Friday, April 22, 2011

CLOSE-UP

Hello All!

This past week the Soho Film Festival took place in NYC. I had the pleasure of attending the screening of CLOSE-UP, a movie about a recovering drug addict/down on his luck actor trying to get his life back on track, played very convincingly by Shaun Paul Costello. The cast is rounded out by Valentina Mohle, Brian Gallagher, Brian Anthony Wilson, Jacqui Schneider and Ryan Dunn of Jackass fame.
My Lovely Niece Erica


CLOSE-UP was written, directed and produced by Jose Cruz and my lovely niece Erica Lenart acted as associate producer on the film.

Enjoy the trailer!





Sunday, April 17, 2011

Simple Smokey Eye for the Donna's

Not my eye! Photo pilfered from
the internet!
I have three friends named Donna.

There is Donna, Dona and Madonna (not that Madonna, but this one is just as fabulous!)

My three Donna's love a smokey eye, however, two are hot momma's on the go and just don't have time to sit around perfecting the smokey eye-and the third hot tamale does not feel extremely skilled in the makeup application department.

So in honor of the Donna's (and as requested), I have posted a simple smokey eye tutorial! The smokey eye look is the most requested makeup look as it is a very sultry, sexy look and who does not want to look sexy? There are a bazillion different ways to do a smokey eye (and probably a bazillion different videos on YouTube showing you how to do a smokey eye).

The following is my simplified version. It may look like a lot of steps but it really is simple even if you don't feel like you have a lot of makeup know how.  

First, let me start by saying that smoking your eye out is a technique! It is not referring to the color of smoke even though traditionally smokey eyes have been done using blacks or greys. It is referring to the technique of blending the eyeshadow colors to give it the effect of smoke. Think of smoke coming from a fire-the smoke is most prominant near the fire source but then gradually lessens and disappears. Same effect with a smokey eye, the darkest colors are going to be closest to the lash line and then blended to soften and fade into the browbone. There should be no harsh lines, and if using multiple colors, you shouldn't know where one color ends and the other begins. That hold true for most makeup looks when you are blending colors together.

Second, I must stress that the key to having  makeup that will last is to layer. In this video, there is a base eyeshadow, eye pencil, more eyeshadow, more pencil and more eyeshadow to set!! Your makeup should not move for hours!

The products I used for this look are of course all Little Goddess products (except for the black eyeshadow) and are as follows:

         Liptoxyl Lipgloss in Angel                

So before you start you want to make sure to prime/prep your skin and apply foundation/powder to the skin as you usually would. If you don't usually use foundation, please at least powder the eyelids.

Step 1: Apply Silk Sheets eyeshadow all over the lid from lashes to browbone. There are multiple reasons why you need to apply a base eyeshadow:

  • Eyelids are naturally oily and you need to powder them down to prevent creasing and slippage.

  • If you put foundation/concealor on your eyelids, you need to powder them to set the makeup and prevent it from sliding and seperating as the day goes on-which is why makeup disappears during the day if it is not set properly.

  • The additional shadows and makeup you apply needs something to grab onto that is not skin. So the base layer provides a barrier between your skin so your application is smoother and last longer.

If you properly powder your eyelids with loose powder, you can skip the base eyeshadow.

Step 2: A smokey eye needs lots of black eyeliner. Apply Absolute Black eyeliner to top lash line and smudge with a smudge brush (or a Q-tip) to soften. Remember-no harsh lines.

Step 3: Apply Ink eyeshadow on top lid, from lashline into the crease. I used a flat shadow brush, you can use whatever you have.

Step 4: Take a clean blending brush and blend the outer edge of the shadow (or) blend a neautral shadow such as Sand Mineral Matte into the edge of the shadow to soften and fade. You can also use loose powder for this step if you don't have a neautral shadow.

Step 5: Apply a second coat of eyeliner to the top lashline. With a stiff slanted eyeliner brush, set top lash line with black eyeshadow.

Step 6: Apply Absolute Black eyeliner to the lower lashline. With a stiff slanted eyeliner brush, set lower lashline with Ink shadow.

Step 7: Add Sandstone to brow bone and inner corner of eye to highlight.

Step 8: Apply HD Mascara to both top and lower lashes.

Step 9: Shape eyebrows using LG Brow Shaper Kit.

Step 10: Apply Wild Pink Cream Blush to cheeks-or whatever neautral colored blush you have.

Step 11: Apply Nude Lipliner and Angel Liptoxyl Gloss-or whatever neautral toned lip colors you have.

I hope this is as simple as I intended it to be! If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and I will respond-Donna's, you can just call me up!
Please enjoy the video!


Happy Blending! 


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