We all have products in our makeup bags that have seemingly met their demise.

Whether it’s a broken pan of eyeshadow that transfers powder literally everywhere, or an almost empty tube of lipstick that scrapes your lips as you apply, what can be done to salvage them?

Question: What is the difference between bronzer and contour?

We all see things every day that tell us how to do something that is easy. But then we try it and it is not easy at all! That got me thinking about an easy get together for the summer. Not just easy for me (after all I am an event planner) but truly easy to see friends and hang out. I remembered something my husband, Sal, and I did back 10 years ago. I think it is time to bring it back. We called “Fridays Nights on the Deck!”

Question: What makeup products can I use to look fresh and glowy at the beach with minimal effort?

I love a monochromatic makeup look, especially for Valentine’s Day. It’s super flattering and simple to create, and works perfectly with Valentine’s iconic color – pink! All you really need for your eyeshadow, blush and lip color is one versatile product that can be used for all three areas and it really gives the face the most gorgeous, cohesive look.

As an Event Planner who has my office in my home, my dining room table is pretty much covered in boxes for 8 months out of the year. But, for the holidays, I clear it off and try to get festive!

“Should I change up my makeup routine for summer? If so, how?”

One of the toughest things about any party (wedding, mitzvah, etc.) is managing the guest list. Who you invite is just as important as what the room looks like, what you serve and all the other things you will painstakingly worry about.

Anyone else feel like it has been winter for a year? I am more than ready to stop wondering what will happen or if you can have your party or whether it is going to rain or snow or some other catastrophe. I am not minimizing the troubles in the world including the pandemic (my father almost died, so it was REAL for me), kids feeling down because they couldn’t hang with friends (who knew kids would WANT to go to school!), war in the Ukraine (I literally cannot watch the news without sobbing) or watching people try to pick up the pieces of their lives as natural disasters burned or blew their homes away, but I am sick of waiting. We need joy and joy comes from within and each other. People, color, joy and laughter…I call that a Party!

I’m Lindsey Trop, a makeup artist local to Fairfield, and I’m extremely excited to be a part of the In a Fairfield Minute community. I’ve been a practicing makeup artist for 15 years, and I began this journey to help clients feel like their most beautiful selves. I take tremendous pride in doing so, and I hope to be able to do the same for you.

In my line of work, I see all kinds of things…people celebrating (sometimes a little too much), people loving (sometimes making us cry), people misbehaving (sometimes shockingly so) and people sharing (sometimes more than I expect). But in the end, I am there to listen, understand and create the best day for you. I work with some clients for over a year and with the pandemic I am going on 2+ years with some! I really get to know them, and in earning their trust, they tell me things, show me who they are and we become friends.

I think it is safe to say that I am in the Love Business. I do a lot of weddings, but even bar/bat mitzvahs or celebrations are about someone loving someone. I watch people commit to each other and tell the world how much they love a person, and it makes me cry almost all the time, even after nearly 20 years.

It’s a new year and we all want to start out with a different mindset. We are going to eat better, drink less, exercise and stay off our phones…yeah right. All those things sound hard and that’s why by about January 15th, we have abandoned all of them. I am a simple girl who tries to keep things easy.

Very exciting! For the first time in two years, you have been invited to a Party. It could be for work, at a friend’s, for your kid’s school, whatever. The problem is that you have no idea what the invitation says to wear. I swear people make it up and expect guests to know what to wear. The good news? I can help. As an event planner for almost 20 years, I have tried to get hosts to make it simple and keep it easy, but often I need to translate attire for guests.