Bittersweet memories

Hello Beautiful,
June was a bittersweet month. We had celeb makeovers and photo shoots with LaTonya Blige new gospel recording artist and sister of Mary J. Blige. We received great exposure with our commercial runs and gearing up for a fabulous new and improved website. We hosted a rockin' Spa Party for a dozen 8yr old girls. We launched the N2 Beauty Girls division  headed by my daughter Natalie Nicole. What a great harvest from seeds planted so many months ago.
At the same time suddenly we were hit with the untimely death of a phenomenal man and my Uncle Mr. Frank Crooms Jr. better known as Uncle Buddy who just had a great visit to the spa for an art show we showcased May 1st. He left us on June 9th and we celebrated his home going on June 16th. My Uncle was extremely special because he was the only Uncle on my Mom's side and has been at every highlight of my personal and professional life. He was fond of his camera and photography.At 13 when I wanted to start modeling he was the one who did  and set the shoot for my 1st portfolio. He will be missed.
My cousin Philip was married on June 21 in a lovely affair at the Inn at New Hyde Park and in memory on every table was a camera with a tribute to Uncle Buddy for us all to capture the moments as he would on every occasion. Bittersweet indeed and truly memorable.

Commercial Air Times

Wednesday June 2nd:
LIFE 4:20am & 4:50am CONSUMER ADV

E!TV 3:15pm KEEPING UP w/KARDASHIANS

BET 11:15pm The MO'NIQUE Show & 12:15am WENDY WILLIAMS

BRAVO 1:15am 9 BY DESIGN & 3:45am KATHY GRIFFIN

Thursday June 3rd:

BET 4:59am BET INSPIRATION

BRAVO 4:29am PAID PROGRAM

N2COSMETICS COMMERCIAL

Hello N2Beauties,

 The N2Cosmetics Commercial Campaign starts on Cablevision!! We are so excited about this accomplishment.
 Our commercials will air at different times daily and we will keep you posted via our fan page on Facebook so if you are not a Fan become one.
For all you Cablevision subscribers we air Tonight 5/26/10:
 @ 5:15pm on E!TV, E!Special
@8:15pm on STYLE- Clean House,
@11:15pm on BET/MO'NIQUE Show, 12:45am WENDY WILLIAMS , 3:45am Tiny & Toya
@2:20am LIFETIME - Medium
@3:45am BRAVO- Loser, 4:59am Paid Program
I thank you for your support and welcome your comments as you view the spots.
Be Beautiful

Steam is the ingredient for a Radiant Complexion.

Nourish the inside to enrich the outside. Water (steam)is the secret to eternal beauty.

Hydrating skin is the most important and a primary concern of an aesthetician such as myself. The fluctuating temperatures in our homes, office, cars are very drying to our skin.

A professional facial includes steam, which is the most effective and beneficial hydrating and skin cleaning procedures. Steam stimulates blood flow because it promotes perspiration. The importance of this step in your facial intensely cleanses the impurites from your skin, which enhance circulation, giving you a healthy, radiant glow. This results in a softer and more hydrated complexion.

Here are the benefits of an N2Beauty Facial with Steam

• Helps pores eliminate toxins.
• Softens dead surface cells, for easy exfoliation.
• Increases blood circulation & Improves cell metabolism.
• Softens superficial lines.
• Penetrates deep into the follicles enabling proper cleansing.

Ahhh the wonders of a facial. You should be getting a professional facial cleansing every 4-6 weeks. We spend a lot of time and money on the external, hair as a great example and nails are another. Start investing the same amount of time and care on your FACE...it's the only one you have. What shows on the outside is a reflection of what's on the inside.

Contact the spa for your facial  whether you are a 1st timer or been doing this for years.

You have not experienced the N2 Beauty way.

Take it Off... Like the Pros.

Be good to your skin, and it will be good to you. Makeup can deliver wonderful results, but taking good care of your skin goes beyond any beauty benefit makeup gives you. You know my motto,"Beauty is as beauty does... Be Beautiful." Well beauty begins with good skincare habits.
If you wear a full face of make-up or just mascara and lipstick/gloss, your cleansing system without a doubt should include a makeup remover.
Putting on make-up like a professional is great but you need to know how to remove it like one -Okay.

All you Diva's, coming in late at night...No excuse! You must remove your make-up before going to bed or your skin will tell on you as you age.
You already  have a skin regimen especially if your a client of mine :), your cleansing, toning , exfoliating and moisturizing. Cleanser alone should not be the only method you depend upon to take off your makeup totally.
You need to include a makeup remover.  Find a formula that first suits your skin type then allow it to penetrate, make-up needs to be dissolved so that when its removed it glides off your skin easily.

You should use a cotton round if your remover comes in liquid form and use a Qtip on the eyelids to prevent tugging in the delicate eye area.(There is a make-up remover designed with the eye area in mind)

Tugging and pulling along with stretching areas of the face whether applying or removing make-up will result in wrinkles and crows feet later on. Trust me I have seen the damaging effects on clients.  

Afterwards clean your skin as normal but remember to apply your nightcream.

The benefits of a night cream is like your daytime moisturizer with the exception that it's not combating UVB/UVA rays or protecting you from the free radicals. The purpose is to replenish needed nutrients while moisturizing your skin overnight and  increasing cellular turnover. Allowing your skin to be hydrated and healthier.

Be good to your skin, and it will be good to you.

Lashes Galore

Like your Amex card you should never leave home without MASCARA! Yes even you beauties that claim you don't need to wear makeup...umm hum I said it. Black mascara looks beautiful on all women regardless of hair color or eye color hands down. Just like eyebrows frame the face when they are done and defined. Lashes enhance the face naturally even when you have nothing else on it.

Women of Beauty in the old era would not have been caught dead without their nails polished (red) and their mascara (black) on their lids batting flirtatiously with whomever.

Mascara automatically draws the focus to the eye. Curling the lashes makes them look sexy and alluring. It brings uniformity to them while giving your eyes an instant lift. After mascara is applied combing them helps seperate them and removes any clumping that may happen after mascara is applied.

For The Bride

The Wedding Season is about to begin. Congratulations to all our 2010 Brides.

If you want to look your absolute best on your wedding day…plan ahead.

You will need to start thinking about your skincare regimen around the same time you secure the hall for your big day! That’s right ladies months in advance, get facials regularly and practice with different make-up colors prior to your big day.
Your wedding day is not the day to wear a new color for the first time. If you do not have a make-up artist or a make-up line that you are comfortable with you will need time to try out several before the big day by having trial makeovers with a professional.

If you are going at it alone get the makeover from the counter girls at your favorite dept. stores and feel the makeup on you…walk around a bit then go home & see how your skin responds and what reactions you receive from your friends.

Quick tips:
-Powder eye shadow will last longer than cream eye shadow and is less likely to crease.
-If you are curling your lashes practice curling prior to your wedding day, curled lashes makes the eye look wide awake.
-Apply mascara immediately before and after curling.
-If you are not use to wearing false eyelashes, your wedding day is not the time to start as you will feel like you have something in and around your eyes. You don’t want to have to re-take pictures because you were blinking.-If you do not get facials regularly do not get one within two weeks of your wedding. Facials deeply cleanse the skin, bringing impurities to the surface and sometimes will result in an unsightly pimple or two and we don’t want that for your wedding day, the same goes for a facial mask. -Waxing should be done at least 5-7 days before the big day as it can cause redness in the area and you don’t want to apply a ton of concealer to hide red marks if it’s not necessary.
Be smart and start your skincare routine early, when your skin is soft, smooth & hydrated your makeup will stay on longer and you will truly be radiant!

Be Beautiful
N2

Begin with a Clean Canvas.

Hello Beautiful,

I wanted to talk to you about your business card. The one you show the world without exchanging anything but an expression. Yes beautiful ones, I am talking about your Face. Do you put makeup on without cleaning your skin? Are you wearing makeup to cover up blemishes and bumps? Are you covering up your skin with makeup instead of enhancing it due to "bad" skin syndrome? 

Come into my facial clinic, yes this is a FREE consultation beautiful. We need to talk...

• 
  Proper skincare is very important in achieving a beautiful makeup look. Start by cleansing, toning & moisturizing your skin. This allows a nice canvas to apply your makeup. You’ll feel better about yourself too…it’s all about loving our skin.
• 
  Cleansing the skin is on the top of my list for proper skincare. If you don’t keep the skin clear of makeup & free radicals (pollution/debris) you can’t have a smooth looking complexion. Be sure to wash with a cleanser (not soap) in the morning and evening.
• For dry skin I recommend the hydrating cream cleanser w/olive oil, for normal to mature skin we love the age defying milky cleanser and for combination/oily/acne prone skin the foaming facial cleanser or pore clarifying cleanser gets deep down. 
•  Before bedtime it is important to remove your makeup from the day and clear skin of debris even if you did not wear makeup. In the morning we cleanse away the residue from the night cream or just natural oil & perspiration while sleeping.
• 
  The 2nd most important step in your skincare regimen is

What inspires you to Be Beautiful?

Inspiration comes from different energy. My 2 daughters inspire me first because I want them to see the true beauty within me and have that inspire them. I want them to BE beautiful. My husband inspires me to be beautiful by his constant motivation. He is my biggest cheerleader and his constant belief in me supports my dreams.

Journaling inspires me to dream and get it down on paper so that I can make it a reality. I write my thoughts, feelings and express myself privately. There are no judgments & no laughter at my dreams, visions, goals and what I expected or wanted out of life. I thank God for my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Greico whom inspired me to be an avid reader. She also taught me how to journal.
It made me glow inside because it was like a secret.

Keep a list of quotes that inspire or speaks to you in some way.
The motto of my company is "beauty is as beauty does…Be Beautiful." It’s a twist from Forrest Gump the movie. In my industry I see and work with a lot of beautiful people on the outside but sometimes their actions make them ugly.
True beauty comes from within and there is no amount of make-up to help a person who is ugly on the inside.
Buy a beautiful journal, pad or notebook. Express your hopes and dreams for your future.
I’d like to know what inspires you to be a beautiful person… email me and share or comment.
Be Beautiful
N2

My Philosophy...

I find all types of women want different looks and like to achieve the look as if it took no effort at all from your:

A) Natural Beauty
B) Classic & Timeless Beauty
C) Corporate Chic Beauty
D) Trendsetter/Fashionista Beauty
E) Glamorous Beauty
F) Around the Way Girl Beauty

Women wear clothes according to their moods… no different when it comes to make-up.
The reason why the fashion industry and make-up go perfectly hand in hand together.

My perfect flawless equation is: Natural Beauty +Classic/Timeless Beauty = Understated Glam with emphasis either on the eyes or the lips.
All these looks are attainable and wearable with the right attitude.
You know “attitude is everything” as my friend Keith Harrell wrote about in his book. I took these looks women wanted and incorporated it into a collection of moods for the N2Beauty Cosmetics and Skincare line.
A bold, alluring, sexy, intelligent & chic approach to makeup, which I call the B.A.S.I.C collection. Every look you crave is created in one of these categories.
If you think you are ordinary be extraordinary! You got to be yourself and work what you got.
Be Beautiful
N2

The Come Up...

I worked at a cosmetics counter in the middle of the mall for years. It is where I truly studied my craft and became an artist. As a make-up artist I’ve done magazine photo shoots, fashion shows, a few celebs and weddings.
I will tell you there is nothing like the everyday woman. In the mall you’re not getting the celebrity or the model with decent skin, you do get lucky but for the most part they come to you with problems skin and makeup but 9 out of 10 times there are emotional problems as well. I’m doing makeovers on all types of skin, different nationalities, different undertones, young women to senior citizens. This was real boot camp for me, I was learning and earning as they say.
My approach is always a consultative one which made me standout from most counter girls. I actually talked you through every application and brush stroke I did and showed you how to do it yourself. Women left my counter looking good and were educated about their skin and the application of makeup. They divulged intimate secrets about their beauty fears and felt alive when they got answers along with tools, tips and product to take care of them.
It was a great education for me on what consumers wanted and looked for in a product. It’s the everyday woman that is the subject for my own makeup and skincare line. It addresses all the different undertones and color concerns like the former United Colours of Benetton eggshell, beige, tan, olive, caramel, chocolate and the deepest cocoa.
There are great products in every line; I just felt that some lines stopped focusing on the core customer (the everyday woman) at least as a consumer junkie. Until I created my line in 2003, I felt some of them didn’t target all our colors and hues. My focus for my line was to address the needs of the everyday divas- all of us are not recognized worldwide nor have paparazzi in our face. We are seen on the true runway of life… at the office, on the train, dropping our kids at school, nailing that new client, starting businesses. It’s good to be seen while putting your best face forward and I am honored to paint those faces on a daily basis.
Be Beautiful!
N2

"You're trying to be grown"

I’m glad my mother didn’t let me wear makeup until I was “old enough”.
Old enough turned out to be nearly the end of my senior year in H.S! Which was hard as a rule to follow. All of my girlfriends around my way were Spanish... they were able to wear eyeliner, blush and lipstick at like 13yrs old. By the time they were 16yrs old they were pros. I tried to sneak and wear eyeliner while at their house or during my freshman/sophomore year in high school. I would get caught by forgetting I had it on or  not washing it off by the time my mother came home from work. When I did remember, I would try and scrub it off in the bathroom but being new to the game I didn’t know that you needed more than water to remove all traces. My mother would raise her eyebrow and say, “Oh you’re trying to be grown?” as she proceeded to punish me. I was mad at the time and thought she just didn’t understand. Looking back now... I’m grateful she didn't let me wear make-up like that. Had she allowed me to go all out, I would not have the skin I do now and I would have looked like I was trying to grow up too fast.
Be Beautiful
N2