From Gabbana to CHANEL and from Van Furstenberg to Dior, runway shows and fashion shoots have come to showcase the latest trends in fashion and beauty this Spring-Summer season!

Here are some of the best hair and makeup style trends that made the biggest impact and would be the ones to have for this Spring-Summer 2015.

As a rule of thumb, keep it light, natural and carefree.

In this season less is more!

THE BEST HAIRSTYLES FOR THE 2015 SEASSON

Boho Waves
This simple girl-next-door hairdo is once again in trend this spring summer of 2015 with its effortless but chic tousled with soft curls hair that look effortlessly perfect.

Bombshell Blowout
This sultry hairdo with sleek, stylish, and big curls almost never goes out of style. A look preferred by celebrities and a hairstyle that men love in their women.

Out-of-the-Water
Wet and creative just came out-of-the-water hair look is sported by models on the runways this season. Brushed all the way up or parted in the middle; gelled or splashed with water, the hair is achieved by exhibiting a slick and shiny look.

Big Buns
Long hair all pulled back into a big bun for a neat, polished, and classic look.

Long Ponytail
This is probably one of the most hassle free ways to do your hair. Yes, done in a matter of 3 seconds! Lazy but trendy this spring.

Braid and Twists and Mixed Materials
From a simple braid to an expertly made complicated twist of braided hair integrated into different hairstyles, braids and twists are definitely IN this season!
Any hairstyle adorned with any type of accessories or even flowers caught the eyes of the fashion getters this season from flowers, gems, barrettes and clips. Anything goes.

THE BEST MAKEUP LOOKS FOR THE 2015 SEASSON

When it comes to Makeup, these looks are IN!

FOR THE EYES
Eyes well outlined by black liquid eyeliner – ranging from a well defined simple and clean to a slightly flicked eye liner application.
Instead of the usual eye makeup, satin stickers, strips of leather, and even bright colored lipsticks were used to emphasize the eyes for a pop art eye makeup look. Baby blue to highlight the eyes never looked so better before this season.

FOR THE LIPS

Any bright well applied lip color for flaming high impact lips works this season. Shades of brown or a shade of purple for eye makeup for the not-so-daring girls is definitely IN!

FOR THE SKIN

Bronzed and sun-kissed skin gave the after effect feel of a well spent island vacation. One of my favorite bronzers is Nars Bronzing Illuminator in Laguna.

AND LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST, THE MAKEUP “NO MAKE” UP LOOK.

Hair and makeup trends come and go, but there’s nothing more beautiful than natural glowing skin!

Yes you could play with a bright lip color and even a dramatic smoky eye latter on the day but make sure you balance your makeup look with a natural beautiful skin.

With the use of pinky nude make up and lipstick, the trendy no makeup look is achieved. Also cream color cosmetic are wonderful to achieve this supernatural glowing makeup look.

The post Hair and Makeup Trends for Spring-Summer 2015 appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Hello everyone,

Recently I had the unique opportunity to work in The White House Correspondents’ Dinner on May 3, 2014 at the famous St. Regis Hotel. You may have read about the hilarious jokes made by Barack Obama and other highlights of the event, but rarely do we get a glimpse into the back stage world of these large scale events. I’m here to tell you it is a lot of work goes behind the hair and makeup of the attendees of dinners like this! I wanted to share with my readers the special details that go into working on event like the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. This blog will especially be interest to anyone who is interested in training to become professional Hair and Makeup Artists training in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore with me!

First off, to work on an event of this size there is no way I could have done all the work all by myself. For the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, I brought my personal “Dream Team” of 8 artists and 4 assistants. Together all 13 of us beautified 65 people with hair and makeup services. What is amazing is that we did this all in 5.5 hours! It was a lot of work for me and my Dream Team!

