Author Archives: McKennaRishmawy

the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Nails stuff., the Skin stuff., Uncategorized

What I Brought Home From My Vacation

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My Christmas vacation this year consisted of a trip back to southern California, where the sun shined unbelievably for the full nine days that we were there.  What a beautiful time it was.  I had flapjacks with Dad, went on a traditional shopping excursion with Mom, laughed my butt off with my family as we celebrated Christmas, stood basking in the warmth of Laguna Beach, saw so many friends that I love, managed to squeeze in quality time with a few of them, and just had an all-around great time being around people and places that I’ve missed.

But of course, me being me, I couldn’t resist listing what I got out of this trip that pertains to the nature of this blog.  Namely, what beauty experiences did I walk away with during my time in the Golden state?

A new appreciation for flying

This trip involved my first flying experience in over four years.  While the flight into California was ridiculously turbulent (as in the-captain-issued-a-preemptive-apology kind of tubulent), the flight back was actually quite pleasant.  I enjoyed a couple issues of Elle and InStyle, a Korean serum mask, and a very small glass of Bailey’s just for fun.

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Adding the tiniest bit of luxury to my flight almost made it feel like a borderline chic experience.  Hey, when you’re flying second class and your knees are touching the awkward, hungover twenty-one-year-old’s knees next to you, you kinda have to make it work, even if it means that twenty-one-year-old almost jumping out of his chair at the sight of you wearing a creepy Hannibal mask next to him.

A serious Sephora haul

Now that you’ve heard me complain a couple times about how dry my skin is over here, you’ll be glad to know that my mom-in-law came through with two products that I’m so excited for, and a couple that I picked up myself thanks to a generous gift card from my mom.

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I’d wanted to try an oil cleanser since my skin starting drying out over here, and my mom-in-law came through for me with this one.  I received Erborian’s Solid Oil Cleanser as one of my gifts.  Out of curiosity, I took home a sample of this from Sephora and it is some dreamy stuff, let me tell you.  It smells so fresh and relaxing, with a spa-like green tea fragrance.  The unique consistency is that of a thick, stiff goop, but take a minute or two to really massage it into your dry skin.  It is delicious.

According to the Korean double-cleanse method, you’re then supposed to follow an oil cleanser with a foaming cleanser (though I’m sure the oil cleanser is probably enough for most people).  I’ll be using Ole Henriksen’s Empower Foaming Milk Cleanser (once I finish what I currently have), which also smells relaxing and calming.  I’ve been so into finding scents that lift my spirits lately.  Doing little things like enjoying a smell, or listening to soothing sounds, treating yourself to a coffee, or doing a relaxing yoga session in your apartment are things I used to right off as sad, temporary attempts at trying to avoid reality and ignore life’s troubles.  Now I realize they’re just ways of enjoying your freaking life.  And another small way of enjoying life- dry shampoo.  The highly reputable Living Proof formula was also a Christmas gift, and it’s especially helpful for managing the new hairy addition to my forehead I came home with (see below).

My own Sephora picks include Alterna’s Caviar Replenishing Moisture Shampoo, Shiseido Ultimate Power Infusing Concentrate, and Origins A Perfect World SPF25 Age-Defense moisturizer.  I’ve used all three of these items before and I enjoy each of them.  After running out of my fourth bottle of Rahua shampoo, I’m choosing to give it a break and focus on intense moisture throughout the winter with my hair, especially as I grow it out.  The Alterna is great for that.  Concerning the Shiseido, I have said that I like Caudalie’s Vinosource serum better and I believe I still do.  However, Caudalie is good for intense moisture but it doesn’t necessarily help with other areas of concern like spots, etc.  The Shiseido is a little more geared toward all areas, so I’m going to see how well it multitasks.  And the Origins moisturizer is a nice one that I’ve been using for a while now.  I’ll stick with it.

My only bummer was having my new bottle of Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream, a gift from my sis-in-law, detained by TSA because the bottle was too big.  Poop.  Once again Mom saves the day by sticking around just long enough at the airport for my husband to run it back to her so she can ship it out.

A super-dark manicure

Ever since growing my nails back, man, I am addicted to painting them.  I do darks, nudes, or a true red.  For my manicure that I got with my mama (thanks, Mom!!), I chose OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark, a cult fave, for New Year’s and to go with my mostly basic wardrobe that I’d packed for the trip.  It’s a really deep purple that is barely distinguishable from black, but that’s why I like it.  Once you catch the color in the right light, you see the eggplant hue shining through.  It can work as an interesting accessory (and yes, I consider painted nails an accessory).

So, here’s the best shot I got of them, which also happens to be the best shot I got of an extremely fancy-pants bathroom at the Montage in Laguna.  Two for one.

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BANGS

Because I knew I’d be able to book an appointment with Justin at Salon 9, I had to take the opportunity.  I’ve been rocking a mid-length, rather grown out ombre’d lob since summer, and I figured I could go for a couple small-ish changes.  We darkened things a bit and went for a richer brunette while still leaving some shimmering highlights within the length.  The real addition here though, is the new arrival of bangs.  Whew.  I had forgotten what a commitment they are, but I really want to make them work this time.  I mean, really.  I want long hair down to my chest like I had before, but now with long bangs.  I want bangs to be part of my integral look for a while, so I’m in it for the long haul.  And don’t make fun of my robe or slight-smeared eyeliner here.  I’m wearing MAC’s kohl liner in Smolder, which I consider my Jack Sparrow liner because it always smears and you just have to roll with it.  A pirate’s life for me.

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What this has meant so far is styling them every day, somehow.  I can’t get away with just throwing everything up in a bun and leaving the bangs scraggly and bent out of shape after getting out of bed; they have to be styled.  I mean, there’s looking French, and then there’s looking hungover-French.  Bangs cowlicked up past your forehead can put you in hungover-French territory, so styling them is a necessity.  Sometimes this means just tweaking with a flat-iron, sometimes it means wetting and washing them and starting all over.  It’s very difficult not to fuss with them throughout the day, but you have to remember that their shape doesn’t need to be perfect.  Gone are the days when bangs needed to be precisely uniform and round brushed, so the look still isn’t as high-maintenance as it might’ve been, say, seven years ago.  You can get away with a much more laissez-faire feel now, but you still need to make sure things look cohesive.

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For me personally, I think bangs are a good exercise in self-maintenance and forming a consistent routine of trying.  I very much look forward to the care and keeping of them.  Cheers to caring more in 2016!  xo, MR

the Hair stuff.

