Trigger warning: discussion about miscarriage between 0-4 minutes, skip if you feel this subject may be sensitive or upsetting to hear.
Awesome conversation, part 1 with Christina. Part 2 will be out next week
hit me up @choosandfashiondoos
Trigger warning: discussion about miscarriage between 0-4 minutes, skip if you feel this subject may be sensitive or upsetting to hear.
Awesome conversation, part 1 with Christina. Part 2 will be out next week
hit me up @choosandfashiondoos
Hey, welcome to this week's episode of real beauty with FD. I am currently staying in my husband's closet while I am. Recording this intro the night before we are leaving for Kalahari. For a couple of days, which I'm so damn excited about, but I'm not pack needless to say, I'm not as organized as I really want to be at this moment in But it's all good team. We will make it. So we have family in town, which has been awesome. Um, so it's definitely been a jam packed couple of days, and we always love this. When people come out and visit us. Um, especially for our daughter, she just craves this type of family attention. So definitely feel very fortunate. Um, Definitely has been a rough couple of weeks. Um, I will be covering this in a kind of future podcast because I really want to bring. An expert on to be able to have a really kind of educate discussion. Um, but unfortunately I did suffer my second miscarriage a couple of days ago, which socks? Um, it's been. Definitely unfortunate. It's been back to back. Um, this is my second miscarriage in like four months. So. All this. When you go through something like this, you realize how much. We don't talk about the subject. Um, and it's awkward, right? Like why would you normally just text your girlfriend and be like, Hey, I have sad news. Um, But I'm really trying to learn to kind of open up a little bit more and. Um, you know, kind of have these types of discussions that so many people don't. And it's definitely a kind of lonely. Process. When you think, you know, the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. You typically keep it quiet.'cause you always kind of have that fear. Something might happen. You don't want to get too excited. Um, but those, you know, couple of months feels like forever. So, um, it's definitely taken a toll on my body. Um, but I always feel like. Some things are just not meant to be. And this was my way of my body saying to me, This, this is not the right time. So anyway, I'm addressing this right now. Because I'm sure some people listening have either been through Um, or they happen. And. You know, I just want to say that it's okay. It's not your It's not my fault. Um, Again, it's just your kind of body's way. And it's just not the right time. But hang in there. I definitely. Feel in reflection, obviously it's only been a couple of days, but, um, and you all know by now, I really try and kind of practice that gratitude on a daily basis. And although some days it's much harder to do But certainly I think I'm so lucky. With my family, but my friends. You know, the fact that I have an amazing four and a half year old. And just every day. Just brings so much light into my life. Plus you have a puppy. So puppy training continues. We have mastered. Sitting. And she gave me her POL this morning, but I think it might've been by accident. But I just feel so fortunate. Um, And, you know, things can always be worse, but I think in times like this, you just have to appreciate what you have and just think the future will look different. But anyway. That's a P a downer. On the situation that. Y'all know. I really try and kind of speak. As openly as I can about certain subjects. And my experiences. This is not a subject we speak openly about and it says Women should feel. Ashamed this, something like this. This happened. Um, and I don't. And I'm trying not to. So anyway. Without further ado. I am going to pass this conversation on to Christina. Fernandez who is an incredible woman, and I hope you enjoy this. Discussion. This is part one. So as per usual, you will find part two next week. Anyway, thank you for sticking with me. And, um, we'll toxin. Dang.
francene:How's it going?
christina:Good. How are you?
francene:Oh, love your lipstick. That is
christina:fabulous. Thank you
francene:I love it. So where are you calling in
christina:from? So I am located in Brooklyn, New York. Um, I'm in Bushwick in a very artsy now artsy area. Um, so we are located inside a very artsy building. Um, it's actually a music building where a lot of artists come in. And actually do a lot of music in here. Um, but, and we're on the third level, which is a little more quieter.
