Be Bold

Hello gal pals!!! I just hosted my first Makeup Seminar, and wanted to thank everyone who attended the event!! It was such an amazing night- full of laughter and lots of girl talk!! We had healthy food, yummy sweets, champagne, coconut water, amazing flowers, girly music!! Ah! It was a perfect group of ladies too!! I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!!

I demonstrated one of my favorite looks right now, and thought I would give those who were not able attend a brief overview so you can learn how to create this look too! It was all about creating a flawless complexion paired with bold brows, bold lashes, and a fun bold lip!!!! 

Skin Prep

I am going to say something crazy...Prepping your skin is more important than the actual makeup application. What??? I know it sounds odd, but it's so true!! Always cleanse, tone, detox, and hydrate-especially under the eyes!! Next apply an oil control primer in your T-Zone and/or a hydrating primer in the drier areas like your cheeks! Diffusing shadows and texture is another great trick to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and sun spots before even thinking about foundation. Products like Dior's

Dreamskin

or Buxom's

Divine Goddess Illuminator

 are perfect to make the skin appear youthful and more even!

Complexion

When your complexion is clean and appears flawless- bold makeup will take on a more natural look, and won't look so wild! Apply your foundation and concealer first, and instead of using a bronzer in a powder formula, try a cream foundation in a deeper hue. Here I am using

Bobbi Brown's Foundation Stick in Warm Almond

to contour the cheek bones, forehead, jaw line, the nose, and a little under the bottom lip! I like to blend this darker foundation color into the complexion with my all time fav brush The

#130 Short Duo Fibre

by MAC.

Next add some life to those cheeks! My only rule is to match the blush and lip color for a cohesive look! Think about the undertone! Red goes with Red, Blue/Red pairs with Blue/Red, Yellow/Orange with the same undertones,  and so on with Red/Orange!

Adding a contour underneath the bottom lip and a hightlight or a glow on the top of the lip/in the bow of the lip can visually enhance the size of our lip shape. I like to add a little bit of

Baremineals Queen Phyllis 

 eyeshadow right in the bow of the lip - it catches the light perfectly and in my opinion looks better than drawing over the lip with lip liner.

Brows

Bold brows are on every gals mind right now, and the bolder the brow the more youthful we appear! But what about all the ladies who over plucked? Maybe you're experiencing hormonal hair loss, or you've got some wiry little gray hairs all of a sudden?! There are

pencils

out there to help you create new shapes, but you have to be careful with how boxy the front ends up. We don't want our brows to be too obvious or appear fake! I like to draw one line under the brow to create a seamless line - than I go back with a brush to soften and lift the product into the rest of the eyebrow. If you have empty spots, go back in with a quick hair-like strokes to create a fuller appearance. Try a

brow gel

for those wiry little guys and remember to comb upward - this will create a lifted appearance for the eyes and face making us seem more awake and lively!

Eyes + Lashes

BIG + BOLD lashes make you feel sexy! Here are a few tricks to make what you got look a lot fuller! 

1. Curl the lashes 

2. Apply

Dior's Lash Maximizer

- Wiggle the brush at the base of the lash, and than pull into the tips of the lash. Let this dry for a few moments! 

3. Apply your favorite mascara with the same application technique - base to tip! 

4. Apply some

small individual lashes

on the outside of the eye, and

mini individual lashes

on the inside of the eye to create a fuller appearance. Remember to glue them onto the actual lash- do not apply the tip of the false lash to the skin! Try a

black glue

so there is no shiny residue to be seen. 

5. To finish this look, add

Dior's Blackout

mascara to blend the false lashes into the real lashes and intensify the color. Yep, there are many depths to a black mascara, so this one is 15X the pigment of others! 

To enhance the lashline, try the tightlining technique- this means filling in the little gaps between the lashes! Pull your eyelid up a little with your thumb, and press an eyeliner into the gaps on the lash line to get product between the lashes.

Lips

The best way to hide your sleepy eyes from the outside world is to apply a BOLD lip color! People's eyes will instantly be drawn to the beautiful color instead of your dark circles! Bold colors also seem more confident, so rock that bold color at your next job interview and especially if you work in sales!! My favorite color for this season is an orange red - and

LadyBird

by Butter London is such a hot color!! Plus, you have a lip liner, a lipstick, a gloss + pencil sharpener and you only have to carry around one product! *With LadyBird lip color, I would recommend to pair it will a light peachy blush like "

Deep Throat

" by Nars. 

A special thanks to my right-hand gal Makeup Artist Kim Baker. I don't know what I would do without her sometimes! She is the best assistant ever!!! 

