GOTTA HAVE THIS!

Makeup Studio Blockbuster ($440 Value)
What it is:
A portable case with 193 makeup products for creating an unlimited range of looks.

What it does:
Designed in Paris with the favorite shades of Sephora's own Pro Beauty Team, this functional palette pays tribute to the makeup artist in everyone. Day or night, build your own look with natural colors, trendy shades, or intense hues. With so much makeup, you won't be able to resist trying new looks.

This palette contains:
- 96 eye shadow shades
- 84 shiny lip glosses
- 6 cream eyeliners
- 2 eyeliner pencils
- 3 blushes
- 1 bronzer
- 1 mascara
- 4 applicators
What else you need to know:
Surprisingly compact, this palette's sleek black box opens to reveal an extra large mirror and tiered drawers that slide outward with a massive number of colors. A separate drawer holds blushes, bronzing powder, eyeliners, and brushes. Plus, it all stands on legs that unfold from the base.

SEPHORA

The Brief History Of EYE SHADOWS

The Brief History Of Eye Shadow

Cosmetics have been used for as long as there have been people to use them. Face painting is mentioned in the Old Testament (Book of Ezekiel 23:40 ) and eye shadow was used in Egyptian burials dating back to 10,000 BC. The word "cosmetae" was first used to describe Roman slaves whose duty was to bathe men and women in perfume.

Egypt

As early as 10,000 BC, men and women used scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odor. Dyes and paints were used to color the skin, body and hair. They rouged their lips and cheeks, stained their nails with henna, and lined their eyes and eyebrows heavily with kohl. Kohl was a dark-colored powder made of crushed antimony, burnt almonds, lead, oxidized copper, ochre, ash, malachite, and chrysocolla (a blue-green copper ore) or any combination thereof. It was applied with a small stick. The upper and lower eyelids were painted in a line that extended to the sides of the face for an almond effect. In addition to reducing sun glare, it was believed that kohl eyeliner could restore good eyesight and reduce eye infection. Kohl was kept in a small, flat-bottomed pot with a wide, tiny rim and a flat, disk-shaped lid. According to images of the time, the use of makeup was not limited to women. Highly polished silver and copper mirrors aided the application of makeup.

TOOLS AND STORAGE FOR MAKEUP

Greece

In Greece, precious oils, perfumes, cosmetic powders, eye shadows, skin glosses, paints, beauty unguents, and hair dyes were in universal use. Export and sale of these items formed an important part of trade around the Mediterranean. During the 7th and 8th centuries BC, Corinthian, Rhodian and East Greek traders dominated markets in perfume flasks and cosmetic containers. The containers included aryballoi, alabastra, pyxides and other small specialized shapes.

Rome

Ingredients

Men and women in the Near East painted their faces with kohl just like the Egyptians did. This was to protect them from the ‘evil eye.’ After the defeat of the Greeks by the Romans, the original Egyptian intention suffered its final bastardization beyond any reasonable recovery. The Romans were unabashedly hedonistic; Egyptian oils that were once used for sacred purposes became nothing more than sexual accouterments in Rome. There was some dignity amended when the Romans discovered medicinal applications as well. Plagues were so rampant throughout Rome, that aromatic gums and resins were burned to repel demons and bad spirits.

Common ingredients in eye shadows consist of talc, mica, sericite, magnesium stearate, colorants, and preservatives. Fillers in eye shadows are primarily talc. The liquid binders are typically a silicone and the dry binders are typically magnesium stearate. In order to make an eye shadow, there has to be a balance between the fillers, dry binders and liquid binders. Once the ideal combination is found the shadow are pressed using 700-900 psi.

Something  to know:

Kohl:   Kohl was the first recorded eye shadow. many people mistakenly believe that Kohl was just  crushed charcoal, but real kohl has a surprising amount of stuff in it. Specific formulations of crushed antimony, lead (ugh) oxidized copper, ochre. burnt almonds, ash, malachite and chrysocolla were all part of the popular recipe- wow, if  you didn't get bite by an ASP, your where destine to die a slow death from being poisoned whoa!

