Lashes and Lovely Photos

Eyeliner and lashes are the key to beautiful portraits taken in bright outdoor lighting. Though it's pretty easy to enhance the natural beauty of someone like Denise. This mom of two can do it all! She was concerned about looking sleepy in pictures, and with energetic boys, who can blame her? A bold swipe of black was just the thing to get her eyes to pop as it adds just the right amount of lift and definition. From a distance, and also outdoors, putting on tons of eyeshadow won't give you the same results as some strategically placed eyeliner. Accompanied by a generous amount of under eye concealer, a natural layer of foundation and a loose setting powder to prevent shine, her skin looked picture perfect. And the photogenic Matt (who ironically hates having his pictures taken) didn't look to shabby himself! Another key factor is lashes. Look at how great they look in profile!For natural looking lashes:
- attach lashes with adhesive. Duo adhesive is a very reliable glue. You can find it at Walgreens and it's what the pros at MAC use.
- allow glue to dry and adhere to the lid
- camouflage the lash line with either liquid liner for a dramatic look or a dark powder eyeshadow for a softer look
- curl the lashes with a curler to get your real ones to blend in
- apply a few coats of your favorite mascara. Waterproof formulas are great for outdoor shoots. It helps when the weather is hot and makeup tends to melt a bit.

And when all else fail, pop on some great sunglasses like Colin did! Lydia Chen Photography did a great job of capturing the lighthearted spirit of this family. I am looking so forward to their wedding coming up in a few short weeks. Hope you're all enjoying the great weather we're having!

Home Sweet Home.

Charlene & Howard engagement shoot. While most people go out of their way searching for a photo-friendly location either in the city or on the beach, beautiful bride-to-be Charlene and hunky groom Howard took their lovely afternoon photos right in their own backyard. What could be more meaningful than taking photos near your home? Surprisingly, Foster City has beautiful parks tucked away throughout the town. Here are a few photos from their neighborhood stroll. These sweet moments captured by Ganz Images.

While we got ready, Howard did a power workout to get buff for pictures. Always a good idea guys! Meanwhile, Charlene warned me that her skin was pretty sensitive, so I was happy to see that the Bobbi Brown foundation stick was a gentle enough formula for her skin. I topped it off with some pretty shimmer dusted onto the cheeks. I think it really enhanced her inner glow. This couple was so fun and friendly. Looking forward to working on their wedding in December!

Family Photoshoot.

Three men and a little lady. Here are a few images from Matt and Denise's family photoshoot. I'm really happy with how the makeup and styling turned out. The little ones looked great in their coordinating shirts and were quite excited to model! All photos by the lovely Lydia Chen and her awesome assistant Cheryll were taken at Middle Harbor Park in Oakland, CA. See more fun photos at Lydia's blog. More close-ups of Denise, along with outdoor photo friendly makeup tips, coming soon!

A Big Boy Birthday.

Colin's turning 5! I've known this tiny tyke since the tender age of two, when he could barely say my whole name ("Kay"= Michaela). Freckle Face used to be a chubby baby in diapers and soon he'll be a big boy with a backpack. Sigh. Now that he's going into kindergarten (eeep!) his mom wanted to throw him a great birthday party. I wanted to help out and offered my services. Not makeup application. Instead, I offered to provide everyone's favorite festive activity- Face painting! Today my set of Snazaroo face paints came in the mail and I couldn't be more excited. Kevin has agreed, although reluctantly, to let me practice on his precious face but "only really masculine stuff." Guess I'll have to hold off on using the metallic pink. Regardless, I can't wait to try the paints out. With my sister making awesome balloon animals and me painting tiny faces, we'll be one fabulous birthday party powerhouse! Off to find some great brushes...

Tiny Ties...

...for little guys. Among the many engaged brides-to-be and summer weddings I've been doing makeup for, I've also been crafting like a madwoman. I am making this upcoming September wedding as DIY as possible. That includes places cards, guest book and fabric pennants (my next project). Pretty sure my fingers are going to fall off. Today I went to Ross, the mecca of cheap finds, and picked up these two ties for $7.99 each. It's been too difficult finding children's ties in a non-bright color and I love how neutral yet whimsical these polka dot ties are. I used this great tutorial I found on Hideous! Dreadful! Stinky! I made these two ties for my beau's nephews who will likely steal the spotlight in their parents' wedding (coming up in five weeks!). These little men are going to look great in their seersucker suits and tiny ties. I highly recommend this tutorial as it was simple to follow. Make sure to measure your little one from the neck to the top of their would-be belt buckle to make sure the tiny tie is not too tiny. The brothers are pretty cute as is and these ties will be the icing on the cupcakes! I'll be sure to post photos of the mini men all suited up!