How about both?! So I really really love the Josie Maran Cleansing Oil (love the whole line as you already know). Mind you, when I first got it, I wasn't using it right. I'd wet my face and cleanse...not so successful, it wasn't "cleansing". So then I would just use cotton pads to take off eye makeup and use Clairsonic for the rest of my face. Well, turns out, that's not the right way either. When I met with the fabulous Beauty Executive Trainer Gina, at Josie Maran...she set me on the right track. Half the time we buy things and don't use it right then claim we hate it. Knowledge is power! Yes, even with makeup :) Power is in your hands...ok, I'll stop. Anywho! So you're supposed to take a pump or two in your dry hands, rub it together and rub it all over your dry face. Your face will turn into a big ol' mess with your foundation, mascara, brow pencil and blush all rubbed together! (Beware:it's a sight to see) It's great because it doesn't burn your eyes. Once you feel like your face has melted off (...ha!), then start rinsing it with water. Feels amazing and the makeup is all gone! If there is any residue left around your eye, then take a round cotton pad to it. Because Argan Oil is a natural oil, cleansing with this will NOT break you out. I know "oil" sounds scary but of course there's the good and the bad. And Argan is just, great! After I've cleansed my face with the Argan Cleansing Oil, I use my Clairsonic with its cleanser to deeply cleanse my pores. I don't like removing my makeup with this (although you can) but I feel like it just rubs around my makeup all over the place. Sooo that's about it. Moral of the story, I love both didn't know which one to use, so figured out a way to use both and it works perfectly for me. Hope you found this helpful. #skincleansingdrama #onlywomen :/

So I was recently sent a few foundations to try called Core. I had never heard of this brand before but was definitely excited to try it. Not only because I am always on the search for an amazing foundation but because of the information I received along with the products. I love that it has natural ingredients that won't harm your skin, moisturizing properties to hydrate, sunscreen protection, anti-oxidants, and vitamins A, B, C & E. Sounds amazing already right? Well, wait till you feel it. It has a very rich creamy texture that just glides on evenly. The second I put my "face" on, I was in love. My face was GLOWING, the coverage was amazing and felt really light on my skin. I usually stay away from "glow" because of my oily skin, but this product has a luminous and pearlescent finish that truly makes your skin look porcelain. I put on the Smashbox oil-free primer, let it set in for a few seconds and used my beauty blender to blend it all over my face. It's creamy enough in texture where you can keep blending until you get the clean even finish you want. What's amazing about this product is that it also adjusts to your skin tone. I used the darkest color "E" (because I am super tan right now) and it looked amazing. I use Mac studio finish concealer in NW 20 to brighten underneath my eyes and the bridge of my nose to highlight and brighten. I set it in with MAC mineralized in "light" underneath my eyes and Ben Nye's banana powder all over my face. The finish was picture perfect! Love how my makeup looks with this foundation and I have been getting many compliments. I believe Cinema Secret carries this product as of now, but it will be sold at my studio in Sherman Oaks very soon! I called Venus to thank her and tell her how much I loved the product and learned she was an extremely sweet down to earth girl. She then informed me that she is a makeup artist herself and has been for 20 years now. It took her 4 years to create this foundation and she is finally ready to put it out there. She bought used and compared some of the best foundations on the market to be able to pick and chose which qualities she loved in order to create Core. I can't wait for you girls to try it. You are going to LOVE it! 

Hey guys! So I was recently sent an airbrush system from Belletto Studio to try out and I finally got around to it. I've been using Dinair for a very long time and have been committed but I always believe in trying new things. I have to say that I absolutely loved it. It was not cakey or thick as it may look in the picture (FYI I sometimes "amplify" the photos I post to really make the details stand out, which may in turn work against me :/ ) In any case, it was very light! Overall, airbrush is meant to be controlled. If you like light coverage, you spray on one layer. If you want full coverage, you layer it on till you get the coverage you want. Airbrush makeup is meant to look flawless without the heavy look or feel. You don't "feel" the makeup and it doesn't move around, which is amazing. The system is really easy to use on yourself. You just have to make sure you keep it at an arms length and layer! I do have to say, airbrush is not for everyone. It is not for the on-the-go mom and not for super oily skin. I personally have an oily t-zone and it works wonders on me because it doesn't let me get shiny or oily. But if you have the type of skin that's slippery and oily overall, it's not for you. Otherwise, it stays all day! You can touch your face and the foundation wont budge. Belletto Studio is definitely a product you can use at home on a daily basis with a light spray. I used F5 all over my face with F3 underneath my eyes to highlight. I also used the B5 blush which is a pink tone. I personally don't like airbrush eyeshadow because you don't get enough precision but of course it's definitely a perference! I loved the system and will post a promo code for you guys to use to get a discount shortly. Hang tight!

