Celebrity Make Up Artist

Makeup Meltdown

I know it’s awfully tempting when the heat is on to go au natural with no makeup but that’s not an option now is it ladies? We have to look good for work, dates outdoors, and even the dreaded pool party. Unfortunately the summer sun can have your makeup dripping so bad you look like someone dumped water on an oil painting. Never fear, before you throw in the makeup wipe here are some tips to keep your face in place.

A great starting point with makeup for any season comes even before the foundation. I always recommend that women begin with a moisturizer to properly hydrate their skin.

When it comes to foundation, I like to multi-task and suggest using a tinted moisturizer or a mineral powder as they tend to be lighter in weight and they are generally better for your skin. Most tinted moisturizers help even out skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines and pore size, and have an SPF of at least 15.

Next up are the “windows to the soul”. How often have you been chatting up a guy in your teeny bikini and after saying, “Hey, my eyes are up here”, you thought, “Are my eyes ready to be seen?” Finding a mascara that can hold up to the heat can be a task so it’s important to look for one that is waterproof or smudgeproof.

Another choice you’ll have to make is whether or not to wear eyeliner. Since eyeliner can also smudge easily in the heat and humidity to avoid raccoon eyes you will want to consider a powdered eye shadow instead of a liquid pencil. To achieve the darker looks try using a brown or charcoal color and apply it using a small, slanted brush to define your lash line.

When it comes to blush, lighten up to brighten up. The heat will turn the blush tones darker-so avoid browns and dark shades. You want a healthy glow, not a ruddy face.

Of course we can’t forget to keep our lips looking sexy and protect them from the sun. To look beautiful, not sweaty, skip the matte lipsticks and choose a light lip gloss or tinted Lip Balm with an SPF.

Written by Celebrity Makeup Artist, Michelle Phillips http://www.michellephillips.com

The Beauty of Freedom

In addition to celebrating Independence Day, this year we are also exercising the freedom to choose our next President. No matter which side of the political fence you are on that freedom is certainly worth appreciating. After working for all of the major TV networks and world leaders during election years I am very excited to announce that I have been chosen to be the Head of Makeup and Image for the Republican National Convention in Tampa! They will have me leading a team of makeup artists and stylist to ensure that candidates and supporters we have to choose from will have a polished, professional image.

Which brings me to my next subject…

Are you making a strong first impression?

Whenever I am hired for my image services it’s rarely to make someone look like a glamour queen. In the case of the upcoming RNC I will be tasked with helping people achieve what we should all be going for; a look that is knowledgeable, credible, and trustworthy.

Studies have shown that we have exactly seven seconds to make a first impression. More importantly, we have seven seconds to make a GREAT, and lasting, first impression.

After reading that your mind might be drifting off to taking a mental inventory of your closet thinking, if I were headed out for a big interview or to potentially meet Mr. or Ms. Right I know exactly what I would wear. Then you may think, but if the person or job was meant for me should it even matter what I was wearing? The answer there would be yes…in a way.

Whether you are entering the job market, looking for a mate, or creating personal or professional relationships of any kind, making positive imprint relies as much on the emotions you are wearing as the clothes you pick out.

While many stylists put all their effort-and yours-into creating an outward image, what I would like to concentrate on for a minute is your inner image. By knowing who you are spiritually, emotionally and physically you will create the image you want to project on the outside. Doing this will make your look about so much more than just well-thought out fashions or the ideal haircut: it will be about radiating your uniquely beautiful qualities in a way that won’t just turn heads, you will turn hearts!

To get started it’s time for a quick and honest assessment. Think for a minute about how others see you. Do people find you sincere, interesting, open, or engaging? If not, it might not be your wardrobe but rather something in the way of a vibe you are putting off? So before you put on your clothes every day, figure out if you are already dressed with enthusiasm, excitement, and an overall positive outlook or are you stressed, overwhelmed, angry, fearful, or lost? By acknowledging any of the issues that you may be dealing with you can strip away any unintended negative messages you might be projecting.

Next, when it comes to your clothes, I tell my clients to think of dressing for a job interview, every day. However, don’t think of it as getting “dressed up,” you are dressing to move up! Too many of us have gotten a bit too “casual” and wonder why we are getting passed up for promotions or treated beneath the level of person that we are. In order to be treated with the respect we so richly deserve we have to remember to present ourselves that way physically and believe it our hearts.

There are many ways to express who you are in your wardrobe, the most important facet to remember is to dress in a way that is appropriate for your profession by choosing clothes that will have you are perceived as; knowledgeable, credible, and trustworthy.

“People who dress in a professional manner everyday are twice as likely to be promoted and earn up to 20% more income.” – Social Psychology Quarterly

The market for a job or a mate is truly only as hard as we want it to be. The next time you are headed out the door, take a second to think about the fiery passion for life that burns within you. Open the door to your heart and let the world gather around your warmth.

written by Bestselling author, Celebrity Makeup Artist, Radio & TV Personality Michelle Phillips

Top 5 Tips for Enhancing Your TRUE Beauty

Glance at any fashion magazine and you are sure to be inundated with products and techniques to keep up with the latest celebrity looks. Here some simple tips to enhance our own true beauty without breaking the bank.

First of all, we need to go back to the basics of classic beauty. Less is more! It’s that simple!

Concealer is a must…even if you don’t wear a foundation. Try a concealer with a yellow base to it. Apply only on the inner corner of your eye and lightly blend out. There is no need to apply to the outer corner of eye. If you do this, you will look like a raccoon and accentuate any fine lines you may have
Fill in your brows! Properly arched brows that are lightly filled in with a pencil or powder that matches your brow color will create more of an open eye look and lift the eye area. The goal is to look more youthful!
Blush…apply your blush on your cheekbone…not under. Blush should never be applied below the imaginary line that goes from your nostril to your ear. The lower the blush is applied the older you will look. Avoid Brown tones when it comes to blush, brighter tones will give you a healthy glow.
Eye shadows should remain neutral. Trends are fun…but only on teenagers. Warm tones bring out any eye color.
Mascara is best when applied on the top lashes only. For a more dramatic evening look go for top and bottom. If you have dark circles under your eyes, avoid mascara on bottom lashes all together.

We are all beautiful! Keep in mind that make up is supposed to enhance your beauty, not cover it up.

One leg at a time

One of the questions that anyone who works with celebrities hears is, “What’s he or she really like?” As a celebrity make up artist one of the most frequent requests for dirt I got was, “What do they look like without their make up?” I can tell you for the most part everyone I worked with was nice, or at the very least, they were all professionals. On the fact or fiction behind America’s fab faces, they were all beautiful. The reality behind my experiences with celebs was that we were there because we had a job to do.

Whether they were there to make a TV or live appearance or we were on the set of a photo shoot, I gave them room to study their lines or get emotionally settled before going on. They in turn let me do my job, putting on their faces and getting them camera ready. Sorry gang, no tell all here, quite the contrary…

Inevitably, once the vast number of celebs got comfy in my make up chair, they did want to chat but not about a tawdry behind-the-scenes affair with their co-star or how the caviar was at Cannes this year. Nope, most stars wanted to talk about their kids. They wanted to talk about whatever they were involved in outside of work that they were truly passionate about. More than anything though they talked about how hard it was to keep it all together every day while they juggled kids, work, fashion, and passion. The more we talked the more I realized they are just like you and I. For some reason, whether it’s warranted or not, we hold celebrities to a higher standard. We put them up on a pedestal that is both making life more difficult on them to maintain, and on us to attain. The reality is, whether they do it themselves, or their personal assistant does it for them, celebrities put their pants on just like you and I, ‘one leg at a time’!