[Photoshoot] Alice in 'Wonder'land with a hint of Tim Burton

In my line of work, Makeup Artistry, you have to network and amazingly you build relationships with the people you've met. I am very grateful to have met and worked with some very talented people, from models, to photographers to people who design and make custom wardrobes. Networking makes my world go round, and I love it.

Yesterday's collaboration turned out beautifully. The custom made wardrobe for 'Alice' turned out 100 times better than I could have ever imagined. Onsite location was perfect, and of course our photographer worked her magic and took a lot of great photos. She captured every movement and pose as she always does with all of her work. Makeup was on point, some may think a little scary but that's the look we were going; for a darker version of Alice. All in all, yesterday's photo shoot was something special and I loved every minute of it. I don't have all of the photos, but check out the few that I do have below.

Model: Kaite Hansen

Model: Kaite Hansen

Model: Kaite Hansen

What do you think?? Not your normal every day routine, but I think it turned out great! With passion, talent and creativity, you definitely achieve your dreams. Don't forget to check out the work of everyone involved with yesterday's photo shoot.
Photography by:
Kristine Wahner Photography
KW Photography Facebook

Wardrobe by:
Octaviana Corsetry
Octaviana Corsetry Facebook
Makeup and Hair by:
Makeup by Sammie
Makeup by Sammie Facebook

Our work in progress digital magazine, please give us a like on Facebook!
Reves Creatifs Magazine
Reves Creatifs Facebook

Makeup (and tools) used:
Graftobian, Ben Nye, Mehron, Inglot Cosmetics, Eye Kandy Cosmetics, MUD, Cinema Secrets, Sigma Beauty, Bdellium Tools.

[Review] To Die for Brows

Let's face it, my eye brows are not perfect. I know of one person that I can think of that has a set of eye brows that I would DIE for. My friend, Julie, she has amazing eye brows. They're thick but not super thick, dark and had the perfect shape and I had the privilege of grooming them for her... Anyway, sorry, was getting off topic - sort of. Onto the review.

I love Sigma Beauty brushes, but have never tried their make up before. When I saw that they were coming out with the Brow Design kit ($69.00), I had to get it. It was everything that I needed in a brow kit; grooming tools, stencils, a jumbo highlight pencil, a jumbo eye brow pencil, eye brow gel in tint and clear, 5 different shades of eye brow powder, an angled brush and a jumbo pencil sharpener. What more could a girl ask for? A few things actually...

As you can see in the very top picture, the box it comes in is nice, no doubt about that. One thing I would change about it though is the bulkiness of the box. As a professional makeup artist, this kit is just way too bulky for me to lug around along with all of my other makeup. I just couldn't understand why this awesome kit was so bulky! Another thing I would probably get rid of is the TINY mirror. It really serves no purpose because you need a bigger mirror if you're going to define your eye brows the right way. I also would change the fact that that jumbo pencils are just too big, maybe that's why they made the box so big?

As for the quality of the powders, I LOVE them. They are highly pigmented and of awesome quality. I've actually had this kit for almost a year now and I still use it. Yes, I know it's been a year, what can I say - I've been busy =). But that does go to show that I've had this kit for a very long time and I still have not made a dent in the one color I use most. My brows and clients brows lasts all day long, the powders don't flake or bleed. I'm probably also fired because I don't have swatches, yet. I will get to it and update this post, I promise. I do like the jumbo matte and shimmery highlight pencils. They get the job done, I just hate that they are so "jumbo". I don't really use brow gel so I don't have any negative or positive feed back on that.

This is my before and after. Before is a little scary...lol

Overall I do love this kit. The colors are on point and quality is wonderful. The price is right for the quality. As for this kit in my professional makeup case, it is not for me. As I stated before, the kit is bulky and does not fit right in my professional kit. Would I recommend this kit to my friends and fans? Yes, I would. It's a great kit for starters and serves it's purpose.

Sigma Beauty: Online
Price: $69.00

 

[Photo shoot] Zombies are taking over the world!!

This will be a short blurb. I am super grateful to have met my friend Kristine of Kristine Wahner Photographer. Today we went on a fun escapade and I decided to call it "Zombies are taking over the world". They aren't really, but today's photo shoot was fun. Something different and out of the ordinary but still super fun to create a zombie featuring Janel of Dollface Janel. I even made my own fake blood, super easy to do. Check it out below.

