I’ve been working with Elements for six months now, and I’ve tried a LOT of products. Here are my all-time, gotta-have-it, can’t-live-without-them favorites.

Erno Laszlo: My favorite skincare line.

Sea Mud Treatment Bar and Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil: Everything about them feels luxurious, from the smell to knowing that Old Hollywood used them too. I talk about starting my Erno routine here. The oil and soap bar are the perfect combination of super throrough cleanser.

Hydra Therapy Mask: This mask is so fantastic. Prickly pear and hyaluronic acid plump up and mostirize overnight.

Hydra Therapy Serum: Simply awesome. I talked about this a lot here. Its part of the same line as the mask, so it’s super light and perfect for my skin type (combination). I’ve been using it lone, but plan to layer a moisturizer over it for winter.

CV Skinlabs Restorative Balm: This is amazing for dry skin. Sometimes if I’ve used an acne product or had a peel, my skin will be flaky, and this fixes it right up.

REN: Love this line. See my post about it here.

Flash Rinse One Minute Facial: I used this just before writing this post. I like that it only takes a minute, so you can use it as you’re getting ready for the day

Glycolactic Renewal Mask: I leave this one on for thirty minutes, so it’s reserved for evenings or weekend afternoons. I like to use it after a day in the sun. Smells citrusy.

Instant Firming Beauty Shot: Just a fun product. It smells like roses and you can pat it on even after you’ve applied your makeup.

Beauty Blender sponge: Fabulous. It makes your makeup look so much more natural. Make sure you wet it, ring it out, and bounce it on your skin (rather than smearing); that’ll get you the best results. I just got it in white to use with one of  my facial oils.

80 Acres Olive Oil Salt Scrub in Lavender: I’ve used at least three jars of this and don’t see any end in sight. It smells wonderful and it’s that great kind of scrub that feels super gritty so you know it’s sloughing off all the dead skin. Tip: When you use this, turn your shower off. That way, you’ll be able to get the scrub all over without it washing off before you’ve scrubbed it all you want. Also, it prevents water from getting in the product since it comes in a jar.

NKD Skin Tinted Tan: Yaaassss. This is so wonderful. I discovered the fabulousness that  is self-tanner last year. I love going to get a spray tan for special occasions, but this stuff is perfect for everyday. I’ll apply it one or two nights in a row and it lasts for several days. I love the way this looks when I’m wearing something sleeveless or a skirt/dress to work. This brand is much cheaper than the other self-tanners I’ve tried AND I like it better. It doesn’t smell weird at all but it does get on your sheets.

Gloss Moderne Shampoo and Conditioner: I can’t even explain how great this is. It smells like cake, and it makes your hair SO soft and shiny. Even the bottles are chic. You only need two pumps per product, so it’s lasted me a long time. I bought my first set in March and replaced the shampoo in June and the conditioner yesterday.

Joanna Vargas Exfoliating Mask: Volcanic ash gives this mask a slightly gritty texture, prefect for scrubbing away dead skin. After you scrub, the mask stays on for 10 minutes and , glycolic and lactic acid work together to make the skin super soft. This mask’s texture is really unique. It’s liquid-y and looks almost shimmery. You apply it to your skin when it’s damp and scrub. Then, you leave it on for 10 minutes; that’s when the chemical exfoliants sink in, I imagine.

Peter Thomas Roth: An awesome range of products.

Rose Stem Cell Mask: Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. I love anything that smells like roses. It’s hard to explain what this mask does. When I was up after having slept in it, my face feels soft and plump, if that makes sense. I like to use this the night after I’ve used an exfoliating mask and/or before a big event.

Sulfur Cooling Mask: This is one of my favorite acne products. I actually like to use this in combination with the rose stem cell mask. The sulfur can be drying (which is good because it helps get rid of acne), so I make sure to only put it in areas that are congested/oily, like my chin and nose. Then, I Apply the rose mask overtop.

COOLA: Natural, organic suncare.

Classic Face in Cucumber: This feels so different from regular sunscreen. It’s almost like a gel.

Classic Body in Plumeria: Amazing. It doesn’t smell like sunscreen at all. I love having something like this at the pool. It smells a little bit like Sweet Pea from Bath and Body Works. Remember that?

Make Up Setting Spray w/ SPF 30: The perfect solution for reapplying sun protection throughout the day.

If you’re interested in these products or any others at ElementsBeautyShop.com, use the code TIRAMISU online to save 10% off your first purchase.  If you’re local, stop in their Carytown store and mention my blog for the same deal!

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Meet Jacqueline Gellner, she’s a make-up artist in Washington D.C. with 8 years of experience and a stunning portfolio. Let’s see what this expert has to say about beauty, skincare and style:

Tiramisu For Breakfast: What’s your favorite beauty brand?

Jacqueline Gellner: I’m a MAC girl at heart since it’s where I started my career in makeup artistry and to date, it’s been a major go-to brand when I’m stocking my makeup kit. MAC has been around for so long, I feel that they’ve really mastered having a wide range of color choices for different skin tones, and because they have so many shades, it’s always easy to mix products and create custom colors if I need to! Lately however, I’ve really been into Tarte Cosmetics’ new products, including their Marajuca Creaseless Concealer,  their Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation, and their new cream eyeliner, Tartiest Clay Paint Eyeliner. The eyeliner comes in a squeeze tube which allows the product to be more pliable so it’s easier to move across the lid, but still dense enough so that it doesn’t slip and slide around everywhere when you’re trying to make a smooth line! I’ve also been loving Hourglass Cosmetics lately, specifically Hourglass Cosmetics’ Ambient Lighting Powder. It’s not quite a highlighter, but more of a finishing powder to use and set makeup. It reflects just the right amount of light so your skin looks like it’s glowing from within!

