Fall Trend 2010: It's A Lipstick Love Affair Part 2

Fall has been my favourite season for lipsticks. My lip glosses have taken a back seat thanks to the many lipstick options. One of my favourite lip launches of the season has been Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense. With 50 shades to choose from and 3 different finishes (matte, pearl, and satin), it's a lipstick junkie's dream!

Want to know what red suits your skin tone the best? Give the colour wheel a whirl and see what red you are based on your skin tone and your hair colour. You can find this handy wheel at Sephora locations. I chose #3 and #48 before I received the colour wheel but both still work for my skin tone!

Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick #48 Satin Blackcurrant - Like all of Make Up For Ever's products, the lipstick does not lack in pigment. The satin collection has a rich, smooth finish with intense colour payoff. Blackcurrant is a gorgeous shade that looks more like black cherry than blackcurrant but definitely still a perfect shade for Fall. 

Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick #3 Matte Caramel - The matte lipsticks apply effortlessly with no tugging or pulling at the skin. Again, the pigment is a full rich colour. Although it is matte, it does not dry out the lips. However, if you have chronically dry lips the lipstick will accentuate chapped skin and fine lines. Always prep the lips and remove dead skin prior to application for smooth looking lips. Caramel is great neutral for Fall and compliments the season's sparkling smokey eyes.

If you're a lipstick lover, you'll be sure to find a favourite (or 2 or 3) from this collection. And if you're a makeup artist, these lipsticks are a kit must-have.

Have you tried Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick retails for $19 USD and is available at Sephora locations across North America and Sears in Canada.

Products were sent for editorial consideration. 

Halloween Beauty Treats From Make Up For Ever!

Look who's giving out treats this Halloween! Make Up For Ever! If you're need of some last minute Halloween ideas or are makeup challenged, Make Up For Ever has designed a kit full of makeup essentials, face charts, and application steps to help create your choice of a Genie, Kitten or Fairy. 

This box of makeup tricks and treats includes: 

• 1 Aqua Cream to highlight your eyes and cheeks
• 1 Aqua Eyes Eye Liner to define or smudge
• 1 Glitter for sparkle and dimension
• 1 Faux Lashes for extra drama

Available at Sephora locations and retails for $42 USD and $46 CAD.

www.makeupforever.com

Halloween Looks: Which Trick Will You Be?

Scrambling for last minute Halloween looks? Check out my post on PTPA Media - these costumes aren't the most original but I can guarantee they will be popular this year! If you aren't feeling very creative, these Halloween looks are a sure thing! 

To view the post click here. Enjoy!

What will you be this Halloween? Are you girly or ghouly?

Beauty Review: Your Eyes Are Covered With CoverFX EyePrep FX!

The eyes reveal everything. They aren't just the windows to your soul. Your eyes reveal how late you were up the night before and whether it's time for some Botox. And when it comes to your makeup, it's a daily struggle figuring out how to make your morning eyeshadow look as fabulous at the end of the day.

All your eye woes have been answered! A few months ago I attended the blogger launch of CoverFX's newest star, EyePrep FX. Like its other face primers, this eye primer is a hit! This multi-tasking eye primer not only preps your skin for foundation, concealer, and eye shadow but it is also an eye cream that has anti-aging properties and is free of parabens. Those with oily lids will especially love the fact that it is silicone-free so your shadow won't budge all day. