Clean Makeup Brushes = High-Performance Applications

For those of you who know me in my professional capacity, you know I'm a makeup brush snob. I have to be because they are the tools of my trade. I don't do cheap brushes. I firmly believe the quality of my brushes extends to the quality of my applications. And an extension of that philosophy is taking care of my brushes.

Perhaps you don't give much thought to cleaning your makeup brushes, but I'm here to extoll the virtues of clean makeup tools. This was instilled in me during my tenure with MAC. Part of my job as an artist was to thoroughly clean my brushes after each customer. It was part of what MAC calls "good counter practices," and it follows me today through my freelance career with my own clients.

How long has it been since you cleaned your brushes? Granted, you don't need to clean them as often as I do, but if you're the only person using them, once every week or two is a good idea. Cleaning your brushes cuts down on bacteria and product build-up. It also extends the life of your brushes if you use a good cleaner.

Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner is high-octane for your makeup brushes. I discovered this AMAZING brush cleaner at The Makeup Show this past May. Parian Spirit was one of the "mom and pop" booths at this trade show. Their demonstration pulled me in immediately. The mom-half of this duo showed me how quickly this formula cleaned a lip brush that had plenty of product still on it. Then she showed me how to use the cleaning tub to remove creamy products from eye shadow brushes and blenders. By the time she got around to demonstrating on a blush brush, I was completely sold. And before I left the booth, all brushes were dry!

They had a special package just for the show, and I bought 2 of them. The package contained an empty jar that holds a cleaning screen; a 16-ounce bottle of cleaner; and a 2-ounce bottle of spray cleaner (for on-the-go cleaning). I gave one away, to a thoughtful critic, my sis-in-law Amy, who is quality-oriented in all aspects of her life. Once she tried it out and declared it "GREAT," I knew I had a winner on my hands.

In addition to the amazing, quick cleaning results, your brushes are left with the most amazing citrusy scent. Since I've been using it, every one of my brides has commented on how great the brushes smell.

OK, so here's the only drawback, and it's in the process of being taken care of: you cannot purchase Parian Spirit directly from their website (it's in development). However you can find it at Amazon.com and Alcone.com (a makeup artist's Wal-Mart). I'd still recommend visiting the Parian Spirit site to read the pdf file about this amazing product. . . it includes directions for use, ingredients, and product descriptions. Happy cleaning!

www.ParianSpirit.com

www.AlconeCo.com

www.Amazon.com

World AIDS Day & MAC Viva Glam

Just another reason I love MAC. . .

The MAC AIDS Fund was established in 1994 by Frank Angelo and Frank Toskan, the founders of Makeup Art Cosmetics, to support men, women, and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. That same year, VIVA GLAM was introduced to financially support the Fund. To date, over $110 million U.S. has been raised for the MAC AIDS Fund.

The MAC AIDS Fund is dedicated to funding organizations worldwide that provide:

1. direct care and daily essentials to those affected by HIV/AIDS (nutrition, housing, medical treatment, counseling, transportation)
2. HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs; advocacy and capacity building
3. support for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected people.

MAC and its retail partners donate 100% of the retail selling price of VIVA GLAM Lipsticks and Lipglass and Kids Helping Kids Cards to the MAC AIDS Fund.

Over 600 organizations worldwide have benefitted from funding from the MAC AIDS Fund.

For additional information and updates, please visit www.macaidsfund.org

In the meantime, please stop by your local MAC counter and check out the VIVA GLAM holiday lip kits and the Kids Helping Kids Cards.

Oh yeah.. . the kits, lipsticks, and glosses are BRILLIANT. . . great for stocking stuffers, presents, and "just for me" prizes :)

Luscious Lashes via MAC #4s, #7s, and #32s

I love lashes. Maybe it's because I don't have many of them, but mostly because it just puts a look "over the top."

In order to round out our discussion of lashes (see previous blog on Latisse), I must give equal time to false lashes. The pro's are many; the con's are few.

