The Perfect Eyebrows

Do you have a "trademark", something that people recognize you for? One of my trademarks would have to be my eyebrows, and honestly without my eyebrows I just don't feel the same! I feel a little uncomfortable when they are not filled in and groomed properly. 
It's a make or break the face kinda thing. Without realizing it, you can make yourself look angry, sad, or surprised depending on your eyebrow shape. With that being said, brow shaping must be done correctly according to the structure of your face. First things first, check these 3 points to ensure your eyebrows start, arch, and end in the correct places according to your personal facial features. 

You will need a straight object to help guide your "lines".

1. Where should the brow start? The edge of your nose should line up with the inside corner of your eye...and that's where the beginning of your brow should be. 

2. How to get the perfect arch? Create an imaginary line...start from the bow of your lip, line it up with the edge of your nose...where does it end? It should end at the highest point of your brow, which is your arch. If it's not there, you can grow/pluck or fill in accordingly. 

3. Where does the brow end? Angle your "straight object" from the bow of your lip, line it up with the edge of the nose and the outside corner of the eye. 

Brow trends change season to season, but full brows seem to be sticking around!! In the past, sharp and defined brows were in style... If you are like me, and you over plucked in the early '90's you may be dealing with some sparse areas. My brows do not grow quickly, and when they do grow it is spotty, so I must fill in the gaps. 

I use Christian Dior's Universal Brow Styler to connect my arch, it's a one color fits all, it warms up to your skin so you will always have the most natural color! It has a wax texture on first application, but once your soften it into the skin it becomes more like a powder. Afterwards, I set my brows with Bobbi Brown's Brow Powder with a thick and firm brow brush.

Here are a few tools/brushes I choose to use on a daily basis:

1. MAC's #266 brush has the perfect angle, and is very thin for a precise application.

2. Smashbox's #12 angled brush is stiff and firm for a softer look and great for blending product into the skin for a more natural look.

3. I brush my hair upwards with MAC's #204 Lash Brush

Depending on your preference, and how much time you have to get ready... Brow gel is the fastest application and they are great for hair that has its own agenda, its also great to hide those stubborn little grey hairs! Pencils are the next in ease, but may take a few more seconds for precision. Powder may seem like the most time consuming, however you have more flexibility with the product, resulting in a more natural finish. Waxes are also an option and can add durability to the length of the product during a lengthy (warm) day. 

Now who is rocking the big and bold brows this season??? 

XOXO

Priscilla Francine 

Comfy and Glamorous!

Offer me a day of relaxation at anytime in the week...and I am all there! I'm not sure if it was ingrained in me as a child, but either way my father taught me to love tropical trees and my mother taught me a maxi dress is a staple in your closet. I have come to the conclusion I am definitely my parents daughter. Although I am a fan of glitz and glamour, I will always choose choose to be comfy. So the question is...How do you make comfort, glamorous?

Cotton Spandex Jersey Tube Dress in Imperial Purple {American Apparel} Take for example, eyelashes. Some styles look heavy, and they feel heavy. It's one of the worst feelings to wear a heavy, plastic band that is forcing you to squint the entire night. The lighter the lash band the better to be comfortable. There are 3 options that are easy to apply and easy to wear...  1. Individual lashes are great for someone who has never attempted to wear false lashes, may have sensitive eyes, or chooses to wear little makeup during "regular" life. You can add drama to the ends by applying them in a close bunch and slowing spread them out as you get closer to the inside of the eye.  2. The Half-lash is recommended for those who desire to wear a fuller lash but may not have the desire to go all the way with a full band. This will pick up the ends of the eye and give ya a mini face lift. They are super easy to place on your eyes too!  3. Want a full lash for more drama?! I am wearing the Audrey's by FAUX in this post. Their is a trick to blending your fake lashes with your real lashes...first curl your lashes and add 1-2 coats of your favorite mascara. Next, curl your false lash at the base before apply a small amount of glue to the band. I like to use an eyelash applicator (mine is from Shu Uemura). Always ensure the band is placed directly on your natural lash line for maximum comfort. Lastly, you can curl your lashes once more and than fluff them with your fingers.

Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss In Yoo Hoo

Lip products come in all sorts of textures and flavors. Some like their gloss sticky and some can't stand it! I prefer a more hydrating gloss, one that will eventually absorb without leaving a film on the inside of my mouth. Here are a few lines I like: For a regular lip gloss try Dior Addict Ultra Shine Gloss collection, they are super shiny and still long wearing. I appreciate lip products that do more than just add color, and if you would like a lip plumper with out the tingle, try Bare Minerals Buxom Full-Bodied Lip Gloss.

Curled ends of hair with a 2" Iron {Hot Tools}

As for a foundation, it depends on your preference in formula and texture. Do you like cream? Liquid? Powder? or Minerals? For a comfortable creamy consistency, try the Benefit Play Stick (oily to normal skin type) or the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick (normal to dry skin-type). There are SO many liquids I can tell you about, but lets start off slowly.... The Estee Lauder BB cream offers wonderful coverage with a light weight feeling (and it will do alot more for your skin in the long run), or try Vitalumiere Aqua Utra Light Skin Perfecting Makeup. MAC is sufficient for a foundation powder, with plenty of color options to choose from! Minerals are a girls second best friend...and if you like them in a loose formula I will always recommend Bare Escentuals. Yep, it's not a powder. It's creamy once you buff it into the skin (the coverage all depends on the brush.)

Once you start playing around with new products you will find makeup can be comfortable, and simplicity is always best! Enhance your natural beauty ladies-don't cover it up!

XOXO
Priscilla Francine 

What Have I been up to...

Summer just started and it's already over! It's been a busy few months, but it's been a GREAT few months. I even got a vacation thrown in the midst of wedding season. I am back and refreshed and ready to blog. I have ALOT of things to catch up on and tell you about. In the meantime, here's what I have been up to...

1. Anna and Joel flew in from Oregon, and I was lucky enough to work with each of them and their bridal party on their wedding day. Their photographer Jamie Jones captured the day, and even a few images of me applying touch-ups in the ivy! During Anna's trial we played around with a few options for a dramatic eye, and she fell in love with a style that complimented her eye shape. To achieve these beautiful eyes, apply Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black on the entire lid (stopping at the crease). Next, set the lid with Nars Eyeshadow in Night Clubbing. To soften the crease, use a pony tail brush to apply a mauve or heather grey matte shadow. You eventually want to fade the color into eyebrow arch, so your color needs to gradually go from black to white. The best way I can translate this look is to compare it to a rainbow! Think dark to light!

2. Taryn and Shelby are the photographers behind Joielala, who also captured Christie's wedding. I cannot wait to see the final results!!! (Check out the engagement session in the meantime...I used nuetral shades with a highlights of gold and rust.)

3. I met Katie, Katherine's MOH, while working on set at ModCloth in SF. This bridal party got ready at the Inn at The Presidio. Because they wore black dresses, I was free to play with color options for their eyes, cheeks, and lips. I wanted to compliment each bridesmaid's skin tone, so each gal had their own version of a natural look.

4. Katherine was inspired by a magazine editorial with Julia Roberts as the model. To replicate the look, we kept her skin clean and refreshed looking, using the appropriate primers before any foundation. I did not use any bronzer, just a plum blush on her cheekbones. For her eyes, I concentrated on keeping all the color (Plums/burgundy hues) on her top and bottom lash line for definition. After I lined the lashes with the darker shadow, I overlapped it with Bare Escentuals Celestine to add a shimmer. Last, but not least, we kept the lips light, but not too light, because I didn't want her to be washed out in photos. My favorite color for bridal season this year was Perpetual Plum, Maybelline's Superstay 24 Hour Color.

5. Meet Adrianna!! Stay tuned for some amazing images on the ModCloth site!

6. Jamie's wedding day makeup was inspired by Carrie Underwood! Dramatic eyes, a bold pop of color on the cheeks, and a lighter nude lip! Carbon eyeshadow by MAC helped me create this sultry look! Ashley Maxwell was her photographer... I'm drooling over the images already and I haven't even seen them yet!

7. My dear friend Taylor got married this August, and I was honored to be part of her special day! I decided that my new favorite blush color for blondes is Gaiety by Nars-it is sooo pretty!

8. This year, I have been doing lots of bridesmaid up-dos! Thank goodness for my amazing Hot Tools curling iron!

9. Stop by the Favour Shoppe Blog for some skincare tips!

10. Every time a bride tells me they are searching for the perfect location for their destination wedding-I can't help but tell them about The Azul Resort in Cabo. It is one of the most peaceful and beautiful resorts ever. Our first visit was for our honeymoon, this time around we went with some friends... so while the boys had their guy time, us girls spent the day at the Paz Spa getting massages!

11. August 21st was my 2 year anniversary with the hubs. Omg! How time flies!! I feel like yesterday we just got married! We spent a night in Monterey at the Clement Hotel. The room came with a fire place, chocolate anchovies, and Elemis bodycare!!

