Well beauties, 2012 is coming to an end. We are on the brink of 2013. I have a feeling this is going to be our year! I find myself thinking about what I want to achieve, where I want to travel, my goals and what changes I want to make. This new years eve, have fun, be safe, don’t drink & drive, kiss at midnight, be sexy, workout tomorrow before the craziness begins, and most of all be beautilicious! See ya next year 🙂
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Xo,
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Hello Beauties!! Nothing better than waking up to a snow day, for me at least. Snow in the Hudson Valley is so very magical. The views here are breathtaking. National Geographic Traveler magazine named the Hudson Valley one of the best places to visit in 2013. That’s right, of the 20 places around the world the National Geographic deems most worth visiting, the Hudson Valley made the grade. We’re right up there with Kyoto, Japan, Thessaloniki, Greece, Uganda, Cape Breton Island and 15 other exotic international locales. Crazy right? I love it here. I’m writing this as I’m snuggled with with my kitten, sipping on hot tea facing the window, enjoying this view out back (with a karuna exfoliating mask on of course).
  
  
On another note, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, & have a Happy New Year–Happy Holidays to you and your families! I spent some of my week in NYC. There really isn’t anything quiet like Christmas in New York City. The tree, the lights, the shopping, the store front windows decorated perfectly, & the energy..
 
  
We even stopped to say hello to Kelly & Regis… at the Wax museum 😉
  
Here’s some more photos from holiday parties/get togethers with friends:
Me, Ashley, Marissa & Jessica’s annual Christmas fiesta!
 
Can’t forget Samantha’s house we had our cookie decorating contest!
  
  
And the salon dinner party!
 
  
Me & Chelsea got each other for our “Secret Ornament” which wasn’t so secret… can you guess who got who which ornament? LOL !
  
I bought my grandma this adorable book. It asks her tons of questions then she fills it out, every thing about her favorite memories, and childhood favorites. Once she fills it out she’ll give it back to me to treasure forever and pass down! How freaking cute?!
& just some other photos:
  
  
 
Remember this season, it isn’t about the gifts, decor, or even food (haha JK) but being around the people you love! Good people. Friends and family! Then comes all the food and cookies– Yikes..Friends, let me confess: I’m not the best when it comes to eating clean during Nov & Dec! Somewhere between all of the holiday parties, running around like a crazy makeup artist, and shopping marathons, I have completely lost my discipline. Haha, lets just say I could go toe-to-toe with Santa in a cookie eating contest. Not cute!
Instead of waiting until New Years to make my “healthy” resolutions, why not start early? I’m hoping to find that miraculous cleanse that will take that extra inch around my waist away to get me back in shape to look hot for NYE. But for now, here’s what’s on my grocery list,
-lemons
-green tea
-detox tea
-almond milk
-spinach (a lot!)
-plain nonfat greek yogurt
-low fat goat cheese (for my spinach salad)
-ground turkey or boneless/skinless chicken
-hummus
-honey
-eggs
-asaragus
-yams
-low-carb/low sugar cereal (gluten free options available)
-natural almond butter
-walnuts
-coconut oil
-balsamic vinegar
-salsa
-multi vitamins
-& remember A LOT of water !
After an absolutely amazing 2012, it’s time to celebrate this past historic year! Whether it’s low key or a night out, it’s still a celebration. As I always say, indulge in pampering yourself before the new year! Or start it off by booking a massage or facial! I plan on booking a trip to Cali asap to start my new year off !I also plan on hosting another charity event in 2013. I’m not sure if you know, but I used to host my own charity events. Way back when, I designed clothes. When I was 16 years old I started destroying jeans for fun. Back then, it was fun to spend my time crafting up my jeans. Girls in school started offering me money to customize their jeans and “wrecking” them. I would bleach, rip, cut, sew, spray paint all over them.
Naturally, people started calling me “Fashion Wreck” so hmmm.. perfect name for my “label” ..no? Before I knew it I had parents from all over the area calling me offering me money to “wreck” their daughters (and son’s) jeans. With that said my Fash!onWreck brand grew without me even realizing what I was doing. I had my first charity fashion show when I was 17 years old with my friend Amanda. What better way to raise money for good cause. I had professional hair stylists and makeup artists come to beautify my models. We raised money for a fellow student of ours Steven, who had passed away terrible brain tumor. We wanted his name to be remembered and live on in a positive way so we had hundreds of people donating and attending our fashion show with a lot of help from Steve’s friends and family. We raised 8 thousand dollars and it was put into an Art Scholarship in his memory. I still keep in touch with his mother, who is very dear to me. I love her.
  
