I’ve been purchasing makeup tools for my personal use lately, my kit is stocked so now it’s time to take care of me! Being that I’m getting older and spend about 80 percent of my life with my face in my phone, I thought a good magnifying mirror was the way to go.  My latest purchase was a Trifold Table Makeup Mirror  here’s why; it’s got 4 different magnifications 10x/3x/2x/1x, (so I can see EVERYTHING even without my glasses on, it folds up for easy travel, and rotates 180 degrees, and has 21 LED lights powered by a usb cord which is included or 4 AA batteries (for on the go makeup).  While I like the ability to see all my flaws in different magnifications, (lol) the one drawback for me were the LED lights which I didn’t feel put out enough to actually illuminate the face and I noticed that I kept turning the mirror towards the window for a natural light source. All in all , I like the mirror and think it’s a great value for the price, I just wish the ...

As a professional makeup artist for over 20 years,   I’ve seen more brushes than you can count, and I love these!  I have two sets of Nanshy brushes.  The Necessities Collection,and this one,  The Masterful Collection. Both sets far exceeded my expectations! These are beautiful! They come in two colors, I bought the iridescent white instead of the black and I’m so glad I did.  I also think it’s great that each brush is labeled ( just in case you’re not a professional). The bristles feel amazingly soft and the quality really surprised me for the price point! I would have paid double for this set. The ferrule is top notch so the bristles will stay in place for years to come, and they are 100% vegan and cruelty free, because animals shouldn’t have to die so we can look pretty! Also, synthetic bristles will last longer and clean  better. This set is moderately priced and worth every penny! I highly recommend them!  Come...

Just a quick video tutorial from my new Maange eyeshadow palette. A super affordable palette with 18 highly pigmented shadows in my favorite fall/winter colors. (So if you're a ginger like me, you'll definitely want to scoop this up!) Get yours here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GRRDTZ2 #ad It's only $9.99 a perfect price point for beginners and has everything you need for a day to night look. I started with "creamy" and applied it from lid to brow for an all over clean slate Next I applied "vampire" on the outer and inner corner Then I applied "volcano" in the crease I added a light dusting of "blazing" to blend the crease into the outer corner I lined my upper lid with a black liner pencil  I went over the pencil liner with "bronze" to soften the line and  continued the bronze color under my eyes to add a bit of a smokey look Then to soften and blend everything together I took a light dusting of th...

Some of my previous work!  On percussion and keyboards,  Dallin Knightly of R.Star  I love when I come across my work by accident I was surfing around and looking for inspiration, when I came across this music video for Atlantic recording artist, Ryan Star, that I had done the hair and makeup for.  And yes, even guys wear makeup, in fact anyone in front of a camera is wearing makeup if the video is going to look like a quality production. It's just a matter of knowing the difference between Male Grooming (which is closer to "manscaping") and Men in Makeup. Which you've seen if you watch any of the male beauty influencers, such as James Charles. (who's makeup I did not do).   Here's a little tidbit that you aspiring makeup artists may want to remember before you get hired for a music video. It doesn't matter if it's your favorite song, If you are the makeup and hair person on a video, they will do about 20 takes (if you...

I recently had the opportunity to try out VL Pure Skincare. I didn't know much about them but had heard that they were eco-conscious, that their products were all natural, paraben free and most of all cruelty-free. (I would think by now, with all the intelligence we posses, all cosmetic companies would be cruelty-free, but unfortunately that's not the case.) Before I get up on my soapbox, let me tell you about these products! All Natural Rose Hip and Seaweed Facial Cleanser There's so much I love about this cleanser! First of all,  this is by far one of the most gentle cleansers I have ever used. However, don't let the fact that it's gentle make you think that your skin is not getting absolutely clean. I have used so many cleansers in the past that make your skin feel "squeaky" clean, but here's a little hint, save that for your pots and pans, if your skin feels "squeaky" clean, chances are you are stripping it of the essent...

   A sneak peek for what's coming up.....

"Every day it's something new with you!"   I've been hearing this my whole life and to be honest?  It's true!   Everyday I'm obsessed with a new product or idea or hack that I'm convinced I can't live without!  So everyday I'm going to (try to)  tell you about it!  Quickie posts. Here's today's- Bad Baby Hairspray Pens!   Bad Baby Hair Pens If you're even close to my age you remember a time when hairspray was ginormous, I kept the 24 inch can of shaper in my duffle bag, and wielded it like a sword-   (a normal sized can next to a can of Sebastian Shaper)  Well,...flip the switch chick,   cuz this little can, can fit in your pocket: It's the size of a pen!   I ordered the hairspray and the dry shampoo which i use as a texturizer, and it's ahhhhhhhhhhmazing! The smell is to die for!  I literally keep a little can of this in my change holder in my car just to freshe...

My 15 minutes of Fame came wrapped in a package of Elder Supermodel and cheesy runway quotes by yours truly Back in the old days....before you could get your makeup/ makeover advice from YouTube, and Instagram, there were shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and Style Interventions, and a network show called CoverShot. This was more of the "New Year/ New Me, Momma needs a Makeover" variety. The premise goes a little something like this; Girl gets Guy, Guy marries girl, they have 3.5 kids and settle into suburbia, Guy gets Mistress, Girl divorces Guy and finds herself on her own, having to navigate the world dating and the new job market, Girl gets a Makeover, out of her sweat pants and into a pencil skirt, a Dolce & Gabanna bustier and several hours in hair and makeup and the resulting transformation is splashed across Old Broadway as she gets a segment on the show and a billboard in Times Square! The results look a little something like this: many more ...

#letsgo #sneakpeak @inurfacemakeup @innarah DISCLAIMER - This was not a paid testimonial, all products were furnished free of charge  for my honest opinions in my review. #gotitfree 

Amy's Makeup on TLC's Covershot by Dyana Aives (by Dyana Aives ) Another appearance with me as the On Camera Beauty Expert on Covershot

footage of my makeover on Dawn on TLC's Covershot

another Times Sqare Billboard featuring makeup by Dyana Aives www.dyanaaives.com

Dawn's big reveal- My makeup on a Times Square billboard ! www.dyanaaives.com

more footage of my on camera beauty expert appearance on TLC's CoverShot

So, I was playing around with some of my footage, trying to teach myself how to edit, and I saved some footage of me on TLC network's CoverShot as the On Camera Beauty Expert. Now for those of you that have never seen the show, it's similar to Queer Eye For The Straight Guy, but closer to "mommy needs a makeover". It was such an amazing experience doing this show! At the end of each show, not only did our hero get a confidence boosting makeover, but she got to see herself on a giant billboard in Times Square ! So without further adieu, I give you my first edit....Dawn

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