Protective Eye Shadow: 

That Black rim eye of kohl that the ancient Egyptians wore wasn't just to make them pretty, wearing black around the eye protected the from glare. They also believed that the black rim of kohl would restore lost vision and protect there eyes for infection. for this reason that eye shadow was worn by both men and women of all ages and social classes.

Colors;

In  ancient Greece and Rome, colored eye shadows were used for decorative reasons. The Iraqis thought that's the colored shadow would protect them from the "evil eye" but the Greeks and Romans just thought it was pretty. These shadows where created from using herbs, crushed minerals, and stones as well as dried flowers and crystallized dyes from plants and animals sources.  

A Few Of My Favorite Things

Every one's  got  there something, well at least that's what singer Nikka Costas Is signing in my ears at this moment. So, I thought Why not share my something;s with you, A few of my favorite things.




BENEFIT Creasless Eye Shadows in Busy Signal & Birthday Suit.
These Amazing Little pots of pretty are guaranteed to make you gorgeous as they line, shade and contour your pretty peepers.  This is truly a do it all shadow that doubles as  liner as well, multi-use is good right? These shades are blendable too so you can wear them sheer or as dramatic as you like.  These Creaseless Shadows have great staying powder, i mean, 12 hours on set in hot lights, perfect. great for the gal that seems to eat her makeup. I swear by them and think you will too!


quick tip: for keeping it sheer? blend evenly from the lash line to brow bone. For buildable coverage, let the shadow sit for hm, about 30 seconds then apply another layer.

BUSY SIGNAL [Venitian Brown]

BIRTHDAY SUIT

quick tip: for lining eyes, sweep tip of brush into the shadow. place edge of brush against upper lash line at outer corner of your eye and ever so steady draw a line towards the inner of your eye. Then smudge in into the lash line for sexy softer look. repeat on lower lases.  BENEFIT $19.00

TARTE cheek stain in tickle ~ 

Hands down this is one of my favorite blushes these days. I use this almost every time I do the lovely Brooke Burns Makeup. what I love about it is that its buildable and i can apply it sheer for just a kiss of color or over another color for depth.  It give the cheeks a healthy glow that's not wet looking, but healthy and  beautiful. Also these are made to wear on your lips too.  Don't let the color shade of the packaging scare you.  i was like, "this is grape, no thanks", but i gave it a try and look love forever. 

TARTE $30.00 [great Buy last Long Time too]

Brooke Burns Wearing Tarte Tickled Cheek Stain

And for those of you that may want n alternative blush try Tartes Award winning Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush is matching shades. wear alone or with matching gel cheek stain $25.00

tickled

SMASHBOX Nude Eye Shadow in nude ~ this is a staple in my kit at all times, i have up to 4 at all times, what i like about this shadow is that it can be worn alone for a clean , soft look, or washed on in layers to create a deeper eye, but still look natural. also it's great for contouring the eye and as a blueprint shade to outline the design your going for..and its MATTE! yes!  long wearing too! Smashbox  $14.00

 MAC  Pro Long wearing eyeshadow in Legendary Black [warm almost black]  I love this new to me unique eye shadow with it's  silk-creamy texture  thats' easy to blend and build. creates a smooth eye lids no matter how dramatic the application and last up to 8 hours

here's a tip: I like to use it as eye liner, mix a little water with your angle liner brush and glide ever so evenly at the top lash line, the almost black shadow leaves a more subtle, yet still dramatic look.

MAC: Legendary Black $20.00

ECOPOUF® CLEANSING PAD This dual-sided shower loofah is a natural bath and body essential! The natural loofah side gently exfoliates to reveal fresh, radiant skin. The EcoPouf netting, made from 100% recycled plastic, creates a rich, cleansing lather. The reversible hand strap provides a controlled comfortable grip so you can cleanse to perfection from head-to-toe.  ecotools

WHY BE A DRAG WHEN YOU CAN BE A PILL? With SUGARPILL COSMETICS

IF YOUR GOING TO BE A PILL, BE A SUGARPILL WITH SUGARPILL COSMETICS

I wanted to share my new discovery with you guys, SUGARPILL COSMETICS, I found them on FACEBOOK and I have to say that they offer the brightest, loudest, stay on long color pigments I have seen in a long time. Absolulty Fantastic! If you are a makeup/eyeshadow junkie this is your next fix.

