Early Morning Bridal Prep | The Hilton Hotel, San Gabriel

Thy & I had the pleasure of prepping a seriously gorgeous mother-daughter duo at the Hilton Hotel in San Gabriel early this morning & I am extremely happy to report that they were both thrilled with their final looks.  We stayed behind to wait for photos to be taken so Thy could put on Jenny's veil & I must say -  her wedding dress & veil (embellished with rhinestones!) & her bridesmaids' dresses were seriously some of the prettiest that I've seen!  I cannot wait to share the finished photos with you guys! 


Congrats again, Jenny & Dustin! 




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! 

A Big Thank You to Lashem and Chrislie Formulations

I was so happy to receive a package of goodies from Lashem & Chrislie Formulations in the mail last weekend!  I have never tried any of their products and was extremely humbled to learn that they are a fan of my work and wanted to send me some items to try and discuss a potential collaboration.

How cute is their tote bag?! I received a package filled with eyeshadow palettes, a contour kit, a lipliner, mascara, brow tint, eye cream, false lashes, and nail polish.

For those of you who are not familiar with their products, Lashem's brand features mascaras, eyeliners, lash boosters, and lash/brow enhancing serums + anti-aging skin care for the everyday woman.  Luckily for me, these products are formulated with gentle, non-irritating ingredients - I'm extremely sensitive to harsh chemicals in products, so these products are right up my alley ;-) .

Chrislie Formulations is Lashem's sister brand and they feature cosmetics like eyeshadow palettes, contour kits & lip, nail and eye products.

My first impressions:

  • I really like the packaging of the Lashem products - smooth and sleek, they look high-end and would look great on my vanity or in my purse. 
  • Confession: I had to swatch the gorgeous nail polish (because we all know how obsessed I am with all that glitter!) and I am pretty obsessed!
I will be trying out these products throughout the next full week or so and will report back :-) Again, a huge thanks to Lashem and Chrislie Formulations for their generosity!  

Because I'm All About Them Brows !

Brows & a bright, even-toned complexion can make all the difference when it comes to natural makeup.  I did a wedding party last weekend and wanted to share these photos with you to demonstrate what a difference fuller brows & color-corrected skin can make.  These ladies look fresher, less harsh, and younger - they all expressed the same concerns: discoloration of the skin, and wanting to look natural & not overdone. 





Entourage Wedding Makeup at The Langham, Pasadena

Today was a busy day at the Langham - call time was 5am and Thy & I worked through 2pm to stay for touch-ups!  We successfully completed the entire entourage's makeup in time for the church ceremony.  The Langham is undoubtedly my favorite venue of all time, and I never get tired of being there.  I wish I had more photos to share with you guys, but it was so hectic (not to mention lighting was so terrible!) that I was not able to take photos of everyone - Here's a teaser - with finished photos to follow :)


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! ;)

Contour Game on Point with Senna Cosmetics' Face Sculpting Kit

I will rarely post selfies on this blog, but I just had to share my latest obsession with you guys:  the Face Sculpting Kit from Senna Cosmetics.  Let me tell you - ever since I discovered this amazing product, I have definitely stepped up my contour game.  My hairstylist will gladly tell you (and believe me, he does remind me every time I sit in his chair) that I have an abnormally large head - and, naturally, a large (and flat) face that goes with it.  As a result, I am constantly finding new ways to shape & contour my face with products to give myself the illusion of cheekbones & a higher nose.


The Face Sculpting Kit from Senna is so easy to use that I literally use my fingers to apply & I blend with the brush that is included.  It comes at a hefty price of $48 but I can vouch for this product & its value - it is a perfect blend of shadow & highlight and isn't overly warm like other so-called "contour" products out in the market nowadays.  It was originally developed for use on Desperate Housewives & is now available to the public.  If you're on the fence about trying this product, I say, GO FOR IT!

Tis the Season .... to be Shopping ;-)

Hello my dears!  

