PRTTY PEAUSHUN ("pretty potion")

I was first introduced to "PRTTY PEAUSHUN" by a client of mine.  I was struck by the packaging: eco-friendly, sleek, and oh-so-squeezable.  Then, I opened the cap and there sat the most beautiful dollop of lotion just asking to be squoze out ;)  So, I did, and it was love at first sight.  

This peachy-pearlized lotion is very light and a perfect companion for bare summer skin: legs, shoulders, decollete, arms.  It gives the perfect amount of shine and light.  I buffed it in with one of my MAC buffer brushes, and the effect was simply amazing!

My research began.  And so did my correspondence with its creator, Bethany Karlyn, a Hollywood makeup artist.  I was sold by the beauty and simplicity of this product.  And the name is so clever: I loved the alliteration (P's are my fave) and I loved the unusual spelling (peau is French for "skin").  I also loved that I had "discovered" a product that I had not seen in the Charleston area.  Brazen little blogger that I am, I decided to contact the California people of Prtty Peaushun.  I introduced myself as a makeup artist in Charleston, SC, and told them how much I loved their product. . .

What I did not expect was a series of e-mails with the creator herself.  Bethany Karlyn, who can boast a clientele of some of Hollywood's elite (including fitness guru Tracy Anderson whose torso and legs appear above) took the time to correspond with little ol' me.  She told me about PP's many different uses, including priming a clean face with this stuff for the softest, most photo-friendly glow.  She also told me how many on-location hairstylists are using just the teeniest dab of it as a finish over their styles for a touch of hair-glow.  Simply stunning!

I'm on a mission to tell all my clients about this phenomenal product.  If you like your bare arms, shoulders, and legs with a dash of shimmer and healthy glow, this is a must-try for you.  It comes in a range of 5 shades, with "medium" being the most universal.  

Thank you Bethany, for a staple product in my kit, and for your kind generosity in sharing your experiences with me.  My clients LOVE it!  

www.PrttyPeaushun.com

A Personal Note: My Mama

She is the reason I do what I do, why I love what I love.  My mama was my first and most important inspiration in my life, especially for all-things makeup.  My earliest makeup memory is that of my mother getting dressed to go out with Daddy.  Her beautiful, dark hair, golden complexion, and red lips.  I remember her being so pretty and not wanting her to leave.  No babysitter could take her place; no one  could make me feel so comfortable or loved.  I wanted her to keep her rollers in place a little while longer.  The hard rollers with the stick-pins that held them in her hair.  The can of aerosol hairspray that would shellac her short bouffant.  She'd laugh and patiently wait as I swiped my little finger across her red lips in order to put some on mine.

It was a surreal experience to pack away those same old rollers two weeks ago.  As I stood in her bathroom and put together all her personal belongings to make their way to her new home, I flashed back to that first bathroom of hers that I could remember.  The one where I was three years old.  Those rollers.  Those pink stick pins.  She still uses the AquaNet spray.  I was a little dumbstruck how she held on to all the upscale makeup I have given her over the years, nearly untouched, and yet her Maybelline and Revlon and Max Factor bottles were nearly empty.  Some habits die hard, I suppose.

My mom's new home is a nursing home.  Her physician said it was time.  Her dementia said it was past time.  Mama's moments of clarity make this one of the hardest transitions of both our lives.  At 78, her miraculously-still-brunette hair with only a few grays at her temples, seem almost deceiving in a sea of white to blue hair.  It's one of the reasons she feels she does not belong there.  At her core, she's still a proud woman, vain in her appearance.  Lipstick is her pick-me-up.  A tweeze of a stray hair lifts her spirits.  A dab of Frances Denney's Interlude or Hope perfume behind each ear, makes her feel polished.

Mama has a standing appointment at the facility's beauty salon each week.  Shampoo and set.  God bless the nail technician who volunteers her time each week to come in and paint these ladies' fingernails.  My mom is right in line and makes the chit-chat as she waits her turn.

Lots of changes going on.  Some funny, some heart-wrenching, but all are part of this new chapter in her story.  And through it all, she's still one of the great beauties of my life.  I love you, Mama.

Worth Repeating: L'Oreal Infallible 6-Hr Lip Gloss

"Blush" #115

"Coral Sands" #405

I'm going through more of this lipgloss than any other I've ever used this bridal season.  

