Teen Makeup with a Cool edge

I recently got an opportunity to work with a beautiful young new face. 15 year old model Lindsey Wixson from Kansas. A lot of young models come in to LA, from all over the world to meet with top L.A agencies to get signed and develop their portfolio's. The agency's contact me when they have an amazing face they think I might want to shoot.

When I first saw Lindsey, I thought she looked like a young Angelina Jolie, who I first met around the same age, when she was first looking to start a career in modeling,way before her big screen debut. New comer, Lindsey Wixson was great to work with, and really moved well in front of my camera.

I wanted to create a young look, but with a bit of a cool edge. A smokey eye,fresh complexion and a barely there lip, with hair that looks totally natural, not over curled and done. This look works great on any skintone. Today's teen girl is more sophisticated and in touch with today's trends. She's confident and her make up show's it. The point is to wear make up but not look like you're trying too hard. It should compliment not transform the face. Light or well blended foundation should replace heavy mask like make up. On Lindsey it looks as is she has nothing on but a smokey eye. Not even over lined and heavily glossed lips on her.

I first blended just a touch of liquid shimmer with a foundation, and set with a loose powder.

I kept the blush light and neutral. The eyes are where I wanted to create the edge. I first dusted over her entire eye lid with a brown eyeshadow, and used a light bone shade in the arch of the brow bone, not frost's or shimmers. Then soften the edges with the duo shadows, Keeping the shape soft and well blended. Then I lined inside her eyes with a black eye pencil. Last I coated and curled her lashes with black mascara and topped off with a light pinky beige lip color. I patted on just a touch with my finger tips. Don't forget fragrance makes a great statement, and I chose "CK One Summer" by Calvin Klein that evokes the free-spirit of this star model on the rise, Lindsey Wixson.

To get Lindsey's Edgy Teen makeup look, visit Calvin Klein.

Goodbye sweet angel Farrah Fawcett

The world lost an American Icon today. Today June 25th at 9:28am Farrah Fawcett lost her battle with cancer, but not without a fight! She rose to being, at one time, a phenomenon. Farrah Fawcett was our generation's Marilyn Monroe. She was an Artist, Actress, Mother, and an Angel. Those who know me, know how much Farrah Fawcett meant to me. I met Farrah many years ago when I first set out on my own as a young artist in LA, and continued to work with her on several events and photo shoots. I never got to shoot Farrah, but doing her make up and hair was a dream... She was a very sweet and an inspiring lady. She has been and always will be an inspiration to me in my life. Once when I was at Farrah's home she said "Wait here, I have something to show you." She went into the next room and after a little while she popped out holding the original red swimsuit she wore in her very famous poster. "It's a lil faded", she laughed...I'll never forget her smile and her sweet voice, when every time she called me, she'd say in her sweet raspy voice, "Hi...It's Farrah Fawcett"

I love you Farrah, Sleep with the angels..
xo Troy

P.S. I found this video collage of her. It was made for her Birthday, but I loved it, so I wanted to share it with you all..

Summer Beauty with Mel B

Summer days have just begun so it's time to put together your summer beauty regime. Your first priority when stepping out into the summer sun is sun screen, sun screen, sun screen! You must choose products that have an SPF. Products like moisturizers, foundations, and powders. The product's SPF should be around 6 or higher. If you don't like the sticky feeling of a liquid or cream sun-screen then you can use a powder sun screen and dust it right over your face and shoulders.


The trend this season is not to overdo it with bronzers or self tanners. Most of my celebrity clients stay out of the sun and always protect their skin and opt for a more natural sun-kissed glow. A great alternative to bronzers and self-tanners is mixing an at-home tinted moisturizer. Mix a liquid foundation 1 or 2 shades warmer than your own skin tone and combine it with a serum or moisturizer. Apply across the face, neck, and shoulders. Blend well with your finger tips. If you have been working on your body like my girl Mel B than you'll definitely want to show it off. For an all over glow, mix a body shimmer with your sun screen and blend over your entire body or whatever skin is to be revealed. For makeup, the trend this season is "sexy glam" but not overdone. Whether you opt for a smokey eye or a bright stained lip, choose one feature to make a statement. With Mel B, I chose to define the eye and keep the lip neutral with a shear nude. Summer is also a great time to wear some fun nail colors. Take your girlfriend to the local manicurist for a girls summer beauty day and get a manicure/pedicure and try polishes that range from a bright coral to a shiny black as seen on Mel B.

To recap, summer beauty trends:

1. Protect your skin.
2. Don't over bronze.
3. Make a statement with your eyes or lips. Not both!
4. Mix a shimmer with a sun screen for an all over protection and glow.
5. Have fun with some great nail colors. Choose from bright coral to a shiny black.

Be sure to come back see more images that I shot of Mel B at TroyJensen.com and have a beautiful summer!

The Return of the Pin-up Girl

The return of Old Hollywood Glam is going to be The look this fall on the runway. Designers like Dolce and Gabbana gave an opulent sneak peek on what today's screen sirens will be wearing this fall like Scarlet Johansen,Eva Mendes and Naomi Watts. The collection Channels such legends as Joan Crawford,Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth.

I wanted to create a classic Old Hollywood look, but give it a younger more playful side then it's dramatic counter part. Think sexy Pin-up Girl. The 1930's and 40's is a very sofisticated look. Often appearing too hard for the everyday modern girl. A pale eye and a classic red lip stain is all you need to create a modern day pin-up look. As a fan of old Hollywood glamour Im not waiting for fall to create this look. I've already created on my Muse's Nicole Scherzinger, Mel B, and Kim Kardashian. What better line to create a modern day pin-up girl than a line that is inspired by the pin-up girl Benefit Cosmetics. Benefit Cosmetics packaging has a Retro Hollywood feel perfect for the modern day pin-up girl. I have listed the products I used to create my modern day pin-up girl on Model Kristen Ottea. A flawless complexion, a pale shimmery shadow blended on the entire eyelid, a soft lined eye, and flirty lashes. Cheeks that are girly and pink, with a gorgeous deep red lip stain that will last all night with little or no touch up.

Mel B's Ultimo Campaign in Vegas and my Modeling Debut!

Just got back from an amazing couple of days in Las Vegas, Nevada where I got to glam my girl Mel B for an Ultimo Lingerie campaign photo shoot. I did Mel's hair and makeup and I wanted to give her a very soft, sexy, and modern look. For Mel's hair, I blew out and flat ironed it for a silky soft texture then waved it with a large curling iron and just tossled it with my fingers. For her makeup, a glowing complexion, smokey eyes, mega lashes, and a sheer nude lip.

My team and I got to see her show Peepshow the night before. It was amazing - the music, the dancing, the bodies - not to mention Mel B's rocking body - incredible. The highlight of the day was when one of the male models who turned up for the shoot was too short for the shot so they asked ME to step in! I was thrilled! I did Mel's hair and makeup and now I was a supermodel. The client told me that this ad campaign will be all over the UK! I really got into it and offered some of my suggestions for posing, situations, etc and it was an overall amazing day. Looking at the shots, they looked so great and I can't wait to see the shots on billboards and posters.


When creating this look with Mel B, I decided to use products from various lines since I seem to get so many comments from people asking me if I really use the products I mention or if I use them based on being contracted by the various cosmetic lines. But usually when I build and create a look, I like to use products from one line. Most makeup artists use various products based on what they personally like or can afford, but when I use Dior - I use it all to create the look. Same goes for Guerlain, Chanel, YSL... It has nothing to do with being signed or contracted by those companies. It is my job and goal to bring the best products to my clients. Best pigments, best formulas, best coverage. I am here to share with you what I use with my clients. That is what this blog is intended for.

The Alluring Kim Kardashian!

