YourMakeupGal

Happy Halloween

2016-10-31T18:08:00.001-04:00

wedded bliss

2016-10-15T22:17:00.000-04:00

my friend, Maria got married!!

one can only hope to find a love like this. congrats, my loves!

#lovewins at Atlanta Pride 2016

2016-10-11T12:13:00.002-04:00

celebrated love this past weekend at Atlanta Pride 2016

pic: Chuck Pfoutz photography

metallic rainbow

2016-10-01T09:20:00.000-04:00

AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5k Run 2016

2016-09-30T11:29:00.001-04:00

please take a few minutes to donate some coins. MAC Cosmetics will match all donations under my page dollar for dollar and the money goes to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS in the Atlanta community.

Christien Baxter's Personal Page for AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run 2016

The Knot Pro Atlanta

2016-09-29T14:53:00.000-04:00

had a blast at The Knot Pro Wedding Professionals mixer last night!!

Dragoncon Atlanta

2016-09-05T09:28:00.000-04:00

For the past three years, I have been doing makeup for Dragoncon. This event is a makeup artists dream!! So many cool characters and creative costumes represented. I'm really bad at taking pictures, but here are a few from the weekend.

mywedding.com

2016-09-04T21:40:00.000-04:00

my foundation has whaaaatttt?!

2016-08-24T13:39:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder what is in your makeup bag? More specifically, your makeup? As in...what do all those long, funny looking, mostly unpronounceable words listed under "Ingredients" on the side of your favorite foundation box really mean?

Working in retail cosmetics for the past several years, I get asked about ingredients so frequently that I often find myself stumped by what is really in the products that I sell. So I have started researching ingredients online in order to better perform my job and to educate myself so that my own skin is well taken care of.

There are so many allergies now that I can recall a time when I was doing a foundation match on a young girl for MAC Cosmetics Face and Body Foundation, which is primarily water based and considered to be a very mild foundation. As I swiped my brush on the girl's face with the Face and Body Foundation, her skin immediately broke out in hives! I couldn't believe how fast her skin reacted! The girl didn't even have time to realize her skin was having a reaction, but I immediately wiped off the foundation with water and a tissue.

Point of the story, you just never know how your skin or a customer's skin will react so it is important to educate ourselves on the ingredients of the products being put on our faces. With that said, I present to you...

www.cosdna.com

This website is amazing for listing all the ingredients in popular cosmetics and skin care products along with a brief description and rating on acne level, safety level, and even allergy level. Check it out!!

The Return of YourMakeupGal

2016-08-16T14:02:00.000-04:00

Well, hello there stranger.

I had no clue that it's has been such a long time since I've been up on the blogging game. It's funny how life just sneaks up on you and instantly takes over everything you thought you had under control. I am still trying to figure out this adulating thing, I suppose.

Quick update: life is good. GREAT, actually. I still live in Atlanta. I have an amazing job working for a large MAC Cosmetics location that requires most of my time and attention. The rest of it, I openly give to my very energetic puppy and the amazing friends I've made since moving to Atlanta 2 years ago! Yes, 2 YEARS!

So here is my re-commitment to myself... BLOG more. I need to remember to share my work with the world as I am definitely still doing makeup amongst the management world of retail cosmetics. I no longer will be lazy about posting reviews and pictures of my work!!

So as a kickoff, post vacation... here is a list of items I am currently obsessed with...

This list came to mind while visiting my friends recently in Jacksonville. Knowing how makeup obsessed I am, a few comments were made about how I travel with such little makeup. Honestly though, who really wants to be bothered with a heavy makeup case and a full face of makeup in 100 degree weather? Not I!! And yes, there are times when I love to throw on a full face of makeup but vacation calls for a "less is more" take on makeup in my humble opinion. So take a peek at these items. Give them a try. I promise you that it will be great!

Summer Daze

2016-08-11T11:32:00.001-04:00

The Knot Atlanta

2015-10-24T21:11:00.001-04:00

Thanks to +TheKnot for having a fabulous wedding professionals mixer! It's always great meeting other vendors in the area. Let me know if you're looking for a photographer, wedding planner, tanning salon, DJ, etc...

This chick is amazing and helps run Solar Dimensions here in Atlanta and is the bomb at spray tans. Call her at the Buckhead location (404-233-8599) if you need anything tan related!!

time flies when you're having fun...

2015-10-20T13:08:00.001-04:00

AND you love your job!

check it out

2015-08-03T11:54:00.000-04:00

whoa... I swear I've been busy. I mean, there are a ton of pretty people in Atlanta and pretty people need makeup for fun, fabulous events. I have just been really, really lazzzyy about actually posting updates ._.

Anyways, check out this amazing chick's new apparel and swimwear line. At just 15 years old, she is smarter, wittier, and much more talented than most of the adults I know. I can't wait to see where here talents take her.

website: BRIZOO

instagram: @BRIZOOAPPAREL

hello, gorgeous

2015-04-17T14:50:00.000-04:00

I was lucky enough to meet this beautiful gal below and do the makeup for her engagement session (photo taken in Piedmont Park by Peter Togel). All I can say is, if this kind of sexiness was what she was serving for her engagement pics... just imagine how fabulous and gorgeous her wedding photos are going to turn out!! I'm obviously stoked and can't wait to do the makeup for her and her all her bridesmaids/family on her wedding day.

change your hair, change your life... part duex

2015-04-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

There's a quote I once heard that I think is a great mantra for when life seems to have boarded you on the crazy train...

