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The 4 Best Concealers for Every Under Eye Concern

07.5.13

Finished Concealer Collage The 4 Best Concealers for Every Under Eye Concern

Fine lines, dark circles…under the eyes can be one of the most troublesome areas to camouflage on the face. Here’s a list of my favorite under eye concealers—for whatever eye concern you have!

1. Cle de Peau- at $70 it’s a splurge but it’s worth every penny. Not only does this creamy concealer cover flawlessly with one swipe, it doesn’t settle into fine lines and stays put all day. Though it’s pricey, it lasts forever!

2. Laura Merceir Secret Concealer- looking for a moisturizing conditioner that also covers dark circles? This is a great choice. $22

3. Benefit Cosmetics Erase Paste- this smooth blending concealer not only conceals the toughest of dark circles, but also brightens. $26

4. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer- this has become my go to day to day concealer. Not quite liquid and not quite a cream, this concealer instantly brightens the under eye area but also provides serious coverage. Also works as a highlighter. $28

FA1291616E2C1EFFDFE71FFF82805E89 The 4 Best Concealers for Every Under Eye Concern

Spring into New Eyelid Primers!!

25.3.13

Spring is officially here! (Well depending on where you are). I love this time a year when you clean out your closets and your makeup kit to make room for new stuff. Primers are a must have in your kit. There’s no way around it. Here are 3 of my favorites you should try.

1. Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion Tube – Original : A sheer nude eye shadow primer that glides onto the skin. This primer disappears instantly and is the ultimate eye prep for smoother, more vibrant shadow and all-day wear with absolutely no creasing. This squeeze tube is limited to sephora only. {Retail $20}

2. Benefit-Stay Don’t Stray: This dual-action primer works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers and eye shadows stay put. Concealers and eye shadows stay vibrant and true, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! Its lightweight, blendable and brightens eye area to minimize the appearance of fine lines, and comes in a universally flattering nude shade.
Hydrates with sodium hyaluronate to lock in moisture, fights signs of aging with vitamins C & E, and does not contain parabens.
It’s long-wearing to keep makeup looking fresh, locks on ALL concealers & eye shadows and prevents creasing of eye makeup. { Retail $26)

3. Too Faced Shadow Insurance: This is your full-coverage insurance policy against all fading, creasing, melting, blurring, oil slicked, and hard-to-blend eye shadow accidents. Our silicone based eye shadow primer transforms any eyeshadow into a perfectly blendable, color-drenched, intensified version of itself, then locks it down perfectly until you take it off. This soothing formula evens out the skintone on your lids and smoothes lines while securing a barrier between the oils of your skin and your makeup, so no shadow catastrophes will ever happen again.

What it is formulated without:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
{Retail $20}

Would love to hear so feedback after you try them!!

Author: Danielle Minnella www.danielleminnella.com

Products of the Week 3.9.13

10.3.13

When compiling my group of products this week, I wanted to get outside the box a bit. We’ve covered eye creams, concealers, etc and they are fantastic, but today I want to show you some products that aren’t at your standard department store counter.

1. Make Up For Ever Aquarelle ($21 at Sephora.com).

This product is incredibly versatile. It is a liquid that can be used in a plethora of ways. I use it in my airbrush gun (for those fellow MUAs), I have used it straight out of the bottle with a liner brush, it can be used as eye shadow, etc. My recommendation: chose one of the lighter (or brighter!) colors and using your ring finger, dip your finger on the lid of the bottle and pat the color all over your lid, blending well. (Note: a LITTLE goes a LONG way, so start with a tiny amount). Then, using a liner brush, apply the black along the lash line to create a perfect winged cat eye. The color will last all day without touch ups!

Untitled 2 Products of the Week 3.9.13

2. Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream in # 13- Warm Beige ($23 at Sephora.com).

The Aqua Creams from MUFE are one of the longest lasting products I have found to date. I keep this shade (#13) in my kit and use it as a highlighter for the entire face. My recommendation: Dip your ring finger into the cream and apply it to the top of your cheekbones, your inner corners of your eyes, brow bones, cupids peek (the top, middle of your top lip), and collar bones. The effect cannot be seen when looking straight at the face when close up, but when the light hits those places, it bounces off and you have the appearance of glowing skin. I use this on ALL my brides and often in photo shoots. The glow that is created is simply gorgeous.