I'm really happy to be reunited with my favorite muse Kim Kardashian. It's been some time since we have been able to collaborate with each other, but when Dior Beauty invited me to their first annual Christian Dior Beauty Lunch benefiting The Children's Charity Operation Smile, it was the perfect opportunity. Dior's goal was to invite celebrities and their makeup artists to enjoy a wonderful lunch, share beauty tips, and share experiences between makeup artists and their celebrity muses. Kim and I got all dolled up and mingled with the likes of Angie Harmon, Lil Kim, Emma Roberts, Leanne Rimes, Natasha Beddingfield, and of course their very talented makeup artists. Some of them I've known for years, such as Kathy Jeung, Rea Anne Silva, Steven Autoro, and Geoffrey Rodriguez. Christian Dior VP Dianne Vavra hosted a beautiful lunch for a worthy cause, Operation Smile. For every artist/celebrity pair, Dior Beauty will change the life of a child through worldwide children’s medical charity Operation Smile. Since 1982, more than 130,000 children and young adults with cleft lips and cleft palates and other facial deformities have been treated by thousands of Operation Smile volunteers worldwide and thousands of medical professionals have been trained globally.


Vintage dress by Vicky Tiel Couture and YSL shoes. Her dress was perfect with her 1940's inspired hair that I did and her movie-star day time glamour. I loved the dress and shoes, and I must admit, the makeup and hair was genius! This look was a hit.

I sent Kim a collage of images of Ava Gardner as inspiration for the look i created. I wanted to create a look that was old Hollywood glam with a touch of a modern chic. I first prepped Kim's skin with an eye cream and moistureizer, then blended a concealer under the eyes, forehead, down the center of the nose and blended well into her skin. I then applied a liquid foundation to give a subtle golden glow. I set with a finishing powder and dusted a Rose Pink powder blush to the apples of her cheeks. I applied a bronzer to the outer perimeter of temples, down her cheek bones, and jaw line. The bronzer was a golden tan with a subtle shimmer. When I'm creating a flawless complexion on Kim, I feel she looks stunning with a little natural gleam to the skin. For the eyes I wanted to create a daytime glam. Which involved a subtle golden smokey eye, glowing complexion, and a sheer red lip. I first blended a golden bronze eyeshadow onto the entire eyelid using a matte bone color in the arch of the brow. I then lined her entire eye with a chocolate brown eyeliner, curled and coated her lashes and added a few individual eyelashes to just the ends of her eyes for an old Hollywood flare. I topped the look off with defining her lips with a neutral lip color and filled in her entire lip with a sheer Cherry red lip gloss. This look is sexy, Its fresh, Its glamorous, and perfect for the Alluring Kim Kardashian.

Harper's Bazaar cover: Jennifer Lopez

I was excited when I got the opportunity recently to work with the beautiful Jennifer Lopez. I did a couple events with her and some photo shoots - one of which was the cover of Harper's Bazaar Japan. I was really excited to see the cover as I remember the shoot was amazing. The clothes, hair, and the makeup worked really well with the way Jennifer moves so naturally in front of the camera. I wanted to also share with you the products I used in creating this look and hope that you love the cover as much as I do. I'm really proud of this shoot and feel I was really able to express myself creatively with her which made working with Jennifer Lopez a dream. I can't wait to hear what you think of my Harper's Bazaar cover and the look I created on Jennifer.



To create the look I gave Jennifer Lopez on the cover of Harper's Bazaar, check out the following products by Jouer and Shu Uemura

Dynamic Gemini

Dazzle them with your Gemini alter-ego. Keep an emergency glam kit in your desk at the office. Here are a few must-haves to transform a simple sweet face to an elegant Gemini goddess.



Horoscope provided by Elle.com

To purchase these products, check out: http://www.sephora.com and http://www.neutrogena.com

GENERAL:
As May begins, you’ll thank your lucky stars that Gemini is such a versatile sign. You’re burning the candle at both ends and, there’s just so much to do. You need a break, but unfortunately, there’s simply too much going on for that. Hang in there.

With the Sun in Taurus until May 20th, you’ll need those multitasking skills now. Taurus rules your twelfth house of rest, karma and endings. Spend the first three weeks of May finalizing any outstanding projects or obligations. You’ll create much better results by being calm and receptive, instead of trying to control or do it all yourself. This is a time to “allow” rather than force things to happen.

