Fiona Stiles's 5 Makeup Must Haves

Allow me to introduce you to Fiona Stiles, a celebrity makeup artist worth stalking (on her blog... of course), My Life in Paints, Powders and Pigments.  Her most recent accomplishment, besides just working with Jessica Chastain for the NBR Gala and Rosie Huntington Whitley for the Golden Globes, is becoming the Brand Expert and Celebrity Makeup Artist for Mark Cosmetics.  I caught up with Fiona over dinner at Kingswood in NYC last week where she dished on the five must haves in her makeup kit.mark. Touch and Glow

There's a glowy shade in here for all skin tones. The formula is great on the cheeks as a highlighter or on the eyes as a cream shadow. I love the versatility of this product.

By Terry Baume de Rose Lip Balm

I love the soft rose scent of this lip balm. So moisturizing and silky soft. It's pure luxury.

Kevyn Aucoin Beauty Eyelash Curler

Everyone needs to use a lash curler, it does wonders for the shape of the eyes. It's a better than a cup of coffee as far as making you look bright eyed and bushy tailed.  

Darkness Lash Glue

This is THE. BEST. LASH. GLUE. PERIOD. Good luck getting your lashes off.

Anastasia Brow Gel

An unruly row makes me nuts. It can ruin an otherwise flawless face. This never flakes, and the brows are set for the day once it dries.

Get the Look: Anne Hathaway's Customized Lip Color at the NYC Les Miserables Premiere

Sultry is one word to describe Anne Hathaway's look at the NYC premiere of Le Miserables this week.  To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm more envious of her perfectly painted lips or the mirror-like shine in her hair.  She looked stunning.  Chanel Makeup Artist Katie Lee gave me the scoop on how to get her flawless skin and velvet-like fuchsia lip (which was a blend of three shades!) that complimented her edgy Tom Ford gown. "We wanted Anne to look slick and chic in her hometown of NYC," Lee commented.

1. For a velvety finish on the skin, Lee used Chanel Perfection Lumere Long Wear Fluid Makeup SPF 10.  Then gave them a slight flush with Laura Mercier Cream Blush in Prailne.
2. For a wet look, she applied Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme on Anne's lids.
3. After applying individual false lashes, two coats of mascara were applied.
4. Anne's eyebrows are one of her most important features.  Lee spent a lot of time grooming and elongating them with Anastasia's products including her Clear Brow Gel to set them into place.
5. The lip is a combination of three colors!  Lee mixed: Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Rouge Noir and Palipitante with Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in La Somptueuse.  Try that at home!

Spring 2013 Beauty Trend: Flawless Faces, Get the No-Makeup-Makeup Look

Backstage at NY Fashion Week this September I took note of the top beauty trends for Spring, some of which included buff nails, nude lips, electric eyes, deep side parts and flawless faces.  Flawless faces, which to me is more than just a trend, it's a way of life.  It's your skin! I got some tips from CoverGirl Celebrity Makeup Artist, Jake Bailey, on how to achieve the no-makeup-makeup look, flawlessly. 1.       Start by removing any excess oil or makeup with a toner or astringent.

2.       Apply lip balm at the start of your makeup routine so it has time to be absorbed. Then, when you’re ready to apply lipstick, lips will be soft and supple, but not sticky.

3.       Spread a lightweight, non-greasy moisturizer over entire face as a primer and then blot with a sponge to remove excess.  I'd recommend Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Free Moisturizer, $16.99.

4.       Using a flat-topped brush, dab a creamy foundation like Giorgio Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation SPF 20, $65, onto your face and décolletage.

5.       Conceal under eye circles with a light reflecting concealer.  Be sure to keep the product away from your lash line  It will only highlight puffiness.

6.       Use the sponge to blot away excess foundation before applying blush and bronzer to prevent a “cakey” look.

7.       Using a brush, apply cream blush to the apples of your cheeks, then blend it out around your entire cheek for a natural flush.  The brush gives it a more natural look.

8.       Warm up the look with bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks and around the perimeter of your face.

9.       Use an oversized, soft brush to set the look with a light powder.  The soft bristles provide less resistance, helping keep makeup intact.  I use the CoverGirl + Olay Pressed Powder, $10.49, because it's a bit moisturizing and doesn't make my skin look cakey.  Check out my review here.

10.   Finish with mascara. For a smudge-free application, place a business card at the base of the lash line, then brush mascara over top lashes. The business card helps separate lashes and prevents clumping and excess.

Hunger Games Beauty: Jennifer Lawrence's Makeup Artist Dishes on Transforming Katniss Everdeen

It's Hunger Games Day!  I was suppossed to see it at midnight last night and my flight from Arizona got in a bit late so I didn't make it!  So anxious!  In honor, I'm giving you the scoop on what it's like to work with Jennifer Lawrence straight from her makeup artist, Jillian Dempsey, the Avon Global Creative Color Director, who worked with her for the LA Premeire.  She transformed the girl in the woods into a head turning, red carpet beauty with intoxicating eyes.   Did you collaborate with the rest of her glam squad before creating her look?  What was that like?  

Yes, I collaborated with both the stylist Elizabeth Stewart and hair stylist Mark Townsend to create Jennifer’s look.

Was her look based off of her gorgeous Prabul Gurung gown?

I was definitely inspired by Elizabeth’s choice of the metallic gold Prabal Gurung gown. It was bold and so glamorous, and I wanted that sexiness to be reflected in her makeup. We wanted to push the eyes to the extreme to complement the striking outfit.  That's why I decided to put the focus on Jennifer’s eyes.

How did you create such a striking effect?

I started by by lining them with a deep black liner and then layering a gold eyeshadow on top.  Using a featherbrush, I blended the edges of the liner with the gold shadow. By merging the two textures and colors, I created a multidimensional effect that appeared as a sparkling black to match the graphic elements of the gown. I also darkened Jennifer’s brows to further accentuate her eyes and frame her face. Mark pulled her hair back into a loose, low bun which helped highlight her eyes as well.

Key products used to create the look were: 

Eyes: Laura Mercier Caviar Eyeliner in Black

 Face: Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Perfect Contour Powder in Blissful (available in April), Be Blushed Cheek Color by Avon in Tropical Peach and StilaConvertible Color in Peony

Lips: Ultra Color Rich Moisture Seduction by Avon in Nude Perfection and Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Lip Stain in Coral Aquatique

Celeb Brow Guru, Damone Roberts, Dishes on Framing Some of the Most Famous Faces

It was such a pleasure to speak with Damone Roberts.  Known as the brow guru to A-Listers such as Madonna, Rihanna, Beyonce and Megan Fox, Oprah's coined him as a "beauty therapist," and with salons in Beverly Hills and NYC, he's unstoppable.  I got the scoop on why he's the stars' go-to, DIY brow grooming tips and his latest project. You've been called a “beauty thearapist,” what does that mean?

I’ve been doing a column for Oprah.com and we came up with this name because women like to feel good about themselves.  Women hold back more psychologically than physically and I bring out the best version of themselves.  Things change from fashions to our age and weight and sometimes you need to let things go and bring back the best thing about yourself.

What's it like to work with such iconic women?

You see these women and they’re all icons and I grew up with posters of Madonna on my wall and now her face is in my hands.  I went to see Madonna in concert at her Blonde Ambition tour and now I’m sitting front row as her primper and friend.  All of my famous clients are like everyone else.  Once you gain their trust you're not just working for them, you become their friends.

Why is it important to have a relationship with your brow guru?

You need to find an artist you like and trust them.  Don’t be adamant about not changing your look.  You’re only hurting yourself.  Find people you trust, make sure you like their work and hand it over at a certain point.

People come to me and give me a picture of Brooke Shields, but have two eyebrow hairs.  I let them tell me what they want, but upon first look I already know what I’m going to do to them.  They trust me, but I hear them out.  The relationship I have with my clients is very important.  I love the OMG moment, right after a service when they realize how much they love their look.

What are your pointers for women who are plucking their own brows?

Less is more.  Take out one row at a time and step back to look at it.  Then go to the other side and do the same.  Never conquer your brows individually.  Then use brow gel.  It helps keep hairs in place and opens up the eye to make you look more alert and younger.

What's next for you?

