THE ORANGE LIP!

This pic is hot because it gives you two choices of an orange gloss you can wear. The top lip is a deep red orange and the bottom is a true orange. I personally like to wear my orange lips extra glossy because it's soooo sexy! For my mocha beauties, don't be scurrrrrred, go out to your favorite makeup counter or go to several and try a few. I know you will find one!

The orange lip is one of the hardest colors to wear because it's referred to a lot of times as the "old lady look". But with the proper choosing of color it is just as Fierce and Fabulous as wearing red. I'm not going to list a long line of companies to try because everyone has their favorite and most cosmetic lines have a pretty orange lipstick or gloss for you to try. What I will do is give advice on how to wear the orange lip. The best way to wear it is to keep it rich, deep and with shine. Or the other extreme is deep, rich and matte. There is a MAC color called So Chaud which is a vibrant, matte color that speaks boldly to everyone it comes in contact with. Givenchy, Chanel and YSL are also known for their beautiful and vibrant reds and oranges as well.

For fair skin girls, or guys, (hey who am I to judge) you can pretty much get a way with any type of orange tone. You can do soft peachy oranges as well as a dark red orange. For darker skin or mocha girls or guys like myself, we look best in deep, red oranges with tons of pigment. I like to layer a clear gloss over my orange lipstick because the gloss makes the pigment stronger and richer. Here are just a few suggestions and looks on how you can rock that orange lip.

MAC DARE TO WEAR COLLECTION IN "SO BAD"! Don't even play with this unless you are ready to knock him off of his feet with this ridiculously, gorgeous, deep red number. You have to try it and you only need a touch. You can add a clear gloss on top just to give it an even more glossy and sexy finish.
MAC WIND ME UP COLLECTION IN DIRTY BRONZE. I would rock this color all day long. You don't have to always go with a true orange, but an orange, bronze is just as pretty. A a clear gloss on top just to make it even sexier. You have to visit the MAC counter and try this. Chestnut pencil by MAC or Chocolate pencil by Bobbi Brown would be great with this gloss. Just make sure you blend your pencil.



GIVENCHY LIP GLOSS IN POP ORANGE! THIS IS JUST TOO FIERCE FOR WORDS! No matter what your skin tone is, you will look great in this shade. You can layer it over a deep, orange red lipstick or add a rich chocolate pencil (smudged, no hard lines) and layer this color on top. This model is wearing a color very similar and she looks gorgeous!


L'Oreal LIP GLOSS IN MELON PUNCH can be worn alone or layered on top of a beautiful red orange lipstick or pencil. Gorgeous on anyone!





LANCOME JUICY GELEE IN ORANGE BLAST! This model is sporting a peach, orange lip which is very pretty especially if you add a lip gloss or lip gelee like the Lancome one shown above. Lancome also has a JUICY lip gloss line with tons of great colors and a very hot orange.

FOUNDATION! WHAT ARE YOU REALLY COVERING UP?

Danielle from America's Top Model looking fresh and natural

Jennifer Aniston is always glowing and never overly done!

Jane Fonda is a timeless beauty always looking flawless

Halle Berry is bronzed and natural with clean makeup

I love Debbie Morgan and she's always fresh faced and pretty





How much foundation do you really need?

Well my gorgeous ladies, let's talk foundation application. I'm a big fan of foundation eventhough I don't wear it myself, unless I'm working on camera. I do however, wear concealer to cover the dark circles under my eyes, but the feel of foundation on my skin is quite uncomfortable and I haven't worn it in years. I am blessed to have pretty clear skin, but such isn't always the case for everyone. However, even if you have an uneven skintone, there is still no reason to over use foundation. Foundation whether liquid, cream or powder is designed to even out your complexion and a few flaws and is to be kept as natural looking as possible. I like to use liquid foundation on my clients, followed by a concealer or cream foundation to give extra coverage only in areas that may need it. Why liquid as opposed to powder or cream? Because liquid foundation usually gives great coverage by itself, is builadable and it absorbs into the skin very nicely leaving a natural finish. Concealer is designed to cover any scars, blemishes or dark circles and is to be used on those specific areas. If you're a fan of cream foundation, that's fine, just try thinning it out a bit with a wet sponge or mix it with your moisturizer so it doesn't go on too heavy. Cream foundations are great for camera and photography. The finish is quite flawless, however, it should be used sparingly.

Powder foundation is normally designed for normal to oily skin, and should ALWAYS be used after a moisturizer, no matter the skin type. Powder foundation leaves a very matte finish and can also be used on top of liquid for extra coverage, however, use a large powder brush to set. For touch ups throughout the day, use a very translucent powder (MAC blot powder). Avoid using powder foundation around the eye area because it will accentuate any fine lines. Use a loose powder to set concealer around the eye area.

