Our monthly Makeup Monday pro meetings are always so great! But this year we are upping our game with more education and going virtual! We started January off right with Napa Valley hair and makeup artist Rachel Lusk.

Rachel is a licensed cosmetologist with a decade and a half of experience. She specializes in bridal hair and makeup but also is a wiz at commercial work and is signed with the Look Agency out of San Francisco. She is the absolutely the queen of kit organization!

Having a strategic minimized kit is more important than ever! Here’s a recap of some of the things she shared with the group…

Want more kit inspo and tips? Then you have to follow Rachel on Instagram! https://instagram.com/rachel.luskhmua?igshid=rrax0ybmf8wt

She shares weekly peeks into her pro kit, what products you need to organize, and other ideas you’d never think of to make creating both safe and stylish! Thank you Rachel for sharing with us!

If you’re a pro makeup or hair artist and want to attend next month’s Makeup Monday meeting then email jessica@polishandpout.com to get the info!

Beauty, Beauty Spotlight, Bridal, industry professional, Makeup, Pro event, Products, weddings

January 31, 2021

Makeup Monday Artist Spotlight: Rachel Lusk

Only a few more days to go until Halloween! Still don’t have an idea? Here’s one that you’re sure to have the stuff for!  

 For the outfit grab jeans or overalls, a white tee, a flannel, and a straw sun hat!  

 For the makeup, start with your face as done as you like it. For Gracie, we opted for foundation and powder and some big fluffy doll-like lashes! Then go in with hot pink blush and make a distinct circle shape with it on each cheek! We used Tarte blush in Rad. 

Make a tear drop shape with the blush on your nose too and top off the look with a bright pink lip! Try NYX Butter Gloss in Peaches and Cream or Cupcake! 

Now take a black eyeliner pencil—we opted for Urban Decay Perversion—and draw smile lines with stitches and outline the pink on your nose the same way too!  

Double braids add to the country farm vibe!  

There you have it! And chances are you already have all these things lying around! 

Special thank you to Indulge Beauty Studio for taking pics of the gorgeous Gracie in this tutorial!  

Give this a try and be sure to tag @polishandpout on IG when you do so we can see your version of this costume!! Happy {almost} Halloween!!!

Beauty, Costume, DIY, Hair, Makeup, Photoshoot, Products, Tutorial

October 22, 2018

Scarecrow Halloween DIY Costume

Last year we did a few fun super simple Halloween DIY costumes and it was SO MUCH fun we just had to do more this year too!  

First up, an old timey bank robber! 

 

Here’s what you’ll need: For your outfit opt for black pants and shoes, a black and white striped top (go for all black if you don’t own stripes), black gloves. 

 

 

You’ll also need a bag for all your stolen loot!  An old white or cream pillow case will do the trick! Use a black sharpie to draw a big dollar sign $ on it…because otherwise how will you remember what’s inside?! 😉 

 

 

Ok now for your makeup. Start out from whatever point you’re most comfortable. Maybe that means a bare face or maybe that means your current routine, it’s whatever you want! On Izzy, we used foundation, powder, blush, bronzer, and highlight. So her basic  complexion was on point before we drew the mask! Ok now grab a black eyeliner and sketch your eye mask outline.   

 

 

Now fill in the mask! We used Mehron black cream makeup, you can snag it on Amazon for a few dollars! Not able to get ahold of black makeup? Fill in mask with your eyeliner or layer on black eyeshadow to fill in the mask. 

 

 

Now the fun pop of color! You really can wear anything lip you want but I just love the contrast of this bold red with the black and white outfit! Bank robbers like to be glam too! This is Fenty’s Stunna Lip Paint in red and it’s so creamy, smooth, vibrant, and ultra long wearing!  

 

 

Now you’re ready to pull off your master plan!!! 

 

     

   

Special thank you to Indulge Beauty Studio for these awesome photos of the lovely Izzy! 

 

 

Give this a go and be sure to tag @polishandpout in your look on IG so we can see it!! Happy {almost} Halloween!!  

 

Beauty, Costume, DIY, Makeup, Products, Trend, Tutorial

October 15, 2018

Bank Robber: Halloween DIY

The ultimate Halloween icon: the vampire! So many possible directions you could take this one…but I think my favorite is to go full blown dramatic on the makeup then add the fangs and blood! 

 

 

So here’s a glance at each step I took to get my undead glam on… 

  

 

Clean bare face of course! I used Painterly paint pot by MAC as my eye base and worked from the purple and black shadows in the Tarteist Pro palette!  