TfB: All time favorite beauty product?

JG: Lashes, lashes, lashes. I LOVE faux eyelashes! I might have a problem. While I don’t wear them during the week, if I am going out on a Friday or Saturday, you better believe I have a pair glued on. Unfortunately for those around me, straggling eyelash bands have been found in some bizarre places since I wear them so much – in the crevice of my friends’ sofas, stuck in between a car door – a couple of years ago, a friend found one stuck to her back. (Sorry, Pilin!)

Ardell Demi Wispies  are my favorite if I need to make a quick drug store run, but I absolutely love Flutter Mink Lashes for special occasions. They have so many gorgeous styles and since they’re mink, you can wear them up to 30 times. http://flutterlashes.com/shop/category/mink/

TfB: Favorite beauty look/trick, and what product have you been using the longest – your tried and true?

JG: My favorite beauty look/trick, is in fact, winged eyeliner. No matter how many times I’ve tried to go without it, I can’t seem to stop my hand from creating a flick on the end of my lid! Winged eyeliner to me is such an amazing beauty look – it really enhances and accentuates the shape of someone’s eye and really gives focus and lift. I love it! Specifically, my all time favorite product for creating winged eyeliner, hands down, is NYX Cosmetics’ Liquid Black Liner. It’s super, super dark and creates almost a “patent leather” type of finish. The brush is super thin so you’re able to create a very sharp and defined wing, and if you make a mistake, it’s easy to clean up with a makeup wipe. If you prefer a matte looking eyeliner, you may not love it as much as me, but personally, it is absolutely my favorite product to create winged eyeliner.

TfB: Who’s your beauty inspiration?

JG: My beauty inspiration comes from other makeup artists who I look up to. I follow so many on social media and I’m so intrigued with everyone’s personal makeup style. My current makeup artist obsession is with Natasha Denona (@natashadenona) who is a European and internationally known makeup artist /owner of Natasha Denona makeup products. I haven’t had a chance to purchase any of her products yet as she is based overseas, but I certainly intend to when I can figure out which products I want to try first. It’s not easy because all of her products look amazing!

TfB: What’s in your makeup bag right now?

JG: Since I’ve been doing makeup for nearly eight years now, and so often on others, I’ve really taken a step back from doing full face makeup on myself these days (at least Monday – Friday…the weekends is a different story). In my “week day makeup makeup bag,” I of course have my NYX liquid eyeliner, MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer, (while I love Tarte’s concealer, I don’t usually have to set MAC’s Prolongwear with a powder since it tends to set itself which saves me an extra step in the morning), L’Oreal Voluminous mascara, Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk foundation , MAC Cosmetics Refined Golden Bronzer, Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow in Dark Brown to fill in my brows (which are very sparse and patchy in real life!) , Glossier’s Balm Dotcom, which is an all purpose skin salve but I use it specifically on my lips to keep them hydrated and soft! (It’s amazing!)

TfB: Favorite skincare products/Skincare philosophy or skincare routine?

JG: Beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin and it hurts my heart that many people don’t take care of their skin like they should! Often times if I am working on a client and I ask them what their skin care regimen is, I’ll hear some pretty crazy things (crazy to me, at least!). For example, they may cleanse their face with regular hand soap or have never exfoliated a day in their life (*cringe!*)

Without taking care of your skin first, under no circumstance will your makeup look on point! I have a number of favorite, must-have skin care products that I use on a regular basis.

My Clarisonic.  Made with the same philosophy behind the Sonicare toothbrush, the Clarisonic removes all traces of makeup, clears pores and reduces pore size, exfoliates, and allows your serums and moisturizers to penetrate into your skin much better. To this day, all of my friends use a Clarisonic, and one of them even convinced her boyfriend to get one too – it’s that good. I love to use my Clarisonic with Obagi’s foaming cleanser to get rid of all traces of makeup, especially since I wear so much on the weekends o_O.
Peter Thomas Roth’s Firmx Peeling Gel. I can’t say enough great things about this product. I just discovered the gel a couple of weeks ago and it is revolutionary. I’ve been using it about twice a week now and I’m amazed every single time! PTR’s Peeling Gel uses fairly new “technology” called Multiaction enzymes. After cleansing and drying your face, you apply a decent amount onto your skin and literally watch before your own eyes, dead skin peel off to reveal fresh, radiant skin underneath.
NuFace Trinity is another one of my favorite skin care tools and you can see the benefits as soon as you use it. It’s really the only thing I asked for Christmas this year and it’s been one of the best gifts I ever received! Celebrities and celebrity makeup artists have been using this “secret” tool and it’s often called the “five-minute face lift.” While I’ve always been relatively petite, I’ve always struggled with sort of a round, full face. The NuFace uses microcurrent technology to send tiny little shocks to the muscles in your face to tighten them up – almost like a work out. Over time, and even after the first use, you’ll see improved facial contour and skin tone. Even if you use the NuFace on one side of your face, you’ll see the difference! Make sure to remember to do the other side before stepping out, of course! 😉
My favorite moisturizer right now is Embroylisse Lait-Crème Concentrate . In fact, it serves multiple uses including use as a makeup remover and primer. It’s super hydrating, creamy and wears beautifully underneath makeup. It’s a favorite amongst some of the top makeup artists in the world!
G.M. Collins’ Instant Radiance Anti-Aging Eye Patch.  As I’m getting a little bit older and more tired, I’m noticing increased puffiness and bags underneath my eyes – not a good look! I throw these on for 20 minutes before I do my makeup and eye bags are gone. Infused with hyaluronic acid, which plumps the skin, it helps me look like I’m super hydrated, so well rested and inflates any fine lines, wrinkles so your under eye area is super smooth!

In the area? Jacqueline is available for booking! Check out her site for details.