Events: The Beauty Social 2011

The Beauty Social 2011 Recap (October 23-24)

Finally! A new post! YAY!!

Before I start with the recap, I'd like to thank you all so much for being patient with me as I go through the changes and additions to my online world. As you can see, I've changed the format of my blog (Thanks Christine! xox) as well as establishing several other accounts, broadening my social network scope. I'm really excited about this and I hope that you'll continue to join me on my adventures. And yes, I will update my blog a lot more often than once every quarter. haha!

Okay, so on to the Beautylish recap...

I was so fortunate to attend a weekend gathering sponsored by Beautylish. They had their very first Beauty Social event last month. If I were to explain that weekend in one word: FANTASTIC!

It was a jam-packed weekend filled with inspirational speakers, big-time sponsors, beauty and lifestyle bloggers, you-tubers, and major swag! It was an uplifting, inspiring and informative event catered to all aspects of beauty - which is what Beautylish is all about. If you are not familiar with this amazing company, please make it a point to know them. If you love to talk, read, watch, anything related to beauty, this company will not disappoint.

And now, the event in pictures...

An entire panoramic scope of the event. There were lounge couches on opposite sides of the room coupled with two huge monitors directly in front of the seated areas. The main stage was on the right with beautiful silver chairs filled the middle of the room.  The beauty bars outlined the room where several sponsors are set up to cater to your every beauty whim! 

The impressive Patrice Yursik of Afrobella. She created a beauty and lifestyle website from a brown girl's perspective. I enjoy reading her blogs and ideas to care for natural hair. If you don't know her, do yourself a favor and get to know her through her site. Quick!

(middle) Dre Brown, Beautylish contributing editor and beauty hype-woman. (right) celebrity makeup artist Nyssa Green. Two out of the five speakers from the Brown Girl Beauty panel. The sultry swag, sense of humor and soul emitted from this panel was off the chain! I loved every minute of it. 

The alluring Romee Ham from the Beautylish team. A dedicated yoga instructor who reminded me that day that beauty is as beauty does. What a knockout!

Nadia B. from the Beautylish crew. One of the most determined and delightful beauty's that I've had the pleasure to meet. We hit it off famously that weekend, as if we've known each other for years! haha! She was the person responsible for introducing me to celebrity makeup artist, Jeffrey Paul, which subsequently led to an interview! Yup, more on that later ;)

Indie Lee (founder of Indie Lee All Natural Beauty Products) and celebrity hair & makeup artist Jeffrey Paul. Both equally charming and down to earth people I've had the pleasure of interviewing that amazing afternoon. Truly inspiring people.

Jerrod Blandino, co-creator of Too-Faced cosmetics. He was funny and informative at the same time. He shared  the struggles that he and his makeup partner faced with launching a cosmetic line. It shows to prove that hard work and perseverance paid off in the end.

Event hostess, Kelly Beckett and Positively Positive founder, Eric Handler. If you need a dose of encouragement or a boost of inspiration,  his site will do just that.

Beautylish angels. Middle: My dear GlamSis and beautiful soul, Zarah Villarreal. To the right of her: The lovely Jamesa Gonzalez. Outer right: Sweetheart Romee Ham. Thank you for ushering us in with such welcoming smiles.

Youtube beauty Guru, JulieG713. She had such a sweet and amiable way about her. A pleasure to meet you Julie! Thank you Zarah Villarreal for introducing me to her.

One of the reasons why I love Beautylish was their ability to create an opportunity to meet people in the industry you respect and admire. On my quest to find out about non-toxic beauty products, I found out about these incredibly remarkable women. They independently launched their own websites and product lines solely dedicated to living a cleaner and healthier path. They moved forward with their dreams completely on their own terms! If you were to ask me, those are the qualities that I not only admire, but fiercely respect. From left to right: Ashley Beckman (Co-founder, Golden Path Alchemy Organic Skincare, Alexandra Spunt (Co-author of "No More Dirty Looks"), Me! (haha!), Keri Waxier(Founding Ambassador for Tara Harper). The pleasure of meeting them were all mine. :)

Actress and comedian Kim Coles. She was there to support The Brown Girl Beauty panel. Lovely!

And last but not least, Youtube sensation and my sweet friend, Kandee Johnson plus a handful of the GlamFam. From left to right: Cocoa Anderson, Jena Amend, Kandee J, Anna Mojica, Kimberly Earnheart, Margara Carbajal, Me and the youngest honorary member of the GlamFam, sweet Celeste. :)


I know a lot of you are waiting to see this, so here you go. Drum rolls please! Here are the contents of the Beautylish V.I.P. swag bag. It was heavy and filled to the brim with various (and several full-sized) products which was more than the price of admission (no joke.) Beautylish rocks!!

