Travel Tips For Product Junkies is a 3-part series helping all the product junkies out there to better prepare for type away from the collection.

First up was skincare. This second installment is all about makeup. Bringing too much makeup weighs you down and you run the risk of having it damaged during travel. I always carry on my makeup when I fly. If you can't do that then be sure to get a padded travel case and pack it in the middle of your suitecase. Protect it with clothes. They're natural shock barriers. I usually don't have a problem getting my makeup, including foundation, through security but to be safe, don't take a bunch of full size foundations. God forbid they do give you trouble and make you throw it out. Avoid the heartbreak and follow my tips below.

Keep reading to see my picks for paring it all down.

Try to settle on a few makeup looks you can do quickly and easily. Bring only your most used colors and be sure to take into account your clothing. If you're packing sweats and Ugg boots, you probably don't want to do a full on smokey eye so keep it simple. If you plan on dressing up everyday then by all means, go for the drama! But since you can't bring all your shadows with you, the best bet is bring a palette of your most used colors. Many brands make palettes with coordinating colors. However, I'm a custom palette kind of gal.
Lesleykat's Pick: Z Palette, holds shadows and blushes of all shapes and sizes with a stong magnet closure to ensure nothing falls out. Available at zpalette.com (and some professional makeup stores) $20 for large $14 for small

As a product junkie, leaving my assortment of foundations at home is like leaving behind my children. (Until I actually have children, my makeups are my babies.) By choosing the most effective and easy to use foundation, you do yourself a favor. Pick one that's easy to apply and doesn't use too many peripherals like primers, brushes, etc... One that can apply with your fingers or one single brush is best.
Lesleykat's Pick: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation, this gel-based, buildable, medium-coverage foundation can be applied with fingers and has a built in SPF. Remember what I said about bringing SPF? Can also be sheered out with water/fix+/moisturizer. Does NOT need a primer to stay put. A little powder in your oily areas keeps this stuff on all day. Available in a wide range of shades at MAC counters and Stores $29.50

A good concealer palette can help you forgo foundation completely (or just make your skin look even better). A green-yellow based concealer will help conceal acne spots while a pink-peach concealer banishes under-eye circles in a flash. A concealer with your matching skintone can help reduce uneven tone or redness around the nose and chin.
Lesleykat's Pick(s): Kryloan Dermacolor Concealer Palette, this product is not easy to find so another great palette I suggest is the Makeup Forever 5 Camouflage Cream palette. Available at Sephora $36

Oh and you kids with the airbrush machines, LEAVE THEM HOME! Bringing them is just silly. If you do you'll have room to pack another pair of shoes!

What are some of your best travel beauty tips?

I LOVE a twitter makeup challenge. So when I saw that a few cool girls I know were starting one up I jumped on board. Here's the deal: Post a photo every day of either your makeup look or the actual makeup you used that day. Get it? Face or product shots, or both, with a little detail about what you used. Tweet your photo with the hashtag #2011MUC.

Tonight I have a little party I am attending so I am wearing this awesome blue and gold dress and I chose makeup colors that would be homogeneous but not matchy-matchy exactly. I used touches of gold and blue tones but not exact color matches. The pictures aren't my best since I'm not using my regular camera, but they'll have to do for now. For some reason my look today is a little MAC heavy and some of the products are discontinued but most are permanent.

Products used:

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation, NC20 (usually I am a NW20, but for some reason with the sculpt foundation the NC suited me better than the NW.)
Kryolan Dermacolor Concealer
Makeup Forever HD setting powder
Kevyn Aucoin Pure Powder Glow cheek color, Dolline
MAC Blush, Harmony
MAC Mineralized Sheersheen Loose Pigment, Silver Aura (discontinued)

Two Faced Shadow Insurance
MAC Pigments, Vanilla and Golden Olive (both PERM)
MAC Eyeshadow, Soft Brown, Brun and Blanc Type (seriously, my most used colors and thankfully all are PERM)
Makeup Forever Aqua Liner, #6 (Deep navy with shimmer)
Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara, Black

Kryolan Lipstick, LC006 (Creamy pinky-peach nude)

Won't you join me in the #2011MUC?!

Since I don't believe in day/night specific I obviously wore this all day. This is probably a little MUCH for your average girl; not to mention if you have a corporate job this look will not fly! haha! Luckly I work in a creative environment that gets a kick out of all my product testing.

I've been testing some of the makeup I got in London and I was freaking out over the Barry M dazzle dusts, specificly Burgundy Noir. I planned a whole look around it. I created a super smokey eye and topped it with the shimmery dazzle dust. Instructions on eyes and full list of products used after the jump.

Keep Reading...

