Tag: blogger

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Featured In This Month “Es Mi Cultura”

esmiculturaIn August I was contacted by Tamika with Es Mi Cultura, a monthly Afro-Latina focused newsletter to be featured in their two year anniversary October issue. So of course I said yes, because I’m always honored when my peers reach out to me.

In September we connected and here is the article for you to read. I hope you take time time to check out the entire newsletter especially if your an Afro-Latina like myself. It’s always good to support and read others who upbringing is very similar to your own. Thanks Tamika!

 

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Connecticut Bloggers Makeup Review On Rihanna FENTY BEAUTY

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With so many makeup brands out there, what’s the big deal about music artist Rihanna new makeup line Fenty Beauty. Fenty Beauty launched with 40 shades from very pale to very dark with their ultimate PHOTO FILT’R foundations. It’s one of their most talked about items. Usually makeup brands start off with lighter shades of foundation then every few years they add on darker shades. Well, Fenty Beauty has shouted from the mountain top that they are here for ALL WOMEN of all shades.

Finally a makeup company that embraced all skin tones. Rhianna’s makeup is for all ages, all races, and for all sexes. Many people don’t seem to understand why it’s a big deal that every woman can now have a foundation that matches their skin tone perfectly. As I always say wearing the perfect foundation is like wearing the perfect bra.

Like many makeup lovers, we at Makeup and Martini’scould not wait to get our hands on a few items from Fenty Beauty. Guess what! We did. So, we did a video of us playing with the makeup. During the video I tested the products on both Johnny and myself.

photo credit: Johnny Luoma

Fenty Beauty is being sold at Sephora, some of the items you can purchase now are: primer, foundations, matte skinsticks, shimmer skinsticks, highlighters, contour skinsticks, luminizers, brushes, blotting powder and blotting paper.

Check out Makeup and Martini’s makeup review video by clicking here.

Have you tried Fenty Beauty yet? If so, share with me what you purchased and what you think about it?

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YMCA “Break Out The Bubble” Ribbon Cutting In Danbury Connecticut

img_1696I always enjoy attending social events, this time I didn’t have to go far. As they say, it was right in my own back yard…3 mins away. I was invited by Randy to attend “Break Out The Bubble” Ribbon Cutting & VIP Reception for the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut. 

The Regional YMCA were celebrating the opening of the 15,500 sq ft bubble enclosure making the outdoor pool available year-round. The new Youth Development & Aquatics Center building will now consists of new showers, bathrooms, and a lobby.  This is perfect for when kids are off during the holidays and parents we want our kids to have activities they could do while home. The aquatics center is something I’m elated about because of my chronic illness this will be a great way to stay healthy.

As you know I never stop working and while at the VIP Reception I had a fun time with JoAnn Cueva the Danbury Chamber Of Commerce Director. So much fun playing with makeup and giving her a personal makeup lesson and What’s In Your Bag service.

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While there Johnny and I managed to get some content for Makeup and Martini’s 
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Special Guest Tonight On The Happy Hour Show

Tonight I will be the ladies special guest on The Happy Hour Show on New Vil La Radio at 7pm. I will be talking about my 20 plus years working in the entertainment & beauty industry as a makeup artist. I’m sure they will ask me about my health (lupus, lyme, ra) challenges, being a wife and mother and how I manage to do it all making it look easy. If they did their homework they will bring up me being the Beauty Editor for Caribbean Posh magazine and Beauty Writer for my column Beauty Happy Hour for Hearst CT News Blog. I hope you can turn in tonight at 7pm by clicking here.

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Fab Weekend Working Ipsy Gen Beauty In New York

img_1108-1I’m so excited about my glamxurious weekend with Covergirl cosmetics at IPSY Generation Beauty in New York. The first day I was asked to do a few speaking segments with Covergirl beauty influencers who was invited to come through. I enjoyed it because the more experience I get speaking on live camera the better I get at speaking, right?

On Sunday I bullied Johnny to attend so we could get content for our Makeup & Martini’s video blog on Youtube. I was given a pass so we could come in early to film and take pics before the door open. We had so much fun skipping through the Jacob K. Javits Center. The busiest day was on Saturday because our invited guest was Mario Dedivanovic. I was able to get pics & video for you all. Like Beauty Con I was there to help consumers find their correct foundation shade with their newest foundation, Vitalist Healthy Elixir. I hope I got you all some fun stuff of my 2 day glam weekend with Covergirl. Bonnie did such a great job as usual with the booth, executing the event with her team. I’m always so grateful that she ask me to be the makeup artist for such a great event.

 

 

 

 

Had a great time doing this segment with Love Melisa Michelle because she’s someone that I actually follow on Instagram.

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He’s here!!!! Celebrity Makeup Artist Mario Dedivanovic has made it to the Covergirl booth. I tried to get a video of his arrival so that you can feel like you were there. As you see James was all in the way.

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Another fun segment was with the gorgeous Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle Vlogger Belinda Selene.

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Getting some fun content for Makeup & Martini’s…Thanks Johnny for waking up at 5am

Johnny shared with me that IPSY GenBeauty used my video on their social media  page…now that’s Cool!

Went to see my godfather Alex with Absolute New York but of course he wasn’t there. He’s somewhere jet-setting building an empire. So I didn’t get to see him #sad

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Fenty Beauty By Rhianna Is The Best Thing That Has Happened To Makeup

FENTY BEAUTYFenty Beauty is a new brand own by music artist Rihanna that’s represents beauty for all, that’s who she is and that’s what she stands for. Something that many makeup brands have never really embraced. So this is why her products are flying off the Sephora shelves everywhere especially the foundations. It’s one of the most expensive items that majority of makeup companies sell besides makeup brushes.

One of the most talked about item from Fenty Beauty is their ultimate PHOTO FILT’R foundation in 40 boundary breaking shades. Usually makeup brands start off with lighter shades of foundation then every few years they add on darker shades. Well, Fenty Beauty has shouted from the mountain top that they are here for ALL WOMEN of all shades. Finally, so many boogie down brown women will now walk around feeling really good because they are wearing the correct foundation shade. To me wearing the correct foundation is like wearing the correct bra, this is why I think Fenty Beauty is the best thing that has happened for women. I feel that Rhi Rhi will not overlook so many women hue when producing products. I can’t wait to see all the fun holiday collections, seasonal and limited edition makeup items Rhi Rhi will add to her makeup line.

Some of the items you can purchase now at Sephora are: primer, foundations, matte skinsticks, shimmer skinsticks, highlighters, contour skinsticks, luminizers, brushes, blotting powder and blotting paper. I’m so grateful for so many reasons but one being that so many women now have a makeup brand to count on…Chi Ching!!!

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Yesterday my partner and crime Johnny and I we filmed Makeup & Martini’s for our YouTube page our makeup review on Fenty Beauty products. I’m so elated that I can’t wait for you all to review. Here are a few of the items I got to play with while filming Makeup & Martin’s.

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PRO FILT’R soft matte long wearing foundation…I’m #420
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GLOSS BOMB universal lip luminizer

 

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KILLAWATT IN TROPHY WIFE a freestyle highlighter

 

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CHEEK HUGGING HIGHLIGHT BRUSH
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I LOVE IT!

Have you tried Fenty Beauty yet? If so, share with me what you purchased and what you think about it?

 

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Hair Review On Frederic Fekkai’s New Product The One

Frederić Fekkai's The One.jpgAre you looking for a new hair products? Well, I think I found a luxury product for you. On Makeup & Martini’s Johnny selected a new hair line from the hair God, Frederic Fekkai called ‘The One’ for us to review. The NEW salon-perfected and science-supported range of luxury haircare products that harnesses the transformative power of the sea. Bad hair days will no longer exist with this line! Can we get an AMEN!

Watch the Hair Review on The One right here. At the end of the Hair Review Johnny will show you how he does his blowout using Fekkai, “The One” products, so keep watching. I must say Johnny’s hair has never looked so good!

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Beautiful Day Of Makeup At Warren Tricomi Salon on Saturday

 

img_0500-1Another busy day at Warren Tricomi Salon in Greenwich, CT today. The best clients ever are the ones that comes in and let me do my artistry without any paint by number instructions. That’s my biggest pet peeves when I’m dealing with clients at salons. On set the energy is totally different models and celebrities they come in and just get made up.

Today’s clients allowed me to do what I do best they trusted my artistry and I’ll give them my best work.

Here are some fun pics from today.

 

Clarissa is a sexy bride who wanted a smokey look, she did come in with a inspirational picture but she told me to do it my way. At the end she loved her makeup better than the inspirational picture. The highlighter I selected was Stila Heaven’s Hue Highlighter in Kitten and on her lips I used Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Angelo.

Brittany was going on a date with her hubby to the city and she wanted to look hot. Brittany is a newly newlywed so I wanted to really give her a sultry makeup look. I pulled out some of my fav products as you see, Dior beauty & NARS blush in Orgasm

 

Cuvget Stimulating SerumWith both ladies I prep their skin with ČUVGET Stimulating Serum. I’m such a fan of this serum because I actually see a difference in how my client skin looks instantly and I feel that their makeup look so much better. Not only does their face look flawless but the skin is more radiant. If your looking for a new collagen serum definitely look into ČUVGET because I am obsessed with the results and the ingredients; arctic berries, marine extracts with potent peptides as well as betaglucans that helps to stimulate your stem cells improving your skin after every use.

 

 

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8 Life-Changing Ways Makeup Artists Store Beauty Products

In July, when POPSUGAR reached out to me about being a part of an upcoming article I was so elated. They shared with me the topic they would be speaking to I knew exactly what I would personally contribute to. On my mirror vanity now sits a few of Bath & Body Works  empty jars that I use to hold my makeup brushes, lipsticks and lip gloss. My favorite scented candle from Bath & Body Works is Black Teakwood. Those sexy masculine aroma of; Rich Mahogany, Black Teakwood, Dark Oak, Frosted Lavender makes me feel so sultry while I’m sitting at my vanity getting dressed.


Here’s a snippet and what I shared with POPSUGAR

If you love collecting new beauty products to the tune of multiple visits to Sephora every month, you’re probably amassing quite the stockpile. And while there’s nothing wrong with trying out the latest and greatest, owning so many products that you can hardly close your vanity drawer or medicine cabinet is no fun. To keep your pretty self sane and all of your favorite products organized and in sight, we asked top makeup artists to share their best-kept secrets for clearing the clutter and streamlining their beauty routines.

Reuse Old Candle Jars

 

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Image Source: gia-co.com

“Because I have an obsession with candles, I always seem to have so many and a variety of sizes so I knew I could do something great with them. Once I was done with the candles, I would break up the remaining pieces using a butter knife, wash out the glass container, and then put the container in the microwave for 20 seconds. Wipe away the melted wax with a paper towel, then stuff the glass with different things. Get creative by gluing on items like beads, crystals, beans, jewelry, or whatever you like!” — Brandy Gomez-Duplessis, celebrity makeup artist

 

Read the full article on POPSUGAR by clicking here.

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List Of Things You Will Need To Rebuild After Hurricane Harvey

Residents wait on a roof top to be rescued from the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans ..Today is the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a day that has changed my life. I feel like a PRO with surviving hurricanes unfortunately. As I’m glued to my television watching CNN and talking to family & friends in Texas I’m hearing they are now doing MANDATORY EVACUATION in certain areas of Houston. Because I have lived through it and have managed to rebuild with some challenges I can share what you will need to move forward. So, if you still have time to gather a few things please be sure to grab the following items to help you with rebuilding.

  • Insurance Papers-Home & Business
  • Birth Certificates & Passports
  • Drivers License
  • Marriage License
  • Social Security Card
  • Taxes
  • Property Records-Home, Cars, Boats
  • Legal Records
  • Medical Papers
  • Shot Records For Kids
  • Kids Report Cards
  • Bills with your mailing address on it
  • Last two month bills -You will need because monthly service companies will lose all of your payment information so they will recharge you for service that you already paid.
  • Business Owners-Contracts for anything you lease/rent
  • Computer & Charger

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It will just make your life easier if you have these items. Get ready to fight, get ready to be on the phone for days trying to get through to who ever you need to speak with, be ready to stand in lines, be ready to research for yourself, read those last pages of your contracts so you will be ready for companies that will want to fine you / sue you later. Don’t expect that you will be good because you have insurance, know the difference between flood, water, and wind damages, educate yourself. Redcross & FEMA can only provide you a temp fix for a few days-weeks only. Hopefully you took clear pictures of properties in your home because you will need a lot of proof.

Good Luck with everything, stick together, spouses please be patience with each other. Everyone handle stress differently. This is the time that you will need to lean on each other. Men, it’s ok to cry, let it out, don’t be ashamed. Because you all are dealing with emotions that you have never experience. It’s so heartbroken to see others drowning right before your eyes will be something you will never forget. I made that mistake trying to stay strong trying to deal with all the bullshit that I didn’t have time to cry in process what the hell had just happened. Again stick together and talk to your kids because their little minds are in shock especially if they witness bodies. I’m still in shock from seeing dead bodies upon returning home.

I will continue to pray for Texas!