Beauty Week at Neiman Marcus Tysons Galleria kicked off a day early at the Le Métier de Beauté counter! I had called the store in the morning, and I learned that Erin Lockard, Le Métier de Beauté representative and makeup artist extraordinaire, was there. I had booked an appointment for September 8 (today), the first day of Beauty Week, but the idea of seeing Erin when the store would be a little less hectic was appealing. I was able to move up my appointment by a day, but I had little time to get over there. It was raining and nasty outside; I had on ultra-casual clothing and no makeup; and it was already a bad hair day (for me). Rainy weather makes my hair fall flat, no matter how much product I use. Nevertheless, I hopped in my car and zoomed over, hoping that Erin wouldn't think I was a total disaster. She may have, but she was extremely sweet and welcoming.The photo above shows the gorgeous Le Métier de Beauté team: Lisa Corsino is at left. She's the Le Métier de Beauté representative at Neiman Marcus Tysons. Erin Lockard is in the center. Lisa Lingis, formerly with Le Métier de Beauté at Mazza Gallerie, but now our mid-Atlantic Le Métier de Beauté representative, is shown at the right. Have you ever seen a more gorgeous team - even with all those store shadows on their beautiful faces? They make me want to grow my hair long again. I'll never look as young again, so I'm faced with working with what I have.
Erin was ready to help me with that when I arrived, still sporting raindrops on my clothing. Since I had on no makeup, she asked me what kind of look I liked. I answered, "Natural." We started with the new skin care, discussing it and its benefits. Erin prepped my skin with a tonic and then applied the Revive Eye Concentrate and Revitalizing Anti-Aging Day Crème, applying them with a light, massaging motion. She had just started, and I was putty.
Erin has a keen eye for color, and she mixes and blends shades with the mastery of a fine artist. First, she used Champagne Dualistic Eye Pencil on my lower waterline to take out the red that's always there. For my eyeshadow, Erin used multiple shades of True Color Eye Shadow on my eyes, including JoJo, Peachy Keen (interestingly in the crease), Nutmeg, and Refresh Eye Brightening and Setting Powder (something everyone should own). She even threw a little bit of Sun Kissed Bronzer into the mix. It was gorgeous!
Erin lined my eyes with Noir Precision Liquid Eyeliner. Eyeliner is always a makeup artist test for me. If they draw a thin, precise line - the type that looks best on me - I know they have a great eye and remarkable skills. Erin passed the test and then some. Apparently, my eyes were green yesterday - they do change from blue to green, depending on the surroundings - so she used Anamorphic Lash Mascara in Aubergine to bring out the green.
The products and shades Erin selected for my face were Classic Flawless Finish Foundation in #4, Visage de Soie Finishing Powder in #1, Classic Flawless Finish Concealer (sorry, I missed the shade, but it was probably #1), and Crème Fresh Tint in Poppy. Erin applied the foundation to her palm and then used the Kabuki brush to apply it. That allowed her to give me an airbrushed look with the foundation, one I really liked. My skin always looks a tiny bit darker in department stores than it is in natural light, and I'm not yet convinced that #4 is my shade. It looked absolutely fabulous, but I need to see the difference with the lighter shades before I use it. Since I purchased it, I don't want to "damage" it, trying it out here, and then return it. I would like to be totally confident it will work for me through the winter months. It sure looked great in the store and in my rear-view mirror when I left!
She decided that since I had a natural look for my eyes, my lips should pop with color. After experimenting on her hand, creating new shades as she blended colors, she selected Red My Lips from Ken's Bordeaux Collection, topped with Vanilla Rose Lip Crème. It was stunning!
Here we are, right after Erin finished. I had tucked my disastrous hair behind my ear; there was no style salvageable at that point in the day. Sorry - no close-ups - so you won't see her masterful work very well. You'll have to trust that the compliments I got yesterday were proof of her amazing work.Erin is such a remarkable pro (and she's got a joyful personality). Her own makeup was flawless. I could tell she's a perfectionist, which I really appreciate (since I'm a Virgo). OK, she's "model gorgeous" too. She has a great eye for color. I loved the way she created new shades, using the large palette of Le Métier de Beauté shades available to her, but working to select just the right balance of warm and cool shades for me. She also uses simple, but sophisticated techniques that set her apart from the majority of artists you may have encountered during makeover sessions at department stores. Erin is someone you'll want to know.
If you are local to the DC area, Erin will still be working at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria today, September 8. Call Kathy Shoreman or the counter to see if you can still get an appointment with her. Even if you can't, stop by to meet her and watch. Normally, she's based in Southern California, so we East Coasters don't get to see her as often as others. If you ever have a chance to sit in her chair, definitely sign up! I promise, it will be an unforgettable experience. She's the perfect ambassador for our luxury favorite Le Métier de Beauté.
Update: Erin will be at Neiman Marcus Mazza Gallerie this Friday and Saturday. You can contact Michael for an appointment at 202-966-9700.
Photos by Best Things in Beauty