How To Give Your Skin The Perfect Bronze Kiss For Fall And Winter

I just got back from teaching my Beauty 101 class at the Pinner's Conference in Utah.
I flew out there in my role of Beauty Director for Luca Magazine 
(a title I am very proud to hold!) 

One of the things I spoke about in Salt Lake City on Friday was the use and abuse of one of the greatest makeup products ever created, bronzer. I've had so many messages from ladies in the audience asking me about the product that I was telling them about that I decided to write a post about it.

Bronzer isn't designed to fix a bad foundation choice, or to contour your face. It is designed to make you look all glowy and warm, as though you were just out in the sun.

The makeup transition from summer to winter can be tricky. As you lose that summer glow a powder bronzer can look manic. The color sits up on top of the skin and can look anywhere from Trump-orange to bogus-tan, and if the particles are large it can create a mad flickering effect to your complexion.
So if you are feeling washed out, what's a girl to do? Don't worry, I have a plan for you.

This is my absolute favorite bronzer. 

 stila Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer, 1 fl. oz.is a bronzing gel from Stila Cosmetics.

I've been using it for ages on myself as well as in my pro makeup kit.

my makeup table at a recent Luca Magazine shoot

close up - Aqua Glow

As we transition through fall I am still using it every day. I like to apply a small amount to my cheekbones and blend it into my skin for a soft glow. On days like today I wear it alone, on days where I'm wearing foundation or BB Cream, I wear it underneath. It gives you a hint of controlled color that stops you from looking pasty or washed out but doesn't look like you're trying to fake out a long weekend in the Bahamas. You can also add a tiny bit to your foundation if you need to warm the color up.

I love it because it looks natural and has a fresh glowy finish that makes your skin look alive. 

I used Aqua Glow Perfecting Gel Bronzer on Ford model Amberly Ray on a shoot for Luca Magazine.
Her skin looks sunkissed yet autumn/winter appropriate

It's super concentrated so you only use a small amount, which makes it great value too! Stila's Aqua Glow Perfecting Bronzer 

I can never find it in stores, so I always order it online.

Free standard shipping for when you spend $50 or more at Stila Cosmetics

How To Avoid Hat Hair This Summer

image by Kelly Capelli
makeup by Corinna Cooke

If I so much as put a hat on for 60 seconds my hair is trashed for the rest of the day.
It drives me insane.
And it can be a real problem during the summer, especially on vacation, when you've been out and about in the sun all day with your fabulous hat on, and now everyone is going to lunch/dinner/drinks/or some other place where you either can't have your hat on or will look stupid with your hat on.

So what is a girl supposed to do?

 Tips For How To Avoid Hat Hair This Summer.

Start by choosing a hat that fits your head, is not fitting too tightly anywhere, and that is made of quality, light materials. This will help your hair to breathe beneath the hat.

1. Pull your hair back into a low pony or low braids and wear your hat loose.

2. Don't put your hat on over wet hair.

3. Fold a bandana or scarf flat and place the non seamed side against your forehead, tying it above your ears. Let your hat sit against the scarf, stopping your hat from leaving indentations against your forehead.

4. Fold a silk scarf into a large triangle and place the longest edge against your forehead, the V over your head, tying the two corners behind your head. Let your hat sit loosely on top.

5. If you wear your hair in a part, direct it in the opposite direction before you put your hat on. When you take your hat back off flip your hair back to it's normal side you will have created volume!

6. If you can avoid getting an indentation on your forehead, when you are done wearing your hat spray some dry shampoo (I use Klorane) into the roots of your hair, letting it sit for three minutes. Fluff your hair with your fingers,
spritz the mid-lengths and ends with Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing and Refreshing Spray 

for curls or glossy hair, or Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion for beachy waves, then clip or tie hair into a high pony.

5 Travel Makeup Tips

Are you getting ready to go on a big trip? 
I hope it's a vacation for you, but maybe it's business travel or maybe there is some other reason that you are boarding that flight. Regardless of why you are traveling you need to have a plan with your makeup. What to bring, what to leave behind, and how to transport it so that it arrives undamaged.
Today I'm going to tell you how I do it, with 5 Travel Makeup Tips, and 2 bonus travel beauty tips at the end.

1. Keep It Small Enough To Take Onboard  With You

Although (touch wood) my bag has never gone missing, I pack my carry on bag assuming my suitcase and I are parting ways for a few days. If I arrived at my destination with no clothes and no makeup for the first three days it would seriously ruin my trip. Last year a friend of mine was not reunited with her suitcase until 3 weeks into her 3 1/2 week trip!

With that in mind your carry on bag has to be artfully packed with just enough to get you through and not enough to weigh you down, which means your makeup bag needs to be scaled down. It's actually quite refreshing to have just the basics with you, transferred into travel sized containers and packed into a see through makeup bag.

I buy my travel makeup and toiletry containers from The Container Store, and for years now I have traveled with my Stephanie Johnson Miami Blue medium zip cosmetic bag.

Stephanie Johnson Miami Blue collection

2. Take A Bright Pop Of Lip

You need two lip games when you travel. One is a softer, juicier gloss. Choose a color base that works with your skin tone and the wardrobe you are bringing, for example a pinky based nude, or a soft praline nude.

Your other lip game when you travel needs to be a bright pop of color. Maybe you're a red girl, maybe you are a fuchsia (my favorite), maybe you rock a coral like no other - whatever looks the most gorgeous on you (and makes you feel like a million dollars), that's the one you want.

A bright lip infuses your complexion with luscious life, it sets your eyes alight, and it makes you look vibrant. And let's face it a vibrant, vivacious you is perfect for travel!
Try Nars lipstick in Schiap

3. Keep Your Story Simple  

Rather than traveling with several different makeup looks, choose one. Use a pretty base, love up your cheeks with one blush, take a brow product and one eye shadow story. You can change your look by changing your eyeliner, and you can modify everything by adding a bright lip or opting for a soft gloss.

Chanel eye shadow quad in Tisse Vendome

4. Keep Your Foundation Sheer. 

Thick foundation looks awful anytime, but worse when you're traveling. Invest in a lightweight foundation or a BB Cream, that mimic fresh, beautiful skin and leave the heavy stuff behind.

Stila BB Cream

5. Waterproof Mascara Needs Waterproof Eye-Makeup Remover

Waterproof mascara is great for travelling, especially when you are going somewhere wet or where you will have beach/pool/water time.
The problem with waterproof mascara is that it is murder to get off. Rather than rubbing and scrubbing at your eyes, damaging the skin around them and breaking off your lashes, travel with a waterproof eye makeup remover that will dissolve and clean away the most stubborn waterproof mascara.

2 Bonus Tips

6. Pack A Facial SPF

Always travel with a free standing facial SPF. The SPF that is in your moisturizer or your foundation doesn't actually give you much protection at all, so not only can those pesky UVB rays burn you but you can guarantee that the UVA (aging) rays are busily breaking down your skin's elastin and collagen and fast tracking the aging process.
The SPF you use on your body is too heavy for your face and will give you breakouts.
For years now I have sworn by Neutrogena Dry Touch with Helioplex. I get the highest SPF on the shelf be it SPF 70, 85 or 100

7. Add an oil.

Airplane air, a change of climate, different water, changes in your sleep pattern and a change in your environment can all contribute to dried out, dull looking skin. Breathe some life back into your skin and give it a gorgeous, healthy glow by adding a skin oil to your skin care regimen.
My secret potion? I use Tatcha Camellia Oil when I travel. (You can even buy it in a travel size). It nourishes and hydrates my skin, but magically also has a dry finish, so it doesn't matter if I am somewhere humid - my skin doesn't look dehydrated. A dry oil is also fantastic because makeup goes on over it perfectly and because of the dry finish it doesn't slip away.

Japanese luxury skin care line Tatcha is my go-to brand for travel.
I always think your skin needs extra loving when you are on the move, and for several years now Tatcha has been giving my skin the boost it needs when I'm away. (I've blogged about it a million times, so you probably already know this!)
Tatcha totally gets it, so they have made a huge line of 
travel sized products. Also keep an eye out for their Mother's Day gift sets - I buy them to travel with too!

