My First Magazine Ad!

I'm so excited to have my very first ad running in Pittsburgh's Maniac Magazine!


XO Kate

Some Favorite Things for Winter!

This past weekend we finally got our first real snow fall! While I love this at the holidays I'm always over it come January 1st. I wanted to share some of my favorite things that will help me get through the long Pittsburgh winter.

As we all know leggings are a must. They have lived through all the decades and through all age ranges. I will be the first person to hand over good money for quality I think when it comes leggings I tend to go for bargain. In the case of leggings I found both! The black leggings from Mossimo at Target are amazing! SUPER comfy and at only 6 bucks, a great bargain too!

To keep my makeup looking fresh I always use a highlighter for my cheekbones and center down on nose. Then use a nice pinky blush on the apples of my cheeks. My faves for all skin tones is MAC emphasize powder highlighter. For blush is Nars orgasm. Apply the blush first on your apples then lightly sweep the highlighter under the eyes/ on upper cheekbones and down the center of your nose. I always do this whether I'm keeping it light for day or glam for night.

Lipgloss I'm loving at the moment is Pink Cami by Revlon. Perfection!

I suffer from terrible dry skin in the winter like many of us do. It seems no matter how softly I pat dry in the shower, how much lotion I apply, water I drink, that dry skin is always around! I recently learned that your shower "gel" is a "oil absorber"! So the hunt for a great moisture soap was on. And through my research I found an olive oil soap! I gave it a try and to my wonderful surprise was soft, fresh skin! Savon de Marseille soap is a great price from $7-$20 at Amazon. They have a few different scents to choose from that come from herbs and flowers. It was strange at first getting used to less lather but the way my skin felt quickly erased that. I still pat dry and apply lotion while still in the shower but this time all that work pays off! By the end of the day now I'm not itchy and dry. These would also make great hostess gifts for all the holiday parties this season too!



Merry Christmas All!



XO Kate

Feather in my cap...er... dress!

Two weeks ago I had a "brilliant" idea to design and make my Christmas dress! I mean I've watched enough of Project Runway and YouTube videos that it should totally be a piece of cake! Haha...not so much! I had the design but then it came down to actually executing it.

Well after 3 trial muslin dresses my mom and I finally got a pattern down that I was happy with. The result is a white silk sleeveless dress with a black lace overlay with sleeves. And as the final touch...feathers for the collar! It wasn't a perfect dress but I was proud and excited to wear it for my hubs company Christmas party. The best part was no one could tell I made it! lol Whew!

Needless to say I'm over my clothes making phase!

Merry Christmas!

XO Kate

The homecoming look!

My niece had her homecoming dance this past weekend and as with all her special events, I am her hair and makeup girl! I love it! Not too mention I am always honored that she puts all her trust in me to make her beautiful! This year since she is a year older and a junior now I thought it was finally appropriate to really go glam with her! It was so much fun!


First a applied MAC phloof all over lid, brow bone, and in through corner. Next with a light hand I applied MAC pigment in full force violet. I then applied a heavier application of the pigment on the outer "V" of the eye and blended inward. I also swept this on the lower lashline. Then with a small angle brush I made a thick line with MAC gel liner in black (because of her hazel eyes!) on the upper lash line extending out and up. To finish I lined the lower waterline with a black kohl pencil. Apply 2-3 coats of mascara making sure to add a concentration on the outer lashes.








For the rest of the face we kept it pretty neutral. I contoured all over to give her dimension. I then used a blend of MAC margin and cheek blush on the apples and lightly on her forehead and chin. Lips were MAC liner in subculture with lipstick in a blend of cherish, brave and faux.

Needless to say she loved it and the smile from ear to ear was all that was needed!

Love you Riss!

XO K!

Work/Business meeting eye!

This is a bit more of an intense eye for work or a meeting. Your eye will have a bit more definition and be a bit more refined and presentable. However it will still maintain an appropriate daytime lightness!


For this I used the same eyeshadow and technique as the previous eye. MAC jest all over lid and down through inner corner. I used a blend of honesty and bronze (with more of a concentration with the bronze) in the crease and rounding out along the crease and throught the lower lash line. What is different is the liner. Using MAC #266 small angle brush I applied a blend of MAC creme liner in black and dark brown. Line the upper lash line making outer third thicker and extending out and up. Finish with curling lashes and applying 2 coats of Max Factor 2000 calorie extreme mascara in black.

XO Kate!

P.S. Just received some great pigments! Some creative eyes to come! Also I will be doing some Halloween ideas!

Basic everyday eye

This is my quick, basic everyday-school runs-working at home eye look! Some may question why I would even bother with makeup to sit in a car and never get out, then spend the day inside. Answer-because I'm sitting in a car, not going to get out, spending the day inside, not seeing anyone! I do it to keep myself feeling beautiful, feeling put together. I refuse to give up on myself just because I'm a mom who barely is seen! lol

I start with MAC eyeshadow in jest all over eyelid, brow and in through the corner to highlight. Then using a more dense tapered brush I apply a blend of MAC honesty and bronze through the outter crease and blending in, then rounding though the outer crease/corner and down along the lower lash line. Line the upper lash line with Chanel kohl crayon eyeliner in #62 ambre. Making sure to extend and wing the outer third. Curl lashes and apply Max Factor 2000 calorie extreme mascara in extreme blackout. To finish the face I like to use just a bronzer or shader for my cheeks then a nice easy pink lipgloss to pull it all together. Voila!

Super quick and easy!


XO Kate!

Work in progress!

Just a quick note to say I haven't forgot about my blog. Actually I'm working on putting together pics of different eyeshadow looks! They will range from nice everyday looks to more creative to recreating the latest looks shown on the runway and in fashion! I'm just hoping to inspire you to get a little creative and maybe share some new ideas!

XO Kate!

Couple new powder faves!

I received a new powder this week to try out and its called "mineralize skinfinish" by MAC. Its a powder foundation that is baked and provides a silky coverage to look more natural. Well lets just say the description didn't lie! It's amazing! I first used their prep+prime to prime my skin and add spf. Then I brushed this on with my powder brush and voila! The primer keeps my natural oiliness at bay and the powder covers well but still looks so natural! I had just a nice glow! Of course cover any spots or redness you may have with a concealer then apply the powder. I love that because you use a brush to apply this you don't have to worry about blending like you normally do with a creamy or liquid foundation.

Now if you are just one of those people who must have a 'foundation' then I have a product that is also a great addition. I keep this in my kit at all times! Its MAC set powder in invisible. Apply after your creamy or liquid foundation to set it. Again just brush on with a powder brush to avoid any streaks. The invisible is great since it will match all skin tones.

And one last note, try not to powder constantly throughout the day as by the time your heading out and off to dinner or a date you will look like you have on a gallon of makeup! Its best to blot whenever you feel the urge to powder. You can use either blot papers or single ply of tissue or heck even some toilet paper if you must! Trust me I've used them all!

xo K!

Happy Anniversary my Love!

(sorry couldn't figure out how to rotate!)


While this post is for my husband I want to share my love with everyone!



Happy Anniversary to my Love. My love of 9 years and husband of 6. Thank you for my 2 babies. They continue to test us everyday! But we both know how blessed we are to finally have them in our lives.
I knew you were in for the long haul after only 6 months you agreed to adopt pumpkin with me! Now we have 2 cats...and I know how much you love me for that!(pause while you roll your eyes and yell at fudge for eating my flowers! lmao!)

The boys and I are truly grateful for the hard work and dedication you have to provide a stable and comfortable life and home for us.

And while everyday will always be a 'work in progress', it is the best job that God could have blessed me with.


Lots of Love

Your Wife xoxo

Oh Chanel!

Me and the Hubs after dinner at the MGM Grand Hotel. And in my brand new, first ever Hermes scarf!



I recently took a little vacation to Las Vegas! While my husband and friends go to gamble, I go to shop! This time we stayed at the Bellagio which is home to some fabulous stores like Chanel, Hermes, Prada, Gucci, etc... Being a lover of all things Chanel, I was in heaven! Since booking the trip back in January I have been saving to be able to buy some wonderful things at my second home!

I was also thrilled when I walked in and saw that Stephanie was still working there. She has been the wonderful lady that has assisted me there in the past. And this time she was just as wonderful and went that extra mile to fulfill all my wishes I had (well minus the more $$ for more things! lol). I went there knowing I wanted to get a tan/beige colored purse and then a few little things. After narrowing my bag options down to 4, I was stuck. She was able to guide me down to 2. After that I had to step away and look at other things and weigh my bag options. The problem was that both bags had gold hardware and I just couldn't do the gold. Well she snuck away and discovered that the 1 bag actually came in silver! However there was only 1 left in the entire country! After making a quick phone call she came back to tell me that the other store did have it and it was just put on display so it was in perfect condition! Well that was my sign!!!! I bought it and it was shipped to my home from the store in Florida. It actually arrived at my house before I returned home!
And I did leave the Vegas store with new sunglasses, and a great little cocktail ring! I needed to show it all in my picture!

XO Kate!

Window to the soul...

Ready to talk about some eyes? The eyes are definitely my favorite feature to work on as an artist! I'll try to keep this simple as I could probably make this a 5 page blog with all the things I could talk about!

First things' first...Eyeliner! This is simple... ALL blue eyes should wear brown. Now whether it's medium brown or a black/brown. It needs to be brown. It is THE BEST compliment to blue eyes and will actually make them bluer! Hazel can go from black/brown to black. And all shades of brown can do black. For day I like to keep the liner on the lighter side and only do the lid or sometimes none at all. Also when lining the inner rim of your eye always use a 'kohl' liner. They are the safest. As far as brands go my repeat has been the Chanel liners in kohl and the waterproof.

Eyeshadow: All I can say for this is BLEND BLEND BLEND!!! My go to brand is always MAC. I love to try new colors from all brands but I always end up going back to MAC for their great pigments. Not too mention they have a huge selection of colors and finishes. They apply really easy and blend amazingly. Makeup Forever has great eye shadows too but not as big selection. My current everyday colors are Jest as my all over shadow and then I put Bronze in the crease and blend. For nights...the sky is the limit with me. I have so much fun trying and playing with color!

And lastly mascara: My favorite to use for myself and on my clients is by far Max Factor 2000 calorie lash in black. Mascara is ALWAYS black. (unless of course you are gonna play it up for night time out!) After going through drugstore, cosmetic counters, and even pro only mascaras I stumbled on this and haven't looked back! It's just too amazing!

I hope this helps kick start some new ideas and experiments! If you have any questions let me know and I'll help!
Good luck and have fun!!!
xo Kate

Sea of Shoes!

There is a great blog I follow called Sea of Shoes. I'm inspired by a lot of things of hers. She recently did her first shoe collection for Urban Outfitters called Sea of Shoes by Jane Aldridge. There are 3 different shoes/boots and in different colors. Being a bit of a shoe addict I immediately ordered 2 pairs and needless to say I was quite impressed! Now the heels I definitely needed to add some cushion at the ball of my foot but after that I was good to go! And the flats will need some breaking in but they are fab as well! They are extremely well priced and I am about to order the third pair!
Tried to get the hubs to take some pics...he did...well...ok. In his defense, I guess, I do have a new camera!

Nail polish quickie!

Just a quick post today on some nail polish I picked up at the mall! I saw this in a magazine and liked it from the pic so I decided to try it today. Put it on my toes and AMAZING!!!! LOVE IT! I'm not quite ready for fall and this is helping keep that summer feeling going! I'm so glad I have a manicure appt. tonight because I'm gonna take this and have her do my nails with it!

Double Kisses!
Kate

A few of my fave makeup products!

I've gotten a few requests from friends, facebook and the twitter community to post some of my favorite makeup products. Well being a makeup artist and loving everything makeup since I was a teenager (and before but I wasn't 'legally' allowed to enjoy makeup until jr. high! lol), I've really been through the ringer with products! And with the addition of trends and new products coming at us everyday it can be tough to keep up! Not to mention what it does to our wallet! Hopefully I'll be able to direct you to some great products that I love and use in my daily life and work life!

Now after some thinking about my products I want to post I've decided this will deserve multiple posts! So lets start with the 'canvas'! All face products. Then I'll follow with eyes, and all the other stuff!

Concealer: EVERYONE needs to use a concealer! My favorite to use on a daily basis is the YSL Touche Eclat. I use #2 for my cool skin tone.
Now sometimes when I'm going out I will go for a more waterproof one. In this case it is the MAC studio finish concealer. And at $16.50 is way more affordable then YSL.

Foundation: As I posted earlier, my everyday way to use a foundation is to mix a liquid foundation with my moisturizer and apply, then cover with a powder. My all time favorite foundation is by Make Up For Ever. For my oily/combo skin I prefer the mat+velvet. When I go out for an occasion I love it alone to give me a flawless canvas! Their HD liquid is equally amazing!
For the budget conscience I like L'Oreal Infallible at drugstores!

Powder: And finally the powder to set it all! Now I prefer the duo powders. Both MAC and MUFE make the best ones I've come across and I use both. It just depends which one I can get to first when I need it! MAC is called studio fix and MUFE is duo mat.

This may sound like a lot but if applied with a light hand it will give you a great 'canvas' to build on! And of course always modify to what works for YOU!!!

Good luck and have fun!
Kate

Celebrity look-alike!

I had a wonderful spa day yesterday! But I think the best part was when, not once, but TWICE I was told I reminded them of Scarlett Johansson! Now every once in awhile I will get a comment that I look like some celebrity but every time it is someone different. This was actually the first time that I got a repeat of a name! I was told a couple years ago by a hairdresser that he thought I looked like her too. Personally I don't see it but I'm more than flattered because I think she is beautiful!

