Good Morning/Ready For Take Off! Taking your day time look to night.

This is a basic-for-everyone-technique. Steps 1-5 are your day time look. Steps 6-11 will let you turn your day look into night.

1. Start with a clean palate. Always use concealer under your eyes AND on top of your lids from lash line to brow. This gives you a clean slate.
2. Sweep a creamy neutral shadow from lash line to brow. This sets the concealer.
3. Take a neutral color like brown, bronze or whatever you like...sage, tan, gold etc... and start to build color on the outer corner of your eyes, keeping inner corners light. Work this color into your crease...remember this is daytime so use a light hand.
4. Highlight inner corner of eyes and under brow. You can use the same creamy neutral you started with.
5. Apply light coat of mascara.
6. After work function, happy hour, whatever you plan on doing here's a few more steps to freshen up for your fun night. Take a blender brush and smooth out any creases that might have formed in your eyeshadow during the day. Don't worry about blending out the color, we'll add more! Next define your brow. Nothing beats a strong brow!  Refer to my post  A Brow Raising Good Time for instructions on filling in and perfecting eyebrows.
7. Line your eyes with choice color as close to lash line as possible, and blend slightly with a brush. *We are trying to blend the liner so you don't have any harshness going on. Also this works great if you aren't the best eyeliner applier. It blends out mistakes or a shaky hand.
8. Pile on your best shimmery, smoky shadow. Remember to keep inner corners light. Work color into outer corners of your eyes. Blend shadow into crease. Imagine a ">" sideways triangle at the outer corner of your eyes. Layer and blend and take your time until you reach the saturation you want. Again highlight inner corners and brow with a light neutral...make it a shimmer.
9. This is totally "old school" but I've been lining my inner rims with black liner! This technique is often called "tightlining" I use regular old black pencil which usually smudges off but I just carry it with me. Or you can use a waterproof cake liner or similar product and apply with a liner brush. Try MAC fluidline if you hate the smudgy look. *You can also use a white eyeliner to open eyes up and brighten your look.
10. Pile on the mascara! If you put a light enough coat on in the morning you shouldn't have any problems adding another coat or two. Comb through wet lashes with a metal tooth comb if you are worried about clumps.
11. Add a little something extra by highlighting a half-moon shape from your temple to your cheekbone. Try a product like The Multiple by Nars. So fun!

Summer Festival Essentials

Hey summer jet setter, i know you have a festival or two on your list! Here's a few things you shouldn't leave behind...

1. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Face, body, lips. Make sure you have it all! You should have a moisturizer with SPF made just for your face. On those crazy hot days when your sweating sitting down, the skin on your face can get extra sensitive from the heat and you could experience a burning feeling from regular sunscreens. These reactions are most commonly associated with para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)-based sunscreens and those containing benzophenones. Some sunscreens also contain alcohol, fragrances, or preservatives, and should be avoided if you have skin allergies. Be kind to your face and try Aveeno You can get anything from SPF 30 up to 100!
2. Refillable water bottle. You can never have too much H2O when you are in the hot sun. There will be refill areas at your venue so hydrate, it's great for your skin too.
3. A truly multi purpose Pashmina is always my life saver at a show. I use it to shield myself from the sun, lay down on it for an afternoon snooze, and it keeps me warm when the sun goes down.

Oh so there's a sold out Black Keys after-the-festival show and you just happen to know the right person holding a ticket with your name on it? No problem! (don't you love when that happens)The next few items on this list will be all you need to freshen up for the post festival show!

1. Face wipes. Wipe off that dirt and sweat with these little gifts from The Body Shop. Reapply that moisturizer with SPF and you are almost ready for Dan and Patrick!
2. Lip & cheek stain is a great 2 for 1 product. Check out Stila they have a good array of color choices.
3. Mascara! If you read my blog you know I love love love mascara! Put on a few extra coats, you never know who'll be at a show...
4. Headbands are a great way to fix unwashed hair. Wear them with a side ponytail...sexy! Or try a headscarf, they look great on both long and short hair.