Little Red Riding Hood turned Zombie

Don't stand too close to the window, Zombies will get you!

Just an ordinary day at the beach.

Brains for dinner.

So, what do you guys think?? I did the hair and makeup for this photo. Stay tuned for more pictures to come.

[Contest] Just in time for Mother's day!

We all know who to credit for our upbringing; our mom's of course! Now, she doesn't even have to be blood related to be your mom. I know a lot of people out there don't know who or where their biological moms are but that's okay. Because the lovely lady that you call "mom" is your mom no matter what the DNA results say.

This contest is for deserving moms. If you know someone, you should definitely nominate them for a day of Glamour! Check out the contest at Kristine's blog here for more information on how you can nominate a deserving mom. Don't forget to like Kristine's FB Page and my FB Page for updates.

[Experience] Boudoir Photo Shoot

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know I've been MIA, and I apologize for that, but I am back now. I'm only back part time, but I am back none the less =).

I love networking. Did I tell you guys how much I LOVE networking? Seriously, it's the best thing to do especially if you're trying to run a business. I came in contact with a wonderful photographer, Kristine of Sisters Photography. I was fortunate enough to work her Boudoir Photo shoot. Check out my FB page for some photos here.

Fun Fact: Did you know that boudoir is pronounced bow-du-wah [figures since it's kind French]? Maybe I'm the only one that didn't know - oops =).

Moving forward. I had such a wonderful experience. It was definitely worth the 11 hour day. I met some amazing women and was able to help make them feel THAT much more confident before they took their photos. I, myself, am not that comfortable with my body, but after seeing these ladies bare it all with such confidence, I feel like partaking in one of these shoots one day.

If you're local to San Diego, Ca and want to do a Boudoir photo shoot, then you should definitely get in contact with Kristine at Sisters Photography. Kristine understands how intimate and private the Boudoir shoots are and she takes everyone's privacy very seriously. When you're in the studio, its just you and her, no one else - unless of course you're having a girls day Boudoir shoot, then that's a different story. You can check out Kristine's FB page here. Don't forget to "like" her page!

That's all I have for now. Keep an eye out for my next reviews. There's tons I need to tell you all about, I just haven't gotten around to writing it down. Soon my beauties, soon.

[Review] Eyes, Eyes and more!

I've been lagging on a new review post, I know I know, I'm fired. Kidding! But I do apologize for taking way too long to do another post. I have had this annoying cough for over a week and a half, and then my entire family got sick, it's just been a  pain in the butt if you ask me. Anyway! Onto some reviews. Last time I left off at my awesome Mehron Blush palette, so moving forward. Check it out below, but I warn you, this will be another photo heavy post, with short reviews.

Review

Cinema Secrets Eye Primer:

Let's start off with an eye lid primer. I LOVE Cinema Secrets Eye Primer. It's really amazing and I wouldn't say that if it isn't. I've used primers before where I've had to use a "wet" eye shadow application, but with this eye primer, no more wet applications for me! That's how awesome it is, it doesn't require a wet application to pick up the pigments from my eye shadows! I love it, I love it, I love it! Texture wise, I was iffy about it, because it is really runny, but you don't need a ton of product. Just a tiny dab [see picture] and you can cover BOTH EYES with just that much. It spreads easily and goes on super sheer. Seriously a must have in your makeup bag.

Camera Ready Cosmetics Gel Eyeliner:

I've always used a pencil eyeliner or liquid eyeliner, and I still do on occasion. Then I started using Gel Eyeliners and seriously, I hardly go back to using pencil or liquid. The Camera Ready Cosmetics Gel Eye Liner is superb. It glides on easy, color is on point and it lasts all day long. I used this Gel eyeliner to do makeup for my friends wedding and it did not budge all night. Texture is perfect and it doesn't flake at all. Definitely worth a try if you're into Gel eyeliners or if you're just beginning.

Kryolan Cake Eyeliner:

Besides being in infatuated with Gel Eyeliners, cake eyeliners are on a whole different level. It's a mix between powder and liquid because it comes in the form of a powder but glides on super easy like a liquid eyeliner. My most favorite cake eyeliner is made by Kryolan. This stuff is amazing! You might get fooled if you've never used a Cake eyeliner before because you will need a sealer. I mean you can use water, but this works so much better with a good sealer [I use Cinema Secrets Eyeliner Sealer]. If you love liquid eyeliner, then you'll definitely love the Kryolan Cake Eyeliner. All you need is your eyeliner brush and a sealer and it goes on smoothly. It doesn't flake or fade, and lasts all day. This is definitely something to have in your makeup kit.

