Get the Look - Girl Next Door!

This Pro is a lover of old black and white movies from the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s! Who doesn’t love the glitz and glamour of Greta Garbo, Betty Davis, Joan Crawford, Sophia Loren or Vivian Leigh? But, my favorite is the innocence of characters created by actresses such a Judy Garland (Wizard of Oz), Joan Fontaine (Rebecca), Jean Parker (Little Women), Grace Kelly (The Country Girl) Lena Horne (Stormy Weather) and Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the Rain).

The classic “girl next door” look has been created and recreated over and over again throughout movie making history. Sissy Spacek, Cybill Shepherd and Farrah Fawcett had the “all-American” face and today actresses such as Zooey Deschanel, Anne Hathaway, Zoe Saldana, Reese Witherspoon, Gong Li, Jessica Alba and America Ferrera are considered the quintessential “girl next door,” but with a modern, sexy twist!

Back in the glory days of Hollywood, studios would “groom” starlets to fit a certain “type.” For instance, Judy Garland, who was born Frances Ethel Gumm in 1922, was signed on to an extremely long-term contract with MGM at the tender age of 13.

She was older than most traditional child stars, but the studio knew that Judy was going to be their big money-maker and they were right! “Raised” properly and photographed in a certain light with hair, makeup and wardrobe befitting a young, innocent girl, the studio marketed her image to the world and reaped a huge profit in return!

But, did you know that Judy literally “lived” on the MGM Studio lot most of her young life? Attending school with Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and Lana Turner and growing up on a sound stage exacerbated her insecurities to the point where she was forced to wear caps on her teeth and rubberized disks to reshape her nose. I guess it didn’t help that the Studio Chief, the famous Louis B. Mayor, nicknamed her “the little hunchback!” She was “cute” and her looks did not exemplify a glamorous persona. She was a tiny little “girl” at 4 feet 11 inches, but had a voice as tall as a mountain!

Fast forward to the 1960’s when a gorgeous blonde beauty born Cybill Lynne Shepard beacame a “star” by appearing in The Last Picture Show as Jacy. She captivated our hearts and sky rocketed as a model when the trend changed from Twiggy-type waifs to more curvy “real woman” images!

Enter Breck Shampoo circa 1968 and you will discover Cheryl Tiegs, Jaclyn Smith and Christie Brinkley were among the most memorable “girls next door.” Or how about Marcia Brady? C’mon! It’s okay to admit that you wanted to live next door to the Brady family and have Marcia be your best friend, only because you had a crush on Greg and thought that by being Marcia’s friend, he would take you to the Prom! Or maybe you were a Partridge Family fan?

Our nation’s "all-American" look definitely was more defined by women (or girls) who were blonde-haired and fair-skinned, but fast-forward to the 1980’s and you will discover Molly Ringwald. She was born in a quiet little town just outside of Sacramento, California when she got her “big break” playing the role of Molly Parker on the Facts of Life.

However, her most memorable performances are portraying moody, awkward teen characters in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, which were written specifically for her by the late John Hughes. She was a freckle-faced, red head with a spunky attitude, but none-the-less, she looked more like the “real” girl next door, then that of a super model. She was believable and we as young girls in the 80’s completely identified with her and the emotional characters she brought to life.

In today’s world, our society is a melting pot of gorgeous "all-American" women with ethnicities that scream “modern world” instead of “middle-ages!” We embrace beauty regardless of skin color and are inspired by all shapes and sizes of women!

You can sport the “girl next door” look everyday! It is a simple as putting your hair in a ponytail, pulling on a pair of Levi jeans, a white t-shirt from the Gap and a pair of cowboy boots!

Gather your supplies:

Foundation/Tinted Moisturizer

Concealer

Setting Powder

Neutral Eye Shadow

Bronzer

Peach Blush

Mascara

Eyeliner

Nude Lip Pencil

Lipgloss – pink, peach or nude

Product recommendations and how-to:

This Pro always recommendations prepping your skin properly before applying any cosmetics. Using a great skincare and primer is a must in achieving the “girl next door” look, which begins with clean, clear, radiant skin.

Pro Tip: This is not a “heavy” or “made-up” look – each product should be lightly applied and blended to achieve a natural face!

Foundation/Tinted Moisturizer/Concealer – begin by examining your skin in the mirror and deciding if you need a full coverage foundation, tinted moisturizer or maybe you just need to conceal a few problem areas. I love Laura Mercier’s Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer. It is a great bang-for-your-buck giving you three products in one, moisturizer, SPF and foundation.

If you like the coverage of a foundation, try using Visiora Powder Foundation which is heavier on the skin, but may cover your skin issues eliminating your need for concealer and a setting powder. Visiora also has more of a pink undertone, which can create a natural flush to your skin possibly ruling out the need for blush color.

