Friday, January 29, 2016

Favorite Products For Quick Hair Polishing On Set



            First up, Loreal Elnett Satin Hairspray. It’s my “old faithful” of hairsprays. It’s been around since the 60’s and has been tried and true. This is a staple in my hair kit as I’m rarely without it.
 

used twisted fabric and Elnett hairspray
Makeup, hair and photo by Nicole Rogers
Pro’s: It has a super fine mist and dries before it hits the hair making it an excellent hairspray for textured hair that has been straightened. It has a great hold and has no build up or flakes. You can spray for major hold then easily brush out to complete a different look if you needed.


Con’s: The smell.  It’s less than desirable. It might just be my nose because I’ve never had a client complain but I like all my stuff to smell like roses.  *kanye shrug*


Pro tip: When using hairspray in general, make sure you hold the can far enough away (about 12 inches or more depending on the formula) so it has time to dry before it hits the hair.

            CHI Twisted fabric is a finishing product generally used to sculpt and mold short cuts and add texture to medium length hair.  This works very well when grooming male clients but I also use it to tame fly aways and add sheen to sleek straightened styles. 


Pro’s: It works well on most textures and it smells great. I can get multiple uses with this product including taming fly aways, re twisting natural hair, sculpting male cuts and  taming fly aways.


Con’s: There really aren’t any when used appropriately.


Pro tip: When using to tame fly aways use a tiny amount and emulsify into your palms of your hands before applying to hair.

Biomega Glow Spray is a weightless shine spray to be used when you want to add a hint of sheen to the hair without actually having to touch it. I have very fine hair and can't take lots of shine creating products because they weigh my hair down leaving it lifeless. This product doesn't do that. My hair is left with a beautiful shine and still has movement.   


Pro’s: It has a fine mist that won't weigh the hair down, won't leave it greasy and smells great.
Con’s: I have yet to find one.



BONUS ITEM
My current favorite tools to use, and I have a variety, have to be Hot Tool Marcels. They can be used to curl, wave or straighten hair easily,
used 3/8 marcel and Glow spray
Makeup, hair and photo by Nicole Rogers 
distribute heat evenly and are quite affordable. Did I mention how affordable they are? Well they are. You can find them for $40 and under in local beauty supply stores and online. If you aren't comfortable using marcel irons they also come with a spring handle option.


Pro’s: Heat can be controlled by dial, it can be used as a clipless iron, heats up quick in under 60 secs and can be used for multiple styles.


Con’s: Some of the irons do not state an exact temperature. It will only show low to extra hot on the dial. This won’t be a problem once you become familiar with your iron and test a section of hair as you should with any heating tool.


Pro tip: Be sure to use the proper heat setting for your hair texture. This will prevent the scorching of hair and ensure you get a proper curl. 


Bonus tip: For longevity of your irons be sure to wrap the cords correctly to avoid short circuits. 

Do you have



What products are you currently in love with? I would love to hear about it in the comments below.



REMEMBER  











Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com

Monday, November 30, 2015

Cyber Monday Makeup deals: Shop like a Pro

It's no secret that I love to shop so instead of buying more stuff I've decided to put my great shopping talent to use for you. This is my favorite time of year! Here are a few of my favorite sites to shop with  that are currently having sales.

AJ Crimson %50 off site wide $9 lipsticks
Anastasia Beverly hills Free shipping over $25
Black opal %30 off site wide
Camera Ready Cosmetics free shipping over $50 %10 off first purchase
Cinema Secrets %30 site wide including non CS items %40 off for pros
Eve pearl %40-%50-%60 off site wide
Face Atelier %40 off selected items
Frends Beauty %10-%40 off
Jouer Cosmetics Unknown %25 for newsletter signup
London brush company %40 site wide with code Cyber2015
Mac Cosmetics Holiday sets and pre filled palettes are %25 off
Magnolia Makeup %50 off site wide
Naimies Beauty  Unknown Sale Items
Nigel's Beauty Unknown discount great gift sets currently
Paintandpowderstore.com %25 off plus free shipping
Saks Fifth Ave Free shipping usually will have a %15 discount code with newsletter signup
Senna Cosmetics %20 off site wide free shipping after $50
Yandy %75 off Not sure whats left here
Yves Saint Laurent %20 off discount site wide

Happy Shopping and enjoy those discounts! Good luck!

