As a beauty director and makeup artist I am always trying new products and looking for ways to make it easy to look your best. This month I wanted to talk about a few tips on how to look great when you need to go from the office to a corporate party.

PREPARATION IS KEY!

If you prep properly, you LOOK like you put a lot of time and effort into your style without the hard work.

1. Be Camera Ready!

Many of the pictures from the office parties end up in the Corporate newsletters or are emailed as news blasts to everyone in the company. Make sure your smile isn't full of coffee stained teeth from late night hours of work and holiday shopping. Polish away surface stains with Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste, which is the most awarded whitening brand, to create a brighter smile. Leading up to the party, give yourself a whitening boost by applying Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips. The secret is in the strip to remove up to 14 years of deeply set-in stains.

2. Don't Undo Your Style

The last thing you want are sweat marks on your clothes while shaking hands with a CEO or stains smeared on your garment from deodorant. So choose an antiperspirant that fights wetness but won't leave a trail of white marks when you dress, like Secret Natural Mineral. It uses odor fighting capsules that work with your body to help neutralize odor instead of just masking it. Opt for the unscented version that won't compete with any fragrances that you decide to wear for the evening.

3. Wear The Proper Undergarments.

Celebrities know how to look their best for special events and your office party can be the "red carpet" event for the company, so bumps, bulges and sagging are big no no’s! Instead create a youthful liftwith Bring It Up Breast Lifts. They lift the bust up to 6 inches and eliminate peek-a-bo bra straps or unsightly back fat! It's the secret weapon that celebrities have been using for over 10 years to look their best. Fits cup sizes A to D. Get special saving by using code: CHICAGO50 to receive $15 off of any purchase of $30 or more! VISIT www.BRINGITUP.COM

PARTY DAY

1. Choose Your Accessories Wisely

A great way to transition your office clothes and into an elegant party outfit is with diamonds. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Stiles and Kelly Osbourn have been spotted on the Red Carpet wearing Forevermark. What makes a Forevermark diamond special is the unique inscription inscribed on every diamond that is invisible to the naked eye. With each inscription you can track your responsibly resourced diamond from the mine to your local retailer. Go to ITunes and download the “Forevermark” app to register for a chance to win a trip to Africa and explore the mines. Forevermark can be found in Chicago, at James and Williams or Fey &Co .

2. Brighten Your Skin

The holiday season is stressful and makes skin look dull and lifeless so before you use your regular moisturizer start with serum like Le Mieux Vita-C which uses a powerful stable form of vitamin C called MAP (magnesium ascorbyl phosphate) that penetrates 31% faster into skin. It boosts hydration, collagen production and brightens skin by repairing sun damage and hyperpigmentation.

3. Minimize Makeup Maintenance

Eyeshadow can fade by the end of the day so use a shadows like Covergirl Intense Shadowblast, that is highly pigmented and has a built in primer. Color is waterproof, fadeproof and smudge proof for less touch ups. Create a simply yet sophisticated look by applying color on lid to crease for day, and adding liner at lash line by night.

Instead of a traditional lip gloss use Vaseline Lip Therapy Original to add shine, soften lips and lock in moisture. Since it isn't a color you won't have to worry about it getting on your teeth. Now available in a mini, on-the-go jar that you can keep in your pocket or clutch. Register to win a limited-edition Swarovski Crystal Vaseline Lip Therapy Original jars designed by Mad Fashion star Chris March worth $46 by going to www.VaselineLipTherapy.com.

4. Use Hair Treatments For Better Performance

Salons know that treatments can make hair perform better. Get improved hair moisture and texture with Nioxin DiaMax hair treatment. It is the first to use HTX technology to thicken the hair strand on the inside and also outside for longer-lasting effects. Key ingredients are Niacinamide, Caffeine, Panthenol and Dimethicone to provide added strength and resilience. DiaMax officially launches in salons in February. Visit www.DiamaxEffect.com from December 1st to January 2, 2011 to register for a chance to win a full sized bottle, which is valued at $50.

5.Wear Soft Scents

A fragrance that is too strong can repel people so use a scent that is subtle like Christina Aguilera Royal Desire. It is an Oriental fruity blend with rich floral and warm sensual notes that evoke a feeling of luxury and royalty. Each bottle comes with a silver charm which can be worn on a necklace or bracelet.

