Marchesa Bridal Spring 2013 Runway Show

Marchesa Bridal Spring 2013 Runway Show

Makeup by Talia Shobrook

*All products from Laura Mercier Makeup Collection

Face Chart:

INSPIRATION

For the Marchesa Bridal Spring 2013 Runway Show, Talia Shobrook, lead makeup artist for the show, was inspired by the fashionable and fresh Marchesa bride-to-be. The makeup look she created was whimsical and effervescent. By carefully selecting a palette of warm and diffused colours, she was able to develop the natural flush that people love for brides, evoking a woman that is both innocent and sensual.

FACE: According to Shobrook, “flawless skin with a fresh and dewy finish was the foundation of the look.”

·         First, Talia mixed Laura Mercier Mega-Moisturizer Crème SPF 15 with Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance to add a subtle glow to the skin.

·         She then covered under eye circles with Laura Mercier Secret Concealer and covered any spots or redness with Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.

·         Next, she applied Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation to the face.

·         Lastly, she used Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder in the T-zone, for control shine, leaving the rest of the skin dewy and fresh.

EYES: According to Shobrook, “we chose to highlight the eye, to add to the allure that a bride’s sparkling eyes have on her wedding day.”

·         First, Talia mixed Laura Mercier Sateen Eye Colours Stellar and Primrose and applied them on the lid from lashline to the crease.

·         Next, she softly contoured the crease with Laura Mercier Matte Eye Colour in Fresco.

·         Using Laura Mercier Baked Eye Colour in Ballet Pink, she dipped a Laura Mercier Fine Point Eye Liner Brush into water and swirled around the Eye Colour to pick up the product, then drew a line across the lashline, with a slight flick at the outer corner. The eyeliner should be thin, and bright.

·         On the lower lashline, she used a Laura Mercier Flat Eye Liner Brush to apply Laura Mercier Matte Eye Colour in Truffle just at the lashline and blended slightly to soften.

·         Lastly, she finished with a layer of Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara and another layer of Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara to the lashes in the center of the eye.

LIPS & CHEEKS: “By using the same product on the eyes and lips, we allow the fresh-faced bride to only have to carry one product for touch-ups. The creamy formula adds a lovely natural flush to the face,” Shobrook concluded.

·         On the cheeks, Talia applied Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Mango (NEW, launching September 2012) to the apples of the cheeks and blended to give a natural flush in the face. The result is a creamy smooth natural cheek color.

·         The look was finished with the punchy Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Mango (NEW, launching September 2012) blended onto the lips as well.

Disclosure: I received nothing for sharing this information. I just love the look.

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Shiseido Shimmering Rouge for your Lips

Shiseido Shimmering Rouge lip color promises to plump your lips and give them a luminous shine.  Unlike some lip colors, Shiseido Shimmering Rouge feels moist against your lips and is not at all drying. It really does feel more like a lip balm than a lip color and I love it.  I hate how drying and tacky some lip colors feel. With photo-smoothing pearl, this moisturizing formula will give a fuller appearance to lips.

Shiseido believes in the pure, holistic experience of beauty with uncompromised details.   They offer a full line of beauty products including skin care, sun care, makeup, fragrance, and men's products.  The products are attractive with a very luxurious feel that will make any woman look and feel pampered.

I love the range of colors. I chose the Sorbet (PK415) which is one of their new colors. It's shown in the very top picture. It's the absolute perfect color for me. It leaves behind just a hint of color and gives my lips a nice, moist look.

Shiseido products can be purchased from Macy's, Sephora, Nordstrom, and Lord & Taylor. Or you can take advantage of their free shipping on any order over $50 and purchase directly from the website. Retail price is $25.00

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Laura Mercier New Oil Free Supreme Foundation

Warmer weather is starting to arrive here in Vermont. As the weather warms up, my beauty routine changes slightly.  With warmer weather, my face starts to shine a bit and that really bothers me.  Because my skin can be oily in the warmer months, I need to use an oil free foundation that is light weight.  Because I'm not all that thrilled with my complexion, I want to make sure that my foundation offers full coverage.  Some days I go a little lighter, but when I'm really out, I use a full coverage foundation.

Laura Mercier has a new Oil Free Supreme Foundation that gives skin the ultimate coverage, comfort and wear for a flawless complexion. It's an oil-free, non-drying lightweight foundation that glides on evenly and doesn't settle into fine lines.  It helps minimize the appearance of pores for smoother skin and helps even the skin tone with a soft matte finish. It's a long wearing formula that lasts up to 8 hours!

