Enjoy looking at these beautiful pictures!

^ Nicoletta.

Photography: Duke Images
Florals: Butterfly Floral & Event Design
Gowns: Edgardo Bonilla from Lovella Bridal
Accessories: Edgardo Bonilla and Maria Elena Headpieces from Lovella Bridal
Hair and Make Up: Nicoletta Daskalakis

Not too long ago we shared some lovely photos from Derek and Jilians Engagement shoot.  We also had the privilege of working with Derek and Jilian on a wedding shoot. One of the things that I think is important is for the narrative of a photo shoot and texture and look of the makeup and hairstyle that go along with it to mirror the personalities of the subjects being photographed. Great models are almost always capable of coming into character regardless of their surroundings, but when you put anyone in an atmosphere that resonates with their personality it can help the dynamics of a shoot. After talking with Derek and Jilian it was clear that they were comfortable being slightly edgy and playful. I could easily have envisioned the two of them in big boots with motorcycle jackets driving fast cars on dirt roads. With that in mind with the engagement photos we went for a brick backdrop, a strong lip, flowing hair and that tad bit of grease.

For their wedding photos we wanted something that voiced their romantic sides. Both Derek and Jilian are helpless romantics. So with that in mind, what could be more romantic then a parting kiss at a train station or a sharing some wine during an evening picnic?

For Jilian’s hair I went with an updo. I wanted to accentuate her beautiful neck and cheek lines. I kept some strands of hair loose to prevent the hair from looking too rigid and un-textured. I kept a strong lip and airbrushed her skin to create a flawless high definition finish. I love using liquid highlighters to create definition and in Julian’s case I used more highlighting than contouring techniques.

In my engagement post I encouraged everyone to find a relationship momento. My advise in this post is if you can’t think of something to do on a beautiful afternoon where you find yourself free, go for a picnic in a park! Take a Frisbee, some wine and cheese. Break your routine. Getting outdoors every now and then with the people you love is essential.

And on that note, have an absolutely gorgeous day…

With love and blessings,

^ Nicoletta.

Dress: Aria Collections
Photography: Beauty and Photography
Makeup, Hair and Grooming: Nicoletta Daskalakis

Yay I recently finished the pics from our engagement shoot which featured two beautiful models Derek and Jilian! The featured pair were absolutely divine to work with and by the end of the afternoon were electric. These two simply melted into each other from the get go. They were playful and fun, sexy, serious, all of it.

One of the things I love to think about while I do makeup and hairstyling on my brides is how can I learn from them to live my life more fully and to love more deeply. One of the things I’ve learned is that its good to have relationship mementos. Human beings need reminders, we forget things. Try and have a few items that have significance to you as a couple…a CD, a teddy bear, a movie ticket…our memories can be amplified when we attach things to them that we can see and touch. I think its a fun thing for relationships so I decided to bring that into our shoot.

As silly as it sounds try and get a "Hairy" into your relationship. It might be more then a silly stuffed animal.

The goal of these engagement photos was to step back in time. We would be shooting against orange/deep red brick, around 50s cars and Jilian was to wear a timeless dress. There was to be an undertone of grittiness. My husband Ben and I wanted the photos to feel textured. I went with a strong fuschia pink lip and flowing hair that would complement Jilian’s playful dress from Aria. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I did!

Have a gorgeous day…and remember to start keeping fun mementos for your relationship!

With love and blessings,

^ Nicoletta.

Dress: Aria Collections
Photography: Beauty and Photography
Makeup, Hair and Grooming: Nicoletta Daskalakis

The world is now focusing on a brighter and more flawless skin. A youthful complexion is not just smooth it’s also even-toned. We now see so many articles about the important of using oils for your skin.

1. Virgin Avocado oil

Now this is my absolute favorite go to moisturizer/hair treatment/face cream that I absolutely adore and cant live without. Even my fiancé has been pinching a few drops when he thinks I’m not looking!! Only pure virgin avocado will do ladies. If you can eat it, slather it. I don’t like anything that contains really nasty chemicals and I am slowly trying to wean out all my creams that contain parabens. No easy task but I am getting there. Ok, back to the oil. I first bought this oil to use as a hair treatment for my ever so dry course hair that I have and want to try and make my hair more manageable for different hairstyles as well as to give it a boost from using different heated hairstyling tools. It creates amazing softness and shine as well as it helps your hair to become thicker and more durable. I use this treatment once a week and I put in a few drops of rosemary and peppermint oil to give my hair treatment a real circulation boost. Ideally try and leave this in for a few hours but if you are not able, an hour will do before shampooing.

