I have a problem. Hello, my name is Jenn and I am a makeup brush junkie. There, I said it. Whew, it feels good to get that off my chest! But it’s more than just an obsession. On a regular basis, I work with an endless assortment of products, peopl e, and textures. Makeup brushes are my tools, and I need the right selection of tools to be able to do my best work on anyone and everyone. As a result, I have two sets of beauty brushes and one set of special effects brushes. Yes, each genre of work needs different tools. Beauty brushes tend to be softer, fluffier, and honestly, down right prettier. I have over 20 brushes just for the eyes, and another handful of foundation, contour, blush and powder brushes. SFX brushes are more dense, a little stiffer, and not as ornate. My collection consists of several of the same style (short and flat for general use), a couple specifically for glue, a splatter brush, and a variety of body painting brushes. Meanwhile, my personal brush coll...

This blog is written by Christine Lynch, owner of Local Color NYC and was originally published March 27, 2020 . If you are anything like me, you are NOT experienced with the WFH lifestyle. My cousin Meg, who works remotely (every dang day) gave me some great advice the other day. So, here is some Covid Era advice for working at home.  1. Put on pants! Dressing comfy is a great perk, but too comfy (ie- roll   right out of bed) and motivation can be a struggle and it's a slippery slope from there... 2. Have a dedicated office space - NOT in front of a TV, on the couch/bed or where it can be noisy (kids at home too?) Also, recreate your personal office vibe - play music, keep desk snacks, fill a water bottle, etc. 3. Stick to a schedule. Did you walk into work at 8:15 every morning with coffee in hand? Do the same going into your home office. Take lunch/coffee breaks at the same times you normally would. (This is also the opportunity for laundry/cleaning/dog ...

Did you know small business owners don’t qualify to collect Unemployment Insurance? It’s been a couple of weeks full of confusion and anxiety as we struggle with mandates forcing us to close our doors for an unknown amount of time. Just a few days ago, at the request of the Governor, The Makeup Curio, along with all other hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, and tattoo/piercing parlors were shut down. As of 8PM Sunday night, ALL “non-essential” businesses had to close. This is incredibly scary, but absolutely necessary. As we’ve seen in other parts of the world, this novel coronavirus has the potential to overwhelm our healthcare system and kill a frighteningly large number of people if we are not careful. And you know what? As difficult as it m ay be to face the loss of business in the short term, we accept these regulations in stride, because if anyone understands community responsibility, it is small business owners. That’s why we’re here in the first place! And we are still h...

Did your world just turn upside down this past week? We’re still reeling. At The Makeup Curio Unusual, all five of our theater productions have been postponed with hopes of being rescheduled late next month. Meanwhile, the Makeup Curio Beauty is moving forward by continuing to book Summer/Fall weddings and working to bring you virtual makeup classes! As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and more changes occur, social distancing and quarantine are becoming absolute necessity. But that doesn’t have to mean neglecting self care; as a matter of fact, it should be quite the opposite. Since many of us will be spending more time home and less time out, we thought it may be a great time to offer tips on beauty health and home care. Beauty health, to us, means your skin. Did you know the skin is the largest organ we have? It lives and breathes, protecting and cleansing all the other systems. This is why taking care of the skin on your face, hands, arms, legs and every ...

It seems everyone is on edge right now. Oh, I get it - the uncertainty of COVID-19 is putting everyone in panic mode. And while we may not be able to see into the future, I can assure you of at least one thing: The Makeup Curio uses best practices for safe and sanitary makeup and skin care services all year round. In addition to the 600 hours of skill and best practice schooling that was required to complete my esthetics program, sanitation practices are required by New York State for any hair, makeup, waxing and esthetics service provider as part of the licensing requirements. This is one of the key differences between a professional and an amateur. Of course we here at The Makeup Curio are conscientious professionals, so here are some of our diligent sanitation best practices to ease your mind:  Hand washing before and after each client.  Wearing gloves for your entire facial treatment. Fresh linens for each skincare client. Scooping makeup out of containers for use on multi...

I suppose I've always been a designer of sorts. It started in earnest when I saw a classmate doodling during 10th grade study hall. Being bored (or nosey), I peeked over. She was drawing clothing! I was intrigued. At the time, I was not confident in my size, which was compounded by the fact that finding fashionable and flattering clothing options for larger girls was difficult. This grew into a passion, and I attained my B.P.S. in Fashion Design from Marist College . My freshman year of college I saw a Help Wanted sign in the Fashion Department from an upperclassman who needed help with costumes for a show. I volunteered simply because I thought it would be fun to work in theater, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Even my fashion designs were theatrical. Every piece I've ever designed has had a couture aspect to it; wearable, but a little 'out th ere.' My Senior Capping Project was a collection based on being shipwrecked. I should have known then that makeup was only ...

Prom is almost here! May and June may seem like months and months away, but NOW is the time when everyone is beginning to think about the perfect Prom-posal, and of course finding THE dress! Don’t forget, though - getting dressed up isn’t just about the dress; it’s about the shoes (because let’s dance!), the hair style (because LET’S DANCE!), and, of course, the makeup! The Makeup Curio Beauty can bring your prom style to the next level. Whether you want to go bold or au naturale, we’ve got the perfect look for you. Here are some of the key items in our professional kit that will help make your Prom night magical (and especially Instagrammable): Graftobian HD Glamour Creme Foundation Graftobian is an award-winning professional grade brand used on Broadway, throughout Hollywood, and everywhere in between. Offering 54 shades, this creamy foundation feels barely there, but its high pigment content and matte finish will hold for hours of photos and dancing. It is also parab...