Products of the Month - October

Recently, IMPO Pro Melissa Street went to Europe for 14 days to work with a very special client.  During her European tour, which closely resembled the National Lampoon Chevy Chase movie, she experienced several filming challenges, including weather that went from sweltering (in Tunisia) to freezing rain (Marseilles, France) and everything in between.

So, which products did this Pro turn to help conquer travel dehydration, sleeplessness, dry and frizzy hair, perspiration issues, skin irritations, chapped lips and one or two swanky dinners with a cruise ship captain?

Ladies and Gentleman…The Products of the Month for October:

Jan Marini Antioxidant Daily Face Protectant SPF 30 – Melissa knows she preaches about this product, but it is only because it really works!  This is a non-greasy sunscreen that is actually good for your face!  Melissa uses this personally, professionally and in place of primer.

Embryolisse Exfoliating Care Cream – this product gently removes impurities and dead cells leaving the complexion fresh and radiant.  Perfect for travel and to revitalize tired, dehydrated skin.

SAMPAR Prodigal Pen – this product will treat and reduce the appearance of skin imperfections such as pimples/blemishes, irritations, bacteria and assists in healing insect bites, razor burn, etc.  A makeup artist must have!

Bed Head Let’s Get Tropical – this body oil treats and rehydrates the skin after long exposure to the sun.  Contains coconut, avocado and sunflower oils, as well as aloe vera.  Gives skin an amazing all-over, healthy glow.

Tara Smith Base Coat Serum – you prep your face with primer before makeup, so prime your hair before styling!  Totally organic and vegan, this product helps protect your hair, hydrates and provides a nutritional supplement for a good hair foundation.

L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray – this product is the legendary hairspray of choice for red carpet events, photo shoots, film and television sets because it is so fine that it will disappear at the stroke of a brush.  Won’t way the hair down and has amazing holding power!

Prairie Dawn 100% Natural Lip Balm – this lip balm is more like a lip treatment!  Goes on smoothly and keeps lips moisturized.  Great to use as a lip primer prior to application of lipstick.  Comes in 4 luscious flavors!  Melissa’s favorite is Sweet Orange.  Psst! Check out IMPO's first contest thanks to Prairie Dawn! Details below under Pro Contest (scroll all the way down to the end of the post)!

Hakuhodo Brushes – renowned in the beauty industry as the best in brushes, this line features premium bristles and first-rate craftsmanship.  Melissa refuses to work without this brush line.

CoverFX Big Cover Up Set – traveling with multiple products in individual packaging can be frustrating, but the geniuses at CoverFX have solved that problem!  This 5- piece kit not only achieves total coverage of minor to major complexion issues, it comes with a foundation brush and instructional DVD too!  Melissa used this kit on stage, on camera and for all personal appearances!

CoverFX Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer – this product instantly erases under eye circles and dark spots as well as, redness, sun damage, tattoos, birthmarks, trauma and moles.  A little goes a long way and because it comes in 6 shades you can easily find your exact skin tone match!

Youngblood Cosmetics Artiste 2 Nude Awakening Palette – as a Pro MUA travel is a must, but Melissa hates packing individual colors, it’s just impractical and can be very messy if something breaks.  This palette has all the essential colors for day and night!  It’s a one-stop-shop!

Smashbox Brow Tech To Go – IMPO raved about this product last month, but this product is worth another mention.  Brow Tech is so longwearing and waterproof that it lasted all day through long hours of filming and into the night for a personal appearance and dinner! No need for touch up!

Senna Cosmetics Lip Sync – this is a Pro MUA’s dream!  Lipstick and coordinating lip gloss all in one component!  Gotta love Eugenia Weston for inventing this amazing product!  Incredibly pigmented with tons of staying power, these lip colors are all you need.  Melissa’s favorite colors:  Stunning and A La Mode, but the good thing about owning all 4 sets is that you can mix and match.  Oh and did we mention that this product is formulated with collagen?  Excellent lip plumping power!

MAI Couture Blotting Papier – this product is incredible because it is a bronzer and a blotting paper in one.  Gives a light shimmer while controlling and absorbing oil.  Leaves a warm, sun-kissed glow on the skin.  Melissa also used the Rejuvenate Oil Blotting Papier in Lavender scent for removing excess shine without adding more makeup to her client’s face.  The soothing lavender scent is very calming and refreshing without being overpowering.

Lifewave Y Age Glutathione Patch – Melissa uses this product personally and was introduced to this technology through a client.  Daily, Melissa is asked about her personal skincare regime and because she feels that having good skin is not just about the products she uses on the outside, it’s also about how she treats her body on the inside, she felt it necessary to share this patch technology with our readers.

