My bridal client, Allison, was a stunning bride, with lovely bridesmaids! They were so much fun to work with & it was very easy to apply makeup on these natural beauties! Here’s some before and after shots! (Photos by: Jennifer Shaffer)

I have wanted to do makeup professionally since I was a little girl. I remember playing with my older sister’s makeup collection and thinking how cool it is to put different colors on your face. As I have become more experienced, my passion grows with every makeup application I do. With just a few special products and techniques, the feeling I get when I have enhanced the natural beauty of a face is pure satisfaction. It is an art form in itself to be able to bring out different features of the face in this way. I am making money by doing what I love to do and that is one of the best feelings to have.

Makeup is amazing in so many ways and it is one of these things that you just can’t get bored with – every makeup application is unique. One of the best things about makeup to me is how a little bit of product can make such a difference in one’s appearance. One simple product can transform a scar from being noticeable, to as if it was never even there, or blotchy skin coloring to an even skin tone. Simple things like this can make such a big difference in a person’s attitude, because it can make them feel so much more confident in how people see them.  Those are the little ways that makeup can make a difference, but the very dramatic changes that makeup can do really brings out the artistic vision of people. It’s fascinating to be able to use products that can make your eyebrows disappear and reappear in a different location on your face. Or to be able to transform a female to look like a male, or visa versa. Makeup has been making small and big changes to people’s faces and bodies like nothing else ever could.

A Makeup Artist has a very challenging job, but it is very rewarding – they will always be needed and people are wiling to pay a lot to look a certain way, so it is a great field to get into. There will always be special events that a Makeup Artist is needed for, celebrities and TV personalities will always need to look their best on camera, and even the dead need to be made up for their day of final respects. There are many different Makeup Artists out there that specialize in different looks, so it is important for people to find the right fit for their makeup needs and it can be a very satisfying experience for everyone. I am always looking forward to expanding my knowledge with every client that I work with because I learn from them, as they learn from me. As a Makeup Artist, you have to do what you think is best for your client, but it’s also your job to work with the client’s requests and decide on a specific look together. I love working with other people, so this is another reason why this type of job is so pleasing to me. I hope my personality and skills will continue to make my clients happy throughout my career as a Makeup Artist.

I had another opportunity to be on set to do makeup for some natural look portfolio shots! It’s always fun to meet some new people and network. On this day I worked with Michelle West (photographer) and Angela Bailey (model). Thanks for reaching out to me Michelle!

I had the pleasure to work with some very talented ladies on this day: Michelle West (photographer), Sa’Rae Adams (model), and Marissa Stokes (fashion coordinator). We all collaborated to get some fresh new pictures for our portfolios. We had a lot of fun and got some really great shots – nice job ladies! (Thank you Sa’Rae for reaching out to me!)

On March 4th, I attended the ABS at McCormick Place and it was a very overwhelming & exciting experience! There was a sea of vendors that ranged from web & print advertising, to various hair, nail, skin care and makeup products to salon furniture, tools, & attire. I was on the hunt for a new hair straightener, but couldn’t decide on one from the over 50 vendors that had hair tools (I think some online shopping might be easier for this purchase!)

It was great to see all the latest trends in hair coloring, cutting, & styling happening in action at Tigi, Schwarzkopf, Scruples, Rusk, Farouk, & FHI (just to name a very few!) Some of the stage set ups had awesome sound & lightening – just adding to the excitement! BTW, thank you to Crew for the eye-candy for us ladies!

I did take advantage of the discounts & bought some goodies: Aquage Sea Salt Spray, Schwarzkopf OSis Dust It hair powder, sulfate-free shampoo & conditioner, (2) NYX lip gloss pallettes, (3) eyeshadow pigments, some eyeliners, lip liners, & an eyeshadow white base, makeup gown, (2) Essie nail polish from their Spring collection, Beauty So Clean makeup sanitizing spray, & disposable spatulas. I also stopped over at the Bio Sculpture table to get an example on how their permanent nail polish lasts – I still have to figure out how I’m gonna get this pink nail polish off (which looks as if I just had it done – this stuff has nothing on the no-chip).

All in all, a very fun event to attend, whether you are in the beauty industry or not! I look forward to attending next year as an even more seasoned makeup professional!

Wooo Hooo! Face Atelier (uh-ti-lee-eh) finally helped me end my search for a really great non-SPF foundation to add to my makeup kit. I was looking for a foundation without SPF because SPF is made up of titanium dioxide that can flash back in flash photos and white out your face (it doesn’t always happen because it can also depend on the camera settings/quality too). I am really excited about coming across Face Atelier because it just has amazing medium to full coverage and feels super light on your face. It’s silicone based, so it lays beautifully on top of your skin. No primer is needed & it sets on its own, so no powder is needed either! Also, if it’s good enough for Madonna and Lady Gaga to use on their face, I’d say it’s good enough for my clients! HA!

Side note…..some other non-SPF foundations I have used (but am not in love with) are: Estee Lauder Fresh Air, MAC Face & Body, & Makeup Forever HD. I really didn’t like Kryolan HD Micro Foundation Cache as a foundation (I will keep this in my kit as a concealer) – it’s an extremely thick coverage and has a very strong smell.

One Wedding Expo down, one more to go for Moya Makeup! Come meet me at the Bartlett Hills Country Club on Sunday, February 12th, from 12pm-3pm. I will be doing mini makeovers and I have a great special for all show attendees. As always, there will be great give aways from all the vendors too!

For all the details, click here: http://www.bartletthills.com/special-events/bridal-vendor-show

Attention all Brides-To-Be! Come visit the Moya Makeup booth at this upcoming bridal vendor show on Sunday, January 22nd at the Hilton in Rosemont.

The Bridal Sampler was built with the understanding that just as your wedding day is special, your shopping experience should be that way too. They partner with wedding professionals that understand how to deliver an impeccable product or service at a fair and reasonable price.

Here is the link to get 4 FREE tickets: http://www.bridalsampler.com/tickets.html

I have a bunch of beauty products I have been using  that I want to rave about – so I will include that information in this post. I want to share my daily/weekly beauty regimen with you in case any of it can help with any facial skin problems you might have!  So all you ladies that ask me about it,  here is your one stop shop!

Daily:

Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub – I use this all natural cleanser every morning and before bed. When you first look at it, it seems that it would be very rough on your skin, but it is actually very none abrasive and smells yummy too!

Murad Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Gel – since I started using this about 7 months ago, I have noticed a more even skin tone and I have not had any of the painful, big pimples I would get every so often.

Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer or it’s generic brand – I have used this for YEARS! I like that it has a UV protection, but is just the right amount of thickness to where it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy right after you apply it and keeps my skin moisturized all year round.

Alba Un-petroleum Jelly – I apply this all over my face and neck right after I wash my face before bed. It doesn’t smell the best, but it is all natural & has a more thicker application to where you wake up in the morning with the softest skin! It is thick, but doesn’t feel greasy and shouldn’t make you break out.

Once a week:

Olay ProX Advanced Cleansing System – this brush is made to be gentle enough to use daily, but since I don’t have time to do it that often, once a week seems to be just right! Since I have been using this, I noticed that the blackheads on my nose & on my chin are going away! My skin feels softer and just looks more radiant! It’s a great kit and very affordable!

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque or it’s generic brand – after I use the Olay cleansing kit, I either apply this all over my face, or just on my nose (since it’s my biggest problem area). It really just feels refreshing after applying this face masque & it removes impurities from your pores (also I notice it helps make my pores look smaller.)

I had to blog about this pressed powder foundation I have been wearing for the past few months because I have been getting so many compliments on how nice my skin looks! I have not used a pressed powder in years (until this one) because of the powders making dry patches on the side of my nose and cheeks look even worse! Well this is totally different than anything I’ve tried before – I have been really impressed with the finish & staying power! As it is advertised, it is like a powder and foundation all in one, which helps give a more moisturized look & feel to your skin. It has a very matte finish (which I love) & it gives a full, flawless coverage. Now, you have to be very careful during the application since it can really look heavy. You want to start light with a brush and work your way up. It’s nice to have the option of how light or how heavy you want to go!