Tuesday Tough and Pretty: Shelter Serra Watches and Purple Eyeshadow

Purplish eyes at the Gucci catwalks for Fall 2013

I have been getting so many complements on my rubber fake rolex of late. At meetings in Soho, on the beach when I was in Hawaii. No matter where, this watch is hot. AND, people think it tells the time - ha! But it doesn't. It just looks cool, and that's that. Which is why I say, get on this right now. They're light, easy to match an absolutely fun interpretation on the epic classic 70s standard watch. I love it in white. Get one now. You can even mix and match the pieces to make yours multicolored (check my instagram - sidebar on right- to see how I do it.)

My new accessory obssesion: the Fake Roley by Shelter Serra, $40

Now, what does this have to do with beauty you say?  The right accessories can balance out minimal makeup -- which is one of trends for the fall season. One of the looks I latched onto was the deep autumn colored eyeshadows. There were oranges and deep purples -- we're talking just layers of beautiful shadow and the rest of the face kept clean. Try shading your eyes with this Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in eggplant/muave shimmer ($38). Color in your entire lid form the middle of the lid out -- or one of my simple looks I love is to just dot the outer corners of your eyes with a round bigger eyeshadow brush, so you just have a pop of color at the outer edges. It's different, works as a highlighter and is something you can do in a hurry. And this particular look is great for Asian eyes.

Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo  ($38)

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

Backstage Beauty, Hair & Makeup at NYFW S/S `14: Zang Toi

Model Ling at Zang Toi S/S `14 NYFW, sports beautiful and soft blue on her eyes, nude lips and bold brows. The skin is left flawless with Amazing Cosmetics by Rudy Miles, lead Makeup Artist. Photo Credit: John M. Craig for René Furterer

Backstage beauty is super fun during NYFW. It's where all the action is and though massively chaotic (imagine dizzying amounts of flat irons, nail polishes and liquid foundations are being thrown willy-nilly all over picnic tables and stylists of every type are running like chickens with their heads cut off, and shouting in a setting like a crowded train station at rush hour) - the adrenaline of new fashion to be seen and created is adrenaline pumping.

I had the pleasure of interviewing a long time colleague, awesome hair guru Eiji Yamane, whom I'd known since my days at Issey Miyake. He was lead hair stylist for the Zang Toi show, where the collection was inspired by dance, and themed BALLET BABE. I also had great fun meeting Rudy Miles of BeautybyRudy, lead makeup - who created a look anchored around a soft but bold blue eye that was elegant but striking:

Eiji's Ballet Babe Hair How-To:

Eiji, lead Hair Stylist, uses an old fashioned curling iron to create sumptuous curls and romance for his bold but elegant chignons - for "Ballet Babe" - Zang Toi's fashion theme. Photo Credit: John M. Craig for René Furterer

Eiji's hair creations were a mix of classic, romantic Hollywood crimp curls, gently set into, slightly edgier chingons, with side and middle parts. Each look took about 20 minutes to create. Rene Furterer (I love his products!) was the exclusive hair product used. Here's the step by step how-to:

1) Begin by making a clean center part, misting hair with water before giving hair a blow-out. To give hair more body and hold, I worked in a little René Furterer VEGETAL SCULPTING GEL while blow-drying hair using a Mason Pearson brush to give hair a smooth finish.

2) Leaving hair on the sides free, I gathered the rest of the hair behind the ears and made a low ponytail, spraying hair with René Furterer VEGETAL FINISHING SPRAY for a flexible hold. Next, I secured the ponytail with a skinny hair tie, and then tood a section of hair from the ponytail, wrapping it from left to right around the base of the ponytail to hide the hair tie and tucking in a few hair pins for extra hold.

3) Using the end of a rat-tail comb like a pick, I lightly lifted the hair above the ponytail to keep it from going flat at the back of the head.

4) To create the finger waves on the sides, I took sections of the loose hair from each side of the middle part. One at a time I sprayed the sections with René Furterer LISSEA thermal protecting smoothing spray. This helps protect the hair against the heat from the curling iron. Using a medium-barrel curling iron; I rolled the section toward the head.

The sheer beauty of the exquisite chignon, Eiji's creation.
Photo Credit: John M. Craig for René Furterer

5) After releasing the iron, I combed through the curl and then crimped it with the curling iron to give it more bend, going down the length of the curled section at half-inch intervals. Now the sections were more of a wave than a loose curl. After curling, combing and crimping the sections on each side, I gathered the hair and to bring it behind the ear, taking care to cover the ears and shaping the sections in a classic finger wave pattern. Next, I secured the waves on both sides with several clips. Then misted the sides with René Furterer VEGETAL FINISHING SPRAY to set the waves while I work on creating the chignon.

6) Spraying the ponytail with René Furterer's VEGETAL FINISHING SPRAY, I brushed through the length of the hair with the brush. If the hair needed a smoother finish I went over the ponytail with a flat iron. To make the Ballet Babe chignon, I took the ponytail, made a big loop and rolled it toward the base of the ponytail so that the finished chignon sat on the nape of the neck. This results in a full, dramatic chignon. To maximize fullness, I lightly fanned it out a little with my fingers or use the tail and teeth of a rattail comb to finesse the shape.

7) The Ballet Babe chignon calls for long, thick tresses, so if a model has shorter hair we faked it with beautiful 100% human hair extensions from Fantasy Fashion Hair. Whether faux or real, all chignons were given a final misting with René Furterer VEGETAL FINISHING SPRAY. Lastly, the waves were unclipped and were ready for the runway.

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

NYFW S/S 2014 GET THE LOOK: Rose Gold Eyes at Jason Wu

A deep but single-toned rose-gold eye set a pretty but bold theme at Jason Wu's show
on Sept. 7, 2013, by makeup artist Diane Kendal. Image via http://modelsofcolor.tumblr.com/

NYFW S/S 2014 GET THE LOOK: Rose Gold Eyes at Jason Wu

During fashion week, one of my priorities is to spot killer makeup. It's part of my job as a makeup artist and your beauty expert, but it's also nice to see the standout artistry amidst the standard nude/bare faces we've been seeing so much the past few years. Not that there's anything wrong or simple about a great and pretty bare face -- it's actually quite hard. However, it's fun on the runways, to spot the theatrical and original. My favorite so far on this fall's catwalk is a gilded take on a smoky lid -- the stellar rose gold eye done by makeup artist Diane Kendal at the Jason Wu Show for #NYFW Spring/Summer 2014.

To me, this eye sets itself apart because it's one color, but done with a hue chosen so aptly. The pinkish gold (she used a 5-toned eye shadow and liner palette by Lancôme in Bronze Amour) beautifully complements so many skin tones w/ its lush earthy undertones. And the gentle and non-obtrusive sparkle effect done with a rose gold dusting powder (also by Lancôme) creates a soft, shimmery, sunset feel.

To get the look at home, start by lining your eyes with a dark espresso kohl eye-lining pencil -- doing both top and bottom. Then also line the outline of your upper eyelid (as you can see in both models photos). Follow the lines gently with the crayon and use your finger or a Q-tip (I recommend the Precisions Tips for makeup) to soften the lines so they look not hardly drawn but finely shaded.

Then fill in the eye shadow color with a bronze eye shadow like Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Pearls Marbelized Eye Shadow Duo in Bronze Blowout (a steal at $6). Make sure the color is nice and even all over your lids.

Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Pearls Marbelized Eye Shadow Duo in Bronze Blowout (a steal at $6)

Then dust a very fine layer of  M.A.C.'s Pigment powder in Tan ($21)(a muted pinky bronze) all over the lid.

M.A.C.'s Pigment powder in Tan ($21)

And lastly draw a second, fine line on your upper eyelid using a good black liquid liner --  I recommend Hourglass's Script Precision Liquid Liner ($32). This will help outline the whole look and bring out the rose gold, as some of the eyeliner may have gotten lost in the addition of the eyeshadows.

Hourglass's Script Precision Liquid Liner ($32)

Complete with a couple coats of your favorite mascara, and a touch of soft, peony or rosy lip stain. A tinted lip balm will suffice, like Burt's Bee's.

Model Hilary Rhoda, with rose gold lids.
I've had the pleasure, as a NYC makeup artist of working on
her quite perfect face ;-). Image via Vogue.com/Taylor Jewell

 -- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com. 

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 4: Eat Fresh Fish for Beautiful Skin

Fresh caught Marlin from Oahu, grilled and offered to my family with Aloha. Thank you to @_jordo and friends
for their generosity.

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 4: Eat Fresh Fish for Beautiful Skin

To be invited for freshly caught fish on a charcoal barbecue, beachside is pretty normal occurrence in Hawaii. It's something I took for granted growing up -- having Korean seasoned meat & seafood and picnics along the sunset almost weekly as I was raised tropically. Now I know what a treasure it is being in NYC. Fresh fish is an abundance all around Hawaii -- ahi (tuna), marlin, are caught every day by local fisherman and it's possible to eat it all day long and have it taste of the ocean and not the freezer if you want.

Fish is packed with omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) like omega-3 and omega-6, which reduce inflammation in the body -- and so help you fight acne (which is essentially a type of inflammation) and can help with various health problems like rheumatoid arthritis, depression, prenatal health, and dementia, amonth others.

Try eating fish several times a week to promote good health and beautiful skin.

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 3: The Tropical Beauty Essentials List

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 3: The Tropical Beauty Essentials List

 

At home in Waialae, Honolulu - photo by my daughter, 5.

The islands of Hawaii are beyond paradise. The air is moist from the lush fruit trees, the ocean breezes keep the tropical heat bearable - and the breathtaking beaches are what mythical tales are written about. Makeup and beauty on the islands comes down to the bare bones here -- the warm weather lends to not wearing much and letting your skin and features do most of the work. So here are my essentials for looking your best in high heat and mind-blowing sunlight:

1) Coconut Oil for Protecting Skin & Hair Naturally from Sun

A great roadside beverage, and an awesome beauty resource. Coconuts.

Pure coconut oil is by far my favorite fruit/nut/seed oil for beauty. It is excellent for those with skin sensitivities and is super rich in natural emollients. It also has an SPF of 10 which means 90% of beneficial vitamin D creating UBV rays are blocked. I recommend using it as a natural hair sunscreen, and as an after-sun soother for ouchy skin.

2) Glycote Sunscreen Spray Mist SPF 50: Water Resistant 

Glytone Suncare, Sunscreen Spray Mist, SPF 50 - A heavy suncare must, $39 (6 fl. oz.)

I've tried dozens of sunscreens. This is a gold-medal winner because it's super mist, powerful spray applicator is no-fail until the very end of the bottle. And it's a safe formula for delicate kids -- my daughter has atopic dermatitis, and usually has itchy reactions to 99 percent of even the most ultra "sensitive" and "hypo-allergenic, fragrance-free" sun creams. Yet, this was one she did not react to. What a testament. I also found that it was wonderful for getting sunscreen effectively onto my half a dozen or so tattoos. I just aimed and sprayed. Extra pluses are that there is no white residue, it's oil-free and has anti-oxidants. Shaka! for this sun must!

3) Gotta Have Good Toes! Purple Cream Nail Polish in PERRIE by Zoya

My lavender nails as I lounge at the beach - August at Kaimana Beach, Honolulu.

Great beauty and style is about looking good head to toe. Never overlook your toes - polishing them in the summer, when they're out and about makes such a difference. That little pop of color punches up your bikini or your tan. I love a soft purple nail as it's a color that in makeup or nails that looks good on any skin tone -- try Zoya's Perrie shade - it's a creamy lavender; so pretty. And I love Zoya because it's formaldehyde- toulene- and dibutyl phthalate- free.

Zoya's Nail Polish in Perrie, $8

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

MOMS KNOW BEST: MY FAVORITE BEAUTY PRODUCTS 2013 from PARENTS MAGAZINE

2013 Mom Knows Best Beauty Awards: My Picks for Back To School Pretty!

For the last several years I've had the pleasure of judging the most practical, mom-friendly beauty products for Parents Magazine's Mom Knows Best Awards.

As a mom of one, I think a lot about lipstick, pressed powder and bronzer containers getting lost in my purse and how they survive against the rough and tumble of being tossed with lollipops, Barbie hair, beach sand and countless drawings, leaves, rocks, um, trash??? Bless my daughter but do all kids find random "jewels" and pebbles at school and at play and put them in your bag? Please - write and tell me!

My top pick this year was Elizabeth Arden's Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss (my preference was the nude, Cameo color ($18)). It has an amazing shea butter/vanilla smell that doesn't smell too overpowering and moisturizes well. It stays put on your lips w/out sticking to your hairstyle. The cap stays put so that no gooey color ends up all over your bag, and there's a perfectly sized mirror right along the main body of the gloss container.

It's a gorgeous gloss made for a refined, elegant and sophisticated woman -- no matter what undesired items your kid throws into your bag.

--N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 2: The Able Ancient Art of the Lomi Lomi Massage at the Moana Lani Spa

#ALOHANUYBEAUTY Post 2: The Able Ancient Art of the Lomi Lomi Massage at the Moana Lani Spa

Waiting for my massage (neon toes by Erica Marton in NYC) at Moana Lani Spa, a Heavenly , Waikiki, Oahu

Post 2: The Able Ancient Art of the Lomi Lomi Massage at the Moana Lani Spa

I was so lucky to have been born and raised in Hawaii. But I never got to experience the awesome ancient art of Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage until present day. And at no less than one of my favorite, most picturesque hotels: The Moana Surfrider, a.k.a `First Lady of Waikiki, and a Westin Resort & Hotel, in Honolulu, Hawaii! If you are ever visiting my beautiful home island, go to their Veranda restaurant, sit beachside and have their Afternoon Tea. It's exquisite. Proper. But perfectly tropical at the same time. My first headshots were shot right there post-scones in the HD screensaver backdrop.

So let's talk about why I loved the great LOMI LOMI massage at the Moana Lani Spa. The phrase Lomi Lomi itself means "to rub, knead, press, squeeze, massage; to work in and out, as the claws of a contented cat." It is a serene, 90-minute, lighter pressure technique. The massage practitioners at the 17,000-ft beachfront spa have all trained with kumu (teachers) whose lineage is traced from “Kahuna Lomi Lomi” to learn the delicate combination of long strokes and rhythmic massage movements that make the total experience soothing -- and, more importantly, I found: healing.

Waiting for my Lomi Lomi in the peaceful waiting area

My particular bonding with the Moana Lani's Lomi Lomi treatment was twofold: first off, I was overtaken by the incredible tranquility of the view of the Pacific ocean in the spacious waiting room- it took me to a fantastic place of zen before I even hit the spa room. I was comfortably alone and could hear only the soft chatter of beach folk talking down below and ocean waves crashing. And of course the trade winds smelled heavenly, as I basked in pefect, salty, sunny warmth.

My bag of Alaea Salt, used to throw my worries into the Hawaiian Sea

Second, the Spa has a ritual with all its spa guests, where they give you a wood bowl with Alaea Hawaiian sea salt, known for its restorative abilities, before your treatment.  Each guest is invited to dump their worries into their individual salt bowl. At the end of the day,  the salt bowl, along with all the other guests' salts, are thrown into the ocean - and washed into sea.

I think this idea is beautiful in its philosophy and so representative of Hawaiian natural healing culture.

All troubles are washed away at the end of the day.
Hawaiian natural healing cutlure at work
at the Moana Lani Spa.

I had a severe stomachache that day from my chronic pancreatic issue (worsened by stress) - and I'd left my prescription pills at home, so I threw my tummy ache into the salt bowl and though the massage didn't help right away, in about one hour, I was happy to find that most of it had lifted! So Yay to lomi lomi for aiding in the circulation and the mind-body pain treatment process.

So if you have mom stresses, busy body stresses, and/or health concerns like me, try a Lomi Lomi massage for yourself. I highly recommend it. Circulation aids like a slower massage (e.g. Lomi Lomi) really helps relieve tension, aches, pains and overall health.

If you can't make it to the Moana Lani Spa anytime soon (though it's so worth making a trip to Oahu for!), then just carve out some time for a little self-care time. Take a hot bath with epsom salts, and gently wash your troubles away at home. Tomorrow's always a new day. A good soak never hurt ;-).

-- N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.