shiny teeth and me
(yes that is me eating a poptart - but damn look at those teeth!!)
What is the first physical feature you notice about a person when you first meet them?
For me, the first thing I always notice is a person’s teeth. I am not sure why but it’s always been something I pick up on, and it made me think that if that’s the first thing I notice about a person maybe that’s the first thing they notice about me? That’s when I started paying more attention to my teeth.
Not that I had bad teeth, but for years I would smile with my mouth closed. I wasn’t confident in my smile for a few reasons, one of them being that I didn’t think my teeth were white enough, another being that they weren’t straight enough.
I loved going to the dentist which is probably something you have never heard someone say. More often than not people dread the dentist. Most kids cry as their parent tries to keep them strapped down in the chair or you see it being advertised these days that adults can be put under just to get a cleaning so that they don’t have to worry during the appointment. Maybe they are just going to the wrong dentist. I can’t say enough good about my dentist, my family has been going to Rock Dental before I was even born. The funny thing is that the office is out in Hauppauge which looking at a map of Long Island that is all the way in Suffolk County and I live all the way in Nassau County but the drive is worth it. People think I am crazy when I tell them I drive out that far just to get a cleaning every few months.
I don’t know too many people who ask for a toothbrush for their birthday but I sure did, the minute I discovered there was such a thing as the electric toothbrush. My brother gifted me a Phillips Sonicare toothbrush and its been one of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received, ill never go back to a regular toothbrush again except for when I travel, I use a regular toothbrush but other than that I use the electric one. Its like going to the dentist every time you brush your teeth, its incredible, I love it. If you don’t have one then I highly recommend putting one on your birthday list!
Aside from the basic dental hygiene of brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly, I also have made many trips to the orthodontist. I must have been around eleven or twelve when I first got braces. It was bound the happen, almost everyone in my family had them at some point in their life. It was only the matter of time before I had a wire rack with colored rubber bands that matched whatever color Aeropostale graphic t shirt was wearing that day at the appointment. Having braces was part of the awkward phase, it came with the territory but I didn’t mind so much because almost everyone of my friends or rather everyone in my class either had them or was going to get them sooner or later.
I feel like most people remember the day they get them on and the day they get them off, personally I don’t remember either of them vividly but I do remember how often I was brushing my teeth and cleaning in between the wires. I will never forget when the orthodontist said that if I don’t do a good job brushing my teeth then when he takes the braces off their will be stains around the parts where there was glue to hold the braces. All I could think was how much I didn’t want to see those stains when the braces came off. Before and during braces my teeth were dull, we’ll say. They were not yellow, but I wasn’t singing “shiny teeth and me” either.
Once I got the braces off, although I was confident in how straight they were I still wasn’t confident in my smile just yet. It was then that I started whitening which was a fairly new technique, in the sense that it was new that you could go to the drugstore and buy whitening strips whereas prior to that you would have to go have it professionally done. I stayed loyal to the Crest brand and have only ever tried/used their whitening strips. They’ve managed to improve, and redesign their strips throughout the years, to offer a better solution. I don’t whiten then nearly as often as I used to because I’ve finally achieved a confident smile but if you have never used whitening strips its best advised to use as instructed on the box. I have heard and seen many other teeth whitening products but have not tried any of them but I am interested to know what other people think!
In addition to whitening my teeth I am also extremely cautious in avoiding foods that could stain my teeth. I stay away from drinks with caffeine and I NEVER drink coffee. In fact I’ve only ever had coffee once in my life but that’s another story for another day. Caffeine tends to leave a yellow stain on teeth, also any red acidic foods more specifically anything with tomato can also stain your teeth.
