2015 in Full Force!

Happy New Year to my dear followers!

The past month and a half has been pure insanity.  With the holidays and New Year, my schedule has been jam packed and I am so humbled and grateful for such gracious clients who appreciate my craft.  Right after my NYE appointments, the new year brought on bridal previews for two gorgeous beauties who will be getting married in July & November.  They were super excited & pleased at the results - and I can't wait to get them dolled up for their big days!

I focused on creating a radiant & glowy complexion for Naoko.  How gorgeous are her brows?!

Linda wanted a smokey eye without looking overdone.  I focused on bringing out her beautiful, big eyes.


Happy 2015!  Big things are coming & I can't wait to share them with all of you! 

Glam Session with a Focus on a Glowing Complexion


I had a glam session with Joanna a few weeks back - she had questions regarding makeup application since her daily routine consists of only mascara - and we had a great time going over product suggestions as well as technique tips.  

I gave Joanna a bronzy smokey eye that did not overpower the rest of her face & focused on contouring & giving her a glowing complexion + a fuller brow- honestly, how great does her skin look?!  

Joanna loved her makeup so much that she left me a glowing review ! Thanks, Joanna!  I'll be waiting for your call once your boyfriend proposes! ;)

Bridal Glam at All Saints Church, Pasadena

I had the pleasure of working with Hera for her wedding this week at All Saints Church in Pasadena.  We had a hard time finding a place to set up that had adequate lighting, but everything worked out in the end.  She was so excited the whole time - it was absolutely refreshing to work on someone who was genuinely excited for a new chapter in her life :-). Congrats, Hera & Tyler! 

The radiant bride! 

Hera's sweet mom was telling Thy & I about her 3 amazing daughters, 2 of which live in the Philippines. She was so happy with her makeup that she sent photos over to her daughters overseas! 

Makeup : Tina Tom
Hair: Thy Nguyen 




Currently Obsessed: Teal Under-eye Liner

Hi Loves! 

I have been so slammed with work and activities that I haven't gotten a chance to share much on this blog lately!  My past weekend was spent in San Jose with the lovely BF.  It was short but sweet and filled with lots of yummy food and drinks (BonChon Chicken & Fantasia, anyone?).

Clients oftentimes ask me what colors (shadows, liners, etc.) would work best for their eye color.  Because I work 9-5 (actually, 7-7...) at a corporate beauty company, I stick to a standard smokey brown eyeshadow look.  Lately, however, I've been obsessed with using jewel-toned eyeliners to line my bottom waterline, like this:

via Pinterest
Obviously, my look is a little more muted for work (sadly, no gold glitter), but the fun thing about this is that you can do your eyeshadow any way you like, really, depending on the day & occasion.  This can work with a subtle brown smokey eye for work or amped up with a dark smokey or glittery shadow for a more dramatic, fun look for a date or girls' night.  

Here's a set of jewel-toned, versatile eyeliners that I'm currently obsessing over: 

Urban Decay, Ocho Loco 2 Set, $59 for a set of 8 full-sized liners - greens, teals, blues, purples, browns & the blackest black eyeliner I've ever used! 

What makeup looks do you guys find that you're doing more often now that Fall is here? 



Pixie Epoxy for All that Glitters

I was so happy to be given the chance to do another makeup photo session with Maureen, the mastermind behind Maureen Koo Calligraphy.  Since we did a pretty natural look last time, I decided to create a glittery smokey eye for her to wear for her night out!

Before & After


A closer look..

 
My secret weapon for this shoot was a bottle of Pixie Epoxy.  For anyone who works with loose pigments, shadows, and glitter, this magical bottle will be sure to become your best friend.  I don't know about you, but I find it almost impossible to put glitter pigment or even some shimmery/glittery eyeshadows on without fallout all over my face.  While the glitter is supposed to stay on my eyelid, by the end of the day, my entire face becomes a glittery mess instead.   

A quick dab of Pixie Epoxy helped me keep this MAC glitter pigment pot intact on her eyelids.  The best part? (Besides the fact that an enormous tube only costs $7!) The epoxy enhances the color of the pigment (whatever color it is that you choose to use) and keeps it on throughout the day without feeling like you've got anything heavy on your lids.  A very happy Maureen texted me the next day to report that she had absolutely no glitter fallout all night ;).

Wedding Shoot - Fullerton, CA

I am, as ever, lagging behind in updating this blog with my latest projects, so here are some photos of a bridal party that I did at the end of June.  I must admit, I was pretty concerned because it was literally the warmest day of the month and the wedding was outdoors at 3pm - not exactly the best conditions to stay sweat & shine-free if you ask me, but definitely the best conditions to test out the longevity of makeup & setting spray ;).

