Let It Shine! New work in Luca Magazine

All images via Luca Magazine

photographed by Kelly Cappelli

styled by Jennifer O'Bannon

hair by Lisa Marie

makeup by Corinna Cooke

As you already know, I'm the Beauty Director for Luca Magazine.
The new issue of Luca just hit newsstands, and I am really excited to tell you that it is available in every Barnes and Noble, nationwide!

Luca is a super positive magazine for teens and early 20 somethings. It's full of great information, fantastic fashion, and a delicious dose of beauty.

Here is a winter party story from the new issue, all about the rules of shiny makeup...

There's no time quite like the holiday season to throw on a party dress and let your gorgeous self shine! 

When your outfit shimmers, set the night on fire with an artfully placed super sheen, drawing attention to the feature you want to bring out the most.

There are rules to the game of shine - make sure you only gloss up one place on your beautiful face.

When your skin is shiny, your eyes are sparkly and your lip is glossy all at the same time you can look sweaty or super oily, which detracts from your gorgeousness.

The trick is to pick one feature to shine and balance it with another feature that is almost matte

Here are three fabulous ways to let it shine

1. Get your skin gleaming with a creamy shine. Instead of a glittery highlighter work a glow product into your complexion and balance it with a demi matte lip,a firm brow and a nearly bare eye. 

2. Keep your eyes and your skin soft and demure but go all out on an ultra glossy lip that shimmers in the firelight and balances the sparkle in your dress.

3. Own the night with a metallic or glittering eye. Tone down your complexion, add some depth to you lip, then steal all the attention with a wildly festive, high impact eye!

As a bonus for my blog readers here are 4 of my favorite shine products. I use them both at home and in my pro makeup kit to create a gorgeous glow to the skin.

Charlotte Tilbury               Laura Mercier                           Stila                     Pony Effect
Wonderglow                      Infusion de Rose                  Aqua Glow               Radiance Glow
                                           Nourishing Oil            Perfecting Bronzer          Hydrating Starter
                                                                                                                                   

5 Essential Beauty Products For Winter

The barometer has finally dropped here in Phoenix, and our endless days of temperatures in the 80's have disappeared for a while leaaving us with bone chilling highs in the 60's.

You may laugh but I'm sitting in my house freezing, with thick socks, sweats and a fleece on!

The change in temperature means skin, hair and scalp need extra lovin, so I've been clicking away on Amazon.com (how did we ever survive without it???), re-ordering my winter staples.

5 Essential Beauty Products For Winter

Nioxin hair Dermabrasion Treatment 75 ml / 2.5 oz ANTI-AGING TREATMENT 

Just as the skin on your face needs exfoliating, so does the skin on your scalp. I've written about this magic product several times before - I use it at the beginning of each season. When you clear your scalp your hair grows in thicker and shinier. I always see a big difference in mine, it gets glossier, fuller and bouncier. And there's no time quite like the holidays to get bouncy hair!

Malin and Goetz Recovery Treatment Oil

Winter skin needs a booster product, and nothing beats a good facial oil. The Malin and Goetz Recovery Treatment Oil instantly makes skin look and feel smoother, softer, more supple and its proprietary blend of 9 natural oils and powerful antioxidants help combat signs of aging while making your complexion radiant.
You can buy it online at Space NK

Weleda Skin Food, 2.5 Ounce

I learned about this one a few years back when my friend Nico moved back from Milan. When your skin is dry, when it has to battle cold weather, when it's just feeling tired out, lacking luster, looking dull, Weleda Skin Food is the most amazing balm like moisturizer that is the best rescue product ever!
Find it at Target or at Amazon

Ouai Treatment Mask

cold weather, wind, central heating and hats all rough your hair up and dry it out. These deep treatment masks (there are 8 in the box)
repair hair and leave it smooth and shiny after just one treatment.
Fabulous.
Available online at Space NK

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips

It's no secret that one of the most effective products for cracked, chapped or dry lips is good old nipple cream. Anyone who has breast fed a baby will know all about nipple creams, and how healing and soothing they are both to sore nipples and to lips in need!
You can also use this to groom brows, add shine to cheeks, and even as a cuticle cream.
Find it online at Space NK.com

Black Friday / Cyber Monday Deals, Juice Beauty

If you would like to feel like Gwyneth Paltrow for a minute you can step into her organic, healthy world with Juice Beauty products.



