Iconic Beauty!

In my career this Pro has worked with all types of beauty. I see beauty in areas that others would not and I believe that every person has the ability to be beautiful regardless of the “gifts” bestowed on them by genetics!

Iconic beauty is, to me, a woman that personifies time. Usually these women are exceptionally gorgeous like Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, etc. This blog post will concentrate on the iconic personas of today because these women are still out “there” on our televisions, on our movie screens and in our magazines.

The women highlighted today are Pro favorites! Ask me why and I will answer…"because they keep it real!" They don’t pretend to be something they are not. These ladies are just that…ladies, but with, and pardon the expression, a set of “balls” on them that make this Pro envy their determination.

They are magnetic, passionate, powerful, successful, talented and yes…gorgeous!  These women are also all over the age of 60 and there is no slowing them down. Whether they are performing, fundraising or fighting for a cause politically, these women are iconic beauties with a style that we should celebrate.

Since this is first and foremost a beauty blog, I thought it would be appropriate to write a beauty breakdown on how to “get their look.” As you read this post you will notice a pattern. All of these breakdowns will contain age appropriate makeup recommendations. These mega stars don’t allow or want their makeup artists to overly make them up, unless the magazine spread or movie character calls for it.

Please don’t be fooled, just because this post is focusing on more mature women doesn’t mean that you can’t use the products listed regardless of your age. Everyone can wear a matte eye shadow or those with a slight shimmer and a nude lip does not have an age requirement!

Let’s begin with a lady that I had the pleasure to work with long ago…Sigourney Weaver. Ms. Weaver is 61 years young and is best known for her role as Ellen Ripley in the Ailen film series.  Other notable roles include Ghostbusters, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl and the most recent Avatar.

I am currently working with an actress that reminds me very much of Ms. Weaver. Her name is Reamy Hall and I always think of how Ms. Weaver’s natural bone structure, which Reamy has too, is perfect and that the need for a ton of makeup is totally unnecessary.

To get a natural, daytime appropriate look like the photo above, try the following products:

Skincare/Prep: Every good makeup starts with great skincare and prep.  Don’t make the mistake of investing in cosmetics without making certain that your skin is ready.  This means purchasing products that are right for your skin type.  If you are not sure what you need then visit a professional or even a cosmetic counter and test products before you buy.

Foundation: depending on your skin’s texture and tone you may want to invest in a more expensive foundation and purchase one that contains SPF protection.  I recommend the following from Chanel: Lift Lumiere, which visibly diminishes the look of wrinkles and fine lines and it controls shine without chalkiness. Vitalumiere if your skin suffers from fatigue and dehydration. If you are oily then try Mat Lumiere or if you have normal skin try Pro Lumiere. These foundations are best because of their blend-ability, wear-ability, coverage and they will not settle into lines or wrinkles.

Concealer: you will want to use a concealer that is also a treatment because you do not want that product settling into any fine lines around your eyes! This Pro recommends purchasing a concealer that is also an “eye brightener,” which will help disguise the appearance of wrinkles and deep creases. Try Jan Iredale’s Active Light Under Eye Concealer, which contains ingredients that will calm tired eyes and reduce puffiness while lightening up any dark areas.

Face Powder: set your makeup with a light dusting of face powder, but be careful not to over do it! Powder tends to settle into creases and can have a very flat effect on the face. Try Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finish Powder, this product contains real diamonds, which have a subtle reflective quality, but is free of shimmer. A very light dusting is recommended and gently buff into the skin using a soft buffer brush.

Contour: bronzer is used to sculpt cheekbones and to contour the jaw line. Using Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel, which is a light cream-gel bronzer with a small, tapered blush brush, lightly apply toward the back of the cheekbone near the ear and blend down toward the nose, but stop before the nasal labial folds. Tip: you are trying to “lift” the face, not drag it down and the closer your bronzer or blush gets to your nose, can cause the appearance of “droopiness.” Blend and buff the bronzer into the skin diminishing any demarcation lines. You can also blend up onto the temples and into the hairline.

Cheeks: blush should be a light, peachy/pink tone either matte or with a slight shimmer. Eve Pearl’s Blush Trio in Sweet Cheeks is a perfect palette. Sweep a fan brush over all three colors and apply lightly on the cheekbone avoiding the apples of the cheeks. Remember the tip listed above, you do not want to bring your blush down near your nose. Keep the blush higher to create the appearance of a “lift.”

Highlighter: this product can be your BFF because Highlighters create a natural glow and bring a sheer, reflective light to the skin. Eve Pearl’s Bronzing Highlighter Trio (Classic) can be lightly swept along the orbital bone, down the nose and across the chin.

Eyes: Jane Iredale’s Perfectly Nude Eye Shadow Kit contains 5 shades of beautiful, age appropriate color for the lid, crease and brow bone area. The darker colors in this range can also be used as a soft bottom liner. Use Cream as an all over wash from lid to brow, blend Cappuccino into the crease and create a slight “V” shape in the outer corner and blend to erase any harsh lines. Use Antique Gold or Cream at the brow bone. Tip: line the lower inside waterline with a matte white or flesh-tone eye pencil. This is a great trick for opening the eyes and help to whiten the eyes when they are tired.

Eyebrows: make sure to fill in your brows! Choosing a color close to your hair color is best or have your brows tinted. Tattooing is a harsh look for more mature women and is not endorsed by this Pro! Try Laura Mercier’s Brow Definer, which is an innovative wax/gel formula that coats the hair lightly and because this product is a gel formula, it has a longer wear-ability factor. Apply with an angle brush.

Eyeliner: as we age our natural, dark lash line begins to fade leaving the appearance of sparse, light lashes that can instantly age our eyes. You will want to use a powder, pencil or gel liner and smudge into the upper lash line.

Mascara: plenty of black mascara, waterproof or not, will also help to bring out your eyes. Some women are embracing false lashes or even opting for eyelash extensions. All of which can be a benefit.

Lips: choose a lipstick that is hydrating with a little bit of plumper. This Pro loves Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Ginger. Tip: coordinate your lip and cheek color. If you are using a peachy/pinky blush tone then either a pinky or peachy color for the lips will work. Rose color seems to be a favorite for mature women, but certainly not necessary and if you are going for a coral, choose a deeper color and unfrosted! Lip pencil is optional, but use if your lipstick tends to bleed.

Here are a few more photos from the past that depict Ms. Weaver’s ageless beauty:

Moving on, here is a woman who has the “Midas touch!” Everything she does turns to gold or platinum! Barbara Streisand was born in 1942, which makes her 69 years young. She has won 2 Academy Awards, 8 Grammy Awards, 4 Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award and she has sold over 140 million albums worldwide!

This Pros all-time favorite Streisand movie is Funny Girl! I could watch it a thousand times and “Hello Gorgeous” are words that every woman should say to herself (out loud) when they look in the mirror!

To get Ms. Streisand’s simple yet sophisticated look from the photo above, I suggest the following products:

The recommendations listed above for skincare/prep, foundation, concealer and powder are the same.

Eyes: Dior’s 5-Color Eyeshadow-030 Incognito - these colors are incredibly soft and glide onto the eyes without tugging or smudging. You can build the intensity for day to night looks and you can line under the eyes creating a natural looking definition. Sweep Matte Beige from lid to brow and under the bottom lash line. Use Taupe Shimmer lightly in the crease. Warm Brown Shimmer should be blended into the upper lash line as liner.

Brows and Mascara recommendations are the same as above.

Cheeks: sometimes highlight and bronzer is all you need. Try Smashbox’s Step-By-Step Contour Kit - it will help you cheat genetics and it comes with an easy-to-follow guide that will ensure you place your bronzer (contour) and highlighter properly, just like a Pro!