The beautiful bride, Katy.
Products Used:
Face: Urban Decay Brightening & Tightening Complexion Primer Potion
Sheer Cover Concealer "Light"
Chanel Perfection Lumiere 10 Beige and 30 Beige
Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #10
Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray
Cheeks/Contour/Highlight:  NARS "Laguna" Bronzer
MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow
Benefit "High Beam"
NARS "Orgasm"
Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Lingering"
Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion
LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner) "Gold," "Sable," & "Expresso" (Crease)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Bourbon"
Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir"
MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack"
Lips: Sheer Cover Lipliner "Natural"
MAC Lipstick "Crosswires"

My bride, Katy, was very concerned about looking overdone. She normally does not wear any makeup and wanted to make sure that she still looked like herself. After getting a good idea of what look she wanted (natural, blushing bride look, enhanced features), we were able to achieve a look that she felt comfortable with and a look that would also look great in photos. 

The mother of the bride, Barbara.
Products Used:
Face: Smashbox Photo Finish Primer
Sheer Cover Concealer "Light"
Chanel Perfection Lumiere 10 Beige and MAKE UP For Ever 127
Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #10
Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray
Cheeks/Contour/Highlight: NARS "Laguna" Bronzer
MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow
Benefit "High Beam"
Chanel Blush "In Love"
Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Fling"
Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion
LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner) "Mauve" & "Sable" (crease)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Bourbon"
Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir"
MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack"
Lips: Chanel Lipliner "Nude"
MAC Lipstick "On Hold"
 
Barbara, Katy's mom, is not a makeup-wearer by any means.  Her main concern was that she would look like a raccoon and that her face would feel heavy.  I was able to convince her to let me put minimal foundation on her to get the appearance of a flawless complexion so that she would glow in photos. 

 A guest at the wedding, Belen.
Products Used:
Face: Murad Skin Perfecting Primer
Sheer Cover Duo Concealer "Light/Medium"
Graftobian Foundation Creme "Buttermilk"
Chanel Perfection Lumiere 60 Beige and MISSHA Perfect Cover BB Cream #27
Cargo Blue-Ray Powder #30
Urban Decay All-Nighter Spray
Cheeks/Contour/Highlight: NARS "Laguna" and "Casino" Bronzer
MAC "Wedge" Eyeshadow
Benefit "High Beam"
Chanel Blush "Tweed Sienna"
Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Lingering" and "Strut"
Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion
LORAC Pro Palette "Nude" (Inner corner), "Sable," "Expresso" & "Slate" (Crease)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Perversion"
MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack"
Lashes: Chanel le Volume Mascara "Noir"
Falsies - a pair I picked up from Downtown LA, but a similar pair from MAC here.
Lips: Chanel Lipliner "Nude"
Tom Ford Lipstick "Pink Dusk"

Belen was so happy with her look that she sent me this photo the next day to show me how well her makeup held up in 100-degree heat & a night of dancing!

Belen, the girlfriend of Katy's brother, had one request: The bolder, the better.  With this in mind, we created a foxy, smoldering smokey eye look for her.  I emphasized her large eyes with dark eyeliner and false lashes from a vendor in DTLA.  With the help of Graftobian's creme foundation, I was able to create the appearance of clear, radiant skin. 
I was so happy to hear that Katy, Barbara, and Belen had no problems with the longevity of their makeup throughout the entire wedding ceremony & the reception that followed.  It was such a rewarding experience to show Katy & Barbara that it was possible to have makeup on without looking (and feeling!) overdone.

Photoshoot with Founder of Maureen Koo Calligraphy

I have been so swamped with work and wedding gigs that I have not updated this in over a month!  I just wanted to share with you some photos from a photoshoot that I had with Maureen Koo, the founder of Maureen Koo Calligraphy.  Like myself, Maureen is an avid player in the wedding industry.  Her beautiful work has been displayed on numerous wedding invitations, menus, and signs. 

 


Products used:
Face: Missha Perfect M BB Cream #27
NARS Bronzer "Laguna"
Tarte Amazonian 12-Hour Blush "Exposed"
Benefit "High Beam"
Sheer Cover Concealer "Light"
Brows: MAC Brow Pencil "Spiked"
Eyes: LORAC Pro Palette
MAC Fluidline "Blacktrack"
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner "Perversion"
 
How cute is Remy, her 3-year-old Frenchie!?
 
During our photoshoot, Maureen fell in love with the Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream that I applied on her. (For reference, she is about a NC30-NC35 and Missha #27 Honey Beige worked perfectly for her skin tone). Missha's M Perfect Cover BB Cream has been my go-to for years - and after they came out with their darker colors (#27 and #31), I became a lifelong convert. I have used almost every foundation out there- but being the extremely oily, acne-prone person that I am, I was never able to use a foundation for very long without having to find a new one that would not break me out or oxidize on me. Missha's M Perfect Cover has become my absolute favorite everyday foundation - it has enough coverage to conceal my dark spots & acne scars, and stays on nicely throughout the day. It is blendable enough to sheer out for those who want a lighter coverage as well. For those of you who are on the fence, I highly recommend this product. The best part? Misshaus is offering a Buy One, Get One promotion on their site right now. Now I'm tempted to buy some extras ...