How to deal with break outs

Let's talk about something not so glamorous. 

Pimples. 

I don't know about you, but recently I have been struggling with struggling weather in the midwest (40 degrees to 80 the next day!), and it's being taken out on my skin! I have also not been drinking enough water--- yes, I'm guilty! 

So here are some products and tips for dealing with those pesky pimples.

Step 1

DON'T TOUCH IT!

This can be tough. Once this guy starts to rear his ugly little white head, all you want to do is pop him! Try not to :) 

I'm so guilty of this, and the end result? Scarring! I have little acne scars on my face from when I would fuss with my face. Not something you want. The best thing to do is to try to treat it and leave it alone! 

You have to wait it out. 

Step 2

Treatment

I recently stumbled upon a treatment that WORKS! 

DDF Acne Control Treatment with Salicylic Acid Acne Medication. 

photo c/o birchbox. 

I received a sample of this little guy, and I love it! It's great for quick spot treatments. I'll apply a little dab onto the pimple right after washing my face, in the morning and at night. Within a day or two- the area is clear! 

You can buy it off their website HERE! 

Step 3

Take care of yourself

I'm a firm believer that everything that goes into your body has a direct effect on the outside. I try to eat as clean as I can (for the most part :)), and drink tons of water! (again, for the most part :))

I know it can be tough to always make the right decisions- I can say that because I recently bought tiny ice cream sandwiches from Trader Joes and I CANNOT stop eating them this week. Hence my little pimple friend under my nose. 

You just have to try to be conscious of where you're sourcing your food, try to eat as many vegetables as you can, and really drink that water! Water helps to cleanse your system. It's necessary. 

Good for the body, good for the skin. 

Some other things to try... 

If you can see a pimple starting, try one of these home remedies!

Baking soda

The miracle worker! Make a paste out of baking soda and warm water and hold it onto the affected area with a warm washcloth over it. The warm cloth will help to open up the pores and allow the baking soda to help kill bacteria. 

This trick is also good for bug bites and rashes! 

Icing

Continually placing ice on your pimple will help to reduce swelling and redness. Place an ice cube in a clean towel and hold against the affected area. Repeat several times. 

Give these things a try and let me know what you think! Have some other remedies you like? Or treatments you love?! Leave them in the comments section! 

Springtime Events!

Hey lovelies,

I have had the pleasure of both attending and hosting some great events in Chicago recently! I wanted to share a couple of the experiences as I'm so excited to see artists coming together--it's all about the community! 

Last week, I attended an open event at Goldplaited: A Finishing Salon. 

I'd never heard of a finishing salon before, so I was curious to check this place out. My friend and fellow artist, Mel Wilson, was the one to pass the invite to me. It called for free bubbles and snacks as well as a complimentary *Trend Style.* 

Trend Style?! Finshing Salon?!

So off we went! 

The salon is in a great location in Lincoln park, and it's adorable. Everything is in gold! I had the chance to meet and chat with the owners, Mal and Corinna Strong. They are sisters who transplanted to Chicago with a love of makeup, hair and making women feel good-- every day. 

They were both so welcoming, and friendly! I thought the salon was adorable. They even have a little back room for clients to reserve for private parties. Probably not a bad idea for a birthday or bachelorette?! 

So what is a finishing salon? 

Think Blow drys, dry styles, and quick makeup applications. 

No cuts or colors here- Just final touches. 

What is a Trend style? 

Ever circulate Pinterest and come across some awesome trendy hairstyles that were just too hard to pull off at home?! And then by the time you master it, the next trend has popped up?! Well, you can come to the salon and pick a trendy style (type of braid, updo, or curl/wave), and have a stylist do the work for you. 

It's a quick easy stop if you're headed to dinner, the theater, or just wanna feel awesome for a day. Goldplaited's goal is to make women feel good all year round, not just those occasions you would expect to get hair and makeup done. 

Who this is good for: 

The woman that needs that weekly blowout! 

Last minute date you want to look fabulous for!

A quick pick me up when you feel blah! 

Who should skip this: 

Brides- Hire a freelancer to come to you the day of- saves you time, energy and gives you that luxury of being truly pampered with a very specific look created just for you. 

www.nikavaughanbridalartists.com

Women who want more of a one on one, specific look!

GoldPlaited 

2803 N. Sheffield 

Chicago, IL 

 Photos C/O Goldplaited's Yelp Page

Another great local event that recently took place was the Enzo Milano Seminar hosted by Chicago Beauty Exchange. I am a co-partner of this super awesome group! To read more about what we do, follow the link --> CBE

Enzo Milano is a pro hair tool company, known to be the first to introduce the clip less iron. We coordinated to have one of their stylists, Sara Jean Stevens, come to host a seminar for the group. Sara Jean is a hair and makeup artist based in Chicago. We have actually known each other for years, so I was thrilled to hear that she was happy and willing to help connect us to Enzo for this event! 

Enzo Irons lined up for demos!

Sara Jean, demo-ing one of the popular irons. 

The "Enzo Wave."

Sara Jean showing a demo on CBE founder, Nika Vaughan. 

 The seminar consisted of product information, styling tips/tricks, instruction on how to properly use the line of tools (as they are a different type of heat source, therefore a different approach than your traditional irons). All the artists who came to the event were also signed up to get a *Free* Iron retailing at $130! 

After Sara Jean showed her demos, all the artists were invited to try the irons themselves either on the model, the mannequin head, or even each other! 

It was a great event! Thank you to Sara Jean for coming out and sharing her knowledge of the products. Thank you Enzo Milano for the free irons! Thank you to Tsubo Salon for letting us use the space! Also a BIG thank you to all the lovely artists who came! Nika and I are trying to create a safe space for artists to meet, connect, share and learn from each other. 

To read more specifically into the event from an attendee first hand, feel free to check out Jocelyn Morris' blog HERE. 

If you'd like to keep up to date about Chicago Beauty Exchange with upcoming classes, seminars and networking events, please feel free to like us on Facebook, HERE. 

Have a beautiful day! 

Midwest ---> LA

Hi Beautiful People,

I have been going through my head about seizing new opportunities in the beautiful land of LA. I just took a trip last week to the sunny city to chat to several artists, producers, PR agents and beauty industry professionals about the work, opportunities, life and how to get to where I want to be! 

Here are some key things I learned and some great advice!

Terri Apanasewicz

Hair and Makeup Artist with over 20 years of experience, represented by Cloutier Remix. 

Terri was kind enough to invite me to her home! I was able to watch as she and her assistant organized and sorted through boxes upon boxes of products that were sent to her-- It was a glorious sight. She had an entire store set up! 

Our afternoon together was very chill, easy going and incredibly inspiring. I had the chance to hear Terri's story of how she came to be, as well as some great words of advice, wonderful stories, and encouragement. 

My take away: 

"Brand yourself as one or the other."

In the midwest you are told upon starting in this industry that you MUST do both hair and makeup. It is completely different on the coasts! While Terri does do both, she mentioned that if she were to do it over, she would choose just one or the other. She said that people don't value it as much, or take you as seriously. It's harder to prove yourself. I found this MIND BLOWING! 

While she does do both, and of course there are some perks to that- for instance, you can book jobs for either talent, which means more income. Another great part about this is that sometimes there are clients that want to work with just one person as opposed to two--Especially those who travel. 

While I will still continue to push myself to do hair, and learn as much as I can, I am thrilled to know that I can focus my professional energy into being JUST a makeup artist :) 

Carla Hawkes 

Producer for PopSugar.

Carla was sweet enough to take the time to meet for a little midday rose :) She was cool, sweet and straightforward about PopSugar and all it had to offer.  

My take away: 

"Just do it."

Carla and I got onto the subject of social media and building a following- creating a community. This is something I've been working on and thinking about for years! She mentioned that having that can be very valuable, not only to get work, but also recognition from cosmetic companies. i.e.; free products! opportunities! etc. 

I told her some of my ideas that have been roaming in my brain for the past couple years and why I've procrastinated on them because, "if I'm going to put myself out there, I want to brand myself from the beginning. I just want it to look and sound REALLY good. It is a representation of me and my business!" Carla came back with the point that there are so many you tubers and bloggers that started with bad sound and poor lighting, but now they are doing amazing things because they were seen and heard-- the quality wasn't perfect, but it didn't matter because they just put themselves out there and DID IT! 

Wake up call! 

Kendra Richards

Makeup and Hair Artist with over 20 years of experience, represented by Cloutier Remix. Also the creator of Heir Atelier.  

I had the pleasure of meeting Kendra back in January at the IMATS (International Makeup Artist Trade Show). Kendra graciously met me for coffee in West Hollywood--I loved chatting with Kendra-- we had a lot of similar outlooks on the industry and even shared some similar experiences. 

Kendra was incredibly encouraging and inspiring. It was fascinating to hear her story of how she really worked, and fought to be be where she is today. 

My take away: 

"It's not about you."

I think this had the biggest impact on me. A lot of times we as artists take our jobs very personally. While what we do can be incredibly challenging and rewarding, it is also very intimate. You have to be personable, friendly, confident and an expert all while trying to connect with your client. Kendra shared a story that resonated with me because I'd been through something similar. She went on to tell me how it affected her afterwards, and how she came to the conclusion that, "it's not about you." Often our clients (especially celebrity clients), have a lot of pressure and a lot on their minds and sometimes, those pressures need to be released and taken out on the closest person to them! You can't let that affect you. 

It's a brilliant reminder. 

Rachel Tung

Reality TV Producer

Rachel is a firecracker! She is someone I was thrilled to chat with. I was so grateful for her to carve out some time in her busy schedule to meet with me! I got more of an insight into reality tv culture and production as well as what it is to be a celebrity makeup artist. 

My take away: 

"Be here."

Be available and ready for opportunity- Show your commitment and dedication and do what you say you're going to do. 

Over all....

The trip was incredibly inspiring and has pushed me to really fulfill this "celebrity makeup artist" dream of mine... So I am taking action, and working towards moving out West! Re-arranging your entire life is crazy, but I can tell it will be worth it in the long haul. Very excited to see what this next chapter will bring! 

Also a BIG thank you to Carol Marshall and Jason Trotter who took the time to speak with me as well! And of course to my lovely hosts, Jason and Haven!! 
 Lots of great advice and encouragement all around-- It was greatly appreciated. 

Current Faves

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're dealing with the yo-yoing weather well! It's been tough on me- not only physically (dry skin!), but mentally as well! Where's Spring?!

I wanted to share some of my current favorite products I've been using during this time to keep my skin and hair in good condition, and to make myself feel good! 

First Up... 

Moroccan Oil Body Souffle and Body Buff

I received these beauties as a gift from a dear friend, and let me tell you... I am in love! 

They are so gentle, and silky, they make you feel like you're getting salon treatments at home. Incredibly luxurious, these two combined are magic! 

image c/o beautycrazed.ca

You use the body buff as a gentle scrub to use while you're in the shower. It exfoliates and hydrates you as well! No more sugar and olive oil scrubs for this girl! I'm spoiled!

The body Souffle is step two of the hydration process. Very light, creamy consistency that hydrates the skin beautifully. 

Best part about these puppies? They are paraben free, and full of all kinds of antioxidants and derived oils to give your skin the best of the best! 

Body Souffle $52

Body Buff $42

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tints

This product is genius. 

I love it. 

photo c/o makeuptemple.co.uk

I've been wearing these little beauties just about every day since I bought them on a Cyber Monday sale! 

They are a cross between a balm, stain and a gloss. They give a wash of color, hydrate, and are super lightweight. Some are matte, some are glossy. The color range is beautiful, and they are so easy to wear--Now you can throw on a little pop of color without the fuss of lipstick or stickiness of a gloss. 

Plus, Tarte is made in the USA and always formulates their products with some of the best ingredients, without Parabens, mineral oil, and gluten (to name a few!)

LipSurgence Lip Tint $24

Neuma Shampoo and Conditioner

My good friend Nevena of Custom Hair Lounge in Chicago suggested I try these, and boy do I see a change! My hair is lighter, more manageable, and looks great! 

photo c/o neumabeauty.com

My hair is fine, but I have a lot of it. It doesn't hold curl very well, and volume is never an option! 

I was using some sketchy shampoos in the past (I refuse to name names, partially because I'm ashamed!:)), and after learning more about my hair's current condition, I knew I needed a new regimen. 

Nevena suggested I try these shampoos and they have changed my hair's life! It is lighter, feels smoother, and is easier to style! 

Neuma Products prices may vary depending on where you purchase them. You can find the closest location HERE. 

Hope this opened your eyes to some great products out there! Let me know if you've tried them, or have some other favorite products you love. 

And the Oscar goes to...

I don't know about you, but I LOVE award shows! 

I was especially excited to catch the Academy Awards this year. There were so many talented actors stepping out and making a mark- some for the first time!

So here are my picks for the BEST hair and makeup of the night... 

Angelina Jolie

I don't know about you, but when I heard Angelina was going to be at the Oscars-- that was all I could think about! 

I couldn't wait to see how she'd show up and I was left breathless once I did.

She opted for a fun, glitzy, ethereal gown and followed suit with light, pretty makeup. Lots of lashes with a little bit of smokey liner on the outer corners for some definition was just perfect. Clean skin and beautiful soft pink lips. To finish it off, she left her hair down-blown out to perfection. 

Loved it! 

 Sandra Bullock

 Sandra Bullock looked so glam and gorgeous. With the vintage side swept waves and blue smokey eyes, she really stood out! Just a slight color on the lips and cheeks sends the look on a home run. Well done. 

Charlize Theron

She can't look bad. 

ever. 

While she can look good, she looked GREAT! Loved the short hair tucked behind her ear. Effortless and clean. I love that it showcases her beautiful face which was a perfect match of luminous skin, peachy lips, and eyes stood out with a clean swipe of liquid liner. 

Naomi Watts

 I thought Naomi did it right. Love the bold lip paired with lots of lashes, and iridescent eyes, and pink cheeks. It was clean, classic, and effortless. Loved the makeup paired with the casual side swept hair. SO good!

Olivia Wilde

I thought this mom to be was so chic. She went back in time with 60's inspired cat eye and soft pale pink lips. Updated by her romantic wavy updo-- I think it's a perfect match. 

Some stars fell a little short... and here's why!

Calista Flockhart

 Calista almost had it! 

I would have added some shadow on those brows so we don't lose them as much. I also would have incorporated more color- either on the lips or the cheeks. I would have absolutely tight lined her upper lash line. The gaps between the lashes drives me bonkers! 

I think she's beautiful, but just barely missed the mark. 

Cristin Milotti

I've critiqued the lovely Kaley Cuoco HERE for her deep dark lips... and sadly, this look doesn't quite work on Cristin either! It's such a stark contrast against her pale skin and pale dress, that it's a little daunting. If she would have settled for a sheer lip product in that color family or a stain, I think it would have lightened it up a little but still had that drama. 

 Giuliana Rancic

Ms. G! 

I love her, but sometimes her makeup is too much for my taste! I love the idea of this look, but I would have softened those eyes a bit. If they were blended out a little more, I think it would have complemented the dress and overall look better. 

I am also not a fan of completely nude lips (lips that match the skin!), so a little hint of color --peach, or pink-- would have been a nice contrast to help break up the face a little more. 

That was my Oscar rundown for this year! Who were some of your favorites? Was there anyone else you think missed the mark? Share your thoughts below in the comments! 

Winter Lip Care

Hi All,

So I've been noticing more and more with clients this season their struggle to keep their lips soft and supple. Many are dealing with chapped, dry, cracked lips. 

Here are some tips to prevent this from happening or to repair the damage. 

When the temperatures drop and the wind picks up (especially in the mid west!), it can become increasingly difficult to keep your lips moisturized. 

1. Don't lick your lips! 

Your saliva contains acids that help break down food which can irritate your lips' delicate skin. Licking your lips only adds to dehydration. 

2. Drink TONS of water!

I am very guilty of not drinking enough water this time of year. To help prevent dryness, it's important to stay hydrated from the inside--out! Make yourself drink 2 glasses upon waking up and going to bed. Making this a ritual will help with dehydration.

3. Apply Lip Balm at night.

You lose so much moisture at night! Especailly since most of us sleep with our mouths open (glamorous as it is), it's extremely drying. By applying a balm before bed, it helps to slow that process. When purchasing a lip balm, beware of ingredients such as, eucalyptus, menthol or camphor-- these can cause dryness or irritation. 

My favorite: 

          

Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

With all natural ingredients that work, this balm tops the charts for me!

4. Exfoliation.

I preach about exfoliation often! It makes such a huge difference! There are a couple different ways to handle it, I'm splitting it into 2 parts. 

Part One: 

I am a big fan of home remedies, mostly because of sensitivities, but also because they work! If your lips are dry, but not cracked, you can give this trick a try once every week to two weeks. 

Take a little sugar with some oil (coconut, olive, etc), and create a paste. Take your finger and gently scrub this mixture in tiny circular motions on your lips. This helps to gently scrub off any dead skin, and the oil helps to moisturize. Once you finish, take a dry rag and wipe off the sugar, apply some balm and voila! soft supple lips! 

Part Two: 

Another exfoliation trick, that's a little more gentle and easy to do, is to take your toothbrush after brushing your teeth, and gently brush your lips. This helps stimulate blood flow and gently removes dead skin. This is something you can mindlessly do every day. 

If you are suffering from severe cracked, dry lips with pain or bleeding, you can seek out a medicated treatment to get them under control, and then try some of the above tips for upkeep. 

Hope this helps you as we slowly but surely make our way into spring with lots of bright lipsticks! 

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?!