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MYD Loves Senior Portraits!

Senior portraits are a great opportunity to get photos that you can give to your friends before graduation, and that you can keep forever. Senior portraits are also a great time to have your hair and makeup done professionally to ensure that you look flawless in photos. 
At Makeup for Your Day, we partner with photographers to ensure a natural and polished look that captures the unique personality of each senior. 
There was an awesome and incredibly talented team working with Samantha Jayne for her senior portraits. Makeup for Your Day’s talented artist and stylist Kristin worked with Samantha Jayne to give her the beautiful and natural look that she wanted. Stephanie Spencer was there to capture her personality throughout the day for the beautiful photos that you see below. 
Not only is it a fun experience to be pampered and look and feel great infront of the camera, but it is also so rewarding to have beautiful and timeless photos that you will enjoy forever!

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Fun Summer Sets and Palettes!

In the fall, and at Christmas we shared some great palettes to get as gifts, to ask for as gifts.

Laura Mercier has released Secrets of Radiance Volume 5 which we think is a great collection for the summer. This set includes their best-selling illuminating foundation primer that makes skin look radiant.  There is also a Caviar Stick in a pink shimmery color to brighten the eyes and a Lip Glace in a sheer pink that has the perfect glossy finish. This set also includes a beautiful blush and highlight compact to complete the look. 

The Smashbox HEAT collection includes 4 trendy summer shades that are to die for! We love the super savvy and trend-setting colors that have great pigment and high-shine gloss all-in-one.

We LOVE these NARS nail duos. There are 4 different combos, but we love this banana and lilac duo. These are great sets to have for summer. You can use one on your hands and another on your feet, or you can mix and match. 

This is such a perfect palette for summer and here’s why – it’s waterproof! You read right, these powders are waterproof. Tarte is known for its Amazonian Clay-infused products which are great for the skin. This palette includes Amazonian clay and features 6 new eyeshadows, a bronzer, a highlighter and a limited edition blush.  We love the colors, and the case is so cute! 
Benefit’s cheek tints and highlights are great to have, especially for summer time. These are perfect to pop into a purse or a beach bag. These liquid colors and highlights work great in the summer as a subtle  pick-me-up that is versatile enough to use on the lips, cheeks and even the eyes!

In our Reader Request Series we talked all about our love for OCC as a vegan line. We think that this mini set is adorable. It comes in a variety of its most popular colors, but we love this nude set for summer. This set comes with OCC’s best-selling lip tar and also a nail laquer. 

*All products available at Sephora

Do you want to try any palettes this summer? What summer products do you love? Let us know via Twitter, Facebook or the comments box below!

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MYD Answers a Reader Question: Product Recommendations for Dull Skin

At MYD we love our clients and our readers. Our Reader Request Series was really popular and we really enjoyed sharing some tips, tricks and our expertise with everyone. We wanted to remind everyone that you can ask us questions at any time.

Neera asks:

“I am looking for a moisturizer that makes my skin glow and a serum that targets dark spots. My skin feels dull post-pregnancy. Do you have any suggestions?”

Our top two suggestions are from Clarins and Eminence.

Clarins Brightening Serum and Brightening Moisturizer evens and brightens dull skin. Sea lily extract helps to correct dark spots and pigmentation. Over time darkness fades and reveals luminous skin. All of the products in Clarins’ brightening and pigmentation line work great, but we highly suggest trying samples before committing to a full-size bottle. 

Eminence has a great new line of brightening products. They are the very first organic line that offers products that can achieve comprable results to hydroquinone cream. We love this organic line, their products do not contain parabens, sulfates, synthetics dyes petrochemicals or animal byproducts. You can order these products online or in spas that carry Eminence products.

Do you have questions? Ask in the comments bow below, or via Twitter or Facebook!

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5 Amazing Makeup Box Subscriptions

Are you a product junkie? Do you have lots of things on your wish list? Then you should look into signing up for a makeup box subscription. There are a variety of companies that offer these subscriptions and each one is unique.

1. Birchbox offers a wide variety of brands (no seriously, click that link. It will feel like you’re scrolling for days!) for $10 a month. They claim to have hand-picked only the best brands that include niche brands, long time favorites, clinical skin care lines and makeup artist approved cosmetics.

2. Ipsy offers a free membership. When you sign up you take a comprehensive (and fun) quiz about your makeup likes and dislikes, the brands you love, your skin and hair issues and your overall comfort with makeup and your willingness to try new looks. Once you complete the quiz you can sign up for their glam bags for $10 a month. Their bags contain 4-5 products in a collectable makeup bag each month.

