Weekend Highlights

Hello Monday, we meet again!

This weekend, like the rest, flew by (unfortunately).  However, it was pretty productive.

Friday evening we had family time.  We ordered in Pizza and watched some prank videos on You Tube then played the card game "Would You Rather".  We like watching Ed Bassmaster and FouseyTUBE for pranks.  You all have to watch his Mortal Kombat Elevator Prank.  OMG.  As a Mortal Kombat fan, this amplified my laughter.  It was hilarious!  I hope he brings more of those in the near future.  As for the games, we usually switch it up but this Friday was pretty simple and was all about non-thinking / strategizing required.  :)

Saturday was busy!  Our daughter went to her best friends house for a sleepover so our son, my husband and I went through ALL the boxes we moved from our last home here.  We had two truckloads of trash and about 9 boxes to donate.  It's crazy how much crap you accumulate over the years.  So we did that for about 8 hours.  Needless to say I was pooped!  I showered and at about 7:30 was ready for bed but I didn't sleep...that would have been way too early.  I ended up having a marathon of a new You Tuber I found the other day.  Her name is Cherish and her You Tube channel is linked here .  I really like her y'all!  I ended Saturday with finding spots in my built in bathroom vanity for my makeup that was still in boxes.  I went to sleep happy because alas, everything had a home (until I get a new organizer later).  Do you know how hard it is to work out of Ulta bags and put your makeup on the floor?  It blows.

Sunday was pretty chill.  Our friends came over for the Texans vs. Cowboys game while I served burger sliders, onion rings, sausage, and queso (my husband's recipe) with chips.  Yeah you read that right..no veggies.  oops.  After they left I ended Sunday with my normal routine of typing out my action list for the week for both personal and work.  I like doing this Sunday nights and printing it out so that Monday morning I know what I'm doing.  Aside from the list that I check off throughout the week, I have a planner that has specific "to do's" on certain days of the week.  I might share what these look like in a future post.

That was my weekend.  How was yours?  Did you do anything fun, relaxing or productive?  Let me know!

XO, P

Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

I was recently asked what my favorite brush cleaner is.  The answer is simple but before I share my answer, or you can cheat and skip ahead, I want to give you some quick facts and tips on brush cleaning.

First of all, YES you do have to clean your makeup brushes for a few reasons:

• When you invest in a makeup brush, you want to make sure to take care of them and get all the use you can from them.  Plus washing regularly will help keep them soft.
• Brushes can be a breeding ground for bacteria.  Your face produces natural oils and these oils get on your brush and spread over your skin.

Secondly, if you don't spot clean your brushes during the week then be sure to clean them once a week.  Try to wash at night and let them dry overnight.  Spot cleaning means spraying the brushes after you use them and cleaning them off.  If you do this, you can skip deep cleaning once a week and just do it once a month, which is what I do.  If you don't spot clean then definitely plan on deep cleaning them one time a week. 

What I use to spot clean:  my favorite spot cleaner is Estee Lauder's Makeup Brush Cleaner.  YOu get a lot of product for only $16.50 and my bottle lasts several months.  Find this at any Estee Lauder Counter or online.

How I spot clean:  I get an old towel (which is my official makeup towel), spray the brush hairs only and swirl the brush on my makeup towel to remove product.  That's it.  NOw it's clean and ready to use.  Simple.

What I use to deep clean:  There are several things I use to deep clean.  Some of my favorites are Original Dawn Dish Soap, Baby Shampoo and The Master's Brush Cleaner and Preserver.  The best part is that they are all under $5.  YOu can find The Master's Brush Cleaner at Hobby Lobby or Michael's and use their 40% off coupon to get it under the $5 price point.  

How I deep clean:  Make sure water is lukewarm.  Get the brush hairs (only) completely wet (not the metal part).  Lather up the soap, swirl in palm of hand then rinse in water.  Gently squeeze excess water out from brush and lay on a clean towel to air dry for approximately 6-8 hours.

That's it for brush cleaning - pretty simple.  Don't let the fact that it's a long, boring chore stop you from cleaning those brushes!  Watch one of my You Tube videos (or any one of your favorite You Tubers) while you do it so you can kill some time!  ;)

Lastly, don't forget about the makeup brush handle.  Get some rubbing alcohol in a paper towel and wipe handle down.  