This Look Lightbox Face Of The Day is from last week. I took the basic smokey eye and added a pop of color to change it up a bit. I also went a little nuts on my hair and did a fun do inspired by Alice+Olivia Spring 2011 done by Ric Pipino. Check the look HERE.

A backstage photo I snapped last sept for the hair inspiration:

Products used:

Dr. Jart+ Beauty Balm
Kryolan Dermacolor Concealer
Laura Mercier Undercover Pot Secret Concealer #2
YSL Palette Y Blush
Make Up For Ever HD powder

Urban Decay Primer Potion
MAC Blanc Type, Patina (my new favorite eyeshadow!)
INGLOT AMC 58 (grass green with gold shimmer), AMC 64 (black with mulitcolor shimmer) 
MAC Feline Eye Kohl (LE)
Bare Escentuals Volumizing Mascara
NYX Brow Cake, Blonde

I lost my list so I don't remember exactly what I am wearing on my lip. FAIL.

I don't know what it is about hot weather but it makes me want to stick to more earthy colors in my makeup. I am excited to do a FOTD post since my skin is finally back to normal  after a few weeks of rediculousness. So enjoy, kittens...

For list of products used

Keep Reading

As a girl who likes to have fun in the sun (always wear your SPF!) I often need products that stand up to heat, sweat, and water. In this second installment of my summer beauty picks I rave over some of my favorite waterproof beauty products.

Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream, Shade #5 Peach
This unique, waterproof product acts as a cream blush or a base for powder blush as well as a subtle lip tint. A rich pink-peach with gold shimmer flatters most skintones. It adheres to the skin and doesn't budge until removed with makeup remover or facial cleaner.
Available at Sephora or Makeup Forever Boutiques $22

Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion Waterproof, Very Black
A product truly deserving of holy-grail status; not only does it lengthen and thicken without any flaking it also doesn’t budge or bleed. Also will not irritate contact lens wearers. Pool approved!
Available at drug stores for $7.99 (At target for $7.19)

MAC Superslick Liquid Eye liner, Smoky Heir
Take a break from black eyeliner this season and choose a great colored liner to add some pop to your eyes. Smokey Heir is a deep, rich plum-purple with multi-dimensional shine. The formula sets in 15 seconds and stays put through sun, water and heat. It does take a little effort to remove, so be sure to use a makeup removed when trying to remove it.
Available at all MAC counters and stores for $17.50 (permanant)

A couple of weeks ago Sarah and I got to preview the Make Up For Ever Soho Boutique. We met the team and got to talk with them about the fantastic features and technology in this location. This isn't just another stand in sephora, kittens. This location carries every single product that MUFE makes. I believe I heard someone say the number is around 1200! That's a lof of color! This includes the usual stuff you can find at sephora as well as items like pro and theater foundations, color creams and the whole line of professional brushes.

They offer 20-minute makeup technique sessions. Each session cost $40 and are redeemable in product. They also offer complimentary faux lash application with the purchase of any of their lashes.

Another great feature of the boutique is the technology. There is a huge touch-screen monitor that allows you to customize makeup designs and face charts that can be emailed directly to you. Throughout the boutique are ipads that loaded with how to videos. Clients (that's you!) can check in on foursquare, post to facebook or twitter right from the store.

The space is designed to have the feel of backstage from the lighting to the displays and cases. Oh I almost forgot a VERY important detail. If you are a member of their PRO program, you can use your discount at this location. It is only available in the boutique and NOT in the adjoining sephora, so don't go wondering over there thinking they're the same. They're not! If you're not a member, no sweat. Hang out, get a face chart done and touch all the pretty things!

So kittens, this is officially added to the Lesley Kat Beauty Map and is LK approved! Note: This is NOT showing up in google as it's own location. If you do a search for it, you will not find it. As of right now, it shares an address with Sephora Soho. (555 Broadway)

Keep reading

for a full list of Makeup sessions and pictures...

Happy Friday kittens! Sorry for the lack of posts this week. I've been so busy prepping for fashion week I have barely had time to breath. Today's makeup is a soft smokey plum with a little bronze accent.

Products used:

MakeUp For Ever HD primer
Face Atelier Pro Ultra foundation: #2 
Kryolan Dermacolor concealer palette
E.L.F. under eye concealer/highlighter
Makeup Forever HD setting powder

E.L.F. bronzer/blush duo: bronzer side only
YSL palette Y blush

Urban Decay Primer potion: original formula
MAC brow pencil: dirty blonde
MAC piment: Vanilla
MAC eyeshadow: blanc type, carbon
Flirt! eyeshadow: Glamourazzi
American Beauty eyeshadow duo: 01 double cream (cream side only) 
MAC fuidline: blacktrack
MAC eye liner: Powersurge
Covergirl Lashblast: Very black

NYX lip pencil fuschia
MAC dare to wear lipglass: so bad