They demonstrated how much professional team work is required in settings like these. For events like this it is so important that each and every member of the team works together, and that no one take a member of the team for granted. This requires communication and organization from everyone including everyone from the manager of the team to the assistants! Another trick thing about these events is working with celebrities. For a new artists it could be extremely exciting and nerve wracking to work with famous celebrities! And to give you a little of my take on it I wrote an article about all the rules one must follow in order to work with celebrities as a hair and makeup artist.
 
Some highlights of the event were working with Madeleine Stowe an American actress who played in films such as The Last of the Mohicans, 12 Monkey’s and The General’s Daughter. We also worked with Olivia Munn an American actress who recently played in Iron Man 2. As usual it was a pleasure and a privilege to work up close and personal with some familiar faces from the silver screen. In the end though, the most important rule of working with celebrities is to treat them like real people and always respect their time and privacy.
The other very important aspect of events like these is paying very close attention to details. Closely planning and scheduling how each makeup and hair artist will work to get through the event before the actual day of the event is imperative. Paying close attention of the scheduled  hair and makeup time of each and every client, so  getting perfect results on the first attempt is not only important but totally required. Even tiny details like perfectly sanitizing and organizing all of the equipment between clients is a MUST. These types of deals require hair and makeup artists to be absolutely “ON” for the entirety of the event. It is a very tiring experience, but the rewards of working on such an event are not for everybody and definitely worth it.

Lastly, the most important thing during events like these is to keep a positive and charming attitude towards clients through out the whole event. The goal of the hair and makeup industry is not just to make clients look good, but you want to make them feel good about how they look as well. It is very important when you are working really hard at events like this to keep a positive, professional and up-beat attitude without seeming too stressed! If you seem sad, stressed or unfriendly, that negative vibe is going to affect not only your clients but your team as well.

In the end, as I said earlier, I couldn’t have done it without “My Dream Team”! I wanted to take a second to thank each and every one of my artists and assistants for working so hard to make everyone just look stunning. I can’t wait for next year to do it all over again!

Events like this may be challenging, but the experience is absolutely one that I know I love! If you would like to work on events like this consider taking my Hair Stylists and Makeup Artists training courses, so that you can take your hair and make up career to the next level!

The post Beauty at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 2014! appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Hello everyone!

A few weeks ago I made a Special Guest Artist’s appearance at the Paul Mitchell’s Academy in Tyson’s Corner, VA. To close this presentation, I preformed a Runway Mohawk hairstyle, but my favorite part was offering some professional advice to the students at the Paul Mitchell’s Academy.

It was so wonderful to share some of my knowledge with future hair stylist and makeup artists! Being in the beauty industry can be a challenge to newcomers, so I give them a brief story of how my career has developed. Personally I believe in ‘paying it forward’ and nothing makes me happier than extending a helping hand to someone in need. Talking to new students was a great chance to share my knowledge to the right people. Here are some of the points that I shared with the student at Paul Mitchell’s Academy.

1. Always focus on Beauty

My cardinal rule is to always focus on beauty, and not in what is “ugly”. No exceptions! When we get caught up on focusing on trying to fix the negative, we often forget to emphasize what is beautiful. In other words always look towards building beauty up, not covering something up. When you do this you highlight the inner beauty of the person, and that is what being in the beauty industry is all about!

2. Bring Good Energy

“Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space.” – Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor.

At one time or another, we all experience good and bad energy, and quickly learn and value the difference.  Remember, “Energy never leaves its source”. Whether you are working for runway models or at a hair salon, “there is no space for negativity in what it’s meant to be a creative space”. If you are grumpy and negative, you are going to work against creative energy. Only when you are positive will you build happiness, creativity and beauty into your clients, your co-workers and your work.

By helping everyone around you feel better about themselves, your work will be more pleasurable. Make sure that before you go to work, you check any negativity at the door! Remember you aren’t just here to apply makeup and do hair; you are here to help clients build a positive attitude, you are here to build, to create and to share beauty. It turns out then when a client is happy, they are also happier about the results of your work! And your co-workers want to have you around due to your positive energy.

