Beauty Travel Essentials: My Top 5

So it just a few hours, I am boarding a train and heading to Hispanicize, the biggest conference for Latinos. I'm trying to take just a carry on but with all the electronics, gifts for friends and two outfits per day, my bag is getting tight. I decided that my make up can be minimized as I end up wearing the same look any how. If I were to only take 5 items, these would be it. Let's be realistic, in my case, I blog about beauty. I will be throwing in at last minute at least 2-3 more pieces just in case but these are really all I need.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Lip Gloss & Tots {Personal Style}

On Mom: belt: Michael Kors | watch: Anne Klein | pants: James Perse via Gilt | lipstick: Rebel MAC

On Baby: vest: Old Navy (mom's) | hat: Old Navy (mom's) | dress: Target | lip gloss: Bobbi Brown

Just another day, heading out with my family. Photos by daddy (hers, not mine) because he jumps at every opportunity to photograph his little girl.

Secret to Perfect Brows

 Here are a few tips for make up artist extrodinaire herself, Bobbi Brown. Every single image that she has put out features a model with amazing eyebrows. Her books are also filled with women that have amazing eyebrows. So what is her secret?

-Shape brows by removing only the hairs that appear between them; tweeze any stray hairs beneath the brows.

- Make sure the arch of the brow is 3/4 of the way out. Follow the natural line of your brows when shaping and grooming into place.

-Using an eyeshadow in the same tone as your hair color, fill in brows with the brow brush. Begin at inner corner and working outward, use small, light strokes.

-To visually "lift" the eyes, stroke color along upper edge of brow to accentuate the arch. Set in place with clear brow shaper.

-Tone down too dark brow color with a quick press of a powder puff dipped in face powder.

If a lesson is in order, head to your nearest Bobbi Brown make up counter. If you are in Chicago, head to the following artists.

Bloomingdale's Michigan Ave- Daniel Merced (check out more of his work here)

Macy's Watertower- Sara Amendola (Yes, as in my friend Sara)

Blue Mercury Lincoln Park- Becky Hill

Disclaimer: The actual tips (word for word) and image come from www.bobbibrown.com. All other wording and recommendations are my own.

My 5 Minute Makeup Routine

So I bit the bullet and did my first make up how to video. You can tell I am nervous because I do not smile. Ha...I swear I am usually smiling. Below are links to the products use and other options. Go ahead, press play!

Liquid eyeliner in black
Used: Bobbi Brown (Limited Edition) | Option: Le Metier de Beaute Precision Liquid Liner in Black 

Pencil Liner
Artisty Beauty in Lagoon

Eyeshadow:
Used: Bobbi Brown (Color Discontinued)| Option: Lorac in Deep Emerald Green

Concealer:
Bobbi Brown

Foundation:
Bobbi Brown

Blush:
Sin Cosmetics

Desert Twilight Fall 2012

So this past Thursday Rita Milton, beauty contributor for ChiTown Fashionista and I hosted an event for Bobbi Brown at Bloomingdale's Michigan Ave. Here are a few snaps of said event.

Shiny shoes, check. Shiny pants, check.

Joanna and Saudia, two of Bobbi's best Chicago freelancers.

The reason we had the event, Desert Twilight Fall 2012 collection. TA DAAAA!

One of the attendees who's eyes where done up by me. TAAA DAAA... okay, I'll stop that.

Tiffany Harvey, a resident artist at Bloomingdale's, teaching Secrets to Perfect Skin.

Turquoise nails...my pre-fall look.

Gift bags for attendees.

Sexy pose. What? Too much? Whatevs, I'm funny!

Thank you all who came and shopped with us. You gals are amazing and hopefully I run into you at the next one (wink)! The winner of last week's giveaway will have to be announced tomorrow as it doesn't end until noon so you can still enter. Good luck.

Full Face

I should have photographed this look when it was fresh but this is what life really looks like when you have been at work for 8 hours and traffic has kept you away from home a few more. 

This was my look for work. I know, I know...most make up artists have a full face, well, guess what? As do I! A full face of make up doesn't mean a full caked on face and your face should always look natural. My favorite part of the day is when a client comes in and says she doesn't want foundation or even much make up because she want to look natural. Then she adds "kinda like your look!" Well you are in for a surprise because I have it ALL ON. It is really all about the application. Here is a list of all that I am wearing.

