Lo & Co. Blog

Real Brides - Sarah

When I meet with a bride for the trial run - I take photos, a video and keep detailed notes so I can remember as much as possible about her look and personality.  It is amazing how a few simple words can bring a client's unique personality back to me regardless of the time passed.  The words on my notes for for Sarah read "really nice person". This is a commonly used phrase, but when I write it as a note to myself - I know exactly how special that phrase is. I have a rare job that requires me to stare at a face and eyes, to focus on a person from inches away with the intent of understanding them and trying to enhance their beauty. In my day-to-day life, I skim over things and multi-task, but when I am applying makeup on a face I am truly in the moment and that enables me to see people in a more intimate way. It is difficult to hide from your makeup artist!!

Jacob Pritchard's photography captured Sarah's beauty as well as her calm and kind persona.  I enhanced Sarah's eyes by using an opal color shadow all over the lid and using rosy browns along the lash line and crease.  I topped the soft eye with a very tight black gel liner to "pop" her eyes in photos.  I used my new favorite lip combo - Bobbi Brown's Blue Raspberry Creamy Lip Color topped with Pink Brightening Gloss.

I love the idea of taking a double-decker bus with your guests to the ceremony.  What a fun way to travel and see the city.  Tara of EAP , was the fantastic day of coordinator. The couple wed at Central Park's Conservatory Garden with the reception taking place at Astra.

 



Good Luck Sarah and Michael!!!

Is Your Makeup Aging You?

I was recently interviewed by Kathy Sena for www.makinglifebetter.com about how to avoid common makeup mistakes.  I love Kathy's sense of humor and I am glad that she allowed my cheekiness to come through!  Take a look:

Real Bride - Aisyah!

I met Aisyah for her makeup trial a few months ago and was so excited to be a part of her wedding because of her fun loving personality. As a makeup artist I am a little obsessed with skin tones and bone structure. And, while I love my fair skin, I was a tad envious of her butterscotch exterior and high cheekbones.  I believe the secret to taking great photos is to be in the moment, be yourself, and interact with your friends and family. Aisyah is a cheeky monkey and I love that it shows in her photographs. She knows how to interact with the camera playfully and authentically, yet "pretends" it isn't there for some nice beauty shots. To get her look check out a previous post I did using Aisyah's trial photos as an example of how to do a basic eye.

Aisyah personalized her look with butterflies and a ridiculous pair of 5 inch Christian Louboutin shoes with pink feathers (love!) and her dress converted to a mini.  I have no idea how she walked in these -  but I love this girl!

Photographer Christopher Lane did an amazing job of capturing the day in Dumbo, Brooklyn at the uber cool Smackmellon. I once again collaborated with fabulous Stacy Pitt who did this Hollywood glam look. Enjoy!

 

 

 

View all of the photos here

Lo Asks - Dana Faith, Jewelery Designer

I recently met Dana Faith and instantly fell in love with her jewelry. I like to wear a large/bold piece of jewelry but with my hands-on job I don't want jewelry that is heavy or loud.  Can you image having your makeup done and constantly hearing the thunk and jingle of a big bracelet in your ear?   Dana was kind enough to let me "pick her brain" about her entrepreneurial journey. 

How did you start your business and what inspired you?

I was designing for Vera Wang for years and was very inspired by Vera and what a perfectionist she is, how much passion she has for her designs and how much work she puts into her collections.  After years on my own I have been practicing Buddhism and while chanting I thought of designing jewelry and it just took off from there. My grandfather was a jeweler and I was also very inspired by him as well.

I love how you make strong pieces that are also delicate and super feminine – can you tell me how you chose the materials, styles, and what have been some jewelry mentors of yours?

Well I always choose materials that can be worn by all women, so I like to keep it simple yet strong.  I am very inspired by antique jewelry, nature and my Buddhist practice. Fred Leighton has an amazing collection of antique and estate jewelry, I have always been very inspired by their pieces.

What is a “normal” day for you?

A normal day for me starts with my morning chant which just opens me up to so many different ideas. I will then either make pieces for customers or come up with new designs which is always so much fun! You can usually find me in the jewelry district picking out all of the fabulous jewels and metals, wow there is so much to choose from.

 Where do you do your work?

I actually do my work right in my living room  at home, it is very peaceful and an easy commute! haha

What is the most stressful or toughest part of your job?

