Iconic Beauty!

In my career this Pro has worked with all types of beauty. I see beauty in areas that others would not and I believe that every person has the ability to be beautiful regardless of the “gifts” bestowed on them by genetics!

Iconic beauty is, to me, a woman that personifies time. Usually these women are exceptionally gorgeous like Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, etc. This blog post will concentrate on the iconic personas of today because these women are still out “there” on our televisions, on our movie screens and in our magazines.

The women highlighted today are Pro favorites! Ask me why and I will answer…"because they keep it real!" They don’t pretend to be something they are not. These ladies are just that…ladies, but with, and pardon the expression, a set of “balls” on them that make this Pro envy their determination.

They are magnetic, passionate, powerful, successful, talented and yes…gorgeous!  These women are also all over the age of 60 and there is no slowing them down. Whether they are performing, fundraising or fighting for a cause politically, these women are iconic beauties with a style that we should celebrate.

Since this is first and foremost a beauty blog, I thought it would be appropriate to write a beauty breakdown on how to “get their look.” As you read this post you will notice a pattern. All of these breakdowns will contain age appropriate makeup recommendations. These mega stars don’t allow or want their makeup artists to overly make them up, unless the magazine spread or movie character calls for it.

Please don’t be fooled, just because this post is focusing on more mature women doesn’t mean that you can’t use the products listed regardless of your age. Everyone can wear a matte eye shadow or those with a slight shimmer and a nude lip does not have an age requirement!

Let’s begin with a lady that I had the pleasure to work with long ago…Sigourney Weaver. Ms. Weaver is 61 years young and is best known for her role as Ellen Ripley in the Ailen film series.  Other notable roles include Ghostbusters, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl and the most recent Avatar.

I am currently working with an actress that reminds me very much of Ms. Weaver. Her name is Reamy Hall and I always think of how Ms. Weaver’s natural bone structure, which Reamy has too, is perfect and that the need for a ton of makeup is totally unnecessary.

To get a natural, daytime appropriate look like the photo above, try the following products:

Skincare/Prep: Every good makeup starts with great skincare and prep.  Don’t make the mistake of investing in cosmetics without making certain that your skin is ready.  This means purchasing products that are right for your skin type.  If you are not sure what you need then visit a professional or even a cosmetic counter and test products before you buy.

Foundation: depending on your skin’s texture and tone you may want to invest in a more expensive foundation and purchase one that contains SPF protection.  I recommend the following from Chanel: Lift Lumiere, which visibly diminishes the look of wrinkles and fine lines and it controls shine without chalkiness. Vitalumiere if your skin suffers from fatigue and dehydration. If you are oily then try Mat Lumiere or if you have normal skin try Pro Lumiere. These foundations are best because of their blend-ability, wear-ability, coverage and they will not settle into lines or wrinkles.

Concealer: you will want to use a concealer that is also a treatment because you do not want that product settling into any fine lines around your eyes! This Pro recommends purchasing a concealer that is also an “eye brightener,” which will help disguise the appearance of wrinkles and deep creases. Try Jan Iredale’s Active Light Under Eye Concealer, which contains ingredients that will calm tired eyes and reduce puffiness while lightening up any dark areas.

Face Powder: set your makeup with a light dusting of face powder, but be careful not to over do it! Powder tends to settle into creases and can have a very flat effect on the face. Try Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finish Powder, this product contains real diamonds, which have a subtle reflective quality, but is free of shimmer. A very light dusting is recommended and gently buff into the skin using a soft buffer brush.

Contour: bronzer is used to sculpt cheekbones and to contour the jaw line. Using Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel, which is a light cream-gel bronzer with a small, tapered blush brush, lightly apply toward the back of the cheekbone near the ear and blend down toward the nose, but stop before the nasal labial folds. Tip: you are trying to “lift” the face, not drag it down and the closer your bronzer or blush gets to your nose, can cause the appearance of “droopiness.” Blend and buff the bronzer into the skin diminishing any demarcation lines. You can also blend up onto the temples and into the hairline.

Cheeks: blush should be a light, peachy/pink tone either matte or with a slight shimmer. Eve Pearl’s Blush Trio in Sweet Cheeks is a perfect palette. Sweep a fan brush over all three colors and apply lightly on the cheekbone avoiding the apples of the cheeks. Remember the tip listed above, you do not want to bring your blush down near your nose. Keep the blush higher to create the appearance of a “lift.”

