makeup

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

change can be a good thing.

While working in the beauty industry I have noticed most people have skin concerns. Sometimes I hear people say they do not use skincare because they do not want to be perceived as high maintenance. Taking care of your skin is NOT high maintenance-It is another way of preserving your mental and physical health...AND men need skincare just as much as women do...because men have skin too! 

When I hear my clients express their frustration about their skin, I want to find them a solution so they can feel better about themselves. So lets talk about convenient products for the guys and the girls to change how we view taking care of our skin!! Let's make this change an easy change!

Great for the guys: Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer

Pure Oat Extract

Why he loves it...

1. My hubby is not a fan of body moisturizer due to the sticky residue it can leave behind. The Vaseline Spray & Go is great for guys because it really does dry fast, and it is non-greasy! 
2. Easy application for a guy on the go-Moisturizes in seconds, so you can put your clothes right on! 
3. There are fragrance free options or light natural fragrance options.

Why she loves it...

It's not an intimidating product so it will be used over and over again-no more dry skin for your main man! He may even go out and replenish it on his own (mine did, so there's hope for yours too!

Great for the girls: DiorSnow UV Protection BB Creme

Color "020"

Why she loves it...

1. The sun protection is an SPF 50, yet it feels light weight and does not smell like sunscreen! 
2. Acts as a primer-it wears well on the skin without separating, oxidation, or getting greasy. 
3. If you are running late it can act as a moisturizer! *However, I would still recommend using a moisturizer first on a regular basis.
4. Sheer, medium, or full coverage based on how much you use or how you apply it (Lately I have been using 2 pumps and applying it with just my fingers).

Why he loves it...

It's time saver, you will not have to apply multiple products to achieve a flawless complexion. He won't be waiting for you to get ready alllll day-you may even finish before he does on some days! What? I know! It is the truth ladies!

"Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change." - Jim Rohn

XOXO
Priscilla Francine

Makeup on The Runway {Sarah Seven}

This years Lab Event was glamorous and full of lots of inspiring ideas-it exceeded all my expectations yet again. I had the pleasure of spending the morning with Julia from Gal Meets Glam, editor Angela Tafoya from Refinery 29, Anne writer at The City Sage, and Krystal writer of This Time Tomorrow. They were our runway models for the event, showing off some glittery pieces designed by Sarah Seven.

The inspiration for the bridal looks were clean skin, lined eyes and full lashes, bold lips, and top knots for the hair. It was a long day, so I used alot of primers and hairspray to ensure the girls looked like perfection for the entire party! I'd love to see more brides attempt this look this year-it's girly, refreshing, and fun!!! Of course, these looks are great for a night out with girlfriends-or even for a romantic dinner for Valentines!

Julia writer of Gal Meets Glam
Julia writer of Gal Meets Glam
Angela editor at Refinery 29
Krystal writer of This Time Tomorrow
Anne writer of The City Sage
Julia writer of Gal Meets Glam

Products to achieve runway status: 

1. On the Models Skin: Christian Dior Airflash Spray Foundation

2. On the Models Cheeks: Benefit's Dallas

3. On the Models Eyes: Bare Minerals High Shine Eyecolor in Gold Medal

4. On the Models Lips: YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick

5. On the Models Hair: Pantene Pro-V Anti-Humidity Hairspray


All photos were taken by the talented photographer Em The Gem


I will be posting more images from the Runway on my Facebook page too!

xoxo
Priscilla Francine  

More Girly Things

Pink is not a normal hue in my own personal makeup bag. I love it on my clients, but it has never been the color I am drawn to-yet, I'm slowly coming around this season!! I want everything ubber-girly pink right now! I bought Nars New Order the other day just because it was pink with glitter in it...I'm addicted. 

When you have a medium tan to deep skin tone you have to choose the correct pastels so you don't look washed out (especially in pictures). Grey is one of my favorite eyeliner colors to opt for when wanting a lighter look...it's not as harsh as black and its not as common as brown. It is a nice change of pace for your daily look (oh and it pairs well with anything pink). I'm going to consider the color grey a pastel for the sake of this post. Light or deep skin tones can alwaaays wear a bold pink lip-I have my eye on MAC's Candy Yum Yum. If you want to create a creamier consistency or tone your hot pink lips down a bit, glosses with a white undertone can help with that. 



For those with more fair tones, feel free to slather on Nars Copacabana Liquid Illuminator. It's wonderful to brighten up the face-and rid of those dark shadows under the eyes. Mixing it with your concealor can add a nice lifting effect as well. Powders can also perk up the skin to give a refreshed glow...I will use a loose or pressed powder, just as long as it has a hydrating property in it. It is really nice during colder seasons, as our skin can get chapped and affected by the wind/cold air. Even us with oily skin need hydration, so any skin type can try Bobbi Brown's new Brightening Finishing Powder.

Nail polish is one way to bring any and every color into your life, and this New Years Eve I decided Strawberry Milkshake by Ciate complimented by tan quite well! It takes a few coats to get the right look, but well worth the effort. 

Here's to a year full of more girly things!

XOXO
Priscilla 

 


Booking Brides {Summer 2013}

While it is only January 9th...2013 seems to be already booked up! My phone calender has too many little dots notifying me of events to come this year.

Looking back, I had an amazing 2012. I was blessed to meet some amazing women, and getting to work with them on their special day was such an honor! Honestly, every single girl I met was stunning-personality wise as well as just straight up good looking. It was so cool to connect with strangers, and once we met, there was a comfortably-like we have been friends for years. Hearing about their proposals, listening to their dreamy honeymoon plans... I love every moment I get with my brides!

Location: Rose Hotel in Pleasanton // Hair by Kellie Gish Renzulli // Photography by Ashley Maxwell
Location: Grace Vineyards in Elk Grove // Photography by Ashley Maxwell
Location: Hecker Pass Winery in Gilroy // Hair by Danielle Derksen // Photography by Ashley Maxwell
Location: Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco // Photography by Ashley Maxwell

Now, on to business! I am officially booking for the summer of 2013-it is never to early to start booking your wedding vendors. The earlier the better, because time sure does fly. If you or a friend are getting married, contact me via email at priscillafrancine.makeup@gmail.com

My commitment to you is picture perfect skin, kissable lips, and eyes your future Hubby will never forget! (...and we will have a great time together too!) Never feel like you are bothering me...this is my job-it's what I love to do. Even though it breaks my heart, if I am unavailable I will help you find another makeup artist that you will love!!

When contacting me, please provide the date and location of your special event. View more details and prices hereI AM SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU! 

Congratulations on your special day,

 XOXO
Priscilla Francine

My basics...and a "want"

I have my basics, and it's that time again- replenishment purchases. While these products are a must for my everyday routine...I found an accessory every MUA must have. Supercalifragilipstick!!!


XOXO
Priscilla