Holiday Makeup with Professional Makeup Artist Kendra Richards #giveaway

Posted November 15, 2014 by Prairie Wife - 53 comments

The Holiday’s are almost upon us. Here at PrairieWifeInHeels.com we want to help our readers look and feel their best during this joyful and busy (and lets face it stressful) time. We are kicking off our month of Helpful Holiday Hints with one of my favorite past Prairie Wives, Professional Makeup Artist to the stars, Kendra Richards! Stop by her Instagram to see her amazing work and get more than a little star struck (she failed to mention she knows Curtis Stone). She graciously took the time to chat with me and answer some questions that I think we all have when it comes to the Holidays. How can we look best in family pictures, what is the best filter for a flawless face, what looks are best for holiday parties? Thankfully besides answering all my questions Kendra directed me to her super helpful how to videos, make sure you stop by to brush up on your makeup techniques! As a special gift from us to you we are giving TWO WINNERS their own Heir Atelier Ultimate Makeup Prep! Enter to win at the end of this interview.

Prairie Wife (PW): The holiday’s are almost upon us and for many of us that means a ton of pictures! Can you share some tips for making our makeup look flawless in pictures?

Black Lined EyesKendra (K): The first step is to make sure you are priming your face and eyes. I recommend a product like Heir Atelier for your face because it both moisturizes and primes. This combination works together to keep your makeup smooth and looking flawless. Use an eye primer every time you wear eye makeup to help your eye shadow last longer and prevent your shadow from creasing. Powder should be used on your T zone to prevent you from looking greasy. Choose a lightweight formula for the most natural look while giving you the best results. When I do red carpet work I don’t powder the whole face, I want as much of the real skin to show through as possible because that is what keeps skin looking dewy fresh and young.

PW: Are there any particular things we should emphasize (or hide) to look better on camera?

K: It’s important to remember that one size doesn’t fit all. In the end good pictures often end up being mostly about good lighting! We always say good lighting will hide a multitude of sins and bad lighting with great makeup will still result in a bad picture. When doing your makeup choose one thing to focus on, eyes OR lips, so the different parts of your face aren’t competing. A lot of people still think that when you wear makeup for pictures you need to wear more than you normally do, while decades ago this was true it isn’t necessarily true anymore. With the current smartphone lenses, digital cameras and HD cameras you shouldn’t follow that rule anymore. Stick to your regular makeup routine. If you are doing family pictures bring a makeup bag and a mirror and have your photographer take a test picture to check your look. You can always bump your makeup up a little if needed after seeing the test photo. Don’t forget to bring toothpicks, and check your teeth for food!

PW: Is there a certain tilt of the face or an expression that will be more flattering then a full on smile?

Cindy Crawford Beauty at every ageK: If you look at many of the red carpet celebrities most of them have a pose they use all the time, they have learned how they look best and give you that pose or face most every time . Watch that your chin is not too high (you don’t want people looking up your nose) but give it a little lift and jut your chin out a tiny bit which helps flatter your neck. In general you probably want the camera just a little higher than your eye level. Experiment to see if you look best looking directly at camera or with your face slightly to one side. Go ahead and practice in front of the mirror, no one will know! Think about the expression in your eyes and try and smile with them (one art director I work with tells his models to “smeyes”) a slight smile is great and you can even show some teeth. Find a look that you like and works for you, I like to think of something that makes me very happy and have fun because I think it shows. What works for me is thinking of my sweet dog Ella… I can’t help but smile.

PW: So many pictures today are taken with phones, are there different things to think about with our makeup to look our best on Instagram?

K: Be sure to have your T-Zone powdered so that you don’t look greasy. If you are wearing shimmer you want it in strategic places like high on the cheekbone, the brow bone or eyes but not where it might make you look oily. Sometimes flash will wash you out a little if it is too close to you so in that case DO add a little more color where needed despite what I said earlier about not needing to pile makeup on if you think you will be in close quarters shooting photos with a flash. The best way to be prepared is to take some practice shots at home, it’s a great way to check and make sure your makeup is just how you want it. What looks good in a mirror doesn’t always look the same in a photo. Even as professionally we often end up doing tweaks on set because things look different on camera. Do your homework ahead of time. If you want to try a new look or product do it a few weeks ahead of time so you can be confident you look your best on a big night. Remember, there is nothing wrong with keeping the same look you always have if it’s what you like and feel comfortable with!

PW: Speaking of Instagram what filters do you think are the best for the “flawless face” look we all strive for?