As most of you already know...I love samples! As mentioned in previous posts (instagram), I love trying new and different skincares and products. Because: 1. I get bored of one skincare for too long 2. I love trying different products, to be able to give feedback and 3. I don't want to be buying something, hating it and being stuck with it (hate returns!). I love stores like Sephora, Naimies and Ulta because I feel these stores aren't committed to selling you one product line only, just to sell. Because they carry different brands, the employees are very knowledgeable and are able to advise you into the direction your skin needs and not just a sale. Anywho - so at my last visit at Sephora (Sherman Oaks), a very educated girl, helped me pick out some skincare. I have to say, I LOVE everything she has given me...which is horrible right?? ($$$) lol...but seriously, skincare is worth every penny! If your skin looks good, the less makeup you need on a daily basis and the younger you will stay. One of the product samples she had given me was called Apivita. I had never heard of this product before but Stephanie swore by it and promised I would love it. And of course, I did. I've had a few clients lately who have been educating me about natural skincare vs. parabens, chemicals, toxins, etc. and I have completely shifted my perspective on skincare since. Stephanie was also a true believer in natural skincare and explained a bit about what Apivita was about. Apivita was created in Greece and is made from Greek plant extracts, high biological bee products and contains 100% natural oils. I loved the few samples she gave me and I am tempted to try their whole line. I purchased the Deep Cleansing Mask with green clay for myself. Who doesn't need a deep cleansing mask considering the amount of makeup we wear on a daily basis? I also chose this because it is for oily/combination ski. They have other masks which you would need to look into and see what works for you of course. I also got the eye mask with Ginkgo Biloba for dark circles and eye-puffiness. I honestly haven't seen any eye masks (in a cream form), so I was excited to see this. Eye care is SO important! Your face cream should not replace your eye cream because your eye-area is so much more sensitive than your face and needs that extra attention. I've been using Apivita for 2 weeks now and I am obsessed to the point where I want mask-up every day! They come in little express packages which you can open and throw away after one or two uses. I love this because I am not a fan of sticking my fingers into a jar and using it over a few weeks time...germs are bound to get in there! In addition, I am SUPER impressed by their website/blog. It is thorough, interesting and organized! Check them out at www.Apivita.com. You can read about all their ingredients and products. If you give any of their products a shot, I'd love your feedback. Hope you enjoyed this post!

I don't have one. Instead, I have a makeup box...a big one. One that I cannot carry around :/ BUT, I've never really felt the need to have one. Once I put on my "face" in the morning, why carry it around throughout the day? Who needs to retouch their mascara, foundation, concealer, etc. anyway? The only thing I have in my purse is a powder incase I get shiny and the lipstick I have on for the day. The less in my bag, the better! Wallet, sunglasses, phone, etc. already make it heavy enough. Moving on...these are the items that I use on a daily basis for my everyday "face". I have to say, I do like switching stuff up because I am always trying new things, but this is what's in my box for now:

Primer: Hourglass Veil Primer - PHENOMENAL! Oil-free mineral primer that gives your face a glow without making it shiny (refer to previous post).

Foundation: ERA Classified. Everyone always asks what I use for my clients and so this is what I have been using since the product was first ever created! (One of my first blog posts, read previous posts ;) I do however switch back and forth with another current favorite which is the Hourglass Veil Foundation. I LOVE the way it looks on my skin. Looks flawless!

Concealer: Mac ProLongwear concealer in NW20. I am obsessed with this concealer. The least creasing concealer I have ever used. It sets in and does not move. I use a color about 2 shades lighter than my skin to highlight but of course it's personal preference how light you want to go.

Powder: Too Faced Primed Poreless loose powder to set in my foundation. Doesn't make me look white and smells good! (as do most of their products).

Bronzer: Too Faced Chocolate Soleil in Milk Chocolate - perfect medium toned matte bronzer. I like to layer bronzer as opposed to using a dark bronzer which can be too obvious sometimes unless thats the look you are going for. Oh and this smells like chocolate :)  Very similar to the Bourjois bronzer which I got from Europe while I was there. Also, amazing! Unfortunately, they do not sell it here (or at least that I know of) but you can order it from Amazon.

Smashbox Contour Palette - As all my clients know, I cannot work without this palette. I do not use it every day, but I wanted to include it for those of you who are looking to contour your face on a daily basis for a "natural" structured face.

EyePrimer: Benefit Stay Don't Stray - By far, best primer I have used. The nude color gives your eyelids a clean look and really does not crease. I use the primer with no eyeshadow just to neutralize my eyelids. Another favorite is Laura Mercier eye basics in Wheat but I would use this product on its own and not as a primer as eyeshadow does not stick as well, unless they are lighter colors.

Eyebrows: Mac Eyebrow Pencil in Stud - I love these brow pencils! Only downside is they finish fast :( They are retractable and you never really know when it finishes until you are halfway done with one eyebrow lol. Buy two at a time ;)

Blush: Mac Mineralized blush in Warm Soul - I am obsessed with all these new mineralized blushes. They have the slightest sheen that make your cheeks glow without the shimmer. I like warm soul for the medium color tone in has, not too pink and not too brown, works with most lip colors and perfect for everyday. Lorac has amazing ones as well.

Mascara: Last but not least, mascara! We all have our favorites. My ultimate favorite (and all other pro makeup aritsts') has to be the Loreal Voluminous mascara. Again, I switch it up every now and then just for a change, current favorite - Laura Mercier.

Hope that was helpful and insightful for some of you. Feel free to give feedback on what you have been using and what your favorite products are! I'd love to hear from you and try new things as well. Thank you!

"Spring" naturally translates to "color". But this year, the bright, poppy, neon colors are a trend. Neon eyes, lips, clothes, nails, bags & accessories. Usually we balance colors on the eyes (the darker the eyes, the nuder the lips and vice versa), but with Neon being an "out of the ordinary", so will be your makeup! Go wild with colors, now is the only time you can pull it off. Bright yellows and greens on the eyes and poppy pinks and oranges on the lips. It works! And I have to say, it is my favorite look from all seasons because I am a huge fan of bright lips. I can't begin to name which brands have great brights because as its a trend, almost every makeup brand has come out with a bright neons for their Spring 2012 Collection. Neon eyeliners are one of my favorite looks with the brights; so simple & chic! Play around with color and don't be afraid to go all out. Have fun with your makeup this Spring!