...A few of my favorite things...

I have been getting a large amount of requests for us to "blog" (I still loathe that word) about how to create an amazing skin care routine, however, I have decided that I am going to leave that up to Lauren considering she is the alpha and omega of skincare. She's been out of town, but she should be back to "blogging" with in the next few days.

I often get asked about what my favorite products are so I'm going to go through and tell you about a few of my favorite things.

1) Arbonne's complete RE9 collection, They have an amazing eye cream (with a skin lightener in it so it actually helps reduce those nasty under eye circles that we all HATE!), daily lotion, cleanser, and (my personal favorite) a pineapple enzyme peel that you wear over night. I swear by this stuff. You wake up, and overnight you have shed all of that nasty skin and dead cells (like a snake!) and you have a fresh new face.

2) Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. This little piece of heaven works unbelievable wonders. Ok Ok Ok... so it looks like you slapped tar on your face, however once you see how squeaky clean this leaves your pores, you won't mind in the least.

3) MAC creme sheen lipsticks. AGHH! I love these. They have an amazing color payoff, they feel like silk on your lips, and they have a tiny gloss finish so all you need to do is swipe one on and you are good to go. I seriously own every single color. (I actually have duplicates of some of them!) Some of my favorites are Ravishing, (a beautiful peach color with Creme Sherry lip liner) Modesty, (a perfect day to day natural color for any skin tone. I love to use MACs Cream O Spice lip liner with it.) Brave Red (A true red) Speak Louder (A darker rose pink paired with Pink Treat lip liner) and Dare You (A dark crimson red) AGHHH! I love them all, but those are just a few. Please invest in one. You will be obsessed. I promise.

4) Arbonne's Revelage Concentrated Age Spot Minimizer. I could bathe in this daily. It feels incredible on your skin. I was very skeptical about Arbonne products considering I am not the biggest fan of Mary Kay and Avon which are sold through distributors like Arbonne is. However, once I tried this stuff, I was HOOKED! This silky lotion totally eliminated 75% of the freckles on my face. It is just amazing. I can not say enough good things about it.

5) Clinique's Full Potential lips Plump and Shine Lip gloss. Every time I use this, I get commented on how full my lips look. I have no idea what is in it, or what makes it work (it has ZERO sting or tingly feeling) but it works. And it comes in beautiful shades. I am a huge fan of the colors Extra Apricot and Glamour-Full.

6) MAC's Fluid line gel eyeliner. I would die without this stuff. It is a water resistant gel eyeliner and comes in a cute little pot. Many people are a little frightened by it because you have to use a brush to apply it, however, it is SOOO easy. Don't be scared! I like to use MAC's #209 (a small pointed brush) and Lauren likes to use MAC's #266 (a small angled brush.) Either one is fine, it is all about preference. I actually think this is much easier to use than a liquid liner because there is more room for error. It glides right on and sets within a matter of seconds. AND it is water resistant so it isn't running down your face half way through the day. (we all know how sexy that is.) I like Blacktrack (a jet black) but it comes in every shade you can imagine from dark brown to bright purple.

7) As far as eyeshadow goes, MAC can do no wrong in my eyes. I have tried everything from Smashbox, to Cover Girl, to Benefit, to Chanel, to Bobbi Brown. I have tried them all, and NO ONE does it like MAC. They have SOOOO many colors and they glide on effortlessly. Everyone has different color preferences, however a few of my favorite daily shadows (all MAC) are Brule, Expensive Pink, Tete-a-tint, Soba, Honesty, Vanilla (the shadow AND the pigment) Dovefeather, Era, and Blackberry. I could go on forever, but those are a few shadows I wear on a day to day basis. (Not at the same time, obviously :)

8) Maybelline Has done it again! Forget Great Lash, it is ALL about Lash Stiletto mascara. This mascara has the perfect brush, it doesn't clump, run, and it is jet black which I love. Plus the packaging alone is enough to make you want to buy it. Its red and black and it is shaped like an actual stiletto. Who actually thought putting on mascara could make you feel sexy?

9)Be Maui Brown!!!!!! I can not even describe how wonderful this all natural tanning oil and skin conditioner is. It has 1,000 uses. You can use it in your hair and on your skin. It is 100% natural with a natural SPF in it as well. It smells absolutely wonderful and it is great for women and men. All I can say it try it. You will be totally hooked. It is not sold in stores, in fact, it is distributed here in Las Vegas by a spa owner and friend of ours. If you're interested in trying it, email us at LVStyleSirens@yahoo.com or you can pick one up at one of the 2 Maui Salon and Spa locations here in town. (http://www.mauisalonandspas.com/)

Like I said before, these are just A FEW of my faves. I could "blog":for hours, however I'm going to let you experiment with these few products. I will be sure to keep you posted when I find more amazing things!