I hope you have fun hitting the circuit. I'll be out there somewhere so say HI and save me that after show ticket ;)

Pull Up Your Beach Chair It's BEACH HAIR 101

Ombre, tousled, and waves oh my! Whatever your idea of summer locks may be, they all have one word in common...sexy!!! I just love me some carefree summer hair! Now, how to get the "I just got home from the beach" look isn't exactly wash and go. It takes a tiny bit of effort. This post covers 3 things: color, product and hot tools. Relax and have fun, it's just hair!

Color:

• Ombre is staying strong on the color front and it's going nowhere soon. This practically maintenance free technique is made to look like you are growing out old highlights. Sounds strange I know, but I actually think it's pretty bombshell....proving my point with a pic of my friend Alyssa right above! It will look like you spent the summer on the sand and in the sun! Go for it!

Products:

• There are so many products on the market today it'll make your head spin. I'll give you 3 of my favorites. First was a suggestion from my friend Katrina who lives in CA. Her stylist out there had her try  Unite 7 seconds . (click on the blue link for a short video) It has UV protectors and your hairs best friend...silicone. This is a great, lightweight spray for all hair types especially colored hair. The sun will strip your hair color so protect your investment. Throw this in your beach bag for all day UV protection and detangling your wind blown hair. The silicone will de-frizz. Katrina recommends spraying, then pinning some big loose curls all around your head and letting it air dry or blow dry with a diffuser. The result is perfect beachy waves!
• Second Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray literally has salt water as a ingredient. This product adds texture so it's great for fine hair and it will also give straight hair some of that texture too. Spray evenly and then try braiding maybe 5 or 6 different sections loosely. Air dry or blow dry with a diffuser then unravel for gorgeous waves. Use your fingers and massage your scalp for some lift.
• Third I'm loving Moroccan Oils Curl Cream. Put this in towel dried hair and go. Again in the summer anything with silicone is going to help de-frizz. This product also keeps your ends from drying out.

Hot Tools:

• Fat barrel curling irons are my favorite for creating loose waves! I like the brand "Hot Tools Professional" for my curling iron choice. Mine are gold platted and they hold heat evenly. Root curls are easy to learn and don't give you that Little Bo Peep look. Basically you want to curl the roots of your hair and leave the ends out until the last few seconds. This way the curls give you some body at the scalp.

• Diffusers are great if you already have wavy hair. Apply any of the products listed above and disuse your hair to sexy tousled waves. They are also great if you want to quickly dry braids or pinned up curls without knocking them out of place. The more air you have blowing around your hair the more the waves get knocked out and the straighter your hair becomes. When you attach a defuser to your blow dryer it blocks air flow pressure and just throws out the heat...which is what is actually drying your hair.  

Summer Nail Trends

Who doesn't love a good mani/pedi!!?? Below are this summer's hot colors. Pretty lilacs, classic nudes, yellows (YES! yellow) Have fun, get creative, it's sandal season!

LILAC

NUDE, YELLOW, ROSE

BABY BLUES

ROBINS EGG

GUN METAL GREY

Color list: top to bottom 

• Essie (my favorite brand for years) Pretty Edgy
• Nars Pokerface
• Chanel Beige Petale, Mimosa, and Morning Rose
• Essie Lapis of Luxury and Sweet Talker
• MAC Mischievous Mint
• China Glaze Recycle

I LOVE how Anna Lynn McCord pares a beautiful bright scarf with her yellow nails!

5 Things Every Girl Should Have In Their Makeup Kit For The Summer Season

 This topic is totally opinion based and I know other women out there have different must haves. These are mine for the up coming summer season...

1. Maybelline Mascara: I'm loving The Volume Express Collection right now. More specifically "Colossal" it's a yellow tube. As always though Maybelline puts out a great mascara, starting with the classic "Great Lash" the pink tube with green wand.

2. MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner with SPF 15. Not only are you protecting and conditioning the colors are fantastic! This product stays on my lips for a really long time which is a great bonus. I love Fuchsia Fix it's a pretty pink and looks good on just about everyone.
3. Twilight Freshface Glow by Fresh. Use alone to accent or mix with your moisturizer for an all over glow. Perfect for summer skin.
4. Tinted moisturizer. I have yet to find my absolute favorite. Becca Luminous Skin Colour is super popular. If you can find one you like with an SPF, even better. Dermologica and Bobby Brown make popular tinted moisturizers with SPF.
5. Laura Mercier Brow Powder Duo. I'm all about a strong brow all year long. When it's summertime casual and your not wearing much makeup to begin with, that's when I love a defined brow the most. It's just hot.period. I like the duo's because you can custom mix the color. Maybe you want a darker brow one night and a lighter look the next day...you can achieve that with this product.

Primp And Primer. A Girls Guide to Foundation Primers, Eyeshadow Primers & Lip Primers.

WHAT!?? We need yet another step in our daily regimen? What's with this primer movement! I'll break it down for you.

Foundation primers hit the scene many years ago. One of the first to introduce us to this world was Vincent Longo or VLNY. Does anyone remember or still use Water Canvas foundation? He really started a trend with that product. It was the first time I had used a primer under my makeup and I was in love. The Water Canvas Base Primer is the name of the product and it's still available. What it did for me was made my foundation application easier by filling in pores and fine lines (funny at the time I was probably 24 and didn't even need foundation never mind a fine line filler) Today I don't use a foundation primer because I don't wear makeup like I used to. I put some concealer under my eyes and on my lids and that's about it for a base. But if you like to use a full face of foundation then a primer might be nice. As I said earlier, it makes the process of applying foundation easier and it's supposed to make your makeup last longer. It doesn't have to be an everyday step, but try it for a special occasion and let me know what you think.

Eyeshadow primers are a hot new item these days too. They definitely make your eyeshadow stick all day and the best part...no more creasing! You know that mid-day grease line in the crease of your eye? Well say buh bye to that! I have the Urban Decay Primer Potion. I don't always remember to use it daily, but I do use it for a night out, or special occasion, date, ya know the usual.  When I'm scheduled to do a redeye turn and I'm going to be flying through the night, I try to remember to use my eyeshadow primer. When we land at 7:00am I feel better knowing my eyes don't look like how I'm feeling. Also, I really do think it makes your eyeshadow colors pop and look brighter.

Lip primers may not be necessary to use everyday either but they are most helpful when wearing dark or bright lip colors. The main thing it does is fill in those fine lines around the lips so that your lipstick doesn't run up and out onto your skin. You know that feathering look? YUK! It also keeps lipstick in place longer than normal. This product can come in a few different forms...pencil (to trace your lip line and fill in), lipstick form (yup apply just like your lipstick before the actual lip color) and gel or cream in a tube (looks like a gloss apply with brush or fingers). I have heard that Mary Kay Time Wise Lip Primer is a very good product.

Hot Tip: If you are wanting to try a certain primer or all of them, you can always ask for samples at makeup counters, skin care counters, and retailers like Sephora and Ulta. Don't be shy! Just ask.

I closing, I think primers are great. I don't always use them but I think they are functional to some degree. I mean lets face it, no one but yourself is going to know if you have primer on under your makeup. BUT, when we put in the effort and actually take the extra step to do these things, we feel that much better, sexier and fun, right? Kinda like knowing you have on matching underwear!

I tried to teach my baby cousin some tricks of the trade, but, I don't think she primed before applying!!!

Travel Tip #2: Oh boy! There's vom in row 16!

OK gross I know, but I have to write this post for Eileen!  Eileen, myself and a few other girlfriends were out for drinks one night. I was telling them a story about my car being vandalized by projectile vomit. Yeah someone threw up in my car. Let it sink in, let it pass, OK we're over it...back to the story. So I had my car professionally cleaned and they did a great job. However, my car had the distinct smell of french vanilla coffee (FVC) for weeks and it was driving me nuts! I loathe FVC so you can imagine my annoyance. Finally it dawned on me that what I was smelling was exactly what I thought it was.....FVC.

