We Are Launched!!!

Mineral Eyeshadows and Blushes from Erin's Faces

We did it!  It took a small army to make it happen, but thanks to numerous friends Erin's Faces officially launched this past Wednesday - and here's how it all went down :):

I stayed up til about 4am the night before - mostly because I've been staying up til roughly that time for the past month or so, prepping for the launch, so it was just my schedule (which stinks and I'm working on fixing that) but I wanted to see that all of the tester kits were packed properly, lipgloss gift bags were good to go and everything was set in general.

I woke up late in the morning - remember I went to bed super late! - and hopped in the shower, walked my dog, felt peaceful and zen about the whole thing - I was ready!

1:00pm - Daniel (husband) came home from work (because he's lovely and I asked him to take a half day).  Realized I hadn't printed the order forms.  Mild panic attack when it gets to be 2:30 and they're still printing. 

2:35pm - Daniel had loaded up the car - don't know what we would have done without the car we borrowed from our friend Meridith! - and we hopped in and headed into Manhattan.  The plan was I was going to a swanky salon to get my hair all pretty from 3:30-4 and then we'd head down to Tribeca to get everything unloaded.

3:30 - Arrive at said swanky salon.  Wait.

4:00 - Sit in chair with stylist and realize that I will be there for another half hour.  Make panicked call to Daniel asking him to please head over to the venue and start unloading the car because I'm going to be a half an hour late.  Make numerous other phone calls to get people to do things I was supposed to do as I realize it's going to be an hour.  Have I said I have lovely friends yet?  I have GORGEOUS friends!!!

5:00 - Finally done with hair! 

5:15 - After waiting outside in the wind for a taxi for 15 minutes hair is in shambles.  Almost have a break down because I can not find a cab to get into and all I want is to get the venue and line up blushes and eyeshadows!!

5:30 - Finally get a cab and arrive at the Tribeca Green building where the lovely DiAna Pisarri had provided us a beautiful room.  Yay!  Artists (of which there were six) start arriving and are amazing and set up the makeup/skincare kits.  Thank goodness for Stacey, Marie, Tannis and Katie!! 

6:00 - Dinner arrives for the artists/support ladies and we wolf it down and start in on our own makeup as well as the makeup of Shanna (food goddess), Amy (event coordinating goddess), Teresa (gave me a beautiful introduction), Jessica (styling goddess) and Jen (flower buying/makeover appointment queen).

6:30 - Run up to DiAna's apartment where she has lovingly steamed my blue jumpsuit.  And yes, you read that right - I wore a BLUE JUMPSUIT.  I had all of the ladies in the dressing room of the store I bought it at literally come out and give me their honest opinions.  They all approved as did my shopping buddy, Katie, and fancy stylist Jessica, so I wore a blue jumpsuit.  It still sounds funny to say.

I also wore AMAZING bracelets from Kelly Mealia's line Ollie and Boo, http://www.ollieandboo.com/.  Look her up - super pretty stuff!

Michael and Maura, my other two artists, also arrive and I promptly put Michael to work doing Teresa's makeup :).   

7:00 - Head back down to the event room and ladies begin to come in and the night officially begins. 

Tannis working on Maria

Marie giving Kelly a touchup

Shanna, after plating some of the beautiful tasty treats Katie got

IZZE!  Who donated drinks to quench the thirst of our lovely ladies.

Lots of IZZE :)

8:00 - I got up to give a brief overview on how the line started and went over the skincare.

8:30ish - Everyone got back to having fun with the makeup/skincare and deciding what they wanted to order.  Everyone left looking so pretty!!

Margot and her amazing cheekbones!

Jenny looking lovely

Annie looking so pretty!

Michael working on Cheryl - wish we had a pic of her from the front - she looked gorgeous!

Lisa - my first client from back in May! - with Daniel, ringing a sale with Square

Shanna and me - I'm wearing heels so I look like a giant

10:30 - got the car packed and back on the road home.  So grateful for every person who came that night - to quote one of the guests, "You could feel the love in the air" - and I really could - thank you guys!!!

And you can check it all out at http://www.erinfaces.com/ - the website is updated and full of all kinds of product info :) - xoxo

Gearing Up For the Launch!

The launch for Erin's Faces is a week away and I am, slowly but surely, getting everything in order! 

I'm so excited to share my new collection of mineral makeup, paraben-free skincare and super soft brushes with you guys. 

pretty colors of all of my mineral pressed eyeshadows!

We're going to have six makeup artists/skincare consultants who have been trained on the line, little noshies to eat, IZZE Sparkling Fruit Juices to drink, and lots and lots of eyeshadows :). 

If you didn't get an invite in your inbox let me know and I'll remedy the situation as I would love to have you there!

xoxo
Erin

My Time at QVC

in front of the entrance to the studios at QVC

I just spent one of my more fun weekends at QVC with Mally Roncal and her Mally Beauty team - and let me tell you, they work hard!  Here's how it went down:

We got picked up at 6:30am on Saturday in Manhattan by a van who took us to the Sheraton hotel outside of Philly where everyone who is ever on QVC stays - there are signed headshots all over the lobby from people like Kathie Lee Gifford and Laura Geller who all have been on QVC.  We went up to our rooms and were still for an hour and then headed over to QVC at 10am.

Our first show was from 2-4pm, but they give you four hours of prep time to make up the models.  This first show entailed doing "before" shots and, contrary to what you may think, they are totally legit.  We even moisturized the girls faces so they wouldn't look all cracked and dry.  Those pictures are later run next to their beautifully made up faces during the show so you can see the "before and after" effects of the makeup.

Albee & Mally at the second show

Teenie at another show but looking lovely all the same :)

There was a team of five makeup artists - Mally's right and left hands, Teenie and Albee, as well as Masako, Jorge and myself.  I was the total newbie!  And everyone was super nice and patient with me and explained everything and showed me how to set everything up - I was really grateful!  There is a hallway full of lockers for different vendors - everything from clothing to steak companies and, of course, makeup.  Mally gets a double locker :).  So we unpacked six suitcases FULL of makeup to use on our models.

The thing that's interesting about doing QVC is that it is totally live - which of course you know, but there is NO room for error timing wise.  Those girls have got to be ready to hit it when the next "sell" (or item up for sale) comes up.  And sometimes you have to totally change their makeup because in their first sell they're showing you one look and in their next sell it's a super smoky eye - it's kind of nuts.  The closest thing pressure-wise I've ever done is Fashion Week and that stuff can roll in late, QVC cannot. 

view from the makeup chairs - sorry for the thumb in the lower left!

The other thing that I found fascinating was watching Mally do her thing.  If you're watching her on your TV I feel like you're giving her energy as you watch her be fun and silly but it's crazy because, unless there's a phone call from a customer on-air, she's not getting any of that.  She's having to be full of energy to a camera in a huge room with no feedback whatsoever.  AND, about 20 feet behind the cameras, right in her sightline, is the zoo that is where all the makeup artists are making up the models - so she can't get distracted by that either.  Again, nuts.

Here are a few pictures of some of the girls I got to do makeup on:

Brooke in the Fantasy Look Color Collection - and yes, those lashes are hers

(benefited by Mally's Volumzing Mascara)

Miss Amy who was the "Fair" model - such beautiful skin!

Brooke in a softer shadow

And some more lovely ladies ~

Casey, Booke, Sayra (Mally's amazing assistant) and Alli

So, back to work - we finished up the show and headed back to the hotel, ate some dinner, slept a couple of hours and then went back at 9pm for a 1-3am show.  During that show Mally did her own before-and-after pic for the first time in her time with QVC which made the models really happy ~

We headed back to the hotel around 3:30am and conked out til it was time to get up, grab some breakfast (in bed no less!) and rode over at noon to do a 4-6pm show.  We finished that up, hopped in the van and drove back to NYC. 

Albee and I ready to get in the van after the last show

All in all, every single person on Mally's team (from the top down) works really hard to give you a great show, do amazing makeup and truly values their customers - it was super special and I hope I get to go back!



Joey Healy - Brow Guru

Joey Healy is one of the warmest, funniest, chattiest (in a good way!) and talented makeup artists I know.  He specializes in brows and has LOTS of opinions on them J!  Joey has an AMAZING line of brow products at www.joeyhealy.com and is crazy good at shaping brows.   

So Joey, what is the biggest mistake women make with their eyebrows?

Where do we start?!  A lot of women completely over analyze things by getting magnifying mirrors, getting way too close, and they over pluck.  They take way too much.  You have to “step away from the mirror”.  Your brows are sisters, not twins.  Symmetry is really important but if you’re always striving for perfect symmetry you’re going to over pluck.

What are your thoughts on tweezing vs. waxing?  Threading?

Waxing – has chemicals, you can get burned and you can’t (or your shouldn’t) do it if you’re on Retin A, have a sunburn or are irritated.  Waxing is good for indiscriminately removing a large area of hair – on your legs for example – not for shaping precise areas.  Also, if you have an event you should not wax your brows day-of because your foundation won’t adhere to your skin for 24 hours post waxing – you’ve removed a layer of skin.  And lastly, sometimes people double dip in wax which is just gross.

Threading – threading is an amazing ancient practice, and when done right, it’s beautiful.  People who go over to India and the Middle East to train are amazing.  The problem is, not everyone is good at it and you can get really patchy work (literally) from someone who isn’t experienced.  It’s less sanitary because of the whole string in the mouth thing and can leave you red but I find it be much better than waxing.

How do you pick the right color of pencil/powder for your brows?

It’s admittedly hard to do which is why I give explicit product directions on my website when people are shopping.  Generally speaking you should match your eyebrows, not the hair on your head (unless you’re a redhead and then you should match your hair).  If you want a vampy/pinup look go darker, if you want something lighter bleach your brow and then use something soft on top. 



 

Generally you want harmony with the color and ashy tones work best for blonds/light brunettes.  Put it in your brows and wait 5 minutes for it to oxidize – then judge the color.

Speaking of pencils and powders, how do you know which to choose?

For thicker, more dense brows that are complete on their own, powder is better.  It just amps up the volume.  If you need to “fake it” more, then pencil is good to crispen up an arch or taper your tail (end of the brow).  So you may use one of the other or both if your arches are full and tails are thin.

If someone has patchiness in their eyebrows is there anything they can do to grow the hair back?

I actually have a brow enhancing serum that totally works.  If you’re over plucked, over waxed or just unlucky it is perfect.  It’s also great because as we age people lose brow hair and this product was developed to help it grow back using great ingredients.  The formula is one of the only paraben free ones on the market and is full of hyaluronic acid which binds moisture to the skin.  The key ingredient though are the penta-peptides which are a chain of five amino acids that stimulate the dormant hair follicles and help them to grow.

Seriously?

Yes!  I use it day and night.  You have to use it religiously AM/PM for the first six weeks and then nightly afterwards.  But if you do that you WILL see results in 2-3 weeks.  Not only does it grow your brows, it deep conditions your existing brows so they’ll be thick and shiny.

Amazing!  Okay – what are your tips for at-home tweezing?

1 – Don’t use a magnifying mirror.  Your brows don’t grow in straight rows like little soldiers and using a mirror will make you over pluck.

2 – Exercise patience and keen judgment – fill them in and see if it’s good enough. 

3 – Be as objective as possible – know that it is hard to have perspective on your own brows.  If you’re not sure about something, STOP, and come back to it the next day. 

4 – Use good tweezers – sharp and slanted.

5 – Use witch hazel to clean your skin before you start plucking.

6 – If you need to trim (and chances are good that you do) go to a pro for a lesson.  Trimming and tweezing go together. 

Thanks Joey!!

