MJ Herbals

I have been dabbling in aromatherapy with makeup applications for years. I never leaving home without a few tried and true essential oils. A few drops of lavender on the temples, soothes even the most stressed out client, and says bye bye anxiety, hello peace and serenity. Even when I have the occasional, "high maintenance" celeb in the chair, they melt instantly, relaxing and softening the face. It's a great way to start an application, and makes the process more pleasant. A few drops of spearmint under the nose works wonders in sticky, smelly situations. Need an instant pick me up? Spearmint does the trick.
I stumbled upon MJ Herbals Salves in NYC at a vitamin shop in the West Village. They are all-natural, organic and beyond heavenly. The First Aid Salve cures minor bumps and cuts, leaving the skin velvety smooth. The Lavender E Salve with Vitamin E, (oh joy!) relieves burns, headaches, stress and anxiety. It's great for rashes and bumps on the body. I like to apply a tiny dab to the face before moisturizer, leaving the skin soft, radiant and dewy.










/http://www.mjsherbals.com/
Jackie Cioffa Makeup

PHOTOCREW.com is Da Bomb

If you haven't checked out Photocrew.com, you don't know what you're missing.
An online community for photographers, hair and makeup artists, stylists and more. It's a great site to stay informed and get noticed. Upload your work (it's free!), and find out what's happening in the photography biz. With events, videos, news, blogs, classifieds and Resource Magazine, Photocrew.com is on the cutting edge of fashion.
Go ahead, upload your pictures, you never know who might be watching.

A big thank you to Photocrew.com for adding me, my artistry and Make Up to Model Citi Zen blog excerpts to their community.

photocrew.com




http://photocrew.com/blog/author/jackiecioffa/

Hootan Vahidi Photography
Jackie Cioffa Makeup

All in a Day's Work

I admit it. I assist, but only if I like the artist I'll be schlepping for. Twenty years in fashion has granted me this wee bit of freedom. When I got the call to assist a famous makeup artist with Peter Lindbergh, I did not walk, but ran to the studio. Peter is one of my all time favorites. A master of black and white, and a gentleman and a scholar, he was nice to all. That is the true test of a seasoned pro, they make the whole the team feel important. There must have been 20 people on set and everyone was treated with respect. A lot of 'top photographers of the moment' speak through their handlers, never acknowledging the lowly assistants. That's just bad manners and low self-esteem in my book. Imagine my delight, when Robin Wright walked in. Trying to stay focused, I kept pinching myself. I am a fan and from time to time still get star struck. Robin is stunning, and a unique, brave, ballsy actress. Her skin is flawless, without a stitch of makeup. Even sick, (she had a flu) she was courteous and ready to get down to business. The makeup was kept to a minimum, the skin was left bare without a hint of foundation. A soft, brown eye pencil (similar to Helena Rubinstein's #o2 Soft Brown) was applied to the crease and blended in.The subtlest hint of liner was dabbed directly between the top lash line. That was it. Every so often, the rare individual comes along who doesn't need a lot of primping. Their radiant, star quality shines bright from within. Robin has that in spades, lighting up the room, the camera and the stage.

http://www.buy.com/prod/helena-rubinstein-silky-eyes-smooth-glide-eye-pencil-02-soft-brown/q/loc/67984/216002918.html
Peter Lindbergh Photography

Ice Ice Baby

I love David Lynch and his hauntingly, beautiful women. His rich colors and textures on film are dark, decadent and exciting. It got me thinking, Blue Velvet shades can be worn and brought back from the 80's.  Armani's Smooth Silk Eyeliner pencil # 3 in a blackened, cobalt blue lined across the top and bottom lid and smudged outwards is a sultry, cool alternative to black. Keep the skin bare, adding the slightest hint of sheen  moisturizer will compliment the blue icing.
For a softer pastel touch, try Cover Girl's Smoky ShadowBlast in Tempest Blue as a pretty wash of color all over the lid. It's got that Pretty in Pink wish I was sixteen again, fresh feeling. I use CG's ShadowBlast dual sticks in every shade. They go on soft and easy, and light up the eye with dewy, gorgeous shimmers of color. A while back, the lovely Zoe Schaeffer asked for makeup tips for a blue story on Glo.msn. If you have not seen Glo yet, check it out. It's a sleek site for women, covering the best in style, beauty, living and relationships. It's smart, fun and elegant.




