Alicia Key's Red Carpet Oscar Look

I asked Ashunta Sherriff, Alicia's Keys' fabulous Facebeater how she achieved Alicia's look, and

this is what she had to say:

"Hey babe here's my look and products behind Alicia's look for The Oscars.
I wanted to invoke the essence of Old Hollywood glam with Alicia Keys, my long time client. I felt after a very inspirational radio show with Janice and Denise with Illusions Beauty that women of color should embrace color sometimes and not always go with what is safe. Makeup is about having fun and enhancing your beauty. There are no rules to makeup so enjoy and have fun.
I wanted to make a separation for Alicia Keys the 12 time award winning grammy artist and Alicia Keys the emerging actress. The dress was a gorgeous Magenta Armani Prive' gown with a sultry front split. I was inspired by Veronica Lake, Lena Horne and the women in Hollywood in the 40's and early 50's so bold lips, luminous skin, strong brows and sultry eyes are all a MUST!!!
My key products for glowing radiant skin are Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Gold Capsules, and Mary Kay tinted moisturizer. Smashbox bronzer was used to sculpt her face and lightly contour. Elizabeth Ardens Smokey black pencil with Tigi Bedhead big fat fun eye pencil in purple. Cheeks were popped with Mary Kay Shy blush and I made sure her eye brows were well manicured by applying Dior Blonde Shimmer. I used Jane Iredale 24 Karat Pink Gold as a highlighter for cheek bones, the bridge of the nose and corner of her eyes. Shu Uemura Lashes were added for drama and 2 coats of Cover Girl Lash Luxe in Black Emerald were added for intensity. The final touch was a raspberry lip which I mixed several colors but used Mary Kay Raspberry pencil as a base filling in the lip so lips are sealed for the night."

Thanks Ashunta!

Beauty Tip Of The Week

"Choosing Makeup For Your Skin Tone"


Asian Skin Tones (India & Pakistan sub-continent)

This skin tone is the last in our series for 'Choosing Makeup for Your Skin Tone'. Next week starts our new series on 'Choosing Makeup for Your Skin Type'. This ties in nicely with our next Blog Talk Radio show which airs March 5, 2009 at 9pm. The show features Dr. Angelo Thrower. Tune in to www.blogtalkradio.com/illusions-cosmetics (More on this later).

Indian and Pakistanian asian skin tones are characterized by their yellow skin tones. There is no guessing game as to what foundation color to use (for some anyway). When you see Indian women, they are wearing beautiful burgundies, greens and other rich jewel tones. Other colors such as browns can appear a little more natural on this Asian skin tone. Oranges and reds (on the eyes) should be avoided. Smokey eyeliner is stunning. Lips look great with reds of course as well as deep browns.

Some suggestions of Illusion Cosmetics (http://www.illusionsbeauty.com)products/:

Eyes:
Radiant Bronze Eye dust
Rapture, Clydesdale, and Spanish Moss eyeshadows

Lips:
Matador Red and Bronze Shimmer Lipsticks
Brownie Lipstix

Foundation:
IC3, IC4, IC6

This was a fun series. I look forward to next week. If you have any skin care questions, please comment on this blog or email me at info@illusionsbeauty.com. Thanks!

Be Beautiful & Blessed!!

Denise

Oscar & Red Carpet Looks Recap

Last nights Academy Awards were interesting, to say the least. I was happy about some wins and disappointed about others. But, the highlight of my night was when I saw Taraji P. Henson on the red carpet. She was Beautiful, Fabulous, and Glamorous all wrapped in one. Everything about her look was perfect. She didn't over do it with the makeup (she never does) and the bold jewelry made the right statement - 'Look at me, I'm here.' But, she wasn't alone. Standing with Taraji and nominated in the same category was the beautiful Viola Davis. Viola used as much color as she could get away with on her face and it WORKED!!! If you listened to the 'Beauty Talk With Illusions' Blog Talk Radio Show last Thursday, you would know why I am so happy about these ladies' look last night. They, along with Alicia Keys (Alicia's makeup artist was on my show) used color as most Women of Color should.

Be Beautiful & Blessed!!

Denise

Beauty Tip Of The Week

" Choosing Makeup for Your Skin Tone"

" Asian Skin" (Far East - Korean, Chinese, Japanese, etc.)

There is no mystery as to the understones to Asian women. Asian skin is characterized by it's yellow undertones. When choosing a foundation, make sure it's 'yellow'. Because of the very specific yellow tones to Asian skin, certain colors prove to give the skin its best natural appearance. Overall, browns and other warm colors are best for the yellow based skin tones. For the eyes, Asian women can't go wrong with browns, corals, coppers, and plums with a little dark brown liner. For lips, browns and reds are always safe. If you have light Asian skin, pinks and tawny lipsticks may be more appropriate. For fun, try bright colors like, yellow, greens, turquoise, and pinks. Take a look at some suggestions of Illusions colors for Asian skin.

Face - foundation sticks in IC03 (for light Asian skin), IC04, IC06, IC07

Blush - Safari, Ginger

Eyes - Celebrity, Coconut, Rapture

Lips - Champayne Rose Lipstick, Matador Red Lipstick

I hope these tips helped! Let me know what you think. Add your comments here or reach out to me at info@illusionsbeauty.com.

Be Beautiful & Blessed!

Denise

'Young Hollywood' Collection

pinkLuxe is having their contest and we want you to win! Illusions Cosmetics is giving our entire Young Hollywood lustre lipgloss collection away before its official launch in late February. Just take the quiz at www.pinkluxelife.com, email us your answers and the winner will be announced this Friday. Good Luck!

Beauty Tip Of The Week

"Choosing Makeup For Your Skin Tone"

White Skin Tones

White skin tones are those Caucasion women in the US, Europe, and other areas of the world, especially the colder climates. Bright makeup colors a very obvious on paler skin tones. When applying those bright colors, 'less is more'. Apply a little at a time and then build to your 'color comfort level'.

Eyes: Pink eyeshadows work well on white skin tones. Be careful of the orange and coral shadows. They may tend to appear a little red depending on pink/red undertones in your skin. Eyes on white skin are often enhanced by using eyeliners. Some great colors are black, greens, grays, navy, and violet depending on your eye color.

Lips: Most colors work well, just make sure that you are not using too much. Apply your color and blot your lips at least once before completing your makeup.

Blush: Pink and tawny blushes are the best for this skin tone. They give a more natural look.

These are all suggestions. Feel free to use what you think looks best on you. Listed below are some suggestions of Illusions products for White skin tones:

Eyes:Sunshine eyeshadow, soft rose eyedust
Lips: Carmen, Honey (from Cinematic Faves Lustre Lipgloss) and Drew from the new 'Young Hollywood Lustre lipgloss collection.

Blush: Natural and Pink ice

If you like the tips and need help in choosing makeup colors, comment on this blog , email us at info@illusionsbeauty.com or call us at 310-748-3489.

Be Beautiful & Blessed!!

Denise & Janice

Beauty Talk on Blog Talk Radio

Hey Everyone,

We have taken Beauty Talk to Blog Talk Radio! Check us out every other Thursday at 9pm EST/6pm PST. We still share tips, and loads of resourceful information for All women of color, but we do it with 'Special Guests'. We've shared our best and worst foundation experiences with actress Jazsmin Lewis, known for her roles on the films, 'Barber Shop' and 'Three Can Play That Game', and loads of television shows. We've celebrated Beauty Bloggers and dicussed how they have changed the face of beauty, and we found out some serious issues that Afro-Latina women face when it comes to beauty. Go back and check those shows out at www.Blogtalkradio.com/illusions-cosmetics. And after checking those shows out, join us on Feb.19th at 9pm when we will be discussing 'Red Carpet Looks' with celebrity makeup artist, Ashunta Sheriff, Alicia Keys' personal artist. And then on march 5th at 9pm, we will be joined by none other that Dr. Angelo P. Thrower, who will discuss 'Skin Care for Women of Color'. Please help us make these two shows our biggest shows and most listened to shows to date. Check us out and then leave us your comments,and suggestions at info@illusionsbeauty.com. Also, you can call in during the show, because the show will be streaming live, to leave comments and ask questions. The call in number is at 914.803.4399. Please join us....And as always, continue to be 'Beautiful & Blessed'.

Janice

Revista Caoba on Beauty

Mahogany Kinnell of Revista Caoba (www.es.caoba.org) was asked, "What is beauty to you?"

"Beauty is reflected in the way you feel about yourself. You have to believe it in order to be it."

Beauty Tip Of The Week

Now that you know how to 'Apply your makeup for your Face shape', now its time to learn how to 'choose makeup for your skin tone'. This begins our four week series called, "Choosing Makeup for Your Skin Tone". The skin tone that concerns alot of women......Dark Skin Tones.

Dark Skin Tones

The skin tones of some Africans, African Americans, Brazilians, Carribeans/West Indians, Latinos, Afro Latinos are characterized as 'Black skin' or 'Dark skin'. Dark skin varies in tone from light to dark. The natural tone of the skin calls for colors that are deep in pigment and are not ashy and pale in color. For example, darker skins should stay away from taupes, light pinks, and peaches on the eyes. Better choices of colors will be golds, soft browns, chocalates, darker pinks and greens. For lips, darker skins usually have dark lips, so lips look great in burgundies, wines, deep reds, dark browns, etc. For blush, some dark skinned women love to wear brown, bronzey, and very dark burgundy blush colors. They should stay away from those colors on the cheeks. Those colors can tend to look a little 'muddy' or dirty on the skin. I would suggest using dark pink and plum colored blush. These are all suggestions. Feel free to use what you think looks best on you. Listed below are some suggestions of Illusions products for Dark skin tones:

Eyes:

Brass & Radiant Bronze Eye Dust

Coconut, Carnival, Rapture, & Spanish Moss Eyeshadow

Lips:

Berry Sexy & Matador lipsticks

Mahogany(Cinematic Faves collection) & Khadijah (Young Hollywood collection) Lustre Lipglosses

Blush:

Hibiscus, Rosette