3. What is unique about BeautyArmy is that you can hand-pick which 6 samples you would like to have sent to you. Another unique thing about this subscription is that you can skip a month anytime that you like. The cost is slightly higher at $12 a month, but the fact that you can skip months to use up last month’s samples are a bonus. Handpicking your own samples is also fun!

4. Beauty Fix is also different from Birchbox and Ipsy. Like Beauty Army you will first answer questions to create a profile. Based on your beauty profile, panellists will hand-pick a wide variety of products that you will like. From there, you choose your 8 favorite and purchase them for $49.99. That seems steep compared to the other $10 a month deals, but that price is regardless of what products and brands you snatch that can be worth that price on their own.

5. Glossy Box follows the Ipsy and Birchbox method of sending samples monthly. It is more expensive at $21 a month and offers a wide variety of brands. First you choose your “plan”, whether you like eco-friendly products or you prefer a chic, modern look, Glossy Box will send you products that will suit your preferences based off that plan.

Have you ever tried one of these? Would you consider it? This is a great way to try new things and find new products that work for you!

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3 Ponytails that you should Try this Season!

Warmer weather provides a great opportunity to experiment with a variety of cute updos. Why not go back to the basics with a ponytail? There are so many great ways to dress up, dress down and make a ponytail unique. 
We love the teased pony. This is a very feminine, yet sexy take on the ponytail. It can be chic and adds a little oomph to a standard ponytail. This is a great polished look for work or a night out with the girls. 

The wrap around ponytail can be done in a variety of ways. It can be twisted, braided or just wrapped normally. This is a great way to take a ponytail to the next level without doing a whole lot. Ponytails can be viewed as a “lazy” hairstyle. We don’t think so – especially if you try a wrap around!

We love the laid-back look of the loose, undone side ponytail. They can be worn tighter and neater, but for a weekend look, we love the piecey, loose, textured look. This is also a great look for the beach, picnics or any other summery outdoor activities. 

What are your go-to summer hairstyles – we would love to know!

Today is the last day to submit questions for our Reader Request Series that starts next week! We have got some great questions and we can’t wait to share the answers with you. It isn’t too late to submit your hair, makeup, styling or how-to question. Just leave it in the comments box below!

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The Perfect at-Home Pedicure – Just in time for Sandal Season!

Every year when the weather gets nice and warm there is that moment when you reach for your sandals and realize that they are not ready to greet the public. Winter toes warrant neglect as you spend many months in socks and closed-toe shoes. 

We want to kick-off sandal season with some easy steps to get that perfect and amazing spa-like pedicure in your own home!
1. Buff your feet while they are dry with a foot file to exfoliate the dead skin. Focus on the heels, the sides of the toes and other places that tend to get flakey.
2. Fill a bowl with warm water and soak your feet for 10 minutes. 
          Added bonus: Add marbles to the bottom and roll your feet over them while they soak           for a massage.
          Double bonus: Add an oil (olive, coconut, jojoba) to the water for extra moisture!
3. Once your feet are finished soaking, massage them to rub out any remaining dead skin cells. 
          Added bonus: Use an exfoliating scrub to help with this. Don’t have one? Mix brown sugar with white sugar and olive oil to make a quite DIY exfoliating foot scrub!
4. Gently push your cuticles back. If you do not have the proper tool, when your feet are still damp from the soap, gently massage the cuticle downward. 
5. Cut and file your nails. 
6. Use a rich, moisturizing lotion and massage it into your feet. 
7. Paint your nails! Whether you’re a one-coater, a base and top coater, a clear polish or full blown nail artist – paint your nails so they are sandal ready.
Let us know what colors your will be debuting on your toes this summer! Will you be experimenting with nail art? Keeping them clear? Neon all the way? Let us know via Twitter or Facebook!
We also want to say a big thank you to our awesome readers who have sent in questions for our Reader Request Series that starts next week. We have got some great questions and we can’t wait to share the answers with you! It isn’t too late to submit your hair, makeup, styling or how-to question. Just leave it in the comments box below!
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The New York Times features MYD’s Jen B!

Do you find cosmetic aisles, stores and counters confusing and overwhelming to navigate? Are you stuck in the same makeup routine that you have had for years? Cosmetic personal shoppers are becoming increasingly popular and have the ability to share their knowledge and years of expertise to help women choose the right items and improve their makeup routines. 
We are so excited to share that our very own Jen B was quoted in a New York Times article about personal shopping with women in need of new cosmetics. 
If you tend to spend money on the wrong products, or don’t use what you buy, this is a great option. With many years in the industry as an extremely talented makeup artist, and experience behind the counter at Nordstrom, Jen B is extremely knowledgeable about the products, brands and colors that will suit your needs. 
She and the MYD Team can walk you through a great everyday routine, and a nighttime look for dates and special occasions during one of our MYD Beauty Lessons. One of the main goals of the lesson is to ensure that you feel comfortable properly applying your new products and that they look great and suit your everyday needs. 
To read the full article about cosmetic personal shoppers that Jen B was featured in click here. 
To inquire about any of our services, click here.
Do you have a question about any products you have used, or would like to try? Don’t forget that our Reader Request Series will be starting next week. We already have some great questions, so keep them coming!