  

 

Start with a wash of color over your lid, the brightest purples should go in your crease, smoke out the edges with the black and highlight your brow bone!  

  

The far right row in the palette is all shimmery shades—use your finger to color pack the shimmery purple onto the center of your lid for an extra pop! I always use a makeup wipe to clean up after and create a sharp line to guide my wings! Dior has an awesome liquid liner, the felt tip makes it goof proof!  Lashes are a must, try using the lash trios by Ardell! They’re like training wheels for lashes— so much easier to put on! 

 

Now that you’ve cleaned up the fallout from the smokey eye, even your skin tone with your favorite foundation! I used Face Atelier ultra foundation and concealed and highlighted with the NARS creamy concealer.  This bronzing and highlight palette was limited edition, but you can snag the shades individually from NARS as well. A nice sharp contour and highlight definitely adds that necessary severity to this look.

 

 

 

Loving this look so far! Smoke out under your lashes and add liner in your inner rim for extra drama. 

 

 

 

Blush by Cargo in Ibiza, strong brows with my new favorite brow pencil from NYX…it’s called Precision Brow Pencil and the shade taupe works for just about everyone! NYX lip in Transylvania—how apropos! I set it with black eyeshadow for extra depth and hold.

 

 

There it is! Love! Of course I added fangs. I used the petite set from Scarecrow Vampire. The set comes with a kit to make custom molds but I opted to go the lazy route and use poligrip since I only was wearing them for a couple hours.  

 

 

 

Bonus step: Add a drip of fx blood in the corner of your mouth!  

 

 

Any outfit will do but I think all black is the way to go…leather, chockers, boots…the more badass the better! 

 

 

 

I’m not gonna lie, I kinda want to wear this look year round…fangs included!  

 

 

There you have it! You’re ready for your date with Dracula!  

Beauty, Costume, DIY, Makeup, Products, Tutorial

October 28, 2017

Vampy Vampire

Last year we did a Día de Muertos photoshoot in conjunction with the headpieces from Idolatry and loved it so much we decided to do it again this year! 

 

 

How gorgeous are our 3 Mexican models?! 

 

 

 We leveled up this year by having P&P Artist Gina Scheiber bring her amazing fx skills! We were in awe the whole time at the detail and vision she brought to the shoot.    

 

 

The Day of the Dead is such a special Mesoamerican celebration with roots in both indigenous traditions and Catholicism.  

 

The imagery of skeletons and skulls walks hand in hand with this holiday.

The painting of a calavera on the face or on sugar is a lovely way to acknowledge mortality, remember your ancestors, and celebrate life.

 

 

Our friend Valerie Tejeda at Heart Your Heritage made this awesome video about it—take a peek and learn some more about the holiday! 

 

Special thanks to Indulge Beauty Studio for these amazing photos!  

 

 

Beauty, Costume, DIY, Hair, Makeup, Photoshoot, Products, Trend, Tutorial

October 27, 2017

Día de Muertos: A Celebration of Life

Helping people tell their stories is what we are all about. Melissa said “I Do” to the love of her life this summer and we were so honored to be there to help her prepare for that walk down the aisle! Follow along as P&P Artists Gina and Ashley work their bridal beauty magic…Amazing photos by Mapurunga Photography.    

        

   

 

Finishing touches…

 

 

 

 

And that final detail to complete the look…

 

 

 

Cheers to True Love, Telling Your Story, and The Best Day Ever,

 

Beauty, Bridal, Hair, Makeup, Photoshoot, Products, weddings

August 11, 2015

A Beauty Story: Melissa

 

What do you do when you find yourself going through a major life change? Why, start a makeup line of course! Meet Debbie Bondar, the genius behind Canadian brand FACE Atelier. I was lucky enough to have a conversation with her recently and I’m so excited to share about this line with you all!

She embodies the kind of woman we love here at P&P: educated, intelligent, tenacious, business savvy, and able to rock lipstick while doing it all!

 

 

Debbie describes starting FACE Atelier as her post divorce reinvention. With her life shifting gears, she found herself evaluating her beauty routine and realized that despite being in her forties, she had yet to find her perfect foundation match, “I have a basic olive complexion. If I can’t find a good shade then who can?”

So she took her experience and education (did I mention her background is in journalism and law?!) and launched a brand full of not-so-secret weapons that you’ll find in the kits of many celebrity makeup artists.

 

 

FACE Atelier prides themselves on their universal appeal and was designed for consumers while still meeting the needs of professional makeup artists. Debbie shared a simple but very real truth, “Artists and consumers want the same thing: High performing easy to use products that help them look their best.”

 

 

The brand has a less is more vibe, with no-nonsense packaging and multitasking products rather than having a multitude of products for singular needs. Products that are developed by listening to the feedback and needs of the artists and people who use them? You bet…function and performance are in mind when items are launched, not trend.

 

 

Debbie shared the impact she feels cosmetics can have, “Healthy self esteem is exceptionally important…I’m a mother of daughters. So much illness starts from within! Makeup can be an important tool in a woman’s toolbox to help her feel better if she so chooses.”

 

 

As far as those specific “tools” goes, stay tuned in the coming weeks on Instagram and here on the blog for some product breakdowns and favorites from FACE Atelier! Oh, did i mention the line is Peta and Leaping Bunny approved?!

“I always believed there was magic in the bottle,” we do too, Debbie!

Cheers to Makeup, Multitasking, and Magic in the bottle,

 

Beauty, Beauty Spotlight, Celebrity, industry professional, Makeup, Product review, Products, Shopping

June 17, 2015

FACE Atelier: The brain behind the brand

Note: the pictures of these lovely ladies below are NOT examples of looking old or doing things wrong…in fact they are evidence of the opposite! Plus, let’s be honest, the pictures break up my long winded soap box! Thank you Lydia Photographyfor the amazing shots from our previous photoshoots!

 

Dear Friend,

You asked for my honest opinion, “Am I looking old? Honestly Jess, tell me. I can take it. I know you’ll tell me the truth!,” you said. So here it is. And listen, regardless of my answer, you should ultimately do what you love…how you feel is what is most important, so if you do something in this list and you love it then be my guest! It’s your right to look haggard err umm I mean everyone is entitled to their wrong opinion—uh What I mean is, more power to ya! And yes friend I know you think I’m a little snarky, but it’s only to emphasis my point and because I would NEVER be this unfiltered with a client…but since we are friends, I know you can handle the truth.

1. Your brows are way too thin. Maybe it’s over plucking, maybe you’re just not particularly hairy, or maybe they’ve thinned with age but they are too thin. It seems counterintuitive but fuller brows actually make your eyes look more lifted! Thin brows overexpose the orbital bone and makes your eyes appear droopy. A fuller brow is an instant face lift, so grab some filler and make them fuller! Or head to an Anastasia counter for some brow rehab–Don’t worry, we can tell the press it was just for “exhaustion.”

2. Your lipstick is too brown or too dark…Honestly women are pretty religious about their lipstick. I get it. That shade is perfect right? You’ve been wearing it for years ya? Well that’s just it, you’ve been wearing it so long you don’t know any other way to view your lips. That doesn’t make it the best shade for you. Dark lips age, period. Sometimes that’s ok if we are going for a vampy look. But for everyday, you should go with something a little more rosy with more life in it! It will brighten your complexion and your smile.

3. You’re still wearing the same mattifying or oily skin formula foundation from years ago. You’d be surprised at how many women when discussing their skin type claim to be oily when what they really mean is, I was labeled as oily in my teens and I never reevaluated that as I got older. Oily skin formulas tend to combat shine, sucking out radiance…which when we were much more oily was great, we had radiance coming out the wazoo! But now, you aren’t anymore. I mean ya, you may still get shiny or even the occasional zit, but you are not the oil slick gal you used to be (thank God right?!). So using those formulas is essentially making your skin look dull and tired. And you don’t need that mega coverage anymore! Something lighter and more radiant is going to make your skin look fabulous! I know I know, it’s a total paradigm shift. It’s the right thing to do though, I promise.

4. You’re not concealing under your eyes. “But I feel like it makes me look wrinkly, or I feel like it settles in my lines.” First, let’s do some hunting to find a good formula that works best for you! Not all concealers are created equally. Second, darkness under your eyes will make you look more old and run down than a few lines ever will. The lines are there whether you care to acknowledge them or not, the darkness doesn’t have to be.

 

5. You’re not using good skincare. Whether it’s because you think it’s too late, or you’re in denial of it being necessary…you need to pay attention to your skin. If you’re thinking to yourself: should I start using an eye cream? The answer always is: yes you should of started years ago, regardless of how young you are. It’s never too late to give your skin what’s best for it. That’s like not watering a wilting plant…it’s not dead yet, so give it what it needs! And if you’re old enough to question if you should be using reparative creams or nutrient packed serums, then your answer is yes.