Highlighter: this product can be your BFF because Highlighters create a natural glow and bring a sheer, reflective light to the skin. Eve Pearl’s Bronzing Highlighter Trio (Classic) can be lightly swept along the orbital bone, down the nose and across the chin.

Eyes: Jane Iredale’s Perfectly Nude Eye Shadow Kit contains 5 shades of beautiful, age appropriate color for the lid, crease and brow bone area. The darker colors in this range can also be used as a soft bottom liner. Use Cream as an all over wash from lid to brow, blend Cappuccino into the crease and create a slight “V” shape in the outer corner and blend to erase any harsh lines. Use Antique Gold or Cream at the brow bone. Tip: line the lower inside waterline with a matte white or flesh-tone eye pencil. This is a great trick for opening the eyes and help to whiten the eyes when they are tired.

Eyebrows: make sure to fill in your brows! Choosing a color close to your hair color is best or have your brows tinted. Tattooing is a harsh look for more mature women and is not endorsed by this Pro! Try Laura Mercier’s Brow Definer, which is an innovative wax/gel formula that coats the hair lightly and because this product is a gel formula, it has a longer wear-ability factor. Apply with an angle brush.

Eyeliner: as we age our natural, dark lash line begins to fade leaving the appearance of sparse, light lashes that can instantly age our eyes. You will want to use a powder, pencil or gel liner and smudge into the upper lash line.

Mascara: plenty of black mascara, waterproof or not, will also help to bring out your eyes. Some women are embracing false lashes or even opting for eyelash extensions. All of which can be a benefit.

Lips: choose a lipstick that is hydrating with a little bit of plumper. This Pro loves Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Ginger. Tip: coordinate your lip and cheek color. If you are using a peachy/pinky blush tone then either a pinky or peachy color for the lips will work. Rose color seems to be a favorite for mature women, but certainly not necessary and if you are going for a coral, choose a deeper color and unfrosted! Lip pencil is optional, but use if your lipstick tends to bleed.

Here are a few more photos from the past that depict Ms. Weaver’s ageless beauty:

Moving on, here is a woman who has the “Midas touch!” Everything she does turns to gold or platinum! Barbara Streisand was born in 1942, which makes her 69 years young. She has won 2 Academy Awards, 8 Grammy Awards, 4 Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award and she has sold over 140 million albums worldwide!

This Pros all-time favorite Streisand movie is Funny Girl! I could watch it a thousand times and “Hello Gorgeous” are words that every woman should say to herself (out loud) when they look in the mirror!

To get Ms. Streisand’s simple yet sophisticated look from the photo above, I suggest the following products:

The recommendations listed above for skincare/prep, foundation, concealer and powder are the same.

Eyes: Dior’s 5-Color Eyeshadow-030 Incognito - these colors are incredibly soft and glide onto the eyes without tugging or smudging. You can build the intensity for day to night looks and you can line under the eyes creating a natural looking definition. Sweep Matte Beige from lid to brow and under the bottom lash line. Use Taupe Shimmer lightly in the crease. Warm Brown Shimmer should be blended into the upper lash line as liner.

Brows and Mascara recommendations are the same as above.

Cheeks: sometimes highlight and bronzer is all you need. Try Smashbox’s Step-By-Step Contour Kit - it will help you cheat genetics and it comes with an easy-to-follow guide that will ensure you place your bronzer (contour) and highlighter properly, just like a Pro!

Lips: M.A.C.’s Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Whim is a light beige, perfectly nude lip gloss that isn’t sticky or goopy!

Here are a few more photos from the past that highlight Ms. Streisand’s timelessness:

Last, but certainly not least, is an actress, political activist and fitness guru…the incredible Jane Fonda. Ms. Fonda is 73 years young and rose to fame in the 1960’s with films such as Barbarella. She tirelessly protested the Vietnam War and she describes herself as a liberal and feminist. As controversial as Ms. Fonda was back in the day, there is no denying that she is a powerfully strong woman and an incredible beauty.

To achieve Ms. Fonda’s flawless look from the photo above, use the following products:

Again, following the skincare/prep, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, contour/highlighter, brow and mascara products mentioned above with one addition:

During skincare/prep add Embryolisse’s Anti-Aging Re-Densifying Eye and Lip Contour Cream to your regime. This product is specifically designed to erase fine lines and deep wrinkles. Eyes will appear brighter, lips redefined and the face will overall appear younger.

