In December I met with Photographer Thomas Traylor and Model Vivian Nguyen for a photo shoot that all started from the inspiration of a pearl necklace. I have been wanting to work with Vivian for some time now and always love working with Thomas, so this shoot was destined to be great! Here is some of the work that we created together:
Thank you for reading! Contact me with any questions Danica@Make-upEnvy.com.
Olive oil is typically found in your kitchen pantry, but now in your medicine cabinet? The high quality oil is great for more than sauteing your favorite veggies! Try using olive oil as an eye makeup remover. Not only is this method more affordable, but it is much better for your delicate eye area skin and more effective.
Many cosmetic brands use a synthetic oil in their eye makeup removers, but if you have ever tried brands such as Lancome or Chanel then you know that their removers are not all that they are cracked up to be. Not to mention the fact that they are not worth the almost $3o price tag! Oil is known for literally melting off your eye makeup and this is why the ingredient has been ever so popular when used in mainstream beauty makeup removers.
After being irritated for years from fragrance and synthetic eye makeup removers, I tried Jojoba Oil and had great results! Jojoba Oil is found in many beauty products and is a great natural moisturizer for the skin, hair and nails, as is olive oil. Jojoba Oil is also a great alternative to Olive Oil if you can’t stomach the aroma.
If you have trouble with your eye makeup lasting throughout the day and end up looking like a raccoon, then opt for waterproof eye makeup products. In the past many women would avoid using waterproof products because of the difficulty removing them. Now that you can remove your eye makeup quickly and for less money… give that waterproof eye liner!
Here is a video on how I use Olive Oil to remove my waterproof eye makeup.
For about a decade now the term “smoky eye” has been ever so popular when describing a desired eye makeup look. As a Makeup Artist for these past 10 years, when I ask a client “Describe how you would like to see your makeup”, 99.9% of the time the client replies “I would like a smoky eye!” I may exaggerating a little!
So what exactly is a smoky eye? I am going to break it down as plain and simple as I can! I have also created an easy to follow video tutorial for those of you who are visual.
smok·y (smk) adj. smok·i·er, smok·i·est: Resembling smoke; hazy; dirty; made dark; thick; murky.
So with this said, a smoky eye is eye makeup that resembles smoke. As you know smoke is not a perfect line or one even tone. Smoke is usually dark, smudgy and as a makeup look portrays a sultry and sexy look.
So how does a smoky eye appear? Below there are a couple examples of a smoky eye:
As you can see from the pictures, the smoky eye does not always look the same. There are many looks to a smoky eye which are done with many techniques, colors and products. A smoky eye can be worn by anyone of any age for any occasion. From day to night time, natural to dramatic, the smoky eye has many versions! You can smoke the entire eye, the top lid only or just the bottom… anything goes!
Here is a step by step of a very basic smoky eye look:
1. Prep your eye area. Try using an eye shadow base that is water resistant or crease resistant. This will help to smooth on your eye makeup easier, more evenly and you will see a truer eye shadow texture and color. Also, it is very important for a dramatic eye or for someone who has oily eyelids. Your eye makeup will last longer and look better! I really love Urban Decay Primer Potion or MAC Paints.
2. Use the Stila Eye Kajal (My all time favorite!) to line your eye. This eye kajal is very creamy and pigmented, so use a light hand. Now don’t worry about your line not being perfect, because when using a pencil it rarely is! You can line the top lid, the bottom or both. This depends on your eye shape and your preference.
3. Now use a smudger or a pencil brush to gently smoke out your eye liner. Remember to use the tip of the brush and have a light hand. You want to keep the darkest point around the lash line and blend or “smoke” out the outer edge of the liner. You want a gradual fade from darkest to lightest. The darkest at your lash line and the lightest the furthest from your lash line.
4. You can set your eye liner with a little eye shadow to “set it” for a longer wearing look.
5. Finish your smoky look by placing your eye kajal in your water cil (inner rim of the eye) and your favorite mascara. You know have a sexy smoky eye!
I hope this helps clear up any smoky eye confusion. Time to get sultry!
Danica Jardien
Makeup Artist
Having great skin is very important to me, so I am always on the hunt for great skin care products. I made a video talking about some of my favorite products that I have come across. For years now I have been very health conscious and prefer to use more natural products that are not tested on animals and do not contain parabens or chemicals.
One of the most important aspects to having great skin is to take care of your body from the inside out. Here are a couple of pointers:
1. Drink plenty of filtered water daily.
2. Eat Clean. Avoid processed or refined foods, caffeine and sugar. Eat vegetables, fruits and foods in their raw state that have little to no processing.
3. Supplements. Fish oils are an amazing supplement for the body that acts as an anti-inflammatory. Your hair, skin and nails will thank you! Your skin will look more supple and radiant with fish oil and your complexion can even appear more even because of the anti-inflammatory properties. Try Carlson’s Fish Oils which are very pure and contain less mercury than any brand on the market.
These products work great for me and my combination skin, but they may not work for you and your skin type so please make sure to consult a skin care professional with any major concerns.
Pratima Skincare www.pratimaskincare.com
Mychelle Dermaceuticals www.mychelle.com
Recently I have worked with photographer Bogdan Morozovskiy who is based in Denver, CO but should really be living in L.A. because of the great quality and creativity of his photography. Carleen Laronn was our gorgeous model for the day! My friend Nico was in town for the day from Las Vegas and was such a great help to me. She has such an eye for design and beauty that I would love to have her on every shoot with me. Somehow she notices details that I would have never noticed!