Onto the skin, I love to combine Trilogy Rosehip oil (read below) with Avocado oil for extra softness at night and I have to say, I have seen such a difference. My skin feels so soft and nourished and smooth and I honestly cant live without this oil. Now ladies, this is an oil so if you don’t like feeling greasy on your face or body, use this sparingly as it will leave your face and body shiny. I only use this at night before I go to sleep and I do wake up each morning with a huge oil slick forehead you could fry an egg on but hey – it is worth it. Rather oil than wrinkles eh ladies. I have also noticed my dark pigmentation slowly fading and this oil is known to have a reverse affect on sun damage.

Avocado oil has amazing beneficial properties and I know once you start using it, you wont look back.

2. Trilogy Rose Hip oil

I recently bought this oil and it is absolutely amazing. It has won a ton of beauty awards and rose hip is currently the trendy oil to slather on your face as it helps with anti ageing, pigmentation and great for using at night!
Now recently out shopping for nail supplies for my boutique, I naughtily forgot the factor 50 and my face got burnt with the harsh Canarian sun and I have now ended up with a splattering of dark pigmentation on my forehead. Really not ideal months before my wedding! I am no stranger to pigment, a few years back my fiancé and I holidayed in Egypt and I spent two weeks baking in the sun being youthful and ignorant and I ended up with severe dark pigmentation on my upper lip. On the way home, my fiancé remarked that I needed to wax my upper lip as it was getting dark. Its not hair, you silly, its pigment!!!! Anyway, it was very embarrassing but that pigment faded quite quickly and I have always worn a cap in the sun ever since. Don’t want to be walking around with a dark moustache again.
However, the pigment on my forehead seems to be more set and stubborn so I have been exfoliating 3 times a week and applying the Trilogy rose hip oil all over my face. Now ladies, this is no overnight miracle potion and I assume you will have to use it diligently for a few months but I have noticed my pigment improving and the texture of my skin is amazing. The product is 100% natural too which I am a big fan of. The experts claim you can use this underneath your make up but I really don’t think you can and I use this only at night as it is quite oily but that could be because I use so much.

Ladies, you must cover up when out in the sun with either a cap or a floppy hat. I know a lot of us suffer with dark pigment and it can be hormonal but also caused by exposing our skin to the sun, especially as we get older. I know I plan on being quite tanned for my wedding and I may look a bit odd with a brown body and white face but I would rather look like a spook than a leopard! For those of you that do plan on being bronzed for your wedding day, keep the face away from the sun and your make up artist can self tan your face to even things out. I have already spoken to Nicoletta who is going to incorporate a natural self tan spray onto my face to make me look bronzed and glowy.

Have a beautiful week ahead!

^ Alyssa.

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year, the weather is perfect and the makeup trends are always bright and fresh! The two trends that have been popping up across every runway right now are the bold brow and the bright lip. Bold and bright in the same sentence may sound intimidating, but I promise you that it can be very wearable!

I left the rest of my face very simple, I really wanted the focus to be the brows and lips. I love this style because it can be worn for any occasion, and it looks very put-together. It’s also super easy to create! All you need is your favorite bright lipstick and an eyeshadow that matches your hair color.

MAC Mystery is my personal favorite eyeshadow to fill in my brows with. My brows are naturally on the thicker side, but I still have patchy areas. To define my brows, all I did was fill in the sparse areas with an angled brush. If you have thin brows naturally, you may want to exaggerate your shape a bit. It only takes me a minute to do each brow, and it makes a huge difference! Where bold brows have been spotted: Jason Wu, Hervé Léger, Tracy Reese, Rag & Bone, Honor, Rachel Roy, Zac Posen, Belstaff, Narciso Rodriguez, Reem Acra, and Marc Jacobs.

The bright lip trend looks great with any vibrant color. I chose to do a bright red lip, using MAC Brave Red and Milani Rose Hip. I applied a thin layer of Milani Rose Hip first, to make my red lipstick really pop! I adore these lipsticks, because they last all day without fading and they feel comfortable! Where bright lips have been spotted: Dolce & Gabbana, Oscar de la Renta, Akris, Prada, Missoni, Jean Paul Gaultier, Rochas, Paul Smith, Giles, and Richard Nicoll.

I hope you are inspired to try the bold brow and bright lip trend for Spring 2013!