 Camera Ready Indelible Lash Waterproof Mascara:

I'm a mascara whore. Why - because I love that it just opens up the eyes and makes your eyes pop that much more. Not all mascaras are made equal, some are good and some are horrible. That is why I want to tell you how much I really like the Camera Ready Indelible Lash. It's a waterproof mascara that does what it says, water resistant. It doesn't smudge or flake and lasts all day long. It's not very thick so you will need a few swipes, but I don't have an issue with that. I for one do not need a few swipes, I'm actually good with 1 or 2, depending on the look I'm going for. I bought this for more than one reason, 1. I needed a waterproof mascara and 2. I really like the design of the tube. It's totally different, almost like a squeezable type but you can't really squeeze it. Yes, I am different, I bought a beauty product because of the design - lol. This mascara gets two thumbs up from me.

Model in a Bottle:

No, it's not a genie that comes out and grants you any beauty wish you want. Although that would be awesome. It's actually a matte finishing spray. I love this Model in a Bottle Matte Finishing Spray. It has a nice and clean scent that's not too overwhelming. It dries within seconds of use, isn't sticky and sets your makeup perfectly. It also does not clog your pores and doesn't interfere with your SPF. You really can't go wrong with a finishing spray. You get about 300 sprays with this cute little bottle and it's definitely worth the buy. Also, if you have sensitive skin, don't fret, they do have this in a sensitive skin formula. Yay!

Beauty Blender Cleanser:

Not an ordinary brush cleaner, but a Beauty Blender Cleanser. It's a gel, almost like dish soap, but I want to say it's a tiny bit thicker. I love this cleanser. It seriously makes the beauty blending sponges spotless and look brand new like you've never used it before. You don't need a ton of product to clean your beauty blender, just a small drop and you're good to go. I've cleaned about 6 beauty blenders with this, and barely made a dent in the product. It has a nice mild Lavender scent. I haven't tried this on my makeup brushes yet but I will keep you guys updated on that. Super awesome cleanser to have and I recommend this to anyone who has a beauty blender [or generic beauty blender].

Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner:

Lastly, I have the Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner. I LOVE this bright blue toned brush cleaner. It's great for on site use because it cleans and sanitizes the brushes and dries quickly. It's safe to use on synthetic or natural hairs and will leave your brushes with a nice vanilla scent. Sadly, I only purchased the smaller sized bottle because I wanted to test it out and now I know I MUST have it. This time I will splurge and get the big bottle. As if you couldn't tell, but you must have this brush cleaner too!

That's it for today beauties! I purchased everything at Camera Ready Cosmetics. You guys should definitely check out Camera Ready, they have EVERYTHING! It's like being a kid in a candy store, well for me it is. Thanks for reading loves, hope y'all enjoyed!

[Review] Foundations and Powders and Blushes and more... Oh My!

I will be doing short reviews of a ton of products that I bought from Camera Ready Cosmetics. I'm pretty sure I've told you guys how awesome this store is, but if not, check out my shopping review here. I really have a ton so let's get started! WARNING - This post will be photo heavy, enjoy!

Review

Cinema Secrets Foundation Primer:
I just started using Cinema Secrets Foundation Primer and I LOVE it. I used it for my friends' wedding party and herself on her wedding day and it was absolutely perfect. Their makeup did not budge or fade. It's a great filler too, it fills up my small wrinkles and I really like that it's clear and dries clear. It leaves your skin silky soft. You don't need to use a ton of product to get the job
done - which is awesome, less money for me to spend! Foundation application afterward glides on easily and flawlessly.