You can age yourself as much as 7 years when you wear too much foundation and powder. Again, if you have scars, birthmarks, rosacia, or dark circles under the eyes, use a liquid foundation first, (this automatically evens out the skin) then follow with a concealer only on the imperfected area. Using a concealer brush or even your ring finger is best for excellent coverage, patting it onto the skin. Always set your foundation with loose powder to keep your foundation looking natural.

TARINA TARANTINO!

I couldn't be more proud and excited to post this blog for an amazing artist and friend that I've known since 1992. From our early days at MAC cosmetics in the Beverly Center where I was Tarina's store manager, we watched Tarina begin her journey as a barrett and jewelry designer of cool skulls and sparkle crystal rings. Now she's accomplished, yet still striving to bring you great jewelry and now has added a new cosmetic line to her empire. Her husband Alfonso, has to take a great deal of credit for the exposure of Tarina's line becoming the success it is today. It was his vision and belief in Tarina, that her jewelry would be a success. They worked endless hours right from their apartment in L.A. creating and making gorgeous pieces. (Boy, do I remember those days). Alfonso shared with me how he paved the ground shopping Tarina's designs and was turned down by a number of boutiques and not so nicely I might add. But they kept the fight and the faith and now Tarina is a household name for millions of women of all ages, who love adorning themselves in her creative and fashionable jewelry and accessories. Tarina is also a household name amongst Hollywood's biggest A list celebrities.
Tarina is located in 3 locations, with the addresses listed above, or you can visit her website at www.tarinatarantino.com. Her cosmetic line is sold at Sephora or visit there website at www.sephora.com.

FUCHSIA REVOLUTION DROP EARRINGS $46 and HELLO KITTY earrings $28
FUCHSIA REVOLUTION SMALL BEADED BRACELET $30


So I had the pleasure of spending the day with Tarina recently in her beautiful lofts where all the magic is made creating her beautiful jewelry. I was overwhelmed with all of the millions of gorgeous beads and crystals that are stocked and placed neatly and strategically. I can only imagine what goes on in that pretty little pink head of hers as she creates new designs for an upcoming season, then takes it to her staff and they help put it all together. She has a dedicated team who works very hard to make sure we look FABULOUS!

Now Tarina has created her own cosmetic line and I must say, much LOVE and thought as gone into every piece. I love everything that you see below and they have become some of Val's fav's. The packaging is incredibly beautiful and strikes up major conversation in the makeup room on the television sets I work on. Such pretty and feminine packaging are guaranteed to turn heads when you pop it open at your favorite restaurant to check your flawless makeup.
Tarina definitely kept in mind the importance of High Definition television when creating her products. The pigments are strong and great for ANY skin tone and the ingredients are of the highest quality.
PURE SPARKLICITY $19. A sheer loose pigment powder that gives a high luminous glow to the skin. You can use over eyeshadow, blush or bronzer or wear alone.

REVOLUTION BRUSH SET $69. These brushes are both natural and synthetic and definitely high performance. Not tested on animals.
CONDITIONING LIP SHEEN. These beautiful shades come in about 12 gorgeous colors and feels sooo good on the lips. It conditions your lips as well as keeping them looking sexy.
KAPINKI BRUSH very similar to a kabuki brush made with natural bristles. Great for buffing out your powder and gives a flawless finish.
GEM GLOSS comes in about 12 beautiful shades and honey, these glosses are HOT!! It also has a high shine but not sticky feeling at all. They are long wearing and look amazing on camera. LOVE THESE!
EYE DREAM HYPER SHADOW. Tarina left no stone unturned when creating these little beauties. The shadows have so much pigment you only need to use a little at a time. They work great as eyeliner over her eye pencils as well. They come in about 24 gorgeous shades.
EYE DREAM HYPER LINER $17. Comes in about 12 shades of full pigmented, smudge proof, long wearing shades. They also glide on very smoothly.
DOLLFACE MICRONIZED POWDER. This powder comes in about 5 shades and it's sheer texture builds very nicely. It's designed for High Def television and I've seen first hand how beautiful it looks on camera as well as in every day street wear.
DOLLFACE BLUSH. Again Tarina created beautiful blushes from soft rose to warm bronze tones. These shades have micronized powders which gives it it's sheer texture, yet the pigments are very strong. Simply beautiful!
FLEUR DE LASH MASCARA $19. I love this product and Tarina put much thought into creating this buildable, thickening and lengthening mascara. It also conditions the lashes, never clumping or hardening.
EYE DREAM CREAM SHADOW/LINER. This highly pigmented, fast drying cream is wonderful for using alone or layering with a powder shadow on top. It also comes in a few shades for your enjoyment. It builds nicely on the lids and it doesn't crease or smudge.


