Thi Comestics

Bryant Street Open House Event: July 31st

2010-07-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

Featuring:
Food & Drinks provided by Vero & Three Seasons Restaurant.
Promotion: 20% off all products and appointments booked on the event day for same day services or future services.

Location & Time:
July 31, 2010
Noon - 4 pm
522 Bryant Street
Palo Alto, CA 94301
(650) 327-8880

Bryant Street Promotions:
Samba Glow will be offering $39 tanning if you book at the event for same day or future appts. Plus a 20% off selected bikinis and accessories.
Stript Wax Bar will also be offering a 20% off discount on products and services booked that day.

Come check it out!

Northern California Brides Magazine - Fall/Winter Issue

2010-02-18T17:43:00.000-08:00

The holidays has been a hectic time for Thi Cosmetics so we’re finally getting a chance to highlight our amazing editorial spread featured in the Northern California Bride’s Magazine – Fall/Winter Issue on stands now. The talented dream team, Gloria Wong and Lisa Lefkowitz, was the visionaries behind this amazing backyard shabby-chic wedding story which Taylor and I had the pleasure of taking part in.

Taylor created 3 amazing looks for the bride taking her from soft-angelic to fun and flirty! Our model, Krystina, made these transformations effortless with her chameleon-like versatility. I had fun sprucing up the groom to showcase his dapper gentleman side and the flower girls were a joy to doll-up!

The amount of details and thought that went into this project was incredible and couldn’t have been delivered without this talented crew:

Photographer: Lisa Lefkowitz
Event Design: Gloria Wong
Cinematographer: Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV
Floral Design: Nancy Liu Chin
Wardrobe Styling: Ameliana Kamstra
Wedding Dress: Amy Kuschel
Flower Girls Dresses: ses petites mains
Location: Beltane Ranch

Our featured work in the Northern California Brides Magazine spread:

An adorable shot of flower girls with bride and groom.

Model Krystina having fun with the props.

An amazing table display of the garden-chic design by Gloria Wong and Nancy Liu Chin.

Taylor behind-the-scene perfecting her work.

We couldn't resist the "&" sign!

Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV did it again! Capturing the essence of the romantic wedding story in clip 1 and sharing some fun behind-the-scene footage during production in clip 2. Enjoy!

Thi Makeup Studio: Valentine’s Day Special

2010-01-30T15:11:00.000-08:00

This Valentine’s Day, treat yourself to a beauty makeover and keep him mesmerized all day. Come visit our Thi Makeup Studio on Saturday, Feb. 13 to take advantage of our special promotion:

Book a makeup application ($55) OR purchase any products over $55
and receive a complimentary eyelash application.

To reserve a seat for the makeup application, call us at (650) 327-8880 or email makeupstudio@thicosmetics.com.

In-store promotion only. Make-up appointments must be on Saturday, Feb. 13th to take advantage of the promotion.

The Winner of Thi's New Year - New Your Beauty Contest 2010

2010-01-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

After the overwhelming responses and countless deserving stories, we’ve narrowed it down to one final contestant.

We are pleased to announce that the winner of Thi’s New Year – New You Beauty Contest and the recipient of a full makeover photo shoot including hair, makeup, styling by the Thi Cosmetic Team and a stylized photo shoot by a top bay area photographer is:

Ginger Lee
Nominated by husband, Wilson Lee

Stay tuned in the next month to come to hear Ginger’s story and to see her fabulous new look!

A special thanks to all our contestants for sharing your inspiring and tender stories!

Thi's New Year Makeover Beauty Contest

2009-12-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Holiday Gift Ideas

2009-12-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

Take advantage of our holiday gift ideas! Perfect for the special women in your life!

Thi & ZaZa's Holiday Beauty Event

2009-11-17T13:30:00.000-08:00

Thi Cosmetics is teaming up with ZaZa Nail Spa in Fremont-CA to help jumpstart the holiday festivities. Come meet the make-up artists of Thi Cosmetics and learn about beauty trends, seasonal looks, and new products. Come in and receive a 30 minute mini color consultation. They will help choose the right colors and create that radiant winter glow. Make a purchase over $50 and receive a free Quin lipstick and Kalea lipgloss (valued at $36).
Space is limited; please call ZaZa Fremont for details and reservations. 510.252.0800

Saturday, November 21, 2009
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
43810 Christy Street
Fremont, CA 94538

Thi's Halloween Costume Contest Winner ~ Oct. 31, 2009

2009-11-14T15:32:00.000-08:00

After all the entries from Thi’s Halloween Costume Contest – we found our favorite! It was an ingenious idea by one of our clients, Alisa, who made the design from scratch! She created a replica version of Bjork’s swan dress worn at the 2001 Oscars red carpet. It was so much fun seeing Alisa’s transformation from a daytime all-natural-look to an evening Oscar winning beauty. And who better to do it than Taylor herself!

Check out Alisa’s before and after:

Thanks you Alisa for your great costume idea ~ you were an absolute joy to work with! And thanks to the rest of our readers who submitted great costume ideas. We hope to see more great and creative ideas next year!

And a special shout-out to Khoa Tran who happened to be at the studio during the time with his trusty camera to take these fabulous shots!

Thi's Beauty Story: Sim's Mommy Makeover

2009-10-31T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sim's before and after photo.

My good friend, Sim, who I met during my college years, just had her second baby almost 6 months ago. As long as I’ve known Sim, she’s been a sweet, caring, and giving friend who devotes most of her time to her family and friends. As Taylor and I were visiting Sim and her new baby girl, we got to talking about how challenging it is to juggle motherhood, being a wife, a working professional and finding time for ourselves. I’m sure most women can relate to this story in many respects - we all have hectic lives and are always searching for a healthy balance.

We realized Sim would make a great Thi Beauty Story because like most women who have just had a baby (whether it’s your 1st or your 4th), you go through a period of exhaustion. Whether it’s – troubles finding the time, not feeling physically optimal, adjusting to major changes, or just feeling guilty – many women put off spending the time and money on themselves to help them recharge. We forget that the time we put into ourselves extends as a gift to the people around us. Because when you feel and look your best, you exude the confidence and positive energy to everyone!

(Left) Sim having fun with the camera. (Right) Sim holding Baby Julie.

The beautiful Gerard family: (left) Sebastian, Manu, Sim, Baby Julie.

Here's some behind the scene shots:

Taylor getting Sim made up - lashes look amazing!

Mimi doing some final touches on the styling.

Mimi fooling around with her new camera.

Manu and the kids arriving later in the day for the photoshoot. It was a mad rush to get the kids ready before the sun goes down!

Our silly photographer friend, JP, makes a tribute to MJ!

Getting the family together for the perfect shot!

Special thanks to:
Photography: JP Langlands
Hair Cut & Coloring: Cali Pham, 408.890.1477, Tangerine Hair Studio
Wardrobe: Cassis Clothing Boutique located on 532 Ramona St, Palo Alto, CA, 650.329.8070

And thank you to the Gerard family for being such a sweet and fun loving family to work with! Sim, thanks for your many years of friendship and support. ~xoxo, mimi

Contest: Best Halloween Costume Idea

2009-10-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Have a great costume idea? Win a chance to get your makeup done by celebrated makeup artist Taylor Pham for Halloween night! To enter for a chance to win, email your costume idea to info@thicosmetics.com. Better yet, share a picture of yourself in costume. Best costume idea wins! Happy Halloween!

-Thi Cosmetics

SF Brides Magazine: Fall/Winter 2009 Issue

2009-10-09T16:51:00.000-07:00

So cool - SF Brides Magazine wrote up a little blurb about us and our Lush Lashes in this season's issue. Check it out!

Today's Bride Magazine ~ Fall & Winter 09' Cover

2009-09-29T15:17:00.001-07:00

Check out Taylor's work on the cover of Today's Bride Magazine 2009:

Products Used

Fall Cover:
Complexion: Thi Foundation # 2, Thi Mineral Face Powder
Eyes: Sying and Fai Eyeshadow, Thi Lush Lashes
Cheeks: Aiko Blush
Lips: Kanya Lip Gloss

Winter Cover:
Complexion: Thi Foundation # 1, Thi Mineral Face Powder # 1
Eyes: Soy Cream Eyeshadow, Thi Lush Lashes
Cheeks: My Eyeshadow (used as a blush)
Lips: Quinn Lip Color (mix with a lip liner for deeper intensity)

Here's a sweet behind-the-scene shot of Taylor with good old time friend & model, Catlin Gomez.

Photoshoot: Summer 09’ Beauty Page

2009-09-14T16:15:00.000-07:00

We had a blast during our Summer 09’ photoshoot earlier this Spring to promote our Summer beauty look (for our website’s main page). The look was light, airy, and organic with splashes of vivid colors to make a strong summer statement.

Tips from Taylor:
As we get into our early thirties, it's so important to protect our skin from the harsh sun rays and use products that will help reduce the signs of aging. Try using Thi's Mineral face powder to help protect the skin. Lightly dust the face throughout the day to ensure sun protection!

Products used on Model:
Face:Mineral Face Powder # 1
Eyes: Soy Cream Eyeshadow, Fai eyeshadow, & Lush Lashes
Cheeks: Aiko
Lips: Quinn Lipstick

Behind the scenes:

Left: While waiting to get makeup and hair, Model Lija, reviews her iphone. Right: Taylor adding the fabulous Lush Lashes - a photoshoot necessity!

From the photo images that day, it may seem that the weather was warm and cooperative. But here's a clip proving that things aren't always as they seem. Watch our courageous model Lija bare the freezing gusty winds while Lisa, Peggy, and myself work on fixing her up for a gorgeous pose! Lija - you rock!

Thanks to our great production crew and wardrobe sponsors:
Model: Lija Lietus from the Stars Model Agency
Photographer: Lisa Lefowitz
Wardrobe Stylist: Peggy Jeung
Couture Gown Designer: Colleen Quinn
Jewelry Designer: Janet Falkner
Shoe Designer: Hey Lady

Event: Gala For Giving ~ Holiday Shopping Soiree

2009-09-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Janet Falkner and Gretchen Thomas are at it again - hosting their 2nd Gala For Giving shopping event - just in time for the holidays! Come join us for a fun filled day of shopping, tasty treats, and wine tasting. What a better way to spend your holiday shopping by supporting our local designers and contributing towards a worthy cause.

Sunday, November 15th, 2009
2 pm- 6 pm
Four Seasons Hotel
2050 University Avenue, East Palo Alto

For more information, visit: Gala For Giving

Thi's Beauty Story: Elizabeth ~ The Busy Working Professional / July 25, 2009

2009-08-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Story
Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of meeting Elizabeth Lee at our Palo Alto studio. Elizabeth, a busy dental hygienist from San Francisco, has been on the lookout for a new cosmetic line that could help her with some of her beauty dilemmas. She found out about our studio and decided to stop by to check things out. That day, Taylor consulted with Elizabeth to help her find the right products and colors to best compliment her skin tone and features. As we chatted with Elizabeth, she told us about her busy schedule and how she found it hard to make time for herself. We hear this from many of our clients and thought it’d be fun to do an entire makeover photoshoot with Elizabeth focusing on her daily beauty challenges. And because Elizabeth was so fun and easy to be around, we knew we found the right candidate for this next project!

The Makeover

So we gathered our team of experts to start things rolling in mid July. We enlisted Taylor’s sister and “hair extraordinaire”, Cali Pham (408-890-1477, Tangerine Hair Studio, San Jose, CA), who gave Elizabeth very subtle highlights and layered her hair a week before the photo shoot. It turned out fabulous! Taylor and I then took Elizabeth shopping to style her for her new look – so much fun! We called on good friend and talented photographer, JP Langlands of JP Langlands Photography, to photograph the transformation. Awesome job JP!

Taylor’s Beauty Tips:
Like many other women, Elizabeth has the same concerns when it comes to makeup, how to achieve a smooth even complexion. Over the past year, she started noticing the pigmentation on her cheeks becoming more visible and wanted to learn how to conceal the areas without wearing too much foundation. A lot of women in this situation tend to over do the coverage thinking it will make the skin look more flawless but in reality it can result to looking really heavy and cakey.

Foundation Tips:

To help foundation and concealer last all day, use a silicone base primer. Apply it on after your moisturizer and under your foundation.
Foundation should be applied to the uneven areas of the face first before applying concealer. If your skin is uneven due to the pigmentation, mix two different shades to ensure an even complexion.
Apply concealer over brown spots with fingers and lightly blend the color so there is no demarcation. The warmth of the fingers will help the product smooth onto the skin evenly. Finish by patting press powder over the area with a sponge to ensure coverage.

Skin Care Tips:

Start using antioxidant-based products. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E can help fight age-accelerating free radical damage. Also consider using face powders with SPF to help block the sun's UVA and UVB rays.

Products used:
Face: Velvet Face Primer, Foundation # 2 & # 3 mixed, Concealer # 4 (sold exclusively at Thi Makeup Studio), Cashmere Mineral Powder # 2
Eyes: Soy Cream Eyeshadow, Kai, My, and Fai Eyeshadows, Lush Lashes
Cheeks: Sakura Blush
Lips: Lan Lip Gloss

Some fun behind the scene shots:

Taylor adding the final touches to Elizabeth’s new radiant glow.

Taylor and me getting Elizabeth into wardrobe and perfecting her final look.

On location, Taylor retouches Elizabeth while JP reloads.

While I’m working out lighting, JP gets in his best shots of the day!

Special thanks to JP and Cali for their great work. And to Elizabeth for trusting us with your new look and being such a great sport. The camera loved you!

Thi Cosmetic's Press Event

2009-05-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

On April 2nd, we hosted our first ever Thi Cosmetic Press Event! It was an opportunity for Taylor and me to officially showcase our cosmetic line and our new storefront to the local press and media. Guests received a complimentary eyelash application – a huge hit with all the women!

Designed by the ridiculously talented Gloria Wong Tritasavit, our quaint and cozy studio was transformed into a sweet frenchy-moderne design accented with black baroque, fresh flowers, and plush feathers throughout the room. Our products were displayed as delectable goodies in glass apothecary jars and fancy cake stands - almost sweet enough to taste! The evening was filled with music, scrumptious desserts by Jen's Cake, and a little bubbly to get the evening started.

The event was a huge success and we couldn’t have done it without the generous support of our good friends and industry colleagues. We want to give a huge THANK YOU to our talented and gifted sponsors:

Gloria Wong Tritasavit: the visionary and creator behind the design concept
Bianca Mascorro of Little Miss Press: for the lavish media & press invitations
Paige Benjamin of Passifloradesigns: for the creative and beautiful floral arrangements
Jen Kwapinski of Jen’s Cake: for the “ooh-so-good” desserts and cake design
John Woods of Enhanced Lighting & Sounds: for the brilliant lighting ambiance
John Le of 3 Seasons Restaurant: for the delicious appetizers
Jennifer Skog of Jennifer Skog Photography: for making the evening’s event picture-perfect
Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV: for capturing the celebration and excitement of the night

Thank you to our makeup crew: Niama, Courtney, and Irmina who worked tirelessly through the evening to make our guests feel and look amazing!

Special thanks to our wonderful husbands, Tom and Frank, for not only putting up with our hectic schedules and craziness throughout the process, but also for serving as great bartenders, DJs, cleanup crew, you name it, they did it – and with a smile!

Lastly, we'd like to thank all our family, friends, and loyal clients who has supported us throughout the years. We couldn't have made it this far without all of your love and support!

We'd like to share some photos of the night (shot by Jennifer Skog):

Taylor and me in front of the studio before the event

Gloria carefully arranging the dessert buffet.

Our product table showcased as sweet delectables!

Taylor and me speaking with Donna Kato from the SJ Mercury Newspaper.

A fun-filled night packed with family and friends out to support us.

Here's our sassy cousin, Pam, who flew up from San Diego just for the event. She's one of our biggest fans - we love you girl!

Our husbands by day and bartenders by night! (Left: Frank Nguyen, Right: Tom Rickett).

The fabulous and talented behind-the-scene team. (Beginning from left, clockwise: Naima Morgan, Jen Kwapinski, Andrew Hsu, John Woods, Irmina Loeffler, Jennifer Skog, Courtney Chau, Taylor, Mimi, Gloria Wong Tritasavit)

Here's a great clip of the evening's celebration captured by Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV:

Wedding: Linda & Justin

2009-05-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

On May 2nd, Taylor's childhood friend, Linda Phan, got married at the lovely Nestledown in Los Gatos. It was such a beautiful and serene day. It brought great joy to see the happy couple tie the knot!

JP Langlands, a great photographer Taylor has known for over 10 years was there to capture all the special moments. JP - you rock!

Wedding: Jenny & Rick

2009-05-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

On March 28th, Taylor and her team of artists had a great time working with Jenny, one of the sweetest brides and her bridal party in San Francisco!

There to photograph the fabulous occasion was our good friend and great photographer, Lisa of Lisa Lefkowitz Photography.

Wedding designed and coordinated by Alison of Alison Events.

Audrey Magazine: Bridal Issue April/May 2009

2009-04-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! In the April/May 2009 issue of Audrey Magazine, we got the cover page and an 8-page spread featuring Thi Cosmetics and Taylor's work.

Taylor, who's been a former guest beauty editor for Audrey, was approached by the Editor-in-Chief about this great project. Of course we jumped on it right away and gathered a team of experts to help create our vision.

They also blurbed about our Thi Makeup Studio in the Audrey Beauty Kit: Editor's Picks section.

Taylor offers her expert advice on how to achieve a flawless wedding look in the Bridal Beauty 101 article.

Here's a behind-the-scene glance of Taylor hard at work!

Here's me contemplating on the first wardrobe change. Gabrielle's Bridal Atelier had such an extensive collection of designer gowns, it was hard to only choose a few!

This was a fantastic photo shoot and we couldn't have done it without our team of experts. Here's a list of all the amazing talent who helped us create the looks:

Photoshoot 2: Model - Lada Engchawadechasilp
Photographer: Jennifer Skog
Hair Stylist: Ken from Umbrella Salon
Flowers by: Nicole Ha
Gowns provided by: Gabrielle's Bridal Atelier
Jewelry designed by: Janet Falkner
Shoes designed by: Jessica & Emily
Post Production by: Kevin Louison from HK Studio

Thi's Beauty Story: Kim's Beauty Transformation

2009-04-24T01:50:00.000-07:00

Kim's Before and After Photo

In early February 2009, my Sister-in-law, Kim Jubb came out to visit me and the family from Colorado. Kim is one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet and I would consider her quite the minimalist! After years of working out and a healthy diet, Kim showed up on my doorstep 40+ pounds lighter. She looked great! Although Kim felt good about her new body, it didn’t quite transcend to the outside.

So Taylor and I felt that with her new physique and amazing accomplishments, it was time for her to treat herself to a complete beauty transformation! So in the course of less than a week, we pulled the project together. Taylor and I took Kim shopping and found her a whole new wardrobe to fit her new body shape.

We then enlisted Taylor’s sister, Cali, who’s a fabulous and talented hair dresser. She gave Kim an amazing new color and sassy A-line cut! (Cali Pham: (408) 890-1477, Tangerine Hair Studio, San Jose, CA)

On the day of the shoot, Taylor worked her magic! For as long as I'v known her, she still amazes me by her talent. Taylor was confident there was an inner-diva somewhere in Kim just waiting to get out. Therefore, she decided to take Kim's look to her maximum full potentials - and boy did she!

After hair and makeup was complete, I helped style Kim for her first professional photoshoot debut. Once the look was all pulled together, we had our good friend and amazing photographer, Jennnifer Skog, come to photograph our gorgeous new model! Jen did an awesome job! (http://www.jenniferskog.com/)

After a few series of shootings, Kim got her grove on and was a whole new woman! The process was so much fun and rewarding. Her beauty from within resonated outward! Talk about a complete transformation!

At the end, we did a few sweet photos of my mother-in-law, Joan Harris, who also got a makeover that day. Mom was such a huge support for Kim throughout the whole process and it was such a joy to capture these precious moments between a mother and daughter. Thank you Kim for completely entrusting yourself in our hands - I love you and Mom to pieces!

~Mimi

Photoshoot: Bella Bridesmaid Advertisement

2009-04-15T17:52:00.000-07:00

Taylor was the talent behind creating the look for Bella Bridesmaid's 2009 ad campaign (as seen here in the San Francisco Brides Magazine/Spring Issue).

Destination Wedding: Jillian & Knute - April 11, 2008

2009-04-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

In the recent issue of Professional Photographers Magazine, Anna Kuperberg's work was featured on the cover page.

Taylor had the pleasure of working with Jillian to create her fabulous look on her wedding day in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We'd like to share some exclusive photos from this amazing wedding!

The gorgeous wedding was planned and designed by the talented Alison from Alison Events. She just launched her new book titled: Destination Wedding Planner. This is a must-have for all you destination brides-to-be!

Newly Launched: Paper Chez

2009-04-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Our good friend Thuy Ha, who helped us design our Thi Makeup Studio logo, has just lunched her new line of wedding invitations called Paper Chez. They specialize in luxury wedding invitations that combine the elegance of centuries old letterpress printing with modern simplicity. Their style is clean, chic, and sophisticated with a touch of vintage charm. Go check it out!

Wedding: Ansley Cichy & Andrew Majit ~ August 9, 2008

2009-03-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

On August 9, 2008, Taylor had the pleasure of working with Ansley Cichy (hair & makeup) for her beautiful city wedding at the Bently Reserve. The wedding was featured in this Spring/Summer 2009 San Francisco Brides magazine (on stands now). During the process, Taylor got to work along side a great wedding designer, Gloria Wong Tritasavit from Sash & Sugar. Because of Gloria's fabulous sense of style, we've enlisted her to help plan our upcoming April Press/Media Event! Here are some more fabulous photos of the featured wedding:

To view more photos of the wedding, visit: www.weeksphotography.com/gallery/CichyMajitWedding

Event Designer: Gloria Wong
Flowers by: Nancy Liu Chin

Photographer: Andrew Weeks

Thi Workshop: "Sutry Bedroom Ready Eyes"

2009-02-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

On February 8, 2009, we held a Makeup Workshop at our Palo Alto studio. Joanna (left) and Jennifer (right) had taken our "101 Natural Makeup" workshop 2 weeks before and came back with a stronger knowledge of makeup. They were ready to learn the next step to achieving dramatic eyes!

Here is Taylor showing the girls the trick behind applying our infamous Lush Lashes. Assisting her is our Resident Makeup Artist, Courtney.

(We recently received this sweet letter from Joanna.)

Joanna, Jennifer: you were both such a joy to work with and we couldn't have asked for better students. We hope you have fun with your new looks and remember to keep working at those lashes!

xoxo,
Mimi & Taylor

All Natural - Softly muted shades on eyes, cheeks and lips.

2009-02-14T02:35:00.000-08:00

Britnay's Before Photo

Last month we had lots of fun working with Britnay Ward who is from http://www.lookgency.com/ , one of the best agency located in San Francisco. During this shoot, we did 3 different looks.

For the look below, I wanted to give Britnay soft muted shades that showed off her true beauty. Makeup can look natural yet still sophisticated. I started off this look by prepping her skin with a light moisturizer and only used a few products to create this look. When it comes to makeup, sometimes less is always more! I evened out her skin by lightly patting her redness with our White Tea Foundation in shade #2 and dusted her skin with Mineral Face Powder in shade # 2 ( The Mineral Face Powder is sold exclusively at the Thi Make-up Studio). Soy cream eye shadow was applied on the entire eyelid and in the inner corner of the eyes to pop out her eyes. Next, I applied our newest Thi cream palette on the cheeks and lips coming out this spring. This palette not only can be used for the eyes, but the lips as well. To finish her flawless look, I scattered our single Lush Lashes (fourth row) to create some thickness.

Britney's First Photo

Britnay's Second Look

I instantly changed Britnay's look by deepening her lip color with Quinn Lipstick and re-styled her hair with subtle braids. Simple yet still very elegant. ~ Taylor

Photo: Jennifer Skog (http://www.jenniferskog.com/)

Model: Britnay Ward ( http://www.lookagency.com/ )
Clothing and Accessories provided by: Nalej, Palo Alto, CA

Today's Bride Magazine Cover - Fall 08' & Spring 09' Issue

2009-02-10T10:29:00.000-08:00

Taylor's work is featured on the cover of Today's Bride Magazine for the Fall 2008 & Spring 2009 Issue (currently on stands).

The model, Heather, was given two different looks to represent the changing seasons. Taylor achieved these looks by using the following:

Today's Bride Fall 08:

Face: White Tea Foundation # 0, Mineral Face Powder # 1

Eyes: Yen, Sying and Fai eyeshadow & 2 boxes of Lush Lashes (1 box per eye)

Cheeks: Aiko Blush

Lips: Aki Lipgloss

Today's Bride Spring 09

Face: White Tea Foundation # 0, Mineral Face Powder # 1

Eyes: Soy Cream Eyeshadow and Dao Eyeshadow & 2 boxes of Lush Lashes (1 box per eye

Cheeks: Sakura Blush and Dao Eyeshadow on apples of cheeks

Lips: Lan and Kalea Lipgloss

Taylor's Tips: For wedding editorial spreads, Taylor always uses two boxes of Lush Lashes to create dept and definition.

The Knot Magazine: Mimi's August 5, 2007 Wedding

2009-01-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

On the Spring/Summer 2009 issue of The Knot magazine, my August 5, 2007 wedding was featured in the "Just Married" section. It came as quite a surprise, however it was a fun little aritcle that I got to add to my memory box.

Of course - my hair and makeup was done by my fabulous Maid of Honor, Taylor Pham! Taylor, thanks for playing such a huge role on my special day and making me feel and look amazing! XOXO!

Photographer: Gene Higa, Jesse Leake, Ann Hamilton
Flowers by: Le Bouquetier
Day of Coordinator: Eventswithflair
Lighting: Got-Light?

Videographer: Alumiere Studios (formerly Cinematic Touch)

Spring Beauty- This Spring is all about soft pinks and emphasizing the eyes with touches of lashes.

2009-01-25T02:44:00.000-08:00

Ania's Before Photo

Ania's After Photo

Ania is a model that I had a pleasure working with a few years ago in San Francisco. I did her makeup for a few commercials when she was a blond, so it was quite a surprise when she showed up with her new look. Ania has very distinct and strong features; at certain angles she reminded me of Angelina Jolie with her full lips and mesmerizing eyes. For this shoot, I wanted Ania to look soft and fresh. A great new look for spring. I started by re-shaping Anna's brow and lighting her brow color. Lighting the brows not only softens the complexion, but it helps open up her eyes. Because she has great skin, I only used minimal foundation and poped her eyes and cheeks with our Dao eye shadow. This product is one of our most popular colors for the eyes but I also use it for the cheeks! The great fresh rose pink color looks great on all complexion. To emphasize her eyes a bit more, I added the famous Lush Lashes...

Behind scenes of me applying the Lush Lashes. I never do a photoshoot without them!

Ania with perfect posture patiently waits.

Ania, I always have fun working with you! ~Taylor

Model: Ania Jacob
Photos By Jennifer Skog (http://www.jenniferskog.com/)

Location: Four Seasons Hotel, Palo Alto, CA

Thi Makup Studio "In the Making"

2008-12-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

Since Thi Cosmetic’s Launch in 2006, Taylor and I have been dreaming of someday owning our own retail space. We’ve had our heart set on this sweet little boutique located in downtown Palo Alto, CA for the past couple of years; however the timing was never quite right. Almost 3 years from our launch date, it seemed the stars had all aligned. In late August 2008, we discovered that the lease was up for the space next to the boutique we’ve been wanting and was identical in size, except it had a larger bathroom – score!

In early Sept. 2008, it was official – we signed our lease. It was exciting, nerve wrecking, and surreal all at the same time! After we got over it, the hard part began. We had to figure out how we were going to get the new space ready for business.

Thank goodness for wonderful husbands! We enlisted my husband, Tom (who happens to be a General Contractor in the commercial construction business – score again!), to help lead the build-out project while Taylor and I worked closely with him on design and layout. Tom’s team did a great job of demoing, replacing all the electrical, drywall, flooring, and painting. Props to Technical Builders for a fast-track design-build project (http://www.technicalbuilders.com/).

We also enlisted Taylor’s husband, Frank, and cousin, Phu, to help us do the finishing touches of crown molding. Phu, an independent carpenter also built the bench for our lounge space (it helps to have a handyman in the family! LOL! )

During all the construction, Taylor was busy researching the furniture and décor for the space and planning the next products to carry at the store, while I had my nose buried in contracts, counter designs, window signage, POS systems, and anything else business related. We worked collaboratively on the final décor of the space and made several trips to furniture stores to find the right pieces. We've never seen so much of each other - we were joined at the hips! LOL! By early November, we pulled it all together – it was so much fun to work along side a great friend!

The Studio before construcion.

The Studio stripped down.

Our wonderful husbands and cousin, Phu, hard at work.

Taylor (right) and me (left) watching our sign go up. It was quite exciting!

Photo: Geoff White
From the start of the build-out, it took approximately 2 months till completion date (which would’ve been done sooner if it hadn’t been for the headaches of permits). After hearing so many horror stories about the process of build-outs, we were grateful to have made the time we did on the storefront. And we couldn’t have done it without all the help of our family and friends! After all the blood, sweat, and tears, we finally opened the doors to Thi Makeup Studio on November 29, 2008.

~Mimi