Any thoughts?

My must-have 1 day list!

I have this running list in my head of things that I WILL own one day. Here are a couple at the moment:

I WILL own a J. Mendel fur!
and
I WILL own the famous Birkin handbag by Hermes!

It may take me till I'm 60 or 70 but they are just some of those things where life will feel a bit more complete. And how wonderful will that be for grandchildren to rummage through my things and come across those! They are collector pieces that will only get better with age. And the best part is they will never lose their value!

What is on your list?!

Just some great quotes!

Just came across some great quotes while reading and just had to share!

"There are no ugly women, just lazy ones."
-Helena Rubinstein

"I can resist everything except temptation."
-Oscar Wilde

"A waist is a terrible thing to waste."
-anonymous

Lots of Love!

Kate!

A super easy summer recipe!

I created this version of a tomato and mozzarella salad for dinner the other night. I wanted a healthy side to go with the very unhealthy but super delicious burgers we grilled! Also you can adjust really easy the number of servings.

5 strawberry tomatoes
1-2 thick slices of mozzarella
balsamic vinaigrette
(3 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vin., 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic, salt and pepper)

Slice tomatoes, cut up cheese and place in bowl,
drizzle with dressing
sprinkle with basil and oregano or sprinkle with herbs de provence
VOILA!

Oh and sorry for the blurry picture!

These boots were made for walking...

I received a couple of new pairs of shoes this past weekend! Oh how it feels like Christmas year round! The first were a great pair of nude lace up booties. They were perfect for an outdoor dinner party we attended. I wore them with a black and white, waist high skirt and it couldn't have looked better! I love how these are the latest trend to come around yet in a nude color they aren't extremely shocking. Plus the best thing about any nude color shoe is they make your legs look supermodel long! These will take you well into fall not only for the color but the style covers your foot more than a sandal.

The next shoe or boot I should say I just received today is a gray slouch boot. I immediately put them on and wore them with some jean shorts. I just love a flat boot since I can still be stylish yet do twice as much walking and running around than I can in my heels. Although I am limited in the summer time in wearing them, they will be well worn come fall and winter! Yes, this will ease my anxiety for the approaching seasons here in Pittsburgh...brrrrr.

Lace up shoes are by daniblack and boots are steve madden both from zappos.com

A quick makeup tip!

Being a makeup artist I have a Dior bag full of tips and secrets! This is a new one I created while trying to minimize my routine for both the summer and for my increasingly active boys! Now while I envy the ladies that can really go through their day with maybe just some gloss, I however, was never able to do that. I mean, hello, I put on gloss to take a shower! (just kidding!)
One of my favorite foundations is by Makeup Forever. Well a few of my favorite foundations are by them! But I really don't need that kind of coverage if I'm going to be spending my day around the house or outside. So to lighten it up but still get some coverage and spf while I'm at it I mix a little bit of the foundation with my daily facial moisturizer. I then just rub it on as if I'm just applying my moisturizer making sure it's even. This also makes my foundation supply last longer! A great bonus when trying to be as savvy as possible!
Hope you'll find this tip useful for the rest of summer and maybe longer!

New car I wish I had!

So every once in a while I will have a non-mom dream/wish, and here is my latest. Saw this car driving around then happened upon it in a magazine. It is the new 2010 E550 coupe by Mercedes. Yes a coupe meaning the most impractical car for a mother of 2 small children still in car seats! So as it will remain a little dream!

The most AMAZING skin care secret revealed!

I recently did the makeup for a wedding and one of the bridesmaids had the most amazing skin! I first had to ask how old she was and when she said 25 I almost didn't believe her! Nowadays the typical 25 year old is already showing visible signs of fine lines and wrinkles. She had soft, pure and still 'movable' skin! It really was like the skin of my 3 year old! So of course I had to ask her the secret and bless her she told me! She washes with a glycolic acid wash and uses a retinol cream. Although you should NOT use this if pregnant! Needless to say I went home and immediately got online to buy the strongest I could. I found Jan Marini bioglycolic facial cleasner and Replenix smoothing serum. The key is to gradually step up through the retinol cream so your skin can adjust. And always use an spf as this will make your skin slightly more sensitive to the sun. And that's when you come to me for your SAFE custom airbrush tan!

My first post!

Hey all! This is my first blog post! Sometimes I have things to say that just wont fit on twitter! Be prepared to hear about a lot of things from me! I'm a product junkie and love to share with everyone and anyone about a fabulous new product! And if you got a question just ask away! Thanks!!!