Lips: M.A.C.’s Cremesheen Glass in Fashion Whim is a light beige, perfectly nude lip gloss that isn’t sticky or goopy!

Here are a few more photos from the past that highlight Ms. Streisand’s timelessness:

Last, but certainly not least, is an actress, political activist and fitness guru…the incredible Jane Fonda. Ms. Fonda is 73 years young and rose to fame in the 1960’s with films such as Barbarella. She tirelessly protested the Vietnam War and she describes herself as a liberal and feminist. As controversial as Ms. Fonda was back in the day, there is no denying that she is a powerfully strong woman and an incredible beauty.

To achieve Ms. Fonda’s flawless look from the photo above, use the following products:

Again, following the skincare/prep, foundation, concealer, powder, bronzer, contour/highlighter, brow and mascara products mentioned above with one addition:

During skincare/prep add Embryolisse’s Anti-Aging Re-Densifying Eye and Lip Contour Cream to your regime. This product is specifically designed to erase fine lines and deep wrinkles. Eyes will appear brighter, lips redefined and the face will overall appear younger.

Cheeks: Guerlain’s Blush G Serie Norie for a pop of color (notice the placement in the inspiration photo above).

Eyes: using two palettes from Elizabeth Arden – Color Intrigue Quad in Neutral Cashmeres and Color Intrigue Duo in Autumn Leaves to get the look. Begin with the lightest shade from the quad palette as an all over wash of color from lid to brow. Switch to the duo palette and use the peachy tone on the lid blending up into the crease. Switching back to the quad palette and use a combination of the taupe shade and the medium brown tone to create a crease and blend being sure to erase any harsh lines. Keep the darker shading only in the crease and away from the lid and brow bone. Back to the lightest shade from the quad palette as a brow bone highlight. The darkest shade in the quad palette can be smudge along the top lash line and the bottom lash line for eyeliner. If you find that this shade is too dark then switch back to the duo palette and use the deep brown shade instead.

Lips: line the lips using a natural toned lip pencil. Eve Pearl’s Lip Pencil in Cosmo is a perfect shade. Apply Smashbox’s Photo Finish Lipstick in Beautiful. Complete the look with Youngblood’s Lip Gloss in Demure.

Here are a few more photos spotlighting Ms. Fonda’s iconic beauty:

Pro Tip and Tricks: 

If you feel that you need more concealer on your cheeks, chin and around your mouth and nose because of age spots, sun spots or rosacea, then try Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer and Treatment. This product will erase and hide any discolorations. Blot on with a damp sponge and blend or stipple on using a pointed brush. Also, if you find that you need to touch up your face during the day, but don’t like using a pressed powder, switch to blot papers. These genius cloths will remove shine without adding makeup and they are sold in every drugstore!

FALL BACK!

The Pros agree that our favorite time of the year is between the months of September and November, thus we begin our search for new wardrobe items, both clothing and makeup. 

During our quest, we couldn’t help but notice the touch of feline femininity seen throughout the colors and textures that definitely make Fall 2010 our most favorite season. Bold, striking, and maybe a little high maintenance, the sassy trend is one to sink your claws into.

IMPO sent Makeup Pro, Cathi Singh, out to investigate and report on all the latest Fall trends.  She says, “it’s all about clean skin, long lashes, dramatic shadow, rich velvety colors, and soft luxurious cream blushes and lip colors.”

Your first step to achieving a new Fall look begins with Foundation because healthy skin is always in, but this season the focus is refined and polished, with a less dewy sheen.  Our picks are Chanel Pro Lumiere for a semi-matte silky finish and NARS Sheer Matte foundation.

Nothing screams sex kitten like a fierce cat eye using liquid liner and new user-friendly products give this classic a helpful update. Felt tip liner pens give beginners and Pros alike the benefit of a perfectly smooth line with just a flip of the wrist.

Our favorites are; NARS Stylo Pen, Benefit Magic Ink and Smashbox Liner Pen from the Heartbreak collection.

