Archives for July 2013

Calling all Instagram fans! Who gives you skin envy? SESHA Skin Therapy wants to see your photos of women who have flawless complexions. The picture can be of a friend, family member, celebrity or even one of you! By simply following the guidelines below, you will enter to win TWO, full-sized SESHA Clinical products.

Joining the SESHA Skin Envy Contest is easy:

STEP 1: To enter, follow SESHA on instagram, @SESHASkin .

STEP 2: Instagram a picture of a woman who you believe has flawless skin with the hashtag #SESHASkinEnvy and tag @SESHASkin. The best photos win! There will be THREE winners in total.

SESHA Skin Envy Contest on Instagram

Start Date: Monday, August 5th

Winner Selection Date: Friday, August 9th

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When we’re on the go or in a time crunch, it’s not always easy to eat well and eat right. It seems like such a strange paradox of the modern condition that we are surrounded by so many food choices yet so few of them provide our bodies with what we really need. In this article, I want to provide some easy solutions for a nourishing and healthy lifestyle. For most of us, breakfast seems to be the meal we typically forgo. And that’s fair. The last thing we want to do is be breaking out pots and pans when we could be squeezing in an extra ten minutes of sleep. An easy fix to this predicament is simply keeping your pantry full of food options rich in protein and vitamins. Great options for breakfast include instant oatmeal with sliced banana, nuts, and raisins. Drizzle your oatmeal with all natural agave nectar for a great, sumptuous taste.  Or if you really have no time to prepare anything at all, grab a banana and an energy bar. Bananas are wonderful sources of vitamins, potassium, and iron. Just having one banana can quell your hunger! Energy bars and drinks are also great for when you’re on the road or going on an outdoor adventure. Some of my favorite brands include: Muscle Milk, Luna Bars, and Kind.  Many of these brands feature all natural ingredients, which is a great way to boost your day’s nutrition. Other kinds of healthy “on the go” options include sliced fruit like bananas, apples and berries. Sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon and sugar to add an extra kick. A simple tomato avocado salad drizzled lightly with EVOO and Balsamic Vinaigrette is a delicious and nutrition rich option as well. If you’re looking for some protein, always keep lean deli meat around. It’s clean, healthy, and light in calories and goes with pretty much anything. Wrap your favorite lean meat around your choice of fruit or vegetable (like jicama, fig, or dates) and dip into a whole grain mustard for a satisfying snack. And finally, as many of us know, hummus is a great protein substitute. Always keep some fresh hummus in the fridge along with raw vegetables or whole grain pita bread for dipping. Forgoing a meal once in a while is inevitable, but always make sure to keep healthy options around so that you aren’t just grabbing whatever is around to satiate your temporary hunger attack!

 

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This year while covering The MAKEUP SHOW-Chicago for It’s A Glam Thing, I not only had the pleasure of meeting the Emmy nominated celebrity makeup artist and founder of Senna Cosmetics, Eugenia Weston, but had an opportunity to have Ms.Weston do a makeover on me.

Meet Eugenia Weston:

Eugenia is one of the most gracious, soft spoken, congenial women I’ve met, and by the time I left the Senna booth, looking better than I have in ages, Eugenia had agreed to do an interview with me. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic the rest of the day! This was a dream come true!

Eugenia Weston is the consummate makeup artist who is not only able to visualize an idea for a makeup product, have the creativity to develop that product, but ultimately create the finished product that is able to be used and enjoyed by all!

Learn more about Eugenia, as with great pleasure I present…
My interview with Eugenia Weston…

VICKI:
Eugenia, what inspired you to follow an artistic career in makeup artistry and product development?   

EUGENIA:
Do you believe in destiny? I knew that I was literally born to do makeup. My inspirations have always come from fashion, cinema, theatre, photography and art. I’ve always been intrigued with faces.

I developed products out of need. Before Senna, I started doing freelance makeup and the products and colors available were very limited. I had a definite vision of beauty and couldn’t find the right cosmetics to fulfill my vision. I would mix and blend colors from many established store brands to create the shades that defined what is still my signature style today, clean and beautiful makeup. My clients loved the natural looks I created with these colors and requested them. I explained that I would have to mix them up, and they said, “I want them.”. So I began to create colors and products in my kitchen for my customers.

VICKI:
That certainly was destiny, Eugenia! At what point did you experience that “ah-ha” feeling and know that you and your career were moving in the direction you had hoped for?

EUGENIA:
My career and brand has evolved over the years from my passion for making up faces. I knew that I would never do anything else in my life. Creating Senna Cosmetics was my “ah-ha” moment!

VICKI:
Your list of celebrity clients in both film and television is quite remarkable. Was there a memorable “moment” while working with one these “personalities” that you’d like to share with us?

EUGENIA:
Working with Bette Midler on the film Down and Out in Beverly Hills (Disney, 1986) enabled me to learn more about the film industry. I had only done print and stage work prior. Bette wanted me to be her makeup artist on all of her films. She arranged for me to be trained by legendary film makeup men, as I was not familiar with this genre. I am forever grateful.

VICKI:
Your Face Sculpting Kit has honestly changed my whole look! It’s different than anything I’ve ever experienced, and has cut my makeup time in half. Why does it have such a positive impact on a person’s face?

EUGENIA:
Balance and proportion creates beauty. Highlighting and shading are essential in achieving a more perfect facial structure. There’s nothing like Senna’s Face Sculpting Kit on the market. The gray brown color imitates real shadows so they look natural on film, TV and real life. The highlighters enhance features. I learned this technique of face contouring when being mentored by the legendary film makeup artists Bob Mills and Bob Schiffer. The formula never streaks, blends easily and melds into the skin.

VICKI:
It’s really an outstanding product! You also are very well known for your remarkable “Form A Brow Kit®” !  Why do most of us have such frustrations with our eyebrows, and what was your motivation to create this kit?

EUGENIA:
Most women are frustrated with their brows because they’re not artists and can’t figure out the what, where and how. Working with so many women in my makeup and brow studios, I come up with solutions to address these issues and brows were a big one. I created Form-A-Brow® Stencil Kit out of a need. I would hand cut every stencil myself for each client, over 600! It became such a hit we put them into production in the early 1990’s and a new beauty category was born.

VICKI:
What are some of your thoughts regarding makeup application that women need to be aware of as they go through the different stages and ages in their lifetime?

EUGENIA:
There are so many great products on the market today, so education is vital. I suggest going to an expert that is knowledgeable and understands these different stages. Professional makeup artists need to key into the life styles of their client in order to make the proper suggestions.
Must have tips:
Use eyeliner in the upper water line to make lashes look fuller. Use anti-aging and moisturizing facial serums plus a SPF30 daily to nourish and protect skin. Use a foundation primer under makeup to smooth skin. Because brows fade with age, fill in with powder color, pencils or tinted brow gels to create definition.

VICKI:
Please tell us about your involvement in the American Cancer Society’s “Look good, Feel Better” program.

EUGENIA: 
Makeup is a very healing experience. The American Cancer Society’s ‘Look Good, Feel Better’ program caught my attention because I love helping women look better which makes them feel better. I wanted to volunteer and give back with one on one pampering and uplift their spirits since they are going through such a traumatic period in their lives. Wearing makeup really helps them face the world in a normal manner. Most of the women never had a makeup lesson. They always leave so happy.

VICKI:
Would you share some hints for summer looks that our readers will enjoy from your new Summer 2013 Sunglow Collection?

EUGENIA:
Complexion is made soft, dewy and translucent with our BB Cream, Barley Base Sheer Mineral Makeup SPF20. It’s an amazing 4-in-1 makeup and skincare product that’s essential for the summer season. Add warmth and glow by dusting Brilliant Bronze over the face using our luxurious Powder Point 33 Brush. This ethereal lightweight and radiant baked bronzer gives a natural illumination to the entire face. It also contains anti-aging pearl powder that helps to hydrate and nourish the skin.

Eyes pop with emerald green and sparkling bronzes. I like incorporating the shades from the Brilliant Bronze into the eye makeup to add warmth. Eyeliner is essential in makeup for the season. Our new Ultra Last Eyeliner pencil is a must have to beat the heat because it is smudge proof and waterproof. I always line inside the upper water line as it creates clarity to the eye and makes lashes look fuller.

Lips: A slash of bold orange coral color looks great on tanned and bronzed skin. To add dimension, dab Midas Cream Lipstick, a golden glow, over the bold lip colors.

VICKI:
Eugenia, I can’t thank you enough for taking time from you busy schedule to share all of this fabulous information with us! Your dedicated and ongoing work in the cosmetic and skin care industry with your wonderful SENNA products is simply incredible!

Here is a special treat that Eugenia has made possible for me to share with all of you. Senna’s beautiful Summer 2013 Sunglow Collection is absolutely gorgeous. If you want to look your best and have the training from a celebrity makeup artist who not only develops the looks and creates the products, I’m so happy to invite you to view the two looks from Eugenia Weston’s SENNA 2013 Summer Sunglow Collection in the video below and learn how apply them!

Check out all of Senna’s amazing products by visiting :
http://www.sennacosmetics.com

For some more makeup Video Education you need to go to Senna’s Beauty Classroom : http://www.sennacosmetics.com/cms.php?page_id=12

In closing I’d like to thank Theda and Jason, from the wonderful team at Senna Cosmetics, who were so helpful in providing me with all of the elements that were needed to visually enhance my interview with Eugenia.

My sincere thanks also goes to Eugenia Weston for taking the time to do this interview and provide such wonderful and enlightening answers to all of my questions. It was truly a delight!

http://www.sennacosmetics.com

(Any quoted information in this interview was from Eugenia Weston, Senna Cosmetics, Inc. July 11, 2013. Images and Video in the article posted with permission from Eugenia Weston and Senna Cosmetics, Inc. My personal research for the interview included:www.sennacosmetics.com, and www.imdb.com. My opinions and personal commentary from first hand experience with the use of Senna Cosmetics, and meeting Eugenia Weston.)

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