Victoria Rowe is a Celebrity Makeup Artist who had worked with Lady Gaga, Keri Hilson, Ashley Greene, and now Sarah Carter from the new Spielberg series, “Falling Skies”. I’ve met Victoria one day backstage at LA Fashion Week few years a go and I must say she is one cool and talented lady. I’m now pleased to share with Victoria’s makeup tips especially for summer.

Victoria’s TOP TEN Makeup Items

Everyone NEEDS to have at home or in their purse right now!

1. Oil free facial moisturizer I prefer ALBA Oil-free Green Tea Moisturizer, Avalon Organics Lavender Moisture cream for sensitive skin, or BLISS SPA Oxygen +Vitamin C Cream (gel). Any of these will combat dryness without oil and, dare I say, help get rid of most every kind of ACNE in a woman, girl, or man of any age.

The more water and vitamin C your skin gets, the faster it will clean itself out without the use of drying acne treatments and harsh medications. This is especially true for those who live in low humidity (ACNE in DRY) states like California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma. For ACNE in HUMID climates try Mario Badescu Drying Lotion or cream at night, and Murad Anti Acne Concealer during the day.

Pretty cool, right?

2. Sunblock with an SPF of 30 or higher. There are so many. Stick with organic and natural ones. The best sun block I have ever used comes from www.eminenceorganics.com called the Tropical Vanilla body cream and the Tropical Vanilla Face cream, both with SPF 32. I LOVE this!!! Do yourself a favor and order both for the summer from the website, or find the spa which carries it nearest you. They also have an SPF 30 Sun Defense Mineral powder that comes in a convenient wand you can throw in your purse or makeup bag! Gotta have it!

3. Face Primer If you’re afraid of primers, or you think they all feel oily and like a ball of silicone, search no more! The only one I really recommend is POP BEAUTY’s Paraben free Face Magnet Primer (www.ulta.com). This unique primer has a zinc base making it look and feel like a sunblock. It will firm skin, calm redness with zinc and licorice, block UV rays, and shrink PORES with CAFFEINE! It controls oil (for oily skin), locks in moisturizer (for dry skin), and holds your makeup in place ALL DAY LONG! Originally made for sensitive skin and Rosacea sufferers, Face Magnet is a head above all the rest. EVERYONE NEEDS THIS PRIMER!

4. A great Mascara I’d stay away from drugstore brands becauseof all the alcohol and chemicals in them which can lead to losing your lashes! Some of my favorites are TARTE’s Lights, Camera, Lashes (or Splashes for Waterproof), KAT VON D (sephora), POP Beauty Lash Wow (or Lash Kapow for Waterproof), and TOO FACED Lash Glam. You can actually swim and sweat in Lights, Camera, Splashes or Lash Kapow (give them plenty of time to dry first) and these babies will not come off!

5. Waterproof Eyeliner (that’s really waterproof) This is a tricky one. There are very few eye liners that are Vegan and made for the wetness of the eye, in the rim or on top, except for POP BEAUTY’s INLINER. It comes in Blue (dark), Black, and Green (hazel). For the top of the lashline I recommend making a cute cat eye with STILAs new Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner; this one will never disappoint and it will not move until you take it off. Urban Decay’s metallic pencils are great but stay away from Zero (black)because it tends to smear when wet. What color is best for me you ask? I like Blues and Purples for green eyes, Copper and Bronze for Blue eyes, and either one for brown eyes. Experiment and have some fun this summer. Try a fun color on the inner rim, and black or a bronze on the upper lash line.

6. Tinted Moisturizer These will all most likely have an SPF, but you can never have too much. My favorite is TARTE’s Smooth Operator SPF 20 natural tinted moisturizer. It comes in many colors and the coverage is medium light and just enough to even out skintone!

7. High Definition Setting Powder How do you know that it’s high def? These translucent powders can be pressed or loose (I prefer pressed for me, loose for jobs) and they usually have a name like “Close up setting powder”, or “No Show”, or even “High Def”. I prefer Smashbox Photo Set Finishing Powder with SPF 15 (you can never have too much SPF ladies!). This is an invisible setting powder that mattifies on contact without any powdery residue. Also, Too Faced has a great loose setting powder called Primed and Poreless with an awesome finish! For my own purse I like POP Beauty’s No Show No Shine Compact Powder #2 (both at Ulta.com).

8. High Def Liquid Foundation Again you ask, what is high def? Some people say that it refers to products made for high definition film, tv, and photography. For us it just means that it doesn’t show or collect on your skin! It must look seamless and natural. Keep in mind, to produce a natural effect you need to wear primer underneath any foundation! I have several favorites, so here goes: Laura Mercier Oil free or Moisturizing Liquid Foundation, Too Faced Close Up liquid foundation, and CARGO’s Blue Ray (cute name)Powder Foundation are my faves.

9. A nice Bronzer This is so much fun for your whole face! There are more brands than I care to mention, but go to an Ulta or Sephora store and try them on to choose for yourself. I recommend something mineral based and paraben free. Some have a shiny metallic finish, some are matte or waterproof, and some are semi-matte with a little glow (I like a multicolored bronzer with pink, peach, and mocha brown myself). Remember that bronzers can be worn on your eyelids too instead of eye shadow! Easy Peasy!

10. A Hydrating, Sexy Lipcolor in Peach, Nude, or Pink My new favorite is Bare Escentuals Pretty Amazing lip color…OMG this is the creamiest, sexiest lipcolor imaginable! Free Will is the best Nude I’ve ever seen, but there are other great colors too. This product is a cross between a lipstick and a gloss with high pigment, safe ingredients, high shine, and it’s longwearing! Love!

HAVE AN AWESOME AND GORGEOUS SUMMER!!!

Love,

Victoria

Kate Bosworth in CHANEL Beauté. CHANEL Celebrity Makeup Artist Kate Lee worked with Kate Bosworth at the season premiere of True Blood on Tuesday, June 8th. 2010. Kate shares with us her tips on how to get Kate’s warm, sun kissed makeup look!

The Makeup Tutorial:

“The base was minimal, Kate was tanned and so I prepped the skin with CHANEL Hydramax + Active Serum to make sure she was very hydrated, and a tiny wisp of CHANEL Vitalumiere Fluid Makeup was enough to bring the skin tone to match the chest and body.

Across the bridge of the nose, top of the cheek bones, and around the hairline, I used CHANEL Soleil Tan de Chanel in Terre Ambre to bring the focus to the center of the face. On the lids I used matte peach shadow to pop the colours of Kate’s amazing eyes. We decided to give a gentle nod to the 60′s influenced hair by drawing a very thin sharp black line next to the lashes with CHANEL Automatic Liquid Eyeliner in Noir, extending out past the end of the lash line to open the outer corners of the eye. Lashes were coated twice with CHANEL Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir (available in September 2010), and bottom lashes were left naked. To open the eye further, I swept the new nude CHANEL Intense Eye Pencil in Clair (available in July 2010) inside the lower eye lid . I worked to elongate and define the brows with a liquid brow pen by Anastasia. The cheeks were CHANEL Powder Blush in Rose Temptation, (available in July 2010) and the lips were CHANEL Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Secret.”

Actress Ashley Greene, mark’s new Brand Ambassador and star of the “Twilight” series, made her mark at the 9th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball (2010) in Los Angeles this weekend. mark Celebrity Makeup Artist Mai Quynh shared her top makeup tips for creating Ashley’s beautiful makeup look!

How to get Ashley Greene’s makeup look:

“I started by applying mark Calm and Composed Super Soothing Moisturizer to Ashley’s skin as a moisturizing base. This moisturizer is very gentle and is great for all skin types.

Next, I used mark Face Xpert Flawless Touch Makeup in Honey to even out her skin tone and mark Good Riddance Hook Up Concealer in Light/Medium around her nose and under her eyes. This concealer melts into the skin, so it’s easy to blend. Next, I set her foundation with mark Matte-nificent Oil-Absorbing Powder in Golden Honey using the mark Powder Brush. Ashley has great skin, so I chose this powder because it has sheer to light coverage. For her cheeks, I dusted mark Good Glowing Mosaic Blush Custom Color Palette in Golden Glo using the mark Angled Contour Brush.