Here is a little information; Glutathione functions in our body as a master antioxidant that prevents damage to important cellular components caused by free radicals.  Basically, this patch technology slows down and can help improve the signs of aging by neutralizing free radicals that cause skin damage.  It has been clinically proven to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improve overall health. As we age, Glutathione levels start to decline and many scientists now believe that how long we live is directly proportional to how high our Glutathione levels are.

In all fairness, Melissa is a distributor with Lifewave, but for the sole purpose of purchasing these patches at wholesale cost.  If you would like more information, feel free to click on the link or visit Suzanne Somers' website at www.suzannesomers.com.  You can also read about this incredible, nontechnology in her book Knockout.  This is a personal product of Melissa’s and is not sold to any business clients on set, nor is this mention intended to generate distributors for the Lifewave organization.

Pro Contest:

Thanks to Prairie Dawn Natural Body Products for providing us with our first IMPO/Twitter contest!  Be our 1,500 follower on Twitter and the Pros will send you two of each flavor of Prairie Dawn’s Natural Lip Balm (8 lip balms total)!  Click here and start following – Good Luck!

Photo credit: Makeup by: Ayami - Photography by: Rankin for Sightsavers 

Education + Cosmetics = POWER!

Upon my return from the Los Angeles Makeup Show put on by The Powder Group, I immediately reviewed all of my notes taken during the many educational seminars I was able to attend.  I wanted to organize all the information I learned because this year, The Makeup Show was jammed packed with career building instruction and tons of vendor booths that housed 60 pro-industry makeup companies!

With 3,000 makeup artists and students in attendance, The Makeup Show offered many hands-on workshops and keynote presentations that this Pro took advantage of thoroughly!

Eve Pearl’s “Market Yourself, Get the Job and Make Money in Front of the Camera” seminar was incredibly informative.  This Pro has not been asked to demonstrate a makeup application in front of the camera before, but after attending Eve’s presentation I feel less intimated and more capable of doing so if or when I am asked!

The “Working in Reality Television” forum was another highlight and James Vincent brought together a “cast” of extremely talented artists from the shows Ru Paul’s Drag Race, America’s Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance, who told truthfully what it was like to work behind-the-scenes on a reality television show!

Victoria Stiles, who is an incredible makeup artist, based in Washington, D.C., taught two seminars this year.  “Back to the Future: using innovative products to create classic looks” and “Strengthening Your Online Presence.”  These two workshops were a Pro favorite and taught great tips on how to recreate classic looks using current products, as well as how to use Facebook and Twitter properly to promote a makeup artist’s business.

In the presentation “State of the Union,” Susan Cabral Ebert told the artists exactly what was needed in order to join the I.A.T.S.E. 706 and why it was important to belong to such a prestigious group (especially if you are an artist like this Pro and work in television and film regularly).  Getting first hand information straight from the “horses mouth” is much better than second-hand info coming from people who may not understand all of the logistics.

“Working in LA” was another forum where James Vincent, Lori Taylor (Smashbox), Bryin Smoot, Sarah Lucero (Stila Cosmetics) and Koren Zander were able to answer questions directly from audience members on how to properly approach an agency, set etiquette tips and the importance of being an educated artist.

KJ Bennett, Kathy Aragon, Joanna Schlip, Christina Farrell, Jon Hennessey and Orlando Santiago were also among the “heavy hitters” that held hands-on workshops and demonstrations on everything from Editorial Beauty to Airbrushing, to Bridal and Red Carpet makeup looks!

This year, The Makeup Show’s Diamond Sponsor was Make Up For Ever, along with two Platinum Sponsors, Temptu Pro and Inglot.  Crown Brush and On Makeup Magazine were also among the company’s that sponsored the show.

On the Saturday prior, The Makeup Show allowed unprecedented access to beauty and fashion bloggers.  This Pro, along with many other bloggers, attended an exclusive tour of the vendor booths by Michael DeVellis and James Vincent in order to preview products that were being launched at the show.  During this tour, we were allowed to preview MUFE’s newest HD Microfinish Blush and Aqua Cream collections, as well as the newest additions to the Dermalogica and Naked Cosmetics lines and we also received full-sized samples of SmashBox Cosmetic’s new Hyperlash Mascara, Halo Hydrating Perfecting Bronzer and OCC’s newest Lip Tar colors!

During the two-day event, this Pro also SHOPPED TIL I DROPPED!!! Stopping first at the Alcone booth to stock up on my favorite disposable sponges, Collyre Bleu Laiter Clear Blue Eye Drops and a Viseart 12-color neutral eye shadow palette (the best palette in my industry)!

I then made my way to the BECCA booth to pick up a few of their newest products.  My favorite BECCA Beach Tints now come in shades of Strawberry and Tangerine.  I have raved about these gorgeous, waterproof, crème stains in prior posts and I was thrilled to add these new colors to my personal and professional makeup kit.  I also purchased a Soft Touch Blush in Songbird from BECCA’s new Santa Rosa Collection.

As usual, the MUFE booth was packed especially with the launch of their new products.  This Pro decided that I needed to add the HD Foundations to my professional kit and MUFE was offering an amazing deal where I was able to purchase 6 popular shades for $120 excluding tax, which is half of what I would have paid retail!

Shuffling through the crowd I was able to make my way to the Temptu Pro booth where I watched many demonstrations using Temptu’s airbrush machine.  It’s amazing for applying foundation, contouring, highlighting and tattoo cover.  I purchased several Dura Pro Palettes that I added to my special FX makeup kit!

Embryolisse’s booth was my next visit and I was able to learn all about this product line directly from their Vice President, Michelle Shaffer.  This is a cult favorite of most professional makeup artists, found in most professional kits and makeup trailers, it is now easily available in the United States and it is affordable for all consumers.  Known for it’s ability to restore skin tone and elasticity while protecting your skin, Embryolisse creates a natural balance and minimizes risk of allergy.

Hakuhodo brushes are all hand made in Japan and are available either online or at many upcoming makeup artist shows (including the NYC Makeup Show & IMATS).  Established in 1974 in Kumano, Hakuhodo is one of the leading makeup brush manufacturers in the world!  This Pro could not wait to add a few of these brushes to my stockpile!

iNuovi Cosmetics launched their first United States booth at The Makeup Show this year!  This pigment rich, high intensity makeup line is developed in Italy, France and Japan.  This Pro fell in love with this product line last year and was so excited to view (play) with their top selling products!  I picked up iNuovi’s Probox (professional makeup luggage), which is a lightweight, easy to clean and stain resistant case that all my special effects makeup now calls “home!”

Eve Pearl Beauty's booth was hopping with the launch of 4 new eye shadow palettes, lipstick palette and her new HD Powder Foundations!  Always on hand to demonstrate her product line, Eve showed the crowd how to make the most of a client’s facial features.  This Pro has several of Eve’s products in my professional and personal makeup kit and I literally don’t ever work without using something from her product line.  From her famous Salmon Concealer to her gorgeous color line, Eve’s makeup can bring out the best in all women and it looks amazing on television and film!

Crown Brush's booth is always a crowd pleaser and with James Vincent showing the bloggers his “go to” brushes at the Blogger Preview, this Pro had to make a stop and pick up James’ recommendations!  Foundation brush, eye shadow blender and fan brushes all from the Badger Hair collection are now in my personal makeup bag (they were always in my pro kit)!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is making its mark in the world with its famous Lip Tars and at The Makeup Show they launched new colors, not yet available to the public.  Hoochie, Vapid and Complex are a stunning addition to the current Lip Tar line and will be available for Spring!

Face Atelier was my last stop because I wanted to give my full attention to learning about this innovative product line that is “all the buzz” in my industry.  Victoria Stiles was on hand demonstrating products and this line is the official makeup sponsor for Madonna’s Confessions Tour!  Face Atelier’s secret weapon is Silicone and their foundations are water resistant, while absorbing oil from the skin.  I purchased their Ultra Foundation Pro, Zero Minus and Zero Plus, which lightens or darkens foundation colors when added.  This Pro also purchased their Transforming Gel that magically transforms any loose or pressed powder into a “pool” of easily applied, lasting color that sets quickly!  Hello!!!  I am now able to turn all of my powder blushers and eye shadows into creams!

Whew!!!!  Needless to say, this Pro was t-i-r-e-d after two full-days of The Makeup Show (thank goodness I wore my flats), but some how I found the energy to run home and clean out my makeup kits to make room for all my new purchases!!!

Contributing Writer Pro, Cathi Singh, was also in attendance at The Makeup Show and she will be providing IMPO readers with more information about the seminars and vendor booths she visited, so stay tuned!

Click "here" and become a "fan" on this Pro's Facebook page to see more fun photos from The Makeup Show!!!  Also, make sure to subscribe to my other blog Epic Makeup if you are interested in going behind-the-scenes of television and film sets!  Click "here" and enjoy!

This Pro wants to thank all the hard working staff from The Powder Group for putting on an amazing show and is looking forward to next year!