Some of My Favorite Things...

So here it is! What you have all been waiting for... a list of my favorite things! For my first list I kept the products basic and stayed with items that everyone can use. The products I chose will look, smell and feel great on everyone. They are some of my absolute favorites that I use every single day in my beauty routine. I fell in love with each and every one of them and I know you will too! 

What are some of your favorite things? I would love to hear about your favorite products. You can never have too many beauty products and I love trying new things! Maybe your favorite will be featured on a future post!

From left to right:  Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Body Soufle, Oscar Blandi Dry Hair Shampoo, Korres After Sun Cooling Yogurt Lotion, Make Up Forever Mist and Fix, Smashbox Photofinish Primer, Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, Chanel Chance Eau de Toilette, Essie Sugar Daddy Nail polish, Estee Lauder Idealist Cream, Korres Lip Butter, Cargo Bronzer, MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish, Maybelline Colassal Volum' Express Mascara, MAC #36 Eyelashes, MAC Graphblack Technakohl Liner, MAC Texture Eyeshadow

Here they are... in no particular order... 

MAC Graphblack Technakohl Liner - for a deep black line that lasts all day and doesn't smudge
Estee Lauder Idealist Cream - the perfect brightening serum

Lancome Hypnose Mascara - fav department store brand... volume, volume, volume!

Maybelline Colassal Volum' Express Mascara - fav drug store mascara

Smashbox Photofinish Primer - holds, smoothes and fills

Anastasia Brow Duality Pencil - 2 favs in one, comes in two colors
Chanel Chance Eau de Toilette - a true classic
Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Body Soufle - smells delicious!
Make Up Forever Mist and Fix - setting spray, refreshes skin and sets makeup 

Korres Lip Butter - luxurious hydrating lip treatment 

Nars Lipgloss Turkish Delight - the perfect white pink
MAC Texture Eyeshadow - creates the perfect crease on every skintone
Oscar Blandi Dry Hair Shampoo - for days when you need to just go one more day...
Essie Sugar Daddy Nail polish - for the perfect barely there color and perfect french mani
Duo Eyelash Adhesive and MAC #36 Eyelashes - for an accentuated cat eye
MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish - creates just the right highlight wherever you need it
Cargo Bronzer - realistic looking bronze with a slight shimmer... also comes in waterproof!
Make Up Forever HD Microfinish Powder - a "no powder" setting powder
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion - dare it to crease!

Cetaphil Cleanser- fragrance-free and non-comedogenic

Korres After Sun Cooling Yogurt Lotion - prolongs tan and hydrates skin

 

With all of this fall rainy weather lately this photo is very inspiring. Rain and Ice inspire tons of winter make-up looks. Its good to switch up your look going into the new season. As the seasons change, so does your skin. And so should your make-up.You might need to try a different type of foundation to accommodate different skin needs. A new moisturizer. Or a deeper shade of lipstick and blush. The smallest change can make all the difference. Plus its fun to experiment with new looks. Whats your new fall look?

Kanye's Fashion Debut

Kanye West launched his first ever womenswear collection during Paris Fashion Week. The collection was a mix of separates and club dresses in neutral colors, with the occasional splash of color in red or blue. The pieces showcased high hemlines, low cut necklines and an array of cut outs. The collection has an urban NYC edge. I feel some of it has been done before, but there are a few pieces I would definitely wear. As Style.com's Tim Blanks put it, the line is " ...a work in progress". My favorite? The shoes! What yours?

All your beauty questions answered!

This is your chance to ask me anything!

Want to know my favorite lipstick? The best self-tanner? How to create a flawless smokey eye?

Just email me at makeupbykiki@ymail.com and I will respond here.

Ask away!!

Lip-spirations

I Love Happy Clients!

Here's a quick excerpt from a note from a happy client! I love making my clients look and feel their very best!

" Hey Kiki, I already got the pictures! You really did an amazing job and helped me look just the way I wanted in my engagement photos! I have attached some shots for your records! I thought you would like to see them! :) "

The bride-to-be wanted a natural beach look for her engagement photos.We kept her skin very soft and natural, letting the array of freckles across her nose shine through. We focused the color on her big beautiful eyes, accentuating them with the perfect shades of blue to pick up the color of her fiance's shirt, as well as the small flowers on the wreathe she wore on her head. She looked gorgeous! For a full step by step to recreate the look yourself see below!

  

 Get This Look:

 Face

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder - two different shades, one to set and one as bronzer

MAC Peachykeen Blush

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in Soft and Gentle - to highlight cheek and nose bones

MAC Fix+ - to set makeup when complete

Eyes

MAC Lingering Eyebrow Pencil - to gently fill in brows

MAC Paint Pot in Painterly -  eyeshadow primer

MAC Eyeshadow Pigment in Naked - all over lid

MAC Eyeshadow in Moon's Reflection - in crease

MAC Eyeshadow in Contrast - in corner

MAC Eyeshadow in Blanc Type - under browbone

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack - line upper lashline w/ angled brush

MAC Haute & Naughty Mascara

MAC Eyelashes #20

Lips

MAC Lipstick in Shy Girl

MAC Lipliner in Subculture

MAC Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity - at center of bottom lip

Tried this look at home? Let me know. Send me pics and I will post them in a future blog!

Daily Inspiration

Via MonicaRoseStylist

Look at those shoes!! Love!

What inspires you?

Imperfection is Beauty...

As a make-up artist my job every day is to enhance my clients features. I believe that make-up shouldn't hide ones imperfections or flaws, but accentuate the best features. Everyone has flaws and those flaws are exactly what makes us unique, individual and beautiful. If we all looked the same we would all be very boring. I'm not saying anything new here. Its a shame more people don't embrace their flaws. Imperfection IS beauty. Because I spend my day looking at faces, I can see and pick out relatively quickly flaws and imperfections people spend all their time trying to conceal. It amazes me how the smallest imperfections can cause so much distress. Some concerns clients discuss with me are barely visible to anyone, let alone an untrained eye. It is important to me to address the clients concern, help them embrace the imperfection, and accentuate each feature in a way that brings out their beauty inside and out. Because you can't be truly beautiful unless you feel beautiful on the inside as well. And in order for that to happen you have to embrace your features, embrace your flaws and literally put your best face forward. So no matter your concern or your flaw, there are tips and tricks to flatter every face and feature. Throughout my blog I will make it my goal to share my tips and tricks on how to turn every so-called beauty "imperfection" beautiful. I would love to hear from you. Whats your beautiful flaw?

Enhance freckles with glowing skin and barely there coverage.

Show off a gap tooth grin with a bold lip color.

Embrace unique scars by wearing clothing to show them off.

Make-up how to's and new shoes...

So here it goes... I have always wanted to do this. I am constantly being asked for beauty and fashion tips, make-up how to's, and where I just got my newest pair of shoes. So I have finally decided to share. Follow me and you can finally rummage through my handbag, try on every lipstick in my make-up kit, and shop in Kiki's Kloset. This is my place for everything beauty, inside included. Because beauty isn't only skin deep. You need to start from the inside out. So start now.