Backstage At Alice & Olivia's Spring 2013 Presentation With Stila Cosmetics

Meet Stila's Celebrity Makeup Artist, Sarah Lucero, At Sephora NYC May 4th - May 6th

WHO: Sarah Lucero, Stila Celebrity Makeup Artist & Global Creative Director

WHAT: Stop by your local NYC Sephora for a personalized makeup consultation with Sarah Lucero. Her work has been featured on the runways of renowned Fashion Week shows (including Alice + Olivia, Betsey Johnson and Victoria Beckham) and now she’s in town to share her top tips and tricks for achieving runway-worthy looks at home.

WHEN & WHERE:
FRIDAY, MAY 4TH  at the Fifth Avenue Sephora (597 Fifth Ave at 48th Street)
SATURDAY, MAY 5TH  at the Union Square Sephora (45 East 17th Street)
SUNDAY, MAY 6TH at the Midtown East Sephora (711 Lexington Ave at 58th Street)

ABOUT SARAH LUCERO:

Stila's Global Director of Education

Beauty expert for telelvision and print

Stila spokeperson on HSN

Are you fan of Stila cosmetics?

The Makeup Show Holiday Pop-Up Shop on December 2nd, 2011 Photos

The Makeup Show Holiday Pop-Up Show took place this past December at the Metropolitan Pavilion. I attended the evening on Friday the 2nd. It was a smaller version of the regular makeup show with brands like Kevyn Aucoin, Stila Cosmetics, Crown Brush, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, Dermalogica, OCC, and many others. Brands were priced from 20% to 40% off. I hauled a bunch of goodies. Onto the photos.

Stila Lip Glaze Haul

I'm always on the hunt for the best lipgloss out there and I've always heard great things about Stila's lip glazes. I decided to try a few out for myself. Lately, I've been more into lipstick but I normally always top my lips off with a gloss. Stila's lip glazes are pretty thick, but come in beautiful shades. I'm not a huge fan of the sticky texture, but I loved the colors none-the-less.

Retail: $22 at Sephora/Stila

In my opinion, I wouldn't pay full price for these glosses. The texture is not the best and the colors aren't great on their own. They work well on top of a lipstick. I would only ever buy the sets they normally sell around holiday and new launches like this one below that retails for only $12.

Have you ever tried Stila's lip glazes?

Guerlain, Bite Beauty, & Stila Mini Haul

I was itching for some new makeup (as usual!). I got all of the above products from Sephora. Here some of the goodies I got:

I been eyeing Bite Beauty for a while and I'm happy to have finally picked up one of their lipsticks. I picked up Bouquet from Bite Beauty. It's a high pigment matte pencil. Bouquet is described as a "peachy pink". I'm loving this entire line. All their products are very smooth and hydrating on lips. I recently did a complete post on Bite Beauty's entire line. Retail is $24 at Sephora.

Stila's sparkle waterproof liquid liner's are new to the Stila line and definitely fun for Summer. I'm all about the sparkle lately, so I had to pick up the Rock Candy shade. I figured it would be a perfect addition for Fall as well since it's described as "sparkling warm brown." Retail is $22 at Sephora or Stila.

Stila's Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Purple Tang is one of the best eyeliners I've used. It doesn't smudge and wears all day long. Perfect for anyone who needs a long wearing eyeliner. Purple Tang is described as a "dark purple sheen." I definitely recommend it for anyone who is searching for that perfect purple eyeliner. Retail is $20 at Sephora or Stila.

Guerlain's KissKiss gloss is gorgeous. I'm totally in love with this shade. This shade is 848 (Brown Sugar) and it's the ultimate soft nude. It's super shiny and non-sticky. It's described as a "sheer warm nude." I think it's a MUST HAVE to anyone's collection. I considering also purchasing a few other shades as I love the formulation of this gloss. Retail is $30.50 at Sephora.

Have you purchased any products you LOVE lately?

Show Me Your Blush!