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "What model agancy should I contact? I'm 14 and really want to do modeling. Its my dream."- from Chloe in London.
Answer: Talk to your parents FIRST before you contact a modeling agency so you don't get scammed by the wrong one. Some of the top agencies are Ford, Elite and IMG. Models have a certain look and style. Different agencies represent different types of models. There are fashion models, commercial models and even models they call "real people". Ask your parents if the models on the agency web sites that you are interested in contacting look like you. If so, then contact the agency and ask them what is required for consideration. Just remember, even though modeling looks like it is just a fun time taking pictures, it is a business and can be a lot of hard work. So as RuPaul says "You better WORK!"

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is getting proper rest. Most people are overly stressed and extremely busy, especially in December, so they don't get the right amount of sleep. Lack of sleep can cut into crucial repair time which can create havoc on your health, skin and even effect your weight gain. This month I'm going to try to take my own advice and slow down....and rest more!

This month The Ellen DeGeneres Show teamed up with HGTV'd to surprise a couple in Killeen Texas and I got to do all of the makeup and hair for both shows.

Giving Jeanie some
bronze eye shadow

Working with Tanika Ray and David Bromstad of HGTV is always a treat for me but it was especially fun to work with Jeannie Klisiewicz, the production assistant from The Ellen show.
When Ellen isn't able to go on a location, Jeannie does it, so she interviewed the homeowners. I start the day off really early doing the hair and makeup on HGTV'd host Tanika Ray, so she can look her best when everyone arrives.

Gotta get the homeowners camera
ready before they see the big reveal

Next in my chair comes David Bromstad. After a bit of moisturizer, sunscreen and grooming with anti-shine he is all set to head over to the construction tent so he can work with the design crew about the needed changes. He never needs a lot of work, but sometimes I have to adjust any tan lines he might get from wearing his sunglasses in the hot sun. One of his favorite skin care items is....

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "How do you determine your best beauty feature to highlight, or is that necessary?"- from Gina in Chicago.

Answer: If you want to focus on your eyes for the day, use deep shades that will draw more attention to them but keep lips and cheeks simple by using a softer color.

When you want to focus on your lips try a darker or brighter color, and keep eye simple by only using mascara or nude colors so they are not as prominent.
There are no rules. It doesn't have to be your "best feature", you can highlight what ever YOU want.

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Now it is time for.....

MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing today is Gatorade. Even though we drank water too, I think the TV crew and I went through several cases of it. My favorite flavor is the fruit punch! Yummm!

It's the end of the year, but that doesn't mean my work slows down. I seem to be on planes just as often as I've been before. This time I'm heading out of town for another episode of "Bang For Your Buck" for HGTV. Each time I work on the show I am astonished at the home interiors, and the value that design plays on your property value.

If you've never watched the show, let me give you a little background on what it's about. The show is about 3 separate homeowners who have remodeled a certain part of their house. All 3 homes have redone the same part of the house...for the same amount of money...BUT the question is, who used their money more wisely according to their design for the room and most importantly resale value! That is where the professional designers like Vern Yip, David Bromstad or Taniya Nayak come in. They look at everything, with a real estate expert to determined...

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Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "What is a good moisturizer for aging skin?"- from Jamie in Connecticut.

Answer: Dr. Sadick Park Avenue Prescription is a great option because it contains a daytime moisturizer to protect skin, a night time serum and night cream with retinol to renew and rejuvenate all in one set. It targets hydration and anti-aging all at the same time. The formula feels light weight without feeling greasy.

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Now it is time for.....

MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing to mention this month is to leave your skin a little damp before adding your moisturizer to add extra hydration since the weather is so cold and dry during this time of the season. A great way to do that is to spritz your face with Evian mineral water.

This month has been quite busy with traveling. I went to North Carollina, Ohio and Seattle to do makeup for E! THS Investigations with TV host Laura Ling. Laura investigated 2 interesting stories. One was about "Teen Depression and Suicide". The second story was about "Military Wives" and what they have been going through.

I was quite moved by the stories, and was in awh with the compassion Laura had while she interviewed people. Each individual story enlightened you on the personal blessings that you may be having right now but may take for granted because of seeing the things that these people had undergone. It was amazing ....

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "Can you recommend a good air-brush makeup applicator for the everyday consumer to use?"- from Cheryl in Pennsylvania.

