Halloween Makeup Tutorials

Are you still searching for the perfect Halloween Makeup?  Check out these cool video tutorials we've rounded up all from British makeup artist duo Pixiwoos.   They make great, high quality video tutorials that are full of tips and tricks for getting gorgeous makeup.

Practice tonight, perfect for your Halloween event tomorrow!


Barbie is a classic! Alter this look with different colors depending on what kind of barbie you're feeling like.  Under the sea?  Go aqua blue.  Classic glam?  Grab bright pink eye makeup.


Want to look fabulous but aren't wearing a costume?  Try color blocking!  Create a fabulous eye and no one will even notice you're not wearing a costume.

With season three of The Walking Dead premiering two weeks ago, zombies are more popular than ever!  Plus it's an easy DIY costume.


Superhero?  Doll?  This makeup look will compliment a number of costume ideas.

What are you doing to celebrate Halloween?

Our 1st Video Tutorial: Applying Concealer

Welcome to the first ever Patrick Knows Hair/Chatting with Patrick video tutorial!  This quick video shows you my technique for applying concealer.  We thought it would be great to show you makeup tips and tricks in action, so look for more upcoming videos with my makeup techniques.  I know there are lots of ways to apply makeup...none of them are wrong!  I've learned from a semester of stage makeup class, dozens of shows with makeup from casual everyday to historical period makeup, and of course everyday real life practice for 4,995 days (give or take) and counting.

Products I used:

I hope you enjoyed this first video!  Please leave a comment and let us know what videos you'd like to see or what makeup tips and tricks you're most curious about.

Make sure to check out my next video all about applying long lasting and beautiful blush.
~Kirsten

Halloween Costume & Makeup Ideas

Halloween is next week!  But don't worry, there's still time to pull together a smashing costume and makeup for whatever event you may be going to, whether it's this Friday, Saturday, or on actual Halloween itself.  I came across this great blog by Ecouterre with seven last minute Halloween ideas you can pull from your closet...and they're all adorable.  With the right makeup, no one will know you only thought it up now!  Here are my ideas for makeup and hair pairings for this great costumes.

Cat Burglar

Even if you don't have a striped shirt, throw on all black, some bling, and a bag and voila: you're a burglar.  Of course every good cat burglar needs a smoky, cat eye.  Make sure to add some silver shadow, black liner, and lots of mascara.  If your party is extra swanky, make sure to add some sparkle into that eye shadow.  You can go Cat Woman style with long curled locks, or slick your hair into a sleek pony tail or side braid.  After all, you wouldn't want your hair to get in the way of all those diamonds.   Don't forget the diamond stud earrings!
Check out our makeup suggestions below.  See a product or look you love?  Click here to see the Polyvore Set.

Morton Salt Girl

If I didn't already have a costume idea, I'd totally do this!  Pair this so cute idea with a poppy yellow eye.  Glam it up by adding a smooth black liquid liner and tons of mascara.  Add a pop of pink blush on the apples of your cheeks and keep you lips neutral.  Making this costume more easy?  Simple hair.  If you have long locks and want to fake a bob, straighten your hair then fold it under and pin the ends to your scalp, straighten again if it's looking too puffy.
Need the makeup products below?  Click here to see our Polyvore Set.

Dora the Explorer

Go all out with color and cuteness by dressing up as our favorite Spanish cartoon!  Pick the color that goes best with your complexion and play up your eyes.  Match that purple backpack or magenta top.  Dora is a youngster, so don't make your look too adult, go easy on the mascara and keep your bright pink blush to the apples of your cheeks only.  This is another classic bob look for hair, but a pony tail will look great as well.  Try these makeup ideas below, see the products here.

Who or what will you be dressing up as for Halloween?

~Kirsten

Lip Service: Lip Inspiration

Looking for some Lip Inspiration?  Board with your everyday gloss or neutral lipstick?  Check out these pretty lips for some great ideas to bust out of a lip rut.  Not sure what color to start with?  Click here for a chart of the Best Red Lips Shades for Your Skintone.

Create mega shine!  In sharp contract to the matte, non-glossy pouts of summer, fall lets the gloss flow. Pick your favorite lip color and then top it with a shinny lip gloss in the same color.  For a pre-holiday glow, pick a gloss with a bit of sparkle.  Photo credit.

The Beauty Department  shows you how to get in on the trends: Try their Oxblood Lip Trend for a perfect transition into fall.  This juicy red lip is sure to get you noticed.  See their photo tutorial here.

Want to go more natural?  Create a DIY lip stain.  This tutorial walks you through step by step using beets!  (You'd never guess from that pretty pink!)  Or you can always indulge in a cherry popcicle!

Another gorgeous lip for a fall transition from The Beauty Department: Going Baroque.  Use a gold cream to stamp the center of the lip for a multi-dimensional effect.  Would look smashing with a pair of gold earrings!  See the instructions here.

Ombre has been getting lots of attention in the makeup world lately.  Transition this trend to your lips using a few complimentary opaque colors.  This one isn't for the faint of heart and will take a little practice.  Follow these steps to get the look above.

Want something totally edgy?  These lip tattoos from Sephora would be perfect for a nightclub or Halloween look.

Speaking of Halloween, how fun is this lip look?  Totally impractical, but very fun!  Photo credit.

What lip colors are you wearing currently?  I'm favoring a berry lipstick or poppy pink stain at the moment!  Share your colors of choice in the comments.

~Kirsten

Popular Pinterest Hair Styles

Pinterest in full of popular and unique hair styling and beauty ideas, tips, and tricks.  So I picked a few of the most popular ones to share with you!  Has anyone tried any of these ideas?  Leave a comment and let us know.