Often times when I'm applying makeup I always think to myself what's the most important part of the whole process. Is it the foundation? The mascara? I've noticed lately that my choice in blush changes my whole look. Long ago, I never wore blush. I'm one of those people with a natural flush to their cheeks, so I thought it would make me look too pink. Then I discovered all the different shades of color blush actually comes in. I became obsessed with peach and orange blushes. I even used eye shadows in hopes of finding that perfect color. Today, I've learned almost all you need to know about blush. I've decided to scramble through my collection and see which are my current favorites.

My Top 5 Blushes:

1. Benefit Bella Bamba: This blush is described as a, "A watermelon-pink blush laced with shimmering gold undertones." Benefit is known for their adorable, fun packaging. This blush comes with a mirror tucked inside a magnetic closure with a flip-top lid. Since bold cheeks are one of the hot trends for summer, this blush can help you achieve that perfect bright cheek.

Retail: $28 at Sephora

2. Stila Custom Color Blush: I'm actually in love with this blush. Initially when I saw this blush in the pan, I thought it was way too bright to be wore everyday and then I learned it's a "custom blush." The best part about this blush is it perfectly matches everyone skin tone. It's literally "a one-shade-fits-all powder blush" that reacts with your skin's PH to the perfect shade for you! It's takes away the headache of trying to find the perfect blush. 

Retail: $20 at Sephora

3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Doll Face: This blush is part of Tarte's new line focusing completely on Amazonian Clay. The benefits of Amazonian Clay is that it works with all skin types. Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to help keep skin balanced and your product in place. If your skin is dry, the clay will help to nourish and hydrate the skin. This blush works with every skin type and results in blush that last 12 hours long. Now who doesn't love 12 hour wear?!

Retail: $25 at Sephora

4. Nars Highlighting/Bronzing Blush Duo in Orgasm & Laguna: Obviously NARS Orgasm Blush HAD to be on the list, because it's one of the best blushes out there. This blush is described as, " A peachy, pink with shimmer." It's look amazing on any skin tone. I love the perfect, subtle glow it gives the cheeks.

Retail: $27 at Sephora

5. E.L.F. Studio Blush in Candid Coral: I love this blush, because it's the most affordable of the bunch. For the beauty lover on the budget, this is the perfect alternative. The Candid Coral is a soft peach color that gives a nice glow to the cheeks. At only $3 for this blush, it's a definite steal!

Retail: $3 at e.l.f.

What are some of your favorite blushes?

Summer Make Up - What You Need To Have

New York has had some crazy weather this year. From extreme cold to extreme hot, your face has been through it all. Summer is finally here and now is the time that new precautions are needed to ensure your makeup stays fresh all day long. Here are some tips for keeping your makeup fresh through these upcoming warm months:

Water Resistant Primer: 

I've always been one to sweat on my face a lot in the summer and I never knew what I could do to keep the makeup from melting away. Then I found Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. It's the first primer I've used that's water-resistant. If you use this before your foundation, it literally won't move. It also has SPF 15 and the formula minimizes shine and helps for a smooth application.

Retail: $52 at Sephora

Tinted Moisturizer: I LOVE tinted moisturizers in the Summer. They're lightweight and give enough coverage  for a natural glow. My favorite is from Laura Mercier. Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizers have SPF 20 and were featured in INSTYLE magazine May 2011 edition of "Best Beauty Buys."

Retail: $42 at Laura Mercier

Waterproof Eye Liner: Eyeliners that are also waterproof keep products from giving you the dreaded "raccoon eyes" and they wear much longer. My favorite this summer are Stila's Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner.

Retail: $23 at Sephora & Stila

Cheek/Lip Stains: Cheek stains are always a hot summer product. Using them creates that perfect, subtle glow that lasts all day. Another plus is that cheek stains can normally also be used on your lips. My favorites this summer are Hourglass Aura Sheer Cheek Stain in Petal and Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy.

Retail: $45 for Hourglass at Sephora/$30 for Tarte at Sephora

Good Lip Balm/Treatment: I always suffer from dry lips in the winter and then I discovered Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment. I always had the clear version and just recently they launched the Honey version. I'm loving the nude lip balm. It's come in a brown case and stills has that SPF 15. A definite must for your makeup bag.

Retail: $22.50 at Sephora

What are your doing to keep your makeup fresh this Summer?