Also, if you are interested in Arbonne, I sell the complete line so just email us if you are interested at LVStyleSirens@yahoo.com (I can also get samples of certain things.)

I hope everyone had a wonderful week and I will see you all tomorrow! TGIF!

xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens

Color Theory 101

Good morning everyone! Sorry we did not get a chance to post yesterday. Our Las Vegas based mobile beauty team ventured over to Henderson for the day to attend a few workshops. We are patiently awaiting the arrival of our brand new full flash website. (*Ally screams with excitement*) It should be up and running any day now. As soon as it is, I will let you all know so you can go view the project that Lauren and I have placed our blood, sweat, and tears into for the last three months. We have hand picked every color, movement, word, and space on this website and it is going to be AMAZING thanks to Heather and Joey at Posh Web Design. If you ever need a website, Heather is your girl! (http://www.poshwebdesign.com/)

Today, I would like to discuss color theory. If you are sitting there saying "Ummm, Ally, I have NO CLUE what that means!" Its okay! That is why I am here. To help you improve your knowledge of makeup products and skills.

Color theory is "a set of principles used to create harmonious color combinations." (Yes, that was, once again, pulled strait out of the dictionary.) What this all comes down to is the color wheel. If you have taken any sort of basic art class, I am sure you are familiar with it. The color wheel breaks down primary colors, secondary colors, complementary colors, shades and tints of different colors. (Shade and tint are what happen to a basic color when you add either black or white to them.) This is how we get beautiful colors such as olive green, light pink and maroon.

Now that I have shed a little bit of light on what color theory is, GO PURCHASE A COLOR WHEEL! You do not need anything special, just a tiny paper one (they are available at all arts and craft stores for around $1.00) This is a wonderful tool to have in your makeup collection to use as a reference point. I guarantee that if you ask any professional makeup artist, they will tell you they a) either keep one in their kit at all times or b) they have been doing makeup for so long that they have it completely memorized.

I bet you are probably saying "Why on earth do I need to know shades, and tints, and blah blah blah? I'm not a professional makeup artist."

It is simple actually. We have all at one point (Yes, even me) been guilty of matching our electric blue eyeshadow to our electric blue T-shirt. This is when a color wheel would have come in handy. Instead of matching your eyeshadow to your shirt, you should try using complimentary colors. For example, if you are wearing an amazing blue blouse, you should try using complimentary colors for your makeup which would include shades and tints of orange. (I love MACs Expensive pink, Brown Down, and Motif eye shadows.) To find a complimentary color, you simply look across the color wheel. Whatever color is on the other side is the complimenting color (and any shade or tint of that color would work just as well) If you were wearing a beautiful olive green eyeshadow, you might want to use a burgundy lipstick because red and green are complimentary colors. There are so many amazing color combinations that you would probably never think of if it weren't for a color wheel. Complimentary colors are just the beginning. You also have things like tertiary colors (which are colors that are formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color (Such as... blue-green and red-orange) and analogous colors which are three colors that are side by side on a color wheel (Such as... yellow-green, yellow, and yellow-orange) You can learn so much about color combinations and color theory by experimenting with a color wheel.

Painters use color wheels ALL THE TIME to help their paintings look aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Why would the color combinations of makeup on your face be any different? We all want to look harmonious, don't we?

I could go on for hours, however, I think I have said plenty for your first lesson on color theory. I hope this helps and if you guys have any questions, OR any topics you would like us to "blog" about for you, please email us at LVStyleSirens@yahoo.com. We love to hear feedback and what you guys would like us to discuss next!

xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens

PS Happy 3 year wedding anniversary to our very own Mrs. Lauren Gardiner and her husband Ethan. Hopefully, he can put up with you for at least 3 more :) JK. Love you.

Shimmer down ladies.

Today I would like to talk about something that can be extremely offensive to me. Shimmer. Come on ladies. I know you know what I am talking about. Shimmer eyeshadow. Shimmer blush. Shimmer foundation. Frosty lipstick. UGH!

I see this tragedy on a daily basis. Beautiful women who unfortunately overdose on shimmer. RIP.

When you are at a cosmetic store or counter, I have found that many times the employees there are commission based. In these rough economic times, that is a hard way to earn your paycheck. I firmly believe that they will tell you ANYTHING looks good on you just to get that sale. I have tested this theory several times.

