I LOVE free stuff (I mean who doesn't).

So for my latest Apothica purchase I decided to try out some makeup from Laura Geller. I had heard about the brand before but had never actually used any of it. Unfortunately, Canadian Sephoras no longer carry the brand and to be honest I'm not quite sure if you can get it anywhere in Canada :(. If this is the case then I'm going to be SUPER SAD when I run out of these products b/c I have to be honest I LOVE LOVE LOVE my choices...like I haven't LOVED something this much in a long time!

So what did I get you ask? I got the Balance-n-Brighten Face Powder in Med. along w/ the Kiss & Bakeup Collection (I'm a sucker for a good makeup set...it's the deal finder in me lol).

First I'll talk about the Balance-n-Brighten Baked Colour Correcting Foundation. It works like a light powder foundation and gives a light coverage. Personally, I like a little more coverage so I layer on top of my other foundation but you can use it on it's own and it really just minimizes skin imperfections and balances the skin tone and brightens up your entire face. Seriously, a lot of ppl lately have commented on how glowing my skin looks...but not in a shiny disco ball way don't worry. I got the Med. b/c that was the only shade offered and I think it would be a little dark for me in the Winter but for Summer it's perfect. In fact it actually really helps me b/c as I mentioned before my Cover FX powder foundation is actually a shade too light for me esp. in the Summer so if I layer this over top of it it just totally balances me out and gives me a nice golden glow!

The Kiss & Bakeup Collection is an AWESOME Set! It includes:

Spackle Under Make-up Primer

Balance-n-Bronze

Blush-n-Brighten - Apricot Berry

Eye Rimz - Bewitching Bronze

Dream Creams Lip Palette - Apricot Berry

Double-Ended Face and Cheek Brush

Eye Rimz Brush

Retractable Lip Brush

The Spackle Primer is nice. I have no complaints about it. It does leave my face smooth and soft and it's a great base for applying makeup on. I have to admit though and I know this sounds crazy but I'm actually really in love w/ my ELF mineral primer right now...I know I know crazy eh...but so good and so cheap! But this is great too and it comes in the set so no complaints here.

Balance-n-Bronze is gorgeous but be careful a little goes a long way. All of these products are very pigmented which is great. It goes on smooth and it does create a beautiful bronzed glow on my cheeks.

Blush-n-Brighten in Apricot Berry again is very pretty but I think this set would def. work better for med. skin tones...if you're fair skin just be careful b/c it might just all be a bit too much colour for you just a heads up. But it's gorgeous on tanned skin. I just love how bright and glowing everything leaves my skin looking!

Dream Cream Lip Palette in Apricot Berry has 4 great shades and I actually like to mix them together a bit esp. the brown neutral w/ some of the more coral colours just so they aren't too orange, although I don't mind them on their own either but I also don't mind bold lips. They are all pretty frosty and def. work better for Summer than Winter looks...but then again that's kind of how the whole set works IMO.

Eye Rimz in Bewitching Bronze great neutral brown colour that you can use all over the lid lightly during the day or layer it for a more smokey bronzed look at night. You can even use it wet for a more intense, metallic colour payoff.

The only thing that was kind of disappointing is the Double Ended Face & Cheek Brush. It's just cheap and nothing I would probably use normally on myself or on a client. But it's coming in a set. I never expect the brushes in sets to be that amazing so I'll let it go. I mean I was buying the set for the makeup anyway, not the brush lol. The lip brush is good and I like that it's retractable which is great for throwing in my cosmetic bag

on the go.

Another thing I loved about this set was that almost everything was Full Size Products..only the Primer wasn't. A lot of times you get sets thinking it's going to be such a great deal but then it turns out the products inside are only mini versions of the real products...always disappointing. This one really is a good deal!

If you get a chance I highly suggest you try out some of the Laura Geller Baked Cosmetics esp. the Balance-n-Brighten it is for sure my FAVOURITE out of all the items...a real WINNER! Here's some pics of me wearing my Laura Gellar cosmetics - Lips, Blush, Powder & Bronzer!

Alice in Wonderland Wedding Shoot

2011-07-17T23:05:00.001-04:00

Last wk I got the chance to participate in this really interesting wedding photography workshop hosted by this really awesome wedding photography duo Justin & Mary (they are actually husband & wife) visiting all the way from New England.

