Makeup Mondays With Mario: Red Carpet Glow

Celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic is answering your burning beauty questions!!! Every Monday, he will answer a beauty/skin care question as part of a weekly column on Spoiled Pretty, Makeup Mondays with Mario.

Hey Mario!

I think you're so sweet to be giving advice to people! But one thing I have to ask is about the celebrity glow that most celebrities have when they're on the red carpet. I visited a few makeup stores and they all keep telling me to use Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs. I did, but it was just so messy and it smudged everywhere, especially on my clothes and it made me look more oily rather than giving me a glow. I'm already tanned so I don't need to get something with color/tint in it – what I want is the shine and the glow.

What do actual celebrities use to get that awesome Brazilian glow (face & body)? I really hope you have the answers!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks in advance,
Mona

Hi Mona,

Achieving that red carpet glow that you and so many others love may require some trial and error. Celebrities and their makeup artists use many different products and techniques to get the skin glowing. There is no specific product that we all use. Personally, I tend to mix and blend a few different things together because this allows me to create a custom blend that perfectly fits each individual client.

There are a few things you should always take into consideration before you get your glow on. For example, skin tone - darker or olive tones look great with a golden glow. Pale, lighter skin looks best with a pearl-ish glow. Do you want any coverage with the glow or just some shine? The Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs provides superior coverage and a beautiful, even glow when applied and blended correctly.

Since you're not looking for something with color, you may want to try using a highlighting product in a powder form like Eye M Glam from giella.com, applied with a big brush. This will feel the lightest on your skin and you can easily mix it with your favorite body lotion and apply with your hands.

Also keep in mind that the glow you see on the red carpets is heightened by all of the amazing lighting/cameras, etc. Try having someone photograph you in a similar lighting to the occasion so you can see how the glow looks on you before you go out. I almost always do this because what we see with the naked eye differs from how the camera captures it. You will, most likely, need to add some more glow after looking at the photo or blend some of it out if you went overboard.

Thanks for visiting Makeup Mondays with Mario!

xo,

Mario

Got a question for Mario? Email your makeup and skin care queries to spoiledprettyquestions@gmail.com, and check back next Monday to read Mario's expert advice!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

If you’ve perused the beauty aisle at your local drugstore, you’ve likely spied the new Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips from Sally Hansen. As a big fan of their Nail Art Pens that launched a few years back, I expected to love these. But after trying them, I have to admit that my feelings were a lukewarm like.

Like a moth to a flame, I’m inexplicably drawn to anything leopard print – so it’s a no-brainer that I chose to outfit my nails in the Kitty, Kitty style. Following the instructions, I affixed the stickers to each nail and became very frustrated with the fit. It was a Goldilocks kind of situation – the strips were either too narrow or too wide for my nail bed. And when I tried to stretch the sticker for a perfect fit (the directions suggests doing this), the sticker ripped several times.

Peep my polish. The finished results look pretty damn impressive in the photo. But close up, it’s actually kind of messy…Cher Horowitz might characterize my mani as a “full-on Monet.” On some of my fingers, parts of my nail are clearly visible. And on others, the design overlaps my cuticle and the skin on the sides of my nails. Granted, I don’t think anyone will be scrutinizing my hands with a critical eye. But, to me, it doesn’t matter if others notice the minor imperfections...what matters most is that I do.

My friend, Alyssa, had a better experience than me (see above), though she did have some of the same complaints - namely that the strips don't apply as smoothly as she had hoped. However, she praised the product's staying power. Her mani lasted for about a week and might have worn longer, had it not been for an unfortunate run-in with an errant Ped Egg. 

Maybe I’m too much of a perfectionist or perhaps my application technique could use some practice. Bottom line: when it comes to my manicure, it better be wow-worthy. Otherwise, I’d rather sport nekkid nails.

If you’re looking for a quick, DIY alternative to the Minx mani, the Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips are a decent bet. I’d recommend the High-Fashion Designs (Wild Child, Kitty Kitty, Fly With Me, Girl Flower, Misbehaved, Laced Up, Booty Camp and Collide-o-Scope, Cut it Out, Check it Out , Skinny Jeans) and High-Shine Metallics (Frock Star, Bling it On, Glitz Bitz, Raise a Glass, Blue Ice) over the Shiny Neons (Cry Baby, It Girl, Violet Night, Teal With It, Groove, Electric Shock, Squeezed!, Red-y for Trouble) because I’ve heard the neons really exaggerate nail imperfections and the result doesn’t look as - pun intended - polished.

But at $10 a box, I’d rather spend two more bucks and indulge in a professional manicure at my local nail salon.

Nailing It: Going Green

Seems like every nail phile at my office is going green...

 Angela models OPI Who The Shrek Are You?

 Betsy shows off her Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color mani in Mint Sprint Creme

Sally Hansen and Tracy Reese Collaborate Again for Fashion Week Fall 2010

THINK: The new neutrals . . . deep, smoky nail shades inspired by modern runway designs.

WHAT IT IS: A fashionable collaboration between nail color expert Sally Hansen and designer Tracy Reese. For the ninth season in a row, Sally Hansen has joined forces with fashion icon Tracy Reese to develop the season’s essential accessory: stark nail lacquers inspired by Reese's fall collection.

INSPIRATION: For fall 2010, Tracy Reese draws on urban and rural influences in a highly modern, wearable collection. Prince of Wales checks, distressed faux fur and stretch suede styles are softened by feminine lace, pleated chiffons and draping. In an array of rich, natural tones like spruce green, bittersweet brown, smoky blue and sweet blush, the collection infuses rustic country fare with sharp city bite. The shades in the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Collection reflect this emphasis on natural tones, urban inspiration and layering. On the runway, Reese layered black Leaver's lace over the nude shade Wet Clay to create a custom textured look.

The five new shades in the nail color collection are made with Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure, an all-in-one formula that combines the benefits of a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, rich color and top coat in a single multi-tasking polish. The patented formula features the most advanced lacquer technology, concentrated high-intensity color, and encapsulated treatment sphere of Vita-Care Technology.

This season's shades include: Evening Fog, Fedora, Wet Clay, Touch of Mink, and Bittersweet.

"A touch of color to your nails gives you a total polished look, as it creates a complete package from head to toe," says Reese. "And what woman doesn't feel amazing with a fresh manicure and beautiful dress?"

Tracy Reese receives a manicure by Sally Hansen Nail Expert, Dana Caruso, with the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Bittersweet.

Sally Hansen manicurists apply black Leaver’s Lace over Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Wet Clay to create the runway nail look.

"We're so thrilled to be joining forces with Tracy Reese once again," says Bill Boraczek, Senior Vice President of Cosmetics Marketing, Coty Beauty US. "We love working with her season after season because she always brings her uniquely feminine sensibility to Sally Hansen shades, creating a fashion-forward collection that truly works for every woman."

The polishes are $7 each and can be purchased at chain drug stores, food stores and mass merchandisers nationally.

Recessionista's Fabuless Pick of the Week: Sally Hansen La Cross Eco-Friendly Nail Boards

Sally Hansen La Cross Eco-Friendly Nail Boards ($.99 each) are the first line of eco-friendly professional size nail files.

They offer the same nail shaping benefits as a traditional nail board while protecting the environment. Unlike standard professional boards made with a plastic core, layers of foam and a coating of artificial abrasives, eco-boards are made with recycled and natural materials, including a core of pressed paper for rigidity and a coating of natural mineral abrasives.

The line includes four boards: All Purpose, Fragile/Delicate Nails, Artificial and Hard Nails, and Natural Nails.

Available at drugstores nationwide.

Gray and White French Manicure

So I was just messing around with my new Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen and created this awesome gray and white version of a French mani; the base coat is MAC Hello Kitty Nail Lacquer in On The Prowl.

What I love about Sally Hansen's new pens is that, if I make a mistake, the pigment wipes right off and I can start all over again...ideal for perfectionists like myself. And once I'm satisfied, I just seal the deal with a clear top coat. Genius!