This past year I find many of my favorite memories seem to include a particular group of artists, over and over again. This group of artists are talented, passionate, giving, knowledgeable, inspiring, and has etched a huge name in the forefront of the makeup industry. They are known as The Powder Group and they are headed up by founder Michael DeVellis with phenomenal talent James Vincent, right by his side. I am proud to once again be highlighted as a presenter for them at The LA Makeup Show February 28th and March 1st!

The Makeup Show LA

We invite you to join us for 2 days of fun in warm and sunny Los Angeles while networking, getting in advanced makeup education and taking in some outstanding “show specials” and deals from your favorite cosmetic lines and industry companies!

You can find me manning the WebPhotoMaster booth, both days, in between my presentations. This company is responsible for my personal portfolio website: KathyAragon.com. I will be their with artists Teena Hoffstetter and Heather Wilson, two other satisfied WebPhotoMaster clients helping to answer any questions and we can also take signups right on the spot! We will be holding a drawing to receive your own FREE self hosted online portfolio for an ENTIRE YEAR! Make sure to come by the booth to sign up and to take advantage of our “Show Only” specials too.

I will also be teaching two Hands on Workshops at this year’s Makeup Show LA,  “Camera Ready Makeup” and now “Red Carpet Beauty” as well.

Red Carpet Beauty: Kathy Aragon
Sunday, Feb 28 – 10:00am – 12:30pm – Studio 1
Whether your work is with celebrities for award ceremonies or real women red carpet beauty will help you better understand and execute special event makeup.  Watch as Kathy reveals the secrets to long lasting makeup that will be flawless in photographs, video and in person and develop your own style for an award winning face.

Camera Ready Makeup: Kathy Aragon
Monday, March 1 – 2:15pm – 4:45pm – Studio 3
This event is designed to help you better understand the details that make a makeup camera ready. Kathy will take you through the techniques required to transform a makeup for photography and develop your editorial eye.  Learn the product and tools that can be used and share her personal procedures as well as explore the precision required for photographic applications.

and here are more details about all of the Hands on Workshops (different for Master Workshops):

Details
• Event Fee $125 per workshop
• Workshops are 2.5 hours
• Space is limited, first come first serve basis
• Participants will work on each other as models for all other workshops
• Models are available for an additional model fee if requested
• Makeup supplies provided
• Airbrush equipment provided
• Attendees should bring their own brushes
• Maximum 20 participants per event

To Register for the Workshops classes please email info@themakeupshow.com, make sure to list your full contact info as well as the class you are interested in. You will get a respond from us in 24 hours with the information regarding the class.

*presenters, topics and schedules subject to change.***************

So please act now while seats are almost filled up!

I really and truly look forward to meeting so many of you as well as giving great big hugs to old friends. Definitely make sure to come by and say “Hi!” at the WebPhotoMaster booth and hope to see you at the “Camera Ready Makeup” and “Red Carpet Beauty” workshops as well!

P.S. Feel free to add me on Twitter to follow all my LA Makeup Show updates and more: KatAragon

Tags: beauty education, california market center, camera ready makeup, James Vincent, Kathy Aragon, LA makeup show, makeup workshop, Michael DeVellis, red carpet makeup, the makeup show, webphotomaster

Sorry about the urgency folks. I have been so busy lately and haven’t been able to do a proper post but definitely plan on putting up some things as I’m getting ready to be snowed in for the next few days.  I had to come out of temporary hiding though to announce one of my “Kat’s Kit” spotlight products is on sale on HauteLook.com right now – for the next 71 hours!

I took a quick peek and they absolutely have my raved about SkinPrep FX at 40% off. They also have other amazing products ready to snatch up and an amazing sale price.  If you want to know what all my fuss is about,  check out my spotlight post on their product here.

Also, if you are not a member of HauteLook feel free to use my invite by clicking here.

Sign up is free. Happy Shopping!

Have you ever dreamed about interviewing the stars on the Red Carpet? Smashbox Cosmetics and Elle Magazine give you the chance to do just that! Just follow this link to submit your video and I look forward to seeing you in Hollywood!

