Move Over Bare Minerals!

Move over Bare Minerals, I officially have a new favorite foundation. As a long time Bare Minerals user I had a hard time thinking I could possibly love any other foundation. However, at a trip to Sephora (my favorite place) one of the girls told me I should try Halo by Smashbox. I was very hesistant at first because it has a very hefty price tag ($59). I decided I would try the Complexion kit, which is a great deal. You get primer, liquid foundation, concealer and the Halo all for $49. This is a great way to check out this product without feeling like you are investing so much money in one product. I really liked the primer and concealer in the kit as well.
Now as far as the price is concerned, I completely understand why you may be thinking "Yeah right, I would never spend that much on foundation!" However, you are getting .75 oz compared to Bare Minerals .25 oz.  for $25. So you actually are saving money in the long run.
The other thing I love about this foundation is that you grind your product each time you use it. I personally love this, mineral makeup has a tendency to be super messy. Smashbox has completely eliminated that problem.

This product has great coverage. For those of you who have never heard of Smashbox, it is owned by Max Factor's grandsons. They own a photography studio and had been asked by many celebrities to find a makeup that could stand up to the lights and cameras that are a part of their everyday life. Smashbox Cosmetics was born. This makeup looks amazing in photos as well as everyday life!!!

Hopefully by now you are convinced that you want to at the very least go check this product out. Go to your nearest Sephora or Ulta and ask someone to show you Halo. I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Kristina's Wedding

On February 27th I had the privelege of being a part of Kristina's wedding day. She was a beautiful bride and was a pleasure to work with. Her pictures turned out amazing so I wanted to share them. Her photographer was Storybook Weddings. They took amazing pictures. Check out their website at http://www.storybookweddings.org/

How to Get Amazing Lashes

I am ashamed to say that I have just recently started using an eyelash curler. I feel like I found my long lost best friend. If you have seen any of my work you will know that I LOVE lashes!!!! Using an eyelash curler is a very simple and easy way to give yourself amazing lashes everyday. I personally use the Shu Eumura curler and I love it. It was a little bit pricy but the results are fantastic. I am not saying that the only way you will get great lashes is by using this brand but I have had a really great experience with it.

Now for my tip. Take your blowdryer and blow warm air on your eyelash curler for a few seconds. Just long enough to warm it up. You do not want to get it too warm or you will burn yourself. Once you have it warmed use it like you normally would. This gives you an even greater curl than using it cool. It almost looks like you used a curling iron on your lashes. I also think it makes the curl hold longer. Try it out, I know you will love it!

Product I Love: Moroccan Oil

OK I do not do hair but this is a product that I had to tell you about. Moroccan Oil is available at salons and beauty supply stores.  I personally bought mine at Admiral Beauty Supply on 91st and Sheridan. This product is awesome!! You put in on your hair before you dry it. This stuff smells great, it reminds me of being on a beach. It also cuts down on your drying time. I have really thick hair so I love any help I can get. The best part is that it treats your hair when you use it so your hair feels great. It leaves your hair shiny and soft. The product website says that this product restores shine and strengthens and conditions. I definitely agree that it does all three of these.

You only use a very small amount of this product each time you use it (around a dime size or smaller). I am amazed at how such a small amount of product can give you such great results. The only downside of this product is the price. The 0.85 oz size is between $13 and $15. The larger 3.4 oz size runs around $35. I personally bought the small size and it lasts me quite a while because I only use it when I am straightening my hair. However, because you use such a small amount of product it will last long enough to definitely make it worth the price.

I would definitely recommend this product! However, don't just take my word on it. Either try it yourself, ask your hairstylist if they have heard of it or research it for yourself online. I personally believe that each of you would love it!

New Bridal Package

Wild Magnolia Artistry is now partnering with Spa Southern Hills to offer you one of the most amazing bridal packages you can get. I am so excited to be able to offer this service to each of you. I personally have been getting facials and microdermabrasion from Tina and can assure you that she does a great job. Now I present to you The Breathtaking Bride.

This package is for the bride who wants to take everyone's breath away. What better way to prepare for your big day the a great set of spa treatments? This package includes a hydrotherapy bath to begin your journey to becoming a flawless bride. A Brown Sugar Body Polish will bring out your smoothest freshest skin possible. A one-hour customized Sonya Dakar Facial will deeply cleanse and purify the skin for the most radiant canvas for your wedding day makeup. A bikini wax (we'll say no more). This package also includes your prewedding makeup trial and wedding day application. All spa services will be provided by Tina Queen at Spa Southern Hills. You will feel and look absolutely fabulous and will undoubtedly take everyones breath away on your big day.

$300

Email You Will Love!

If you are anything like me you love learning new tips and tricks for making yourself beautiful. Well I have the perfect way to get a new tip everyday and all you have to do is check your email. Glamour.com sends out a daily email with the latest beauty tips. I love getting them each day. The tips range from the latest nail trends, celebrity hair and makeup tricks, and any other beauty related tips you can think of. The best part is it is free. All you have to do is sign up on their website. Go to https://secure.glamour.com/services/newsletters and pick from the 3 options (I get Beauty Tip of the Day), type in your email address and wait to receive your first email. Hopefully you guys will love it as much as I do!

Mineral Makeup

I know that many women think that mineral makeup such as Bare Minerals is too much of a mess to ever try and use. However, Bare Minerals is the foundation that I use on myself on a daily basis. I personally feel that if you know the proper way to use it, it is not only easy to use but also really fast. It offers a great coverage that looks natural at the same time. In my opinion, it is the perfect foundation. Because I want each of you to see how awesome it truly is I am going to walk you through the steps I take while applying it. All of the brushes I use come in the starter kit that can be purchased at ULTA or Sephora.

1. Make sure your skin is moisturized. This is so important since it is a powder foundation and can have a tendency to stick to dry skin.

2. I take the Handy Buki brush and buff the foundation onto my skin. (Buffing is just applying the foundation in a circular motion.) You will feel like you are rubbing it all off but you aren't don't worry. Continue until you feel like you have pretty good coverage.

3. Take the powder brush that comes in the kit and buff the foundation once again onto your skin. This helps to even out the foundation.

4. Take the concealer brush and cover any areas that you feel are not adequately covered. This is great for the occasional pimple. This foundation is one of my favorite concealers. It covers really well especially when using a concealer brush.

5. Use the powder brush to put a very little bit of the Warmth (bronzer) onto your cheeks, bridge of nose and chin. You apply it anywhere the sun would naturally hit.

6. Go over your whole face with the Mineral Veil using the powder brush.

That's it! I can do this whole process in just a few minutes. If you read the directions that come in the kit it will tell you to do this in a different order. However, I have used this foundation over 2 years now and I truly believe this is the way to get the best application with it. I would think that you could use these same instructions with any mineral foundation, however I have only used Bare Minerals.