Answer: Airbrush has been a Hollywood secret for makeup artists for years, but now Temptu has a consumer friendly AIRbrush Makeup System that you can get at Sephora that is great to use. Since a professional airbrush makeup system can be rather tricky to clean, it's great that there is an easy one the people can use everyday to look flawless and natural just like the celebrities. I not only use it on my makeup artist jobs but I also use it on myself as well.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing right now is LIFE. After seeing up close what other people have gone through the only thing I can say is that I appreciate what I've had and the family and friends who have been with me through out my life. I'm very thankful!

I got a chance to work with the new Covergirl model, America's Next Top Model winner, Krista White. My friend hairstylist Bestsey Meade and I were prepping Krista for special private event at the head quarters of Covergirl cosmetics.

We started our day at 7am at the Westin hotel so we would have plenty of time to get her hair and makeup done before her limo came to get her. Bestsey started by getting her hair smooth and shiny with a flat iron and then swooped her hair over into an elegant side ponytail. She added soft curls to the end of her hair, that cascaded over her shoulder, for texture and sophistication.

Next was my turn.....

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "Wanna know what your favorite eye cream is for early thirties. hint hint... I'm looking for a new one!"- from Lindsey in Wisconsin.

Answer: You would think that the first signs of fine lines and wrinkles that you see are due to getting older, but it is usually caused by the on-going lack of hydration. Since your body is mainly made up of water, it can really take a toll on your skin. So the earlier you take care of your skin, especially around the delicate eye area, the fewer wrinkles you will have as you get older. Kind of like the saying goes..."it is easier to prevent than correct."

There are a lot of eye creams on the market that I like. A great one to start with should have multiple benefits other than just hydrating skin , like Jan Marini Age Intervention Eye Cream, and include anti-aging and firming benefits as well.

Be careful not to apply too much. You only need a little. The warmth from your body will cause the product to automotically slide inward towards the rest of your eye area so be sure to apply the cream on the orbital bone, which is the edge of the eye socket, so it won't get inside your eye by mistake.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

Fall has always been my favorite time of the year because of the great fashion! The best way to look good in your clothes is by starting with great underwear. So my favorite thing this month is the Body By Victoria push up bra. It gives your bust the lift that you want but is smooth and seamless so you look even better in your clothes!

Not sure if you know your correct bra size? No problem! Victoria's Secret has sales people that know how to measure you properly so you get the right size and fit you need.

Here is a little bra trivia! The proper way to put on a bra is to lean forward so your bust falls evenly into the cups, snap the clasps shut, then sit up and adjust the straps as needed. Keep in mind that you usually wear your bra daily. So to ensure that you are getting proper support replace your bras every 6 months because fabric and elastic can become worn out.

This month I headed to Vegas to work with the Westcott Company for the Photoshop World Convention. When they first talked to me about doing makeup and hair for the event I was working with them on their current catalog of an ice princess. I thought working on the cover was fun, but creating looks for the convention was even more exciting and creative!

The event was 3 days, and each day consisted of 4 mini sets that attendees could do photo shoots on. Each set had a different model with a theme and scene. We did a western girl, a bridal look, and Steampunk.

They even brought in amazing props like a vintage tub and period style furniture for the 50's pinup look, and even a cool red motor cycle for the Catwoman and James Bond themed shots.

One of my favorite looks was the Queen of Hearts. I started the by rubbing white Kryolan pancake makeup all over the model to make her tan skin as pale as possible. Then .......

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "Best products & routine to take care of your face - does it include toner, stuff for eyes/mouth area, moisturizer, etc. What all do you need to do?"- from Christine Lee in Florida.

Answer: The total basics for a skin care routine would be a cleanser and a moisturizer for face and one for your eyes. Toners can be optional. They are designed to put skin back at the correct PH after cleansing and to remove any excess dirt that the cleanser missed. Kind of like a rinse cycle for your skin. So depending on the cleanser you are using, you may not need one.

When selecting a cleanser for your face choose one that won't totally strip it of all it's natural oils, even if you have oily skin. You want one that only removes dirt and excess oil. If the cleanser is too harsh it will make skin feel tight and dehydrated which can kick in your oil glands, which can be a problem if you already have oily skin.