The Haircut You Just Might Get In 2016

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As some of you may have noticed, the lob (or long bob) kind of took over the world of hair in 2015.  Everyone seemed to have piecey, collarbone-length hair with plenty of texture, and I’m talking both celebrities and women on the street.  I myself have been an enthusiastic participant, though I really had no choice as I’ve been growing out an a-line bob from the spring.  Anyhow, all the lob business from this year is actually residual from the lob’s first wave of dominance in late-ish 2013.  Which was actually an echo from its more earlier appearances in 2010.

Yes, the lob has been around for about five years or more.  Trends in hair like the lob are becoming a little bit easier for me to spot, but it does take patience as they tend not to come to full fruition for at least a couple years after their first appearance.  You first see the cut, likely on some celebrity or maybe a model on the runway, and they’re the only one sporting it.  You think nothing of it, except for the fact that you’ve never really seen it before and they’re the only one with it.  It’s their cut.  But then a year or so passes and you spot another celebrity wearing the same cut, perhaps of greater status.  The cut may be a result of growing out an older style, like a pixie or bob; a hairstyle of convenience, one might say.  But whatever, it’s just a cut and not yet a trend.  However, you’re still a bit intrigued.

But perhaps within another year or so, you see one or two more celebs rocking it, maybe with some minor variations.  It looks good, and it’s starting to crowd your Instagram feed.  The cut earns a buzzy name, like our beloved “lob”, and it starts showing up in magazines and blogs and is referred to by that aforementioned buzzy name.  This cut is now being intentionally requested at salons, and is no longer simply a result of growing out an older style.  It’s at this time that you begin thinking about what you’d look like with this haircut.  Now, if you were to book the appointment at this point in time, you’d just barely be beating the rush.  But then …

Then, perhaps within less than a year, the superstar A-lister gets the cut.  She shows up to some red carpet event with it, and the deal is sealed- this cut has now officially reached trend status and will be everywhere for the next 9-12 months or longer.

This, my friends, is the road that our next “It Cut” has been journeying on toward full-blown trend status.  And what is it?  Some may call it the “swag” (short for the “swingy shag”), but because I cannot bear to use such the word swag when referring to myself or my body, I’ll simply refer to it as “the modern shag”.

attends the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Awards which broadcasted live on NBC from The Shrine Auditorium on March 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.

We can blame Taylor Swift here for bringing the modern shag into “It Cut” territory in 2015.  Full of movement and body, the modern shag these days tends to be the result of a bunch of bored lobbers like myself, looking for a way to spice things up while waiting for our lobs to grow out.  The feathery texture towards the front of this cut adds lots of volume and youthfulness, but the real anchor of the whole look is in the bangs.  I know bangs are a big commitment for some and can quickly devolve into a major inconvenience, so that’s something to consider when thinking about this cut for yourself.  The bangs need to be thick and “curtain like” in order to balance out the fullness of the rest of the hair.  Thin, wispy bangs coupled with a cut that brings a lot of volume with it will look wonky and imbalanced, so keep that in mind.  You will notice in this post, however, that the bangs can be worn parted in the center or across the whole face, so there is some freedom in that.

But where was this cut back in, say, 2010?  Was the swag even a thing until this past year?  As it goes with most all hair trends, the answer is most certainly “yes”. And here’s our first celebrity to have most consistently worn the cut for the past five years-

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I can’t remember seeing Alexa Chung without a haircut that at least somewhat resembled a modern shag.  Coupled with her ever-present cat-eyeliner and Peter Pan collars, she’s been channeling the sixties since reaching celebrity status.  The volume, the curtain bangs, and the messy texture all reflect the current style that we’ve been seeing more often these days.

However, I do recall noticing a model around this same time that I daresay has had even more influence over hair trends than Alexa.

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Freda Beja Erichsen has been a hair muse of mine for years, mostly because our textures seem so comparable.  I feel like what she can do with her hair, I can also try with mine.  Freja’s hair was sort of the banner for a first round of shag haircuts around 2011.  The cut frames her incredible bone structure in amazing ways.  I actually jumped on board with this when I cut thick bangs in the fall of 2011 after my wedding, but I didn’t play with my texture enough and I never did get the bangs quite right.  I’m convinced I could do better with a second go-round, though.  Freja’s hair may not have garnered a ton of requests in salons the way ombre was at the time, but I’m convinced that her locks are actually even more responsible for this current trend than Alexa’s.  I’m betting that Alexa’s cut was actually inspired by Freja’s first.

Anyhow, the trend status of the modern shag perhaps remained under my personal radar until I started noticing Kerry Washington with the cut about two years ago.

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Again, wispy layers in front, tons of texture, and thick bangs.  This was about the time when I noticed that it wasn’t just the bangs that were making a comeback, but the “shaggy” layers that were coming with it.  Emma Stone also sported a similar cut during her press tour for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014, though her layers around her face are maybe a little longer than Kerry’s and not quite as shaggy.

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Emma’s cut has a little more of a blunt feel, though it shares the same characteristics of curtain bangs, volume, and texture.  Keeping the layers longer may be a better strategy for faces with more of a circle shape like Emma’s; too many layers around an already-round face can make your head look the size of Texas even when it’s not.

Along with Taylor Swift making things really official in 2015, one of my favorite hairstylists, Sunnie Brook, dubbed the haircut with its buzzy “swag” name in an interview with PopSugar Beauty just this past October, likely sealing my fate as the next victim of the swag.  Lord send help.

To my long-hair friends- Lest you be discouraged, don’t think that this cut is only for those with mid length hair.  You can easily acquire feathery, face-framing layers and curtain bangs with long hair, as well.  But as I said earlier, this cut will likely be most popular among women growing out lobs.  I know I’ve already posted on Dakota Johnson’s hair (which I am, admittedly, in love with), but we’ll wrap things up with yet another image of her awesome living example of a modern shag.

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I can say that this very cut has left an itch on my brain for the past three months as I’ve watched my own lob continue to grow.  We’ll just have to wait and see what 2016 holds for my hair.  And yes, that is just over a week away.  xo, MR

Image credits to (in order of appearance): Jason Merritt for Getty Images, Dominique Charriau for Getty Images, photographer unknown for GoRunway.com, Frederick M. Brown for Getty Images, Gilbert Carrascquillo for FilmMagic, and Jon Kapaloff for Getty Images.

the Fashion stuff., the Hair stuff.

The Best Of 2015

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Around this time of the year, I typically do a “best of” post that overviews the greatest beauty moments of the previous 365-ish days (in my humble opinion).  In the past, they’ve been some of my most viewed posts and they’re really fun to put together because I’m normally so excited about trends and all the surprises we’ve witnessed throughout the year.

