Guest Blogger: Sara Saltanovitz

PERFECT MAKEUP & TIPS FOR TAKING KILLER PHOTOS

Its always nice to know what professionals do at a real photo shoot to help you achieve an airbrushed finish for your wedding photos or even when your just hanging out with your friends taking pictures.

Here are 7 makeup tips that will give you a flawless finish:

1. Foundation is the base for the rest of your makeup so you can choose from a tinted moisturizer for a sheer coverage to a medium to heavy foundation for more coverage.  Look for a formula that has light-reflecting pigments because they soften imperfections while brighten your complexion.

2. Shinny makeup with a hint of luminosity adds a youthful radiance to the skin that is beautiful in pictures.  Add a shimmery white, champagne or gold pencil in the inner corner of the eyes to make them pop!

3. Shadow in plum or bronze tones brighten your eyes.

4. Blush in pink and peachy hues with a golden cast really warms up the face in a natural way, don't be afraid of hot pink because just a dab on the cheeks looks very natural.

5. Glossing up your lips makes your mouth more supple but don't add too much gloss as just a bit looks more natural.  You can always add a gloss with a blue undertone to make your teeth appear whiter.

6. T-zone must be in control so dust a little powder on shine spots (forehead,nose and chin).

7. Bronzer is placed on forehead, cheekbones, jawline because it contours and lifts those areas giving the illusion of a thinner face.

 

 Posture tips to make you look leaner in photos:

1. Keep your shoulders back and downward but relaxed.

2. Lengthen neck but keep head straight and chin a bit down, many people tend to 

lift their chin up and the photos are all neck and throat and very little face showing.

3. For males to achieve the Brad Pitt look bite on your back teeth to pop the jaw bone.

4. Ask the photographer to shoot from above it has a slimming effect on the face.

5. Avoid standing straight to the camera because it expands your body showing your face and body at the widest. Instead hold your head and shoulders angled away from the camera.

6. Keep elbows pointed slightly outward away from your body because if your arm lays flat then it appears to look less toned.

7. Say peaches to give the perfect real smile as it will make your cheeks look perfect and happy.

- Sara Saltanovitz - Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist - www.SaltyStyles.com

Ruffle Your Feathers!

Call it a response to rebel against the "Rocker Chic Look" that has been embracing the fashion runways for fall 2009. Chicago women want the added option of looking feminine in their wardrobe on those last days of summer, wearing ruffles, bows and ties. We are never boring and enjoy marching to our own style pace!

Pencil Me In!

Blame it on the success of the hit show"Mad Men," or just the mirroring of the 60's as one of the season's biggest trends, but pencil skirts are back again!  Chicago's most fashionable females are emulating the look in solid colors, prints  & with the additon of slits. Try adding a great pair of stiletto pumps with a simple white shirt for the sassy look of Joan or Betty.  Oh, but please, no cigarettes!  

Guest Blogger: Sara Saltanovitz

As a Fashion Editor, one of my jobs was to organize a team of creative people that, together, made it possible to produce a successful publication. Sara Saltanovitz quickly became one of my favorite hair stylists & makeup artists to work with,helping us to produce countless fashion spreads.  Sara has agreed to, over the next few weeks, share her vision and expertise in the world of hair and makeup with us, as my new Guest Blogger!  

So stay tuned people - Sara really knows her stuff!

Fall's Chicest Makeup Accessory

This fall Old Hollywood makeup is the craze; think Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. This look was seen gracing countless runways, such as Gucci, Christian LaCroix and Yves Saint Laurent.

To achieve this look give your skin a radiant complexion by mixing a dot of either Borghese or Armani brightening with your foundation and or moisturizer and apply all over face and lids.  Your skin will never go out of style with this look of clean and radiant!

As for your eyes this can be a little tricky using liquid liner. So to make it easier use a black liner as a base then go over it with liquid liner on top of it.  Line the top lid of the eyes as close as possible to the lashes.  Then take black liquid liner and go over the pencil eyeliner sweeping it up and outward to the corner of the eye.  This will give you the "cat-eyed" look.  

There are many liquid liners available from matte to shinny finishes so go to the department store and try all different brands on your hand to determine the finish you like and also what applicator feels comfortable to you.

Bold lips painted Red is a must for this fall look.  Now you need to decide what shade of red is right for you.  Fair complexions should wear a true red, medium complexions wear warm shades with a red/+orange base and for dark skin, burgundy 

is best.

