Here are some of the pics from Marites' bridal trial this weekend. Marites' wedding is coming up this October, and I can't wait to doll up the beauty on her big day!

Q: How often do I need to clean my make-up brushes?

A: It always pays to be hygienic with those make-up brushes you spent last week's pay cheque on because:

1. they'll last longer if you take care of them (I've had some of mine since high school)
2. the bacteria and dirt that can build up is typically not visible to the human eye (unless, you've totally forsaken your brush cleaning and neglected your brushes in some moist, dark corner - if that's the case, then it's time to chuck those and learn some better brush maintenance habits!)

How often to clean them:
If you're using the brushes just on yourself, you don't have to clean them as often as when you're using them on different people. I'm certain we've all been guilty of not washing our personal make-up brushes in a timely manner. But under ideal circumstances, you should wash your brushes that you use with powder products every 2nd day that you use it. Your face will thank you for it, as the brush once cleaned will revert to its smooth feel. For synthetic brushes that you use with cream make-up products, these should be cleaned thoroughly everyday, as they are more prone to bacteria and dirt build-up, as the product used on them is wet.

How to clean the brushes:
You can purchase a brush cleaner or brush cleansing wipes out there from most of the major make-up counters, but I like to use a tip I picked up from from make-up artist Laura Mercier and wash my brushes with dishwashing detergent. I let the brushes air-dry over a sink and then once the brushes are dry, I then spray the brush with 99% alcohol to ward off bacteria and they're good to go for another day!
NOTE: If dishwashing detergent doesn't appeal to your make-up brushing senses, you can also try using hair shampoos - just choose a shampoo product made of more 'natural' ingredients to keep your brushes in their best shape yet!

Products to try:
Sephora Make-up Brush Cleaning Wipes
Japonesque Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner Wipes
Clinique Make-up Brush Cleaner

Price: $20
Where to buy: MAC stores, The Bay
Review: (absolutely) love it

I always speak of my love for cream eyeshadows and a lot of you have been asking what exactly it is that I use and how I actually use it. Enter MAC Paint Pots, a follow-up to MAC Paints, but way more user friendly and easy to work with. With the previous Paints, although the colour was highly pigmented, you had to work with them really quickly or risk the Paint drying unevenly on the suface of the eyelid. The Paint Pot has a similar cream-like texture, but does not dry out as quickly once removed from the container. It glides on smooth, dries to a powdery finish and (my favourite part) helps to keep your eyeshadow creaseproof throughout the day.

I usually choose a neutral coloured Paint Pot and apply it as the initial layer on the eyelids. I then top with powder eyeshadows, blend those and proceed with eyeliner, etc. The great thing about choosing a 'base colour' Paint Pot is that you can layer it under any other eyeshadow colour and it will help the true colour of the eyeshadow come through (versus applying the eyeshadow to bare skin).

I use Paint Pots daily on myself and in all the client applications I do, and I never have to touch up my eyeshadow throughout the day. So yes, it is an extra step in the morning, but it will spare you the hassle of having to troubleshoot creasing eye make-up throughout the day.

Try:
Soft Ochre (for yellow to olive based skin tones)
Bare Study (for lighter skin tones)

p.s. This product is an absolute kit essential!
p.p.s. Note to the make-up gods at MAC: Please give us advance warning if ever you decide to discontinue this one!!

Photo courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

I'm anticipating one of my busier weeks in make-up this week. It started off with a couple of appointments at Hanh Salon today, and then a wedding trial with Marites (who's getting married on the 10th of October). I'll post some of the shots of Marites once I get them uploaded. Tomorrow, I'll have more great photo opps when I meet with Scerena to get her dolled up for a wedding she's attending and will be performing at. My kind of Sunday.

Next Saturday the 27th, I'm really looking forward to the nuptials (and wedding make-up) of a close friend (and true inspiration), Jin. We'll see if she lets me post the pics of it all though. I know her wedding is going to be filled with freestyle raps, robot dances, laughs, and tears (the good kind). Man, I live for this stuff!!

On Sunday the 28th, I have the wedding of the lovely Emily to look forward to. First impressions go a long way, and Emily, aside from being beautiful, was a sweetheart from the moment I met her during the bridal make-up trial. Her wedding will be a perfect way to cap off the month of September!

It has been a great month of make-up and I'm excited that wedding season for me is going strong into October!! I hope you can tell by the excessive exclamation points how excited I am.

Thank you all for making this possible.

Ever get fed up with an attempt at doing a smoky eye look due to straying bits of dark eyeshadow? Most black eyeshadows, even from higher end lines, tend to flake and get on areas around the eye where we didn't intend for them to be. For instance, the undereye area, which if it's anything like mine, has it's own natural darkness that definitely doesn't need any further shadow enhancement! But rest assured, there are some artist tricks around this. Try a couple of these tips that I stick to in my applications to get a professional smoky look minus the raccoon eye!

1. After applying concealer and foundation, lightly pat some loose translucent eyeshadow on the undereye area to catch any fly-away bits of eyeshadow. You don't need to blend this layer of powder (see the pic above), as it's meant to act as a barrier between the eyeshadow and your skin. The layer can be easily wiped away once you are done applying any dark shadows, and voila! Crisis averted.
Remember: Once you apply powder, your concealer and foundation are set. If you still plan on applying concealer or foundation after the dark eye shadow application, skip this tip.

2. Wet the applicator slightly before you dip it in your dark coloured eyeshadow so that the eyeshadow adheres to it better.

3. Once you have dipped your brush/applicator in the dark coloured eyeshadow, tap away the excess to prevent it from landing where you don't want it to.

4. Try cream eyeshadows. You have to be a lot quicker working with these than powder eyeshadows, but among the benefits of cream eyeshadows is that they last throughout the day and will also stay where you apply it!