Cheeks: Guerlain’s Blush G Serie Norie for a pop of color (notice the placement in the inspiration photo above).

Eyes: using two palettes from Elizabeth Arden – Color Intrigue Quad in Neutral Cashmeres and Color Intrigue Duo in Autumn Leaves to get the look. Begin with the lightest shade from the quad palette as an all over wash of color from lid to brow. Switch to the duo palette and use the peachy tone on the lid blending up into the crease. Switching back to the quad palette and use a combination of the taupe shade and the medium brown tone to create a crease and blend being sure to erase any harsh lines. Keep the darker shading only in the crease and away from the lid and brow bone. Back to the lightest shade from the quad palette as a brow bone highlight. The darkest shade in the quad palette can be smudge along the top lash line and the bottom lash line for eyeliner. If you find that this shade is too dark then switch back to the duo palette and use the deep brown shade instead.

Lips: line the lips using a natural toned lip pencil. Eve Pearl’s Lip Pencil in Cosmo is a perfect shade. Apply Smashbox’s Photo Finish Lipstick in Beautiful. Complete the look with Youngblood’s Lip Gloss in Demure.

Here are a few more photos spotlighting Ms. Fonda’s iconic beauty:

Pro Tip and Tricks: 

If you feel that you need more concealer on your cheeks, chin and around your mouth and nose because of age spots, sun spots or rosacea, then try Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer and Treatment. This product will erase and hide any discolorations. Blot on with a damp sponge and blend or stipple on using a pointed brush. Also, if you find that you need to touch up your face during the day, but don’t like using a pressed powder, switch to blot papers. These genius cloths will remove shine without adding makeup and they are sold in every drugstore!

Smoke Signals!

Smoldering, sexy, alluring, sophisticated, classic, that is this Pro's definition of a Smoky Eye! In the world of professional makeup artistry, the request for a smoky eye is made daily by my clients no matter if it is day or night. Probably the most popular eye makeup look of all time both on the runway and in real life, the smoky eye has past the “trend” label and become a “staple” look for most women.

You don’t need to attend a red carpet event or concert to rock this look, but what you will need is a little…attitude, which seems to come naturally when you wear a smoky eye. Your demeanor will change and don’t be surprised if you turn heads more than usual! Whether you are in the boardroom or ballroom, this look commands attention and will get you noticed (in a good way if you follow instructions).



There is a “standard” smoky eye look and there are “unconventional” smoky eye looks and this Pro is a lover of them all. Society tends to think that you have to be a rock star, actress or diva to wear this look and that the everyday women could not or should not try to pull it off! This Pro says, step outside of your comfort zone and give “them” something to talk about!

Done right, this look will make your eyes “pop” and speak to the world louder than your words ever could! The smoky eye is like the “bad boy” for women and I often wonder who created this movement. Maybe it all started with “ladies of the night” or witches or vampires. No matter, whoever created it should win an Oscar for their achievement in makeup artistry!



This look can be tricky, messy, frustrating and can make you appear older if you don’t follow the “rules!” Traditionally, the look is created using heavy black, charcoal, silver and purple colors, but cosmetic lines have branched out creating deep tones of blues, browns and greens to bring the consumer a variety and help to make this look acceptable for daytime wear.

This post is going to take you through the steps to create a smoky eye for both day and night, but first you need to gather your tools:

* Eye Shadow Primer
* Tweezers
* Eye Shadow
(4 colors) light, medium, dark and a base color (neutral vanilla shade).
* Eye Liner
(cream, gel, pencil – your choice – in black or coordinating color)
* Brushes
(2 flat eye shadow brushes & 1 each of a fluffy blender, sponged smudger, stiff crease, large powder brush)
* Translucent Powder
* Cosmetic Wipes
* Black Mascara



Here is the how-to for day:

1. Begin with the skin prep (moisturizer, primer, eye cream). Now, apply your eye shadow primer and blend. Give the skin 10 minutes to absorb product and “blot” with Kleenex to remove excess. Analyze your eyebrows and use tweezers to clean up issues. A polished eyebrow is essential for this look!

2. Do not apply foundation or concealer yet – we are doing the eyes first. Take translucent powder and heavily dust the under eye area with product – you want to see the powder under the eye – do not blend in. This technique will “capture” any fall out eye shadow and you will be able to whisk it away after application is complete.

