This month has been CRAZY!!
I haven't been able to keep up with things on here as much as I have on facebook so if you aren't a fan yet please go become one!! www.facebook.com/makeupbyjulia

So let's see- bridal parties galore, makeup classes, more bridal trials and amazing shoots at Vavoom Pinups. Oh and hitting Minneapolis with team Smashbox!

Thanks for hanging on for the ride!!

Smashbox is being sold to Estee Lauder! Read the article here:
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100517006374&newsLang=en

I have a few calls to discuss today but this is a good thing! Smashbox is not struggling- they are thriving in this economy and Lauder is only going to boost the capital and distribution to the next level. Stay tuned!

I have the coolest friends. And they offer the best deals! Check this out:
http://www.medusasmakeup.com/lip%20gloss.htm

TWELVE beautiful lip glosses for $29. You can't beat that!!

This year started with a very sad thing for retail cosmetics- Proctor and Gamble decided to pull distribution of Max Factor in the US. Now- I don't use any Max Factor products but his legacy is very much a part of America and Hollywood, cosmetics- everything! The man coined the word MAKEUP for god's  sake!!

I digress- today there was another sad announcement:
http://www.stylelist.com/2010/03/30/loreal-pulls-the-plug-on-shu-uemura-in-the-u-s/
Few people realise that so many amazing luxury brands (like Shu) are owned by the evil corporate overloads like Loreal. Sad.

So many of you might know that I make my living in retail cosmetics as a trainer for Smashbox. I travel throughout the Midwest educating other artists and clients on the brand and application. Our biggest retailer is Sephora and within that store the top selling brand the past few years has been Bare Escentuals. They were recently sold to Japan's beauty guru Shiseido. Check out the article here: http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/company-news/japanese-cosmetics-giant-shiseido-to-buy-bare-minerals-for-1-7/19318606/?bId=MoneyBoard&tId=dfblogida19318606&bpId=%2f&sort=3&pg=2#Comments

My team and I found the client comments most interesting. Many of them mentioned that they would no longer buy the brand because it was no longer a US company. Does this affect your purchase of something discretionary like cosmetics? Curious...