{Kin + Daniel | 3.28 Wedding}

Always a pleasure to work with Maxwell Studios ! We were so happy to get this entire group of 11 bridal party members ready for Kin & Daniel's big day.

{Linda + Andrew | Engagement} by onelove photography

Another beautiful engagement session down with my fabulous partner Tee!  Thank you to one love photography for sharing these photos with us ! xoxo

Early Morning Bridal Prep | The Hilton Hotel, San Gabriel

Thy & I had the pleasure of prepping a seriously gorgeous mother-daughter duo at the Hilton Hotel in San Gabriel early this morning & I am extremely happy to report that they were both thrilled with their final looks.  We stayed behind to wait for photos to be taken so Thy could put on Jenny's veil & I must say -  her wedding dress & veil (embellished with rhinestones!) & her bridesmaids' dresses were seriously some of the prettiest that I've seen!  I cannot wait to share the finished photos with you guys! 

Congrats again, Jenny & Dustin! 

A Big Thank You to Lashem and Chrislie Formulations

I was so happy to receive a package of goodies from Lashem & Chrislie Formulations in the mail last weekend!  I have never tried any of their products and was extremely humbled to learn that they are a fan of my work and wanted to send me some items to try and discuss a potential collaboration.

How cute is their tote bag?! I received a package filled with eyeshadow palettes, a contour kit, a lipliner, mascara, brow tint, eye cream, false lashes, and nail polish.

For those of you who are not familiar with their products, Lashem's brand features mascaras, eyeliners, lash boosters, and lash/brow enhancing serums + anti-aging skin care for the everyday woman.  Luckily for me, these products are formulated with gentle, non-irritating ingredients - I'm extremely sensitive to harsh chemicals in products, so these products are right up my alley ;-) .

Chrislie Formulations is Lashem's sister brand and they feature cosmetics like eyeshadow palettes, contour kits & lip, nail and eye products.

My first impressions:

• I really like the packaging of the Lashem products - smooth and sleek, they look high-end and would look great on my vanity or in my purse. 
• Confession: I had to swatch the gorgeous nail polish (because we all know how obsessed I am with all that glitter!) and I am pretty obsessed!

I will be trying out these products throughout the next full week or so and will report back :-) Again, a huge thanks to Lashem and Chrislie Formulations for their generosity!  

Makeup Lesson: Everyday, Simple Yet Put-Together Look

My beautiful client Lina wanted to learn how to achieve the perfect simple, everyday polished makeup look.  The only makeup item she owned was an Almay eyeshadow palette, so we started off with the basics of the importance of using primers & product suggestions/basic makeup application techniques.   I can't wait to see how her makeup application techniques improve with practice over time! 

Weekend Madness in San Marino, CA

Hello Lovelies!

The past weekend was so crazy filled with appointments that I completely forgot / didn't have time to take many photos of my work!  Luckily, I remembered to take some photos to share with you guys - enjoy! 

YSL Lippie with an emphasis on contouring & a glowing complexion - doesn't she look gorgeous?!

This client was hesitant about getting her makeup done because she always hid behind her glasses - but I'm so glad we were able to bring her out of her shell & find a natural look that she was comfortable with!

This client was afraid that her eyes would look small without using eyelid tape - but I assured her that the specific lashes that we used would be perfect & enhance her eye shape.  She was pleasantly surprised by the results :) !

Lookbook Fashion Shoot for Destroyed by Fame @ Opulen Studios, Downtown LA

Yesterday was a long but fun-filled day of shooting with the gorgeous Rebecca Pilger & handsome Cobi Barnhart for Destroyed by Fame's new 2014-2015 lookbook.  I cannot WAIT to show you guys the finished shots! Here is a sneak peek:

Wedding Makeup - Chino Hills, CA

I had the pleasure of doing makeup for a group of fabulous ladies yesterday for a wedding in Chino Hills, CA.  When I left the hotel room at 3:30pm, the temperature was 85 degrees!  That definitely called for an extra spritz of setting spray to hold everything in!

The ladies were so happy with their makeup - it is so gratifying to know that I am able to make people feel as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside!  I honestly feel that that is the most fulfilling part of doing what I do - feeling so blessed and thankful today :-)  Happy Monday!

Which Eyelash Curler is Right for You?

Did you know that not all eyelash curlers are created equal? 

I will FOREVER remember that one fateful day when I got to school one morning in 9th grade and my best friend (at the time) told me that she had literally "cut off" half of her eyelashes while using her older sister's Revlon eyelash curler the night before. 

First of all, I had never used an eyelash curler in my entire life at the time.  Secondly, I was horrified to see that her lashes were, in fact, half the length that they were the day before.  I quickly made a mental note to NEVER buy that eyelash curler for use and later on that night relayed the story to my older sister.  My sister scoffed and gave me one piece of advice that I live by to this very day: 

Shu Ueumura eyelash curlers are your best friend -- that is, if you've got relatively large, double-eyelid, long-ish eyes like me.  

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler, $20 

Lucky for me, I have a sister who believes in splurging for a good product as long as the product is effective - and believe me, as a 14 year old high schooler, $20 was a huge amount to spend on a contraption that was meant to "open up my eyes" and make me look "more awake."  Ten years later, I am a believer and this is my go-to lash curler of choice.  Imagine my horror when Shu Uermura counters were all shut down in the US - thankfully, Amazon and my lovely best friend who travels to Japan often have kept me well-stocked.

For those of you who have monolid, short, or relatively small eyes, this Shiseido eyelash curler will be your best friend: 

Shiseido Eyelash Curler, $19

 What's so different about this eyelash curler, you ask?  The length of the eyelash pad is shorter, which ensures that all lashes will be curled.  The curve is also slightly flatter, which fits smaller eyes better.  This will prevent the seemingly inevitable "pinch" that eyelash curlers give when you're using an eyelash curler that is wrong for your eye shape, so beware, my lovelies!  When in doubt, keep experimenting with different eyelash curlers, but in my experience, these seem to be the best two in the market!