EDUCATION AT CAMERA READY

Our February Top Picks are in, and they include a beautiful assortment of products for everyday use! To view past years' favorites, you can always view past Staff Top Picks blogs or our curated collections of 2022 and 2021 favs. To learn more about what we've been loving this month (and why) keep reading! If you prefer to view all of our products in one place, visit our collection of 2023 Top Picks! Chelsie's Top Picks I've been highly anticipating the Sonia Roselli launch, and one of the first items I picked out was the Water Elixir Skin Prep! I've been using it for a few weeks now and I'm already SO in love with it! It's so lightweight and soothing, calms inflammation quickly, and absorbs into my skin almost instantly. I love that it doubles as a serum AND moisturizer. It adds some much needed hydration and helps to build up my skin barrier (check out our Sonia Roselli Live, if you haven't already!). My skin feels so soft, plump, and dewy after using it, and I've noticed a considerable improvement in my skin texture. It's the perfect product to use before makeup, as it gives my skin a lovely, glowing base! I can't wait to use it on my clients and models! I absolutely LOVE the Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner - it's quickly become one of my go-to products! When I'm having an especially dry day (pretty much every day lately), I quickly spritz some of this on to get an instant boost of moisture. I love that it contains hyaluronic acid, my favorite ingredient, to provide continuous hydration, but what really makes this toner stand out is that it also protects and primes your skin with antioxidants and refreshing ingredients (thank you CoQ10 and Chamomile). Plus, it's a super-fine mist so it doesn't interfere with my makeup! Overall, this toner is perfect for keeping your skin hydrated, refreshed and protected throughout the day! August's Top Picks I am totally obsessed with Danessa Myricks' Vision Flush! As a no-makeup makeup fanatic, this is the perfect product to add some color onto your face. I'm personally in love with shade Ballet Slippers and use it as blush whenever I can along with a pop on my eyes. It is super soft, creamy, and incredibly pigmented. A few taps covers everything I need. I also love love love the Dose of Colors Velvet Mousse Lipsticks. They have a range of gorgeous deep colors (my fav is Spicy) that are highly pigmented and a super soft non-drying formula. These are my go to for date night and will last through it all while still being super comfortable on your lips! Holly's Top Picks I am slowly transitioning my makeup routine to all cream products and the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Blush has become my newest obsession! Every shade is so beautiful and flattering. It's so easy to blend and dries down very nicely - I don't even need to set it with a powder blush. I love wearing them when I do a very natural makeup look to keep my face looking fresh and radiant! My second pick for the month is one I've been wanting to buy for a while and am so glad I caved! I never felt like I needed to invest in a nice makeup light to do my skincare and makeup until I came across the Glamcor RIKI Skinny LED Vanity Mirror. It truly has changed my morning and night routine! It is so nice to sit down in the morning in front of great lighting to do my skincare/makeup while sipping on my morning coffee! Talk about self care! It is also super easy to travel with considering the size. I am IN LOVE with this light. Calvin's Top Picks I know a great lipstick formula when I see one, and the new Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Nudes are amazing. Longwear, highly pigmented, a beautiful and line smoothing soft matte finish, super lightweight on the lips, AND a nude for all skin tones? This revolutionary formula is the answer to lip color. Swipe, Swipe, Go!!! Since skin prep is an essential step of my job as a makeup artist, I had to name the Rituel de Fille Thorn Milk Hydrating Skin Mist as my second top pick (one of my coworkers selected it last month, but it's just that good that it needs to be name a top pick again)! I have extremely dry skin, so I like to test products on myself to see how they'll perform on clients with similar skin types, and knowing how the product performs all day is also the best way to elevate your artistry. Great makeup artists will know how the products will look all day/night long. This makes my feel hydrated, healthy and relaxed. I use it on clients right before all other skin prep just to give that layer of hydration to the skin so that it's not soaking up all the other products.   Liz's Top Picks Even though I've curated the best skincare routine (thanks to having the best brands to choose from at work!), there are times my skin doesn't like to behave. It has texture and some spots that are prone to being oily while others want to be bone dry. When Sonia Roselli told me about her Water Oil Skin Prep, I was intrigued, but I have to say that it's really one of a kind. It's lightweight and locks in hydration. My skin is left with less texture and feels balanced. Plus, it makes my life on the go easier and helps me look flawless when I wear makeup. Hands down a must-have for my every day essentials. Apparently, I am on an oil kick right now, and R+Co's Mirror Smoothing Oil has made a huge difference in my hair. I have long, fine, wavy hair with bleached ends and oily roots. I have been trying to find the perfect thing to make my hair dazzle even though it needs a trip to the salon ASAP. I have found some really amazing products, but I ALWAYS have issues with my ends getting dry and frizzy within a day of a fresh wash. I started using R+Co's Mirror Smoothing Oil about a month ago, and it has changed my game. I use it on my ends when my hair is wet, and I also touch up with it when it's dry. Since I started using it, I haven't felt like my ends are dry. If they start to feel like they need a drink, I grab more oil and give it some love. It's lightweight, so it doesn't weigh down my hair at any point and my hair is glossier than ever. I started using it on my daughter's hair and have seen a huge difference in how healthy her hair looks. I don't know if I can ever live without it now. Morgan's Top Picks I love products that help me get ready and out the door in minimal time, so Sydney Grace's Cream Shadows have been my go to! They come in a variety of gorgeous shades that suit any look from subtle to bold! It is true that they are smudge proof, but they will easily wash off with a cleanser! Theylast the entire day without creasing or moving. Unlike some other cream shadows, you have some time to work with before it dries to ensure you're happy with the look, and a little goes a long way. Warm Glow is my favorite color. It's definiely a must-try for cream shadow lovers. My second favorite this month is Grande Cosmetics Lash Serum. Lash serum is an excellent way to repair lash damage caused by mascara, extensions, and false lashes. Grande Cosmetics has the best serum on the market right now. You have to be consistent in order to see the results of thicker and more lashes, but it is well worth it! Jess's Top Picks If you’re a naturally wavy/curly girl - I HIGHLY suggest this Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray! I like to do the *bare minimum* when it comes to styling my hair. After a shower, I towel dry, add some leave-in and curl product, then braid my hair when damp overnight. When I wake up, I take the braid out, run my fingers through the waves, and spritz on a generous amount of this spray to maintain the curl and de-frizz! It LOOKS like it took hours to style, but really minimal effort! A win/win in my book. If you, like me, are a chapstick babe - you should try RMS Beauty's Tinted Daily Lip Balm! It looks and feels luxurious without that sticky and drying feel of lipstick (iykyk). With a hint of color, it’s subtle yet natural looking while FEELING amazing. Feeling Inspired? Ready to experience the products we can't get enough of? Click here to start exploring or top picks or click below to discover more great products. To learn more about our top picks from 2022, click here. Want to create your perfect makeup, hair care, or skincare routine? Our team of Beauty Advisors are here to help! Click here to send them a message! EXPLORE HAIR CARE EXPLORE SKINCARE EXPLORE SKINCARE TOOLS About Camera Ready Cosmetics Camera Ready Cosmetics was founded in 2003 by Makeup Artist Mary Erickson. She dreamed of having a pro makeup showroom where artists could play with professional products without the typical makeup store attitude. Today, our team of beauty industry veterans work together to curate the best quality products on the market. We partner with brands who respect the industry and formulate products for true working artists. You won’t find CRC in high-end malls, and we don't wear matching brush belts. If you want to play with products for a few hours and buy nothing, that's okay ... come in and play! Our store is your playground. 