This time around, however, I honestly had a hard time putting together a list of groundbreaking trends or happenings in the beauty world.  My Little Pony-colored hair took over the world, you can now wear black or blue lipstick without being stared at like a freak, blah, blah.  I guess what happened in 2015 was a lot of normalizing of things that were formally seen as fringe behavior.  But we didn’t have a lot of brand new, I think is what I’m trying to say.  Jennifer Lawrence grew out her pixie cut into a versatile lob, Adele also debuted an amazing lob that had me gasping and proud to be in medium-length territory, long-wearing liquid lipstick sealed its reputation as the most covetable formula on the market, and Kim Kardashian went platinum for a week.  Honestly, nothing that notable.

I only have one real “Best Of 2015” moment, but it comes heavy with significance- In 2015, Victoria’s Secret featured a black model with completely natural hair (read: no extensions, no weave) for the very first time during their annual fashion show.

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This, actually, is a huge deal.  Maria Borges, of Angolan descent, literally made history as the first black Victoria’s Secret model to eschew the famous “bombshell” waves in favor of her own hair.  And you know, when I think about it, Maria might actually be the first Victoria’s Secret model to wear her hair cropped this short, period.

One of the things that has bothered me about VS over the years is that try as they might to diversify their models by ethnicity, we still see them all with the same bodies.  But more along the subject lines of this blog, we still see them all with the same hair.  There are no other hairstyles featured on Victoria’s Secret models besides long, shiny mermaid waves.  Do I like this hairstyle?  Yes, of course.  I am constantly wearing my hair wavy, and you know I love length.  However, one hairstyle isn’t exactly a fair representation of all women and hair types in the world, or even in this country.  And yet Victoria’s Secret, in their fraudulent kind of “girl power” way, has continued to depict long, wavy hair as the most aspirational and desired hairstyle on every model, no matter their ethnicity.  Because in all our pink-infested, bow-and-lace-adorned, diamond-encrusted push-up fantasy dreams, this is apparently the hairstyle every woman should have, no matter what their hair looked like originally.

But not every girl needs to have long, wavy hair.  Not every girl can have long, wavy hair.  And not every girl wants to have long, wavy hair.  That’s why Maria’s choice to wear her own hair for this particular show is such an important move (and it was her idea, just so we’re clear and giving proper credit).  It is significant in terms of body image, in terms of race, and in terms of women (especially minority women) being able to collectively say “no thanks” when time and again we are presented with a billion-dollar business’s take on what perfect hair is.  There seems to be this underlying assumption that if the Victoria’s Secret body is what an ideal body looks like, well, then a head full of Victoria’s Secret bombshell waves must be what an ideal head of hair looks like.  For the first time, we are shown that that’s not always the case.

It’s taken way too long for Victoria’s Secret to get with the program in terms of hair.  It’s kind of pathetic that this had to be such a big deal in 2015 and not, say, 2000, that it was still only one woman, and that it wasn’t Victoria’s Secret’s own initiative (along with the myriad of other issues I may have with the company). However, this still deserves celebration .  And even if it’s just one woman, it makes a difference.  xo, MR

Image credit to Dimitrios Kambouris of Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret, 2015

the Friends stuff., the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff., the Skin stuff.

Five (Truly) Small Christmas Gift Ideas

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I absolutely love shopping for gifts.  I love finding practical things, or things that remind me of the recipient, or items that might be trendy and push the receiver’s boundaries a little, even if they decide to take it back.

In general, I really enjoy the gift-buying process.  However, in years past, my spending has easily snowballed because of how much I tend to find or wanting to match the value of everyone’s gifts.  That can’t happen this year, though.  The gifts need to be much smaller, and yet I’d still like to have some fun putting them together.  So, what I have here is a list of five different, very small gift ideas you can give to the beauty or bath enthusiast you know that will provide them with a luxurious experience.  And the best part?  They’re all under twenty bucks (not including tax).

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Your own version of a “beauty sampler” or “beauty emergency kit”

Stores like Sephora like to sell their own beauty “emergency” kits, but they can still cost quite a few bucks even for the value they might have.  Beauty box subscriptions can also be really fun, but they certainly cost more than a flat rate of twenty bucks.  If I were to create my own version of sampler for a friend, I might think of it as a “day to night” kit and include the following: a pair of false lashes, a perfume sample, a pack of blotting sheets, a travel-size dry shampoo, and maybe a mini version of some kind of lip color I like.

The fun thing about this idea is that you can really make it your own.  And it may sound incredibly cheap, but if you’ve acquired a lot of beauty samples over the past year, perhaps you can select a few of them based on what you know your friend enjoys, package them nicely, and there you go! Done.  This is an idea that could potentially cost you under five dollars.

Three of your favorite drugstore mascaras

Come on, what girl doesn’t love opening a new, fresh tube of drugstore mascara?  Now, if you go to Target, the prices on cosmetics will be cheaper so I’d suggest shopping there (or Wal-Mart, if you can manage the chaos).  Maybe you could determine your gift recipient’s favorite kind of mascara first and include that within the three.  What I’d probably do is choose one kind I know they like, one kind I know I like, and maybe a “wildcard”, like a new kind that perhaps neither of you have tried.  If you play it right and shop around enough, you can still come out under $20.

For instance, if I swing by Wal-Mart and purchase a tube of Cover Girl’s The Super Sizer by LashBlast ($5.94), Maybelline Lash Sensational ($6.94), and Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies ($5.94), I’m at a total of $18.82.  Easy.

A couple Korean sheet masks

Korean sheet masks are super trendy these days, but what’s fun about giving them is that you can choose a couple different kinds for different skin needs.  For instance, Tony Moly (sold at Sephora, along with a myriad of other brands) sells sheet masks in packs of two and there is huge variety to choose from within this line alone.  They have masks for radiance, clarity, hydration, pore care, and many others.  One pack of two costs $7.50, bringing your total to just fifteen bucks if you choose to give two packs.

A sheet mask is a nice little end-of-the-day thing to enjoy with a glass of wine and Netflix, or a soothing treatment to use on a plane ride that can prevent dryness.  And, the fact that many of your friends may not have tried them makes them a fun novelty that beats another bottle of lotion.

A couple bath bombs or beautiful soaps

Now, I know that not everyone takes baths so you may want to investigate your friend’s bathing habits first, but bath bombs are my current fave form of entertainment that doesn’t involve Cheetos or spending more money (although I guess you can always eat Cheetos while taking a bath- I’m not quite there yet).  Lush Cosmetics makes fantastic, completely natural bath bombs that turn sitting in a tub into a fizzy, whimsical, almost chic experience.  They all smell amazing in their own way, leave your skin feeling great, and have their own unique qualities that makes choosing just one such a difficult ordeal.  Bath bombs, I might add, are also very Instagram-able once they hit water.  None of Lush’s bath bombs cost over $7; you could choose one of the bigger ones as a single gift or two smaller ones.