http://glo.msn.com/beauty/true-blue-3155.gallery#stackState=0__%2Fbeauty%2Ftrue-blue-3155.gallery%3FphotoId%3D4080

http://www.covergirl.com/beauty_products/eye_shadow/

http://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com/_us/_en/makeup/eye/eye-liner/smooth-silk-eye-pencil.htm

Beauty Gone MIA

It's about time for a bit of frivolous fun and eye candy. While I have been busy in the land of screenplays and books, the beauty world has soldiered on without me. Or so I thought. Thanks to RM for the email regarding the mention on SpaBeautySchools.com as "One of the top 50 Makeup blogs." SWEET!!! I think it's time I get my pretty back in high gear.

Mac's Eye Pigments in varying shades of gold and Nars Velvet Lip Pencils have seen me through the Oscars, Fashion Week, various bridal weddings and an upcoming hush, hush celeb wedding. A dab of Mac's Blonde Gold, Old Gold, Golden Lemon, or White Gold on a bare eye with a few coats of mascara and smudged, black liner is ultra sexy, modern and appropriate for any occasion. Use a thin brush to apply the pigment or dab a bit on the back of the hand for better control, patting on the lid. Add some false lashes and presto, camera ready. Nars Velvet Lip Pencil in Red Square is not for the timid. The tangy, red color is beautifully bold and the pencil is smooth and creamy. Thank you RM and SpaBeautySchools.com for noticing, and reminding me that there is always time for a polished face.

http://www.spabeautyschools.com/article/v/10043/top-50-makeup-blogs/

http://www.maccosmetics.com/

http://www.narscosmetics.com/

Let's not Forget the Face

I am no longer a young girl. I am a lady of a certain age and need a bit of help. While I am not a fan of the knife, or injecting poison into my face, I have been known to try a few dozen potions from time to time. Right now, I 'm digging SkinCeuticals. Their moisturizers, serums, gels and correction creams rock. The C E FERULIC Serum contains a knockout combination of powerful antioxidants. Allure magazine liked it enough to award it the Allure Best of Beauty Editors' Choice Award 3 times!!! Trust me, those editors know their stuff, they test drive every beauty product on the market.

I have also been known to bake in the sun, for hours. I love a sandy beach, the salt water on your skin, the way the sun makes you feel. Yes, I have done damage. I am using SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.5 to reduce some of the age spots and wrinkles on my face. I love it, it's ultra light, silky smooth and leaves me looking and feeling like a teenager. I'm smiling a lot more. I always say confidence and a smile are a women's best defense.

http://www.skinceuticals.com

I Can't Take It Anymore

I've got the winter blues &

could really use a beauty fix today!

I don't know about you, but I can't take it anymore. This freezing north east weather has made me crazy. There is not one part of my skin that isn't cracked, peeling or itchy! All the scrubbing and moisturizing just isn't cutting it. My sister in law is an all natural EVERYTHING guru, she has made me more aware of what I put on and into my body. I still enjoy a burger and a beer now & then, I confess. Here are a couple natural healing products that are great for the skin and won't break the bank.

ASAP Ultimate Skin & Body Care Gel helps promote natural healing. This product contains patented ASAP SilverSol Technology™ at a powerful level of 24 ppm of silver. That's right silver. It's a super potent, extremely powerful gel, creating an instant soothing feeling on the skin, healing wounds, rashes and itching. It's s

afe, non-toxic and patent approved.

If you are in need of a full immersion skin soak, pick up a bag of Dr. Teal's Therapeutic Epsom Salt Soaking Solution with healing Magensium and Sulfate. I like the Lavender essential oil formula. It soothes your fried senses, relaxes your frozen muscles and softens the skin. It smells good too. I got a huge 3 lbs. bag for $4.50 at Walmart. Sweet.