If you wear makeup, be sure to start with a makeup remover. Most facial cleansers are not designed to break down the complex makeup formulas that we use today, especially if the cosmetics are designed to be long lasting. Great add ons that I would highly recommend for your skin would include serums, night creams and scrubs.

Serums are like vitamins for your skin because they give added boosts of nutrients like vitamin A & E, gloucosamine and nano peptides, to give your skin better resilience especially during times when skin looks stressed and worn down. Your body heals itself during your sleep so night creams are specifically designed to use that time help combat anti-aging and lack of hydration to skin. Scrubs are the best way to remove blocked pores like black heads and dry patches so your skin looks smooth and refined.

If you aren't sure what you want to try first, go with a skin care set like Clarins Multi Active Starter Kit that contains a gentle exfoliating cleanser and two moisturizers in smaller sizes so you can see what you like before you commit to the regular sized products.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is Blot Out Offensive Shine + Oil Control cream by Nurturing Force. It hydrates skin, gets rid of shine, blocks oil (especially great if you are extremely oily) and slows degradation of makeup.

I use this a lot when I'm working in hot sticky weather, where oil and sweat can break down the makeup. Great stuff!

This month the commercial for Gatarade that I worked on with Dwayne Wade finally came out. It was a day full of grooming Dwayne, designing wigs, and creating rip away clothes. It was a great time, but I'm sure I'm not making any sense right now so let me just slow down and start from the beginning.

Well it all started on a hot day in June when I got a phone call from my booker from the Opus Beauty agency. They wanted to see if I was available to.....

Beauty Questions
Beauty question: "I'm African-American with a dark brown complexion. I normally wear fuchsia lipstick but I would like to try a more subtle brown lip color, but I'm afraid it will just blend into my skin. What do you suggest?"- from Marcy in Ohio.

Answer: If you feel a typical brown lipstick is not to your liking, try the shade in a different texture like one with shimmer in it. I like the Black Opal Patent Lips Liquid Lipstick in Uptown Brown. The bronze flecks of shimmer give the color additional depth and dimention that won't 'blend in' to your skin town.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is the NYX Black Lable Lipstick. I really like how you don't need a lot of it, because it is so highly pigmented. I like to apply it with a brush instead of straight from the tube so I don't waste any of it.

It is a great creamy lipstick to try! Love it!

These past couple of months I was able to work with The Limited. The look they wanted was a fresh "out of college" look that shows that she is ready to take on the world in a stylish way.

To create that look I started with airbrush makeup to make skin look flawless then gave cheeks a pop of color with soft pink and highlighted the skin with gold shimmer.

Some of the makeup used was by Urban Decay and Estee Lauder. Eye color consisted of bronzes, chocolate brown, pink, lavendar or white shimmer to give definition without looking too made up. Lips were only a gloss.

Hair was kept flowing with a touch of wave by using a clipless curling iron, or by just winding hair around the barrel of a regular curling iron and then pulling it as it cooled down so waves stayed loose and natural.

After long days of shooting the creative director, wardrobe stylist and me hopped on set with the model to show our enthusiasm! Gotta make time for a little bit of play!

Not only did I get a chance to do makeup and some of the hair for the online catalogue but I also had the opportunity to do makeup for some of the toured fashion shows.

One of the biggest perks for doing makeup for the fashion show was to do makeup on the New York designer Jodi Arnold. Jodi has been popular for her "no fuss" chic style and has a boutique that inspired a collection specifically for the Limited brand.

The next time you are in The Limited, you just might be looking at some of my work!

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "I get red on my cheeks in the summer and would like to tone it down, but make it last all day. What can I do?"- from Wanita in Florida.

Answer:
You can use a yellow based concealer like Covergirl Simply Ageless Corrector concealer, before your foundation. It will help tone down your red, and it will last without making skin look pastey.

Just be sure to hydrate skin first, pat a small amount of concealer on first then follow it with patting your foundation on TOP of the concealer and finish with face powder. If you decide to use a blush, go with peach or a golden bronzer or you will fill like you are adding the red back to your face again.

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Let's talk about....


MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is the Nars Kabuki brush collection. I got a chance to try them and love how soft they are and their ability to blend very easily.

I love makeup brushes!

I love watching HGTV and I love finding great buys for my house, so when I was called to do makeup and hair for HGTV Endless Yard Sale TV show I was excited!

