Showing posts with label Smashbox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smashbox. Show all posts

Products of the Month - October



Recently, IMPO Pro Melissa Street went to Europe for 14 days to work with a very special client.  During her European tour, which closely resembled the National Lampoon Chevy Chase movie, she experienced several filming challenges, including weather that went from sweltering (in Tunisia) to freezing rain (Marseilles, France) and everything in between.

So, which products did this Pro turn to help conquer travel dehydration, sleeplessness, dry and frizzy hair, perspiration issues, skin irritations, chapped lips and one or two swanky dinners with a cruise ship captain?

Ladies and Gentleman…The Products of the Month for October:

Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant SPF 30 – Melissa knows she preaches about this product, but it is only because it really works!  This is a non-greasy sunscreen that is actually good for your face!  Melissa uses this personally, professionally and in place of primer.



Embryolisse Exfoliating Care Cream – this product gently removes impurities and dead cells leaving the complexion fresh and radiant.  Perfect for travel and to revitalize tired, dehydrated skin.



SAMPAR Prodigal Pen – this product will treat and reduce the appearance of skin imperfections such as pimples/blemishes, irritations, bacteria and assists in healing insect bites, razor burn, etc.  A makeup artist must have!



Bed Head Let’s Get Tropical – this body oil treats and rehydrates the skin after long exposure to the sun.  Contains coconut, avocado and sunflower oils, as well as aloe vera.  Gives skin an amazing all-over, healthy glow.



Tara Smith Base Coat Serum – you prep your face with primer before makeup, so prime your hair before styling!  Totally organic and vegan, this product helps protect your hair, hydrates and provides a nutritional supplement for a good hair foundation.



L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray – this product is the legendary hairspray of choice for red carpet events, photo shoots, film and television sets because it is so fine that it will disappear at the stroke of a brush.  Won’t way the hair down and has amazing holding power!



Prairie Dawn 100% Natural Lip Balm – this lip balm is more like a lip treatment!  Goes on smoothly and keeps lips moisturized.  Great to use as a lip primer prior to application of lipstick.  Comes in 4 luscious flavors!  Melissa’s favorite is Sweet Orange.  Psst! Check out IMPO's first contest thanks to Prairie Dawn! Details below under Pro Contest (scroll all the way down to the end of the post)!



Hakuhodo Brushes – renowned in the beauty industry as the best in brushes, this line features premium bristles and first-rate craftsmanship.  Melissa refuses to work without this brush line.



CoverFX Big Cover Up Set – traveling with multiple products in individual packaging can be frustrating, but the geniuses at CoverFX have solved that problem!  This 5- piece kit not only achieves total coverage of minor to major complexion issues, it comes with a foundation brush and instructional DVD too!  Melissa used this kit on stage, on camera and for all personal appearances!


CoverFX Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer – this product instantly erases under eye circles and dark spots as well as, redness, sun damage, tattoos, birthmarks, trauma and moles.  A little goes a long way and because it comes in 6 shades you can easily find your exact skin tone match!



Youngblood Cosmetics Artiste 2 Nude Awakening Palette – as a Pro MUA travel is a must, but Melissa hates packing individual colors, it’s just impractical and can be very messy if something breaks.  This palette has all the essential colors for day and night!  It’s a one-stop-shop!



Smashbox Brow Tech To GoIMPO raved about this product last month, but this product is worth another mention.  Brow Tech is so longwearing and waterproof that it lasted all day through long hours of filming and into the night for a personal appearance and dinner! No need for touch up!



Senna Cosmetics Lip Sync – this is a Pro MUA’s dream!  Lipstick and coordinating lip gloss all in one component!  Gotta love Eugenia Weston for inventing this amazing product!  Incredibly pigmented with tons of staying power, these lip colors are all you need.  Melissa’s favorite colors:  Stunning and A La Mode, but the good thing about owning all 4 sets is that you can mix and match.  Oh and did we mention that this product is formulated with collagen?  Excellent lip plumping power!



MAI Couture Blotting Papier – this product is incredible because it is a bronzer and a blotting paper in one.  Gives a light shimmer while controlling and absorbing oil.  Leaves a warm, sun-kissed glow on the skin.  Melissa also used the Rejuvenate Oil Blotting Papier in Lavender scent for removing excess shine without adding more makeup to her client’s face.  The soothing lavender scent is very calming and refreshing without being overpowering.



Lifewave Y Age Glutathione Patch – Melissa uses this product personally and was introduced to this technology through a client.  Daily, Melissa is asked about her personal skincare regime and because she feels that having good skin is not just about the products she uses on the outside, it’s also about how she treats her body on the inside, she felt it necessary to share this patch technology with our readers.



Here is a little information; Glutathione functions in our body as a master antioxidant that prevents damage to important cellular components caused by free radicals.  Basically, this patch technology slows down and can help improve the signs of aging by neutralizing free radicals that cause skin damage.  It has been clinically proven to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improve overall health. As we age, Glutathione levels start to decline and many scientists now believe that how long we live is directly proportional to how high our Glutathione levels are.

In all fairness, Melissa is a distributor with Lifewave, but for the sole purpose of purchasing these patches at wholesale cost.  If you would like more information, feel free to click on the link or visit Suzanne Somers' website at www.suzannesomers.com.  You can also read about this incredible, nontechnology in her book Knockout.  This is a personal product of Melissa’s and is not sold to any business clients on set, nor is this mention intended to generate distributors for the Lifewave organization.



