One of my favorite looks

I love this shot and for those of you who know my style of makeup will know why: Clean, pretty, makeup that enhances what's already gorgeous about the face. This not only photographs the best but also enhances the personality of the model in the shot b/c she can relate to her look. She told me before we started shooting how pretty she felt and I saw her come alive once the hair, clothes, and accessories came together. Here's what I did:

• This model has perfect skin to start with and one trick I absolutely love is to bleach the brows. As you can see they don't look 'bleached' they are just lightened so when you fill them in they look enhanced and not overly dark, done, drawn, or scary. I dislike scary, unkept brows.
• Next, I used a Tinted Moisturizer and layered to enhance the natural glow of her skin while giving her a more polished look.
• Using a small amount of concealer- actually the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage #2 made a huge difference as she was slightly red around her nose and under the eyes
• Face Stockholm makes these INSANE loose eye shadows and I used this pinky/gold one damp with a small shadow brush and patted on the lid
• Curled lashes and mascara on top only- she has dreamy eyes so I focused instead of using the mascara wand in an upward motion I swept the wand out to the side to enhance the kitty lashes on the outer corner- those really make the eye look sexy
• Used a powder brow filler a shade lighter than her natural color even after I bleached. It gives the brows definition and frames the eyes and doesn't knock w/ the hair color
• Cheeks and lips are complimentary. Notice her hair is so warm I chose a warmer red lip to harmonize better. Fire engine would have worked but I did not want the overall look to scream lips just assertively introduce themselves as having arrived
• Cheeks are subtle but a creamy, peachy warm shade that work with the lips. The biggest mistake I see is the cheek and lip being so opposite sometimes you don't see the overall look come together rather wear on the face as a bunch of separates.
• NOTE: Cheek placement huge here- she has apples slightly more enhanced when she smiles but a rounder shaped face. Applying the cheek color on the apples enhances what she already has and blending up and back toward the hairline minimizes the roundness of her face.
• No contouring or bronzer and very little translucent powder.
• No photoshopping or airbrushing can replace the beauty of good skin and anyone who knows me and has worked with me knows this is what I'm particulary passionate about- fix the skin and the rest doesn't take as much effort.

You'll never look as good as you do today.

Dara