Things are changing

guys, i have so many ideas.. my brain is about to explode.  

SO just get excited because im making videos and playing with some new products...

things to look forward to in the future:

• Video Tutorials
• Product reviews
• Pretty sweet ideas 
• A whole lot of sweet ideas

mk bye! we'll talk soon

peaches of your cheeks

dust a little peach on the apples of your cheeks and what do you get?

cheek peaches!

... yeah, i know thats weird...
but ive had people pinching and talking about my cheeks since before i can remember.  So i figured while i had an hour to kill today, i would throw some peach on and get my camera out..

its simple!
you need a super soft (this is pure European Pine Squirrel) medium brush from London Brush Company... im obsessed with it.  The size makes it perfect for control and blending.

then you get a blush.. this is from a generic pallet i got a few years ago and i honestly love it, but have no idea what the colors are called.  I chose a peachy bronze.  I am pretty pale, this warms me up a tad and blends nice with the warm peach tones.

then you smile.. and blend it on your cheek peaches.  (ha, i am still giggling when i type that) dont worry about getting too much, in this case if you're using powder you can blend it out, thats the beauty of a great natural soft hair brush.  Plus the dome shape really helps with control.
Blend until you're happy... i blended a little onto my brow bone to mimic how the sun hits my face.

ET VOILA!

only one side of my face is done, and i feel peached and bronzed.. well half way.
either way, i hope you learned something and have a peachy day.
peach
peach
peach...
how many times can one use the word peach in a day?

... peach, love and happiness, darlings.

nichole marie

 

How to - Colored Brows

Bleaching your eyebrows takes serious guts. 
 I love the look, but i also understand (sadly) why a 9-5 isnt the best place to sport your newly pastel-ed brows. So i figured i would help you out a little.
here, all of your woes solved...

step one clean brows.  Although for deeper colors you can skip most of these steps and even put it over your current brown/blonde shades. (note: i am currently growing my brows out due to over tweezing in the late 90s and early 2000s, so pay no attention to the little rouge hairs!)

 

step two white. I really like a water activated white for this because it drys with a little more flexibility and adheres to the hair nicely.  I get mine from performance studios  here in nashville, but you really can use anything. 

step three brush it on thick.  You want to cover as much of the hair as possible and follow the shape of where you want your brow to go. 

 step four brow brush.  Everyone needs one in their arsenal of makeup, you wouldn't believe the difference shaping your eyebrows can have on making you look more awake and put together. You can even clean out an old mascara wand that you love and use that.

Step five comb comb comb shape comb.  keep shaping and combing until the texture is close to normal.

step six color! Now that you have your white base, you get to choose a color.  I chose blue.
important note: choose a color that is more vibrant than your intended color and use a small brush so you can control the color.

step seven pastel it.  using a fluffy brush layer on a pigmented white like illamesqua in sex.  This will help to desaturate the color and give it staying power.  note: you can totally skip this step, which i did with my other eye brow. 

step eight finished.  go out. take photos. show your friends. scare your boss.  just wear it and be you! (here you can see the difference in not using white to mute the color)

fin -

matte lip are good lips

i have a new obssesion. 

This new little friend found its way to me via The Makeup Show in Chicago 2weeks ago.  

Its by Stila 

 long wear liquid lip color

this one is called Firey. 

its the most beautifuly perfect red. 

its matte.

its conditioning, with vitamin E and avocado oils. 

its stays put. 

i mean... its really all i could ask for. 

thanks Stila.

love, nichole marie 

quotes

(why, thank you Doctor... )

I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities.
Dr. Seuss

makeup and a horse

Since i was young i have adored horses.  I also used to cut my barbies hair and give them bangs, one of the many hints as to my future as a lover of all things beauty.  So here i am at 26, with some very talented friends, and a connection to a drop dead gorgeous horse.  Cue photo shoot!

We went out to the Basswood Farm in Brentwood, TN and met Brenda Bass, the owner.  She is a gem for letting us shoot pretty much wherever we wanted and for letting us hang out with ROCKY!

Rocky rules.
That horse was fun and chill and very go with the flow, considering we had a camera pointed at him for a few hours.  I will say, shooting animals is tough, you have to constantly be aware of their ears, tails, or anything that can alter how their mood will read on film.  We definitely had our work cut out for us, this was a learning experience.

The Model was the ever lovely Morgan Macintyre.  Photographer is the amazing Cooper Alan.  Ry Cox came along and filmed some video for my website because he is a phenomenal director and great friend.
The first set we were going for a really ethereal natural look with bright skin and eyes.  This meant mostly focusing on her skin, and keeping it fresh and dewy looking.  (Thank you makeup forever HD foundation!)  I used some Anti.Gravity Spray and set her hair in pin curls and on the Kevin.Murphy rollers.  Then, because she's growing her hair and its really fiiiiine, we pinned it up in a 'devil may care' kind of way, and off we go.

Ready for a little behind the scenes? ok...

 Morgan and Cooper in between shots

Here's Morgan looking stunning while handling a horse.  (Morgan is 6'1 guys... that horse is HUGE)

Ry Cox everybody!... also Rocky.

Second set of the day.   Bright pink lips and a modernized Gibson girl top knot

Rocky and I.  We had a connection. 

it was seriously a perfect day.  High of 76 and white puffy clouds.  Good company.  These are the days i love what i do more than usual. 

also, there was this little guy:

hi there little foal. 

love, nichole

www.rycox.com
www.cooperalan.com

here comes the bride(s headpiece)

Tis the season.

these are some wedding head pieces courtesy of Refinery 29.  I picked a few of my favorites! check out the whole slideshow here. 

 

CandyBand Talia Headwrap, $128, available at CandyBand.  

I absolutely adore this take on the classic birdcage veil!  It frames her face in such a beautiful way and she still has the classic veil look.  It feels so effortless. This would be great with any style especially if you don't want to cover up fun textures like braids!

Tasha Beautiful Crystal Headpiece, $78, available at Nordstrom.

hippie chic! Love this idea of a crystal headband pulled across your forehead. Don't be fooled, this would also look GREAT with a Grecian (where the style originated) or early 20th century themes.  This is also a great way for a bride with a short crop to amp it up.

 Johanna Johnson Susannah Headpiece, $641.82, available at Johanna Johnson. 

I wish I were getting married again just so i could wear this! In the early 20th century, wide headbands known as headache bands were very popular. Their name, of course, comes from the belief that the tight pressure they provided around the forehead could relieve or prevent headaches.  So besides helping to relieve the possible stress on the day of the wedding, this headband is simply STUNNING.  do it.  

ah wedding season brings joy to my heart.  I hope you find some inspiration, even if its not your wedding, most of these styles will work for multiple occasions.


love nml

ah the first post.

“We have been taught to believe 
that negative equals realistic 
and positive equals unrealistic” 
 -Susan Jeffers

A wonderful quote that has been working its way through me all week.  I'm Currently going through The Artist Way: A Spiritual Path to Creativity by Julia Cameron, and it is great.  One week in and its already challenging how i see myself as an artist and just as a person in general.

I'm really excited about this blog.  I guess my goal is to have a place to post what i think people should know and a place to talk about my process as a freelance artist.  

i want to be honest.  I want to be open.  I want to show my process. 

love