Second Charity fashion show I did with 2 other of my girl friends was for St. Jude Children’s hospital, again raising 8 thousand dollars at the age of 18.Â
  
My last show I did last year with sponsorship from Capri Cosmetology, I raised more than my goal of 8 thousand and reached 11 thousand dollars for St. Jude.Â
My brand had grew, at that point I was designing shirts also that were being produced for me. Some of the cast members of E! & Style Networks Jerseylicious wore my designs and agreed to have the entire cast of the show, travel to my hometown to model for my event and some photoshoots!
The first two shirts I made by hand… On my kitchen floor.. lol second two I had produced in bulk which sold out immediately.
  
  
Over 450 people attended my last fashion & had a lot of people reach out to me! It was the best feeling, I can still cry thinking about it.
Here is Tracy from Jerseylicious cat walking it with my little cousin Lindsay.
 
I stopped doing the clothes thing, because, well– it just wasn’t my passion. It was just fun at the time. I love doing makeup and that’s what I will stick with. This past year, I’m so busy with work it’s hard to put another show together although I try to do makeup for as many charity fashion shows as I can. That year I won youngest, independent donator for St. Judes! I also won an award at the college I was attending. 2013 I’d love to put another event together.
haha dad’s face looks funny here!
Another event that took place recently, has truly inspired me to be kind and do good to others. At the salon I work at, a friend was in one morning last week telling us girls about how she woke up to her apartment crumbling and collapsing. She got out safely with her dog, but lost all her personal belongings and everything important to her. Another young client (20s) that didn’t know our friend, had not said a word during her story. She paid for her color and left. She returned about 2 hours later with a gift card $100 to Victoria Secret and $50 to Sephora for us to give to our friend. Truly inspiring and humbling. So motivated to do good for others!
2013 I vow to do good, work hard and expand with my makeup jobs. In the next year you can look forward to videos! I will be doing tutorials, so if there is anything you want to see please let me know!
Remember these important factors for 2013!
-be the person that makes others feel special
-visualize daily
-meditate everyday
-learn to control your mind
-work hard at what you love
-relax!
-take great care of your skin!
-splurge on good quality makeup
-be mysterious
-stop complaining (esp on Facebook)
-appreciate the little things
-get good at something
-read something inspirational every day
-choose your friends wisely
-make an appointment with me to learn how to correctly use your makeup (haha had to throw that in there)
-LOVE LOVE LOVE! INHALE LOVE & EXHALE HATE
Cheers!!!
xo,
Hello beauties ! Sorry I’ve been slacking with blog posts, after my recent trip to Miami I’ve been so sick with a head and chest cold that I’ve been fighting to shake off! Well I’m starting to feel a little better and have something fabulous to share about how you can amp up your look this winter…. but first, does anyone else feel like they blinked their eyes and Christmas is pretty much here?! The holiday is approaching us … quick! For many people the Christmas period is not only a time to relax and spend precious time with our loved ones but also to look your finest. What better feeling than to look and feel your best while entering the new year? I certainly don’t feel that I’m the only one to think eye lashes are eye catching, so why not amp up your eyes this month? I couldn’t help but be swept away by the overwhelming trend of lashes this season. It seems as though so many celebrities and models have gigantic, lush eyelashes. Eyelash extensions always scared me. I’ve seen them done and go wrong and actually rip out real, natural lashes before… Yikes! So when it came to lash extensions, I always thought to run… FAST! That was until I met with Phyliss! Miss eyelash extension herself! My friend Nicole recommended her to me. She explained to me that lash extensions are not only popular and luxurious but save you so much time. Of course I had to try them. Since I’d be staying with Kim Kardashian’s personal makeup artist in Miami, it inspired and motivated me to go with long luxurious lashes like Kim! So two nights before Miami, I booked my appointment with Phyliss. Not only is she trained and certified, but she has worked on celebrities such as Scarlet Johansen, Cindy Crawford & Megan Fox (my ultimate girl crush) I was definitely nervous, and she laughed and reassured me to calm down! Haha! She made it very comfortable for me. She showed me before and after photos of her work so I could see samples. The whole process took a little over an hour. I lied down as she sat behind me and placed a white sticky pad underneath my eye on the lower lash line to keep the bottom lashes separate from the top. We talked the entire time which made the process go by so much quicker. Once she was done applying, I was so anxious to get up and stare in the mirror. To my surprise, there was absolutely NO IRRITATION (and I have extremely sensitive eyes)  It was completely painless, and looked fabulous !
   
