Posts Tagged ‘spring’

CROWN OF BRAIDS

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photos + post design Kristin Ess

It seems pretty easy, but it’s not. Not everyone has long hair that reaches all the way around the head to make a perfect crown of braids. Girls with short hair need braids TOO! Using this technique, you make small, overlapping intersections of braids to create a full crown. Here’s how:

  1. Start with straight, wavy or curly hair. I personally like this best with a little wave or curl because the crown of braids holds better with texture.
  2. Grab a section of hair above the ear and split it into 2 pieces, like our lovely Nora is doing in this photo.
  3. Braid both pieces. (Gently loosen up the braid for a more natural, romantic texture.)
  4. Cross them over each other as seen above and clip them to hold them in place while you do the same thing on the other side! If your hair is short and won’t reach, do 3 or 4 intersections of hair instead of just 2!
  5. Once you finish the other side, take the two braids that go over the top, cross them over and pin them using small but strong bobby pins.
  6. Take the two pieces that will go backward and tie them together. Add a couple of pins where the braids meet.
  7. Add a few extra bobby pins around the crown of braids to keep them from slipping or moving.

A veil of hairspray isn’t necessary but will help keep things in place if your hair tends to slip.

 

SHADOW FOCUS: EYE COLOR

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photo: larry busacca, post + design by amy nadine

Customizing your makeup can seem daunting but can actually be really fun if you learn the laws of the color wheel. Of course makeup is a form of expression and you can always choose colors depending on your mood, fashion, occasion, etc., but if you want to know what shades actually bring out the best in your own features, you’ll love our new feature throughout this month on eye colors + their complementary shadow shades. In the color wheel there are primary, secondary and complementary colors but I’ll let your art teacher explain the details of each and I’ll simplify it for you as easily as possible: if you want to find the best shades for your eye color, find the shade that is directly across from it.

Start by looking at the blue “slice” then find the slice directly across from it, it’s orange. So if you want your eyes to look as blue as possible, find a variation of orange and your eyes will really pop. For last night’s MET Gala, I was lucky enough to do Mad Men’s Jessica Paré’s makeup and knew I wanted to make it all about her blue eyes! So I choose rose gold, copper + gold to do the trick while still being elegant, and I’m so happy with how it turned out! With a dampened brush, I used Chanel Eye Quad in Eclosion with the copper shade along the top + bottom lash lines, the rose gold shade on the lid and the gold shade from the crease all the way up to the brow bone (you can just do the crease, I wanted extra drama because the MET Gala is like the Oscars for Fashion!). Then I anchored the metallic shades by rimming the inner waterline with black (to really frame her baby blues) and finished with a strip of wispy lashes.

Next week: BROWN EYES, my all-time favorite color to work with!

TBD OBSESSION: JEWELMINT

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photos by jewelmint, design by eunice chun, sponsored post by amy nadine

As a makeup artist designing looks for my clients, I always get my inspiration from what they’re going to wear (like we all do!). Sometimes I do the classic pairing (red dress with a red lip) and other times I like to rebel a little against the obvious (red dress with a pink/orange lip). Really it’s all about our moods that day… and the same goes with jewelry. Accessories are the perfect way to further your form of expression and can really make an outfit come alive. And jewelry is another amazing source of inspiration for your makeup and can be tied together the same way you’d match a red shoe with a red bag or clash a lace top with spiked earrings. Here are our latest four obsessions from Kate Bosworth + Cher Coulter’s Jewelmint line and how you can make a statement together with your makeup:

BRIGHT STATEMENT EARRINGS (MATCH IT): This is an occasion where you’ll want to match it with your lip color. It doesn’t have to be the same color, it just also has to be bright. Try these fun Thunderbird Earrings paired with a bright matte hot pink lipstick, then balance the lip with a soft gold shadow.

BOHEMIAN RING (CLASH IT): Yes the colors are bright but the feel is hippie and boho, so don’t match the colors but clash it instead by understating your makeup. Keep everything light + airy by swapping foundation with a tinted moisturizer and add a sweep of bronzer for a “I’ve been hanging at SXSW all day” kind of look, perfect for this Dahlia Blossom Ring.

ART DECO NECKLACE (MATCH IT): Here’s another case where I’d match the retro necklace with retro makeup for a chic + timeless look. So wing that liner and really fill in your brows for a strong look perfect with this Shanghai Eclipse Necklace.

MIXED METALS RINGS (CLASH IT): The obvious choice would be to pull the gold + silver from the Yves Rings and match it with your eyeshadow. But something about that feels a little too contrived… so leave the lids bare and highlight your lashes instead by using a natural-bristled mascara wand for a full and soft look. Then add a peachy glow directly along your cheekbones to keep everything earthy yet ethereal.

Haven’t signed up for Jewelmint yet?! No worries! They’re offering 20% off the first purchase for new members by clicking here! xoxo

HOMEMADE BODY SHIMMER

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photos + post by amy nadine

Temperatures are rising and prom, formals + weddings are just around the corner! Which means our skin needs a little help after a long dry winter! After giving your body a good buff with our D.I.Y. brown sugar scrub, add a little shimmer to your lotion to get that perfect glow (without having to spend any money!). Here’s what I made last week in 3 easy steps to use on my clients on talk shows (Brittany Snow with her gorgeous new red hair on her visit to Conan, stunning + raven-haired Krysten Ritter on her visits to both Jimmy Kimmel and Conan and our lovely Lauren Conrad on her visit to Chelsea Lately last night!) that I thought you might like too:

TOOLS

Your favorite lotion (we’re obsessed with Korres Body Butter in Jasmine because it’s natural and smells divine but any lotion that you love will work)
Small jar of gold loose mica mineral pigment (I like Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Loose Colour Concentrate in Clove for Fair to Medium skin tones, or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Acacia or Mimosa for Tan to Dark skin tones). You can also crush up an old gold or pearl pressed eyeshadow to make it loose.
A mixing bowl or tumbler, chopstick + spoon
An empty travel-sized jar or bottle

1. Combine 4 parts lotion with ½ teaspoon gold shimmer (or measure by sprinkling the shimmer until desired shade is achieved).
2. Stir with chopstick until color is consistent (isn’t it gorgeous?!) then direct it towards one side for scooping.
3. Spoon out your creation and transfer it into the jar.

You can do this with coconut oil, tanning oils and many sunscreens. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll start wanting to try different shades of illuminating loose powders and add them to everything! Please share any of your ideas + potions too!