Brown Girl Gumbo

One of my absolute favorite celebrity makeup artists, Sam Fine, has worked his makeup magic again – this time on actress/comedienne Mo’Nique. In preparation for her L.A premiere of the much-buzzed-about movie, Precious, Mr. Fine gave her a gorgeous glow that complemented her beautifully beaded gold gown.

Sam working his magic on Mo’Nique before the premiere of Precious in L.A.

If you’d like to find out how to get Mo’Nique’s bronzed and beautiful look, follow these steps provided by Sam Fine himself:

Face: “The key here is to layer [subtle] your bronzer and blush until it looks like a sculpted version of you. After finishing her base, I used a dark hued bronzer from the CoverGirl Queen, and then layered it with the Iman Sheer Finishing Bronzer in Afterglow, which contains a bronzer, blush and highlighter trio.”

Eyes: “This is a bleached brow – and no it doesn’t match her hair! I did this to allow her brows and eyes to really pop and stand out – again this goes back to being part of the ‘carved out’ look, and just allowed her to glow even more. I lined her eyes, and then used a beige liner – not a white liner because that would create too much of a contrast – on the inner rim of her lower lash line. The beige liner is much more subtle than white but still opens up the eye area. I then used golden hues on her lids, like Stila Eyeshadow in Twig ($18), and Nars Eyeshadow in NightsStar ($22). Lashes are a must on the red carpet so of course I used false lashes! I fused her natural lashes and the falsies with L’Oréal Voluminous Mascara ($7.50) I finished the look by adding a touch of gold glitter on the inner corners of her eyes to offset her dress!”

Lips: “ I also used golden hues on the lips but took the same ‘layering’ approach like I did with the rest of the face. This means I used lip liner, lipstick and a golden gloss (try Dior Addict Ultra Gloss) to complete this look.”

For more detailed, step-by-step tips on how to create a winning look, be sure to pick up Sam Fine’s DVD, The Basics of Beauty available at www.amazon.com for $24.99

Do you like Mo’Nique’s look? Would you try this at home for a special night out/occasion?

Before you toss out your old jack o’ lanterns this weekend, be aware that pumpkins pack a powerful punch of beauty benefits. Chock full of Vitamins A & C, pumpkins are ideal for making moisturizing masks. Plus, their flesh contain enzymes and antioxidants that can help dissolve dead skin cells and leave your face feeling refreshed while creating a healthy glow.

Not only are pumpkins good for pies and decorating, they’re great for you too!

Have you ever used a pumpkin-based beauty product? As my treat for you, I’m giving away one bottle of Rapid Lash (a $49 value) (it’s made with pumpkin seed extracts) to one lucky reader. My friend SWEARS by this product. The reader will be selected randomly and announced tomorrow.

Check out some of these pumpkin products!

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Peel available at www.sephora.com for $44

Desert Essence Hand Repair Cream in Pumpkin available at www.drugstore.com for $8.99

Nesti Dante Horto Botanico Pumpkin Soap available at www.beautyhabit.com for $9

Pumpkin Spice Hand & Body Lotion available at www.avon.com for $6

Pumpkin Spice Muffin Lip Flavored Lip Shine available at www.sephora.com for $12

The Great Pumpkin Soap available at www.lushusa.com for $5.95

Pumpkin Spice Muffin Shampoo, Shower Gel, and Bubble Bath available at www.sephora.com for $16

Rapid Lash Eye Lash Renewal Serum available at www.target.com for $49.99 (it’s been proven to lengthen & strengthen eye lashes)

Pumpkin Spice Shower Gel available at www.ulta.com for $8