Nina Soriano, a makeup artist for Cargo Cosmetics, gamely stepped up to the plate and offered some seriously worthwhile tips as part of her participation in our monthly In the Hot Seat column.

Her key tip: hydrate and preserve your skin. Trust her – she’s an expert and she knows best. She also offered a range of products that will keep you looking fresh and gorgeous, despite dealing with oppressive summer hip! It’s always best to be prepared with some advance tips and advice from a makeup artist. Are we right or are we right?

BN: What is your favorite Cargo product of all time and why?
NS: My all-time favorite Cargo product is the Cargo Blush. There is a wonderful color selection for so many skin tones, the pigments are amazing and the textures are gorgeous and creamy!

BN: What is your favorite drugstore dream product and why?
NS: Sunscreen! Skin preservation at an early age is extremely important. Your skin will thank you in your 30s, 40s and beyond.

BN: One universal makeup tip that applies to all women, regardless of skin tone or color or hair or eye color?
NS: Hydrate your skin! Our skin is our biggest facial feature. A great tip: For oily skin – a light lotion, and for dry skin – a moisturizer.

BN: What is your personal beauty philosophy?
NS: My personal beauty philosophy is to always cleanse, moisturize and apply eye cream.

BN: No. 1 splurge product?
My biggest splurge is Natura Bisse Glyco Extreme peel. It’s a completely decadent purchase, but always leaves my skin feeling smoother and brighter!

BN: Any tips you can share about how to keep summer makeup fresh and beautiful despite the heat?
NS: Keep your makeup simple and easy in the summer. I am a big fan of the Cargo Water Resistant Bronzer for a little color, followed by any of their iconic blushes. I also love big, waterproof lashes so I wear the Cargo Better-Than-Waterproof Mascara – it’s truly waterproof and lasts all day! Plus, it does not break my lashes when removing. Lastly, always wear a long-wearing gloss like Cargo’s Las Vegas Strip – it’s my favorite nude lip gloss.

BN: Can you give us your Twitter-sized background? A 140-word or character bio of sorts.
NS: Aussie living in NY. Makeup Artist. Beauty enthusiast. http://www.ninasoriano.com

BN: Do you have any hints on what the fall trends will be?
NS: Based on the fall fashion shows, there will be a lot of gray tones and all things monochromatic. In makeup, this translates into “anything goes!”

In having said that, there are still a few key things to consider. Keep your skin flawless, clean, dewy and hydrated. If eyes are your favorite feature, try a simple smoky eye – instead of black, try using gray tones or chocolate tones.

And if you’re a lip girl, find your go-to berry tone that provides a satin finish (like Cargo’s Lip Gloss in Paris). For the cheeks girl, try contouring your cheek using Cargo Matte Bronzer – it really compliments dewy looking skin.

The post In the Hot Seat: Nina Soriano for Cargo Cosmetics appeared first on Beauty News LA - Your Ultimate Guide to Beauty.

Lipstick:

Merle Norman’s Creamy Lip Color in Cameo Shrimp and Merle Norman’s Age Defying Plus Lip Color in Mischievous – These colors apply easily and have the slightest hint of shimmer: Cameo Shrimp is a fun, eye-popping magenta and Mischievous is a warm sunset red that will pop on darker skin tones.

Lip-gloss:

Merle Norman’s Lip Polish in Coral Chic and Merle Norman’s Lip Polish in Modern Princess – Merle Norman’s glosses go on smoothly and last for hours. Coral Chic is just that, a spicy coral, and Modern Princess is a dewy, rose-hued pink. Both colors will work for most skin tones.

For more products and studio locations, visit: http://www.merlenorman.com

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Lounge area at Assembly Salon, located in Beverly Hills.

Assembly Salon, located at 250 S. Robertson in Beverly Hills, is offering spa services at a special value for Mother’s Day. Make your quality time with mom pampering time with mom, with services that include manicures and pedicures, as well as blowouts and braid or ponytail styling.

Deal 1:
- Pedicure with Zoya non-toxic nail colors
- Blowout, Braid, or Ponytail with a free scalp massage
- $50 ($75 value)

Get matching power pony’s with mom as a Mother’s Day treat.

Deal 2:
- Mani/Pedi with massage and scrub for hands and feet
- Blowout, Braid or Pony
- Full face makeup with Becca non-toxic cosmetics
- $100 ($165 value)

The post Mother’s Day Guide 2013: Sweet Deal for the Best Moms appeared first on Beauty News LA - Your Ultimate Guide to Beauty.

Café Verona patio, courtesy of Yelp.com.

1. The Little Door – The best thing about The Little Door is the intimacy it provides: you will feel at home both inside and outside of the restaurant due its quaint décor and layout. The restaurant offers a stunning patio area that has all the flora and fauna you need for a picturesque Mother’s Day brunch, along with menu items including Quiche Lorraine and Baguette French Toast.
8164 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 951-1210
http://www.thelittledoor.com

2. Fig – Located in the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, this Santa Monica hotspot has an open floor plan and bright lighting from the large windows encircling the space. Brunch dishes include breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, bacon waffles a la mode and other soul-soothing items.
101 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 319-3111
http://www.figsantamonica.com

3. Square One Dining – This all-day breakfast spot in Hollywood is perfect for moms who like substance for breakfast: various egg plates are offered, along with hearty sides like thyme garlic roasted potatoes and smoked Canadian bacon.
4854 Fountain Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 661-1109
http://www.squareonedining.com

4. BLD – Craving burgers for brunch? BLD’s got you covered. And there’s more here than just the classic: the restaurant provides vegan options, as well as varied meat options (outside of beef, there are lamb and turkey burgers to choose from) for its diners.
7450 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-9744
http://www.bldrestaurant.com

5. Café Verona – This Italian eatery has a patio area that’s notable for its charming looks. Brunch offerings range from the classic American two-egg breakfast to various frittatas (Italian-style country omelettes), including the namesake Frittata Verona – made with turkey sausage, red pepper, zucchini, eggplant and fresh mozzarella cheese.
201 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-6188
http://www.cafeveronala.com

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If you didn’t really study makeup application, color theory or anything else color-related, chances are you will be at a serious disadvantage in this conceptual area. I generally advise women to stay with neutral, earthy colors when in doubt, but what does that mean?

It generally means browns, golds, beiges – you know, colors that portray warmth. I know, you’re wondering, “But there’s gotta be more to it than this right?” Of course there is.

It’s a little easier to determine things like the color bronzer or blush for someone based on their skin tone, than it is to pick out the right eye shadows and lipsticks. There are so many options of shades out there, and every one of you comes in every possible combinations of colors. You may have blue eyes and blonde hair, but then you may have a dark olive complexion. You may be pale and have red hair, with deep brown eyes. If I try to sit here and list all possible combinations I would go mad.

So when it comes down to it, you can really wear any colors you desire, just as long as you find the right tone and shade for yourself.

I will however, try to list a few basic combinations and colors below.

Bronzer: This popular product is not necessarily meant make you look tanned, but to create a dimension of the face, and is especially recommended for makeup in photographs and on television. I love bronzers from Smashbox, Cargo and Dior.

Here are my recommendations, with the skin tone description to the left. If that describes you, the product to the right is my suggestion.

Alabaster/Porcelain: Pinky or peachy satin/shimmer bronzer (or even a blush)
Light: Brownish beige bronzer
Light Olive to Olive: Tawny or honey bronzer
Deep Tan: Deeply bronzed bronzer
Dark: Deep bronze with gold shimmer bronzer
Very Dark: Copper and dark bronze

Blush: The right shade of blush can really be flattering, even for deep-colored skin. I love just a subtle pop of color on the apples of my cheeks, and I achieve that look from a buildable but sheer product like the baked blushes from Chanel, and the gel/powder formula from Maybelline.

Here are my recommendations, with the skin tone description to the left. If that describes you, the product to the right is my suggestion.

Alabaster/Porcelain: Soft pink, pinky beige, sheer/light coral
Light: Light rose, light pinkish/coral
Light Olive to Olive: Light apricot, pale peach, or coral
Medium to Olive: Deep pinks, tawny roses, sheer cherry
Dark: Cinnamons, bronzes, deep corals
Very Dark: Deep berries, gold infused plums

Eye Shadow + Eyeliner:

Brown eyes, light-medium skin: Vanilla, sheer gold/soft browns, eggplant, emeralds
Brown eyes, medium-dark complexion: Gold, golden brown, copper, deep brown, violet, olive
Blue eyes, light-medium complexion: Grayish blue, warm gold, soft blue, grey, violet
Blue eyes, medium to dark complexion: Brown, gold, violets, dark browns, dark grey, blacks
Hazel eyes, light-medium complexion: Light olive, medium brown, gold, eggplant
Hazel eyes, medium to dark complexion: Olive, gold, deep brown, black, violet
Green eyes, light-medium complexion: Gold, copper, eggplant, browns
Green eyes, medium-dark complexion: Eggplant, dark brown, gold, black

This should be a guide that helps, and don’t forget that there is a shade and a tone of every color out there, so that means there are shades and tones just right for you. It might just take a little while. Think of the color you want to wear, and then go to your local Sephora or department store and try a few shades.

Samantha Lennon, Makeup Consultant & Artist
“Your Makeup Artist”
http://www.samanthalennon.com
http://www.facebook.com/samanthalennonmakeupconsultant
http://www.beautynewsnyc.com/author/samantha-lennon/
http://www.instagram.com/samanthalennon

The post Beauty Insider – May 2013: How Do I Know What Colors Are Right For Me appeared first on Beauty News LA - Your Ultimate Guide to Beauty.

The Monica Voluptuous Lipstick in Gentle Monica is wearable nude pink that was born to be worn with the smooth Eye Colour Quad in Smoky. My hair is dark and glossy, as are my eyes (not glassy!) but I have apparition-toned skin, and these items all worked in concert. I felt like I smoldered, although I wouldn’t say that aloud or outside of the space of this column, since really, who says “I smolder!” I felt it, though! Rawr!

Makeup maven Pat McGrath -love her, mean it!- developed the collection, which is meant to work harmoniously. No need to figure out how to mix and match with everything else in your MUB (makeup bag!)

Soap & Glory’s chubtastic Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick offers 3D volume lip shine – no, seriously, it says so on the barrel itself. But believe it, because this dreamy lip crayon was creamier than the usual matte sticks, and offered just a hint of sheen. Plum Jam was my jam and appeared more like a berry wash on my already pink-tinted lips. This chubby gets bonus points for the vanilla scent. Mmmm. Did they design this with moi in mind? I think so…I’m a sucker –make that “pucker”- for anything vanillian!

It’s a new season so ditch the cracked, dirty, crumb collecting tools at the bottom of your MUB. Replace cruddy compacts with Tweezerman’s Mix N’ Match Runway Collection Unbreakable Green Mirror. It’s credit-card sized, fits in most tiny clutches and bags and ensures touch ups go where they need to — no lipstick on teeth, or eyeliner mishaps where you stab yourself with your eye pencil. Yeah, and the zig-zag design is chic. Grab at your fave Sephora locale. Plus, these are essential since who needs seven years bad luck via a breakable mirror? Am I right or am I right?

Oh, and while I’ve got you here, grab Tweezerman’s mini striped tweezers in spring hues, too. Nab those little suckers aka errant hairs with these perfectly slanted tips. New season, new tools. Go ahead. Plus, you can’t deny that they are adorbs, right? Anything in a mini size is.

Rihanna is the latest pop starlet to team up with MAC, following Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Fergie and more in recent times, for the RiRi (Hearts) MAC collection. The Barbados beauty offers her take on the brand’s iconic Ruby Woo, which has been reimagined as RiRi Woo, complete with Ri’s signature stamped on the bullet. It’s a rich, rich, retro matte red. It’s an online exclusive.

BB Creams are still all the rage, due to their dual job of providing some color coverage amidst their moisturizing properties. My new absolute drugstore cheap ‘n’ chic fave is Oil of Olay’s Fresh Effects, which provides me with sun protection in SPF 15 and some barely-there color. It’s like airbrushing, only easier and more affordable. Plus, it’s just the amount of light touch coverage I want in warm weather. I get the airbrush effect without the clogged pores or feeling like there is too much s!@# on my face. The fresh, bloom-like scent is aces, too. Oh, and let me say that my Italian grandmother used Oil of Olay lotion every single day of her life, and she never had a wrinkle, which is why I always go back to the brand and give it a fair shake when something lands on my desk. This is available at your favorite drugstore haunts, Target, etc.

Besides, if you’ve not yet succumbed to the BB trend –don’t fight it, trust us, it’s easier this way- this is an excellent option with which to get your, uh, feet wet. If you like it, you can keep using this brand or try the department store options. I personally am in love with the ones from Clinique, Too Faced and Urban Decay, if you’re looking for a product liftoff.

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“7 Day Candles” – SoLA
$15 for one
http://www.sistersoflosangeles.com/

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Caudalie, Merlot Skin Care and Delaney Wellness have harnessed the properties of grape seed into their formulas to maximize anti-aging properties.

Originating in the heart of French Bordeaux vineyards, Caudalie was established in 1995 by a young couple in collaboration with a polyphenols specialist after he discovered that procyanidolic oligomers extracted from grape seeds were extremely effective at fighting free radicals. Further research established the benefits of resveratrol, extracted from grapevine stalks in helping cell regeneration and viniferine extracted from grapevine sap at reducing dark spots and stimulating skin radiance. Caudalie’s latest product Premier Cru includes all the benefits of these discoveries including tetra peptides and hyaluronic acid. Containing only exclusive, environmentally friendly ingredients, it is the equivalent in skin care to the best French Bordeaux wines. My experience of Premier Cru is that it comforts and revitalizes the skin immediately making it feel truly elastic and radiant. I’ll drink to that!

Available: http://www.caudalie.com

Delaney vineyards are a wine company that produces some of best wines in Texas. Yes, Texas. That success enticed the owners to develop a luxurious skincare line based on the properties of antioxidants including resveratrol, polyphenols and peptides. I especially love the combination of the grape seed based Anti-Oxidant Serum and Anti Aging Moisturizer that instantly give a deep sensation of effective moisturizing paired with a subtle pearl like luminosity. The serum is able to bind moisture into the stratum corneum of the dermis. It also includes glycolic and hyaluronic acids and other plant derived ingredients rich in anti oxidant properties such as green tea and acai berry.

Available: http://www.delaneywellness.com

Merlot Skin Care founded by Wayne Beckley is a drug store brand and lower priced, but don’t worry, it’s no two buck Chuck. While including grape seed rich in anti oxidants and polyphenols, it mixes in glycerin, cocoa seed butter, shea butter, jojoba seed oil and aloe vera extracts. The benefits of this line are its unctuosity and ease of absorbency. I am very fond of the cleansing, toning and moisturizing trio that do the job very gently leaving the skin unusually soft, moist and balanced. The Moonlight Radiance Night Cream is especially terrific in the cold weather as it goes deep within to build a protective shield. The collection also includes a Neck Firming Cream, Chin Up that keeps that area moist and a wonderful Body Butter that just melts right into the skin.

Available: Duane Reade and http://www.merlotskincare.com

The benefits of the seeds skins, and twigs of red grapes are unique and becoming better known. More and more cosmetic lines include some grape derived anti oxidants for their effectiveness at preserving the health and beauty of the skin. Drinking red wine moderately and putting grape derived moisturizers on to your skin go in tandem for many to keep healthy, wise and beautiful. Sante!

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Image courtesy of Huffingtonpost.com

1. Funky florals – Release your inner flower child with pretty and multihued floral prints. Bonus points if you can mix and match in the same look. For those who shy from prints, try a floral crown in your hair to add a bit of whimsy to your festival style.

2. DIY cuts – Cut-offs and crop tops are a Coachella staple – but making your own will save money (and recycle!). Grab a pair of scissors, beat-up jeans, and a baggy top and go to (Indio) town.

3. Midi skirts – Your maxi dresses or skirts may drag in the grass but midis are the perfect length to get down and dirty in the pit with. Solid or print styles work; pair them with fun (and flat – see below) sandals to complete the look.

4. Denim anew – A denim vest is one way to rework the classic blue jean style. Pair one with a plain or patterned tank and brightly-colored bottoms. Speaking of color, denim in soft pastel hues (butter yellow shorts are a must have for this summer anyway) will put you ahead in the Coachella lookin’-good game.

5. Flat power – Heels are a festival no-go and tall wedges, similarly, may make your ankles cry long before they need to. Find an awesome pair of flat or low wedge sandals (gladiators welcome) – the more embellished the better. Weathered flat boots, including the military style seen in the photo above, can make a floral-and-shorts look that much cooler.

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