My fave 5.

A few weeks ago, my friend Kate asked me to write a blog on the 5 beauty products that are "must haves" in my makeup bag. As I am sure you all know, this has been QUITE the task for me considering it takes about 50 products to complete my drag queen facade on a day to day basis. After much thought and consideration, I have narrowed it down to the 5 products I would have in my makeup bag if I HAD to choose.

1) MAC's  Select Moisturecover Concealer ($17 @ MAC)

Not only is this one of my favorite concealers, it is also an amazing foundation. On top of this being one of my favorite concealers, this could double as a foundation AND an eye primer (although I would not recommend this as an eye primer on a day to day basis since it will crease faster than a pair of Gucci slacks)

2) An amazing mascara

You need SOMETHING to define your eyes. Every girl loves beautiful, feminine, butterfly lashes... right?I am currently obsessed with Tarina Tarantinos Fleur De Lash ($19 at Sephora) and Tarte's Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara ($19 at Ulta) Both in black, please. If worse came to worse and you needed eyeliner, I'm sure you could find some way to manipulate these mascaras into an eyeliner.

3) Lancome's Eyebrow Enhancer Le Crayon Poudre

These "powder pencils" can fill in your brows AND they have a brush on the other end to help keep them tamed. No one wants to see untamed or undefined eyebrows. Trust me on this one. ($24.50 at any Lancome counter)

4) The perfect blush

I LOVE blush and it is so important to define your cheekbones. I love Strada (MAC) Springsheen (MAC) Cheeky (MAC) Peaches (MAC) and Plum Foolery (MAC) Yeah, I love MAC's blush. ($19.50 @ MAC) Expect it, accept it.

5) A great moisturizing lip liner

A good lip liner can not only define your lips, but add a pop of color and act as a lipstick or lip gloss. I would have to say it would be a tie between either one of the NYX lip liners ( $3.49 at Ulta. My current favorite color is Peekaboo Neutral) or Urban Decay's Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color ($19 at Sephora) These are basically a lip gloss in pencil form so you can define your lips, but you also get a high-shine gloss look with AMAZING color pay off. I can't tell you which color I love the most because they only come in 5 colors, and I am equally obsessed with them all.

Love most of you.

xoxox,

Ally Stagg

Current Obsessions...

Right now, I am obsessed with the following things:

1) The rainy weather in Las Vegas via the past few days.

2) This cover of Britney Spear's Toxic by Yael Naim:

3) REN Clean Bio Active Skincare's Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask: ($55.00)
Slap this mask on for 10 minutes and it will literally make you shed a layer of your reptile skin. It never "dries" it stays moist so it won't dry out your skin. You just wipe it off with a damp wash cloth when it is time and your skin will feel so fresh and renewed. It has a pretty hefty price tag, but since you only need a dime sized amount (if that) it will last you forever! You can purchase it online through Sephora. Sweet., simple, and to the point.

4) YSL's Rouge Pur Couture Lipsticks. ($30.00)
These are the most perfect and moisturizing lipsticks ever. I'm SO obsessed with these. $30 is a lot of money to spend on a lipstick but with variety of colors, they are bound to have the PERFECT one for any skin tone. I am obviously obsessed with #20 Rouge Flamme which is a cranberry red. This will be slathered on my lips from spring to winter. BEAUTIFUL!

5) SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair ($90.00)
Ok, ok, ok. I know $90 is a lot of money to spend on an eye cream, but when my vain tush went with my friend Leah to her Botox appointment, and I told them I was interested in Botox for my eyes, the Dermatologist said no on the Botox and talked me into this eye cream instead. I have absolutely NO regrets about it. Not only did it reduce the lines around my eyes, it is lightweight, creamy, and does not have any affect on my makeup when I wear the eyecream underneath. I use it day and night and the $90 pot lasted me about 4 months. Invest in this or you'll probably look old a lot sooner than you should.

6) Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Masks ($54.00)
I love these! These masks come individually wrapped with the eye pads on one side and the liquid on the other side. You "pop" the liquid side and it saturates the eye pads. Then you put the eye pads on your under eyes for about 15 minutes. They brighten, de-puff, and hydrate. Perfect for those sleepless nights or early mornings!

7) Charlotte Ronson's A Perfect Mess ($20.00)
My weave and I have been on the hunt for a great "beachy messy hair" product since the day we met... and I am pleased to announce that we have finally found it. Just a few sprays of this into your damp (more dry than damp) hair and you get the perfect "I just stepped out of a Sports Illustrated Swim Suit edition photo shoot" beach hair. It looks sexy and tousled, but not over done. I like to finish it with a dry spray wax (I use Short Sexy Hair's Play Dirty) to help tame any fly aways.

8) Moroccan Oil ($15.00 for the smallest size)
I know I'm late on this one. Everyone has been raving about it for years, but lets face it. It's amazing. I comb a dime sized amount through my hair after I get out of the shower and it helps keep my bleached weave soft, shiny and in check.

Love most of you!

xoxox
Ally Stagg

Eye spy... Eyeliner!

I'm SO happy to hear that not only have people been reading my blog, but they actually LIKE it. I'm also glad to know that I'm not the only person who likes to hear myself talk (or in this case, type.) I love hearing from you guys on things you would like me to write about because honestly, my head is like a makeup whirl wind. I have lipstick, glitter and falsies flying around everywhere. This week someone requested I write about a few of my favorite eyeliners.

Let me start off by talking about eyeliners that #ihate. I HATE liquid eyeliners. I hate all brands, all colors, all formulas. From the disgusting felt tip, to the messy black goo that comes out of the hideous cone shaped tube, it just grosses me out. How on earth are you even supposed to begin to draw a straight line on your tender little upper eyelid with a felt tip that is stiffer than one of Charlie Sheen's cocktails? I could never seem to grasp this concept. Oh, and please don't get me started on how fast this rubbish dries. If you mess up at all, you might as well just shoot yourself right then because if you try to fix it, you'll just end up doing your entire eye makeup over.

Now lets move on to my favorites.

1) MAC's Eye Khols

These are not exactly my favorite eyeliners to line your eye with, however I had to throw these in the mix because I am obsessed with their smooth texture and amazing color pay off. These are NOT smudge proof or waterproof, however they are perfect for layering under eye shadows to really make a color pop. For a quick smokey eye, I just scribble Smolder (Black) from my eyelid to my crease, blend it out with a synthetic brush (I like MAC's #242 brush) and then pat on a matte brown shadow (I like Handwritten by MAC or Bucked by Urban Decay) on top of it. The eyeshadow will set the Eye Khol and the Eye Khol will act like a base to give you the intensity you desire in a quick and efficient matter.

2) Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes Waterproof Liner Pencil

If you love using pencil eyeliners but have trouble with them melting down your face or transferring from your upper eyelid to your brow bone an hour after you apply them, then this is the eyeliner for you. These little sticks of perfection glide on super easy, set quickly, and won't budge all day. They come in 25 different colors which range from bright yellow to coal black. *BONUS* Sometimes Sephora comes out with collector sets that have several of the Aqua Eyes eyeliners in them so please keep your little makeup loving eyes peeled!