Venue + Rentals:

Pleasanton Rentals

|| Photography by:

Ashley Maxwell

|| Floral Arrangements + Flower Wall by:

Freckled and Floral

|| Desserts by:

Ma Petite Maison Cake Design

|| Customized Pencils:

A Blissful Nest Shop

|| Napkins:

Southern Fried Paper

|| Swag Bags are filled with:

Butter London

,

TypeLites

, Fauxlash,

Rodan + Fields

, and

It Works

Bridal Beauty Style with Lover.ly

Lover.ly is a blog that helps brides design and plan their dream wedding. They have asked me to get a little creative, and create the perfect bridal makeup looks based off my favorite wedding gowns on their site. This is actually something I do with my brides too! I need to see "the dress" to help me figure out what will be best for her personality, and her overall feeling she would like to portray on her special day!


Au Naturel






I chose the "Winnie" bohemian gown for the "au natural" gal because it's important that she feels comfortable on her special day. This year's biggest trend for my bride's was to be "au natural"- her goal was to wear as little makeup as possible... with barely there nudes, pale pinks, and soft apricots to compliment her natural beauty.  Quality products are a key investment to prep the skin before any makeup- I used Dior's DreamSkin to achieve this flawlessly natural look because it diffuses redness, pigmentation, and texture before any makeup is applied. While it is skincare, it's the ideal prep for the "au natural" bride!



sophisticated





Rompers are just too cute, but they are practical because you can wear them again and again after the big day!!! I chose the "Prato" romper for my Modern Bride who does things different. She sets her own rules, and does what works best for her and her future spouse- I worked with a lot of brides who eloped this year.  I think this is the perfect outfit if your venue is at city hall, your grandparents backyard, or even a fancy restaurant!  The modern bride is so sophisticated, she's classic at heart with her glowing skin and winged liner, but she likes to makes a statement with her modern hot pink lip color!!!! I love the Full Bodied Buxom Lipstick color "Exhibitionist" finished with "Priscilla" Nars Lip Gloss.



Seductive





I thought the "Penelope" gown was so sexy with the sweetheart neckline, and so sweet with the blush hues sneaking through the sheer tulle skirt! As we transition seasons and get into the cooler weather, I start to see all the girls who love to wear makeup. The "glamorous" girls love their smoldering bedroom eyes and their seductive dark lips.... I thought this dress would be the perfect balance with a "glamorous" makeup look! Long lasting products are best for the gal who likes to wear darker colors, so if she tears up nothing is out of place!! ...and just in case a setting spray can't hurt! I've been loving the Urban Decay All Nighter Long Lasting Spray to secure my brides' seductive looks.

It was a fun project, thanks for including me Lover.ly!!! Check out Polyvore for any of the cosmetic links you'd like to look at.

What was your favorite gown + makeup look?



The Best Day Ever





Hello friends! I have been in a blogging hiatus since wedding season started.  I am having so much fun traveling around the Bay Area working on site with my lovely brides! Here's a glimpse of what I am privileged to experience every weekend.  It is such a honor to be a small part of a couples best day ever. 


A special thanks to Kim Baker for assisting me at Dominique's wedding // Video by JMarcMedia


xoxo

Priscilla Francine

Lohdi

I've noticed during my bridal trials, that every soon-to-be Mrs is drawn to a similar color when it comes to their lips. There was a strong coral trend last year, and I don't think that it is over just yet. It's still in every magazine as the "it" color, and it ranges from soft peaches to neon oranges.

Orange is such a warm and inviting hue. It makes you think of a tropical island, or maybe just a nice citrus fruit. Either way, I think it is a safe color. It was ok in 1961 as Audrey Heburn's signature color in Breakfast at Tiffany's and its still ok today in 2014. I think it is a refreshing spin on the classic red lip.


I love NARS (in general), they have some pretty awesome long lasting Satin Lip Pencils. Lohdi, is one of those perfect coral shades!! I always customize my colors, and for this look I also added a bit of Harlot OCC Lip Tar on the bottom lip, finished with a little Party Starter from Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie gloss collection.

I was very pleased to see that the Satin Lip Pencil did not bleed and almost stained the lips of my model. I used it during my photoshoot with Jose Villa, which was featured on Hochzeits Guide Vol. 3 E-Magazine. Check out pages 124-133 to see more from this look to be inspired by corals.

A lot of cosmetic brands are launching new varieties of oranges and corals. If a neutral shade is your safe color, step out of your box for a softer apricot. If you love a BOLD lip, try one of the intense neons this season!!

Have fun!

XOXO
Priscilla Francine


beautybox five: take it easy

Beauty Box Five is a subscription-based, beauty sampling program that delivers a box filled with 5 cosmetic samples to your door step every month. I am really excited, because they have asked me to join their review program, becoming part of their beauty contributor team!