Mehron No Sweat Primer:
I sweat A LOT. I mean, I can walk to the kitchen and I will start feeling beads of sweat pop up on my nose or forehead. I hate that I sweat so much, and this humidity we've been having does not help. Thank goodness I found the Mehron No Sweat Primer! It does what it says, it keeps my face from sweating off the makeup I just applied. It's so easy to use, just dampen your cotton ball a little bit and lightly apply the primer to sweat prone areas, like your forehead and/or nose and then let it dry before you apply your makeup. It does not leave your makeup streaky and it doesn't make your make up run. It dries quickly and doesn't smell at all. Overall, great product that I love and use every day. [Sorry for the horrible picture, it's not very easy taking pictures of products that are as clear as day...lol]

Quick Blending Sponge:
I know y'all have heard of the Beauty Blender, well this, my loves is a budget friendly blending sponge. When I first saw these funky shaped sponges at IMATS, I thought to myself "What in the world is that thing?!". I didn't even bother giving it a chance then, but oh how I wish I would have bought them sooner. The Quick Blending Sponge is amazing! They work soooooooooo much better then those throw away white wedges. It helps you apply your foundation flawlessly, easy to use and it's reusable! I don't think I've used my foundation brushes in a while after using the Quick Blending Sponges. Definitely try one out for yourself.

Graftobian Super Palettes:
I didn't always have to wear foundation, but as I age [nearing 30], I feel the need to cover up my age spots. I have been using my Graftobian Super Palette in warm and I love it. It's not cakey at all, which is my number one must have with foundations. It also covers really well without having to use a ton of product. It's a bit runnier than other foundations, but doesn't run after it's applied. You can easily mix different colors together to get the perfect match for your skin tone. These Super Plattes come in 3 different palettes; Warm, Cool and Neutral. Each palette has 18 different shades. I only purchased the Warm and Cool palettes.Worth the money? Absolutely! Check out the pictures and swatches below. [This portion is pretty photo heavy]

Ben Nye Pressed Powder Palette:
I don't think I'll ever go back to regular store brand powders after using my Ben Nye Pressed Powder Palette. I use my Mojave palette every day, the powders are amazing. The colors are fantastic and are just my colors [if you didn't know, I have a hard time finding the perfect shade]. It covers really well and does not give an orangey hue, unlike some of my store brand powders that I have used in the past. If you're a lighter toned beauty, fret not, because there is a Bella Palette that is filled with lighter shades for you. I don't use this palette, well because as y'all know I'm on the tanner side of the color scale. Ben Nye has become one of my favorite brands to use, truly a wonderful brand that produces amazing products. Definitely worth it. Check out the swatches and pictures below.

 RCMA Loose Powder:
When I don't have time in the morning to get all spiffy for work, I just throw on some RCMA Loose Powder [No Color] on over my foundation. I love it because I don't have to worry about matching my my powder color to my skin tone. Although the powder looks like a pure solid white, it's translucent. It gives my face that matte look and feel that I love and also covers pretty well. It does not change the color of my foundation at all, which is definitely a must have in a No Color powder. I love that I don't have to use a whole lot of product, a little really does go a long way.

Mehron Blush Palette:
Once I started wearing blush, I kind of got addicted to it - haha. No really, adding just a little amount really defines the face so much more. I use to not really wear blush, because I thought it was too bright, or it didn't look right. You just need to know how to wear it and what colors go best with your skin tone. That is why I chose to buy a Mehron Blush Palette, because I didn't know what colors would look good on me or not. So I bit the bullet and bought the 8 color palette. I'm so glad I did. The colors are so bold and beautiful, even if you have some color to your skin tone, the pigmentation on these blushes are a-freaken-mazing. It lasts pretty much all day, so you won't have fading blush while you're trying to look your best. Best of all, I don't have to use a lot of product to get the right color.

I hope you guys enjoyed these reviews. I actually do have a ton more to review but thought ending this here would be a good spot. I didn't want a long and over run review post to get too long or boring. So, just keep a look out for my next post, which will have reviews on eye liners, mascaras and more. Thanks for reading loves and I hope everyone had a great weekend!

[Review] Cinema Secrets

I have been meaning to post a review of some of the new brands I've been using, but I have been pressed for time lately. Now that my friend's wedding is over I can tell you how much I am loving my new products. First, you guys definitely need to check out Camera Ready Cosmetics. Seriously, the best store I've come across. They have tons of high quality brands that Pro Makeup Artist use. I cannot stay away from the store, if I could, I would probably buy everything [haha].

Photo taken from Cinema Secrets "About Us" page of Maurice Stein

Although I have a ton to review about from my recent purchases at Camera Ready Cosmetics, I'm just going to start with the Cinema Secrets brand. Cinema Secrets was founded by Maurice Stein in 1984. He is most famous for his part as a makeup artist in Planet of the Apes [I know we've all seen this]. His work was astounding in the movie and touched many faces of the industry. Did you know that he was also the very FIRST makeup artist to be inducted in the California Cosmetology Association Hall of Fame and is included in the National Cosmetology Association Hall of Renown? Well if you didn't know, now you know. Really such an amazing and inspiring man that I would love to meet one day [a girl can dream right?].