Pros: they provide POP immediately; they finish a look wonderfully; there are so many styles, sizes, and shapes available, that you can choose how much (or little) drama you want; they come off easily, and if treated gently, can be used 4 or 5 times. If you wear contacts, you're accustomed to having fingers near your eyes, so you, especially are able to wear them without much fuss.

Cons: gosh, I can't think of any. Some people say it's difficult to put them on themselves. There is truth in this. . . the first time I tried wearing them, it took me two times applying them before I felt comfortable with the process.

I try to talk all my brides into wearing them. Even if they are just "baby" lashes, that usually provides much more volume to a lash line. And mothers-of-the-bride, whose lashes may have thinned considerably, need them as well. For me, lashes are a must for any kind of photography.

I've attached some photos of the kinds of MAC lashes I use most. #4s are wispy and usually need to be trimmed, but I save those trimmings and use those for corner lashes at a later date. #7s are the spiky going-out lashes. . .people with a substantial distance between their lash line and eye brow wear these beautifully. #32s I use on many ladies who are on the fence about lashes or don't think they can pull it off. . . they are so very delicate and simply provide a little more oomph on thinning lashes. You can see from the first two photos the difference they make in my photos: one picture, I have nothing on my lashes, not even mascara. The other one I'm wearing MAC #7s. . . a little more drama than I'm accustomed to, but fun nonetheless. These two pics are a stark contrast, but included to show the difference between some and none.

I love my lashes. . . fake ones, real ones, or Latisse'd ones.

Thanks to the Lady at P.F. Chang's in Charlotte, NC ("Sushi Love!") and my MAC mate, Terrell.

www.maccosmetics.com (Eyes, Lashes)

MAC Paint Pots

As I was driving to meet my bride today, I was thinking about the eye products I use consistently, almost always: MAC Paint Pots.

A Paint Pot is a highly pigmented eye color that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish. It's long-wearing, without creasing or caking. It is an excellent primer for building color, and making powder shadows and eye liners last longer.

There are 16+ shades, but the two I use most are Painterly and Groundwork. I like these colors because both are matte, which looks good on every skin texture. . . smooth or not-so-smooth :) Paint Pots dry fairly fast. There's not a lot of play-time so I swirl it on quickly, in small, circular motions, from lash line into the crease. My favorite MAC brush for this application is a #224. It's soft and fluffy and gives a buffed finish.

If you've ever experienced oil-production on your eyelids that cause your shadows and liner to crease, this is the product for you. And when I say "long-wearing," I mean 12-14-16 hour wear. You'll need an eye makeup remover to take it off.

If you have blue eyes, Groundwork (a mid-tone neutral taupe), will instantly make your eyes "pop." Nearly every eye color can wear Painterly (a nude beige), and you can either keep the look light and soft, or build a smokey eye from there.

Any Paint Pot may be worn alone or used as a base/primer for layering powder shadows.

A Good First Impression

I've always prided myself on my ability to make a Good First Impression. I feel like it's something that's been vital in every area of my life, and I hope I can continue that here on my very first BLOG!!!!

When I think back on my most important relationships, the ones that have lasted the longest, whether personally or professionally, I think those first impressions really stuck. They laid the foundation for what we share today.

I'd like to begin by thanking some important people. First and foremost, my husband, Jim. Without his love and support, my business venture would not be possible. . .he is a humanitarian and the best person I know; my children who seem to get a kick out of me and all the things I have going on at once; my Mama for giving me a good work ethic combined with a sense of spontaneity; my "Gurlfriends" who always come through with a word of encouragement and praise; David for his encyclopedic knowledge of all things make-up and other-worldly; Makeup Art Cosmetics (MAC) for the training and belief that true beauty knows no boundaries; and my new bud and technical guru, Jon, for his unyielding patience and belief in the karmic realm ;) I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge my bro-in-law, Keith, for lighting the fire under me to "be everywhere" and get it done!

So, welcome. My aspirations for this are to impart some knowledge and (qualified) opinions on a variety of topics: makeup, beauty (inner and outer), fashion, new products, old-standbys, art, photographers, various service providers, and a host of other blog-worthy things.

With an open heart and best of intentions,

Pamela