The Daily Beauty Break

Now I must admit…..Courtney Cox has NOT always been my favorite celebrity….especially after her WAY over-Botoxed face pretty much ruined what (could have been ?) a great show...DIRT. Seriously, the woman’s face did not move…..I was really turned off. But after reading her latest interview in Marie Claire over the holiday weekend, I have SO changed my TUNE about dear Courtney….

In regards to her over “Botoxification” she says…..

“Botox? I think it’s fantastic and also horrible. I mean, they’ve come up with this stuff that can make you not look angry. But you have to use it sparingly. I went to this doctor once, and he was like, ‘Oh, let me do it just here and here and here.’ And I was miserable. I mean, I’m an actor, I’ve got to be able to move my face. When people start messing with their foreheads and can’t lift their eyebrows, that’s weird. It’s not that I haven’t tried Botox — but I hated it. You know you’ve messed up when people who are close to you say, ‘Whoa, what are you doing?’”

I agree…Botox is definitely something you need to tread lightly with…( and I know from experience, YIKES!)….

But bottomline, this is why I AM IN LOVE WITH COURTNEY COX. She is a self-professed product junkie and when it comes to beauty Courtney believes (as I do) that:

“Let me tell you, there’s a lot of pressure,” she continues. “Which is why I always think women should be totally open with other women about what they do to make themselves look better.”

Hallelujah sister….. Sharing my tips and tricks is what I love most about being a professional makeup artist and beauty blogger….Not only do I get to touch the faces of beautiful women…but I get to write about it and  (hopefully) show every woman how she can feel and look her best…regardless of her circumstances…I trully believe that EVERY WOMAN deserves to realize her own beauty (inside and out….)!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll….

Have you always wanted a consultation with a dermatologist but are too cheap (or have bad insurance) to get one?

Well Dallas Beauties….Dr. Obagi is coming to town!! He’ll be at my favorite store THIS weekend….He’ll be at the Northpark Nordstrom, Sat. Nov 22  from 10am- 5pm. Dr. Obagi will be giving PERSONAL CONSULTATIONS  for $50 (normally they are $300..OUCH!)

Luckily that $50 will immediately go toward any purchase you make in the department……(hopefully on ZO Skin Health of course..)! Oh, and you’ll also receive a complementary mini Oclipse Primer + Sunscreen spf 30! I’ve heard tons of good things about this bad-boy and can’t wait to try it myself…..

Call 214.231.3900 ext.1417 to make YOUR appt. with the good doctor…and be sure to let me know because I’ll be there!!!!

And if you can’t pull yourself away from the computer (or the couch)…don’t forget to “Ask Dr. Obagi”!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll…..

Hey my beauties….So did ya’ll watch yesterday? I DID. Honestly, I was on pins and needles the entire TIME! As a makeup artist myself, to watch a show judging and rating my fellows artistry ability was oddly unsettling….. This must be how a clothing designer feels watching “Project Runway”……

But don’t get me wrong I loved the show…Very entertaining…I mean, we makeup artists aren’t exactly known for our “emotional stability” ( myself included..I’m a Gemini)…So there was plenty of entertaining drama on Lifetime TV’s BLUSH.… It was SO great to meet the cast….aren’t they cute? (of course I was looking at all their makeup…boys included).

I LOVED the first challenge….to create a look with FOOD (note to self: Don’t ever put curry around the eyes…lol!) and some of the results were stunning….My girl Jessica from Texas went home this round….but I gather she learned A LOT while staying  true to her personal aesthetic and “vision”….Once the show is over and done, I’ll be picking her brain here at The Daily Beauty Break….Can’t wait to learn her tips & tricks!

So if you are in love with the art of makeup, you gotta watch this show……I’d love to be a fly on that studio wall..(or just be able to nose through everyone’s kits..)

Watch Beautifully….

So maybe it was the plastic surgery magazine that was placed on my doorstep  (hey, I am in Dallas ya’ll!) yesterday or just my own “adventures in aging”….But did you see Jennifer Aniston on 30 Rock Thursday night? BEAUTIFUL…I am just so proud of her (like I know her or something)….I mean, Jen looked fabulous of course but you know what I really loved? SHE LOOKED HER AGE….I mean, I am sure (like moi) she does everything in her means to keep what she’s got, but she hasn’t gone OVERBOARD….and by OVERBOARD I specifically mean FILLERS…(you know like, Juvederm, Restalyne,etc)…

Especially after looking at all the artificially inflated, tight and tucked faces in that plastic surgery mag….I mean, some of the photos that were supposed to be “afters” featured women who were SO gorgeous BEFORE…all thier NATURAL beauty was replaced and they looked more like bloated chipmunks than “young and refreshed”!

(sorry Joan, you know I mean no harm………)

I don’t know…I mean, I know I am “part of the industry” but just like you (dear readers) I fall prey to the “marketing machine” just as hard (maybe even harder actually)…. It was refreshing to see a star who I’ve followed through the aging process the last 20 years (okay, can you BELIEVE the 90’s was 20 years ago?)…maintain her natural beauty without messing it up with “procedures”.