Review 
 
I needed a foundation that does it all. I wanted one that covers really well, one that isn't super cakey or have the cakey look or feel, one that I also don't need to use a ton of product and one that will last a long time. I'm so glad I came across Cinema Secrets. They have an amazing line of products, but by far their foundation is amazing. Since I was the makeup artist for my friend's wedding, I needed a variety of foundation colors, so I purchased 2 of the Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundation Kit [kit #3 and kit #8] from Camera Ready Cosmetics.

I actually use this EVERYDAY and even after the wedding, I still have a TON of products left over. This foundation did everything I wanted it to do. I didn't have to use a whole lot of product to get the job done. Colors were amazing, and easy to mix to get the perfect shade. It lasted all night through out my friends wedding and did not smear or run at all. I love the fact that you get a whole lot of bang for your buck. It didn't cost me an arm and a leg which is definitely a huge plus. So if you're looking for a great foundation, try Cinema Secrets Ultimate Foundation Kit. I'm sure one of these kits will have your shade in it, there's about 11 different color kits! It is truly amazing.

Now for the fun part. Swatches and photos from the wedding that I was honored to be the makeup artist in. I didn't want to bombard you with a ton of pictures,okay really I didn't have a whole lot of time. So I combined the swatches [please be advised that I have used some of the foundations before taking pictures].

Nancy - The beautiful bride

Phoenix - Bridesmaid

Lidta - Bridesmaid

Sara - Bridesmaid

I hope you guys enjoyed this review/blog post! Check out my dedicated Makeup website, Makeup by Sammie. It's still in the works. I'm still trying to find old pictures of makeup applications I've done to put up. But so far, what I have on there is the most recent.

[Photo Heavy] Camera Ready Cosmetics

I don't know if you guys know this, but I LOVE browsing the internet for makeup. I even do what I call an online "window" shop (LOL), which is where I find things I like, and add it to my cart. Then of course I'll go back and double check my cart, and see how much damage I've done. If I don't necessarily need it, I'll delete it. BUT boy that is the hard part, letting go is so hard to do!

I came across this website, Camera Ready Cosmetics, that I abso-freaken-lutely love. I swear it was fate that led me to Camera Ready because my friend was in need of a makeup artist for her wedding. The other great thing about it is that they are located in San Diego, a mere 20 minutes from me. So I jet down there after work one day and of course was totally in love with the cute little store. You can also purchase online, they ship WORLDWIDE. They have everything a makeup artist dreams of and this store is open to the public.

Ashlie, the cashier, was there helping me with such great customer service. I had my 3 boys with me and of course they were getting bored and antsy. But Ashlie was still so helpful through out my shopping trip. She recommended a few things that actually helped me save a few bucks,  which I really appreciated.

Of course after my shopping trip, I look through all of my awesome new makeup, I find that I forgot a few things. Boo me! But, I am so grateful that I can purchase online from Camera Ready Cosmetics and have my items shipped to me in about 2 days. Seriously, shipping is super fast and everything was packaged nicely to insure that nothing breaks. If you're ever in need of some high quality makeup that you don't normally see in stores like Sephora or Ulta, then you need to check out Camera Ready Cosmetics. I'll have reviews up of the products I bought when I'm all done with this wedding, so keep a look out for that! Check out my haul below.

Cinema Secrets - Warm Foundation Palette. LOVE this palette. I've been using it on myself since I got it.

Cinema Secrets - Lip Palette in Barely There (top) and Can Buy Me Love (bottom).

 Purely Cosmetics Translucent Finishing Powder.

 Model in a Bottle - Matte Finishing Spray.

 Ben Nye - Matte Final Seal.

 Cinema Secrets - Eye Primer.

 Mehron - Blush Palette. LOVE this palette.

 Ben Nye - Media Pro Poudre Palette in Mojave.

 Camera Ready - Quick Blending Sponge. The cost efficient alternative to the Beauty Blender, LOVE this pink squishy sponge!

 Camera Ready - Gel Eye Liner in Black Out.

Ben Nye and Graftobian - Refill Powder pans (lighter shades that I totally forgot the names of).