Alison Raffaele Cosmetics

The Look Younger Makeover - from Health Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009

2009-02-04T10:56:00.027-05:00

Although I always love doing makeup, every once in a while I get offered a job that’s really special – like the “Look Younger Makeover” in the Jan/Feb 09 issue of Health Magazine. What made this assignment particularly unique was that it gave me the opportunity to share my personal insights as a makeup artist in an interview as to what women do wrong with their makeup – and to educate them through my artistry on how to do it right. (Not to mention that I got the chance to do some truly “Falcon Crest-worthy” makeup – which was really, really fun!)

Below is the full article and the accompanying photos. Many, many thanks to my longtime friend, Colleen Sullivan, for thinking of me for this article; Marybeth Dunlay for being such a pleasure to work with, Jolene Edgar for her wonderful, wonderful writing, Mordechai for the "bouncin' and behavin' hair" and lastly, our model, Kris for being such a good sport as I did my damnest to make her look bad in the "before" photo.

GREAT MAKEUP
The Look-Younger Makeover

Cakey foundation, clumpy mascara, and streaky blush can add years. Get a fresher look with these pointers from makeup artist Alison Raffaele. BY JOLENE EDGAR

A better base

Before (above, left): Foundation can crust up when it's applied to dry skin, which sucks the moisture out of makeup. And while women often think that a concealer one or two shades lighter than their tone will blot out circles, pale shades actually draw attention to shadows, turning them an obvious white or gray color.

After (above, right): The Key to natural-looking base is hydrated skin. If your skin is really dry, be sure to use a moisturizer before a primer. But for most skin types, a silicone primer is enough to create a silky base. Then smooth on a thin layer of color with your fingers or a takelon (a nonabsorbent, synthetic fiber) brush, and blend well with a damp makeup sponge, if needed. Concealer comes next. Dab on a shade that matches your your skin tone over your foundation - not bare skin - to meld it all together.

A subtle flush

Before (left): Applying your blush in a back and forth linear motion from cheek to hairline can create an unnatural streak of cakey color.

After (right): For an understated, rosy glow,choose a cheek color that mimics the shade you naturally turn when you flush. Also, pick a formula that's transparent, not opaque. Powdered blushes tend to be easier to blend than creams or gels, but it's really a matter of preference. Before applying powdered blush, set liquid foundation with a light dusting of loose, translucent powder. Otherwise, the blush will latch onto your damp coat of base and turn dark, streaky, and impossible to blend. Then, using a clean, fluffy blush brush, touch down on the apple of your cheek, and feather the color back toward your temples.

Softer eyes

Before (left): Fearing that matte shadows will make them look tired, many women go to the opposite extreme and choose ultrasparkly formulas, which add years by emphasizing the crepey texture of lids. Black, thick eyeliner, overdone brow filler, and goopy mascara can also make this area start to visually sag.

After (above, right): When it comes to eye shadow, you should avoid anything labeled frost. Instead, try a sheer, powdered eyeshadow with a hint of finely milled shimmer (rather than chunky glitter). If you prefer cream shadows, top them with a loose, colorless powder to prevent creasing. For the most youthful look, skip rainbow-bright hues in favor of universally flattering champagnes, brown-based grays, and pinkish-bronze tones. Lightly line the rims of your upper and lower lids with a brown or bronze eyeliner for subtle, eye-opening definition. Next, apply a a coat of volumizing mascara; wiggle the wand at the roots of the lashes, and pull it up towards the ends. For brows, use two different colors to fill and shape: a shade very close to your brow color for the areas where you have hair, and one slightly darker for spots where you don't. If you use the same color all over, your brows will look dark and unnatural.

Naturally plump lips

Before (left): If you match your lip liner to your lipstick shade, you may end up with a noticeable rim around the mouth.

After (right): The real secret to younger-looking lips? Skip lip liner altogether and opt for a sheer gloss or lipstick. But if you're married to your bright -or dark-colored lipstick shades (which tend to bleed) of if your lips have lost their shape over the years and are in need of soft, subtle definition, then choose a lip liner that matches your lip tone, not your lipstick. After tracing the border, fill in the entire lip with the pencil. This not only will create the best base for your color but will make the lip liner less obvious if your lipstick fades.

Credits:
Makeup: Alison Raffaele/AlisonRaffaele.com, Hair: Mordechai/YarokHair.com, Styling: Carla Engler

How to create a faux "sun-kissed" glow

2007-07-07T19:29:00.000-05:00

Here's a great Q & A for those of you looking to give yourself a faux sun-kissed glow...

Q: I am interested in your product Inner Glow. It is very hard to figure out which shade to buy. I would like to enhance a tan or create one. Any suggestions?

A: Truth be told, since Inner Glow is a translucent product (and therefore "blends" with your own skintone) you really can't go wrong with any color. But since you said you are interested in creating a tanned look, here are my suggestions:

Sexy is the most golden-tan of all the colors and it works best if you are fair and want a "sun-kissed" look. Sultry is more of a tawny-brown shade and would be a better choice if you
already have a bit of a tan.

Another option if you are looking for an all-over bronzer would be to use Mineral Powder #5 either with the Kabuki Powder Brush or the MP to Go Brush. My Mineral Powders are so sheer that they make great bronzers and look completely natural.

Happy Summer!
Alison :-)

Making Makeup Last

2007-05-19T12:37:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, my assistant Andree and I made four half-hour appearances on Canada’s The Shopping Channel. Our greatest challenge? Keeping ourselves looking “fresh” from 7:30am until 9:30pm. So next time you need to look beautiful for more than twelve hours straight, here’s what you need to know about making makeup last...

Long-Lasting Tip #1: Do it right the first time.

When it comes to applying makeup that you need to last ALL DAY, there are no quick tricks and no short-cuts. Rather, it is imperative that you build up your makeup slowly in thin layers, blending well as you go. (That's why makeup artists are SO particular when it comes to brushes - the better the brush, the finer and smoother the application). Setting all cream and liquid makeups with a loose, colorless setting powder such as Transparent Finish is a must, and layering multiple textures of a color – such as using a powdered eye shadow over a cream one – also helps.

Try this: Fireshine Soft Shadow (powder) over Daybreak Light Shadow (cream)
Vivacious Soft Gloss (sheer red gloss) over Kiss Lipskins (sheer red stain)

Long-Lasting Tip #2: What gets piled up will eventually melt-down.
The reason that several thin layers of makeup are preferable to one thick layer is that the thinner you makeup is, the more flexible it is…and the more flexible your makeup is, the less likely that it will flake, crease, crack, crumble, or slide right off your face. This brings us to the fine art of makeup maintenance. Yes, "touching-up" does require a certain amount of reapplication, but it is crucial to first remove anything that shouldn’t be there, and then to smooth-out the area that needs freshening. Here are the five essenetial items you'll need:

A packet of Blotting Tissues to remove excess oil and perspiration from the skin
A small bottle of eye makeup remover and several q-tips to clean up any melt-downs under your eyes or around your lips (especially if you are wearing a dark, matte lipstick)
A concealer that matches your skintone exactly

A Foundation Sponge you can dampen with water to smooth out any caking or creasing

So next time your in for a "makeup marathon," remember: take your time the first time and when touching up, subtract what's wrong before you add more to make it right.

If you were to follow your wildest dreams...

2007-01-28T12:29:00.000-05:00

...where would they take you?

My Senior year of college, while all my friends were either looking for jobs or applying to grad school, I did neither. My dreams of becoming a Professional Makeup Artist simply refused to fade, even as I approached "the real world." My fascination with makeup began at an early age - four, to be exact. By the time I was ten, my mother would routinely drop me off in the makeup department at Bloomingdale's for hours at a time, secure in knowing that absolutely nothing and/or no one could possibly not lure me away from my pursuit of cosmetic knowledge and delight. So, it was no surprise when I landed my first after-school job behind a makeup counter at Macy's. I just belonged there.

But MY DREAM was to eventually see my work IN PRINT and to make my living as Editorial Makeup Artist in New York City. This, of course, was slightly insane. The work is purely freelance (read: ZERO financial stability), and the industry highly competitive. But my parents did live right outside of Manhattan, and if I was willing to move back home for a few years (ugh!) and make some financial sacrifices (read: work really hard for no money), perhaps I could find my way. Perhaps. I did have a number of contacts from doing makeup for photographers over the summers in the Hamptons and New York, but it still was a long shot at best. The sane thing to do (read: responsible, financially sound) would be to take an extra semester or two of chemistry classes and apply to Columbia's graduate program in Art Restoration. And for the most part I would have been very happy doing Art Restoration. The problem was I knew that for the rest of my life, every time I passed a newsstand or picked up a magazine, I would be haunted by the question "What if...?"

My posts here will be the continuing answer to that question, so please, join me as I tell the tales of where my dreams have taken me thus far...