All makeup done by Joey Healy

Auri ~ here's what Joey had to say about your excellent question:
Hi Auri! The best product I've found on the market for dealing with ingrown
hairs is Tend Skin. A little of the product on a cotton ball post-plucking
should solve your problem. Also, always pluck hair in the direction of hair
growth and use good tweezers to make a clean pull - not breaking the hair in
half but getting it out at the root. Hope that helped!



Interview With Merylin Mitchell of "What Not To Wear"

I met Merylin Mitchell at a gig that we were both working and she did AMAZING hair - so so so pretty.  Then I found out that she is super fancy and does Stacy London's hair on "What Not To Wear" so I knew I wanted to ask her some questions for all of us :)

How did you get started in hair?

I Majored in Cosmetology in High School and Graduated 1990.

I ended up as a background dancer for Whitney Housten (with no formal training!)  for 10 years, but that's a whole other story, and eventually came back to my first passion, hairstyling.

What are the top mistakes that women make with their hair?

Oh Wow..My top mistakes that women make are:

Too Much Hairspray(Stiff) or Gloss Serum(Greasy).

Too Much of anything is never good for you. It just gives dust and dirt a place to hang out!

What are the products you carry with you to every gig?

My Must Have Products are:

Frederick Fekkai Root Lifting Spray,Fekkai Sheer Shine Mist and Loreal Elnett Satin Hairspray

Root Lifting: Gives me the Hold and Body on Wet or Dry Hair, It's Magic!

Shine Mist: Gives All Hair types that Pantene shine.  Like the commercial (non greasy).

Elnett Hairspray: Light Weight, you can practically brush your hair without a tangle. Love it!

What is a look that is guaranteed to look good on most women? 

We all know in life there are no guarantees LOL ..But if I had to say something It would be the Farrah Fawcett Flip. Anytime I do Mini Makeovers at the mall and I have (10 min on each client ) thats my go-to-look and for some reason people act nuts over that look ..

What are your favorite tools (dryer/flat iron/curling iron)?

My Favorite Tools are my Curling Irons.  I can whip up a hairdo in no time with a curling iron. I once did a bride and her 7 bridesmaids - they were amazed at how quick everyone was done. Since then I’ve booked many wedding gigs.

What are your thoughts on hot rollers?  Can they damage your hair?

Hot Rollers are the safest and best tool for the average person .The Hot Rollers are set at a Mid Temperature for temporary hold & body. You could practically hold hot rollers in your hands to set your hair. No Damage to the hair at all. Extremely “hot” curling tools usually say for (Professional Use Only).

Makeup for the Tribeca Film Festival

Hey guys J

Angelique Cabral

I got to do the makeup for actress, Angelique Cabral, who was starring in the movie “The Perfect Family” at the Tribeca Film Festival and I wanted to share what we used on her.  For those of you who have been in class – she totally has the fresh face look with a smoky eye!  Here’s what we did:

Eyes:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

All shadows from Urban Decay Naked Palette – Sin, Baked and Hustle – w/ Erin’s Eye Blender and Eye Shadow Corner Brushes

Hourglass Cognac Liquid Liner

Vintage Onyx Cream Liner w/ Erin’s Eyeliner Brush

Mally Lightwand

Mally Volumizing Mascara

Ardell Flare Knot Free Individual Lashes in Medium

Skin:

Mally Pore Perfecting Primer

Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer – mix of Beige and Warm Beige – w/ Erin’s Foundation Brush

Mally Cancellation Concealer in Tan – w/Erin’s Eye Blender Brush (it works for concealer too J)

YSL Touche Eclat #2

Hourglass Aura Blush in Petal

Mally Shape and Light contour & highlight powders – w/ Mally’s Double Ended Shaping Brush

Erin’s Loose Mineral Setting Powder – w/ Hourglass’ Powder Brush

Lips:

Angelique Cabral

Mally Nudemedium Lipliner

Mally B Sexy Gloss

Body:

Korres Guava Body Butter w/ Bare Escentuals Flawless Radiance

xoxo

Erin