francene:Okay. Nice. Oh my gosh. I'm always so jealous when I speak to anyone that's based even like, I know Brooklyn's just over the bridge from New York, but I'm obsessed with New York. Cause
christina:I'm so jealous. it is. It's not as the best. As far as, um, uh, living wise, it's not as great, but yes, it's a great place.
francene:Yes. I always say to people I really wanna live in New York, but I also need to be a multimillionaire. I need a massive penthouse. I need to have heaps of money. So I mean, reality, I, it would never work out for me in New York. I don't earn enough.
christina:yeah. How long have you lived there? So I've lived here since I was actually born here. And I, um, I went to Connecticut for about 10 years to live with my dad and my stepmom. And then I came back when I was like 15, 16. I came back and I've been here ever since. Nice.
francene:Welcome to real beauty. Welcome to beauty with FD, a place where we discuss what beauty means to. Whether it's a product that sells out every second around the world, or it's a cult classic to discussing body positivity, to building incredible brands. We're here to find your little black dress in skincare, makeup, and more importantly, promoting happiness within your own skin and owning it. Each episode, I'm bringing in a new personality to discuss all things, beauty and touch on their inspiring stories. So this week I am joined by Christina Fernandez, who is the owner of all in one beauty. So we're gonna go into this. But you own a training studio with lash, brow makeup, hair, education classes, as well as a line Naline beauty,, with products ranging from rosewater, which by the way, I love rose war. So can wait to discuss this to concealer foundation, lips and so much more. So the way I kick off every podcast episode is what does
christina:BT mean to you? Beauty means to me, more of enhancing your beauty, not changing it. So that's kind of like my model here at my beauty studio, where it comes to eyebrows. I like to enhance what everyone has when it comes to eyebrow shaping whether whatever treatment I do. I really love to enhance what they have because they can't believe when I do enhance it, how drastic it really changes instead of actually changing the whole shape and same thing for, you know, the only thing that's actually, um, colorful is probably my makeup, like the, the lips and, you know, it's probably the only thing, um, that's colorful, but every, all my products are really to enhance the, um, features in your face that you have. Oh,
francene:I love this so much. Um, I'm honestly, I've been looking forward to this, um, conversation so much, especially for what you just said. Um, so let me ask what came first. Was it the makeup side of things? Did you start off with browse? Was it hair? How, how did you get into this and what was the kinda first service?
christina:So the first service was just was makeup. I've been a makeup for 20 years. Started at 18. Um, and I also, makeup was always my side job. So my full-time job was always dentistry. Oh, wow. Yeah. So I've always been, uh, an assistant, a receptionist and my last position. Um, my last few positions in dentistry, I was running, um, an entire practice. Oh, wow. Um, so always a side job. It started off makeup, started off with me doing music videos, short films, um, photo shoots. Um, and then I landed in Nu. and I think that's where I really loved to stay at. I felt like I didn't fit anywhere else. Um, being a young mom, I wasn't a lot of the stuff that you do when you sit on the set of a music video, you have to sit around a lot. Um, and it takes all day, same thing with short films and the same goes with, um, photo shoots. You have to do a lot of, you know, just a way, just a long time, um, to be on set. And I. Uh, bridal really worked out for me. Um, it was something I did on the weekend. I was in for five, maybe four or five hours out the door. That's
francene:awesome. Um, maybe a random question, but going from like music videos and shoots to bridal. I might be wrong in thinking this, but do you find that there's more pressure for bridal knowing it's like, you know, their day, but at the same time, I can imagine it's, there's more benefit. Cause it's their big day and you get to be a part
christina:of that. Um, so the bridals actually planned out very carefully. Yeah. From I'm very specific. When I do the brides, I go from, what are you wearing? What are your colors? Mm-hmm You know, what are you changing? Are you spray print, tanning yourself? Are you changing your hair? Color brides, go through drastic changes from their boss to what they're wearing to the colors. So it takes planning. So I'm much more comfortable doing a bride cause I know exactly what I'm going into. Yeah. Compared to someone used to call me for a music video, photo shoot, short film. I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I don't. Budget changes from the moment you walk through the door to maybe you've been sitting around till six o'clock and they tell you that you're getting something and then the budget changes, or you may have to stay longer. So it didn't work out for me because that was something that I did not have time to do. yeah.