At Camera Ready, we take pride in offering the best products in the industry and have incredibly high standards for the makeup, tools, skincare, and hair care we have within our own collections. That's why we are sharing our top picks to get Camera Ready! Enjoy learning more about our July Top Picks that you can save big on during our Summer Sale! Chelsie's Top Picks I'm at the age where I want to start using skincare that helps prevent accelerated aging, however, my skin does not mix well with any high concentration of acids, much less unbuffered retinols (which scares me a bit, honestly). However, I tried the KOVO Bakuchiol Serum11 Alternative Retinol, thinking it was more of a hydrating facial oil and I loved the way it felt light-weight on the skin and locked in all my hydration! Knowing that the Kakuchiols helps stimulate collagen renewal and smooth my skin without being irritating is a PLUS! In actuality, the CBD actually soothes and reduces inflammation! This lovely facial oil suits all my needs and more! Being in my depotting era, I have struggled to find a suitable method to store my disposables and lashes. Getting a medium sized tackle box is too big and bulky to travel with and takes about 30% of my kit size (not fun!). After watching @rachel.luskhmua 's Reels & TikToks, I found I could easily cut up the lash packaging and store up to 20+ pairs in the Vueset Taxi! With the different sections, I can organize them by style as well. No need for me to dig through tons of pairs, to find the right style. Mini mascara wands, cotton swabs, lip wands, tweezers, etc. are able to fit snugly, and having them in a closed container helps to reduce any contamination. Standing upright, each container takes about 1 inch of space, a total game-changer! Maria's Top Picks I know I've sung the praises of the Jouer Powder Highlighters before, but now that I've got a bit of a summer glow going on, I wanted to find a highlighter that enhanced my slightly deeper summer complexion. I had always heard about the Illamasqua Highlighters (OMG was all the rage on social media for years!), and I finally tried Epic, and I am kicking myself for not trying this formula earlier! Epic is that perfect slightly golden/tan/champagne shade that I could see working perfectly on skin tones ranging from light/medium to the richest and deepest complexions. It is super smooth, finely milled, and gives that coveted lit from within glow. It works perfectly as a glowy bronzer that evens out my skin tone. I have no doubt I'll be putting a serious dent into this pillowy highlighter before the summer months are over! My eye shape (heavily hooded monolids) has always prevented me from wearing amazing shimmery shades like the Pat McGrath VR shades in the larger Mothership palettes, so I always watched in envy as others wore those incredibly flashy, duochrome and trio chrome sparkly shades. However, thanks to Karla Cosmetics (and her Fix Potion), I can now wear multidimensional, uber shimmery looks without worrying about eye irritation or fallout. I love tapping a tiny bit onto the center of my lid for a glittery halo eye! Holly's Top Picks This Texas heat has been brutal this summer and Don't Sweat It has kept my makeup locked in place! I do like a dewy look and this setting spray doesn't take any hydration from my face. This product locks my makeup in place keeping it looking exactly like it did when I applied it. The Beyond Powder Highlighter has sparked my highlighter obsession. I have never tried such a natural yet blinding highlighter EVER! I have been getting so many complimets from people saying that I look so "naturally dewy" and it is all thanks to this product! Calvin's Top Picks From the makeup enthusiast to the seasoned Pro, we all know makeup always looks better with the right tools. The My Pro Selects Makeup Brush Set Volume 2 is a hand-picked collection of brushes designed by a true, working artist. These brushes make your makeup application flawless without even trying hard. This set comes with 9, well throughout brushes that take you from basic to full glam. Want your heart to beat a little faster? OK! I got you covered. Summer is here and the big trend this summer is blush. No one is serving up pigment, color, and payoff quite like the Blush HD Rose-Coral palette from Viseart. This 6 pan palette will not disappoint. Pro Tip: Try them all as eye shadow. The pigment is insane. Liz's Top Picks R+Co Television Shampoo & Conditioner is the magical duo changed my life. I have such a hard time finding the right shampoo and conditioner. My hair is long and fine(though I have a lot of it). I also highlight it regularly so sometimes it needs extra love in the damage department. Most products are either not moisturizing enough or they weigh down my fine hair too much. I was hesitant that these would do anything for me, but when I tried them, I fell in love. They do not weigh