Tag: lupus

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Celebrity Makeup Artist Ask For Your Support For Lupus Awareness Month

 

As you know it’s #lupusawarenessmonth and I live with this horrible disease, Lupus. When I sat with my business partner to discuss our first set of lip shades I knew I wanted a violet purple shade for #lupusawareness so at Entitled Beauty we launched a lipstick color called “Orchid” and my goal is for everyone to own a product that means a lot to me. On Friday, I would like to see all of you wearing “Orchid”. Tag me @bgdmakeupartist and @entitledbeautyworldwide with your lipstick color on. Don’t let me down. 💜💄

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Lupus Flare Up Sent Me To The Hospital

img_8560It is Lupus Awareness Month so I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m back in the hospital with a flare up, this is my glam life.

I always say my body is like playing a game of cards because I never know what I’m going to get when I wake up in the morning. Because I’m not a person that go to the hospital for every little pain I get I’m always in bad shape when I get to the hospital. I won’t take off from an assignment I have learned how to manage and still do beautiful work while in pain. When I do say I need to go to the hospital the pain level is over 10.

This time my flare up was in my left hip and leg. It was so swollen, had redness/inflamed, and painful to walk. My day started with going to the doctor with hopes of getting a shot for the pain. Right away my doctor said, WOW, you have septic joints. Before I can get dress the ambulance was being called, and a wheelchair brought in the room. Like my doctor said, I’m so vain, I turned all that down, Oh Hell To The No!!! Then they try showing me how to use crutches, turned that down also. I promised my doctor that I was going to go to the ER, went home and waited for my husband and son to come home so they could escort me.

So now I’m at Danbury Hospital, my second home…smh. Lots of blood work was done as usual and X-Rays to see what was going on. I was given some strong meds to calm down the flare up. I’m not a fan of pills because I don’t like the way it makes me feel. Give me a cocktail any day because I’m in control and I know my limit. They gave me Naproxen, Diazepam, and Oxycodone. I now have to go see a Orthopedics to make sure I don’t have any damages with my joints/muscles from walking for a long time without seeing a doctor.

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So, I’m on bed rest for 2 days and I’m thinking positive that everything is ok and no blood clotting while traveling on Friday. Because of my history in the past I use to clot so I wasn’t able to travel for some time.

Nap Time…

 

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Ask An Expert: Celebrity Makeup Artist & Entrepreneur Brandy Gomez-Duplessis

Hello!  Today’s “Ask An Expert” interview is with a celebrity makeup artist, entrepreneur and kindred spirit of mine, Brandy Gomez-Duplessis. She is one of those magical people that are simply larger than life.  When she walks into a room, she owns it.  I mean, you guys…

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Read the full article that Lifestyle Blogger, Mindy from Finding Silver Linings blog. It was a fun interview and I enjoyed my time with Mindy. It’s a treat when your peers show you love. I hope you take some time to check it out. Her blog is fabulous you will want to subscribe and Oh did I mention she’s freaking GORG!

Where can I be found on social?

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BGDMakeupArtist

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/bgdmakeupartist/

Blog:  https://insidethelifeofamakeupartist.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/public/Brandy-Gomez-Duplessis

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWb6XK6HKvdg5htrf6fYlw

 

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THE GLAM LIFE OF A MAKEUP ARTIST (LIFE, LIPSTICKS + LUPUS)

img_1258-1When your peers reach out to say they would like to feature you on their blogs and share your story to their readers it’s always an honor. Two features in one week, this time on Vine & Oak lifestyle blog. As many of you know I don’t hide my health issues so hopefully my story will give insight and inspired new peers. Read the article from Vine & Oak here.

Thanks Tiff and good luck with Vine & Oak.

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I Was Featured On Everyday Health To Share My Story Of Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, & Lyme

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Last month I spent about an hour chatting with writer Maria Ricapito from Everyday Health. She reached out to me about featuring me on Everyday Health to share my health story of living with RA while working as a makeup artist in the industry. Usually, I’m the one who’s sharing about my health (Lupus & Lyme) on my blog and all of my other social media pages to followers who really are interested in my story. I always find people who don’t know me tell me that I inspire them, I give them hope and I show them that being diagnosed with a chronic illness isn’t a death sentence even when there are lots of days it feel that way.

Makeup artist Brandy Gomez-Duplessis is known for her beautiful handiwork.

I gave a lot of tips on how I get thought my work days by using certain products, doing little tricks, and how I manage to stay stress free on set. That’s one thing I had to learn to give up, STRESS and that’s including people. I shared with Maria my must have items to help me to maintain stress free days.

  1.  Victorinox Swiss Army
  2.  Royal and Langnickel
  3. Sally Hansen Eazy Tweezy Comfort Grip Slant Tip
  4. Coco’s Stainless Steel Slant Tip Tweezer
  5. HotHands heat warmers
  6. Biodara Immortal Mist
  7. essential oil blend from Tata Harper Skincare
  8. Bath & Body Works Stress Relief collection
  9. Floafers shoes

And if I can share one thing with someone who may be new to hearing me speak. When you start to feel like something is wrong, SOMETHING is wrong. You have to be your own advocate when visiting doctors. If you don’t feel like your doctor is not understanding you, it’s ok to find another. Get a notebook, start documenting everything. Don’t let people tell you that your to young, your depress, your stress, and any other reasons. You know your body better than anyone else. Fight for blood work and not the basic pregnancy test, diabetes test, and thyroid test.

So here’s the article, I hope you enjoy it and learned something new that can help you or a love one….Thanks Maria and the editor at Everyday Health for selecting me.

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I Didn’t Let My Chronic Illness Stop Me From Starting Entitled Beauty Makeup Line

The reason why I can’t stop screaming from the mountain top about Entitled Beauty makeup line is because it’s been a year in the making. Many of the days I was home in bed having bad flares from my Lupus, Lyme & RA. My amazing business partner and I would take advantage of us communicating through technology like Face Time & Skype about colors, textures, and packaging because I wasn’t able to do face to face meetings. So this baby is very special to me and this is why I want everyone to try it, I want everyone to fall in love with it because it was made out of love. Plus, it’s mineral based so it’s all healthy for the skin and for you. My health is very important to me and after sharing about my chronic illness I have met so many other women suffering with a invisible illness like myself.  So, when talking with Johnny about wanting the makeup to be health he supported me. That’s why he’s amazing!

Working in the beauty industry for 21 years and using other makeup brands on my clients, on assignments, at fashion shows I now have my own makeup line to use. So I can’t wait to see it on everyone I now work on. My partner Johnny and I only have 10 perfectly matte lipstick shades for now but so much more lippies colors are coming with a new item in 2 weeks and by Spring 2018 we will have another item added to the line.

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Just in time for the holidays maybe treat yourself or someone to Entitled Beauty mineral liquid lipsticks. We have a lot of great things coming up in just a few days so stay tune and stay connected with Entitled Beauty by following our Instagram page.

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Today’s Dr Appointments Wasn’t A Glam One

It’s been a day and I’m so glad it’s over my body need a break. I started first by going to do a CT Scan, then off to do the allergy test on my arms and forearms, then over to the CT Sinus Center, ending my appointment doing a Intravenous (IV) infusion therapy. Unfortunately, I have to do a lot of this often, in 10 days I’ll be repeating everything except the allergy test. At least I didn’t have to give blood this week. A lot of driving around today, I’m just glad to be home. How is your Monday going?

*IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH OR HAVE TRYPOPHOBIA DON’T REVIEW THE PICS & VIDEOS BELOW. 

 

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Sunday Is My Day Of Being Fabulous

img_2245Today I’m not doing anything, I’m going to flaunt around the house like I do and just enjoying myself. Since I have no plans on leaving the house I’m going to just relax, snack, drink wine and nap. I have a busy week ahead starting with 3 appointments early tomorrow morning. And one more appointment on Tuesday but that one is going to be easy breeze. I haven’t been having any heart problems and it’s not time to do another EKG so I’ll be out in 10 mins. But as soon as I walk out of tomorrow appointment I cannot wait to take my meds for all these body pains. I was told that I couldn’t take anything for 3 days prior to my Monday appointments so I’m feeling everything so wine is definitely needed until then. How did you spend your Sunday?

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Saturday Was Glam But Saturday Night Got Ugly, Auto Immune Problems

A lot of peers always see me when I post pics of myself when I’m doing well but they never understand when I tell them that by the end of the day my body shut down. It’s hard to understand how can someone look amazing then quickly is having a hard time to breathe but it’s my life about 3-4 times a week. I decided to show you how I can go from this img_1931to the videos below. I don’t know if it’s the lupus, the lyme disease, or both but it’s definitely hard on my body. This is why my new lifestyle only allows for me to do one thing and usually work win and takes all my energy that I never have time to party or meet up with girlfriends after work. Not everyone understands and it hurts but when I give in I know I will have it bad for 2-3 days. I usually don’t like to push myself because I never won’t to be able to show up for work. So if you know anyone with an auto-immune or invisible illness please be patience with them.

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How Do You Deal With Bad Allergy

I know on social media we only suppose to share glam things but this is a part of my glam life. I don’t have allergies but my body ( #lupus ) think I do. All of my sinuses are infected so I always sound congested like I have a damn cold 24/7. Enough is enough, today I’m going to fight this like I have allergies.

What do you do when you’re fighting your allergies? I’m accepting suggestions & tips..