3) Tartes EmphasEYES Inner Rim Brightener

I la-la-LOVE this eyeliner. It is not a traditional black or brown eyeliner. It is actually a neutral colored eyeliner used to rim the upper and lower waterline of your eyes to brighten and give your eyes that "wide-awake" effect. It is perfect for everyday use when you just need that extra little pick me up. (And by "pick me up" I mean you stayed out way too late the night before clubbin' and need look awake and presentable for an 8am meeting.)

4) Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Liner

This liquid glitter liner makes my little drag queen heart twinkle. It has a super thin brush which makes it easy to be precise (even though it is virtually impossible to mess up glitter liner) and it has the perfect consistency. You can do one coat to add a little glimmer to a simple eye or you can do several coats for the street walker effect. It's completely up to you. I think we all know which look I personally go for.

5) MAC's Fluidline Gel Eyeliner

I saved the best for last. I live, breathe, and sleep for this eyeliner. I am almost certain that I would probably trade my first born child for a pot of this sacred eyeliner if that is what it really came down to. Fluidline is a waterproof gel eyeliner that comes in a pot and is applied with a brush (I use MAC's #209 or #266 brush) You dip your brush directly into the pot and this eyeliner basically waltzes onto your lash line all by itself. It may seem a little intimidating to apply eyeliner with a brush if it is not what you are accustomed to, but with a little practice, it will become second nature. Technically this is "not safe" for your waterline (according to MAC) but I have been swiping this on the top and bottom of my waterline daily for the past 7 years and I have managed to survive. Since it is waterproof, it will stay in place on your eyelid or in your waterline all day without any smearing, smudging or disappearing. They have a great selection of colors and you can do several coats if you want to build up the color. This is a great eyeliner to use when applying falsies. Since it has a thick gel texture, it helps blend the band of the falsies with your natural lash line. If you're not going to try this eyeliner, you might as well just stop reading my blog right now because I literally write about this product in every other entry.

Well guys, I hope this helps. (Not like my opinion matters or anything.)

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Nailed it!

If you're a moron like I am, it is probably virtually impossible for you to paint your own nails. I can paint one hand perfectly, then when I get to the other it looks like my dog, 2 year old, or little brother painted it for me. I had almost given up all hope and was ready to accept the fact that I'm 25 and I still can't paint my own nails until one of my best friends and fellow beauty blogger, Christine Guederian (http://www.ladycartistry.blogspot.com/) introduced me to my favorite new nail solution.... Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips.

I can't lie, I was a little skeptical of how these would work (I am a total manicure snob), but after hearing about them EVERY SINGLE DAY for a month from Christine, I decided to give them a whirl. I was truly blown away with how easy and inexpensive they were. The entire set cost me about $9.00 which includes 16 nail strips, a cuticle pusher, and nail file. The nail strips are pretty long so if you have shorter nails like I do, you can use one strip for 2 nails. They come in 2 sealed packages (8 nail strips in each) I recommend trying to find ones that fit from only one package because if you open both packages, I have learned (the hard way) that you can't save the ones that you don't use because they will dry out. I even had mine stored in a ziplock bag and they still dried out and wouldn't stick to my nail when I tried to do a repair a few days later.

The concept is so simple that it almost seems to good to be true. You simply find a nail strip that fits your natural nail, peel off the plastic back, match it up to your nail, stick it on, cut off the access strip with your cuticle clippers, (If you have short nails and can use one strip for 2 nails, this is where you would take the other side of the strip and apply it to the other nail before it dries out) then simply take the nail file and file your nail. This will shape your nail, take off the extra nail strip off of the tip of your nail, and smooth the edges. I have found it is good to do a coat of colored nail polish that is similar to the nail strip underneath. This way if the nail strip chips, you will have a coat of nail polish underneath that makes the chip in the nail strip less noticeable. It really is that simple and idiot proof. Trust me, if I can do it, you can too.

These strips last longer than any nail polish I have tried (usually around 5 to 7 days before chipping and I use my hands a lot.) They are perfect for day to day use or a quick fix when you have chipped nails between manicures. Also, here is no dry time so they are great for little girls who want fun nails too! I can't wait to pop out a baby girl and slap these on her fingers in the delivery room (along with her first MAC lipglass and a bad ass pair of falsies, obviously)

The strips come in so many different colors that there is something for everyone. There are prints, glitter, and solid colors as well. I recommend trying one of the glitter prints first because they are fool proof. Once you get the hang of it you can graduate to the prints such as Cheetah, Houndstooth, and lace. You can find them at grocery stores, drug stores, basically anywhere. So next time you're out, pick up a set. I promise you'll love them!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Your face bribed me.

Lets get down to business and talk about my new makeup and skin care obsessions for the moment.

1) Oil of Olay's Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

Words can not begin to describe my obsession with my new facial cleansing tool. I have been drooling over the Clarisonic (same concept, much more expensive) since I previewed it at the International Beauty Show TWO years ago. I patiently waited for it to go on sale and two years later, it still was not on sale. I had heard a few things about the Oil of Olay version, but being the brand name whore that I am, refused to purchase it. That was until I found the Oil of Olay Pro-X Cleansing System at Costco for $38.00 (A fraction of the price of the Clarisonic which is priced at about $200.00!) I could not pass up this bargain. The set included the tool, an extra head attachment, batteries, and a full size bottle of the Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Cleanser. This is basically a deep exfoliating and skin cleansing system for lazy people like me. The circular attachment spins gently around your skin to not only pull out and remove the dirt from your pores, but it works simultaneously with the Renewal Cleanser to lift dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to give you the worlds softest and cleanest skin. Its gentle enough to use every day (even if you have super sensitive skin like I do) and easy to clean and use. If you cant figure out how to use this OR you don't like it, you're an idiot.

2) Diorshow Maximizer Mascara

I have been eyeing Dior's Diorshow mascara for a while, but with there being 5,000 mascaras on the market (and me needing to try every single one) I had not got around to trying it. I was pleasantly surprised when my mother showed up on my doorstep with a goodie bag full of makeup that was given to her for hosting the Sephora convention that was hosted at the hotel that she works at and one of the products was Diorshow Maximizer. This is actually a primer that goes under your mascara and it works wonders. Every other primer I have tried has dried out my eyelashes and left disgusting crusties all over my face. This is the first primer to actually add length and volume without clumping my mascara or drying out my eyelashes. I apply two coats and before it dries, I add a few coats of my favorite mascara. It is almost as pretty as slapping on a pair of my favorite falsies (false lashes)!

3) Tarte's Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

Long (annoying) name, great mascara. This is the best mascara I have ever tried. It is good for any type of lash no matter what you are hoping to accomplish whether it be adding volume or length. One of the main ingredients in this mascara, Amazonian Clay, helps to repair, hydrate and restore you lashes.  Do yourself a favor and splurge on this $19 dream in an adorable little bamboo tube. Please and thank you.

4) Urban Decay's Naked Pallet

Just when I didn't think that anything could top MAC eyeshodows, Urban Decay released the most amazing 15 color eyeshadow pallet. All the shadows are neutral tones and are all highly pigmented so that you are sure to get the exact same color payoff that is suggested in the pallet. It's compact so that it is good for travel (synthetic brush included!) and the colors range from a nude shimmer to a dark charcoal so it would work for a day to day basis and it also provides the tools to take your natural day look to a sexy, smokey night look. *thumbs up*

5) Urban Decays Primer Potion in Eden

I have always been MAC paint pots number one fan, but once I was introduced to Urban Decay's Potion Primer, I abandoned my crusty paintpot and started a long term love affair with Urben Decays Potion Primer in the color Eden. I love paint pots, but I find if I don't use them fast enough they seem to dry out before I am even half way through with them. Potion Primer comes in a tube so you squeeze out what you need and then toss the lid back on. It works just as good, if not better than a paint pot. It goes on super light but still has a lot of pigmentation to help even out your eyelid and make your eyeshadow last all day. A full size tube is around $19 and will last you forever (and by forever, I mean about 6 months)!

6) NYX Pencil Lipliners

For any of you that know me, I am a lip liner whore. I am always on the hunt for a good (and inexpensive) lip liner because A) I always lose lip liners and B) I basically go through an entire lip liner each day, so paying $15 for a lip liner that I will most likely lose does not really make sense for me. I stumbled upon NYX lip liners at Ulta a couple of weeks ago and between the $3.00 price tag and a wide variety of colors, I had to give them a try. They are smaller lip liners so they are easy to tote around, have a smooth and creamy finish so they glide easily on your lips, and are true to the color so what you see is what you get. I can't go as far as saying that these are my favorite lip liners in the world (MAC's Cremestick lip liners will always have my heart) but for the price, I have yet to find a product that is as effective for this type of bargain. SOLD!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xoxox
Ally Stagg

Skin Care

I can not even begin to tell you how important skin care is.

I have had so many women come up to me and say "Oh this foundation breaks me out. Oh that foundation breaks me out."

Sorry Ladies, but I am here to call your bluff. I personally do not believe that. If you have an allergy to a certain product, then that is a different story, but a foundation isn't going to cause you to break out. Not cleansing your face properly at night is what causes you to break out.

I am pretty certain that you are probably saying "Oh, but Ally, I wash my face with soap and water at night." I am here to tell you that that is not enough.

Many foundations contain products such as syllicone that are amazing for product wear time, however, it takes much more than a little soap and water to break down your foundation enough to wash off properly.

When you are washing your face at night, you should always start by breaking down your foundation with an oil cleanser. Let me make it very clear that by oil cleanser I DO NOT mean slopping vegetable oil all over your face. I am obsessed with L'Occitane Almond Apple Cleansing Oil. It smells like a green apple... what more can you ask for? I start by squirting a pump or two in my hand and just massaging it into my face to break down all of the makeup. I follow up with with Arbonne's NutriMinC Enzyme peel which I use as my moisturizer at night. You leave it on and wash it off in the morning and in the morning your skin feels like a dream!! It has pineapple extract in it so it smells great and feels like a dream on your skin. It removes all of the dead skin cells and basically gives you a new skin. Do you die? I do.

In the morning I wash my face to remove the enzyme peel. I then apply Arbonne's RE9 eye cream and facial moisturizer. (You will die for the eye cream. It feels like silk and you will probably want to bathe in it. I wouldn't reccomend this, simply because it would be very expensive.)

Obviously my routine isn't right for everyone. I just wanted to give you guys a little example of a few of the appropriate steps you should be taking. Everyone is different so you really have to find what works for you. You need to try different products until you figure out what works for your skin type. Just be sure to not change your products too often, or that could irritate your skin as well.

Also keep in mind that your skin changes with the weather. In the Summer, you will most likely use different skin care products than you use in the Winter. When my skin gets a little dry I swear by Fresh's Sugar Face Scrub and L'Occitane's Face Scrub Mud. Both of these products exfoliate, but they are gentle enough to use on any type of skin even if you are SUPER sensitive like me.

Oh, and please never forget sunscreen. Most products such as foundations and moisturizers actually include them in their formulas now, but always check just to be sure!

And never skip out on water. Hydration is the key to having amazing skin!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Highlighting and Contouring

Some guy once said something like 'symmetrical faces are more attractive to the opposite sex.'

I say, this guy is a moron.

Having a perfectly symmetrical face does not make you beautiful. Give me a break. Besides, if your face isn't perfect you can always fix it with highlighting and contouring.

When people hear the term highlighting and contouring they often get scared because it does sound a little intimidating, but really, it isn't as complicated as it sounds. There certainly are tricks that professional makeup artists use that are a little more complex or time consuming but there are simple ways to highlight and contour that you can easily include in your day to day makeup routine.

Let me first start off by saying that high lighting is what you use when you would like to "show off" something, and contouring is what you use when you would like to "hide" something. Here are a few simple steps that you can add to your daily routine to help highlight and contour your beautiful bone structure.

Step 1 Apply a foundation that matches your skin tone. Blend foundation well at the jaw and hairline. Make the foundation "disappear" so that there are no visible lines.

Step 2 Dust your face with translucent powder.

Step 3 Suck in your cheeks to locate your cheek bones. Brush a small amount of matte bronzing powder under the cheek bones. Add bronzer to the bridge of your nose and at the temples. Blend all areas of bronzer well.

Step 4 Brush blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Pull the blush back towards your temples, making the line of brush narrower as you get closer to the hairline. Blend the blush into the hairline and the bronzer using clean fingertips or a clean powder brush.

Step 5 Use a lighter shade of powder to highlight your face. Brush highlighting powder on the bridge of your nose and around the outer corners of your eyes. Add a touch of highlighter to cheek bones, your chin and the temples.

Step 6 Blend all of the cosmetics well so there are no harsh lines. Smooth your makeup so that you can not tell where one color starts and another ends. Use a clean brush for the best blending results.

Hope these little tips help!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Smokey Eyes... RAR!

I think everyone can agree that you can't go wrong with a beautiful smokey eye. This winter, it is ALL about the beautiful dark, sultry eye. (And LACE! I am SO happy about that!)

Before you get nervous or excited, let me just clarify that a smokey eye DOES NOT mean that you plaster black from your eyelid to your brow bone, circle it around your eye and then slather your brow bone in shimmery white eye shadow. Ugh. Barf.

There are several ways to do a smokey eye. Everyone has a different opinion on how a smokey eye should look, and everyone has their favorite ways to do it. Today I am going to walk you through one of my favorite ways to do an amazing fool proof smokey eye.

1. Start with a clean, well moisturized face.

2. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS start with your eyeshadow. Eyeshadow will always fall underneath your eye whether it be light or dark. If it falls, and you have already applied concealer and foundation, when you wipe it off you will have to reapply your concealer and foundation. Save yourself the few extra minutes and always start with your eyes.