Now come on, aren't you and your skin worth it????

http://www.americanbiotechlabs.com/ultimate-skin-body-care.html

http://www.drteals.us/our-products.htm

Jackpot

When I heard Shu Uemura was reintroducing Nobara, the cult classic in a convenient cover stick, I was over the moon. The Nobara Cream Cover Stick foundation is easy to use, hygienic and comes in 13 gorgeous shades. Application is smooth, silky and light. You'll get high coverage without feeling weighted down. Mix a bit of moisturizer together with the cream concealer and voila, instant foundation. Makeup artists far and wide will be dancing tonight under the full moon. Their lives just got a whole lot easier and better looking too. These super sleek sticks are perfect for your next plane ride.

www.shu-uemura.com

Round and Round We Go

Purple. It's everywhere. Whether on a mannequin in a high-end store, in discount knock-off boutique store windows, on the streets or even faces, purple is the new (again) black. We're talking rich, deep shades of purple, even eggplant & burgundy. Chanel's Rouge Allure Lipstick in Hysteria is a wicked shade. If you dare to don a deep lip, keep the eyes bare with just a hint of mascara. For a smokey, sexy Purple Haze eye Mac's Cream Color Base in Bat Black is a deep hue of purple with black undertows. Blame it on the Twilight & True Blood revolution, purple & goth have taken on the fashion & beauty industry. It's cool, we were rocking the dark shades in Milan in the 80's. It was decadent, groovy & raw. Even caught it on the original purple knight himself. There was Prince, decked out in purple long ago. Out on a wintry, haze-filled Italian disco night in the dark. Purple, full circle.

www.maccosmetics.com

www.uma.chanel.com

Who Says Young'ins Have All the FUN?

I worked the More Magazine's Reinvention Event (women over forty) with Giorgio Armani Cosmetics and got to meet hundreds of fabulous women. With guest speakers such as Laura Bush, Nora Eprhon, Tim Quinn and many, many more illustrious women, one couldn't help but feel inspired. Armani's ten minute mini-makeovers were a huge success. We had an endless line of clients that turned into hours of fun, intelligent conversation and beautifully painted faces. Tim Quinn, genius Artistic Director for Armani Beauty was on hand with helpful hints and gorge color suggestions. Lasting Silk UV Foundation SPF 20 goes on smooth & matte, and looks clean with full twelve hour coverage. The best part, it's weightless and feels like air on your skin. I recommended Crema Nera face and eye cream to all the fearless 40+ ladies that sat in my chair. Crema Nera is enriched with minerals and stimulates cell metabolism, resulting in plumper and firmer looking skin. The light weight formula leaves the skin looking radiant and ready for the perfect make up application. I admit I can't wait to get my hands on it.

www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

www.more.com

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Mac Cosmetic's Pink Swoon blush creates the perfect flush on the cheek.

The cool pink shade looks a little cold & scary in the pot. When applied to the apples it gives the face a lively, pretty glow. A little trick I learned from the ultimate diva? Apply the blush high on the apples close to the eye for an added burst of luminosity. Oooh, I can't tell you her hush hush name, but she is a goddess and a real class act. Pink Swoon is her go to blush. Now, it seems to be mine. So, thanks for the tip. Perfectly precious.

www.maccosmetics.com

Looking Glass & the Windowpane

I don't normally post my 'serious writing' on my blog, but this piece seems beauty appropriate for a Friday afternoon afterthought. Enjoy.