This sweet, romantic vintage inspired style (at left) seems simple enough to do.  Just grab your cans of dry shampoo and Sexy Hair Powder Play!  The photos show you step by step instructions.  See the original pin here.

Braids seem to be all over, as this Double Braided Headband post shows you or this side pony tail with a braided twist.   If you prefer to start your hair designing at night, check out this article by Yahoo Shine, 3 Ways to Wake Up with Gorgeous Hair.  They show you ways to wake up with more volume, less frizz, or waves without a curling iron.

This updo (at right) is simple and chic, and while it's listed as a glamorous wedding style, you can rock this look for everyday.  No reason to save your best hair for one day only.  You can also check out my post on Secrets to Updo Success here.

Another look we've see all over Pinterest is the DIY beachy waves with a rolled pony tail and a hair straightener.  Check the post out here.  I haven't tried it, but I'm a but skeptical.  The after photo doesn't seem worth the hassle, I'd say grab your Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray and make waves that way!  Here's a quick way to create them overnight.

Have you seen any Pinterest pins of hair styles you'd like to try?
~Kirsten

Short Sexy Hair: Products for women and men

This He Tried/She tried post packs double the punch!  While most Sexy Hair products can be used on women and men, these two work particularly well on both the sexes: Short Sexy Hard Up and Short Sexy Rocked Out.

Short Sexy Hard Up Hard Holding Gel

He Tried/Patrick: Kirsten approached me about a show she was going to be doing over the summer. One of the items that we needed to trouble shoot for her was the awesome humidity we were having, and taming her fly away's around her hairline. I knew that Hard Up would be an awesome choice for her as long as she cocktailed it with the right product. I chose Rocked Out as an option. The hold and shine factor of Rocked out works fabulously with the hold factor of Hard up and allows for a softer feel. You don't lose the strength of the Hard Up Gel while cocktailing you gain more control.

This is a prodcut that I also use on myself on a daily basis. It is my "go to" product of choice to tame my unruly curls. I love it on it's own in my hair and enjoy the hard hold.

She Tried/Kirsten: Patrick gave me this bottle of gel to tame my hair during an outdoor show - which meant it had to hold up to lots of movement and glistening under hot show lights.  It had great hold, especially when it was paired with the Rocked Out Molding Clay (below).  I really enjoyed that it worked well without feeling sticky, but the blue color made it feel a little manly.  The cap closure was also hard to keep looking pristine, as it got messy if you weren't careful.  It served a purpose, but I wasn't blown away by this gel over any other ones I've used before.  The next product though...I really liked!

Short Sexy Rocked Out Molding Clay

He Tried/Patrick:

I had Kirsten use this product for a show she was doing. I knew that it would be the best choice to keep her fly away's around her hair line in place with out the crunch. I explained that it's use is vast and doesn't need to be just on short hair. I love the versatility in the product. I use it on all hair types and lengths.

She Tried/Kirsten:  This product was the perfect solution to my problem!   I used it a bit differently than the package instructions since sometimes when styling my up-dos, my little hairs right by my part that haven't grown out yet are a problem.  The Rocked Out Molding Clay was spot on, it had awesome hold, but wasn't too crunchy.  It's a great buildable product and it doesn't get sticky to the touch when applied.  A word of warning though...don't use too much!  It gets clumpy if you over apply and you'll have to towel it off, but that's only when you're plagued by user error.  Otherwise it's great!  I would definitely keep this product in my arsenal.  

AND He Tried/Kirsten's Husband Chase:  That's right, Patrick handed this product off to my husband too!  I remember scooping an old jar of hair clay out of my husband's drawer when we moved in to our condo in 2007, but it was clear it hadn't been used in quite a long time.  So it was really impressive when Chase came home with product after his hair cut with Patrick.  Patrick gave Chase a jar to use with his new hairstyle, which was slightly longer on top than usual.  Guess what?  He actually used it!  On his head it looked natural and didn't feel sticky or clump at all during the day.  That's a product promotion if I've ever seen one.

How To Get a Good Blowout

from about.com

If you're not lucky enough to live near one of those fancy "blow out bars," your stylist is booked, or you just want to save a few dollars by DIY-ing it, you can achieve a beautiful blow out.  Try these tips for getting a good blow out whether you're styling on your own or visiting the salon:

Get Squeaky Clean
If your hair has oil in it your blow out won't feel as silky or look as good. Don't rush when you wash your own hair (most people do).  Take your time and really massage your scalp while you're in the shower.  If you are going to the salon, get your tresses washed there.

Know What You Want
Make sure you know if you want your blow out to be curly, super straight, or naturally wavy.  Knowing what you want to do will make sure you apply the right products.  If you're visiting the salon, make sure you're specific in what you want.  Allure magazine points out that "straight" can mean different things to different people.  Do you want volume at the crown or all over?  Do you like it bone straight or with a slight curl?  Should waves be spiral or loose, etc?

Think About Your Cut
Hair stylist Alli Webb (the founder of Drybar, a blow out only salon) suggests that a straight, sleek blowout looks best on hair that is all one length while women with lots of layers should ask for something with more bounce and movement to show them off.

Make it Last
Want to extend the life of your blowout?  (Who doesn't?!)  Use a dry shampoo,  like Sexy Hair's (click here to read a He Tried/She Tried review) when it starts to get greasy.  Spray, leave it to set, and then brush through several times to avoid getting a while residue.

Most importantly?  Don't stress.  You can always pull your hair into a chic pony tail if you aren't happy with your blowout.