3. Apply a neutral primer all over your eye. I love Paint Pots by MAC in Painterly and Soft Ochre.

4. Grab a black eyeliner that is NOT smudge proof or water proof. (I love Le Crayon Khol in Ebony by Lancome) Color on your eye lid from the lash line to the crease. It does not need to be filled in completely and it does not have to be neat.

5. Take a synthetic eyeshadow brush and blend the eye liner so it turns into a smokey grey and it is evenly distributed all over the eye lid from the lashline to your crease. I love brush #242 by MAC.

6. Take a dark brown eyeshadow and pat it on top of the blended eyeliner. I love Handwritten by MAC.

7. Take a blending brush (brush #224 by MAC) and use a neutral MATTE or almost matte high light color (I love Brule for light skin and Era for medium to dark skin. Both are by MAC) and blend from underneath the brow bone to the crease. Blend the light color and the dark color so that you have a soft transition between the dark brown and the light highlight color.

8. If you would like to add a little more definition to the shape of your eye, or the colors are not blending as well as you would like, take a medium brown and use the #224 brush to softly brush it back and forth in your crease. I love Cork by MAC for all skin tones.

9. If you want to add a little glitz and glam, dust a super sheer coat of loose glitter over the dark brown shadow on your eye lid. I love Reflects Gold or Antique Gold by MAC.

10. Follow with a few coats of black mascara, a pair of false lashes (full or half set... you chose!), and a little black liquid or gel eyeliner and BAM! Smokey eye in full effect.

I personally do not like to put any eyeliner on the bottom, but if you want to, you certainly can. I think it looks really good if you put it in the water line or smudge a little bit of dark shadow right under your lash line.

This smokey eye is cool because it doesn't need to look totally perfect. It is okay if it looks a little messy. That is what makes it so sexy.

Finish off the look with a foundation of your choice, a neutral blush, and a neutral lipstick, and you are good to go.

When you wear a smokey eye, it is good to keep the rest of your makeup pretty neutral. If you start to feel a little daring, you can wear an intense lip such as a rich berry or bright red.

Rememeber, there are NO rules when it comes to makeup. Ok, I lied. There are a few tiny little rules, but for the most part, it is free game! Have fun and enjoy being a woman. Just rememeber, no matter what you wear, you need to rock it!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Marry me David Tutera

If you know anything about me, you know I love reality TV. Thank goodness for Tivo which makes it possible for me to catch up on all 100 of reality shows after Cash (my son) goes to bed.

One of my favorite shows is My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. I would die for this man. Literally. I am known for being a little sassy, and sometimes saying what is on my mind without thinking first, and so is he. We are a match made in heaven.

Being in the wedding industry, I guess I just assume that some things are obvious when it comes to planning a wedding. Well, I was wrong. By watching My Fair Wedding, I have learned that to some people, nothing is off limits. In order to make this a little less complicated, I have compiled a list of wedding do's and dont's that David Tutera and I can both agree on.

1. Emerald Green and Purple are a HUGE no no for wedding colors. In fact, these colors are not appropriate for ANY occation. Oh wait, Mardi Gras. Yep. That's about that only time these colors would be appropriate.

2. Balloons are not for weddings. They are for children's birthday parties and High School Homecoming floats. No balloon arches. No balloon centerpieces. No no no.

3. A strip tease is never appropriate for your first dance at your wedding reception. Seriously. (Yes Shauna, you MAY take off your garter to "Cherry Pie")

4. Enough with the tulle! I can deal with a little bit of tulle. (And by a little bit, I mean 1/2 a yard) But really ladies...really? Dresses made of tulle. Table cloths made of tulle. Chair covers made of tulle. Ugh. Itchy, wrinkly, and messy. Those are the three words that come to mind when I think of tulle.

5. A brides bouquet (actually ANY bouquet) should NEVER be made of sponges. I'm just gonna throw that one out there.

6. A brides bouquet (or any bouquet for that manner) should never be made of hot glue, glitter, and fake flowers.

7. Actually, just stay away from hot glue as much as possible when it comes to making things for your wedding.

8. Actually, just stay away from making things for your wedding as much as possible. That is what professionals are for.

9. A sun dress is NOT the same as a wedding dress.

10. Please limit the number of items you place in your hair on your wedding day. You do not need a tiara, veil, flower, pendant, and glitter all at once. I think one or two items should be sufficient. One would be even better, but I can deal with two.

11. Wedding dresses are typically white or ivory. Lets stay away from colored undergarments.

12. If you live in the same city as the venue where you wedding will be held, go view it in person. Do not book it online. If you are unable to see your wedding venue in person because you are having a destination wedding, be sure to do tons of research. Make sure that you know exactly what you are getting. Read reviews, make a few phone calls, and don't be afraid to ask questions.

13. In general, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Don't be lazy. This is your wedding! I know it can be overwhelming, but this is a very important day. Be sure that the vendors that you are going to be dealing with can deliver exactly what you want, at a price you can afford.

14. Trends change, and they change quickly. What was considered "cool" or "cute" 10 years ago, may not be considered cool now.

15. Have some manners on your wedding day. No one wants to see you in your beautiful gown, drunk, swearing, and burping with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth. Feel free to take an etiquette class if necessary.

I am saying all of these things and I am half joking. Well, actually, I am dead serious, but I am saying them in a joking manner.

My point is, if you think you know everything, let me just tell you right now, you don't. Wedding professionals do. Trust what they say. Before you even think about planning a wedding, sit down and figure out what is important to you. Times are rough financially and everyone is on a budget. You need to invest your money into what is important to you on your special day. Call around and get pricing for everything that is on your WANT list for your wedding. When you snap back into reality because you find out how much things REALLY cost, narrow that down to the NEED list. I always recommend hiring an event and/or wedding planner in your area. This will relieve a ton of stress. They are familiar with vendors in your area, and more importantly, the different vendors style and pricing. They can point you in the right direction and help you create the wedding of your dreams on your budget.

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Foundation Nation

Let me start off by saying that your face and neck will always be lighter than the rest of your body. It does not matter if you fake and bake or spray tan, they will always be lighter. I understand that it's not attractive if your face resembles Casper the friendly ghost and your body looks like you have spent a month on the beaches of Cabo, however, there are ways to handle this situation properly.

ALWAYS match your foundation to the skin tone on your face. I do not recommend purchasing a foundation that you can't try on before you buy it. To know if it is the correct foundation for you, you need to be able to see what it looks like on your skin, feel the texture to see if you like it, and make sure it is the appropriate coverage for you. Foundation is one makeup item you should not mind splurging on. (OK, So I splurge on every type of makeup, but if I could only splurge on one, foundation would be it.) Going to a professional makeup counter is a great idea because the artists that work there are familiar with how to match a foundation and they can explain their products in detail. ALWAYS have them apply it for you and DO NOT buy it right then. Wear it for the rest of the day. Walk outside, and look at your face in the sun light. Double check to make sure it is the right shade, and make sure it lasts through your daily activities. Ask for a sample (they should always give you at least a small one.) and use that sample for a day or two. If you like it, then go back and purchase it.

If you need to darken your face and neck to match your body, use a bronzer. Apply your foundation as you normally would, follow with a light powder such as a blot powder to set the foundation. Then follow with a pressed, MATTE bronzer. (I love Matte Bronze by MAC) If you do not apply a light powder between the bronzer and your foundation, the bronzer will "stick" to the foundation in certain spots and look uneven. You can apply as many coats of bronzer as necessary to bring your face up to the appropriate shade. Avoid using bronzers with shimmer in them. You do not need your entire face and neck covered in shimmer. Gross. Shimmer should only be used to highlight certain areas. Remember, shimmer down ladies, shimmer down.

NOTE: Orange foundation looks good on no one. Let me repeat that. NO ONE. Not even you. Slathering your face in foundation five shades too dark is not going to solve anything. All it is going to do is make you look orange and uneducated. Not to mention, it gives you a crusty makeup line. Ew.

You should have at least two different foundations that you switch out for different seasons. For example, in the Summer, I like to have a foundation with a little less coverage and I like it to feel light on my skin. I usually go for a mineral powder. It is so hot here in Las Vegas, so a powder works really well for me during the summer. In the winter, I like a little bit more coverage so I tend to switch to a medium to full coverage liquid foundation.


Some foundations I LOVE are:

Bare Minerals SPF 15: I love this powder foundation. It is like magic fairy dust and is perfect for a sheer to medium coverage. It does have a little bit of radiance (NOT shimmer :)

Studio Sculpt SPF 15 by MAC: This foundation is a mix between a cream and a liquid and is perfect for medium to full coverage. It glides right on and stays in place all day. I like to rub it between my hands before applying it to warm it up so that it glides on my face flawlessly.

Lancome Absolue Makeup SPF 20: This is a foundation that feels like a whipped dream on your face. It gives beautiful full coverage without feeling heavy or looking muddy and thick on your skin. It is a little expensive, but very worth it. Whenever I wear this foundation, I always get a ton of compliments on my skin.

Studio Tint SPF 15 by MAC: This liquid foundation is a simple and to the point tinted foundation. It is super sheer coverage, and works well for people who don't like much coverage in a foundation. It is also perfect for those days you are going to hang out by the pool and you want to have a little something on, but don't want people to know about it. It also has the built in SPF. Perfection!!

NOTE: All of these foundations have SPF... obviously that is very important!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Lip liner is sexy!

Let me start off by saying, that you should ALWAYS wear lip liner. It doesn't matter if you wear lipstick, or just lip gloss, lip liner helps to make your lip look more polished and prevents your lip product of choice from running and bleeding everywhere. Nothing is worse than feather lips! Don't be lazy. Put forth the extra two seconds, and apply a lip liner, ladies.

Today, I was asked a very good question. What color of lip liner should I wear?

Oh man... where to begin? I LOVE lip liner. I probably own every color known to mankind. You can honestly mix and match any color that you would like, but when you are just starting out it is good to match the lip liner to the lip product that you are wearing. I think that matching the lip liner to the shade you are wearing is always a safe bet. You can go up to two shades darker than the lip product that you are wearing and still get the same, natural effect.

Lip liner can also help you out in sticky situations. Lets say that you purchase a lipstick that you THINK you like while you are at the store, but when you get home, you realize it it wayyy to brown for you. All you would need to do is choose a lip liner shade in the same color scheme as your lipstick that has a little bit more of a pink tone, and apply it. This will help tone down the brown in the lipstick and give you a more pink tone.

If you know me at all, you know I die for red lipstick. I wear it ALL the time. I used to wear it with red lip liner, but once my lipstick would start to wear off, I would get this gross red ring around my lips where my lip liner was. I was talking to Lauren (Bestie) about this problem, and she simply said "You are wearing the wrong lip liner. You need to wear a natural one that matches your lips, or maybe a shade or two darker." Man. She is brilliant! Once I started wearing a more natural lip liner, I never had that problem again. So, if you are going to wear a red lipstick, go with a more neutral lip liner. We love Creamola and Cream o Spice (Both by MAC) to go with any shade of red.

To apply lip liner, simply follow your natural lip shape. Make sure it is symmetrical and even. Lauren likes her lip liner light and right on the lip line. I, on the other hand love Pam Anderson style. I like it dark, and I always over draw my lips. CAUTION: This takes practice. You don't want to look like a hot mess with a bad case of lip filler, so ask a professional to teach you and practice a few times before wearing it out in public.

So many women get scared of lip products, and I can't help but wonder why? Lips are beautiful and sexy and they should be enhanced. You can wear whatever color of lipstick you would like. I have women ALL of the time say "Oh, I can't wear that color!" and I say "YES YOU CAN!" It is all about learning to be comfortable with wearing color on your lips, finding the right shade of that particular color, and a corresponding lip liner. It may be a little bit scary at first because it is something you are not used to, but give it a try! I challenge all of you to wear a different lip color every day this week, that you typically would not wear. What do you have to lose? It's Autumn, so try rich Burgundies, deep reds, mocha browns, and deep mauves. I expect a report back!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

FALSIES!!

I have received several requests to explain how to apply false lashes correctly. So here we go...

1) Pick an amazing brand of lashes. (I preferrer lashes that are human hair with a thin band on them.) Lashes that you buy at Walgreens and places like that are so hard to work with! The better lashes you buy, the easier they will be to apply. You might have to fork out a few extra bucks, but suck it up and do it. Don't be a cheap-o. If you buy a good pair of lashes, you can wear them several times (If you take proper care of them)

2) Measure them. Everyone has different eye shapes, so obviously if you buy a pair of lashes, they probably are not going to fit you properly right after the box. Place the lash on top of you lash starting where your lashes begin and pinch them onto your lashes until your own lashes end. Then gently pinch the end and take it off of your lashes, trimming the excess lash. (Always cut from the outer corner of the lash.)

3) Apply 1-2 coats of a good black mascara to your natural lashes (I am obsessed with Lash Stiletto by Maybeline.) Do not put mascara on the false lashes.

4) Using a latex based glue (I like DUO in black. You can find this at Walgreens) place a thin layer of glue on the clear lash band and let it dry for about 10 seconds.

5) Get close to that mirror ladies (or gentlemen if you prefer) tilt your head up so that you can get a good view of the top of your lashes. Gently pinch the false lashes onto the top of your own lashes (They should be glued to the root of your own lashes, not on the skin of your upper eye)

6) Give them about 5 minutes to dry. Gently pull apart any lashes that may have been glued together in the process. Top it off with a little black liner to hid the seam of the lashes and you are ready to go! (I love MACs fluidline in BlackTrack)

7) Although the lashes can be reused, do not get them wet or sleep in them. Gently tug them off at the end of the day, and store them in a safe place. When you want to reuse them, simply tug off the dried latex based glue, and do steps 3-6 again. The more times you wear a pair of lashes, the easier it will be to reapply them because they will learn to form the shape of your eye. :) I wear the same pair of lashes about 5-7 times each.

It is actually super easy, but it will take some practice. Don't be lazy and give up. Lashes make all the difference so now that I have given you instructions, I seriously don't want to hear any excuses.
xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Makeup Mooch

Makeup mooch. I'm sure you are wondering what that is, right? A makeup mooch is a girl or woman who goes to makeup counters before she is going out that night pretending that she is interested in buying new makeup, has the makeup artists do her makeup for FREE, then does not buy any product. I can not even begin to tell you how annoying this is. I used to work for a cosmetic line and nothing would irritate me more than women who did this. Of course I loved doing makeup, but seriously, we still had sales goals to make and if you are tying someone up then they can not help customers who really do want to buy things. This is cheap and tacky so don't do it. Not to mention it puts little freelance artists like myself who have worked hard to build a name for themselves, out of work. If you need your makeup done when you are going out 1) Either buy makeup from the cute little girls at the makeup counter (and I don't mean just a freaking lip gloss. I mean at LEAST $50.00 in product) or 2) Hire a professional freelance artist to do it for you.

I just had to get that off of my chest even though I no longer work at a cosmetic counter. They were talking about it on 94.1 this morning and all the idiots that were calling in saying they did this, made my blood boil. I hate makeup mooches.
xoxox,
Ally Stagg

MY Etiquette

1) Toothpicks. First of all, this is such a vulgar name. It explains exactly what you are doing and frankly, it is disgusting. You should pick your teeth in a powder room or in the privacy of your own home. Not one person in this whole world (including your significant other) needs to see you picking your teeth. (This includes flossing) It is DISGUSTING and only you should see this. If you do have something in your teeth, it is very important to get rid of it, however, it needs to be done in private, not in the middle of a dinner party or in the bathroom while your significant other brushes their teeth. (This may be the thing that is causing them to gag.) Enough said.

2) Ladies please. Please please please DO NOT chow down on a cheeseburger while driving in your car. (This is one of the 11 commandments. Yes there are 11 commandments, not 10.) I can't think of anything more repulsive than a beautiful woman whom is dressed perfectly chowing down a cheeseburger at a red light. If you are starving, please eat the almonds you keep in your purse as an emergency snack (or if you must have a cheeseburger, please wait until you get home to pig out) This is so unattractive. If you choose to chow down a cheeseburger in your car, God will curse you. He will MAKE you slop mayo and mustard all over your nice-ass suit. I promise. (Please remember that you are breaking one of his 11 commandments.)

3) Do not eat chips in public. They are disgusting. When you eat chips they crumble all over you, and make you look like a fat, greasy pig. So do not do it unless you are in the comfort of your own home. I wish they would make chips bite sized so you would not be forced to shove the entire fist sized chip into your mouth. It is gross, and I sincerely hope that you do not do it unless you are sitting on your couch watching reality TV.

4) Perfume is an art. DO NOT douse yourself in perfume. Applying perfume is a ritual. Please spray it only on the appropriate places of your body (Neck and wrists). Nothing is worse than walking into a room and having people have a flashback of the AVM awards. Sick. Perfume is not a cover up of the sins you committed last night. It is not a "tune up." It is a beautiful representation of everything a woman stands for.

5) Alcohol. Please ladies, contain yourself. Alcohol is a beautiful thing. Do not ruin it by doing shots by the dozen and making a total ass of yourself. Have a little class and sip feminine drinks SLOWLY. No one wants to monitor you in the restroom or clean up your puke in the back of their car. (If you see me doing beer bongs in the back of a shady club, please do not judge me. I am not perfect.) Thanks.

6) OK. People. Star. We all read these shitty magazines. We are all fascinated by the celebrity gossip and we all certainly want to judge who wore it better for ourselves, but please, never let any one catch you reading these magazines. If you MUST read these at the gym, please glue it inside of a Vouge magazine so people think you have a stitch of class. These magazines are a joke and NO ONE needs to know you read them. It is just degrading and embarrassing.
xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Brush Hour III

99% of the time when we do a makeup job I hear "I wish you could come do my makeup everyday!" Although I am flattered, I cannot help but wish the I had someone come and do my makeup everyday as well. I understand it is a total pain in the butt being a woman, (Men have it so easy it's disgusting.) but there are some ways to save time and improve your chances of recreating any look that a makeup artist gives you.

When women come to me and say "I have tried to do my makeup how you did it, but I just can't." I always feel a little frustrated. Being an ex-theater major, I wrote a script to inform you why:

Woman: "I have tried to do my makeup how you did it but I just cant!"

Ally: "Oh really? I am so sorry to hear that! How many times did you try the new techniques I showed you out?"

Woman: "Once."

Ally: "Oh. Well you didn't give it much of a chance missy! Did you use the same products I did?"

Woman: "No."

Ally: "Oh. Okay. Well did use the brushes I recommended?"

Women: "No. I didn't have any of them."

Ally: "Oh. Umm well then how did you apply your makeup?"

Woman: "With my fingers."

Ally: "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

*Ally faints*

AND SCENE.

Thank you. *Ally takes a bow* So now that I have preformed my little skit, let me tell you about the many problems I have with it.

1) Trying out what I teach you in a lesson/consultation is not something you can just practice once. Do you think that I woke up one day, said "Oh. I think I am going to be a makeup artist today" and started doing perfect makeup the next day? Heck no! I have done some terrible makeups, but over time I have learned from my mistakes. Practice makes perfect right? And if you do mess up, lets look at the bright side. It's JUST MAKEUP. If you mess up, all you have to do is swipe a little makeup remover over it and start over. I don't want to ever hear you complain about "not knowing how to do something" until you have practiced AT LEAST everyday for a month. I promise you will be doing it perfectly. If you still can not do it by the end of the month, then we can work together to find a new game plan for you.

2) If you don't use the same products as I do, it is not going to look the same. It is as simple as that ladies. I use certain products for a reason. There is a world of difference between an eyeshadow that you buy at Wal*Mart and a MAC eyeshadow. Sure, MAC eye shadows are a little bit pricey (Around $15.00 a piece) however they will last you ten times longer because the color payoff is so amazing, all you need is one little swipe. I am NOT saying to abandon all of your makeup and run out and spend your whole 401K on brand new products for your brand new makeup routine, I am simply saying know how to use what you have, and once you cycle through your old makeup, seriously think of investing in higher end products. The good thing about our consultations/lessons is we take what you already have, show you how to use it properly, and then we explain how to fill in the missing pieces by recommending things that would work well for you.

3) BRUSHES. BRUSHES. BRUSHES. They are so important (and expensive, I know) I really can not stress it enough. Since brushes are so pricey, I try to replace or add one brush to my collection every other time I go makeup shopping. This way, I am not stressing myself out too much by purchasing $500.00 in brushes, and I can slowly filter out older brushes. (I have had my set for over 7 years and I am just now starting to replace some of them) When you walk into a makeup store, it is a little overwhelming to look at all of the brushes and try to decide what will work best for you, so I am going to tell you all the brushes you could possibly need to create a perfect makeup (anything else you choose to purchase is totally up to you and how comfortable you are using them)

I use only MAC brushes. I have tried several other brands, but many of them are more expensive than MAC. I feel with MAC, I get a great brush for a very fair price.


*Brush #217. This is the ONLY brush you need to do an eye makeup. It is soft enough to blend, but firm enough to place color.

*Brush #224. This can also be used on the eye if you are searching for a softer look. I also use this brush for concealer. This brush blends it in and gives you an airbrushed look without removing any facial primer or eye cream.

*Brush #209. This is the only brush for eyeliner if you ask me. It doesn't matter if you use liquid, gel, or shadow, this brush is it.

*Brush #266. This brush is your eyebrow brush. it fills in your brows flawlessly. You can also use this one for eyeliner if you want to save some money. I just personally prefer the #209 for eyeliner.

*Brush #188. This is your foundation brush. Whether you wear powder or liquid, this one does the trick every time.

*Brush #116. This is the perfect sized blush brush. You never over do the blush with this little guy.

And there you have it. 6 brushes. (5 brushes if you just get the #266 instead of the #209 and the #266) You can ALWAYS add more brushes to do different things once you get more skilled. I have hundreds of brushes and I use them all. But if you just have 5-6 amazing brushes that are great quality, you will be totally set. I can't stress that enough.

These brushes will last you forever if you take proper care of them. You can purchase brush cleanser for $11.00 at MAC. All you need to do is dab a little bit of this magic potion on a paper towel, swipe your brush back and forth a few times, and it releases all the color and dries instantly so that you can use the same brush with multiple colors. Then once a week, use a gentle shampoo (I like to use baby shampoo) with a bit of water to deep clean your brushes. Leave them out to dry overnight, and you are good to go! Just be sure not to get water into the ferrule of your brushes (where the metal ferrule meets the wood handle.) This will rot the wood over time and it will eventually ruin your brush.

Hope this helps (and made you giggle!)

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

...A few of my favorite things...

I often get asked about what my favorite products are so I'm going to go through and tell you about a few of my favorite things.

1) Arbonne's complete RE9 collection, They have an amazing eye cream (with a skin lightener in it so it actually helps reduce those nasty under eye circles that we all HATE!), daily lotion, cleanser, and (my personal favorite) a pineapple enzyme peel that you wear over night. I swear by this stuff. You wake up, and overnight you have shed all of that nasty skin and dead cells (like a snake!) and you have a fresh new face.

2) Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. This little piece of heaven works unbelievable wonders. Ok Ok Ok... so it looks like you slapped tar on your face, however once you see how squeaky clean this leaves your pores, you won't mind in the least.

3) MAC creme sheen lipsticks. AGHH! I love these. They have an amazing color payoff, they feel like silk on your lips, and they have a tiny gloss finish so all you need to do is swipe one on and you are good to go. I seriously own every single color. (I actually have duplicates of some of them!) Some of my favorites are Ravishing, (a beautiful peach color with Creme Sherry lip liner) Modesty, (a perfect day to day natural color for any skin tone. I love to use MACs Cream O Spice lip liner with it.) Brave Red (A true red) Speak Louder (A darker rose pink paired with Pink Treat lip liner) and Dare You (A dark crimson red) AGHHH! I love them all, but those are just a few. Please invest in one. You will be obsessed. I promise.

4) Arbonne's Revelage Concentrated Age Spot Minimizer. I could bathe in this daily. It feels incredible on your skin. I was very skeptical about Arbonne products considering I am not the biggest fan of Mary Kay and Avon which are sold through distributors like Arbonne is. However, once I tried this stuff, I was HOOKED! This silky lotion totally eliminated 75% of the freckles on my face. It is just amazing. I can not say enough good things about it.

5) Clinique's Full Potential lips Plump and Shine Lip gloss. Every time I use this, I get commented on how full my lips look. I have no idea what is in it, or what makes it work (it has ZERO sting or tingly feeling) but it works. And it comes in beautiful shades. I am a huge fan of the colors Extra Apricot and Glamour-Full.

6) MAC's Fluid line gel eyeliner. I would die without this stuff. It is a water resistant gel eyeliner and comes in a cute little pot. Many people are a little frightened by it because you have to use a brush to apply it, however, it is SOOO easy. Don't be scared! I like to use MAC's #209 (a small pointed brush) and Lauren likes to use MAC's #266 (a small angled brush.) Either one is fine, it is all about preference. I actually think this is much easier to use than a liquid liner because there is more room for error. It glides right on and sets within a matter of seconds. AND it is water resistant so it isn't running down your face half way through the day. (we all know how sexy that is.) I like Blacktrack (a jet black) but it comes in every shade you can imagine from dark brown to bright purple.

7) As far as eyeshadow goes, MAC can do no wrong in my eyes. I have tried everything from Smashbox, to Cover Girl, to Benefit, to Chanel, to Bobbi Brown. I have tried them all, and NO ONE does it like MAC. They have SOOOO many colors and they glide on effortlessly. Everyone has different color preferences, however a few of my favorite daily shadows (all MAC) are Brule, Expensive Pink, Tete-a-tint, Soba, Honesty, Vanilla (the shadow AND the pigment) Dovefeather, Era, and Blackberry. I could go on forever, but those are a few shadows I wear on a day to day basis. (Not at the same time, obviously :)

8) Maybelline Has done it again! Forget Great Lash, it is ALL about Lash Stiletto mascara. This mascara has the perfect brush, it doesn't clump, run, and it is jet black which I love. Plus the packaging alone is enough to make you want to buy it. Its red and black and it is shaped like an actual stiletto. Who actually thought putting on mascara could make you feel sexy?

9)Be Maui Brown!!!!!! I can not even describe how wonderful this all natural tanning oil and skin conditioner is. It has 1,000 uses. You can use it in your hair and on your skin. It is 100% natural with a natural SPF in it as well. It smells absolutely wonderful and it is great for women and men. All I can say it try it. You will be totally hooked. It is not sold in stores, in fact, it is distributed here in Las Vegas by a spa owner and friend of mine. If you're interested in trying it, you can pick one up at one of the 2 Maui Salon and Spa locations here in town. (http://www.mauisalonandspas.com/)

Like I said before, these are just A FEW of my faves. I could "blog":for hours, however I'm going to let you experiment with these few products. I will be sure to keep you posted when I find more amazing things!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Color Theory 101

Today, I would like to discuss color theory. If you are sitting there saying "Ummm, Ally, I have NO CLUE what that means!" Its okay! That is why I am here. To help you improve your knowledge of makeup products and skills.

Color theory is "a set of principles used to create harmonious color combinations." (Yes, that was, once again, pulled strait out of the dictionary.) What this all comes down to is the color wheel. If you have taken any sort of basic art class, I am sure you are familiar with it. The color wheel breaks down primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, shades and tints of different colors. (Shade and tint are what happen to a basic color when you add either black or white to them.) This is how we get beautiful colors such as olive green, light pink and maroon.