Every once in a while I do get the occasional comment on my smile or how white my teeth are and I give my self a subtle pat on the back because in my mind I put in the work for these teeth! But since I do get comments, I thought it would be best to share what it is that I have done and do daily in order to achieve an impressionable smile. If you are someone who is looking to improve their smile or gain that confidence to have shiny teeth (like) me than hopefully these few tips and tricks are helpful!
masking the problem
If you are asking yourself “why is my face breaking out all of a sudden??” well then keep reading because I have a fairly good idea as to why…
Recently a friend of mine posted a picture before she was about to go on her shift at work and the caption was something along the lines of “ good thing I have to wear this mask to work because it will cover these giant breakouts on my chin.”
Although the mask is doing a great job at covering the breakouts it’s actually what’s causing them!!
Yes that’s right, no matter what type of mask you are wearing it will cause you to break out, but there are a few things you can do to prevent it!
1. WEAR A CLEAN MASK.
If you are using a disposable mask only wear it one to two times and then dispose of it properly – which means throwing it away in a trash. If you are wearing a reusable mask, make sure to constantly wash it. If it is cloth then you can run it through the washing machine, all other masks can be wiped down with a sanitary wipe or scrubbed with some dish soap and water, pat with a paper towel and then let it air dry.
2. KEEP YOUR FACE CLEAN.
The best way to do this is by having a skincare regimen which can be as simple as cleansing and moisturizing your face - in the morning when you wake up, at night right before going to bed, and any other time whenever your skin feels dry, oily, or if you’ve been sweating profusely. Now with the summer heat and humidity, it’s likely that you are sweating more, and the mask is causing you to sweat more around your mouth. Wearing the mask and not being able to remove it is causing the sweat to sit their and clog your pores. If you can, carry some baby wipes or a facial cleansing cloth to wipe your mouth clean when you feel the sweat building up. Be cautious, DO NOT remove your mask while in public, or be considerate by standing beyond six feet away before moving your mask to wipe your face.
3. AVOID WEARING MAKEUP.
DO NOT wear makeup if you do not have to. Wearing a mask over a full face of makeup is doing horrible damage to your pores, they are unable to breathe and its trapping the residue of the makeup into your pores mixed in with oils and sweat, causing your pores to clog which then leads to the break outs.
Areas around the nose, mouth and chin are prone to breakouts for many reasons, some include; change in hormone levels, stress, or unclean skin. If you are someone who is very in tune with their skin then you might understand better why you breakout in certain areas of your face but if you’re someone who hardly ever has breakouts and you are concerned as to why this is happening all of a sudden follow the 3 suggested tips listed above and see if there is a visible difference / improvement in the clarity of your skin. If you do not see a change or notice your skin is getting worse consult a doctor or visit your dermatologist.
PLEASE be respectful and WEAR A MASK at all times while in a public setting, PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING, and most of all BE PATIENT + BE KIND.
rosie the riveter
Back in 2018 the National Archives at New York City located in downtown manhattan, reached out to me asking if I would volunteer my time by dressing as Rosie the Riveter for a special event they were having.
Every year, for one night only, typically in June, the National Archives, in partnership with the Downtown Cultural Group hosts the Night at the Museums event, which allows visitors of all ages access to a variety of museums in the downtown area, giving visitors a chance to explore the history and heritage of New York City for free!
Every Year the National Archives in particular, chooses a theme for their program to present throughout the duration of the event. The theme of the program generally focuses on either a specific time period, historical turn of events, or features a historical figure. Past years have included historical interpreters such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Eleanor Roosevelt. In 2018 the program focused on women in history and highlighted the historical icon Rosie the Riveter! They pulled the “We Can Do It” campaign poster from the archives and showed it on display next to an even larger poster where any visitor could come by and take a picture with (me) Rosie the Riveter, as well as participate in various interactive activities throughout the resource and research rooms.
Who is Rosie the Riveter?
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon representing the women who entered the workforce during World War II. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who joined the military, some included working in factories and shipyards. The underlying theme of the campaign was to show that social change was necessary during this time which meant bringing women out of the house/kitchen and into the workforce, proving that they have the potential to be and do more than what society expected of them.