I love the way it feels on my skin. It's very lightweight and not at all greasy. It's also free of fragrance which is very important to me in a cosmetic product. The key ingredients are aloe bardadens to soothe and refresh your skin, green tea leaf extract to provide antioxidant and astringent properties, Vitamin E to provide  moisturizing properties, Vitamin A to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, and silica to absorb oil and smooth your skin.

HOW TO USE
Laura’s Technique:
Shake well before using and apply to face with Laura’s Foundation Sponge or fingertips. For best results, use with a Foundation Primer.
SKUS: 12 (Porcelain Ivory, Blush Ivory, Warm Ivory, Sunny Beige, Vanilla Beige, Golden Beige, Shell Beige, Tawny Beige, Honey Beige, Suntan Beige, Toffee Bronze, Rich Sienna)
SRP: $42.00

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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The Best Nail Polish Colors for Spring

With spring arriving here in Vermont, I was motivated to get my nails done with my daughter over the weekend. Sarah chose a bright pink and I went with bright green with daisies.

Check out this post on The Best Nail Polishes for Spring & Why and learn what your nail polish choices say about you.

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Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Color

A good selection of eye shadow is just one of those must have things in my make up bag. You can never have too many different shades of eye shadow. I love being able to find the perfect shade to go with my daily look and it really bothers me when I can't find the color I really want.

Some of the hottest colors this spring and summer are going to be shades of orange and yellow. This is a previously unworn color for me so I have been finding subtle ways to incorporate these colors into my wardrobe.  I don't wear a lot of orange and yellow so the hunt is on.

When I saw Shiseido's new Shimmering Cream Eye Color palette, the first shade I noticed was Sunshower which is a gorgeous burnt orange color with a hint of shimmer. I was a bit worried about using an orangey eye shadow. I had no desire to look like bozo the clown but thankfully the Sunshower shade is a very mellow color and turned out looking fantastic.

I tried to get a good picture of how it looked on but my camera is not up to the task at all.  Sunshower has an almost sheer quality that really looked amazing.  Sunshower is just one of their new Spring 2012 colors.  They also have Ice (blue) and Pale Shell (pink). You can purchase Shiseido products directly from their website.  You can get free shipping with a $50 order!

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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mark - just pinched Instant Blush Tint

Remember the eighties when blue eye shadow and a streak of pink blush on your cheeks was all the rage? Thank heaven that fashion fad has passed us by.  Now the style for the most part is the natural look.  Make up should enhance your beauty and not be painted on.  When you apply blush, it should give your skin a healthy glow with just a kiss of color and not be applied to leave a streak or circle on your cheeks.

mark just pinched is an instant blush tint that will give you the touch of color you want to look healthy and glowing.  It comes in a compact tube applicator that makes application simple.  There's no need for a brush or make up sponge.  I love my just pinched instant blush tint. I toss it in my handbag when I need to touch up my make up during the day and I really appreciate not needing to worry about throwing in a make up brush or sponge. Plus, it's not powdery so there's no mess to worry about in my handbag.

The mark just pinched instant blush glides on smoothly and provides a healthy natural glow. mark products can be purchased from your Avon representative for $8.00.  It is available in berry, nude, cheeky, peachy, and spicy colors.

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Touch & Glow Shimmer Cream Cubes from mark *special offer*

Winter and early spring are difficult times for me as far as make up goes. Any tan I got over the warmer months is long gone and I always feel like my skin is dull and lacking in that healthy glow I enjoy in the summer.  It's way too cold to go outside and try to get a little natural color from the sun at this point.

I want to be able to give my skin a little bit of color without creating an unnatural look.  I really prefer the healthy, natural type of make up instead of the made up look. I don't want people to look at me and be able to tell I'm wearing make up.

mark has an all over face palette that is the perfect choice to give your skin that healthy glow.  Their Touch & Glow Shimmer Cream Cubes are a palette of colors that you simply brush on all over your skin.  There's no need to worry about what color your complexion is. The wide range of color cubes swirl into an all over healthy glow for your skin.  I love how easy this is to use and the final result is a soft, healthy shimmer.

Right now, if you purchase $20 worth of select mark products, you will get the Some Like It Haute Bag for only $25!

