Jennifer, My Heart Is Breaking For You Right Now... Zuleikha Robinson.. Helpful Information For Anyone Who Does Not Wish To Become A Botox Beast Like My Former Boss.. More pictures.....
Maybe because she's Puerto Rican and curvy and fabulous - And, I can't help but feel an affinity.
Usually she's got her shit together. With the exception of the time she wore that hideous white outfit with the white bedazzled bandanna to the VMA's when she was dating Puffy (Or P. Diddy or whatever he calls himself this week)...I can't think of a time when she's really looked bad. Ok, maybe except for the time she had a falling out with Scott Barnes and some other make-up artist was making her look like an asian Raggedy Anne doll. But, those two isolated incidents aside - I'm usually a fan.
How could I not be? The woman got knocked up with twins and was still wearing 5 inch heels. She's amazing.
She's been laying low since the birth of those twins, and I've been dying to see shots of her post baby. I've been patiently waiting for her to surface...
Just today, Pop Grind posted some images from an event of J.Lo and her husband, Marc Anthony. The event isn't important. Neither is the fact that she was carrying a Birken bag (Which Pop Grind felt was the main point of the story)...
What is really important, is why she showed up looking like she did her own hair and make-up...Badly.
My initial thoughts were of my grandmother.
WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?! Her curls don't even match.
I can not bring myself to talk about her face. All I will say is that I swear, I'd give my first born to get my hands on that face...
Who seems to be concerned about that transitional period between 29 and 30 - Which is perfectly normal since that appears to be the time when most women start to re-evaluate their beauty routines. However, with 30 being the new 20 I don't think women need to change as much as they think they do (Which should make you feel better about tying the bow on your 20s).
As far as make-up goes...If your skin looks great, you can probably get away with the same make-up you currently use. If you're noticing a change in your eyes or skin, then I suggest keeping the same make-up but applying things with a lighter hand. Less is more the older you get. For example: If you have a colored shadow that you loved in your 20s, your 30s are a great time to switch to a colored eyeliner instead. It doesn't show the signs of aging like a shadow will - And it will still keep you looking youthful.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is that if you haven't adopted a good skincare regime - Now is the time to do so. If you don't you'll really start to see the effects of aging sooner than you might care to. And, honestly, I don't want you to end up looking like a hot mess (like my former boss who is addicted to the Botox)...So, seriously...Take care of your skin.
But, what do you use?
Well, Kanebo has taken the mystery out of skincare in your 30s by creating an entire line of skincare specifically for women in their 30s called Hadabisei.
I have no idea what the price point is for these products - But, I have a feeling it's a little on the higher side of things since they sell Kanebo products at Bergdorf Goodman. Actually, I'm not even sure you can get this stuff in the states (Aren't I amazing, giving you international products? None of your girlfriends will have this stuff!)...
If you're looking for something you can get in the drug store (in the U.S), I recommend Olay Total Effects
I'm 26 - So, if you try any of these please let me know how they work out for you. I'm doing research for the future :)
Last week at the L-R-G photoshoot, I thought I might be warming up to you, and that maybe we could even be friends...
And, I had been feeling really cute about myself since Kareem told me my body 'looked bananas.' He never says anything nice to me, except that I'm a really great hair stylist - The only problem is that I'm actually a make-up artist.
In any case, the point is that I had been feeling really cute...
Organizing make-up is one of the top 10 questions people ask me about. Sometimes I wonder how people find it possible to be incapable of organizing 1 blush, 2 shadows, a bronzer and a concealer?! That's NOTHING compared to what a make-up artist is dealing with. Imagine, if you and all your girlfriends got together with your make-up...Then multiply that by 10 and maybe you'll come close to the amount of product I have to work with.
But, even the best of us have our moments of chaos and with all of the product also comes some serious potential for disorder. It's bound to happen when you have enough make-up for AT LEAST a dozen people. I don't even have enough closet space for all of my products and equipment, and subsequently have been forced to use a kitchen cabinet for storage.
Here is an example of what is going on in my apartment:
This isn't even everything. This is just what I managed to condense and separate. There is a bunch of random make-up in my bedroom closet in a stackable drawer. But, that's a project for a different day, because after spending 5 HOURS getting all of this together I have no desire to tackle anything else (At least not this week).
Anyway...Here are my current favorites packed and ready to go in the train case I use most often for jobs:
Under the airbrush make-up in the main compartment are 6 or 7 palettes of shadows and blush. I try to use pallets whenever I can, and I also tend to favor loose powders and pigments because multi-purpose products help a lot when you're trying to travel light. I can use loose powders as shadow or blush, and if you mix them with the appropriate bases you can create custom lip colors and glosses.
I can't stress enough how important it is to travel light. I haven't had success with rolling cases in the past. I find them to be clumsy and they often lead to broken products from being dragged all over. Instead, I suffer and carry my case on my shoulder. I will no doubt have back problems later in life - But, until I come up with a better and safer alternative - This is pretty much what I'm working with. Unfortunately I end up looking like a bruised and battered child after working for several days in a row.
This is my shoulder. It looks better now. It was raw just a few days ago...Today is appears to be healing:
OK, so...now you understand the importance of purging and cutting the fat from my kit. Less is more if you can figure out which products can work in multiple ways for you.
But, what about the extras? All the stuff that isn't a favorite? Or, what about the equipment?
Some things I need. And, I may not need them on every job - But, I still need to have them on the random chance that a job might call for something that strays from my usual arsenal. In the past I would keep everything loose in my cabinet - This is a system that doesn't exactly work well when you're in a rush. I found it hard to locate things at the last minute, so I started thinking of a better way to sort things out.
In the end, zip lock bags seemed to be the best solution. I can see everything, and have each bag clearly labeled with it's contents. Here are some of the bags:
Now, to save even more space I've gotten one of those HUGE zip lock bags, and put all of the clearly labeled baby zip locks inside of it.
Much better! I imagine this system would work well for anyone, even with a much smaller collection of products.
Why bother investing in a more expensive organizational system when you can use zip lock bags instead?
The ones that didn't fall out for like a whole entire month that cost stupid amounts of money? The ones that you could get around the way...in Queens...from this spot that was totally unlicensed. But, said shady spot in Queens only charged $40 bucks for these super amazing fake lashes, so you were willing to take a chance that you might just go blind if it meant having lashes that would make you the envy of women everywhere? I know you remember that, it happened circa 2002.
Well...that's about to be history. Eyelash extensions are about to be 'dated' and they didn't even get a full 10 year run as the lash treatment du jour.
There's a cream that's about to make lash history...And, *fingers crossed* it's going to be available next year in the U.S.
Last Updated: 2008-06-04 9:00:46 -0400 (Reuters Health)
BANGALORE (Reuters) - Allergan Inc said on Wednesday it plans to apply to U.S. health regulators for marketing approval for its eyelash extender by the end of the third quarter.
The maker of the wrinkle-filler Botox said it has completed testing of the product, bimatoprost, and saw significant eyelash growth when it was applied directly to the base of eyelashes.
Allergan said it expects bimatoprost to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration next year.
The Irvine, California-based company is targeting sales of $500 million per year for the product in stimulating eyelash growth. It said the global mascara market is worth $3.7 billion a year, according to data from various agencies.
Allergan said if it wins FDA approval, U.S. purchasers will be able to obtain bimatoprost only by prescription.
Especially since Van Vader has been the inspiration behind the 'weekly plug'. He's a DJ, who also happens to be my former High School teacher ( I know, right!?)
He started the 'Weekly Plug' in his own newsletter as a way of spotlighting his friends and other various and random 'stuff' that he likes- And, I thought it was such a great idea that I've started to do it here.
Tonight he's DJ'ing at Naked Lunch in Soho. I'm shooting, so I won't be there - But, if you're around downtown tonight you should definitely stop by his party.
Info is below:
************ **Thursday Nights** Remember Dis? @ Naked Lunch 17 Thompson St. 7:00-12:00; No Cover
Happy Hour lasts until 9:00; Drink specials every week!
STRICTLY OLD SCHOOL!!!
Come watch the NBA Finals, Mets, or Yanks on the new flat screens! (You can also order food from a number of places in the neighborhood and have it delivered to NL!)
Anyone who was at Titi Jenny’s 60th birthday, who happened to look (and laugh) at the photo of me wearing white shoes and glasses...
This one is for you.
I need a photo, and I can’t find any depicting the years that I need.
I have a feeling I avoided taking many pictures during this time period because I was mortified by myself.
But, anyway – This is your lucky day for laughs because I need to refer to those traumatizing years...
I’m asking for you to dig up your worst. I need it for my website – For a little blog I am writing about zits.
If anyone has any photos of me age 9-13 with acne and oversized glasses – I really need you to scan and send.
Thanks!
xoxo, J
That email was sent at least 3 weeks ago. At least. Can you believe that NOT A SINGLE PERSON sent me a photo? I mean...HELLO...FAMILY...IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE FUN OF ME YOU COULD AT LEAST HELP A GIRL OUT.
UGH. Whatever.
I managed to dig this one up on my own:
Confession: When I was 10 I had acne so bad, that kids at school would call me pepperoni pizza face.
Those were not kind years. Not only because of the acne, but also because of the ridiculously large glasses my parents forced me to wear.
This picture isn't even the worst. I'm not wearing the glasses and you can't really see my horrific skin because the photo is blurry. But, at least I look like I have a black eye (WTF?), and I'm wearing unfortunate looking clothes (Um...Sleeveless Flannel Shirt = FASHION VICTIM) Yeah...I'm pretty sure that photo was taken on one of my better days.
Anyway...
I realize we all have our awkward stages - Unfortunately, my awkward stage would last almost 4 years.
On the positive side, I woke up one day around 13 or 14 and my skin was completely clear. After years of being tormented, and after trying dozens of products that didn't make even the slightest bit of difference- The acne that had been such a pain in my ass for so long - Suddenly had vanished.
Fast forward to the present: My skin is great. I hardly ever get a pimple, and although I'm only 26 years old...It seems as though I'll be aging fairly well (Thanks mom and dad!).
However, every now and then...There's an upset. These upsets are rare, so I don't particularly mind especially since I'm always prepared to cut things off at the pass. There are very few upsets that my magic pimple cream can not fix. *NOTE: If you don't have this, you should ask your Derma to prescribe it for you for emergency situations*
And then - maybe just once a year - There is more than an upset. Instead, there is a DISASTER on my face, and that disaster always leads to a personal crisis because it makes me feel like I'm 10 years old all over again kicking up all sorts of emotions that I really could do without (!!!). *sigh*
I HATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS:
It's been there for a week - It is completely unresponsive to any method of treatment - INCLUDING my magic pimple cream. And every time I think it's going away it resurfaces.
The only thing I can think to do, is to kett fixx it.
Thank God for Kett Fix!
Look:
Whew. That's much better.
The after picture was taken outside, in natural light - which is typically the most unforgiving as it shows EVERYTHING. That means the Kett Fix is doing it's job and covering things up quite nicely.
The zit may remain, but at least it's hidden until I can figure out how to fight a good fight against it.
Suggestions? Anyone!? PLEASE. HELP. NOW.
YouTube!
I now, officially have my very own YouTube channel - Along with thousands of other people.
It doesn't exactly make me special, but it does mean that this blog has the potential to get a lot more interesting.
To kick things off, I've uploaded two videos. The first being my TV Reel, and the second being a spec commercial for Kiser NY that I worked on a few months ago.
You can subscribe to the channel by clicking here.
I had some computer drama this week, but luckily it was fixable (I love Apple!).
This week I'm straying from the usual because I'm trying to get caught up - That means no weekly plug.
It'll be back next week, but in the interim I thought I'd shamelessly plug something that I'm working on this Saturday.
If you are one of the few stuck in the city on this lovely Memorial Weekend, please stop by the shoot I'm working on. I'll be there with my airbrush machine, beating faces all day :)
Aside from the fact that it's detergent free, made with organic oils, and 100% Vegan ...It is also 100% biodegradable, and the packaging is made of 100% Post-Consumer Recycled Cylinder Bottles and Paper Labels. Basically, this means it's not only good for your skin, but it's also good for the environment.
Apparently it has 18 different uses and you can use it to: clean your body, your entire house, brush your teeth AND do your laundry - It's even safe enough for pets!
What you probably do not know, is that it's also good for headaches.
You may have noticed I didn't post this weekend - Sorry about that. But, if you'd been following me on Twitter then you would know that I spent all day Saturday in Long Island where everything is very green and flowery and all together lovely - If you don't have allergies.
I do. And I swear that they were trying to kill me this weekend because by Sunday morning I had a sinus headache so bad that 3 Tylenol, 3 Advil, and a Benadryl didn't even help (Yeah - You read that right. I said THREE).
By 11 PM I started to get desperate for relief, and took to the Internet for alternative ways to deal with headache pain. What I discovered while sorting through dozens of web pages, is that lavender oil on a hot (or cold) compress can help. There was one small problem - I didn't exactly have lavender oil on hand - But, I did have Dr. Bronner's Lavender Castile Soap which is made of a blend of oils including lavender.
I wasn't sure if I would need to use the hot or cold compress, so I decided to alternate between the two while watching a 1 hour episode of L.A. Ink on demand.
It worked!
For the first time all day I felt good, and a few minutes later I was sleeping like a baby. In fact - Best sleep in weeks.
Thank you Dr. Bronner. I heart you.
Weekly Plug: Sarah Morgan
Between private clients, trials, shoots, sending mailers, making phone calls...I have very few moments of tranquility. Instead, I have moments of exhaustion that make it very easy to drop the ball. And, since being a makeup artist is more than a job for me - It's my life - It can be rough. I eat, sleep (with my blackberry), and breathe this career - 7 days a week.
Thankfully, I have friends who serve as unofficial staff members because, seriously, working for yourself is DIFFICULT. If I didn't have friends to run an occasional grammar check, or to offer their opinion on whether or not they prefer the pink ribbon or the white ribbon on mailers - I might go insane. Those two things might seem insignificant to many of you, but to someone who has to send invoices to clients and manage every single itty bitty detail (down to which ribbon to use on a mailer), any help is a great help. And I'm grateful.
There is one friend in particular, who also serves as editor, font finder, photoshop helper, occasional press giver, AND team captain of my own personal cheer squad. She is Sarah.
Sarah is one of those friends that you might be lucky enough to have in your life. Sadly, there are so few people out there who are as good and nice as she is, that the majority of people will never know what it is to have the kind of friendship she can offer.
Even if you can't have your own real life Sarah as a friend, you can take a peek into her life by reading her blog - And feel the warm, fuzzy goodness.
She recently wrote about freecycle - Which you all should know about and try to use (Even if just once). I won't get into what it is here, because she can explain it to you in a much better way than I ever could.
I also love Sarah because the girl is SERIOUS about skin care. And every so often, she surprises me with a product find that even I didn't know about (Which is impressive since I'm a beauty junkie).
Just two days ago she introduced me to this. Which I can not wait to try since it suggests it might prevent 'skin creypeness' and skin creypeness is TRAGIC.
There are also a whole bunch of new things going on in the sidebar to the right. A new blogroll, as well as a feed for Twitter updates.
If you're on Twitter, start following me! I'll be sure to post when the blog is updated, so if you don't subscribe to another feed, Twitter can be a great alternative way to find out when I post.