I haven't been updating for the past couple weeks because it has been a crazy month filled with weddings, private makeup workshops, and bridal previews, not to mention lots of shopping.  I'll admit it - I'm one of those people who have awesome self control when it comes to money & I am a self-acclaimed savvy shopper ... - BUT - I tend to go crazy once in a blue moon (insert innocent face here).  In my defense, all the money that I'm saving has to go somewhere, right? (I'm sure my boyfriend would beg to differ .... ). 

Anyway, I've been on a crazy rampage lately buying new products for my makeup kit and organizational items to keep my kit streamlined.  I've been getting a lot of bookings lately that require me to do makeup for 7+ clients in a very tight amount of time, so being organized and having everything in its place is very important to stay on schedule & really, just for my sanity.  I'm excited to share some of the items I've purchased in the past 2 weeks with you guys: 


How adorable are these clear pouches with polka dots on them?! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am obsessed with patterns & especially polka dots - so it was a no-brainer for me when I saw these PERFECT zipped transparent pouches to organize my kit.  The best part? They were only $8 for all three! 

Can you say, organized much?  Ever since I got this little magical box, my makeup game has completely changed - I could not believe what a difference this made.  I was always scrambling to find these little essentials in my kit, so having them all in one organized & neat place has made a world of difference.  

Okay, okay ... not makeup-related but who can say no to candles, especially for the holidays?! I scored 4 candles from Bath & Body Works for $8.50 each, which originally retail for $22.50 each.  I told you I was a savvy shopper ;) 

A huge, huge haul from Naimes & Nigel's Emporium!  I stocked up on lashes, a brand new brush funnel & HD Powder from Make Up For Ever, Skindinavia's Setting Spray, some MAC essentials, a powder foundation palette from Graftobian for my male clients, some sponges, a Kryolan mattifying primer, and some skincare from Peter Thomas Roth.  A hefty dent in my wallet but well worth it!  
What have you guys purchased lately? Does the holiday season bring out the shopper in you? 

Bridal Makeup Preview in Whittier, CA

Last weekend, I met with Maggie, my bridal client, for her bridal makeup preview.  She was anxious and concerned about covering up her dark circles and dark spots/skin discolorations, but I quickly eased her nerves after she saw the end result of her trial.  She was super happy with the look we ended up with - natural, glowy & radiant with an emphasis on her beautiful eyes!  What do you guys think? 


Wedding Beauty Checklist

I have noticed a lot of last-minute brides trying to book services a week or two before their weddings, so I wanted to post this Wedding Beauty Checklist for all brides-to-be for reference.  Please book ahead! Remember, your hair and makeup should NOT be at the bottom of your to-do list or your budget - you will be looking at those wedding photos & video(s) for years to come!

Download & print the wedding beauty checklist here.


Makeup Lesson: Everyday, Simple Yet Put-Together Look

My beautiful client Lina wanted to learn how to achieve the perfect simple, everyday polished makeup look.  The only makeup item she owned was an Almay eyeshadow palette, so we started off with the basics of the importance of using primers & product suggestions/basic makeup application techniques.   I can't wait to see how her makeup application techniques improve with practice over time! 


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 




January 2015 Wedding Bridal Makeup Preview

I had the pleasure of doing a bridal makeup preview for Jenny recently for her wedding in January 2015.  She is such a funny and chill bride and the best part was that she was not afraid to give me specific instructions on areas she wanted to change - One common thing that I see among brides is that they are so timid during the trial but end up complaining or make changes as the wedding date approaches.  Remember, a bridal makeup preview is a comprehensive review and effort to come up with the perfect look on a bride's wedding day, so honesty and clarity is key (and sometimes photos wouldn't hurt, either ;-) !

Makeup: Tina Tom
Hair: Thy Nguyen


One thing that we are going to change for the day of the wedding is her lipstick - she requested a more nudey pink.  Her areas of concern were dark circles & redness around the nose.  Jenny was super happy with the outcome of her trial and loved her brows & contouring + eye makeup.  Her hair was done by Thy, a hairstylist that I team up with.  Can't wait to get her dolled up again January!

Ready, Set... Glam!

