Selena Gomez at the 2010 VMAs

makeup artist Karan Mitchell (for Nyx Cosmetics) created a red carpet look for Selena Gomez's appearance at the 2010 VMAs inspired by the star's inner radiance and glowing personality. using Nyx Cosmetics' latest and greatest products, Karan kept Selena's makeup fresh and cool, while adding a bold touch of color to her eyes and a soft hue to lips.

on the eyes:

Karan started by applying the new Concealer Jar in Fair as a base on the lid and then applied Highlight, blending from the crease up to the brow. next, the highly pigmented sapphire blue shade from Eye Shadow Trio in Aquamarine was applied to the lids and slightly above the crease. Karan then blended the deep blue in the I Dream of Antigua 5 Color Eye Shadow Palette on the outside corners of her lids. to add definition, Selena's eyes were lined with Magic Kohl eye liner pencil by Givenchy. 2 coats of Nyx Doll Eye Mascara in Black finished the look.

for the cheeks:

Karan created a fresh-faced, healthy glow for Selena using Nyx Cosmetics Tango with Bronzer Stix #2 in Merengue Flush on the apples of her cheeks.

for the lips:

a fresh, nude lip was created using Nyx Cosmetics Lipstick shade #174 Nude, and Mega Shine Lipgloss in #104 Sweet Heart.


xo
info courtesy of Nyx Cosmetics; images: Wireimage.com

My Favorite Looks from the 2010 Academy Awards

the Academy Awards (aka, the Oscars) were on sunday night-- did you watch? i had the privilege of only having to sit through watching the last hour thanks to the fact that it was my son's 7th birthday-- we threw him a birthday bash. :)

it was so much fun! many of his classmates and close friends came, and he was beyond thrilled. but really, i can't believe the boy is already 7-- i swear he was just born...

oh, wait. i'm supposed to be talking about the Oscars, right? oops...

getting back on topic-- the Oscars! hollywood's biggest night. the award show that ends "award season" and names the best of the best as voted on by the academy. the actresses wear fabulous gowns, gorgeous hair and makeup and actors look dapper in their tuxedos. it's truly a magnificent night!

here are my favorite looks:



Sandra Bullock, best actress winner (woo-hoo!!!), wore her hair in a sleek and smooth style, very complimentary to her dazzling and body-concious Marchesa gown. i love that she went with a bold, red lip-- so glam!




Rachel McAdams went with a slightly messy, volumized updo. i can't help but want the amazing earrings she was wearing-- love. taking inspiration from her gown (by Elie Saab), her makeup is fresh and pretty. on her lips: CHANEL Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Rose Comete, a beautiful light pink shade.





Anna Kendrick looked so elegant, don't you think? i think her blush-colored Elie Saab gown really stood out on the red carpet. stylist Craig Gangi used Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray and Glimmer Shine Spray to create her beautiful, loose updo.




Queen Latifah was one look i will not soon forget. she was nothing short of stunning! with plum smoky eyes, soft pink lip and glowing skin, the singer/actress couldn't have looked better.




Zoe Saldana was flawless as always. while i wasn't a huge fan of her dress (Givenchy), i appreciate that she took a risk-- the Oscars are perfect for the dramatic gowns, after all. her makeup, though simple, was definitely on-point. NARS Enchanted Cream Blush (coming spring 2010) was used on her cheeks and Ophelia lipgloss gave her pout the perfect hue.




Kate Winslet looked glamorous and beautiful-- have we come to expect anything less? her old hollywood glamour and Veronica Lake-inspired waves complimented the more modern Yves Saint Laurent gown she gracefully wore on Oscar night.


tell me: who's look(s) did you love from the Academy Awards?

xo
images via Celebutiopia

2010 Golden Globes Beauty: Drew Barrymore

the 2010 golden Globes were held this past sunday, and while the stars had to battle the rain, they still managed to look gorgeous. Drew Barrymore, who took home the award for best actress in a tv miniseries or movie for her role in Grey Gardens, looked incredibly elegant and oh-so movie star-esque.

makeup artist Debra Ferullo created a makeup look that was simple, yet complimented Drew's dress beautifully.