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous ( In 6 Minutes)

Have you ever had to pull it together in just a few minutes, and sail out the door looking fabulous?
It's happened to me twice in the past couple of weeks. I don't like to be hurried, but I also have absolutely no intention of showing up anywhere looking like something the cat dragged in.
So if you are in a hurry and need to look pulled together fast, here's how to do it.

6 Steps To Flat Out Fabulous (In 6 Minutes!)

1. Your Hair
A high pony takes less than a minute to create, yet looks totally put together.

I always want to do a pony that's back combed and full, but I seldom have the time.

Okay, now that the hair is out of the way it's time to get down to business.

2. Your Complexion
The most important part of your makeup is your complexion.
No matter how killer you are at a smoky eye, if your skin looks less than amazing, you have nothing.
I like to use a silicone based foundation like Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation, so that the skin has a healthy glow to it. Makeup Forever is so pigmented that you can get gorgeous coverage while still keeping the foundation super sheer. I apply it with a duo fiber brush so that I can make it disappear into the skin.
If the person standing next to you can see foundation on top of your skin, you have a makeup fail.
(If the person standing next to you can see your contour you have an epic makeup fail!)

3. Cream Blush
I am obsessed with cream blushes. I love the way you can maneuver them around the cheek and create a cheek with dimension that has a little glow to it. I use so many cream blushes in my pro make up kit, but right now every day I am wearing a MAC cream blush called Posey

4. Your Brows
Brows are always important, but if you are doing a high-speed, slightly bare faced look they are super important. Your brows frame your eyes, and with this look are going to balance your lip.
Stay away from those nonsensical Instagram eyebrows - they look too overblown and stupid. Instead create a well defined brow with your brow pencil or brow gel product, without going overboard.
Once you have the shape in it's time to create a little dimension. Left alone the brow at this point can look drawn on and one dimensional. Take a brow gel like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tinted Brow Gel with it's mascara style wand, and start off by moving it backwards against the direction of the hair, getting some product under the brow hair, which lifts it up a little, then reverse direction and smooth the hairs back down.

5. Skip Eyeshadow But Go All Out On Mascara
When you don't have a lot of time to get ready, skip the eye shadow (or keep it minimal) and go all out on the mascara. Coats and coats of glossy, lash building mascara. Tell the story with your lashes.
I love Charlotte Tilbury's Full Fat Lashes

6. Use A Bangin' Lip
Your complexion is looking gorgeous, your cheeks are all glowy, your eyebrows are on point, and your eyes are all about those big lashes.
Now it's time to bring it all home with an absolutely killer bold lip.
Try a true, classic, movie star red like Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red or maybe a vibrant fuchsia like Nars Schiap

When you pare down the rest of your look, a bold lipstick wakes up your face and makes you look totally put together!

How To Choose The Right Foundation In 4 Simple Steps

As a makeup artist I get asked all the time which foundations I like best, how to make foundation last all day, how to choose the right foundation.

Walk into any department store / Sephora / makeup emporium and the list of options can be overwhelming. 
Half the time the people charged with helping you make the choice are so overly made-up they look like caricatures of themselves, which hardly inspires confidence. If you look to you tube and Instagram you will find the "beauty experts" favor obliterating any concept of skin by slamming so much makeup on the face it almost looks plastic.
And maybe you just want to look like a pretty, normal, lovely girl.

you use the same 4 steps to choose your model's foundation for a shoot
as you do for yourself for everyday wear.

Whether I'm getting a model or a movie star ready for a shoot, or whether I'm just shopping for myself, here are the criteria I look for when choosing a foundation:

1. What finish do you need?

What type of skin do you have? If you are oily you will want a slightly more matte finish or a water based foundation to offset some of the shine you are battling.
If you have dry skin you need a foundation with a glowing, dewey finish to make the skin look luminous.

2. How much coverage do you really need?

Rather than hijacking the face and holding your skin hostage, foundation is supposed to create the illusion of a beautiful, radiant complexion.
If your skin is clear you only need a sheer cover foundation. If you have scarring, uneven skin tone, blemishes that need disappearing then you should opt for a more full cover foundation. If your skin falls somewhere in the middle, you need coverage that falls somewhere in the middle.
The worst thing you can do is overload the skin with a foundation that is far too heavy. Instead make creating lovely looking skin your goal.

