Grooming for PRETTYMUCH // Boys by Girls

My last shoot of 2020! Amber McKee had asked me to join her for one last hurrah in Long Beach, shooting for Boys by Girls. We were shooting a music group consisting of 5 (very stylish) Gen-Z guys - PRETTYMUCH. They arrived on set together with energy for days and all sorts of clothing options.

For grooming, I kept it simple. I wanted their personalities to shine through, so for makeup, I did just a bit of spot concealing, shine control, & lip balm :) As for hairstyling, I kept it true to their usual styles. They were doing their own wardrobe styling for the shoot, so it made sense to keep their hair similar to how they would normally wear it. I wanted the photos to be about them, so keeping their hair casual and not overly styled, worked perfectly.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the day! It was a great way to end 2020!

Sofia Reyes stars in Latin Music Queens!

If you are looking for something to watch, definitely check out the new show “Latin Music Queens!” Sofia Reyes stars in this new Facebook Watch series along with fellow artists Thalia and Farina. The show follows these 3 superstars as they collaborate on a new song while navigating through a global pandemic. You will really get to know Sofia as she speaks candidly about her experiences in the music business and what is most important to her now.

Also, of note….I did Sofia’s makeup for some of her interview scenes! Check out the 3 looks we did below… which is your favorite? Happy watching!

Makeup for Stephen Puth's new music video with Sofia Reyes

Not too long ago Sofia Reyes asked me to do her makeup for her next music video. It turned out that her upcoming song collaboration was with Stephen Puth! They co-wrote & performed a beautiful duet “Whose Arms” and were ready to film the music video. Stephen also needed grooming, so I was able to do his makeup as well (… he has great skin so he didn’t need much at all!)

We started off in full rain in the rain room at a downtown LA studio. I did only a light makeup application on Sofia for the rain scene. Once we were done filming that first shot, I started on her full glam. We kept the look pretty natural overall, and focused on bronzed, glowy skin, full & fluffy brows, and a nude lip color that gives her natural lip just a lil extra punch. For fun, we added a baby black winged eyeliner to compliment her sleek black corset & structured jacket.

Check out the full video below as well as some photos from the shoot!

Chatting about the modern beauty industry with Authority Magazine

Recently I chatted with Jilea Hemmings of Authority Magazine about the modern beauty industry and my personal experience working as a hair & makeup artist.

Jilea asked me a really great question that I think everyone should know the answer to, now more than ever. She asked me how can anyone feel beautiful…

I think the best way to feel beautiful is to act beautiful, to talk beautiful. I was listening to a podcast the other day featuring best-selling author Jon Gordon. He was talking about the best piece of advice he ever got, and that was from champion runner, Dr. James Gills. When asked how he became successful, Gills said “I’ve learned to talk to myself instead of listen to myself. If I listen to myself I hear fear and doubts, but if I talk to myself, I can feed myself words of encouragement that I need to move forward.” This statement is so true and applicable to beauty too. If you really exude beautiful qualities and speak impeccably to yourself, then you will feel beautiful!

To read the rest of my interview & get my top tips on how to succeed in the modern beauty industry, click here!

Makeup for Sofia Reyes' new music video!

I’ve been glamming Sofia Reyes for years now! It has been such an honor to be part of her journey and watch her blossom as an artist.

We recently shot her latest music video to complement her new single - Echalo Pa’Ca. This song is amazing and definitely one of my favorite Sofia tracks to date. (ps - she also wrote it herself!!)

The video was shot in studio and we did 3 looks for her…

~~The first look featured a yellow-gold eyeshadow and bold red lip.

~~The second was a variation of the first. We kept the gold eye but toned down the lip to a nude shade.

~~And finally the third look, was super natural. We took off all the eyeshadow and focused on dewy skin. I covered her body in a shimmery oil to compliment the gorgeous dress and incredible dance performance. I also used a glass highlighter to pump up the shine on the tops of her cheekbones and lips.

Check out the full video below, as well as the 3 looks! Comment to let me know which look is your favorite!

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Grooming for Yoson An // Boys by Girls

Yoson An is starring in the new Mulan movie, streaming today on Disney+! I was fortunate enough to meet him and do his grooming for his Boys by Girls feature. Yoson was awesome to work with - super laid back and easy to talk to. We chatted about New Zealand adventures and his recent big move to Hollywood.

We actually shot this story back in January 2020, before coronavirus shut everything down. Mulan was supposed to come out months ago, but ended up being postponed along with this editorial story. I’m so glad that it finally released and I can share these images!

Better Homes & Gardens wanted some ponytail tips

I’d say a good 50% of the time, my hair is in a ponytail. Working out, hiking, beach, dirty hair days… all call for a variation of the sort. I’m sure I’m not alone, especially during the summer months! Better Homes & Gardens wanted some suggestions for wearing this classic style while keeping your tresses damage-free. I gave them my top tips (including best hair ties for healthy hair!) … check out the full article by Jennifer Aldrich here.

I spoke with Healthline about hair brushing!

I recently spoke with Healthline about the benefits of hair brushing and how to do it properly. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that we can use a refresher on! Check out the full article here by Sara Lindberg.

Did a lil glam for Metropolis Report

Two curly girls in one shoot? Sign me up!! That’s exactly what happened in the beginning of 2020. Maybe it’s because I have straight hair, and styling curly hair is such a different experience. Whatever the reason, when photographer Amber McKee asked me to do some glam for her upcoming Metropolis Report editorial, I was all for it.  Jasmine Rutledge & Jessica Raemy were the two lovely models, and Leo Plass was styling.

We shot this story in Los Angeles on Jan 10, 2020. It was only my second shoot of the year and I was thrilled to be off to such a great start. I wanted to do some fun hairstyles on them, and also play with a little bit of color in the makeup. I recently received the final images and wanted to share a few of them here!

Vital Proteins asked me what's in my summer beauty bag...

Summer is in full swing, and I’ve been loving the warm weather. (I’m a Leo after all!!). As I’ve been spending more time in the sun, and feeling the temps rise, I’ve made some changes to my beauty routine. Vital Proteins asked me what’s currently in my beauty bag, and I was super excited to share all of my summer must-haves. Check out this article by Sarah Kester, and let me know if you’ll try any of these products!

Goodbye dry hands! Super soft skin is just one sleep away...

If you are anything like me, hand washing has become a seemingly endless practice since the COVID-19 outbreak. In an attempt to not infect myself (or anyone else for that matter…), I’ve been washing my hands more than ever & using hand sanitizer full of alcohol. On top of that, I’ve been cooking more at home - and as a result, doing more dishes. Needless to say, my hands have taken a beating. They are super dry, and in need of some serious relief. I know that I can’t be the only one!

Not to worry - I have the perfect remedy to share with you! This overnight hand treatment takes about one minute to do before you go to bed, and you’ll reap the benefits for the entire night that you sleep.

Here’s the game plan…

1. Slightly dampen your hands. You can use water from the sink, or a treatment mist. Personally I like to use Odacite Rose + Neroli Treatment Mist. Two or three sprays should suffice. Slightly damp hands will prepare your skin for the next step…

2. Apply a few drops of oil to your palms and rub together. Because your hands are slightly damp, the oil will absorb much better into the skin. Two of my favorite oils are Lanima Luminous Face Oil and Desert Essences 100% Pure Jojoba Oil. (Coconut oil also works great!)

3. Apply a generous amount of a moisturizing cream/lotion to your hands and slather all over your hands. My go-to has always been Gold Bond Healing Foot Cream, but I also have used Avene Cicalfate and Weleda Skin Food Ultra Rich Cream. Pro tip - you can also cocktail several creams together. Why not get the healing & moisturizing properties of 2 or 3 creams instead just one?!

4. The secret to this overnight treatment is wearing cotton gloves. Now that you have your hands all prepped, slip on a pair of cotton gloves and you are done! Sleep with the gloves on, and allow the products to work their magic. When you wake up in the morning, just remove the cotton gloves and admire how soft your skin is! You can repeat this treatment every night.

For a quick demo, check out my YouTube video linked below!