Remember sharing is caring! :)

Nicole Rogers
Makeup and Hair
312.798.9220
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com


Thursday, August 28, 2014

Makeup Tips For Today's Confident Teen






Wouldn't it be great if there were a magic makeup product we could put on any teenagers face to make them feel beautiful, confident or make them immune to the worlds imperfections? I'd be the worlds first bazillionaire if I could invent it! lol While recording a foundation review , I realized my teenager was "I-spying" over my shoulder. I had to capture the moment as her shirt snapshots her personality perfectly.

Children are always watching, absorbing and emulating what they see and hear. Let's think about that for a second…. By now you realize this has nothing to do with makeup.

With social media continuing to grow in popularity and its major newsfeed contributors being fight videos, fire challenges, silly memes and police brutality shares; it's becoming increasingly difficult to shield the youth from the madness. If you add all of that to the constant makeup shaming, weave shaming, skin color shaming and body shaming onto an already emotional teenage journey to adulthood, you'll find it can be overwhelming. (I thank God Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc were not around when I was a teen.) Being a mother of 3 girls (one being a teenager), I try to fill them up with great mantras to think about daily to balance the worlds craziness.

Here are a few of my favorite mantra's I send my girls away with every morning!

Me and my teen
1. Own your awkward 
Never be ashamed of what makes you different. Own it and others will love you for it and those who don't never deserved to be in the presence of such "awesomeness" anyway.

2. Dare yourself to ask more questions
Everyone wants to be the one who know's everything but the truth is noone does. Be confident and inquisitive with everyone. The person next to you will silently appreciate it.

3. Be yourself
Why be anyone else? You're awesome!

4. You are only as beautiful as you make others feel
Make sure you leave all those that encounter you along the day with a smile. If your lucky you'll get the same in return.

5. Don't forget to be awesome
Whatever you do and however you do it, don't forget to be AWESOME!…..or at least try.

Did you find this helpful? I'd love to hear about your mantra's as well! Leave your comments below!


Remember…….

Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com
Follow me on Instagram

Follow me on Twitter


Monday, June 23, 2014

5 Tips To Conservative Non-Makeup/Makeup Wearers

Clean Full coverage makeup for a photo shoot (makeup by
Nicole Rogers)
Every time someone finds out I'm a makeup artist they have one of three responses "oh. I don't wear makeup, just gloss and mascara" or "I don't need that, it looks funny on me" or "Great! Where do I sign up". Out of pure curiosity, I ask reasons why not and it boils down to two main things. 1. They are applying it all wrong and have never had it applied properly or 2. They don't know what to ask for when working with a professional and end up disappointed.

Well here's some news….Not every makeup application has to look overdone with a super sculpted face and etch n sketch brows. We can reserve that for the entertainers and showgirls. For my conservative makeup wearers, here area few tips that will help!

1. "I want my makeup natural" - Although you may think so this is not as descriptive as you'd like to think. Your version of "natural" and say Dolly Parton's version vary……drastically. When working with a professional you should make note to mention how much of your skin will show through the makeup if any. Picture examples are a gals best friend.
Bridal makeup She's %80 covered with her natural
freckles peeking through (makeup by Nicole Rogers)

2. "Makeup is so heavy" - This may have been true for makeup in the 80's and limited drugstore finds but these days there are so many choices in foundation coverages and finishes. Odds are you are simply heavy handed or haven't found a finish you like. Try applying your concealers and foundations with your ring finger then blending out with a beauty blender or sponge. If it is still too "heavy" mix moisturizer in with the foundation and apply sparingly.

3. "I can't find any colors that work on me" - What's in your closet? I always ask my clients what color clothing do they wear most often. This is usually an indicator of what colors will work well or at the very least what color you might feel comfortable in or be able to contrast with. Lip colors are the easiest ti play with. Be adventurous and try everything until you find something you like. Remember, you can always wash your face later. It's just makeup!


Airbrush makeup (makeup by Nicole Rogers)
4. "All brows are not created equal" - Seriously this has become an epidemic when the men start noticing and commenting. Put the pencils down and back away slowly. First see a professional and get your brows groomed. If you must use a pencil use it only to fill in underneath the brow and the tail. The front of the brows tells how experienced you are in penciling in brows so if you aren't very, skip it. They shouldn't be overly square or look like they are looking for eggs to fertilize.



5. "I don't do Lashes. Lamb chop is not in this season"-
Please don't make "her" story your story. We've all seen the ladies with the "gone with the wind" fabulous lashes however this doesn't have to be you. There are lashes for every eye and every occasion.   They can be custom build and adjusted just for you. When choosing lashes decide first if you are looking to add volume, length, texture or all of the above. For my conservatives choose a natural lash thats shorter in length. Did you find these tips helpful?