I have to be honest normally this isn't something I would help out w/ b/c well to be perfectly frank I wasn't getting paid but this shoot did actually fall in lines w/ my Rules on When Working For "Free" Is Okay.

1. The photographers hosting the workshop have really nice wedding work and therefore I knew I would get some really nice pictures for my wedding portfolio which is still growing & in development (hard to track down photographers or brides after weddings sometimes to get the professional shots not just the ones i take on my digital camera).

2. It would give me a chance to possibly network and meet other wedding photographers in the area...always a good thing.

3. I really liked the theme b/c it wasn't just your typical wedding stuff - they were doing something a little more whimsical and edgy for Toronto - Alice in Wonderland - this meant I also got to be a little more creative then the stuff I usual get to do for weddings - also I had a say in what the girls looked like - obviously this is not the case for most weddings lol. And Justin & Mary were going all out w/ set pieces, dresses, locations and little accents just to make it a bit more unique. They were literally taking the photographers through getting ready in the hotel, portraiture of the bride, church stuff, on location stuff & reception - it was literally like shooting a whole wedding.

So like many shoots there is always a little upheaval right before and this was no exception! The couple they had originally got for the shoot bailed at the last minute. Thankfully for them they met me lol! Being the always professional and generous person I am I posted an ad on MM (Model Mayhem) for couples for the shoot and they got a great response. In fact we got two great couples! This meant that I could do an Alice type bride as well as a White Queen type bride. The girls they picked for these two ideas were actually so perfect. Olivia was very petite and cute and perfect for Alice while Jenna (who I've had the pleasure of working w/ a couple of times) is tall and elegant, a perfect White Queen. I'm not going to lie though this was a touch stressful for me beforehand b/c it's one thing to get one bride ready but to get TWO brides ready in a relatively short amount of time is a lot lol! Actually though, if I do say so myself my timing was awesome that day!

For Alice (aka Olivia) I wanted to keep the makeup light and youthful w/ just a pop of pink on the cheeks and lips and the main focus was going to be the hair. I spent the night before sewing many many extension pieces for Olivia's hair b/c I wanted her to have a big, massive head of long curls - to go along w/ the whimsical feel and I knew I couldn't get that from her own hair.

For the White Queen (aka Jenna) I wanted something much more elegant, cool and sophisticated looking. I slicked back her bangs and did a very high ballerina bun (using my hair foam donut). I kept the focus on a very deep, strong red lip b/c Jenna has gorgeous lips. I also contoured her cheeks in quite a bit and did a clean swipe of white on the eyes and of course false lashes.

Thanks to Jillian at Headmistress Accessories I was also able to borrow a couple of AMAZING headpieces that were SO PERFECT for the shoot!

I took a few pictures at the hotel of the girls after they were ready but unfortunately I wasn't able to go to the actual locations - the church and the ruins/forest reception area so like my usual weddings I had to leave my brides w/ a touch up kit and believe my work would hold up the entire day...late into the reception.

I can't wait to see some of the pics from Justin & Mary and actually one of the photographers from the workshop Taylor Jackson was actually kind enough to send me a couple of pics she's already edited from the workshop! They look great and I'm so excited to see more!

My Behind the Scenes Pics

Olivia aka "Alice"...I actually wish I would have made the hair bigger...oh well

Jenna aka The White Queen

Mary giving lessons on shooting Portraiture...she had A LOT of really good tips!

Justin & Mary tag team shooting Olivia

Here's a couple of the shots Taylor sent to me

Great shot of Jenna

Olivia out on location...Love that her "husband" Joe has a top hat & bow tie...so Mad Hatter!

Finally Got A Haircut - Solis Salon

2011-07-15T17:02:00.001-04:00

So after 9 mths I FINALLY went and got a haircut! Yes, Yes I know...WAY too long and if I were one of my clients I would be pleading and reprimanding them to get a haircut more often. But here's the thing - my hair is like stick straight...seriously the stylist (Lindsay) asked if I straightened it when I got there (I hadn't...I don't even remember the last time I ran a straightener through my hair). I think that's part of why I can "get away" w/ going so long in between cuts - I usually let my hair air dry or blow dry it for 5 mins (seriously it's dry in like 5 mins...I know you're hating me right now but guess what curling it is a real bitch) so it doesn't really get heat damaged, I mostly wear it down so unlike a lot of ppl w/ long hair I'm not getting a lot of breakage from hair elastics constantly pulling it back and it's just naturally dark, silky and shiny so even after 9 mths ppl wouldn't know it had been that long.