It is still in question as to whether or not Rosie the Riveter was based on a real person, or if she is a fictional character designed to represent the “eager to work” woman. Rumor has it that there are two possible women she could be based off, either, Rose Will Monroe or Naomi Parker Fraley, but no one actually knows which one. Regardless, Rosie the Riveter was intended to represent all women.
I was honored to be asked to participate in this special event not only because it meant I was able to step into a role and play a different character other than myself for a night, but also because I respect and appreciate what Rosie the Riveter represented and still represents today – that women are empowered and can do anything they set their mind to, because they have the strength to do so, and do it all with style none the less.
If someone asked you, what historical figure do you think you look like the most? Who would you say? It is odd to think about, but imagine if you were not born in this century, who would you have been back then? What do you think you would look like?
Honestly, I do think I would choose Rosie the Riveter every time. I never really thought about it until I was standing in the rotunda of the National Archives dressed in combat boots, red stockings, a navy jumpsuit with the sleeves rolled, my hair tied up with a red bandanna and people asking to take their picture with me. Yes, I will admit it made me feel like someone famous having random strangers coming up to me asking to take a picture – not something I am used to but something Rosie got used to real quick. Honestly, most of the tourist who visited had no idea who Rosie the Riveter was but they starred in amazement as to how much I looked like the original poster.
question: why were so many people convinced that you were the reincarnate of Rosie the Riveter?
answer: the power of makeup!
My ability to carefully focus on her facial features and the makeup look that women during that time would have had made my costume that much more convincing. Yes, I was born with brown hair and blue eyes, so I already looked a little bit like her but the selling point, to convince the people that I was in fact Rosie the Riveter was all in the makeup. I drew on a strong brow, with little to no eye shadow, emphasized my eyelashes with the help of a little wing-tip eyeliner, added some blush and a strong contour with a pop of red on my lips. Now you are probably wondering why the soft look with a stark contrast – well that’s because women during the 1940s had a very soft and feminine look. They needed to look pretty at all times for the men, but to show that Rosie was strong enough and capable of doing a mans job they gave her some more masculine features such as strong cheekbones and sharp jawline, short nails and defined biceps. She did not wear any jewelry and although her hair was curled all nice it was back in a bandanna, proving she was ready to work! Although I posed for pictures with a smile and a flexed bicep, the original poster shows a soft smile with a stern look implying that Rosie means business and wanted to be taken seriously.
Now I know that if being a makeup artist does not work out at least I will always have a promising gig at impersonating Rosie the Riveter.
wearable technology
2020 – the year everyone thought that we would be driving flying cars and every piece of technology we once had would be considered ancient.
We still have a long way to go, but to see the technological advances that have been made within the past ten years, the past five years, or even the past year have proven to be rather impressive.
The newest form of technology that really blows my mind is wearable technology, is a category of technology devices that can be worn by a consumer. Before today the only wearable technology that I was aware of included the apple watch and/or a fitbit. But much to my surprise, there are so many more products that people use every day. Wearable technology products are constantly being invented to improve the way of living, offering the most efficient and effective way for a person to successful manage their day to day lives. It recently occurred to me that there are numerous products that have recently been introduced, even some that could help not just my everyday life but also my experience as a makeup artist when and while working with clients.
I have since discovered, the orii smart ring, which allows for full hands free control of a smartphone. I hope to be able to try out this product some day because it would be so helpful to wear/use while working on clients. I never use my phone while working for a few reasons, one being that I want to make sure to give my client my full attention, and to avoid distractions so that I do not make any mistakes. Another reason why I do not use my phone while working is to avoid the transmission of germs, if I am working on someone’s face and then I touch my phone and then touch their face again, I just broke the rules of keeping a sanitary environment. I also wouldn’t want to get any products on my phone. The smart ring claims to be water resistant so if it happens to get dirty from getting any makeup products on it, it can easily be cleaned. Having this smart ring would be great because it would be fashionable and blend into the other jewelry I occasionally wear, it would allow me to receive any important notifications while working and allow me to respond quickly without major interruption. My phone can be put away in my bag, so that I am not tempted to use it or look over to see if I have any notifications, instead I can be rest assured that any notifications I get, I will be quickly notified with the orii smart ring. This is a great alternative and would be extremely helpful to have and use. It seems that the smart ring has various features with just a simple touch, motion or voice command. The ease of use would be rather convenient while working with a client and having my hands full with products and tools. I am interested to see what other wearable technology comes out in the near future that could potentially assist the makeup industry!
pursuing a passion
More often than not people will compliment me on my makeup and although I love the compliments it made me think “well are they complimenting my makeup and techniques? or are they complimenting me and my features?” This is when I realized, the answer is both!
With makeup I’ve managed to explore a more creative side but also learn the structure of my face and enhance it.
It was always something that I kept in the back of my mind, to go to beauty school. After watching the movie Grease and singing ‘beauty school dropout’ I knew that although it would be fun, I needed to focus on more “serious” work. Although I am extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to go to and complete both high school and college, it was silly for me to think that beauty school wasn’t serious work. I did my research and enrolled in beauty school at brittany beauty academy. When I realized the intensity of the courses, the time commitment and the dedication that goes into these programs I knew that this was going to be a great investment.
So many people believed in me. I honestly never thought of turning a passion into a project and perusing it as a career. Makeup was always just something I liked to do for fun for myself and beauty school was always just a thought I had in the back of my mind, but when other people started noticing my talent and passion it made me feel more confident and realize that I had potential. Graduating from beauty school was such a rewarding experience and proved to me that it was where I was meant to be and what I was meant to do.
natural makeup vs. stage makeup
Coming from a dance/performance background sometimes it can be challenging to determine the line between natural makeup and stage makeup.
For me it was all or nothing, I either didn’t wear any makeup at all or I did a full face so that I could be #readyformycloseup at any minute. I made a promise to myself that I would never let anything interfere with me taking the time every morning to do my makeup, that was my “me time” #selfcare and no one/nothing could take that away…
Well that sure changed rather quickly. After graduating college, I started working in new york city. I had to arrive promptly at the office by 8:00am everyday which meant waking up at 5:30am just to make sure I had enough time to get ready, drive to the train station, get on the train ride into the city and make it to the office on time. It wasn’t long before I realized I needed to change my makeup routine. I started to choose sleep over makeup. The 30 minutes I would normally use to do my makeup now became an extra 10 minutes I could stay in bed. I adjusted my makeup routine to accommodate both, wanting to sleep more, and having something on my face so I didn’t look like a naked mole rat (yes you guessed it - that was a kim possible refernce) first thing in the morning. It was then that I finally found that middle ground, of wearing just enough make up that was acceptable for an everyday look.
Even now, I have days where I give my face a break and wear absolutely no makeup and then there are certain days where if I know I have a special event I will do a full face. I am still dancing; I am currently in an amazing company danceworks nyc where I still get to experiment with stage makeup for performances. So much so that other members in the company have seen how I do my makeup and have asked me to do theirs!
a life without makeup
It’s funny how everyone in high school knew me as someone who never wore makeup and then those in college knew me as someone who always wore makeup. It made me think, is the reason I wear so much makeup to make up for all the years I didn’t wear it? Am I trying to hide what I truly look like by putting on a mask of makeup? Or have I just not found the in between? I’ve since discovered the answer to all those questions. Makeup doesn’t define who I am nor does it hide who I am, it enhances who I am.
I’ll never forget, my sophomore year of college I decided to give up makeup for Lent. In the roman catholic tradition Lent is a time of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. There are 40 days in lent and during that time Christians are meant to observe and replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal in the desert for 40 days. With that in mind, you are to give up something for those 40 days, so I chose makeup #girlyoucrazy.
When you give up something for lent, you’re supposed to learn a lesson from it. The lesson I learned that Lent was that I am not dependent on makeup, I can live without it and people will treat me / view me the same because its not about what is on the outside but rather what is on the inside. So many of my friends commended me for doing this, some questioned and some were confused, but I am so glad I did. When Lent was over that year I went back to my normal routine of applying a full face, but I didn’t feel like I had to do it every day, only if I wanted to.
sister bonding
By the time I got to college I mastered the art of the wingtip eyeliner. I never left my dorm without it on. It was a strong statement look that made this shy girl feel fierce and empowered. #girlpower
While I was in college my older sister worked for Mary Kay, so anytime I would go home for any breaks she would always show me all the new products that were out, and she would use my face for practice. I loved it! I had all the products I could possibly need at my disposal, I was her best customer. From her, I learned the importance of a skin care regimen and how skin care is the foundation, without it makeup does not react as well or apply as nicely to the skin. Plus, makeup tends to clog the pores, so it is crucial to always cleanse and moisturize the skin.
Being that we are seven years apart, makeup was a great way for us to bond and be #sistersister
We always got along and shared a room for the longest time when we were young but being that there is a significant age gap sometimes its was hard to do things together. By the time I was a junior in college I too joined Mary Kay while still going to school full time. I learned so much and it was such a great experience but what I learned was that I am not a salesperson. I loved the products and the people, but I didn’t like the pressure. I will still find Mary Kay products in my makeup bag, there are certain Mary Kay products that I just can’t live without!
Although wearing a full face of makeup to class everyday was a little much, it became a part of who I am and my daily routine. I loved waking up every morning and applying my makeup, it was my “me time.” It was a way to exercise my right brain before having to sit in class all day using my left brain. (read more: a life without make up)
the birth of the wingtip eyeliner
The following fall, I started high school.
I went to an all-girls private high school so there was no need to wear makeup, unless it was for the school play or a dance performance. It was rare for anyone to see me wearing makeup. On the weekends, while most girls would go out with their friends, I would stay home either studying or playing with the drugstore makeup that I since accumulated.
One day after school, I had just gotten home and as I was about to walk up the stairs to my room my mom said she had something for me. She had her hand behind her back and said this magazine arrived in the mail at work today and when I saw it I immediately thought of you! She shows me the cover of the magazine and it was a gorgeous girl with this amazing sharp wingtip eyeliner. This was long before it became a trend. My mom said to me, “I thought maybe you would want to give this look a try.” I was so excited, not only did my mom think of me but she saw my potential in what I was capable of with makeup. I still have that magazine to this day! We went to Harmon a few days later to pick up pretty much every type of felt tip eyeliner they had so that I could practice making the perfect wing. This look has been a technique since the 1960’s, so its safe to say it has become a timeless look, and the fact that it worked so well with my eye shape, it was the perfect way to establish my look!
do i have your attention?
…needless to say, I started to get the boys in my class attention, but unfortunately it wasn’t because I looked pretty with the new makeup set I got for my birthday. I remember so vividly, it was a brisk November day, I know this because the teacher had all the windows open. She would leave them open all year round because she would say “we need the fresh air to kill all your nasty germs, I’m not getting sick from you kids this year!” She was ruthless. my desk happened to be right next to the window, lucky me. But I didn’t mind so much because the boy I liked sat right across from me. Well one day while in class, the teacher was asking questions and required class participation. I was a shy girl who never said much, didn’t have the confidence to believe in my own intelligence, and hardly participated in class in fear that I would say the wrong thing, but when the teacher asked the next question I thought I knew the answer, so I raised my hand and she picked on me to respond. Well, I didn’t even get the chance to utter any words before she pulled me by the arm into the center of the classroom to get a closer look at my face, to see that I had mascara and eyeliner on. She asked if I was wearing makeup and my initially reaction was to say “no.” She then ran into the hallway and pulled another teacher from her class room and said, “I must be blind, Rachel tells me she’s not wearing makeup, is she wearing makeup, you tell me?” and the other teacher respond, “yes, it looks like she is” so then I was walked to the girls room where I had to scrub my eyes with cold water and a brown paper towel until my eyes were red. I was so embarrassed, but I fought back tears. Although come to think of it had I started to cry the makeup probably would have come off a lot easier! From then on I never wore makeup to school again… or did I? (read more: the birth of the wingtip eyeliner)
why fit in when you were born to stand out?
As I got older, I never wore makeup unless it was for a show or dance recital. I was going through the phases of being a tomboy if you will. My hair always in a messy bun, t shirts and basketball shorts with mismatched socks. That was my daily uniform outside of school. While during school I had to follow a strict dress code being that I went to a private school. Aside from wearing the required uniform, it was also mandatory that you follow the dress code rules which meant no nail polish, no makeup, and no heavy perfume. I didn’t mind so much; I was well disciplined and followed the rules. I never questioned or tested the rules. Except for when I was in the 8th grade (read more: do i have your attention?)
On my 13th birthday I was gifted my first real makeup set, a neutral eye shadow pallet, black eyeliner and black mascara. At first I was so excited, I finally had my own makeup to experiment with instead of using my mom or my sisters makeup. I later found out that the girl who gave me this gift, who I thought was my friend, actually gave me this makeup because she thought I should be more pretty and be more girly otherwise boys will never like me. I tried not to let it bother me, I knew I was one of the poor unfortunate souls who had to experience an awkward phase but believe me I am a better person now because of it. My young, naive, thirteen year old self thought - well this is the age where things start to change so it only seems right that as much as I was changing maybe my look needs to change as well.
WRONG!
Learn from this lesson – you never have to change your appearance to please someone else. Do what makes you feel good and confident. I didn’t learn this until much later in life, but that’s when I realized makeup is not meant to be a mask to hide who you are just to pretend to be someone you’re not. Makeup is meant to enhance the already existing beauty a person has and for me well its also art, a craft, an experiment that I enjoy doing.
When I was younger I constantly tried to look a certain way to make sure I followed the guidelines of what it meant to be a girl and tried to look the way other girls looked but in all honesty I always knew I was different. I never liked being different because being different meant you were standing out from everyone else and I was the type of introvert where I would much rather blend in or hide to avoid any sort of comments/bullying/negativity.
As I got older my mentality changed tremendously. I started to live by the motto “why fit in when you were born to stand out?” – Dr. Seuss. I accepted that I am my own person, I am unique and beautiful in my own way. I live by this message so much so that now I don’t like to do what everyone else is doing, in fact I usually do quite the opposite, especially when it comes to following trends. I found that with makeup their will always be trends but the beauty of being an artist is that I can constantly create new looks and even be the person that starts a trend, instead of following them.
mommy’s makeup
Did you ever have that moment when you were young where you’re found rummaging through your mother’s makeup?
Imagine being that mom walking in to see eye shadow smeared across your daughter’s eyelid, eyebrow and half her forehead. With lipstick smudged all over her lips, across her cheek and down to her chin. That was what my mom would see - me as a little girl, always playing dress up and play pretend with mommy’s makeup. So much so that for Christmas one-year there was the cutest little vanity set sitting next to the tree. Now many people will think that it is inappropriate for a girl no more than the age of 5 or 6 to be wearing makeup but it wasn’t uncommon for me. I started dancing at the age of 2 and it was normal to wear makeup for the recitals. If you are a 90’s child then you know exactly the stage makeup, I am talking about; blue eye shadow, rosy cheeks, clumpy black mascara and the brightest red lipstick. I do vividly remember fighting to sit still while my mother struggled to apply mascara. oh, and I sure hated lipstick…