I'm working with thelookbag.com, to curate deluxe sample sized beauty products for members that get delivered monthly to their homes.  I find that there's a lot of product out there and walking into a Sephora can become very overwhelming.  This is a great way to expose people to the latest and the greatest.

Tips from Carmindy on How to Rock A Bright Lip

It's no secret that the key to rocking a bold lipstick shade is confidence, but until recently I couldn't bring myself to do it and I don't think it was confidence that I was lacking. Instead, it was lack of what I like to call lipstick knowledge.  I'm a gloss girl.  I spoke with Celebrity Makeup Artist, Carmindy and got some tips on how to pull off a bright lip with pride like Jessica Alba. 1. How should you prepare your lips for a bold or bright colored lipstick?

First buff them with a little white sugar and a washcloth. Then add a bit of balm and do the rest of your makeup first. Then by the time you apply your lip color they will be nice and moist and ready to go.

2. When wearing a bold color how should you wear the rest of your makeup?

Keep it simple and let the lips be the star of the show. Cheeks should have a simple pink flush and eyes should be neutral with black mascara.

3. What's the key to making color on your lips last?

You can line the lips first with a matching lip liner and then fill them in with the liner. Then apply lipstick and don't gloss. Let the bold color do all the work as gloss on top would be overkill.

4. Would you say wearing bold lip color is high maintenance?

It only is if you don't prep and apply it correctly from the start. You can just add a bit in the center of the lips throughout the night if it wears off.

5. What type of person can rock this lip look?

Anybody can with a positive confident attitude!

The Bronzer 411 & Golden Giveaway

After a conversation with some of my girlfriends I discovered that bronzer was one of the top beauty products they couldn't live without and observed that some of them weren't even wearing the right shade for their skin tone.  That being said, I decided to help them out by investigating the techniques on how to choose and apply the magic dust.  Physician's Formula Celebrity Makeup Artist Joanna Schlip gave me the scoop. The Top 2 Golden Rules of Being A Golden Goddess:

1. Obviously our skin gets darker in the summer and lighter in the winter, which means you need to change your bronzer with the seasons.  Always use a bronzer that's two shades darker than your skin tone.

2. Use...a kabuki brush to apply bronzer (this is the one that's "cut") – it won't show any lines of demarcation – and apply to all areas the sun will hit such as your forehead, cheekbones, nose and chin. Don't forget the small parts.  Your ears and neck should be bronzed too.  Blend well.

Schlip loves Physician's Formula's new Shimmer and Pearl Bronzer (great for face) and Bronze Booster Pressed Powder (awesome for face & body). I have one of each to give away!  Here's how to win:

Follow @beautysweetspot on Twitter and RT my Tweets about the giveaway, a winner will be chosen for each at random on Friday, July 30th. Good Luck!

Beat the Heat Makeup Tips

The heat wave in NYC is no joke right now.  I can't even wear anything on my face but mascara, eyeliner and a dab of cream blush if I have to wear makeup at all – but Rachel Bilson's makeup artist, Carol Shaw gave my friends at DailyMakeover the scoop on look cool despite the heat.  Here are her tips: Protect Your Skin

Keep your skin moist, healthy and protected with a foundation or tinted moisturizer that contains SPF. These skin savers will keep your skin protected and hydrated while evening out your skin with a beautiful flawless finish. Try: Lorac Anti-Aging SPF Breakthrough Performance Foundation. Don't forget about your lips, they need to be nourished and protected too! Find a lipstick that's creamy and moist with SPF and comes in great summer shades like coral, rose, pink and bronze.

Picture-Perfect with Powder

During the hot summer months we can get a little too shiny-- powder helps your makeup stay-put,... takes down the shine on your forehead, nose and chin and gives a silky-smooth finish. Powder is great for touch-ups on-the-go; it instantly makes your skin look fresh and flawless!

Long-Lasting Liner

Go from day-to-night with a long-lasting, water-resistant eyeliner. For day, add a thin line of black eye liner along top lashes for a smudge-proof, budge-proof, smooth, clean line that lasts in the summer heat. For hot steamy nights, wing your eyeliner with a flick at the outer corner for a sizzling summer cat eye!