Tarina does not test her products on animals.

Congratulations Tarina on all of your success. I look forward to seeing what great new things are in store for us. Check her out everyone and enjoy!

EYELASHES!

DUO WHITE GLUE goes on white but dries clear without any trace of glue residue. Apply cream or liquid liner in your favorite color after applying lashes.
DUO GLUE IN BLACK! great if you are not the best in applying lash glue, because it is black and more forgiving. You don't have to necessarily use a thick eyeliner when using the black glue because it gives the illusion of eyeliner. I suggest this glue for everyday where unless you're allergic to latex, then you may want to try the Ardell brand sold at CVS.
MAC INDIVIDUAL LASHES
Individual lashes are very popular these days and are one of the most natural ways to wear lashes. They're not easy applying on yourself and that's why a lot of women have them applied professionally and can be worn up to 3 weeks. You can wear individual lashes on a daily basis by applying DUO lash adhesive which is waterproof but can be removed at the end of the day.
I'm not a fan of the semi permanent lashes that are done in the salon's because the negative effect they have on your own natural lash. In a lot of the salon's some of the lash technician are using hair bonding glue which is a big NO NO!! Always ask the technician what type of glue she's using and ask to see the bottle. Think of your lashes like the hair on your head. If hair bonding glue is dangerous for your hair, imagine what it can do to your lashes.

Another thing to keep in mind when getting individual lashes, is that if you're going to get the longer, fuller lashes applied, think about how you will look on days when you're wearing minimal makeup. Think about how you look in the gym with super long lashes and no makeup. Not a very good look. Also, think about how you look when the long lashes begin to fall out, they usually fall out from the middle, leaving a huge gaping hole in the middle of your lash line. Nothing worse than seeing a gash between super long lashes. The shorter lashes are less obvious and more natural looking when they begin to fall out. You can usually camouflage this mishap by apply mascara to your own lash and the blend will be much better.
Here are great lash options for natural and dramatic wear. However, I suggest wearing lashes only for the day, and then remove them before bedtime. Most lashes can be worn several times, so make sure you remove the lash glue from the lash band and place back in the holder for another time. To remove your lashes, never rip across, but gently pull down, starting from the outside in.
MAC #4 LASH very natural and one of their most popular lashes. Great for everyday wear. You can always add mascara to build your lashes for a fuller look!

MAC #6 LASHES for a more dramatic look. Great for stage or avante garde photography and runway or a hot night on the town.

I LOVE these lashes and they are also very nice for daily wear. Red Cherry lashes are usually sold in the neighborhood beauty supply houses for around $2. www.redcherry.com
RED CHERRY SOFT FULL LASH

RED CHERRY HALF LASH is so cute for that Marilyn Monroe effect. This lash is worn on the outer corner and elongates the eye to look very sexy and sultry.
SHU UEMURA LUXE LASH around $20. These are the lashes I use on Oprah. Very full and great for larger eyes and can be worn several times. For $20, you need to take care of your lashes by removing the adhesive off the the lash line and replace in the container. www.shueumura.com
RED CHERRY SOFT LASH
JANET JACKSON always brings it with beautiful hair and makeup. I love these lashes on her because they compliment her eyes.


A great example of the HALF LASH worn on the outer corner of the eyes.
A full lash is perfect for larger eyes or when you're wearing dramatic makeup. A large lash is not so hot if you're wearing minimal makeup because it draws too much attention to the lash and not your eyes.
Queen Latifah sporting a natural lash with soft, pretty makeup. This is how your lashes should look when wearing minimal makeup.

MAKEUP BY VAL

On Shaun I used the Ardell Lashes #110 sold at CVS or Walgreens. They're perfect for daytime or you can add mascara and take them to another level.

Now here is where a full lash is completely acceptable. The smokey eye usually calls for a nice, full lash however, it's not mandatory and you can also use a smaller lash. Make sure if you have small eyes you use a smaller lash. Notice the size of her eyes, therefore she can sport a longer, fuller lash.

MAKEUP AND SUMMER HEAT!