I’m just SAYIN’.

Be Beautiful Ya’ll………

Hola my beauties….so that 12 Step Program I’m in I keep waxing poetic about?….It’s for food. I know, I know….but after 7 years and 70lbs off my cosmetic addiction has helped to scratch “certain itches” that  would have me running straight for the kids trick-or-treat stashes right now (if you know what I mean)……

Don’t forget Whole Foods health and beauty isle next trip out….these guys keep some goodies that won’t (totally) break the bank or break your diet………

I recently picked up Pacifica’s Mexican Cocoa Body Fragrance ($19.99). As soon as I smelled it I knew I had to “treat” myself….except the price wasn’t marked. The sales guy and I set a little wager betting on the price. I said $25 bucks, he said “even if it’s more I think you deserve it“….I think he was right. I just want to eat myself!!!!!

Also, did you know that Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Aromatheraputic Household cleansers line has new flavor…Holy, BASIL!!! I’m not sure that this stuff smells like basil, but whatever it is it’s HEAVENLY…..So I had to pick up the Basil Liquid Hand Soap ($5).  I use Mrs. Meyers all over the house…all their cleaners/lotions/potions smell so glam and the packaging is to die for…..besides, if I HAVE to clean might as well do it beautifully………

So Ya’ll don’t be afraid to treat yourself.….Hey, if a little thing like hand soap can help keep my head out of the fridge and my butt in my designer jeans then I”m all for it!!!!

Be Beautiful………..

And Hey, did you enter my Sally Hansen Natural Beauty….inspired by CARMINDY drawing yet? I pick a winner tommorow….

Set your TIVO remotes ya’ll! FINALLY a reality show for aspiring makeup artists called BLUSH, will be debuting Tuesday, November 11 at 10pm ET/PT on Lifetime TV.  Contestants will be competing for a contract with MAX Factor cosmetics and $100,000 bucks! I heard about it initially from the gals over at D Magazine’s ShopTalk (they are soo on top of things…)

Anyways, I am already vying for makeup artist and mommy Jessica Millington to win (she’s a Dallas girl)…Can’t wait to watch (too bad I found out about it too late to submit MY application)!!!

TIVO Beautifully….

CONFESSION TIME. I did it already…a few months ago…I GOT BOTOX. Just in my forehead, for horizontal lines that were “hanging out” a little bit longer than I’d like at the end of the day. It’s funny, because I consider myself a pretty down-to-earth person and have never minded setting my emotional baggage out there for the world to see (I’m in a 12 step program…) if it will make me a better person….but it took me awhile to come clean here….But as much as I work on my outsides (uh, it’s kind of my JOB), I spend a lot of time working on my insides too.

I’d been curious about Botox ever since a couple of close girlfriends got it…they looked fantastic!! They still looked like themselves, just “relaxed” (rightly so, since the Botox paralyzes the muscles under the skin)….not the over-injected, tightly-pulled honeys we see in all the magazines and on the tube.

And it was one of those days…I was in my derm’s office for my horrible acne…had just worked a job a few days before and had the cash in my pocket (mine was about $250).  Now, it’s not like I have extra money floating around the house to pay for vanity, but I work hard for what I’ve got…..and in the end, Botox was ALL ABOUT ME…it was something I did for MYSELF….I mean, in the big picture we have such little control over our lives…..kids, money, work, wieght (and even my acne for awhile before Dr. Turner)…BUT I can control those lines in my forehead.

A week afterwards, when Dr. Turner was touching it up we were talking about my lack of candor with some of my nearest and dearest about going “under the syringe” (which btw did not hurt in the slightest….) and I told her how it finally boiled down to control for me…..and she shocked me when she told me that after Hurricane Katrina sales of Botox in New Orleans sky-rocketed!!!! I’m telling you, after all that devistation….economic and emotional, even something as shallow and silly seeming as Botox helps!

But really, I am totally happy with my decision….it feels really great to wash your face every night knowing that it won’t change (at least for a few months) and not worry about how much deeper the lines got that day. I think the Botox gave my brows the tiniest hint of a lift and since she didn’t go down around my brows, my expressions aren’t hampered in the least bit.

In fact, even my mom didn’t notice…(I feel like a talkshow guest coming out on national television!)…which means it must look pretty natural…Only I can tell the difference (well my hairdressser did notice) which in the big picture of plastic surgery is FINE WITH ME….because when it boils down to it, that’s who I did if for, ME!

Be Beautiful (on the inside and out..)!!!

(photo courtesy of Evans Caglage)

Hello beautiful people!!! SO, the Oscar de la Renta show at Fashion at the Park Fall 2008 was everything you’d expect Oscar to be….beautiful ballgowns and classic silhouettes were showcased in sumptuous fabrics (tons of silk shantung) and unexpected finishes & eclectic embellishments….the clothes were practically mouth-watering!

But let’s get to the exiting part….the hair and makeup! The Bobbi Brown artistry team did an AMAZING job taking their inspiration from Bobbi’s latest Copper Diamond Collection….Consisting of copper-toned mahoganies and milky pink lips & cheeks, this makeup look was all about “beautiful, sophisticated fall”, according to Bobbi’s Brown East Coast Artistry Pro Kim Soane.

(photo courtesy of Evans Caglage & Dallas’s favorite model Shirley)

And the hair? According to Kim Dawson’s show team leader LB Rosser, the beautiful “Orlando Pita-inspired” beautiful, breezy french twists were a breath of fresh air for the team to create. According to one team member..“after all these years of chignons, the french twist is back”…..but it’s definitely not your mom’s french twist….Well, I loved the “undone” look of this hair and the fact these sexy twists could take you all the way from the boardroom to a rock concert!

Capping it all off,  I felt totally grateful to all the hair and makeup artists for their incredibly warm welcome backstage again this season….it amazes me how they manage to create such amazing works of art amidst all the chaos of “us media” getting in their way…xoxo!

…..but the real showstopper for moi? …I’d already touched a few faces that walked the catwalk this season….stay tuned to see the makeup I did for model Shirley for Dallas-based designer Abi Ferrin’s Resort 2009!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll……..

Hello my beautiful darlings! Well it’s been quite a week here in Dallas for moi! Between all the hooplah backstage at Fashion at the Park, one of my favorite makeup artists of ALL-TIME just happened to be in town on tour promoting her new book “Get Positively Beautiful”…… If you didn’t already know, Carmindy provides the magic behind the makeup on TLC’s What Not To Wear.

I’ve been a fan for years (of course) and already had her first book “The 5 Minute Face”. While both of her books are great tools to help you look your best, “Get Positively Beautiful” shows the reader  what REALLY makes a woman shine….inner beauty. Carmindy shows us in her newest book how to “see beyond our flaws” and to finally figure out why the most popular girl at the party usually isn’t the “prettiest”…..

Of course, I also talked poor Carmindy’s ear off getting advice for my own makeup artistry career…her answer? “Just do what you love and it will all fall into place”….hmmm…sounds like I’m on the right track!

Thanks so much Carmindy for your time….it was so inspiring to meet you and I can’t WAIT to review YOUR makeup line Sally Hansen’s Natural Beauty inspired by CARMINDY ( I already have the concealer and it ROCKS, just so ya know…)!

I can’t wait to get comfy (wash my makeup off) and “Get Positively Beautiful”!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll…..

Hello my beauties…..Been thinking hard on this topic and just had to share with you my  5 Top Tips on “How NOT to look OLD”. There are so many out there but these 5 really “float my boat”…

1. Use foundation primer. The 2 seconds you spend applying this magical product before your foundation or concealer is HANDS-DOWN the best thing you can do for your skin. Primer fills in hills and valleys and helps to lessen the elevation of bumps and lumps……PLUS you will be amazed at how much better your foundation covers! My current fav? Napoleon Perdis Auto-Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer ($39)…..I found it to be least slimy and “oily” feeling of all….

2. Say goodbye to dark, matte lipstick. Need I say more? Now be careful on the gloss…you want more of a SHEEN vs getting all “Porn-Star Paris Hilton-ish”…..( photo courtesy of TotalBeauty…check out the amazing photos from their story “Erase 10 years”…the pictures are phenom!!!)

3. Use a  Gradual Self-Tanning “Lotion”. (Instead of plain old Self-Tanner which can be tricky and has the potential to streak). These gradual Self-Tanners are SO easy to use and hide a multitude of past skin “sins”…Brownspots anyone?  It’s amazing how the neck and backs of hands can age you….I use Olay’s Touch of Sun Overnight (<$9). I’ve found it to be the least offensive scent-wise and who doesn’t need a little extra moisturization before bedtime?

4. Use a moisturizer with SPF EVERYDAY.…after you apply it to your face take it one step further and coat your neck, chest and the backs of your hands.….I’ve told you before, but my fav is Neutrogena’s Healthy Defense SPF 45 Daily Moisturizer (<$13). I was just telling someone the other day that this awesome product helps keep my brownspots at bay WAY better than some others I’ve tried that are $100 bucks or more!!!!

( Is Helen Mirren NOT amazing? Talk about aging gracefully.….)

5. Accept your AGE. Sorry to get all deep on you ladies but I gotta say this one probably takes the cake. After all my years in the biz, I’ve seen some scary stuff…..you know, lots of women that look GREAT far away and then you get up close and are like, SCARY? I think nothing ages a woman more than when she tries to look YOUNGER than her AGE…I mean, don’t get me wrong…I don’t think there’s anything wrong with trying to preserve what your maker gave you..But tread LIGHTLY when it comes to the knife and needle...At some point we just have to accept that aging happens…So I say look the best you can FOR YOUR AGE!!! (Okay, I’m off my soapbox now….)!

If you have any tips or tricks that you rely on to look the best for YOUR age do tell!!!

Be Beautiful Ya’ll….