2016 SAG Awards

If you know me at all, you know that I'm obsessed with award shows... More-so red carpets ;)

I love to see how stars get dolled up for their big night out. From the gowns to the shoes, and of course their hair and makeup! I can't wait to see how their team of stylists have paired together their look. 

So here they are, my top 5 picks from this years SAG Awards...

Emilia Clarke 

Photo c/o popsugar.com.au

photo c/o glamour.com

First of all, I love her! 

I'm completely obsessed with the Game Of Thrones series! 

Second, she looked so effortlessly stunning! Her bright pink ball gown with a plunging neckline was so simple and chic. I love that she paired it with such a relaxed/natural hairstyle. The deep side part was a great way to offset the neckline, and those soft, beachy waves were the perfect compliment. Her makeup was kept soft with subtle highlights on her cheeks and eyes-- accompanied by a graphic liner and soft pink lip, I think she nailed this look. 

Alicia Vikander

Photo c/o Vogue.com

photo c/o glamour.com

This award winner was stunning! I loved the styling on this one-- her dress is amazing (SEQUINS!!), from the gentle sparkle of the sequins to the graphic print of the dress, it was so eye catching and fun, yet glamorous. 

I really loved the way she paired this dress with a simple hairstyle- sleek and straight. It wasn't overly complicated and kept with the simplicity of the design. Her makeup was amazing, but how could it not be when Charlotte Tilbury is the artist?! 

Those bronzed/gold eyes accompanied with lashes were a great compliment to the hair and the dress. It was soft, simple and showcased her natural beauty. Finishing off with a  soft rose colored lip and bronzed skin-- this is a winner all around. 

Laverne Cox

photo c/o eonline.com

photo c/o glamour.com

Wow. 

Laverne looked awesome last night! I am obsessed with this drapey, grecian, deep burgundy dress! The color on her is perfect, especially against those long, loose blonde waves. It was an updated old hollywood hairstyle, with the deep side part and softened waves. Her makeup complimented beautifully. Soft smokey eyes to add some definition and some extra sultry/sexy-ness to the look (as if she needed more!) and a bold lip that didn't distract from the whole look. She looks glamorous and timeless. 

Christina Hendricks

photo c/o stylebistro.com

photo c/o glamour.com

This girl knows what works. 

I love that she plays up that 1960's vibe with Bridget Bardot hair and sultry cat eyes. Her hair is perfect-- I'm kind of obsessed! Her soft bangs, and loose hair tendrils to accent the volumized updo is perfection. 

That liner is AMAZING. 

It not only makes her blue eyes pop, but it really is a perfect cat flick that can accompany those deco earrings, Bardot bangs, and that gorgeous, fitted gold dress. 

YES! YES! YES! 

Saoirse Ronan

photo c/o express.co.uk

photo c/o glamour.com

There were quite a few top knots on the red carpet last night, but this one takes the cake! I love that her bun has some volume and is left on the messier side. It was a simple and chic way to pull the hair off her face without making the dress feel too stiff or too formal. She's a young woman and I think the hair reflected a bit of that fun youth! 

Her makeup was awesome. I love the pale shadow on the eyes- it keeps the look fresh and ethereal. The lack of liner and the boost in the lashes were a great combo for this overall look. She kept the lips natural and had a beautiful soft color added to the cheeks. 

I love the dress! The color is great with her tones and it has a modern vibe yet kind of reminds me of the 60's :) 

Who were your top beauty picks of the night?

2016 Golden Globes

It's finally here! 

AWARD SEASON! 

To start the new year right, let's recap some of the best looks from the Golden Globes Red Carpet. 

Kirsten Dunst

I was wow'd by her! 

I think her entire look was perfection- the soft messy bun was a perfect match for this sexy dress and sultry eye makeup. Pairing it with these gray smokey eyes was truly a match made in heaven, especially for her baby blues :) 

I love that she wasn't given a nude lip, but a soft, matte pink lip color. It was the perfect pop of color without being overbearing. 

Uzo Aduba

I mean... 

She looked beautiful! 

Her skin was luminous with a soft touch of color on her cheeks. Her eyes were a great match for her fun sparkly dress. Black rimmed eyes added drama without taking over the entire look. Her lip color, a soft bit of color to brighten the face. PERFECT! 

I am also obsessed with her wavy bob. It is so refreshing and expertly executed. 

Sophia Bush

I couldn't NOT go with her... 

She was one of the first that I took notice to on the red carpet. Her look was so elegant, and chic-- plus I had to show some love to the Chicago PD Actress :) 

She kept her hair and makeup very classic and clean to go with her sleek dress. Clean, bright eyes set up the perfect canvas for her bold red lip. I absolutely LOVED her sleek (and tiny!) ponytail with the deep side part. It was clean, modern and just perfection. 

Melissa McCarthy

I truly thought Melissa looked beautiful. There have been some red carpets in the past where I wasn't a huge fan of her styling, so I had to include her on this list because she did it RIGHT this time! 

