Showing posts with label NYX. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYX. Show all posts

Products of the Month - August




The Pros at IMPO love the month of August because it is still summer and we have a deep tan on our skin (achieved the healthy way)!  We use summer to revive our skin and give it a break by using less makeup and more skincare/sunscreen.  When we do wear makeup it is usually light on foundation, concealer and powder, but with vibrant pops of color on our eyes, cheeks and lips!

This time of year we tend to use multitasking makeup products that have great staying power.  Hair tends to be left to dry naturally or with a diffuser and we like to use high-end shampoos, conditioners and treatments that help protect from and repair any sun damage.  Fingers and toes are never sans Mani/Pedi with fun, summer colors that are exotic and tropical.

We also take the time to treat our bodies better by working out more, eating healthier and drinking more water to flush out toxins (and those margaritas we can’t seem to turn down)!

And last, but not least…we are sticklers about grooming our eyebrows (we are adamant about this all year long, but in the summer when our makeup tends to be less or none, it is very important)!  It is a major pet peeve of the Pros to see over growing eyebrow hair that hasn’t come in contact with tweezers in weeks or made a trip to the salon for a proper groom!

Here are the products we love for the month of August:

NYX The Caribbean Collection - I Dream of St. Lucia – 5 Color Eye Shadow Palette – these gorgeous colors are perfect for summer!  They are bold, highly pigmented and long lasting.  The yellow color in this palette is beautiful as a brow highlighter! Pops of color on our eyes while keeping the cheeks and lips sheer is our favorite beach babe look!



Tricia Sawyer Eye Slept – Instant Eye Brightener – this product is nothing short of amazing!  Notice the words “eye brightener,” which means it is NOT a concealer!  We love to use this product on those days when concealer is not necessary, but if you must wear concealer daily, use this product on top of your concealer.  It is a buildable coverage so start out with a small “dab” and use your finger to tap in to blend.  Reapply for heavier coverage!  Use under eyes and in the corner of the eyes to create a more awake looking effect!  Great as a cheek highlighter and use on the cupids bow to create a fuller lip!




DiorShow Waterproof Mascara – one of the most glamorous products available to the consumer, we live in this mascara year round!  The waterproof version won’t smear or run when you swim and splash!  We covet Black 90, but recently purchased Azure Blue 258 and love how our eyes stand out!



Nars Multiple Tints – Summer 2010 Collection – stop the press!!!  We can’t get enough of these new colors for summer!  A cult classic, we use this product to create a sheer wash of color on our cheeks and lips.  In love with Beverly Hills (watermelon) and Turks & Caicos (tangerine), which look beautiful against a healthy glow!



Embryolisse Hydrating Lait Creme Concentre for Dry Skin Our skin drinks in this lotion year round, but in the summer when the Pros tend to spend more time outside, this body lotion re-hydrates our skin and sinks right in without intense rubbing!



Embryolisse Rich Repairing Protective Stick Lip Balm – does exactly what the name implies!  Moisturizes, repairs, protects and soothes dry, damaged lips!  Contains natural ingredients like beeswax, shea butter, coconut, macadamia and castor oils.  Packed with vitamin E, this product makes your lips soft for hours!  Use under lipstick or gloss!



Arbonne Revelage Age Spot Brightening Hand Therapy with SPF 30 – this product is a rich protection hand therapy that shields skin against UV damage to prevent further signs of aging, skin discoloration and age spots.  Use daily and reapply frequently for more youthful looking hands.  The Pros think this product works better than a sunscreen because it is a moisturizer and blends quickly into the skin. We keep tubes of this product in our pro kits, car and personal makeup bags!  This product is sold through independent distributors so use the Internet to find a seller near you!



Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Nail Lacquer – want your Mani/Pedi to last longer?  Try this nail varnish!  This product is quick drying, intensely pigmented and very long lasting!  We love bright colors for summer like Anime (sheer, glossy day glow pink), Grandma (bright coral) or Traffic (bright yellow).






Leonor Greyl Huile de Palme, Shampooing Reviviscence, Masque Quintessence – we love to use this hair care line all year long, but especially in the summer to treat and repair sun damage or the effects of salt water and chlorine!  Behind-the-scenes on some of Hollywood's biggest studio sets, you will find Leonor Greyl responsible for many of our favorite celebrity hairstyles. Currently, hairstylists are using this line on Woody Allen’s new film shooting in Paris, which stars French First Lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy!  Additionally, you can visit the Leonor Greyl website and view treatments/recommendations for all types of hair issues (dry, oily, dandruff, thin, limp or frizzy)!








Jan Marini Age Intervention Regeneration Mask – topical anti-aging!   Packed with a ton of anti-inflammatories, including the new red wine longevity extract, Resveratrol and combined with a skin rebuilding peptide blend.  Results are immediate and we love to use this product after extreme exposure to the sun to deep cleanse pores and maximize our skincare results.