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance

I'll let you in on a little secret - I really do not like my complexion.  When I was younger, I struggled with acne. Now that I'm older, I struggle with the signs of aging like larger pores and fine lines. I'm one of those people who doesn't feel comfortable going out without make up on. Don't get me wrong, I'm not into the heavily made up look. I prefer that make up looks natural and just helps cover up a few things that I'd rather not think about.

I always wear a foundation of some sort but I need to be really careful which one I use. I have light skin and I don't want to end up looking like I'm wearing make up. I recently tried Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer - Radiance.  The Foundation Primer - Radiance doesn't add color to your skin.  It provides a sheer, healthy glow that helps to hide and smooth out visible imperfections in your skin.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance

I really like this foundation primer. You can wear it on bare skin or over moisturizer. You can wear it alone or underneath foundation for a smoother look.  You don't need to worry about matching it to your skin tone since it doesn't have an actual color of its own. I am really loving the quality and flexibility of Laura Mercier's products. I only discovered them a few months ago and I wish I'd known about them before.

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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Laura Mercier Custom Artist Portfolio for a natural look

Laura Mercier's new Sheer Creme Colour line is a creme face colour that provides a soft touch of colour for a *bonne mine* (healthy glow) effect.  While I wear cosmetics every day, I don't want to look like I'm wearing them.  I prefer a hint of color that makes me look like I have a healthy glow over a made up, more obvious style of cosmetic application.

Her new Sheer Creme Colour is compatible with Laura's signature 3 and 6 well custom compacts so you can create your own personalized look. These cosmetics are an ultra-sheer, blendable formula that you can use to give your skin a healthy glow. It goes on very smooth and blends well into a soft blush to your cheeks. It really made my skin look like it had a natural hint of color from being out in the sun instead of making it look like I had applied blush to my cheeks.

Laura Merica also offers a Lip Glaze and Second Skin Cheek Colour that will help deliver that natural look you want.  Store it all in a Custom Artist Portfolio for Home and Away ($98.00, retail value of $120.00). It's the perfect organizing tool.

• Designed to carry all Flawless Face and Colour essentials
• Rigid outer shell case wrapped in metallic, pewter snakeskin material
• Includes four multi-size mesh cosmetic bags, easily removable with built in magnets
• Features Laura’s unique pocketed brush page
• Two refillable 6 and 3-well Custom Compacts that hold your favorite eye, cheek and lip godets

Laura Mercier products can be purchased at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Sephora.

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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Aveeno Positively Ageless Resurfacing Scrub

A resurfacing scrub can help fight one of the signs of aging - dull and lifeless skin.  As we age, it seems that our skin looses the vitality it had when we were younger.  A resurfacing scrub gently exfoliates dead skin cells to reveal the younger looking skin below.

Aveeno Positively Ageless Resurfacing Scrub is an oil-free, noncomedogenic, allergy tested, opthalmologist tested resurfacing scrub that is formulated with Active Naturals Natural Shitake Complex and fortified with Vitamin C.  It uses retexturizing microbeads to remove impurities whole polishing away dead skin cells. For years, shiitake mushrooms were recognized by ancient herbalists for their medicinal purposes.

I really like the texture and scent of the Aveeno Positively Ageless Resurfacing Scrub.  It's very gentle on my skin and the scent is pleasant and relaxing.  You can purchase this resurfacing scrub at many grocery and drug stores. The Hannaford in our area carries it for a very reasonable price.

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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Tips from Celebrity Stylist Jessica Tingley & Aveeno Active Naturals #Free Sample

Aveeno's Active Naturals line of products harness the power of nature and science for beautifully healthy looking hair.  Aveeno Active Naturals hair care products include the Pure Renewal line and the Nourish & Strengthen line. Pure Renewal is a sulfate free line of products that refresh and rebalance your hair for healthy manageability.  The Nourish & Strengthen line is proven to nourish dry, damaged hair as it repairs and fortifies to help prevent breakage.

Here are a few styling tips from Celebrity Hair Stylist, Jessica Tingley:

• Never roughly dry hair with a towel. Always gently blot excess water.
• Don't rip through tangles from the top down. Start combing at the bottom and work your way up until the knot is free.
• Never brush out tangles on wet hair. Use a wide-tooth comb instead.

Check out more celebrity hair styling tips.

I'm really enjoying the Aveeno Active Naturals shampoo and conditioner.  The Pure Renewal line is my favorite because it's sulfate free and does a wonderful job at keeping my hair manageable. I love the fresh, clean scent as well. Aveeno products can be purchased at a variety of retailers including Walmart and Target.