  
In my opinion, lash extensions are the answer! The answer for the woman who spend so much time curling her lashes, the answer for the ladies who spends time putting on several coats of mascara, and the answer for me, a makeup artist who is busy and just wants to wake up and go in the morning! These are a good option and look amazing especially if you like instant beautiful, long dark lashes, without mascara, curling or fusing over a daily lash growth product. Lash extensions are semi-permanent and last up to 4-6 weeks. They fall out gradually with the cycle of your eyelash growth. You are continuously growing new lashes as the old ones fall out. They don’t ruin your natural eyelash! Your lashes will continue to grow. Phyliss was very precise with her application which is very important! You do however, want to avoid oil around your eyes. The oil breaks down the adhesive making the eyelash extensions fall out faster. Don’t pull or pick your lashes. When you get wet your face just don’t rub your eyes (which you shouldn’t do anyway) Every 3-4 weeks you will need fills. I’ll probably schedule for fills next week. It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve had them and they still look and feel fabulous! They feel so lightweight and look so natural. It costs about $200 for an application although Phyliss is running a special until Christmas for only $99!!!! JUMP ON THAT! She’s located in lower Westchester, NY.  If your not in the NY area and you are interested in lash extensions, make sure they are certified and trained in lash extensions! Make sure to see samples of their work, and read reviews. You absolutely do not want to take any risks what so ever with your eyes! If you see eyelash extensions for $30, they are not the same kind of lashes and appointment you should experience.
Again, I don’t wear much makeup (surprising since applying makeup is my job) so this makes “getting up and going” much more pleasant! The photo below I’m wearing very minimal makeup. For my eyes I just applied a super thin shadow above my lash line.
Enjoy ladies 😉
XOXO
December is a hard partying month. Especially this December… Isn’t the world “supposedly ending” in 2 weeks? Who makes these ridiculous accusations up? But, “Bob” forbid it is, what better way to kick this December off than a four day weekend in the sun? Not to mention, who doesn’t love a little bit of warmth and sunshine during the winter holidays?! I have completed well over 60 weddings this season, and a ton of makeup jobs in between so I NEEDED this weekend get-a-way. And Miami is the perfect place for a mini vacation. I do not claim to be the best packer, but I must say that I have made strides in overcoming the need to pack my entire closet room, into my luggage for a weekend trip. When it comes to figuring out what makeup and skin care products to pack, I STRESS! Yeah, packing clothes, bikinis and shoes are easy. But packing makeup and beauty supplies is definitely more daunting. I had to pack light. So what are my travel beauty essentials?
  