Eyes

“I prepped Ashley’s eyes by applying mark Please Hold Eye Primer in Light/Medium. Next, I applied mark I-mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Biscotti to her inner eyelid and Magic to her whole eyelid, blending it outward. Then, using the mark Angled Contour Eyeshadow Brush, I blended the mark I-mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Gioia into the crease. Next, I used the mark Flat Eyeliner Brush to apply the mark Keep it Going Longwear Eyeliner & Shadow in Entourage along her top lashes. These duos are great because they stay on all night! Lastly, I smudged mark I-mark Custom Pick Eyeshadow in Gioia along her bottom lash line, then applied two coats of mark Lash Splash Hook Up Waterproof Mascara in Black.“

Lips

“I wanted to create a soft rose lip for Ashley with just a hint of nude color. I did this by applying mark Dew Drenched Moisturlicious Lip Color in Mist. Next, I applied mark Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss in Player using the mark Hookup Lip Brush to give her just the right amount of color and shine.”

Introducing: Celebrity Makeup Artist and Luxury Cosmetics Designer AJ Crimson. Co-founder of luxury cosmetics line, Kissable Couture, AJ has built an established reputation for clean yet luxe makeup and skin techniques, while quickly becoming one of today’s premier makeup artists and beauty experts. AJ has worked on numerous key campaigns with many artists and celebrities including Fergie, Hillary Duff, Adrienne Bailon, Amerie, Estelle, Mya, Christina Milian, Letoya Luckett, Missy Elliott and Keyshia Cole just to name a few.

AJ Crimson With Recording artist Amerie

“Always remember this Beauty Statement: There’s no need to break the bank to look great!”– AJ Crimson.

WATCH: AJ was recently on The E! Network’s “That Morning Show”, sharing some of his beauty tips with all of you beauty addicts out there in the world!

visit www.ajcrimson.com to learn more about AJ’s work! 

About AJ Crimson

AJ Crimson is an established Celebrity Makeup Artist who is most known for his innovative and creative beauty solutions. He has worked on numerous key campaigns with many artists and celebrities including Fergie, Hillary Duff, Adrienne Bailon, Amerie, Estelle, Mya, Christina Milian, Letoya Luckett, Missy Elliott and Keyshia Cole just to name a few. Editorially, Crimson is an oft-quoted beauty and cosmetics media expert. His analysis and work is regularly featured in fashion and lifestyle magazines worldwide such as Glamour, Ocean Drive, InStyle, Real Simple, Life & Style Weekly, The Village Voice, LA Confidential, Essence, Zink, Vibe and leading Japanese magazines, Blenda and Luire and many others. He is currently the youngest founder and designer of a luxury cosmetics line under age 30 with the recent launch of the widely popular Kissable Couture, a line he founded in association with co-creator and business partner Keisha Whitaker

Talking Makeup is excited to share with you holiday beauty tips from Project Runway star and L’Oréal Paris Consulting Makeup Artist, Collier Strong.

Dramatic, full lashes— Introducing Telescopic Explosion Mascara by L’Oreal Paris, a new mascara with a breakthrough spherical brush offering 360-degree coverage from any (and EVERY) angle. This innovative mascara is designed to reach even the smallest lashes to separate every little lash from root to tip for explosive definition.

Expert Tip: “Layer multiple coats and take advantage of how this brush gets every little lash—especially the corners!” –Collier Strong

Sophisticated red lips—Nothing says instant glamour for the holidays like red lips. Try Colour Riche Anti-Aging Serum Lipcolour in Real Red by L’Oreal Paris.

Expert Tip: “Select a shade that compliments your skin tone based on the undertone of the lipstick itself. Those with fair skin should try reds that have a blue undertone; olive or dark skin should opt for orange undertones.” –Collier Strong

Matte Eye Shadow—Be bold and accessorize any party dress with statement makeup. Try HIP Matte Shadow Duos in any of the five shades.

Expert Tip: “Use shadow along the lash line to give more definition and to blend eyeliner for a softer, smokey effect.” –Collier Strong

Striking eyes—Create evening eyes in just one step by applying dramatic eyeliner. Opt for HIP Chrome Eyeliner in Gold, Silver or Purple.