Sign up to receive a FREE sample of Aveeno Positively Nourishing Wash or Lotion. Tell your friends about it too!

Tips from Celebrity Stylist Jessica Tingley & Aveeno Active Naturals #Free Sample bit.ly/yREE2r via @scentednights

— Ellen Christian (@scentednights) February 18, 2012

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Make up inspired by The Jenny Packham Autumn Winter 2012 collection

The Jenny Packham Autumn Winter 2012 collection reflects the mood of Film Noir, a genre of films characterized by dark mood lighting, and characters with even darker morals. In this collection, pretty pinks are brushed aside as blood red and Stanwyk silver hit the catwalk in the form of silk crepes, plunging necklines and figure-hugging silhouettes.

Talia Shobrook, the lead makeup artist for the show, leveraged the collection’s seductive colors and shapes to create a makeup look that “evoked the mystery of the era, but translated it for the modern day woman.”

FACE: According to Shobrook, “pale, dewy skin and hollowed cheekbones evocative of the Film Noir period were the foundations of the look.”

·       Before applying Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation, Talia created the look of hollowed faces by applying dark shades of Laura Mericer Tinted Moisturizer Compact across the cheekbones (NEW: Available Fall 2012).

·       She then applied Laura Mercier Primer Radiance on the nose, chin and cheekbones to create an illuminated, dewy effect on the skin.

LIPS:   Shobrook then “modernized the era’s trademark blood red lips.”

·       She first outlined the lips using a mixture of Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colours in Cocoa and Merlot and filled them with Laura Mercier Crème Smooth Lip Colour in Pink Blush (NEW: Crème Smooth Lip Colours available Fall 2012). She then dabbed Laura Mercier Lip Plumper in Pink Pearl to the center of the lips to create a seductive sheen.

EYES: “Melodramatic and mysterious eye makeup that harks back to the soft focus effect of Film Noir camera lenses completed the look,” stated Shobrook.

·       Talia created a seductive eye by sweeping Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour in Starfruit across the brow bone and Laura Mercier Luster Eye Colour in Dusk across the lid, outer corner of the eye and under the lower lash line.

·       She then accented the center of the lid with Laura Mercier Baked Eye Colour in Violet Sky.

·       Talia lined the entire eye with Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Brown Copper and blended it out with Laura Mercier Sequin Eye Colour in Tiger’s Eye.

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Let Nexxus Pro-Mend and Frizz Defy help you!

If there is one fashion challenge that I struggle with continuously, it's my hair.  Sometimes it seems like every day is a bad hair day.  My hair is very fine and lacks body.  Because of that, I blow dry it every day and add styling products to give it lift and shape.  Constant use of the blow dryer can really damage your hair especially when your hair is already fine and thin to begin with.  It also dries out your hair and causes split ends which further leads to the whole bad hair day problem.

Nexxus Salon Hair Care offers a line of hair products called Pro-Mend that help repair the split ends often caused by blow drying your hair.  The line includes:

· Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Bodifying Mousse
Provides gorgeous volume and gives hair fullness and control while binding up to 84% of split ends back together with continued use.

· Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Curl Defining Crème Gel
Provides hair with springy, lively curls while repairing up to 87% of split ends with continued use.

· Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Smoothing Shine Serum
Repairs up to 86% of split and damaged ends with continued use to create smooth styles with incredible shine.

· Nexxus ProMend Split End Binding Straightening Lotion
Repairs up to 78% of split and damaged ends, with continued use, for a sleek, freshly-cut look that stays straight all day.

For those that also suffer from frizzy hair, they offer a line of hair care products called Frizz Defy that provides protection from frizzy hair.  The line includes:

· Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Shampoo
Prepares hair for effective conditioning and frizz reduction by priming damaged areas for even conditioner coverage along the hair shaft.

· Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Conditioner
Works with Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Shampoo to evenly coat hair for effective hydration and frizz reduction.

· Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Styling Crème
Helps create smooth styles with moisturizing ingredients that protect hair from the drying effects of heat appliances for a polished look that lasts.

· Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Leave-in Oil Shine Treatment
Delivers uninterrupted, smooth hair with liquid movement.

· Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Hair Spray
Resists humidity to control frizz all day long while providing natural body and bounce that you can comb through.

I'm very impressed with these products. Of course, they from Nexxus so I really shouldn't be surprised. I have trusted their hair care products for years and they've never let me down. Have you tried the new Nexxus  hair care products yet?

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review. All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.

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