I love a good highlight

For those who do makeup (whether on yourself or on other people's faces for a living) regularly, you will understand where I am coming from. There are certain aspects of the face that you become semi-obsessed with. It might be the brows. I was pretty obsessed with full, thick, luscious brows a couple of years ago. If a model had ample brow hair, I would be there brushing through them, adding a little brow powder here and there, more brushing, and then finally lightly gelling them into place. *You can see a good example of this phase below*


I know someone who is currently experimenting with the perfect foundation-to-luminzer ratio that will give the skin a healthy glow without looking dewy. You would think she is trying to prove a molecular theory with the amount of work she has put in. But it's important to her nonetheless, and I know exactly where she is coming from.

These days, I am obsessed with highlighting. And not just the act of highlighting but finding the products that impart that almost natural sheen to the high points of the face. After much experimenting and product testing, I have found some products that I realize I must always have in my kit just for this purpose.

Make Up For Ever Shine On Compact Powders


These are absolutely gorgeous highlighting powders and I really don't know what I would do without them. The give the skin a luminosity that is not sparkly or glittery. I will describe it as almost iridescent. If you are able to play with them you must!

Smashbox Soft Lights in Tint

Wow. Just wow. Tint is a fabulous color for medium-t0-deep skin tones. It's a mixture of peach, pink, gold, apricot and champagne which looks just heavenly on warmer, deeper skin tones to highlight, and even more so when the light catches is just so. I daresay you could use it as a blush on lighter skin...

Benefit Hollywood Glo


While I am a huge fan of powder highlighters to gently sweep across cheekbones and the bridges of noses, I am definitely all for mixing a highlighting creme with foundation. I love Hollywood Glo when I am not only applying makeup to the face, but the body as well. It's as if I crushed dark beige colored pearl and sprinkled it into foundation. It's creamy and dreamy and I love it!

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Liquid Shimmer in Gold



For beautiful, deep complexions with a golden undertone my go to product would be Kevyn Aucoin's Beauty Liquid Shimmer in Gold. Again, I mix this more into the foundation rather than actually applying it on top of the skin just because a drop or two adds just the right amount of luminosity and the pure gold color is spot on. Gorgeous!

Until I become obsessed with another aspect of the face, I will revel in sculpting my talent's faces with highlighters and allow myself a little moment of "ooooh" every now and again ;)



Model: Brandie
Makeup: Moi
Photographer: Courtney Dailey

Nailed It

Last Thursday I was fortunate enough to do a shoot with Courtney, a beautiful model and a fantastic manicurist. It is truly rare to have a manicurist on set, unless of course nails will be featured or be a central part of the story. Other than that, I am usually required to have a mini manicure set on hand in case a little touch up is necessary.

Having Julie on board was fantastic! We did two looks, one with a vibrant turquoise nail color paired with long nails. We kept the look rather simple on that look with clean skin, no liner (just a few false individual lashes thrown in for a slightly more "oomphed" natural eye), groomed brows and no blush. Just a little contour powder and gloss topped off with slicked back hair. I think it turned out rather well with the nails and the lips stealing the scene.

The second look was pretty much the opposite. Jule trimmed the nails and gave them an "inverted half moon" shape topped with a shimmery granite color polish. It was fabulous! I created a smokey eye with slate and granted colored shadows as the lid and accent shades and contrasted the crease with a warm coppery bronze color. We also used extensions in black to give the picture a dark and mysterious mood.

I loved the way both the looks were executed and shot, and couldn't thank Julie and Courtney enough for the quick and fantastic shoot. These shots will definitely be going into my book. Below are some behind the scenes pictures of the shoot...Well, the first look anyways. My Iphone died sometime between the last picture and my completion of the second look. Enjoy!


Since we were shooting from the shoulders up, our lovely model didn't have to "strip down" and only needed to wear a flesh colored sports bra. Much easier to shop out :)

Below are some key products I used on the shoot. I am so happy to have them in my kit as they produced such stellar results.

Embryolisse 24 hour miracle cream


It truly is a miracle cream. Just a little dab on the 5 points of the face and you (or your model) will have creamy dreamy skin almost immediately. This product has saved my skin on more than one occasion.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder


While this powder looks to be an unusual shade, it is fabulous for creating natural looking shadows/contours. I've had more than one person call me a miracle worker because of this amazing powder.

Face Atelier Lip Glaze In Cameo


I thought I couldn't live without my Peach and Flamingo Lip Glazes from Face Atelier (Well...I can't!) and after the Makeup Show in March, I realize I can't live without Cameo either. This is a perfect shade to create the coveted "nude lip" in light medium to medium deep skin tones. Gorgeous!

Face Atelier Transforming Gel


What do we have here...another product from Face Atelier! It's a great line, what can I say? You might have noticed that gorgeous shade of turquoise on my model's lip. While I would like to say that I am fully equipped with every shade of lipstick known to man, my kit (and my back!) couldn't handle that load. So I do what any makeup artist who wants to really pare down their kit does: Carry this little baby! I actually mixed a Yaby eyeshadow and pearl paint together with the transforming gel and I instantly had a yummy aqua lipstick. Transforming Gel, I love thee!!

Yaby Pearl Paints


These little darlings are the basis of the fantastic range of colors in my kit. With my pearl paint palette, I have any color liner, lipstick, eyeshadow or whatever I may need at my finger tips (paired with my Face Atelier transforming gel of course!) One of my kit staples. Love them!

Stay tuned for some pictures of my last shoot and a behind the scenes from another shoot!