– Harney & Sons Green Tea & a tiny jar of honey
-BLISS oil free makeup remover
-Secret deodorant
-Betsey Johnson shades
-MAC blacktrack gel liner
-Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer with 20 spf
-Benefit Erase paste
-Benefit Bad Gal lash
-Benefit Highbeam
-NARS blush in Orgasm
-Smashbox Photo OP
-Model in a Bottle setting spray
-Somme Institute travel pack 5 step cleansing routine
-Visine
-Lily B eye cream and travel sized moisturizer
-Hand Sanitizer
-Simply Bee~utiful lip palm
-Aura Cacia lavender oil
-Sample sized Hylunia Beyond C
-NARS mini primer
-Caudalie spray
-Kiss my face sunscreen
-Redken Powder refresh
We booked our trip during the busiest weekend of the year in Miami, thanks to the Art Basel. The Art Basel features thousands of artists with hoards of collections and exhibits. You can only imagine how many people flew in from all over the world to attend this event. In the week leading up to the Art Basel, I had to mentally and physically prepare. An oxygen facial at La Tua bella beauty bar was a necessity the night before my Miami arrival, along with lash extensions from Phyliss and a full body massage to prep myself for the plane ride. Yes its only a 2 1/2 hour flight but come on! Being a makeup artist I’m hunching over enough as it is, sitting in place for too long kills my back and butt ! So I needed the knots OUT! Going to Miami, also meant going to an insanely nice hotel that overlooks the water. We chose Fountaine Bleau on Collins Rd. Rates for Miami this past weekend were not favorable since the Art Basel was taking place, so we figured we might as well book a luxurious room way up high in the Miami Skyline making the night more than worth while and convenient, considering we were attending LIV (nightclub) also in our hotel. This was a gorgeous hotel and I’d absolutely recommend and would love to stay here again. Oh Miami, how I’ve missed you so! Sunny skies and an incredibly breathtaking view of the ocean from my friend’s balcony where we stayed the remainder of our visit.
    
Thank you Zack and Rob for welcoming me and my girlfriend Alyse in their dreamy penthouse. Zack is a “Zack-of-all-trades” haha. But really. He is. He is too much fun, whether it was going out and partying or just lounging around, I’m so happy I got to bond with him and his friend/co-worker Cesar. I can’t wait to visit and spend more time with them. Rob Scheppy, the other roomie was nothing less than fabulous. First impression, he had amazing shoes. Loved him from the start. He had us peeing ourselves laughing later the next night while sitting on the balcony as he shared his hilarious stories. These guys have incredible energy that I just loved to be around. Taking you back through a bit of my Miami holiday vacation, my time was split between laying on the beach, hanging out the crew from my favorite show on E! I’ll let you do the guessing 😉 , eating at my buddy Flavio’s AMAZING restaurant La Lupa di Roma (please eat there if you haven’t), a performance by Jay Z, jungle dancing to house music at some of the hottest clubs, shopping was a must, hanging out with my friend Skeery Jones and his co-workers from Z-100, meeting new friends and lounging around enjoying the weather. I’d call it a total success. With cute boutiques and shops spread out all over, shopping is a fabulous way to discover some of Miami. Miami is literally a party every day. It’s also a city that always gets my creative juices flowing. So much beauty, fashion, and flamboyance gets my mind thinking of new inspirations and ideas! I created two short videos from our trip. All content was recorded with my iPhone. I wish I recorded so much more! But check them out!!! ENJOY!
  
  
 
Do you instagram? If you do follow us! Check out our talents 😉
MY instagram: @Alexgill
ALYS instagram: @alysecamara
ZACKS instagram: @Zackelcott
ROBS instagram: @robscheppy
  
Well ladies, its been a year. A year since you saw last years show. A year since you promised yourself you’d go to the gym religiously, a year since you vowed to stop eating Chilis & ordering Dominos pizza every week, a year since you’d promised you would replace all the shoes in your closet with the hottest running shoes…. (sighs) Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is upon us, and is nothing less of a holiday. A holiday where no big meals can be consumed. Tonight is THE night that all you girls and yes, even guys gather around the big screen to admire the glitz, glamour, the over the top lingerie, all the LEGS and of course of the angel’s and their iconic wings.
As you may know the fashion show was filmed a few weeks ago in NYC. I wasn’t lucky enough to be there, (I think I would kill to be there doing makeup, maybe next year) but lucky enough to know a handful of people that were there. I talked to a makeup artist that participated. She told me that they were instructed to do very natural makeup this year. Only my favorite look. Hello brides! This look is for you! The bronzed look is gone. BYE! See you later. There was NO bronzer applied to the face. The look they created this year was “A healthy, sophisticated glow.” Trying to embrace my paleness this winter just got a hell of a lot easier for me. The big dramatic smokey eyes from last year got replaced with a light, neutral smokey eye. Individual lashes were used to create more fullness. Individuals are so much more natural than strip lashes but still makes a big difference in making your eyes pop. You will notice that the Angel’s skin, cheeks and lips are glowing and radiating with a healthy warm pink color. This year black mascara was used for the top lashes, and brown mascara for the bottom lashes. (Note: this is especially great for girls with lighter colored eyes, which will make them pop)
  
