Pretty Little Things

Back again! After a stressful week of strutting my stuff in the Strawberry One-Act Theatre Festival in New York City I'm here with some more fun little extras. This past week I also taught another makeup and hair course to the students enrolled in the final week of Ballet Theatre Company's Summer Intensive. I taught the hair-do's and donts of ballet for both studio and stage. I gave an in-depth look at how to properly secure a bun, and the difference between bobby pins and hair pins (the former would be used to secure the hair itself in a bun, the latter to secure the hair net over the bun and to the rest of the head). I also gave a brief lecture about the different curls that can be produced using the same curling iron. For instance:
1. Starting at the ends of the hair, clip the hair to the barrel of the iron and roll the hair under. This produces banana curls (though they would rarely be seen in the everyday)- which are standard for any Clara (The Nutcracker) in the making:

Unfortunate Curls

The banana curls in action with the lovely Rani Vance as Clara in a sickening arabesque

2. OR. Open the curling iron clip -starting nearest the root- and physically wrap the hair around the iron and then shut the clip to secure the hair (Basically the opposite of the banana curl). This creates a more natural spiral:

For makeup I did a soft ethereal look. Which could be used for anumber of ballets, including the corps of Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, and of course Swan lake.

 To get the look I used a Champagne matte color over the entire lid. I then used a soft rose shimmer to wing out the edge and finished with a bright, sparkly white on the browbone and inner corner. I also used a sharp-edged brush (I recommend the MAC 266) to bring some shimmer on the lower lash line as well. This creates a soft angelic look:

NOW! Onto my new favorite segment- "Pretty Little Things" Which in no way resembles Oprah's "Favorite Things"list...soooo yah. These items are my go-to, never-fail, amazing beauty products that I think everyone should enjoy and know about.

It goes without saying that a work of art wouldn't be possible without a fresh clean canvas. Same goes for makeup and hair- If your skin isn't healthy, makeup can only go so far without a clear base on which to be applied. So my first spot on "Pretty Little Things" is about skin care products- most notably, the ones that I use on myself! Obviously you have to use what works for your skin type and I highly recommend seeing a professional to learn what would be best to keep your skin healthy and clear! For me, I have highly-sensitive, combination skin that is prone to break out with the slightest provocation. I literally do not touch my face with my own fingers. EVER. This would induce blockages and redness, and eventual zits. This is the plight of the Irish. Thankfully I have discovered a haven for all things skin related: Susan Perry Skin Care in Plymouth MA! This award-winning skin care and medi spa, gives the most incredibly wide array of relaxing facials from an amazing friendly and experienced staff. But more importantly for the purpose of this blog- they have a brilliant line of products, upon which my skin relies for clarity and supple-ness. This includes the following:

1. The Dermalogue Cleansing liquid ($22)- contains a number of botanical ingredients that helps ease oil-prone skin ( I use it twice a day- its genius and cleans away makeup easily!):

2. The Skin Renewal Creme ($21)- which is ideal for overly sensitive skin, helping it become less reactive to the daily onslaught of bacteria and other skin irritants:

These products combined have made my skin PERFECT! So if you ever have the chance, it would be to your benefit to give the salon a visit.

SMOOCHES-Alex