3. What is your undertone?

Basically foundations come in two color groupings. There are cool toned foundations, which cover ivory, porcelain and pinky undertoned skins, and then there are your warm tones for girls with a yellow or olive undertone.
If you have a cool toned skin and wear a yellow based foundation it will look awful. The same applies to a warm toned girl wearing a pink based foundation.

4. Find your shade

Rather than testing your color on some remote corner of your jawline, test it somewhere where you can clearly see whats going on, such as your forehead or the front of your cheek.
You should be the same color from your hairline to your chest, and your face shouldn't be any darker or any lighter than the rest of your upper body.

7 Tips For Self Tanning Your Face

Have you been avoiding using facial self tanning products because of the fear factor?Are you afraid of having un-repairable, streaky, patchy color on your face?

Kate Moss has perfected the ultimate in faux tans, with a little help from St Tropez. Here are tips to help you achieve the same results:

Seven Tips For Self Tanning Your Face

1. Exfoliate.

Before you get started you need to create a smooth, even surface to work with. Exfoliating will clear away the dead cells sitting on the surface of your skin.
Try Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Exfoliating Treatment, available at Nordstrom.com

2. Moisturize.

I recommend exfoliating and doing a moisturizing mask the night before, or taking time out to do a moisturizing sheet mask in the morning.
You need your skin to be super hydrated so that your tanning color doesn't grab onto dry patches, but you also need your moisturizer to be all the way soaked in to your skin before you start, with no residue left on the surface.
Try the Moisturizing Recovery Mask sheet mask from Memebox 

3. Protect Your Hairline

Stop the color from bleeding up into your scalp by using a little vasaline at the hairline (at the scalp edge, not along the face), and also in your brows. Don't let the vasaline migrate over onto the skin around your brows.

4. Only Use Products Designed For Your Face.

Don't try to double up by using the same product you use on your body on your face.
Body products are likely to clog your pores and cause you breakouts.
Try St Tropez Luxe Dry Facial Oil or St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion For The Face from Nordstrom.com

5. Pay Attention To Your Creases.

Go slowly and focus on applying it evenly. Don't forget the creases around your nostrils, any dips or dimples in your chin, and make sure you smooth the product through any fine lines and wrinkles, stretching any areas smooth while you apply. If an area is particularly tricky try using a duo fiber makeup brush.

6. Don't Forget Your Neck.

Your tan mustn't stop at your jawline. Make sure you smooth your self tanner over your throat with an upward motion, starting at your decolletage.

7. Wait It Out.

Once you have applied your facial self tanner be patient and wait for it to completely dry on the surface and absorb into your skin. Don't race to put makeup on, and don't go straight to bed - the last thing you want is pillow case creases tanned into your beautiful face!

7 Foundations That Every Makeup Artist Loves

My favorite Sunday morning routine involves taking some quality time by my pool with a cup of coffee and catching up on what my favorite bloggers have been posting all week. I loved this post from Byrdie (www.byrdie.com) about the 7 Foundations That Every Makeup Artist Loves. Personally in my kit I use (and swear by) Makeup Forever HD Foundation and Koh Gen Do Moisture Foundation. I wear both them myself, as well as Chanel Vitalumiere. Tell me in the comments section below which foundations you personally use and love.

The 7 Foundations Every Makeup Artist Loves

MAKEUP | 03.24.15 by Alina Gonzalez

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When it comes to creating flawless complexions that look like they were blessed by a choir of heavenly angels, nobody knows more than celebrity makeup artists. They can get creative with a cat-eye, or craft a killer oxblood lip, but the foundation (pun intended) for it all is perfect, natural-looking skin.

With the help of their holy-grail foundation (and a few insider tricks), these seasoned makeup artists are able to mask redness, conceal blemishes, smooth uneven texture, and induce glow where there once was none—and all without skin looking overly “done.” Which is why we asked six top makeup artists to reveal their all-time favorite foundation. These are the foundations they cannot work without, that have changed their game, and flatter a variety of skin tones. Keep scrolling to see their picks!

