I met Valen a month ago when in LA for work. I needed some beautifying for a shoot & since I’m not an LA native or good at doing my own makeup (seriously ouch), a friend recommended I try beGlammed. It’s an on-demand beauty service that delivers top of the line hair stylists & makeup artists straight to your door.
Genius, right?
Valen was my makeup artist & she was seriously so amazing! I wanted a very dewy/bronzed look with a nude “Kylie” lip (she tells us exactly how this faux-plump is done in a minute) & she mastered my vision perfectly.
During our time together she was also totally down with sharing recommendations of products to use & giving me some super helpful mini beauty tutorials (like the proper way to put on lashes!). Valen was such a wealth of information that I knew I’d have to get her up on the blog so I could really pick her brain, for you guys of course ;).
Read on, take notes, & meet Valen::
» Introduce yourself:
Valen Reyes: My name is Valen Reyes, I’m 28 years old and live in L.A. I’m both a makeup artist/self proclaimed beauty enthusiast and also the Director of Client Relations for beGlammed (Instagram @beglammednow).
You can download the beGlammed app here!
» What is your beauty philosophy?
VR: Be who you are, and then be a little more. This has always been my personal philosophy, but it’s also why I love what I do so much. I think its important that women know when they get dolled up to go somewhere, they don’t have to look like their makeup just came from an Instagram post.
It’s important to still feel like yourself. So I love the fact that beGlammed gives all women who otherwise wouldn’t have the time, the ability to look and feel their best, with minimal effort.
My best advice to anyone who’s craving a change in their routine, would be to try adding lashes or changing up your lip color for a quick and simple fix to give you that extra oomph!
» Best beauty advice you’ve ever been given/or have given:
VR: Simple and classic never goes out of style for any occasion.
I think the best way to apply this to your own beauty routine is to think of a vintage makeup look you really like, then refine it so it will look and feel more modern. For example, I really love a good winged liner, a bold lip, and fresh, dewy skin.
» If we emptied your purse what would we find?
1. iPad
2. beGlammed business cards and flyers (always keep them on hand!)
3. Touche Eclat concealer for touchups
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Tweezers
5. Tatcha Blotting Papers or my blot powder from M.A.C. to blot away oil
6. Hermes bangles
7. Too Faced melted nude crème lip color
9. Nail polish
11. iPhone with beGlammed phone case (founder has gone on a branding craze)
not pictured: R+Co Travel Size Death Valley Dry Shampoo, L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black
» Drugstore versus designer beauty? Which do you prefer & why?
VR: I prefer both! As a makeup artist, it’s impossible to narrow my choices down to one or the other. Sometimes I find things in drugstores that work equally well as their designer counterpart.
I would never buy my makeup brushes from a drug store though, because the quality and shape of the brushes are definitely not as good as my designer brushes. I think you definitely have to pick and choose your battles in this area.
» Best designer dupes on the market/ favorite budget beauty buy?
VR: A lot of people are not aware that Lancôme is actually made by L’Oreal, and is notoriously known for the skincare and mascaras they make. With that being said, one of my fave mascaras is from L’Oreal and it’s called Voluminous Mascara in Carbon Black. Costs around $8-$10 depending on where you buy it from but it’s well worth it and I would definitely recommend it.
**you guys!! Valen is not kidding about that mascara. It’s the best of the best!**
» Current favorite beauty trends of 2015? Least favorite?
VR: I’m obsessed with the Pantone color called marsala, it’s just a beautiful dusty brown with a slight hint of red that looks good in lipstick or eye shadow! Great looking skin never goes out of style in my opinion.
Least favorite would be over drawn eyebrows.
» What is your daily make up routine? How about a night out on the town?
VR: My Daily makeup routine consists of concealing my under eye area to correct my dark circles and evening my skin out with my Studio Fix Powder Foundation. I absolutely love my newest beauty find, Lorac Tantalizer Bronzer, for my cheek bones. I also dash it lightly through the crease on my eyes to add dimension.
My go-to mascara is L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara for volume and carbon dark lashes, paired with a lipstick or gloss (depending on my mood that day).
For my evening makeup routine, I swap powder foundation for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation to get a more lightweight (but still flawless) coverage. I also love that it has a dewy finish.
Afterwards, I’ll set it lightly with a loose powder. I love making my cheek bones stand out, so after I’ve applied bronzer I’ll go in and deepen my natural contour with an eye shadow from MAC called Wedge, and then highlight the higher points of my cheekbone with the Balm Cosmetics Mary Lou-Manizer, my favorite highlighter!
I’ll darken the inner and outer rim of my eyes with a gel-based liner from NYX and smudge it out for a diffused, quick smoky eye. Pop on some lashes and a lip liner/lipstick combo, and I’m ready for a night on the town.
**Mary Lou-Manizer is literally the post amazing highlighter ever made, it’s next level! **
» Kylie lips are all the rage these days, any top secret tips on how to get that “filler w/o filler look” (although Kylie’s are clearly filler!).
VR: I would recommend a neutral lip liner 1-2 shades darker than your natural lip color. To start, line your lips on the outside of your natural lip line (the further you go out the larger and more unrealistic your lips will look!).
For dimension and fullness, fill in the outer corners of your lips about 1/5 of the way towards the center of the lip. Fill in the rest of the blank space with a color that’s one shade lighter than the lip liner, but be sure to blend the lip liner and lipstick. Then, voila! You have Kylie Jenner’s pouty lips!
» The one thing every lady should own beauty wise?
VR: A good moisturizer – using a moisturizer is a preventative that will keep your skin from drying out and aging quicker than you’d like it to! If we take care of our skin now, we’ll all look like J. Lo by the time we get into our 40’s.
» Any game changing beauty “hacks” in the make-up industry you’re willing to share (i.e. fake eyelash tricks / contouring tips etc.)?
VR: Something I learned a long time ago when I first started doing makeup, is if you want your black pencil liner to stay longer and not bleed out when it’s on the inner rim of your eye, you have to set it with a matte black eye shadow (same concept applies to any color eyeliner, paired with a similar-colored matte eye shadow). This not only prevents it from moving around, but also darkens it for drama!
When applying lashes, DO NOT close your eyes. Tilt your head back and look down into your mirror. Start from the end, then work your way towards the inner part of your eye. If you’re finding it impossible to get your corners in place, use a pair of tweezers to nudge the corner to where it needs to be. If you consistently try applying them for one week straight, you will be a pro in no time!
» If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring 5 beauty items with you, what would you bring?
VR: That’s tough! In my eyes skin, brows and lashes make for a perfect day so:
» My Trish McEvoy Moisturizer with SPF 30
» My Fresh Sugar Lip Balm
» Anastasia Beverly Hills tweezers
My makeup by Valen, so glowy & perf!!
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