African Rainbow

New photography work by GL Wood.

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A Rose Is Still A Rose....

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." 

-Albert Einstein

I photographed these beautiful roses recently:

I am often caught in a stare when it comes to the beauty and mystery of nature.  Isn't it perplexing how a rose grows from the planting of a seed with the assistance of sunlight and water, plus a little t.l.c.? The rose grows, provides oxygen for us to breathe and feeds others....just amazing. 

When is the last time you stopped what you were doing and took a few minutes out of your day to appreciate nature and your surroundings?  I encourage you to do so today. 

"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls." 
- Mother Teresa

New Year's Eve Nailin' @ t.h.e. Nail Studio!

This Friday we're back at it at t.h.e. Nail Studio doing manicures, pedicures and nail art!  If you missed out last time, this is your chance to come experience t.h.e. Nail Studio and leave with amazing feeling hands and feet!

Come join us December 31st at t.h.e. Nail Studio and ring in the new year with a manicure and pedicure, and a fresh pair of painted nails!  We will have light snacks, cocktails and a warm and cozy atmosphere ready to service you!

Please visit the website to schedule an appointment [preferred] - WWW.NAILSTUDIOLA.COM  

Walk-ins are also accepted.

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DECEMBER 31ST  |  1PM-9PM

@ T.H.E. NAIL STUDIO

3560 S. LA CIENAGA BLVD, SUITE J

LOS ANGELES, CA 

*NEXT TO TACO BELL, BETWEEN JEFFERSON AND RODEO

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Christmas/Holiday Makeup

Christmas is almost here and what a joy! - Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday.  

I love the holiday cheer, the bringing together of family and friends, but most importantly, it is the celebration of Jesus's birth!  If that's not reason to smile and be merry, than I don't know what is.  My family no longer participates in gift exchanges because we feel it is an attempt to distract us from what the day really means to us - remembering the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We also feel like it is a Capitalistic ploy! ...but I won't get into that, ha. 

I created my own tradition a few holidays ago, and that tradition is the purchase of  new Christmas toe socks every year!  I can't believe it's December 22, and I haven't bought a pair of toe socks yet.  I must get to Target immediately! 

I also like to decide upon a Christmas makeup look for myself. December 25 is a celebration, and I like to look good for the party.  This year I wanted to do a natural, sultry, sexy look, and I knew that I wanted to wear red lipstick. 

So........this is what I came up with:

How I came up with this look:

I decided that I wanted to do an opulent gold or bronze shade on my lid to give my eyes some sparkle and shine, so I used a M.A.C. pigment in gold.  I used a soft brown shadow in the crease to create a more natural, sultry contour.  I lined my eyes with M.A.C. Powerpoint eyeliner in black. I used Covergirl's LashBlast Fusion Mascara in black. I chose a blush that would give my cheeks a soft splash of color. I lined my lips in M.A.C. Cherry lip liner and used M.A.C. Dubonnet lipstick with a dabble of lip gloss with a silver pearl finish.

The neat thing about this look is that any complexion can wear it and look marvelous!  You can also alternate the shade of red on your lips to create brighter, bolder or more dramatic looks.

Zoya Nail Polish Free Color Spoon Friday!

Isn't it a bummer when you purchase a nail polish, only to find out the color isn't what you were anticipating? Well, Zoya has a solution to this problem, and it's called color spoons!

Here's the 411:

First, select any 6 colors that you would like to try on.  Add the matching Zoya Color Spoon to your shopping cart on www.zoya.com.  Add SP6 as your code.  Zoya will ship them to you for FREE! Plus, you will automatically earn a $3 Zoya Color Spoon credit code for use on a future Zoya.com purchase.

The offer expires at 11:59pm EST, so hurry up and get your free color spoons!

"Wow!" Brows: Camilla Belle

Doesn't actress Camilla Belle look stunning?

I really love this beautiful, classic, fresh makeup look. It's a versatile look, great in the daytime or evening, but especially lovely during the holidays.

The thing that grabbed my attention first was her eyes, specifically her eyebrows [and eyebrows mean everything!]. The precision in the shape, as well as the depth and darkness really helped define and frame her face. Well-maintained, naturally shaped brows really do wonders for the face - sexy.

Camilla's eyes seem to be a catalyst of great things to come.  After looking at her eyes, your gaze can only drift downward where you'll notice her healthy, glowing complexion and sultry, red lips. 

Bravo Camilla, bravo!  

Photoshoot

Peek-a-boo

I see you.....

Photographed by: Anthony Collins

Make-up, Hairstyling & Nail art by: Aja Eskandar

Covergirl Taylor Takeover Makeover Event

Last week I got to work with Covergirl again for a special event with Taylor Swift called the "Taylor Takeover Makeover."  Taylor Swift was conducting a radio contest across the nation and if you were the winning caller, this is what  you received:

- A free trip to L.A. for two days

- A complimentary stay at The Hollywood Renaissance Hotel & Spa

- A private concert with Taylor Swift

- A V.I.P. tour of Hollywood

- A Covergirl makeover & complimentary gift bag

- A shopping spree

Incredible, right?! ...especially since all of the winners were from out of town, most of whom have never visited Los Angeles or California.

I had a lot of fun participating in this event and doing the makeovers. We got to use Taylor Swift's new line of makeup for Covergirl called "Natureluxe", which isn't available to the public yet, and it's an amazing  product!  Natureluxe is Covergirl's more natural line up makeup, with ingredients like Cucumber water, Jojoba for moisture, etc. 

This is the BEST part [besides all of the fun I had working]: Covergirl let me keep ALL of the makeup that you see in the picture above, wooohooo!  Looks like I'll be doing some product reviews within the next few weeks.

Until then, check out the pictures I was able to capture at the event:

[my work space]

[contestant winner - post makeover]

 [contestant winner - post makeover]

[contestant winners - post makeover]

Fashion Editorial: Inspiration

Here is a preview of some of my favorite editorials over this past week.  

Click the pictures to view the entire photo set.

Courtney Vogler by Elliot & Erick Jimenez for Material Girl

Ruby Aldridge by Derek Kettela for Dossier Journal

Jessica Stam by Craig McDean for Vogue Italia 

Siri Tollerod by Tim Gutt for British Vogue

Fashion Editorial: Inspiration

Star Girls by Mario Testino 

Vogue UK December 2010

Claudia Schiffer is channeling Veronica Lake, the epitome of classic beauty, in this fashion editorial shot by Mario Testino for Vogue UK's December issue.  I love her lightly waved hair, sultry stare, red nails and those amazing matte red lips!

See more of Testino's amazing photography and the rest of the Star Girls here.

Photoshoot

Lost In The Jungle

"Los Angeles, what is that?" [she asked]

She wasn't even from Earth,

dropped off in the "jungles" of L.A.

She was lost.

[to be continued....]

 Photographed by: Sidfly

Make-up by: Aja Eskandar

Styling by: Yoko + Lennon

Photoshoot

Rehab Reject

She wouldn't take no for an answer ...

She was looking for an escape from the norm ...

.... this was her final destination.

 

Photographed by: Sidfly

Makeup/Styling by: Aja Eskandar

Me.

Photographed by: Craig Canepa [my awesome neighbor!]

Sephora Friends & Family Online Sale 2010 - 20% Off!!!

Sephora Friends & Family sale is here and will run until November 3rd. All you have to do is enter the promo code FF2010 at online checkout in order to claim your 20% savings!

Sephora.com Friends & Family 20% off offer valid through 11/03/10 at 11:59pm PST/PDT with any mechandise order on Sephora.com. Enter promotion code FF2010 in the promotion code box during Sephora.com checkout to receive your discount. Not valid in retail stores, previous purchases, on Canadian online purchases, nor with the purchase of eGift certificates or gift cards. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion codes. A print out of this email is not a substitution for the Friends and Family cards in store. Sephora reserves the right to end or change this promotion offer at any time.