12. I normally get the standard pedicures when I go to the salon... but I decided to try something unusual and out of my box on my last visit to Lavande, and opted for the Chocolate Pedi. While I enjoyed  by chocolate covered almonds, hot cocoa, and all the sweet smelling lotions-my favorite part was the mud masque they used on my legs. My skin looked so bright after!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram!

XOXO
@priscillafrancinemakeup

Lemons & Limes

This Sunday was warm, and the perfect day for an outdoor bridal shower! The theme of the party was citrus... and the soon-to-be Mrs. provided us with the perfect inspiration board, thanks to pinterest, as we planned for the festivities. Lemons, limes (and a few oranges) were on our plates, in our drinks, and even in the guest's goodie bags!! The mother of the bride found the perfect dress aligned with the theme, so she suggested the bridesmaids join in on the fun. I was unable to find a "citrus" themed outfit-so of course I had to paint my eyes with bold hues of yellow and green! Ironically, the last friend's bridal shower I attended, I wore yellow shadow-I think I may have started a tradition for myself without even knowing it!!

Makeup Tip: When wearing color on the eyes, opt for bronzer on the cheeks and nude lips!

Foundation: Diorskin Airflash

Steps to achieve this look:

1. Prep entire eyelid with MAC's Paint Pot in Painterly
2. Contour the outside corner of your eye with a green shadow (I used my ELF Kit) using a pony tail brush
3. Pat a yellow shadow in the center of your eyelid, overlapping the green to blend the two colors together, with the Tapered Shadow Brush #7 by Smashbox.
4. Apply a white or cream shadow in the inside corner of your eye... after apply something sparkly just for fun!
5. To seamlessly blend your colorful shadow into your brow bone... take a peachy, neutral matte shadow and apply it directly into your crease. This will soften the edges of the green shadow so it doesn't end abruptly.
6. Apply eyeliner (Tutorial here), mascara, and fill in your brows!

Stop by my pinterest to see more images and the rest of my outfit!!!

XOXO
Priscilla

Updated Traditions

Traditions are so nice to have, especially during the holidays like Easter... you can count on that activity to happen ever year right!? What happens when your traditions need to be altered? Do you embrace it or do you hesitate the change?  When it comes to your image, are you more traditional or are you more updated... I tend to be a mix of both. I enjoy adding a bold statement piece to an everyday basic outfit, and I recommend using this method for your makeup bag too-just update one area, whether it's your eyes or lips...it will really transform your image.

Floral prints are a must in your closet this season, and you can't go wrong with this Bellatrix Sheer Print...it has that "old lady" kinda feel that you can't help but love, with a contemporary color palette. Pair it with a chunky bold necklace and bold hot pink lips, or some simple pearls and a light pastel lip...it's the best of both worlds.

I have been obsessed with hair bun's lately-this too can be traditional or it can be trendy depending how you are wearing it... and it's SUPER easy and fast! (Stay tuned I will give in to my secret for the perfect hair bun soon...)

Last but not least, a winged eyeliner is such a classic look that has never gone out of style. Update your eyes by trying new formulas.. maybe you've been using a liquid pen for years-try a gel formula and see if anyone notices?? And vise versa... if you've been using a gel liner or pencil-try a liquid pen next time you replenish your makeup bag. There are always new products in the industry, and when you broaden your options you will strengthen your artistry skills at the same time! To see a tutorial on a simple winged eyeliner look click here.

Happy Easter my friends! Enjoy the beautiful flowers, the wonderful feasts, and the special memories with your family and friends tomorrow!

XOXO
Priscilla

Photoshoot: Fleur Envy

While we all work individually, photographer Ashley Maxwell, hairstylist Danielle Derksen and I are one of the most effective "teams" when combined. Our styles merge beautifully. The last session we worked on together was for BoLee Bridal Couture's gowns...seen here. We captured some delightful moments that day with our 4 beautiful models...Well, we did it again for Fleur Envy! This is a line full of delicate handmade bridal accessories. The pieces were insane with how much detail went into the bead work...the stitching-oh, and there were feathers galore!! Enjoy these breath taking "whimsical" images.

Photography by Ashley Maxwell

Look #1 Earth Tones: Green, Gold, Nude, Brown

Audrey FAUX Lashes

FAUX Lash

Look #2 Classic Bride: Purple Hues... Plums and Mauves

Lace FAUX Lashes

Look #3 The Sultry Swan: Black Smokey Eyes & Pale Pink Lips!

Bridal Accessories by Fleur Envy

Hair by Danielle Derksen

Makeup by Priscilla Francine
Photography by Ashley Maxwell
Hair by Danielle Derksen
Lashes by FAUX
Bridal Accessories by Fleur Envy

XOXO
Priscilla Francine