1. Corrector in Peach and Concealer in Warm Natural with setting powder Pale Yellow

2. Stick Foundation in Honey
3. Bronzer in Deep

4. Blush in Pale Pink and a shimmer brick in Nectar to highlight 

5. Blush Lipstick (discontinued) with Crystal Gloss

6. Navajo Shadow all over and Champagne Quartz just on the lid

7. Black Ink Gel Liner

8. Mascara in Extreme Party with Lash Glamour layered on

9. Brows with Steel Shadow and Clear Brow Gel

Funny thing is with all these products and all the steps, the look is in fact very simple, easy and fast but for sure a very full face while still looking the healthiest and most natural you! Happy Beauty Tuesday.

MUA: Daniel Merced for Bobbi Brown. For appointments call 312.440.4490

Simply Pretty Eyes

Sometimes the prettiest looks are never the most complicated. Personally, this is one of my signature go-to looks for eyes. I start with perfectly groomed brows. My brows are thicker and need to be tamed a bit so I use Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper after I get them threaded. If nothing else that day, well groomed brows make the eyes look more awake and brighter. I skip the eye shadow most days and simply go for a bold eye line with Glam Eyes Gel Liner by Rimmel London and finish off concealing the dark circles with Resilience Lift Extreme Concealer by Estee Lauder. It takes 2 minutes in the morning and I look complete without ever looking over done. What is your go-to for simply pretty eyes?

A Beautiful Week: Take Note

Yes, it has been a beautiful week. I picked up a few things that make it even prettier.

1. No more teeny bopper hair accessories or plain hair ties. I've upgraded to a more chic style, like this one from Goody.

2. A lip plumper is never needed, if you refer to my pictures and see my lips but in this case, it was. My lips have been terribly dry and I love matte lipsticks so of course that doesn't help but this worked wonders. Not only did it moisturize but the "plump" is more of a smoothing that makes my lips look sexier and smoother. I bow down to you Laura Mercier lip plumper in "Lychee".

3. I usually splurge on a new bronzer as the weather gets warmer and use it in place of blush. In fact, I have been addicted to Almond by Bobbi Brown blush this winter but I needed a hint of pink. Naked pink by Bobbi Brown was what I needed. I have been wearing that alone, with no foundation and no eye or lip color and received so many compliments!

4. I have tried every treatment under the sun for dry scalp out there and yet my condition just seems to get worse. On Friday, I walked into the salon by my house during a morning run to see what they can do. For $15 they gave me a Moroccan dry oil treatment that included a scalp massage. It didn't rid entirely and she said it would take a while but it already looks and my hair looked amazing after.

5. I am not a big fragrance wearer and have my favorite few that I wear on special occasions but I have always loved Sexy 9 by Trish McEvoy. After years of loving it in silence, I got my hands on the roller parfum to put in my purse.

Wouldn't finding luck in every single product you got at once without fail make it a beautiful week? It does for me.

Si, es una semana bella y tengo unas cositas que lo hace mas especial.

1. No mas accesorios de pelo que parecen ser de chicos. Tengo ahora algo mas chic como este de Goody.
2. Mis labios están tan secos últimamente pero este gloss labial de Laura Mercier era lo que necesitaba. Aunque el gloss es para ser lo labios mas llenos y Dios sabe que yo no necesito eso pero si se me ven mas lindos!
3. Casi siempre me compro un polvo de bronce cuando la temporada este mas caliente pero en si lo que se me ve mejor ahora es un rubor como este de Bobbi Brown.
4. Tengo el cabelludo bien seco y me esta volviendo loca. El viernes fue que me hagan un tratamiento de Moroccan Dry Oil y la diferencia es notable.
5. Solamente uso perfume para ocasiones especiales pero el Sexy 9 de Trish McEvoy es bien lindo. Ahora tengo uno chico para mi bolso.

Que suerte que todo que trate esta semana me salo bien y eso hace ser esta semana ya súper bella!

Giving Lip

shoes/zapatos: Vince Camuto | jewelry/joyas: Aldo, Nordstrom, Swarovski | clothes/ropa: vintage | lipstick/pintalabio: Bobbi Brown neon pink