A Letter to a Makeup Artist


Typically this would be an "Ask Robert" entry, but the following questions are about Makeup Artistry, so I thought we should refer an expert & friend Heather Wilson.

Andi L. of Manhattan, Kansas asks "... I suddenly look 40. In spite of being 40, I don't want to look it. Crows feet, tired looking skin. Need inexpensive non surgical fix for busy non girly girl mommy! PLUS, my hair dresser cropped my bangs WAY too short. I look like I have a bowl cut. HELP!!"

Heather writes:

Andi,
Congratulations on joining the 40 is the new 20 club!! We may be 40, but that doesn't mean we have to look it or feel it! I am a firm believer in taking care of yourself, and not using surgical fixes either.

First question... do you have a good skincare routine? I love Sampar Skincare. Their Eye Rule & Nocturnal Mask are amazing; I have experienced huge results on my own little crows feet!

Second question... are you drinking enough water and getting enough sleep? I know we all think we are drinking enough water, but we really should be drinking 1/2 of our body weight in ounces of water daily. It ends up being a lot more water than the 8 glasses we were always told to be drinking growing up! Sleep is not always easy being a mom, but on those nights when we do not get enough.... don't forget to have a spoon in the freezer so that we can place it under our eyes to help with any puffiness & darkness. (That and a great concealer works wonders!! )

Speaking of makeup, make sure that you are using a "skincare primer" (Smashbox Cosmetics or Makeup Forever both have a great ones available at Sephora.) I am a big fan of the Makeup Forever HD Foundation, or the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. You want to put it where you need coverage, not necessarily all over the face, and please make sure the color matches your skin-tone! If eyes are your concern, use a concealer over an eye cream. Your concealer should be one shade lighter than your skin-tone to brighten the eyes.

Since you said that your hairdresser cut your bangs way too short, be sure to define your eye brows with a soft brown or light gray eyeshadow. This is a great easy way to open the eyes without having to get Botox!
I hope this helps,

Heather

Personal thank you to Heather Wilson, Make Up Artist, for her personal recommendations; I hope this helps with YOUR LifeStyle.

3:41 PM
Categories: Author: robert ballew

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Give the gift of...oxygen, flash of metal & mineral carbon?



Are you looking for something truly unique to give to the man in your life? There are so many ways we could go; but I will take the simplest route. How about a men’s fragrance? I DON'T mean CK One, Eternity or Drakkar Noir, I wore that to my Senior Prom… oh no, wait… I didn’t go to prom… oops, let’s repress that memory, yet again.

Let me suggest Commes des Garcon, “Anti-Fragrances.” Yes I said Anti-Fragrances. We are talking about unconventional notes to create strikingly modern scents. These everyday notes include oxygen, flash of metal, wash drying in the wind, mineral carbon, sand dunes, nail polish, cellulose, pure air of the high mountains, burnt rubber and flaming rock to name a few. These notes tell a real life story and should trigger memories of interest too.

These Basenotes reviewers wrote: “The scent of a walk through a musty old library. Feel the smoke in a Victorian home. You are taken on a journey and a story of the past is told. As the past fades the plot thickens, and you are surprised at the direction this scent takes you. Very interesting. At times beautiful. A sublime scent.”

“Love the opening! Smokey incense that takes me back to burning leaves as a child. A very light smoke mixed with pantry spices and vetiver.”

“The first time I tried this I can't emphasize enough how disappointed I was. A pleasant, bland, safe, dull "male" fragrance. I wrote it off completely. However, I recently decided to give it another try and I'm happy to report a completely different experience. What was bland before became lovely, smoky sweet, warm and spicy…”

These fragrances can be purchased at Barneys New York, Bloomingdale's & online (none of which provided samples or asked me to write this); I think the receiver or yourself, will be uniquely & surprisingly drawn to it.

8:20 AM
Categories: Author: robert ballew

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Chanel Pre-Fall 2010


Chanel Métiers d'Art Pre-Fall 2010

This Paris-Shanghai RTW collection as a whole seems very exotic. Models strutted on a 280-foot-long barge in matte ebony and projecting an imagined voyage of Coco Chanel’s trip to China, titled “Paris Shanghai, A Fantasy." “It is about the idea of China, not the reality,” Lagerfeld told WWD.
There are pieces I find so inspiring. I enjoy seeing how Chanel’s signature "tweed ground" metamorphoses in each collection. Again military influences are quite evident, including the Terracotta Army & opulent Imperial Court. I love the neck & waistline embellishments. The shoulder cap adornment only seems appropriate to me at... Buckingham Place for instance. I am wondering if the knee/thigh high boots are in a satin material or patent leather? I hope satin.

So, you will see these silhouettes re-animate throughout the upcoming fall season, don’t be afraid, explore your creative ideas… incorporate "like" styles into your existing wardrobe reality.

7:43 AM
Categories: Author: robert ballew

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