Hey Girl! Where you at?!

Hi Loves!

Soooo yeah I pretty much fell off the face of the planet for about 2 months :-0 and I am so sorry,

Life has been crazy but in a nutshell, my hubby and I decided to move our growing family about 2 months ago from northern california to the central valley! Um huge change... It's 2.5 hours from everything we know but I have some family here and that has made the change manageable! J (the hubs) then started a new job which we absolutely adore and he is home with us so much more :)

I also got totally caught up in "researching" homeopathic medicine ( makes sense since I am always looking for natural skin and make up items) and western medicine and with our new little bundle on the way I am doing even more research on cloth diapering! Oh man so many changes but I am so excited! i hope you guys will hang with me as I try to reconstruct my little bloggy to include all things, fashion, organic, beauty, skin, family,and artistry!
As I told my dear aunt today... I am a Jesus Loving, Starbucks drinking, money saving, organic living, make up artist! If thats not a walking oxy moron I dont know what is?!

Excited to share my crunchy momma adventures ( crunchy= granola loving, organic-y type person) !

Loves!
Amy
(<---Like this pic check out www.facebook.com/jepphotography and like the page! I would love you forever if you did!)

Hucklebee Hollow where have you been all my life?

I cannot believe it has taken me this long to blog!! I will have an updated blog post about the many changes that have gone in the last six weeks but not right now!

I have recently found I am a sucker for the words boutique, one of a kind, and all natural! haha!
I also have found that I am also very particular when it comes to these things.

I love my fancy scents from places like Bath and Body Works and Victorias Secret. But seriously every time I have tried to find a natural alternative they just let me down, so its back to the store I go to pick up my heavily loaded perfumes and lotions.

That was until I came across Hucklebee Hollow and started chatting with Tracy!
She makes some super yummy whipped body washes and whipped lotions! the texture is absolutely amazing and super silky. And the scents... divine! not "nature-y" smelling if you know what I mean... ;)

She sent me some wonderful product and two of my favorite scents were the plumeria and lilac!
Birthday cake was super fun to but I included that in one of my giveaways! So I didnt get to use it :)

I would definitely recommend checking out her yummy lotions and highly, highly recommend the plumeria whipped lotion ( not greasy and smells havenly) you can get your very own here http://www.etsy.com/listing/96065852/whipped-body-butter-plumeria-petals-8-oz
or if you are anything like me you can purchase a sample pack and try a bunch :-)


They even have a lotion that is supposed to mimic Victorias Secret's Love Spell! which is a best seller for VS! She was out of stock when I ordered my goodies but if it is anything like the plumeria's amazing scent, it's at the top of my list!!

So please check out Hucklebee Hollow and tell Tracy I said hey!!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HuckleBeeHollow?ref=seller_info

XO
Amy

Kiss me... Im Gorgeous!

I am seriously in love with Kiss Me Cosmetics!! Not only do they offer amazing and highly pigmented make up goods and skin care they also offer a special line for super dry skin for eczema sufferers. KMC sent me a huge, and I mean huge, box of samples ( although there must be another name for these items since everything I received was full size!)

As you know I am always on the hunt for quality natural makeup as well as eczema relief for my precious 3 year old and my hubby :-) The sugar scrub is by far my most favorite product. Many many people who have dry skin use salt scrubs or exfoliants that end up taking off the layer of dead skin and although this does help, without the aided sugar it also strips your skin of moisture, and we all know that the best remedy for dry skin is moisture!

So after using this on my daughter as well as myself I can tell you truthfully this stuff definitely works and reduces the irritation and dry skin of eczema sufferers.