"The only constant in life is change."

So after cutting 8 inches off my hair last week, it seems there is much to be excited about for the future... SO, cheers!! To life, love, and all the beauty that surrounds us.

time flies...

2015-04-04T11:23:00.001-04:00

has it really been 6 years?!!

this was one of the weddings I did early on in my makeup career...

THANKS for Ashley for letting me be a part of your very special day.

product review: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel

2015-01-27T15:03:00.000-05:00

I don't typically do a lot of product reviews because honestly, most of the products I use (and love) are from MAC and I talk enough about those products at work all day, er day. Know what I mean...

BUT! I had to make an exception for this new (at least new to me) anti-aging product that I recently discovered because it is nothing short of AMAZING. I'm talking about the Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Formula

Lately I've been feeling like my skin looks dull and dehydrated. Not to mention the wonderful spurt of hormonal acne I've been dealing (er, contending) with... Stress much?! The dreary winter weather really does nothing for skin either. Acne of any kind is not fun. Not At All. But if you know anything about hormonal acne, it can be quite painful. I know, poor me... My own recent struggles with my skin have made me much more aware of my customers' skin and I realized that a lot of women (and men) out there actually have this issue.

So back to this fab product. It's a facial peel that legit works (gasp)! I bought the 5 treatment pack to start out. Each treatment comes prepackaged and labeled... super easy to use (double gasp)! Just rub the first cloth all over a clean, dry face. Then wait about 5 minutes for the treatment to settle into the pores. Lastly, use the second cloth to activate the peel. Viola! I followed this up with a moisture serum to add extra hydration to my skin (try the Moisture Infusion Serum from MAC). After just one treatment, I woke up with much visibly clearer and renewed, fresher, younger looking skin!!! And because of the moisture infusion serum, my skin looked more supple than it ever has!

A few tips for using this peel:

use at night after cleaning and drying your face completely
stay out of the sun! and wear SPF if you know you are going to be outdoors the next day. any kind of peel is going to make the skin super sensitive to the sun
stay away from the delicate eye area as well as the lips (trust me about the lips)
if dealing with a breakout cycle, use the peels every other day but once skin is cleared up this product can be used weekly or less.
definitely remember to use a serum or super hydrating moisturizer afterwards

So what are you waiting for?! Get your hands on this product. Try it out. You will thank me later. And to make it super easy for you, just click on any of the links below to purchase:

back in action!!!

2014-12-12T12:32:00.002-05:00

just an update

2014-10-09T22:46:00.000-04:00

Whoa. It's really been a while. AND for good reason... I've been super duper busy making the move to Atlanta, GA!!! I can't believe I finally made the change and moved outta O-town. So far, so good. I think Atlanta has some really great things to offer. And I'm so ready for it...

the need for speed

2014-07-14T20:00:00.002-04:00

As a makeup artist, you just never know what to expect when called for a job. I've worked on several commercials through the years but the most recent one so far takes the cake. I was called in to work for TNT to do a commercial for +NASCAR that involved #43 driver, Aric Almirola and Orlando celebrity chef, Clark Woodsby. I may never actually see the commercial as I don't typically watch a lot of NASCAR, but how neat is it to say that I did the makeup for these two very nice, very cool guys. It was a quick 9 hour day spent doing ALOT of touch-ups due to sweat overload in 95 degree weather at +Daytona International Speedway... ya know, typical day in the life of a makeup artist.. Of course, I LOVED every second of it. Not to mention, my dad got to see me in action for once. He is an avid +NASCAR fan and was hanging out at the track watching things happen as he does for every race out at Daytona. In fact, I spent many races hanging out at Daytona and New Smyrna with dear old dad... OK, enough for the trip down memory lane. Here are a few pics from the shoot and from seen around the track:

since I didn't get a picture of Aric, I thought I would share this article of him WINNING the next day

just own it

2014-06-16T08:22:00.001-04:00

I always say that wrinkles are earned from a life full of laughter. I want my face to reflect the wonderful life I have lived and all the living I have yet to do.
Age with grace my loves.

from the most recent Glamour magazine... read the full article here

MAC life

2014-06-12T12:26:00.001-04:00

I get paid to color. :D

smoking hot

2014-05-19T11:09:00.000-04:00

So here is a little #throwbackthursday action for ya... or perhaps #womancrushwednesday... or whatever hashtag for Monday works...

About a year ago, I was able to have a little fun and be a part of an editorial photo shoot. The model, Liz Westbrook asked me for a dramatic smokey eye, nude lips, and soft matte skin. I think the end results turned out quite beautiful. Here are a couple shots from the shoot...

Photographer: Corryn Goldschmidt

change your hair, change your life.

2014-05-18T22:07:00.003-04:00

If you're looking for a hair gal... hit up my friend, Christina Tadros at Salon Muse! She's the bestest of the best in Orlando! I have people ask me about my hair all the time. Plus, I've seen her work on brides... equally amazing!!