JennySue Makeup

Battle Of The Celebrity Skin Care Lines

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 29 May 2012 12:23:00 +0000

The older I get, the more I obsess over my skin and how it is changing. And by change, it's not in a good way. It's getting duller by the day, pores are getting bigger, fine lines are becoming deep lines, and smoothness has been replaced by rough. It's not pretty. My bathroom counter top is covered in skin creams and treatments, however none seem to truly make a significant difference. So in my search for the perfect skin care line, I've been reading up on three celebrity designed and endorsed lines that have peaked my interest.

{Salma Hayek Pinault, age 45, via}

Salma Hayek's skin care line, Nuance, which was inspired by her grandmother, is designed to help every woman enhance the nuance's that define her individual beauty.

*The skincare part of this line has moisturizers, serums and treatments, plus cleansers available.*

In addition to skin care, Nuance also offers cosmetics, body care, and hair care products. After reading Salma's article in Lucky Magazine's May issue, I was very intrigued by some things she brought up about her line and personal skin care experience. No, she's never done Botox (really?? in Hollywood?!), and she spent her childhood "swimming" in face creams and potions alongside her grandmother who created them for family members. She apparently was 96 years old with NO wrinkles. I need to drive to CVS where this line is sold right now and maybe start applying my face creams 4-5 times a day as opposed to twice!!

{Cindy Crawford, age 46, via}

Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford is tauted as a complete European anti-aging system. When I first read about this, I didn't quite understand what Europeans had to do with anything. But then I read more into her story of creating this line, and her personal secret to defying the aging process has been anti-aging specialist, Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh. And he is French- so there you go:)

*This line is purchased as a complete system comprised of 5 products, as opposed to separate products you buy.*

I actually like this idea because I usually get confused as to how many products or what types to use at once. Cindy has been using his youth enhancing treatments for over 15 years, so she's the perfect spokesperson, because you don't get much more radiant than this ultimate supermodel.

{Christie Brinkley, age 58, via}

Christie Brinkley Skincare is an easy line to remember because it's just her name + skincare. Simple brand recognition huh? Her line of only two products is derived from all natural, vegan, and paraben free ingredients, obviously no animal testing, and all of the packing is environmentally conscious.

*There is a daytime treatment and a night time one, pretty cut and dry. *

She's using her many years in the beauty industry of working with dermatologists, makeup artists, and nutritionists to help her design the perfect line to deliver skin care products that work. Another amazing celeb endorsement by a woman who seems to have found the fountain of youth and is using it to her advantage.

Disclaimer!! I have yet to personally use any of these products, so I have no opinions on any of them at the moment. But I do have a CVS nearby, and I'm really tempted to go buy one of Salma's products to see for myself. I will just have to make some room on my bathroom counter for yet another anti-aging product...

How important is a celebrity endorsed skin care product to you and does it sway you one way or the other to try it? Have you used any of these three ladies products before? If so, what was your experience like?

Memorial Weekend Inspired Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 28 May 2012 02:48:00 +0000

It has been a busy Memorial weekend so far filled with three weddings I've done makeup for, cookouts with friends, and getting ready for some pool time and relaxation tomorrow! We can all thank the brave men and women of our U.S. armed forces for the ability to have a 3 day weekend to enjoy.

{Patriotic pin up girl sunbathing in thigh highs and white pumps. Why not right?!}

In honor of celebrating Memorial Day, which used to be known as "Decoration Day," here are a few things I'd love to have to have to decorate myself with!

I've heard this "Cruella" matte pencil from Nars is one of the best scarlet colored reds around and would certainly give a cool pin up vibe like the image above! I love espadrilles, and this white version from Seychelles that wraps around the ankle would be perfect with tan legs once I get a little sun during my beach time. And since I'm headed to the beach very soon, I'm really wanting to treat myself to a royal blue swimsuit. Of course I can't afford this Miu Miu one at $245, but it sure is fun eye candy to look at.

I love the colors red, white, and blue. It's very Americana and I'm proud of this color combo.

Happy Memorial Day to all of you!!

Are "Violent Lips" Temporary Lip Tattoos Wearable For A Mommy Like Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:02:00 +0000

I pride myself in my "mommy with a makeup problem" motto, to provide you all with approachable and realistic makeup looks, techniques, and products. I'm not into special effects makeup transformations where I apply prosthetic noses and 4 layers of false lashes to turn myself into a sexy alien creature. I leave that to other makeup bloggers. However, rules are made to be broken sometimes, and I couldn't resist trying a sample of the printed temporary lip tattoos, Violent Lips, yesterday and sharing it with you.

{My sample of Violent Lips. A pack of 3 are usually $14.95}

I received this sample in my goody bag from my visit to the Sassy City Chicks Bash in Atlanta, and let it sit there for a couple weeks until I decided to give these crazy looking things I try. I was going to a playdate that afternoon with my kids to a really good friends house, so I figured what the heck, if they turn out cool, I wouldn't feel so weird keeping them on and showing the printed look off!

{My application process tells you to open up and say "ahhhh" in order to fit them!}

Their website and YouTube has all sorts of videos showing you how to apply these things, so I didn't bother with making one for this. Mainly because, it took me forever to get the right size cut out and I have really thin lips so the templates are hilariously large for my tiny mouth! And once I got the first lower lip done, I knew, this was not something I was going to be able to pull off at my playdate!!

{Finished product.}

Obviously, I didn't get the template cut exactly correct because there was a little folding around the edges. I've applied enough temporary tattoos in my life having 2 small sons, so I had figured I would be an expert when applying these things...Not so much.

But I will give Violent Lips the benefit of the doubt, that if I were to try these a few more times, I'm sure I'd get the hang of it with how wide to open my mouth, cutting, and then being still enough to apply the water to get it to adhere. Now would I actually buy these printed things to wear out in public (not a carnival or for Halloween), no. My four year old, came in after I had applied them and was completely intrigued though! He thought they looked really cool...of course he did.

{He wanted us to make a "funny face."}

{Aren't these things funny enough??}

I would certainly never be able to pull these printed tattoos off in public, but I will say this, once it was on, it was super hard to get off. Which is great when it comes to a lip color right?! I had to scrub scrub with my eye makeup remover to get it off. I wish my normal tubes of lipstick would have this kind of staying power!

Their site does offer a few solid colors, so maybe that would be more of the way to go for this mommy who wears more approachable looks. The two toned lip look I did awhile back, is about as adventurous as I get when towing the line between wearable and crazy looking! The Violent Lips website is super fun though, and each print has a real person shown wearing them, which I got completely sidetracked looking through! I mean, they've been able to make patriotic and animal prints for your mouth- kind of amazing! So did I sport these things to my playdate...no:)

Have you tried Violent Lips or would you? If so, did you go print or safer with a solid color?

How To Protect Your Hair Color From Fading This Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:11:00 +0000

It's always drilled into our heads by the media, tv, and magazines, to slap on the SPF so that our face and body doesn't get burned by the sun. But very rarely do we get reminded to protect our locks! Now that I've been paying to get my hair professionally dyed, the last thing I want to do is flush all that money down the drain from letting my hair color bake and fade in the suns rays!

{Davines Protective Moisturizing Sun Creme, $17.}

Since we are heading to the beach in less than two weeks, I asked my stylist what to do about protecting my new rich brown hair color to keep it from ruining in the sun, salt, and chlorine. As much as I like the ease of wearing hats while on the beach, I don't always want to keep my new cut and color covered up! So she suggested this Davines protective sunscreen with argan oil for me to put on my dry hair.

{It's a lightweight cream that comes out of a pump. Non greasy!}

Since it has argan oil in it and smells so lovely, I've started using this daily to protect my hair. It's super lightweight and actually gives my hair a pretty shine. It even helps tame fly aways and static electricity, which I get all the time for some weird reason?!

{My locks after applying my hair sunscreen.}

I've been coloring my hair for a looong time, since I was in high school (even though it was usually just out of a box). But it is just this year, that I've realized I probably could have prolonged that color by protecting it with hair-screen! Better late than never to figure that out I guess! As much as I'm outdoors with my kids and running errands daily, my head is constantly exposed, which means my color is getting beat down by the sun! At least now I have a new way to protect that pricey dye job.

I looked to find a current percentage of how many women dye their hair, and only found an answer done with a survey by Clairol from 2008 (old, I know!), that said 75% of American women dye their hair. That's a bunch. I'm gonna bet 4 years later, that number has increased! So there's lots of us who should be protecting our beloved fake hair color!!

Do you color your hair? If so, do you protect it with a hair sunscreen? Have you ever even thought about it?

How To Get Julianne Hough's Makeup Look From The 2012 Billboard Music Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:38:00 +0000

The best part about awards shows are not actually who gets what award, but who looks the best walking the red carpet. Who really remembers who won Best Video at the Grammy's in 2000?? Probably not many of us. But we ALL remember Jennifer Lopez's green Versace dress cut down to there along with her date P. Diddy!! Well luckily for Julianne Hough, she had one of the most memorable and prettiest makeup looks of the night at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in my opinion.

{Julianne on the red carpet via.}

When I saw her, I thought, this would be a simple and approachable look any one could pull off. And y'all know how much I like approachable makeup looks! It actually takes very few products and techniques to create. She and I are complete polar opposites in many ways - her ridiculous body, sparkling blue eyes, and blonde mane, but despite all those things, I can still rock out her color palette just as easily...Ha!!

{JennySue in my bathroom on white bath mats.}

Products used:

Eyes - Too Faced Shadow Insurance eye primer, matte ivory shadow, Urban Decay Naked Palette, black eye liner, Stila kajal liner in "topaz," black mascara.
Skin & Cheeks - L'Oreal True Match foundation in N2 (this is for my skin tone, not hers!), matte bronzer, Sonia Kashuk blush in "flamingo."
Lips - L'Oreal Infallible lip gloss in "bloom."

{Eye closeup.}

{My 6 year old pointing out your 1st two colors to apply!}

Eyes first. Cover your whole eye lid with your lid primer followed by your matte ivory or cream shadow as well from lash line to brow. Next, take a small shadow brush and mix together "virgin" and "sin" (both champagne type shimmers) from the Naked palette and apply from lash line to crease and in the tear duct area.

{Your 2nd two colors to use.}

Next take the color "smog"(bronze) and work just in the crease area in a sideways V shape like I showed in this V tutorial. Connect it from lash line to the crease. Then, mix both "smog" and "half baked" (a gold shadow) together, and with a small fine tipped brush, sweep along the complete lower lash line.

{Last shade to use for eyes.}

End by adding black eye liner starting just from the center of the upper lash line towards the outside of the eye with a slightly winged look. Add color "creep" (a soft black with shimmer) along that liner to smudge it and pull it out to follow on top of the liner. Line the inner waterline of the lower lash line with the Stila "topaz" liner to make whites of eyes appear water. Finish with two coats of black mascara on upper and lower lash line.

{Light pink is key for getting matching cheeks and lips.}

Skin and Cheeks next. I used my L'Oreal foundation all over then applied my bronzer around the perimeter of my face and in the hair line. Don't use in the center of the face or tzone as it makes you look too muddy for this look. Use the "flamingo" blush in small circles right on the apples of the cheeks for that youthful fresh faced look!

Last but not least, Lips! This is the simple part- just sweep on a coat or two of this L'Oreal Infallible gloss in "bloom" (sheer true pink with a hint of shimmer in it) to get a pretty understated lip. Lip liner would be too fussy!

How easy was that?? A look I'm sure Ryan Seacrest would be impressed by.

Who was your favorite face at the Billboard Music Awards this year?

I Made The Pages Of Allure Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:20:00 +0000

There are very few moments in life that would cause me have an inner high pitched scream of excitement! But this weekend I had one of those moments when I ripped off the celophane from my June issue of a magazine I've been a subscriber to for 10+ years. I am still pinching myself that my tiny head shot is printed inside the pages of one of the most highly respected fashion and beauty magazines out there...Allure Magazine!!!! Whaatt??!

{Is this an excited face or what?!}

Now of course it would be cool if they had actually written an article on yours truly or hired me to do makeup for their cover model or an inside editorial shoot, but alas, one can't be too greedy. So, I'll take them just publishing my little ole tweet and profile picture...

{Page 34 at the bottom to be exact ladies and gentlemen.}

This might not seem like a super big deal to some, but to me, Allure Magazine is like the Bible for beauty and style fanatics. I believe and trust pretty much everything they print. So for them to reach out to me to see if it was "okay" for them to publish one of my tweets in their magazine, well, OF COURSE IT WAS!! Honestly, if it weren't for Twitter, someone at the this highly regarded magazine would never even known about a mommy with a makeup problem in Georgia. Thank goodness for the wonderful world of social media! I have never been included in any sort of magazine before in my life, but now it's been two months in a row, last April in Atlanta Magazine and now Allure Magazine. I'm seriously pinching myself and have been honored by everything. This type of publicity is priceless for a working makeup artist and mom like myself!

In addition to the magazine love, I just have to share some recent pictures of two beautiful ladies I have had the pleasure of working with. My makeup business IS one of the main reasons I started this blog you know!! The first picture is of my friend and bride, Bailey, whose makeup I did the day I got my magazine in the mail - hence the same hat and shirt look:) Bailey went for a retro 1940's vibe with the wavy hair, red lips, and thick lash line combo.

{Her lip look is a combo of :
Palladio lip ink in "rose," MAC "lady danger," and L'Oreal Infallible gloss in "fiery."

This second photo is of a singer/songwriter I worked with a few months ago, Bobbi J. Wilson, who is putting out her very first album soon and I just got some of the shots from our work together. We went for an old school Hollywood glam look, think Sophia Loren, again really focusing on the eyes and lash line with winged liner and sculpted cheekbones. This is just one of many beautiful shots taken from which her album cover will be chosen. I love the use of black and white photography - it really sets the mood for her look.

{Photo courtesy of Jason Thrasher Photography.}

It's faces like these that I get the opportunity to work with, that make my job feel so un-job like! I get to work with the neatest people and on the coolest projects, and do it all with a makeup brush!! This is my chance to thank all of my past clients for allowing me the opportunity to work with them. So thank you thank you to you all - every single one of you has a special place in my heart.

Guest Blogger :: Emily Loftiss of LoftissSays.com

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Every once in awhile, I get approached by another fellow blogger (bonus - fellow southern belle!) who I just thank my lucky social media stars for! I am proud to share a fun entertainment post done by the fabulous Emily Loftiss of LoftissSays.com who is from the South, has been a real life Radio City Rockette (gah, I would DIE to have been one!), and now calls the big city of NYC home.

Today she is sharing with us her most recent brush with a celebrity filled event held in New York hosted by the Robin Hood Foundation. It's fun living vicariously through people like Emily and her blog, while also seeing the great things Hollywood can do with their celebrity status and pocketbooks! Check this out - take it away Emily!

"Loftiss Says "Robin Hood Foundation + Rihanna?!?!"

One of the best things about living in New York City is having the opportunity to attend incredible events. Like I've always said, I've very passionate about many things: Dance, the color orange, great bronzer, animals, and giving time and energy to charities. I had the extreme honor to attend the Robin Hood Foundation Event on Monday.

{Holla! Can't wait to see Rihanna!}

My darling friend Jasmin, whom I've known since college days at Bama, now works for this organization and reached out to me with a ticket. The Robin Hood Foundation mission: To fight poverty in NYC. It was a star studded event with everyone from Martha Stewart, Tiki Barber,The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, Kate Upton, Tyra Banks, Michael J Fox, Deepak Chopra, Chelsea Clinton to many many more.

{My dates! Amber & Janine}

At the end of the night the organization raised $60 million!!!!! Then to make the night even more of a success there was a private concert by Rihanna. Yes...this happend. And I was there.

{Jas being very professional and important. Obviously- she has a headset.}

{Rihanna sporting an egyptian makeup look and ensemble!}

You can catch a glimpse of Rihanna's performance and creative makeup job in this video clip from the evening here.

{Having an absolute BALL!}

What an awesome night. Not only did I get to rock out to Rihanna but this night raised around $60 million to fight poverty in NYC. Again, I am honored to be a Southern Belle turned New Yorker. I left with my heart being happy because not only did we dance the night away but we made a difference in the world. Thank you Robin Hood Foundation for everything you do! (link Robin Hood Foundation- www.robinhood.org)

Big thanks to Emily for sharing such a fun and entertaining post! Y'all definitely need to check out her blog as it's full of other celeb filled events she has attended, plus beauty and style posts galore.

You're Never Fully Dressed Without...

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:04:00 +0000

We just purchased and watched the 1982 movie/musical, Annie, with our kids last night. The hubby and I both remember enjoying this movie over and over again when we were kids with all of the singing and dancing. But little did I remember what great one liners and messages this feel good movie had in it!

Here are two of my favorite lines that Annie and I want you to remember during your day today...

{Annie and dog Sandy with their smiles!}

"You're never fully dressed without a SMILE!"

"It's what you wear from ear to ear, and NOT from head to toe that matters!"

And if you're having a rough day and things just aren't going your way, you can also remember...

"The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be SUN!"

Besides the singing and dancing, I had forgotten how extremely hilarious Carol Burnett's character was as the evil drunk orphan owner, Miss Hannigan! And Bernadette Peters was actually kind of glamorous in her own sleezy way with her crazy bleached blonde curls and china doll face. If you haven't seen this 30 year old film, you should. The songs will get stuck in your head and you'll be cheering for little orphan Annie the whole way through the movie. You'll also find yourself fantasizing about living in Daddy Warbucks mansion like I did when I was a kid. Hey, I'd take that house today too!!

Have you seen the original film, Annie?? What was your favorite thing about it- singing, dancing, message, wardrobe, or the actors?

Multi Levels Of Celebrity Makeup

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:07:00 +0000

I find it very interesting in Hollywood what levels of makeup certain stars are comfortable with on the red carpet. Here's a look at a few famous faces and various levels of makeup generally worn by each.

The MIMIMALIST:

{Tilda Swinton via}

{Giselle Bundchen via}

The MODERATE:

{Halle Berry via}

{Jennifer Aniston via}

The MAXIMUM:

{Katy Perry via}

{Kim Kardashian}

Of course these are all generalizations and my personal opinion. I know each one of these ladies probably ramps it up more at times or plays it down at other times, but this is how I would personally categorize their makeup levels from what I've seen of each on TV and in the magazines. If I had Giselle's cheekbones and lips, I'd probably not bother with as much makeup either!!
Wait...no, applying makeup is too much fun for me to go au natural!! Ha!!

And just for fun, here's a makeup look that I'm not even sure how to categorize. Gonna leave this one up to you to describe...

{Lynn Yaeger via.}

{Fashion contributor and writer for Vogue...hmmm.}

What level of makeup and celebrity look is your favorite? What category do you fall into on a daily basis?

*Confession - mine is always moderate during the week and sometimes maximum on the weekends! Rarely do I fit into the minimum category:)*

How To Accessorize With Sunglasses

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:23:00 +0000

With summer staring me in the eyes, I decided I needed to add to my sunglasses collection this past weekend. I own a couple of higher end designer pairs that I adore, but when it comes to hitting the beach or pool with 3 children, I need more practical (= cheap) ones that I don't mind getting beat up. Here's a peak at three looks I created and how you can get creative with accessorizing with your own sunglasses!

My equation for accessorizing with sunglasses ::

Sunnies + Hair + Lipcolor + Earrings = Complete face look

{LOOK #1. MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in "full speed ahead.}

{Bright beaded earrings and glossy lips pull in the happy yellow sunnies vibe!}

{Hair was left down and unfussy. Don't you like seeing my towel racks in the reflections??!}

{LOOK #2. Wet n Wild lipstick in #903C.}

{Printed extra large frames are a fun way to spice up a boring outfit!

This black and white print goes with everything!}

{A wrapped side pony tail and simple diamond studs finish the look -fake diamond studs:)}

{LOOK #3. MAC matte Lady Danger.}

{Hair got cut off in picture, but it's a high messy top knot with focus on the lips!}

{My simple geometric earrings are the perfect compliment to the thin Ray Ban frames.}

My top two pairs of sunglasses are my newest additions that I got at a cheapy little store in our local mall, at 2 for $15! You can't beat that for these super trendy sunnies. And my 3 year old Ray Bans are my staples that I wear all the time when I want a simple polished look. My blush is MAC's "fleur power" in all 3 looks.

What are your favorite types of shades to wear right now? Do you go expensive shades or cheapo trendy sunnies?

5 Beach Bum Beauty Indulgences

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:12:00 +0000

Tory Burch zippered canvas tote bag, $285
Lancôme mascara, $26
Clarins lip treatment, $25
NARS Cosmetics bath body, $59
Essie nail, $8

I have less than 3 weeks until my toes will be hitting the sand. I know when you go to the beach for a relaxing family vacation, most people probably aren't thinking about what their beauty routine might consist of or what color nail polish would look best with their bikini. Well, I am. Shocker huh??!

These are the top 5 things I would dream of being decked out in while lounging on a beach chair while wearing a fishtail braid...once I actually figure out how to do one!!

1. Carrying a bright colored Tory Burch canvas beach tote with all of my beach necessities. Yes, even the swim diapers, wipes, and sunscreen would make it into this bag.

2. I will be swiping on minimal makeup of course while actually on the beach. But my lashes must always have some help. I've been dying to try this Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes mascara that Kim Kardashian is apparently a big fan of. The girl is known for her lashes, so I bet this stuff is the bomb. (Only problem is, it's not offered in a waterproof version - which is odd that Kim wore it to her wedding...guess there were no tears. Foreshadowing??)

3. My lips are never to be without color whether I'm at the beach, on the ski slopes, or even in my house alone for that matter! These new limited edition Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms by Clarins with the plastic cover shield should be the ultimate low key beachy lip look. I would definitely want to try out the Crystal Coral shade.

4. I'm really into blue nails lately. I want deep ocean blue colored nails, like Essie's "Mezmerize," no matter what color my swimsuit ends up being.

5. This Nars Body Glow has been around awhile and gets rave reviews. It would be perfect to rub on at night (after beach time) to ramp up my tan and give my skin a healthy glow. Since I'll be wearing SPF while on the beach, I will need a little extra help in the color department right?!

What beauty indulgences would you want for the beach this year?

Mother's Day All Year Round

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:45:00 +0000

"Making a decision to have a child- it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."

Elizabeth Stone

I have already been showered with a ton of Mother's Day themed craft goodies by all 3 of my little ones. Who needs to wait until Sunday to celebrate??! Not me!! My kids have already started, which is the best gift a mom could ask for. I feel EXTREMELY LOVED just staring at my kitchen hutch right now! I might keep this stuff up until Father's Day takes over.

{Best DECOR EVER! Painted potted plants, home made cards, & hand prints!}

Over the past few days, I've been invited to school programs and mother's day breakfasts where I've received all of these goodies and been showered with mommy love. My 6 year old just surprised me with a clay disk necklace he molded, painted, and fired up for me in art class! It's the neatest thing I've ever seen and just my style! He said he "knew I liked jewelry" so that's why he made it. Oh, be still my heart. He will make some girl very happy one day:) If I ever let him get married...wink wink.

{My new bauble necklace.}

Who needs a mass manufactured necklace from Tiffany & Co. when you can have a one of a kind clay necklace made by your loving son?? I get all mushy this time of year, because for so many years after getting married, my husband and I longed for a baby and it just wasn't happening for us. Mother's Day would go by each year, and I still wasn't a mom. Little did I know back then, God had a plan for me, and he would bless me to be a mom 3 times over!! Good things come to those who are patient, right??

{My #1}

{My #2}

{My #3}

These numbers of course are not in order of importance, they're in birth order! Ha!

I have seen lots of other blogs out there that make fancy suggestions on what to get the mom in your life, and decided not to go that route. All moms have unique tastes, and the big obnoxious set of bangle bracelets I might like, would probably make the next mom want to spit up in her coffee cup.

Honestly, when it boils down to what most moms of young children would want come Sunday, is very simple. It's for all little people to get up quietly, make their own breakfast, lunch, dinner (eat it all too), dress themselves, no whining AT all, play together with their siblings nicely all day long, bathe themselves, and go to bed early. And of course allow me to give them all sweet kisses on their heads before bedtime and tell them how much I look forward to getting back to being a "mom" again on Monday.

"Thanks for making me a mom who can celebrate Mother's Day all year round - Jack, Walker, and Vivian...my little beating hearts walking around outside my body!!"

My Favorite Stila Eye Shadow Has A Cheaper Twin

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Thu, 10 May 2012 12:03:00 +0000

One of my top 3 favorite eye shadow colors of all time, happens to be Stila's "kitten" shadow pan, which is the most perfect champagne shade. I use it on myself at least 4 out of 7 days, and probably on half of all of my clients. It's such a good neutral shade that works on most skin tones for highlighting the eyes with just the right amount of shimmer. And it costs $18. And I just happened upon it's cheaper twin...

{Stila "kitten" on left. Cheap twin, L'Oreal Infallible "iced latte" on right.}

This is a huge deal for me, as I've bought a bunch of these 18 buck pans in my life. The L'Oreal "iced latte" cost me $7. And the color is EXACTLY the same! Not to mention the wonderful staying power it has - hours and hours of wear!!

{Swatch comparison. Stila on top, L'Oreal on bottom.}

{"Iced Latte" shown in my tear duct area and from lash to crease.

Crease color is "woodwinked" by MAC}

Now there is one slight difference between the two, and that is how finely milled the Stila one is compared to the L'Oreal. I only need to swipe the Stila one or two times to get the right amount of color deposited onto my eye bed. Whereas with the L'Oreal, I have to swipe about 3 to 4 times to get a comparable amount of coverage. Not a huge deal in my book though.

{L'Oreal stayed a complete 8 hours without needing to reapply!}

{Plump lip trick ::

I dabbed a bit of the new "iced latte" right in the center of my lips on top of my lip gloss!

Love the effect!}

All in all, this L'Oreal version of my usual Stila shade is going to be a new must have. I do love finding a true low cost version of a beauty favorite!!

Have you found any drugstore gems that rival a more expensive beauty product fave?? Please share!!

The Perfect Brunette

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:45:00 +0000

I am getting my hair cut and colored tomorrow- YIPPEE!! As much as I have loved having my Emma Stone auburn color, it's time for a switch. I've had this shade for almost a year now, but am ready to get back to my brunette roots for summer time.

{Current cut and color, compliments of a not so great iPhone picture, Ha!}

While on my search of the "perfect" brunette shade, I'm thinking more of a deep, rich, espresso bean type of brown color is the route I want to go. Luckily I have my Pinterest account on my side to show my stylist exactly what I am envisioning (I ALWAYS take pictures to the hair salon so there's no guess work on their part).

Here are my top celebrity inspired shades of brown...

Source: pinterestguccibags.com via JennySueMakeup on Pinterest

{Cameron Diaz- can't believe this normally blonde gal pulls off brown so well!}

Source: anjasury.blogspot.com via JennySueMakeup on Pinterest

{Beiber's girl Selena Gomez and her sweet dark chocolate do.}

Source: celebritiesworld.tk via JennySueMakeup on Pinterest

{Salma Hayek - the sexy brunette.}

{Megan Fox - the darkest and glossiest of them all!}

I love every single one of these brunette choices, so I will probably just go with whatever my stylist recommends- she is the hair expert, not me. I'll figure out what color makeup to wear with it once she's got me all dyed up! In terms of my actual hair cut, I never deviate too much from a long layered look. I must always be able to put my hair up into a ponytail or I'll go crazy with short hair against the back of my neck! Here's yet another picture perfect cut on Sienna Miller (she's always got the best layers!)...

Source: styleessentials.tumblr.com via JennySueMakeup on Pinterest

And once I get my new dark do, I might would want to experiment with the latest hair jewelry like Vanessa Hudgens did here. I might not be the most bohemian of chicks (which this accessory screams!), but I would sure try to rock it. It would be a cool way to jazz up my usual long layered look without having to chop off length or bangs!

{Via}

What celebs are inspiring your cut or color these days? Or do you just go with your gut and no pictures? Would you be brave enough to wear the hair jewelry thing?

Welcome Summer With Mermaid Inspired Makeup

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:27:00 +0000

All of my May magazines are focusing straight on the summer months and have left spring out in the cold. So I figure it's time for me to embrace the ocean colored makeup looks and welcome in hottie Ms. Summertime! There are tons of sea and ocean inspired colors out right now so I am going to show you my best mermaid inspired eyes and how easy it is to wear.

{Adding a lightweight butterfly scarf with sea colors accentuates the look!}

Products used:

L'Oreal True Match foundation in N3

Urban Decay Naked palette & Bobbi Brown Brights Eye Palette

Maybelline 24 Hr.Tattoo Shadow in "edgy emerald"

Kat Von D tattoo liner in "troop"

NYX jumbo eye liner in "milk"

Nars "orgasm" blush

Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster lip gloss "sexy nude"

{Make the rest of your makeup very soft and subtle with eyes this bright."

Since the eyes are where I really show off the sea inspired greens, here's how I mixed my colors to create a wearable mermaid eye:

Apply a neutral ivory shadow all over lid from brow to lash line. I used "virgin" from the Naked palette.
I ground the eye by applying a neutral very light taupey brown from lash line to crease, "naked" from the same Naked palette.
Then the fun part! I swept the "edgy emerald" from Maybelline all along the lower lash line, then carried it out slightly past the eye creating that sideways V I always talk about, the blending it every so slightly towards the center of the lower lid stopping right before the center.
To pack even more punch, I added a true seafoam green with a bit of blue from my BB palette, "pacific,"and just traced back over the cream shadow from before. Gives even more staying power! *this color is no longer available- another option could be NYX eyeshadow in "seafoam green."*
Line only the upper lid with a very think line of liquid liner in black or brown.
Line inner rim of lower waterline with a white pencil to make whites of eye pop.
Finish with lots of black mascara. Waterproof! Mermaids do swim in the ocean right??

{Use all waterproof products and lid primers for ultra staying power in this heat!}

{French braided the front part of my hair then tied the rest back in a messy bun.}

A real life mermaid on land look!! It can happen - think Daryl Hannah from Splash...ha!!

Are you embracing the colors of the sea this summer when doing your eye makeup?

Cabin Fever

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:04:00 +0000

I'm leaving today for a MUCH needed ladies only getaway to the north Georgia mountains. I'm going with 6 of my closest female friends, and between the 6 of us, we have 16 children. Wow. When I say that out loud, it confirms why us moms need to get away every now and then to recharge out batteries!! Here are some images from last years cabin getaway, that I hope to relive this go around...

{Kinda like Vegas, without the gambling and flashy shows!}

{Our peaceful little bungalow.}

{Our lineup of finished beverages from last year. We drank some coffee too.}

{Quiet serenity.}

It will be an ultimate girls weekend, full of eating whatever we want, drinking whatever we want, talking about whatever we want, reading as many magazines in one sitting as we want, and sleeping however long we want. We have also decided to throw in a few game night ideas like this one from LaurenConrad.com, as well as attempt to make bracelets one of my girlfriends found on Honestly...WTF (if you've never checked this DIY site- you need to, it's addicting!).

{DIY embellished friendship bracelets via.}

SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS WEEKEND?? I hope something fun for yourself like I am! Do something to celebrate how much fun it is to be a female!!

Go Blush Or Go Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:03:00 +0000

I love a strong blush. There's no need to be bashful with blush. Go big or go home with this product. Nothing makes a face come alive like a pretty peachy pink shade. Here's a prime example of yours truly showing you what a difference this one beauty product can make with a before and after...

{Bare cheeks - blah.}

{Cheeks with color - BAM!}

{Blush I'm crushing on right now - Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blush in "peach satin," $6.}

Here are some real models to show you all sorts of ways you can choose to wear blush for different looks. Just wear it!!

{1. Wear it on the APPLES of your cheeks and it looks super sweet and innocent.
This is the placement I chose up top.}

{2. Wear it LOWER AND WIDER on the hollow of your cheeks for an outdoorsy wind whipped look.}

{3. Wear it HIGH ON THE CHEEKS above the apples towards the temples to thin out the face for a more sophisticated look.}

See how easy that is and how much of an impact it makes without having to be an expert makeup artist!! Blush would be one of the top products I would suggest women wear when running out the door just to make sure they don't look like the walking dead. It's easy, it's quick, there's no excuse not to wear it.

Do you wear blush? Do you wear enough? What is your favorite shade for spring and summer?

Beauty Excess

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:38:00 +0000

There are A LOT of expensive beauty products out there- like over the TOP expensive. I don't have an over the top budget to be spending on anything, BUT if I did, I would not be afraid to spend it on makeup or other beauty maintenance. Next to spending it on my kids or a vacation, which would come first of course. Or say a yacht like fashion designer Roberto Cavalli's...

{Cavalli's purple yacht that is estimated to cost $40 billion JUST to build it! Via}

There's nothing that says "I've got loads of cash" like owning a yacht. I don't know where I'd put a yacht seeing as though I live in Georgia, but if I had the bank account to build one, I guarantee I would find a place to dock it:) But onto the beauty topic, here are some excessively expensive beauty products and treatments on the market to check out, just for fun, whether you can afford them or not! Let's go window shopping...

1. La Prairie Cellular Cream Platinum Rare ($1,050). Platinum is the most precious metal on the earth which is the key ingredient in this skin cream. Basically it claims to reduce the effects of time on your face. It could also pay my mortgage for a month. I would hope it would turn BACK time for this price!

{$1,050 gets you 1.7 ounces worth. Deal or no deal??}

2. Haircut by Serge Normant ($600). Based out of NYC, Serge deals with all sorts of Hollywood elite like Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Gisele Bundchen. I have to get my hair cut at least every 4 months or so because it starts to look terrible. So I couldn't imagine paying this much for a cut unless it came with him paying me a house call every week to touch up the split ends, or they served me filet mignon and Dom while I was getting my cut done!!

{Serge and SJP at the opening of his salon.}

3. Tom Ford lip color in Wild Ginger ($48). This price tag looks tame compared to the top two, but remember, it's a lipstick!! I've read that this is the most perfect red orange lip color on the planet and that it feels wonderful going on, and well, it's by Tom Ford. This might be a possibility unlike the other things and is tempting. I would just have to eat McDonalds for the next month and drink water over wine.

{What a 48 dollar lipstick looks like. No, the case isn't real gold.}

4. Clive Christian's Imperial Majesty Perfume ($435,000). Yep, you read that price right. Hard to believe huh?? I think what drives this scent up more so than what its ingredients are, is what the bottle is comprised of. You get a Baccarat crystal bottle, with an 18kt gold ring which covers the neck of the bottle, and a real 5 carat diamond adorns the top. So does it really matter what it smells like??

{Impressive display of excess.}

5. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster ($85). Now I'm sure you're all laughing at me right now thinking, "this sounds like child's play compared to the rest of these beautiful things!" But I actually paid for this one myself!! It's an anti-fatigue cream, primer, and mask all in one. I have very dry skin and use a primer almost every day, so I was convinced by the Trish girls that this stuff would be a miracle worker on me, and I do love a good miracle.

{Promises - Instant lift, minimal fine lines, and extended foundation wear.}

However, this stuff is a big disappointment in my book. As far as primers go, it doesn't even compare to my Too Faced Primed and Porless or Smashbox Photo Finish- and they both cost in the $35 dollar range! As a matter of fact, it makes me look slightly greasy and not a bit less fatigued unless I add concealer over it!

Goes to show you, more expensive, doesn't always = better. So come to think of it, I'll hold off on the Tom Ford lipstick, and enjoy my $1.99 Wet 'n Wild orange red lip color for now...

What is the most expensive beauty product or service you've ever treated yourself to? Did it live up to the price tag??

Sassy City Chicks Atlanta Fashion Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:16:00 +0000

As a female and self proclaimed girly girl, it is no surprise that I love to shop. As a mom of 3 expensive kids, it is no surprise I love to shop when there is a sale going on rather than paying full price!!
Luckily the best of both worlds that I love is coming together at the "Sassy City Chicks Atlanta Fashion Bash" on May 17th, 2012. And they are giving away 25 VIP tickets to this event for the first 25 JennySue Makeup followers who use the my special promo code to order their tickets! *See info below*

These tickets will include:

VIP swag bag,

free admission into the bash,

and complimentary cocktails and spa treatments

This event will host well known labels, up and coming designer labels, as well as local vendors at prices up to 30- 80% off the retail price. That sounds like a winner to me! You can click HERE to read more about this Sassy Chicks event that has been going on in hot spots like California, Miami, and Chicago for over 9 years, and is now being brought to the Atlanta area.

If you want to be a part of the shopping extravaganza, just visit this link: http://www.sassycitychicks.com/events/atlanta/2012-05-17 to buy your Atlanta tickets.

The first 25 sassy chicks to use this code: JENNYSUE, will receive a free Sassy Tote Ticket into the bash! You will end up being on the guest list (no tickets being mailed) and you will receive an email confirmation as well.

So what are you waiting for??? Get your shopping on ladies!!

Spec-Tacular Makeup Tips For Eye Glass Wearers

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:38:00 +0000

I must admit, I don't wear eye glasses. I have extremely good vision. But in a weird way, I've always wished I could get a case of near or far sightedness so that I could have a legit reason to wear sexy librarian glasses. I think they are an awesome accessory that instantly makes one look savvy and smart - seriously. But I know most spectacle wearers struggle with what to do with their makeup so that they don't disappear under their glasses. Here are my easy beauty tips for solving this problem.

{Sporting my Velma glasses from Halloween. Cheapies from Party City!}

#1. Focus on the mouth. I think no matter what shape, size, or color your eye glasses are, they're going to cover your peepers and the glare is going to wash out your eye makeup at some point during the day. So why not focus on making your lips pop instead and put the focus on them?? I am loving my newest orange shade by Wet n' Wild Megalast lip color in"purty persimmon," and the best thing about it, it was only $1.99! Score!! Take a chance with a bold rich shade like a red, fuchsia, or coral!

#2. Bold cheeks. Another odd choice I bet you are thinking, but again, if you can't see your eyes that much anyway, focus on what you can! And having a bright and bold cheek color can do wonders for brightening up your whole face and complimenting your frames. Since most glasses rest right on the cheeks, go for a cheek stain that has better staying power than powder formulas and layer it on! I have on 3 layers of tarte "tipsy" natural cheek stain, and it's the perfect stay put compliment to my orange lips.

{Keep shadow simple. Stila "kitten" is my perfect shimmery subtle choice.}

#3. Fuller brows. You all know how much I dig a nice full eye brow. And in this case, they are still the frame work of the face, so you need to play them up. With most eye glasses, they don't cover up too much of the brow, so play that area up and fill them in with a pencil, powder, or brow wax. Just make them bigger and better!! Don't forget about them, please!

{L'Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner in "black" on top lash line,

NYX Jumbo eye pencil in "milk" on lower inner waterline.}

#4. Eye liner is your friend. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that no matter what your eye color, skin tone, etc is, use a black liner to line JUST the top lash line. Black will get that lash line noticed through the glass. But keep it only on top so that you don't recede the size of your eyes by applying too much. Then use its opposite friend on the color wheel, white, and apply a white eye liner on the lower inner waterline to brighten up the whites of your eyes.

I know I probably shouldn't wish this on myself since both of my parents wear glasses, so I'm sure it's inevitable that I will end up needing them at some point in my life. But I would sure make the best of it and rock some really cool - non costume Party City- spectacles!

Do you wear glasses? If so, what are your makeup tips for letting your peepers shine through your shades??

Wonder Woman :: Real Inspiration Or Really Unrealistic

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:19:00 +0000

As I sit here on a typical Friday, looking through my email inbox of too many starred emails that have required a response a week ago (in addition to all of my other "duties") I'm feeling a little, okay, A LOT, overwhelmed. But instead of boring you with my worries and concerns over what I can or can't accomplish in a 24 hour period, here's a picture of the giclee print I recently purchased off Etsy.com I'm using as inspiration to put up on my office walls...

{Lynda Carter - the original, yet fictional, Wonder Woman.

Appropriately photographed with the 1977 filter from Instagram.}

I occasionally go through these phases of just feeling completely overwhelmed by all the "priorities" and "to-do" lists in my life. Thankfully there are articles scattered around the internet, like this one from one of my fave daily reads, A Cup Of Jo, that brings me back down to reality. Sometimes I need to be knocked off of my "woe is me" horse, and realize that I am one person, and that all of my so called "priorities" must be prioritized by importance when it comes to myself, my business, and most important of all, my family. I love the idea of Wonder Woman. She exemplifies bravery, independence, and justice for all, while also being impeccably beautiful, physically fit, and well put together while doing it (remember that glossy raven hair, flawless makeup job, and tiny waist??).

I realize that the illusion of us females trying to actually BE Wonder Woman, well, that is unrealistic. I can't always accomplish my complete to-do list in 24 hours AND get in a shower, and I need to be okay with that. And if you are like me, you put that pressure on yourself, no one else does. Which means we have the power to take that pressure off of ourselves.

So in a sense, Wonder Woman mentality must die. But I will enjoy having her live on my office walls for inspiration, entertainment, and pure decoration. I will try to somehow channel those feelings of having real "super powers" from my elementary school days, while I sported my Wonder Woman Underoos underneath my civilian clothes. I think we can all consider ourselves a Wonder Woman of sorts because of the amount of tasks we juggle in a day...we just don't have the lasso to show for it...

What do you think of the Wonder Woman mentality? Should she be a real inspiration or is she really unrealistic??

Radiant Cosmetics :: Beauty With A Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:26:00 +0000

RADIANT by definition means, "Bright with joy, hope etc. Marked by or expressive of love, confidence or happiness."

When you hear this, who wouldn't want to be or feel radiant?? I was super excited when I was contacted by Nicole of *Radiant Cosmetics with the opportunity to try out some of her cosmetics line that truly backs up its "beauty with a purpose" motto. "Fighting human trafficking one lipstick at a time."

{My Radiant collection of goodies!}

When I heard from her that there was a real cause behind the sale of these products, I was curious as to what drove them to use cosmetics as a way to raise money?

The reason is simple:

The worldwide cosmetics industry generates around $170 billion dollars annually.
Currently 80% of the people that are most vulnerable to human trafficking, are female, most between the ages of 10-35 years old.
Females dominate the cosmetic industry.
Therefore, Radiant Cosmetics takes a portion of their sales to help fund education which empowers these women so that they can fight back to this injustice, since most of them are uneducated and live in poverty-like situations.

Shocking huh?? But isn't it a beautiful thing that this line is doing something to combat this issue?!

{Eyes, cheeks, and lips all adorned with Radiant products.}

After looking through their FAQ & their description of human trafficking (shocking), I was better able to understand a little more into the background of this company. Here are some pictures showing you more about the products I received and how they look on. I was very impressed with ALL of the products and used basically every color she sent me on one look, with the exception of one shadow not shown on.

{My cheek color is actually one of the eye shadows - color "confection." It's a pretty pink with a slight peach shimmer.}

{Gel eyeliners in color "tanzanite" and "peacock." $18 each.}

These eyeliners reallllly impressed me with their staying power and how vibrant they are!! I decided to use the purple color on top and the teal color below. This peacock is going to be my new favorite liner color for sure this spring- I looove it!! I used a slanted liner brush with synthetic bristles to apply these with. I did two coats, letting each dry about a minute between each other.

{Eye shadows from L to R in "georgia," "gypsy," "confection,"and "souffle."$14 each.}

Souffle was the only color I do not have on in these photos. But I've worn it separately and it's a beautiful deep matte espresso type brown.

{All the products have great pigments and are super blendable.}

{I layered these lipsticks for my look. From L to R - "peony" and "reef." $18 each}

The lipsticks are very hydrating and these two colors were very vibrant. I layered the brighter reef on top of the peony just for fun! They don't have a huge amount of staying power, but that didn't really bug me since they felt so good to keep applying!

{These color pack a real punch for spring and summer!!}

Overall I was super duper impressed by this line and their chic packaging. I think for the price and the purpose, these are a steal of a deal. It's not very often you can buy a makeup product and know that there is actually some good being done behind it.

Thanks a bunch Nicole for sending these for me to try out!! I wish your company the best of luck with growing this business and in your fight to stop such terrible practices on human lives.

What do you think about this cosmetic line with a purpose, Radiant Cosmetics??

Don't forget to "LIKE" JennySue Makeup on Facebook & follow my "tweets" on Twitter!!

Thanks to all of my fan-tastic followers!!!

*These products were sent to me for consideration only. I was not paid for this review. All thoughts and views of honest and my own, as always!*

The Power of Fragrance

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:19:00 +0000

Next to a good smokey eye or red lip, applying my perfume is the next best thing to making me feel most feminine. If I don't smell good, or even smell at all because I forgot to put on my fragrance that day, then I don't feel complete. Forgetting to squirt my favorite fragrance is like forgetting to put on my shoes to go to the grocery store - yuck!

I thought you might enjoy seeing what my two favorite scents are I switch out between right now and what I like about them.

{Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit & Lolita Lempicka}

Of course I own more perfume than this, but these are the two that speak to me most often and that I get the most compliments on when I wear them. Like my makeup, I adjust my fragrance to my mood. And if I'm in a great mood or bad one, both of these lift my spirits just by a few sprays.

Here are the basic notes of each, with both having the main component of vanilla, which I adore. But with vanilla, it can get tricky. I love a subtle tone of it because it can smell so romantic and slightly sensual. However, when overdone, you end up smelling more like a child's birthday cake with too much icing- not sensual!

1. Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit :: Madagascar vanilla (not sure what makes this different than regular old vanilla, but it sounds cool and exotic!) and sparkling grapefruit. Ever since I read somewhere that when someone smells the grapefruit scent that it makes them appear "youthful" to others, I figure I might need to start bathing in this stuff to knock off a few years.

2. Lolita Lempicka :: Of course vanilla and musk, with notes of ivy leaves and violet. Hence, the violet purple colored glass bottle which is honestly one of the reasons I love this perfume! It's so pretty sitting on my vanity! I've worn this fragrance going on 10 years now (I already mentioned it here), so I don't think I'll ever tire of it.

When I wear either of these fragrances, I feel like this girl out of the Free People lookbook from their Fall 2011 campaign...

{Romantic, lacy, with a little bit of mystery. Photographed in Venice, Italy. Via}

How gorgeous is this picture??? Of course I love sequins, lace, shiny hair and red lips, so I'm all about the sexy combo this model is sporting. And if my fragrance can make me feel like I exude this kind of mystery without having to leave Georgia or having to wear a black lace mask, then spray away!! Because let's face it, my real life looks more like this...

{Me and Vivian goofing off at home!}

Ahhh, the power of smell. I'm always wanting to find the balance of smelling like a feminine woman but not so sicky sweet that I smell like Grandma's pound cake. So that's why I love my two signature fragrances. Oh, and they transport me to Venice Italy in sequins and red lips:)

What fragrance are you spraying on these days? What does your scent say about you?

How To Use The Letter "V" In Your Makeup Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:07:00 +0000

This might seem kinda random how I'm going to go about this "how to" makeup post, but hang on to your makeup brushes and hear me out. Ironically, I was looking through my fabulous, sometimes racy, and always very large issue of V Magazine when the most obvious and helpful makeup trick of using the letter "V" popped off the pages of models, ads, and articles. Prepare to be AMAZED how SIMPLE this makeup trick is...

{Sharpies instead of brushes this time to show the V stroke!}

{Side note :: My current absolute favorite spring nail color is "For Audrey" by China Glaze as shown above! A punchy Tiffany box blue shade!}

The letter V always seems to pop up somewhere on the face when I'm applying makeup on either myself or my clients. It can actually be used in a multitude of ways, on many features on a face, and so I thought it would be neat to show you how you can use this sharp letter to your advantage in your makeup routine. And I'm going to do it all with a Sharpie marker from the pages of my recent V magazine!

{For shortening the forehead and highlighting the tear duct area.}

If you have a large forehead, an easy way to fake a shorter one, is to use a flat bronzer and take it down into the shape of a V from the hairline. If you want to brighten your eyes, try using a champagne or ivory shimmer shadow right in the tear duct area, outlining that area which is already in a slight natural V shape.

{Faking fuller lips above the cupids bow, on the upper lip, and along lower lip.}

To get a plumper looking pout, use a highlighting product with shimmer to lightly trace the upper part of your cupids bow (another natural V), then also along the actual upper and lower lips right in the center only. Placing this shimmer in these spots creates the illusion of fullness- not flatness!

{Apply concealer in a V shape under the eyes for the perfect amount.}

Many women apply way too much concealer around the eyes in a large circumference, which actually does more harm than good = raccoon eyes! So to keep that from happening, apply the concealer in a V shape instead of, say, a U shape. Just keep that V shape tight and not too large to stay focused on the darkest area you're wanting to cover.

{Sexy cat eyes with the letter V, on its side!}

The letter V can be used to create a sultry cat eye, by simply turning the V shape on its side: < or > with the sharpest side pointing out ward from the eye. For a simple cat eye, you can create the V by keeping the widest part of the V from your upper lash line to your crease. Or for extra drama, keep going underneath the lower lash line and pull the pointy part of the V out a bit further than your natural outer corner of the eye.

{Shorten a long nose with a V at the tip of the nose.}

If you don't like your long nose, you can make it look a bit shorter by adding a dark matte bronzer at the tip in a V shape as shown. Or you can use a light taupe or brown soft eyeliner (depending how dark your skin is) to make the letter V then use your finger to blend it in until it creates a slightly dark shadow.

Something to remember - darker colors recede, which is why you can use bronzers and liners to your advantage when you want to shorten foreheads and noses. You can use lighter colors to brighten and enlarge features, like when using highlighter products for the eyes and making lips appear fuller.

So did you learn anything?? Do you use the letter V in your beauty routine already and just didn't know it??

Revamping My Prom Look

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer of JennySue Makeup) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:16:00 +0000

It's prom time y'all!! Whenever I think of this much hyped event in a high schooler's life, I envision a prom should look like a scene from the movie "Grease," where there is mad dancing going on...

Grease

But sadly, of all the proms I went to, none of them EVER ended up being as lively as it is shown in the movies. Probably because none of the dates that I took to prom had moves like Danny Zuko. Most of them were pretty crappy dancers from what I remember, or even worse, wouldn't dance at all because they didn't think it was "cool." However, the excitement and preparation leading up to that night was always one of my favorite parts of prom. Picking out your dress, seeing your date all dressed up, wondering what kind of flowers he'd bring you, and of course getting the perfect hair and makeup combo. Looking back on my fashion and beauty choices, I question some of them. Old lady updo and clunky shoes-what??!

So if I could redo my prom night, here is what I would want to look like from head to toe...

{Hair + Makeup perfection for prom - Blake Lively}

I just love the non fussy hair, no updo's here, and the tiny braids to add a little flair. And her makeup, as always, is a perfect example for a female headed to prom. Fresh faced and shimmery but age appropriate. Shoot, I'd wear this look now!! Her blush in this photo looks exactly like my new fave product- Maybelline's Bouncy Blush in "peach satin."

{A bright dress with NO sequins or frills like Minka Kelly.

Art of Elysium Heaven Gala event via}

I would of course not wear my dress this low cut being in high school, so a few alterations would be needed, but I love the simplicity and elegant cut of this dress. And none of that typical lace, sequins, or poofy-ness would be necessary. A bright neon color, would be all I would need to catch everyone eye- especially my dates:)

{Swarvoski Giuseppe Zanotti encrusted flame cuff bracelet, $595}

This would be the only piece of jewelry I would need because it's sooo awesome!! And since it's not real diamonds, it's more age appropriate right, even though the price tag is kinda steep. I love the idea of wearing a tough cuff bracelet instead of gaudy earrings.

{Manicure - Essie "No More Film" deep violet blue polish, $8}

No boring pinks or reds here. I would definitely play up my manicure with this hot new violet blue color. I'm still a fan of dark nails even when it's not fall/winter, and this is a fresh approach to black.

In reality, I NEVER could have afforded to look like this for prom back in the 90's, but a girl can always dream about what could have been, right!?? I was sporting Jessica McClintock dresses and carnation wrist corsages as opposed to Swarvoski cuffs!! Ha! If you're wondering what some American families are actually spending on a prom night out these days though, check this out, the total will blow your mind!!

Did you go to your prom? What would you have done different about your look if you could redo that night out now?R