Bridal Makeup Breakdown: Jessie's Napa Valley Wedding

 

Skin/Prep and Prime:

Embriolysse Moisturizer

MAC Fast Response Eye Cream

Nivea Chapstick

Benefit Porefessional Primer

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Face:

Cinema Secrets Foundation

Cinema Secrets Concealer

MAC Studio Fix Powder in N3 and N4

Cheeks:

MAC True Romantic and Tenderling on back of cheeks

MAC Pink Swoon as pop on apple of cheeks

Kevin Aucoin Candlelight highlighting powder

Contour with MUFE contour powder #2 and MAC contour powder in Bone Beige

Eyes:

MAC Omega shadow run through brows with an angled brush

MAC Vanilla and Shroom on lid

MAC Cork, Espresso, Down Brown and Mystery blended for contour

MAC Shroom on browbone as highlight

MAC Cork run lightly on lower lashline

Urban Decay Demolition liner, smudged into lashline, before false lashes applied

Bobbi Brown Chocolate Shimmer Gel Liner smudged into lashline, after false lashes applied

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Waterproof Very Black

Miss Adoro 747s lashes

Lips:

MAC Soar lipliner

NARS Bangkok lipstick

Powder T-Zone lightly with Laura Mercier translucent powder

Set everything with Model in a Bottle Setting Spray, original formula

Jessie is a Mrs! See Her Napa Valley Country Wedding

Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE my job?

Nearly five years ago I started NoRulesJustBeauty Artistry.  After my own hair and makeup artist DID NOT SHOW UP on my wedding day (she had screwed up the date 5/4 instead of 4/5)  I made a vow that I would provide bridal makeup services which were 110% dependable and consistent, ensuring that MY brides never had to feel the disappointment and last minute scramble that I felt on my own wedding day.

Five years later I am grateful that the beauty industry has provided me a challenging and engaging career which capitalizes on my creativity, and allows me to provide support and services to brides on their most beautiful day.

This weekend I had the joy of providing services for Mrs. Jessie's Napa Valley County Wedding.

Jessie makes my job look easy being such a naturally beautiful girl.  Her light hair and porcelain skin was a stunning combination with her candlelight dress.

Oh and this dress!

You wouldn't know it to look at it in the picture above, but it's actually two dresses in one.  Once the ceremony and formal pictures are over, Jessie can remove the skirt portion of the gown and she has an adorable cocktail dress to dance the night away in!

Stay tuned for a full breakdown of the products used to create this look!

Oh the PERFECT red lip...

The perfect red lip is a seriously powerful thing.

While watching the movie Burlesque, with Cher and Christina Aguilera, I became overwhelmingly inspired by the striking red lips and glitter lids.  If you haven't seen Burlesque, you MUST check it out.  The makeup and costume alone overshadow the possibly corny plot lines.  And the music?  To die for.

Makeup Lighting:

 Daylight:

No lighting, flash only:

 

To create this lip look I used the following products:

MAC Lipliner in Cherry

MAC Lipliner in Auburn

Red Eyeshadow from any palette (I used a cheap 88 color palette)

I think the most surprising thing about this red lip is that it's a matte texture, using non-matte products.  For long wear lip looks, it's a great pro tip to use a powder product to really "set" the look for extended wear.

Face:

Urban Decay Naked Skin foundation in 1.0

MAC Studio Fix powder in N3

MUFE Contour in #2

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Lightscape (highlight)

Eyes:

MAC Reflects Gold pigment (lid)

Smashbox Linen (browbone)

Smashbox eyeshadow Dusk/Sable mixed (crease)

Smashbox brown cream liner

L'Oreal Full Definition Mascara in Very Black

Debbie's Rose Garden Wedding

I wanted to take this opportunity to post the formal wedding photos of my recent Bridal client, Debbie.

For more details on Debbie's wedding, as well as before and after photos, click here

A Rose By Any Other Name...Debbie's Wedding Before/After

It isn't often that I find myself completely speechless upon arrival to a wedding location; this wedding was the exception to that rule.

Held at the historical Garden Valley Ranch in Petaluma, CA this venue was truly a sight to behold.  Acres upon acres of roses in all different colors and varieties assured that you smelled this beautiful garden before you ever left your car.

Each detail of this wedding  provided a feeling of elegance and sophistication.  Vintage inspired details included the bride's beaded, bias cut, gown  accompanied by antique family heirloom jewelery to complete the look.  Finishing touches such as white bridesmaid dresses, all differing in style, and peach toned flowers ensured a classic and timeless color palette which played beautifully against the natural elegance of the venue.

Soft toned makeup was applied to emphasize the natural beauty of the bride's fair complexion and captivating eyes.  Brown false lashes were applied, instead of black, to ensured that the look remained soft and approachable while still opening up the eyes and providing the appropriate emphasis for photography. 

Before

After, Eyes Open

After, Eyes Closed

Detox Market San Francisco (Photo Heavy)

During a recent venture into San Francisco, I sought out a new addition to the Mission District: The Detox Market.  

The Detox Market's flagship location on Beverly Blvd in West Hollywood has had a cult following since their opening in 2010.  With a goal of seeking out high quality, eco-coscious beauty and food brands, a trip to The Detox Market is bound to introduce you to a handful of brands you may have never heard of before. 