Her hair was soft and natural with loose waves that softened the face. She accompanied that with more natural makeup, some lashes and a natural pink lip. 

It was a great compliment to her sparkly dress and jewels, any more glitz in her makeup and it would have been overkill! 

There were SO many great makeup and hair looks from the Golden Globes this year that it was REALLY tough to narrow it down. 

Some other beauties who I think did it right... 

From Left to Right & Top to bottom: 

Taraji P Henson, Rosie Huntington Whitely, Jane Fonda, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Lady Gaga. 

What a fun red carpet and great start to the season! Tell me who your favorites were of the night and what were your favorite trends? 

Until the next one... 

*all photos c/o E! , hollywoodlife.com 

3 special Valentine's looks...

Hi Loves 

Valentine's Day is almost upon us, so I figured it'd be fun to give a few quick makeup ideas for your night out. 

Whether you're going to dinner, seeing a show, spending time with a special loved one, or friends, these 3 looks are quick, simple, pretty and very valentine's inspired! 

Photos c/o the talented, Stephanie Bassos Photography. 

Let's get started!

The base for all looks begin the same with moisturizer, primer, MUFE HD foundation, concealer where needed, and eye shadow primer (and eyebrows!)

Pretty in Pink

I wanted to keep this look really fresh faced and pretty. It's perfect for those who are a little makeup shy, to do something a little more special for the occasion.

   

Key words for this look: 

Sweet, Pretty, and Soft.

Eyes:

I used MAC's Girlie all over my lid, up to the natural crease. I then took MAC's Naked Lunch and placed it on the inner corner of the eyes and just under the brows. 

From there, I used MAC's Cork (really soft brown), and placed it in the crease with my pointy crease brush. I followed that by buffing with a blender brush gently to get rid of any harsh edges. 

I then took Urban Decay's Pencil in Bourbon (a sparkly brown tone), and drew it along the top lash line. For the bottom lash line, I used a purple pencil. I liked the romance of the purple- keeping with the softness around the eyes, it added another dimension and an extra pop of color.

To finish them off, I curled the lashes and put one coat of black mascara. 

Cheeks:

To keep with this ethereal look, I wanted pretty pink cheeks with a bit of a glow, so I used The Balm's blush in Hot Mama. 

Lips: 

Sealing the deal with Makeup Forever (MUFE) Aqua Lip in 1C all over my lips, followed by MAC's Plink. To add an extra oomph, I topped this lip with POP Aqua Lacquer in Flowering Fuchsia. 

Products/Tools Used
(with links)

The Balm's Hot Mama, POP aqua Lacquer in Fuchsia, Maybelline's Full 'N' Soft, MAC lipstick in Plink, MAC shadows in Naked Lunch, Girlie and Cork, Shu Umera Eyelash Curler, MUFE Aqua Lip in 1C, Covergirl Vivid Liner in Cabernet, Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Bourbon. 
Brushes: Tight bristle crease brush, a flat shadow brush and a fluffy blender.  

Smokey and sultry

This is a pretty variation on a smokey eye. I wanted to show how to do a quick and easy, foolproof smokey eye look- with only two shadows, I think this is something everyone can do!

Key words for this look: 

Daring, Sexy, and Mysterious. 

Eyes: 

To start this off, I took MAC's Deep Damsen (a beautiful deep maroon tone), and swept it over the lid, into the crease with a flat brush. Then take a fluffy blender and buff the crease to soften. 

From there, I used Urban Decay's Maui Wowie on the inner corner's of the eyes and softly blended them inward. If you want, you can swipe a soft iridescent shade under the brow- I used MAC's Shroom. 

Then, I took MUFE's Aqua Eyes in 0L on the waterline and tight lined the top lash line. 

*Tightlining is when you fill in the gaps between the lashes to create a fuller lash line. HERE is a great article from Beautylish with a detailed description!

Using the same pencil liner, I drew it along the bottom and outer upper corners of the eyes-- take a Q-tip and softly smudge. 

Curl those lashes and put two coats of Cover Girl's Flamed Up Mascara on the top and bottom lashes. 

Cheeks: 

I wanted to keep with the sexyness of the look, so I contoured the cheekbones with a little bronzer on a fan brush. Sweeping the product into the hollows of the cheeks and around the temples. 

Lips: 

I kept the lips simple, using Tarte's Lip Surgence Lip Tint in Grateful. 

 

Products/Tools Used
(and links)

CoverGirl Flamed Up Mega Curl Mascara, Tarte lip tint in Grateful, Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, CoverGirl Queen collection bronzer in Brown/bronze, MUFE Aqua Eyes 0L, MAC shadows in Deep Damsen, Shroom, and Urban Decay's Maui Wowie. 
Brushes: Flat shadow Brush, Fluffy blender, Q-tip, Fan brush.  