Expert Tip: “For eyes that really pop, try using the silver or gold liner in the .” –Collier Strong

Designer Rachel Roy has built a following for not only her beautiful designer and diffusion collections (Rachel | Rachel Roy is available in Macy’s stores across the U.S. and on RachelRoy.com) but also her amazing personal style and beauty. Talking Makeup has the scoop on how Rachel expresses her Indian ancestry through her makeup, and as well as her personal tricks to looking bright, fresh and flawless.

BTW- I loved watching Rachel Roy in one of the episodes of MTV’s The City. Are you also a fan?

Q. Have you picked up any great beauty tips or tricks that you can share?
RR: I feel a great mascara can open the eye and instantly make you look as though you’ve have a good night’s sleep, even when that is not the case. I use 2-3 coats of Lancome’s Fatale on the top, bottom, and also on the back of the top lashes.

Q. Do you have a beauty signature? A fragrance or a lip color that you just love to wear?
RR: Because of my Indian ancestry, I love darkly rimmed eyes – a messy eye adds a sexy yet natural look to a classic outfit. To make the eyes smoky, I use Revlon’s Luxurious Color Kohl eyeliner in Black Truffle on the inside of the lids.

Q: What about a lip color that you just love to wear? What do you put on to achieve your favorite look?
RR: Bright lipstick is a way to quickly pop an outfit and freshen up a look a la Ava Gardner in “The Barefoot Contessa.” My favorite bright is MAC’s Morange lipstick – it’s a great way to add a twist to a classic look.

Q. Any last bits of advice?
RR: Another way to make your face pop is to fill in the eyebrows. I use Bobbi Brown’s eye shadow in Navajo.

Watch Marta Walsh, founder and editor of Talking Makeup and the rest of Daily Makeover Beauty Bloggerati team give their best makeup tips!

Rouge d’Armani: Color ecstasy. Pure, luxurious ecstasy in lip color. More than color, more than comfort, more than contour, more than hold. More than a lipstick.

In image below Rihanna is wearing Rouge d’Armani during Fashion’s Night Out September 10th, 2009.

Rouge d’Armani hasn’t even hit counters and has already become a cult favorite among beauty insiders – editors, makeup artists and celebrities alike. For Fashion’s Night Out, the Giorgio Armani Beauty counter was a hot spot on Vogue’s “Beauty Itinerary” with Rouge d’Armani 600 selected as a favorite by Vogue editors, while later that month Harper’s Bazaar declared Rouge d’Armani 500 a “must-have” lipstick. Rouge d’Armani has also become a staple in makeup artists’ kits whose brushes grace some of Hollywood’s hottest stars, including Jennifer Nettles, Jordana Brewster, Taylor Swift and Camilla Belle. Several celebrities have been spotted wearing Rouge d’Armani around town, including Rihanna featuring Rouge d’Armani 401 and Kerry Washington wearing Rouge d’Armani 100 during NYC’s Fashion’s Night Out – it was the perfect long-wear lipstick for the night’s festivities.

Expert Makeup Tips: Rouge d’Armani by Linda Cantello: “Be modern – focus on the lips. I love red lips as they’re associated with glamour and nostalgia. Rouge d’Armani is so different from other lipsticks – it is amazing. You can tell as soon as you touch it that its contemporary formula is different from any other. It is long lasting but not drying and it glides on with a satin lacquered finish without feathering. The new polymer allows saturation of very good quality color pigments. When we were working on the colors, I wanted all the colors to be truly flattering so that a woman would wear every color and feel confident. During all my years of professional working experience, I have been gathering samples of my most favorite colors such as a flower petal, a garnet, etc. We managed to tweak the formula for each color to achieve exactly the same shade as my samples. The beiges are very wearable and don’t look pasty. I wanted a true, true red with a rich feel. It’s perfect timing for red – it’s the color of the season. I used Rouge d’Armani for the Giorgio Armani Fall 2009 collection and all the models loved it!”