In an added twist, your ruling planet Mercury is retrograde (backward) from May 8th-31st. Even the best-laid plans will have a wrinkle. Remain flexible, and you may even find yourself laughing at the sheer chaos of it all. When the Sun moves into Gemini on May 20th, the pressure eases up. On May 24th, the Gemini new moon marks your personal new year. On this day, you really want to sit down and map out the next six months of your life. Where would you like to be by December? Create a few key goals that you can work toward a little bit each day.

LOVE & ROMANCE:
Sexy Mars and romantic Venus are in your eleventh house of technology and group activity. Single Geminis could find luck through online dating or group events—and that goes for anything from an innocent co-ed mixer to a swinger’s club (listen, we understand that Gemini curiosity knows no bounds). A battery-operated buddy could keep you warm, or spice things up with your current beau.

Don’t shy away from erotic videos, either (the eleventh house rules television)—though we don’t necessarily recommend starring in any unless you really trust your partner…or lock it away in a vault. Why? Mercury is retrograde in your twelfth house, and between May 15th-31st, some unsavory characters could return from your past. Hidden information has a way of slipping out into the open, too. During Mercury retrograde, technology and communication get a little nutty, and people often contact us out of the blue. If you hear from an ex, proceed with extreme caution. This person’s motives may not be pure. It may be that you’re still holding on to a painful but sexually charged attraction, so you want to be crystal clear about that.

A wise therapist once drew the invaluable distinction between a relationship and a “dynamic.” A relationship is a healthy give-and-take. A dynamic echoes an early childhood pattern, usually with a parent. Not to get all Freudian here, but you’re better off working out those issues with a trained professional than a toxic ex-lover.

MONEY & CAREER:
Team up for success, Gemini. Motivator Mars and social Venus are in your eleventh house of groups and networking. With all you’ve got going on, a few extra hands will lighten your load. Delegate to a part-time worker or intern if you feel overwhelmed. Entrepreneurial Geminis should get out and mingle—pass out business cards and make connections. Join a support group or business incubator, like Ladies Who Launch. If you don’t have a website, start researching possibilities. However, wait until June to launch, since technology-planet Mercury is retrograde until May 31st.

Memorial Day weekend could bring a challenge, as taskmaster Saturn and unpredictable Uranus form a harsh T-square with your sign. A sudden work assignment, along with exhausting family demands, could leave you feeling pulled in too many directions. Know your limits and do your best. Don’t forget to take care of yourself.

HEALTH & FITNESS:
Extra sleep is essential for the first three weeks of May. The Taurus Sun shifts your energy into low gear, forcing you to slow down. Take stock of your well-being at the May 9th Scorpio full moon. This moon shines a spotlight on your health and fitness sector. If you’ve been steadily working toward a goal, you could really see signs of progress now. Full moons help with closure, so it’s a good day to leave bad habits behind.

Family has been a source of stress all year, but mid-month, this finally subsides. Strict Saturn has been retrograde in your fourth house of home, family and nurturing since New Year’s Eve. It’s been hard to find a stable foundation—both within yourself and in your own environment. Although you’ll still need to work at it, settling into your own skin will be a whole lot easier now.

Lucky Days: May 11, 25
Money Days: May 1, 27
Love Days: May 6, 16
Off Days: May 4, 23
New Moon: May 24
Full Moon: May 9
Mercury Retrograde: May 8-29
Saturn Direct: May 16

- Horoscopes provided by The AstroTwins

Beach Beauty Nicole Scherzinger!

Summer is here, and what's inspired me for this season's hair & make up look I created for Nicole Scherzinger was soft 70s wavy hair and a perfect blend of pearly pale peaches, sandy and taupe beige with metallic fragments of silver and pearl white - reminiscent of island sea shells. with a beach kissed complextion, eyeshadow that evokes beaches of fine sugar dappled with heat, sun and the beach... Cheeks that are warm and fresh, lips that are soft and that glisten, as if not to be too bright to disturb the cool, natural palette. Nicole's look is reminiscent of another earthy beauty, Jaclyn Smith of Charlie's Angels fame. I love a sexy natural look for Summer that puts the focus on luminous skin and a radiant glow. Try this beach-inspired make up look. And of course, considering the line is by Guerlain, the products look like little treasures. Discover Guerlain's "Summer Splash" makeup collection and create your own splash this summer.



Inspirations of the sun and beach with a glamorous 1970s twist complimented my girl Nicole Scherzinger's natural beauty as she performed a special remix of Hush Hush in the upcoming Pussycat Dolls music video.



A beauty then and still stunning today, Jaclyn Smith continues to inspire me with her southern charm and captivating beauty.


To find these and other Guerlain products, visit:



www.guerlain.com


www.nordstrom.com


www.sephora.com

Malika Haqq in the exotic new collection by NARS

When Malika Haqq, came by to pick up a print of an image I photographed of her "bff" Khloe Kardashian, I couldn't help myself to try a new collection designed and sent to me by NARS cosmetics on her. It's the Summer 2009 collection and it's amazing! It reminds me of the old technicolor movies and musicals set in the tropics in the 1950's staring beauties like Carmen Maramnda. Its exotic palette of a bright deep teal blue with sliver glitter can be used to create a dramatic evening eye or used with a damp thin eyeshadow brush and applied as a liner to achieve a subtle accent of color. Don't be afraid to think you can't use such a vibrant collection, it's wearable and perfect to enhance any woman's summer makeup regime.

It's no wonder Make up genius Fracois Nars created such a vibrant, exotic collection. He now lives on a tropical isle. The lush green jungle, beautiful pink sandy beaches and the vibrant sunsets are all in this amazing new Summer 2009 collection designed by Nars.

I love the Bright teal blue eye shadow in "Tropic" against Malika's flawless, dark almond skintone...isn't she hot? And she has an identical twin sister Khadijah, whom I can never tell apart. I will be doing a beauty story with them together soon for sure. I used the golden eye shadow duo in "Scorching Sun" first as a base, then blended the bright glittery blue "Tropic" shadow over Malika's entire eye lid. Then using a liquid black eye liner, I applied a very thin line along the lash line, and coated and curled her lashes.

I softly defined her brows with a light brown eyebrow pencil and to finish the look. I used the pale pinky-beige lip gloss in "Belize" to give a fresh, chic look with the blue eye make up. I also added a faux strip eyelash for added flare. This is a great collection for your island get away or if you just want to create one at home, like I did with the beautiful Malika Haqq. Let me know what you think? Would you dare to wear Blue?

P.S. love the earrings? Curations.com baby!


http://www.narscosmetics.com

Spring Beauty Buys featuring Karolina Kurkova

My friend Karolina Kurkova loves to wear her makeup fresh and natural. Natural glowing complexion, little or no makeup on her skin, a touch of cheek, a little smudged eyeliner on the eyes with some mascara, and a bright lip gloss to top it off. You might recognize her from the Victoria's Secret campaigns and runway shows, but soon you'll see her make the leap into the big screen in the upcoming action-adventure blockbuster film GI Joe: The Rise of the Cobra, starring Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller.

Here are some products you can find at most drugstores to re-create this Spring look for under $20. For tips on how to apply the makeup with Qtips, check out my tips on the Qtips website: http://www.qtips.com


www.walgreens.com

Princess Sarah Culberson

This week I did a photo shoot with Glamour magazine featuring an extraordinary woman - Sarah Culberson. I was really impressed when I read her story. She is an African American woman who had been adopted in the US and sought out her birth parents, found her father, a tribal chief in Africa, and discovered she was an African princess. She's a remarkable woman and we had a great day during the shoot at the beach in Malibu. I did warm, glowy natural makeup and we bonded by telling each other our life experiences. I feel I made a friend that day and I look forward to working with her more and sharing it with you.



If you would like to find out more about Sarah's foundation and how you can help, check out http://www.bumpefund.org.


A Princess Found: An American Family, an African Chiefdom, and the Daughter Who Connected Them All

The look...
I wanted to enhance Sarah's natural beauty with warm, natural tones of caramel, taupe, nude, and bronze. I knew exactly what products I wanted to use and I found everything I needed with one of my favorite lines - 3 Custom Color Specialists. Easy, blendable colors with shades and textures for any skin tone. I first prepped Sarah's skin with an eye cream and moisturizer, then dabbed a creme highlighter to the top of her cheekbones, center of her nose, and the inner part of the eye close to the tearduct. Then mixing a few shades from the concealer palette, I blended a shade to match her skin tone and deluded it with a touch of moisturizer for a sheer coverage. I used no powder. On her cheeks I dabbed on a bit of creme cheek color to the upper apples of the cheek and for Sarah's natural smoky eye, I blended a brownish cheek color with a concealer brush and dabbed a touch of bronze highlighter to the center of her eyelids. I then lined the inside of her eye with a dark brown eye pencil. Then curled and coated her lashes with black mascara. I topped off with a sheer golden beige lipstick and lip gloss and blotted for a subtle shine.



http://www.threecustom.com

"Glowy Khloe" in Dior for Maxim's Hot 100 Party!

As a celebrity makeup artist, it is my job to bring you the latest and the greatest of products, tips, and trends. My friends at Dior sent me some beautiful palettes to play with and when Khloe Kardashian asked me to glam her up for Maxim's Hot 100 Party, it was a perfect opportunity to give her a dramatic eye and radiant glow. The talented Clyde Haygood gave her sexy straight hair and her younger sister Kylie was my trusted makeup assistant, dusting a bronzing shimmer powder all over Khloe's body. Kylie also had several outfit changes while we did Khloe's makeup and that kept us entertained. I hope you've enjoyed the two completely different looks I've created with Khloe this week.

The look...
I blended liquid foundation a few shades warmer than Khloe's natural skin tone to give her a sun-kissed, healthy glow. I then dusted the bronzing powder into her cheeks, along her jawline, and across her forehead. I blended a sunny peach blush across her cheeks, chest, and shoulders for extra radiance. For the eyes, I blended a creme shimmery black eye shadow just to her upper lid. Then lined her upper eyelid with liquid eye liner, curled and coated her lashes with black mascara, and drew a very thin Black line below her bottom lashes, and a lined the inside with a soft white eyeliner to open and brighten Khloe's eye's. I wanted this look to be sensual and dramatic not over done.For the lips, I applied a sheer gold lip gloss that came in the bronzing Dior kit,"loved"the shimmery gold glosss with my sexy smokey eye. After I finished the look, I shot a few pictures of Khloe around her parents beautiful new home. Khloe looked amazing on the red carpet. She looked sexy, glowing and can you believe that body? Amazing!! So if you like this look, you better put a comment on it!! I want to hear what you think. xoxo Tj

I am the new official spokesperson for Q-tips!

Be sure to check out my blog often for tips on how to incorporate Q-Tips into your beauty regime. I am proud to be part of the Q-Tips family.

"Known for his remarkably star-studded roster of celebrity clients as well as an intense passion for illuminating the beauty in every face he touches, Troy Jensen is an example of a makeup artist at the top of his game in Hollywood. Find out his makeup tips and tricks for on-the-go touch-ups!" - http://www.qtips.com

Dolce Gabbana Glam on Khloe Kardashian

Sexy kitten Khloe Kardashian is my latest muse as I glammed her up to host this year's summer concert extravaganza Wango Tango. The summer fest has every hot pop act performing - Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, and Lady Gaga. I wanted Khloe to look glamorous yet fresh and sexy with a summery glow. I used soft browns on Khloe's eyes and a natural nudes and peaches for cheeks and lips. One of my favorite designers has designed an amazing color collection that I couldn't wait to create with - Dolce & Gabbana. I love the chic gold packaging and the color collection has everything you need to create a look you'd find on the runway or red carpet. This line is truly a gem. Here's what I used on Khloe that gave her this season's hottest "natural glamorous" look. I call it a "natural beat"! I love the campaign with beauty Scarlett Johansson. I can't wait to create some other looks with this extraordinary line.