I would highly recommend trying this product for yourself! Your skin will thank you! http://www.etsy.com/listing/74194846/100-all-natural-sugar-scrub-for

In my box of goodies I also got this amazing (no joke) tinted moisturizer! I am a huge lover of tinted moisturizer! I wear this on a daily basis and it really does match my skin perfectly and gives it that extra boost of hydration without making my skin look greasy. And as an added bonus im pretty sure KMC puts chocolate in it... that's all I smell when I put it on and I love it.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/88184531/tinted-moisturizer-all-natural-light

 Another thing I adore is pampering my babies ( and myself too of course) thats why I am in love with the oatmeal tea bath, whenever I think of oatmeal I think of comfort and that is exactly what this provides. Its super good for dry dehydrated skin but also just a nice treat! it smells like a spa and is perfect after a long day. If you love coming home to a nice relaxing bath then you definitely need to get yourself some of this goodness! http://www.etsy.com/listing/52125427/oatmeal-tea-bath-for-babies

Renee is the owner of Kiss Me Cosmetics and she is such a love and pleasure to work with! I was so so stunned when I got all my goodies. there was so much to choose from :-) definitely check out her shop and like her on facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kiss-Me-Cosmetics/160247823986445. if you decide to try anything out let her know you heard it from me ;-)

xoxo

Amy

Honey for your face!

I am a honey lover! I always have been! I love the taste and smell and the healing properties it gives!! In my opinion it is one of the most  versatile hmmm... substances out there! You can use it for healing sickness, healing dry skin, chapped lips, soothing sore throats, in your bath and shower, and now on your face. Eucalypto Organics makes an amazing honey facial cleanser. This is quite the unique product as it not only cleanses and removes makeup but leaves your skin hydrated! It is just wonderful! I have tried numerous cleansers that contain essential oils and they never seem to really "clean" my face, but this definitely does the job :-) I dont use this everyday because I love the smell of it! that probably makes no sense haha but I like to use this wash after a rough nights sleep or a long day since the smell is just wonderful, way therapeutic! If you are in the market for new cleanser I definitely recommend this and you can get yours here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79506111/balancing-honey-facial-cleanser-organic.

If you are also finding your skin needs an extra boost of hydration or you are getting a little rough around the edges (wrinkles), I am a huge fan of serums! Serums work on a cell level to restore your skin and provide suppleness and because it absorbs quickly into the skin I was super pleased to find Eucalypto Organics makes an all natural serum with rosehips! Do you know about rose hips and their benefits? Rose hips and rose water, and well roses in general provide huge amounts of hydration! Our mothers and grandmothers used this all the time! To this day many skin care professionals and makeup artists include this in their kit! Be sure to get yours today at http://www.etsy.com/listing/78626962/rosehip-balancing-facial-serum-organic :-)

Both products are perfect for dry, mature, or sensitive skin!

Thanks to Laurie for dreaming up these lovely products and sharing them with me!!!

Honey faces and Rosy goodness!

xo
Amy

Attack of the Abrasive washcloth!!

There are many, many things in this life that I love and very few that I absolutely cannot stand, But of these few things washcloths are not my friend! No matter how many times I wash my face, I always leave the experience feeling as though my face has been scraped and burned :(I have spoken with numerous men and women about this issue... and it's a combination of things, people in general think the harder they scrub the cleaner their skin, I promise this just isn't the case. Really the harder you scrub the more layers of skin you are ripping off your face... OUCH! Sooo please let me introduce to you my new loves... Face scrubbies by Peanuts Crochet!

 These little lovelies are awesome for two reasons.

1. They get softer over time and with each washing.

2.They are crocheted so perfectly there are no little annoying fibers when you wash your face!!

When I first came across Peanuts Crochet, I was definitely anxious to try these babies out. My skin is super sensitive and I just couldn't wait to pamper it a bit. Karen, the owner, was so so gracious and sent me a bunch of full size scrubbies and even some additional sized scrubbies for eye make up remover and makeup remover in general! I have had the opportunity to try all of these and absolutely love them! You definitely need to check these out! http://www.etsy.com/shop/PeanutsCrochet?ref=ss_profile

The very best thing about Karen is her attention to detail, she found out my business colors and went ahead and customed my scrubbies to match with some extra complimentary colors!!

Soooo if you are tired of dumb, abrasive, skin shearing washcloths you need to pick up a few of these! I definitely recommend the washcloth scrubbies, you can get yours here http://www.etsy.com/listing/77708287/washcloths-face-scrubbies-cotton-crochet and while you are there ask her about the scrubbie loofah! I use mine every day and I love, love, love it :-)

The next thing I am anxious to try are her organic scrubbies... can you imagine if the originals are super soft, how amazingly divine these little loves will be!!!??

a little reflection on Overall Beauty!

I recently got to work with J.E.P. Photography and one of our favorite models, Cutthroat Kristina!

On top of this amazing shoot, I got to use some of my new product

from Overall Beauty! The color on Kristina eyes is their gorgeous

mineral eye shadow in Flashy Denim!

This shoot was for a company called LoveTag LA and the items we were shooting were strictly black and white, this being the case I got excited about the idea of getting to play with some color! I really wanted to make Kristina stand out and with her amazing fiery red hair I wanted to use colors that would compliment each other!! I opted for Flashy Denim because it has such amazing pigment and the blue and greens worked so well with her red hair!

I will say that Overall Beauty cosmetics definitely has some major skill in the color department :)

If you are looking for some fun and playful makeup this is definitely for you and the owner Kim is absolutely the sweetest and extremely generous!

On a personal note:

Kim sent me some amazing products and included a foundation. In my opinion this foundation matched my skin perfectly and I had absolutely no reaction! With all mineral makeup though, I do definitely recommend using a primer for foundation and eye shadows!

Check out all there amazing products at

http://www.overallbeauty.com/

Let Kim know I sent you and stay tuned for some more reviews! I just got the cutest little makeup bag!

x's and o's

They say " never judge a book by it's cover"

Well thats exactly what I did when I came across Moody Sisters! I thought their pacakaging was super cute so I just had to contact them! I know plenty of great products, and books too, are hidden behind dull covers but truly this stuff was just too fun and too great a product!
So when I received my package from Jess and Whitney ( two "moody sisters") who create their own organic skin care, I couldnt wait to look inside! They sent me a full size bottle of eye makeup remover, which I had been in the market for, for awhile now.This bad boy is fully loaded with sunflower oil, that absorbs super quickly into the skin, is all natural, and will not clog your pores, and apricot kernel oil which has major benefits in softening the skin and fighting those stubborn fine lines and wrinkles! With the skin around the eyes being the most sensitive and thin it is way way important to make sure you are using the most natural items out there! Since remember 60% off what goes on your skin is absorbed right into you!! 
I used it wrong the first time I tried it! I didn't read the directions! I just slabbed some on a cotton ball and tried to wipe my makeup right off... what I ended up doing was succesffuly smearing alllll my eye makeup everywhere! I then proceeded to read the directions! This organic goodness needs time to work its magic ( not long) but I was leary about leaving stuff on and around my eyes, I have super sensitive eyeballs ( just like the rest of humanity) and when anything gets into them it's so uncomfy, but I went ahead and put some of this remover on my lashes and lids and it was like a miracle! I was able to open my eyes and leave it for a minute or two and had absolutely no issues, for me thats saying a lot, I have used numerous drug store and high end eye makeup removers and I always tear or my eyes sting, not a bit with this amazing stuff! Since receiving this product I have used it on numerous models and just love the way it gently removes their makeup! Thank you Moody Sisters! You should definitely check this out http://www.etsy.com/listing/59274644/4-oz-eye-makeup-remover-gentle

If you are in the market for a gentle , non painful, creatively packaged, eye makeup remover for your moody skin (that actually works triple time as a makeup remover and age fighter!!) I highly recommend Moody Sisters!

Visit Moody Sisters at http://www.etsy.com/shop/moodysisters
if you purchase soon you can use the code REFERRAL and get an additional 20% off their already amazing prices!  Let them know I sent you to receive your discount!

Let's go on Vacation... For your skin that is!

Have you ever had one of those days, you just feel run down and weary and like you have just run a marathon!? 
Your skin has days like this every day without the proper care, and that leads to dry, weathered looking skin, which then leads to aging... trust me I know ;)
Recently I got the enormous pleasure of working with Ambrozhia Arome (it sounds like dessert for your skin) and seriously was I ever excited! I first came across their Organic Skin Care Sea Mist! I am always on the hunt for a refreshing, rehydrating mist that drys quickly and doesnt leave a crazy residue! This bottle of yummy hydrating goodness is filled with seaweed, kelp ( is that the same thing?), aloe vera, and blue green algae! This stuff is sooooo good for your skin and seriously smells like the beaches of Hawaii , well I am assuming it does haha!  One spritz of this and instantly you feel your tight, dry skin relaxing and your senses right along with it! I love to use this right out of the shower on my face to get a bit more moisture after towel drying, (fun fact: moisturizer should always be applied to damp skin, it is not to replace moisture that is lost but to trap and hold moisture in so truly this stuff is working double time: try it out and see for yourself! http://www.etsy.com/listing/46720560/organic-skin-care-sea-mist)

Ronda ( the super sweet owner) was way kind and also sent me the Hydrosol Moisturizer Neroli, this doubles as a moisturizer and makeup setting spray, and I confess I love this even more than the Sea Mist! And thats saying a lot! As a makeup artist I find setting spray is always a necessity and I do use quite a bit of mineral makeup and a couple splashes of this amazingly, delicious smelling spray (seriously I have had to hide it from myself so I don't go through my whole bottle) is the perfect finish to take away that powdery look that often times accompanies mineral makeup or any powder really and gives a gorgeous dewy look! I am in love and I know you will be too! So not only am I loving the scent and dewy look but you get all that plus anti oxidants and the benefit of moisturizer! Get yours here http://www.etsy.com/listing/47521481/organic-skin-care-hydrosol-moisturizer
It's a bit pricier than the sea mist but I say purchase both, with just a quick few sprays (remember a little goes a looooonnnggg way) your skin care routine is revamped, rehydrated, and revitalized! It is the perfect get away for your skin! 

Stop by and visit Ronda and all of her amazing vacationy skin products and body sprays at http://www.etsy.com/shop/AmbrozhiaArome and don't forget to tell her I said hi!!
X's and O's
Amy

You are what you wear!

You know the old saying "you are what you eat"? Yeah well it doesn't just stop there, over 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed through that epidermal layer and sent right into your blood stream! I love makeup, obviously, but one of the things I dont love are all the chemicals and man made products in them! These products prove to dehydrate your skin thus causing it to age, and clog your pores which in turn well... we all know what happens when a pore becomes packed, no likey! So in my never ending quest to find organic makeup and skin care, I happened upon Willow Tree Minerals!
I just have to mention that I love going to get the mail... it's like my birthday everyday! My package came and inside were some business cards, a brochure (I actually love these items because they tell me so much about the manufacturer) and the sweetest packaged set of mineral makeup! Again I was stunned, the generosity that Lora showed was awesome! In this perfectly pacakaged little sampler I received the following!
Flawless Finish Mineral Veil - This was um... delightful! It actually gave my face a matte finish which I love and I wore it alone without any foundation and it was just the right amount of polish for my face!

Pomegranate Frost Blush- I will be honest I was nervous at first because 1.I have never worn pomegranate anything 2. Its a pinkish reddish  and I have pink undertones, but this was simply amazing!! It gave my face the perfect touch of warmth and color ( a little goes a long way with this yummy blush )

True Spice Bronzer - I am such a sucker for bronzer, because I am so fair though it always seems to dark or too orangey, people! This is by far the most perfect bronzer I have found its a very light, very warm brown (in my opinion great for all skin types as you can build the intensity) One little dab of this on your kabuki and you are set for the whole face!! lovvvveee this!!

