I had so much fun today on air with Eileen Whelan and my gorgeous model Anna talking about glam glittery looks for New Years' Eve! Link to video about and here is a list of the products I recommend!

Temptu Airpod System - Everything you need to get started!! temptu.com/temptu-air-starter-set.html

Pat McGrath Metalmorphosis Set - This set is incredible - get it before it sells out! http://www.sephora.com/metalmorphosis-005-kit-P414605

St. Tropez Self Tan Luxe Oil for Face and for Body - These smell amazing and give you a natural, golden glow that lasts up to ten days!! Your skin will feel like butter - AMAZING. Body Oil: http://www.sephora.com/self-tan-luxe-dry-oil-P385518?skuId=1607639&icid2=products%20grid:p385518 

Face Oil: http://www.sephora.com/self-tan-luxe-facial-oil-P394689?skuId=1704105&icid2=products%20grid:p394689 

SKINCARE!! The first step is the most important!!

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads - These are a MUST HAVE product - they will change the way your skin looks and feels immediately. ​http://www.sephora.com/alpha-beta-universal-daily-peel-P377533?skuId=1450964&icid2=products%20grid:p377533www.sephora.com/alpha-beta-universal-daily-peel-P377533?skuId=1450964&icid2=products%20grid:p377533

Twinmedix Vitamin C  - perfect to prep your face before makeup! ​https://www.twinmedix.com/product/proessentials-c10-2/www.twinmedix.com/product/proessentials-c10-2/


Have a question? Ask me!! Email Me HERE

Check out how to avoid a root emergency with fast fixes from Good Morning Washington!! You can order Color Wow Root Cover Up  at www.colorwowhair.com - HUGE Thank you to Color Wow, Good Morning Washington, and DC Refined! Happy Friday!!

I am so excited to share my contribution to Healthy Living Made Simple Magazine! Check it out to read tips on great Health and Beauty gifts for the holidays!

Click here! healthylivingmadesimple.com/practically-perfect/

Check out the marathon of Halloween Makovers!! You can order FaceLace at www.nigelbeauty.com!

Check out this video with DC Refined on quick DIY Halloween Makeup! Product list available on the website!

Makeup and Hair by Alexis Arenas, Photography by Peter Howard

Here is the incredible story of Nancy Noel in Fall 2016's AAMC Magazine - ​www.aahs.org/living/?p=47631 - it's a must read!

Here is my recent work with DC Refined! Watch to learn how to summer proof your makeup!  - Alexis

The CEW Beauty Insider Awards are held in New York every spring and bring together the best in beauty for an incredible luncheon and awards ceremony. I have been a member for a long time and one of the duties and pleasures of membership is the ability to test and vote on all the new and hero products that are released every year!

The luncheon is fantastic, with the ability to rub shoulders with the biggest names in the industry and to be there when cosmetic history is made! The greatest thing about being a part of this is the ability to really keep your finger on the pulse of what is emerging in the industry, and be able to test the products, and speak with the manufacturers/marketers behind them.

I started my day off at SoulCycle  on East 54th, which came in handy, as the amazing chocolate mousse they served at lunch was not to be missed! After a great networking session and catch up with old friends at the cocktail welcome, we took our seats and the ceremony began!

Big winners included Clinique (one of my favorites!), Sonia Kashuk, It Cosmetics, Glamglow, Urban Decay, and St. Tropez (another super fave!).

It truly is the greatest industry - and I am so lucky to be able to take part in this event!  

You DO get to take home a pretty fab gift bag, as well - and this leads me to my review of the two in-shower moisturizers! Scroll past the photo below!

hoto courtesy of BeautyStat.

Nivea Vs Jergens: The Battle for the Best In-Shower Lotion

I am really particular about a lot of things. But two really important things: Lip Gloss and Moisturizers.

I like body oils as I have the skin of the Lizard Queen and look like Ashy Larry’s less attractive cousin, Flaky Florence. Every day I slather myself in oil before I get out of the shower, throwing caution to the wind for my husband (if you slip and fall on the oil slick I like to call the tub floor, then just take this as a blanket apology for your injuries. But hey, you will be silky soft!) So when I was gifted with a bottle of each of these I was super excited to get started.
Both of these products are lauded by industry insiders – they both work well, however for me – there could only be one true winner.
The contender for Nivea – the 24+ hour in shower lotion – smells good, definitely softens, but it has to be rinsed off. This is great for taking to hotels as I don’t have to clean the shower and tub at a hotel – by all means, rinse this off in a place you don’t have to scrub.
I did not notice any slippery areas left behind in my testing – but it cautions you on the packaging that it can cause a slippery surface with its use.

It definitely softens skin and I noticed that my arms looked particularly good when I used it. I liked it and it is a good product, however in this battle there was a clear winner:

Jergens Wet Skin Lotion with Coconut Oil not only smells amazing but my skin GLOWS even if I apply it at night and sleep in it! I put it on last night and applied my St. Tropez Tanning Mousse and not only does my skin look soft, moisturized, and glowing, but my tan is the most even tan I have applied. I apply self- tan like some people take vitamins, so trust me when I say “this works”.

It even helped my tan smell less (which if you use self-tanners a lot, you will know the scent of the self- tan. Cardinal rule: Don’t apply self-tan the day before you actually need to look tan, as all and sundry will smell you and your faux glow rolling in.
​
Have a question? Ask a question! alexis@thebeautyexpertgroup.com.

So today it is my birthday! I've had a great day with family and friends and am now tucked up in a hotel in anticipation of a wedding that I will be working on tomorrow. This week has been exciting - I filmed a commercial on Monday, lots of regular work, and bookings for Fall weddings are rolling in(I love a Fall wedding!) and cap the week off with my birthday, a fabulous wedding, and the promise of champagne tomorrow when I can finally relax - that is a week I can get behind :) (Oh, and I watched Deadpool - loved it).

So today we are going to talk about the foundations that I keep in my kit and the ones that I use on myself.  In my kit I carry all of the Temptu S/B foundations, several Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancers, a concealer wheel by Temptu (rarely use), Mac Pro Longwear concealers, and the full Eve Pearl Pro Palette (HD) - which I love and use constantly. 

Once the face is primed and ready to go (don't forget the lips - if you get them ready now - they will be perfect by the time you are done with the face) I start with the eye makeup.  Everyone does their faces differently - I like to do eyes so that if there is any product fall out it doesn't kill a flawless foundation. So rock your eyes out and then we start with the foundation and concealer.

I like to start with the Eve palette and use the HD foundations to lightly even the skin where needed - I use the Salmon concealers as well around the eyes and nose. I use a variety of brushes to lay this layer down and on myself I use BeautyBlenders in addition to brushes - as I am usually doing many, many faces in a row I do not usually use BeautyBlenders on my clients as I don't have the time to fully sanitize them between clients. I like to keep my kit, brushes, and products SQUEAKY clean - so I have to err on the side of caution!  They are great for so many things and I absolutely love mine - I use one everyday (I keep three on hand just for myself) but I have to reserve them for smaller client groups so I can make sure they can be clean.

Once you have the light 'frosting' of foundation down (just hitting the places that need it) I use the airbrush and go in for more coverage where needed. Once you have this perfect I will then go in with concealers where needed to perfect and sculpt the look. 

All the products I use I tailor to the client - there is no one-size-fits-all product that will work on every client - you have to test products and see what works best for you! Once I have the base flawless I then add any further cream products or color washes and set with loose powder - I love Ben Nye, Mac Prep & Prime, Temptu, and MUFE finishing powders.

So you have a flawless finish here and you can add in your powder blushes, bronzers, contouring, and highlighters. Once I complete the face I always seal with a setting spray - my go to is Urban Decay - I LOVE this stuff! I carry both types and use them liberally. No one escapes the spray! 

OK - so I'll be back - next post will be all about the CEW awards - then product reviews! Whoop Whoop!