Enter the Elle and Smashbox Cosmetics Contest here!

Tags: Corresondent contest, Elle Magazine, Hollywood, smashbox

I thank each and every one of you for entering the UNII Cosmetic Palette Giveaway through this post here.

The winner is, ELISA, comment #5 chosen by Random.org!

Congrats Elisa and email me at kathy@kathyaragon.com with you address and choice of color and we will get that off to you right away. (You can find the colors here)

Enjoy and I look forward to bringing everyone another giveaway very shortly!

Thanks to the many beauty bloggers, makeup lovers,  and tweeters who keep the public informed on the latest sales! I try my best to put them in a comprehensive list for you on a regular basis. Enjoy the sales!

Sue Devitt- Take 20% off at suedevittbeauty.com with the code FF110 . Promotion running  through 1/31.

Smashbox Beauty Blowout sale going on right now! 25-50% OFF . Limited time only, act fast! www.smashbox.com

Sigma Beauty on the Go set now 25% off!

LaRocca Skin care on HauteLook.com running through tomorrow morning- If you are not a member of this amazing online discount community yet feel free to sign up with this invite: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/makeupisart

Dermalogica “But 2 get 1 free” (excludes kits) at Ulta.com for a limited time only.

Don’t forget Sephora’s weekly specials as well!  Find their sales here.

Tags: beauty promotions, la rocca, makeup sale, sephora, sigma, smashbox, sue devitt

For a long time now it has been common practice for freelance makeup artists to consolidate their makeup kits for no other reason than to lighten the load they have to lug around and to have everything as neat and organized as possible.

Those cute packages that may draw our eye to a particular product  may look harmless, but many of them grouped together give off some considerable weight, and ounces can seem like pounds when hauling a makeup kit. This is where magnetic palettes come in. There have been a number of palettes put on the market geared towards makeup artists that serve the purpose but skimp on the style department, but now UNII Cosmetics have come out with their own fun version for consumers and artists alike.

UNII Palette in Twilight

Is that an empty palette you ask? Why yes, it is! Not only is it empty, but it is magnetic, and it’s purpose is to cling on to the metal pans that lie within those pretty packages. This method is known as “depotting”. The metal pans that contain the makeup have a glue backing which adheres the product to the outer casing. Using techniques to warm up that glue loosen the pan, and voilà, the pan pops out and can then be stored onto a magnetic palette! The amount of product you can store in one palette depends on the size of the pan and palette itself, but there is no question…palettes are a great for consolidating your many products into one slim, easy to carry case.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quick Tutorial on Depotting: I had made a video a while back showing one of the processes I use to depot. I warn you, this version is pretty hard core in comparison to some who use the oven and a cookie sheet to warm and loosen packaging glue. UNII’s palettes has a beautiful outside packaging that instructs on another method of heating up the bottom of the pan with a blow-dryer to loosen up the pan. I’m impatient, I go all out or nothing. When I start to depot I mean business, so here is my way to tear up and destroy some packaging while keeping my makeup intact!  Be careful when trying this at home!

In playing around with the UNII Cosmetic palettes I noticed some unique features that it had in comparison to other pro counterparts. UNII first offers many different colors which is great for color coding. If you have ever grabbed for a palette and found yourself opening the wrong one because they all look alike, this is a helpful feature for you. I love that all of the options coordinate with my bright turquoise Tutto case! It comes in Pomegranate, Twilight, Lemongrass, Eggplant, and Snow. Each colored palette is covered by a clear coating making it easy to maintain and clean!

UNII colors/ my Tutto makeup case

Another unique feature is the rubber strip on the inside of the palette which helps to create a seal and the clasp on the outside which keeps that seal air tight and budge proof. In the event that any product did happen to fall out of place inside the palette, you could rest assure the palette would not open and get that product into your purse/kit and all over your things.

I think consumers will really appreciate that the UNII Palettes are also very light in weight and has a magnetic “thumb grip” which can be moved anywhere within the palette to help you balance it while applying your makeup. A wide mirror comes in every palette making it easy to apply your makeup anywhere! If you take a look at UNII Cosmetics website you will see different ways people are using their UNII’s for work and home. Many brands automatically cling onto the magnetic bottom but for those that don’t there are magnet strips with sticky backings provided. These palettes run slightly smaller than other palettes on the market but have lots of features the others don’t. I love this in my purse to tote around while keeping others in my set bag or setting up one for talent whose makeup tends to stay the same for continuity on set.

Extra information for UNII users…

FUN CONTEST GIVEAWAY!

Makeup Is Art Beauty Blog has only been re-launched for a matter of weeks and has such a growth in readership! I want to show my appreciation by offering one of these sweet UNII Cosmetic palettes, in the color of your choice, as my current beauty giveaway!

All you have to do is leave a comment sharing your feedback on the Makeup is Art Beauty Blog thus far or what you would like to see more from it in the future. I will choose a random winner from Random.org on Friday, January 22nd, and let you know of the winner right here on this blog by 5 p.m.  that day. This contest is open to any of my readers so comment away and I can’t wait to get one of these fun palettes in some ones hands!

Tags: consolidating, depot eyeshadow, depotting, magnetic palette, makeup artist, makeup kit, palettes, UNII, you tube tutorial

Here is a list of beauty promotions happening this week: January 11-17. Please check back frequently for updated sales as they are announced.

All Week while supplies last

Cargo on sale at Sephora- Price as marked at 50% off! Hurry while supplies last! http://www.sephora.com/browse/brand_hierarchy.jhtml?brandId=CARGO

CVS- There are frugal fashionista reports running rampant about deep discounts (50%-75% off!) being given on select beauty products at CVS including: Loreal, Maybelline, Milani, Physician’s Formula, Rimmel, and Revlon. There are possibly more lines. I will try and check it out today and see what goodies I can get. If you are able to pick some fun things up please post and let us know what you found.

Make sure to check out the Nouveau Cheap Blog to see more discounts at other drugstores as well.

January 11, 2010

Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Liner-Today only, get the brand-new shade of Smashbox’s best-selling Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner – 3 months before it hits stores! This cult-fave formula gives you won’t-budge definition all day, in a new gorgeous metallic turquoise hue that makes any eye color pop (it’s one of the hottest trends for Spring)! Click here to view online

Go Smile sale on HauteLook.com 8 a.m. PT- If you are not a member of this amazing online discount community yet feel free to sign up with this invite: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/makeupisart

January 13, 2010

Urban Decay sale on HauteLook.com, 8 a.m. PT- If you are not a member of this amazing online discount community feel free to sign up with this invite: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/makeupisart

January 14, 2010

DDF (Doctors Dermatologic Formula) sale on HauteLook.com, 8 a.m. PT- If you are not a member of this amazing online discount community feel free to sign up with this invite: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/makeupisart 

More to come! If you know of any beauty sales going or have a promo code, feel free to post it in comments.

Tags: beauty promotions, cargo, cvs beauty, hautelook, loreal, makeup sale, maybelline, milani, sephora

Eve Pearl Magic Salmon Concealer Wheel

Ok, admit it, how many of you knew I would be posting about this particular product any day now? Many people that know my artistry in any way know that I am a “Salmon Concealer-a-holic” but it’s with good reason! For those of you not in the know about this dream product yet, let me have the honor of introducing you to one of my “Kat’s Kit” specialty items:
Eve Pearl’s Magic Salmon Concealer.

I first learned of salmon concealer when sitting in a workshop at the International Beauty Show years ago, before getting into freelance makeup full time. As the esthetician of my family’s spa, I was in gear to pick up some extra makeup education during my trip to the show. I sat in on an incredibly in depth and inspiring makeup class and it wasn’t until after I became a fan of the presenter that I realized she was 5 time Emmy Award winning makeup artist Eve Pearl herself. I would go to see her present every year and was amazed at all the new tricks I would learn each time I went. I also became very impressed with this special Salmon Concealer she talked about during the demo that just seemed to whisk away darkness under the eyes.  Every year I would vow to buy the salmon concealer by the end of the show day and every single year I would get back to her table to find the concealer was GONE. Snatched up. Sold out before I was able to get my own hands on some!

