Happy National Eyebrow Day!

National Eyebrow Day got its start several years ago thanks to the power of the internet and social media. 

 You may be wondering why we even celebrate brows in the first place. Brows play a significant part in our everyday lives.  Their main role is to stop sweat and water from getting into our eyes, ultimately protecting our sight.  They also serve in shaping the face. In order to shape the face well, grooming of the brow is important. 

There are many ways to groom your brows. You can simply shape them by applying eyebrow gel using a spoolie (the small round brush also known as a mascara wand). Another shaping option is threading. Eyebrow threading goes back to ancient times and is still very popular today. Eyebrow waxing is another widely used technique to achieve the perfect brow. There are many ways to keep your brows in great shape depending on your comfort level and desired look. 

In honor of National Eyebrow Day, Ulta Beauty is offering a free brow set with any $50 online purchase. This set, valued at $38, includes Tweezerman tweezers, primer, gel and a pencil.  These tools offer easy ways to keep your brows in shape. 

Here’s to National Brow Day! 

Happy National Lipstick Day 2019!

Ask any woman what her one “go-to” makeup essential is and generally, it’s either going to be mascara or lipstick (or some lip product).

Lipstick is the one product that women can use to make the most dramatic impact quickly. Let’s think about this: Lipstick can add drama to the face by adding color, for example. In doing so, your face automatically has a different look. Lipstick is worthy of being celebrated with this type of ability!

Social media has played a big part in the popularity of National Lipstick Day over the past few years. Several beauty companies including Ulta, Kat Von D, The Lip Bar, Fenty Beauty and MAC Cosmetics are offering specials that are sure to entice.

Kat Von D, for instance, has curated lipstick bundles for the popular day. The vegan beauty brand offers some nice bundles at the price of $34 per bundle. Each bundle has 3 liquid lipsticks that are quite flattering. This is a great deal considering that these lipsticks retail for $20 each when purchased separately.

The Lip Bar is offering $9 lipsticks with free shipping for lipstick purchases over $25. That would only require 3 lipsticks for free shipping on these highly popular good-for-you lippies.

Until next Lipstick day enjoy and be sure to wear some lipstick today!

Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty 2019

Okay, ladies- it’s here!

Starting Sunday, March 17, 2019, Ulta will bring back its highly antipated, highly coveted sale. I have been waiting for this!

If you are new to this or need a refresher here are some details:

The sale at Ulta begins on Sunday, March 17, 2019 and ends on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Each day, new products will be featured for sale. They are 50% off! That’s HUGE!

What this means for you is it’s time to SHOP! Ulta is known for providing high quality beauty brands to its customers. What I love about their business model (among other things) is that the products run the gamut of drugstore brands, such as Covergirl and Maybelline as well as high-end brands such as Chanel and Saint Laurent. There’s something for everyone there. Pair these offerings with a wonderful earnings system that can be turned into cash for future purchases and you definitely have a win!

Here are some takeaways (especially if this is your first event):

• Do a little homework. The brands on sale change daily, so putting in a little work beforehand will be extremely helpful. This sale is extremely popular. Don’t make the mistake of waiting. I did that one year and let’s just say that was the last year for that. I haven’t seen the item I wanted on sale since then (at least not at 50% off). So, when you see something you want move fast.

• Opt for shipping if you aren’t able to get to the store. In the past, Ulta offered free shipping at certain times during this sale. I don’t know if it will be that way this year but I do know that a sale like this doesn’t come around every day.

• Try out new products. Now is the time to test out new products. There are a few palettes going on sale and now would be a great time to test out new brands. This sale isn’t just about makeup. There are makeup brushes, bath products and skin care products on sale. Beauty isn’t just about makeup.

Hopefully you will be able to take advantage of the this wonderful sale. Thanks Ulta for being so awesome!

2019 Grammys

Music. It’s helped me get through many times-happy, sad, joy, pain. It also helps me to push through things and get tasks done. It also helps me think and has helped me verbalize what I want to say. To say music is a lifeline is a major understatement.

So, needless to say, I was watching the Grammys this year. I like to see what the celebrities have in store for us. In saying that, this post is strictly about the fashion and the makeup. I’m highlighting a few of my favorites here.

My top 3 red carpet looks (in no particular order) were Jennifer Lopez, Chaka Khan and Lady Gaga. What I liked about all 3 of these looks were that they really represented each artist well and really fit the personality that comes to mind when I think of all 3 of them. The hair and makeup for each look fit very well.

The host, Alicia Keys, had some nice looks as well. She stayed with a minimal makeup look that still goes along with her ‘no-makeup’ look theme that she was really into a few years back. I personally like the idea of minimal makeup when hosting an event like The Grammys. She had several outfit changes and not a lot of time.

Overall, there were several beautiful gowns, outfits, jewelry and makeup. For an event like this, it’s so wonderful to see stars who are really comfortable in their own self-expression.

Happy 2019!

It’s been a while and it’s time for some new posts.

It’s a new year with many wonderful things sure to come our way in the world of makeup and beauty. 2018 brought is a lot of new products and innovation. I expect 2019 will be more of the same in that vein.

One of the best product improvements was the vast amount of attention brands are bringing to complexion for women of color. This has been a long time coming. Those voices have been heard!

We all want to be included. We all want products that serve us well and that allow us to full engage ourselves in our unique and wonder self-expression.

Here’s to a wonderful 2019!

The Royal Wedding 2018

Wow! The day is here and the ceremony is now over. It went by so fast! It really does seems like only a month or so ago that we heard about the upcoming nuptials and May 19, 2018 seemed so far away. Now, it's a beautiful memory. 

There were so many takeaways from this day and it would take me forever to get through all of my personal ones, so I'll make this short, or as short as I can. 

First of all, let's talk about how amazing this couple looks! The bride is absolutely breaktaking in this timeless, stunning Givenchy gown. It was truly made for her and fit her like a glove. Prince Harry was quite dapper. I love to see a groom with style. It was nothing short of befitting to wear his military uniform. Check out his medals. 

Secondly, let's talk about her headpiece. That tiara was so beautiful! The train was befitting. An already stellar gown was made that much more stunning by this wonderful touch. It was yet another piece of her ensemble that looked like it was made just for her. It fit her style.

One takeaway  for brides is to be yourself. I had heard one British commentator state that this was the "best" he'd ever seen Meghan Markle look. She always looks great to me but I know exactly what he meant. When bridal is done right, the bride is shown in ALL her glory! The guests and the world see the bride in a new light. There are many moving parts to bridal beauty. This brings me to my last point. 

My third and final point is her makeup. All I can say is "WOW!" This is really makeup done right. There was an initial rumor that her friends were going to do her makeup. She was not going to hire an artist. I have to be honest-that didn't sit well with me, at all. I would definitely respect her choices, it's her wedding after all. Let me explain my reasoning behind this statement.

Whenever one puts ALL of the energy into planning a day as big and monumental as a wedding, you want ALL professional hands on deck. Why have a designer gown, professional photographer, beautiful venue and wonderful food (for starters) and leave your face out of that? It just seems a little bit, well, wrong. Professional work should be included in every aspect of your wedding.  

Her makeup was so 'wowing' with its beautiful, understated simplicity. It's the kind of makeup that I stare at for hours. It was skin that looked like skin. Her smokey eyes, lashes and glossed lips were the perfect look for her. Her artist has had plenty of experience with celebrities and it shows. 

It was said that she really likes and embraces her freckles. Her artist heard her and we could see some of them. Thank you for showing us!

 I have had brides with freckles  who wanted to show them off and I really enjoy working with them! Women who embrace their unique qualities are very comfortable in their skin. By wanting to show off their uniqueness, they are saying to the world "this is me and here I am." 

The smokey eye is a wonderful look. It was simple and understated yet went perfectly with the personality of the bride and her gown. It was regal. It was royal. It fit. This was a day that will be remembered for a long time to come.

I am wishing this happy and wonderful couple ALL of the best!

Happy Holidays!

It is my hope that everyone has a great holiday! I hope that you are able to enjoy this time with your family, friends and loved ones. 

I am looking forward to seeing my family, getting in some good laughs and eating some great food. 

It is my hope that your 2018 has many great things in store for you and yours! Cheers!

Serena Williams is married!

We all got a lesson in what "classy" weddings are made of and how they are done. It was a classy, classic, yet relevant and current event full of A-listers and powerhouses. Serena Williams and her now husband, Alexis Ohanian, put on a full-fledge wedding production. The photos speak for themselves. 

I wanted to briefly discuss her makeup and hair choices. They were perfect for her personality and wedding. The hairstyle is a classic look for women with longer hair. It's easy to wear and makes for an effortless wedding. Updos are very easy to wear and allow the bride to really focus on enjoying her day. When it comes to your wedding day, you are not going to want to be fussing with your hair every 5 minutes. 

In that same vein, her makeup choices were excellent as well. Her look was beautiful and elegant without being overly fussy. This allowed for her to look wonderful without having to think about her look. In fact, if her lipstick wore off or faded through eating, champagne toasts and greeting guests, she will still look very much the same. Her choices were spot-on. Taking into account what your day will be like is a major key to enjoying your day. 

Evening weddings can also have bolder eyes and lips. These looks are great and would require more attention throughout the evening. While we tend to see evening weddings have the 'after 6' approach to attire and makeup, Serena went with her own idea and made her wedding her own. It paid off well for her. 

Congrats to Serena and Alexis!