How To Apply Rouge d’Armani: “Accentuate the lips with Rouge d’Armani, using very little mascara and just a fine, soft line next to the eyelashes to outline the eye.”

Giorgio Armani Beauty introduces Rouge d’Armani – a new approach to color. Inspired by the Micro-fil technology that was created 10 years ago to treat makeup as a made to measure garment for the skin, Color-Fil opens a new era to lipstick color technology that transcends classic formulations and long lasting lipsticks. Color-fil technology provides full lasting color, high precision contours and exceptional comfort all combined in one formula.

With Color-Fil technology Giorgio Armani pioneers a breakthrough cosmetic color technology, which owes its highly innovative formula to a unique agent – Color bond. Color bond, the result of seven years of research and 20 patents, offers exceptional quality of comfort, luminosity and color intensity. Rouge d’Armani boasts up to 8 hours of uniform color leaving impeccable outlines without fading or feathering. Sealed in an elegant sleek black lacquered case, with an exclusive magnetic pocket book closing, Rouge d’Armani shuts with an instant click.

Rouge d’Armani lipstick has suggested retail price of $30 and will be available beginning in October. The full collection can be found online at www.giorgioarmanibeauty.com .

Rihanna In Rouge D’Armani
Get A Sneak Peek To Rouge d’Armani NEW Lipstick by Giorgio Armani Beauty

Foundation is one of my favorite thing about makeup! I’m all about getting that flawless skin whether naturally with great skin care, or faking it with the perfect foundation. The right foundation has the power to give you an instant makeover and that wow factor. Needless to say, applying foundation is a very important step in my makeup routine.

Here are some foundation tips from top makeup artist and NARS Cosmetics founder, François Nars:

François Nars (left) with model

What is the best way to identify the right foundation for your skin tone?
Natural light! Make sure you are in natural light when choosing a foundation shade. And, it should match perfectly with the base of your neck.

What is the biggest mistake women make when wearing foundation?
Wearing too much foundation or the wrong shade – either too dark or too light. Finding the right shade and right foundation texture is crucial. The skin’s natural highlights should be shining through.

How often/what time of year should a woman have her foundation shade matched?
As often as needed; every time the skin tone changes. You should have several shades of foundation in your makeup wardrobe.

Should a woman own more than one formula /type of foundation? What are the benefits?
Absolutely! Having versatility in your makeup wardrobe is as important as having it in your clothing! Sheer Glow Foundation is great for every day, for a natural fresh finish. Add Sheer Matte Foundation whenever you want a little more coverage, for more of a polished satin finish.

What are some tips for a lighter looking finish on the weekends?
Mix a small amount of foundation in with your skincare cream if you still want coverage. And, try wearing less powder if you wear it on a regular basis. I also recommend using cream eye shadows or sheer lipsticks, or lip glosses. The perfect thing to use is the NARS Multiple—It is sheer, light and can be used on lips, cheeks and eyes!

How important do you feel foundation is to a women’s makeup routine?
It is a base, like the canvas of a painting. It is a must for achieving a flawless complexion.

Visit www.narscosmetics.com to learn more about NARS Cosmetics.

NARS Sheer Matte & Sheer Glow Foundation

Beat the Heat with Dior sweat-proof makeup tips!

Looking for ways to beat the heat this Summer? Diorshow Celebrity Makeup Artist, Ricky Wilson, offers some beauty tips to keep you looking both pretty and cool when the temperature rises: “Makeup that holds up in high heat situations is never thick or textured. Less is definition more is when you know you are going to sweat. Remember to always blot before powder to eliminate makeup build and creating texture”.

The following are the Dior products Ricky Wilson recommends:

DiorSkin Airflash Spray Foundation: “Sweat proof and transfer resistant. Since it is so light weight and breathable it gives you coverage without breaking down in high heat and humidity.”

Dior Waterproof Crayon Eyeliner in Trinidad Black: “Perfect for lining through eyes. It’s silky smooth and goes on with ease but won’t budge once it sets.”

Dior EyeShow and Dior Pro Cheeks: “These are products that are crease-proof and water-resistant so YOU can do your eyes and cheeks without worrying about them moving when your skin heats up.”