And there's a good reason:  it LASTS.  

It may not stay on the full 6 hours it says it does, but it really does last a good 2-3 hours:

and that's unheard of for a lip gloss.

Best of all, it's easily accessible (CVS carries the best selection), and reasonable.

The colors above are the two I use the most:  Coral Sands and Blush.  

Also check out Suede, Sangria, and Modern Mauve.

Lip Love:  L'Oreal Infallible!

                         

Carolyn Evans. . .Forty Beads. . .Kiawah Legends Shoot

Girlfriends.  

We share most every great thing that comes our way: a recipe, clothes, a great hair stylist, a bottle of wine.  That was the back story when this amazing photo shoot landed in my lap courtesy of 

Kiawah Legends magazine.  

This photo shoot would encompass an evening fresh off an early-autumn beach stroll, cocktails-to-dinner, and languishing pool- and fire-side chats.   These girlfriends were celebrating the publication of Carolyn Evans' new book, Forty Beads.   The background was one lovely beachfront home on Kiawah Island, and the feel was that of an upscale GNI:  Girls' Night In.

What morphed out of this was my own friendship and easy communication with Carolyn Evans and this method of hers for "The Simple, Sexy Secret for Transforming Your Marriage."  It's a quick-read and a real fire-starter for those of us looking to keep the fires burning in our marriage.

Makeup details for Carolyn:

MAC Mineralized Skin Finish, Medium

MAC Rubenesque Paint Pot

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl

MAC Springsheen Powder Blush

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

Trish McEvoy Nude Lip Gloss

Forty Beads by Carolyn Evans can be found at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and a whole host of indie book stores.  Check it out!

A special thanks to the editor and staff of Kiawah Legends Magazine, and the spectacular photographic artistry of Ben Williams.  I'm so proud to have been a part of this project.

pl

Kelly & Steve + Red Shutter Studio = E-sesh Romance

I was awestruck when these proofs floated into my inbox.  They are some of the most romantic Charleston engagement session photos I've seen.

Kelly and Steve are planning their October wedding in Charleston via Washington, DC.  If these photos are any inclination of what they are in for. . . well, they're in for something spectacular!

This is my first time working with the amazing talent that is Red Shutter Studio: Rod and Tara Pasibe.  I'm looking forward to being a small part of making beautiful "eye candy" for these photographers.

Kelly's makeup details:
MAC Pro Airbrush Formula: NW15 + 2 drops NC10
Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer #4
Eyes:  MAC's Dangerous Cuvee Paint Pot, Copper Plate, Kid, and Black Tied e/s on lids; Buried Treasure liner + Black Tied e/s along lash lines; Andrea #108's + individual lash bundles on outer eye corners.
Cheeks:  MAC's Springsheen + Dollymix
Lips: MAC Boldly Bare liner + Trish McEvoy's "Sexy" gloss

De-Slick is Delightfully Mattifying

 

Got an oil slick on your face?  You're not alone. . .not by a long shot.

I see so many clients who constantly battle facial oiliness.  It's a curse in your youth, but a blessing in disguise.  More than likely if you suffer from facial oiliness, and you've no doubt heard it before, but it's a virtual insurance policy for anti-wrinkling in later years.

Combine oily skin with the impending summer humidity, and that's one recipe for a makeup meltdown.  

The current formulation I'm using comes in two tubes, prior to foundation:

A pea-size dab of Urban Decay's Pore Perfecting Primer +

one-half that amount of UD's De-Slick (gel) in a Tube.

Mix it on the back of your hand, use a foundation brush to tap it on and smooth it across your face, concentrating it on the oily t-zone areas.

Wait a minute, then apply foundation.  This time-released formulation helps absorb oil production throughout the day to keep your face at it's mattified best.

www.UrbanDecay.com

Scentsational! My newest fave, Tocca's Cleopatra

For me, it's the "dry down" of warm patchouli that attracted me to this scent.  I happen to love the soft, floral feminine overtones, especially in Charleston's warmer climate.  This is my go-to scent for this time of year.  Especially since it ensures a warm husband-nuzzle right in the soft of my neck (he loves it, too!).

I adore this beautiful, heavy bottle, but I also love that the to-go solid version is easily slipped into my touch-up cosmetic bag.  The solid is quite long-lasting, too.

Cleo was on to something. . .