Anyway, I've just been basically letting it grow really long for like 2.5 yrs now...since I left for Shanghai basically...yes if you look back to the beg. of this blog you will notice a girl w/ a short chin length bob lol. I actually don't think I've ever even let my hair get this long before b/c usually I would get bored and chop it...but I have to be honest I'm totally loving the long hair! The only real changes have been that I had bangs for about 1.5 years and now I've been growing them out for the past 9 mths.

So I didn't really have a hairdresser anymore b/c the one I use to go to before I left for Shanghai is mostly doing photo shoots and fashion now and I have to be honest I was not digging the girl that did my hair the last time I got it cut (maybe also why I waited so long). I was trying to grow out my bangs and she did something weird to them and I swear I was yanking on them to sweep to the side during my whole two wks in Europe...very annoying.

Having no hairdresser I did what any modern, tech happy person would do I googled reviews for hair salons in Toronto. This is how I came across Solis Salon. I had seen it's sign a million times while walking down Yonge and it's literally like 3 blocks away and it had some good reviews and a decent website so I thought why not! Plus they were having a special w/ one of their hairdressers who had just returned after being gone awhile. I figured why not give her a try - I like a deal and it's not like I'm looking for anything drastic.

I liked that I could send my request in for an appt. via email b/c I have to be honest I do a lot of googling late at night or after normal working hrs so that was convenient. The salon got back to me rather quickly w/ an appt. w/ Lindsay for Weds at 10 am.

Solis is on the 2nd floor on Yonge st. right near Charles st. which is nice b/c it keeps it calm and you don't get a lot of the outside traffic from being right on ground level. Lindsay even said that most days they can even accommodate walk-ins which is great if you're looking for something like that.

It's a very clean and modern looking salon...not cluttered, big open windows looking out on Yonge and it doesn't feel pretentious or snobby which sometimes is the vibe that some salons give off...I don't know I just don't like walking into a salon where I don't feel "cool enough" to be there lol. Right away I was asked if I wanted a tea or cappuccino...yes cappuccino - very nice touch, esp. at 10 am! It was a really good cappuccino btw ;)

So right away Lindsay sat me down and we did a little consult. I explained I really just wanted a trim to clean up the ends and some long layers to relieve some of the weight of my hair and just give it a bit more body. She totally got what I meant and even showed me what her "inch" off my hair would be just to make sure I was okay w/ that...I was fine I mean I just want it to look good I'm not the type to flip if it's an inch vs. an inch and a half. She also mentioned that the biggest thing was my bangs needed to be blended into my haircut better which actually made totally sense to me...see I knew that other girl did something bad to them before ;)

So Lindsay then washed my hair and even gave me a little head massage. Very nice in the morning! After that she got right to the cutting. She was really quick and she did texturize some areas as well. There was a lot of hair on the ground but it's just cuz she had to cut in some layers...it was literally all one length before. Lindsay was super friendly and I didn't feel forced talking to her...sometimes b/c of my business and working w/ clients all the time I hate having to make random small talk w/ others when I'm getting stuff done to me.

After it was all done and blow dried she showed me the back and what she had done to the bang area. She also suggested I come back in about a mth just so she could help fix the bangs a bit more and blend them better. Consult, wash, cut and style all took just an hr...pretty good in my book!

I left really happy...basically it looks like what I had before just better and lightened up w/ some layers. Actually, most ppl wouldn't even notice it had been cut to be honest but you know what sometimes that's what we want. I mean really a lot of us long hair girls just want to leave w/ our hair freshened up and looking long and lovely not w/ it looking several inches shorter or completely different then what we walked in w/. Nothing worse then going in for a trim and leaving w/ your hair several inches shorter than you anticipated!

These were all taken a few hrs after the Haircut...it was SUPER hot and sticky on Weds! See basically it looks the same just better lol!