^ Hollie. (Beauty Blogger, Makeup Artist and Lipstick Junkie)

I am a perfectionist about my makeup and hairstyling, and making my brides feel beautiful and confident is one of my utmost passions. As such I couldn’t be happier to be teaming up with my husband whose professionalism and passion are totally in tune with mine. Ben has spent the last year working and training with some of Los Angeles’ top wedding photographers. We are incredibly excited about the synergies we have already started to realize with this business. I love the fact that I now get to share the entire day with my bride; from creating her makeup and hair to touch ups for her and her bridal party all throughout her special day. I love that I can now embrace more of a brides investment in her day beyond just the makeup and hair. I believe that photos and beauty styling work together to create beautiful images and understanding angles is critical. From the ease of planning engagement shoots to coordinating the wedding day itself, to the easy vibe my husband and I have when working together I can’t wait for the exciting things to come!

We officially launched Beauty and Photography at the start of 2013 and we couldn’t be more proud and we thank all of you for your love and support!

^ Nicoletta.

I’m very proud of myself for finding the quote but unfortunately I don’t know what it means… All of my Indian brides will be proud of me for the effort however. When I tried putting the Hindi into google translate this is what it gave me, “wedding of Laddu Ha Me which eat Pctaa which not eat Pctaa.” Maybe someone can help me out because I google Laddu Ha and it brought be to Laddoo which is an Indian desert that looks absolutely divine! My husband and I are obsessed with Kheer so ladies if I could get my hands on a new indian desert I would be forever indebted!

Let me start by saying that Shannon was absolutely and positively drop dead gorgeous for this shoot. Her hair is like something out of a dream. As a quick aside ladies if you are like me and weren’t born with hair from heaven please read my blog about what virgin coconut oil does for your hair here. In addition I’m still in the process of trying out another new top secret product…I’ll give you a sneak peak…

I'll give you a sneak preview of my next top secret, must use amazing hair product...still trying it out and blog to come

So back to Rudy and Shannon. Rudy is an multi-talented entrepreneur Caltech Alumnus looking to change the world. His latest venture, HST Solar Farms , provides innovative solutions for solar contractors. Shannon is currently in medical school at USC. With spring around the corner we thought it was only fitting to shoot these two gorgeous braniacs on the Caltech campus.

For Shannon’s makeup I used a very luminescent foundation to give her that beautiful glow. For her eye makeup, I blended in similar colors as those she wore in her dress. Focusing on the pinks and golds. I gave her a subtle but strong winged eye and luscious lashes. We decided to keep her lips subtle and let her eyes be the focus. For her hair, I created soft waves using a large barreled curler and gave her volume. I sealed in her gorgeous hair with a serum and anti frizz to give it more luster.

The lighting was perfect, the subjects were beautiful and the end result of the shoot was absolutely stunning. We couldn’t be happier.

In the mean time, the next bride to bring me some Laddoo and explain the proverb might just get a free makeup kit from me…

^ Nicoletta.

Photography: Beauty and Photography
Makeup & Hair & Grooming: Nicoletta Daskalakis

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a Makeup Artist and Hairstylist based in Los Angeles. She works out of Los Angeles and Orange Country and works on location.

VITAMIN E – HEALING OIL
Vitamin E is a fat soluble antioxidant, which is known as tocopherol. The great benefit of Vitamin E is due to it’s high anti-oxidant property; it serves as a protection against pollution, free radicals, premenstrual syndrome and cell damage. Vitamin E is available as a thick sticky oil , which is used for skin care. It improves blood circulation, acts as a moisturizer and nourishes the skin cells. It improves the healing process, protects against sun burn and even helps to remove scars, acne, wrinkles and stretch marks. This is a beauty healer from the inside – the best makeup you can find

How to apply Vitamin E?
Buy a natural organic Vitamin E oil.
Rinse your face with lukewarm water or take a warm shower.
Dab yourself clean with a dry towel.
Take 1 to 2 drops of Vitamin E and massage it on your face smoothly
Use a towel over your pillow, and you could sleep with it and rinse it off next day.
Repeat this 2 times/ week .Since the oil is thick it could lead to clogging of pores. Depending on the type of skin, you can variate the times of usage. Vitamin E is a natural moisturizer which helps to keep your skin young , healthy and glowing.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body. Learn to feed it right, as well.

^ Smriti.

(Nutritian Consultant, Yoga Practitioner and Health & Beauty Blogger)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles.

I hope you are enjoying the Spring (if you are reading this in the Northern Hemisphere) and enjoying the coziness of Autumn (for those reading in the Southern Hemisphere) Owning my own business means that my ‘mind’ is never really switched off… EVER but I feel absolutely blessed to wake up each day and do something I love! There is no greater joy than to have one of my clients wrap their arms around me and thank me for an awesome job well done. It’s extremely fulfilling! I believe every woman should walk in confidence and know that she is beautiful inside and out! God made her perfectly and yes sometimes a little makeup and a good blow out helps too

Often at times I feel I should be doing so much more, building more, learning more, growing more and no matter how much I do, or how many hours I work into the night trying to achieve all my goals, sometimes it’s best for me to just be. My husband and I are totally engrossed in Downton Abbey, the British Series of a Aristocratic family and their servants based in England and the story is about how their lives intertwine. One of the aspects that stands out to me is the amount of time they have to sit, read, talk and simply drink a cup of tea. Life was so much slower back then. I usually feel so guilty when I sit around and chill, like I either should be working on a new venture or learning something new. I always get a daily text from my mom either telling me to “go to sleep” or “please take some time to yourself”. My mom is such a wise woman and her words always make me stop, take a step back and reflect. To sit in silence is as important as working hard.

I often get asked what I do on my day off, and the answer is…. I don’t really have any days off not while I am doing what I love I just love and adore my dear friend and fellow makeup artist Brittany. We had so much fun making these ladies look and feel fabulous!

Have a gorgeous day…and remember to sit back, drink a cup of tea and just be!

^ Nicoletta.

Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara
It was my birthday in January and I got a huge surprise when my sister sent me a whole bunch of new products to try and boy was I excited!! One of the goodies she sent me was the Neutrogena Healthy Volume Mascara and I have absolutely loved using it on my lashes. Its very creamy and it gives your lashes lots of volume and I think its fantastic for a drugstore product! I found my lashes look very thick and it doesn’t clump at all so this is a great go to mascara for during the day and a must for your make-up bag.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 001 Honey
I absolutely adore these balm stains, they are nourishing on my lips with just a perfect pop of color. I am currently using the 001 Honey which is a natural pinky look on the lips. I am so happy that a lot of the brands are bringing out these big crayon look alike stains as I find the color and consistency absolutely perfect for day time wear as its not too much or too bright and I feel fresh and summery and not too done up for during the day. They have a range of colors so I am sure you will find one you like best. If you want to add some real shine for an evening look, put some gloss on after for that extra glam make-up look and you good to go. They do have darker colors which would be great for a girly night out too.

To read more about my lipstick recommendations click here.

OPI – Koala Bear-y
I love love love OPI polishes and it is a product I use in my boutique and the customers really love it. At the moment I am wearing the Koala Bear-y and its a great pink that can be worn all year round and looks so fab for summer toes. It goes on smoothly and is really bright so I know you will feel great and happy all day long just by looking at your nails. Ok, maybe that sounds weird but I just love having bright nails and toes and it does make me feel in a better mood and works almost as well as eating chocolate

Body Shop Hemp Lip protector stick
I do not go anywhere without this lip protector and I have one in my make-up bag and one next to my nightstand. If your lips are feeling dry or chapped, this lip balm is so soothing and so nourishing that I find it starts working straight away and you will have your gorgeous kissable lips back in no time. I can honestly say I have used this product for years and have converted all my friends and family into using it. I find that no other lip conditioner works like this one does and yes, it is not the most glam product but when your lips are feeling dry and sore, you want them moisturised and dont want to put on some gunk that just sits on top of your lips with no healing effects even though the packaging reads ‘pearly gloss effect’ – my sore lips dont want pearl gloss, they want some moisturing love.

Anyway beautiful friends I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what makeup you keep in your handbags! If you have any pretty spring lipstick colors that you love we would love to hear about them.

^ Alyssa.

(Beauty editor, contributing writer and sister of Nicoletta)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a Los Angeles based makeup artist and hair stylist.

Now I know this particular hairstyle has been around for ages but I also know that instead of being old news, it is now gaining popularity and we are all saying – do we ombre or don’t we! At the start of a new season, especially the summer ones, we all want a new hairstyle, something fresh and fun and allowing us to shed our dull winter hair! Ombre can be done on anyone, any hair and any hair colour. I have found some great celebrity pics showing all the different hair colors and how everyone can rock the ombre hair look.

Ciara – Wow you go girl – doesnt she just look fierce!!! Ok, I am having a Tyra Banks moment here but she does look absolutely grrrrrrrr. This is a very contrasted ombre look but it absolutely works for her as she has that gorgeous dark skin and eyes. This look is definately not subtle and does stand out in the crowd but if you can rock it, own it!

Jessica Biel – This is definately a more adventurous looking ombre as Jessica has quite dark roots but then has decided to go with quite a blonde ombre look but I think it works for her. Her features are not too dark and she has those lovely light eyes with fair skin so she can carry this look off well without looking too overdone and contrasting.

Lauren Conrad – For all your blonde gals out there, how gorgeous does this ombre look! Slightly darker honey tones at the root before gradually fading naturaly into a lighter blonde, this just screams beach chic to me and looks so natural and fresh.

Sandra Bullock – Now for all you brunettes out there fearing the ombre look and how you would end up looking like a scarecrow who has spent too much time down at the beach frazzled, this hair look can work for you. It is all about being subtle and not having the two different colors too contrasting. Sandra here has her natural dark brown hair but then it slowly fades to almost a lighter brown color and doesnt it look fab. Now you can see this has been done very very well so ladies, when making the move over to ombre, make sure you go to a reputable hair stylist as the last thing you want to look like is white and dark chocolate smooshed together. NOT A GOOD LOOK! We are not zebra’s!

So ladies, do you dare to take the leap?? I know that Nicoletta is thinking about taking the ombre plunge so maybe she will put up some before and after pics for us. As I said before, you need to choose your hair stylist carefully as this is not about just throwing on some hair dye and off you can go – this is about mastering the ombre look and making sure you dont look too brittle and contrasting and what to try look as natural as possible.

^ Alyssa.

(Beauty editor, contributing writer and sister of Nicoletta)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles.

Green smoothies? Yuck!! Is the general reaction. Health and beauty starts from the inside and works it’s way outside. Green’s can be a bit scary to chug it in , but there lies the art to make the drink sweet, smooth and addictive. Here is my first recipe for you , which would keep you full, satisfied and cleanse your system from built-up toxins. Looking great isn’t always about beautiful makeup

WHAT DO YOU NEED?

1 cup Almond milk

1 Ripe Banana

6-7 Honey Dates

1 Vanilla bean

1 Tbsp Coconut oil

2 cups Spinach

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Blend all of the above and serve.

BENEFITS

This drink is high in Potassium , Magnesium, iron, anti-oxidants ,anti-inflammatory and is high in carbohydrate and protein.

A great post- workout drink!

Eat natural.Eat clean. Live!!

^ Smriti.

(Nutritian Consultant, Yoga Practitioner and Health & Beauty Blogger)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles.

Terri is a very gifted makeup artist and hair stylist. I have had the honor to work with her and witness her impeccable style and soft hand. Her knowledge and insight of the beauty industry is second to none. Not only is she brilliant in her artistry, but her clients also love her. She is charismatic, sweet, honest and always willing to share from her rich work experience with others who are as passionate as she is! Terri has a gift for teaching and sharing her expertise. She has also been working with A-list celebrities for over 20 years.

The event is held over one whole day. The morning event is great for anyone and especially brides to pick up tips on how to do their own wedding makeup and make it last and look flawless. For this event please feel free to bring your girlfriends, moms and daughters. Terri will be teaching very comprehensible techniques that everyone can do and looks they can achieve. She will be sharing tips, tricks and her favorite products she loves to have in her kit. If you lucky she may even choose you to be her makeup model during the session! Everyone will also receive a gift bag which is worth double the amount of the entry ticket.

In the afternoon Terri will go more in depth. She will be showing more skilled techniques for professionals such as salon makeup artists, bridal artists, beauty school students, counter people, etc. She will be also demonstrating some of her red carpet looks on models that she brings in. The gift bag for this group is valued at over $300.

There will be a Q&A period at both, an agent panel for the pros along with a demo from a St. Tropez Skin Finishing Expert.

To sign up click here. To see Terri’s work please visit Cloutier Remix.

If you would love to follow Terri she is on facebook, pinterest, twitter. For Instagram she can be found @terria_makeup

DONT MISS THIS AWESOME OPPORTUNITY!!

Have a beautiful day!!

^ Nicoletta.

For Alexa’s makeup look I used airbrush makeup to give her that flawless finish and used soft corals and peaches on her eyes, cheeks and lips and used a lot of highlighting to give her THAT glow. I also used lash inserts to give her eyes that extra ‘pop’ but also allowing her to still look natural. For her hair I did a soft romantic updo but wanted to create a look that was a little loose and organic.

Please tell me I'm not imagining the resemblance between Alexa and Kim Kardashian! I think its something about the color of their eyes, shape of their eyebrows and beautiful full lips.

So naturally I used makeup looks I have seen and loved on Kim Kardashian as my inspiration. You can watch my transformation here….

Alexa also reminded me of Jennifer Lopez who has a similar bone structure. I loosely modeled my updo after the classic look that Jennifer Lopez has worn.

Bridal Makeup & Hair Styling: Nicoletta Daskalakis
Photography: Beauty and Photography
Wedding Dress: Lovella Bridal
Bridal Hair Accessories: Brides and Hairpins

Now that spring is on its way, the warmer weather does tend to make us feel more daring to play around with different make up and different looks and what better way to help make a statement than WHAM BHAM I have arrived red lipstick! What I love most about red lips is that you can wear minimal make up elsewhere, a bit of mascara and you look so put together and chic and ready to take over the world. Ok, not quite but they do make us feel pretty powerful. Different skin tones suit different types but generally, if you have the right attitude, you can wear any red lipstick that is out there. I love Mac lipsticks as they are quite pigmented and not that expensive and there is a huge range to choose from. Team this with some lip gloss, whatever you love and you are good to go.

Charlize Theron’s celebrity red lip look - This red to me is your classic red signature look with a hint of shine. It suits most people and is easy to wear! Just make sure not to get it on your teeth – haha (definately carry a mirror in your purse when you don this one ladies). This red is a staple to carry around in your make up bag and would look fab for during the spring day’s too.

Anne Hathaway’s celebrity red lip look - VA VA VOOM – this to me is definitely a night out on the town red. It’s leaning towards a darker blueberry red tone and I think its definitely suited to all you gorgeous English rose complexions out there! Will definitely pack a punch and get you noticed!

Rihanna’s celebrity red lip look – Now I love this shade and its quite versatile as can be worn both day and night and it tends to lean towards a more orangy red/coral feel which is definitely great for warmer weather. I think all skin tones will be able to carry this off.

Jessica Chastain’s celebrity red lip look – How pretty! This to me is also another classic red look but slightly pinkier than your typical red with a matte texture similar to Rihanna’s lip color. I do think this type of red looks fab on ladies of any complexion.

Now gorgeous friends, if you want to rock the red look, try and keep your make up minimal as you don’t want smoky eyes teamed with bold lips as yes, we may see models sporting this look in magazines but I am afraid to say that most of us aren’t models and walking around on a Saturday shopping or lunching, we don’t want to scare the kids! Red lips look great with some eyeliner and volumizing mascara, very classy and sexy and it keeps the look clean and fresh.

Have a fabulous red lip day ladies xxx

^ Alyssa.

(Beauty editor, contributing writer and sister of Nicoletta)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles.

I created a natural everyday makeup look on my gorgeous model Nicole.  My model has similar features to Rihanna as you will see in the video. Rihanna’s makeup always looks so flawless and pretty, ok I will say she has her ‘moments’ of trying different looks but her makeup artist always gets it right with her skin.  I love how Rihanna always pulls off just about any lip color.  I kept Nicole’s makeup very neutral using lots of blush pinky tones.  This is a great look if you are a bride or going to a special occasion now that the weather is warming up!   For darker toned skin it’s very important to get the skin tone right.  I love Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk in #10 as it has a built in corrector color.  The orange in the foundation really warmed up her skin, keeping the skin looking like skin.  I also love to use a corrector color concealer under the eyes and around the nose area.  I don’t like to go too light in those areas, it should blend well with the foundation color making her eyes look bright and warm.  Nicole didn’t have too much to conceal, so I used a liquid concealer.  I will always use a more creamy concealer if someone has darker circles as this gives more coverage.  I love also using natural strip or individual eyelashes for an everyday makeup look.   To create a natural look, the eyelashes need to be soft and flexible at the base and it’s important not to have them too long as then it will start to look too dramatic.

No Photoshop here!!

Product List

Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk 10

RCMA Palette #11 Tan

Giorgio Armani Correcting Concealer #2

MAC Paintpot Groundwork

Shadow Shields

Giorgio Armani Mediterranean Eye Palette 2011

Inglot #21

MAC Eye Shadow in Soft Brown

MAC Eye Shadow in Rule

MAC Fluid Line in Added Goodness

MAC Eyebrows in Lingering

Laura Mercier Bro Definer in Warm

Lise Watier Waterproof Eyeshine in Fauve

Covergirl Lashblast

Ardell Lashes

Inglot Liquid Highlighter #65

Ben Nye in Banana

MAC Blush in Ambering Rose

MAC Lip Pencil in Chesnut

MAC Prolong Wear Cling Peach

Giorgio Armani Lip Gloss #2

Hope you enjoyed this post!!