Another similar idea is to give a couple lovely soaps.  I know that Cost Plus World Market carries a huge variety of beautifully-packaged soaps for around five or six bucks each, and I personally love displaying them in their pretty packaging or on a cute soapdish to use.  Whole Foods carries a nice variety of ethically-made and ethically-traded soaps too for around the same prices.

A single, awesome candle

You can find great candles – and even better, soy candles – everywhere, for a whole range of prices.  My favorite thing for candles is to find a small business that carries a few different kinds to choose from.  The city I used to live in had an amazing old town area where you could find lots of unique ones; I’d suggest digging within your area for the small businesses and see what they have first.  However, you can always go to Target and choose a big soy candle with great packaging that your recipient will enjoy displaying.

Nowadays I get all my candles from Target (as I haven’t explored too many small businesses yet), and they’re the easiest way to make your home feel just a bit more luxurious.  Even if I don’t actually like the scent of a candle I receive, I can still burn it outside on my patio or in the bathroom when guests are over.  They are always useful, no matter what.

Let me know of any reasonably-priced gift ideas you’ve had for the beauty addicts in your life.  A great beauty gift doesn’t always have to be the latest Naked palette or a full-size bottle of perfume.  If you offer beauty services yourself, you can even gift a free blowout to a friend, a free mini makeover, or whatever you feel suited to give.  I mean, this is always an option:

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Merry Christmas!  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Skin stuff.

“No Makeup” Makeup Is A Thing

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Ah, yes.  The whole “no makeup” farce.  We roll our eyes at those with the #wokeuplikethis selfies, or the #nomakeup selfies, or #nofilter selfies, or whatever.  We really just roll our eyes too much in general, but for the sake of this post …

Let’s discuss “no makeup” makeup.  Yes, there is such a thing.  One of the things that has frustrated me with the makeup conversation over the years is that makeup is all too frequently assumed to look like the obvious, the dramatic, all the time.  Wearing or loving “makeup” all too often means you must wear full coverage foundation, lipstick, dramatic eyeshadow, and false lashes and all the like on a regular basis.  When I’ve mentioned to new guy friends that I have a beauty blog, I’ve gotten a few perplexed looks because I’m not wearing a Nicki Minaj or Gwen Stefani-level face when I say it, and I rarely do wear this kind of makeup (though I love it when I get to).  And if I really like makeup and enjoy writing about it, well, doesn’t that mean I should be wearing a full face all the time?

Nope.  Not necessarily.

What I frequently go for when I have some time is a “no makeup” makeup look.  I love running errands or going to a friend’s house or the movies with this kind of makeup.  Sometimes I’ll even choose it for something a little more special because no-makeup-makeup has a minimalist feel to it, and I like that. This is my favorite kind of look to create on others as well.

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What this involves is some liquid or powder foundation, primer beneath that if I feel like it, some blush, some eyebrows, some concealer in any necessary areas, and probably lip balm and a touch of “my lips but better” lip color.  The eyes are left completely bare (except for maybe some underage concealer).  I know Jennifer Connelly’s look pictured above definitely features some eye makeup, but see how barely visible it is?  It’s just a bit of sparkle and a little mascara, or maybe a couple individual false lashes.  I love how modern it looks contrasted with that sheet of shiny, raven hair on her head.  I personally never add to the eyes with no-makeup makeup, but perhaps I add a touch of highlighting if the foundation doesn’t give off enough of a glow on its own.  My easiest formula for the look is this: even skin, flushed cheeks, good brows, and “your lips but better” lips.

No-makeup makeup also allows me to focus more on my skin.  I can take my time with serums, oils, and moisturizers with less makeup to worry about, and this kind of care makes a beautiful canvas for foundation.  I need to pay more attention to my skin these days anyhow because it’s starting to become very, very dry.

The weather here in Chicagoland has surprised me in that I did not expect it to be so drying to my skin.  I was bracing for the freezing temperatures, didn’t bat an eye when the first snow arrived, and totally expected the thick, damp humidity during our first month here, but the dryness of winter?  Wow.  And it doesn’t just come from the weather.  The dry, cold winds, coupled with the dry indoor heaters and the hot baths and showers I’ve made a habit of taking have left me dry as a bone.  Therefore, I’ve had to consider an overhaul on my skincare and spend a lot more time focusing on moisture and masks before I even think about makeup.

Anyhow, here’s my own take on no-makeup makeup:

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There’s no filter on this, so it is what it is.  I know I took some time with my skin before taking this, using my favorite serum- Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum, along with a sample of May Coop Raw Sauce.  Can you believe that name?  Raw Sauce.  It’s a Korean essence that contains a lot of maple tree sap; it’s meant to prep skin to receive and more effectively absorb other skincare products.  It sounds really gimmicky but I truly felt a significant difference when I used it.  When applied, it feels so cooling and almost tingly.  I would wear my serum on top of it and my skin would feel cool and smooth to the touch all day.  But the Raw Sauce is a little expensive- $43 – though the bottle is pretty huge and a little goes a long way.  And I like the Caudalie serum better than Shiseido Ultimune, which I tried last year.  I’m almost out of the Caudalie, and if I repurchase it will be my third bottle.  I love it.

For the makeup, I think I actually used my BareMinerals Original SPF15 over some Hourglass Veil Mineral primer.  I’m really trying to blast through that BareMinerals, though sometimes I forget how nice it can look with the right prep beforehand.  The concealer I favor is Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat in 2.5 Vanilla for the undereye area, but I may have used NARS Creamy Radiance concealer in Custard here, too.  The NARS is a little more powerful in my opinion for highlighting, but it’s also thicker which makes it not as great for the undereye area.  You want the thinnest, creamiest formula for your undereye area; nothing thick or cakey which will age you and make you look tired.

For blush, I think I used Stila Convertible Color in Lillium.  It’s a nice, basic pink cream blush that you can also use on your lips.  I just tap (not rub!) it into the apples of my cheeks.  I used my trusty CK One Color Brow Pencil + Gel Duo in Crafty Raven for my brows.  If I go for bare makeup I really like to have my brows stand out, otherwise the look is kind of like an unframed picture.  And I’m just wearing Burt’s Bees here, maybe with a touch of their Lip Crayon in Sedona Sands on top of the beeswax.  I will not use any other lip balm than Burt’s Bees Beeswax.  The peppermint oil in it is so relieving, and there’s no mineral oil in it so it actually works and I only need to apply it about twice a day.  No “chapstick addiction” problem here.

It’s sort of surprising how much makeup is involved in no-makeup makeup, huh?  The fact of the matter is, I did not wake up like this.  I mean, I know I’m not wearing that much or anything terribly obvious, but I am wearing makeup and this did take a few minutes!  So two things not to be fooled by- “makeup” doesn’t always mean a full face, but “no makeup” sometimes involves much more than you’d think.  The trick is to stay honest, and just enjoy it either way!  xo, MR

Image credit of Jennifer Connelly to Getty Images.

the Makeup stuff.

Laying The Foundation

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I’ve been really into liquid foundation lately.  I know that may seem like a no-brainer for a makeup junkie, but it’s taken me a long time to come around to it.  I’ve only just begun to truly appreciate it.  I remember the first bottle of nice-ish foundation I ever purchased was from The Body Shop, and I wore it for my wedding day underneath my favored BareMinerals Original powder foundation.  Beyond a special occasion like that, I’ve rarely worn it until just recently.

Foundation didn’t have a lot of appeal to me when I was first getting into makeup.  I think I grew up watching a lot of girls cover their faces in MAC StudioFix or something like that old CoverGirl AquaSmooth compact foundation, and then they’d reapply throughout the day with the same sponge that they’d been using for a couple months.  Holy bacteria Batman.  I remember my high school geometry teacher calling out a girl in class once when she had her makeup out for reapplication.  The funny thing, however, was that she didn’t give her a hard time for having makeup out in class- she gave her a hard time for reusing that dirty old sponge that was in the compact, rather than a fluffy brush that you can clean regularly.  I remember seeing a couple powder brushes make their appearance in geometry after that.

The formulas couldn’t have helped either.  So many foundation formulas have been loaded with cheap petrochemicals that essentially clog your pores, disabling them from releasing oil and sealing them to a fate of breakouts (though foundation may certainly not be the only cause of one’s acne).  And you hardly knew better as an eighteen-year-old!  Growing up, the range of formula types was limited, even within the high-end brands.  It seemed that every kind of foundation was meant only for full-coverage. That ever-popular MAC StudioFix among high schoolers?  Oh man.  The number one ingredient in that stuff is talc, which means that you’re basically caking baby powder on to your face with the help of a bunch of slippery silicones.  The only truly inventive type of foundation that I remember noticing were those with salicylic acid in them, meant to help clear acne.  Beyond that, the textures were all the same- a dense, creamy substance with little to no dimension.  Which makes sense of why so many of our faces in high school looked like they were covered in pancake batter.

However, the foundation formulas we’re seeing today are more innovative than ever.  The line between skincare and makeup is continuing to be blurred, and the ingredients are thankfully increasing in quality.  Those formulated to cast a beautiful, pearly glow all over your skin thanks to light-giving pigments, those meant to provide “high definition” coverage that looks flawless on camera, those fused with skin-healing serum to moisturize and make you shine, those formulated with all kinds of exciting natural ingredients, and those meant to be virtually undetectable- there are so many incredible options now.

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I feel like two things have been responsible for this revolution- the first being the advent of high-definition television, and the second being the rise of BareMinerals.  Regarding the latter, it seemed like BareMinerals taught us all of sudden that we could have really amazing makeup without all the extra petro crap in it, along with our fresh pressed watermelon juice and free range eggs.  The former set all kinds of celebrities and makeup artists to the drawing board, in desperate need of makeup that concealed the flaws now being exposed on HD TV in reality shows and on the news.  And so from there, we gained two great innovations- mineral makeup and high definition makeup.

The creativity surrounding foundation these days seems to be limitless.  I see new formulas showing up on Instagram, in magazines, and on blogs constantly.  Some particular standouts seem to be the following: Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Foundation, Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Foundation, Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation, Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Foundation, Glossier Skin Perfecting Tint, and MakeUpForEver Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation.  Many of these unique, high-end formulas have been immediately followed up with drugstore versions, such as Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid-Touch Foundation as an answer to the Armani, and Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect Makeup as an affordable response to the MakeUpForEver HD formula.  The trends are undeniable.

A few personal favorites that I’ve tried on brides or myself and have loved include the aforementioned MakeUpForEver (my current favorite for my own face, and the first I ever used on a bride), Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation, the aforementioned Tarte, and Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat Illuminating Foundation (the ideal for my own face, but currently too expensive and no reason to buy yet).  I like Lancome’s Teint Miracle too, but the shade I own it in is now officially too light.  Looks like I’m going to have to wait until the dead of winter to wear it, or mix it with something else.

I’ve always loved using BareMinerals Original, but I’ve begun to notice that it’s doing something a little funny to the texture of my skin.  It’s now seeping into my pores and fine lines, and I’m finding that some liquid foundation formulas these days give more of a healthy look to my face.  The original powder formula formula is making me look and feel a tad dry even with a primer, and that’s not something I need in a Chicago winter.  I prefer the brand’s Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream now, and I’m enjoying experimenting with the liquid formulas I have (which only amounts to three, honestly).

Any formulas you particularly love?  Or hate?  I’m so impressed by the excellent variety of foundations out there these days, I’d try them all if I could!  xo, MR

the Makeup stuff., the Me stuff., the Skin stuff.

#EmptiesChallenge Update

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I began my Empties Challenge on September 25th.  It is now November 24th.  Let’s discuss the progress I’ve made(?) within the past two months.

As you may recall, my challenge involved a cease and desist of all beauty purchases unless I emptied out and finished two products that I already had first.  Many details and stipulations were involved in this challenge, and you can read the full run-down here.

During October, I managed to finish off one Origins A Perfect World face wash,and one Caudalie Vinosource eye cream.  My choice for my first beauty purchase?  A much needed hair trim.  I was very happy with myself for making the decision to choose a necessary service of maintenance and self-care as opposed to, say, a new shade of blush from Sephora that in all likelihood I do not need.

Since then, I have managed to go through all of my Yes To Cucumbers cleansing face wipes, my Lancome Bi Facil eye makeup remover, and a travel-size Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet.  I’m also closing in on finishing my beloved Rahua shampoo, a couple of my favorite CoverGirl mascaras, and my Simple Micellar Water.

But here’s the problem that I’ve run into.  All of these things that I’m running out of are, well, things I already run out frequently because I use them frequently.  Makeup remover wipes?  Cleansing solution?  My favorite shampoo?  All things I use on a regular basis, at least three times a week.  I tend to use the micellar water to cleanse my face even when I haven’t worn makeup during the day.  So, when I run out of these things, I kind of need to repurchase these same items right away.  For example, I probably need to redeem two of those aforementioned almost-empties for a pack of face wipes this week because I use them so often.  And I know I won’t be able to last too long without a mascara that I trust.

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But this just keeps me locked into a pattern of buying the same items, and using the same items.  Which then keeps me from trying to use up my less-used products, like all my color makeup or nail polishes.  Which was one of the main objectives of this challenge in the first place- to use up my less-used products.  Which means I’ve kind of defeated the purpose of this challenge.

See my dilemma?  I mean, at least I’m not adding anything new to my collection of stuff and at least I’m not spending unnecessary cash, but I’m not exactly getting anywhere with all those unused lipsticks or that bottle of nice foundation.

So what’s the solution?  It’s actually pretty simple.  On top of using the things I normally use each day, I need to also make normal use of all my less-used stuff.  What does that look like?  It looks like not only washing my face each day, not only using my favorite moisturizer each day, but also wearing makeup each day!  The fact of the matter is that this challenge will only be an exercise in redundancy unless I begin to consistently use the products that I typically neglect.  I know I may just be restating my original objectives here, but that’s what you do with research data and experiments- you measure your progress against your original goals, determine what pitfalls you’re encountering, and regroup from there.

So the implications of all this are actually quite fun and something to look forward to- I need to wear more makeup on a daily basis.  I need to stop just using my Burt’s Bees and actually top it off with one of my glosses.  I need to add a little eyeshadow along with my common look of just mascara and liner.  Not the worst thing in the world, I suppose.

But this hasn’t been my only problem.  Here’s another speed bump I encountered- I completely forgot about my challenge one afternoon a couple weeks ago and got a blowout.  Yup.  It was after work, and I knew I was going to return to work just for a little bit that evening and I wanted something relaxing to do for an hour or two, and so I passed the time by getting a $25 blowout.  Can you believe it?  The stylist was literally massaging my scalp when I remembered, and I about cracked my skull against the ceramic tub.  Ugh.

See, those are the kinds of purchases that are just so unnecessary, and it wasn’t even fun or relaxing!  The stylist was stressed and annoyed because the salon had been having a champagne and Botox party (mind you, I had not been to this place before) and she’d hated interacting with the guests all day, so by the time she got to me she was at her wits end.  The poor girl couldn’t crack a single smile for the first twenty minutes of our time together, even when we were introduced.  Her irritated state was tangible, and I apologized to her a couple times because I knew I’d booked on short notice.

I ended up trying to talk and listen to her about life in general, what frustrates us as fellow introverts, and what kind of work environment and coworkers we enjoy most.  I even tipped her a full 20% because I felt bad and I encouraged her to ask her boss if she could be done for the day after finishing with me (a request that was granted).  In other words, I came in for a relaxing blowout and instead ended up trying to meet the emotional needs of the person who was supposed to be providing me with a paid service.  If you know me, you know that these are classic McKenna problems (read: extreme people pleaser, ISFJ, “I can’t be happy unless you’re happy”, assuming responsibility for others’ well-being, etc).  Not relaxing in the least.  Truth be told, I probably shouldn’t have tipped her at all.

So, yeah.  Due consequences for me being mindless and spending money on frivolities, I suppose.  And now I’m down another two empties!  Oh well.  I can start over and look forward to the fact that the only way for this challenge to yield some exciting results will be by getting creative with my makeup on a regular basis.  And that’s certainly nothing to complain about.  xo, MR

the Bridal stuff., the Friends stuff., the Makeup stuff.

My Grateful Bride, Kristin

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My last couple weeks before moving from California to Illinois were pretty hard.  There were goodbye parties, a few last weeks at a job and with coworkers I enjoyed, overwhelming amounts of packing for one little apartment, and fun but truly bittersweet time spent with family and loved ones just before departing.

However, there were also weddings.
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Being part of two weddings in the final weeks leading up to our departure was, to my heart, a sign and a reminder of promise.  Weddings are a sign that this is just the beginning, that the best is yet to come, and that despite the work and the stress and the unknown in front of you, the kingdom and the power and the glory lie ahead of us.  Weddings serve as a reminder of this for all of us who witness them, whether we are married or not, whether one ever does marry or not.  To be reminded of these things as I prepared to leave California was no small gift.

I played a part in two weddings before I left for Illinois.  In one, for my beautiful coworker Natalie that I miss dearly, I served as a witness.  For the other, I served as a makeup artist to the gorgeous Kristin.

I had worked at a school with Kristin, who teaches second grade, for the past two years.  We’d interacted with the same families, the same children, the same staff.  I watched her handle the stresses and challenges of guiding seven and eight-year-olds through a year of rigorous learning with grace, responsibility, and a meticulous, tireless work ethic.  All of this, coupled with planning a wedding and trying to find a place to live, is a job meant only for someone as conscientious as Kristin.

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I also had the opportunity to hear Kristin share her amazing story journey with me as we went through a makeup trial together, and I have to say, this wedding had been a wonderfully long time coming (and I say that in the most joyous, worth-every-second-of-the-journey kind of way).  As I worked on her makeup the morning of the wedding, Kristin began crying as she listened to one particular song; she needlessly apologized and whispered, “I … I’m just so grateful.”  I am always so moved when I work with brides that have so clearly counted the cost and sacrifice of marriage before they have even entered into it.  This was no mere culmination of a few months on Pinterest; this was no “milestone life event” to be checked off on that great Milestone Life Event Checklist that God is apparently carrying around on a clipboard, disdainfully waiting for us to “complete” (as if marriage makes one person better than their non-married counterpart).

No, Kristin seemed to know that the wedding ahead was much more than these things.  This was Kristin seeing heaven joyously ripping into Earth’s atmosphere through her vows, knowing that this was only the beginning, and that the best is yet to come.  Even in the darkness and utter shame and horror of the days this world has just recently experienced, the promise still stands- the best is yet to come, and we can push forward for truth and justice because of the victory that has already been won.  And with that victory comes healing, restoration, and new life- and how wonderfully appropriate is that considering that Kristin and her husband are now expecting their first child!

Kristin’s thankfulness encouraged me to enjoy what I was doing in the moment.  It can be very easy for a bride to make a makeup artist feel like a cog in the Big Fat Pinterest Wedding machine, with expectations of a Kiley Jenner-type transformation but without any meaning or consciousness of what is happening.  Such was not the case here- I was here to serve, and Kristin’s gratefulness for the circumstances that had brought her to this moment gave me rest, and allowed me to just enjoy what I love.

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Kristin had really clear ideas about what she wanted for her makeup, and I so appreciated that because it takes the guesswork out of the process. She knew she wanted to use pink makeup tones on her eyes, lips, and cheeks that she felt would work well with the retro feel of her tea-length bridal dress. We used an excellent foundation that Kristin favored- Estee Lauder’s DoubleWear Foundation- and I used Hourglass’s primer as a light base layer beneath it and NARS Creamy Radiance concealer beneath the eyes for concealing and some basic highlighting. For some light contouring, I used the bronzer and highlighter from Urban Decay’s Naked Flushed palette.