3. Always Build on Your Beauty Education 

The more you know the more you grow in the beauty field. To keep up with the latest styles, trends and techniques it is imperative to continue your education. A beauty license is just that a license to work, but if you want to excel at what you do you will need to build and polish your craft. By the way, I offer private classes for Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Training in Washington, DC for those interested in entering the fashion, bridal or video-film fields or continuing their education!

4. Be Open to Working in Numerous Fields

Beauty doesn’t just stop and end at the beauty or hair salon. Dream big when it comes to pursuing your career in beauty, there are endless possibilities to extend your talent and creativity if you are willing to apply yourself. Look to work in television, video-film, photo-shoots, advertisements, weddings, fashion and entertainment. If you never look and work hard though, work will not just fall into your lap! If you do not know how to break into these industries, take a Hair Stylists Training and/or Makeup Artists Training with me. I could give you the help and training you will need to do just that, break into these difficult and much competitive industries.

5. Work as an Assistant

Working as an hair and/or makeup artist’s assistant unlocks years of experience to you, and sometimes you even get paid to be an assistant! View as working as an assistant not as a step down, but as an internship that will give you the knowledge and experience to help you create a solid professional foundation to perform better in your future career. Make sure that you keep your eyes open to always learn new things. Take notes and pay attention, so you can remember the experience you got from the unique opportunity to work as an assistant to a well experienced and reputable artists!

Conclusion

You’ll notice that there is a binding denominator in all 5 of these pro beauty tips, that is: “Positivity”!!! You’ll be surprised how far a little positivity, good energy and hard work can take you to achieving your dreams. We are so lucky to be in the beauty field, because we get the privilege of making others feel happier about themselves. In my opinion, that is definitely a gift worth giving!

“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” -Mahatma Gandhi.

The post 5 Pro Tips for Prospective Beauty Professionals! appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Hello Everyone!

 
Recently, I was fortunate enough to work with the famous ‘Supernanny’ Jo Frost! I had a great time working on her hair and makeup before she appeared on television and at book signing at Barnes and Nobel in Bethesda, MD. Even though I’ve worked with many celebrities over the years, I still get very excited about the prospect of working with these very special clients! Jo Frost was such a great client to work for, and I wish her the best of luck!

Me and Jo Frost had such great chemistry, and I hope to work with her again! She is promoting her 7^th book Jo Frost’s Toddler Rules. A book focused on tantrums, sleeping issues, eating habits, early childhood development and all those other things that come with having a toddler! Her kind and strong personality definitely comes out in person, just like it does when she is on television helping families all over the world come closer together.

I was so happy that Frost loved the job I did on her hair and makeup! She commented to me how it can be difficult to get her hair styling done right by makeup artists. Well of course it is! I let her know that there is a huge difference between hair stylists and makeup artists. They are completely different professions after all. That is why I offer separate makeup artist and Hair Stylist Training in Washington DC, because they are two completely different fields. It is rare to find a professional who is proficient and licensed in both hair and makeup.

Over the years, been so fortunate to work with many models and celebrities thanks to my career in hair and makeup. It amazes me no matter how famous the individual, how much they are just like you and me. For example, Jo Frost was so normal and nice, and I was just glad to make friends with yet another client. If I hadn’t known she was a celebrity, I would have never guessed!

When I met Frost in Bethesda to do her makeup and hair, I made sure to treat her just like any other client. I was on time to our appointment. I allowed her to focus and meditate on her performance by not talking her ear off while I did her hair and makeup. I answered any questions or requests she had. I made sure to act at ease and friendly with her, so she didn’t think I was nervous about being around a celebrity! Although to be honest I do still get a little bit jittery and excited when working with a new celebrity, because it is just so fun to work with someone famous. Don’t tell anyone my secret though!

Perhaps you would also one day like to work with models and celebrities. If you have the drive, ambition and motivation perhaps you should consider makeup artist training Hair Stylist Training in Washington DC with me! I can give you all the necessary hair stylist and makeup artists training you need to make it as a professional makeup artist or hair stylist. With enough determination you could be on your way to a new career in beauty in no time.

