Color + Highlighter = Spring's Pretty Dewy Cheeks

Dewy, flushed-from-within cheeks are the perfect beauty pick-me-up as we say goodbye to this dreary winter weather and welcome Spring sunshine! NYC Makeup Artist Marisa Fazzina says dew-ing it right is easy, no matter your skin type or age. Achieve the look of healthy, youthful cheeks with two key products: all it takes is Color + Highlighter to get glowing!



First, smile and apply one of our sheer and long-wearing lip & cheek stains to the apples of your cheeks: try our award-winning Lollipop shade if you’re cool and Poppy if you’re warm (Not sure if you're Warm or Cool? Click here to find out!), then blend the color softly outward towards the temple.

To highlight, lightly tap Afterglow Shimmer Creme on the upper cheek bone and you’ve got a fool-proof natural glow! Marisa says, “Afterglow is subtle, not super sparkly - you can wear it to work and look like you’ve got the secret to healthy, dewy skin!”

At our Color Studio in New York City, Marisa often consults with women on how to achieve this look. Here are her key tips to dew-ing it right:

• Use your fingers! The warmth from your hand will soften our our balmy lip & cheek stain. This formula is beautiful - the texture looks natural and really marries to the skin. The look is reflective and natural, as if it’s coming from within!
• Smile! Everyone’s face shape is different. To find your best flush, smile and then blend outward. This Spring look is about keeping it soft and flushed, not stark or chiseled.
• Get your glow on! Afterglow Shimmer Creme is beautifully light reflective, not sparkly. Aside from the upper cheekbone, try it on the inner corners of the eye or down the nose to brighten the complexion.
• Ready to bump up the look for a night on the town? A trick we use at the Color Studio is to apply Champagne Eye Shadow as a shimmer powder on top of Afterglow - it’s not just for the eyes!

Amped Eye Shadow Wins a Spring Beauty O-Ward in O, The Oprah Magazine

O, The Oprah Magazine, has awarded Amped Eye Shadow by Three Custom Color Specialists a Spring Beauty O-Ward in the April issue (on newsstands now!) The editors have dubbed the shade the "Juiciest Color For Spring" and we couldn't be more thrilled! Click here for more on Amped and our newest High Wattage Eye Shadows!

Bora Bora + Majorca Mashup in the April Issue of In Style Magazine!

This Spring, try a Pro-Makeup Artist's favorite mash-up: Three Custom Color Specialists Bora Bora and Majorca Lipstick, together, create a "...Stunning flourescent combo" according to Fiona Stiles in the April issue of In Style Magazine (p. 366).

For more about Fiona and her work, visit www.fionastiles.com or follow her on twitter @fionastiles.

Amped: How to Wear O Magazine's "Juiciest Shade for Spring"

We at Three Custom Color Specialists are thrilled to have won a Spring Beauty O-Ward in the latest issue of O, The Oprah Magazine! They've dubbed AMPED, our new orange eye shadow, the "Juiciest Shade for Spring" and we think you'll agree - it's fresh, modern, and surprisingly wearable!


Curious about how to get the look? Check out these step-by-step tips from Chad Hayduk, Co-Founder of Three Custom Color Specialists.






FACE: Chad prepped our model by applying a sheer layer of Three Custom Color Specialists Crème Concealer Foundation with a damp sponge and concealed blemishes using our Concealer Brush (Jarusha is wearing Creme Concealer/Foundation #5)


EYES: Chad chose Amped, our new orange eye shadow, to showcase Jarusha’s green eyes. Using a dampened contour brush, Chad applied Amped first to the upper eyelid on the upper eyelid. Then, he applied it along the lower lashline.


CHEEKS: To remain polished, yet keep the emphasis on the eyes, Chad applied Coral Waterlily Watercolours to the cheeks using a sponge, blending the color on the apple of the cheek and cheekbone.


LIPS: Using a lip brush, Chad applied Coral Waterlily to the lips for a sheer, moisturizing lip tint.

Check out the gorgeous finished look!

Q&A with Makeup Artist Patricia Regan

Patricia often calls upon Three Custom Color Specialists to create custom colors for her high profile work in film and television. Her recent credits include: Remember Me, Shutter Island, Burn After Reading, The Good Shepard, Factotum, Flight of the Concords, and HBO’s five-part miniseries Mildred Pierce, based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain. Kate Winslet stars as Mildred Pierce and Evan Rachel Wood also stars as Veda Pierce. Click here for a preview on HBO.Com

A native of Switzerland, Patricia originally moved to New York with a scholarship to study dance. It was then when she first became enamored with the power of make up to enhance the arts. “I always loved theatrical make-up and its ability to bring characters alive,” Patricia says. Thereafter, she made a gradual transition to becoming a makeup artist, at first working with photographers for fellow performing arts friends, and then journeyed through all aspects of music, television, rock 'n’ roll, the beauty industry, commercials and ultimately, creating characters for feature films. Patricia says, "I am so lucky and forever grateful, for I love what I do.”

Patricia’s favorite Three Custom Color Specialists products are featured on our Pro’s Picks page. Read on to get to know more about Patricia and her work.

Q: How were you introduced to Three Custom Color Specialists?
A: We met several years ago ( 2002 I think...... ), I used to sit for Will Cotton, who's an amazing painter. I believe it was a birthday party for Will, during which his girlfriend Rose introduced me to Chad and Scott. She had told me all about them prior and I found them so lovely that I wanted to know more about their product.

Q: What's it like to work with us?
A: I enjoy the fact that I can go see them. The turnaround on orders is very quick and they are always a pleasure.

Q: It seems that you work on a lot of period pieces, how do you begin designing makeup for these types of films? How do you approach it? What are your biggest challenges or favorite parts of the process?
A: I guess I have done a fair share of period work, just getting ready for another......... my designs are based on extensive research and my directors visions as well as the actors character. I always try to find little nuances to tell the story, of course working very close with the hair design, costume designer and further the set design. My favorite part, I guess that would be the finished product when everything comes together and looking right for the time period.

Q: What qualities do you look for in products that you bring on set?
A: I need the products that I bring on set to work smooth and simple, as time is always very limited.

Q: Can you describe the makeup looks in Mildred Pierce?
A: Mildred Pierce story spans from 1931 to 1940 roughly, during which tie young Veda is coming of age. Post depression child to the glamour of the late thirties becoming a 'coloratura soprano'... that's all I can say at this time...

Q: What Three Custom Color Specialists products did you bring with you on the set of Mildred Pierce?
A: Custom blended eye shadows, Cream to Powder Blushes and gorgeous lip colors.

Q: What are your favorite Three Custom Color Products?
A: I would have to say my absolute favorites are the Cream to Powder Blushes, I am never without them! They are versatile - I use them continuously on men, children and (of course) women, to enhance the complexion all over, or simply as blush. The application is flawless and I find I have complete control over the saturation of color. The Lip Stains are fantastic; giving me the opportunity to add or change natural lip color without looking like painted on lipstick.

Q: Any particular colors you like the most?
A: For the colors, I would have to say my favorite is a custom blended Creme to Powder blush in a true red that Chad first created for me for Havana Nights, a movie set in the late fifties. I have used it ever since - I think it should be called “Patricia's Red!” The other blush shades always with me are: Beige, Brown, Red and Pink. I love their lip pencils - Warm and Cool Pink, Warm Brown and Burgundy - as well as the Clarifier, fantastic for quick touch ups on set! The lip palettes are definitely great to have on hand. I like that they are small and easy to carry. I have all of them and they have been trusty little saviors!

Behind the Scenes with Lauren Napier & Nude Attitude Lipstick

Celebrity Makeup Artist, Lauren Napier called upon Chad Hayduk, Co-Founder of Three Custom Color Specialists, to create a versatile, slick nude to use on her many clients -- from starlets, to fashion models and brides. The challenge: find the right mix of tones to avoid the typical nude lipstick pit falls - we're all familiar with the nudes that are often too pink, too chalky, and too yellow!

How’d they do it? Check out this behind-the-scenes video for a look at the color science behind Nude Attitude was how this shade works on many skin tones!

Lauren Napier's Nude Attitude Lipstick from Lauren Napier on Vimeo.

Click here for to order Nude Attitude on www.threecustom.com

NYFW FALL 2011 Trend Report

This fall, designers played up the drama with magnificent tailoring (we loved the fall collections of Michael Kors, Dianne Von Furstenburg, Jason Wu) and billowy, opulent gowns (see: Rodarte, Derek Lam). Though we were impressed by the clothes, these dramatic looks were often paired with makeup that may have been kept too simple or just too garish. Here’s a rundown of the trends we saw on the catwalks and tips on how to make these work in real life!

BERRY LIPS - Pretty, romantic and instantly polished.
As seen on the runways at: Luca Luca, Rebecca Taylor, Peter Som, Carolina Herrara, Cynthia Steffe, and Lela Rose
For bold berry red lips inspired by the models seen here at Luca Luca (Photo: Racked.Com) - Line the lips with Burgundy Lip Liner and apply Rosie the Riveter Lipstick (a rich, blue- red).
This look is probably the most wearable on it's own. However, for a softer take, try Mauve Lip Liner with Santorini Lipstick. Remember, the focus here is on the lips, so keep the eyes soft.

CAT EYES - Perhaps an homage to the makeup seen in Black Swan, these dramatic eyes are tough to pull off the runway into real life (we don’t recommend bleaching out your eyebrows either!)
As seen on the runways at: DKNY, Derek Lam, Vivienne Tam, and Jason Wu.
For the look inspired by this model at Jason Wu (Photo: Getty Images) -- Layer Cool Aubergine applied with a damp eye shadow brush on the upper and lower lash lines and along the crease, tapering out to a triangle shape. Fill in the triangle with Gold Eye Shadow. Use Wallflower Lip & Cheek Stain to softly contour the cheeks and apply Whisper Sheer Lipstick for shimmering nude lips.

For a real-life version of this look, try Cool Black and gold instead of aubergine (the combination of purple and yellow on the skin can look like a bruise!) Also, if you have deep set eyes, stay away from this look. Since dark colors recede, dark shadows will make deep set eyes seem even more sunken.

STRONG BROWS - The 90’s came back in a big way, with a strong, masculine brow.
As seen on the runways of: Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Monique Lullhier, LAMB, Naeem Khan, Marc by Marc Jacobs.
To re-create the look seen here at Proenza Schouler (Photo: GoRunway.com) -- Match your hair color with a Brow Powder (Brow Powder #5) and fill in the brows with our Brow Brush.

We love a well-groomed brow, it anchors the eye, though we’d prefer to see more polished and defined eyes rather than this heroin-chic look.
For a real-life version of this look: fill in sparse areas of the brows with a coordinating brow powder and apply Clear Brow Gel to lift and shape the eye. Define the lash line with Opaline Creme Eye Definer, and avoid this reddish-brown shade that makes the eyes look tired (try Warm Brown Sugar, instead).


NUDE LIPS - The nude lip is a staple regardless of season. Versatile nude lips were showcased in a variety of finishes; from matte, to pearly, to glossy, and some with a touch of coral. As seen on the runways at: AnnaSui, Carlos Miele, Tommy Hilfiger, Erin Fetherston, Charlotte Ronson

For the look scene here at Nicole Miller (Photo: Andrew Burton, AP) -- Apply Cool Brown Sugar Eye Shadow with a damp brush to line the lower lash line and create a precise rectangular shape on the upper eye lid. Highlight under the brow bone with Cool White Eye Shadow. Apply Light Clarifier on the lower inner rim of the eye. Use a sheer layer of our Creme Concealer/Foundation as lip color and apply Translucent Powder all over the face for a finished, doll-like complexion.

For a real-life version of this look: Blend the eye shadow for a softer contour of the eyes and avoid looking washed out with a layer of Nude Attitude on the lips, our new coral-based nude.