Top Row: Wella travel kit. Brilliance conditioner, shampoo and treatment. CND nailpolish in Raspberry Sparkle #563 neutral/sheer. Middle Row: Murad Active Radiance Serum featuring resilient-C compex, Benefit Watt's Up soft-focus highlighter, CoverFX translucent mineral powder setting fix (light), Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (naturally active skincare cleanser with cloth). Bottom Row: Clinique lid smoothie antioxidant 8-hour eye color in 06 Cute-Cucumber, Clinique Bottom Lash mascara in Black, Clinique chubby stick in 02 whole lotta honey, Sugar Fresh lip treatment. 

Top: $50 value (gift certificate) on CoverFX.com. Top Row: Australian Gold SPF30 sheer coverage sunscreen lotion, The Balm DownBoy blush, Kate Somerville ExfoliKate, Too Faced Line & Shine lipliner (perfect nude), lipgloss (flirt). Lorac SelfTANtalizer. Middle Row: Urban Decay Good Karma Finishing brush, Scott Barnes Body Bling (original), Dior Addict lipcolor (#819 Havana Beige), Sugarpill eyeshadow (Afterparty), NYX Luxurious Black Label lipstick (#176 Jaipur), Obagi Medical Elastiderm eye treatment cream, Goody Spin pin. Bottom Row: Amika Nourishing Mash for hair, Amika Oil Treatment for hair, Nude Advanced Probiotic skincare (from NobuNau), TATCHA Japanese beauty papers (blotting papers)

Packaging, flyers, business cards and random giveaway from the kindest lady from the Wella booth who did everyone's hair (hair serum) and hair band. Thank you!!




Again, A massive THANK-YOU to those of you who stuck by me and continue to follow my blog. I appreciate you! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did re-living that lively weekend last October. I can't wait for The Beauty Social in 2012. I have a feeling it'll be even better. Thank you Beautylish!!


Stay tuned for tomorrow's post. I'll be sharing with you my interview with celebrity hair & makeup artist Jeffrey Paul and Indie Lee All natural beauty product founder, Indie Lee. I was a nervous wreck during the interview but had a blast the whole way through. Chat with you later!








Laugh, Love, Live Positive

Events/Adventures

Come along with me and enjoy the ride.

Inspiration

Be inspired.

How-To's

Here's a break-down for today's lesson.

Product Review: Jane Iredale's Artists' Eyes I & II

Mission: To find non-toxic eyeshadows that are pigmented and performs exceptionally.

Merchandise: Jane Iredale's Artists' Eyes I & II

Taken Directly from their website:

Artists' Eyes is a palette of matte shadows created especially for makeup artists working in commercial settings. This kit contains six eye shadow shades designed with the professional makeup artist in mind. Includes hues of pure black, canary yellow, chocolate brown, regal mauve, deep teal and neutral peach, packaged together in a black and gold, faux alligator skin wallet and displayed in a formation reminiscent of an artist's palette. Formulas glide on and stay put with a crease-proof finish.
Artists' Eyes II is a palette of matte shadows created especially for makeup artists working in commercial settings. This kit contains six eye shadow shades designed with the professional makeup artist in mind. Includes Blue Sky, Cut Grass, Grape, Copper, Indigo and Truffle, packaged together in a silver faux-croc slim case and displayed in a formation reminiscent of an artist's palette. Formulas glide on and stay put with a crease-proof finish.


Jane Iredale introduced her unique skin care makeup line in May of 1994. Her cosmetic line offered not just color enhancement but also benefits to the skin. Plastic surgeons were the first to recognize the benefits of the line and were confident enough with it to use it on skin that had just undergone laser resurfacing. It not only effectively and safely covered the redness but also provided essential sun protection. The products are based on micronized minerals and are made without fillers and binders (such as talc and mineral oil) and without chemical dyes or preservatives. As a result, the Iredale products are carried by salons, spas and medical clinics throughout the world.

On my quest to find cosmetics that are non-toxic, the very first line of makeup that I used were from Jane Iredale. I remember it well. The first products that I purchased were the PurePressed® Base Mineral Foundation with SPF 20 along with the Balance Antioxidant Hydration Spray. After using both products for a few weeks - my skin loved it! It felt light and didn't break my skin out. Then I thought, if my skin responded well to the foundation, let's give the other products a go!

Eyeshadows:

PROS: First thing that I noticed - the packaging of course! Both palettes were separately encased in these faux-croc skin containers with magnetized lids (similar to Inglot's packaging). It looked very glamorous and soft to the touch. The shadows glided on to skin easily and are HIGHLY pigmented.