down my hair and leave my hair looking hydrated, smooth, and healthy. They literally give me perfect hair. Some of my friends with different hair types(including curly and thick) have had the same experience, and I am always amazed that these two work so well for so many hair types. Hands down a staple in my shower. I am always on the hunt for the perfect blush, and when Laura Mercier launched these, I knew I had to try them. One of our Beauty Advisors, Calvin, kept asking me if I had tried them yet when they came in, and when I told him no, he told me I NEEDED to asap. Well, I finally did......and now I am OBSESSED with it. A little goes a long way as this is packed with a lot more pigment than I thought. Plus, it stayed on all day! Even some of my other long wearing blushes do not stay on as long as this did. It is currently my primary blush, and I am debating on investing in more colors as they have such a range. If it can stand up to this crazy Texas heat(it's been over 105 several days already), then it can stand up to anything. Morgan's Top Picks Cozzete Vinylise is a product to look into if you want an eyeliner that lasts for a long time without smudging. I would even describe it as water-resistant! It does not budge from my eyes and I have to take extra steps when taking it off. The liner is smooth and pigmented, one swipe and you are good to go! I've said this before and I'll say it again; I adore a good matt eye shadow look. Perhaps it's just me, but it enhances a look and is ageless. When achieving this, Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix does an excellent job. It's quick, easy to blend, and the best part, a little goes a long way. Jess's Top Picks This is a staple product in my hair-care routine. R+Co Cool Wind PH Perfect Air Dry Crème is filled with frizz-fighting goodness, and the most heavenly scent - It’s not going anywhere anytime soon! It’s meant to be used for air-drying, but I use it even if I’m blowing my hair out to give it a soft hold. Hey parents - do you have kids with forever tangled hair? Same. This product has saved a lot of toddler battles in my house, and I will forever be grateful to R+Co for Pinstripe! 🙏 Morgan's Top Picks These sheet masks are gentle on my sensitive skin and leave my dry skin feeling nourished. The green tea extract and CBD oil work together to help reduce inflammation in my rosy skin. I love putting them into the fridge for 30 minutes before I use one for an extra cooling sensation. They are just what I reach for when I am looking for a self-care treat and the fresh scent sends me right into relaxation mode. The Laura Mercier Caviar Stick has been my go-to eyeshadow for July! The creamy formula allows me to easily blend or smudge them out without pulling on my eyelids or creasing after a few hours of wear. I pop Vanilla Kiss, a neutral light beige, all over my eyelid, and Pearl, a white pearl shimmer shade, right in the corner of my eye to complete my minimal summer look. Marcelina's Top Picks In the pursuit of a downsized kit, multitaskers are everything! The Viseart Grande Pro 1X Eyeshadow Palette gives me everything I need and more. With a wide range of neutral and bold shades, I can create limitless eye looks, fill and sculpt brows, and even sculpt for beauty looks or hollow out for an SFX look! It's a must have in my kit. I recently had to replace my set bag and was unsure of what to use in its place. Enter this ABSOLUTE GAME CHANGER! The Beauty Boss Backpack has enough room to carry my skin prep, eyes, complexion, hair tools, and brushes. The flat PVC carryall bags are interchangeable which makes for easy swapping from beauty to SFX to theatrical to face and body painting! To top it off, its backpack straps are padded and take the strain off my shoulders. I can't speak highly enough of this bag! Feeling Inspired? Ready to experience the products we can't get enough of? Click here to start exploring or top picks or click below to discover more great products. To learn more about our top picks from 2021, click here. Want to create your perfect makeup, hair care, or skincare routine? Our team of Beauty Advisors are here to help! Click here to send them a message! EXPLORE HAIR CARE EXPLORE SKINCARE EXPLORE SKINCARE TOOLS About Camera Ready Cosmetics Camera Ready Cosmetics was founded in 2003 by Makeup Artist Mary Erickson. She dreamed of having a pro makeup showroom where artists could play with professional products without the typical makeup store attitude. Today, our team of beauty industry veterans work together to curate the best quality products on the market. We partner with brands who respect the industry and formulate products for true working artists. You won’t find CRC in high-end malls, and we don't wear matching brush belts. If you want to play with products for a few hours and buy nothing, that's okay ... come in and play! Our store is your playground.