Their mission statement is simple:

"We believe...We believe in pure, natural products that work.  We believe in living simply without sacrificing quality. We believe in conscious consumption. We believe in the passionate people behind each of our products. We believe in feeling good from the products we use"

Their new location at 969 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110 is a breath of fresh air among the heavy concentration of thrift stores, indie coffee shops and bookstores in the area.  Using white crates as display counters, the store provides an airy approach to product display, imparting a relaxed and clean feeling to the consumer. 

In a world where a single Nordstrom may carry over 500 brand options in their beauty department alone, the edited product selection at The Detox Market was a welcome surprise.

A definite perk of visiting this location was being introduced to a number of brands which I have either never heard of, or never had the chance to play with in person.  For example:

Each brand was accompanied by a chalkboard providing information about the brand and product line; a perfect accompaniment to The Detox Market's clean and approachable aesthetic.  Key features of the brand's offering, such as cruelty free and organic ingredients, were provided with a handwritten presentation which provided a feeling of personal connection to The Detox Market.



The Detox Market also offers a handful of carefully chosen food products to their customers.

AND one of my all time favorite brands of tea, with a HUGE selection!

The Detox Market is a wonderful gem offered to the City of San Francisco; a city that offers you a little bit of everything.  I am anxious to see what new offerings The Detox Market introduces as their product selection changes and evolves to suit the needs of their San Francisco clientele. 


Final Verdict: I'll be back!

The Perfect Summer Wedding...

Memorial Day weekend held a special moment in my heart this year.  One of my dearest friends, Christine, was getting married *sniff* in what amounted to the perfect summer wedding.

The bride, Christine, and I go waaaay back to my first days as a transfer student at Sonoma State University.  At the time, Sonoma State (SSU) had just opened a new set of "apartment-style" dormitories which housed four people in a four bedroom/four bath apartment with shared kitchen/living space.  By luck, I was placed in the same dormitory as this gorgeous girl here:

Halloween 2003

Little did I know that in the coming months Christine and I would become incredibly close bonding over late night sing-alongs to Rent and Moulin Rouge soundtracks (Christine majored in Theater).

Who knew that months later Christine would introduce me to her high school friend, David, who is now my husband!

3 month dating anniversary 2004

Ren Faire Turkey Legs - YUM!

In short, I adore this girl to her very core...

Christine's wedding was held at the American River Resort in Coloma, California on a perfect May summer day. 

The location backed directly up to the American River providing a feeling of serenity and nature. 

Choosing a color palette inspired by the sunset, her bridesmaids wore pale yellow and carried a variety of sunflowers.

The bride imparted a vintage feel to her look by styling soft pin curled hair with a single flower, finishing the look with black winged eyeliner, corner lashes and a rich plum lip color (L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in Everlasting Plum).

The day was a perfect collection of everything wonderful: Good Food, Good Friends, and Love...so much love.

Many congratulations to the bride and groom!

Product Rant: Mascara

I have a very cut and dry relationship with my mascara, you're either in the drawer or in the trash.

High standards?  Absolutely. 

When a new mascara comes on the market, I always approach with a high level of skepticism.  Products ranging from 5.99 at the drugstore to 30.00+ dollars at Sephora and Department Stores always tout lofty promises like "fatten lashes by 120%" or create "5x the length" with a single coat.  More often than not, they disappoint.

Then there is the issue of staying power, smudging and waterproofing.  Don't get me started.  Lofty claims indeed! You can swim in me, cry with me, and then NEVER get me off!

I don't use waterproof mascara, ever.  Waterproof mascara makes me feel like a claustrophobic person, stuck in an elevator.  At the end of the day, when it's time for the magic to be washed off, I practically break into hives thinking that after a soak with makeup remover and a good washing, my delicate lashes may still be coated with whatever chemically induced cocktail was combined to create the chosen mascara formula.  Do you see how as I talk about it I become more melodramatic?  Just as the claustrophobic person becomes more hysterical the longer they are trapped between floor two and three.

My rules for mascara are simple. I want:
-Rich inky black color
-Completely coated lashes, in ONE coat
-Soft and approachably separated lashes (no spider lashes need apply)
-A non-waterproof formula
- NO smudging even on the hottest days
-Affordable price tag (which I would define as under 20.00 or so)

I would fear that my standards are too high, that I ask too much, however, I have found a choice few mascaras to live up to these standards - more on that later.

What are your mascara make or break mascara rules?

Bridal Makeup: Plum Promises

 This is one of my "go-to" eye looks for bridal work.  Using plum colors instead of neutral browns adds some interest to the look while still looking beautiful on a full range of skin tones.  Purposeful highlight on the lid and inner corner gives a luminous glow on camera without looking too "frosted" or overdone.

This look is perfect for outdoor and indoor weddings alike and can always be adapted to fit your style and event type.  You'll notice the right eye has lashes, whereas the left eye does not, proving that this bridal makeup look can be tuned in to fit your personal preference!

For a full tutorial on how to create this look, please view the video below.  A full list of products used can be found after the jump!



To create this look, I started with the following products:

 

From Left:

Elf Blush/Bronzer Duo (GREAT value at only 3.00!)

Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation

Urban Decay Primer Potion

MAC Patisserie Lipstick

To complete the eye look, the following products were used:

 

From Left:

Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara

Bobbi Brown Black Mauve Gel Eyeliner

MAC Pigment in Pink Opal

MAC Blanc Type

MAC Tete a Tint

MAC Haux

MAC Blackberry

Ardell Black Demi Wispies (not shown)

Natural Daylight

Natural Daylight

Natural Daylight