Looking Glass and the Windowpane
by Jacqueline Cioffa

Let’s face it; there’s no fooling. The sagging skin, the wrinkled face, the ridiculous forty something woman in short skirts and bottled-up Botox. The gravitational pull and the eventual flight back home were booked in advance. You already hold the winning ticket. I recognize the faces in the street, the fear, the familiar grimace and disgust at the sideways glance in the shop’s windowpane. I see the doubt, the two-second pause, the roll of the eyes in the rear view mirror. I’m going to rise above it, be the lady lit from within. I’m going to honor this body that works, that walks me from place to place. I’m going to love this heart that beats and eyes that see the sun and feel the heat, and arms that sway to the rhythm and ears that hear the beat. I’m going to resist the tug; I’m going to dig the features and the sum. I’m going to take the very best care. Every so often, I’m going to eat eggs with buttered toast and pancakes dripping in maple syrup. I’m going to drink beer without the guilt. I’m going to love a man head on without flipping the light. Sooner or later, I’m going to want to play the parts. I’ll be mother, daughter, sister, lover, and feminist right on time. I’ll want to write the appropriate words that answer the meaningful questions. I’ll get the joke. I’ll laugh out loud without bringing my hands up to cover my face. I am timeless, ageless and the perfect temperature. I will not grimace at the sight of a beautiful young woman. I will nod and offer her a secret, knowing smile and familiar glance. I will put away the minis, the boots, and the crazy forms of self-expression and store them deep in the back of my closet. I’ll hold onto them for a younger version of myself. I no longer have any use. I’ll walk the walk with conviction. I’ll talk the talk and hear the discussion. I will listen, with a mind that is open. I will wait ten seconds to answer. I’ll have a well-thought out appropriate response. I’ll take an interest in the world around me. I’ll be empowered, insightful, bright and impulsive in an instant. I will mellow out and leave fear, jealousy and rage behind. I’ll do all the things that a grown up does. I will act like a curvy, sophisticated, well groomed woman. I will see the face and body; I will embrace and endorse the beautiful. I will tuck away my first class ticket in the back pocket of my favorite pair of ripped, familiar blue jeans for a later date. I will remember where I put it. I’ll keep my head on straight, high upon my strong, beautiful shoulders. I will put one determined foot in front of the other. For now, I’m just going to walk. And face the window without the pain.

The Kid's Got Chops

I teamed up with fab photographer Myrna Suarez last week to shoot singer, songwriter Jesse Ruben. Normally, whenever Myrna calls I just show up. I know it's going to be awesome & I'm going to get great images. Myrna shoots a lot of music industry peeps along with personalities. I love her style, the pics are crisp, clean, sexy and always interesting. Jesse was a nice surprise. Polite, cute, funny and easy going. What I didn't know was how good he is. After the job, I was curious and listened to his music. Goose-bumps. The kid has serious chops. His songs are powerful, insightful, honest & original. Check him out; he's the real deal. No gimmicks, just him and his guitar. In a world full of synthetics, Jesse is a breath of fresh air.

www.twinbphotography.com

www.myspace/jesseruben.com

Jackie Cioffa Makeup

Myrna Suarez Phootgraphy

When I Grow Up

Last month I made-up Lucky Magazine's creative director, Andrea Linett for a Lucky video post on Fall's must-have shoes and which clothes to pair them with at the trendy store Dolce Vita. Sorry for the delayed post, I got busy in August eating ice cream and cutting the grass. Anyhow, thought it was worth the visit. I dig Andrea's cool downtown, rocker, boho vibe style. She's the kind of lady I wanna be when I grow up. Smart, easy, put-together, & funny effortlessly mixed together. Her makeup request was simple, flawless skin with a touch of powder. I added a bit of Giorgio Armani's Sheer Bronzer #1 and a dab of gloss for fun, and she was on point and camera ready. Oh, and her jewelry style is the sickest. She always has at least one piece I covet. Everyone knows, I am usually bangled, stacked and decked out in everything from Chrome Hearts to Me & Ro to Helen Ficalora to old school charms from my father. That's a whole other post. Much to my delight, we're doing a jewelry shoot this week, so stay tuned...

www.luckymagazine.com

www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

Jackie Cioffa Makeup

Bright & Shiny Early Early in the Morning

I am not a fan of Fashion Week or the backstage madness it entails, so a 6 am call time made me even crankier. Except, when I got there and Stephan Marais did the makeup test for Zac Posen, I felt better. He created a fresh, pretty, sparkling face. Mac Cosmetic's rosy cream blush placed on the low cheek bone, into the temples and over the brow bone was the perfect mix of layering & texture. A white silver shadow dusted thinly into the lower & upper lashes gave the eyes luminosity and an instant wake up call. An added bonus, the gorgeous supermodel Pat Clevland was there supporting her daughter, model Anna van Ravenstein who walked the show. How modern and retro, glamorous, young and fresh.