Gone are the days of running after what I was starting to believe was a mythical product. I started working for CNN a couple of years ago and was ecstatic to see that they used Eve Pearl concealer on all their guests and talent! Every man and woman who came in to get made up for TV would have Salmon Concealer under their eyes as one of the first steps of the makeup process. In fact, we went through tons of this product  on a regular basis as you may  be able to see from the photo I took of our low stock. It was no wonder I soon picked up the phone and called Eve’s studios right away to order my own concealer wheel for my own kit.

We always have backup stock at CNN!

There are four reasons that I flock to the Magic Salmon Concealer before any other which is what I like to call the “Four C’s”.

The Four C’s of Eve Pearl’s Magic Salmon Concealer:
Color, Consistency, Compact, and CosmeNutrients^TM!

Color
The Salmon Concealer boasts a peachy/orange hue in various shades from light to dark and now includes a new deep color which can be purchased separately or in another wheel which I will explain soon. The reason behind the color is a simple one,  yet for some reason is not as widely adapted by many other cosmetic lines. That reason is one of basic color theory.

Does anyone remember the color wheel in art class that looked (kind of) like this?

Basic color theory states that if you mix equal parts of two complimentary colors (colors opposite each other on the color wheel) that the result will be a neutral color. Take a look at the orangey red side on the above wheel. If you go down to the tint (where white is added) you will notice colors that are close to what you find in Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer wheel. If you go directly opposite of those colors you will see what is reminiscent of the blue-purples that can show up under our eyes naturally. When the concealer is added to the under eye darkness it starts to neutralize and blend right into the natural skin tone of the rest of the face.

Growing up I was always told to use a yellow based concealer under the eyes or one that matched the skin color exactly. Problem is, unless you have truly purple shadows under your eyes, that yellow will just make give your blue/purple shadows more of a green hue. The trick with Eve’s concealers is to pick a concealer that matches the intensity of your undereye darkness, not your skin. If you have pale skin and medium to dark undereye circles I would try the medium concealer. If you have medium to dark skin with deep under eye circles I would go with the dark shade. The majority of the women I work on fall into the light to medium shade. If you are a makeup artist of course you just get the wheel that has all the shades to be used alone or mixed to get the perfect shade.

Consistency
This concealer is very creamy but has holding power.  I don’t know how to explain it better that Twitter friend @Tracey_MUA did after recommending it to her: “It went on so creamy, like buttah!!”. Haha! My sentiments exactly. I can use this very sparingly or I can  put it on heavier and either way it will warm up and blend right down into the skin without unwanted cakey or thick texture showing on the surface. Sometimes I buff it in with a fluffy synthetic brush, sometimes I will just press it in with a finger, sometimes I will use a traditional flat concealer brush to apply it. No matter how I do it, it looks great! It’s consistency stays, well, consistent!

Compact
Not only do I use this word to describe the convenience of having three of the most used shades in once slim case like the ones pictured above but I use the word to describe the options of the actual compacts themselves. There are some serious options for everyone from the at home user looking for their one perfect color to a serious pro artist needing a color for everyone they will ever work on. Eve’s concealers come in 1,2, or 3 shades to a compact in different shade combinations.

I personally carry two of her wheel compacts with me to every job (aside from my other Eve Pearl products). I have the Magic Salmon Concealer Wheel with the three colors Light, Medium, and Dark but I also carry her HD Foundation Cream Blush Trio that includes a deep orange color that is absolutely beautiful used as a concealer for dark pigmentation and undereye shadows on deep skin tones. Between these two compacts I can easily mix and match to cover every range of undereye darkness that I come across. Oh, and I have beautiful cream blush on hand to compliment any skin tone. Score!

HD Foundation Cream Blush Trio

* CosmeNutrients^TM
Last but not least, Eve has put her stamp on the makeup industry by offering a blend of staple beauty products- that give results!- with loads of nutrients that Eve originally developed for her own sensitive and dry skin. She has marked this winning combination as CosmeNutrients^TM. Here is how Eve’s website describes all the goodies her products contain:

* CosmeNutrients^TM: Cosmetics infused with nutrients. Combining the unique blends of vitamins, minerals, proteins, peptides and anti-oxidants into multi-functional cosmetic formulations. This luxurious makeup line provides a light, non-greasy yet smooth application, allowing skin to breath. The nutrients nourish, help protect, restore and renew the skin’s texture and elasticity. It also reduces the appearance of pores, fine lines and wrinkles.

You can also find more benefits of the Eve Pearl active ingredients here.

Now I do realize that this is a lot of info on what seems like it would be one little product rave, but I don’t love a product just to love it. I love it because it is worth it and has more to it than meets the eye. For this reason, Eve Pearl’s Salmon Concealer: You are a “Kat’s Kit” Spotlight Product!

Tags: color theory for makeup artists, cosmenutrients, Eve Pearl, international beauty show, makeup class, salmon concealer

I have been fortunate enough to work with Mary Amons, founder of “Labels for Love”, a number of times  this past year and let there be no doubt, she proves a mother of five can make her marks in the fashion industry! Mary has the heart, the wit, and the style to make a charity like Labels for Love succeed and she has no shortage of industry friends who will support her cause.

I am so excited to announce her event happening this January 14th at the Washington D.C. Mayflower Renaissance Hotel featuring designer clothes from Lela Rose’s Spring 2010 collection and the man who brought the original hairstyles to the New York Fashion Week  runway for this show:  one of my favs, Ted Gibson and team!  Christian Dior’s National Beauty team will be backstage along side creating a complimentary look for the show featuring T.H.E. Artist Agency models.

This is a can’t miss event to benefit The Center for Heart, Lung, and Kidney Diseases at Children’s National Medical Center. It is already being touted as an “An exclusive evening of Fashion, Art and Philanthropy!” and I know it will live up to the hype.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Click  to get your tickets for this exciting event now!

Skinprep FX Primer by Cover FX

In yesterday’s post I mentioned I used an extra primer for skin that needed a bit more help in the texture department. I sometimes find myself finding my moisturizing/primer in one (Embyolisse) is just not enough for my mature clients. That is when this stellar primer steps in: Skinprep FX by Cover FX.

I ran into this gem at the Chicago Artist Summit I was teaching a workshop at. I was asked to do a class on “Makeup for Mature Women” and I ran right over to the Cover FX booth to find a particular foundation but ended up talking to the reps at the booth about this baby. I started to play around with the consistency on my hand and added it to silicone based makeup to see how it could thin some of my favorite products out. Kevin, from one of my favorite lines, even came over (his booth was across there’s!) and started showing me why this primer was considered “Liquid Gold” in the makeup artist community. I mean seriously, when you have people coming from competitor’s booths to show you something that says a lot!

I went ahead and snatched some of this product up and used it in my demo as well for many faces I had worked on shortly after. I am not even exaggerating when I say this stuff makes such a difference in the appearance of foundation, not just for mature skin, but for all skin types! Being a makeup artist I do have different primers “just in case” that I hoard in my kit, some I will talk about in a separate post, but this primer makes it out for my normal/mature/sensitive/dry/extra dry… you get the ideal, it makes it out for just about everyone.

I definitely challenge anyone who has a silicone based foundation, who wants to thin down the consistency for a different look and feel to their product, to try mixing this “liquid gold” with it. I have tried it with their own Cover FX cream foundations, Yaby foundation, Make Up For Ever HD, and have loved every result.

Also, don’t even get me started on their ClearPrep FX Primer! That really deserves it’s own post since it is a primer to help mattify and smooth oily skin while helping to prevent/heal acne. YUP! I said PREVENT and HEAL acne- in primer form!  That is basically unheard of these days, but I will have to save that for another love letter, ahem,  post one day.

SkinPrep FX Primer by Cover FX: You are a“Kat’s Kit” Spotlight product!