I once walked into a store that carried nothing but cosmetics and applied the most hideous shade of purple lipstick that I could find. (Please note I also had zero makeup on besides the lipstick which made that stupid lipstick look much worse than it really was.) I then ventured out to find the nearest employee to ask their opinion of this particular shade knowing perfectly well how ridiculous I looked. (WAIT... keep reading. It gets better) Before I could even find an employee, a cute little blond employee hunted me down and told me that lipstick was an amazing color on me and I just HAD to get it for spring. Barf. I was in shock. Either she lied strait to my face (which I am hoping was the case) or she ACTUALLY thought this shade of lipstick looked good on me. Which brings me to my next point...

Uninformed employees.

It is one thing to lie to me to make a commission off of my sale, however it is a totally different story to be uninformed on trends, color theory, or the product line that you are representing. (Both are equally as disgusting.) Not to long ago, I walked up to a cosmetic counter to try and find a new foundation (I change my foundation more often than I change my underwear.) and was greeted by an adorable girl. She was friendly, and we had a wonderful little chat. I told her I needed a new foundation for summer and that I tend to get shiny due to the hell-like weather conditions here. She pulled out a cream foundation, slathered it on my cheek and said that was the one I should buy. I quickly told her I would think about it and scurried away. Had I not been a makeup artist, I probably would have bought it and called it a day, however, I know better than that. When I told her I get sweaty and shiny (Sexy...right?) in the summer, the LAST thing she should have tried to sell me was a cream foundation. All that is going to do is make me shine like the sun (not in a good way) and my foundation would be separation station 5 minutes after I walk out the door. Not to mention, it was about 3 shades to dark for my super fair complexion. What bums me out the most about this, is that she really thought this was the foundation for me. (*Ally starts to tear up*)

The point of these stories is, not every "beauty professional" you meet is really a professional. So please, do a little of your own research BEFORE you go cosmetic shopping so you will be properly informed. And by do a little research, I mean read our beauty "blog" on a daily basis or email us at LVStyleSirens@yahoo.com with any questions you might have.

As far as shimmer goes, I like to stick to these basic rules:

1) On a daily basis I think it is appropriate to stick to one (Yes, ONE) shimmery eyeshadow on your eye at a time. I like to put a light (almost flesh tone) shimmer underneath the brow bone, or a simple shimmery shade swept across the eyelid. A heavy hand never comes in handy when you are working with shimmer.

2) Unless you are a 15 year old girl with flawless skin, lets stay away from any type of shimmer in a foundation. Shimmer will make your pores look 5 times bigger than they actually are, and who really wants that?

3) If you MUST use a shimmery blush, keep it on the apple of the cheeks and use a matte to contour the rest. Or better yet, use a matte blush, and highlight your upper cheekbone with a soft shimmer highlight powder. BEAUTY!!!!!

4) Frosty lipstick...oh man. There are a few frosty colors that are just beautiful (MAC'S Bombshell and Wild 'Bout You to name a few) However, frosty lipsticks must be applied correctly. To apply them correctly, always use a corresponding lip liner and DO NOT over draw your lips. The frost brings unnecessary attention to the fact that you overdrew your lips. That is never good.

5) Please remember that shimmer means to "gleam faintly" (yes I actually looked up the definition in the dictionary.) It does not mean "big chunks of confetti glitter that I would find all over my floor after my son's first birthday party." Please keep this in mind. Chunky glitter is for 3 people. Stage performers. People stuck in 1987. And hookers. If you do not fall in one of those categories, please refrain from wearing it. This includes gunky gel glitter eyeliners, loose glitter of any sort (unless it is one of the reflects glitters from MAC which are beautiful and totally acceptable if used properly.) glitter mascara, and especially glitter lotion. It was cool when we were in 4th grade, however, I don't think your clients would be all that impressed if you showed up with glitter in your cleavage. Or maybe they would. Guess it depends on what kind of profession you are in, and what kind of people you want to attract. Regardless, you get my point.

If you stick to these simple rules about shimmer, I can guarantee you will look and feel so much younger! People will notice a difference. I know it can be scary to jump out of your comfort zone, but give it a whirl. Matte is never a scary thing, and it looks beautiful on everyone.

Although a tiny bit of shimmer can make you look youthful and refreshed, just remember too much shimmer can age you 50 years. Seriously.

xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens

Perfecting Blonde

Being a blonde is not an easy task. It takes a TON of work to find the perfect shade and then maintaining it is pretty close to a full time job. This is no hobby and it is not for the feint of heart. Okay maybe it's not that serious, but I'm biased. My preferred shade of blonde is like arctic ice where Ally's is a delicious shade of golden honey. Both require very specific care that I would like to share with all of you. If you aren't a blonde that's okay because you will be eventually. Until then many of these tips and tricks will help even the darkest of distressed locks.

Let's begin with the bleaching process. Most likely your hairdresser uses between a 20 volume and 40 volume lift on you. Depending on how light you want your hair and how much pain you can stand. Forty volume is like the heat from a thousand burning suns. However beauty is pain so if you want amazing shimmery blonde hair you will suck it up or do what I do and have your hairdresser put a couple packets of sweet n low in the bleach. This is the single most amazing discovery in bleach processing. It removes ALL of the burning sensation!!

Next is your toner. There are a million and one types of toners in all different shades. Guaranteed though you aren't using one! Do not walk out of the salon without toning your newly bleached hair. This is what gives you your specific shade of blonde. Obviously I'm not going to share mine with you. Find your own!

The secret to keeping bleached blonde hair healthy is literally down the street at your grocery store. I prefer Whole Foods, but understandably you may not have one of these fantastic organic grocers near you so do the best you can. What you're looking for is coconut oil. That's right. Stop messing around with mayonnaise and eggs and whatever else you just read in a magazine. Coconut oil is where it's at!! It comes in a solid and melts in your hand. Apply it to your whole head and then leave it in there for at least a day. Pull your hair into a beautiful chignon and let it sit. Don't even think about wearing a rag on your head. Gross! If you have to cover your hair it needs to be with a silk scarf. This will keep your hair healthy and shiny and it helps your hair grow!

In order to maintain your color you will need to invest in a purple shampoo to keep out the brassiness. I have tried every purple shampoo on the market and there is only one that I would recommend. Paul Mitchell's Platinum Blonde color care shampoo. No need to mix this with regular shampoo because it won't turn your hair purple. Use it in good health and great hair!!

Love

Lauren Gardiner

COO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens

Welcome to our "Blog"

Blonde Bombshell. Blondes have more fun. Diamonds are a girls best friend. (ok... not a blonde comment however, the most famous blonde of all time said it...) What do all of these quotes have in common? All of them are true. We can promise you this.

Vodka and Caviar or Italian Love Affair? This is a debate Lauren and I will battle out for centuries to come. If you don't know what we are referring to, it is time you stop watching so much trashy reality TV, and start reading this "blog." We recommend at least once per day. You can never have too much of us. We promise.

We are the founders and creators of the Las Vegas Style Sirens, the most elite beauty team and personal beauty concierge service in Las Vegas and this is one of our ongoing debates. Which OPI nail polish is better? Vodka and Caviar or Italian Love Affair? We verbally brawl over this at Port Of Subs at least three times a week. (2 out of those 3 days, Lauren has mustard/mayo combo dripping down her chin. Actually make that 3 out of 3. Ok Ok Ok it's usually me.) Diet Coke anyone?

Welcome to our "blog." (Ughhh that word is SOOO ugly)

We hate the word "blog." What does that even mean? (And if you seriously know where the word "blog" came from, please get off our "blog" RIGHT NOW) My beautiful sister Brittany calls it "Dioring" however, Lauren and I are in agreement that that is equally as ugly. We definitely need to find a new word for it. Any suggestions? We were thinking "lipglossing" but then we realized that too was equally as dumb. Bottom line, a new word is in order for noun and action alike.

***Just so you know... Lauren and I keep reading over this "blog" like we are standing in line practicing to audition for the latest Judd Apatow flick. (FYI he wrote 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) It's classy.***

For those of you who do not know, Vodka and Caviar is our signature OPI red nail polish. We wear it on our toes, fingernails, lips and anywhere that can be painted. Just kidding! Toes and fingers only. It is not approved for the lip area. We're workin' on it. We have recently discovered Italian Love Affair which is a beautiful orange based light pink with a oui bit of shimmer. (That is for all of our Australian fans. And if you are saying "Oui is French you a-holes." Please believe us when we tell you, we know what we are talking about.) Different as they may be, they are still equally as beautiful. And if you are thinking to yourself " This doesn't apply to me." Let us be the first to tell you, you are WRONG! We're probably staring at your fingers and toes, shaking our heads in shame right now, and you don't even know it. Please, for the love of all man kind, paint your nails. We don't even care what color. Just do it.

Moving on... we would like to say hello to all of our friends, clients, and future friends and clients. Please do not judge us on this first "blog" (Unless you think it is amazing and we should be the next Perez Hilton.) We are still working on getting the hang of things. We appreciate all of your support and we look forward to future "blogs." (Until a new name is designated)

Love
xoxox
Allyson Stagg
CEO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens
and
Lauren Gardiner
COO of The Las Vegas Style Sirens