Leave any questions down below and share what your favorite brush cleaner is.  

XO, P

MUA (Makeup Artist) Series: How To Start Freelancing

Y'all know I have to put my disclaimer out there right?  Okay, so let's get it over with Prissy.

*Disclaimer:  I still have a lot to learn and I love that about what I do.  Any "advice" given is based off of my personal experiences and/or recommended by my fellow friend(s) who are also Makeup Artists.

My friend Aileen asked on my Facebook page (click here to jump over and check it out) how to start freelancing.  This is a VERY broad topic so I'm going to break down the answers between here, my You Tube Channel (click here to visit my Channel and subscribe while you're there so you don't miss any videos:) and my Facebook page.

I've decided to answer this question very generally and then talk about specifics in future posts or videos.  By the way, if there's anything YOU want to know, please ask either on here or FB.

Here's what I've learned and recommend on starting your own freelance business.

1.   HAVE A MENTOR!!! - This is number one for a reason.  I have an amazing friend who is a fellow and professional makeup artist in Chicago who has helped me SOOO much.  Without her wisdom, guidance and encouragement, I'd be lost.  So find the same.  Talk with someone who is willing to let you pick their brain.  And then...take notes!  ;)

2.   Order your business cards.  Pretty self explanatory.

3.   Sell yourself.  Tell everyone what you are venturing into and be confident about it.  No wavering on your capabilities and talent.  Word of mouth is your biggest advertisement so tell everyone you know and then ask them to keep you in mind if anyone they know needs a makeup artist.

4.   Build your kit and know that building it slowly is okay.  This is pretty extensive.  I'll have some upcoming videos on You Tube about what I generally carry then move on to favorites, must haves, etc.

5.   Practice, Practice, Practice.  This one was stressed often by my mentor and after several faces, I understood why.  Btw, I still have many faces to make over so I'm not done.  :)  As you apply makeup on different ethnicities, facial structures, skin types, preferences, etc. you learn the technique and art of applying makeup, how to deal with different personalities & settings as well as find out what you need in your kit and what isn't working.   Plus the more you practice, the more confident you will become.

6.  Advertise and Practice some more.

I know this is basic information but it's important and the foundation to getting started.  If I missed something, I will be sure to mention that in a future post.

If you're a fellow MUA, please share your advice in the comments section.  If you're not, share your thoughts, comments or questions.

XO, P

In What Order Should I Apply My Makeup?

I recently asked on my Facebook Page if anyone had questions they wanted answered.  My friend Julie, asked "what are the makeup steps as far as order?".  Great question!  Let's dive in.

First, let me place my disclaimers:
1.   The order will be different for most individuals - after playing around with a few different "orders" find and use what works best for YOU.
2.  The steps below are a general list.  I usually follow this, but sometimes I go a little crazy and don't "paint" in order.  ;)

Before applying makeup, always make sure you are starting with a clean canvas.  Translation:  Clean your face and moisturize! Here's the general order I follow:

1.    Eye shadow Primer
2.   Eyes: shadow, liner, mascara, etc. (be sure to clean up any mess that may have fallen underneath)
3.   Foundation
4.   Brows
5.   Corrector & concealer
6.   Set face and concealer with powder
7.   Bronzer
8.   Blush
9.   Highlight
10.   Lips

So there you go ladies, now you know my secret.  Not at all - kidding.  I hope you found this helpful.  If you have any tips or orders of your own you want to share, please feel free to!

If you're not subscribed to my blog, please take a few seconds to do that now.  This will be a central hub for longer articles dedicated to my beauty posts / questions.  And if you're not following me on Facebook click here to "like" my page and get involved.  Ask your questions there, share your tips, photos, or just say hello.

Talk to you soon!

XO,
P

China Glaze That's Shore Bright

A fellow You Tube friend of mine (thebeautiverse) mentioned this nail polish in a recent favorites video.  I fell in love and knew I had to have it.  

That's Shore Bright released with the 2013 Summer Sensational Collection.  This shade is a purple creme but in certain light I feel like you can see very subtle hints of pink.  It seems like this shade is on the verge of being neon but not quite there.  It's a unique shade in my collection and I'm already thinking that I would like a back up because I never want to run out of this polish.  I know, I have issues. 