What is your favorite foundation?
What do you think about blending pink hues into an all over makeup look?

Would love to hear from you! Please visit my facebook page too!

Have a beautiful day!!

^ Nicoletta.

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hairstylist based in Los Angeles. She works with clients from editorial, brides and weddings, fashion and tv.

So last year I had so many of my clients ask me to intertwine braids into their hair design. From waterfall, fishtail, French, Dutch, and reverse braids, it’s a look that gives just about any hairstyle that added ‘girly’ touch! I too am totally obsessed with them and love to create a braid in my own hair. Here is how I do it:

• Start with 1-2 day-old hair if you want a more secure braid or if you want a more looser looking braid create the design from clean dry hair.
• You can always apply a little Bumble and Bumble Sea Salt Spray (one of my favorite products) to the hair to give that messy textured look to the braid.
• Create a deep side part, and then Fishtail braid the hair down each side of the head. Merge the two braids at the bottom, slightly to the side so that the braid hangs over one shoulder.
• Placing one braid over the other, flip the ends of the hair through the hole of the two braids and secure with bobby pins.
• After the braid is created, now comes the fun part! Start pulling pieces from you hair and pull the braid apart to give it a more voluminous look. Get creative on this part

I have added some pictures of my favorite looks:

1. Braid intertwined in a half up/half down hair design. This is such a beautiful look and I love creating this look on my clients. It’s feminine and just so pretty. I love mixing this look with soft waves.

2. Milkmaid Braid. I love this look and even wrote how gorgeous Brooklyn Decker pulled this off. It’s important to keep it looking a little messy and textured. When I create this design on my clients, I will always use a dry shampoo or a dry texturizing spray. I love using Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray to give the hair a more matte look and feel. It needs to look slightly lived in and the braid shouldn’t look too perfect or structured.

3. Side Braid. This is still so popular and looks so editorial when paired with the right makeup and outfit. I love creating this look especially using a fishtail braid and keeping it very loose and piecey. I love the hair to be slightly clean when creating this look as the hair tends to fall naturally framing the face.

4. Up-do with braids. Now this is one of my favorite hairstyles to create and no look is the same. Braids can be partially seen adding a slight touch of girliness or braids can be the main feature. It’s very important to set the hair first with either hot rollers or a curling iron and pin curls, giving it volume then taking small pieces and letting the hair intertwine into the braid. For this look any type of braid can be used.

Hope you enjoyed this post!!

What is your favorite braided look?
What techniques do you use to create your braids?

Would love to hear from you! Please visit my facebook page too!

Have a beautiful evening!!

^ Nicoletta.

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hairstylist based in Los Angeles. She works with clients from editorial, brides and weddings, fashion and tv.

Another fantastic benefit of lemons and this isn’t for everyone is it can be a wonderful toner to even out your complexion and fade scaring. I have recently acquired some dark pigmentation on my forehead and nose due to living in this hot Canarian climate and I literally started to freak out so have been trying to research some natural methods to get rid of this. I squeeze a few drops of lemon onto a cotton wad after washing my face and cleanse my face neck and chest with this. Some of you might find this quite hash and it stings a bit so you can always dilute this with water to soften the sensation down but you do wake up with a glowing complexion and I am finding I am really loving the results. Try it out for yourself gorgeous girls and see if you are also finding you get results.

Body Brushing
Yes, I seem to be obsessed with getting rid of lumps and bumps and the dreaded Cellulite word but I am currently living in a hot climate. I left the comforting fold of London, having been bundled up in jeans and jumpers most of the year only to come here and don shorts and sandals and catching my reflection daily as I walk past my full length mirror every morning is enough to make me want to brush my body into a pulp!

Body Brushing is fantastic and I swear it does work! I defy you to try bushing your bums and thighs and not feel a tingly sensation of the circulation pumping through your body. I made my best friend buy the brush on a shopping trip and she looked at me sceptically whilst I pushed her forward to the body shop counter and made her buy it but she called me that night ranting how itchy her legs were after brushing and I gloated tell her that it was her blood burning through all the cellulite. Body brushing improves circulation which will decrease the dimples and also help with toning. Brush from the ankles up towards your heart and you can do this all over. The body shop do a great firm brush that will be quite painful when you start but you will get used to it. No pain no gain ladies. Any firm body brush will do though so see if you can find one at your local stores.

