A Design Brushestrokes

Want to create your own brush and win $2,500 and a trip to NYC?

Posted 28 July, 2010, at 03:41PM by Leslie

We just had to post this really cool brush design contest-check it out!

SUSTAINABLE COSMETIC BRUSH DESIGN CONTEST

Cosmetic product design contest to award and highlight innovative use of sustainable materials

Atlanta, Ga., USA-Anisa International Inc., a premiere cosmetic brush manufacturer, announces the Sustainable Cosmetic Brush Design Contest. The contest is open to anyone with a new and original design or idea to create and design an innovative cosmetic brush utilizing more sustainable materials. The winner will be awarded $2,500, international recognition and a trip to New York City for the unveiling during the HBA tradeshow in New York City in September, as well as the opportunity to see their product manufactured. “I believe that this is an opportunity for lay designers, inventors, and really anyone with an idea to produce some cutting-edge cosmetic tools that they would like to see in the market,” said Anisa Telwar, president and CEO, Anisa International, Inc.

Applicants are required to submit drawings and/or a product prototype to be judged on several key points, including: use of sustainable materials, innovation/originality, design aesthetics, marketability, cost to produce, and the overall product life cycle.

The contest closes on August 15, and the winner will be notified on August 30. The winning product will be unveiled in the Anisa International, Inc. booth 1201 during the HBA Global Expo in New York City in September, where the inventor will have an opportunity to demonstrate the design, and answer questions about its creation and the materials utilized.

ENTER CONTEST

Full contest Terms and Conditions are available at www.anisa.com

Professional Tips for Perfect Foundation Application: Guest Blogger Alyson Hoag

Posted 15 April, 2010, at 09:50AM by Leslie

Thanks to our guest blogger, Alyson Hoag, creator of Authentic Beauty and recently voted “Best Makeup Artist in Atlanta” by Jezebel Magazine, for sharing her highly sought after tips and expertise on makeup application and skin care.

As a 20 year veteran of the beauty industry I have spent many years perfecting foundation technique. I have taken hundreds of classes, mentored with some of the best in the industry but what impacted my learning curve the most was practice, practice, practice. What has given me the best understanding of our craft is working on thousands of women.

Before you begin, determine what kind of lighting the face will be seen in. The way you apply makeup for a studio shoot will be different then an outdoor shoot. When working with an “everyday” woman you must take into consideration the lighting she is seen in on a daily basis. I see women who tell me they apply their makeup in bathroom lighting but work under fluorescents. Yuk! You must double check how the foundation looks in every light. For weddings, many times the bride will start off being photographed outside in natural light and then end up in a dimly lit church. I beg brides to pay for my add-on hourly rates to make this adjustment.

Next is to make sure your clients’ skin is properly prepared. If it is too dry all the moisture will be sucked out of the foundation and all you will have left (even sometimes by the time you are done applying) will be pigment. Exfoliation is critical otherwise your “canvas” will not be smooth. I am pretty sold on the Clarisonic Facial Brush and the Amala Organic Rejuvenating Facial Polish with Organic Cocoa oil. I don’t leave home without them.

The third step is determining how much coverage you need. I see way too many artists start off with too much foundation. I prefer to use products that have buildable coverage. Begin with a small amount and see if it creates enough coverage. Just don’t assume every person you work on requires a full face of foundation. Use concealer or even a full coverage foundation only in places that the skin needs extra coverage. Use discretion!

The most critical step, however, are the tools you use. The adesign Pointed Foundation brush has changed the way I apply foundation. I never liked a flat brush for applying foundation because I could not control how much product ended up on the face. With the pointed foundation brush I am able to apply the perfect amount of foundation every time! I can blend, blend, blend without the product sticking. I personally prefer the medium concealer brush for applying concealer but a lot of my artists LOVE the pointed concealer brush. For finishing I use the flat top kabuki every time. I am ALL about buffing to achieve the perfect finish. It will even out any finish and blend any lines of demarcation. If you have not discovered the adesign Facial Brushes I encourage you to do so.

Want to learn more about Alyson and Authentic Beauty? Check our her website, and don’t forget to follow them both on Facebook

DIY Beauty Tips

Posted 15 March, 2010, at 11:17AM by Leslie

Have you ever heard the saying-“Champagne taste on a beer budget?” Well, these days, we all understand what it’s like to be on a budget. But does this mean that we can’t still achieve a nicely polished, glamorous look?
We are firm believers that you can still look fresh and beautiful, no matter your taste, or budget.