Romantic in Red

This is for my bold lip babes. I am a big lipstick person, so I had to include a look where lips were the focus! And what a better color than the classic red. 

Key words for this look: 

Romance, Bold, and Flirty.

Eyes: 

Since lips are the focus, I wanted to keep the eyes super easy and subtle. I started by taking MUFE Aqua Cream #14 (chocolate brown with soft shimmer), and placed it across my lid, blending it across my eye with my fingers.

From there, I took a blending brush with MAC's Mulch eyeshadow and worked it into the crease. 

I then took MUFE's Aqua Eyes in 0L (very black), and lined the inner rims of my eyes (both top and bottom). 

For lashes I used Maybelline's Full 'N' Soft mascara on both the top and bottom. 

If you were really feeling saucy, you could throw on a few lashes :) 

Cheeks: 

I wanted to add a soft color on the cheeks, but nothing too bright. I settled on MAC's Tenderling. Dust it right on the apples of the cheeks and blend up and out towards the hair line. I then topped the cheekbones with a highlighter for some extra oomph!

Lips: 

Our statement piece of the night!
Take a waterproof liner that matches the red you choose- Outline your natural lip shape and continue to fill in with the liner. Lip liner helps prevent the lipstick from bleeding, but also helps your lip color to last longer.
Next, apply your red lip color of choice with a brush for a flawless finish.

Voila! 

Products/Tools used
(and links)

MUFE Aqua Cream #14, MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Prolong, Maybelline's Full 'N' Soft black mascara, NARS Orgasm Illuminator, Shu Uemura eyelash curler, MAC blush in Tenderling, MUFE Aqua Lip in 8C, MUFE Aqua Eyes in 0L, MAC's eyeshadow in Mulch. 
Brushes: Fluffy Blender, Lip brush, Fluffy blush brush. 

Hope you enjoyed these! I had a lot of fun playing with these three different looks. What will you be doing for Valentine's Day?! Which look is most like you?! 

Purple Eyes

Winter is dark and dull-- so I like to brighten things up a bit with my makeup. It makes me feel so much better! 

One of the easiest ways to brighten up is to incorporate a fun color! Of course, lipstick is my go to, but sometimes it's nice to play up the eyes. So here is  little guide on purple eye makeup. I will say, no matter what color your eyes, purple seems to work!

So here are some violet eyes with a very quick how to.

*My camera's battery was dead so I had to use the IPad for these! Better quality coming soon! Still figuring this out :) 

I started off with Urban Decay's eye shadow primer in Sin for an all over shimmer.

I then followed it up with a very soft lilac across the lid.

Here I am applying a line of MAC's Macroviolet gel liner on my top lash line. 

I followed that with lining the bottom inner rim with the same purple gel liner. 

Next, I took the two darkest shades of purple on an angle hair brush and traced over the liner on the top lash line. 

You can see that I've extended it out beyond my natural eye, giving a slight cat eye effect. 

I then coated the sides of the angle hair brush with the same dark shades, and smudged the shadow in an upwards motion- thus creating a "smokey" effect. 

This is how it looks. 

(don't mind my crazy face!) 

 I then took a fluffy brush and buffed the dark purples into the crease and created a softer look.

 I then took the same dark purples and smudged a little under my eyes- and then took a brighter hue of purple and smudged a little of that on top for a little more dimension. 

Then, to add a little more OOMPH! I lined the upper, inner rim with black. This is not necessary, but I think it adds a little more dimension and interest. Not to mention, it makes your lashes look fuller! 

 Layer on some mascara.... 

 Here's the final look! 

I topped it off with a soft pink lip and gently filled the brows.  

Quick snapshot and list of the products used for the eyes: 

1. Eve Pearl Velvet Eyes Palette

2. MAC's Fluidline gel liner in Macroviolet and Blacktrack

3. Maybelline Full 'N Soft Mascara

4. Urban Decay eye shadow primer in SIN

Brushes: 

*from left to right

MAC #263 Angle Hair Brush

Crown Brush C326 PRO precision Smudger

MAC #210 Precise Eye liner brush

MAC #217 Blending Brush

MAC #219 Pencil Brush

Hope you enjoyed this! 

Go play with a new color palette just for fun :)

Wondering what colors to try? Here's a quick guide with a little help from the Color Wheel: 

While looking at the color wheel it's easy to find colors that work well together. 

One simple way is to look directly across from the color you're trying to make stand out-- that is a complimentary color. 

Another easy way is to look to the right and left of the color you're trying to make stand out-- also known as it's analogous colors. 

Bright Colors to Try....

Have blue eyes? Try Yellow/oranges, green, purple or yes-- BLUE!

Brown eyes? Try violet, blue, and greens.

Green Eyes? Purples, Pinks, teals/blues. 

Hazel Eyes: All of the above!

What it really comes down to is, if you apply color in the right way, you can make just about anything work!  

Have fun!! 

xoxo JEN