The post Working with ‘Supernanny’ Jo Frost! appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Anyone who is a hair fanatic knows that the “Ferrari” of hairbrushes is the much desirable BN1 Popular by Mason Pearson, right?

Sadly, most of us also know that this coveted ‘diva hair brush’ comes with a high price tag of $205.00 at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Personally, I have owned a “Mason Pearson” brush since I can remember. I got my first “Mason Brush” about 16 years ago and lost it in an airplane. My second brush, which I use almost every day, has been with me for about 11 years and counting! Still looks wonderful and I use it almost every day.

Recently, I bumped into a very similar hairbrush under the name of ‘Beautique’ at our very own Sally’s Beauty Supply. Of course, it was not a “Mason Pearson”, though I could have sworn it was the same brush, under a different brand name and a much different price tag. Bough it, bought it home and after doing a close comparison between the two, this is what I found:

Similarities:

Both brushes have almost the same size, shape, proportions, and color palette.

They weigh almost the same, and have very similar type of bristles. For all these reasons the “feel” on your hand it’s very similar.

Differences:

The “Beautique” brush bristles and rubber cushion are a little stiffer, not as soft and flexible as on the “Mason Pearson.”

On the “Beautique” brush there is no drainage escape orifice, contrary to the BN1. This lack of drainage could result in humidity buildup within the brush upon cleaning, creating the risk of bacteria buildup inside it.

The “Beautique” brush does not come with the rectangular cleaning brush that accompanies the “Mason Pearson”.

Finally, the big difference is in the cost, with the “Beautique” brush featuring a smashing price tag of $9.99 USD!

Conclusion:

Needless to say, I love my “Mason Pearson” but, the “Beautique” brush could be a wonderful “second option” as long as we keep close attention with the bacteria buildup and this (if any) it’s handled properly. And of course… If you have a tougher scalp!

Now we just need to see if this our “second option” it will last 11+ years grooming our beautiful manes and looking as great as my Diva “Mason Pearson” hair brush still does!

Oops… I almost forgot!

Don’t forget the little ‘Mini-Me’ Pearson available at Sephora. Yes, once again, it is not a Mason Pearson but it is cute!

The post Is this a Mason Pearson Twin? appeared first on Audrey Bethards..

Many women would leave makeup applications and skin care out of their daily routine, but could never pass up a good quality hair product.

With an annual worldwide hair care sales of 54 billion dollars and 7 billion in the US alone, it’s a fact!

And the reasons are many, our hair is dry or oily, damaged and dull, lifeless and heavy so we keep on buying and buying all types of hair products without achieving our much desired results.

“Problem”

Our hair works like a ‘sponge’ and good products are unable to penetrate into the hair shaft due to built-up residues from previous used products. Believe it or not, regular shampoos are not formulated to strip hair of this gunky buildup residues. In fact, most regular shampoos will try to deliver more product into the hair!

“Solution”

We would need to have a fresh start.

We would need to strip, clean and detox our hair from all of these built-up residues.
Yes, it is time for a “Hair Detox”!

My Professional “Audrey’s advice”

There are many cleansing/stripping shampoos that will do the trick.

But there is a Non-Drying Deep Cleanser Clarifying Hair Shampoo which I really, really love!

It is called “L’anza KB2 Daily Clarifying Shampoo”.

It is powerful but yet delicate with your hair, leaving it perfectly clean and free of product build-up. Used properly, it will do miracles to oily hair and wonders to dull, lifeless and heavy hair, allowing it to breathe and fully absorb much needed nurturing hair products.

“Do you color?”

If you color your hair you would need to use this Clarifying Shampoo before you color.

“Warning”

The proper use of this shampoo may lead to love your hair more than usual.

The post Is it time for a “Hair Detox”? appeared first on Audrey Bethards..