Pro Contest:

Thanks to Prairie Dawn Natural Body Products for providing us with our first IMPO/Twitter contest!  Be our 1,500 follower on Twitter and the Pros will send you two of each flavor of Prairie Dawn’s Natural Lip Balm (8 lip balms total)!  Click here and start following – Good Luck!




Photo credit: Makeup by: Ayami - Photography by: Rankin for Sightsavers 


FALL BACK!


The Pros agree that our favorite time of the year is between the months of September and November, thus we begin our search for new wardrobe items, both clothing and makeup. 

During our quest, we couldn’t help but notice the touch of feline femininity seen throughout the colors and textures that definitely make Fall 2010 our most favorite season. Bold, striking, and maybe a little high maintenance, the sassy trend is one to sink your claws into.



IMPO sent Makeup Pro, Cathi Singh, out to investigate and report on all the latest Fall trends.  She says, “it’s all about clean skin, long lashes, dramatic shadow, rich velvety colors, and soft luxurious cream blushes and lip colors.”




Your first step to achieving a new Fall look begins with Foundation because healthy skin is always in, but this season the focus is refined and polished, with a less dewy sheen.  Our picks are Chanel Pro Lumiere for a semi-matte silky finish and NARS Sheer Matte foundation.





Nothing screams sex kitten like a fierce cat eye using liquid liner and new user-friendly products give this classic a helpful update. Felt tip liner pens give beginners and Pros alike the benefit of a perfectly smooth line with just a flip of the wrist.



Our favorites are; NARS Stylo Pen, Benefit Magic Ink and Smashbox Liner Pen from the Heartbreak collection.





Pro Tip: When shopping for your felt tip pen, make sure to check the size of the pen tip as it will affect how defined or dramatic it applies onto your eye. Not all pens are created equal. Also, add a modern twist to your cat eye by applying a jewel toned soft pencil around the rim of the liquid liner or smudged over it.

We sipped on pumpkin spice lattes while viewing the Fall 2010 eye shadow collections - bronzes, coppers, smoldering browns, grays, and blacks.  Green tones are usually a part of every fall/winter season, but this is the year of the humid, khaki green. The military jacket, moss colored, shade with a hint of gold for that chic finish.

Pro picks; Guerlain Terracotta Fard Indien Mineral Eye Shadow in Jungle Dust is a deep green with gold shimmer that has a built in sponge tip applicator. Perfect for the get up and go lifestyle. Also check out their shadow quad called Bronze Dore 481, which has a beautiful olive green and complimenting colors.




Indulgent, dessert like chocolate browns are also a must for Fall and the Pros are head over heels for llamasqua’s Cream Eye Shadow in Destroy, which has a satin finish with a rich terracotta pigment. Delve and Inhale are two more decadent and delicious colors to add to the autumn palette.



 


Urban Decay gets a huge gold star for their Naked Palette. It’s stocked with the gamut of bronzy browns and a deep pigmented black, as well as two eye pencils to finish off the frisky feline set.




For the ultimate in luxurious shadow, Dior has created the Minaudiere Clutch for the smoky eye enthusiasts. Amenities include classic Dior hounds tooth pattern, gold accents, and two warm glossy lip colors. This clutch is exclusive to Dior's Holiday Collection 2010 not yet available in stores.




To line your eyes, try Stila’s Smudge Stick Waterproof Liner in Moray, which is an intense olive green with blendable texture. For understated color, mix bluish green colored pencils with charcoal shadows.




Lashes are all about length this season, so the Pros suggest Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Smoky Lash Waterproof Extra Black Mascara with an elastomer high-density brush, which makes reaching lash roots easy and creates incredible separation.




Just like fashion, brows have trends too and this season, brows are taking a back seat to prominent eye or lip color due to the rising trend of lightening, highlighting and erasing brow hair. If you don’t want to dye your brows, try a lighter application with your brow pencil, or even a shade or two lighter with a powder.




Understated and soft cheeks that have just a kiss of color are a must this season and at the top of our Fall 2010 list is Senna’s Cheeky Cream Blush in Petal.  We also love Senna’s new color Hue from their latest collection, which is a sheer matte blush.




Lady GaGa isn’t the only one embracing an orange lip; this feline look rocked the runways. Tangerine lips worn with bronzer, black eyeliner and mascara will immediately make your look current and fresh.



Not to mention the orange tones warm up the skin and help maintain that tan we are desperately trying to hold on to.  Sisley Hydrating Long Lasting Lipstick in L30 or L11 is our choices when rocking this trend.




  
Burgundy lipstick is another one of our favorite trends this season. Nothing says cozy like a rich berry stained lip, fluffy sweater and good book. In our case the book is usually a fashion mag, but tomato tomahto.

The Pros love Dior Addict Lip Color in Pinstripe Plum, as seen below on French actress, Marion Cotillard in Vogue Magazine.




We also are smitten with MAC Lipstick in Kittenish from the Fabulous Felines Collection exhibit some of the finest burgundy wine shades.  NYFW was laced with wine stained lips this season, like a 1930’s prostitute on the L.A.M.B. runway created with MAC cosmetics.





PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

Fall 2010 is all about smoldering, sensual lips in jewel toned colors and we love the fact that lipstick is making a major comeback, but the Pros are so over trying to coordinate lip liners and lipstick colors!  We recommend trying Cargo Cosmetics The Reverse Lip Liner, which comes in two shades, Light or Medium/Dark.  This liner is a natural colored pencil that adds definition and fullness to the lip line and locks color in place.  Check out Cargo’s great how-to instructions below: