Friday, March 16, 2012

Blue...

With the weather being so summer-like, I've been feeling a little playful with my makeup. Of course I immediately want to start doing colorful, beachy looks. 

I'm headed out the door for a test shoot today and most of it will be outdoors (YAY!).

That all being said, I was feeling blue today :)
Product list and links to follow




My favorite Big hat! 

Face: I honestly didn't feel like putting a full face of foundation on today, so I just spot concealed where I needed using my favorite Eve Pearl salmon concealer and my Temptu concealer wheel. I even took the darkest shade of concealer from the Temptu wheel and used it to add some contours in my cheeks and nose  :) 

I added my favorite cream blush on the apples of my cheeks from 3 Custom Color Specialists, and finished it all with Makeup Forever's HD invisible powder. 

Eyes: I put my NARS duo eyeshadow in South Pacific to use! I used that gorgeous icy blue turquoise all across my lid and put the darker aquamarine along the outside corner and crease. I then followed with a blue liquid liner which I went over with Eve Pearl's dark blue shadow from her Emerald Eyes Palette, using an angle haired brush. 

I polished off the look with mascara and a coral gloss. 

I love it! It feels like summer to me :) 

Go play with something colorful today! You can make no mistakes! Take some risks and have fun with it!

  xoxo Jen

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Another day Another Test...

With Spring finally arriving, I have been getting out of my winter slump by testing.. A LOT! So here is another test shoot I recently worked on with an incredible team. 
Credits and Links  below










Photo and editing: McLaren Soriano
Wardrobe and styling: Stephanie Gabrys
Model and Agency: Lauryn McRoyal with Agency Galatea Chicago
Hair and Makeup: Jen Brown


Lauryn's look was created using some of my absolute favorite products! For her base I used Makeup Forever's Face and Body foundation (one of my absolute favorites!), as well as 3 Custom Color Specialists' concealers, Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer and finished it off with Makeup Forever's HD translucent powder. 


For her eyes we used soft, smokey, bronzy browns and eventually built the intensity to a dark, black smokey eye for her last look. I used a lot of MAC eyeshadows in the following favorite colors: Shroom, Naked Lunch, Mulch, and Carbon. I also used their Black Gel Liner :) 

This was a fun, colorful shoot that really showcased Lauryn's gorgeous face and fabulous body! You can see more of these photos displayed HERE on Agency Galatea's page, and the full collection,  HERE , my Facebook page! xo





Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Ladies and Lipstick

*Links in Orange*

I've been coming across more and more ladies that are afraid of lipstick! They don't want to be that girl who wears the wrong color, or shade. 

Guess what? Lipstick is FUN! and wearing it feels powerful and bold. It's the easiest way to make a statement in your look without all the added effort. 

Let's clear up a few things...

Picking a shade that works for you:



I know it may seem a bit daunting or confusing when it comes to choosing a lip color, but don't over think it! Makeup is meant to be fun and playful, not frustrating and chore-like! 

That being said, start cheap. Go to the CVS or Walgreens and check out the lipstick section (It's apparent that I'm in love with L'Oreal Lipsticks-ie: photo above). Pick any brand you like or are drawn to (even if it's just the packaging you like ;))

And here we go....

What shade do you like? 
BUY IT. 
Simple right? Don't think about whether or not you can pull it off, or how can you wear this? 
Just buy it. 
Go home, put it on and look at yourself in a mirror with natural light. Be sure to look from a distance as well. 
How does it look? Is it too dark? Too orange? Too blue? This is how you find the shades you like... EXPERIMENTATION!

The best thing about starting cheapDrugstores have an incredible return policy! YES! Even with cosmetics! 
So you don't have to feel guilty about spending $20 on a lipstick that you don't like! You can spend $6 and if you really hate it, return it-OR give it to a friend cause it was only $6! 
So save your receipt, and if you decide it's not right, take it back and pick a new shade using all the things you learned from the first try. 

Need to get the right shade NOW? 

Go to the makeup counters in department stores, or Sephora. Ask one of the artists for help in choosing a lip color. Express your interest and concerns about the shade, finish and color. 

Have them put it on you, walk out by a window and look in a mirror. See how you feel; again, assess the color on your skin. Don't get pressured into making a decision, or buying a million other products to apply the lipstick JUST like they did. Just have them apply the lip color, bold and bare on your lips to get a true read of the color. 

Once you start to find the colors you like, you can move on to the finish... 
My Personal Lipstick stash, just from my two purses... I'm a bit obsessed. 

Matte.
Pigment rich, with a no-shine finish.
Tends to look drier, so keep your lips exfoliated and moisturized before hand! This is one of my favorites!
Satin.
Color rich with a slightly matte but satiny finish.
Very popular, good for full color, long wear with moisture.
Creme sheen.
Creamy, with a soft shine and full color. 
Very creamy-good for drier lips, with pretty good coverage.
Frost.
Color with a frosted/pearlized finish. 
Frosty finish-usually better for younger lips as the finish can settle into lines. Although, there are varying degrees of frost depending on the brand.
Lustre.
Sheer color with a satiny/gloss finish.
Very sheer color, and very "wet" or glossy looking. Perfect for those first transitioning to the lipstick world!
Glaze. 
Low/sheer color with a satiny finish.
Similar to a gloss, very low color with a glossy finish. Perfect for those who want a quick touch of color!
Amplified Cream.
Creamy color with shine.
Extremely creamy-similar to creme sheen- very gloss-like, high color, shorter wear time. 


It's all about experimenting, and playing until you find colors you are comfortable with. 
So don't be afraid! 
The only way you'll find a lipstick you love is by stepping up and putting it on! 
Find a color you're attracted to, and it'll most likely look fabulous on you. 
It's all about confidence ladies, if you wear that bold red with your head high, no one will think you look bad :) 

xoxo Jen


Thursday, March 1, 2012

Test Shoot

I have been working a lot this past year (thank goodness!) but because I have been working, I haven't been testing much...

Test shoots are photo shoots that are put together by a team (usually a photographer, designer or stylist, a model, hair artist, and makeup artist). The purpose of these shoots is to update our portfolios, so they are often done for free, unless they are paid tests by the Modeling Agencies. 

I have been working on putting together a new website and as I started inserting my photos, I realized how old they were! I am in desperate need of new shots! 

SO...
This test shoot is from about a week ago, with a very small but very talented team. I am so thrilled with the turnout, I had to share!
-All credits listed at the bottom-
























Model:  Jasmine Toon w/FORD Models
Photographer:  Bryan Whitely - website here
Styling:  Tyke Riggs
Hair and Makeup:  Jen Brown - website here

I'll put the full collection on my Facebook Fan page

Hope you enjoyed! Please feel free to leave comments or feedback on this photo collaboration! 

xoxo Jen