Bliss Blog

You have to check this out!

2011-02-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

Okay readers, if you haven't already, you have to. This website is so incredible! Weather you are planning a wedding, a baby or wedding shower, or even a birthday/anniversary party, you need to check this website. It is http://www.theperfectpaletteblog.com/. You can click on a color, let's say green, because I love green, and they come up with palettes like this:

with orange! :)

Two completely different styles using the same color. Beautiful! Click here for the entire green palatte.

Or what about these:

Um, ok. Can I get married again, pleeeeaaassee????
Go. Now. Look at this website. Just set a timer, because you will loose track of time!

Color Inspiration ~ Orange

2011-02-22T14:59:00.000-08:00

If you didn't already know, one of my favorite colors is orange. I used it in my wedding and I just think it is one of the best colors. Elle in Legally Blonde had no clue. "Oh, and once, I talked Cameron Diaz out buying heniously colored orange sweater. Whoever said orange was the new pink, was serious mistaken!" Not sure if the quote is exactly right and I am pretty sure I can't spell heniously, but hey, you get the picture. Well today I found a beautiful orange color palette which I love and I thought I would share it with you. If you didn't already agree with me, I think you will! :)

Here is the link to the website where I found the pic!

Isn't it beautiful?? I mean there is just so much you can do with the beautiful color orange. I just think it is so beautiful. I have never been a super pink kinda girl. Although I do love the color and think it is beautiful at times, too much of it reminds me of Pepto Bismo. Sorry! And because I tend to be a bit different, I love colors like orange and purple and green. But that is what makes the world go round, right? Different personalities!

Here is another one I think it beautiful. I have always loved Indian weddings, I think they are beautiful the way they put their colors together. At first you would think, 'Seriously? How do those colors go?' But they do! And they are beautiful. And they often use the color orange. :) Check it out:

Beautiful!

And this one is so fun too! What a beautiful way to celebrate a spring/summer wedding! I love it. That is what makes the wedding industry so amazing, everything is always changing and because people have different prefrences, there are so many ways something can be beautiful.

Here is the link to this lovely site!

Well that is my wedding inspiration for today. Beautiful bright colors featuring orange. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Let me know! Leave a comment and come back soon!

Lost Canyons Bridal Show

2011-02-21T14:08:00.000-08:00

Hello all and beautiful Monday! How was your weekend? Good? Great! I am glad to hear it! Well, we had a nice one too, thanks for asking! We went to a bridal show at Lost Canyons and, as always, it was beautiful! We have done a few weddings before and loved it. It is such a beautiful location, seriously, overlooking the rolling hills of Simi Valley. I really don't know why I didn't look into it for my wedding, but hey hinesight's 20/20, right? Anyway, we were honored to be a preferred vendor at the showcase. It is always so fun to do shows! You get to meet with all the brides and talk to them about their big day. I mean really! Talking to the happiest people on earth! As always it was wonderful and there will be more pictures to come!

The photographer that was there was Lukas van Dyke Photography. He took some great pictures of our work and they are on his blog, so check it out! He actually took quite a few pictures of most of the vendors there, so if you are in need of a few vendors, or know someone who is, check it out! He does great work, super fun and creative!

Well that was our lovely weekend, how about you? Did you make it to the show? We would love to hear your thoughts!!

BlogLovin'

2011-02-20T00:26:00.000-08:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

We are now on BlogLovin'!!! I thought I would try it out, so we will see how this goes!! Come check us out and like our blog!! We will see how this works out, but if you can, come and support us! Thanks!

Spring's a comin!

2011-02-18T17:00:00.000-08:00

So can you believe it? Spring is almost here! And boy can I not wait!! I love spring clothes, makeup, weater, you name it. Then summer comes and it all just gets a little better. Can you tell I am a southren Cali girl? Yep. And proud of it!

Here are a few photos of what we might see a bit of this year. These are the most tamed down looks, you know, for normal people.

I have seen this look a lot. First of all, colors. Colors are very popular this spring. This look is kinda a smokey eye but using the color under the eye. This color happens to look nice and not too dark, gothic, or straight up funky.

Personal favorite. Can't wait to try it! I love the color combo, gold and grays and maybe even a deep gray blue. I love it. Like I said, lots of colors this year. Notice the soft lips in both photos. Playing up the eyes means down-playing the lips.

I love this one also. Not too bold or crazy, but beautiful. You could wear it every day or night out with a few subtle changes in each direction. Classic.

This is opposite of the color eyes and nude lips. Totally different look, but still beautiful! I am so gonna rock this look someday! A tad bit embaressed to say that I have not...

On the search!

2011-02-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have been slacking this week. But seriously, our house is a dungeon with all the sick-o's, you wouldn't have done anything either!

Sooooo, Bliss has a bit of fun news! Within just the time of less than a year, we have expanded to the point where we are needing to hire extra hair and makeup artists!! It feels so good that all our hard work and efforts are paying off in a big way. We are so thankful to everyone who has been so awesomely (is that a word?) supportive this last year. Big shout out to my husband and Marissa's boyfriend. They are both completely supportive always offering advice and direction it is always a huge help! Thanks guys!

So we (by we I mean Marissa, since I am in France!) have been looking at MUD mostly for new makeup artists. This is where Marissa graduated, and it is a great program, so what a great place to start! We have some interviews lined up this week, so we will see how it goes! For hair we are starting to use a lot of people that we have met along the way who we have actually 1. worked with, 2. seen them in action 3. assisted someone we have worked with. We had a few disaster hair people, well one disaster and one just a dud, that we felt like we needed to be a tad bit more selective. Lesson learned!!

In more fun news, Marissa just went out recently and amped up our professional (wish it was personal) makeup supply! How stink' fun to go shopping and spend a ton of money, that isn't yours!! Granted, it is the business, and the products go to the business, but still, always fun to have a shopping spree!

This is how we roll...

2011-02-10T15:00:00.000-08:00

So recently we have had the opportunity to attend a few bridal shows including Spanish Hills, Vineyards, Lost Canyons, Hilton, among others. It is always a pleasure and so much fun. I mean, seriously, how awesome is our job? We get to hang out with the happiest people on earth, Brides! Here are a few pictures of our booth. Marissa put most of this together, and I mean, really, it looks awesome. Wouldn't you love to come visit us if you were attending a bridal show? I totally would. Check it out!

We had a gift basket for a special winner

Our Booth

Pictures of beautiful brides we've Blissed

Little gift for everyone stopping by

Our brochures

I am so proud of what we have accomplished. I wish I had a picture of our first bridal show. Don't get me wrong, we had like three days to get ready and we still did awesome. But these pictures show how far we have come and what our business is developing into. And I love it!

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday!

2011-02-09T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hey All!

Today, and possibly every Wednesday, I have decided to link up wiith Jaime at This Kind of Love for a little thing called What I'm Loving' Wednesday. I thought it would be a fun thing to add a little wedding twist to WILW and showcase some wedding loves for the week! Tell me what you think!

Okay so this Wednesday ~

1.) I am loving the weather here in France. I know I just said I would talk about wedding stuff, and I will, but I just had to mention the 60 degree weather we are having in Feburary!! Gotta love it!

2.) I am loving the wedding fashion here in France. To be honest, sometimes I wonder about some of the home decoration options etc. But when it comes to weddings I think they got it right. They are brave with their choices and I love it. It is just one day, you gotta live it up!

3.) I am loving our incredibly busy schedule for this summer, already!!

4.) I am loving that my partner in ~~crime~~ business is coming out to visit me in just less than a month now!! Whooo hooo!!

5.) I am loving this imspiration board/wedding at Style Me Pretty. I just love it when people express their own personalities in weddings and really showcase their own style. Different is cool. Sometimes I wish I could get married all over again ~~every year~~ so that I can try different styles and themes. This particular one wouldn't fit my Bahamian husband, so in this case, I just have to look. Thank you Style Me Pretty!

6.) I am loving this hairstyle with the beautiful hair peice in the side. I think it adds so much. Love it!

Okay! That's all I'm lovin' for today! You can check out Jaime's blog for more what I'm lovin's. Let me know what you think! Maybe I will make it a weekly thing. Now I have to go outside and enjoy this beautiful weather!

We would like to thank the Academy...

2011-02-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

We Won!

We won the WeddingWire Brides' Choice Award 2011!!! What, exactly, does this mean? Well, let me tell you! This award recognizes and celebrates excellence in quality and services within the wedding industry, as determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 newlyweds from the wedding wire community. Wow! What an honor! If you want to check out our award, or our wedding wire page go here: http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/bliss-makeup-artistry-southern-ca/6ebf7be0540a2a2c.html. We have loved being a member of the WeddingWire community and are so happy and honored to be given this award. Make sure you check us out and tell your friends!!

We're back!

2011-02-07T05:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, first let me apoligize for slacking so much. I moved to France in October and it has been an adjustment. I have every intention to now keep up this blog, so stay tuned! Now with that being said...

While I have been here in France I have been able to have quite the experience in wedding dresses! Imagine that! I didn't think much about how styles very in countries until I went wedding dress shopping with a friend of mine here. She is getting married June 25th, and I am soooo bummed I won't be able to go, because we have 3 weddings back home! Anyway, the styles here are incredible. People wear exactly what they want. There is not 'box' to fit into. There are colors, short, long, huge veils, no veils, you name it. I was loving the experience. Here is a similar dress to the one my friend here chose:

I absolutely love it. I think it is creative and fun. It expresses who she is. I just loved it when she told me that is the kind of dress she was looking for and then we found it. And, believe it or, it was the first one she tried on! Gotta love that. What you have to love even more, is that it is a wedding present to her from her sister. Nice.

So this got me thinking. A wedding day is the one day in your entire life where everything is about you (and your fiance, of course), and it is okay. It is an expression of your personalities together. Celebrating the life that you are going to share together, bringing peices of each person. I think that brides should be creative with the dress. Do something fun and daring. Or not, if that is what you want. Just don't let any stigma or other people's opinions affect your decision. Live it up, after all, it is the one day you can be a queen!

Real Wedding Wednesday ~ Chad and Rachelle Ball 8.1.2010

2010-10-27T05:06:00.000-07:00

We have known the Ball family for years, so it was very exciting when we found out their son was getting married. It was even more exciting to find out that she was just a lovely person, inside an out. She is always a pleasure to be around. Rachelle asked Marissa and I to do the makeup for her wedding and we were honored. Here are a few pictures of the day of. There are more on our website ~ http://www.bliss-makeup-artistry.com/. Enjoy!

Getting Ready

Cute! On their way to the venue!

Bridesmaid and Bride

Sister-in-laws!

Beautiful Bride

Cutting the Cake

Oh no!!

Makeup Stayed!

Beautiful, Happy Couple!

Tanning for the Cold Seasons

2010-10-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it has been a while. But a lot has been going on! Not only have we been crazy, crazy busy for the months of September and October, but half of the Bliss Team moved to France!! So we have been adjusting our duties and continuing to move forward. It has been a little bit of a transition, but we are doing it! Anyway, enough of that, how about some tanning?

I don't know about all of you, but as the seasons get colder, I get whiter. And not a pretty Nicole Kidman white. Like an ashy ghost white. I never feel very pretty when I am stark white, or thin for that matter. And I am the Bliss half that is living in France, so needless to say, I see the sun even less! So here are some of my tips to get that sun-kissed glow during the coldest months of the year.

1.) Spray Tan! Hello, this is the best possible way to do it. I know that people are daunted by the idea of the spray tan because of many orange pictures you might have seen. Well there is a reason they are orange. Either they are getting the airbrush too much, or they are getting a color that is wrong for their tone, or the tanner just had a bad solution. Find someone you know and trust who you know the solutions work for your skin and stay faithful. It won't look fake.

2.) Apply a good tan extender. You can find some at any tanning salon or online. I am sure you can get some tinted moisturizing at any drug store too. Just make sure you watch as you are applying it. It is meant to help your tan fade smoothly, you just don't want to have it turning you orangey looking!

3.) Moisturize. Even if you are white as a ghost, there isn't anything worse than being ashy white. Like flaky and everything. So if you get a good cream-like moisturizer that you apply daily, you will be good to go. Combine moisturizing with the spray tan, you are golden. Literally!

4.) Bronzer. But not too much. Applied wrong or in excess, it could be the problem for the orange. But if you get a good bronzer and you apply lightly on your face and neck, it helps a ton. Christian Dior has a good bronzer.

Those are my main tips! Now get out there and get bronzed! But do it right, because people will know if it isn't done right. Stop in for an airbrush tan when you have time!

Real Wedding!

2010-09-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

You have got to check out this wedding we did, over a month ago, now! Wow, how time flies. I love this wedding because it is different and fun and totally reflects the bride and grooms individual style. The photographer, Evan Guston, was so kind to send us these digital images as well as some printed for our portfolio! Thank you, Evan! Enjoy the pics from this wedding!

Real Wedding Wednesday ~ Lindsay & Tony Antenucci ~ July 17, 2010

2010-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Don't you love weddings? Most likely if you're reading this and in the wedding business, I am going to guess the answer is yes! I do too. I love getting all dolled up and share in someone's special day. I also love making the bride feel like the most beautiful she has ever been. Hence, I love my job! It is always even so much more special when you get to be a part of someone's wedding who means so much to you. About a month ago, I got to do just that. My best friend from high school got married! She was the most beautiful bride. It was a beautiful wedding. I really felt so honored to be a part of the big day. Here is a peak...

It was a beautiful night for a beautiful couple! Congratulations Lindsay and Tony!!

The wedding was at Lost Canyons Country Club. The beautiful photography was done by Smitten Photography.

HD foundation by Makeup Forever

2010-07-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Makeup Forever HD Foundation

This is definitely a plus side of our job! Since we are in the makeup business and we want to always use the best products available, we want to share those products with you!

We use airbrush makeup for our brides that is flawless, full coverage that goes on lightly. Just ask anyone who has tried it! But we wanted to be able to add a foundation that is just as effective, but not airbrush, for a different option. After attending the makeup show in Los Angeles in January (I think), we heard a lot of buzz about Makeup Forever's HD quality foundation. Since we are dealing with bridal beauty, and they obviously have to be camera ready, we need to make sure that all of the makeup we use is HD compliant. Part of the package. At the Pasadena makeup show we tried a few of the shades and loved it. I mean ❤LOVE❤ it!! We fully intended to buy a few shades for our makeup case. But... the line was 3 HOURS LONG. Needless to say, we didn't wait in that line. Luckily, we live in the greater Los Angeles area and were able to go to Nigels later that week and buy a few shades for the same discounted price... yay!

We also bought some for ourselves. I can't tell you how awesome this product is. Now I am not in the spotlight and don't need to be HD ready all the time, but it is the most flawless, smooth coverage I have ever had. At the end of the day, I look in the mirror and I am still surprised with the coverage. Definitely a must have. Sorry Laura Mercier, I have a new love in my life. I think it is time we go our separate ways.

Here is a little about the product:
The line was originally created to make actors look flawless in 6x magnification of High Definition cameras. The goal is to perfectly correct the skin and improve skin aspect. The products innovated formula with ultra fine granulometry meet the highest standard of professionals and everyday woman. The extremely fine texture is subtle and easy to apply. It is enriched with moisturizing agents and it leaves the skin soft and radiant. It is so natural it won't look like you are wearing makeup at all. A little goes a long way, which is always good!

Makeup forever also offers a primer to go with this product and sells brushes that are used to apply it. They also have a powder for the final finish. Seriously, you have to get check it out. I am pretty confident that you will love it! Click here to go to see this product on Makeup Forever's website. It can also be found at a Sephora near you!

This is not a paid review. These are my own opinions after using the product for about a month, I was not paid or compensated in any way to give my opinion.

Real Wedding Wednesday

2010-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

In honor of my 3 year anniversary the real wedding that I am featuring today is... you guessed it, my own! Three years ago today I married the best man I know and I am so happy to say that three years later I still love him! He is perfect for me in so many ways and he is always working to be a better man. What more could a girl ask for? He's from Nassau, Bahamas and I'm from Simi Valley, California and we met at a small private college in Valencia, California, who knew? We had a rough go at it while dating, but we knew if we could make it through that, we could make it through anything. It has been a wonderful three years and Lord-willing I'm looking forward to many, many more!

Now to a few wedding details. My colors were Tiffany's Blue and orange. I know, it sounds a little funky. But I loved Tiffany's Blue and having a fiance from the Bahamas, he wanted only bright colors (as you can see from the photo on the top right, his family). I think it was a beautiful combo and different too, just like us!

I would have done a few things differently. I would have been more involved in the planning. My mom did a lot of the planning and I kinda just tagged along. I gave my opinion when needed, but she handled most of it. I have never been a real girlie-girl so I thought it didn't matter. But looking back I realize this is the one time in your life that it is all about you and that is okay. Take advantage of that! Have fun with it!

Our beautiful wedding invitations done by The Pomegranate Basket

So happy anniversary to me and my wonderful husband! Dinner and a movie tonight to celebrate, no kiddos involved!!

Bright, Cheery, and just plain Happy!

2010-07-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

I was perusing around the web today looking for some kind of inspiration to get to typing. I found a few beautiful inspiration boards, but one in particular that caught my eye. Now I know that everyone is different, but to me it is beautiful. Sometimes I wish that I could get married over and over again to have different color schemes and use different ideas. But then the stress of planning an entire wedding every year or so rules that idea out. I will leave that to the wedding planners of the world and just blog about them instead.

I think the color yellow is beautiful. I chose it because I haven't seen it done a lot and it is perfect for the fun summer wedding. It is bright and cheery and happy, just like your wedding should be. I would especially like those earrings... :)

I'm happy just looking at it!

Thank you Wedding Blog by With this Favor for the lovely inspiration! Visit their blog for more inspiration boards, they have some beautiful color combos and lovely creative ideas!

Grand Opening

2010-07-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

Okay Bliss supporters!!
We need your help!
We are having a Grand Opening party for Coco Beach in Simi Valley and want to get as many people out as we can!! We want Bliss to be represented in a big way, so spread the news!

We will be having music, either a live band or a DJ, food, vendor booths including custom invitations from The Pomegranate Basket, discounted designer jeans, makeup booths, hair stylist and much more. We will also have some awesome prizes like free tanning party, free tanning package, gift cards, movie tickets etc. we cannot wait and would love for everyone to be a part of this. We will be donating any profits to a charity, undecided as of yet. We just want everyone to have a good time. Even if you don't live in the area, come on by! You can try a free airbrush and sun angel! We would love to hear from you all.

Any ideas or hook ups are welcome, just e-mail us at info@bliss-makeup-artistry.com

Blogging, Branding, and Balancing

2010-07-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Guess where I was last night...

I'll give you a hint, I had a bad-ass time.

If you have read any bridal blogs in the past 3 years you know who I am talking about!

Yep, you guessed it...

The Broke-Ass Bride!

Don't you love it? I do! I feel so honored to have met her and Fresh Hubby. It was a great night with also some great networking too.

There were some great tips that I was able to take with me for the night. Some things I already knew but might not have been very good at it. For example, consistency. I am horrible at being consistent. I guess I am not a very scheduled, organized person so it takes a lot more effort for me. I have a lot of things going on in my life and I want to do all of them all the time. I have a hard time balancing all of my activities. She made some good points about scheduling her days and making time for everything.

So here are my resolutions:

I am going to blog consistently. Maybe pick one day write my blogs and schedule them for the week.

I am going to set aside time during my day for my particular activities and plan days better. I am going to be consistent with what I plan through my day and sticking to the schedule.

Get more sleep!

Read other blogs to get inspiration.

You know and a ton of other things. And I am going to do them all right the first time and be instantly successful! Right? Don't burst my bubble please...

Any encouragement is appreciated!! I need a little kick in the butt or push in the right direction. Follow me, comment to me, advise me!! I would love to listen. Stay tuned because I'm gonna be consistent!

New Tanning Product

2010-06-27T22:21:00.000-07:00

We have more awesome news... in addition to setting up shop at Coco Beach Tanning we now are adding a new line of tanning products. We (mostly Marissa) have been doing a ton of research on different tanning solutions and what works best and why different products work best. We figured out what ingredients are more likely to have an orange-y hue to them and what ingredients won't. I don't want to bore you with all the details of ingredients, but I do want to tell you that we found one. And it is PERFECT. It is Norvell tanning solution. We just used the dark solution the other night on Marissa's sister-in-law, she was our guinea pig (but hey, she got a free tan!). It looked incredible!! Like she had just spent a week in the Bahamas or something. We obviously want to be expanding our business and we were looking for new solutions so that we would be able to offer a variety of shades for different skin types. After trying this one, I think we have it. We used the dark solution on her and she has a nice olive skin tone. I am more, how you say, white and so we are going to try to regular on me on Wednesday. I cannot wait. One of the perks of owning this business... :) We are also trying out some other products from Norvell. They have a tan extender and a PH equalizer. The extender does just that, extends your tan. And the PH equalizer is supposed to balance out your skin before you spray the tanning solution on so that the tan is nice and even. So far so good, but I think we need to test some more skin types on that one! There are some other good things about this product. It doesn't have a nasty tan smell, it actually smells kinda nice. This is a relief for me and Marissa. It doesn't feel sticky or dirty after it is done. It is more comfortable to leave on the necessary amount of time. So far we LOVE it! So, if you are in the Simi Valley, Ventura County area, stop by Coco Beach and test it out. I am sure we could give you some kind of deal...

Meet your new resident airbrush specialists!

2010-06-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

Hello, we are Natalia and Marissa. We started our company last October and recently really started pursuing the business aspect of our company in probably mid January. As a company we have already done 6 weddings, have at least 4 weddings in the mix, proms, special occasions, multiple wedding shows, 4 tanning parties, and now we are adding resident airbrush specialist to our ever-growing resume! We are so excited to now be the in house specialists at Coco Beach in Simi Valley. We have our own room, which will be decorated super cute, and the best part of all is that we can now offer packages! We have always known that 'double dipping' as they call it, is the best, most effective way to get the smoothest, longest lasting tan. Double dipping is when you go in the bed for 5 minutes or so and then get the airbrush applied. Now we can not only recommend this, but we can recommend a place to do it!
We are highly motivated people. In the short time we have been doing business we have accomplished so much and feel like this is just the tip of the iceberg! So we have been looking for a salon to partner with that we know will be able to do their side as far as marketing and advertising our services for us. We met with the owners of Coco Beach yesterday and were very pleased. We think this is going to be a really great alliance and cannot wait to get started. So if you are local, in the Simi Valley area, please stop by Coco Beach Salon in it's new location 1720 Los Angeles Ave #I Simi Valley, CA 93065 or you can call and make an appointment at (805) 520-7800. If you do, make sure you mention the Bliss Blog and we will be able to offer you a promotion! Please spread the news as well! Make sure all your family and friends know that they now can have our wonderful tanning as well as a little time in the beds. Thank you faithful followers, we are so excited for the direction our business is going in and know that we have so much more potential. Please leave a comment of encouragement or motivation, we always love to hear from you!

This could be you!

If you can't tone it, TAN IT!

2010-06-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Last year about this time I tried airbrush tanning for the very first time. I was a Matron of Honor in a wedding where I had to wear a pale yellow dress and I was not prepared. I have pretty fair skin that can tan, it just takes a while, but I knew I had to do something. So I went a few times in the tanning beds, which I honestly don't like to do too much because I don't want to look super old before my time, and then got the airbrush. It was fabulous! I don't know why I don't do it every week! It was custom, no streaks, it didn't turn orange and I looked great for the bachelorette party and the wedding day. Now Bliss also has an airbrush tanning machine and it is great. Every time I get my tan I forget why I take so long to get it done! Here are a few reasons I think you all should try airbrush tanning:

1.) Instant results! The active ingredient in airbrush tanning products is DHA and it is clear. So when tanning we add a 'guide color' as we call it. It is for us to see where we have tanned and for the client to see instant results. This guide color washes off I little bit in your first shower after the tan, but by that point the DHA has attached to your skin and you have the nice even look you were going for.

2.) No Sun Poisoning! Obviously we all know now, the more time you spend out in the sun unprotected the more likely you will have more trouble with your skin later in life. Things like age spots, wrinkles, and skin cancer may creep your way. With airbrush tanning, you don't have to spend a second in the sun and you can look like you just got back from Costa Rica! Don't get me wrong, I think there can be a healthy dose of vitamin D for your skin, but laying in the sun for hours is definitely out.

3.) Smooth, Natural Looking Tan ~ When you have an airbrush tan there is a technician who applies the tan custom to your body. This person should be practiced and trained and you will have great results. There is another form of spray tanning called Mystic Tan where you stand in the both and it sprays you front and back. This is okay, but since it isn't a person doing it, obviously it leaves a lot of room for error. How do you get the sides or under your neck. There are also a lot of self tanner lotions out there on the market. Some are okay and some are good tan extenders (beware of them turning you orange). But with applying these you can miss a spot or have hard to reach spots like the middle of your back. And that might look a little funny, like a finger painting on your back!

Overall, spray tanning is an awesome way to get out of the sun and still feel fabulous! I might be a little biased, I mean I am hooked on it! I feel like I drop ten pounds every time I do it. Check out a salon near you and try it, comment and let me know if it works for you.

My Intercultural, Interracial Wedding

2010-06-02T22:15:00.000-07:00

Hello all! I recently just read a post from PlusSizeBride's blog about planning an multi-cultural wedding and it inspired me. Check out the post ~ http://bayareabrideguide.com/planning-a-multi-cultural-wedding-2. My husband and I have been married for 3 years on July 28, 2010. I love him so much more today than I did 3 years ago.

We met 8 years ago in a small, private college in Santa Clarita, California. I played volleyball and he played basketball. After 5 years of on and off and on again, we tied the knot! I thought I had an idea of who he was back then, now I realize that I barely scratched the surface. And if I feel that way after 3 years, then I can't wait for 10 or 15 or 25! Although he is not a perfect man, he is perfect for me!

Now to what I meant to write about in the first place... our intercultural, interracial wedding. Going into planning the wedding I was very aware of our two cultures. It was very important to me, maybe more than it was to my husband, to make sure both Bahamian and American traditions were represented on our day. One of the ideas we got from the Bahamas is when the bridesmaids and groomsmen begin the walk down the isle they stop and bow and curtsy to each other before they come together to walk. They are very proper over there! We were able to integrate his church by having his pastor from his church back home perform the first part of the ceremony, then our current pastor of the church we attend in American did the rest and his pastor closed with a prayer. One of the best things he said was "Two families, two people, two cultures, one God." We try to remember that everyday. His mother made sure that we had baskets and programs that were handmade in the Bahamas. They were passed out to all the guests as a gift and representation of their country. One of my favorite parts was our entry into the ballroom as they announced the bridal party and us as Mr. and Mrs. Simmons. We entered into Junkanoo music! Junkanoo is a festival in the Bahamas that is very popular, almost like Carinval in Brazil. The music is like marching band-ish and personally wouldn't and don't just listen to it, but it has a beat. The whole room was on their feet dancing and clapping and welcoming us to the reception. So much fun! I must admit something we didn't use. Ceremonies in the Bahamas usually last about 2 to 2 1/2 hours! I am sorry, but I just wanted to be married and party! So ours was like 30 minutes. Personally, the way they should be!

But, I must say, as the pictures below represent, my favorite part about my intercultural, interracial wedding would have to be that, besides the color, you couldn't tell which person belonged to which family. Everyone got along, everyone mingled. It wasn't like high school prom with the Bahamians on one side and the Americans on the other, to nervous to interact. I loved it. I love my interracial marriage. I love that it is different, that it is hard and that we might have to work harder than others to make it happen, but it adds flavor to our lives! Not to mention we visit the Bahamas every summer!! hehe

My husband and my brother getting ready.

Me and my soon-to-be mother-in-law.

The moms and me.

Our beautiful flower girl. She is half Bahamian half American.

The ladies of my new family.

My husband and my family.

The other half of Bliss Makeup giving me touch-ups!

One of the Maid of Honors and Best Men.

The baskets Lavar's mom had handmade.

The wedding party

One of my favorite pictures. Kissing my husband!

Happily Ever After here we come!!

Tanning for The Tarr Pitt

2010-06-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Good Morning everyone!!

Alysha Tarr is a mommy and wife who had made a little business of her life. (that rhymed!) You can check out her blog, www.thetarrpit.com for recipes, cute stories, and inspiration. I enjoy reading it and am a faithful follower! This morning Bliss Makeup Artistry is going to give Alysha a tan for her Vegas trip she is taking this weekend. She is then going to write a review about it and a blog post. Stay tuned for what she says, even though I am completely confident that she will LOVE it. We have yet to have a client who hasn't. There is nothing like the instant gratification of being beautifully bronzed. I once had a client say "If you can't tone it, tan it!" This is so true. Tan fat looks better than white fat... hehe. Stay tuned on our blog and hers for more updates!

Featured Vendor ~ Troy Grover Photography

2010-05-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

As makeup artists we work with a lot of different photographers. We are always trying to contact them to get professional pictures of our work. So we get to see a lot of different styles of photography and to be honest, different levels of photography! Troy Grover Photography, who shot Jenna and Casey's May 1st wedding, we were very impressed with. His unique style is so creative and natural. I once heard a photographer say that they take "stylized candids." After having a not-so-great experience with my wedding photographer, I can understand what she meant. You want the pictures to look natural, not posed like you were at prom. But beautiful and candid at the same time. Sometimes the brides wouldn't know how to pose every pictures, that is the photographers job! Capturing moments like the one below where the father of the groom is getting emotional during his speech. Then also being able to pose the pictures like the one with the bride and groom standing in front of the hills. We were very impressed with Troy and wanted to showcase his work on our blog! Although these are only two different weddings here, you can see more of his work on his website www.troygrover.com. So enjoy

This is the other wedding that was really impressive to us. What a cool couple! And it looks like Troy was able to really capture their personalities and style through the pictures. I love these pictures!

Can we just say... WOW!

XV ~New Qunceanera Magazine Debuts

2010-05-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, I must admit, when I connected with XV via twitter recently I knew little about quinceaneras. I knew that they were when a girl turned 15 and it was like a coming of age party, similar to a Bar/Bat-Mitzvah or a sweet sixteen. It is a very important rite of passage in Hispanic culture and turns into a very great party! I did a little research and found that the celebration is close to a celebration of a wedding and the planning process is just as in-depth. XV is a newly-debuted bi-lingual (English/Spanish) magazine in the Orange County area dedicated specifically to planning your quinceanera. It was started when Luis Aguilar was helping his baby sister plan her quinceanera, he realized how much goes into the planning process and how much work it is to try to find vendors that meet your needs. The monthly magazine features tips, do's and don'ts and articles on hair salons, bakeries, catering services and other vendors. Just like wedding publications, it has budget sheets to keep the family on track. I would say that it is a nice blend between a prom publication and a wedding publication. It takes the amount of planning that a wedding does, but the age is more cater to younger girls (obviously!). It is a free publication that is distributed in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Costa Mesa, and parts of Garden Grove.

XV Magazine is holding an Expo on July 25, 2010 for all girls and their families who will be planning their quinceanera. My contact, Christa Melton describes the expo best. "Our expo is designed to have soon to be quinceaneras meet some of Southern CA most distinguished quinceañera planning professionals. We want them to sample scrumptious cakes and hors d'oeuvres, enjoy live entertainment, receive free quinceañera information and magazines. We will have dazzling choreographed shows, quinceañera planning seminars, door prizes galore and raffles.

The event just like our publication is FREE to the public." Bliss Makeup Artistry is planning on being a vendor at the Expo because we can see that this publication is on-track and headed for great things. We want to be a part of it. The Expo is on July 25th at the Pheonix Club in Anaheim from 11:00 to 4:00.

XV Magazine has been feature in the OC Register recently with an article written about the magazine and what it is about. It also includes an interview with the founder of the magazine. Click here to read that article: http://www.ocregister.com/news/magazine-239015-aguilar-santa.html. If you are not in the OC area to pick up one of these magazines, you can actually check it out online - http://issuu.com/xvmagazine/docs/binder3. You can also follow XV on Twitter at http://twitter.com/XV_Magazine.

We feel like it would be good for Bliss to be a part of this Expo because when you have a 15 year-old getting ready for a party, they might not know how to apply makeup in the most tasteful, grown-up way. We can make sure that the quinceanera will look beautiful and young and fresh without looking like she was playing in mommy's makeup drawer! Since we offer airbrush makeup, it is the most natural look you can get with the most coverage. It is also something the young girls wouldn't wear everyday so it will be special as well. You can also follow us on Twitter - www.twitter.com/BlissMakeupArt. We are excited to be working with this publication and excited about the Expo. You can leave any questions or comments below and we will get back to you! Become a follower of our blog to make sure to get updates as it gets closer!

The Pomegranate Basket - Beautiful Custom Invitations

2010-05-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

The Pomegranate Basket is a company that specializes in beautifully custom made invitations for any event to fit both your preference and budget! From a classic single-sheet invitation to the popular folded pocket enclosure, they can create the perfect first impression for your most special day. Add to that all the matching accessories including programs, menus, place cards, plus so much more, and you have a wedding celebration that is timelessly personal.

I love that you can totally customize your invitation so it can be like nothing you or your guests have ever seen. With more than 230 colors to choose from, a wide variety of enclosures, and top quality artwork, The Pomegranate Basket can create an invitation, with all the trimmings, that is as unique as you are.

Although they specialize in wedding invitations, they also offer bridal and baby shower, rehearsal dinner, and all the extras (menus, place cards, programs). Make sure you check out their website, www.thepombasket.com. They offer a consultation free of charge to see if they would be the right fit for you. Enjoy!

Jenna and Casey May 1st, 2010

2010-05-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have been able to post. But I think I have an excuse, I had a baby 3 weeks ago! Here are some pictures from one of the weddings we did on May 1st. What a beautiful bride! This is Jenna Klein (nee Larsen). Bliss Makeup Artistry did the makeup for her beautiful day. Here are some of the pictures of the girls getting ready and the makeup artists in action. Hopefully, we will have more professional pictures coming!

Greg and Stephanie Reynolds, March 21, 2010

2010-04-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Bridal makeup... What a beautiful thing! Here are some pictures of Stephanie Reynolds who married Greg Reynolds On March 21st. We had the pleasure to do the makeup for the bride, mother of the bride, most of the bridal party, and the mother and grandmother of the groom. It was a beautiful day and as you can see from the pictures, everyone looked beautiful! Thank you Stephanie for allowing us access to your pictures.

I Love this one. So sweet!

I think this might be one of my favorites as well. She looks so beautiful and peaceful and happy. Congratulations Greg and Stephanie!!

Photography by Alex Neumann

Another Bride Blissed!

2010-04-25T11:36:00.000-07:00

Just got back this morning for doing makeup for a bride getting married today. She is such a nice person, it was really a pleasure. The greatest part about this wedding is how we got the job. Our friend Lindsey Larson (http://labeleviephotos.blogspot.com) was at the pharmacy getting a prescription filled and the Lindsey happened to mention her name change because she recently got married, August 2009. The lady at the counter started asking questions about who did her makeup and everything because her daughter had a really awful experience with a makeup trial that she had. So lovely Lindsey gave her our card and sure enough they called! We did a trial and she loved it and they booked the day right there. She made some changes to what she wanted this morning, but she was very satisfied with the end result. This picture is just one I took, it really doesn't do justice to how pretty she looked. She will be in Tahiti (jealous) for her honeymoon and then she has promised to send some professional pictures!! Thank you Robin, you are a beautiful bride, have a beautiful day and rest of your life! Congratulations!

e.l.f. order - SO EXCITED!!

2010-04-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

Okay today I am so excited. I hope that this turns out as exciting as I want it to be! I found this website that I blogged about yesterday, http://www.eyeslipsface.com/ and it is fantastic. Actually, by that I only mean that as of now, all I now is that it is inexpensive and gives GREAT deals. I ordered a TON of product, because I could, because everything costs like a dollar, and I am going to try it all and let you all know what I think! On the website everything got great reviews, so we will see. I don't think it will be product that we will be able to use for weddings are anything, but personally it might be great. Everything we use for our weddings has to last at least 12 hours. I am sure anyone who has ever been around any weddings or anything would understand that!

So I ordered 10 mineral eye shadows which were FREE!!! (because I purchased $20 of other product.) I got nail polish in this hot coral that think will be great and fun for the summer. I love bright colors for the summer. I ordered an eye shadow palette for $8. I mean the deals are incredible. Like I said, I cannot recommend the product just yet, but I can recommend the price!! This will be a lot of fun things to add to my makeup collection.

So after I was done shopping with e.l.f. they sent an e-mail with another awesome website attached. You have to check this one out too. It is http://www.shopthelook.net/. It isn't as inexpensive, but it is really cute jewelry. I haven't ordered anything from there yet, but it looks super cute. Look at this necklace. It is called Twisted Stone and Chain Necklace for $21.00. Not bad price though when you think what you would be paying if you found this in Anthropologie or something like that. They have earrings, rings, headbands, bracelets, etc. It also looks like they have been featured in all kinds of magazines, so maybe some of you have heard of them!

I am so excited to continue my journey in finding the best deals and steals and awesome website to look at. It has enlightened me so far and I am sure will only get better. The only downside is my husband and pocket book might not be as excited about it. But hey, what he doesn't know won't hurt him... right? My pocketbook will know, I can't keep anything from her...