Jan Marini Age Intervention Regeneration Booster – 6 bottles/6 weeks to dramatically younger looking skin.  This product combines Telomerase Enzymes in combination with anti-inflammatory agents and select peptides, which have proven to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles, elasticity, firmness, texture, discoloration and overall radiance, suppleness and hydration.  Use in conjunction with the Regeneration Mask mentioned above.



Lucy B Frangipani Bronzing Shimmer Oil – summer in a bottle!!!  Use to enhance your healthy tan or apply to create a sun-kissed bronzed glow without sun exposure!  Made with organic coconut, jojoba and sunflower oils and infused with Lucy B’s signature scent, you will feel like you have been whisked away on an Australian beach holiday!  We use this on our legs, shoulders and arms!



Elke Von Freudenberg – The Model Brow – do you know Elke?  Well if not, then you should make getting to know her, her blog and her website, The Model Brow, a major priority!  Elke is the best eyebrow groomer in the biz and she also manufactures the best brow products for personal and professional use.  Having groomed brows is a must and Elke can fix, reshape, touch up and tame the wildest brows.  She is based in NYC and Los Angeles, but if you are not able to snag an appointment with this guru or one of her highly-trained assistants, check out her website with tips and tricks on DIY!!  We love her Brow Tamer Clear Pomade (water-resistant)!





Pro Tips and Tricks:


Use the last few weeks of summer to repair your skin and hair and get it prepped for the upcoming fall and winter months.  Remember, just because you are not seeing the damaging effects of summer sun exposure today, doesn’t mean you won’t see it in the next 6 months.  Now is the time to rejuvenate your skin and hair if you want to be drop dead gorgeous on New Years Eve!

Products of the Month - July!



Professional makeup artistry has its perks to say the least!  Exotic travel, glamorous clients and gratis product!  But, just because makeup artists receive “gifted” product from manufactures does not mean that the products work for all genres of professional artistry.

Consumer products can cross over into our world, but most are made for every day use and can’t handle the pressure of being “on set!”  

IMPO Pros use and test all the products we are sent gratis for approximately 4 to 6 weeks both on and off the set before we meet to decide which skin, hair or makeup products are up to par!

To be blunt, some pass and most fail our “tests!”  Unfortunately, the rigorous hours on a television, film or photography set can make even the best consumer friendly products cower under pressure!

The Pros from IMPO have decided to form a new post titled “Products of the Month,” which will feature products that have passed what the Pros like to call “The On Set Test!” 

The On Set Test is when the Pros use products on set, either during a television, film or photography shoot or for a live event (like the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, etc.).  The products endure numerous on set hours under hot lights, outside, uncontrolled location heat, wind, dust, freezing cold temperatures and sometimes, numerous makeup/hair changes.

The products are used on all different skin types and rest assure that if a product is featured in this new monthly post, it is because our Pros have fallen head-over-heals in love and we feel the product is exceptional!

So without further ado, let’s unveil our July Products of the Month:

With summer in full swing, the Pros have decided to feature products that are ideal for this time of year (even though we use them all year long)!

Jan Marini Daily Face Protectant – if you don’t use sunscreen daily regardless of the weather…shame on you!  Leathery skin is not attractive or healthy and the genius that is Jan Marini has made it extremely easy to incorporate sunscreen into your daily skincare regime.


This product is brilliant in the fact that it is not a traditional white-pigmented sunscreen that can take several minutes to rub into the skin and absorb.  The Pros have found that this is the only sunscreen that does not oxidize foundation and concealer!

This product also contains a powerful antioxidant formula, which means that it is actually good for your skin and won’t cause breakouts! Bonus – it is waterproof so fantastic for sports and water play.  It does not feel oily or greasy and gives an instant oil-free, matte finish!  Click “here” to read Jan Marini’s 11 Reasons to Stay Out of the Sun!

Nurturing Force Wellness Aloe Vera Skincare Blot Out Offensive Shine + Oil Control Cream – the Pros were gifted this product at the recent IMATS Convention in Pasadena, California and we think it is genius!  Applied after normal skincare, it creates an instant matte canvas and barrier that soaks up oil secretion throughout the day!  This is not gel based, but a fast absorbing cream that will slow degradation of makeup so no more slipping, crawling, creeping, cracking or bubbling!  The Pros use this on all our clients for HD, stage, film, etc.  Bonus – no added color, fragrance or animal testing! Ideal for men with bald, shiny heads!

Clinique Self Sun Body Tinted Lotion – a gift from the sunless tanning gods!  This product comes in Light/Medium and Medium/Deep and we also love the tinted lotion for the face.  This product is a lotion, which means that it absorbs quickly into the skin! Bonus - because you can actually “see” where you have placed the product you can ensure that you are rubbing it into the skin and not creating streak marks.  For best results we recommend that you exfoliate your body first and wash your hands after application.  Clinique does recommend a drying time of 15 minutes before coming in contact with clothing.

Youngblood Mineral Radiance Moisture Tint – the Pros were gifted this product to try for an upcoming shoot with an actress who was extremely adamant that only natural products were used on her skin during filming.  Most mineral based products, while amazing for every day use, suffer under studio lighting and do not give enough coverage for extreme close up on HD cameras, but this moisture tint from Youngblood proved to be different!  It is sheer on first application, but you can build it up to cover small skin imperfections (most tinted moisturizers don’t have enough pigment to cover – they just provide a sheer “wash” over the skin).  Bonus – this product is packed with free-radical fighting antioxidants, calming botanicals and nourishing minerals.  Plus, it protects your skin from environmental damage!

Youngblood Hi-Definition Hydrating Mineral Perfecting Powder – this product saved us during the shoot we mentioned above because our actress was extremely allergic to any type of talc powder.  The Pros grabbed this powder out of our kit and were amazed at how incredibly finely milled this powder was, which left our actresses complexion flawless, almost looking airbrushed. Bonus - if you are prone to excessive oil or live in a high-humidity area, this product will keep your makeup fresh and matte for hours!
ColoreScience Corrector Kit – this palette has become our “go to” palette in our professional kit!  It offers five shades of powder corrector that perfectly camouflage any skin discoloration.  Corrects and lightens red tones like Rosacea or blemishes, blue tones like dark, under eye circles, brown tones like sun spots or yellow tones like sallow skin from medication side effects. Comes in two kits for light/medium and medium/deep skin tones.  Bonus – we also use these colors as highlights, concealer, contour and bronzer.


MAI Couture Rejuvenate Oil Blotting Papier – we purchased these amazing blotting papers at the recent IMATS Convention in Pasadena because we just HAD to have them!  They are incredible for absorbing and removing excess oil without disturbing makeup or adding powder to the face.  Infused with lavender oil that calms nerves on hectic shooting schedule days, they have become a luxurious addition to our Pro kits and personal makeup bags!  Bonus – these blotting papers are also available in blush colors or bronzing color for instant application sans brush or to add a pick-me-up of color when touching up the face!



Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow – since one of the summer time trends seems to be matte makeup, we are in love with Bobbi Brown’s cream shadows!  They last all day and won’t crease or smear.  Our favorite colors are Shore, Ash, Malted and Cement.  They leave a matte finish and the Pros love to apply these shadows with a brush or fingertip, plus they are safe for contact lens wearers.  Bonus – Bobbi Brown also makes these shadows in shimmer and metallic colors!


Make Up Forever Aqua Cream Liner – originally created by Dany Sanz for water ballet, this formula withstands extreme conditions!  Water, perspiration and humidity are no match for this amazing pencil!  It is seriously waterproof, smudge-proof and tear-proof with highly pigmented, intense color.  Comes in so many fun colors that we Pros love to use them as a pop of color on the eye when using matte, neutral eye shadows.  Bonus – these are great for the water line!


Make Up Forever Smoky Lash – this is 100% the best waterproof mascara we have every used!  Ultra-pigmented specially designed to give lashes exceptional volume!  Gives lashes curl, volume and length!  Bonus – you can get great pay off with just one coat!

Cover FX Bronzed FX Bronzing Powder – if you are looking for an amazing bronzer then look no further!  This product creates a radiant, sunny hue on the skin with a matte finish!  Oil-Free, paraben-free and packed with skin soothing properties so it is perfect if you have sensitive skin!  Bonus – comes in colors that are perfect for all skin tones!
NYX Cosmetics Rouge Cream Blush – we love to pop a bit of color just on the apples of the checks to compliment a bronze glow and to give the face some dimension!  We love a pinky-toned cream blush like Glow from NYX!  This line is very pigmented and lasts all day!  Dab on the skin with fingertips or a brush and blend!  Big Bonus – this line is extremely inexpensive so you can afford several colors!  Check out their lipstick colors too!

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector – this is by far our most favorite lip gloss!  Contains 3D pigments to enhance the lip’s natural color, fullness and shape!  Comes is three colors, but we are partial to Rose Shimmer.  Bonus – can be worn alone or with another lip color and the Beige color is the perfect nude lip color gloss!

Embryolisse Lotion Micellaire – this is a rinse-free makeup remover!  Yes!  You heard us right…rinse-free!  The Pros use this product a ton when we are on set and need to change makeup looks in a hurry!  Made for all skin types, this cleansing lotion is made with a solution of cornflower, witch hazel and chamomile water.  It is like a cleanser and toner all in one!  Even water resistant makeup is removed easily!  Bonus – impurities and daily pollution are removed in one sweep, leaving the face clean and clear so for those beauties that hate to take their makeup off at night…you now have no excuse!!!
Votre Vu On Holiday Collection – O.K. beauty junkies…the IMPO Pros literally died when we received this product line in the mail!  This is a luxurious body collection that will take you on a mini-vacation!  Take a deep breath and float away to your happy place while you exfoliate and bathe your skin in this sumptuous treatment!  The scrub will lift away dead cells and improve your skin’s texture, while the gentle cleanser nourishes and replenishes your tired, dry skin with moisture.  Complete your holiday with a spritz of the body oil and enjoy the intoxicating fragrance. Use on legs, feet, arms, stomach or wherever you would like to lock in precious moisture! Bonus – Votre Vu’s entire product line is natural and made with a blend of essential oils!