Now that I have shed a little bit of light on what color theory is, GO PURCHASE A COLOR WHEEL! You do not need anything special, just a tiny paper one (they are available at all arts and craft stores for around $1.00) This is a wonderful tool to have in your makeup collection to use as a reference point. I guarantee that if you ask any professional makeup artist, they will tell you they a) either keep one in their kit at all times or b) they have been doing makeup for so long that they have it completely memorized.

I bet you are probably saying "Why on earth do I need to know shades, and tints, and blah blah blah? I'm not a professional makeup artist."

It is simple actually. We have all at one point (Yes, even me) been guilty of matching our electric blue eyeshadow to our electric blue T-shirt. This is when a color wheel would have come in handy. Instead of matching your eyeshadow to your shirt, you should try using complimentary colors. For example, if you are wearing an amazing blue blouse, you should try using complimentary colors for your makeup which would include shades and tints of orange. (I love MACs Expensive pink, Brown Down, and Motif eye shadows.) To find a complimentary color, you simply look across the color wheel. Whatever color is on the other side is the complimenting color (and any shade or tint of that color would work just as well) If you were wearing a beautiful olive green eyeshadow, you might want to use a burgundy lipstick because red and green are complimentary colors. There are so many amazing color combinations that you would probably never think of if it weren't for a color wheel. Complimentary colors are just the beginning. You also have things like tertiary colors (which are colors that are formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color (Such as... blue-green and red-orange) and analogous colors which are three colors that are side by side on a color wheel (Such as... yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange) You can learn so much about color combinations and color theory by experimenting with a color wheel.

Painters use color wheels ALL THE TIME to help their paintings look aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Why would the color combinations of makeup on your face be any different? We all want to look harmonious, don't we?

I could go on for hours, however, I think I have said plenty for your first lesson on color theory. I hope this helps and if you guys have any questions, OR any topics you would like us to "blog" about for you, please email me at AllysonStagg@google.com. I love to hear feedback and what you guys would like me to discuss next!

xoxox,
Ally Stagg

Shimmer Down Ladies!

Today I would like to talk about something that can be extremely offensive to me. Shimmer. I know you know what I am talking about. Shimmer eyeshadow. Shimmer blush. Shimmer foundation. Frosty lipstick. UGH!

I see this tragedy on a daily basis. Beautiful women who unfortunately overdose on shimmer. RIP.

When you are at a cosmetic store or counter, I have found that many times the employees there are commission based. In these rough economic times, that is a hard way to earn your paycheck. I firmly believe that they will tell you ANYTHING looks good on you just to get that sale. I have tested this theory several times.

I once walked into a store that carried nothing but cosmetics and applied the most hideous shade of purple lipstick that I could find. (Please note I also had zero makeup on besides the lipstick which made that stupid lipstick look much worse than it really was.) I then ventured out to find the nearest employee to ask their opinion of this particular shade knowing perfectly well how ridiculous I looked. (WAIT... keep reading. It gets better) Before I could even find an employee, a cute little blonde employee hunted me down and told me that lipstick was an amazing color on me and I just HAD to get it for spring. Barf. I was in shock. Either she lied strait to my face (which I am hoping was the case) or she ACTUALLY thought this shade of lipstick looked good on me. Which brings me to my next point...

Uninformed employees.

It is one thing to lie to me to make a commission off of my sale, however it is a totally different story to be uninformed on trends, color theory, or the product line that you are representing. (Both are equally as disgusting.) Not to long ago, I walked up to a cosmetic counter to try and find a new foundation (I change my foundation more often than I change my underwear.) and was greeted by an adorable girl. She was friendly, and we had a wonderful little chat. I told her I needed a new foundation for summer and that I tend to get shiny due to the hell-like weather conditions here. She pulled out a cream foundation, slathered it on my cheek and said that was the one I should buy. I quickly told her I would think about it and scurried away. Had I not been a makeup artist, I probably would have bought it and called it a day, however, I know better than that. When I told her I get sweaty and shiny (Sexy...right?) in the summer, the LAST thing she should have tried to sell me was a cream foundation. All that is going to do is make me shine like Crystal Avalanche eyeshadow and my foundation would be separation station 5 minutes after I walk out the door. Not to mention, it was about 3 shades to dark for my super fair complexion. What bums me out the most about this, is that she really thought this was the foundation for me. (*Ally starts to tear up*)

The point of these stories is, not every "beauty professional" you meet is really a professional. So please, do a little of your own research BEFORE you go cosmetic shopping so you will be properly informed. And by do a little research, I mean read my beauty "blog" on a daily basis or email me AllysonStagg@google.com with any questions you might have.

As far as shimmer goes, I like to stick to these basic rules:

1) On a daily basis I think it is appropriate to stick to one (Yes, ONE) shimmery eyeshadow on your eye at a time. I like to put a light (almost flesh tone) shimmer underneath the brow bone, or a simple shimmery shade swept across the eyelid. A heavy hand never comes in handy when you are working with shimmer.

2) Unless you are a 15 year old girl with flawless skin, lets stay away from any type of shimmer in a foundation. Shimmer will make your pores look 5 times bigger than they actually are, and who really wants that?

3) If you MUST use a shimmery blush, keep it on the apple of the cheeks and use a matte to contour the rest. Or better yet, use a matte blush, and highlight your upper cheekbone with a soft shimmer highlight powder. BEAUTY!!!!!

4) Frosty lipstick...oh man. There are a few frosty colors that are just beautiful (MAC'S Bombshell and Wild 'Bout You to name a few) However, frosty lipsticks must be applied correctly. To apply them correctly, always use a corresponding lip liner and DO NOT over draw your lips. The frost brings unnecessary attention to the fact that you overdrew your lips. That is never good.

5) Please remember that shimmer means to "gleam faintly" (yes I actually looked up the definition in the dictionary.) It does not mean "big chunks of confetti glitter that I would find all over my floor after my son's first birthday party." Please keep this in mind. Chunky glitter is for 3 people. Stage performers. People stuck in 1987. And hookers. If you do not fall in one of those categories, please refrain from wearing it. This includes gunky gel glitter eyeliners, loose glitter of any sort (unless it is one of the reflects glitters from MAC which are beautiful and totally acceptable if used properly.) glitter mascara, and especially glitter lotion. It was cool when we were in 4th grade, however, I don't think your clients would be all that impressed if you showed up with glitter in your cleavage. Or maybe they would. Guess it depends on what kind of profession you are in, and what kind of people you want to attract. Regardless, you get my point.

If you stick to these simple rules about shimmer, I can guarantee you will look and feel so much younger! People will notice a difference. I know it can be scary to jump out of your comfort zone, but give it a whirl. Matte is never a scary thing, and it looks beautiful on everyone.

Although a tiny bit of shimmer can make you look youthful and refreshed, just remember too much shimmer can age you 50 years. Seriously.
xoxox,
Allys Stagg