bridal – MUAHbyAlex

When opportunity knocks, open that door!

There is just something so incredibly optimistic about 2013. As we are approaching the end of February, I find myself asking a lot of questions about my goals, what I want to accomplish, what my intentions are and if I’m ready? I really feel that 2013 is full of possibilities. I believe you need to think about and even write down your goals every so often. Remind yourself to always chase after success. I am absolutely ready to dive in & devote all of my time into my work, and crawl up that ladder in my career. I love what I do! I wouldn’t waste my time pursing it so much, if I didn’t love it. I feel that the world would be much happier if everyone found work in what they love doing. I fully respect all other artists, experts & beginners. Especially the artists that have paved the way before me! I treat people, the way I want to be treated, and I’ll never stop learning. You are constantly learning in this industry. If you think you know it all… Think again, and maybe this industry is not the right one for you. It takes a lot of time. & with time your going to fail.. ACCEPT THAT! Better yourself from your mistakes that’d you have and will make. I love assisting more experienced, professional artists that have so much to teach. It gives you the opportunity to see how a very experienced person handles all aspects of a shoot, show, or job. I am confident that my 2013 will be a more thoughtful, lovely, strict mindset on being positive and thinking positive, and full of possibilities….. When opportunity knocks, open that door!

Last Monday, I enjoyed prepping models for the Mark Mcnairy show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Lucky for me the temperatures warmed up after blizzard Nemo… Who name’s a blizzard Nemo? Haha! I couldn’t help but notice Nigel Barkers twitter update during my train ride to NYC: “White is in. Nemo is making a dramatic fashion statement.” Working for a fashion show, always seems to inspire me & I couldn’t help but admire all the handsome, french, “Edward Cullen” vampire look-a-likes surrounding me. HELLO!

Our lead makeup artist was Victor Amos. Who is beyond fabulous and does amazing work. Be sure to check out his blog: Probeautyblog.com

I was so happy to work next to so many great artists including Tara Pagliara who is not only a friend, but an inspiration! The look Victor created was beautiful skin, with a strong highlight and light contour for both the men and women. For the women they used a deep cherry lip color (I believe a Tom Ford color, but can’t remember which shade).

As for the hair, the girls wore a low side, messy braid. And let’s not forget the fashion… A lot of fun prints and outerwear. I noticed a lot of oversized pockets and blazers. I read somewhere that Mark Mcnairy is collaborating a sneaker line with Adidas (which I didn’t know while I was at the show) but found interesting.

Last week I also had pleasure working for a Cross Fit photo shoot, doing makeup for Love In Bloom. Love In Bloom is an organization that Vivan Photography started in memory of her step daughter, helping young girls make healthy life choices. This Cross Fit gym was filled with young, smart (strong) girls that were chosen to represent this years Love In Bloom scholarship fund. I was really happy to work with fellow artists, Jenny Greene-Magliano and Tara Pross-Pellegrino and of course my fabulous hair crew from Salon 52! The Poughkeepsie Journal covered the event, which was nice too.

I’ve done a few more jobs, and making sure to keep staying busy. I’ll post photos of what I’ve been up to .. One of my DirecTV commercials I did makeup & grooming for should be airing during The Oscars .. So be on the lookout ! Starting with this image of Nastasia Scott (America’s Next Top Model cycle 19) taken by Lora Warnick.. Made it to the cover of a magazine! Hair by Anthony HollywoodStylist Terry & Styling by Dawn of New York. Second Image taken by Tess Johnson.

I was recently awarded Best of 2013 (Makeup artist) voted from local brides of The Knot.. Picked up this magazine yesterday..

And I will add that it is not easy eating healthy while running around, doing all this work. As much as I dread it at times, I can’t afford to get sick or feel unenergized. My favorite dinner meal is below. Bake chicken, then chop into tiny pieces, put chicken pieces in zip lock bag with hot sauce (no calories) .. Shake it up, then cook on skillet on high heat until the hot sauce caramelizes. To cool it down, I dip it in Non-Fat greek yogurt ( I add a tiny bit of hot sauce, garlic and pepper ) which is a great alternative opposed to ranch dressing or bleu cheese. Bake sweet potatoes on the side. Nom Nom nom…

-Lots of water, lemon water & Green tea!

-Protein!

-Spinach

-Sweet potatoes

-Hummus

-Chicken

-Non fat greek yogurt

-Egg whites

-Vitamins

-Almond Milk

-Ezekiel brand cereals & bread

Happy Monday followers! Have a great week… Looking forward to a lot of brides this week.. Bring it on xoxo

Who runs the world?! GIRLS!

Beyonce once asked, “Who runs the world?” To which we all unanimously responded from the dance floor “GIRLS!” With the big Beyonce concert last night, (and some football in between ) I was so excited to spend some time with my GIRLS! Let’s discuss how Miss Queen B herself, literally shut it downnnnnn! Like..the electricity and everything… You could definitely tell she was singing her not so little butt off live last night, full of such high energy! I was a tiny bit disappointed that her boo Jay Z didn’t come out and join her during the Crazy In Love performance. But my disappointment was completely gone when the reunion of Desitiny’s Child was on the big screen! The trio looked hot and sang their hit songs, Survivor, Bootylicious & Independent Woman… Nonetheless BeyonceBowl was nothing less of epic!!

Beyonce wore a shimmery grey smokey eye with a bit of bronze to intensify her eyes. Intensify they did, almost making her eyes look demon-ish to me.. Sorry B! She obviously looked gorgeous & fierce no matter what (especially after having a baby!), but I wish there was a bit more color used in her eyes. Her skin? Flawless as always. Hair? Big and voluptuous. This Hair style is so easy to re create! Create a deep middle part, curl hair in vertical pattern using your curling iron or wand, then gently brush out the curls using a brush with soft bristles, turn your head upside down, shake a bit, add some soft hair spray and wah lah ! Her outfit? Leather outfit with knee socks looking like a modern day version of Xena, Warrior Princess.. Yes please!

B’s version of warrior…

My version …

I was so happy I got to spend some time with my ladies, but let’s admit… any big event like “BeyonceBowl” (super bowl) can be a huge calorie FEST and compare to holidays such as Thanksgiving. Ummm.. No thanks! I’m absolutely sticking that New Years Resolution I made and obtaining a healthy life style. Luckily, my friends are on the same page as me, and hosted a fabulous, healthy party. Marissa & Joe prepared:

-Sweet Potato fries with greek siracha

-Salsa

-Black bean dip

-Fresh guacamole

-Baked hot chicken wings (hot sauce on the side)

-Chocolate protein Balls

We passed on the beer (I’m not a beer drinker anyway) and sipped on our tea and water bottles instead. If you did binge on beer, chips and wings like most party go-ers did last night, it’s okay! Nothing a little extra gym time, detox tea, and lemon water can’t fix! I’m following a Fab Ab February challenge I found via Instagram.

New Vitamin I’m trying out:

I’m going to post a few recent photos I received this week of recent work I’ve been up to. Lots of bridal trials this week and photo shoots scheduled! Can’t wait to post about it 🙂 Let’s not forget NYFW is upon us….you can find me backstage with my handy dandy brushes and pallets! For now, Happy Monday.. Hope your week is off to a fabulous start!

Makeup & Hair for friend & personal client:

Before & After on a bride’s mother.. wanted a very natural look, so I kept it simple but still enhanced her natural beauty!

ME & MY GIRLS:

XOXO,

Would you like a cup of tea?

Hello beauties! Hope the start to your 2013 has been great so far! I’ve been focusing so much on work. As Confucius once said, “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”… easier said then done right? I absolutely love what I do, but work is still work. This year lets cheers to pushing our comfort zones a bit more. This year I’m hoping to focus my efforts and seek out opportunities that excite me the most. You see, I’m a little all over the place, constantly diving into various projects. I get bored too easily, and constantly need to be booking a job, or doing the next best thing to get me to my goal.

I am happy to say I am key makeup artist for the Miss New York USA pageant this month, and will be in charge of 2o other artists. I’m hoping to meet Trump before the event, I would love to get my hands on his hair to fix it up a bit 😉 I also just booked a job doing makeup for a Bank of America shoot next week and 15 upcoming weddings for this year so far. The thing with being a makeup artist is you never know who your going to meet, and what jobs are going to come your way. It’s a very hectic, busy, colorful lifestyle but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Makeup & hair for Miss Samantha DeRosa for her big concert last night!

But now I’d like to take a moment to discuss tea. Tea is my second favorite love after makeup and slightly before my collection of Yankee candles. Ever since watching Alice in Wonderland, I’ve been a fan of tea. I mean, how can you not? I will confess, I’m a tea drinker all year long. You will find me sipping on hot the from the depths of winter to the blazing hot summer.I have always loved the idea of tea time. Tea time is definitely one of the main highlights of my day. It has become not only a love, but an obsession. It reawakens my senses in the morning and then rejuvenates my body at the end of a crazy, hectic day.

Tea is warming, soothing and welcoming. Did you know that after water, tea is the second most commonly consumed beverage in the world? With many health benefits, a well-earned tea break can be the “healthy way” to relax, calm ourselves, and help us catch our breath in the bustle of our busy days.

Thank you to the ancient Chinese emperor for discovering tea, after his servant boiled drinking water after some leaves accidentally blew into the water. So I guess I should thank his servant too. There are so many varieties of tea- green, white, black, herbal, red, etc.

A tea bag is great for my quick cup of tea, but I love taking loose tea and taking a few minutes to brew it. It’s a ritual for me. Saturday afternoons I like to get lunch and tea at the local tea room with friends. I’ve hosted a handful of tea parties. Whats better than sipping on herbs sharing your week with your ladies, while enjoying the smell of earthy-tea aromas and delicious finger foods and scones? mmm.. not much.

The first photo is of a tea pot I made and painted at a pottery place & the next is my favorite set my bf bought me for my birthday 🙂

Ahh.. there is nothing better than a good cup of tea. You can sit back enjoying this beverage that not only tastes so good but does you good. Now that is refreshing. Happy tea drinking to all! May ALL of your dreams and goals happen in 2013!

Live well.

xo,

Happy holidays! Inspirational & Motivating

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.

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.

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,

GIVE BIG! SHOP SMALL, SHOP LOCAL!

Hello beauties! I don’t usually do posts on Tuesdays, but waking up this morning to a light snow fall, with my house fully decked out in Christmas decor, definitely put me in the Holiday spirit and inspired me to do a post. This holiday season, I’m feeling some changes. In my business of blogging, being an artist in the makeup industry, organizing events, etc. it can become a bit tiring focusing on things all the time. Things you may ask? By things, I mean the perfect gift guides, the what do i wear to holiday parties, and the latest little must-haves whether it be the hottest new makeup pallets, tools for my kit, or gifts for friends and family. It can become over exhausting financially and physically. So I decided to change things up a bit, and do things a little differently this year. When holiday shopping, I’m choosing to make an important investment in our community! From interesting, brilliant crafted products to original, personal services, my experiences at my favorite small businesses leave me pleased constantly. I’ve met some incredible and inspiring self employed, business owners who are inspiring me to do this post.

GIVE BIG! SHOP SMALL, SHOP LOCAL!

Now obviously big businesses are essential to our economy too, since they of course employ locally and give back to the communities, so I’m definitely not trying to bash the big guys here. But this season, I’m going to make the effort to discover some of these unique, admirable additions for gifts to my loved ones. Instead of making your gift guides based on what we normally would, lets try to purchase from our favorite small shops. My favorite small businesses definitely include

Salon 52,

La Tua Bella beauty bar (which you can read about in my previous postings),

Maizies Tea Room,

Cupcake Confessions by Miss V,

and Simply Bee~utiful.

The Pottery Shack! My friend Marissa’s aunt owns a local pottery shop, we went there and painted our own pottery. It was so much fun, relaxing and I love my tea pot I created myself!

I asked some of my readers what their favorite small businesses were and here were some listed:

Gypsy Warrior Boutique, Pink Jewels, PoshBoutique Montville, MSV, Nutz, Joe’s dairy bar, Brassiere 292, Tiramisu restaurant, Steven Amendola, Marlene Weber, Alto music, Tuminaro’s Pharmacy, Rock and Snow, Dedrick’s, Rossi’s deli, Tay, Catbirdnyc.com which features jewelry made by local NYC makers, Beacon bath & bubble featuring all home made bath products from soaps, salts, scrubs, lotions and tons of delicious scents, made with all organic ingredients that are good for your skin, nellys, dana bands, Doughty plumbing & heating, Shadows, Beacon delights for candles, Osmia Organics for natural skincare products, Cocktail perfume, Cesare & Lilly, Babylonian Soap Company, Farmie Market& the list goes ON!

Not familiar with Osmia Organics? Love her soaps! Watch this video and get familiar!

Here is a head piece I wore today, I bought locally and it was hand made, but forgive me I threw out the tag and CAN NOT remember for anything who made it.

But I LOVE it! Perfect for this wintery day!

I hope some of you reading this, are willing to support and hop on the small business train for some of your Christmas shopping this year !

Now, for those of us who have limited time or limited budgets, can find great items & more affordable, yet comparable substitutions at our local drugs stores. My favorite foundation is Makeup Forever Hd foundation retailed at $42 at Sephora. I am VERY particular and fussy when it comes to foundations. I need something smooth, non clogging, lightweight yet getting great coverage without feeling like your wearing a mask. The ONLY drugstore foundation I found very comparable to makeup forever’s foundation is Maybelline New York Fit Me! Foundation retailing at only $8 !!! I have every shade of this foundation and absolutely love it.

I also love It’s a 10 Miracle conditioner retailing at $16 for 5 oz. At Walmart I grabbed L’Oreal EverCreme intense nourishing conditioner retailing at $6 for 8.5 oz. I LOVE IT! It’s sulfate-free and is filled with natural omegas infusing moisture into the hair. Make sure to always get Sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner.

Rather than spending a fortune in Teavana which I’m 100% guilty of, purchase local tea at Harney & Sons. Based out of Millerton, NY, they also opened up a shop in SoHo, NY you can read all about Harney & Son’s story here: http://www.harney.com/blog/our-tradition-of-tea/

My collection of Karuna facial masks. Retails online for $28 a box of 4, BUT found at Marshalls for $12 😉

Happy holiday shopping! Time for facial masks and tea time. Here are a few photos that I recently received in my email from jobs the past couple weeks. Enjoy beauties!

screen shot from music video last week I did makeup, hair & grooming for

In action shot of the bride’s mother in law last week, taken from Gary of Christine Studios.. one of my favorite wedding photographers!

Beautiful shot from one of my past bride’s Dina… Unsure of the photographers name but as soon as I find out I will credit them! Makeup by me, Hair by Annaliese Tatulli

Love this bride! Gorgeous vintage look. Makeup by me hair by Nicole Naccarato

So much more to come! Xo

Hylunia

Hi beauties! 2 years ago I was introduced to an amazing, natural, organic skin care line called Hylunia. If you know me personally, then you definitely have heard me RAVE about this line or have seen my posts about Hylunia on my facebook page. When I was introduced to Hylunia, I was working at a salon nearby and they had just hired a esthetician named Lillian. Lillian & myself bonded quickly. She reminds me of my grandmothers, very loving, welcoming and sweet. She’s been in the industry for years and had used Hylunia for over a decade. I was always skeptical of facials and messing with my skin because my skin tends to be sensitive & I can break out easily. After researching and looking over reviews on this product line I was finally convinced I needed a facial from her & it probably was the best decision I’ve made for my skin. The products are so light weight and smooth. My skin feels so fresh and radiant after using Hylunia. My facials from Lillian went from non existent to getting a facial once every two weeks. OFFICIALLY ADDICTED! Unfortunately as time went on, Lillian moved and I started working at a different salon. I miss her amazing facials but will be forever hooked on Hylunia thanks to her!

I use Beyond Complex C on my face every morning & night after cleansing. After 2 weeks using this product, I can tell you that you WILL notice a difference in your skin. This light-weight orange lotion packed with Vitamin C is a rejuvenating bio-active serum that evens out your skin tone and minimizes fine lines & wrinkles. The texture of your skin WILL improve! You only need a tiny amount. A little bit of this product goes a long way. Beyond Complex C is organic, vegan and cruelty-free. No matter what skin care line I’m using I mix the Beyond C in it as well. I’m truly addicted.

Hylunia’s anti-oxidant vitamin mask is also one of my favorites. Sometimes I wear it to bed and wake up with such soft, smooth skin. I use the The Colloidal Silver spray containing Lavendar Floral Water every day after exercising, yoga, if I’m hot, during work, after work, (lol) also addicted.. It eats away bacteria and is so refreshing and cooling! The Colloidal Silver has healing properties and is PERFECT for all skin types (yes, even sensitive!) It helps keep skin soft, clean and refreshed. I love the day lotion, keep your face feeling very moisturized and contains SPF which is a must! The Night Serum is the best night treatment I’ve ever tried on my skin.

I’m proud to say I got most of my friends equally addicted to Hylunia! & hopefully after reading this post some of you will try it out ! It can be pricey for the whole line but I promise it’s worth it.. And remember a little bit of product can go a long way. After reaching out, Hylunia was even kind enough to donate samples to me for my blog launch party! Thank you Hylunia for being the BEST!!!

Here’s a photo after I had a hylunia facial, no redness or irritation !

Do you plan on trying hylunia products? Have you ever tried it? What are your opinions & thoughts? So many exciting things in the works, my next post will be on Sunday ! Xo

Go for the glow!

Ah November, you are here and creeped up on me way too quickly. I can’t believe I find myself holiday shopping already! I started buying gifts and goodies for my girls. Oh, how I will miss summer dearly but can’t say the beginning of these crisp days and nights excite me. Every year when the weather turns cold, I find myself craving hot baths, hot showers, and of course hot tea. Sure it all sounds fabulous and feels nice, but I’m trying to refrain myself from doing so (besides the tea part!). Let me tell you why. The hot water may feel amazing when it’s cold outside, and a great way for warming you up from this chilly weather, but it is an absolute NIGHTMARE for drying out your body and scalp. I’ve mentioned before in one of my previous posts that I used to suffer from psoriasis. I have to work extra hard to keep myself hydrated to avoid any dryness that can trigger dry skin and psoriasis. Hot water can suck the hydration right out of our bodies, leaving us with dry skin and dandruff. If you absolutely love taking hot showers like me, then here is a few pointers to keep yourself hydrated this winter!

–Exfoliate! Exfoliating helps the skin absorb products better, giving you a smoother appearance. The three most important things you can do for your skin are clean it, moisturize it, and protect it from the sun. Exfoliation helps to deep cleanse your skin, which will help it retain more moisture and look fresher, younger and healthier. If exfoliating at home is just not enough then I definitely recommend having your skin polished at the spa! One of my favorite services to receive would definitely be microdermabrasion. I feel that it really improves skin texture and eliminates discoloration making your skin very even toned. Microdermabrasion also erases fine lines ! You want to make sure you go to a very reputable establishment before receiving this service. Your task should be performed by a licensed esthetician or even a dermatologist. If you suffer from rosacea, I wouldn’t recommend getting Micro because it can leave your skin aggravated and cause redness. The micro process removes the very top layer of your skin, so some people’s skin will turn pink after for a short period of time. ( This doesn’t happen to me ) I like to get this done a couple days before a big event, leaving my skin polished and glowing. DO NOT go into the sun after getting Micro! Your skin will become easily irritated and more susceptible to sunburn. Regular removal of dead skin cells and surface impurities or exfoliation helps prevent excessive thickening of your skin which makes it look pasty and not fresh. EW! For my at home exfoliations I use Ole Hendricksen’s Walnut Complexion Scrub found at Sephora. I also LOVE Karuna’s exfoliating mask, which I use once a week. Use gentle circular strokes when exfoliating and don’t SCRUB or work on any area for too long because it will cause irritation. I exfoliate at home once a week. For your body you can use stronger scrubs and brushes. I use a loofah. I also love sugar scrubs. I exfoliate my body every time I shower and moisturize as soon as I get out so my whole body feels ultra soft.

Getting micro in this photo! I look like a mummy lol

–Moisturize within minutes of stepping out of the shower. People think the best time to hydrate is after your skin is dried off….wrong. The best time to lather on facial moisturizers and body lotions is when your skin is still slightly damp. Your body absorbs the product better and in turn you end up using less product then you normally would!

Simply Bee-utiful Lavender Honey lotion.. All natural.. feels so good !

-For shampoos stick to brands without sulfates. Sulfate is not good for your scalp and very drying. A LOT of shampoos have sulfate. I use Onesta shampoo & Nature’s Gate shampoo which are both natural and sulfate free.

–Argan Oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil and sesame oil is my best kept secrets to smooth, soft skin…especially in the winter months. I mix a few drops into my body lotion, rub into my cuticles and layer on top of my moisturizer for added hydration.

This oil is what I use to shave my legs 🙂

There are many things to love about this time of year.. My birthday 😉 Thanksgiving, Christmas, crisp snowy mornings, holiday parties, festive lights, hot tea and cocoa, ice skating, jingle Ball, fireplaces with a room filled with lit candles, so much.

Jingle Ball’s After party last year with Redfoo

My birthday last year.. dressed as batman lmao

Ghetto fire place … haha we ran out of real fire wood

But unfortunately with these cold months ahead also brings on puffy eyes, headaches, runny noses, etc. So irritating to deal with, and takes a toll on your beauty routine as well. Make sure to take your vitamins, especially Vitamin C during these months, drink herbal teas, and keep warm. But here are some easy tips to help these beauty issues for the winter.

New tea cup 🙂

Puffy eyes? You need a soothing product to give them a quick boost. Bliss has some great eye treatments to help energize for an instant eye lift! Try fresh sliced cucumbers and frozen green tea bags for an at home remedy.

Headache? Try an essential oil to dab on your temples, back of neck and under nose to inhale. I learned this at the spa. They usually do this before a massage. Also, eye pillows help! For an at home remedy drink apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water 😉

Dry, Raw nose? Drink water! Also, Saline water is best natural remedy for dry nose. Saline nasal drops are available in pharmacy stores. Inhale steam, all you have to do is boil water in a bowl, once it has started to boil remove the vessel from the stove. Inhale the steam. The moisturizing effect of steam will help to relieve pain and dryness in the nose. It will also open the pores.

Colds and sore throats? Sip on a cocktail of an immune-boosting squeezed lemon juice with warm water, ginger and raw honey (must be raw as this preserves healthful enzymes). Mix together one small tablespoon of raw honey with ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.

Increase your intake of healthy fats and oils this winter: avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, flaxseeds and oil, chia seeds, nuts, oily fish and fish oil! Ok time to get ready for bed and catch up on my shows. Sorry for posting so late tonight, I had a surprise birthday dinner to attend for my favorite lady, Monica! Here are some photos below… Enjoy 🙂

Another thank you card from one of my gorgeous brides 🙂

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! Xo

Laura’s Bridal Video

Just a little something to hold you over until Sunday’s post. This video is the most impressive video I’ve seen documenting a wedding. Moving Pictures created this bridal video for Laura. I did her wedding makeup as you’ll see in the video, and Chelsea Harris did her bridal hair! Her wedding looked so incredibly beautiful. This is definitely a tear jerker, so please have a tissue present! I’ll post this on my bridal page also.. Off to do weddings all weekend ! Enjoy 🙂