So there you have it friend, I’m only telling you this because I love you…and because you asked my advice. I mean, I think you’re fantastic and have great taste (after all, we are friends!). But you know I will always tell you truth when you ask for it, that’s why we are such good friends.

PS- if we really do know each other personally and you saw something on this list and wondered, “Is Jess talking about me??” Yes, yes I am talking about you. Coffee next week?

Cheers to Honesty, Friendship, and Aging Gracefully,

 

 

Beauty, Health, Makeup, Musings, Personal, Photoshoot, Product review, Products, Skincare, Trend, Tutorial

February 19, 2014

5 Things That Women Do That Make Them Look Older

This month it seems that pinks, berries, and reds are on the brain…along with hearts and glitter. While I may not make homemade Valentine’s cards anymore, I still find a way to flex my Valentine’s Day creative muscles! Here’s a soft girlie look to try this V-day…or any day for that matter!

 

1. Prep your eyes with a good primer.

2. Sweep a matte vanilla shadow on your brow bone.

3. Using a windshield wiper motion, apply a soft pink shadow in your crease.

4. Pat a shimmery cranberry shadow all over your eyelid.

 

 

5. Blend a soft brown into your crease so everything is seamless!

6. Pat a shimmery light pink shadow on the inner third of your lid.

7. Add a pop of shimmery vanilla in your inner socket.

8. Line your lower lashline with the same frosty cranberry as before.

9. Use black pencil to line your waterline.

10. Line your upper lashline too, I opted for a slightly bolder liquid liner.

11. Curl your lashes and finish with mascara (bonus points if you add false lashes!).

Voilá!

Products used:
Naked Basics palette by UD
MAC shadows in Girlie (pink) and Cranberry
Rimmel Scandaleyes liner in black
Almay liquid liner

 

 

Cheers to Pink, Reds, and Valentines,

 

 

Beauty, DIY, Makeup, Products, Trend, Tutorial

February 11, 2014

Valentines Makeup: Soft Cranberry Eye

I am so smitten with the look I did for a photoshoot this week with Nicole Cook (umm, by the way she is an AMAZING highschool senior –fashion– photographer in NorCal). Luckily I had the sense to take pics of the look as it developed so I could make this tutorial for you! The funny thing is that it doesn’t actually use any silver shadows in it…the hue is a result of the blending of the liner and shadows. Which I actually prefer because silvers often translate very blue on camera. This way you get the effect in a truer way. If you’re not a fan of silvery shadow, then sub the black pencil for an espresso one and blend out with dark brown shadow instead of black for a more chocolatey neutral look. I worked from my Naked Basics palette and also a few shades from Makeup Geek (creme brulee, shimma shimma, and homecoming).

1. Prime your lids and dust on a neutral champagne or vanilla shadow all over your lid, the shimmery base will help when it comes time to blend.

2. Line your eyes, doesnt need to be precise.

3. Use a pencil brush (or your finger even) to blend and soften the liner.

4. Draw a V with your pencil to outline where your smokey cat eye will go. Make sure you open your eye first to determine how high up you want the line in your crease.

 

5. Use your pencil brush to blend and smudge the V more into the center of your eye, you essentially are focusing on the outer third portion of your eye. Dip your brush into black shadow as necessary to build the depth you are comfortable with. See how messy its getting? Trust the process and don’t get scared! I like to do eyes first and skin second when doing looks like this.

6. Pat a shimmery taupe shadow all over your lid, smoothing out the seams of where the black shadow stops.

7. Dust a soft brown in your crease, bronzer works fab!

8. Highlight under your brow and in your inner socket.

9. Now for the clean up! This step is what adds the sharp angled edge to the look. Take a cotton pad with remover or makeup wipe and fold it so you have a straight edge. Swipe the edge in an upward angled motion.

10. Line your eyes. I love the sharpness of a gel or liquid for this look.

11. Add the flick of liner at the end for your cat eye. The awesome part about this look is that the sharp edge we created is your guideline, so its goof-proof!

12. Load up with mascara…bonus points and more drama if you toss in some lashes too! I used medium length individuals.

And there you have it! Isn’t our model Lexy so lovely?!

 

 

We were going for drama so we paired her look with a bold punchy lip (Rimmel Kate Moss #12)…but a nude lip is a great option for this look!

 

Cheers to Seniors, Silver, and Smokey Eyes,

Beauty, DIY, Fashion, Makeup, Photoshoot, Product review, Products, Trend, Tutorial

January 29, 2014

How To: Silver Smokey Cat Eye