Well it is definitely summer and the heat is not being sensitive at all to those of us who wear makeup. I hear ladies complaining all the time about their foundation not staying on, their eyeshadow is creasing and even eyebrows sliding right off of their faces. Well, as you can see in my pics, I am a minimalist when it comes to foundation. These pictures were taken in winter and in L.A. that means nothing when it comes to heat. It was a very warm day, and the only thing that kept me intact was the breeze we had from the ocean. I didn't even bother filling in my brows until we changed clothes and did more formal shots because of the heat. Sometimes less is more and summer is the time to do less with your makeup. Take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself how much foundation and powder do you REALLY need.

If you must wear foundation because your skin tone may be a bit uneven, try MAC FACE AND BODY foundation sold only in the MAC stores or online at www.maccosmetics.com for about 28.00. Always use a primer before applying your foundation to help it maintain it's wear. Another option is to take the liquid foundation you're already using and add a couple of drops of moisturizer in it to thin it out a bit, but you'll still get a nice finish to even out your skintone. I have dark circles, but NEVER wear foundation, so I use MAC FULL COVERAGE that matches my skin tone under my eyes, and then set it with a very sheer bronzer about a shade lighter than my skin tone to give my complexion a nice highlight in the T zone.

Tinted moisturizers are another great option. They're very sheer but you can build or layer it to give you extra coverage. How to you build it? Lay down one layer, let it sit for about a minute to dry a bit, then add another layer. Add concealer in those imperfect areas for added coverage. Set with a loose powder or bronzer. You will still look natural, yet even.

Use blotting papers or MAC's blot powder to avoid a caked on look because of excessive powdering throughout the day.

If your eyeshadows are not lasting there are two that I know work well. Makeup Forever water proof eyeshadows and Tarina Tarantino water proof cream shadow. You can use a powder eyeshadow on top of your cream shadows that's close to it's color. This will hold your shadow intact for a longer period of time. Also water proof eye pencils are also a great option and they come in fun colors as well. Again you can set your pencils with an eyeshadow by layering it on top. Makeup Forever makes beautiful waterproof pencils. Makeup Forever and Tarina Tarantino is sold in Sephora.

The bottom line is heat is heat and there is no magical cure to keeping your makeup from sliding so I say again, less is more and let your skin GLOW!

GREAT ADVICE FOR THE BRIDE, HAIR STYLIST AND MAKEUP ARTIST

My cousins Damon and Liz
Makeup by Val

It's wedding season and I'm getting booked through 2011! Next to television and fashion, I love doing makeup for brides. I haven't tried to count how many weddings I've done over the past 20 years, but I'm sure it's close to 200. Weddings are fun for me because I enjoy pampering my brides and making them feel like they are Queens for the day. Well they are Queens for the day and the Queen of their new homes. I've also been very fortunate to have worked with amazing, beautiful brides who have been able to maintain a very calm spirit, with the exception one, but the poor girl was so stressed out.

Things to remember as either a hairstylist or makeup artist is how to map out your day. If you're doing hair or makeup for the bride only, then your day is probably going to be pretty easy, especially if you've already had a consultation. However, if you're doing h&m for an entire wedding party, you need to have a very strict schedule. Bridesmaids are pretty good at being on time for h&m, but there are times you will experience tardiness and delays. Consult with your bride and let her know you have to have the girls on time, because they will possibly miss out in getting their h&m done if they're tardy. If you're doing h&m for a party of 6 or more I strongly suggest bringing an assistant to help you, unless you're a fast working artist. I usually work alone, but now I'm going to start bringing an assistant for large parties. Give yourself plenty of time so you're not stressed, and have a time assigned to each girl so they can keep their appointment.

If the bridesmaids are getting their hair and makeup done at a counter (MAC) or salon, they should make their appointments at least two months prior to the wedding date to secure an appointment. This is also a little more cost effective for the bridesmaid if she has to pay for her own services. Bridesmaids usually don't want the added expense of paying for hair and makeup which is totally understandable, so I suggest the M.A.C store or counter for a less expensive rate. ($40-45).

A little bit of advice to my Beautiful brides. When budgeting your wedding for caterers, photographers, flowers and your dress, make sure you have a budget for hair and makeup. Brides usually don't consider the cost of professional services for hair and makeup and may be under the impression that we come kind of cheap. Well, that is so not true. Seasoned artists can charge anywhere from $500-$1000 just for the bride alone, sometimes more or less. If you have a bridal party of 4-7 you can sometimes expect to pay over $1000, and if your party is 8 or more, you can definitely expect to pay up to at least $2000. Some hair stylists and makeup artists are flexible and will work within your budget, but if you have a very large party, you should expect a very high price. Also consider destinations. If an artist has to travel more than an hour to your wedding location or has to travel out of state, then this should also be taken into consideration of your price.

I hope this blog is very helpful for us as artists and to our beautiful brides.