Makeup: The Must Have Brushes for Your Makeup Bag!

I did a blog post at my other blog that I think is worth reading,

it's not home decor but every woman should know what brushes to keep in her makeup bag!

Go take a look!! :)

http://www.makeupbykimporter.com/blog/2013/01/13/brush-essentials-must-have-brushes-your-makeup-bag

Kim

Holiday Makeup Look

So you know how I am a makeup artist?  Well, I have been busy working, promoting, networking, social networking...you name it, and I've been busy doing it.  

I was really excited a few weeks ago to come across a beauty blogger who was looking for guest posts.  I sent over a holiday makeup look and she featured it on her blog today.

Here is the post with a full break down of products used, please go check it out:

 http://www.15minutebeauty.com/2012/12/an-amazing-gold-eye-look-with-makeup.html

 It's shimmery gold and red lips, so pretty for a holiday party!!! 

You can check out all of my work at www.makeupbykimporter.com.

 ~ Kim

This is huge ya'll!!! {makeup stuff}

  In my professional life I had a huge first, one of my bride's from last year had her wedding published in The Knot wedding magazine for Fall/Winter 2012.  

I can not even lie, it is very cool to see my name listed with 

all the over amazing vendors from her wedding!!

Such a beautiful wedding!!!

You can see more at 

http://eleisetheuerphotographyblog.com/romantic-lovely-hermitage-museum-wedding-in-norfolk-virginia/.

~  Kim :)

Inspiration Friday No.19 ~ Makeup Studio Update

This "Inspiration Friday" post is more of a recap of what I've been up to this week.  I have been a very busy girl getting this makeup studio/guest room finished.  I'm am not quite done (but let's be honest, I am never done with any project that I do!!), but before I do a proper reveal I just wanted to give you some snippets of what I've been up to.

I literally laughed OUT LOUD when I opened this can of paint! 

That's it for now!

So sorry that I keep posting the "Inspiration Friday" posts late...this whole summer thing has thrown me off my game!!!

So is anyone else like this...why when we are getting ready to have a party, I feel the need to buy new things and get my "want" list out of the way in like one day???  I have been meaning to replace some pictures in my dining room for months and never did it, now today I am running around like a crazy woman trying to find some.  Why, why, why do I do this to myself?!?

~  Kim :)

Inspiration Friday No.18 ~ Makeup Studio Design

  As many of you know, I have been working on putting together a makeup studio in my home.  I compiled some of my favorites images.

source

Every girl needs a little glamour.

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Pale pinks are a pretty background.  Pink is a beautiful color to make a woman's skin glow.

Pink and glamour together.  Now that's hot!

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Every makeup studio needs good lighting.  Thankfully my room gets a lot of natural light so I can avoid the dreaded vanity lighting and just add in a chandelier and table lamps.

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Pretty makeup displayed in a way that leads to lots of experimenting and playing around!  The attraction that women feel to makeup is very tactile.  We like to touch and try things on.

Since this room also doubles as a guest room, I would love to replace our full size bed with a daybed.  Our most frequent guest is my mom and at 4'11'' she will have no problem sleeping comfortably.

 West Elm daybed

A West Elm knock-off is the Green Key daybed from Overstock.

My "Makeup Lounge" via Olioboard

Happy Friday everyone!!

~  Kim :)

I'm thinkin' pink..Hot Pink!!!

  The hardest part of any interior design project for me is putting all of the pieces together.  When I do a room, I try very hard not to be too matchy-matchy but to have a cohesive plan in mind of how all the pieces go together.  So when I had this plan to create a makeup studio in my home to help launch and promote my new makeup line, I went through this book by House Beautiful to find some inspiration.

...oh yeah, did I tell you I am starting a makeup line?  It's been in the works for awhile but I have to think things through 'til I give myself gray hairs.  But when I do something I do it wholeheartedly.  So now that it is actually happening, I am beyond excited.  I plan to take this little wedding makeup business to a whole new level!!

This is the logo I had made like 8 years ago and never really used it except on business cards.  Now I plan to have it on foundations bottles and powder... and eye shadows!!!

                     

So back to paint... the color that I picked is called Razzle Dazzle by Benjamin Moore.  Here it is below featured in House Beautiful magazine.