3. You can either apply the liner (of your choice) now to top lashes only and use smudger brush or wait to apply after eye shadow. Remember, you are wearing this look during the day so your color choices should be in the brown or earth tone hues. Save the black, blue, green or purple for nighttime! Another option is tight lining the eye.

4. Using one of the flat eye shadow brushes, apply eye shadow base color all over lid to brow bone (this is the neutral vanilla color and it acts as a base which gives the shadow good “grab” and color intensity). Take a clean flat eye shadow brush and apply the medium tone shadow from lash line blending upward into the crease (depositing most of the color on lid and lash line) – do not take this into a cat eye effect.

5. Using crease brush load deep color and apply to outer corner of eye creating a “V” shape and blend. Take clean blender brush and blend, blend, blend all color together minimizing hard demarcation edges. Return to the flat eye shadow brush used to apply base color and load lightest eye shadow color applying to brow bone and blend again!

6. Taking medium and dark eye shadow hues move to lower lash line, dip crease brush into both shades and apply. Line the eye from outer to inner corner and smudge. Contrary to popular belief, it is okay to line the inside lower water line for a day look with coordinating eyeliner color – I give you permission, but it will be more dramatic!

7. Analyze eye application and add color if necessary. Fill in brows if needed and apply two coats of black mascara to your upper lashes and one coat to your bottom lashes for definition.

8. Use powder brush to gently whisk away translucent powder, take cosmetic wipes and clean up the under eye area. Now is the time to apply foundation, concealer and complete your look. Be careful not to remove liner or shadow when using wipes, eye cream or other cosmetics.



Pro Tip: It doesn’t matter if you are wearing the smoky eye look for day or night the same rule applies with blush and lipstick/gloss. Use a light dusting of bronzer and highlighter for cheeks and a nude or natural tone lipstick/gloss. Do not apply heavy or very pigmented blush and lip colors because that will “age” and “date” this look and take you immediately back to the future ala Joan Collins on the set of Dynasty and you will arrive there via Marty McFly’s DeLorean time machine! Get it? Good!



Here is the how-to for night:

Follow steps 1 and 2

3. Decide if you are creating a “traditional” smoky look using black, charcoals, etc., or a “colored” smoky eye using purples, greens, blues or metallics. Grab 3 shades (light, medium, dark) and the neutral base color. Apply in same manner as directed above, but you can be slightly more heavy handed and create that cat-eye effect if you wish. Build on the color and play with the look. The messy, slept-in smoky eye is hot right now!

4. Use coordinating liner in a deep hue or black and smudge into upper and lower lash line and in the bottom water line.

5. Analyze look and add color if necessary.

6. Apply three coats of black mascara on top lashes and 1 coat on bottom lashes for definition. This is also the time to use a false lash if you choose.

7. Whisk away translucent powder and clean up eye area same as above.

8. Apply the rest of your makeup and follow Pro tip rule pertaining to cheeks and lips.



Here is a list of this Pro’s must have smoky eye products that are rich in pigment with exceptional blendability:

Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow



Tricia Sawyer Beauty Smoke and Mirrors



Make Up For Ever



Nars



Urban Decay



All product listed above can be purchased at your local Department Store or Sephora.

PRO TIPS & TRICKS:
This Pro just read a very valuable tip from InStyle Magazine and Pro Makeup Artist, Linda Cantello. She says, “the biggest mistake people make with a smoky eye is using a lighter shade of shadow to blend in the darker color – it takes away from the richness of the look!” So basically that means, if you feel that you applied too much color, clean off your blender brush and blend the color in more. That way, your pigmentation will stay true and not change because you added your lighter color on top of or over your darker color.



So ladies, if you think you are too old to smoke out those peepers here is a shot of what 42 years old looks like with a smoky eye!! Grab yourself a "venti" sized helping of self esteem and rock this look like I do and because this Pro is all about changing the conventional image, I will even go one step further and show you how incredible this look can be on a much older woman! Take a gander at the gorgeous Carmen Dell'Orefice, she is working that smoky eye at almost 78 years old!!






STAY TUNED:
Up next on IMPO: Tween to Teen - this Pro has been blessed with two amazing daughters and you can imagine how much they love makeup because of my chosen profession. IMPO's next post will focus on everything you need to know about skin care and makeup for the younger generation!




*face chart courtesy - Wendy Whitelaw, Pro Makeup Artist and some photos courtsey of Haper's Bazaar