Kendra Doing Eye MakeupK: I have a photographer friend that runs his pictures through multiple filters to get just the right look, which is a great tip! I personally like Xpro and Mayfair but it depends on what I’m sharing. If I am sharing a photo about the makeup colors I want them to look as true to life and authentic as I can. Try a few filters out on your photo and pick your favorite. There are some great apps (I love FaceTune that allows you to clean up an image yourself and VisageLab is a no brainer photoshop tool that does the work for you) that will clean up all your pictures up for you. They take a great picture and makes it look even more flawless!

flawless flacePW: A lot of people tend to immediately think red lip and glitter eyeshadow for a holiday party look, what do you think?

K: I think red lip OR glitter eye shadow not both. Just because it’s the holiday’s doesn’t mean you need to look like a Christmas ornament! My general rule of makeup-pick one thing to emphasize. Go ahead and have fun with the holiday aspect but remember, you should be trying to look like the best version of yourself, not like someone else! And if red lipstick isn’t your thing you don’t have to wear it, festive means different things to everyone.

PW: Is it best to wash your face clean from the day’s makeup and start over if you have an evening party to go to, or can we just layer on top?

K: Ideally clean your face and reapply your makeup before going out. If you can’t do that use a primer/moisturizer like Heir Atelier to freshen up any dry areas. Then reapply makeup where you need it. Blotting papers are a great way to control shiny without adding more powder.

When it comes time to create your party look there are a few tricks to take your day makeup to night. Emphasize your lashes by adding some black eyeliner on your upper water line. If you are looking tired, use a deep blue liner to make your eyes look whiter and fresher. Go ahead and add another layer of mascara and comb through your lashes with a metal eyelash comb between each coat (I do this day or night) this will keep your mascara from clumping. Keep your lips moisturized so your lipstick looks fresh. Begin using a lipscrub a few days before the event to prep your lips and skin so you’ll look your best!

PW: How can we keep our makeup lasting all night long?

K: I can’t emphasize the importance of using a primer on your whole face before you apply your makeup (I bet by now you know what primer I prefer)! Don’t forget to use a primer made specifically for your eyelids on your eyes. Using a cream eyeshadow or powder it helps keep the color from fading and prevents your makeup from settling in the creases. I use a simple moisturizer or my primer on the under eye area. Too much makeup and especially powder under your eyes can result in emphasizing what you are trying to cover up. I like to use a soft highlighting product under the eye and blend out over the cheekbones to give a glow and lift to the face. For mascara I stay away from waterproof mascara because it tends to clump. I like Kiss Me mascara by Blinc for those long events/parties, it has staying power and it takes both water and pressure to remove it. If you have oily skin keep blotter papers in your purse and just use one quickly when you use the restroom…beware of over powdering! For those of you with dry skin bring a light moisturizer to quickly tap onto any spots that may be feeling tight and dry. Ultimate Make Up Prep does have moisturizing ingredients in it so that you won’t have to continue to add hydration.

PW: Any predictions for new makeup trends in 2015?

Plum LipsK: There are definitely a few things I saw from the runway for Spring. Plum lips and red lips are all over the runways. Black eyeliner in a variety of styles. I saw the cat eye, as well as bold black eyeliner on the top and on the bottom. In the end I always say you need to be discerning and do what looks good on you. Take what is on the runway and tweak it so you look your best. Perhaps for your skin tone you need to use a sheer plum gloss rather than a rich matte lipstick. Maybe the best look for you is black eyeliner on top rather than around your whole eye, or a cat eye with brown liner rather than black. Experiment and have fun but some makeup trends just won’t work for everyone. Remember, glowing gorgeous skin will never go out of style…anything you add to that is just the icing on the cake!

Kendra will be stopping by throughout the week to answer any questions you may have, and to respond to your comments! Also, don’t forget to enter to win your very own bottle of Heir Atelier Makeup Prep!

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53 thoughts on "Holiday Makeup with Professional Makeup Artist Kendra Richards #giveaway"

  1. Ma says:

    VERY informative and detailed interview and info…Thanks!

    1. Thank you Ma, so glad you feel like you got detailed info! Happy Holidays!

  2. TX2Steppin' says:

    I resisted the extra time it takes to use eye and face primer for years, but after reading Kendra’s last interview I finally gave primers a try, and it makes such a difference. Now I can last the whole workday without touching up my makeup and I haven’t had a breakout since I started using Ultimate Make Up Prep! So, Kendra, I know it depends on products, eye shape, confidence level, etc., but as a general rule, does lining the bottom eye bring more attention to wrinkles and slight under eye discoloration on an over 40 woman? Is “tightlining” (using color on the inside of the lashline) a better alternative? I haven’t lined my eyes all the way since the early ’90s but thought I might give it a test drive this holiday season.

    1. A primer convert! Yay… so glad you gave it a try and see the difference that using primer makes. As for liner, I use under eye liner on many people over 40, I use powder most often and not pencil and blend it well and use it on the outer edge of the eye as a norm instead of using it from inner corner to the outer edge. I also am a fan of tightlining..if you are worried about it being too harsh you can use a brown, plum or navy. The thing that I love about makeup is that is you don’t like something you can just clean up and start again…. see what looks best on you. I will say that there are some women that I work with who don’t benefit from liner under their eyes and we don’t do that look on them. You have to determine what looks best on you and stick to that. What works on someone else is irrelevant for you… find your best look and stick with that.

      Hope this helps!

      1. TX2Steppin' says:

        Great advice and I will let you know how my experiment with powder liner turns out!

        1. I just use eyeshadow as the powder… please let me know how it works for you…

  3. Bonnie Caselman says:

    You said to emphasize your lashes by adding some black eyeliner on your “upper water line”. What do you mean?

    1. Hi Bonnie… that’s just another way of saying the inside of the upper lid under your lashes. You carefully line the inside of your upper lid to help give more definition and it helps your lashes look fuller too because at the base of the lashes there wont be the gaps where you normally see skin between the lashes. That is a good trick to use to emphasize your eye shape also if you dont want to use liner in a traditional way above the lashes but still want your eyes to pop. I hope that helps and thanks for your question.

  4. Jenifer Ramsey says:

    Great makeup tips! Very excited to try the Heir Atelier primer!

    1. Thank you Jenifer- so glad you found the tips helpful and to hear about excited to hear about your experience using Heir Atelier when you do! Thanks so much.

  5. Em Mahr says:

    Can I use the same primer for my eyelids as my face?

    1. Hi Em,
      Unless a primer specifies that it can be used for both I would say no. You will need a dedicated eye makeup primer and a face primer. Hope that helps and thanks for your great question…

  6. allyson tice says:

    What is the best way to cover my HUGE pores on my cheeks and nose?? They are horrible and make me look awful!

    1. You cant really cover pores, you can use a silicone primer to fill it in and make them less noticeable. That is probably the best way to conceal them.

  7. Luna S says:

    The purple lipstick you posted above looks gorgeous. What is the best moisturizer in your opinion? I get dry patches due to the weather.

    1. You cant really cover pores, you can use a silicone primer to fill it in and make them less noticeable. That is probably the best way to conceal them.

    2. Sorry hit reply button more than once to last question. Thanks re: purple lipstick. Moisturizer would be what is best for your skin type. A good inexpensive moisturizer is CeraVe and you can order it thru Amazon.com If you need more you can also try adding a drop of Argan oil to give extra mositure. If you are feeling really dry at times you can apply Argan oil directly to your face at night.
      I really like using an occasional mask at night… a lovely one that is pricey but works great is Sisley black rose mask.. Put it on, let it absorb and then sleep on your back and let it work it’s magic overnight. Def will hydrate your skin when you need a little extra boost.

  8. Starla B says:

    Such wonderful tips. If you have dry skin should you moisturize morning night and before makeup? Thanks in advance! I think I just never use the correct moisturizer for my face!

    1. Hi Starla… You know it can feel confusing too because our skin’s need change over time as we age, during different seasons, etc too. You should ideally moisturize day and night. As for before makeup I can tell you what I do, that is use my primer Heir Atelier which I created to be skincare and primer in one so it goes on a clean face and then you apply makeup. It can be used on top of moisturizer if you already put one on earlier too. Otherwise I would say moisturize if you feel your face is dry. Makeup will not go on evenly if you have dry patches on the face.

  9. Helga says:

    I am about to turn 50. Are there any tips you have for using makeup for women my age?

    1. What a great question Helga, I will share what the beautiful women I work with who are in that age range do. They focus on great skincare so that their skin looks amazing. As for makeup advice I will tell you that going lighter on the powder is a good idea as well as any foundation you use should be lighter in weight otherwise it settles into the lines on the face. Apply cheek color higher up on the cheeks so that the overall look is uplifting and do not contour if you did. As we age our faces begin to get more hollowed out so contour only accentuates that and it can look aging. Honestly your question is it’s own post really. Another suggestion is to look at a woman who is similar in age and study what her makeup looks like. You can really get some great inspiration that way too. Does that help? It really is a great question but also difficult to answer in this format… it needs it’s own post. Something for me to think about doing in the future.

  10. Madeline says:

    When I fill in my brows, how can I make them look natural, like there are real brow hairs? Do you use a particular kind of brush or product?