As for the hair, extensions were applied to every girl after getting a fresh blowout. Watching youtube videos, I noticed the blow driers are the T3 driers which I have and love!
The hair stylus created soft waves, which is so easy to do on yourself I’ll have to do a future post on this, since it is a question I receive often. They curled the extensions before putting them in the hair, which makes the job so much easier. Ladies please, if you wear clip in extensions, which I know more than half of you do, curl them before you put them on your head! That way you can style them before placing them on yourself, and all you need to do is clip them, this way your not clipping them in, then pulling with the curling iron which is pulling on your real hair. They used the extensions not for length, but for volume. Using the VS so sexy mousse all over, spritzing a little VS Volumizing Spray on the top, in the roots, giving it that perfect lift. The hair styles matched the makeup looks, looking soft, healthy and oh, so gorgeous.
And the model’s diets? You mean they aren’t born with super flat stomachs, amazing legs, and perfectly in shape everything else? Eating healthy and very clean is a must! Healthy food, organic protein and vegetables. Working out an 1-2 hours a day. Yoga, kickboxing and running seem to be the most popular.
Make sure to keep an eye out for their shoes! Designer Nicolas Kirkwood designed EXCLUSIVE shoes for each individual model to go with the different stories that will be featured on tonights show.
The designs are divine if you ask me. The three looks tonight are Circus, Silver screen, and Angel bloom.
Of course I will be attending the fashion show tonight at 10pm in my living room sporting my Victoria Secret undies, comfy PINK yoga pants and a PINK sweatshirt, maybe my new VS slippers also that were free with my pajama purchase last week, that is if I don’t go to the screening of the show in NYC tonight with my friend. 😉 I was an angel once for Halloween one year, so maybe I’ll pull those wings out from my Halloween decorations in the attic and run around wearing that too. For you’s that don’t know, I dedicated my closet to Victoria’s Secret. Haha obsessed much?
  
  
  
  
  
So ladies, have no shame, feel free to indulge in whatever you want today…. because tomorrow starts the diets and back to the gym. Bring on all the Facebook statuses tonight, the “I want to be that skinny,” “She’s not even that pretty,” “Those girls are too thin,” “I would kill someone to look like that,” “Well, I’m embracing my curves,” haha I’m ready for them all. I’m also looking forward to the performances, especially Justin Beiber’s since Selena Gomez broke up with him, after seeing a photo on twitter of him with a VS model in his hotel room after the show. But no worries, Justin & Selena are back together. Oh, young love, nothing wrong with getting a little action from a Victoria Secret model! haha cheers ladies! Last year I was pleasantly surprised to see a model on stage dancing along side Candice Swanepoel that I once did makeup for, hopefully I’ll see someone I know again!
Below I’m posting the latest music video I did makeup and grooming for featuring singer Michelle Sangalli and model/actor Christopher Lykins directed by Edwin Escobar. Enjoy 🙂
XO,
Hello beauties! Happy Sunday! & Happy December! There are not many people that would argue that massages & facials are the best way to instant relaxation. With the constant busy schedules and stressful economy that we all have, massage treatments are the best way to escape the everyday stresses of life. Taking care of your mind, body and spirit are three very important factors for me. We all love a good spa treatment. I emphasize to all my clients It’s so important to make some time for yourself on a regular basis and de-stress! It’s so important to have a little peace and quiet, and do something for yourself! Whether it’s a massage, facial, makeup application, yoga session, whatever!
When I booked my vacation to Cabo last summer, I knew that I would love to incorporate a massage into my trip. Vacation and relaxation are two words that definitely go hand in hand. I get a massage often back at home, but this was more of an ‘experience’. The atmosphere is so incredible and spending 90 minutes on the beach, next to ocean, receiving a massage was probably the most relaxing sensation ever. It wasn’t too hot because I received it in the morning when the sun wasn’t so strong, and the breeze from the ocean made it feel like there was a cool fan blowing on me the entire massage.
My girlfriend Jessica, treated us to a 60 minute massage at Marlene Weber Day Spa in Poughkeepsie for my last birthday. We definitely enjoyed it. The wait was longer than I anticipated, we sat in our robes for 30 minutes before the session began but we did enjoy a nice cup of tea and some fruit while waiting. We got a couples massage (lol) cute idea for best friends! We received sweedish massages which are my favorite, because its not too rough so I’m relaxed the whole time, but firm enough to get the knots out! The staff was very friendly and the spa was also relaxing.
  
