THE AMERICAN DREAM! Hello Dolls!!! I know, I know. It’s been waaaayyyy too long! I’ve missed you guys! I bet you all have been wondering “Where is LaCrecia? She can’t be that busy!” Truth is, I have! We’ll catch up on the other stuff, I want to share with you all my latest experience....AH-MAZING!! I remember as young girl, watching The Miss America and Miss USA Pageants. It was always aired on a Saturday night. As I sat in front of the TV, I’d be in awe of all the contestants. Their beauty, the feathered Farrah Fawcett hairstyles, and those dresses! While the styles of the dresses and makeup has changed, the beauty of the contestants has not. I had the pleasure of being The Event Makeup Artist for Miss America 2019 Nia Imani Franklin for The 7th I Am Beautiful Movement in Henderson, TX!!! Yes, me!!  Nia Imani Franklin I was floored when I found I would be her MUA for the event. And to think, I had to keep the news to myself for a little over a week! I wanted to BURST! But I held it in, basking in the moment. Being grateful for the founder of the event for submitting my name and for Miss America’s team for choosing me. She is a very intelligent young lady and was a pleasure to work with. We decided on a partial smokey eye using copper and dark brown shades with a neutral lip. Easy breezy. And she loved it! Ladies, do not give up on your dream. I can’t stress it enough. Push through all the late nights, early mornings, feeling tired, unappreciated, unsupported by loved ones, FEAR. Push through it all. Your destiny is waiting for you on the other side. By LaCrecia Steward 
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MY TAKE ON EYELASH EXTENSIONS!  Hello my loves!! I’m baaaaaaack!!! I have missed you all! But I haven’t missed a beat. During my absence, I continued to try and perfect my craft (Makeup Artist) & I became a Certified Lash Tech. And I’m loving every minute of it! My passion for it grows daily. I’ve met some amazing women, that have embraced this growing beauty trend as much as I do. Like getting my nails done, or threading/waxing my eyebrows (well not anymore because I have them microbladed) I need them! I love them! And I want other women to embrace them. Lashes give my clients that extra boost of confidence. You know, the kind of confidence that doesn’t wash off like mascara! You don’t wake up with raccoon eyes. Just beautiful, curly, dark lashes. You can just get up and go. Well, after you wash your face and brush your teeth! But no more mascara. The application is so flawless and so seamless that people will notice something “different” about your eyes but not be able to tell that you’re wearing them. They are part of you because they are your real eyelashes just an extension of them. The eyelash extension process is painless, seamless if done skillfully & beautiful when done. You hear stories about lashes bringing out your real lashes or chemicals in the glue damaging your lashes. Well guess what, there’s worse chemicals in tap water! Yes! The water you brush your teeth with and wash your face with every day. There will be people who are sensitive to the glue & can’t keep them on just like there are people that are allergic to gluten and can’t enjoy it enjoy a pretzel. I suggest you try them for yourself. Go to a lash tech you trust, ask questions. Voice your concerns. I’m sure if she’s anything like me, wait.....not possible, I’m one of a kind!! But all jokes aside, I’m sure she would be more than happy to answer your questions and make you feel comfortable. And this is my take on eyelash extensions. Have a Fabu-LASH Day! By LaCrecia Steward  LaCrecia Steward, Makeup Artist These days eyelashes are making a huge statement and it seems mascara alone is not cutting it! Here is a quick video for those who dare to do it yourself.   Doesn't it just make you cringe when you realize you've chosen the wrong "base"? You know, when your face and neck are two different colors? You can have the same skin color as someone else, but different undertones. Knowing your undertone is the key to finding the color that looks more natural on you. Your undertone is the color just beneath the skin. Although skin tones change over time or due to excessive sun exposure, undertones do not. Here are a few tips that will help you determine which undertone you have. Cool: You will have blue or purple veins. When you look at your skin in the sun, it appears blue-ish. Silver jewelry flatters cool tones. Neutral: Skin is neither pink/red/blue, yellow/gold/peach, but somewhere in between. Veins are blue-green. Both gold and silver jewelry flatters your skin tone. Skin appears greenish when in the sun. Warm: The veins appear green or olive. Gold jewelry flatters your skin tone more than silver. Skin appears yellowish when in the sun. Now that you've got it down on how to find your undertone, make sure you prep your skin by exfoliating and moisturizing your skin before testing foundation. Blending it along your jawline will give you the best results. Hopefully this helps you guys out a great deal. Having the "two toned" look....not cute. At all! By LaCrecia Steward
 1. Foundation: Trade your liquid formula for a cream to powder. Not only will it accommodate dry skin and glide smoothly over any dry patches you may have, cream foundations are perfect for fall photo shoots. You've been meaning to schedule family pics, right? 2. Eyebrows: This fall, we will see bold eyebrows and natural eyebrows. With bold eyebrows, you don't want to overdo it and look masculine. To avoid that, sweep them with a brow gel. For a more natural, fully arched look, use a brow powder. Well defined eyebrows frame the face and make it more symmetrical. With either look, neat and well groomed eyebrows will make your eyes look elegant and sophisticated with or without eye shadow. 3. Smoky Eye: This can be done with any color and not just the traditional black. Purple looks great with any eye color. Deep burgundy, brown and copper shades will be very popular for this upcoming fall season. For a more distinct look, line your upper lid and waterline with a deep black eyeliner. To complete the look, add a few coats of mascara or false lashes. 4. Lips: Time to toss your gloss! Well, maybe not toss it. Trade it for a bold, deep, ruby lipstick! Matte lipsticks are trending more now for all seasons but they are especially popular during the fall. If your favorite lip color is shimmery, just apply an extra coat and blot with paper. That technique will create a perfect matte finish. Don't be afraid to step outside the box and try one of the many bold colors that are out there! And there you have it ladies! Remember, fall season is unpredictable and can change in a heartbeat. Fall makeup is changeable too. So play it up a bit. From flirty to fierce or keep it subtle! It's your choice! By LaCrecia Steward   The holidays have come and gone, but winter is still here. Between the blistering cold outside and the heat blasting inside, it is a must to keep skin hydrated and radiant. Here are a few tips to protect your skin from the most savage winter weather. 1. Exfoliate: Exfoliation is needed because dry skin build up can prevent moisturizers from penetrating. This step helps your moisturizer to absorb better. 2. Moisturize: Your face is subject to lose more moisture during the winter than the rest of your body because it is exposed the most. Moisturizing your skin with one that fits your needs will help retain moisture and make you look more radiant. 3. Use a humidifier: There's nothing like being in a nice cozy home when it's cold. But the inside heat can also rob your skin of its moisture. Keep the temperature comfortable, but not too hot for too long. Use a humidifier to replace lost indoor moisture. 4. Take care of your hands: Your hands have the thinnest skin on your body and they are usually exposed just as much as your face. Keep them moisturized by using a moisturizing hand cream and wear gloves. 5. Avoid wool and other irritating materials: Wearing wool, nylon or polyester can make your dry, itchy skin worse. The best material for you to wear is cotton. If you have to wear wool, wear a light one like merino wool. It's less irritating. Or you can opt to wear a cotton shirt underneath. By LaCrecia Steward
 THE EYES HAVE IT! This holiday season there's nothing sexier than a smokey eye. Just like a bold red lip color, it demands attention! And creating a seductive (wink-worthy) look is easier than you think if you follow these steps. 1. Using your ring finger tip, apply a good primer to your eyelid. 2. Apply a neutral shade (close to your skin tone) on your entire eyelid, using an all over shadow brush. 3. Apply dark grey eyeshadow on your brow bone. Blend just right above the crease of your eye. This shade will make the blending between the black shades much smoother. 4. Using your darkest black eyeliner, line your eyelid and blend everything out. 5. Apply a black matte eye shadow using a flat brush. Blend some more, using a blending brush. Clean up any excess shadow with concealer so it won't smudge. 6. Add a pop of glitter on the center of your eyelid. 7. Line your waterline with black eyeliner. Using a small smudge brush, apply grey and black eye shadow below the waterline and blend. Highlight inner corners. 8. Finish with two coats of mascara, a pair of your favorite lashes and there you have it! A classic smokey eye! Although this is the most common, a smokey eye can be created with any shade, but remember, BLENDING along with using the proper tools is the key. By LaCrecia Steward
   For years fashion has been a part of lifestyle. It never stays the same. There are new trends and styles emerging everyday in the fashion world. In most cases, people tend to follow the latest fashion trend in order to keep up with today's society. Sometimes an individual is judged from their style. A style represents what type of person someone is inside and out. It may also represent what kind of group they belong to. Are you wondering how? Well, we can say that someone belongs to the 'edgy group' by looking at their chosen outfits, shoes, jewelry, hair accessories, etc. The four seasons in the year should dictate some of your style. With each season you should be prepared to dress differently according to the weather. Here are some examples for setting up proper clothing for each season. January through March (November and December included) - Down jacket or coat. Enough protection against the cold is necessary. Scarf and gloves are must haves. April and May - Jacket and sweaters, long sleeve shirts. Depending on the days, it is better to have a light jacket or cardigan. June through August- Half sleeve shirts are enough to wear as far as tops. September and October - Half sleeve shirts during the day time hours. Temperatures are lower early morning and at night so adjust accordingly. Remember, with fashion anything goes. If you are someone who just needs the basic formula always start out with three colors. Use the third color to be an added piece to accent your attire. For example, try a basic white shirt with a black skirt complemented by a gold belt. Your confidence will always complete your attire. Be bold, be beautiful, be you! By Toni Lyons   The Perfect Red Lips It's hard to believe how fast the holidays are approaching! Family gatherings, potlucks at the job, Ugly Sweater parties, and the hustle and bustle of gift shopping will have everyone busy. But one thing's for sure, you will want your holiday makeup to be on point, and the perfect red lip is sure to turn heads! Here's a few tips on how to achieve it. 1. Exfoliate to smooth your lips and reduce crevices. There are some great lip balms available, but my favorite lip treatment is the 2 step Satin Lips Lip Mask by Mary Kay. 2. Moisturize your lips with a super moisturizing lip balm, as they tend to be a little drier during winter months. Apply the rest of your makeup as it soaks in. 3. Remove the balm and pat your lips completely dry. 4. Apply a little translucent setting powder to your lips. This prevents bleeding outside the lip line and makes the lipstick really stick. 5. Line your lips with a skin toned lip pencil. IT Cosmetics, Your Lips But Better, Nyx Cosmetics Lip Pencil in Nude and MAC Lip Pencil in Spice are just a few popular liners. Be sure to find one that matches your lip color. 6. Apply lipstick to the center of your lips as well as the outer corners and bottom lip. Blot and fill in the rest. 7. Use a small brush or your ring finger to apply a little translucent powder then LIGHTLY repeat step 6. This step will help your lipstick last all day and night. 8. Apply a concealer to clean up any areas if needed. You can use a concealer brush or a q-tip. Now you have pucker perfect lips! So pucker up!! By LaCrecia Steward Top 5 Red Lipsticks 1. Makeup Forever Artist Rouge Lipstick-Holiday Kiss Collection (Sephora) 2. Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Coutoure Lipstick (Neiman Marcus) 3. Lancôme Color Design Lipstick (Macy's) 4. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Cruella (Sephora) 5. NARS Lipstick Jungle Red (Sephora)
 Makeup costs the average woman hundreds of dollars annually, and in her lifetime, she will spend $15,000 on makeup alone. That doesn't include other feminine products she MUST have! That's a lot of money invested just to doll yourself up on occasions because most women only do the basic everyday light foundation, mascara and lip gloss or lipstick. So to get your dollars worth, here's a few tips on when to toss and clean out your makeup kit.
By Makeup Consultant LaCrecia Steward
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