Mix and match makeup
•Are your lipsticks getting to the end? Try scraping out the bottom of the tube into an empty travel container. Doing this usually will allow you about another months use. Try something new, and blend two colors together to create your own custom shade. Don’t forget to use your adesign lip brush to smoothly apply.
•Add some lightweight moisturizer to the last of your foundation, give it a shake and instantly you will have a tinted moisturizer. You could also add in a shimmer cream for a highlighting foundation.
•Running low on glow? Add the last of your translucent or iridescent eye shadows to body cream for a fun, all-over glow.

Body, face and feet treatments
•Blend avocado and honey together for a cleansing mask-use your adesign skincare brush set to help apply this delish at-home mask. We like the foundation and the pointed kabuki for this the best.
•Placing a few slices of cucumbers under your eyes will eliminate the appearance of tired and irritated eyes.
•Add brown or raw sugar to almond or olive oil for a wonderful exfoliating scrub for your body-use your adesign flat top foundation brush to smoothly and gently slough off the dead skin in conjunction your budget sugar scrub.
•Got stressed our over processed locks? Wet your hair and generously applying olive oil. Wrap it with a towel and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Make sure to wash thoroughly. Your hair will have a wonderful shine and healthy look.
•Lemon juice is a great natural astringent; apply it lightly to blemishes to gently dry out the affected area-keep your blemishes extra clean by using your adesign pointed concealer to help delicately treat affected areas, rather than your fingers.
•Want a luxurious soak in the bath, but don’t have the luxurious budget? Add milk, honey and lavender seeds to your suds.

Got some special tips you use for DIY Beauty?
We’d love to hear them!

Natural Eye Look

Posted 22 February, 2010, at 08:43AM by Leslie

By Kat Flynt for adesign Brushes

Ok, let’s admit it – we all want to be able to create a natural look that, with a little work, we can make people think we just got out of bed looking amazing.

Today, let’s create an eye look for you that is very natural but gives your eyes a little more definition. Colors in the photo are for the purpose of you being able to clearly see where to put each shade. For a true natural look – you will use shades a little closer to your natural skin color than pictured.

I like to use a primer or concealer on the eyelid before starting with shadow and love the Eye 2 brush for this purpose.

1) Let’s start with a base eye shadow – this color is going to be very close to your skin color, maybe just slightly lighter, and matte (not shimmer). Apply this shade all over your entire eyelid (from lash line to brow) with your All Over Shadow brush.
2) Next, take a second shade that is a shade darker than the first and apply this shade in the crease of the bone structure starting on the outer corner and blending inward with your Angle Eye Brush.
3) Next, take a third shade, a bit darker more and you will create a wedge or sideways V using your Eye 5 brush.

Other options you may want to add to give this natural look a little more pop:

4) Use your Eye 1 brush with a soft shimmer eye shadow that is slightly lighter than your base eye shadow and blend just under the brows.
5) Use your Eye 3 or Eye 4 brush with your darkest shade to smudge a gentle line into your upper and lower lashes.

Want to advance your skills in makeup application?
Visit the Flynt Makeup Academy

adesign welcomes makeup artist Kat Flynt as a guest blogger

Posted 04 February, 2010, at 09:15AM by Leslie

An Airbrushed Look with a Foundation Brush
By Kat Flynt

As a makeup artist, I am often asked how to achieve an airbrushed look without using an airbrush system.

I love to use a sheer liquid foundation with a matte finish (examples: Mat Lumiere by Chanel or Studio Fix Fluid by MAC and a foundation brush.) Using a liquid foundation that dries to a matte finish provides a buildable coverage allowing you to layer a little extra foundation on the areas that need more coverage. Using a foundation brush provides a more flawless coverage than using your finger tips or a sponge. To demonstrate this point when teaching a makeup class I show the students foundation applied to a mirror with a sponge, with fingertips, and with a brush so they can more clearly see the coverage difference between each of the different application techniques using the exact same liquid foundation. Students are amazed at the difference in coverage when foundation is applied with a foundation brush; not to mention that no product is wasted as it is when using a sponge.

Summary:
For a flawless foundation finish – try using a foundation brush instead of your fingertips or sponge for application of your liquid foundation.

Interested in learning more? The Kat Flynt Makeup Academy in Atlanta offers great makeup application classes for all levels of learning.

Also, if you are in the Atlanta area, join other industry professionals for a time of learning, networking, and great giveaways at the Makeup Artists of Atlanta Social. Enter to win an adesign apron set at the next social on March 7.

Don’t forget! Kat Flynt and adesign are both on facebook, so check out our fan pages for all the latest and greatest news!