I like this pic but it's not quite in focus

W/ the special my cut was $57 w/ tax + tip...that's pretty good for a haircut in Toronto in my books! I left happy and maybe next time I won't go 9 mths between my next hair cut ;)

Gypset - The Glamorous Vagabond

2011-07-14T21:43:00.001-04:00

On Tues. I got to head back up to the beautiful & remote area of Picton, ON (or somewhere around there) for another Video Editorial w/ the amazing ppl at Lilogi. This team is quickly becoming one of my fav teams to work w/. It's all girls (which is rare in fashion) and we all just mesh so well together and always have such a great time and great working chemistry.

The theme for this video was Gypset, which I'll be honest I didn't even know this term until I was sent the video concept brief before the shoot. For those of you not in know like me Gypset is a term coined by Julia Chaplin and is described as "an approach to life that fuses the wild and unconventional ethos of a gypsy with the sophistication and speed of the jet set" so basically it's a gypsy who happens to have a lot of money and can live like a glamorous vagabond. Very cool idea if you can afford it lol.

So Nicole (creator of Lilogi), Blair (assistant) and Renee (videographer) went up early in the day and created all these glamorous and luxurious sets for us out in the middle of nowhere...just gorgeous and so elaborate - really impressive stuff!

The stylist was my good friend Alexandra Loeb and the model was Emilie (Elite) who is actually here from Montreal for the Summer. Sweetest girl and totally worked for the Gypset theme.

It was another gorgeous day! Hot but GORGEOUS! Seriously, we have been so lucky when we've headed up there the two times. Emilie was such a trooper too b/c of course we were showing a lot of Fall clothes and things w/ fur...such a professional even in the heat! And as the day went on she just got more and more into the theme and really transformed herself into the character.

For the Makeup I wanted something not too clean or perfect, something almost a little slept in. So I wanted some smoldering eyes w/ big lashes and big eyeliner. Emilie had big cheekbones which you know I LOVE so you better believe I was taking advantage of that w/ the contour and a pretty strong bronzy cheek. I kept the lips nude and w/ a gloss.

For her hair I did a couple of things. Again nothing too clean or perfect - which is perfect when trekking through the wilderness or shooting outside b/c the messier it gets the better and more organic is looks. I added A LOT of extensions to Emilie's hair b/c it was thin and not near as long as we needed...yeah for my endless supply of extensions (and Alex's b/c she brought a set too...I used BOTH sets!). First hair look I did a really messy side fish tail w/ some volume and texture worked through the top and the braid. For the second hair look I made a Hair Rat (fake hair teased into a ball) to attach to her head to create the volume I needed for the Bridget Bardotesque hair we wanted...thank god for that rat b/c as I mentioned her hair was think I would have been teasing and re-teasing all afternoon w/out it. W/ it all I had to do was attach it to the head and then tease the hair around it a bit and lay and pin it over the hair rat. First time I've actually made and used one myself actually! After I did the pouf I teased all around the hair that wasn't pulled back to give it that very worn/slept in messy hair texture. If only my hair ever looked that good when I woke up in the morning lol!

In the end it was a LONG day (10 am - Midnight) but so worth it! Can't wait to see the video which will be coming out on July 22nd (another thing I love about Lilogi is the quick turn around w/ work).

I of course took a ton of Behind the Scenes pics so ENJOY!

Beginning of the Day!

Vast greenery we trekked through to 1st location

1st Location - Abandoned, Rusted Car! How AMAZING is THIS! Renee's Father stumbled upon it during a walk one day in the middle of nowhere...LITERALLY!

It has a built in Sun Roof lol!

Gross Bugs on this plant in the field...like a million of them...EWW! Don't mind nature, still HATE bugs!

Look at this Weather!

Another Touch Up!

Love this Hat!

The Living Room...What a Creation!

Hair Rat! Would have been better if it was Dark Brown but whatever I made due!

Hair Rat in Action!

Ugliest Dress EVER...Seriously, but Emilie made it work! It's so Ugly it's HOT!

At First we weren't sure about this outfit then it became one of the FAVS of the Day!

Love this Shot!

Rapid Lash Review For Eyebrows!

2011-07-09T21:57:00.001-04:00

You've heard me lament before about the unfortunate situation w/ my eyebrows. When I was young I had full, bushy, unibrow eyebrows and then in my teenage years I started getting them waxed and the waxers that I went to obviously weren't that good (how was I to know I was 16) and they started waxing my brows further and further apart till at one point they were ridiculous little sad faces above my eyes (these were the uni years). It wasn't until I got to makeup school that I learned how to shape and grow them in properly (or at least attempt to grow them in...still had/have to fill in the holes). Before makeup school it wasn't that I didn't know my eyebrows were jacked I just didn't really know how to fix them. Now I actually get complimented on them (when they are filled in) on a semi regular basis.

Anyway, obviously full brows are back and have been back for a VERY long time now so I have LONGED for the time when maybe my unholy holy brows would fill in. Unfortunately, my prayers had gone unanswered...that is until I started using Rapid Lash on my Brows.

I've heard about Rapid Lash for awhile now and I knew it worked on people's eyelashes but I wasn't too certain about brows (even though the box says it works on brows). Plus the $60 price tag was kind of keeping me away (although it is one of the cheaper lash enhancing products out there) but you may remember about a mth ago I redeemed a bunch of Shoppers Optimum Points for over $200 in free stuff...well I took this as the perfect time to try this product b/c well I was getting it for free so what did I have to lose!

I've been using the product for about a mth now and it's really a very easy product to apply. You apply it every night to your brows and where you want them to grow in. It's a very fine little brush like a eyeliner brush for liquid liner. I've been applying it religiously every night and I'll be honest I'm REALLY starting to notice a DIFFERENCE! There are all sorts of little hairs just starting to pop up where there were none before. I'm very curious about the results in 2 mths...I do still have some holes near the beginning of my brows but overall I am noticing that they are starting to definitely look fuller!

I have a Before Shot of my Brows & some After Shots so you can see the difference but I'll be honest the Before Shot is a bit blurry b/c I wasn't taken a close up of my brows so when I cropped in it went a bit blurry unfortunately (it's from my Cover FX review...only time I've ever taken a pic w/out my brows filled in). Sorry I didn't think to take a close up right when I started I didn't really realize that the Cover FX ones would be so blurry when I cropped them but I think you can still see a difference and you can definitely see all the little hairs that are starting to pop up on the After Shots, can't wait to see those little hairs fill in over the next mth! I should also note I HAVE NOT been using it on my eyelashes...the After Pic my eyelashes are a million times longer b/c I'm wearing mascara (L'Oreal Voluminious - My Fav for a LONG time now) and my lashes are curled that's it...thank God for eyelash curlers and mascara!

Before Rapid Lash

After Rapid Lash 1 Mth (if you click on the images you'll see them a lot bigger and in a lot more detail and see all the tiny hairs starting to sprout up!)

I'll post some more pics in a mth...I'm really curious to see the improvement after 2 mths since it says it takes minimum a mth for you to notice anything! If it keeps working this well and my brows get fuller I'll definitely be buying it again!

You can visit the website to read all about the ingredients and benefits as well as a bunch of FAQs.

Last Minute Wedding Fun!

2011-07-05T21:20:00.000-04:00

Funny thing happened a couple of weekends ago, I didn't have a wedding booked on the Sat. Then literally a wk and a half before that Sat. I booked not 1 but 2 wedding jobs lol! Seriously, you never know what's going to happen in this biz! They were both small jobs but still who cares work is work :)

First one was Hair & Makeup for the Bride & her Maid of Honour and the Second one was literally just a Bridesmaid Makeup job...normally I wouldn't take something that small but it was in the city and worked out to be right after my first appt. so why not who am I to turn down money after all ;)

I actually got to do a sort of trial on the bride the week before and meet her Maid of Honour (Jill) and some of her friends. Actually, it was her Stagette but whatever just good to meet her beforehand and get a feel for her style - the makeup was obviously completely different but the hair was what we did at the wedding. Great group of girls though...so much fun and I know they had an EPIC Stagette lol!