We traveled from yard sale to yard sale with 3 groups of women to see if they could find the items they needed to decorate their favorite space in their house.

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "How can a guy contour his round face?"- from Mark in Florida.

Answer: When you contour a woman's face, you need it to look round and soft. When you contour a guy's face you want it to look strong so I like to create more angular lines. I normaly start by shaping the forehead with a bronzer like Tarte Bronze To Go on the temples to make it look a bit more square, then I apply it to the sides of the face to give the jawline a more square shape as well.

I don't apply to much, just enough to look natural but keep him as masculine as possible.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing is a bit unusual. Since it was so hot, I kept drinking water, but when it was time to address my sweet tooth, I prefered to have a Edy's Fruit Bar instead. It is refreshing and cool in the summer heat but has vitamin C, real fruit and is only 80 calories per bar. Better than the ice cream from the ice cream stand that everyone else ate!

I get to do all types of projects but one of my favorite things to do is fashion shows because of the time I get to create, and the energy that goes on. One of the most interesting fashion shows that I get to do is the Asian Bridal Fashion Show.

I love the detail on the clothing. Everything is hand beaded, in rich vibrant colors. From head pieces to sarongs, to shoes. No detail was left out. The men looked like kings and the women looked like queens.

To create the look I used.....

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "How did you make the lip to be so glossy,and how did you get the eyes easily shaped."- from Timilehin in Lagos State.

Answer:
I start with a high shine gloss like Wet N' Wild Glassy Gloss for impact. It creates a shine like glass, but the formula is thick so it won't easily slide off the face. After I apply my choice of lipcolor, I PAT on a small amount of gloss with my fingers so I don't over apply the product. This creates the look that I want but makes as long as possible.

My ability to shape eyes is from years of experience, but my biggest tips is to layer your colors. This helps product to blend better more seamlessly!

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Now it is time for.....

MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is Swiss Gear luggage. I am always traveling from one East coast to West coast, so I love using this because it is durable and has a 10 year warranty. My favorite color?...red!...just like a lovely shade of lipstick of course!

This month I did a beauty spread for Vestiture magazine called "Paint By Numbers". Since the theme of the issue was Art & Artitecture, the first thing I thought about was the old school paint by numbers sets that tried to help you paint like a pro...or at least make you feel like you were.

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "What is the best mascara that will make my lashes look longer and fuller?"- from Toonisha in Illinois.

Answer: One of my favorite mascara's is Lancome Definicils because it creates a crisp long lash but it isn't designed to thicken too so I use Covergirl Lashblast Fusion mascara because it can do both!

They fused the lengthing mascara from the yellow tube with the thickening mascara in the orange tube to create one that does both (in the purple tube). It gives you lush glam lashes and doesn't break the bank either! Vavoom!

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Now it is time for.....

MY FAVORITE THINGS

My favorite thing this month is my Twitter and Facebook pages! It makes it easy to give you more up to date info about the fun shoots and beauty tips that I do so be sure to join me!

I am always doing makeup for all kinds of things like editorial spreads, catalogs and commercials. This month I got a chance to do makeup for the FMI event in Florida.

I did various makeovers on the attendees but the highlight of the event was my time working with Tim Gunn of "Project Runway". "Project Runway" is a TV show that takes some of the best up-in-coming fashion designers and gives them a chance to win their 'dream come true', to show their collections down the runways of New York Fashion Week and to have the start up money and press needed to create their own lable. As a makeup artist, fashion and beauty go hand in hand, so I was estatic to be able to work with the guy that helps mold the new fashion designers into the next fashion gurus of the future.

Beauty Questions

Beauty question: "I have hazel eyes and find it difficult to find eyeshadows that look good with my eye color. Anytime I apply eyeshadow, I immediately rub it off because I feel like I look better naturally. Any suggestions for a good color for hazel eyes?"- from Ashley in Ohio.

Answer: Covergirl Exact Eyeshadow takes all of the guess work out of chosing the colors because they do it for you in one set.

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MY FAVORITE THINGS
My favorite thing this month is Black Opal's Fade and Conceal concealer.

I like how it totally hides my dark under eye circles with the correct undertone since I get hyperpigmentation from rubbing my eyes too much from allergies and lack of sleep.

It also corrects the discoloration by fading it to my regular skin tone. So it hides my flaws until it is finished correcting them. LOVE THAT!...RIGHT!