Debra shares how the look was created:

first, i prepped the skin with moisturizer and then applied Dior Skinflash Primer to set the skin. Drew's skin is so gorgeous that she doesn't need a full face of foundation so i applied DiorSkin Nude Foundation on the cheeks to give her a dewy look and on select spots for natural illumination. lastly, i applied Covergirl Simply Ageless Blush in Plush Peach with my fingers to add a healthy glow and defined cheekbones.

the look for her eyes was a pearly, iridescent, shimmer with just a touch of color. i used Covergirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire. first, i applied the lighter shade to the inner corner of the eye, then the darker shade to the lid for a colorful smoky eye look. tip: use your finger to blend the cream formula for the most control. Drew wanted her lashes to stand out, so i curled them, then applied three coats of Covergirl LashBlast Length Mascara to the top lashes and one coat to the bottom lashes for definition.

For Drew's classic red lip look, i applied Dior Addict Lipstick in Hollywood Rose #753.

she looked fab! thanks Debra!

xo
images: Getty Images & Casey Rodgers/AP Photo via instyle.com

Heidi Klum at the 2009 Emmy Awards

Heidi Klum never looks bad. her Emmy Awards appearance last (last) weekend proved my point-- even as pregnant as she is, the woman looked, and looks gorgeous. to compliment her black Marchesa gown, the supermodel mommy opted to wear an updo that was a modern interpretation of a 50's style while keeping her makeup fresh and glowing.

hairstylist Michel Aleman used products by Fekkai to create her hairstyle:

started by applying Coiff Bouffant Lifting & Texurizing Spray Gel to the hair in order to generate some texture. he then blow-dried the hair and applied Coiff Oceanique Tousled Wave Spray to create soft waves.

he made a strong middle part, while making sure the hair in front was smooth but pulled back softly. next, he formed two pony tails to the back of the head. teasing each ponytail to create volume, he then brought the two together into one dramatic chignon.



the look was finished by applying Sheer Hold Hairspray and Brilliant Glossing Sheer Shine Mist throughout the entire look for a smooth and feminine result.

Fekkai can be found in Nordstrom and Sephora stores and online at fekkai.com

xo
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Blake Lively at the 2009 Emmy Awards

Blake Lively was a stand-out on the Emmy red carpet in my book. her fabulous red Versace gown and goddess style updo really made for a memorable look.




hairstylist Renato Campora created her hairstyle by applying Fekkai Coiff Strong Hold Volume Mousse onto her wet hair.



next, he blow-dried her hair smooth and applied the Fekkai Coiff Extra Hold Styling Gel to prep the hair.

after teasing all the hair, he pulled it up into a high ponytail. by adding some hair extensions to the ponytail, he created extra length for a more dramatic look.



to finish the style, he braided the entire ponytail and fastened at the end then applied Fekkai Coiff Magnifique Ultra Light Finishing Creme throughout the entire look for a smooth and sleek effect.

Fekkai is sold at Sephora, Nordstrom and online at Fekkai.com

xo
images: JustJared.com and TenGossip.com

Mary-Louise Parker at the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards

dressed in an amazing single strapped, deep purple Zac Posen dress, Mary-Louise Parker shined on the red carpet of the Emmy's...

makeup artist Tina Turnbow was inspired by the deep purple and indigo tones in this dress, as well as the gunmetal grey accessories. to play up these colors, Tina brought out Mary-Louise's best features with a dramatic yet classic smoky eye, blushing pink cheeks and nude lips.

here's how to create the look:


face:




Mary-Louise already has beautiful porcelain skin, so Tina kept her face looking pristine by applying Maybelline New York Dream Liquid Mousse in Classic Ivory with touches of Maybelline New York Dream Mousse Concealer in Light under the eyes and to the tops of the cheeks to give a contoured look.


cheeks:

to compliment her skin, Tina brushed on Maybelline New York Mineral Power Naturally Luminous Blush in Gentle Pink to the apples of the cheeks to give the look of a soft natural flush.


eyes:



Tina's inspiration for Mary-Louise's entire look was the gorgeous opal-toned smoky eye she created with Maybelline New York Expert Wear Stylish Smokes in Amethyst Smokes. she used all four shades in the palette to play up her eyes and add drama, and the deep purples complemented her creamy skin and dark hair beautifully.

she then followed with Maybelline New York Line Stiletto Liquid Eyeliner in Black on the upper and lower lash lines. to showcase the gorgeous jewel tones of the shadows, Tina only applied one coat of Maybelline New York Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara in Very Black.


lips:



for a barely-there, neutral lip, Tina lined the entire mouth with Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Liner in Toast. she then followed up with Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lipstick in Nearly There.


body:

to complete the look, a soft dusting of Maybelline New York Mineral Power Illuminator in Nude was brushed along her collar bones, arms and legs for a radiant glow.


find Maybelline products at your local drug and mass retail locations nationwide and online at drugstore.com


xo
photo credits: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com and marylouise-parker.org

Christina Applegate at 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards

in creating Christina Applegate's red carpet look for the 2009 Primetime Emmys, makeup artist Joanna Schlip took inspiration from the dramatic, sweeping Basil Soda gown the actress had chosen to wear. the vintage glamour of the navy stunner called for simple makeup that would still make a statement.

like the dress, Christina's makeup needed to exude a Brigitte Bardot/60's cool, but with a modern twist. since her hair was pulled back in a chic chignon, Joanna was able to play up Christina's eyes with a sexy smolder, while keeping her skin fresh and lips softly pink.

here's how her look was created:

skincare:

for a radiant glow, Joanna prepped Christina's skin with three steps:

1.) she cleansed with Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser

2.) she then applied Clarins Multi-Active Day moisturizer

3.) she followed with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm for smooth, hydrated, radiant skin.

face:



since Christina has naturally beautiful skin, Joanna kept her face mostly bare with a light wash of Clarins True Radiance Foundation. she finished with a dusting of Clarins Loose Powder in Translucent.

cheeks:



for a natural but luminous flush, Joanna applied Clarins Instant Sun Light Shimmer Palette on the apples of her cheeks, sweeping up to the hairline. the shimmering highlighter perfectly reflected the california sunlight, giving a healthy, peachy-pink glow.


eyes:



Joanna reflected the drama of Christina's dress with a smoldering eye. using the dark gray shade from Clarins Colour Quartet for Eyes in So Chic, Joanna gave a smokey depth to Christina's green eyes. to add definition and drama, she applied Clarins Eye Pencil in Black around the upper and lower lash line and inside the wet line, then finished with three coats of Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara in Black.


lips:

for a soft, modern pink mouth, Joanna applied Clarins Lip Definer in Bay Rose, and then added a hint of gloss with Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm in Rose Pink.

visit clarins.com for more info on all of the products used.

xo
first image: Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com; second image: gettyimages.com

Katy Perry at the MTV VMA's

Jake Bailey, who i had the pleasure of meeting in person this past saturday, created Katy Perry's much-talked about (and loved!) makeup look for this past sunday's VMA's. Jake says the look was definitely inspired by her dress-- an outrageous metal spiked mesh mini by The Blonds.



Jake says: "the dress reminded me of a Gianni Versace book i have called "Rock and Royalty" and the powerful iconic images in it. i wanted the eyes to evoke that type of decadent glamour and of course complement the sparkle of the dress with a little sparkle on the eyes."



"we used NARS Oil Free foundation as Katy's base and a pink shimmer blush for some glow. we kept the lips matte so the emphasis was on her eyes, but the definitely were not without color! for the carpet, Katy wore a matte coral and for her performance and after party, she wore a matte red."