The most stressful part is when I have a deadline and I am up at all hours getting all of my pieces done, whether it is for customers, stores or for photo shoots.

What is your favorite part of your job?

 My favorite part of my job is when I create new pieces and get inspired!!ahhhh!! Also when a customer writes how happy she is with her piece.

What advice would you give someone who is looking for jewelry for the wedding day?

 I would definitely stick to staying as simple as possible, sometimes brides get a little carried away and it can take away from their beautiful wedding dress. I would also say to please stay true to yourself and choosing jewelry that really says who they are.

Also I just want you to know that I am now making jewelry headbands-it is like wearing jewelry in the hair, really great idea for bridesmaids, very simple and pretty!!

Thanks, Dana!!

Engagment Session Giveaway!

I wanted you all to know that one of my favorite photographers, Wayne Yuan has a great contest running.  I love his work and I always get gorgeous photos from him.  Check it out:

Good luck!!

Ask Lo - Concealer and Getting Ready

Here are two questions that I recently received from readers:

 Just a silly question -- what should I wear to get ready in?  Something I can unbutton or easily take off my head so I don't mess anything up?  ~Paige

Sweetheart, their are no silly questions!  You are right about a button up or something with a loose neck.  Not really an issue for me, but for hair.  If you have a festive or cute tank this is a great opportunity to wear it and you will look adorable in photos.

 I have small wrinkles underneath my eyes, I guess I would say mild crows feet? I am paranoid about them showing in wedding pics and I read in a magazine, to ask your make up artist to not put powder over this area because it would bring out the wrinkles. Is this true? Any tips on how to de emphasize that area? I am thinking I might not have any choice in the matter. Thank you Lo! ~Victoria

Great question, Victoria.  I have had to explain this to hundreds of women throughout my career.  Everyone has wrinkles around or under their eyes, but it is important to brighten or lighten the under eye area.  If you look really closely in the mirror you may notice the wrinkles more b/c of the concealer, but no one else sees this.  If they are that close - tell them to back off!  It is well worth the trade off of lightning the area. This is what I suggest when applying concealer:

1. Start with an eye cream to hydrate and prime the area.
2. Apply concealer lightly with a brush on the areas that are dark.  This is generally right under the lash line and towards the inner eye and nose area.
3. Blend out towards the outer and lower eye area with little or no concealer on crinkly parts. 
4. Allow for the concealer to settle. Press the concealer into the skin instead of rubbing. It is natural for concealer to crease because that skin has a lot of movement - just press it in.
5. Set with light powder.  Dust powder over concealer with a ponytail brush or sponge. Only a smidgen of powder to set and blend.

Take a look at Charlize Theron, arguably one of the most women in the world, in close-up photo versus a one from a few feet away.  Yes, even goddesses have wrinkles!  And, if you saw her without the flash in her face you could see even more.  Please back away from the mirror and look at yourself as people see you.
 
 

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Stephen Shugerman / Getty Images

Engagement Photos

I am a big fan of engagement photos and I often do the bride's makeup for the shoot. Engagement photos are fantastic for many reasons.

1. Helps you become more comfortable in front of the camera.  The more times you are photographed, the more at ease you will be.  The best photos are when people are comfortable, happy and authentic.  For all of those people who hate "posing" for photos or think they aren't photogenic - a professional shoot can be completely different.  Most photographers don't want you to pose, they want you to be in the moment and interact with your partner. When you take a couple hundred photos with a pro you are likely to get a few good ones - so relax.
2. Builds a bond with the photographer.  You will spend a good portion of your wedding day with your photographer and this is a great opportunity to get to know how  you work best together.
3. See how you photograph with makeup.  While it isn't necessary to wear the exact same makeup as you will on your wedding day, you can get a sense of how much the camera diffuses makeup. I recommend putting on more blush than you normally would, go for a slightly brighter lip and apply a thicker darker eyeliner (on top lash line). Since the makeup is just for a photo shoot you don't need to worry about what it looks like in real life.  I guarantee you will be amazed how little makeup reads in photos.
4. You get to have fun with your honey!  Wedding day photos are done on a tight schedule, in confining clothing, and a lot of people watching you. This is just about the two of you enjoying each other and showing why you feel in love in the first place. Make it a fun part of preparation! 

This is my cutie pa tootie bride, Randi.  We did the same makeup that we will do for her wedding and you can see how natural it looks. BTW, this "natural" look took an hour and it includes, foundation, blush, bronzer, under eye concealer, false eyelashes, lip pencil, lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, brow pencil, mascara, and powder.  Natural makeup doesn't necessarily mean very little makeup. To me, it means applying products in a way that highlight the person's natural beauty, not overshadow it.

Duet Photography

Boudoir Photos - 1940s Inspiration

I think that every woman should do a boudoir session at least once a decade. We can do it for boyfriends and husbands but why not just for ourselves? Who doesn't want a beautiful photo of themselves?   I recently had a boudoir session with Lauren Slusher and I had an absolute blast. I have had other pro shoots throughout my career, but this was by far the most fun. I did the makeup for four other women at the shoot and it was amazing to see each one find their inner diva/siren/pinup girl in front of the camera.  Most were a little timid at first, but once they got into it (and had a shot of borbon!) they didn't want to stop.  It is a very liberating experience and I bet that they all had a new found respect for their beauty.  All of the women were different shapes and sizes yet each photographed beautifully. When we start to celebrate our bodies instead of constantly critiquing them we are on our way to a much healthier self image.  I also think it will be fun to have these photos to remind me in my old age how my body looked before gravity kicked in:-)

I recently did the hair and makeup for another boudoir shoot. Arlene wanted a 1940s retro look and I just loved how she turned out. I did my classic eye with a black liquid eyeliner, false lashes and a pretty red lip.  Arlene's hair is naturally curly so I had to smooth and straighten the hair with a curling iron and then set it in loose pin curls.  Then we just shaped the waves with bobbi pins to achieve the desired look. Arlene told me that she had a blast during her photo shoot and that she was very happy with the photos.  On a side note, doesn't she look exactly like the actress Madolyn Smith from the movie Funny Farm?

 

Rainy Day Weddings

I have witnessed over a hundred brides get ready on their wedding day and one of the things that can break even the most stable bride, is rain.  I am a makeup artist, but I also feel like a therapist/best friend/wedding planner when I work with a bride on her wedding day.  I love this part of my job because you really get to know someone during stressful times and I feel forever bonded to my brides.  I had a bride a few weeks ago who was extremely stressed by the rain and there was no consoling her. This is when I wish that I could give my clients the perspective that I have.  I wish that I could convince them that a rainy day wedding can be lovely and any attempts to control the weather or most things is futile.  People will be late, earrings will break, the dress will get dirty, the table settings may be wrong but none of those things matter.  Enjoy your day without trying to control it, because with time and perspective you will realize how insignificant those things are.  I guarantee that when you look back at your wedding photos in a few years all you will notice is how young and beautiful you looked and what a shame you didn't see that then!

Here is the wedding video of my beautiful bride, Carolina on her rainy wedding day.  Carolina wasn't stressed at all by the rain and I think that shows.  I love her exotic beauty and even though she looks like she barely has makeup on - she is wearing false lashes, eyeliner, eyeshadow, foundation, blush and lip gloss.  I love how "natural" someone can look after an hour of makeup!!

The fabulous work of Rockmelon!

Life with Lo - Mother's Day

I decided to surprise my mom for Mother's Day and flew to Hampton, VA on Sunday morning to take her and my sister, Michele out to brunch.  Michele and I love to push my mom's buttons and a surprise was just the thing to do it!  I jumped out of the side room when my mom arrived at my sister's home and the look on her face was priceless.  I think it was surprise mixed with the fear of seeing a 5'9 (6 feet in heels) jumping up and down, screaming and lunging towards you!. Maybe I should be cautious when surprising people over 60. I must admit that my motives weren't purely altruistic.  My birthday was on Monday and I wanted to be with my mom since she is the only person who really cares about my birthday!  I turned 41 on Monday and while I am fine with my age, my mother kept mumbling "I can't believe I have a daughter that is that old!". Thanks, Mom!!

There wasn't much to do on Monday in Hampton, so I treated myself to a mani/pedi.  I decided to create my own little party by pouring champagne into my niece's pretty princess sippy cup before heading off to the nail salon.  It is always better with bubbly!

My sis, Michele, me and my mom at brunch.  I think you can see the "champagne" theme of my weekend!

Cheers to all of the moms out there!  And remember, under eye concealer and blush are a mom's best friend!