Taupe Tourmaline Shadow and Iced Latte- Again these are perfect for all skin types the Taupe is a light shadow which can be applied all over the lid or just the lower lid and has a beautiful shimmer, the latte is a low shimmer almost matte medium brown! These combined are simply gorgeous and I was so so pleased wth their staying power throughout the day!


Pouting Plum Natural Lip Shimmer- Man is this more than it ever sounds like! This is no ordinary shimmer gloss... absolutely packed with goodness for the chapped and chap-less (ha ha!) lips! This superstar gloss is fully loaded with almond oil, coconut oil, beeswax ( I think I am going to start investing in beeswax this stuff is amazing! Thank Jesus for bees!!!) Avocado oil, cocoa butter!! Its seriously one of those things you see in those high end specialty shops and spas!! You definitely need to try this to believe it! You will love it! The very best part? I can pronounce all the ingredients and this stuff isnt going to hurt you! One other amazing part of this it is seriously like a lipstick and chapstick in one (so you get the awesomeness of pampering your pout and glitzin your kisser) ... those are everywhere but this doesnt cake or come right off!! Have I mentioned it is Fabulous! Get yours here http://willowtreeminerals.com/Web%20Pages/Make%20Up/lips.html !!

Last but not least Lora knows your fancied up look isn't complete without some polish! Check out her aptly named (contains no harsh chemicals to bug you) Bug Me Not nail polishes! I got the cuddle bug plummy pink and I am so excited over this!!!
Thank you Willow Tree Minerals for all of your amazing products that are good for my skin and helped me create this Naturally Lovely Look! I love that the Flawless Finish let my freckles come through but add a polished look to my face!

So make your way over to http://willowtreeminerals.com and tell Lora I say Hi! You will absolutely love her products!!

Simply lovely skin care!!

I got the awesome opportunity to try Meadow Muffin Gardens Skin Care by Stacy!
For quite awhile now my husband and my daughter have had the to deal with the discomfort and at times pain of severely dry and eczema related skin issues! I am always always on the hunt for all natural, organic skin care to ease their discomfort! previously my husband and daughter were using prescription grade hydrocortisone cream, but very very sparingly as it can cause the skin to thin. This was never an appealing thought to me so I would only use it when it was absolutely necessary.  We have tried vitamin e oil, coconut oil, and even olive oil, over the counter lotions, and although almost each and every one of these provided some relief, they still had to be reapplied numerous times within a day!


 When I received my package from Stacy I was stunned and overjoyed to see what she had sent! I can tell Stacy takes great pride in her work from the generous samples of product she sent me, to the handmade labels including all ingredients, right down to the handwritten note, on stationery no less, she sent with directions! I called my husband, I was so excited! If you havent noticed yet I get a little excited a little to quickly ;)

That night I brought  a sample of the wrinkle wrath cream to my mother in law, and  I used it as well! This cream is absolutely amazing! Initially the scent is a bit over powering but it really doesnt stay that way and for the effects it has on ones skin the scent is a non issue! My mother in law noted that she could apply her makeup shortly after using this cream and it did not leave a greasy residue as many moisturizers have a tendency to do!
For my pregnancy related dry skin, this item was the perfect match it packs a tremendous amount of moisture, it's seriously like a hug for your face!! :D (and for any of you seasoned mommas or expecting mommas try the healing balm on your tummies, cuz as we start to grow and the skin starts to stretch it can get a bit uncomfy am I right?? I use it and I love it!)
I recommended this too ,seriosuly, all my friend and clients alike who suffer from dry skin! One girl has already made her first purchase from Stacy and I was so so excited!!! That same night after my husband got home I used the baby soft butter on his elbows and knuckles (this is where the eczema is the worst) and within just one application we noticed a difference but the true test would come... how long would these benefits last? would we have to reapply in 2 hours? the answers? well... he called me from work the next day and asked if when he got home he could use it again because it made such a difference and lasted all night and all day long!! My daughter had thankfully the same results, in my opinion the beeswax that is in these must lock the moisture in because my sweet baby girl and hubby only need to apply this stuff once a day!! The very best part... a little goes a long way... we havent even made a dent in our sample pack!!!
Stacy offers a whole line of skin care products and I promise you, you will not regret your purchases!!! So please check out http://www.meadowmuffingardens.com and let Stacy know I sent you!!

Xo
Amy

Milk Fancy Mineral Makeup!!

I have always been a sucker for mineral makeup (well anything that is good for you and your skin really) but an even bigger sucker for fancy soaps! Dont ask me why... I couldnt tell you and anything with goats milk... well I am a goner! So when I came across Dawn's website I couldnt wait to try some of her products! You see she combines the benefits of goats milk and minerals to create truly divine makeup experience!

The first thing I noticed with the makeup when I first opened it was the smell, it was wonderful and super relaxing. It made me feel like I was in a bubble bath! One problem I have always experienced with mineral makeup is its staying power!! And baby does this stuff ever stay put! I was so so excited by how long it stayed on my face!
Another really difficult thing to master in makeup is matching skin tones! and Dawn has really come close to perfecting that! So often makeup will sit orangey on the face but Milk Fancy offers a vast array of foundation colors with yellows and pink undertones! I am naturally very fair skinned but even milky light was too fair for me . I got the opportunity to try both the powder form and liquid mineral foundation and I am in love with the liquid, because my skin is so so dry the liquid is perfect and jam packed with all sorts of minerals, oils, and  butters!

Definitely an amazing product! Long lasting and beautiful, buildable coverage and if you love that dewey, young look this is the makeup for you!!

So please please please check out http://www.milkfancy.com and definitely order a couple samples before ordering the full size product just so you can match your skin tone!!  this is truly a luxorious experience you do not want to miss!
Loving makeup that feels like a Spa for your face!  <3 Amy

<--- Look at the beautiful coverage and glow! I have absolutely no concealers, primers, or powders on!

Cutththroat Kristina

I had the enormous pleasure of working with Kristina recently!

She is an extremely talented model and very fun to be around! She came prepared and knowledgeable about the shoot, which in turn makes my job a lot easier and a whole lot more fun! Kristina has a wonderful personality and she has been rewarded by a large fan base on facebook!

As a Makeup Artist I have worked with all peoples from all walks of life, and I can  honestly tell you that spending an hour to an hour and a half with someone while doing their hair and makeup is really quite a large chunk of time.I find myself privileged that this is where I am at right now. I think about the time the photographers invest in taking and editing the photos and I am so bummed because they dont get the opportunity to " just chat" with the models and I do! Needless to say I am completely
ecstatic with the opportunities the Lord has brought to me!

Thanks to JEP Photography and Cutthroat Kristina for your oustanding talents and friendships!

a little shadow play :-)

Photoshoots!

I get the privilege of doing these on almost a weekly basis! Right now we are running through test shots for a large scale photoshoot set to launch in February of this year... The inspiration... Film Noire 

    I was excited for this models shoot since I got to use my Ben Nye stage blood in something more than stage makeup! This second pic was such a challenge for me for some reason as soon as the blood was on the knife it would evaporate ( hubby wasn't to thrilled I bloodied his knife :p) obviously I got a bit carried away with the blood on her hands and face... But what can I say this was a photo I hadn't got to try before!  What do you think?! 

 One thing about this photo I absolutely loved was the matching blood and lips ;) I am actually using the matte red lip color by ELF cosmetics which, if you can believe it, only cost me three dollars and the basic ol gloss by ELf which was another three, I have to say I was super pleased with that outcome!!

We just got done shooting with an alternative model who was such a dream to work with I cannot wait to show you those photos!

Xox

Amy