Founded By Amy Doan in 2003, Sugarpill is a custom cosmetic line that caters to vibrant, rich, pigmented luxury pressed shadows, loose  and ultra dramatic divine fasle lashes.

for more info head on over to: Sugarpill Cosmetics and look for them on FACEBOOK

DAY TO PLAY POP BEAUTY MAKEUP CLUTCH

POPBEAUTY

This "finger on the pulse" colour library gives you essential POP hues to aviate you from lightest to darkest, dusk to dawn and office to party, without missing a beat! Gorgeous zebra pattern clutch for girl on the go navigation, in any concrete jungle! 

$36.00 available POPBEAUTY & SEPHORA

3 IN THE BAG: New Products You Want To Know

          3 IN THE BAG: New Products You Want To Have

laura mercier

top: Black karret, lagoon & Violet Sky
lower: Ballet pink, Petal Pink & Terracotta

1.Baked Eye Colour - Wet/Dry This new amazing eye shadow uses baked technology for beautiful shades  that last all day. It's smudge-proof (LIKE THAT) , It's lightweight and gently smooths onto lids for an evenapplication. very Bendable and be applied  wet or dry. $22.00 here's a tip:  to use dry apply and even wash on eye lids. easy for wet, dampen  your brush for a more vibrant effect. you can wear it both ways too, and use the same shade  wet as a liner. NARS L-R. top: Orgasm, Super Orgasm, Copacabana & Laguna 2. Illuminator This Multifunctional face product is just the  best, it gives skin a refreshes luminosity that's just amazing. It's light reflecting  liquid glides on skin to enhance  and refresh your complexion.  wear its alone or pair it with your favorite makeup. $29.00 Mykie Tip:  I like to mix Orgasm with my foundation to add extra glow to the skin.  or try laguna for a more beached sun-kissed look.  also a little dab of Copacabana on  the cheeks bones is a super way to pop and refresh your face. 3. Root Concealer This is a revolutionary new aerosol spray for temporarily covering roots in a quick and timely way. It's meant to cover gray and root growth in just one spray. (i Had to do more then one spray, but got the hang of it)It has a pinpoint actuator that puts the product right where you need it. Stays in until washing. oh and there sweat and water resistant too! check out the shades to find the perfect match for you amazing for in the trailer touch ups when you working, this will be replacing my old streaks & tips! all these products can be found at the brands own website or where I discovered them At SEPHORA, one stop Shopping!

THE RELOVT OF THE GIBSON GIRL: 5 Steps to Recreating 1920's Glamour

The ROARING TWENTIES: The Revolt of The Gibson Girl 
And how to get this look in 5 Steps

Cosmetics and makeup looks in the 1920's are iconic by their use to create specific looks such as painting lips the shape of Cupid's Bow, Rimming the eyes with Knol Liners and using Bright red blushes on the cheeks. 

That heavy made up look of the 1920's was a retort from the demure, feminine Gibson Girl look of the pre-war period. in The 1920's an international beauty culture was established and society progressively focused on novelty and change. The Fashions of the times influenced films, theater , are and even Literature.

And it seems that women found a new need to wear more makeup as  the postwar sex ratio created a new significance on sexual beauty. and as women began to enter the professional world, publications that catered to beauty and fashion  encouraged women to wear makeup in the desire to look your best while competing with men for jobs.

The use of lipstick became widely in demand when Marurice Levy in 1915 invented the metal lipstick

container (tube). It was also available  in salve, liquid and stick forms as well as long lasting enduring stains that were quiet popular. At this time the more NATURAL lip gloss was also invented, which used bromo acid to create the red effect as it reacted with the wearer's lips. And did you know that flavoured lipstick was also all the rage with Cherry being the variety most used.

The 1920's also set in motion the development  of many other products that showcased that decades trend with shaping the mouth. get this they made Metal Lip Tracers (we would say stencils?) that came in various sizes to please the wishes of who ever used it.  Created all in the name of perfection and flawless lipstick application.

