Finally, a true tinted moisturizer...FOR REAL!!!!

I just can't say enough about this product!! First it is something that can work with all your existing products, it can be a true tinted moisturizer, and it was just named the most "Innovative Makeup Launch" by Refinery29's Beauty Innovator Awards. What is this magical product you ask...it is Custom Cover Drops by CoverFX!!

This product is so unique and can do so much. The idea behind it is that is is basically pure pigment. So what that means is you can drop a couple drops into your favorite product and you have your very own custom foundation. Now you may not think that is very innovative but let me give you the 411 on this. Let's say you love your current foundation but wish that it had a bit more coverage. All you have to do is put a couple drops of the Custom Cover Drops into it and viola...you now have a fuller coverage foundation.

I also mentioned you can have a TRUE tinted moisturizer. When you buy a tinted moisturizer, it should never take the place of your regular moisturizer. It is nothing more than word play. What those items are, are a more sheer foundation with a bit more emollience added. But now with these babies you can really have a tinted moisturizer!! Just drop one or two drops in your favorite moisturizer and BAM...you have your own customized tint.

Something else that makes this so amazing is it is good for any skin type. No worries if you are like an oil slick or dry as a bone. Everyone can use these. And, you can mix it into just about anything; moisturizers, serums, primers, foundations, oil based products, water based products, silicone based products...you name it!! Cover FX recommends one drop for sheer coverage, two drops for medium coverage, three drops for full coverage and four drops for total coverage. Two words of caution with this. First, SHAKE IT WELL! Because of the technology used in the delivery system of the pigment, you need to give it a good shake to make sure you are getting the pigment and not just the delivery system. Second, do not mix this with a pure physical sunscreen (titanium dioxide or zinc oxide). If you do it will just look very ghost like. That is not to say your product can't contain a bit of those ingredients, you just don't want to mix it with solely that type of ingredient.

As of now the drops come in 24 shades and are priced at $44. You can order them from the Cover FX website or stop in at Sephora to pick them up. If you do go to Sephora, get match by having them place a couple drops in a moisturizer and then blending it at your jaw line. Then PLEASE step outside and take a look. There is nothing like natural light to make sure you have the right color!!

It is a whole new world out there. I love this product and will be stocking it in my kit. If you have ever wanted something simple and fool proof....you can have it!!

BRITTANY IS MARRIED!!!!

I always love doing wedding for people I have worked with before. There is a real feeling of camaraderie and it gives me a chance to catch up with what has been going on. Brittany is a bride that I met as a bridesmaid a while back. I then had the privilege to get to to work with her on her wedding and will be working with her yet again at another upcoming wedding!!

This group of ladies is just amazing. They have welcomed me into their circle and I feel like I am now one of their friends. As a matter of fact they are booking a class with me and then we are all going out on the town to show off their skills.

I hope you enjoy these pics of Brittany and all the ladies. The wedding took place at The Winterham Plantation and our good friends at 1213 Hair Studio did all the amazing hair styles. We also want to give a big thank you to Zoe at Andi and Zoe Photography for these beautiful photos!!

It was very nice of RVA News to feature us on their site. Take a look at some of the things we like, think are important, and a really good story at the end that will melt your heart!! Just click the link below and enjoy!!

Thanks RVA News!!!!!

Hey friends! So as promised, albeit very late with the follow up, a review of Urban Decay Mascara Resurrection. Bottom line - love it! There are so many situations where touching up your makeup is "foiled" because unless you wash your face - touching up your mascara can make your lashes spidery in appearance. This products allows you to re-swipe several coats of your mascara and BAM you are ready to roll for your evening festivities! Let us know - have you tried it? ‪

Cream Blush Product Review-Richmond Wedding Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock BRIDEface Richmond

I am always on the hunt for products that I can use in my FACEing classes. Our clients love it when we can show them something new or different, or a product that can be used in multiple ways. So when I see a new cream blush, I almost always pick it up. Last week I can across Maybelline's Master Glaze.

The first thing that intrigued me was that is was in a stick form. Most of the cream blushes I have seen lately are in a pot or compact. The stick is nice because you can apply it directly to the face and do not have to mush your finger into a pot.

The second thing that I liked were the shades. Now mind you, there are only 6 at this point (2 pinks, 1 coral, 1 nude, 1 mauve, and 1 plum), but they are all unique in color (they don't all look the same) and they are very wearable shades.

So of course the question is how do they wear? Well I decided to give it a whirl on a client that I have been working with for years. There was a gala in her honor at the VMFA which I was also going to attend. It was the perfect opportunity to see, in person, just how the product wore throughout the night. I was quite happy with the results!

It applies very easily and most likely that it due to the shea butter. That is an emollient that not only has skin benefits but also allows for easy application and blending. The pigment level also seem quite high. Not so high that you will look like you have on war paint, but much more than the Maybelline Dream Bouncy which is much more sheer (a better fit for someone new to a cream blush). The color lasted on my client all night and when I looked back at photographs, I must say she looked AMAZING!! It was just the right amount of color.

One more benefit is that if you are in a hurry you can also use it on your eyes and/or lips. However, the biggest let down on this product is the amount of product. It is just a quarter ounce so this is not a product you will have for 6 months. But, I will say you don't want to keep creams as long as powders for hygiene reasons, so this might be a good size.

All in all I am impressed! I bought the "Make a Mauve" and have some extra bucks expiring from CVS today and plan to pick up a couple other colors. I am a sucker for a cream blush!!

This product review was written by Aaron Ellerbrock, Richmond, VA based makeup artist. He is the owner of BRIDEface Richmond, an award winning, on location makeup company that also offers FACEing classes to teach you how to feel more beautiful and confident!

JENNIFER IS MARRIED!!!-Richmond VA Wedding Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock BRIDEface Richmond

As we enter into 2014 I wanted to take one last look back at 2013. Normally I am all about only looking forward, but with this gorgeous bride, I had to make an exception!

Jennifer and her husband had a very intimate ceremony in the home that they are renovating. I got to see the place when I did her engagement session and it is magnificent. It was built in the late 1800's and her contractor husband is doing an amazing job of updating and restoring.

They had just the family, including their two gorgeous children at the ceremony and then took a much needed get-a-way right after. I hope to be able to visit the home and this lovely family again once the house is completed as I know it will be spectacular! Thanks so much to David Abel of David Abel Photography for these awesome shots! David is not only amazing at capturing special moments but also does a fantastic job with placement and lighting. Definitely check him out!! Enjoy!

Jennifer wanted a very soft and natural look for her at home ceremony.

It is so special to see the relationship between mother and daughter. You can just feel the love!

We got Jennifer ready in the Master Bedroom which was almost finished with its remodel. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of antiques and modern elements.

The ceremony took place outside on the front porch and the guests were seated on the lawn.

A beautiful couple, a wonderful family, a gorgeous home...what a day!!!!

Makeup: Aaron Ellerbrock of BRIDEface Richmond

Makeup For The Over 40 Set/Tips by Richmond VA Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock

Recently on our Facebook page, I asked our fans to let us know what they would like for me to answer in the blog as and I needed a little inspiration.

One of the questions I received a few times was how do I do my makeup now that I am over 40 and not look like I am trying to be 20 something?

You don't have to be a makeup artist to know that what worked for you at 21 ain't necessarily workin' at 41.

1. Firstly, it's time to pull out the big guns when you moisturize. That square yellow bottle just isn't going to give you all the benefits you need. An emollient cream will prepare your skin for makeup, give you a dewy finish, and lessen the appearance of fine lines. Invest in something that will give real results.

2. If you aren't already using a yellow based foundation, you will probably want to check one out. No mater whether your Caucasian or African American, your skin needs warmth to look youthful and to tone out ruddiness.

3. Reach for a "clicky" pen concealer rather than thick, creamy consistencies. Your under-eyes are thinner now and need lighter, more illuminating properties. Nothing is more aging than cakey, crepey concealer.

4. Use cream blush! Our faces are losing volume and we need a pop of color to make us look alive and to make our cheeks look plumper. Cream formulas look dewier, like a glow coming from within.

5. Use a highlighter to mimic the way light hits a youthful skin. Tear ducts, top of cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of the nose and top of cupid's bow are places for this.

6. Use a puff instead of a brush to apply a clear translucent powder where you need it. For most of us, that the t-zone. The puff presses the powder in to set your makeup, but avoids that dry look.

7. A great eyeshadow base will cover up little veins or pink tones in the lid that make you look tired, and will also create the illusion of smoother skin.

8. Brows may be getting skimpier. Choose a fine pointed pencil in a shade lighter than your hair, and very gently sketch it into your brows. No death grip on that pencil, now.

9. Curl your lashes! Cheapest eyelift ever. You're welcome!!

10. A soft brown pencil worked deep into your lashes and very slightly flicked up at the ends will define your eye and give it a subtle lift.

For more tips, contact me for a FACEing class! I will go through all of your current products and walk you through a routine that you can duplicate at home. My shopping list ranges from drugstore to high end to suit any budget. aaron@brideface.com.