EVERYDAY GLAMOUR

I've always been hypnotized by the enchantment of Glamour.  From a young age I studied the nuances of Silver Screen era icons such as Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Marilyn Monroe. The graceful planes of their faces and hourglass figures enhanced by polished hair and makeup and glorious fashions of the day made them as iconic as Superheroes to me.  In earlier times, femininity was elevated to an art-form, and I was captivated!      

The bar was set high and women were expected to maintain a degree of formality while silmutaneously accomplishing our agendas.  We used our mystical gifts to support our objectives and, rather than being offended, I've always found it utterly fascinating.  The dichotomy between the mental strength we possess to support our families, pursue careers, accomplish our dreams, and live our lives in an increasingly complex and fast-paced world and the softness we biologically inherit is one that is only ours to possess.  Rather than oppose it, I choose to celebrate that birthright.  To have fun with it and to showcase my clients in the most feminine light. 

To my delight, we've seen a "return to adornment" in the past 5-10 years.  Due to the popularity of social media, both men and women have gotten inspired to the point of experimenting with different looks, procedures, and products, which comes down to self-expression.  I can't imagine our love affair with exaggerated lashes and full brows going anywhere anytime soon.  

I coined the term "Everyday Glamour" to describe my approach to beauty which embraces a nod to nostalgia with respect to reality.  The aesthetic I'm known for is a highly feminized face with the emphasis on the eyes and/or lips.  A subtle upturned winged liner or the right shade of complementary iris-enhancing eyeshadow/liner topped with two coats of mascara can be transformative.  So can accenting the "high points" of the face with highlighter to emphasize bone structure and give it a visual lift.  A groomed brow is another important detail to pay attention to, and I'm not talking about drawing on an "Instagram Brow," marked by a feathered front and a perfectly drawn-on darker tail.  I'm talking about seeing an expert and getting the right shaped brow for your face and purchasing the necessary products to make them look their best, whether its clear/colored gel, pomade, or pencil.  Pay attention to this area because it contributes a lot to your entire look.

Brows on fleek! I used Cose brow gel in Julia topped with Anastasia clear brow gel. Brush brows up for maximum impact.

Photo @isi.a.pix. Hair @kristinlmuller Makuep @dawnblissbeauty Model @sydneylouisecross

A little arsenal of knowledge can go a long way when making your "beauty mark" on the world.  What are your favorite things about your face and style?  Take inventory then push the limits there. Be a caricature of yourself!  That's when you know you have "signature style."  Taking a few minutes each day to add details to your look that excite you and give you more confidence and presence is Everyday Glamour.  It can't be defined as one look or another because it's more about attitude and the intention behind the effort.  Stand Out!  Be Counted!  Be Bold!  Putting in the effort to add a little extra polish is how I emphasize the feminine, even if the end-result is intended to look a bit "undone."  A groomed brow, cared for skin, an interesting lip, and a nice lash are my baseline and from there I change up the details.  The standards of the bygone era from which I draw inspiration are unrealistic today for most women but the idea is to be inspired by the spirit of femininity and celebrate it in a way that appeals to you.  That's Everyday Glamour! 

SAVE FACE

We didn't have much of a Summer this year but you can't blame us for trying!  Bottomless drinks with friends, long days in the pool, outdoor sports, festivals, bbq's and everything in between takes it's toll on our skin causing us to look tired, dehydrated, freckled and fried.  So what're we to do?  We're certainly not going to sacrifice a day at the beach in the name of beauty.  Life's too short for that so like most Summer-loving Chicagoans, we have our fun and worry about it tomorrow.  Ok so it's tomorrow...now what?  You promise yourself your going to drink more water,  sit in the shade the next time, and slow down on the brats but in the famous words of Dr. Rumack (Airplane, 1980), "That's not important right now!"  Because you need to look good right now!  Well fortunately, as a professional makeup artist, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I'm going to share with you right now so that you can be prepared for where the fun takes you and still look your best.  This is what I know for sure:

1.  Ice reduces puffiness.  Chamomile tightens.  Make chamomile tea, let steep for as long as possible, then pour into an ice tray and freeze.  Once frozen, wrap a wet napkin or paper towel around the ice cube and apply to inflamed areas, such as the eyes, to instantly reduce puffiness.

2.  Caffeine tightens.  Look for neck, face, and eye creams that contain caffeine.  Better yet, look for the ingredient MATRIXYL 3000, an effective peptide that creates a Spanx-like effect on the skin but also "stimulates collagen synthesis and skin repair" for long-lasting benefits.   My favorite product that contains these ingredients and more is Luxurious Lathers Edens-Bliss .  

3.  Oxygen brightens.  When you oxygenate blood, it instantly turns bright red, and since we have a constant supply of blood flowing to the skin, feeding that source will in turn brighten it.  One of my favorite products is Peter Thomas Roth Brightening Bubbling Mask to make you look refreshed.

4.  BB Creams do wonders and save time.  Essentially a foundation and moisturizer in one, Beauty Balms or BB Creams as they are most commonly known, can rapidly speed up the transformation process by evening out the skin tone and plumping the texture in one fell swoop.  They are great for people who don't like the look of foundation but they are also a brilliant first step for those who want to build coverage.  Why do all of the work on the back end when you can get the process started from the jump.   Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF35 has the largest selection of colors.  For even sheerer coverage, mist rosewater such as Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist on your face beforehand.  

5.  Lines transform the face.  As in eyeliner and brows.  Visually from a distance, the features that dictate the face, are the ones that are the most prominent.  So if you want to instantly awaken a tired face, fill in the brows, concentrating on the top of the arches to magically lift the eyes like two invisible clothespins.  Add eyeliner to the top and bottom lashline to create a "V" on the outer corner.  The points should start at the top of the pupil and end underneath the pupil.  Add at least two coats of mascara to the top lashes to "pop" the eyes and distract from whatever else is going on.  Bottom mascara is optional.

6.  Go for the glow.  Adding warmth to the face is always an instant pick-me-up.  Sweep SHEER apricot, gold, copper, or pink bronzer (depending upon your skin tone) such as the classic Guerlain Terracotta Light Bronzing Powder to your cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, and eyelids using a medium to large fluffy brush for added diffusion.   Giorgio Armani Beauty makes a gorgeous fluid sheer highlighter to add to your skincare or foundation to create a subtle glowing effect.  With caution, you can use both liquid highlighter and bronzer BUT between the 2, make sure to add a thin veil of no color dusting power such as the incomparable BY TERRY Hyalauronic Hydra-Powder.  It's pricey but the results are worth it!  (Thanks Johhny Dosse for the introduction!)

7.  Lollipops!  Don't be a sucker and fall for the on-trend matte nude lip if you are trying to look alive.  Take inspiration from lollipops and add a little pop to your pucker in the form of cherry, tangerine, or raspberry lip color.  The texture can be sheer, such as Clinique Chubby Stick, if your aren't feeling so bold but color on the cheeks and lips will instantly make you look like you took a quick jog around the spa.

Now that you're equipped with some face-saving tools, go out and live life to the fullest!