Fast forward to the inside of an Airbus A320
Unfortunately "vom" as we flight attendants so lovingly call it, is one of the things we have to deal with on the job. I'd like to tell you that most of the time it's from little kids who eat too many bags of Doritos munchies mix, but, a lot of time it's just some jerk who can't hold his liquor. We have a little trick on the airplane when it comes to this stuff. Put on your rubber gloves, clean it the best you can, and dump a bag of fresh coffee grinds on the stain and the affected area. Most of you out there with kids are thinking...I use baking soda...but trust the coffee does a much better job. It not only masks the smell it absorbs the moisture. Pretty genius right!? Well, Eileen thought so when she had to use the technique just a few short days after my car story. So back to that...

There is a Duncan Donuts right next to the car detailing shop and I know this because I bought my hangover breakfast there. I'm telling you they walked right over there after I left them my car. Man had I known they were going to use the airplane trick on my cute little Mazda3 I would've told them to hold the vanilla!

So while traveling or at home I hope you never have to "grab a coffee bag"  but it's there for ya if you need it.

Hair Color and Pregnancy

I can not give you a personal opinion because I am not your doctor. However, just being "behind the chair" for so many years has given me the opportunity to share with you some information. Maybe it will  help you decide what's best for you.

Most common things Doctors say about hair color and pregnancy: When you ask...can I color my hair?...it's usually a Yes or No answer and here are some explanations...

• "Yes, it's not a problem"...some doctors say that hair color has no affect either way on the birth and health of your baby
• "Yes, but only after the first trimester"...some doctors feel that the first 3 months are the most crucial and it's best to wait until you are out of this time frame
• "No, you should wait until after the baby is born"...some doctors believe it can be toxic to the mother and baby 
• "Not while breast feeding"...some doctors believe chemicals from hair color might get into the blood stream through the scalp
• "Yes but only if it doesn't touch your scalp"....again some docs believe the chemicals touching your scalp are a problem. However, if you are getting a foil highlight or a cap highlight  the product does not have contact with you scalp and therefore it's OK
• "Yes but only if you aren't using peroxide"...if you are lightening your natural hair color through single process and/or highlights, or covering grey hair with permanent hair color,  peroxide is a main ingredient, so some docs would say no to your specific hair color. But, if you darken, glaze or use semi permanent hair color there is typically zero peroxide in the formula, so your doctor might give you the OK.
• "Yes but only using up to 20 volume developer of peroxide"...the less intense the developer is, the less penetration into the hair shaft and some doctors believe the same to be true for your scalp

Your hair shaft has 3 layers...the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla.

• Cuticle layer: The outer most layer of the hair shaft. It's scale like cells open and close to regulate your hairs moisture. It's transparent and acts like a protective layer for the cortex.
• Cortex layer: This part gives your hair it's elasticity and shape. It also holds your hairs natural color pigments (melanin) 
• Medulla: The innermost layer or the core. It's loosely bound cells contain keratin (protein)

Alright so now lets discuss the 3 different types of hair color. The basic difference is the penetration level into the hair shaft.

1. Permanent: usually contains some amount of ammonia and is mixed with a developer (peroxide). The developer has different strengths 10 volume being the most gentle and 40 volume being the strongest. The developer lifts the cuticle layer of the hair, and removes natural pigment in the cortex layer so that the hair color can replace it.  Although it says "permanent", color usually starts to fade or dull after 6-8 weeks.
2. Demi-permanent: does not contain ammonia therefore, is not as strong as permanent. It is still mixed with a developer (peroxide) and will last up to 20 shampoos. This process deposits hair color under the cuticle layer only. Think of it as laying on top of the cortex, not penetrating it.
3. Semi-permanent: contains no ammonia, no developer (peroxide). This is deposited on the outside of the hair cuticle and usually lasts up to 10 shampoos. It's more like a hair stain or glaze because it doesn't lift the cuticle layer at all.

The picture below shows how a foil protects your scalp from hair color chemicals.

*Your hair stylist might have their own opinion, but you should always take the advice of your doctor*