I'd love to hear about your makeup follies and jollies. Leave comments below.


Remember SHARING IS CARING! 

Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Thursday, June 12, 2014

The Makeup Show Chicago 2014: Recap



Congratulations to The Makeup Show for another successful run in Chicago! Both days were full of eager makeup artist and enthusiasts looking to expand their current knowledge of makeup and techniques.  The Keynote speakers were both informative and inspiring!

I spent most of my day doing makeup and hair for  The Makeup Light booth. (See photos below) However I was able to sit in on Renny Vasquez's seminar and speak extensively with Maurice Stein of Cinema Secrets. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by to wish me a happy birthday! You all made it a great day!



Keynote speakers Ricky Wilson and Pati Dubroff with James Vincent
The Makeup Light Booth 


All of the photos taken at the booth were lit by The Makeup Light Vanity or Key light. These lights gave some of the most beautiful artificial day light I've ever seen without the need of a filter. 

I'll do a comparison post and link here at a later date. 

Photo makeup and hair by Nicole Rogers (lit by the Vanity by The Makeup Light)
Photo by Viola Nicholson
Photo and makeup by Nicole Rogers

(Vanity *left*, The Key light *right*)







Model Noelle Lynn (makeup and hair by me)
Mua's Sherita, Natali, Bao and a werewolf lol
Pro Tip: All day I was asked about my MUFE flash color palette and glitter I was using. I don't do lots of face paining but I can count on my hand how many times I've used either commercially in the Chicago market…..zero. It's fun to have around for occasions like these though. 

Were you at The Makeup Show? I'd love to hear about your day. Leave comments below! 

Remember sharing is caring!

Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Sunday, June 8, 2014

So you are going to The Makeup Show : What now?


The Makeup Show will be gracing my wonderful city of Chicago this weekend and I thought I would give you guys a few last minute helpful tips to maximize your money and time. 

1. Review your kit
Make note of the products you loved, would like to upgrade, used up and need more of. Don't waste money on things you have no use for and didn't use up within the past 6 months.  

2. Set a "like to try" and "needs" budget 
…and stick to it! This is very important. If you arrive with an unlimited mind set you will spend until you can't spend anymore. 

3. Convenience list
Make note of items you would like that will make your work  easier, look better or improve on your convenience.
A few brands represented at the show this year

4. Familiarize yourself with all education classes
Read up on the keynote speakers, free seminars, hands-on classes and focus series session. Because many things are happening at the same time decide what you feel you need to learn and schedule accordingly. It's best to have this mapped out before you get to the show as things move swiftly and you might miss out chatting with friends. This year they've added a focus group session that features a focus on different areas of artist kit building. You will get to test a range of products to decide which items work best for your kit.

5. Network Network Network
Pass out cards, introduce yourself and remember the person you are passing by today could be the person deciding if you "get the job" tomorrow. This is our community and you have to remember to ensure its growth.


Pro tip: Smile A smile can get you a long way! Don't forget to have a great time!!!

I'll be at The Makeup Light booth all day tomorrow doing makeup. Stop by and say hello!   



Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter

Friday, June 6, 2014

"Pick My Brain" : Scott Barnes Hands on Workshop Chicago

Two of my favorite books for inspiration and instruction are "About Face" and "Face to Face" both penned by Scott Barnes. I've read them many times so you can imagine I was more than excited to hear he'd be bringing his hands on workshop to Chicago.


Scott first let the class know that he was all for video recording. This was quite refreshing as most instructors frown upon recording their classes. He did mention that he was sharing his most valued secrets and not to share them with those who did not attend though. So instead of spilling his secrets I'll be sharing my experience through photos. Enjoy!




I picked up all of Scott's Blushers and bronzers to test out. They were all very pigmented with the perfect colors for many skin tones. 
Scott Barnes line of Bronzers and Blushers
Application using Scott's technique and blush using Scott Barnes products



Scott Barnes with model before
Scott Barnes model after photo
Scott delivered very detailed instructions on how to complete a full face with glowing highlights and subtle contouring that remains fluid in appearance and last all day and night. 


We were then asked to execute what we learned on our models while he answered more of our questions one on one. 

Hands on portion of class with makeup by Nicole Rogers 
Pro tip: When taking classes always bring a note pad and pen, a camera with a zoom and an open mind. You may think you will remember what you learned but it's always great to review your notes, pictures and practice when you've had some down time.

Did you like what you read? Be sure to leave a comment. Remember sharing is caring! 

Nicole Rogers
www.NicoleRogersMakeup.com
Follow me on Instagram
Follow me on Twitter