francene:And I can imagine, like, to your point, like it's hard, like not to have the consistency of being like, okay, I'm gonna come in and I'm gonna work this for a day, but sitting around and. Kinda waiting to be called to kinda help. Um, I don't know, I, I find change really difficult, so I'm more like I like to be planned out. I like to know what's happening, so then I can prepare myself.
christina:Yes, me too. Me too. That's what I like. And I also used to work with, um, when I did a lot of. I would work with the hairstylist. So I knew the hairstyle. Um, sometimes I would work with different people in their parties. So we were coming in as a team and we knew, we knew who was doing hair first, who was doing makeup first, how we're switching. So it was really
francene:nice. That's awesome. Um, and then. So going to lashes and browse, and I know you have a training studio and I always think it's amazing when you have someone in the industry that's willing to kind of give back and really kinda teach your expertise to other people. Um, but I know for me, I got my brows micro bladed. Maybe three years ago, and it was such a game changer. I was like, why did I, why did I do this before? And it was such a subtle change, but it was more the shape, the consistency of the shape for me to be able to kind of maintain it. And, you know, mm-hmm to keep it going. And I tat my brows, like every eight weeks myself. Um, But knowing that you specialize in this, do you think sometimes people underestimate what a great brow will do to like their face?
christina:Yeah. So I've had a lot of people. Cry. Yeah, because they couldn't believe what they look like. Some people are very drastic changes. Some people, um, you know, have went through something trash, you know, dramatic in their life. Maybe they're a cancer survivor. Um, some people have just been drawing in their eyebrows for their entire life. Yeah. So changing, looking for something more natural is a life changing for them. Um, and some people don't have to, some people are just looking for convenience. Yes.
francene:And it's also, I feel like the last couple of years, it's so much more fashionable to have like big brows, like compared to when I was growing up. I love Christina ALA. And even when my mom was growing up, like brows were very thin, they were over clocked. Um, so I, I kinda appreciate this more, kinda natural. Like we want them bushy, but I'm trying to get my head around them. Oh, what's a new trend. It's like, Lamination. Is it lamination?
christina:Yes. So it's, it's called brow. Yes.
francene:Yes. Brow. Tell me more about that.
christina:I'm I mean, your eyebrows still look great if you haven't done them in three years. Um, so brow lamination is not for everybody. So brow lamination gives you that lifted look where you're pretty much combining the eyebrow hair up. It's meant to give you a look where they appear to be fuller, but they only could be fuller. And even if you also tint them, tinting is, is only 10 thing is only, um, Temporary mm-hmm so you constantly have to tend them to keep up with the look for some people, eyebrow lamination looks amazing on them because they just have the format of the eyebrows to be lifted up and for it to stay like that. And some people like the crazy bushy look and they don't do anything to them. So eyebrow amination I think it's good. I feel like it's not for everyone though. and usually when people do come in or they do, or I do see that they actually book online. I ask them, Hey, do you know what it entails? Um, you know, that it, you know, we have to pretty much test it out and see if it fits you and see maybe the whole technique or the whole format of lifting it up. We don't have to use it on the whole eyebrow so we can use it on half the eyebrow and this, you can still get the same look, the purpose of it. it replaces like a wax. I know a lot of people are doing waxes yeah. For their eyebrows and it keeps the hair in place. So the lamination also, you don't have to get that crazy lifted. Look, you can also get that nice wax look where it creates the eyebrows, make them flat some parts of the eyebrows straight up. So it doesn't move. And every morning you don't have to calm them. You just color them or do what you do with them. I feel
francene:like we're always kind of searching for that. Um, The convenience. Right? Mm-hmm like, we wanna just wake up and go. So microblading, like lamination spray, tan, like whatever we can do just to wake up and have less, less stuff to do in our bodies. I mean, for me, I'm all for it. Like anything for an easier
christina:life. Yes, absolutely.
