Beauty by Jennifer Cruz

Jennifer Cruz is a full time freelance makeup and hair artist represented by Creative Management at MC2.

www.JenniferCruzMakeup.com

(Part 3 - Mascaras)


MAKE UP FOR EVER Smokey Lash Mascara

1. MAKE UP FOR EVER Smokey Lash Mascara - This is my all time favorite high end mascara! I discovered it this past summer while working backstage for Miami Swim Week (I was honored to be on the fabulous James Vincent’s team!). This little tube gives you everything you could ever want in a mascara and more - volume, curl, length and intense pigment that will give you gorgeous looking full lashes! Not sure what I did before I discovered this beauty, but I’m pretty sure I won’t be letting go of it anytime soon!

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

2. L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara - If you’re looking to spend less than ten bucks on a mascara, then Voluminous is the one for you! I recommend this to those who love thick, full lashes (and at 7 bucks a pop, it’s super kit friendly!). The shape of the brush is quite similar (perhaps even the same?) as the MUFE Smokey Lash. For extra dark lashes, Carbon Black is the way to go! 

MAC Plush Lash Mascara

3. MAC Plush Lash Mascara in Brownette - For soft and romantic lashes, I always reach for Plush Lash in Brownette. The color of this mascara looks like melted milk chocolate making it perfect for defined, but subtle lashes. It’s a great choice for when you want to rock a bold lip color and soften the look of the rest of your makeup or for those who have blonde lashes and are looking for just a hint of color. 

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara4. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara - Do you ever find that half way through your day there is black smudged underneath your eye when you didn’t even put on eyeliner to begin with? This usually occurs from your mascara rubbing against your under eye concealer, causing the product to break down as gravity pulls it down south. Fortunately, Clinique came up with the perfect product to help stop this problem - Bottom Lash Mascara! It’s a “tubing” mascara, meaning it works like a waterproof one, but more gentle on your lashes (just rise with warm water and pull gently!). This brush is super teeny tiny making it ideal for a precise application!

A Public Service Announcement from a Makeup Artist

Friends!  Election day is here and I want to urge every single person that is eligible to go out and VOTE! Stand up for what you believe in. Vote for who you trust will keep this country the amazing nation that it is. Please do not be selfish - think not only of yourself, but of those who you care about, friends, neighbors and people whom you share every day life with. Vote for them. Think of your children’s future and what choices you believe they should have and how you want them to be treated. Vote for them. 

But most importantly, be kind and LOVE on each other just as the big guy upstairs has told us all to do! 

(Part 2 - Concealers)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer


1. Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer - This is by far my favorite concealer! I tend to prefer concealers that are creamier in texture because skin generally has more of a satin finish rather than a dryer, matte finish. DW is super long wearing and rarely requires a touch up (great for those 10+ hour days!). It comes in a slim tube similar to a lip gloss, making it really convenient if you find you DO need to carry it with you throughout your day. So far, this is the ONLY concealer I have ever tried that doesn’t crease under my eyes. It has a medium to full coverage and hides everything! SPF 10 in it is an added bonus. The doe-foot applicator makes it easy to apply - just a few dabs under your eyes and on any discoloration or blemishes you have and you are all set!

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

2. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - This is pretty similar to DW in texture, however, the packaging is not quite as convenient. I use this concealer mostly on men - underneath the eyes and to even out any discoloration. It has great finish and is neither too matte or too dewy so it looks really natural on the skin. A little powder to set it and its excellent for TV and film. I have most of the colors in my kit and they also make a really great foundation! Awesome to use on my private clients that are going out for the evening and may not have time to worry about touching up their skin. MAC always does such a great job of having a variety of colors to choose from, making it easy for anyone to find their match (this product comes in 15!).

Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer

3. Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer - Eve Pearl is known for her famous Salmon Concealers. This product is fantastic for those who have severe darkness under their eyes. It comes in a variety of different colors and each of them have a peach undertone making them an excellent corrector. Just blend underneath your eyes, let it set, then add either your favorite foundation or a concealer on top to blend into your skin. It’s available as a single color, double (great for those of us that get much tanner in the summer!) and a triple palette (perfect for pros!). 

(Part 1 - Foundations)

1. Face Atelier Ultra Foundation - This was my go-to foundation for years! This creamy liquid foundation is not only oil-free, but it’s also silicone based (it’s like having a foundation and primer in one!). The coverage is really lovely, I would say its medium and definitely build-able. One of my favorite things is that Face Atelier offers this in its regular size (1 oz/$45) and also a pro size (.68 oz/$32). The pro bottles are made of plastic (whereas the regular ones are in glass bottles) so it’s extremely kit friendly - I’ll take anything that will help my Zuca weigh less!

2. Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer - I am in love with this tinted moisturizer! I use this on myself as my “everyday” makeup. It’s lightweight and gives just enough coverage to even out your skin. I love that it’s oil-free, yet it still keeps me feeling hydrated (I have normal/slightly combo skin and am NOT a fan of dry, matte skin). It also comes in a formula that is not oil-free, however, I would only recommend using it if you have very dry skin. A little brightening under the eyes and perhaps some concealing where you need it and you will be good to go!

3. MAC Face and Body Foundation - This is one product that has been a staple in my kit since I discovered it back in my MAC days (my career started working for MAC Cosmetics in 2006!). The best way I can describe this foundation is like having a tinted moisturizer without the hydration factor. It’s great for all skin types, but especially nice for those with oily and combo skin that want to use something lightweight. When it first goes on, it looks VERY dewy, however, if you give it a few minutes, it settles down to be more satin-finish (oily skin gals, a light dusting of your favorite powder will look lovely on top of this!Water-based and water-resistant makes this a great product to use on your body if you need a little evening out (just wait a few minutes before you get dressed). I use F&B a lot on set when shooting swimwear - it gives a beautiful sheen to the skin, almost like you are wearing panty hose! You can also use one a few shades darker as a body bronzer. All in all, this product is really diverse and can be used head-to-toe! This also comes in two sizes - 4 oz and a kit friendly 1.7 oz.

4. Mehron Celebré Pro HD Foundation - My heart skipped a beat the first time I used this heaven-sent foundation! This product is my holy grail foundation and secret weapon in my kit. It’s an oil-free, fragrance-free, satin finish cream makeup that comes in pot and looks like it would be really thick and heavy, but once your finger or brush touches the product, it just MELTS! The formula is extremely versatile - on it’s own, it’s medium coverage and very build-able, or you can really sheer it out with a few drops of F&B. No need for concealer either, I take this foundation right up to the lash line and it sets beautifully! Really, any skin type can use this and can afford to - only 13 bucks a pop and 20 colors to choose from! Mehron also offers a pro set that includes full product of every color in the range that you can scoop out into your own foundation palette (I have all of mine in a compact Z Palette). I could go on for hours about why I love this makeup.. 

These are a few (or a ton) of my favorite things…

Often I am asked what my favorites are - from mascaras, to concealers to eyebrow pencils and beyond! I thought it would be helpful to my clients and friends to do a series of posts that include some of my go to products; from what I have in my kit to what I use on myself at home. I always welcome friendly feedback and if there is anything specific you want me to post about, I’d love to know!

Stay tuned!

xox

Sneak peak of an upcoming editorial!

Sneak peak of an upcoming editorial!

Work isn’t work when it’s with “family”

The first week of April I was booked to shoot a commercial/print ads for tourism in Biloxi. The job was 8 days long and let me tell ya, I was NOT excited to be stuck in Mississippi for over a week, but little did I know, it ended up being one of the most fun work experiences!

I traveled over with a team that has been working together some for 12+ years. From day 1 it felt like family! Everyone was so easy going and relaxed and FUNNY (I love me some sarcasm and a good laugh!) and though I missed my hubby and my puppy, it made the week fly by so quickly. The clients were form an ad agency in Jackson, MS and were sweet as pie (their southern drawl made then sound even sweeter!). Aside from sleeping in a hotel and waking up at 5am every morning, I kind of forgot I was at work!

Now onto makeup! The first two days we shot 3 men - the scenario was a few guy friends out on a bachelor type weekend. When I’m working with men for commercial, I keep them looking very natural - prep their skin with my holy grail, Embryolisse, MAC Fast Response eye cream, and Rosebud lip balm. A little concealer under their eyes (I use Eve Pearl Salmon Concealer) and maybe a touch of foundation sheered out with moisturizer if they have any redness in their skin. A touch of bronzer and powder to matte down their skin.

The next two days we shot a “family” that was on “vacation”. We had a model dad, model mom and two model kids. For mom, I wanted to keep her very natural looking as most women that vacation in Biloxi do not wear much makeup, however it IS the south, so we could get away with some big, loose curls in her hair. To prep her hair I sprayed Bumble and Bumble tonic through her roots, their thickening spray through her her host and diffused it with a blow dryer until the product was dry. I quickly wrapped 2 inch sections around a 1-1/2 inch curling iron and finished with Kenra hairspray in #25. After her hair set, I flipped her head over and shook it out with my fingers to break up the curl and create some volume.

The last few days we shot with two ladies that were on a “girls weekend”. Aside from the spa scene, most of the shots were in a casino or at a bar, so we got to vamp up their hair and makeup!

All in all, being part of an amazing crew really made the trip outstanding and I hope to work with each and every one of them again!

Current obsession : Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Queen

Better late than never

I have slacked majorly this season in updating the blog (and by major, I mean its been about 6 months - eek!!!). Though season is slowly coming to an end, there are still some fantastic things coming up and I’m going to make the biggest effort ever to share with any one who cares to read :)

Quite possibly the most exciting thing ever in my career happened at the beginning of December - I am now being represented by Creative Managment at MC2 - woohoo!! I am so blessed to be sharing the main board with some really fantastic hair and makeup artists - Enrico Marriotti, Victorija Bowers, Emily Moses and Rob Scheppy (he made Kim Kardashians smokey eye famous!). Looking back over the past 5 months, I’m still in shock at some of the amazing projects I’ve got to work on - hopefully this is only the beginning!!!

I have loads of new photos to post and share what new goodies have been floating around my kit.. Stay tuned!

Current obsession : MAC Lady Danger lipstick

Friday I had the absolute pleasure of collaborating with Chad Finley. He is a beauty photographer living in Atlanta and came to South Florida for 6 weeks to test with the lovely models in Miami. In one day we worked with eight models (yes, eight!) and did three looks each in eleven hours! Phew! It was a crazy long, but amazing and creative day! This is a sneak peak of Rachel, a new face with Wilhelmina models (taken on my iPhone, so please excuse the lame quality!). She was so sweet and excited to be apart of the industry and has a beautiful, fresh look - isn’t she cute? I prepped her skin with Embryolisse and used MAC Face & Body Foundation. A little translucent powder, matte bronzer, and Inglot Face & Body Illuminator in #61 on her cheekbones, nose and cupids bow is all it took to perfect this pretty face. On her eyes I used MAC Orb on the eyelid with a mix of Wedge and Soft Brown in the crease. Some brown mascara and tinted lip conditioner finished our first look. For Rachels hair, I started with a little dry shampoo on her roots to soak up any excess oil. I sprayed a thermal hairspray by Kenra all over then wrapped 1 inch sections onto a 3/4 in curling rod. Teased it with a wide tooth comb and voila! I can’t wait to share with everyone the final images! Stay tuned :)

Friday I had the absolute pleasure of collaborating with Chad Finley. He is a beauty photographer living in Atlanta and came to South Florida for 6 weeks to test with the lovely models in Miami. In one day we worked with eight models (yes, eight!) and did three looks each in eleven hours! Phew! It was a crazy long, but amazing and creative day!

This is a sneak peak of Rachel, a new face with Wilhelmina models (taken on my iPhone, so please excuse the lame quality!). She was so sweet and excited to be apart of the industry and has a beautiful, fresh look - isn’t she cute?

I prepped her skin with Embryolisse and used MAC Face & Body Foundation. A little translucent powder, matte bronzer, and Inglot Face & Body Illuminator in #61 on her cheekbones, nose and cupids bow is all it took to perfect this pretty face. On her eyes I used MAC Orb on the eyelid with a mix of Wedge and Soft Brown in the crease. Some brown mascara and tinted lip conditioner finished our first look.

For Rachels hair, I started with a little dry shampoo on her roots to soak up any excess oil. I sprayed a thermal hairspray by Kenra all over then wrapped 1 inch sections onto a 3/4 in curling rod. Teased it with a wide tooth comb and voila!

I can’t wait to share with everyone the final images! Stay tuned :)