I bought a full gallon of this color with out sampling it.  I'm a little scared.

  So I am trying to put all of the pieces together in this room I have dubbed the "Makeup Lounge".  I plan to use Razzle Dazzle only on one wall as the focal point and use black and white accents through out the room.  I am spending a lot of time and lack of sleep trying to make sure that everything goes together, but there are a lot of pieces including the finishes on a makeup table, a daybed for guests, side tables, and the metal tones on the mirror and chandelier.  It's a lot to put together!

  Another one of my problems is that I have so many unfinished projects around the house right now.  First off I still haven't changed the lights in the hallway after our board and batten project.  I still haven't worked on my daughter's room...mainly because I can't actually walk in there with out stepping on something, but also there is paint samples on all the walls in the bathroom and unfinished (dreaded) popcorn ceiling patch to do in the kitchen.  I have at least 3 spray paint projects sitting in the garage waiting to be done, and here I go onto another project as well as launching a cosmetics line.

...and as my sister recently pointed out, I always have some kind of project going on, and I totally have A.D.D.  I totally know she is right, so I can't even argue.

Come back Friday to see my "Makeup Lounge" inspiration board I made at www.olioboard.com.

~  Kim :)

Inspiration Friday No.9 ~ Makeup

  

Makeup.  

Besides pillows and painted furniture it is up there on the top of my list of favorite things... bring to me a Sephora and the angels start to sing.  My work in makeup began 10 years ago for Merle Norman Cosmetics and I have been a freelance makeup artist for 8 years.  It's a huge part of my life, so I thought that I would show you some of my work, the products that I love to use, and the looks that I love to do.

Delirious Photography

Most of my business is working with brides and their bridal parties.  It is such a reward to get to work with these women on one of the most important days of their lives.

Del Haven Studio

My makeup kit is never finished.  There is always another product that I need or want to try.

Sam Hughes Photography

Sam Hughes Photography

I am always looking for new makeup looks and keeping up with the trends to stay current.  There is nothing worse than a dated makeup look.  It instantly ages a woman.... high up on my list on what not to do is the wrong foundation color and harshly penciled in eyebrows.

 Pinterest

Fresh and Springy

 Pinterest

Classic makeup look... never goes out of style when done correctly

And some of my favorites... I am not a one product line junkie, I like to spread the love around.

  Grassroots Research Labs available at Kohl's.... saw this in a magazine as the Beauty Editor's Favorite and I have to say I have been using it for years and I LOVE this stuff.  

 Always good to use when you need your makeup to last all day.

The best.  

There really is no reason to spend a ton of money on mascaras.  You only use it for a short amount of time and the drugstore brands are without a doubt comparable to department store brands.

Okay, so here is what I have learned about lipsticks.  No product line is the same and the $25 lipsticks are not any better than the cheaper brand.  Sometimes.  In my mind, Revlon has been around long enough to perfect the lipstick, and I believe they are as good IF NOT BETTER than the more expensive lipsticks.  I love them, seriously.  Now that being said, I am kind of a lipstick drugstore snob, I refuse to buy any other brand.  When you find something that works, why switch?

Mauve It Over 

... the best natural looking lipstick.  This is the perfect lipstick if you are doing a glossy lip but need a little more color.  It is matte perfection.

Temptress

...a nice pinky color that is perfect for the fresh faced, Springy look that is so popular right now.

Wine With Everything

...I just had a makeup trial with a bride that wanted a red lip.  This is a great red if you have trouble with reds turning pinky.  A really pretty look with a nude eye and black liner.

Nars Orgasm stick (great name, huh?! lol)

...I have used this until there is almost nothing left.  I use it when I don't have a lot of time to apply makeup, it's great to throw into your bag and put on in the car!

 A comparable knock-off to the Nars Orgasm blush is Pink Tutu by Flirt!, available at Kohl's.

And my next makeup purchase will be this palette by Urban Decay, the colors are amazing and there is a nice mix of matte and shimmer shades.

So I would love to hear, 

what's your favorite makeup product?

You can visit www.makeupbykimporter.com to see the rest of my portfolio!

~  Kim :)