Mistakes are beautiful

playing around is the most fun. 

The most amazing part of this process is making "mistakes". 

With applying techniques i have been using for years, i usually start messing around and stumble upon (read: make a mistake)  a new way to get a similar look that i can THEN use in future applications.

At first I'm usually frustrated, then later (after a deep breath and realizing i didn't actually ruin my last HOUR of work) i realize that I've found a great new way to make something marvelous. 

Mistakes really are beautiful.

now theres just that pesky part of trying to keep this way of thinking in everything i do.. 

Deep violet lips with a navy ombre 

Makeup Forever Flash Pallet mixing colors and textures

I dont want to post the whole photo because its going to show up in shoot soon, so you'll have to be patient. 

Be free. Make Mistakes. Get Messy. 

xox

Photoshoot: Behind the Scenes w Carden Ave

Beautiful brisk spring day?

check.

Beautiful model?

check.

Beautiful jewelry?

check.

Amazing photographer?

check. 

All around wonderful humans to work with?

triple check. 

This was the Carden Ave Jewelry shoot... In every way it was stupendious.

we made it through 8 looks that day, by the end of it i was inspired to keep creating.

These are the best days!

The shoot was for their website CARDEN AVENUE which just debuted a few days ago.

The Stylist: Priya Mani
The Photographer: Ashley Hylbert
HMU: me!

Here are a few behind the scene shots
and a few of my favorites that didn't make it to the site...

KEVIN MURPHY, oh how i love thee.

love everything about his photo. Her cheeks, he hair... le sigh.

This was one of our last shots and i think it sums up the day to perfection.

xox. 

cheers, nml

Kit organization: lipstick edition

There is nothing more annoying than knowing the lip color I want to use and having to go through, tube by tube, to open or read the bottom.

For that reason I went to JoAnn Fabrics and bought this bead organizer.

Then I cut the lipsticks with a pallet knife and packed them into the container.

Labeled the bottom (gotta remember the colors, duh)

And popped them into their new home..

The best part? Not only can I see every color and how it reflects light, but I can individually pop them out and toss them in my set bag for touch ups!











Et viola!!

xox
- nml

fx and california

[where] California. 

[who] Erin Wooldridge.

[when] March 2013

In life, i have found, that when something is supposed to happen you just relax into it and let it. 

Thats what happened with March. 

Through my beautiful Tattoo Artist [Laura Sadaati - at Music City Tattoo] i met Erin Wooldridge, Makeup Artist.   Erin has my dream job.  Makeup Artist for film and television.  She is incredibly talented and experienced... she also happens to be an incredible Human... 

She invited me out to take a one on one workshop with her, we chatted and she showed me so many tricks and basics and just STUFF you need to know to make it in this business.  I am beyond grateful for the time i got to spend with her. 

[Things i learned]

- Blood work

- Bruising

- Product knowledge

- Cuts

- Dirt/

- Element/Environment looks

- Tattoo cover

- Body Makeup

- Bondo Scars/bullet holes

- Male Makeup

- Old Age

- Airbrush

- Beauty, i learned some secrets [shh!]

- Beards/Hair work

I only snapped a few post-able photos during my time there, it was a lot of learning but so SO fulfilling. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. 

My thanks go out to Erin... you're a magical human, THANK YOU. 

until next time. 

xox

n. 

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 -