"the eye look was done with black and gunmetal shadows, silver glitter and liquid liner. a great trick to wearing glitter like this, is to blend a little cream shadow onto the area where you want to place the glitter. you should do this once your eye makeup is finished. so as a last step, gently apply the glitter using your fingertip… just a little at a time in order to avoid a mess. once finished use scotch tape to remove any excess glitter that may have fallen on the face. press the tape gently into the skin and it picks it right up.

Katy's lashes were ultra long and gorgeous thanks to CoverGirl LashBlast Length Mascara."

thanks Jake!

didn't she look amazing?!

xo
image source

Stand-Out Red Carpet Trends from the 2009 MTV Movie Awards

MAX Factor sponsored a Movie Award Show viewing party last weekend and makeup artist Jake Bailey shared some of his thoughts on the trends that were present on the red carpet: "people were making bold but simple choices with their makeup looks", he said.

"there were two standout looks i saw walk the carpet: a smokey, dramatic eye against a glowing, clean complexion paired with a nude lip for an effortless look, and quite a few girls were rockin' a bright lip, some with a classic inspiration and others edgy and fun- i loved it!"



stars, including Leighton Meester, Hayden Panettiere, Miley Cyrus and Anna Farris, all looked beautiful with a smokey eye and nude lip. for a variation on the classic smokey eye, Jake suggests to try doing the look with color for a summery, modern twist:

"a lighter green shade paired with aubergine is a beautiful combination while navy blue brings a hint of color to the traditional smokey eye look. choosing a shade with a little shimmer helps to keep it from getting too dark, and always top off any smokey eye with two coats of dark black mascara – my go-to is MAX Factor's 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper."



"for this season, bright bold lips are a great look that anyone can wear and we saw it all over the MTV red carpet on Cameron Diaz, Ashley Greene, Lauren Conrad and the look i created for Lo Bosworth! a simple eye and flawless skin is always a great pairing with a bold lip color – sometimes all you need is a really great lip!"



"to do this stick with light and bright shades for the season to keep the look fresh-- my favorites from MAX Factor's Vivid Impact Lipcolor line are Sweet Tart, Rose Rage and Ms. Terious.


both of these red carpet looks work well for summer, so have fun and be fabulous!

xo

look of the day: Victoria Justice

at the Kids' Choice Awards, Victoria Justice kept her look fun with a purple layered mini dress. accented with a studded belt and blazer, she completed the look with black and grey ankle boots and a grey metallic Rock & Republic clutch.

with her straight, super shiny hair, colorful eye makeup, pink cheeks and glossy lips, Victoria was perfectly suited for her orange carpet appearance.

xo

Oscar Night Beauty: Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson captivated my attention not only with an absolutely fabulous strapless white Cavalli gown (and that amazing statement necklace-- love!), but i cannot get over how great her hair looked-- her hairstylist, Dante Blandshaw, gave her an amazing variation of her bob for Oscar night. with high shine and just the right amount of volume, this is s great style to try if you have a similar cut yourself.

to get her look: prep hair with Aveda Brilliant Damage Control to protect from breakage and thermal damage. blowdry hair straight with a paddle brush, then add a dime-size amount of Universal Styling Creme for added shine. flat iron first, then use 1.5" inch and 2" barrel irons to give volume at the roots and bend at the ends- but don't over curl!- to accentuate the layers. slightly curl the front to create a soft, side-swept bang for added height and fullness, then finish by combing with a wide-tooth comb and lock in the style with a lightweight hairspray (try Aveda Air Control Hair Spray).

xo
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Oscar Night Beauty: Marisa Tomei

Frederic Fekkai's Adir Abergel styled the hair of best supporting actress nominee, Marisa Tomei and created cascades of soft movement mirroring the twists and turns of her pearl grey satin organza Atelier Versace dress.