But lets face it ladies & gents, spa treatments and in general massages are a great way to relax but it all depends on as to how comfortable you are. When it comes to pampering, there is NO place like home. I prefer getting treatments done right in the luxury of my house. Sometimes I do want a traditional spa day, but luckily for me, my cousin is a massage therapist and my friend Jessica is an esthetician. When I book appointments with them to come over, they bring the high-end spa works. Massage tables, sheets, Egyptian cotton towels, sumptuous oils, candles, spa music and personalized services. An in home massage enables you to really prolong your relaxation. My cousin practices Swedish, Deep tissue, Reflexology and Reiki on me. At home massages are fantastic and I feel so comfortable and relaxed throughout the whole session. The lights are dimmed, soothing music plays, and soft candles are lit. I can’t imagine anything more perfect, being in the comfort of your own home, can you? I do enjoy the spa, but who wants to drive home after a 90 minute massage or facial? At home, you have nowhere to go after. No traffic. No driving. Just get yourself ready for a massage and benefit from the treatment session. At home, my stress level is down and I feel much more relaxed. After a massage and/or facial at home, I take a warm bath after to further my relaxation. Relaxing requires focusing your attention within and withdrawing it from your senses and the external world. After that and a cup of tea, I’m ready for bed! I couldn’t ask for a better experience. Massage in general at home or at the spa is good for stress relief, managing anxiety and/or depression, pain, blood pressure, injuries, cancer treatment, and boosting immunity.
If your goal in getting a facial is just to be pampered, chances are good that you’ll find what you’re looking for. So relaxing! For others, a facial is primarily a way to improve the look of their skin. Skin is very important to me, especially being a makeup artist! It’s the canvas to my art! Facials are believed by many to fix these common skin problems. Exfoliation, with astringents, masks or peels, can reach deep into the skin’s upper layer to strip away dead skin cells and reveal newer cells underneath. When I make appointments with my friend Jessica, she comes over and turns my living room into the ultimate spa. She came over tonight for my monthly at home facial. She carries over her table, steamer, lights, music, etc. She starts off with a consultation every time, targeting your skin’s problem areas. Based off that, she’ll decide which products to use. She normally does a glycolic peel to my face (it burns A LOT, but that means it’s eating the dead skin cells away, I like to think of it as a Pac Man affect) and we end it off applying a cooling mask. We usually rotate masks. My favorite she uses is the seaweed mask. Tonight she used Hylunia’s Papaya Enzyme mask. While the mask is on she massages you, which puts me right to sleep. There is nothing better than getting this done in the comfort of your own home! Especially during the holidays, the Christmas decor adds a nice touch.Â
  
  
  
If this just isn’t for you, there is a lot of home treatments you can make an apply to yourself! I’ll add some that I use, so you can try if interested.
Although I love my at home pamper days, sometimes it is nice to just get out of the house and enjoy the perks of getting pampered at a spa too. My favorite spas in my area are La Tua Bella beauty bar, Marlene Weber & Haven Spa.
Jessica is currently booking at home facial parties, so perfect for this season! I can not emphasize enough how lovely this is! Hour and ten minutes of pure BLISS. I’m absolutely going to host a facial party at my house for all my girl friends, once my schedule calms down a bit. Michelle also does onsite massages and will book parties. For information on at home massages and facials please feel free to contact me so I can forward your their information so you can book your party or at home treatment ! If your not local or from the area then try contacting your local spa. They sometimes have someone that free lances for them or that will do on site work. Also, Please subscribe to my blog if you haven’t yet! I just got an AMAZING brazilian blowout this past week and will be doing a post about that too since so many people ask me about it! Here’s some photos below from my friend Kyra’s beautiful winter wonderland wedding last night! Oh & Heather’s spiked Louboutins.. lol she has every pair I want! Have a great week 🙂
  
  
  
  
  
XO,
  
MUAHbyAlex 