Kaarin Lanyi certainly has a diverse celebrity clientele. She's worked on everyone from JB Smoove and Michael Cera to KT Tunstall and Kristin Davis! A passion for dance led in a roundabout way to her career as a makeup artist, and she certainly has enlightening tips and tricks that everyone can use and appreciate. Read on to discover the cuticle cream that makes it look like she just got a manicure, her number one tip for a great complexion and so much more.
Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I grew up in La Crescenta (a suburb just outside of Los Angeles) where I spent my childhood studying dance and playing piano. I attended UC Irvine for two years majoring in dance until I started to feel that it wasn’t the right profession for me, as much as I loved dance itself. At the same time, I was feeling disenchanted with Irvine and craved the complete opposite environment of such a utopian master-planned city so I moved to New York! I love it here. Every day is inspiring, challenging and unpredictable.
How did you first become interested in makeup, and what led you to become a makeup artist?
I’ve always loved makeup. It may have had something to do with stage moms putting blue eyeshadow up to my brows from the time I was 3 for dance recitals. I always did makeup for my girlfriends in high school for dance performances and school dances but I never dreamed of becoming a makeup artist professionally (I didn’t even know that it was an option!). My first roommate in NYC was a production assistant on a TV show and I used to do her makeup for production parties. There was one time her producer pulled me aside to ask why I wasn’t doing makeup for a living. She gave me my first job on a pilot for TBS and I’ve been doing makeup ever since!
What are your top 5 favorite products?
. No other mascara compares if you’re looking for volume. It’s perfect a week after it’s been opened.
What are your top 3 beauty tips?
1) Exercise. I never receive more compliments on my complexion than after I’ve just exercised.
2) Exfoliate. It’s really important to exfoliate regularly but not to overdo it. On days between more intense exfoliation treatments use a warm, wet washcloth to remove your cleanser and gently remove surface skin cells.
3) Protect. It’s been said millions of times but sunscreen is the best way to prevent premature aging. I attribute the condition of my skin to being a devout sunscreen user year-round.
What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
I never feel more satisfied than after a successful collaboration with other creative minds. There is something very rewarding about feeding off of each others' ideas and capturing the culmination in a photograph. I essentially get to play when I work. What could be better?
Being a makeup artist must be fun -- but what do you do in your spare time?
I love cooking! I almost never eat out because I love cooking so much. I also try to get out of the city whenever I can to be around nature. I always feel renewed when I come back to the city after a good camping/hiking trip. When I’m in NYC I take a lot of long walks observing people and looking at architecture. There’s certainly always something new to see!
Visit Kaarin's website here.
Friday, March 30, 2012
First Look Fridays: Makeup Artist Kaarin Lanyi
Thursday, March 29, 2012
An Insider's Look: Makeup Artist Mally Roncal
I've long been a fan of the effervescent Mally Roncal. She's spunky, bubbly and creates gorgeous makeup looks time and time again -- and her makeup line is to die for! I caught up with her to find out about her favorite products, her top makeup tips and more.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Trend-Spotting: Fruit-Themed Fashion
I love when designers have a little fun with prints. And for Spring 2012, one of the cutest trends popping up is fruit-themed fashion! From delicious apple prints to sweet cherry pendants, designers definitely added a lot of whimsy to the season. (See, for example, looks on the runways at Jeremy Scott and Moschino Cheap and Chic, above.) Check out my favorite takes on the trend below.
Modcloth Pull Up A Cherry Dress
A 50's-inspired silhouette looks so fresh and modern with a delectable cherry motif.
$57.99 at modcloth.com
Nanette Lepore Ruffled Cherry Print Skirt
The flirty ruffles take this cutesy print in a much more sophisticated direction.
$278 at neimanmarcus.com
Anna Sui Amazon Fruit Print Dress
Vibrant fruits make such a fun statement against bright green silk.
590 at stylebop.com
BaubleBar Cherry Pendant
Matte gold gives this pendant such a unique, antiqued look.
$34 at baublebar.com
The splashy print makes this perfect for a beachy getaway.
$610 at net-a-porter.com
Kenneth Jay Lane Apple Necklace
You know what they say about apples and doctors. I have a feeling this pendant would do the trick.
$95 at zappos.com
Elsa Peretti Apple Earrings
Make like Eve and take a bite out of an apple from the Tree of Knowledge in these gleaming 18k gold studs.
$550 at tiffany.com
In this dress, you'll be hard-pressed not to sing "I Heard it Through the Grapevine."
$398 at shopzoeonline.com
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Trend-Spotting: Link Necklaces
One of the biggest trends in jewelry right now? Link necklaces. Bold hues, oversized links, resin or even twine ... to wear this style, think the bolder the better! (See, for example, the Tory Burch Oval Link Necklace above, $195 at nordstrom.com.) Check out my favorite takes on the trend below.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Such a Cool New Color: OPI Holland Collection Dutch 'Ya Just Love OPI?
Over the weekend, my bestie Katie and I decided to get manicures and pedicures at this adorable nail salon in Wellesley, MiniLuxe. We were enamored of the cleanliness of the salon, the cute colored stools, and -- of course -- the stunning array of nail polish brands and colors! We probably stood at the nail polish wall for a good five minutes trying to pick out our shades. Katie finally settled on OPI Dutch 'Ya Just Love OPI? from the brand-new Holland Collection, and I simply had to share it with you.
Mani of the Week: Zoya Audrina
It's the second week in a row that I went with a color by Zoya ... but I just couldn't help it! I absolutely love Audrina, one of the colors from Zoya's Gossip Collection back in 2008. Maybe it's because of my recent interview with Audrina Patridge, for whom this color is named, but I just really gravitated toward this color over the weekend!
I love the pinkish purple hue -- depending on the light, it can look hot pink or lavender or even fuchsia. It's incredibly versatile and complements every color! I also love the creaminess and ease of application -- two coats yield such a gorgeous, even finish.
What's on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments!
Friday, March 23, 2012
When Life Gives You Lemons... The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter
1) Moisturize my lips.
2) Keep on moisturizing my lips.
3) When all else fails, moisturize my lips.
The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter does all of the above.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
My Friend's Mani of the Week: Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow
I'm always envious of girls who can pull off bold, summery hues. My friend Janelle's manicure has been in my line of sight for two days now (we sit next to each other at work), and finally, I simply had to snap a picture and share it with you. She's wearing Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear in Mellow Yellow -- so juicy, bright and perfect for the onslaught of sunny days we're experiencing, n'est-ce pas?
Tell the Truth: Ole Henriksen Truth Creme Advanced Hydration
I especially love this moisturizer's texture -- it's not too light, not too heavy, not too thick ... in the words of Goldilocks, "It's JUST right." It sinks into skin in about 30 seconds, so you don't look shiny or greasy. I also love that the texture makes it perfect for either daytime or nighttime use -- and it's great for travel-ravaged dry skin!
And, of course, I love the vanilla and citrus orange scent that wafts out of the tub every time I open it. I'm pretty sure it's what heaven smells like.
Ole Henriksen Truth Creme Advanced Hydration retails for $45 at sephora.com.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Better Than Any Salad: Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive & Basil Revitalising Bath & Shower Gel
If you like leafy greens, this is the body wash for you. Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive & Basil Revitalising Bath & Shower Gel takes the salad one step further!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Mani of the Week: Zoya True Collection Skylar
Is it as gorgeous where you are as it is in New York this week? I was inspired by the crisp blue skies to go for a blue manicure. I simply had to choose Zoya Skylar, one of the colors from the True Collection.
Skylar is a gorgeous medium steel blue with tons of gold and silver shimmer. It looks completely different in various lights, almost periwinkle in direct sunlight. I love that both gold and silver shimmer are densely packed into the formula -- they give it such a unique and interesting look. One coat was a bit too pale for me, so I swiped on two, but if you like your polish a bit lighter, it spreads evenly with only one.