Pro Tip: When shopping for your felt tip pen, make sure to check the size of the pen tip as it will affect how defined or dramatic it applies onto your eye. Not all pens are created equal. Also, add a modern twist to your cat eye by applying a jewel toned soft pencil around the rim of the liquid liner or smudged over it.

We sipped on pumpkin spice lattes while viewing the Fall 2010 eye shadow collections - bronzes, coppers, smoldering browns, grays, and blacks.  Green tones are usually a part of every fall/winter season, but this is the year of the humid, khaki green. The military jacket, moss colored, shade with a hint of gold for that chic finish.

Pro picks; Guerlain Terracotta Fard Indien Mineral Eye Shadow in Jungle Dust is a deep green with gold shimmer that has a built in sponge tip applicator. Perfect for the get up and go lifestyle. Also check out their shadow quad called Bronze Dore 481, which has a beautiful olive green and complimenting colors.

Indulgent, dessert like chocolate browns are also a must for Fall and the Pros are head over heels for llamasqua’s Cream Eye Shadow in Destroy, which has a satin finish with a rich terracotta pigment. Delve and Inhale are two more decadent and delicious colors to add to the autumn palette.

 

Urban Decay gets a huge gold star for their Naked Palette. It’s stocked with the gamut of bronzy browns and a deep pigmented black, as well as two eye pencils to finish off the frisky feline set.

For the ultimate in luxurious shadow, Dior has created the Minaudiere Clutch for the smoky eye enthusiasts. Amenities include classic Dior hounds tooth pattern, gold accents, and two warm glossy lip colors. This clutch is exclusive to Dior's Holiday Collection 2010 not yet available in stores.

To line your eyes, try Stila’s Smudge Stick Waterproof Liner in Moray, which is an intense olive green with blendable texture. For understated color, mix bluish green colored pencils with charcoal shadows.

Lashes are all about length this season, so the Pros suggest Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Smoky Lash Waterproof Extra Black Mascara with an elastomer high-density brush, which makes reaching lash roots easy and creates incredible separation.

Just like fashion, brows have trends too and this season, brows are taking a back seat to prominent eye or lip color due to the rising trend of lightening, highlighting and erasing brow hair. If you don’t want to dye your brows, try a lighter application with your brow pencil, or even a shade or two lighter with a powder.

Understated and soft cheeks that have just a kiss of color are a must this season and at the top of our Fall 2010 list is Senna’s Cheeky Cream Blush in Petal.  We also love Senna’s new color Hue from their latest collection, which is a sheer matte blush.

Lady GaGa isn’t the only one embracing an orange lip; this feline look rocked the runways. Tangerine lips worn with bronzer, black eyeliner and mascara will immediately make your look current and fresh.

Not to mention the orange tones warm up the skin and help maintain that tan we are desperately trying to hold on to.  Sisley Hydrating Long Lasting Lipstick in L30 or L11 is our choices when rocking this trend.

  

Burgundy lipstick is another one of our favorite trends this season. Nothing says cozy like a rich berry stained lip, fluffy sweater and good book. In our case the book is usually a fashion mag, but tomato tomahto.

The Pros love Dior Addict Lip Color in Pinstripe Plum, as seen below on French actress, Marion Cotillard in Vogue Magazine.

We also are smitten with MAC Lipstick in Kittenish from the Fabulous Felines Collection exhibit some of the finest burgundy wine shades.  NYFW was laced with wine stained lips this season, like a 1930’s prostitute on the L.A.M.B. runway created with MAC cosmetics.

PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

Fall 2010 is all about smoldering, sensual lips in jewel toned colors and we love the fact that lipstick is making a major comeback, but the Pros are so over trying to coordinate lip liners and lipstick colors!  We recommend trying Cargo Cosmetics The Reverse Lip Liner, which comes in two shades, Light or Medium/Dark.  This liner is a natural colored pencil that adds definition and fullness to the lip line and locks color in place.  Check out Cargo’s great how-to instructions below: