Christine Craven :: Makeup Artist :: Los Angeles :: Blog

Beauty in Black and White

2012-02-18T22:53:00.001-08:00

Check it out..... from Marie Hamm, of the Maven Post, and Tell Tale Hearts! Photos by Leva Ann.

Old Hollywood Glamour in the Heart of Downtown Los Angeles

2012-01-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful bride... Cari completely reminded me of a modern Grace Kelly, with her very classic, understated style and gorgeous blonde hair. I loved the location for this event at the Downtown LA Public Library. These awesome photos were taken at/around the historic Biltmore Hotel by Llanes Photography. A perfect setting for a graceful couple.

For her makeup, I thought shimmering pale pinks and champagne with a touch of bronze. Her skin was gorgeous and glowy, so I chose to add to that with Nars Laguna bronzer along the high planes of her face (cheeks and brow bones).

Congratulations Cari and Jordan!

Happy New Year! Style Me Pretty Best of 2011

2012-01-05T15:23:00.000-08:00

2011 was so awesome, especially when I think back on all of the wonderful events I had the honor of being a part of, like this one, picked as one of Style Me Pretty's 20 Best Weddings of 2011. More from this too on my blog from earlier here.

I can't wait for this coming year. Happy New Year 2012!

More cute shots from Tell Tale Hearts AND...

2011-12-03T17:21:00.001-08:00

they're having a sale tonight, December 3, 7-9P. All holiday party dresses, 20%, if you're in the Silverlake, Los Angeles area go check it out! 1837 Hyperion Avenue. These ladies are sweethearts, go support your local businesses :)!

New stuff from Me and Tell Tale Hearts - Fall/Winter Makeup

2011-11-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

Some adorable Fall/Winter looks from Tell Tale Heats in Silverlake. Love the tights!

Breathtaking! Romantic and Classic Bridal Makeup for Diana and Michael

2011-09-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

Her very own lashes, as the photographer pointed out, and I will as well to show how gorgeous this lovely lady's natural lashes are!

I can't tell you how excited I am to share this stunning wedding from the Intercontinental Hotel in Century City. The bride was such a beauty! The photos were taken by very talented photographer, Jordana of Hazelnut Photography, and I highly recommend that you check out the rest of the details from this wedding on the studio's blog.

Diana wore the most fabulous Vera Wang dress. When I walked into the hotel room, I was seriously WOWed. It was such a treat to work with her and her family again, as I have also done makeup for her sister and for a various number of other occasions throughout the last few years for her family. It was a treat to share in their joy, and beauty.

As for the makeup, what else can I say, but just that I really, and truly wanted to let her shine. I used a soft petal pink lip, along with a very classic-ly defined eye; darkened upper and lower liner, with touches of charcoal and brown in her outer crease. She was bronzed with my fave NARS product, Laguna bronzer. I love this girl's smile, and wanted her makeup to be a compliment, not a distraction... as always :) Congrats Diana!

New Work, the latest from Me with Tell Tale Hearts // Sarah Whitney of Pandora's Box

2011-08-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Some cute, cute new stuff from Tell Tale Hearts in Silverlake.

Check out the gorgeous Sarah Whitney of the extra cool blog, Pandora's Box. I wanted to create a unique multi-dimensional smokey eye, using a blend of shimmery charcoal and deep teal-blue. I love her fringy, black hair with this look. Wouldn't think that blue can go with so many different outfits? Yes, most certainly... the right shade of blue reads as a neutral and can coordinate with almost anything.

Featured Work : Wedding Nouveau Premiere Issue Summer 2011

2011-07-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

So excited to share the tear sheets from this editorial in the brand spanking new, Wedding Nouveau Magazine! Be sure and pick up your copy here. You can see all the details in my previous post.

Bohemian, chic, glowy, gorgeous with a touch of the multi-ethnic.... that's what we were going for. It was such a creative and unique shoot with truly a blend of of amazing talents. For beauty, I stuck with shades of gold and bronze with very subtle splashes of aubergine, and brighter pink on the cheeks, but really, how could I have gone wrong on this model?!

WEDDING NOUVEAU - The Magazine - Launches July 11.

2011-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of working with a brand new bridal publication, WEDDING NOUVEAU, which was founded by editor, Fri Bailey of popular bridal blog of the same name. The shoot was absolutely stunning and a pleasure to work with some truly inspiring vendors! Stay tuned for more from this incredible editorial spread featured in the magazine launching July 11.

WEDDING NOUVEAU the premiere style guide for intercultural brides and multi-ethnic weddings.

Our mission is to dream in culture, one inspiration at a time. Wedding Nouveau magazine is a quarterly publication in digital, print and ipad ready formats.

In the Magazine:

- Featured Spotlight interview on Luxury Stationery designer - Ceci Johnson of CeciNewYork.

- Over 25 pages of real fusion weddings set in California, Mexico, India, New York, and Australia (to name a few)

- Fab finds with a global twist for today's modern bride

- Summer recipes from Photographer/ food blogger - Helen Dujardin (Tartelette blog)

- Runway trends

- And more in depth interviews, articles and inspiration.

- Link to more info on magazine.

Inspiration Shoot Vendors:

- Photography - Suthi Picotte - www.picotteweddings.com

- Styling - Wedding Nouuveau (Fri Forjindam)

- Dress - Esther Jean

- Jewelry - Carla de la Cruz Jewelry

- Bouquet/ Boutonniere - Noaki Jewelry

- Hair - Nikole Denise

- Make up - Christine Craven

- Furnishing - Archive Vintage Rentals

White Hot Summer Beauty - The Maven Post and Tell Tale Hearts

2011-06-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is not the traditional summer beauty that comes to mind when you're thinking hot, sun drenched days by the pool or beach.... no golden bronzy glowy shimmer here. But hey, there are umbrellas and spf 50 sunscreen (which I highly recommend for everyone) for a reason!

So here we have this lovely fair lady, Marie Hamm of the Maven Post, an absolutely super cool blog all about fashion along with an impeccable aesthetic. She teamed up with the ladies of Tell Tale Hearts Vintage for their latest shoot featuring some amazing, amazing jewelry, and vintage fashion of course.

For this shoot I wanted to create a unique summer beauty look, using the inspiration of a warm sunset glow, I used a shade of golden orange on the lid and a brighter flowery pink blended into her crease. The look was finished off with the lightest sweep of a shimmery, mineralized, soft pink highlighter powder on the tops of her stunning cheekbones. Voilà, we have summer on the fairest of the fair.... by the way this look would look beautiful on a dark skinned girl too, with very little alteration.

Featured on Snippet and Ink - Black and White Inspiration Wedding

2011-05-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

This was a sweet and inspiring little shoot with a really great theme. We did a couple of looks and ideas for beauty here... very simple and fresh was what we were going for with pink lips and a soft smoky brown eye.

The best part are the details and ideas from this faux wedding shoot....Check it out on the blog, Snippet and Ink

Photography: Ivy Reynolds

Model: Mackii from Click Models

Wedding dress: BHLDN

Oxford shoes: Urban Outfitters

Flower girl dress: Zara

Flowers: Loretta Alison

Hair: Marin Gilabert

Makeup: Christine Craven

Cake: Whole Foods

New Work, the latest!

2011-04-18T20:56:00.000-07:00

Photography by Leva Ann, once again for my favorite store in Silverlake, TellTale Hearts!

Style Me Pretty Today! "Napa Valley Wedding by Lisa Lefkowitz"

2011-04-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

Leslie and Jeff's wedding featured on Style Me Pretty, one of the very best wedding blogs out there. Take a look at the full gallery to drool over all the gorgeous details from this wedding. Truly inspiring. Yay!

a Graphic and Gorgeous Los Angeles Wedding

2011-03-14T10:32:00.001-07:00

This beautiful, and truly unique wedding was held at the Crystal Cathedral in Southern California. The bride was so elegant and such a presence to work with.

Hues of metallic grey, pink with pops of green and dusty emerald were the color scheme of this wedding, so I complimented the colors with pinks on the lips and touch of shimmer on the cheeks and on the eyes.

The photos were taken by Northern California photography studio, Tiny Water. The excellent Erin Adams with Contagious Weddings was the coordinator and a fantastic, positive vendor to work with. It was such a fantastic day! Thanks Clarissa for being such a wonderful bride.

Colorful Cat Eye Makeup and Tell Tale Hearts

2011-03-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

So here it is! The cat eye look that I created for the lovely team at Tell Tale Hearts in Silverlake. You must check out this super cool spot when you're driving anywhere in the vicinity of Los Feliz or Silverlake. Super easy stop off on Hyperion Avenue, and of course you can find it all on line too. Photography once again by Leva Ann, and styling by the Tell Tale Hearts power team, and makeup by me. More soon. xo.

Designing a Modern 60's Cat Eye Makeup Look - Inspiration Mood Board

2011-02-17T20:12:00.000-08:00

I have an upcoming shoot for a company that wants a modern look with a 60's cat eye inspiration. I put together this mood board to sort of reflect on some of the past and recent trends on that theme. The cat eye look is something that never goes out of style. I can't wait to put a modern spin on this classic, high contrast look! I'm thinking of incorporating some fun bold color that makes it unique. Will she be Sophia Loren, Anna Karina, Bridget Bardot, Twiggy... or Rhiana? Stay tuned.

Tell Tale Hearts Vintage - Smoky Eye Shoot

2011-02-08T10:54:00.000-08:00

More shots from this shoot....From girl next door to sultry fashionista!

Here are the credits:

Photography by Leva Ann

Styling by Tell Tale Hearts Vintage

Model is Michaela Rances

Visit their newly launched site here TellTaleHeartBeat.com and look out for more collaborations with this store soon!

Sneek Peek - Smoky Eyes for a Vintage Fashion Shoot

2011-02-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick shot of the look I created for a very cool new vintage store fashion shoot in Silverlake, Los Angeles....more details to come!

Tracy + Nate, Love, Laughter and Life - Los Angeles Wedding Makeup

2011-01-30T22:25:00.000-08:00

This couple and entire bridal party was truly a blast! They were so sweet and full of laughter, all day long. I don't remember seeing so many beautiful smiles on the faces of all the family and friends...they really knew how to have a good time. From the lovely mom, best friends to the amazingly talented Los Angeles photographer, Ja Tecson, I was truly impressed with their spirit of excitement and fun.

Oh, and just in case you missed the adorable pics from their engagement session, you can find them here.

Brides Magazine Feature February 2011 :: Leslie and Jeffrey

2011-01-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

Leslie & Jeff's Beaulieu Garden Wedding from Justin Ferar on Vimeo.

Hot off the presses, a new feature in this February 2011 issue of Brides Magazine came out on news stands today!

I am absolutely thrilled and honored to have been a part of this incredible team of wedding industry professionals. It was like working with the A-team all around, including Lisa Lefkowitz photographer, Gloria Wong Event Design, Jubilee Lau Event Coordination, Nancy Liu Chin Florist, Good on Paper Design for the invites, Paula LeDuc Catering, Cake Coquette and Weddings on Film for the videography.

This bride was GORGEOUS... And that lip color... all hers, au naturel!!!! This event was that garden, Napa Valley wedding that you can only dream of, and her bridal beauty had to live up that, so we did bronze-y natural glowing skin, natural (but thickened, and enhanced by falsies) lashes, and a clean/modern and timeless look. Exactly what I love to do!

Read the sweet review that Leslie wrote about my work here.

Before and After for a Bride to Be!

2011-01-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

2011 Here I Come!

2010-12-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

So excited for new adventures this coming year.... see you soon I hope.

A Pretty San Francisco Wedding

2010-12-26T22:39:00.000-08:00

Very cool shots from international photographer, Junshien.

Featured Work : Virginia and Tim on StyleUnveiled.com

2010-11-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

Excited that one of my client's weddings was featured on the wonderful site StyleUnveiled.com, check out the full article here. This is an excellent planning resource for brides!

Some stuff that I really like

2010-11-17T11:23:00.001-08:00

From the top:

• Nars Blush duo "Orgasm Blush and Laguna Bronzer" : Clients always ask me how to get that gorgeous, natural looking glow... well, besides using a really great moisturizer with sunscreen in it and taking extra great care of your skin, this Nars blush/bronzer duo is a helper. Orgasm blush is a gorgeous, peachy, hint 'o shimmer blush that can be worn everyday, paired with Laguna bronzer, highlighter, this duo is unstoppable. I have both of these in my kit!

• Dior "Show" Mascara : A one coat all around fabulous mascara for everyday.

• Philosophy "Help Me" Retinol night treatment : Fine lines, dark spots, aging prevention to be used only at night. This rocks! Make sure you use your sunscreen EVERYDAY during the day when you are using this.

• Makeup Forever "HD Microfinish Powder" : A flawless matte or semi-matte finish for all skin tones. Lightweight and invisible, not powdery and heavy looking.

• YSL " Touche Eclat" radiant touch skin illuminator : Pop this in your purse to do an instant pick-me up for your skin. Use it around the eyes, in laugh lines, to just refresh your face. It's the perfect mommy carry around product to get that refreshed look at the end (or middle) of a long day.

A Perfect Day in November

2010-11-16T18:12:00.001-08:00

What a gorgeous bride and event. It was amazing weather, and beautiful skin to boot! These photos were taken by Southern California photographer Henry Chen.

Stunning Wedding in Palo Alto, California

2010-10-22T22:59:00.001-07:00

A truly fun group for this wedding at the Stanford Memorial Church in Northern California. The photographer, Eddie Borjorquez of studio512 from San Diego, was a great person to work with!

Tracy + Nate Engagement Photos

2010-10-13T15:10:00.001-07:00

Some wonderful shots of Tracy and Nate's engagement photo session taken by talented Los Angeles based photographer, Ja Tecson. His awesome wedding pics to come from this wonderful couple.....

Sneek Peek of a Stunning Wedding at St. Brendan's Church, Los Angeles

2010-10-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

Tracy & Nathaniel's Wedding from Matrimony Pictures on Vimeo.

Makeovers for Real Life #2 - A Gorgeous Classic Updo

2010-08-19T13:31:00.001-07:00

I am so proud to announce that I am ramping up for 2011 to offer services for gorgeous, classic wedding hair. Those of you who know me, know that for years my focus has been on makeup only for special events, but hey, gotta roll with the times right?

This is an example of what I've done. Of course a simple and classic style to bring out my friend Ivy's inner glamour girl. Date night!

Jenie and Aric's San Francisco Wedding

2010-08-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Some pics from a very sweet wedding in San Francisco, by Emily Scannell of Borrowed Blue Old New.

From the archives... fun music shoot!

2010-08-12T10:14:00.001-07:00

Some pretty pics from a shoot for a band called Call and Response. The girls look so glamorous!

Lovely Los Angeles Wedding

2010-08-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

Photography by Duke Images.

Makeovers for Real Life, #1

2010-08-05T17:30:00.001-07:00

Before

After: Natural Day Look One

After: Natural Smoky Look

So, my friend Melissa was looking for a new way to do her everyday look and wanted me to show her how to do a smoky eye. As a mom of two beautiful boys, I wanted to give her a fresh, approachable look that she felt comfortable with! Doesn't she look like a supermodel?!

It's me! A LONG time ago...

2010-08-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Look! It's me on my wedding day! Almost TEN years ago. If you're a client of mine, I'm sure you've heard me say how my wedding day was the happiest day ever. It really was. This photo reminds me of that, taken by an amazing photographer and friend, Ivy Reynolds of i & v photography.

So, I'm sort of in a blog slump. I need help. Send me your ideas, seriously. Mom makeovers? That was my next idea... but we'll have to see.

Beautiful Bridesmaids!

2010-07-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

I love these quick snapshots of these gorgeous bridesmaids, who happen to be some of my favorite regular clients! Beauties.

Smoky Eyes for a Bride? Yes, done right!

2010-05-20T12:47:00.001-07:00

When it comes to bridal makeup, the number one concern that the bride should have is maintaining a 'timeless' quality to their style on the big day. Who wants to look at their photos 10, 20, 30 years from now and say, 'what the heck was I thinking'?

Hence, how can you do a smoky eye for a bride without making it look too trendy? Well, 1) use neutrals, greys, charcoals and champagnes 2) not too dark and black on the lids 3) use a neutral light lip to balance the darker eye 3) make your skin look gorgeous, luminous, glowy with bronzer and blush to avoid a washed out effect.

Here on this lovely, sweet bride Amanda, we did just that with fantastic results (if I do say for myself). Her skin looks amazing and we were able to capture the smoky effect that she wanted to make her feel like herself!

Camille W Hat Shoot

2010-02-22T21:58:00.001-08:00

Pretty pic of this model for a fun hat company. We kept the palette clean with a bold pop of magenta on the lip to coordinate with this talented hat designer's work. Beautiful brown eyes!

Susie and David Part II

2010-01-08T19:54:00.001-08:00

More pics from the reception of this gorgeous Southern California wedding.

Inspiration: French New Wave

2009-11-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

One of the best film examples of French New Wave has always been a style inspiration to me. The actress Anna Karina's simple, natural, classic but striking look is always something that I aspire to for my own every day look.

Gorgeous Wedding, Gorgeous Couple

2009-11-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of being part of an AMAZING 2 day wedding event. This couple was stunning. It was such a beautiful event with a really great classy feel. The bride wanted a romantic look in this set. Hopefully I will have more to show for her amazing second, evening look. Stay tuned!

Some CHANEL Inspiration

2009-10-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

I went to the movies with my best friend the other night because we had to see the biopic film about Coco CHANEL, "Coco Avant Chanel". It was so interesting to learn about this iconic designer's life and struggle before she built an amazing fashion empire. Audrey Tatou is one of my all time favorite beauties. Apparently she is also representing CHANEL as the new face of the fragrance. Love, love this commercial for Chanel No.5!

Fun Video Footage - Wedding in Calistoga

2009-09-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

Just got this link to footage from the videographers, Weddings on Film! Check it out here: http://www.weddingsonfilm.com/nicole-dean.htm

They did a fantastic job really capturing this beautiful event. Thanks Weddings on Film!

"Cool" Japanese Eye Drops

2009-09-08T21:22:00.001-07:00

Japan has some of the most innovative products... cars, sushi, Muji, etc. Gotta love 'em! So why not eye drops? Yes, these eye drops are very 'cool'. Neato packaging and a unique 'refreshing', 'minty' feel for your eyeballs. Sometimes we forget how important the brightness of your eyes can be to make your face look fresh and awake. You can get 'em at drugstores now too! CVS, Walgreens, Drugstore.com, etc. They burn a little bit when you first put them in, but they make your eyes super white and fresh feeling, for those days when you haven't gotten enough sleep and concealer isn't cutting it.

Love and Butterflies in San Francisco...

2009-09-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Knot Magazine, Northern California :: Fall/Winter 2009 Issue.

I was so excited to be part of this event in San Francisco at the Bentley Reserve. It was once again a very talented team of people including one of my faves, Gloria Wong Design. The theme of the wedding was "love and butterflies", so I made sure the bride had a soft feminine look to match delicate and pretty feel of the event. She wore shimmering pinks with glowy skin and a pearly lipcolor. The talented photographer, Angie Silvy shot this one. Here's the link to see more details about this on the Knot website, http://weddings.theknot.com/Real-Weddings/47562/detailview.aspx?id=47562&RPID=2&type=3

How to apply False Lashes....

2009-08-24T14:30:00.001-07:00

1. Black liquid or creme eyeliner with a brush

* above MAC Blacktrack Fluidline, #311 brush

2. Mascara, black

* above MAC zoomlash, black

3. Eyelash curler

* above ShuUemura eyelash curler

4. Lash glue

* above Lash Grip Dark Tone strip lash glue

5. False eyelashes

* above Ardell Fashion Lashes #110

STEP ONE

Apply your eyeliner along the lash line, slightly thicker than you normally would. I would recommend that if you plan on wearing eyeshadow too, to do that FIRST. In fact, do ALL your eye makeup first.

STEP TWO

Curl your natural lashes and apply a light, single coat of mascara. You want to do this so that your natural lashes blend with the false ones.

STEP THREE

Remove the lashes from the package using the pad of your thumb, not your fingernails so that you don't damage the lashes, uncurl or bend them.

STEP FOUR

Before applying the glue you should measure the lashes to make sure that they are not too wide on the eye. This is also a good way to practice how to place the lash on your lash line.

STEP FIVE

Trim the lash from the OUTER edge of the lash. I usually trim off about 4 sections. For most people this works well. You can use small cuticle scissors, which is what I use.

STEP SIX

Apply a THIN ribbon of glue to the strip. Use a light touch here. Less is more and makes an easier placement of the lash on eye.

STEP SEVEN

Ok, excuse my dorky facial expression.... blow on the lash for a few seconds, 20 seconds or so (If you are applying this to someone else, don't blow on it, fan it. It's probably sort of yucky to get your germs all over someone else eye!) You want to be sure the glue is slightly tacky so it adheres immediately.

FINAL STEP EIGHT

Now here comes the fun part, look into a freestanding mirror, and with your CHIN UP and eyes looking slightly down, apply the lash to the top lash line. Press lightly on the lash to get the lash to adhere to the skin. The glue will dry to black in a few seconds. If it stays grey-ish for a long time probably means you put too much glue on.

DONE

Ok can you tell? They are very natural looking lashes!!! Sorry the photos are not so great, but you get the idea, right? No seventies disco queen (though there is a time and a place for that!) here.

HOW TO TAKE THEM OFF

The lash glue is soft and in general you can simply 'peel' the lashes. But if you are worried that you will damage your natural lashes, just wash your face as you normally would and the water will loosen them so you can remove them easily. If you want to be tidier about it, moisten a cotton swab and moisten along the lash line and peel off.

Comments? Questions? Email me please!

Your Skin! Be nice to it...

2009-08-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

What are the best ways to make your skin look great? No makeup? Lots of makeup? Water? Well, here are my two cents.... 5 ways **I keep my skin looking good.

1. Don't smoke and drink alcohol very sparingly

2. Wear at least an SPF 30 every single day no matter what

3. Use gentle means to maintain my skincare regime, i.e. no scubbing, popping, poking zits, etc.

4. Eat healthy whole foods and avoid white flour, sugar, and the like

5. Use certain types of products on my skin to make sure I am preventing fine lines: eye cream [I like Avalon Organics Vitamin C] and a face cream with a glycolic acid or alphahydroxy acid to remove dull skin and prevent breakouts [I like Aquaglycolic face cream].

So there you go. That's what I think.

a Romantic Getaway Wedding in Calistoga

2009-08-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Just got the pics from a wedding at the Solage Inn and Spa in Calistoga, California. The bride was beautiful and had great taste! The photos are absolutely breathtaking, by Tanja Lippert from Los Gatos.

Tattoo Removal... it's magic!

2009-08-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

"The bride said she didn't want my fish tattoo in her wedding photos!! What do I do?"

Christine to the rescue....

Yay!

New work Featured in Martha Stewart Weddings Summer 2009

2009-08-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

This was a gorgeous late Summer wedding in the Napa Valley, California. The sweet bride wanted a very natural and classic look to fit her outdoor themed wedding. She wore an amazing Vera Wang gown. I used champagne and browns on the bride and on the bridal party. Timeless and classic!