francene:So I guess, um, when you're looking at makeup and then you're taking into consideration, um, the browse. When you focus on someone's makeup. So say if I'm, you know, looking okay. I work in corporate. So in the mornings I've limited time, mainly because I have a four year old. So I'm constantly trying to battle with her to get ready for. Going to school or going to daycare. Um, is there any kinda areas of your face or makeup products that you are like, this is a must, like every day, this's a must. If you just do your brows or you at mascara, like what would you kind of recommend for the kinda everyday, um,
christina:girl? So I'm also a mom of a five year old girl, which. I also have a boy, who's now a teenager, but I felt like getting ready in the morning, literally drags with these girls. They're so slow. so I, I think the most go to, and they're just slow. They're whiny. They, yeah, they're very sensitive in the morning. Yeah. So from me, nice way of painting it. so for me, I throw on concealer moisturizer. Concealer and make sure my eyebrows look good. Um, lip. And for me, that's my everyday look, if, um, I feel like putting on a little browser. Um, so what I actually have, I use my own brand, which is a concealer to foundation stick. And I focus on more of my under eyes because that's where I, you know, I feel like they're a little dark. I throw on lipstick. I make sure my eyebrows are done and I don't even put on mascara. Sometimes. I just, you know, I would love to have, you know, to have the right mascara. Um, but sometimes I just don't feel like putting on lashes or just putting on mascara. And as long as I feel like your eyebrows are done and a little lipstick and concealer, I think you're ready to go
francene:oh yeah, for sure. Anything just to make you look like you're more awake yes. Um, so on that, is there any kinda pre um, Products that you would use before you start putting on makeup. So you have rose water and I know you have other products. I love rose bar. So tell me all about
christina:it. So rose water. Is actually also a setting spray for makeup. So rose water, you can use a set of a primer. You can use it before, after your moisturizer, you spray your face. You can just go throw on some lipstick and go, or you can also use that as you're prepping so you can use the rose water. After your moisturizer and start putting on your foundation. If it's depending on the look that you're going for, it is a little wet, but once you're, if you're applying your foundation, it just blends right in, put more rose water after the foundation, finish your look and spray more rose water at the end. And it is perfect for a setting spray. Oh,
francene:that's awesome. I did not know that. Um,
christina:and then for, but also use primer. So you would use the primer before the rosewater. Ah,
francene:do you know, I'm so bad at using primer. I've also never used the sang spray. Um, so I'm definitely gonna try rose war for sure. Um,
christina:yes, if you're, if you're looking just for one thing. Yeah. I think setting spray or rose water, it'd be perfect. Okay,
francene:great. I will definitely take that advice. And when it comes to concealer and foundation, what are your tips for application? Do you use a sponge, a brush? Do you use your fingers? Like what do you think has the best
christina:result? I, I I've been going, I go back and forth. Um, right now what I'm using is a beauty blender. Yeah. Um, so. Pretty or I use, I do, I am the old school finger girl where I do use my finger. Um, but I think if, um, Basically, I've gone through the period where I was using a brush. Um, but I think the best, what I find more better for me right now that I'm using is the sponge, the beauty, blender, beauty, blending sponges. I think it for a concealer, it works great. It blends right in and you can just go, um, that's, that's what I find best. And I don't use heavy foundation, um, on an everyday basis. I, I do use like a stick where I just. Coloring my imperfections, if I have any, um, for that, you know, for that day or that week and then pretty much just focusing on clearing up my dark circles with the stick.
francene:Yeah. And my skin's really bad, especially, um, You know, kind of monthly, I will get like one or two massive pimples that I swear to God, nothing will cover them up. Um, but I also have like a lot of red, red pigments. So I always feel in the morning, it's always my under eye. And then I will kind of. Fill in areas, but I'm the same, like, I don't love wearing foundation or feeling anything heavy on my face, but at the same time I want the coverage, you know, I want, yeah. I want my skin to be clear.
christina:yeah, definitely not. I think with you, definitely not something heavy every day. Maybe just a liquid to foundation stick would do the job, especially if you're doing it every day.
francene:Yes. And, you know, that's, and I dunno how you kind of felt from like a business standpoint, going through the last couple of years of COVID. Um, but for me, and my full time job is working in a corporate office. It was such a nice break from doing my hair from doing my makeup. Like, honestly, my skin has never looked better and now we're like, I go into the office every single day and I'm like, God, sometimes my skin looks so du and I do a lot of face masks. Like I really look after my skin, but I'm like, God, it's so much better when you wear nothing. Yeah. And then you fall into the routine of like, oh, I feel like I have to, you know,
christina:I know I was going through. So before I actually came up with my skincare and makeup line, the first products that I did come up with was skincare. Yeah. And before that I stopped buying, uh, products in the store. I actually started going onto Pinterest and Googling natural mask to do at home. Yeah. With. Flower, whatever I can find just for whatever issue I was having at the time for my face acne scarring was big for me, dry skin, flaky skin. Then when I did come up with my skincare line, everything in my skincare line was vitamins or natural products. Mm-hmm
francene:And is there, what would you recommend, um, in your skincare routine for? Um, so I'll. Take myself as an example, I have like combination skin, um, mainly cuz I live in Texas. So I grew up in Scotland and my skin was very flaky, very dry and moving to Texas where it's so hot and humid. I feel like it's my skin's got a lot better, but then it's so oily sometimes. Like I really struggle with like my T-zone.
christina:Um, so I mean, what we, I like simple skincare. I hate. Five to six different things that you have to do for skincare. Yeah. So what I, I use a lot of my own products and I do have a, uh, face wash that has vitamin C and vitamin E and it's for all skin types. And I've noticed by co being consistent with it. You do. I started to see like my acne scarring going down my face, feeling more, um, moisturized and a lot of women who do have oily of combination skin have been using it as well. they've had good, really good results. Um, also what's also, you could be using for all types of skin is also a H ironic acid serum. Yeah, which absorbs into the skin. It could be used as a moisturizer.
francene:Yeah. I really need to, um, add that. I'm do, you know, I'm good with skincare, but I'm also sometimes inconsistent that when I run out of something, I will then try something else and I don't typically replace it with that same ingredient. So then, I mean, honestly, that's actually probably why, like my. I I see sometimes it looks amazing and other times I'm like, God, are you OK? Skin?
christina:hyaluronic acid is huge on a lot of products. Even in lip care, they're putting H acid because it it's for so many things. It's for a lines and wrinkles. It's for moisture it's for a lot of different. Yeah.
francene:Okay. I will definitely look into that. Cause I think that's the one ingredient I don't have in any of my skincare right now. Um, so I will definitely follow up, um, How did you get into the teaching side of things? Was that always something you were passionate about on always the plan? Um,
christina:I loved teaching. I just never knew that I was really good at it. Um, I always loved teaching, but I never wanted to teach in a school. like education, educational academic courses, but I love teaching something that I love to do. And the reason why I got into teaching is because I started to notice. People that were getting into becoming trainers were charging so much money and not teaching everything and leaving a lot of things out. Also, they were teaching only half of the technique, knowing that new techniques have come out and they weren't targeting it, but charging for a whole other. Yeah. Um, to learn that technique. So all my classes, I teach all techniques and all my classes, and whenever there's something new, it doesn't have to be the next year. If it comes out in two weeks, I'm going to te learn it and teach it to my class.
francene:That's awesome. Um, yeah, that's so good. I'm I feel like that's. So much of what people don't do to your point, they will kinda hide things away and then kind of take advantage of oh, great. Now I know. And I'm willing to share this with you, so pay for more. Um, right. So what are you seeing as the kinda key trends coming up for, um, specifically makeup? Cause I feel like it involves. All the time from baking from contouring, we mentioned the lamination of your brows. I feel like I can't keep up and I research quite a lot.
