Making the world a prettier place: the We See Beauty Foundation

The biggest part of our mission at Avenue 42 is about empowering women! We truly admire when we learn about other salons, artists, and foundations striving to do the same thing. 

We recently have learned about an amazing collective out of New York doing just that and then some. The We See Beauty Foundation is a collaboration of artists & ideas that is based the on the philosophy that working together and sharing ideas will create greater benefits for all-ideals easily lost within the often very competitive world of make up and hair artistry. 

image courtesy of www.weseebeauty.com

The project was started by Nikos Mouyiaris, a name synonymous within the beauty industry for both creating successful business ventures and giving back to the community. Mouyiaris created Mana Products, Inc. in 1975, a cosmetic manufacturing corporation responsible for some of the most carefully formulated, iconic beauty products still found in makeup bags, purses, and medicine cabinets all over the world today. 

We See Beauty is entirely owned, managed and run by the people who work at their Brooklyn co-operative. Their accompanying brand, Make Cosmetics, offers products through their online marketplace; which also offers various unique lifestyle and design items.

33.3% of their profits are directly donated to the We See Beauty foundation. Through the donation of such a large portion of their profits, WSB is able to create jobs, promote their platform for change, inspire others to do the same. Their goal? To create global awareness of their mission: together we do more. 

image courtesy of www.weseebeauty.com

Cruise on over to their website and check out their beautiful products, graphics, and images. Who ever thought buying absolutely AMAZING make-up would ever feel so good? Now take those good vibes and pass them on. :)

http://weseebeauty.com/

Pamper your Pops: Fathers day product picks!

What does one get for the man who has everything? The man whom has used the same shaving cream and bar soap for the past, oh, 30 years? Surprise your special guy with a medicine cabinet overhaul! We did some serious searching for the perfect product lines for whatever type of guy your Dad (or husband) may be.  The are sure to give your Dads "beauty regime" (or lack there-of) a serious makeover. 

{The Classic Man}

The Blind Barber combines modern luxury and versatility with the simplicity of classic mens grooming products for the discerning man of any age. Their NYC and LA locations offer the feel of an old-school barber shop & lounge with a new-school twist.  http://blindbarber.com

{The Hunter & Angler}

For the Dad who spends his time in the woods or on the water, or for the guy who just believes in protecting the earth from which he came. Ursa Major combines earthy scents and uses highly effective ingredients while providing a serious solution to natural skin-care. These products come straight from Vermont & their philosophy is to create products from sustainable resources.
www.ursamajormen.com

{The Active Dad}

Recipe for Men believes in carefully thought out products to suit men's needs. Easy to follow instructions and simple packaging make this product line perfect for those minimalist guys on the go. However simple these products may look on the outside, the ingredients and carefully thought out formulations contained inside are sure to deliver powerful results. Perfect for the man who enjoys the elements and an active lifestyle. 

http://www.recipeformenusa.com/

 If your Father just needs a day of relaxation, Red Door Spas offer a variety of services specially designed for pampering men! This is always a great gift for the guy who would typically not splurge on himself. Red Door Spas of Richmond (for all of our local readers) is located at Short Pump Town Center. http://www.reddoorspas.com

We hope you enjoy a happy and healthy Father's Day with the man (or men!) in your life! 

xo,

Ave 42

Real Brides: Cailin!

Here is a sneak peak at one of our bridal beauties, Cailin!

Hair was by Sara, makeup was done by Natalie on the bride, and Katey on the bridal party. 

Her wedding, styled by Courtney from Merriments Events, took place at the Williamsburg Inn. 

Photography was by Eric Mencher Photography. 

Cailin & her little ladies. 

Congratulations Cailin! 

xo,

Ave 42 

Real Brides: Colby

This past weekend we had the pleasure of working with one of our stunning spring brides: Colby!  Her and her new husband, Kellen, had their ceremony and reception at Mount Ida Farm in Charlottesville, VA. The hair was styled by Rachel (assisted by Megan Ritter), and makeup was done by Krista. 

The photography was done by Ron Dressel. 

Rachel, Megan & Krista working on the Bride

Rachel giving a few finishing touches to Colby

The bride & some special friends!

Dress by Bridal Elegance

Colby + Kellen

Congratulations to the Bride and her husband! 

xo,

Avenue 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

Style Envy: Beachy Waves

With spring almost over, and summer on its way here, the ever changing weather can often create problems for more structured hairstyles. Let's face it, blow drying your hair every day is a task most of us despise! Humidity and spring showers can often ruin all of the tough work we put into taming our tresses in fickle spring weather, which makes it the time of year to perfect those beachy waves! Use our how-to and some of these must-have products to obtain this highly desired look.

•Start with damp hair (about 75% towel-dried). For those of you that already have natural wave to your hair, blot the hair dry and be careful to not "rough" the hair up with your towel (an old t-shirt often works best).  Mist the beach spray liberally. Make sure it is applied evenly. Do not be shy around your roots, applying it here as well will create volume!

•Apply curl or smoothing creme towards your ends to tame frizz and fly aways, and give your waves a bit of definition. For thicker or more unruly hair types work your desired hair creme almost up to the base of your hair.

• Twist sections of hair away from your face (smaller sections for thicker/coarse hair, larger sections for fine, to medium thickness), and begin to scrunch from the ends. Work carefully as to keep your twists intact.

• Air dry, or to speed up the process use a blow dryer that has a diffuser on low heat.

• Once hair is dry, lightly mist the beach spray on again. A curling wand can be used to "touch up" any strands that are looking a little less than defined. You can also finish with an aerosol texture spray, or dry shampoo to add a bit of a "gritty" feeling like natural ocean water creates!

(From left) Oribe Apres Beach Texture Spray, $37 www.oribe.com; Sachajuan Ocean Mist, $28 www.woodleyandbunny.com; Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray $25 www.sephora.com, Kevin Murphy Hair Resort $34 (in salon only), Mermaid Mane Sea Salt Spray $22 www.catbirdnyc.com

Real Brides: Leslie

Hello, lovely readers! 

Today we wanted to share a few photos from a wedding we were apart of in October of 2012 (Hair by Rachel, Makeup by Natalie, and assisted by Heather and Darrilyn). It took place in our hometown of Richmond, Virginia near the bride's home in Windsor Farms and was shot by our good friend, Adam Barnes at Adam Barnes Fine Art Photography. A very special thanks goes to Fete Studio for recommending us to this beautiful bride! Enjoy these amazing pictures of bride Leslie and her lovely bridesmaids and new husband!:

xox!