Be sure to wear plenty of mascara to create a dramatic effect. My new obsession is Fiberwig (paint on false lashes) available at Sephora. Don't forget to keep your brows full by using a brow powder or wax color to give them extra thickness.

-Sara Saltanovitz 

Men of Style: Billy Dec

Billy Dec's clothing style can be described as vintage mixed with something new but perhaps his best style is his ability to give back to the community. I first met the CLTV TV host, attorney & CEO/Founder Rockit RanchProductions (Rockit Bar & Grill, Sunda, The Underground, all of which earned him US “Operator of the Year), when we both volunteered to be "Principal For The Day" at Lake View High School. One of his pet projects is the Chicago 20016 Olympic Committee Director of Cultural Relations.

His blog on interviewing celebrities with a Chicago connection on the Olympics is really fun. Please check it out:

www.facebook.billydec.com, www.twitter.billydec.com www.aChicagoThing.com

 

 

I sat down with my friend Billy recently to learn more about his style & the city that he loves.

Barbara Glass:  What is your definition of style?

Billy Dec:  The way in which one expresses their character, personality, comfortablility.

 

BG:  What is the one item that you can't live without in your closet? 

BD:  My underwear from Ellen, super comfortable and makes me dance… 

 

BG:  Finish this sentence, "A perfect outfit for me is...."

BD:  Old Jeans, New Kicks, a super soft & worn in vintage tshirt, a comfy hoodie and my Rockit baseball cap

 

BG:  Where is your favorite place to shop in Chicago?

BD:  I’m all about diversity, recycling, supporting locals and trying random things all over the city… so anywhere that speaks to me at whatever time I come across it… for example, in the last month alone I bought some beat up tshirts from the salvation army… a smooth fedora from a cute little boutique owned by a local couple on Clark called p&l… some cool shorts from burton…  and a new handmade suit from Oxxford, which, if you don’t know, is one of the last handmade suit factories in the country, is one of the most respected in the entire world for the last century, and is located right here in Chicago.  (and needs our support to stay strong so buy American, buy Chicago).

 

BG:  What trend would you like to see disappear?

BD:  Guys that wear jeans way to skinny, or way too baggy…

 

BG:   What business advice would you give to someone who wants to walk in your footprints?

BD:  In addition to continually taking classes in everything you can and train your mind to be a sponge… surround yourself with people who have elements of what you want, ask to follow/help them or just watch them when you can.  Learn every minute, work every minute, even if your not paid or not sure it will help you get where you want to be… and keep going… don’t let haters, doubters or any kind of miserable negativity bring you down.  The people that really make it big on their own and are happy dealt with the same and will tell you the same… and will even keep you motivated and going in the best direction possible (which is why you want to work to surround yourself with them by any means necessary).

 

BG:  Tell me something about you that would surprise people.

BD:  I want to be a stay at home dad, keep writing my blog www.aChicagoThing.com between changing diapers and baby naps, and help Chicagoans be really good at fundraising and executing philanthropic efforts with some of the tricks I have learned over the years.  As well as just reach their dreams and have the best lives possible while always continually trying to make this the best city ever to live in!

Exaggerated Shoulders

Balmain Fall 2009

Balmain Fall 2009

3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2009

3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2009

Givenchy Fall 2009

Givenchy Fall 2009

We all know that fashion mirrors the past and such is certainly the case for fall 2009 with the revival of pinched or exaggerated shoulders from the influence of the 80's. No, I'm not talking about Norma Kamali or Claude Montan's football shoulder pads as in "I am women, hear me roar." It's a quiet & elegant approach to an emphasis on shoulders, one of the sexiest parts of a women.  The trend has made its way onto the runway with labels like Givenchy, 3.1 Phillip Lim and, most noticeably, Balmain, who features the look in almost all of their recent designs, leading the pack.  It is for this reason that Cristophe Decarnin, the brilliant designer for Balmain, is my new Designer of the Moment!  

The New Neutral

It wasn't that long ago that I remember my mom & grandmother navigating through fashon stores to find the perfect shoe in the color called bone, beige or white to coordinate with all their matching outfits for spring & summer. Yes, there was a time in fashion history when metallics were worn at night for special occasions only. Fast forward & the new neutrals today are definitely metallics like gold, silver or bronze worn for day. Women are embracing shoes, handbags & even jackets as their finishing polish this summer in Chicago.