christina:yeah. So makeup, I think for spring, for spring makeup is more of a mentality. Um, more of, um, what is it called? Um, Holographic look. Yeah. Um, they're doing that very shiny, you know, lip glosses in now. Um, now that we're starting to slow down on wearing masks, a lot of people are starting to wear the lip gloss. Now, um, bright colors are gonna still be in, but more nudes. Um, nude. It's like a mixture. I think more, more nudes for this, this spring and summer, but more, a lot more glasses. I've been seeing a lot more glasses, a lot of glitter and glam.
francene:Yeah. I'm honestly, I'm all about this. Especially after wearing a mask, I feel like the minute we kinda step back from wear masks a lot here. I've never worn so much lipstick than I have in the last, like five months and bought so much lipstick. I missed it so much.
christina:Yeah. We always in the store and we always grab a lipstick, right?
francene:Yes. Oh my and the same, like anything glitter shimmer. I'm all for it. Um, so what has been well
christina:also in the, in the lash business color is in, so I've been seeing a lot of requests for color lashes or a little bit of color in their lashes. Yeah.
francene:Only gosh, but wait, like their real
christina:lashes are like, no, just some extensions with extensions when they request extensions. Yeah. So you're gonna see a lot of color in their eyes because they're always, they're requesting glitter and they're requesting colored lash.
francene:Oh, I can definitely jump on board with this trend. So knowing that you've brought up, um, lash extensions, this has been one space that I have really wanted to try, but I'm fearful that it will ruin my natural lashes. So tell me, um, how kind are they to your eyes? Like, would you recommend them, like, are there best ways of like. Doing proper maintenance if you have eyelash
christina:extensions. Yes. So, um, a lot of people think that you lose your lash, your natural lashes, and it's a total myth. Yeah. What happens is. We lose two to three lashes a day 21 lashes a week 43 lashes every two weeks, um, 63 lashes every three weeks. But we don't, if we don't have lash extensions on, we don't even notice we're losing that many because we're rubbing our eyes. We're sleeping. Yeah. They're falling off and all, you know, throughout the day now, when we actually attach. Hair onto each and, or, you know, self-made fans to make the volume. We're attaching them to every single hair. So we each, so each of us have between 90 to 125 hairs on their eye, on our eyes. And we're lash artists are to adhesive. Um, Lash extensions to create volume looks. And what they do is if you are due to shed, we also go through a 30 to 60 day shedding cycle, which that's when people have their lash extensions on. For four to six weeks straight and doing their touchups not taking breaks. They are. That's when pretty much you start to hear, Ugh, I need to take a break because I feel like I'm losing my lashes. You're not losing your lashes. You're actually just going through a 30 to 60 day shedding cycle. And that's where people think they actually losing their lashes. Oh, my
francene:gosh. I did not know that at all. No one has ever been able to explain, um, that to me, that's, that's really helpful. So if, um, so say if I went and got, um, you know, lash extensions tomorrow, Is like, do you think there should be a natural break or like some of my girlfriends they've had last extensions for years without taking, you know, them out. Mm-hmm um, do you think there should be a natural? Okay. After like six months, like take like a month break or have that
christina:consistency there's there's an alternative. There's a lash. Alternative where you always should take a, you know, you should take a break because I think not everybody properly cleans them. They're to be cleaned every day with lash shampoo. Um, it's a specific shampoo for lashes. Sure. No one does that.
francene:Or majority people don't
christina:majority of them, don't they tell you that they lay there and they tell you that they do. But what happens is they cannot. See what I see from a different angle. Yeah. And they don't see that, you know, where they may be cleaning their face in the front, but they don't know that they're not actually cleaning in between the lashes. Yeah. Um, so that's when, you know, when they do come in for their touchups, that's when it could, they could be probably costing them more to fill them more because we would have to clean the old ones out or the ones that are affected by possibly even eyeliner that they don't clean. They say they do
francene:oh God. I can only imagine the amount of people that go to sleep with their makeup on from the night before.