This Pros concealer recommendation is Benefit Cosmetics, Realness of Concealness box, which contains every possible product you could possibly need to conceal a skin flaw! This little kit has a mini collection of Benefits’ most coveted concealers such as Boi-ing, Lemon-Aid, Ooh la Lift, High Beam and Lip Plump.

Setting Powder – it is a makeup “rule” that you must set any crème product before applying a powder product. If you do not follow this step you will most likely look like a “streaky” mess. Tricia Sawyer Beauty’s Sheer Diffusion Cotton Powder is an amazing loose, colorless setting powder made of finely milled cotton. It is formulated to control shine throughout the day making for less touch ups!

Neutral Eye Shadow – This Pro loves Bobbi Brown’s newest take on nude makeup and it is a Fall Season “must-have!” Bobbi’s Nude Eye Palette will effortlessly take you from day to night with universally flattering selections of nude shadows. With three different textures; soft matte, lightly pearlized and metallic shimmer.

To achieve a "girl-next-door" eye begin with the lightest shade of Navajo eye shadow as an all-over wash from lid to brow. Add Chino in the crease and use to line the lower lash line right at the waterline - blend. Finish with a wash of Beige Linen Shimmer all over and blend.

Eyeliner – to complete your natural eye look use a super soft eyeliner pencil. iNuovi Cosmetics makes a great waterproof liner called Fluid Liner and this Pro loves the color Café. This is a perfect liner in pencil form for the “tight lining” technique of the upper lash line area. It is smudge-proof and gives a high pigmentation of color. This product contains Jojoba and cottonseed oil making it very easy to blend. Once set, this liner will last all day with no need for touch up!

Bronzer/Blusher – using a bronzer to enhance your cheekbones and give the illusion of a tanner skin tone, I recommend CoverFX Bronzed FX because they come in an amazing range of color making it easy to achieve a healthy, sunkissed look. Apply lightly under cheekbones and temples across forehead and chin.

On the apples of your cheeks use a gorgeous and warm peach-toned blush like Chiffon from iNuovi Cosmetics. This product line comes in an array of colors making it easy for women of all skin tones to find a peach colored blusher just right for them!

Mascara – you can use either brown or black mascara for this look. This Pro recommends embracing CoverGirl Lash Blast, what could be more "all-American?" Not only is it a fantastic formula that makes your lashes full and lush, it is a drug-store item, which means your wallet will love you!

Nude Lip Pencil/Lipgloss – Smashbox Cosmetics makes an amazing Nude Lip Liner that is ultra creamy! In Fair, Light, Medium and Dark, you will be able to find a match to your lip tone creating a natural, defined look. This product works with any lip color and will make your gloss last for hours.

NARS Cosmetics is this Pro’s favorite when it comes to lipgloss! Complete your look using colors such as Striptease, Stolen Kisses, Sunset Strip, Supervixen or Sweet Dreams!

Following the above instructions will give you a fresh face, wholesome, "all-American" look of the "girl-next-door!" One that will make even Hugh Hefner stand up and take notice!

PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

Groomed eyebrows are an important part in creating a clean look. Make sure you pluck, wax or thread away any stray hairs. Keep them in place with an eyebrow gel and fill in with a matching eyebrow pencil or powder if they are sparse or if you have over plucked!

STAY TUNED:

Up next on IMPO: step into the unique world of nano-technology, aromatherapy, high-tech ingredients and discover SAMPAR! Learn how to treat and change the effects of environmental pollution on your skin!

Cover Up!

In this Pro’s world of television, film and photography makeup sometimes I think I have seen “it” all! However, I am reminded daily that I am naive in having this type of thought process because some people live life on the edge, fulfill their deep desires, wear their hearts on a sleeve and they choose to share it with the world through the art of tattooing.

This Pro does not have a "tat," but I know many who do and I have been asked to use my artistic talent to free-hand tattoos on actors/models or cover up some pretty amazing art work when the “character” is supposed to be a more “innocent” type.

I find tattoos to be the ultimate “art” form because they tell such personal “stories.” People who have tattoos display them proudly and share their life experiences with the world both happy and tragic.

Tattoos announce the birth, marriage, initiation, union or death of many and can appear so life-like that you can feel the emotions of the person displaying these “events” without them ever muttering a word.

However, there are the occasional drunk-off-my-ass type of tats that can be forever a regret in the mind of a young man or woman and usually those are able to be covered up by clothing…sometimes!

This Pro loves watching the reality show L.A. Inked! Kat Von D and her family of incredible artists are extraordinary and create some of the most inspiring pieces of art that I think even Picasso would have found intriguing.

Don’t you wonder what stimulates a person to want to permanently ink their passion onto their skin? I do…I want to know what the stars on Kat Von D’s temple mean to her.

I want to know who, what, where, when, why and how…because I know that there is a testimony behind each mark. A fascinating, funny, fearless, tragic or manic story and to me, tattoos are like reading a book, but the author is standing in front of you eager to share their personal experience and take you with them on a journey!

I find tattoos also frightening and horrific. When an inmate jailed for a lifetime turns to inking his entire body, face included, with eerie words, numbers or symbols. Those who worship a faith that is satanic or killers who proudly display their murderous adventures are too much for this Pro to handle and I feel overwhelming sadness for these people knowing that they are someone’s children and have chosen a path full of hatred.

Most of the time I find that individuals who express themselves through the art of tattooing are creative, loving, free-spirited and maybe a tad bit “naughty!” It is requested of this Pro on most shoots to cover up said “art” especially when it is time for the individual to walk down the aisle or stand-up and support a friend who is walking down the aisle.

I also have been asked many times to help women (never a man) cover up an inked area in order to give them the advantage over a competitor in a job interview. Or on a more rare occasion, I have been begged to school a young soul on covering up the tattoo gone wrong!

Whatever your reason for needing to cover up a tattoo, here is a list of what you will need for a D.I.Y. method:

Cool-toned concealer with yellow undertone 1-2 shades lighter than skin-tone

Warm-toned concealer with orange/red undertone matching skin-tone

EXACT skin-tone match foundation

Sponge

Orange Puff

Setting Powder

Makeup Sealer Spray

Cover up Facts:

Your main objective is to “neutralize” colors in a tattoo. Remember the color wheel theory this Pro has mentioned in past posts? Which colors “cut” colors? Orange cuts Blue, Green cuts Red…etc., that is how you will neutralize the colors of your “inked” area.

However, for this type of quick disappearing act use the above-mentioned product. Don’t try to get fancy with green, purple, yellow or orange primers, concealers or neutralizers. Those usually require special training by a professional and can be more time consuming and frustrating when you feel the “pressure” to make your tattoo invisible.

WARNING: Covering a tattoo should only be done when your tattoo is completely healed! If you choose to cover a fresh tattoo you may cause an infection.

Here is the how-to (small tattoos only):

1. Clean area and use razor to remove hair if needed (this is necessary for makeup to adhere to your skin properly). Dry area thoroughly.

2. Begin with cool-toned, yellow-based concealer and stipple product onto the tattoo with sponge. Build up the coverage if needed. Let dry and adhere to skin, approximately 5 minutes.

3. Use warm-toned, orange/red-based concealer and apply on top of yellow-based concealer lightly using stipple method. Swiping product across the area will only “smudge” and wipe off the first concealer application. Build coverage. Let dry and adhere to skin, approximately 5 minutes.

4. Set with setting powder using orange puff and gently patting powder onto the concealer. Dust off excess powder.

5. Apply EXACT matching foundation using sponge and stipple method over concealer.

6. Set with powder using same method listed in Step 4.

7. Apply spritz of makeup setting spray or fixative.

Pro Tip: I recommend using theatrical, cream concealers and foundations, which are listed below because of there “staying” power, however you can use liquid product, but do not expect the same coverage or lasting results.

While researching this post, this Pro came across an interesting technique used by another makeup artist and I just had to test out this theory…

Using all of the same makeup products listed above, add a red-based lipstick to that group and use it first prior to the yellow-based concealer. Let dry and adhere to skin and then continue with the steps above in the same order. Below are photos of our experiment. I was surprised and excited by our results!

Pro tattoo cover-up product recommendations:

Yellow-based concealer: Lemon-Aid by BeneFit or Ben Nye’s Mellow Yellow Neutralizer.

Orange/Red based concealer: CoverBlend Concealer in various shades.

Cream-based Foundation: Cinema Secrets, Graftobian or Ben Nye theatrical foundations. Also, CoverFX Total Coverage Cream Foundation or Dermablend camouflage makeup are good alternatives if you are unable to purchase a theatrical product.

Setting Powder: Cinema Secrets theatrical setting powder. Comes in translucent or skin-tone hues.

Makeup Sealer: Skindanivia Makeup Setting Spray.

Specialty Products: Tattoo Camo Makeup, which includes Camo Paste that will hide all colors of tattoos. The kit contains paste/setting powder/remover. CoverBlend Corrective Leg and Body Makeup will cover most blue/green ink. Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer found at your local Sephora has you covered!

These same instructions and products can also help cover major skin "issues" and discolorations. If you suffer from Rosacea or other types of skin related or genetic problems try the tips above, they should provide and satisfy your need for coverage.

PRO TIPS AND TRICKS:

If you are “sleeved” or your tattoos are covering a large area of skin real estate, then it is the opinion of this Pro that you should hire a makeup artist who specializes in airbrushing. A skilled airbrush artist will be able to properly cover larger areas in a short amount of time and the silicone-based makeup used will have long lasting staying power!

STAY TUNED:

Up next on IMPO: Get the Look! Our Country truly is a gorgeous melting pot! The all-American look comes in many skin tones and you can look as sweet and innocent as the “girl next door” with IMPO’s step-by-step guide!