Juice Beauty has both skin care products and makeup products.



Gwyneth is the Creative Director of the makeup line.
And she swears by the skin care products.





Juice Beauty have some fabulous gift sets for the holidays.

They also have some great deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Check the links below:

Black Friday Special: Up to 30% off Juice Beauty (Top 17) Skincare and Makeup Bestsellers | Valid until 11:59pm PT 11/25/2016

Use promo code: Cyber16 for Juice Beauty's Cyber Monday Special: 20% off  Site Wide (Skincare and Makeup) Valid until 11:59pm PT 11/28/2016

Let It Glow, Let It Glow, Let It Glow! 3 Products For Luminous And Radiant Winter Skin

image by Kelly Cappelli

During fall and winter your skin tends to look a little flat and dull.
Bronzers typically look orangey and somewhat odd on winter complexions, and most highlighters look shimmery or glittery and make your winter skin look crazy.

On my speaking tour for Luca Magazine I talked about adding glow to your complexion, and I've had so many messages from ladies in my audience asking me to go back over the products I talked about.

I posted last week about the gel bronzer that I use every single day,
read about it here. Today lets look at the three products I swear by and use both myself and in my pro makeup kit to make the complexion glow:

3 Amazing Products For Luminous And Radiant Winter Skin

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow

I'm crazy about this product! When I want an all over glow to the skin, not as a wet look, but a healthy gleam that looks like sunshine beaming out from within, I use Charlotte Tilbury's Wonderglow. 
It doubles up as a pre-makeup primer, or on days when I don't feel like wearing makeup I wear it alone. 
Available online at CharlotteTilbury.com $55

Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Spotlight 700

I love this one for running highlight along cheekbones, collarbones and shoulders. Highlight shouldn't be sparkly, it should illuminate and radiate, and this product makes the skin luminous and glowy.
The stick form makes it easy to swipe it across the skin, but I prefer to use a duo fiber makeup brush. You can apply the Marc Jacobs Glow Stick Spotlight 700 either before foundation or after, (or both!), and can make it a subtle glow or ramp it up to a super sheen - you're in charge!
Available online at MarcJacobsBeauty.com $42

Radiance Glow Hydrating Starter 

At  half the price of the others the Pony Effect Radiance Glow Hydrating Starter brightens and illuminates the skin, giving it a gorgeous glow while hydrating it and minimizing fine lines and wrinkles. It also acts like a primer, smoothing the skin and readying it for foundation. You can wear it alone or under makeup.
This product sells out quickly. If you like it order a second one sooner rather than later.
Available online at Memebox.com $21

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

Beginner's Guide To Skin Care

I have been traveling around the country speaking at Pinner's Conferences, teaching my Beauty 101 course. After each class I do a Q and A session, and I am finding that no matter where I am speaking there are loads of ladies and girls who find the whole skin care equation completely confusing, and are frequently using the wrong products or no products at all.

When they read my posts about Korean skin care and the way  Korean girls layer their skin care products it just confuses them more, so today lets look at the basics of skin care.

The first thing you need to do is figure out your skin type. Are you oily, normal, dry, or combination? 
Most of us get a shiny T-Zone, but that doesn't mean we are oily. It may just mean we are combination skin. Truly oily skin has an almost wet sheen to the cheeks as well as the T-Zone.
Normal skin looks basically perfect, dry skin can look anything from pulled under the surface to flaky.

Next look at what your objective is. Is your skin congested/acne prone, battling black heads? Is it aging too quickly, or dry or irritated or sensitive? You need to know what you are trying to achieve before you invest in products.

Once you have these two items figured out you can choose a simple system to meet your needs, using the basics of cleanse, tone and moisturize.

If you have oily skin look for a foaming or gel cleanser like Kiehls Ultra Facial Oil free Cleanser which will give you a good cleanse but also will also reduce excess sebum on the surface of your skin, without stripping it dry. 

