Congratulations Patricia K. from MakeupbyTricia.com, you are the winner of our Sigma Makeup Giveaway!  You will receive the Sigma Makeup Travel Kit and Sigma Makeup Professional Brushes Complete Kit!

Patricia’s entry:

“I have been wanting to try these brushes for the longest time. With some budget constraints and a little one, I haven’t been able to buy them. They are on my wish list and would love to win them!
thanks for the opportunity!”

Patricia, I know you will LOVE your new Sigma Makeup brush sets and they will be an asset to your career as a makeup artist!  Congrats, you will receive an email from me today requesting your mailing address so we can get you the brushes ASAP!

Yes folks, it’s time for another In My Zuca post!  This is where I bring you the 411 on what I carry in my Zuca rolling case!

There’s no denying my love for Yaby Cosmetics.  I was first introduced to this brand a few years ago on a makeup forum.  I’ve been hooked ever since.  I lean on their color products to give me the extra boost needed for print projects.

In the Democracy Issue of Twill Magazine, based in Italy, I used Yaby’s World of Paint Palette to complete the eyeshadow look for our fashion editorial, Puppet Theatre, photographed by Ella Manor.

Pearl Paint Shades Used:

PP048: A shimmery muted plum color on the lid
PP062: Bronze shimmery shade blended in the crease
PP066: A punch of blue shaded under bottom lashes

(The deep purple/plum lips are Nightmoth Lip Pencil from M.A.C. Cosmetics!)

Check out the other shots from this series here.

Take a look at what our beauty blogging friends were up to this week as summer kicked into high gear. The heat and humidity didn’t slow us down!

Kari introduced us to Judith August and her cosmetics line at Fab over Forty. Love this quote: “I was born with a makeup brush in my mouth, not a silver spoon.”

Gaia joined the Shiseido Black Sand Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil fan club this week at The Non-Blonde. Find out why this eyeliner is a must-have and a shade that works for everyone.

Charlestongirl was converted to Edward Bess Cosmetics by that Non-Blonde. She showed us why Compact Rouge has landed on her list of multitasking cream blush favorites at Best Things in Beauty.

Kelly dispelled any doubts that Tarte’s Park Avenue Princess Matte Bronzer is waterproof. Head over to Gouldylox Reviews for the glowing proof.

At BeautyXposé, Anne (and esthetician Renée Rouleau) reminded us why our everyday activities can lead to more cumulative sun damage than lying on the beach now and then.

Ever heard of Beecology Bath & Body products? You’ll want to read Prime Beauty for Cindy’s frugal find. It’s good for you, and, it turns out, good for charity too!

We haven’t checked in on Debbi for awhile. Find out why St. Tropez Self-Tanning Mousse has left her gushing at DivaDebbi.

Once you get that tan, you’ll want to make it glow! Check out my recommendation, Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion at Makeup Artist Backstage. It’s packed with good-for-your-skin ingredients too.

Laurie gave us a preview of Chanel’s Fall 2010 Makeup Collection at Product Girl. A few of us are in the “virtual line” to buy these gorgeous pieces the second they hit the stores! The commotion may rival the iPhone 4 hoopla!

Amber reviewed and swatched the new Bare Escentuals BUXOM Big & Healthy Lip Sticks at Beauty Junkies Unite. Will there be one of these goodies in your bag next month?

Want a sneak peek at Bobbi Brown’s Denim & Roses Collection? Find out why it put Lianne in the mood for fall at The Makeup Girl.

Stay cool – enjoy your weekend! Fall’s a long way off.

Suave Professionals Weather Protection 365, Humidity Defying Hairspray was used to tame flyaways on Amber’s down hairstyle in photo #2. I coated each section of hair, used a 1″ curling iron, let each section cool, then gently fingered out the waves. Without the product from Suave, this 90+ degree heat we’re experiencing in Washington, DC would wreck our beautiful down-hairstyle, shown in photo #2.

But, one question remains, which look better suits her for her upcoming big day. Tell me, which do you prefer?  Leave your answer in the comments section of this post and help Amber choose her style!

Dry, cracked lips are not cut, boys. Guys, do us a favor and moisturize your pucker! We’re not in the business of kissing alligators.

Check out Origins for Men Lip Remedy Soothing Lip Saver. It contains Menthol and Camphor that sinks right in to soothe, comfort and desensitize cracked, sore, dry lips and relieve dryness. All without a filmy, greasy (shiny), residue.

Crave beautiful brows? With this exclusive kit you can line and define your brows AND eyes wherever you go-go.  Benefit’s Brows A-Go-Go has got everything you need for a professional eye-look anytime. anywhere. This set is perfect for travel and contains two shades of Brow Zings, brow wax, eyeliner, highlighter powder, eye brightener, mini tweezers, and a brush.

With this set, you can do a quick brow shape and soft, neutral eye shadow look on the go! Just add mascara!

The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Scrub

Slough off dry, scaly, skin  and take time to cleanse and revitalize.  The Body Shop’s Spa Wisdom Africa Spa Salt Srub works on all skin types, particularly those with dry skin who need to exfoliate regularly.

How it works: Community Trade organic beeswax moisturizes and conditions skin while acting as a barrier to help seal in moisture. Community Trade shea butter moisturizes and softens skin. Salt grains gently exfoliate skin.

I have this product sitting in my shower and I absolutely love the way it leaves my skin feeling.  After one use, my skin feels velvety smooth!

If you are a makeup artist, you should know my good friend, Maxi. I first met the über-creative Maxi at The Makeup Show NYC in 2009. He was working and promoting a favorite line of mine, OCC Makeup. It was hard not to spot Maxi, the stand-out “character” on Lifetime’s reality series, Blush: Search For The Next Great Makeup Artist, as his head glittered with a sequin head-dress.

Little did I know, Maxi was more than meets the eye (transformers!). When I requested an interview with him, Maxi graciously accepted and opened up to me about his time on the show. He also let me in on a few projects he was working on and touched on his personal life. You can view my first article with Maxi here.

Soon after I interviewed him, I decided to send him a quick email with the link to the article. To my surprise, he absolutely loved the piece and the snapshot I took of him. Trust me folks, that picture was a quick snappy-do outside of the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. This opened the communication door between us and eventually our working relationship turned into a beautiful friendship. I cannot tell you how many phone calls we’ve had just talking about our goals, complete with Maxi shooting out inspiration which, in the end, helped me get my act together for my next shoot. In my eyes, he’s become more than just an outlandish character on a reality show.  Maxi has proven himself a true friend and he is a beautiful person, both inside and out. I’m extremely grateful for the support he has given me this past year.

Check out our fun videos from The Makeup Show in Los Angeles!  Maxi is also now on Twitter!  Please follow him @maximaximaxi

Maxi, miss you bunches! Hope to see you soon. Have a great birthday week!!

It’s the hottest trend this summer, the messy “salt-water” inspired ponytail.  K-Stew wore it to the MTV Movie Awards this year but I first noticed this look backstage at Lela Rose for Spring/Summer 2010.

The master at celebrity hair, Ted Gibson, was the key stylist backstage at Lela Rose Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010.

Check out this backstage video from Lela Rose with Ted Gibson and his creation for the show– messy inspired ponytail style.  Now you too can get this hot look!

Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion

Enhance your tan this summer with Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy Body Shimmer Lotion.  This shimmering lotion is a veil of gold dust in a soft lotion formula. Midnight Cowboy contains the perfect amount of light reflecting micro-sparkles, but never looks too young, chunky, or dramatic . The beautiful sheen is subtle enough to wear to the beach, and glamorous for an evening out.

The light, paraben-free formula leaves skin soft with Aloe, Chamomile, and Avocado and Jojoba Oils. Vitamin E and Green Tea Extract serve as powerful antioxidants. The lotion dries down completely and does not leave a greasy residue.  The shimmer lotion has a subtle milk-and-honey scent. Worn alone, it’s a soft, delectable scent, but it’s not powerful enough to clash with your signature fragrance.