Alex Box-Art meets makeup

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite makeup artists right now.  If you don't know about Alex Box and you love makeup you have to run out and get her book.
 
A former artist (she studied at England's Chelsea College of Art), Box soon swapped paint for make-up as her medium and has since collaborated with designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Gareth Pugh, as well as photographers like Nick Knight, Steven Klein and Rankin. The antithesis of the workaday beauty movement, Box is all about pushing the boundaries. “For me, the inspiration is having a model that can be transformed,” she says. “I don’t really know what I’m doing until it pours out on the canvas, and that canvas happens to be the model’s face.”

She is now the creative director and makeup artist of Illamasqua cosmetics (sold at Sephora).

Her work is amazing and in my opinion she's doing the most interesting make up I've seen in a long time.

She also has an amazing book that came out last year and that you can get through Amazon UK.  It's a most for those of you who are thinking of pursuing a career in make-up artistry:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alex-Box-Rankin/dp/095631550X

Here are some images from her extensive portfolio.

Enter for the chance to win a KILLERS movie prize pack

Just for LATINA MAKEUP AND BEAUTY readers!  The folks promoting the upcoming movie "Killers' with Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher are giving two of my readers a prize pack that includes:
Each prize pack will have a KILLERS mini poster, 2 Sunscreen Pack, a Beach Ball, an Emery Board, a Squirt Gun, a compact.
Please post your entries and 2 of you will be chosen at random.

KILLERS – June 4^th

Lionsgate’s upcoming romantic comedy turned spy movie KILLERS stars Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl. Would you be interested in hosting a giveaway of prize packs? Each prize pack would include a KILLERS mini poster, 2 Sunscreen Pack, a Beach Ball, an Emery Board, a Squirt Gun, Compacts and Sleep Masks. I could provide 2-3 prize packs.  This would be a great way to kick off the summer and reward your readers with some fun beach items.

Film:                            KILLERS

Studio:                        Lionsgate

Release Date:           June 4, 2010

Starring:                     Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Selleck, Catherine O’Hara

Genre:                        Action/Comedy

Rating:                        PG-13

Trailer:                        http://killersfilm.com/

Synopsis:                   Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher) is just your average, undercover, government-hired super-assassin accustomed to a life of exotic European locales, flashy sports cars and even flashier women. But when he meets Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl), a beautiful, fun-loving computer tech recovering from a bad break-up, he finds true love…and happily trades international intrigue for domestic bliss.

Three years later, Spencer and Jen are still enjoying a picture-perfect marriage – that is, until the morning after Spencer’s 30^th birthday. That’s when Spencer and Jen learn he's the target of a multi-million dollar hit.  Even worse, the hired killers have been stalking the happy couple for years, and could be anyone: friends, neighbors, the grocery store clerk, even that crabby old guy shuffling across the street.

Now Spencer and Jen are on the run for their lives. As their suburban paradise turns into a paranoid game of dodge-the-bullet, they must find out who wants Spencer dead and why, all the while trying to save their marriage, manage his pain-in-the-ass in-laws, keep up neighborly appearances…and just plain survive. 

             

And you thought suburban life was easy.

Starring Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher, and directed by Robert Luketic (21, THE UGLY TRUTH), Lionsgate’s KILLERS is a hilarious, unpredictable action comedy about love, marriage and serious firepower.

Love Nars Orgasm blush? Now you can have the matching gloss

Starting July 20th at Sephora you can get the lipgloss version of everyone's favorite Orgasm blush.  I had a chance to sample the new shades and formulation and they are great.   This limited edition lip gloss colection is based on actually five of Nar's best selling blushes.
Albatros- cotton candy pink
Oasis- a sparkling pink champagne
Luster- a sheer golden apricot
and Super Orgasm- a great peachy pink shimmer.
They're really wearable...

These are all the new colors:

My work in May's Cosmopolitan

Here's my work in Cosmo which is in newstands this month.   It also features a lot of my makeup tips.  Also, check out the video from the  shoot

How to safely use eyeliner inside the eyes

Check out this shot of a look I did for Cosmopolitan not too long ago.  I will share the full story in another posting.  The make up look is all about eyeliner:

A lot of women ask me if they can wear eyeliner all around the eyes and in the waterline.  I don't really recommend it for those of you with small or close together eyes but if you can wear it- it does look amazing.  I prefer it on women with average to large eyes who want a deep sultry look.  My favorite color to use is jet black which works on most eye colors.  Purple looks beautiful on brown eyes,  dark green on hazel eyes and grays on blue eyes.

First of all, I would advice you to save the look for special occasions and not for every day use.  The eyeliner can grow bacteria which could infect your eye.  As a rule, make sure that you sharpen the pencil before every use- and don't forget to clean the sharpener too.  Try to find a pencil that gives you the desired effect from one application in the waterline so that you are not having to go over it too much.  This means a nicely pigmented pencil.

Here are some of my favorites:
1-Urban Decay's 24/7 waterproof eyeliner: (great texture, cool colors and wears really well)

http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/247EyePencil.cfm

 2-CHANEL's long lasting eyeliner.  Waterproof, luxurious feel and lasted through a 10 hour photoshoot when I used it on a model.  Love that it has a sharperner to keep it clean.

 

http://www.chanel.com/en_US/fragrance-beauty/Makeup-Eyeliner-STYLO-YEUX-WP.CONT.-DES-YEUX-89255

 3-MAC'S power point eye pencil.  It's also waterproof and it comes in metallic shades which are great to bring highlights to the eyes.

 

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CAT151&PRODUCT_ID=476

There are women who like to use cream and even liquid eyeliner inside the eye but I wouldn't recommend it as I feel it can be unsafe.  Stick to the pencils and make sure that you keep them clean.  Now how many times can I use the word clean!

Help women from El Salvador!

I found these great cards through "Hope for Women" which is an organization that sells products created by women artisans around the world.   They are a socially responsible organization committed to providing sustainable employment for economically disadvantaged women worldwide.

They offer products exclusively made by women so they can take control of their lives and their futures.

Hope For Women is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation. Every woman is paid a fair, livable wage under safe and healthy working conditions. 

In 2001, massive mud slides and a devastating earthquake left many families in the highlands of El Salvador homeless and jobless. With their fields destroyed, many people began traveling long hours to low-paying factory jobs in the capital.   A group of enterprising women, however, formed Arte Comasagua, an artisans’ organization that handcrafts stylish designs from native flowers and plants. These women now work locally, caring for their families and saving for their future.

The very stylish cards are blank inside and feature the women's "peluca" or wig designs made out of local flowers and leaves.  They call them the "El Salvador Collection"  They are so cool and the purchase goes to such a great cause.  Find them here, they are $5.50 each:
http://www.hopeforwomen.com/lifestyle/products/elsalvadorcollection/

Here's a sampling.  You can click on each card and see its creator and read a message from her.   And remember those are petals and plant materials that you see on the wigs!

 "Señorita"

 "Magdalena"

 "Rosa"

"Barbara"

My work in May's Vanidades

Here are some new shots that have just come out in "Vanidades"  It's a story about eyebrows.  And my hand gets its print modeling debut :)

They are from the May 2010 "Vanidades" issue in newstands now.  It has all my "tips" in it.

RIP Amy Wells

`I wanted to take the time to celebrate the life of a dear friend.  Amy Wells was a model I traveled with during the early parts of my career.  We were roommates in Paris, Munich, Hamburg and Mexico City.  She was always a caring non-judgemental soul and a friend to so many people all over the world.

Lately she had been fighting a battle with cancer, one that she lost last week.  It was great that I got to see her a few weeks before her passing and spend some quality time with her.  Her life ended way too soon!

To all of you, please remember that early detection increases your chances of surviving breast cancer.  The National Breast Cancer Association has an useful online tool which sends you reminders to schedule exams, etc.  Use it and encourage your friends to do so, it might be the best gift you ever gave them.
Please visit their website and inform yourself:
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/default.aspx

While you are there make sure you donate if you can, they fund free mammograms for women who can't afford them and support research programs throughout the country.
Donate at:
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/Donate/

Love you Amy!  Te quiero mucho...

 Amy in Miami a few years back

Amy 2010

Meet Lisalla Montenegro she is the new Maybelline girl

21 year old brazilian model will be representing for Latinas and joins Christy Turlington, Erin Wasson and Julia Stegner.   Look for her ads starting in June.

Montenegro is a "morena" who has been seen in  many campaigns and walked the runways of Hermes, Michael Kors and Armani to name a few.   On the editorial end,  she's been on Glamour, GQ, Nylon and Vogue.   And did I say she's gorgeous?

Congratulations Lisalla!

Buy these lipsticks and help put an end to Domestic Violence!

Available in three beautiful colors that work on all skin tones, Mary Kay is offering "Confidence, Inspiration and Compassion" Beauty That Counts® Mary Kay® Creme Lipstick.    These limited edition lipsticks are only available from May 1- Sep 15, 2010 in the US and $1 of the purchase price goes towards supporting the Mary Kay Foundation in its efforts to end Domestic violence.

From their website:

When Abuse Hits Home

Home should be a safe haven. Unfortunately, thousands of homes are like war zones each day because of domestic violence.

We want to stop the violence and break the silence. That’s why The Mary Kay Foundation has awarded more than $17.6 million in grant money to shelters for women and children in all 50 states since 2000.

Many cases of domestic violence go unreported, so statistics are difficult to get. However, the Family Prevention Fund estimates that between 960,000 and 3 million incidents of family violence go on each year. In 2009, the National Census of Domestic Violence Services reports that more than 65,000 victims were served on the day of September 15, 2009.

Domestic violence is the No. 1 cause of injury for women ages 15 to 44. These victims suffer emotionally too from depression, anxiety or social isolation. Domestic abuse occurs to women of all ages, income levels and educational backgrounds. 

Can't think of a better gift for yourself or others and the colors are beautiful.

http://www.marykay.com/content/company/csr_btc.aspx

Want to know what the colors look like on you- upload a picture here and see:

http://www.marykay.com/whatsnew/virtualmakeover/default.aspx

New cool funky Japanese makeup now at Sephora

Italian artist and creative director Simone Legno creates a tattoo on his arm using the perfetto eyeliner

The perfetto eyeliner

Punk lash mascara

I'm loving the great Legno designed packaging of this line but I must say I am INFATUATED with their Perfetto Eyeliner.   It's like a sharpie that you can actually use on your eyes and to do things like draw tattoos, etc.  They are waterproof and come in 8 cool colors.

Another great product is the Punk lash mascara.  Fun shades and a great volume building brush.

By the way, Tokidoki means "sometimes" in Japanese.  

Groovy line- worth a try exclusively at Sephora.

2010 latin billboards red carpet looks

Paulina Rubio-- channeling Beyonce That wig is a little too "wiggy" for the red carpet. Some looks are best for pictures/videos and not for real life

Nelly Furtado

Ivy Queen! Ay dios mio, I think her skin could look a lot better and I'm not a fan of updo's on wigs....

Thalia's pretty skin and makeup I don't love the hair

This year the Latin billboards traveled to Puerto Rico! These are some great hair and makeup looks (thumbs up or down? that's your choice)
And a great video right from the red carpet: