Early Prom Surprise ♥

Click HERE to see the video for PROM Taylor Swift American Music Awards 2010 Makeup

I know that I said in my previous blog entry that I may not be able to post my backlogged tutorials before 2010 ends.

However, one of them practically edited itself--it was ready to upload shortly after I got up this morning.

For anyone attending prom in 2011, or whenever it is you come across this, here is a timeless makeup look you might be able to use. It also isn't limited to prom, so feel free to wear it to other elegant special occasions if you please.

Right now, it's the early afternoon of December 31st where I live, so I'm off to rest before the night's festivities, which will surely stretch past midnight.

In the meantime, I hope this is helpful for any advance planners out there. Have a blast, and stay safe as you welcome 2011.

Happy New Year!

~Lea

Tutorial Backlog

I have a few tutorials waiting to be edited for my YouTube channel. For example...

There's one inspired by Katy Perry's makeup at the 2010 Victoria's Secret fashion show.

There's also one done in Taylor Swift's style during the 2010 American Music Awards.

...and I also have one based on Cher's look in the 1960s.

But I don't think I'll be uploading them before 2010 ends. I may post them a bit later in 2011--just because I have a pretty long list with items begging to be created ASAP--but that's a smattering right there of what to look forward to, if you enjoy videos of this sort.

In any case, there's going to be new content on my YouTube channel, and I also have something NEW in store for this blog if I can just get it going already, hahaha!

See you soon!

~Lea

I am realizing that...

...every day on the planet really is a blessing.

Every moment we are alive, the opportunity to love, and perhaps make a difference for the better, exists.

You may have known this for a while now--as I have in my head--but these days, I am feeling it quite strongly.

If you stopped living and breathing, there would be a ripple effect--your life isn't the only one that would be affected; the existence of every one you are close to, or interact with, changes as well.

In that vein, here's to seizing the year ahead and living more fully. Just because we are here today doesn't mean we'll still be tomorrow.

Best wishes for a wonderful 2011,

~Lea

Click HERE for a New Year's Eve party makeup tutorial

One Look, Many Ways to Wear It...!

In the photo above , both my sister (right) and I are wearing makeup in actor Megan Fox's style.

Different faces, same inspiration.

Just a little idea for those of you who want to begin experimenting with a variety of looks. If you like the makeup you see in magazines, on the runway, on the red carpet, or in movies, why not at least try it on?

No need to resemble the actor, celebrity, or model who inspires you. Just tailor the look to suit your own features.

Below are the videos for the looks you see in the photo, plus another one also based on makeup Megan Fox has worn, although it has a pretty different vibe from her usual glamorous style. The first two are older videos--especially the one with my sister--so keep in mind that they're not quite like the tutorials recently posted on my YouTube channel, if you follow it.

Wishing you a good night from my nook on the planet,

~Lea

I ♥ TRON: Legacy

It was a chilly, drizzly day when my sweetheart and I stepped over puddles and mud in the cinema parking lot, heading towards the theater entrance to get our tickets to see TRON: Legacy.

We weren't in the best of moods, as we hadn't eaten and felt we were cutting it close to the show time we picked.

But this was our birthday gift to my brother, and we'd been planning on seeing the movie for quite some time already, so no one backed out.

And I'm glad we didn't.

Even though the film was visually dark when I'd been needing a good dose of light after all the rainy gloom and doom we'd been experiencing, I enjoyed Sam, Kevin, and Quorra's company.

To avoid leaving spoilers here for anyone just about to see it, I'm not going to sum up the movie or share any realizations that may or may not have dawned on me thanks to the story. Instead, I'll post the video tutorials I've been inspired to create based on the movie for the makeup and beauty lovers who follow this blog.

Thanks to Rosalina Da Silva, who created the makeup looks worn in the film, I have something to actually base these tutorials on. Rosalina, your work is beautiful!

See you later,

~Lea

On happy holidays and cameras that don't work so well...!

Hi everyone!

I hope your holiday season is going nicely so far. Whether you're spending it with yourself, or with family and friends too, here's to a time of joy and gratitude for all the blessings in life.

As for me, I'm doing well; I just wanted to say, if you've been following the videos on my YouTube channel, you may have noticed that the audio jumps from being too loud to too soft to somewhere in between. I do apologize if it inconveniences you, or if it's made watching some of the videos pretty uncomfortable. The camera I've been using records audio unevenly, even if the sound actually remains level on my end all throughout, and I didn't want to stop posting tutorials altogether because of that. So...

If you've stuck with the videos all this time, thank you.

The camera will be replaced when possible. In the meantime, I am being mindful to at least not speak so loudly, in order to minimize startling sudden loud bursts of sound in my recordings. (Yes, that is why my voice sometimes has a somewhat whispery quality to it in the tutorials, which for me is better than sounding like I'm yelling.)

I just had to say something about this little situtation at this point--a year and a half after I've been using that camera--because I wanted to acknowledge that I am aware of that.

For now, I am signing off, sending well wishes your way for meaningful holidays.

Much love,

~Lea

Click HERE to see an easy holiday party tutorial

New Angelina Jolie-style makeup tutorial almost uploaded!

As I type this, I am almost finished editing a video tutorial on Angelina Jolie's makeup in the film, "The Tourist."

I normally love creating tutorials on looks worn by Old Hollywood starlets, but a few of my latest videos--this one included--focus on more modern subjects. I'm simply expanding the content of my YouTube channel for those who love playing with cosmetics, but no worries if you enjoy vintage-inspired style; I haven't lost my love for the golden oldies.

As for Angelina, there's a much older tutorial also inspired by her that I posted a while back. The video is pretty different from my later ones since I was much newer to YouTube when I made it, but you might like the finished product if you admire Angelina's very wearable style of makeup application. No wild or trendy colors here.

Click HERE to see a video for "Everyday Wearable Angelina Jolie-Style Makeup"

I'll get back to editing the video now. Enjoy the rest of your day and I'll see you again in a bit!


~Lea

Movie-Inspired Makeup

Click HERE to see the tutorial for my interpretation of Olivia Wilde's TRON: Legacy makeup

Aside from the two Burlesque-inspired tutorials recently uploaded on my YouTube channel, I found inspiration again a few days ago in another look from the movies.

This time, it's actress Olivia Wilde as Quorra in Disney's TRON: Legacy who caught my eye. I like simplifying makeup looks so that even beginners to using the face as a canvas can apply the makeup in easy steps. The recreation I came up with for this look is certainly easy to follow--you don't need too many products or colors--yet the results can be stunning, depending on how dramatic you want your eye makeup to be.

It's easily one of my favorite looks to date.

Stay tuned for more if you enjoy the videos. I'll see you again soon!

~Lea

Burlesque for the Holidays

While the looks in the photo above can be worn year-round--for clubbing or nights out with friends, for instance--they are appropriate for holiday parties as well.

The glitter on the eyes is suitable for the season, as glitz and tinsel are everywhere, so go ahead and experiment with sparkle this time of year if you want to wear it but have never done so before. This way, you'll look less conspicuous if you prefer not to stand out too much. :)

The look in the picture on the left is based on singer Christina Aguilera's makeup when she performs the song, But I Am a Good Girl, from the movie Burlesque. And on the right we have a look similar to that worn also by Aguilera during the performance of the song, Express, from the same film.

(Click on the song titles to view the makeup tutorials.)

I personally like the look on the right more, just because it's fiercer than the one on the left and has that yummy-looking candy apple red shade on the lips, hahaha! But those whose personal style is more on the sweet, rather than bold or dramatic, side may feel more comfortable wearing the look with the twinkly pink eyelids.

So there you go--a couple of possibilities to try out the next time you want to shine. I'm off to catch an early dinner with my family on this Turkey day, so I'll go for now.

Enjoy the holidays!

~Lea

After Halloween...

Click HERE to see "Tips for Easy Holiday Makeup"

...come the holidays.

And this season, for my YouTube channel, I am planning a few tutorials with glitzy party spirit all over them.

While I will likely be uploading videos that aren't specifically made with holiday dinners in mind, I just wanted to let you know some of what you can expect in the next month. If you look forward to seeing my latest uploads so you can try some of the makeup tips and tricks yourself, take note: You are going to see quite a bit of glitter in a few of my next tutorials.

For now, let me leave you with a couple of older holiday-themed how-to videos. They have a different feel from my newer ones, but you may very well pick up a few ideas for how you want to play with makeup before you get busy once the season is in full swing.

Click on the caption below the photos to see the the tutorials.


Wishing you well on this gorgeous day,
~Lea

Ice Princess-Inspired Holiday/Winter Makeup

Blue and Green Eye Makeup for the Holidays and Beyond

EASY Holiday (or Year-Round Glitzy Nighttime) Look

Some of my most favorite tutorials...

...to create are those with an Old Hollywood theme.

I already have a bunch, which you can see by clicking HERE, and I intend to continue posting videos of that sort once Halloween is through.

Come to think of it, I've squeezed a few of them in despite there being a greater demand for All Hallows' Eve tutorials at this time of year. There are at least a couple more that I am about to upload with a combined Old Hollywood-Halloween motif.

One that you can look forward to is a look I am calling "Marilyn Monroe's Ghost," which is essentially Marilyn Monroe makeup in (mostly) grayscale. Pair it with an elegant outfit in either black, gray, silver, white, or off-white to complete the look of a faded Marilyn.

As I write this, I have yet to post the video, so stay tuned for it on my YouTube channel if the concept sounds appealing to you.

'Til next time,

~Lea

Snow White and Wicked Queen Costumes for Halloween

Click HERE to see the tutorial with my mom as the Queen from Snow White

No, I didn't film a tutorial for a Snow White look. :)

What I'm suggesting is, how about dressing up as the Queen, while your daughter or niece dresses up as Snow White?

Since a little girl wearing a Snow White outfit doesn't need makeup to be recognizable as the character she's portraying, all you need now is to look like the Queen. Once you've got the costume--and perhaps a shiny red apple as a prop--you can complete your look with the makeup. The steps are posted on my YouTube channel, along with a growing list of videos especially for Halloween or a costume party.

This is just a little "hello" before I go about my day. I'll see you again soon!

Take care,

~Lea

Disney-Inspired Halloween Looks

As I type this, I am about to film a tutorial focused on the makeup of a villain from a Disney feature film. I'll be using a model for this particular video, so I'm off to get my stuff ready.

I just wanted to post a quick blog as an update in case anyone out there is still exploring possibilities on what to be come October 31st.

Also, speaking of Disney, I just posted a very easy to create Alice in Wonderland look on my YouTube channel. Here it is:

Easy Halloween or Costume Party Look: Alice in Wonderland

I'll be back before you know it!
~Lea

Finally: New Vlog!

It's been quite a while since I last posted an inspirational vlog where I ponder upon subjects I feel passionately about, and share what moves me with anyone out there who also just might find the topic personally affecting.

In a few hours from now, after quite a few requests from some viewers of my YouTube channel, I am finally uploading a new vlog with a spiritual theme.

I thought I'd start my return to the world of vlogging with a beauty-related post so that those who come to my channel for the makeup tutorials won't feel neglected; maybe some of you out there who haven't previously been into self-exploration and metaphysics might even find that you're also very much interested in this other passion of mine.

Take note: I am using this occasion as well to more visibly incorporate my metaphysical work into my makeup artistry. In my life, there's no way when I paint a face--my own or anyone else's--that there's nothing more to it than what meets the eye. Applying makeup to me isn't about denying what I look like, even when a look is on the elaborate side; for me, it's a way to have fun with expression... to play or even role-play, since all the world's a stage.

Besides, makeup is just an extension of my love for beauty.

...and I don't mean this in what might be labeled "superficial," where what you see on the surface is everything. I've spoken of this in at least one older blog post (click on "older blog post" to see it): There is beauty and inspiration even in situations that may be taken for granted as they are so commonplace to the beholder, or appear unattractive as they are perceived as dark and dreary.

Yes, you read that right--when I speak of beauty, I am not just referring to what looks lovely. The nature, vibe, or feel of a person, situation, event, or anything else has a lot to do in my book with how beautiful it truly is regardless of how it appears on the surface.

So, if you have been waiting for me to post a vlog again, it will be up on my channel by tomorrow. On the other hand, if you're new to this aspect of what I do, thanks for joining me here today all the same. See you later!

♥,

~Lea

Me, excited after a year of posting video tutorials but not vlogs!

I am about to...

Click HERE to see the video for this look

...do an edgy--but easy--makeup look on my sister, Anna Dee.

I already made a video a while back showing me applying similar Rihanna-style makeup on Anna, but the instructions were posted on the screen rather than spoken.

This time, Rihanna remains the inspiration for the tutorial on the chic, stylish look I am uploading soon on my YouTube channel. It's a different one though from what you see in the photo above, so stay tuned if you enjoy wearing looks along these lines.

I'll be back soon,

~Lea

Are you a Barbie girl?

One night at the place I used to work, one of the employees told the manager about a customer who had just called her a "bitch." The manager, a tomboyish--almost androgynous--woman, responded, "I'd rather be called a bitch than a Barbie doll."

While I understand that she meant that according to her personal definition of what a Barbie doll is, I couldn't help but take notice of her words because I, on the other hand, associate Barbie with good things.

For one, I have pleasant memories of playing with Barbie when I was little and didn't have many friends. I've always been on the introspective and introverted, rather than outgoing, side, so along with my thoughts and dreams, the doll kept me company.

As I had several different Barbie dolls, I also got the message early in life that I could be whatever I wanted and dress up in a variety of ways if I so wished. I'm glad the many looks I've posted on my YouTube channel serve as a testimony of this lesson I learned in childhood.

So, as a tribute to the girl who's played an important role in my life, I've made a tutorial based on 1959 Barbie, the first ever. Despite the 1980s being one of my least favorite decades in terms of style and makeup, I've also uploaded a Barbie look based on how her face was made up in those times, which is when I was growing up.

1959 Barbie Makeup for Halloween or a Costume Party

"Brunette Barbie" Halloween or Costume Party Makeup

As with the videos I've already posted that appear to be a recurring theme on my channel, you haven't seen the last of Barbie. ;)

Pink Barbie kisses,

~Lea

Standout Lips

If you like looking pretty and polished, but don't necessarily have--or want to spend--the time to apply full-face makeup whenever you go out, you may want to experiment with bold lip colors.

Depending on the look you are going for, and the level of maintenance you are willing to give your lips throughout the day, you can wear a sheer but vivid shade (easier to reapply), or an opaque one with full color (can be more challenging).

You don't necessarily need a mirror to apply lip products with a see-through consistency, which is convenient if you can't sneak off at any given moment for a touch-up. A lipstick with an opaque finish on the other hand requires more precision of application if you want to get the best results. After all, with this kind of finish, it's easier to spot mistakes and for the lipstick to get on your teeth.

Regardless of what you choose, below are links to videos with tips on wearing standout lip colors.

Make a Statement with Red Lips

Quick Tip: Lighten Up with Bright Lips

Quickie Tutorial: Define Your Lips (Not Limited to Red Lipstick)

At first glance, the lips in the photos above may all appear the same to you, especially if you're new to makeup application. However, at closer glance and after watching the videos, you will notice that the second lip look is the least intense in terms of color, the first one is second, and the third the most dramatic.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'm off to either rest after that really hearty lunch I just had, or to edit or film another video.

See you next time,

~Lea

I have some GREAT news!

Today, September 15th, 2010, something that I have been waiting for has finally happened.

I have become a YouTube partner!

I know that this is neutral at best to some viewers and subscribers to my YouTube channel, but I am celebrating because now I have more flexibility with my video uploads and can also reach a wider audience, some of whom may very well resonate with the kind of content I post but just don't know about my videos yet.

If you've been following my blog posts, you know that I've mentioned my anticipation of this event. Most partners have way more subscribers and views than I do (as I write this, there are 1,257 accounts subscribed to my channel, and my videos get 700 views on average per day), yet I finally made it into the program after a year and three months of uploading videos.

To all who enjoy what I contribute, thank you. Stick around for much more, as I have even greater motivation now to continue what I've been doing. Take care of yourselves and I'll see you again soon.

With love from the bottom of my heart,

~Lea

A still from my first video, posted June 16, 2009

Vampires Galore

During my college years, I was sucked into the movie, Interview with the Vampire. I've seen Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Kirsten Dunst over and over again, both on the big screen and on VHS, as well as on DVD years later.

When Interview came out in theaters, my angst-y teenage self was so into the whole existential kick; I was in the mode of attempting to figure out the reason I was put on the planet and whatnot, so it was no surprise that I related to Brad Pitt's Louis, who questioned his way through the film. In Louis' eyes, Tom Cruise's Lestat appeared so monstrous, yet after reading Anne Rice's books that inspired the movie, I found Lestat more than likable. Why, I empathized with him more than Louis as I got to know him better.

Although I left my vampire-loving days further and further behind as new interests and passions revealed themselves to me, I see that there are remnants of that time in my life. Below are links to vampire-themed looks that I've made tutorials for on my YouTube channel. Click on the captions under each picture to see the corresponding video.

Before you proceed, take note that I did not include here the looks I've created that are vampy, but not as evidently vampiric as the ones below. Also, feel free to skip through the photos in the beginning of the first tutorial. I was attempting to get a decent thumbnail (YouTube freezes one spot each in the beginning, middle and end of the video so you have three to choose from if you are not a partner with the site) as I made this early video, hence the actual how-to portion comes much later.

Easy Halloween Makeup: Vampire

"Twilight Saga" Jane Makeup Tutorial

Vampire "Queen of the Damned" Akasha-Inspired Makeup

Dark Glam Vampire-Inspired Makeup Tutorial

"Twilight" Rosalie Hale Makeup for Halloween (...or anytime you want)

"Twilight" Alice Cullen Makeup for Halloween (...or anytime you want)

I know I haven't posted my final vampire tutorial. Hang in there if you love them as much as I apparently still do. ☺

Bites and kisses,

~Lea

Ode to Marilyn

About a year ago, I added the book, Marilyn Monroe: Platinum Fox, by Cindy De La Hoz to my library. My love of history, Old Hollywood, and Marilyn all combined make the book a treat even if it's of the coffee table variety that is arguably more for display purposes, rather than being the other kind I go for that requires the reader's rapt attention in order to understand the plot or a point the author is making. I'm glad I got the book because of its many photos.

Despite any issues she may have had in life--and don't we all have our own versions of those?--Marilyn really stands out to me out of the many other Old Hollywood starlets, actresses and personalities. While I have a few other favorites, I find Miss Monroe so charming and such a pleasure to look at.

If you are fascinated by her as well and love reading like I do, two other books you may enjoy are Marilyn Monroe Returns: The Healing of a Soul by Adrian Finkelstein and J. Randy Taraborrelli's The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe.

Of course, I would advise you to take anything you read with a grain of salt; I consider the above titles interesting reads, but that's not to say I agree with the theories they present or believe the tales they tell.

...as for my little way of remembering the former Norma Jeane Baker, I've posted a couple of tutorials on applying makeup in her style or inspired by it.

Click HERE for my interpretation of Marilyn's signature look

Click HERE for a modernized take on Marilyn's makeup in Something's Got to Give

I may upload others when the inspiration hits. For now, I'm off to lunch. See you next time!


XOXO,
~Lea