3. MAC #217 Blending Brush ($23 at MacCosmetics.com).

When applying eye shadow the the crease, it is so important to blend blend blend. If you do no blend properly, you have a dark, crisp line just above your brow bone that looks messy. The solution? This brush! I do not use a lot of MAC products and tend to favor Make Up For Ever products, but when browsing my local MAC store, I cam across this brush and could not pass it up. My recommendation: Apply you contoured eye look as usual (lighter color on the lids, darker color in the crease, etc). When you have applied all your colors, use this brush (clean, with no product on it) and using a firm hand, blend all the lines until they are buffed to perfection. You will find many uses for this brush, but this is my favorite!

4. Ellis Faas Skin Veil Foundation SPF 15 ($65 at SpaceNK.com).

I am completely in love with the entire Ellis Faas line- the performance, the pigmentation, the presentation, the storage, etc. I love it! One product I absolutely cannot live without is the foundation pen. Now let me preface with $65 is quite a bit of money for foundation, but you do get a refill with it. So it ends up being twice as much as the pen can hold. Being that I only use the pen for under eye concealer, I have found it lasts me a very long time- months. I have used their concealer as well and I love it for blemishes and such, but there is just something about the Skin Veil Foundation that gives me the perfect coverage for my under eyes. My recommendation: pump once every two days (or two applications), drag the brush back and forth under your eyes to spread the product and then with your ring finger, blend. It melts into your skin beautifully and covers any hyper pigmentation under the eyes.

I hope you love these products as mush as I do! If you try them, please let us know your thoughts

New York Fashion Week- Behind the Scenes: Pamella Roland- Makeup with Matin Maulawizada for Laura Mercier

17.2.13

It is no secret that we adore the designer Pamella Roland so when I was asked to come backstage for her Fall 2013 NYFW Runway show, my response was “What time?”! We had a moment to hear Matin Maulawizada for Laura Mercier tell us about the look he created for Pamella’s Fall 2013 Show and where his inspiration came from. Matin, lead makeup artist for this season’s Pamella Roland show, was inspired by the designer’s collection, a visual narrative of the history of the Tzar and Russian Court. He developed a flawless makeup look that translated the simplicity of women’s beauty in tandem with the “opulence of St. Petersburg”.

Pamella always keeps her look so classy and simple, this goes for her hair and makeup too. Click on the image above to see the video.

To create the look:

Flawless Face- A fresh, “no makeup look” was key to balancing the collection’s bold accents

First, Matin applied Laura Mercier Foundation Primer ($32) to create the perfect canvas for makeup application.
Then, depending on the model’s complexion, he used Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Foundation ($50) or Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation ($43) to hydrate and protect the skin.
Next, he used Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage ($30) to perfect the skin, concealing any problem areas.
He applied Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($35) to set and finish the look.
To give the skin a healthy color, Matin brushed Laura Mercier Crème Cheek Color in Blaze ($24) and Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek COlor in Sweet Mandarin ($24) onto the cheekbones.
Matin then contoured the apples of the cheeks with the Bronzer Veil from Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Healthy Glow for Face and Cheeks Crème Colour Palette ($48).

Enchanting Eyes- Matin used varying shades of gold to highlight the eyes

Matin gently brushed Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Gilded Moonlight ($24) onto the eyelid.
He then applied Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic ($38) to the eyelids, leaving them gleaming with a warm, natural sheen.
To complete the eyes, he swept on a coat of Laura Mercier Gold Mascara (created exclusively for the Pamella Roland show), to dramatically lengthen and define the lashes.
Laura Mercier Eye Brow Pencil ($20) was applied to define the models’ eyebrows as needed.

Lustrous Lips- Deep wine lips created a modern look that “tied all the colors together”

Matin applied Laura MErcier Lip Silk ($22) to the models’ lips to create a smooth and nourished base.
He contoured and shaded the lips using Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Coffee Bean ($20).
Adding the final touch, he applied Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Deep Wine ($20) to achieve a bold, modern look.