CONS:  As a makeup artist, I want to be able to have easy access to all of my products at a glance. However lovely the packaging looked and felt, de-potting these eyeshadows might be a challenge. I'm also unsure if Jane Iredale sells individual eyeshadow/blush pans. I may have to reach out to them and find out. As soon as I do, I will post an update. 

Artists'  Eyes

Artists' Eyes II

*Although the description states that the formulations are matte for both palettes, Artists' Eyes II has a bit of a sheen or shimmer from all the shadows, especially from Truffle and Copper.*

Swatches:

Natural light/Outdoors

Dimmed lighting w/ flash/Indoors

Until next time,  

Love, Laugh, Live Positive

 

Events/Adventures: The Makeup Mavens of The Makeup Show 2011

I'd have to admit, it's been almost a month since the spectacle of The Makeup Show had come to pass, and even longer since I posted anything on my blog (yikes!). Yet the memories of what had happened that wonderful weekend in L.A. stays fresh in my mind as I look through these photographs. The array of talent and "cream-of-the-crop" makeup artists that roamed the penthouse of The California Market Center was nothing short of remarkable!


For those of you who are not familiar with The Makeup Show, here is a brief description directly taken from their website.

"The Makeup Show LA will continue to grow and deliver the largest PRO ONLY driven beauty event in Los Angeles, California! Join us at The Makeup Show as the top industry artists and pro-driven companies present the newest products, seminars, forums and hands-on workshops. We'll deliver the same pro-driven, artistically inspired, celebratory energy of The Makeup Show to the west coast, and bring together your top brands and inspirational artists and educators for two amazing days of community, career and craft building. Check out the fresh looks of the upcoming season. Learn about the newest lines and product launches. Explore makeup workshops and discover school programs. Network with your peers. Develop new relationships with the companies that make the industry tick."

Experiencing the event for the first time, I immediately sensed that this wasn't your run-of-the-mill tradeshow. It was a community of professional artists assembled under one roof, eager to express their expertise and great skill in their creative endeavors of transformation through makeup. I was thrilled!


Please, allow me to razzle-dazzle you with the number of  amazing artists I've had the pleasure of meeting that day.

This entire event would not have been possible had it not been for the genius of Michael Devellis (the lovely gentleman with the button down shirt) founder of The Powder Group and the force behind The Makeup Show. Michael and Brad Farrell were so open and engaging that I instantly felt at ease around them. It was such an honor to have met them both.

Prior to taking this picture, we were laughing our heads off because of Michael's wicked sense of humor followed by a bit of banter among the three of us. I felt like I was in a sit-com. So much fun!

They were oh so charming with such lovely hearts.

Kristofer Buckle (Christina Aguilera's makeup artist) and the expert behind Christina's ever changing looks from her simple nude face to her breathtaking transformation in the movie Burlesque. He loved this picture because of the 70's-retro feel to it (also because of the backlight which made us look oh so much younger! haha!) Like a star-struck teenaged girl, I told him that I have one his quotes in my Facebook page, to which he replied, "Oh honey, I'm so flattered! You just made my day!" Little does he know that he made my day by taking this picture with me.

Danessa Myricks, the striking and pioneering beauty behind www.imakeyoubeautiful.com started off very much immersed in the corporate world but also wanted to express her creative side. Her drive and passion took her hobby of experimenting with makeup into a full blown career as a formidable and sought after makeup artist by numerous celebrities. If you can think of a celebrity name, chances are she worked with them. She was so sweet and had a smile so inviting that made it easy for me to approach her. What a treat it was to have met her!

AJ Crimson, the co-founder and creator of Kissable Couture a luxury cosmetic line has demonstrated an individual approach to achieve clean yet luxe makeup and skin routine. He is a beauty and fashion expert who continues to work with countless celebrities in film and in music. His work is described as "Imaginative and Passionate". Plus he worked with Pat Mcgrath! (LOVE and ADORE her!) I was in awe of his skills.

The talented Mr. AJ at work with his beautiful model. I kept snapping away with my camera of his work. I was full of questions while he was working that afterwards, he thanked me for asking them. Finally, he told me to be true to myself because I can go so far in this business with my positive attitude. Then, complimented me on my eyebrows. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. He was awesome! I left his class walking on air and felt like I can tackle anything.

AJ's model (my apologies, but I couldn't recall her name) looked absolutely stunning after he got a hold of her face. The lighting in the room does not give her beauty justice. She reminded me of my dear friend Angel's daughter Ajah. Both are equally gorgeous!