Pop Physique Videos

Ok lovely ladies, lets get moving! Now I know we all want to look great on our wedding day, we want to slink down that aisle and feel amazing but I do not encourage skeletal brides! No man wants to see a malnourished bride walking towards him, one he barely recognizes anymore so ladies, lets be healthy and fit, get exercising but also eating right. I look at these sentences and I do laugh as here am I, with 6 months to go and havent moved a muscle yet whilst scoffing a packet of choc chip cooking sobbing at Grey’s Anatomy. Lets change that! Nicoletta told me about this new phenomenon called Pop Physique and it combines Yoga, Pilates and ballet, 3 exercises I do really enjoy so I decided to splurge and buy the dvds off Amazon. Ok, I have had these dvds since last August and have done them 3 times but I vow to make them a daily part of my new exercise regime. Let me tell you, they are hard, and it burns but those 3 girls bending and stretching like lithe gazelle’s is pretty inspiring. Plus the bonus is, you don’t have to drag yourself off to gym after work but can pop in a dvd at home and get going! I am going to combine these dvd’s with power walking around my neighborhood. I am not one of those people that love exercise, I do it to try look halfway decent so trust me, I feel your pain but just think how fabulous we are going to feel in a few months, how toned we are going to be and how long and lean!!!

Happy Detoxing ladies!!!!

^ Alyssa.

(Beauty editor, contributing writer and sister of Nicoletta)

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles.

Thank you Wendy for having us again and letting us have the opportunity to work with and get to know such beautiful individuals!

Stay beautiful,

^ Nicoletta.

Client: MBA Holistic
Photography: Wendy K Yalom Photography

Nicoletta Daskalakis is a makeup artist and hair stylist based in Los Angeles and specializes in head shots, bridal, editorial, fashion and tv.

Never before have I met such diametrically opposite personality types that so instantaneously melt into each other. Marco is from a small town in Sicily, loves a good coup of coffee with a cigarette or two, carries himself with an easy swagger, never too quick or too slow, just right, and is always ready with an ever so edgy clever comment to spice up the atmosphere whenever needed. Chelsea is a wake up at the crack everyday (5 am!!! I could never do that) to play professional volleyball, eat healthy, ever polite California coast bombshell. Together they are instant chemistry. Apart they couldn’t be more different then the cultures they herald. This shoot demonstrates that the commonality of passion can easily transcend the need for words. Together they were electric and their artistic sincerity made something beautiful.

For the makeup, when I first saw Chelsea her features instantly reminded me of Keira Knightley photoshoot I recently came across. The shape and set of Chelsea’s eyes, eyebrows and shape of her full lips are similar. As Keira often does in her most striking looks I knew that Chelsea would suit a strong eyeliner under her eye. I also wanted to accentuate the beautiful shape of her brows. The day of the shoot had a fantastic blue light which is rare for our beautiful city of Los Angeles. The prior days had seen rain and on this particular day it was incredibly windy. Knowing that there would be a chill in the air and that Chelsea’s cheeks and skin would likely flush I felt comfortable using a darker shade of foundation to balance the colors. The result was a beautiful fresh and lively look.

Chelsea has similar eyes, eyebrows and lips to Keira Knightley which give her beautiful face the versatility for a wide color range.

For Chelsea’s hair I knew that it was likely going to be blown around considerably so I took a page out of the Victoria’s Secret playbook and went with long playful curls. This ended up being a perfect look for Chelsea who as an athlete had a beautiful tan and knows how to wear hair that’s been tussled by the elements.

For Marco I used a light concealer to color match him to Chelsea and freshen his skin. Marco had been doing considerable traveling prior to the shoot so I used some concealer to keep his look fresh.

To see more of their beautiful pictures please check out my facebook makeup and hair page

I started this makeup tale with Italian so I thought it would only be suitable for me to close this chapter with a beautiful Italian phrase (to all the single men reading this blog, memorize this line and I guarantee you will thank me!).

“Siamo tutti angeli con una sola ala, possiamo volare solo se ci abbracciamo l’un l’altro.”
Italian to English Translation: “We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.”

^ Nicoletta.

Bridal Makeup & Hair Styling: Nicoletta Daskalakis
Grooming: Nicoletta Daskalakis
Photography: Beauty and Photography
Wedding Dress: Lovella Bridal
Bridal Bouquet: Farabela’s Touch
Bridal Hair Accessories: Brides and Hairpins