2013: THE YEAR OF THE PIXIE CUT

 As we wrap up 2013 (New Year's is right around the corner, are you taking advantage of one of our Glam Packages?...) we would like to take a quick second to acknowledge a little bit of a trend in the hair world. So my celebrities have become a major part of this trend of hacking all of their locks off. Now, we know most of these ladies are sporting a little bit o'hair that may not be theirs (hi, Britney Amanda), but we are thoroughly enjoying seeing these beauties with a fresh, new style. Check out our some of our picks for best and worst Pixies of 2013.

THE CREAM OF THE CROP

Jennifer Hudson: Her sleek cut compliments her new slender figure and beautiful jaw line. 

Charlize Theron: Dear Charlize, do you ever look bad? In anything? 

Lena Dunham: Dunham's new cut is flattering to her face shape, and is a little more mature for this creative genius. No more frumpy hipster hair! 

THE BAD

Miley Cyrus: We're still not sure what's going on here. 

Pam Anderson: Anderson's big blonde locks were just as much of a mid-90's icon as...her red swimsuit!

Anne Hathaway: Her uber short cut may have been for an acting role, but we miss Anne's longer, softer locks that played a great supporting role to her big brown eyes. 

HONORABLE MENTION

Bey, we all know you did not get a pixie cut, you just have your extensions out! Either way, we are excited to see what you will do next!

Jennifer Lawrence: Although we absolutely love the shape and style of Jennifer's new 'do, her longer hair was more flattering to her face shape and a bit more sexy, who doesn't like that? 

What do you think about these short celeb styles? Are you considering a short cut for 2014? Leslie & Kaitlin love doing short, sexy women's cuts. Book your appointment at our downtown location today to start your New Year with a new you!

XO,

AVE42

PORTRAIT OF A BRIDE: ANGELA!

We're happy to share these beautiful photos of yet another stunning Avenue 42 bride! Angela's bridal portraits took place at Maymont Gardens and were shot by one of our favorite photographers (she shot our group photo + headshots for all of our stylists!) Cyn Kain. Check out Angela's photos below, and be sure to make your way to Cyn Kain's website to see her day of details. 

HAIR: WELSY MOURINO

MAKEUP: LC BASKFIELD

PHOTOGRAPHY: CYN KAIN

LOCATION: MAYMONT GARDENS

Thank you Angela, you look gorgeous!

XO,

AVE 42

SEEING RED (AND PURPLE TOO!): FALL COLOR ALERT 2013

Although we are still trying to wrap our brains around how red can be Fall's new "neutral", we can at least say we're excited about this color trend!  This fall we will be seeing a lot of red and purple in both beauty and fashion. 

Typically red is seen as a "power" color, although this season it has oddly been dubbed as a "neutral" color to mix and match with other bold colors such as this season's other favorite: deep purple. Even though it is one of the main colors on the palette, it will be seen as more of a supporting roll to this years heavy fabrics, mixed textures, and love for leather (who doesn't love some leather?). 

Tip: Wear your brighter summer reds  through the warmer days of fall. Once the chill sets in, build  darker hues into play. This goes for makeup as well as clothing! 

Check out some of our favorite fall beauty picks featuring some of these fabulous hues!

Shany 12 Piece Brush set + pouch, $12.95 www.amazon.com

Give your beauty bag a seasonable makeover with this amazingly affordable set of brushes, complete with their own pouch.

YSL Rouge Volupte Lip Shine pictured in 2 Pourpre Intouchable, $34, www.sephora.com

Is it purple? Is it red? It's a little bit of both, WIN!

NARS Mysterious Red Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, $24, www.sephora.com

This lip color is matte, making it a little bit more long-wearing- even after you drink that pumpkin spice latte your lips will still look amazing!

Essie, 'No More Film', $8, www.nordstrom.com

The absolute most perfect shade of purple with a hint of blue!

NARS Blush in Seduction, $24, www.narscosmetics.com

Dark cheeks + fair skin = fall beauty!

Chantecaille Hydra Chic Lip Stick/Persimmon, $34, www.saksfifthavenue.com
The shade of Fire Engine Red you've been searching for...

Haute Polish Trio in London, $29.95, www.hsn.com

Purple, Grey, and Red in one set...yes please!

We want to know what YOUR favorite fall reds + purples are! Send us your product suggestions and we will share you beauty tips and tricks on our Facebook page! If you're in the neighborhood stop by to try on some of our selection of fall colors from Kevyn Aucoin and Temptu. 

XO,

Ave 42

YOUR BRIDAL TRIAL: TIPS & ADVICE

Whether you've just stumbled across our blog or if you are one of our lovely and amazing followers, we thought it was about time we shared this with you! We absolutely adore our Brides, and want each and every special lady to get the most out of her experience when using Avenue 42 on her wedding day. Here are some of our tips for making sure your hair and makeup details are perfect! 

Trial vs. Consultation: Which should I do?

You should do both! The consultation is a 15 minute appointment in which you will get to meet your stylist and makeup artist before your trial. This will create a little bit more comfort for you, and will help your stylist have a better idea of your direction before your trial. A consultation will also give you both time to gather any items you will need for your look, i.e. hair clips, extensions, or a special makeup item. A large number of brides use their hair and makeup trial for their bridal portrait, so if you plan on doing so it is always a good idea to take the extra time to meet your stylist in advance. This way your hair and makeup will turn out exactly how you want it for your portraits and serve as a great practice run for your actual wedding.

Your trial appointment can range in duration depending on how many styles you are hoping to try. Typically, it can be anywhere from 1-2 hours.  If you have multiple ideas in mind, be sure to discuss it beforehand with your stylist, as it might be easier to work off of your first style to transform it into another. 

Things to bring:

•Your veil & hair embellishments

•Photographs of hair styles you love, and even some you dis-like!

•Dress + accessory details (photos of these as well).

•If you plan on wearing flowers in your hair, bring some similar fake flowers as a stand-in. 

•Any special makeup items you'll want for your big day: a signature lip color or eyeshadow you are hoping to incorporate in your look.

This bride chose this amazing hair piece! 

How to  prepare your hair + skin:

• If you plan on doing an upstyle, it is always best to have hair that isn't freshly washed. 9 out of 10 stylists prefer slightly "dirty" hair, but be sure to ask when booking your trial what your stylist prefers.

•It is a good idea to have any color services or a haircut done before your trial session. You and your stylist want to have the best idea of what your day-of look will be!

•If you are doing a makeup trial and can not arrive with a fresh face (no makeup on) bring your daily cleanser and a little bit of eye makeup remover so the makeup artist can start with a fresh canvas. 

Choosing your style:

•Know your hair texture and what it is capable of (does it hold a curl, do you have volume without teasing, does it easily get frizzy?)
• Follow the theme of your wedding and dress.
•Pick something that will work easily with the neckline of your gown. (If you have a one shoulder dress with a high neck, a low bun may catch on your dress and destroy the style.)
• Pick something you are comfortable with wearing. Just because it is your big day, doesn't mean your hair and makeup have to be extreme!

A high neckline calls for a tightly secured style, we love this!

Should I do airbrush makeup or traditional? 
Consult with your makeup artist about your skin type and what makeup will work best for you. Although airbrush makeup may last longer than traditional, not everyone is a candidate for this type of application. Traditional makeup is typically best for skin that has endured scarring, acne, and other texture issues because it is richer and more opaque.

This high-fashion bride has stunning contouring!


What if I don't want to do a trial at all?
That is 100% up to the discretion of each and every bride we work with. Although we highly suggest you do a trial, if you decide against it you should meet your stylist and makeup artist at the very least. It works to the advantage of the bride to at least meet the stylist so they can have a small idea of what type or hair or skin they are working with. We believe in the work of each and every one of our stylists and makeup artists, but a trial comes highly recommended!

We hope this helps our future brides, and thank those of you whom have worked with us on your wedding this summer! If you are a bride looking for your glam dream team, contact our Bridal Booking Manager, Diane Eppers for more information: Diane@Ave42.com.

XO,

AVE 42

FALL 2014: TRENDS & COLORS YOU NEED TO KNOW!

At Avenue 42, we are slightly obsessed with planning. Details are the very foundation of what we do! It's starting to become that time towards the end of summer (ok, we know it is just now August...) when fall is starting to enter our minds, and there is nothing we love more than getting a sneak peek at fall trends! It's nice to have a heads up about the next coolest trend verses feeling like you've been living under a rock (we've all been there, still wondering where and when some trends became popular!). Here's a few of our favorite forecasted looks for this upcoming (and very temperate) season! 

Tweed at D&G

TWEED: as seen on the runways of  Chanel & Dolce & Gabbana

TARTAN: as seen on the runways of  Stella McCartney & Louis Vuitton

GRUNGE: as seen on the runways of  Rodarte & Saint Laurent

Grunge as sported on Milan runways.

BOLD LIPS:  as seen on the runways of DVF & Vera Wang

  ECRU: as seen on the runways of Valentino & Isabel Marant

1940's + OLD GLAM theme is still going strong. This is perhaps one of our favorite trends that has carried over into wedding wear this year! 

1940's/ Old Hollywood Glamour

What trends are you loving for this fall? We would love to know! Comment or inbox us via Facebook with your favorite forecasted trend ideas for this fall, we would love to hear from you!

Stay Beautiful! 

XO,
AVE 42

REAL BRIDES: KRISTINA!

One of our beautiful spring brides, Kristina, sent us a few photographs from her special day. We absolutely loved working with Kristina and her bridesmaids! 

Kristina + Sarah placing the veil!

Kristina adding some sparkly touches! 

Beautiful makeup + more jewels!

Bride + sister, Kasie

Pretty lady before her walk down the aisle!

Hair : Sarah Bell

Makeup: Kaitlin Candella

Location: Amber Grove, Moseley, VA

Photographer: Laura Gordon Photography 

THANK YOU Kristina & CONGRATULATIONS! 

xo,

AVE 42

NEW AT AVENUE 42: KEVYN AUCOIN BEAUTY

We've said it before and we will say it again: the team at Avenue 42 is highly dedicated to bringing the best of everything to our clientele-which is why we are absolutely thrilled to now offer Kevyn Aucoin Beauty at our Richmond location! We have spent countless hours trying to find the perfect makeup line that captures the essence of everything we believe in, and we could not be any more ecstatic about this perfect fit!

"That's why I began doing makeup in the first place; I was hoping that through helping people see the beauty in themselves, I could try to find it in me." - Kevyn Aucoin

Aucoin launched his namesake line in 2001, at the height of what had already become an absolutely illustrious career. After moving to NYC in 1983, Aucoin started out by offering his services to test models for various agencies throughout the city. Shortly thereafter, he was discovered by VOGUE and began working with them on a regular basis. He was well known for defining how makeup was both made and used by skin tones verses ethnicity, and firmly believed a woman was empowered through revealing her natural beauty rather than covering it up. 

His laundry list of celebrity clients ranged anywhere from one of his childhood idol's; Cher to Martha Stewart, as well as many top models of his time including Cindy Crawford. His work has also graced the covers of some of the worlds most well known publications, such as Cosmopolitan and the aforementioned Vogue. 

Several of these top-of-the-line products have reached cult-status, including gracing Allure Magazine's "Best of Beauty" list several years in a row for its one of a kind eye-lash curler. 

Stop by to learn more from one of our talented makeup artists and try out some of these simply amazing products! 

           www.kevynaucoin.com

xo,

Ave 42

PRO PICKS: Five Favorites

We are really excited to introduce one of our new blog features for this summer: Five Favorites. Over these next few months we will be introducing some of our favorite Stylists, Make-up Artists, Skincare specialists, and Bridal Guru's as well as their favorite, must-have, will-die-if-they-can't-have-it products for the summer! It was hard to limit it to five products, however, for all of us girls (and guys) on the go, we really wanted to tailor it down to simply the best items for this hot and sticky season.

We caught up with makeup artist Daniel Alvarez to find out what his Five Favorites for this summer are. Daniel has trained under famed artists including Steven Arturo, Mitzi Druss, and Brigette Reiss-Andersen, and has also worked on campains for fashion icons such as Vera Wang. He is currently working with Brooklyn, NY based beauty industry trendsetters Woodley & Bunny. His eclectic,  fearlessly creative style and personality have us seriously interested in trying out these products!

1) Christophe Robin Moisturizing Hair Cream, $39, 

"it has SPF, and suits fine as well as coarse hair types,"

2) Christophe Robin Chamomille Shampoo, $39,  "it is clarifying and actually helps lighten your hair!" 

3) Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks, $28 each, (his favorite shades were Muse & Icon) "they are matte and long wearing, and these shades are great for summer" 

4) Clarsonic Brush, from $149+, "great for exfoliating and balancing skin"

2)  Herve Heraux Cream Gel $138,"nourishing and non-greasy, and it is also paraben free" 

All of our shopping for this post can be done here:

www.christophe-robin.com/en/

www.sephora.com

www.woodleyandbunny.com

                                                  Daniel at Woodley & Bunny, Brooklyn, NY

Thank you Daniel for your Five Favorites! 

xo, Avenue 42

Must-Have Winter Makeup

Happy Thursday, everyone!  As I packed my makeup bag for a holiday trip, I had a really hard time deciding what to bring and realized many of you may struggle the same way!  If you're a beauty product stockpiler like me, you are probably a chronic over packer; if you have been wearing the same makeup for over 3 years, you are likely bored with your makeup routine & in need of a beauty overhaul.  (not to mention you should probably throw everything away - including your makeup bag...) 

Whether you're one extreme or the other (or somewhere in the middle), I hope you enjoy my winter 2012 faves!

1.  Korres  QUERCETIN & OAK NIGHT CREAM: I've been wearing this cream both morning and night since November.  The key ingredients in this cream target elasticity and moisture without leaving an oily residue on the skin.  

2.  LE TEINT TOUCHE ÉCLAT BY YVES SAINT LAURENT: this foundation is PERFECT for wintertime.  I actually purchased it this summer and found it to be too moisturizing in this humid Virginia climate, but now my skin is soaking it up!  Everytime I wear this foundation I get compliments. (and it has SPF 19!) 

3.  LavishTan Organic Micromist Tanning Spray:  I've been sunless tanning for almost 10 years and after using Lavish Tan I will never use anything else.  We provide professional airbrush tans at our salon, but I keep this micro mist aerosol spray at home to touch up.  Since the main ingredient in this product is brown sugar, you never have that awful "spray tan" smell, and it bronzes every skin tone without looking orange.  Seriously, you'll fall in love. 

4.  Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder:  Okay, we're all familiar with mineral foundation, thank to bare minerals.  My biggest complaint with mineral foundations has always been the fact that it left skin looking chalky or it emphasized the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  NOT THIS ONE!   It's advanced formulation of pure gold, 48 minerals, 11 amino acids and a powerful peptide deliver dynamic anti-aging benefits while the patented hydration system continuously revitalizes skin for a brighter, more radiant complexion all day. (Be aware that the powder runs dark, so make sure you buy one shade lighter.  - Beige skin tones should buy 'Fair" instead of "Medium")

5.  YSL ANTI-CERNES MULTI ACTION CONCEALER - this concealer is too heavy for summertime but will soak into the skin during the fall and winter months. it is densely pigmented for coverage of blemishes, yet lightweight enough for use under eyes.  

6. By Terry  Touche Veloutee highlighting concealer- OMG if there is one product I can't live without, it would be this.  Everytime i put this product on a client, they order it.  If i could order it from Paris wholesale, I would...  By the truckload.  Worn by Kim Kardashian, this product instantly depuffs and wakes up the eyes with a wash of light.  It dries crease free and even covers blue, red, and purple undertones.  AMAZING. 

7. Bobbi Brown long wearing gel liner in black - this liner not only lasts all day, it doesn't turn blue, like most "black" liners.  Just make sure you don't leave the top off or you're out of luck. 

8.  Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trio in DIGITAL - I can create almost any look with this trio.  The soft matte pink is great for everyday, yet the deep plum can be built into the smokiest of smokey eyes.  The silvery-granite color is perfect for drawing under the lower lash line to brighten any look.  

9. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara brings a makeup artist to every woman.  For years, makeup artists have used the technique of layering mascaras for volume, length and waterproofing.  Smashbox has brilliantly created an all-in-one mascara that lengthens, volumizes and locks in color for a smudge-free, flake-free, INTENSE lash line. 

10.  Smashbox Shades of Fame "High Shine" Lip Gloss in "Star" - No matter who you are or what look you are going for, a high-shine clear gloss is a staple.  This particular gloss is long wearing without being overly sticky and it looks amazing.  Wear alone or over your favorite stain or lip color.  

11. MAC powder blush in "I'm the one" - I am in love with this blush.  Layer it on the apple of the cheek to intensify color, or dust on the cheekbone and nose for a subtle everyday flush.  It doesn't have shimmer so won't leave those with visible pores looking shiny or fake. 

12.  Smashbox Soft Lights highlighting powder in "Prism" - Since skin can appear dull during winter months, this powder can be worn alone or as a finishing touch to a complete makeup look.  I like to dust it over the cheekbones, brow bones and bridge of the nose to give an irresistible glow that will have everyone begging for your secret to perfect skin.  

XOXOXO 

-Natalie