get the look: start by applying Fekkai More All Day Density Styling Whip to roots and Fekkai Coiff Perfecteur Anti-Frizz Silkening Creme from roots to ends. Blowdry hair with a round brush and pin it in place as it cools down. next, take the hair and pin it loosely with hair clips in desired twist and turns. make sure that the bangs are on an angle and look soft with some loose hair falling naturally. using hair pins and bobby pins place them to hold the shape and remove the hairclips.
finish with Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray.

xo
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Oscar Night Beauty: Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet wowed me in her multi-blue-toned one shoulder YSL dress. for her makeup look celebrity makeup artist Jillian Dempsey wanted to create a classic, natural look. to do this she prepped Kate's skin with Lancome La Base Pro primer to create a smooth canvas for a polished complexion. she lightly brushed Lancome Brow Expert in Naturel on the brows to play up their natural shape. Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Eyeshadow Trio in Ice Shimmer was applied to the eyes, and the lashes were coated with Jillian Dempsey for Avon Pro Mascara in Black. to create a sheer, neutral colored lip, Lancome Color Fever Lipstick in Old Flame was applied for a soft, matte finish.



for her hair, Frederic Fekkai stylist Renato Campora created a modern day Grace Kelly style that complimented her total look and silhouette-- a wavy texture with a dynamic shape.

to get the look: start by applying Fekkai More All Day Density Styling Whip on wet hair. blowdry smooth with the Fekkai Extra Large Round Brush to create some volume. then use a one inch curling iron and let it set for 20 minutes. brush it through and use the Fekkai Coiff Magnifique Ultra Light Finishing Creme at the ends to help roll hair under. finish with Fekkai Sheer Hold Hairspray.


p.s.-- congrats Kate on your first Oscar!!!

xo
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AG Hair Cosmetics To Be Handed Out at the Oscars

i'm so excited to watch the Oscars this year, aren't you? hubby can't stand award shows, so most likely, i'll have to TiVo it or he'll be playing video games, lol! there are so many great movies, actors and actresses nominated this year! speaking of great, AG Hair Cosmetics will have a supporting role in the ceremony themselves. read on...

AG Hair Cosmetics, canada's leading haircare manufacturer, has been chosen as one of the best supporting products in Distinctive Assets' highly coveted "Everybody Wins at the Oscars®" 2009 Nominee Gift Bags*. Distinctive Assets (the celebrity gifting company who began the award show swag craze a decade ago) has chosen a selection of AG's top selling products to be featured in the consolation gift bags which will be given to the non-winning nominees in the best actor, best actress, best supporting actor and actress and best director categories (as well as to the host, Hugh Jackman).

the five top-selling AG products to be included in this year's nominee gift bag– AG's colour savour colour protection shampoo and conditioner, foam weightless volumizer, re:coil curl activator and dv8 texture spray.

Lotte Davis, AG Hair Cosmetics' CEO and co-founder says, "it"s extremely rewarding to know that AG products will be given to the likes of Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet and other distinguished actors and actresses." she continues, "more and more celebrities and their hairstylists are asking for AG. in fact, our products were used on the set of many of the films nominated this year."

tune into the 81st Annual Academy Awards , live on the ABC at 5 pacific/8:00 eastern on sunday, february, 22, 2009.

xo

*the "Everybody Wins at the Oscars" gift bags have no affiliation with A.M.P.A.S. or any official Oscar gift bag.

Jennifer Hudson at the 2009 Grammy Awards

in a RM by Roland Mouret dress, Jennifer Hudson looked beyond amazing at sunday's Grammy award ceremony. silver and black shadows on her eyes lined in black helped give the songstress "a fresh luminous look".

makeup artist Tia Dantzler created the exotic metallic look for the Grammy award winner by layering a dazzling pearly gray from Dior's Sky Glow shadow palette on top of Dior shadow in Smoking Black. because her eye look was so bold, she balanced it out by making sure to give Jennifer a strong brow with MAC brow liner in Spiked. to finish the look she gave Jennifer a rosy flush on the cheeks and glossy lips.

xo