The bride (Karri) had a VERY small and simple wedding which I guess is part of the reason she left Hair & Makeup till the end (lucky for her I was available ;) ). I don't think she was originally going to hire someone but her MOH Jill insisted lol...good call on that one - even if it is a small and simple wedding Makeup & Hair are important! In the end I did a really beautiful and soft makeup on Karri - glowing skin, pinks and browns on the eyes w/ a neutral lip and pink gloss. She looked gorgeous! For her MOH Jill I actually did something a little more intense but still day wedding appropriate b/c she wanted the makeup to be good from day to night b/c she was going out that night clubbing w/ some girls (the wedding/reception was an afternoon thing w/ a cocktail reception).

Karri w/ her MOH Jill

For my next job I got to work w/ a wonderful bridesmaid Becky. She was so much fun and really is one of those girls that loves to get her makeup done. If you can believe it she has 7 weddings this Summer - INSANE! Really hoping she starts passing my name around to those brides lol ;) She got her hair done w/ the bride and the rest of the bridal party but the bride opted not to get her makeup professionally done.

The bride apparently had a bad trial at a salon where she ended up looking like a clown and it scared her away from the whole makeup artist thing which is really unfortunate b/c just b/c you have a bad trial doesn't mean you can't find someone who does get your style and what you're looking for in terms of makeup. I think a lot of girls get scared after a bad trial and think that no matter what they are going to look "too made up" or like "clowns or drag queens" which isn't true at all you just have to find the right artist for your wedding. That's why it's so important to check out the artist's website and see what their work is like and also talk to them and really explain what you're looking for - bring pictures that ALWAYS helps! And just be honest - if the makeup is too heavy or dramatic tell them and have them adjust it. If after you tell them they still can't get it right then yes move on and find someone new.

Anyway, back to Becky - Becky still wanted her makeup done even though the bride didn't and that's where I came in lol. She contacted me and like I said it worked out perfectly so I went to her place and did a really soft grey smokey eye w/ lashes and a natural lip and glowing cheeks. I think she looked great in the end, hopefully she didn't upstage the bride ;)

Brides - Don't leave booking Hair & Makeup to the last minute otherwise you might not get the artist you really want! It was a fluke that I was booked and some brides book their artists up to a yr in advance!

Replenished Hues - YYZ Living Editorial

2011-06-28T01:26:00.001-04:00

New Editorial Out! I'm VERY happy to announce I have a new editorial out...what's even BETTER is that it's actually in PRINT! Nowadays w/ so many magazines going online or even worse out of business it's a lot harder to get published in magazines that ACTUALLY have a print copy of them available in stores.

A few mths ago I wrote about some behind the scenes stuff for the editorial I was shooting for the Summer issue of YYZ Living and it's FINALLY out and it looks so PRETTY! About a wk and a half ago YYZ did a big launch party at Ultra's rooftop patio for the Summer issue which was nice b/c not only do I get a new editorial out but I get to go to a party that's featuring my editorial :)

Only thing that was a bit disappointing was originally the story was suppose to be used for the cover as well but last minute it got cut from the cover and another editorial was used :( ...really would have liked to have had a COVER too although I'm not going to lie the image that did use for the cover is stunning as well! But the story still looks great (although they spelled my name wrong...ugghh not MEYERS...happens so often!) But nothing I can do about it now so I might as well just enjoy the beautiful editorial and hopefully I'll get a chance to work w/ the magazine again...and maybe do a cover ;)

Here's the editorial...it's not the actually tears w/ the credits b/c I don't have them in PDF format yet but here's the pics they used (and the ones they didn't use that I like...it's funny 2 of the pics they cut are actually 2 of my fav from the story...always the way lol).

REPLENISHED HUES

Photographer: Dexter Quinto

Styling: Nadia Pizzimenti

Creative Director: Annie Lam

Makeup: Jessica Jean MYERS

Hair: Earl Simpson

Model: Ksenia (Elite)

Location: Studio Kaizen

This is the Opening Image

I LOVE this Image!

This was the Original Opener...I like it better b/c it features the makeup better...what can you expect I AM a Makeup Artist after all lol!

This was the the image that was going to be used for the cover originally...very pretty so sad it was cut :(

Here's a pic from the launch party - it's me on the right, Dexter in the middle and my friend Svetlana was my +1 lol...Dexter had just returned from Europe literally the day before I think