Romantic beachy bronze bride

I did a trial for a bride to be who was looking for a romantic beachy bronzy look.  She wasn't really sure what it was that she wanted but had shown me a picture of something she liked and after talking to her about some of her likes and dislikes regarding makeup looks we decided for this look. 

Products used:

I started off concealing, highlighting and contouring Agnes with Cinema secrets creme foundations. 
Next I airbrushed Temptu s/b foundation in her shade.  I added her glow with Benefits watts up and Mac's extra dimension in double definition. 
Her light beach bronze was created using Nars laguna bronzer.  I gave her cheeks some light color with Mac's Warm soul mineralize blush.  I used my trusty Yaby eyeshadows for her eyes and Ardell falsies and Loreal's waterproof mascara in carbon black.
For her lips I lined and filled them with Mac's subculture liner and lightly applied Occ's divine lip tar to give her a perfect muted peachy nude.

Tip: When doing a trial with a makeup artist I always suggest having some photos on hand of looks you like or are wanting to try.  This will give your makeup artist a good idea of what direction to take. We want to hear from you, so speak up if there is something you liked and didn't like about past makeup looks you have tried.

Agnes was such a breath of fresh air and so fun to work with.  I can't wait to work with her and her bridal party on her wedding day.

Quick and easy morning routine

'You clean up nice' is usually what I get from my friends on the rare occasions they see me out.  Anyone with kids know that having time to yourself in the morning to get ready is a luxury...a luxury that almost never happens. So most mornings in between making myself my much needed coffee, breakfast for both kids, changing diapers, clothes and trying to convince my almost 3 year old that she doesn't NEED her My Little Pony fix at 8am, I TRY to squeeze in some time to brush my teeth and wash my face.  But now that the weather is warming up I have a bit more motivation to not look a hot mess...at least 50% of the time.  So here are my must haves for a quick and easy makeup routine for the busy mom & you ladies who don't have kids but still don't have the time to sit in front of the mirror for an hour, save that for a friday night.

1. Lash curler- those with naturally curled long lashes don't need this but if your lashes are short and stick straight down like mine, a couple of quick crimps with the curler will help open up the eye.

2. Mascara: one of my all time faves is a fiber mascara from a japanese brand Sana and its their xlarge mascara.  It holds your curl and the little fibers add length to your lashes.  Its ultra waterproof so make sure to use a makeup remover at night. 

3. BB cream:  bb creams are great cause it does 3 things all at once. It evens skintone, moisturizes and has spf.  So no need to sit in front of a mirror applying moisturizer, primer, foundation, and spf.  You just need a pea size amount and make little dots all over your face focusing on areas where you need more coverage, for me its my t-zone, and using your fingers rub into skin like you would your lotion.

4. Concealer: this step is optional and only if your like me and haven't slept more than 5 hours a night for about 3 years. If you are, than you probably suffer from hideous bags like mine if not then..lucky you. Apply a very small amount anywhere you want a little extra coverage.  The new Nars radiant creamy concealers are like BUTTER! This has become a staple in my professional kit. You only need a tiny amount though and if you need more coverage its easily buildable.

5.  Creme/Gel blush: my fave for personal use is Tarte's cheek stain in flush.  Swipe a little right on top of apple of cheeks and blend with fingers.

6. Lipgloss/balm:  one of my faves that I reach for all the time is Korres lip butter in jasmine.   Its a colored lip balm that can be applied with your fingers like a traditional lip balm. Its the perfect nude color that won't wash you out.

This routine takes about 5-10 minutes max.  So hopefully the next time you see me out I'll be looking a bit more presentable, well at least my face will be, i can't guarantee my clothes won't have some type of food smeared on it courtesy of the little ones.

Busy season

The past two months feel like a blur.  Preparing for my little girl's 3rd birthday, running around after a now crawling 8 month old and all right in the middle of wedding/engagement season.  I have definitely been feeling a bit crazed but I feel blessed to be able to stay home and watch my children grow and still be able to do what I love for a living on the side.  Here are pictures of some before and afters of recent trials and weddings.

Makeup for sale

Mac mineralize skinfinish natural in medium: new in box; retail: $30 selling for $16

Mehron pro concealer ring: only swatched once; retail: $14.95 selling for $10

Mac pro longwear lip colour: used less than 5 times each. retail: $23 selling for $12 each
Colors:
Commitment
Stuck on you
Perrennial rose
Boss brown
Passion preserved
Sappho
For keeps
*** never used the brushes in the lipstick or gloss.  Always used disposables for these and never double dipped.

Occ airbrush foundation 1oz never used still in wrapping; retail: $16.95 selling for $12 each
Colors: y0 & y2

Paula dorf cheek color never used; retail: $23 selling for $10
Color: merengue

Contact graceiweng@gmail.com if interested

Shipping is $5 flat. US only.