    1. Hi Madeline
      My favorite brow line is Brett Freedman Beauty here is the website: http://brettfreedman.com/
      He is a celebrity makeup artist and has a genius line that has all you need for brows. His brow brush is a must have in my kit at all times (I have 3 always actually- 1 isnt enough) . To create the look of real hairs you have to do detail work not just drawing them on in one or two strokes. You can do it with a pencil that you use following the hair grown and use quick short strokes to create the look of hairs. It may take a little practice too, so keep at it. Also another big brow tip, use a shade that is just slightly lighter than you think you need because it tends to look harsh when the color is too dark and I find that on the brow a lighter color blends into your brow color and looks most natural.

  11. Shanna says:

    Awesome tips! What do you suggest for extremely oily skin?

    1. Thank you Shanna. If you have very oily skin and you want to know about makeup for it I would suggest starting with oil control lotion and use makeup specifically designed for oily skin. I don’t know if I fully understand your question to be able to answer it properly. Hope that this helps.

  12. Kathleen Richardson says:

    What do you recommend for enlarged pores? I have tried everything and nothing seems to work.

    1. If you are bothered by large pores my suggestion is to start with skincare that addresses your skin type first – because skin is the canvas for makeup. If you feel like you could use a little professional help see a dermatologist to get a better understanding of your skin and the options you have to address enlarged pores. And as for makeup if you want to fill them in use a silicone primer that diminishes the look of them.

  13. Amanda says:

    Thanks for sharing great tips. Suggestions on a lip scrub?

    1. Hi Amanda, Sarah Happ makes a great lip scrub. It’s avail thru Nordstrom I know and they have their own website too. Thanks for letting me know that you appreciate the tips!

  14. kelly mcgrew says:

    helpful tips to keep undereye eyeliner from running/smearing??

    1. Hi Kelly,
      Sure, to start with be sure that the under eye area is lightly powdered with a very lightweight powder so that you dont’ have excess oil on the skin, that will make your liner smear easier. Next try a waterproof liner – that should help. Generally those you have to blend well quickly after you apply it because they set quickly and wont budge.

  15. Veronica says:

    Looks like a great product to try.

  16. Adrianne B says:

    When I use any kind of blurring or pore reducing prep on my skin, I get little “pills’ of either product or dead skin when I try to blend it in (usually with my fingers). Any tips?

    1. You are using the typical silicone primer and that is why. I dont use them because of that exact thing… and created my own Heir Atelier that is skincare and primer in one so that I could prime with out that problem.

  17. kathy dalton says:

    Hi, do you have any suggestions for combination skin due to enopause

    1. Sorry I dont understand the question. Makeup tips or skincare tips?

  18. LaTanya says:

    I love that plum colored lipstick. It makes me want to try it. I usually stick with pinks and burgundy type lip gloss or lip stick.

    1. Thats the great thing about lipstick.. it’s easy to try something new!

  19. leeann boggs says:

    I moisturize after I wash my face and before I put my foundation on, but I am still not getting a smooth finish and little flakes around my nose stick out like a sore thumb. This only happens with liquid foundation. Are there any tips to prevent that from happening so that I am not stuck only using powder foundation?

    1. Hi Leeann

      Are you exfoliating your skin regularly? That should help with flakes. Maybe you might add a night cream to your evening routine to help with moisture as well. Also are you using a primer? that might help. Liquid foundation is really the only kind that I use so I can’t speak about powder foundation… I find them to be very unforgiving if you are older than 12 and don’t have perfect skin.
      Make sure that you are using a moisturizer that is right for your skin and if you want to change the surface of your skin a silicone primer might do that. I dont use them myself but people do like them. I created my own primer that is skincare and primer combined, it goes on a clean face before makeup and that is what I use on everyone who sits in my chair.

  20. esme says:

    Thank you! I am trying to get a better understanding of make-up and how to make it last. I will definitely need to invest in some great primer.

  21. lissa crane says:

    Is there any thing I can do to erase my “crows feet” or is it easier to just cover them?

    1. Crows feet dont cover and honestly the less makeup and powder you use the better. Keep the area hydrated so it plumps up the skin and lessens the look of the lines. You can also consider Botox… does wonders for crows feet when applied by a skilled technician.

  22. claire says:

    whats the best anti-aging ingredient?

    1. Retinol is probably considered the gold standard

  23. Mandy Kauffman says:

    I really enjoyed the advice on how to give the best face when getting your picture taken! Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂

    1. Thanks for letting me know Mandy! Happy Holidays!

  24. Angela Saver says:

    I have large pores on my nose. What tips can you give me to minimize the appearance of large pores? Thanks for the help!

  25. Kendra, what are your tips for the perfect “smokey eyes” that are not too dark for fair skinned women?

    1. Hi Madalyn
      Use lighter colors, blend well. You can always add darkness if you want but stay with a color palette that you like and blend well. You could use taupes, lighter browns and bronze colors or greys and see what you think.

  26. Leela says:

    I would love to give this a try.

    1. I would love that too Leela

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