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To bring out some of Kristin’s features, I used my favorite technique of applying a creamy, pearly eyeshadow to the very top of the cheekbones, the area between the eyebrows, the cupid’s bow, the very center of their chin, and just above the center of the eyebrows with NARS Duo Cream shadow in Thebes.  Once the whole look was finished, I dusted Kristin’s whole face with Hourglass’s Ambient Lighting Powder in Mood Light, which creates such a flattering glow without looking too golden or bronze.

For Kristin’s eyes, I applied Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion and then Bobbi Brown’s eyeshadow in Rose Gold and MAC’s Shroom all over her lids. We used a shade or two from Urban Decay’s Naked 3 palette to add extra sparkle and dimension in the creases. Bobbi Brown’s LongWear Gel Liner in black was used as topliner, and I applied just accent lashes to the outer corners of her eyes. I used one of Kristin’s own mascaras because her eyes were sensitive to many products. We used a blush of her own that she loved; it was very similar to NARS’ blush in Orgasm. Kristin’s lip color was Bobbi Brown Lipstick in Sandwash Pink with clear gloss on top.  All very pink, and all very glowy!  She is just so beautiful to begin with; it certainly wasn’t a challenge to work with her!

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I am finding that MAC, Urban Decay, Bobbi Brown, NARS, and Hourglass are my favorite heavy-hitting brands for bridal makeup. Sometimes you have just so much going on in your kit that you can’t determine what brands you really trust the most, but after scrolling through all my photos in my phone, it seems that these names make the most frequent appearances (along with Dior thanks to their shadow palettes).  If you need any recommendations on products, don’t hesitate to ask!

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Kristin, I took such pleasure in serving you on your wedding day and I thank you for being a source of encouragement to me (even when you may not have known it).  You looked absolutely breathtaking, and I love this very photo for its tangible anticipation and excitement.  To the promise of healing, restoration, and new life!  xo, MR

the Hair stuff., the Makeup stuff.

When Getting Ready Stresses You Out

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Let me paint a familiar picture for you.

It’s Friday afternoon, maybe around 4:30pm.  In a half hour you’ll be leaving the office, or school, or studio, or kids with the babysitter soon, and today you cannot wait.  Why?  Because you have plans.  On a Friday night.  Like, maybe the dress-up-and-do-your-hair-and-like-seriously-put-on-makeup-and-MAYBE-even-nice-perfume-and-look-amazing-with-a-glass-of-merlot-in-your-hand kind of plans.  Woah.

Problem is, you have to be out the door and on your way and looking awesome by 6:30.  And your hands are tied until 5:00.

Starting to sound familiar yet?  At 4:40 you down an afternoon cup of coffee to get your engine running for the marathon ahead; you figure you need all the energy you can get.  You leave the office at 5:00 (maybe ten minutes early just to give yourself a headstart on your commute), get home perhaps by 5:20 all in a huff thanks to the traffic, and then you have to hop in the shower.  Immediately.

Oh, and none of this accounts for the possibility of having to run any errands on the way home.  Picking up kids, grabbing a gift for the hostess, you ran out of deodorant and wearing your husband’s will make you smell like an Adam Levine tryhard, whatever.  Any of those errands that you forgot to do on your lunch break or lost track of between everything else that life threw at you.

So again, like I said, you’ve just walked in the door, it’s 5:20, and you have to be out the door by 6:30.  And you want to look awesome.

Determination sets in.  You’re in the shower but you have to wash your hair, and maybe shave your legs.  You’re out of the shower maybe by 5:37 (and you’re noticing prickly spots all over your legs, maybe it’s a night for pants?) and it’s time to start drying your hair.  About three minutes in and your arms are already tired, you’re feeling slightly sweaty, your face is red, and your hair isn’t anywhere near dry yet.  You keep drying, hands violently tossing your hair about as you try to expose it all to the heat.  Methodically round-brushing it dry in sections is just too much to ask for at this point, and you always feel like you need four arms to do it.

You look at the clock.  It’s 5:50.  You have to leave in 40 minutes.  Panic sets in.  So you decide to let the hair airdry a bit and get started on makeup.  You slather moisturizer on your face, but you remember how it takes its sweet time absorbing.  You skip primer, no time.  You slather on foundation but you’re so steamy from the hairdryer and the still-moist moisturizer that your makeup refuses to go on evenly and smoothly, leaving you feeling more covered in muck than before you even showered.  You move on to eyes, but after applying shadow primer and beginning on the eyeshadow, your dramatic look you had in mind goes all to hell.  Your hands are all shaky from that last cup of coffee and trying to hurry and … your hair is getting frizzy from air drying.  So you rub some serum into your hands and hastily scrunch it into your hair.  Then you grab your eyeshadow brush again, only to have it slip out of your hand thanks to the slippery serum.  You wash and dry your hands.  It’s 6:03.

You scrap the eyeshadow and move on to just eyeliner (though not the fancy winged eyeliner you’d originally wanted to try).  Good, done.  You move on to mascara.  This takes you four minutes (unless you go for false lashes, which could take more or less time depending on your skills).  It’s 6:10.  You quickly choose a blush and apply, though your cheeks are still flushed from all the heat and you see little beads of sweat forming around your hairline.  You’d wanted to try a little contouring for a night like tonight, but no time.  Lipstick is hastily applied, without lipliner, and you look up and … your eyeliner is already smearing and you feel like you need another shower.

It’s 6:14.  The “insides” of your hair are still damp.  You flip your head upside down and furiously wave your dryer over your scalp on high heat until it feels like its on fire.  Good enough.  Curling iron!  After pulling your curling rod out from its coiled mess under the sink and plugging it in, you then get to wait for it to heat up.  Hmm.  You decide to pick your outfit.  You stare at your open closet in a frenzy, trying to remember what these particular people have seen you wear.  Curling iron is ready.  You can hear your hair hissing as you curl still-somewhat-damp sections of hair; you see the steam (or it is smoke?!  You’re never really sure!) rising off your strands.  The few quick waves you work in look haphazard and are already falling flat from all the steam in the bathroom, but it’s 6:26.

You frantically choose an outfit that neither feels right for the makeup you landed on nor was anything close to what you wanted to wear, but it’s time to go.  You snag an accessory or two, look for your phone because you’ve lost it within the past four minutes, and throw everything into your purse.  You take a quick look in the mirror and roll your eyes at what you see- something that is nothing like what you’d envisioned for the night.  Your Friday night confidence is nearly sapped, but out the door you go, with armpit stains already forming and those sweatpants sounding like a better option by the second.  You touch your hair- it’s still damp.