The "CUPID'S BOW,' created by Helena Rubinstein that was marketed as the "self- shaping lipstick, that when applied formed a perfect Cupid's bow. And the birth of the mirrored lipstick container was also brought  to the army of women who all  strive for the perfect lips. Prior to the 1920's cheek color was that of the messy elixirs blushes that where set aside for the creams, powders and liquids and rouge papers that became all the fashion, as with the invention of the spill proof containers and the compact powder blush was here to stay. To day we are seeing a move back to tint, cream and liquid stains for cheek color. I love it.

Here's A How to in 5 steps to create that 1920's look that's inside you. Have fun with it.

Step 1
Find and apply a foundation in your skin tone that will give your complexion a creamy, perfect look. You may have to use an older variety, such as pancake, or a cream meant more for theater than for everyday use. To allow your skin to breathe, thin down cream foundation by moistening your sponge before dipping in the base. If your skin is naturally porcelain or alabaster-toned, play it up.

Step 2
Darken and turn your eyebrows slightly downwards with an eyebrow pencil or even eyeliner that is darker than your actual brow color. Thin eyebrows were fashionable in the 20s, so this step works most accurately if your brows are already on the thin side. If not, you don't have to start tweezing away--you can cover your brows with a 1920s-style hat or with bangs chopped straight across as part of a bob cut. or you can use a glue stick or wax that's made for pressing and laying down your brows then cover with foundation , powder to set and draw them in.

Step 3
Smooth on your usual eye makeup primer before applying a dark eyeshadow from lash line to crease. Pick a gray-based shadow to keep your eyes on the sooty side, which is what you're aiming for. Use a black kohl eyeliner on both top and bottom lash lines. Don't scrimp, you want all the dark tones to meld together. Color top and bottom lashes with blackest black mascara. You want them dark so as to appear like you used paint to blacken them. You may want to use a waterproof formulation for all of your eye makeup to avoid unwanted smudging as much as possible.

Step 4
Find a cheek stain or cream blush with touches of red in it. You are going for a rouged look; if red is too strong for your coloring, raspberry or rose are alternatives. Rub blush into apples of cheeks. Blend away hard edges, but make sure the color is still evident, as though you just walked in from the cold.

Step 5

Apply pale pancake foundation over clean and exfoliated lips. With a waxy dark red lip liner, create a 1920s mouth by exaggerating the Cupid's bow on your top lip. Draw your lower lip as slightly plumper than it really is by extending slightly on the bottom. Draw both upper and bottom lips as shorter on the sides. Fill new lip shape in with pencil before layering matching lipstick over it.

CHECK this out! Benefit Cosmetics makes a new lip pencil to help you create the perfect CUPID'S BOW. I have used this and it works amazing to help you creat a realistic 1920's lip or to jazz it up and make it your own.

BENEFIT

SEPHORA

So try it, you know you want to, bring out your inner Clara Bow!

mykie xoxo

THE BEAUTY BOX

MY BEAUTY BOX

Being A makeup artist that works in television and film and on a lot of actors, we sometimes get little perks from cosmetic companies. It actually helps us both out really, makeup can be costly and stars can be fickle. and budgets can be small, and makeup reps see it as a way to get the line out there  into  talents hands. Needless to say when ever i use something on an actor its there's? and if they love it, they always raid the product drawers . It's fun to introduce a product that maybe is new to them or that they've yet to  use and watch them get happy. And I love to introduce people to makeup lines that I believe in. So i would love to send a huge kiss and a warm thank you to Lori Taylor and the people at SMASHBOX for hooking me up with this box of goodies for the filming of TASTE OF ROMANCE starring TERI POLO.

here's what's inside, wanna take a peek?

Smashbox  High Definition healthy Fx Foundation in, light 1,3 Medium 1 & 2

Photo OP

Photo Finish Lipsticks in, Flawless, Pout & Splendid

Lip Enghanching Gloss in Aura,Candid, starlit and Brooke Burns Signature color Baby Pout.

Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in  Dark Brown & Midnight Black

Photo set Finishing Powder(NEW)

Eye Shadows in, Vanilla, Cabernet, Sable , Blackout & Brazilian Bronze

Limitless Eye Liners in Java & Onyx

and a beautiful step by step contour kit!

items marked in red are my personal staples that must be in my kit at all times! 

mykie xoxo