Follow up with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Toner to remove any residue, help combat excess oil, and prepare your skin to receive moisturizer. I can hear you freaking out that you don't want to use a moisturizer if you have oily skin, but it is essential. You just need something formulated for oily skins. Try Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion to help balance your skin's surface oil equation, giving you a dryer appearance while nourishing it and keeping it in good condition.
You can find Kiehl's products online at Nordstrom.com

If you have normal skin look for a cleanser that is gentle, removes makeup, cleanses but doesn't strip the skin. 

Try an all natural product such as REN Rosa Centifolia Purity Cleansing Balm. When you mix it with water it turns into a luxurious milk texture and leaves your skin super soft and silky.
REN's Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream was designed for the most sensitive of skins, but is also lovely for normal skin. It protects your skin against environmental pollutants and keeps it feeling soothed and smoothed throughout the day.
REN's V-Cense Revitalizing Night Cream revitalizes the skin, works on preventing fine lines and wrinkles and makes it beautifully radiant.
Find REN products online at Nordstrom

Dry complexions need extra TLC. I am a huge fan of cleansing oils for all skin types, but especially for dry skins (like my own).

Tatcha is world famous for it's amazing One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil. It dissolves makeup and gives you a beautiful cleanse, leaving your dry or sensitive skin feeling soothed and gorgeous. Tatcha's Dewy Skin Mist is a lightweight powerhouse moisture mist that you can use at any time of the day. It makes for a lovely step between cleansing and moisturizing, and also is a fabulous rescue product when skin feels tight or irritated.
Tatcha's Enriching Renewal Cream is dry skin's best friend. It deeply moisturizes and nourishes the skin, and also soothes it - dry skin tends to get quite sensitive, and this is the magic potion it craves.
Tatcha products are available online at Tatcha.com

When you buy skin care products try to get them all from one line. If you shop within a single brand you will be using products designed to work together synergistically.
You don't need to spend a fortune on skin care - shop within your budget, but start with cleanse, tone and mositurize.

How To Lose Weight Fast

Did that headline catch your eye? It certainly caught mine! 
This article came to my inbox via The New Potato. 
Maybe you are already doing some of these 15 tips, try adding them all in to your daily eating plan and see what happens.

How To Lose Weight Fast

Written by Nutritionist Mikaela Reuben
All images via The New Potato

1. Eat lots of salads and vegetables to keep you full.

2. Drink plenty of water

Or sip on broth or herbal tea throughout the day. Avoid sugary drinks, juices and soda

3. Get junk food and unhealthy snacks out of your home

4. Eat only from a plate, sitting at a table. This helps create awareness around eating rather than mindless on-the-go eating.

5. Don't skip meals.

6. Chew slowly

7. Cook with vegetable stock

Cooke with vegetable stock in recipes or stir fry using a water saute method rather than frying in oil. Add a little oil at the end! This helps you control how much oil is added to the dishes and maintains the integrity of the oil.

8. Avoid dressings

Avoid dressings, creamy sauces and unhealthy toppings - make your own salad dressings with apple cider vinegar/olive oil mixtures or use things like guacamole and salsa

9. Eat most foods early in the day

Eat most foods early in the day and and try not to eat four hours before bed.

10. Don't get too consumed with calories.

Instead focus on the nutrient density of the food. Do Not Starve. Restricting calorie intake can have even worse negative side effects.

11. Create a food program

When you take control of at least one meal per day you will have results. We schedule work meetings on our calendars, why not schedule a small amount of time to prep, eat or grocery shop?

12. Use smaller plates or chopsticks

13. Order extra sides of vegetables

When dining out order extra sides of vegetables to get more greens. Sometimes ordering a few sides is healthier than ordering an entree. Go for the grilled asparagus or steamed spinach rather than the triple baked potato.

14. Focus on lean proteins and vegetables.

Focus on lean proteins and vegetables, or high fiber starch with vegetables in order to control blood sugar levels.

15. Try not to order food or shop when you are hungry.