• 1 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Carl Ray

  Clients: First Lady Michelle Obama, Natalie Portman, Claire Danes

  Follow: @carlraymakeupartist

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: “One of my favorite foundations that can always be found in my kit is Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($43). It's oil-free and has a medium to full coverage. The formula covers all your skins imperfections, while remaining invisible on screen and in real life. It comes in 26 shades that are easy to mix and match to make the perfect shade for any skin type. I use a blender sponge for a flawless finish, and always use a moisturizer and a face primer before applying foundation.”
• 2 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Kate Lee

  Clients: Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway, Rooney Mara

  Follow: @kateleemakeup

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: “Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Sunscreen Makeup SPF 15 ($47) is my cannot-live-without product for life. The formulation is so light and luminous, and it’s easy to use. This foundation just looks like a more perfect version of your own skin. You can apply with your fingertips, but the most flawless way to apply is to place dabs of foundation in the larger areas of the face, starting with cheeks, then forehead and chin, and then take a Beauty Blender($20) dampened with Chanel Hydra Beauty Essence Mist ($90) and gently blend till the product is invisible. You are left with a radiant complexion, and a little protection from harmful UV rays.”
• 3 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Beau Nelson

  Clients: Nicole Richie, Kristen Stewart, Nina Dobrev

  Follow: @Beau_Nelson

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: "A lot of people love Armani Luminous Silk foundation, which is amazing, but I love Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Smooth Firming Foundation ($67) even more. It provides even, adjustable coverage and a natural matte finish that looks flawless and natural to both the human eye and the eye of the camera. I apply with a synthetic brush like the It Cosmetics Foundation Brush ($48) or tap it on with a damp Beauty Blender from the center of the face outward—and if anywhere needs more coverage, I do a second layer.”
• 4 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Tamah

  Clients: Alexa Chung, Allison Williams, Elisabeth Moss

  Follow: @TamahK

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: "My holy grail foundations are the Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation ($62), and the Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation($62). When it comes to foundation Koh Gen Do can do no wrong! I have never met a foundation that enhances skin as perfectly as these gems. Not only do I use them on my clients, I use them on myself. Both are luminous without being shiny, and have enough pigment to conceal without blanketing the skin in makeup. I usually don't need to use any additional concealer when I use these—they do it all! They’re also great if you want to just spot conceal—they’re great alone under the eyes, around the nose, etc. The Moisture formula is a bit creamier in consistency, while the Aqua is more of a traditional liquid formula. I usually apply them with a soft brush, but they are easily applied with fingers or a sponge as well. A little goes a long way, so start small; a mini squeeze or one or two pumps usually do the trick."
• 5 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Nick Barose

  Clients: Lupita Nyong'o, Uzo Aduba, Lena Dunham

  Follow: @DilokritBarose

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: “The look of the new Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation is really natural and easy to apply; it gives good buildable coverage that can be really sheer, or you can layer for medium coverage. The cushion compact makes it easy to travel with, and you can use it to do spot coverage. It's perfect to carry around in your bag, easy to use, and not messy. It also comes in a range of shades from fair to deep dark. After applying moisturizer and letting it set, I apply the foundation with the sponge puff that comes with it, gently padding it starting from the center of the face and blending outwards."
• 6 of 6
  
  Makeup Artist: Quinn Murphy

  Clients: Lily Aldridge, Kate Upton, Nicola Peltz

  Follow: @QuinnMurphy1

  Favorite Foundation and Application Tip: "My go to favorite foundation is Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($62). To date, I have not found a prettier, smoother, and more realistic foundation than this. Also it has the best shade range, and the shades cover a large range of skin tones, so most people can find an exact match. The foundation is sheer and dries down to a glowing, slightly matte skin-like texture. It is easily blendable on the skin. I like to play with the coverage. For women who only need a tiny bit of unification on the skin, I will add a drop of a dry face oil (Nuxe Multi-Usage Dry Oil, $29 or Tarte Maracuja Oil, $46) to sheet it out. For those needing a bit more coverage, the formula is buildable and mixes well with other fuller coverage foundations."

  Have you tried any of these foundations? What’s YOUR holy grail foundation? Tell us in the comments!