Graham Knox - Dollar [video]

  "If i'm with or without you still, I keep a dollar in my pocket."

- Graham Knox

Directed by: Damian Marcano

Make-up by: Aja Eskandar

Styling by: Jesse Cain

Get The Look: Rockabilly

What is Rockabilly?

Rockabilly is like a fusion of rock & roll and the blues. The easiest way to put it is a little bit of Elvis, mixed with a little bit of pin-up style. Grease, the movie, is also a good example of this particular style.  

One thing I enjoy about Rockabilly fashion is that it's a fun style. You have lots of range in creativity when it comes to the clothing, hair and make-up. I can imagine that one would be all grins and giggles while getting dolled up.  

I decided that I wanted to create a fun, colorful, more modern version of Rockabilly, and here it is:

THE MAKE-UP:

1. FACE - I used M.A.C Mineralize Satinfinish Spf 15 Foundation and mixed in a little bit of M.A.C Melon pigment to give the skin a polished, bronzed, porcelain effect.

2. EYES - I used various shades of M.A.C glitter to create the appearance of a transparent star around the eye, lined the eyelids with Engraved M.A.C. Powerpoint Eye Pencil and finished the lashes with L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara, shade Black.

3. LIPS - I lined the lips with M.A.C Cherry Lip Pencil and used M.A.C Cockney Lipstick.

THE HAIR:

1. I separated her hair into four sections in order to have more control when blow drying her hair  [use more sections when the hair has longer length.], as well as separated the hairstyle on top and bottom for the design.  

2. I then made pin curls to create the circular waves you see on top of her head and set them with a little hairspray.  You can use a curling iron to create this look, rollers, your hands, pin curls....there are many ways!  If you're without heat, the best methods are rollers or pin curls, although pin curls & rollers set the best with heat.

3. After creating the circular "waves" on top, I created a cornrow which starts at the side of her temple, and ends on the other side of her temple to add more dimension and uniqueness to the hairstyle.

4. I finished the look by taking out the pin curls, fluffing and combing them into shape, and spraying the entire head with Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play Harder.

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This look can be worn for a pin-up style photo shoot, a night out on the town, a carnival, a rave - endless possibilities! ....just have fun with it.

“Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.” 

- Christian Dior

A Beauty Perspective: Smoking & Editorials

There sure is a lot of cigarette smoking in fashion magazines.

If you visit any fashion photography site or blog, you will see at least one beautiful photo, with a beautiful model, with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth ....backstage in-between shows, in editorials, on set.  

I find this to be the most boggling aspect of it all: the "cool" factor. 

When did smoking cigarettes begin to have a positive connotation and look appealing? 

Has the industry and Hollywood idolized models smoking as sexy and the cool thing to do?

Nail Art: Inspired by Jeremy Scott

I saw this image floating around the net today. The image is supposed to be Disney princesses turned pop divas for Halloween.  I thought it was cute, lol.

I really love the blue rendition of the Jeremy Scott outfit worn by Lady Gaga/Cinderella in the graphic above, as well as the original design which was this:

I liked it so much that I decided to decorate my nails in true Jeremy Scott fashion:

Behind The Scenes: Graham Knox 'Dollar' Video Shoot

Meet Graham Knox:

I was blessed with an opportunity to work with such an amazing, talented young woman.  Her voice is BEAUTIFUL and she has a beautiful personality to match.  Not to mention the make-up was SO EASY because she is gorgeous!

Stay tuned for more great things from her in the future, as well as be on the lookout for her single 'Dollar'.  

In the meantime, check out her video press kit and get to know her a little better:

Graham Knox Video Press Kit from United Front Media on Vimeo.