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MYD Shares some Pinterest Faves!

Today’s post is dedicated to some of our favorite hair pins on Pinterest. Pinterest is a great place to explore and find different hairstyles for your wedding. Here are some of our favorite pins.  
A very popular trend in wedding hairstyles is a twisted and pinned updo. These updos look incredible with embellished hair accessories. 

If you want a more laid-back look, we love these loose waves and this ombre hairstyle! This would look so stunning with an embellished hairpiece. 

Loose waves will always be a great option for a wedding hairstyle. To take it to the next level, consider pulling some pieces back into a twisted or braided crown. This gives your hair formal look while still maintaining the laid back look of wearing your hair in loose waves. 

We absolutely love this hairstyle. It is so unique and beautiful. This would be such an incredible wedding hairstyle. 

If you have straight bangs, this is a beautiful hairstyle. It is a great alternative to an updo, and looks so great with her veil and her earrings. 

We love braids. They give a unique look and texture to a loose hairstyle worn down, and they also look great in an updo.
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We love this loose, undone look with the viel. It is such a feminine and romantic look. If you are drawn to this sort of hairstyle, be sure to talk to your stylist about staying power, you want to ensure that your hair looks fabulous the whole night. 

The word updo means that your hair is pulled up away from your face and your neck, but we also love when hair is pulled low on the back of the neck. 

If you don’t yet follow us, or if you would like to see more of our pins, see our Pinterest boards here.

Do you have any questions about what products or tools to use to style your hair? How to keep it healthy? Let us know in the comments box below to be featured in our Reader Request Series.

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MYD presents Home Remedies to the Rescue

We love when we find common household items that can provide quick-fixes, or intermittent and ongoing remedies for a variety of beauty issues. We wanted to share some of our favorite home remedies with you in a series of posts that we will put up at the beginning of each month. Here are some of our April favorites!

For pimples a great home remedy is toothpaste. If you find Benzoyl Peroxide to be hard and drying on breakouts, or if you are using that too frequently as an overnight remedy, try toothpaste one night instead. Toothpaste helps absorb the oil and will shrink the pimple over night.

In the morning, wash your face and dab some Visine on your pimple. Visine reduces redness in eyes by shrinking blood vessels, and the same will apply to your pimple. Although it won’t last all day, dabbing some Visine on your pimple will help reduce redness for a few hours.

It seems like common knowledge that tea bags in cold water can help with puffy eyes. If you use caffeinated tea, the caffeine will shrink blood vessels which will help reduce swelling and redness. The cold temperature with also soothe and de-puff eyes. Tip: Avoid using Earl Grey tea. The oil of bergamot in this tea may cause an irritation for people with sensitive skin.

To get rid of product build up in your hair, rinse it with apple cider vinegar. ACV will also give you soft and shiny hair by sealing the hair cuticle (this is why you should not use shampoo or conditioner afterwards, instead just rinse the ACV out with cold water). And added bonus is that ACV is a natural dandruff remedy!

For dry and cracked cuticles try soaking your fingertips in warm water. Then massage olive oil on them. This will help seal in moisture, plus prevent your cuticles from becoming dry because of cold weather, hand washing and just everyday wear and tear.

Do you have a beauty question? You have the opportunity to ask whatever you want and we will ask our talented team of artists and stylists. They will answer your questions in our Reader Request series – read more about that here! And don’t forget to submit your answers in the comments box below, or via Twitter or Facebook.

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Ask the Experts with MYD’s Reader Request Series

At Makeup for Your Day we love everything hair and makeup, and we want to share what we know with you. We have a large team of talented artists and stylists with many years of experience. Our team has used a plethora of products, encountered many beauty blunders (and overcame them) and have picked up some industry secrets along the way!
As we gear up for wedding season to begin in May, we are going to dedicate the last week of April to posts that you want to read. Let us know product reviews, techniques, or tips and tricks that you want to know. Whether it is about makeup brushes, lip color, great hairsprays, our top recommendations for hair styling tools, what is in our bags – anything! 
We will collect any responses that we receive (from now until April 19) on Twitter, Facebook and the Comments box below and start crafting a week’s worth of responses that you request. 

We are extremely excited for our very first Reader Request Series! Be sure to let us know any beauty qualms or questions that you have and our amazing and knowledgable staff of artists and stylists can answer them for you.

We can’t wait to hear from you!