Oh, and you somehow managed to throw in a Trader Joe’s mini pizza for your kid’s dinner, which ended up burnt in the toaster oven.  And you forgot perfume.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have found myself in this scenario about fifty times, and I don’t even have kids (and maybe that mini Trader Joe’s pizza is for me).  When you envision yourself getting ready for a night out, you imagine one of those old Hollywood stars sitting at their vanity, gliding through their beauty routine at a leisurely pace in some silk robe and slippers.  The entire process is refreshing, leaving you feeling like a masterpiece once you’re ready.  And yet, this hardly ever seems to be reality.  Even on a day off when you might have the whole day to get ready, plenty of things can come up.  The fact is, getting ready can be hard.  Despite what bloggers and all of social media may portray, real life is not full of daily, Instagram-worthy outfits, makeup, or hair because for most people, there simply isn’t enough time in the day and there’s already too much to get done.

Getting ready for a night out should be fun, relaxing time of little rituals we love and enjoy, but it often leaves us feeling rushed, harried, and dissatisfied with our hair and makeup.  What are some things we can keep in mind to make this process a little less stressful when dealing with real life?

 

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1. “Mise en place”

This French culinary phrase refers to having everything “put in place”, and there’s a reason why this is one of the first things you’re taught when you learn the basics of cooking.  As a chef, you need to have all of your ingredients and ware organized and arranged before you begin cooking. Otherwise, time will be wasted and you risk your creative process of slipping into disarray.

Mise en place may just as well be applied to getting ready for a night out.   If you know you’ve got an event you want to have great hair and makeup for, have your makeup organized the day before, all in one place.  Have your makeup brushes clean and laid out before you, ready to be used.  When you get home, turn your curling iron on before you hop in the shower.  And if possible, choose your outfit the day before or at least before you arrive at home, even if it means taking a five minute Pinterest break at your work desk for some inspiration.  Point is, frantically searching for things and trying to make decisions when your mind is already racing just adds to your stress, ironically making choices even more difficult.  Getting everything organized beforehand and visible to your eye will save you both time and frustration.

 

2.  Done showering?  Get out of the bathroom!

That tiny bathroom you’ve just steamed up with your hot shower?  It is no environment for getting ready in.  Firstly, bathrooms are usually just plain hot after someone has showered.  The steam will create frizz and prevent your hair and skin from drying, the heat will cause you to sweat all over again (especially if you then proceed to turn on a blazing hot blowdryer in the same space), and let’s face it- most bathrooms are cramped.  It can be stressful trying to get everything done within one small space.  Unless you have one of those beautiful bathrooms with natural light where you can spread out, bathrooms are typically poorly lit, lacking in good ventilation, and not incredibly generous when it comes to counter space (especially if you’re renting like me).  And the lighting is a concern because poor light can cause you to either apply too much or too little makeup, since some lightbulb types give off a filtering affect that prohibits you from seeing your face as it truly is.

A better setting to get ready in might involve the following: a room other than the bathroom, natural light, and a full length mirror.  A bedroom or living room with a window should work nicely.  In the same space, you can hopefully turn a fan on and cool down a bit as well.  If it’s dark out and you’re already out of natural light, try to get ready among lamps lit with warm, white lightbulbs, which will neither be too concealing or unflattering.  My research identified “warm white light” as 3200 kelvin in lightbulb-speak.  I like to sit on the ground cross-legged in front of the mirror for my makeup, and then finish blowdrying while standing in front of it.  Just be sure get out of all the steam and heat that’s trapped in your bathroom.

 

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3. Choose one area to concentrate your focus.

If you’ve only got about 45 minutes to get ready from the time you step out of the shower, it’s time to choose what you’re going to prioritize- hair or makeup.  Place all your efforts into one area so you can focus, take your time, and be fully satisfied with your work.  Choose to blow out your hair and go for that voluminous look you’ve wanted to try, or opt to go for the complicated contouring and highlighting, but don’t attempt to do both.  It’s one thing if you’ve got two hours to spare, but you won’t enjoy yourself if you’re trying to do both in less than an hour.

If you decide to concentrate more on your makeup and you’ve got wet hair, one of my easiest solutions is to sleek my hair back into a bun pinned right at the nape or back of the head.  You can do this with curly hair too, and it’ll still look put together.  If you decide you want to pay more attention to your hair instead, quickly toss mascara, blush, concealer, and lipstick or gloss into a makeup bag and save it for when you hit the road.  Not able to do makeup in the car because you’re the one driving?  Don’t worry- a nearly-bare face looks really modern and sophisticated with beautiful hair.  Just accept that your makeup will be minimal, and work the rest of your look around it.  In situations when I’ve felt confident with how my hair looks but I’m out of time beyond that, I’ve worn just a little concealer, eyebrow product, and red lipstick (and that’s it) for a more fashion-forward look.  A lot of this is more about acceptance than insisting on looking like J.Lo within 45 minutes flat.

Or better yet than all of this, you could just skip washing your hair altogether and simply rinse off in the shower.   Third or fourth day hair is pretty moldable in terms of styling, especially with the added grit of dry shampoo or texture spray.  I tend to favor some kind of intricate up-do when I have grittier hair because I find it has better staying power.  If you have a hair texture similar to mine, oily, “dirty” hair might be a good opportunity to try a pretty topknot, or one of the popular knotted styles like we’ve seen lately like this one on Kiernan Shipka.

 

4. Don’t caffeinate beforehand.

One of the biggest mistakes that I seem to consistently make when doing bridal makeup is having coffee before I get started.  My nerves are already up to begin with, but now I’ve got caffeine running through my system that’s making me extra jittery.  All those steady, fine motor skills I need to apply gel liner?  Or individual false lashes?  Gone.  My fingers are shaky, I’m anxious about mistakes, and now I’m attempting to make these teeny tiny little brushstrokes on an eyelid.  Not a time for espresso.  It’s moments like these when I’m very liable to poke a bride in the eye with a mascara wand.

The same goes for when I do my own makeup.  If I’m in an anxious spot to begin with, caffeine does not help.  At all.  It’s best to forego it completely and replace it with water, or something a little more relaxing (unless you’re driving, of course).  Music always helps to decrease my makeup-applying jitters too,  but I can’t say that a bridal party mimosa has exactly been the worst thing for keeping my hands steady as I’ve attempted a cut crease on someone else’s eyeball.

So anyhow, that’s the gist of it.  I’d say these four things have been the best things for me to keep in mind when I know I’ll have an hour at best but I still want to enjoy the process of primping (ugh, I hate that word).  Now, it’s different if you’re in Vegas and you’ve got the entire afternoon and evening to spend getting ready in a luscious bathroom in your room at the Aria, but because this is rarely the case, we have to find ways to still enjoy what we love.  And of course, try not to forget the mini pizza or Dino nuggets in the toaster over, and always have a perfume sample in your purse just in case.  xo, MR