Also, I have a facebook page specifically for my make-up work. If you're on facebook please add the page and become a fan today :)
Fact: Being Mean Causes Wrinkles
Once upon a time, in an office somewhere on 5th Avenue, there was a girl who subjected herself to a terrible job. Unfortunately, that girl was me.
It was a grueling time during which I was chained to a desk, and a period of my life that I have not yet had the pleasure of eradicating from my memory. I was miserable, and it effected me in every possible way. I had never imagined that I would attempt to take the safe path and stay in a job where I was an underpaid underling, because I was too scared to go after something I really wanted. I was younger then, and had been taught that the safe way was the right way.
That advice would cost me 2 years of my life, that I wont ever reclaim.
The issue with that job wasn't so much the office itself. In fact, I had quite a few co-workers that I had come to really like. The problem (Or half of the problem), was this woman...A boss lady...Her name was Evileen.
Evileen was a mean woman. The worst.
And despite the fact that I dreaded every conversation during which she roared her horribly nasty screams my way, I was still nice. I remained cordial when she was downright cruel. I held my tongue on a few too many occasions when she felt the need to use me as her whipping girl in front of the entire office when she was having ‘a day’ (Which, by the way, was almost EVERYDAY). I worked hard to decipher her Devil Wears Prada-esque instructions, i.e: I need skirts. Except in her case it was more like 'I need a meeting with that woman with the stupid assistant, at that company near Raleigh-Durham'.
I'm not kidding. Those were her instructions.
But deciphering her code wasn't even the worst of it. The worst was having to work painfully hard to avert my eyes each and every time her unsightly Botox ridden face, with freakishly arched eyes attempted to pierce deep into my soul. I swear, she would look at me and it was as though she was trying to steal my youth. And if she'd had any magical power other than her nastiness, she might have been successful.
Now, I am only 26 (which seems both young and old to me all at once)…So if you want to get technical I guess I do have time on my side. Evileen, however, was some 20-ish years my senior (I know this because I spied her drivers license once when she gave me her credit card to do her evil bidding)…
But, I digress.
Not everyone can come from good gene stock. I, thankfully, do. My mother is 61 and she looks great, and my sister turned 40 this past year and doesn’t even look like she was born in the same century as the stout, and portly Evileen. Unfortunately, the 40 something – ish Evileen does not look cute, and she clearly isn't swimming in the good gene pool. Perhaps that’s why she’s such a cumbersome woman.
It’s been a very long time since I last saw her pinched face (Not that I’m counting or anything), and I hope I never have to see her again. Because, while she's been released from my life - she has hardly been released from my memory and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel disdain towards her because she was (and still remains) the first person to reduce me to tears (publicly I might add) in YEARS.
I'm not entirely sure what her motives were against me. There's likely more to it than the fact that I'm 26 and she's...Well, never mind her age. Because, you know and I know, that age 'aint nothin' more than a number and she probably just hated me just because I was there and she could.
Regardless of her cruel intentions, the good, nice person inside me still wishes her well. If only she had been kinder, then, maybe we could have been like girlfriends. The kind of girlfriends who share beauty secrets (in this situation I’d be the one doing 99.9% of the sharing, naturally).
I would have loved to make her life better…Easier. Really.
I would have shared this with Evileen but she didn’t deserve my beauty tips. But you do. This is for every woman fighting a battle with time – Who wants to win the war.
Freeze 24-7 is guaranteed to make you look your freshest, and as close to your youth as possible (Plus it's a kick ass alternative to Botox).
Try it. And don't be mean. Because no matter what you do...No matter how many creams and treatments you apply...No matter the amount of Botox...
There is nothing - NOTHING - That can save you if you're mean. Let Evileen be a lesson to us all.
Now, go get the cream and while you're at it, be nice to someone today...It could mean one less wrinkle tomorrow.
That's my mom. Sans make-up. Looking every bit the fox at 36 AFTER having three kids. She's radiant, while the rest of us are featured awkwardly next to her. The rest of us being my brother, sister and I (Dad was probably taking this picture).
I'm the baby with the disgruntled looking face and messy hair - Not a drastic difference from what I currently look like - Which I insist confirms that we are who we will be long before we are aware.
Today, I still make that face and my mother still looks fab. She is also a woman with some serious preferences when it comes to make-up: Bold orange and pink colors are favored on the lips, black eyeliner INSIDE the eyes ALWAYS, and no blush (The rosacea takes care of that).
In honor of Mother's Day, I've selected a few products with my mother's preferences in mind. Make-up inspired by Mama Villafane...
R.I.P Girlactik Bronzer
Occasionally I make an oops. It usually happens when I'm in a rush and trying to do a few too many things at once.
Lately things have been good. For the most part I've been well put together, organized, and not nearly as much in a rush as I used to be. Over all my time management skills have seriously improved.
But, the last time I made an oops like this I was still working a 9-5. I was miserable AND in a rush that morning...
And knocked my electric razor off the bathroom counter conveniently into the toilet - While it was still ON. No, I did not even attempt to fish it out (Hello? Did I not mention that it was ON? Getting electrocuted is not cute). And yes, I definitely heard it buzzing around in the wall as it made it's way through the pipes after I flushed it in a moment of panic and disbelief.
Thankfully, that was some time ago. Well over a year ago to be exact.
I thought I was free of those silly blunders that no one believes could actually happen - Because they would never happen to anyone except for ME. Apparently I was wrong.
Somehow, in between gathering up all of my hair and make-up products (While trying to rush out the door to catch the end of some sporting event that I don't really care about - To see friends that I do care about - Which is why I was going)...
I did it again.
I guess I won't be using my St. Tropez bronzer from Girlactik any time soon since it's sleeping with the fishes at the bottom of the toilet.
I've been quoted on MyStyle.com in a blurb about what kind of make-up is apropos for eyes that change color.
It will take you 60 seconds to read (OK, maybe just 30 seconds if you're a fast reader)...Which means, you don't have any excuse not to skip over there and check it out.
I get asked all the time,how I have been fortunate enough to have press and media opportunities come my way.
I could tell you that I'm just fabulous like that, and that reporters seek me out and life is good and press opps are easy.
But...That's not entirely true. I do have some help.
The truth is, I have the best publicist in the entire universe - That I have never even hired.
Ladies and Gentlemen...I give you...The one, and only...A lover of cats and karma...Peter Shankman.
Perhaps you have read his book. No? OK, you can get that here.
Anyway...
If you're at all familiar with him, then you know that Peter is a giver. He has sent me numerous leads well suited to my profession - And, I am truly grateful that he has thought enough of me and my career to pass along queries from reporters seeking sources. The amazing thing about Peter, is that he doesn't limit himself to only helping friends - At least not anymore. Aren't all of you strangers out there just the luckiest that he's not into exclusivity?
He is currently spreading PR goodness all across the internet with the creation of HARO.
HARO (Help A Reporter Out), originally began as a facebook group with the purpose of connecting reporters with appropriate sources. When the group outgrew facebook, it developed into a bonafide service - FOR FREE.
Yeah. Peter is THAT nice.
In a very short period of time, HARO has grown into a couple thousand members (I won't get specific 'cause the number grows every day and by the time you read this the group will undoubtebly be bigger).
Now, I know what you're thinking - With so many members how can I possibly get selected as a source? The answer to that is simple.
1. Read the queries (which come daily via email, usually just 3 times, and never more than 4 times). 2. Only respond to the ones that are really suited for you. 3. Keep your responses ON TARGET. *If you break this rule, Peter will toss you. Really. It's been done.* 4. That's it. Now sit back, keep sifting through queries and wait for a reporter to respond to you.
The service is THAT easy...Mostly because it's organized by someone who happens to be THAT nice.
Alright. Now, go on. Do it.
If you're a reporter - Start using the site for sources. If you're not a reporter, sign up to receive daily emails AND pass this info on to your reporter friends. It's good karma for us to help each other, and the world definitely needs more of that.
