Beauty Q&A With Skull Sugar Cosmetics Owner: Jamie O’Neill

Jamie O’Neill is a licensed medical esthetician as well as an accomplished and creative makeup artist with experience in all aspects of media makeup: fashion, video and print work. Jamie has worked across the United States doing makeup for runway, commercial and print. After traveling for several years, Jamie planted her roots in Portland, Oregon, where she quickly established a reputation for her flawless makeup application. In January of 2013, Jamie launched her own brand of cosmetics, which she called Skull Sugar. All Skull Sugar cosmetics are free of paraben, talc and other artificial fillers. The line is also completely cruelty free. In addition to her cosmetics line, Jamie also owns a salon & spa that specializes in chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser hair removal. With her 15 years in the beauty industry Jamie is now bringing her knowledge to the readers of Cliché Magazine.
Q: I suffer from severe dry skin. I have tried several different lotions and creams and nothing seems to work! What can I do?
A: Dry skin can be a pain to deal with. A few options are to change your lifestyle. Regular exercise will improve blood circulation, which nourishes the skin. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol, along with drinking plenty of water, will also help. You may want to move away from heavy lotions and creams and try out an essential oil blend instead. Essential oils can go deeper into the skin and hydrate better than a lotion that sits on top of the skin. You will first want to exfoliate the dead skin cells with a sugar or salt scrub, then apply an essential oil such as jojoba or olive oil. I personally love and recommend my clients to try Oma #2 Moisture Serum available at www.nahlabeauty.com for about $32.
Q: What is the best foundation for maturing skin? I have fine lines and those powder foundations seem to just make them stand out. I don’t like the heaviness of a liquid either. What would you recommend?
A: Oh, those pesky fine lines! When I am selecting a foundation for my clients with fine lines and wrinkles I opt for a cream-to-powder foundation. I apply it with a liquid foundation brush for a nice, even coverage. The foundation goes on like a liquid but is not as heavy; the finish is a matte powder look that does not settle into the lines. There are two amazing brands I use for my cream-to-powder clients: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics available at www.ybskin.com and Mirabella available at www.mirabellabeauty.com.
Q:  I have very small eyes and my friends tell me I should never wear eyeliner, is that true?
A:  I have some good news for you! Just because your eyes are small does not mean you must stay away from eyeliner. The trick to lining smaller eyes is to avoid applying the liner too heavily and too thickly in the inner corner. I like to use a gel liner and an angled brush. I start by applying a thin line to the inner corner of the eye as close to the lash line as possible. You may do a little thicker on the outer edge to create a cat eye effect. With smaller eyes I avoid lining the waterline and only line the outer corner just under the water line. Applying it all the way across will close off the eye and make them appear even smaller.
Q: How do I pick the right bronzer?
A: Choosing the right bronzer can sometimes be a bit challenging. Here are a few tips to help with the correct selection. First, you want to select a shade that is two to three times darker than your natural skin tone. Fair skin looks best in peachy hues, which add a bit of warmth. If you have an olive skin tone choose a shade that is golden brown. If you have a darker skin tone choose a shade with orange or apricot undertones. Use a light hand and a large powder brush; apply it along the hairline, the bridge of your nose and the sides of your cheeks. If you darken the whole face, you will look overdone. Some great bronzer options for fair skin are “Party Girl” or “Jersey Girl” Face & Body Shimmer from www.skullsugarcosmetics.com. For olive skin check out MAC’s Bronzing Powder in “Golden” available at www.maccosmetics.com. And for darker skin try Iman Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder in “Sand” available at Walgreens.
Q: I know summer makeup was all about the neon colors but what are some of the makeup trends leading into the fall season?
A: The neon colors were a fun flashback into the 80’s and was really fun to play with all summer long! For the fall season we are taking a step back to some of the classics with a fresh new spin. The fall season will bring back the “Cat Eye” from a classic 60’s wing to a slightly thicker edge. Look for orange hues to accent the eye, as seen on the runway by Givenchy, Altuzarra and BCBG. For the lips we have gone back to red! Be it a matte, glossy or shear finish, red was seen all over the runways along with deeper wine hues. Fall’s hot new eye shade is purple, from a dark plum to a smoked out prune and soft lilac. Glitter on the eyes has also made a comeback, as seen by Chanel and Thakoon. This fall is sure to be a great excuse to play around with some of these fun looks!
More of Cliche’s interview with Jamie O’Neill can be found on our Youtube channel, ClicheMagazine.