The formula was nice and thicker than most but not goopy.  The opacity was great and you could definitely get away with one application but you know me, two it is.  

If you like colors like this, I would say go and look for it and rock it.  It makes a great mani or pedi color.  

I found That's Shore Bright at Ulta for approximately $7.50 US dollars.

 

Be sure to add this one to your list to check out. ;). 

XO, 

P 💋

Summer Beauty Wish List

I don't know about you all, but I seem to have never ending lists of beauty items I want and they're everywhere:  my phone, note pads, note books, mental notes, etc.  I clearly have issues..I know.  Regardless, there are some products I definitely plan on getting hopefully sooner than later for summer.  Here they are:

Sunscreen for face and eyes:
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream+ 1 oz. $19.50
Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream 0.5 oz. $32.50



Foundation:
Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation $34.00
Long Wearing for when I need full coverage


Make Up For Ever Waterproof, Aqua Shadow in 22E (pearly copper) $20
These are perfect for summer.  They are creamy enough to work with but once they set they don't move.  Bonus that they're waterproof.  ;)


Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Compact $42
Great for eye shadow or to create a bronze glow.

Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Strawberry Kissed $13.00
These wear really, really long. Michele1218 on You Tube mentioned this and well, of course, now I want it.  :)  Gorgeous color!


Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Souffle $27
These are new and claim to be water resistant with long wearing power.  There are several shades I want (if they are as fabulous as I am hoping) but this is just one I chose.


So there you have it, some of the items on my never ending makeup wish list.  :)  Do you have any of these or are you interested in trying these?  Do you have your eye on anything for this summer?  Share with us down below!

As always, thanks for spending time with me today!

XO, P

Fitness Friday - How I Did On Week 2 (first full week)

Hello friends!

This was my first full week making more of an effort to watch what I put in my mouth and get my body moving.  As I write this, I am currently drinking my breakfast: Spinach, Kale, raspberries, blueberries and one banana-delish!  Anyway, the week had a few lows but mostly some highs and that's really what I need to focus on although I need to be aware of what I need to work on-for sure.  At the very end are my weigh in results.

So my goals last week were:

• Start the day reading and reciting something motivational (book, quote, etc.)
• Drink water & no soda or juice 
• Exercise for 40 minutes Monday - Friday
• Track my food on My Fitness Pal

How I did:

• The one thing I heard, wrote down and recited this past week was "Push through - You are stronger than you think".  This was said by my fellow friend Michele on YT (her channel is: makeupMLC).  She shared some weigh loss advice and toward the end she said this which seems simple, but for me is so powerful.  
• I definitely focused on drinking water although last night we had Burger King for dinner and I ordered a half coke, half diet coke which is progress.  
• I skipped my Tuesday workout but did 35 min. Mon.,  / 15 min. wed. (went right before gym closed) plus strength training (arms&back), / 40 min., Thur. plus s.t. (legs) and today and tomorrow I will be back at the gym.  Today and tomorrow I'll do another 40 min. with arms & back today and legs tomorrow.  So I didn't stick to exactly what I wanted but again..progress.
• Fail. Let's just be honest..I tracked for only a day and a half.

Next weeks goals are going to be the same but continue adding in strength training.  Oh and here I am last night ready to tackle leg machines and then the elliptical for my cardio.  Christina's "Fighter" helped me get through my workout. :) 

Some things I did that helped make this week easier for me was prepping my food and smoothies.  I went grocery shopping early this week and bought some prepped salads and split them in two for a meal alone or as an appetizer to accompany my lunch or dinner.  I also split baby carrots and cherry tomatoes into snack size bags.  The other prepping I did was make pre-measured juicing/smoothie bags and freeze them.  I took them out 30 min. prior to making and it was so easy to blend, didn't take any time at all.  Here are some pics I took.

Prepped Juicing / Smoothie Bags

 One large prepped salad - I bought 3 different ones and split them into two making a total of 6 salads

 This is one salad split into two, one is almost too much

 Four Salads later and prepped snack bags

 Overall, I think I did good.  I definitely could have increased my cardio BUT the week isn't over for me yet.

Today's weigh in: exactly -2 lbs.  (wish it was more but I will gladly take a loss over a gain)

I hope you got to eat something healthy this week or got your body moving!  Share your tips or thoughts below!

XO, P