Category: Beauty

Beauty Rocks at the Makeup Show 2016

k150_28Stiletto_City_heel_iconSZDWhether you are a pro makeup artist or just someone who loves experimenting with makeup, The Makeup Show is an annual event not to be missed. With dozens of beauty product vendors, classes by makeup professionals, demos, seminars and a career fair for those wanting to break into the industry as a hair or makeup stylist, The Makeup Show has been going for 10 years. Every year it seems to get more packed. This year was no exception as the California Mart filled with beauty enthusiasts eager to check out new products from top brands and learn tips from experts in the business. I went and I was ready to shop and be inspired!

Demos at The Makeup Show 2016

 

Highlights of The Makeup Show 2016

What I Wore

I like to keep it casual for shopping, especially at conventions when there will be a lot of crowds and walking. But that doesn’t mean forgoing making a statement. A hat always does the trick and my vintage, faux leopard, pillbox hat is a go-to for daytime wear. I paired it with a vintage reproduction hot rod club t-shirt, statement necklace, capri pants and light canvas moto jacket. And of course shopping bags full of goodies make the best accessories!

OOTD The Makeup Show 2016

 

OOTD The Makeup Show 2016

My Haul

I can’t go to a Makeup Show and not do some shopping. While it’s a great opportunity for makeup artists to load up their kits and buy in bulk for a discount, it’s also good for bloggers like me to check out new products and to purchase products at a reduced price to try out. So my shopping bags were filled with:

New brushes from Crown Brushes

Hair padding from Straight Pin Studio

Ultralucent Setting Powder from Cinema Secrets

Makeup Setting Spray from Model in a Bottle

 

What to Wear

There are lots of Makeup Shows happening year-round in different cities – check out one near you. Be sure to dress with a sense of fashion and comfort to move through the crowds with ease. A vintage-style T-shirt will keep you cool and comfortable. Pair it with a statement necklace to upgrade a casual look to chic sensibility. Retro-style culotte pants are on trend for spring and come in playful patterns. Bring a light jacket in case it gets chilly and you’re good to go! Click the links to shop* this look!

Shopping Style

Don’t forget to check out some of the great beauty brands featured at the Makeup Show. Some products I recommend include Sephora’s new matte lipstick, Besame’s brightening powders and Make up For Ever’s HD collection.

Makeup Show Recommendations

 

The Makeup Show takes places at cities across the country. Check the website for locations and dates.

Stay beautiful,
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Leaving a Beauty Mark: Dita Von Teese Pinup Style

k150_28Stiletto_City_heel_iconSZDAll hail the queen! Dita Von Teese is known as the queen of pinup style. She’s a model, burlesque dancer and all around icon to those who love retro glamour. With a shock of black hair, pale skin, red lips and curves for days, she embodies the elegance and sex appeal of classic movie starlets while still keeping a little underground edge. And now she’s sharing her beauty secrets in her new book, “Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour”* and gearing up to hit Los Angeles with a talk at Live Talks LA on December 9th.

Dita Von Teese Your Beauty Mark

The book is a step by step guide through Dita’s  beauty routines and includes expert tips from her glam squad of makeup artists, hair stylists, nutritionists and fitness trainers. Co-written with Rose Apadaca (who also happens to be my former editor when I wrote for “Women’s Wear Daily.” Go Rose!), the book is bound to be the ultimate resource for pinup greatness from the best known woman in the business!

What I Wore

With Dita in mind, I recently went out in a Dita Von Teese-inspired pinup style look. When I think of her, I think of black lace, not only for her sexy pinup lingerie photos but she also wears a lot of black lace when she’s making red carpet appearances. See an inspiration photo here of a classic Dita look – black lace trimmed dress and red lips. So I pulled out a black lace, wrap-top over a black tank top and paired it with a silver-grey pencil skirt with front inverted pleats to get that sexy hourglass silhouette Dita is known for. I added some delicate rhinestone earrings, black gloves and tied the lace in with some black lace stilettos and a vintage bag with fun fringe trim. I also did my hair and makeup with pinup curls and of course, red lips!

Dita von Teese Pinup Style Look

What Would Dita Do? Get the Dita Von Teese Pinup Style Look

To get the Dita’s look, reach for a black lace dress like this form-fitting one with illusion top, add some glamour with rhinestone earrings and extra sex kitten appeal with velvet gloves and matching black velvet sky-high heels. Click the links* to shop this look!

Dita von Teese Pinup Style Look

 

And don’t forget some of Dita’s trademark beauty secrets such as porcelain, matte skin. I found Make Up For Ever’s Mat Velvet foundation is perfect for achieving that look – you hardly need primer or powder with it. And it wouldn’t be a Dita look without red lips. Go for Besame’s Red Velvet Lipstick, this brand is known for their makeup designed to recreate vintage looks. And you know you need some sexy lingerie so step into What Katie Did for your lacy underthings, this brand also appeals to those who love retro style. Click the links* to shop these brands!

Dita Von Teese Pinup Style Accessories

Dita Von Teese will be appearing December 9th at Live Talks LA at the Crest Theatre, 1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Live Talks LA strives to bring great speakers to Los Angeles — authors, artists, musicians, scientists and business thought leaders. Check out future events.

And be sure to pick up a copy of her book, “Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour”*

Go glamorous or go home,
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Pinup Hairstyles and Makeup Tutorial at Playclothes Vintage

k150_27 Stiletto_City_heel_iconSZDI’ll never pass up a lesson in hairstyles and makeup. Us girly girls just can’t get enough of it, especially when it comes to creating retro pinup looks. One of my favorite vintage stores Playclothes Vintage hosted a cocktail party and brought in a couple of beauty pros to do pinup hairstyles and makeup tutorials for achieving that vintage era look.

First up was makeup artist Gloria Alex creating a 1940s pinup makeup look using mostly Besame products, a brand known for making spot-on vintage recreation makeup. She explained every step of the way how and why the ’40s look was the way it was – from patriotic red lips to keep-it-simple eye makeup. No winged liner yet ladies! That came in the ’50s!

Makeup Up Artist Gloria Alex at Playclothes Vintage

Next up was hairstylist Sandra Dee who showed how to do a dry set using a curling iron to roll the entire head of hair. Then she amazed us all with her speed teasing using a bore bristle brush to create a GIANT nest of hair. Then she magically smoothed it into a lovely ’40s pinup hairstyle complete with victory roll.

The two also walked us through a ’60s looked they completed earlier on one of the shop girls.

Pinup Hairstyles and Makeup Tutorial with Hairstylist Sandra Dee at Playclothes Vintage

Hair and Makeup demo at Playclothes Vintage

Then it was shopping time! Playclothes is a beautifully laid out store filled with vintage dresses, hats, shoes, handbags and housewares. Not only do they have great stuff at great prices but it’s lovingly art decorated in a gorgeous setting that makes shopping a joy. The staff is super helpful too if you are looking for a particular item or era.

playclothes vintage

 

What I Wore

For the evening, I wore a ’60s era dress that I had purchased there previously teamed with a vintage basket purse and earrings I picked up off eBay and shoes from Bait Footware.

OOTD

OOTD

If you’re in LA, be sure to pop into Playclothes Vintage for a great shopping experience. No fantastic vintage shops near you? You can always shop* eBay for some great finds!

Playclothes Vintage is located at 3100 W Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505 (818) 557-8447

Hairstylist Sandra Dee can be booked for appointments at The Local Salon 5229 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601 (818) 763-2977  

Makeup artist Gloria Alex can be reached via Playclothes Vintage or http://makeupbygloriaalex.com.

Stay stylish,
Kastle

 

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Category: Beauty

The Makeup Show LA 2015

k150_26heel iconThe Makeup Show returned to Los Angeles for a full weekend of makeup artistry, brands showcasing their best products, demonstrations, makeup tips and business advice for those working to make a career in the industry.

Taking place at California Mart downtown, the show drew cosmetics enthusiasts as well as professionals to take it all in, many of whom come as walking advertisements for their style and best makeup looks. Of course, I had to put a cute outfit together for the occasion, with my new Unique Vintage dress featuring faces all over it. I always enjoy the makeup demos and a chance to check out the best of the brands that are hoping makeup artists will take advantage of the show discounts to load up their kits and bloggers like me with try something new to write about.

The Makeup Show LA

The show was packed for both days and it seemed everywhere you turned there was another exciting makeup demo taking place from classic looks to airbrush art to over-the-top editorial looks.

The Makeup Show LA

I caught a few demos including one from Shanna Cistulli for Cinema Secrets working her magic on my pal Doris Mayday (also known as model manager for Pinup Girl Clothing.) The demo also included some words of wisdom from Makeup Artist Legend/Cinema Secrets Founder Maurice Stein who stressed the importance of cleaning makeup brushes after every use! I caught up with Maurice after the demo and asked if makeup artists really don’t clean their brushes – he said some reuse brushes on SEVERAL clients before cleaning them. YUCK – can you say breakouts and illness!

The Makeup Show LA Cinema Secrets Demo

On Sunday, I caught a great demo by Helen Philips for Sephora using Sephora’s impressive collection of colorful eyeshadows that come in different finishes from matte to shimmer to mirror to glitter. She also gave a pro tip for makeup goofs – if you use makeup remover to fix a mistake and have a hole left in your foundation – use primer to fill it. I tried this a few days later and it works like a charm!

The Makeup Show Sephora Demo

Out in the booths I checked out Sephora’s eyeshadow and blushes that can be easily take out of their packaging and put in a customized palette. I also liked the T3 Micro’s line of curling irons and hot rollers that promise to leave hair shiny and smooth with bouncy curls. And I caught up with the Besame booth to find out what lipstick is seen on my new favorite show “Agent Carter.” Her secret weapon? Besame’s Red Velvet!

Besame's Red Velvet Lipstick

Check out more pix from the scene:

The Makeup Show LA

The Makeup Show LA

The Makeup Show LA

And now for my Makeup Show haul! I came home with lots of exciting new products to try including:

MakeupShow16

The Makeup Show takes place in cities including LA, New York, Orlando, Dallas and Chicago as well as pop up shops, throughout the year. Check the website for the next one near you!

For the love of makeup,
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

A Sinful Night with I AM SIN Cosmetics

k150_25heel iconIt was a sinfully fabulous night in Hollywood when Masuimi Max threw a party to celebrate her I Am Sin makeup line, now available at the Hustler Store in Hollywood.

The store, named after the magazine, has been a staple on the Sunset Strip for sexy toys and clothes. Masuimi Max’s makeup line, which feature cosmetics to give you dramatic, sultry looks, will certainly fit right in.

I AM SIN Cosmetics

The party featured models dressed as the 7 Deadly Sins and burlesque performances from Ruby Champagne, Vanessa Burgundy, and Aziza Kyebasuuta. The place was packed with a mix of the pinup and rock ‘n’ roll crowd who lined up at the bar for free cocktails while DJ Lina Lecaro, writer for the LA Weekly, kept the party rockin’ with some sinfully good glam and punk tunes.

I AM SIN Cosmetics Hustler Party
Sinful Models
Sinful Model
Sinful Model
Lina Lecaro and Kastle Waserman
With DJ/Nightlife Writer Lina Lecaro

I had a great time hanging with gal pals, Jenni Black and singer/model Jenny Éloïse Rieu. And I was excited to meet YouTube Personality/ Pinup Model Pinup Doll Ashley Marie, who I’ve learned so much from by watching her hair and makeup tutorials. She’s just as gorgeous in person as on the web.

Pinup Model/YouTube Personality Ashley Marie
Pinup Model/YouTube Personality Ashley Marie
Hustler Hollywood I Am Sin Cosmetics Party
With pals Jenny and Jenni – Photo by Jason Kamimura Photography

 

Masuimi is proving to be quite the entrepreneur as a performer, pinup model and now cosmetics maven. She also throws a great party! Wishing her the best of luck!

The Hustler Store is located at 8920 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Stay sinful,

Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Depotting Sample Size Eyeshadows

k150_25heel iconLadies, how many times have you received gifts with purchase of mini eyeshadow palattes only to have them pile up in your makeup drawer unused?

I had loads of little black compacts, mainly from Lancome because I’m a regular buyer of their fabulous eye cream that’s so expensive I only feel justified in splurging on it when they offer a gift with purchase. As a result, I have a rainbow of eyeshadow colors I rarely use because I never have time when I’m getting ready to break open all those little black compacts to see what’s inside.

blackCompacts

So while at the beauty supply, I picked up a couple of Z-Palettes and magnets and decided I’m going to depot those babies so I’ll use them!

I’m a newbie to depotting so for other newbies like me, I thought I’d share how my experience went. Depotting is basically pulling out the makeup pan from the packaging, putting a magnet sticker on the back of it, and then putting it into a Z Palette compact which has a magnetized back panel and clear top so you can see what you have. This cuts down on amount of space loads of tiny compacts take up in your makeup drawer, lets you see all of the makeup you have so you can use it all, rearrange the colors however you like them (grouping mattes and shimmers or by color shade etc.) and put the ones you want to take in your purse or traveling into a small Z Palette compact.

Here’s what you need, click the image to *shop:

Z Palette Large
Z Palette Large
Z Palette Compact Size
Z Palette Compact Size
Z Palette Small Square Magnets
Z Palette Small Square Magnets
Z Palette Large Circle Magnets
Z Palette Large Circle Magnets
Z Palette Depotting Tool
Z Palette Depotting Tool

 

I went to YouTube, my go-to source for learning everything, and viewed a couple of videos on depotting. Most recommended putting the compact on a piece of wax paper and setting on a heated flat iron for a few minutes to soften the glue that holds the pans into the packaging. I’ll admit I was a little impatient and skipped this step. I found most of mine lifted out of the packaging pretty easily and the glue residue just helped the magnet stickers stay on better. Also note, I bought the small square magnets that worked perfect for these sample-size makeup pans. The magnets are also available in larger circles for full-sized shadow products such as the kind purchased from MAC, which incidentally are cheaper in the refill pan than buying MAC shadows with the full packaging!

 

Z Palette sells a tool that helps with depotting that can get into the tiny space between the pan and packaging. I had a thin, pointed nail file that worked pretty well. A small Swiss Army knife would work too. I found the biggest challenge was being careful not to accidentally stab the cake of makeup while trying to get into the tiny space or stick my finger in the makeup cake and break or crack it. The whole process of depotting about 15 little compacts took roughly an hour.

There were a couple of compacts I had trouble getting onto so I decided to save them for later or just keep them in the packaging. But I was really happy with my new big palette of eyeshadows. I decided to group my colors by the palette they came with in the packaging since it prompts me to try the color combination intended by the makeup designer.

Depotted Palette

To celebrate I came up with this new shadow look using Lancome shadows of light and medium shades of blue shimmer on the lid, a matte rust color shadow blended in the crease and pearl shimmer on the crease to brow area.

Lancome Eyeshadow Look

And I’m really excited to use what feels like a brand new eyeshadow palette to try new looks in the coming days and weeks!

It’s hot to depot!
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Fifty Shades of Grey: Get Ana’s Look

k150_25heel iconIf you’re one of thousands who went to go see “Fifty Shades of Grey” opening weekend, like I did (read my review), and you want to get Anastasia’s look, Makeup For Ever has the collection for you. From the barely-there makeup look of a college girl to a more sultry, bold look of the woman Anna begins to transform into, this collection was created specifically from the looks used in the film.

See the behind the scenes video about the collection from “Fifty Shades of Grey” makeup department head, Victoria Down. Click the images to shop* the collection:

Give In To Me Kit

Fifty Shades of Grey Makeup Forever Collection

Desire Me Cheek Set

Fifty Shades of Grey Makeup Forever Collection Tease Me Lip Set in Nude

Fifty Shades of Grey Makeup Forever

 

Tease Me Lip Set in Berry

Fifty Shades of Grey Makeup Forever

Oh my!
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Makeup For When You’re Sick

k150_25Stiletto_City_heel_iconSZDThere’s no getting around it, I’ve been down with a cold. And not just a cold, a sinus infection on top of it. And I’m not the only one. The cold and flu season has been particularly bad this year – my family, friends and coworkers have been dropping like dominos with an insistent cold that has lingered for two weeks or longer.

But life must go on and at some point you have to get out of bed and back into the world, even if you’re not back to feeling – or looking – your best. So I thought I would put together some tips on how to fake it, until you feel it. Click the links to shop* the products.

SickK

Moisturizer

Being sick can dehydrate you, drink lots of water and use a good moisturizer, one with an illuminator, such as Stila’s Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, can help you look radiant when your skin is drab from the illness. You may also want to reach for an eye cream to help with puffiness. Benefit’s Puff Off cream even has a little “iron” applicator to smooth out delicate skin around the eyes. Bonus tip – put your moisturizer in the refrigerator so it’s cool when you apply it, it will feel invigorating when you put it on and help with any puffiness.

Stila Illuminating Moisturizer Benefit Puff Off

Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

Benefit Puff Off

 

Foundation

You’re going to be blowing your nose – a lot. So keep foundation light so it doesn’t show when you wipe off most of it from around your nose and mouth with the hundreds of tissues you’ll be going through. If you’re like me and have to go on antibiotics, at least there is one perk – it clears up blemishes so you won’t need much cover up! NARS Sheer Foundation provides just enough of a base and a bit of a glow to freshen up your complexion. But you may want to add a peach-tinted concealer under eyes to deal with dark circles such as Bobbi Brown’s Color Corrector.

NARS foundation Bobbi Brown Color Corrector

NARS Sheer Foundation

Bobbi Brown Color Corrector in Peach

 

Lipstick

Now is not the time to be workin’ a heavy lipstick that’s going to smear every time you raise a tissue to your mouth and nose. Your lips are likely chapped from the “fun” of sleeping with your mouth open because your nose is stuffed up. So go for a moisturizing tinted lip balm. My faves are Sugar’s Lip Treatment and Clinque’s Chubby Sticks.

Sugar Lip Treatment Clinque Chubby Stick

Sugar Lip Treatment

Clinque Chubby Stick

 

Blush

When you’re sick, you’re pale. Fake a healthy glow with a cream blush such as Stila’s Convertible Color, which can also be used on lips. A few sweeps of bronzer such as Benefit’s Hoola will also combat the pastiness a cold can bring.

Stila Cream Blush Benefit Hoola Bronzer

Stila Convertible Color

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

 

Eyes

Your eyes may be runny and puffy so keep makeup light and natural. A dark brown eyeshadow in the crease can help counter the puffiness and a dab of a light shimmery color in the inner lids and corner can brighten them up. Benefit’s Big Beautiful Eyes palette has everything you need. A brightening eye-lid primer such as Benefit’s Lemon-Aid will also help. Top with a waterproof mascara that won’t run when your eyes do.

Benefit Lemon Aid big beautiful eyes benefit

Benefit Lemon Aid

Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes

Get well soon!
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

Beauty Tools to Get to the Bottom of It

k150_24Stiletto_City_heel_iconSZDBeauty Lovers – don’t you hate it when you run out of your favorite product, look inside the container and see there’s more in there but you just can’t get to it? I swear packaging is designed to make you waste product to get you to buy more – and that can get expensive! But for us gals on a budget and those who just hate to be wasteful, we can’t afford to leave product on the table! Thankfully, a couple of innovative beauty problem-solvers came up with tools to help us out.

makeupmiserproduct

 

Makeup Miser

When you have bottles of makeup foundation or face/body moisturizers, very often the pumps don’t reach the bottom of the bottle. The Makeup Miser* is a long handled, tiny, flexible rubber spatula that will reach down in there and get it out for you! The great thing about this product is it comes in three different sizes and it will get in super small bottle openings. Plus, the tools are easy to clean with a makeup wipe and/or some soap and water when you’re done.

feature1Swoon

If you’ve ever run out of your favorite lip gloss, you can usually see more at the bottom of the container but alas, the sponge tip applicator never seems to reach that far. Enter Swoon*, a long handled tool with a pointed rubber tip that will go in there and get that gloss for you! This is especially handy since lip glosses seem to get discontinued by the time you finish them and when you fall in love with a color, you hate to let it go! Swoon is easily cleaned with a makeup wipe and has a handy container to keep it clean so you can drop it in your makeup bag or purse.

Swoon Lip Gloss Grabber

Just a quick thanks to these product makers for helping us beauty lovers out!

Keep it beautiful,
Kastle

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Category: Beauty

BeautyCon LA 2014

k150_24heel iconBeautyCon rolled through Los Angeles for the second year. I had high hopes for this conference after last year’s debut drew such a crowd that me and hundreds of other beauty enthusiasts were met with an overcapacity mob scene and there was no getting in. After moving the event to a – somewhat – larger venue, I hoped for a little more organization to handle the massive crowd who shows up to see mega Beauty YouTubers including Kandee Johnson, Bethany Mota, Meg DeAngelis, Gigi Gorgeous.

BeautyConLA 2014

The minute the elevators doors opened to the 2nd floor of the LA Mart, you could hear the volume of hundreds of excited beauty fans. I stepped into the scene and it was instant insanity. Girls were already pushing through the too-narrow isles with giant shopping bags and lines wrapped throughout the venue to try to get in to the see the panel discussions. It was a beauty zoo! And while it was fun to be among my fellow beauty lovers, I found the setup to be exasperating. I could barely see what beauty vendors including CoverGirl, NYX, and tarte had to offer. It looked like the majority of the booths were offering quickie makeovers (which you had to wait in line for) and had very little product on display.

BeautyConLA 2014

The demographic in attendance was very young, we’re talking tweens and teens, many there with their moms to see their beloved Beauty Vlogger. Let’s just say the running, pushing and screaming got a little trying. Perhaps I’m not the target audience here but I was also there to see some of the vloggers I’ve admired and while I had a VIP pass, there was no getting near any of their appearances without fighting mob scenes and lines. No thanks, I’ll stick to watching them on YouTube in the comfort of my home.

BeautyConLA 2014

But it did say a lot about the draw and influence of these new self-made stars. They are the new celebrities. But just a note to BeautyCon – get a bigger venue, these YouTubers have millions of fans who subscribe to their channels and are going to show up to see them in person. Do the math. Remember BeatleMania? This is BeautyMania!

Stay beautiful,
Kastle

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