The box is a tiffany blue color, so if packaging gets your attention, you will enjoy opening this little box when it arrives! Besides the paper shreds to protect the products during their travel... Beautybox Five includes an information card, sharing the theme of the month, announcing contests, and details on products and prices.


I just got my first box - which is the October 2013, "Take It Easy" box....let's begin!!!


1. Aveeno Daily Mositurizing Lotion - $6.99

Benefits: Clinically Proven to improve the health of skin in one day, this emollient moisturizer is formulated to help prevent dryness. It will leave your skin feeling soft and naturally healthy.

Pros: This moisturizer absorbs into skin instantly-which is great for men who don't appreciate a "heavy" texture. I am going to give this to my hubby for his travel bag!
Cons: I prefer a heavy texture- something richer, when it comes to my body moisturizer.

2. Model Co Illusion Lip Pencil - $20.00

Benefits: This unique, nude pencil easily enhances your natural shape while keeping lips soft and nourished with cocoa and shea butter. Face it, there's no better pencil for plumping up that pretty little pout!

Pros: Will blend in with all lip pigment/lipstick colors for a natural enhancement to your lip size. It also has a sharpener on the lid, which is always my problem with lip liners-I never carry a sharpener with me...this is brilliant!
Cons: At the end of the day, this may not "enhance" your lip shape,  but it's still a nice lip liner color. There aren't too many negatives for this product.

3. Swissco Glitter Toe Separators - $2.00

Benefits: Feel like a princess during your next pedicure with these handy little glittered piggy-parters!

Pros: Super cute color, and sturdy design.
Cons: I don't normally do my own pedicures, so I may give this cute little tool to my sissy-she's super creative with her nails and will love this.

4. La Fresh Travel Lite Facial Cleansing Wipes - $19.99

Benefits: Packed with aloe vera, cucumber, chamomile, marshmallow and tea plant botanical extracts these, hydrating, oil-free facial wipes work with all skin types. Simply open, unfold, cleanse and go!

Pros: There is no oil, residue, sting, or heavy scent left on your skin after using these wipes.
Cons: I feel the price point is a bit high for facial wipes.

5. Nubar Alter Ego Nail Lacquer in Blondie - $8.00

Benefits: What's more fun than glitter nail polish? Um, nothing! Use alone for a beautifully translucent finish or over your favorite fall color for a glitter-studded top coat.

Pros: Gold glitter is perfect for the upcoming holidays.
Cons: It's glitter, pretty easy for anyone to use, not too many cons with it.

Instagram Photo Contest: Win the glittery Nubar Alter Ego Collection 
1. Post a picture of you and your box
2. Tag @beautybox5
3. Use #BB5winprettynails

My favorite product out of this months box, was the Illusion Lip Pencil by Model Co. I can't wait for November's box!!!

xoxo
Priscilla Francine

Vendor Feature: Photographer Lindsey Hahn

While my clients, personality and skin type are extremely important in determining what products I choose to use on her for her wedding day- I do a lot of research on her chosen photographer too. How the photographer captures things, and edits aids me in finalizing my bride's makeup look. When our work flows well and compliments one another-the outcome is mind blowing. I also love working alongside another vendor who maintains the required professionalism needed, can have fun while still getting the job done, and their personality is genuine and caring. 

I had the pleasure of interacting with photographer Lindsey Hahn for a few hours this past summer and she was a joy to work with. Her presence was calm, but her actions were precise-she knows her art, and she knows it well. Lindsey captures the right angle in every picture, whether its an action shot or a posed shot. Every photo from Erin's wedding made a statement to me, intense, fun, sexy, emotional, loving...I can go on and on. 

Individual Variety Lashes by Faux

Bobbi Brown Light Brown Kit
This is one of my favorite pictures!

Maybelline, Superstay 24 Color in Perpetual Plum

As a makeup artist, I really appreciate the fact that Lindsey did not alter any of the colors in the makeup for my bride Erin. The eyeshadow looked gold in every photo, and the mauve lip color stayed the same in every single image. She allowed my artwork to shine through, and captured my work even better than I imagined!






MAC, Eye Khol Pencil in Fascinating (In her waterline)
Mother, Bride, and Sister's Makeup by Priscilla Francine Makeup 
Lindsey Hahn is located in Paso Robles, and while she is a wedding photographer she also has alot of experience working on editorials too-and wow is it amazing stuff!!! I am looking forward to using her at some point for my own personal pictures, and can't wait to see how she captures me and my hubby!!!

Check out her Facebook, Blog, and Website to see more of her artwork.

XOXO
Priscilla Francine