I asked AJ if it was okay if I took pictures of the tools of his trade, to which he quickly replied "Of course!" I took advantage of it by snapping pictures away "stalk-a-razzi" style. haha! I also admired a few Hakuhodo brushes he used during the makeover. I am now convinced and determined to purchase a few key brushes from that line to further improve my kit.

Philip Luque is a celebrity makeup artist and licensed cosmetologist who has been making women beautiful since 1994. Apart from being the Global Senior Educator and Exclusive makeup Artist for Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, his artistry has graced the faces of numerous celebrities  and has been featured in the pages of W and Italian Vogue. He has worked on numerous prestigeous fashion shows that are too many to mention. Meeting Philip for the first time upon the insistance of my dear nephew, I was assured that I need not be intimidated by this man. When I finally met him, I instantly found out that he is such a lovely person inside and out. Then as a parting gift, he gave me several samples of their amazing products. What a dear!

Billy Brasfield a.k.a. "Billy B." whose celebrity clientele is long and distinguished. To put it another way, if I had to list them all, I would have onset carpal tunnel in a week! haha! In the early '90s, Billy B. was asked to do makeup for an up-and-coming singer named.... Mariah Carey. The rest as they say is makeup artist history. Currently, he is the brilliant creative mind behind Lady Gaga's makeup transformations and a frequent guest judge in one of my guilty pleasure  "Ru Paul's Drag Race" show on LoGo. He was funny, charming, personable and was carrying on a conversation like we were long lost friends. He gave my Glaminar sisters and I a taste of his Southern charm. He layed it out like a scrumptuous spread of down home country style-cookin'. We were eating it up and kept asking for seconds. haha! It was such a pleasure to have met him. Much respect!

Overall, that day was an incredible success! I am so honored to have met them all. I was inspired and overwhelmed by amount of talent I've encountered that day that I was razzle-dazzled myself! haha!

As the day came to a close, my Glam sisters, my nephew and I went to dinner for sushi and sake to unwind and celebrate. We chatted away as we ate yummy food and enjoyed each other's company until late in the evening. It was a wonderful way to top off an amazing day.

Until next time,

Love, Laugh, Live Positive

A handful of the GlamFam (future Makeup Mavens) with the uber talented and charming Billy B.

So blessed!

Product Review: Nvey Eco Organic Moisturizing Liquid Foundation (#510, 511,512,515)

Mission: To find liquid foundation that provides coverage and moves with the skin.

Merchandise: Nvey Eco Organic Moisturizing Liquid Foundation

Taken directly from their website:

"Chamomile, cucumber and organic calendula combine to create this soothing, moisturising and aromatic liquid foundation. The luxurious addition of Rose Absolute assists dry and sensitive skins. Tinted using natural earth elements, ECO Moisturising Fluid Foundation is available in a range of colours for a natural everyday radiance."

*Enriched with Vitamins A, C, E
*Oil Free, Fragrance Free
*Moisturising
*Evens skin tone

NVEY ECO prides itself as being one of the first totally organic cosmetic brands in the U.S. market. With a passion for the environment and all things beauty, Rohan Widdison founded NVEY Le Maquillage, the parent company of NVEY ECO, in Australia. As more and more Americans looked for ways to live an organic lifestyle, the company introduced its bold, organic cosmetics to the U.S. in 2006. (Skinbotanica)

When I first ordered a sample of their products, (and yes, I firmly believe that reputable companies should ALWAYS offer samples) the first thing that struck me was how generous the samples were. The samples were placed in a small, quarter-size plastic container. Just to give you an idea, I used their liquid fundation samples for five (5) different people. Five makeovers. Amazing!

The second, was texture. The consistency was airy and managable and provided light to medium coverage that was buildable to conceal problem areas or trouble spots. The product glides on to skin like a dream  - so inconspicuously, you could hardly tell if you were wearing makeup. I was told that this is their version of a tinted moisturizer. I could only wish that all tinted moisturizers in the cosmetic market were this luxurious and applies so well.

And the third was the smell. Highly aromatic foundation or powder is a deal breaker for me. The last thing I want is my foundation or powder to compete with my perfume. And let's not forget that fragrance in cosmetics can potentially irritate skin. EPIC FAIL. 
Not the case with this product. It gave off a very mild pleasant odor (rose-scented) that was not overbearing and dissipated upon contact with skin. Halleloo! haha!

Overall, I recommend this liquid foundation for everyday use with the flexibility for medium coverage and BONUS also photographs well. Truthfully, what's not to love? 

Love, Laugh, Live Positive,