www.maccosmetics.com

www.stephanemarais.com

Sexy Beast

I've had the pleasure of hanging out with artist Marilyn Minter on a few occasions. Her niece, the uber-talented and stunning actress Kristin Minter is a great friend of mine. So when I heard that Marilyn was talking part in MAC Cosmetics 2009 Fall Campaign I was intrigued. I love her thoughts on women and beauty. She worked with Mac's Glitter Eye Pots and once her make up artist had applied the makeup, Marilyn messed it up. "Anything that gets wets starts getting sexy." Marilyn's philosophy that life is messy, heels break, pimples pop up & that imperfection is beauty is refreshingly real. She has a thing for freckles. If their aren't enough, she'll pencil in more. Erotic imagery, pushing the edge with pigment, glamour, art & feminism at it's height. Thank you Marilyn & MAC for the sultriness, one look at your stunning images gives me the power & freedom to soldier on.

www.maccosmetics.com

Taking It to the Streets

For Fashion's Night Out, ERES the ultra chic French lingerie line had models decked to the nines and out on the streets with their Eres shopping purchases. Funky and tres cool, to see eight beautiful ladies looking colorful and fierce. Prior to hitting the streets, I made up the girls depending on their style. A wet- black smokey eye with tons of COVERGIRL Lashblast Luxe Mascara and nude lip to go with spiked heels, a striped shirt & spotted pants. An odd combo perhaps, but when thrown together strangely enough it worked. A nice product for the night, Nars Velvet Lip Matte Pencil in Red Square, a creamy lip pencil, in a bright pop of coral & a bare eye looked super sexy & fun. From Barney's uptown, to the streets of Soho, NY for one night was classy & sassy, and ERES left an imprint. Style.com got the pic to prove it.

www.eresparis.com

www.narscosmetics.com

www.covergirl.com

www.style.com

Jackie Cioffa Makeup

Super Trouper

My friend's at COVERGIRL just sent me their newish mascara, LashBlast Luxe. I'm already a huge fan of LashBlast the original, the numero uno selling mascara with 'the patented Moltrusion Brush.' The giant brush with 50% more bristles maxes out each and every lash. NO, really. A mascara that leaves lashes long, lush and clump-free? And comes in four metallic shades for a hint of shimmer? That's some mack ed-out mascara. I tried out the Black Cabernet (sounds decadent & yummy!), and felt immediately sexy and good enough to go dancing! But, alas I have an early call in the am. Tune in tomorrow, I'm off to make up some gorge lingerie models for ERES and Fashion's Night Out. Can't wait to make them COVERGIRL Super Trouper LashBlast Luxe converts too.

www.covergirl.com

www.fashionsnightout.com

Ditch the Sunscreen

I decided to take a much needed city break and head out to the country. I admit that sometimes the vapidness of fashion, beauty & celebrity gets to me. At times, I hate the stupidity and shallowness of that world. I only half fit in it now. I have been on the beauty playing field for twenty years, once a star quarterback, sometimes watching from the sidelines and even the water girl. It's good to turn it off. The cellphone, Face book, email, Perez Hilton, forget about all of it. I have recently developed a Vitamin D deficiency, it's time to get back to basics. I swam, sat in the sun, wrote, read, cut the grass, played with a two year old, said goodbye to my faithful furry friend, ate Black Raspberry ice cream and planted a garden. It was quiet. It was real. It was nice, I could hear my thoughts. I ditched the sunscreen. Really? A former model turned make up artist ditches the sunscreen? Seriously? Sunscreen blocks the body's ability to produce Vitamin D. Vitamin D is necessary for good mental health. There is currently a nationwide Vitamin D deficiency epidemic. It's actually not a vitamin, it's a hormone and has the ability to affect more than 2,000 genes in the body. Think about it, 15 minutes and a supplement are all you need. So you can feel great & get back to business as usual. thehuffingtonpost./Dr. Soram Khalsa- Vitamin D Deficiency

Jackie Cioffa Makeup

Christian Di Lalla Photography