What's on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The New Zoya Summer 2012 Collections: Beach and Surf
I've got some super fantastic news to share with you today ... Zoya is launching two utterly fabulous nail polish collections for Summer 2012! Two collections are coming down the pike -- Beach, with 6 creamy shades, and Surf, with 6 shimmering sea foils. As the names might suggest, they are inspired by sea and sand. Here's what you have to look forward to:
Zoya Beach Collection
Reagan (deep cerise pink cream)
Lara (vivid cerise pink cream)
Shelby (soft pinky pink cream)
Arizona (soft coral orange cream)
Tracie (sea grass metallic)
Wednesday (soft aqua cream)
Zoya Surf Collection
Rory (lotus pink foil metallic)
Carly (thalia purple foil metallic)
Kimber (magenta pink foil metallic)
Myrta (coral orange foil metallic)
Meg (mermaid green foil metallic)
Zuza (aquamarine foil metallic)
The Zoya Summer 2012 collections will be available on April 1 at zoya.com. Each bottle will retail for $8.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Scrub A Dub Dub: Bite Beauty Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub
I don't know about you, but my lips get super dry and chapped once winter hits. No matter how many times I apply lip balm throughout the day, they dry out almost immediately! Enter Bite Beauty Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Hey, Sweet Stuff: Philosophy Sweet Talk Candy Hearts Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath
Once in awhile, I just want to start my day with a super sweet shower gel. Well, it doesn't get much sweeter than the Philosophy Sweet Talk Candy Hearts Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Remove Nail Polish In a Flash: Sephora Instant Nail Polish Remover
It takes a lot for me to stray from my beloved Zoya Remove+, but I just had to give this one a try. I love the squat, oversized bottle -- it contains so much remover that I know I'll be set for a pretty long time. (Though, I will say a lot of the product seems to disappear when you pull out the protective sponge -- mine was sopping wet with remover, which seemed like a pretty big waste.)
Would you believe that one cotton ball gently soaked with remover was enough to remove polish from all 10 of my nails? And this was on a week where I used glitter and shimmer, which usually take a ton of cotton balls to remove. Every trace of polish was gone in less than 20 seconds!
I also like that the remover doesn't smell terrible, so I didn't get a headache or have an annoying aroma of remover lingering throughout my apartment for the rest of the day.
Sephora Instant Nail Polish Remover retails for $9.50 at sephora.com.
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Saturday, March 10, 2012
Mani of the Week: Green Ombre Nails with Essie, American Apparel, OPI and Rescue Beauty Lounge
I don't get super braggy about my nails all that often -- but I am really excited about my manicure this week! I had been wanting to try ombre nails for awhile, but it just took putting together the right color combination. I mulled it over for awhile -- what color family should I choose? Red, pink, blue, purple? I finally settled on green, because I have so many amazing green nail polishes that just don't get enough play in my manicure rotation.
Friday, March 9, 2012
First Look Fridays: Founder Ji Baek of Rescue Beauty Lounge
Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
My family immigrated to New York from South Korea when I was 12 years old -- I have been a Manhattan brat ever since. My arduous journey before the birth of Rescue Beauty Lounge included playing piano, violin and viola, along with studying restaurant management, going to culinary school, and finally, attending a nail school.
How did you first become interested in beauty and nail polish?
My mom is obsessed with skincare. She had a stern skin regime for my sisters and me ever since I can remember. I know it’s peculiar, but besides keeping up with a good daily cleanser, moisturizer, eye cream and lip balm, I was never really interested in beauty. Nail polish was something that I stumbled upon when we opened RBL because many of our clients complained that they could never keep nail polish on for more than a couple of days without it chipping. I had the best market research right under my fingertips.
How did the idea for Rescue Beauty Lounge first come about, and how did it become a reality?
When it comes to beauty treatments, the nudity, the locker rooms and a stranger's touch are not my friends. RBL was born out of my selfishness and pure frustration. When I was a restaurant manager, I would retreat to pedicure treatments to soothe my aching feet, feet that were in heels daily -- at least 12 hours a day. I could not find, for the life of me, a clean, hygienic, cool place to get my nails done. I knew I was not alone and just out of curiosity, I enrolled in a nail school. Boy, was I shocked by the shady operations that were violating numerous state regulations -- RBL was born to provide cool, safe and health regulated nail services. 
Where do you get your inspiration for new colors and collections?
Everything and anything that interests me in life and that moves me.
Do you have any favorite colors or products from the line? What makes them so special to you?
I love all of my colors equally, it’s a long journey to make a color and if it’s born and not buried in my reject drawer, then it has captivated my heart.
What can we expect from Rescue Beauty Lounge going forward?
Rather then producing a seasonal collection, I will choose a story that inspires me. My new collection coming up is the largest that I have ever made and produced at one time -- seven colors!
Being a nail polish creator must be fun -- but what do you do in your spare time?