Great Makeup Deals!

2010-04-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Okay so today I was browsing the internet checking all kinds of beauty blogs and websites. It was actually kinda fun and enlightening! There are so many out there and there are a lot of 'elite' beauty blog forums like Beauty Bloggerati and The Beauty Blog Network and I want to be a part of them! But I bet none of those beauty bloggers got there without a little hard work and a lot of research and writing! So here I am beginning our cyber journey and I am going to be one of those bloggers one day!!

BUT today I am actually going to share with you some of the awesome websites I found today with some incredible deals!! First of all, you might have heard of this one if you are in the beauty industry. If not, CHECK IT OUT because the deals are ridiculous! It is EyesLipsFace Cosmetics. It has been rumored that Nordstroms is changing the name of their makeup line and they need to sell the left over and that is what e.l.f. is. Either way, it is incredible deals and I have heard great makeup. I am going to order some products and write a review on them so stay tuned if you are the type that doesn't want to buy and try, you would rather hear about it first. I totally understand!

Another site I found and LOVE and any makeup enthusiasts will love also is Daily Makeover. They have a cute little logo too, huh? Lips look familiar! That is okay, we can share, I guess. At least we know that it is totally cute! Anyway, check out the website, it has a ton of stuff from makeovers to blogs (where we will be someday!) to beauty tips! We love it and if you are interested at all in the makeup industry, you will love it too!

I just wanted to post a few more links for everyone. Macy's, of course, if you are looking for that extra free gift. I try to never buy without it! The link will take you directly to the free gift page :). Another awesome site if you are a bride and you are looking for anything from wedding invitations to thank you notes it is a new company called the Pomegranet Bakset. The website is www.thepombasket.com. It is relatively new but they have a few projects going right now, and trust me, you will want to see them when they are done! They are so cute and creative!!

Stay tuned, because we will be posting a lot more!! We have some professional pictures of the wedding we just did coming up and a few weddings and tanning parties coming up soon. We might be featured on http://thetarrpit.blogspot.com and have a giveaway there. We are now very active on Twitter as well, so follow us there!! We love you followers!

Book online with Bliss!!

2010-04-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, we are so excited to add this feature! You can now book your appointments with Bliss, from tanning to bridal trials online! Anytime, 24 hours a day. No need to make a phone call or send an e-mail. The web address is http://bliss-makeup-artistry.genbook.com/. Just click the link and it will take you to our appointment page. We are going to add a link to the website so you can also do it from there. Try it out!! Book your next appointment with Bliss online!

Spring Makeup Trends 2010

2010-04-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

Okay Ladies, Spring is here! For us Southern Californians there isn’t really much difference between seasons, but the weather is getting warmer and it is time to adjust our makeup drawer! At Bliss we stay up to date on the latest trends of the seasons so that you don’t have to.

To start off, we are all starting to switch out our wardrobes for our spring/summers clothes which means we will be showing more skin. Now if you are like me and most of your body hasn’t seen the sun for about 6 months, you might be pretty pale. The best, most efficient way (not to mention safest way) to achieve a sun-kissed look is fake tanning. Now we are not talking Dancing with the Stars’ George Hamilton. There are classier ways to do it. Here are a few tips. Tip # 1 with tanning: professional tans are your best bet. If you can afford it, get an airbrush tan. It is the smoothest, most accurate tan you can get and it adjusts to your skin tone. Tip # 2: Use self-tanner on your face. Some great face tanning products are Jergens Natural Glow in the inexpensive range, Clarins Liquid Bronzer for Face, average price, and if you really want to go all out you can opt for St Tropez Whipped Bronze Self-Tanning Mouse for Face & Body or Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Cream. You can also use any of these products in between spray tans to make it last longer. And finally, Tip #3: Apply a bronzer. This will give you an overall glow and shimmer and ready for the sun!

For eyes this season we love color! Purple is a big standout and looks great with most skin types. We also like a mint shade of either shimmer or glitter for the lids. These colors that are brighter, fresher, and warmer create an alluringly natural look for the warmer days approaching.

Long eyelashes help accentuate the colors of the season. Personally, I think this is a year round trend, and it always looks great to have long eyelashes, but that is just me. This look can be achieved by using elongating mascara like DiorShow (expensive) or Maybelline XXL Extensions XX-treme Length Mircofiber Mascara (inexpensive), or you can buy some inexpensive individual eyelashes for a natural elongating look. Apply a few in the outside corners of your eye for a natural look. Or maybe for a night on the town you can apply more throughout the lashes for a fancier look.

Color is the theme this season and it is carried through to the lips as well. There has been a lot of peaches and coral on the lips to give a different look than just pink or red. You can also adjust the colors depending on your skin tone. This picture of Miley Cyrus she has some green going on the eyes with a light coral lip. There still has been a lot of color on the lips as well, mostly in matte. Just keep in mind when using a vibrate color on the lips it is good to tone it down on the eyes (and vice versa). It might be a little overwhelming!

Okay well there are some Spring 2010 beauty tips from your girls at Bliss! We hope to see all you ladies out there bold and beautiful with all the new colors. Call us soon to get started on your tans!!

New Blog!

2010-04-13T08:24:00.000-07:00

We have decided to use blogspot for all our blogging needs! This way we can track our followers and you can leave comments and I can blog from my phone! Hopefully you all will track along with us and watch our company grow into great things! Get on board and follow us! Leave a comment and let us know you are reading. We do take suggestions as well! We look forward to hearing from all of our fans!