I was so happy to get a mother-daughter duo glammed up for the mom's 60th birthday party last weekend!  They were such a pleasure to work with and I am so happy that they were pleased with the outcome :) Take a look below:
This beauty was super concerned about her dark circles, but I was able to conceal the darkness with Graftobian's foundation palette.
This hot momma rocked this red lippie - and of course, it is the one and only "Ruby Woo" from MAC.

One major area of concern was their dark eye circles, which is hereditary.  I used Graftobian's cream foundation/concealer palette and lightly dabbed it onto the outer "ring" with my finger & blended with a concealer brush, then used Ben Nye's Banana Powder to set. 

The ladies loved their makeup & they even wrote about their positive experience on my Yelp page! 

Beauty Haul from Sephora, Tarte & Camera Ready Cosmetics

You guys, my wallet is crying - but I am one happy camper ;-) . I went kind of crazy buying beauty products last week - but in my defense! - most of the products I purchased were to replenish products that had already hit pan and were for my kit for my clients. 

Any of my clients will know that I use top quality, professional brands as well as mid to high-end street brands.  I put in a lot of time, money, and effort into researching products and obtaining them because I always want to use the best-quality products on my clients.  Lately, I've been hearing about some artists in the area who will offer services for a fourth of the price, but use low-quality, sometimes even counterfeit cosmetics.  It  really irks me that any true makeup artist would do that, and that consumers will actually hire these so-called "makeup-artists" and in a way, condone this type of behavior.

Anyway, away from the negativity and back onto my positivity float : I restocked on some new Clarisonic brushes, my beloved Tarte Smooth Operator finishing powder, and my favorite Tarte blush in "Exposed."  I purchased Ben Nye Banana Powder to add to my kit, as well as the Senna Contour Kit (LOVE!) and the Senna Brow Book, which has been a serious lifesaver for my past several gigs.  I also wanted to try out the Tweezerman tweezers to see what the hype's about - but really, I was not impressed at all .... For an almost $30 pair of tweezers, I expected much better. I also got Caudelie and First Aid Beauty moisturizers to use for skin prep on my clients.

Hope you have a great week!


Weekend Madness in San Marino, CA

Hello Lovelies!

The past weekend was so crazy filled with appointments that I completely forgot / didn't have time to take many photos of my work!  Luckily, I remembered to take some photos to share with you guys - enjoy! 

YSL Lippie with an emphasis on contouring & a glowing complexion - doesn't she look gorgeous?!

This client was hesitant about getting her makeup done because she always hid behind her glasses - but I'm so glad we were able to bring her out of her shell & find a natural look that she was comfortable with!

This client was afraid that her eyes would look small without using eyelid tape - but I assured her that the specific lashes that we used would be perfect & enhance her eye shape.  She was pleasantly surprised by the results :) !

Drugstore Bargain Buy: Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial"

I am always being asked what lip color I'm wearing, and lately, my go-to has been a cheapie but goodie drugstore find by Rimmel London!  I've been OBSESSED with this liquid lipstick/lipgloss/lip lacquer for the past 5-6 months.  If you have never tried it, you are missing out.  Rimmel London's Show Off Lip Lacquer in "Celestial" is a creamy, conditioning pigmented lipgloss that is seriously comparable to my favorite Chanel Double Intensite Lipgloss in "Rose Quartz" !! The staying power is not bad - I don't need to touch up for several hours & even when the color fades, my lips are stained with a pretty pinky color so they don't look too shabby.  The color is absolutely perfect - it doesn't scream "I'm wearing a bright pink lipstick" and it's natural enough to wear with a dramatic eye look or no eye makeup at all.  *Confession - I even wear this lipcolor to the gym!

The best part is that this gloss is only $4.99 vs. my $35 Chanel lipgloss.  Let's face it - a girl can't always have her Chanel when the wallet's a bit tight!  It also lasts FOREVER.  I've been wearing this lip lacquer for the past 4 months (and reapplying roughly 2-3x a day) and it is now barely starting to show signs of emptying out.  This trusty alternative will be a staple in my purse from now on - so excuse me while I go order some more!