It's not always fun, but I love the artistic process of starting with my inspirational board, researching and then translating these ideas into mixing pigments. But like all artists, I have turbulent moments of frustration, anger, joy and bliss along with absolutely passionate and dizzying emotions.
Cooking calms and lulls me into a meditative state. I'm also an avid reader, escaping from reality is a necessity. I find grace in my ballet lessons -- I have studied ballet for the past five years. Traveling to new and unknown places keeps me humble and opens my eyes and senses to new beauty in life.
To add to your Rescue Beauty Lounge collection, visit rescuebeauty.com. You can also follow Rescue Beauty Lounge on Twitter and Facebook.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
So Divine: Molton Brown Rok Mint Fine Liquid Hand Wash
Whenever I want a little extra luxury in my life, I head straight for Molton Brown. I love every product in the line, from the body washes to the shampoos ... so is it any wonder that I've fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with Molton Brown Rok Mint Fine Liquid Hand Wash?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Correct Yourself: Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution
Now, here's the thing. I don't really have any dark spots. The occasional pimple (be it inflamed, a whitehead or a blackhead), sure. Dryness and roughness, especially during the winter months, definitely. But dark spots? Luckily, I've been blessed to go through life without them. So it came as a definite surprise to me when Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution worked absolute wonders on my skin.
I've been using this serum for about a month now, and I've seen a wondrous difference in how amazing my skin has been looking and feeling. My skin tone is more even, especially near my nose where I tend to get broken capillaries, and it just looks more radiant and glowy overall. On days where I do have an angry red spot on my face, the serum works to make it look much less intense than it actually is.
This serum is formulated with three powerful ingredients that really work to make skin look and feel its best. It contains Activated C (which attacks deep-set dark spots and prevents new ones from being formed), White Birch Extract (a sugar-derived ingredient that restores hydration and nutrients to the skin and increases collagen production) and Peony Extract (which works with Activated C to reverse discoloration).
I love the rich texture of the serum -- it's a bit heavier than others I've tried, but it slicks easily onto skin and sinks in immediately. I love that there's no greasiness or stickiness left behind, only a seemingly lit-from-within glow and supple softness. Plus, the eyedropper fills up with just enough product to cover the face -- not too little, not too much, just the perfect amount.
Simply put? My skin looks and feels better than it has in weeks.
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution retails for $49.50 at kiehls.com.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Mani of the Week: China Glaze Fast Track and butter LONDON Knackered
It's another two color week for me! Lately I'm all about the accent nail, least of all because it gets me through my millions of nail polish colors a heck of a lot quicker. This week, I decided to go for a ton of shine and shimmer, accomplished mainly with one of the colors from the China Glaze Colours from the Capitol Collection, Fast Track. I decided to complement it with butter LONDON Knackered, on an index finger and ring finger only.
I'm in love with Fast Track, a gorgeous nude-gold-khaki hybrid packed with tons of shimmer. It's a great option for people who want nude nails with a little more punch. Knackered is different from everything in my collection -- the purplish blue hue radiates with sparkles in every color of the rainbow, reminding me of twilight.
What's on your nails this week? Let me know in the comments!
Friday, March 2, 2012
Trend-Spotting: Mint Green
I don't know about you, but I am seriously ready for spring. (I say this as I'm sitting in my office wearing a puffer coat because it's absolutely freezing in there.) And right now, nothing says spring to me more than mint green. Really, just look at this gorgeous Yves Saint Laurent Satin Balloon-Sleeve Blouse ($1250 at neimanmarcus.com) for proof. Check out my favorite takes on the trend.
Ray-Ban Erika Sunglasses
The rounded frame is so retro.
$159 at mytheresa.com
B Brian Atwood Snakeskin Peeptoe Pump
A heel over 5 inches and luscious, divine-looking snakeskin? I'll take it.
$300 at neimanmarcus.com
Paige Premium Denim Verdugo Mint Leggings
There's something so much cooler about mint-hued denim than white for spring.
$169 at neimanmarcus.com
A pale, almost khaki hue infuses this blouse with safari-inspired elegance.
$375 at shopbop.com
Elizabeth and James Thorn Stud Earrings
Chalcedony drops meet white sapphires in these luxe rocker-chic studs.
$250 at shopbop.com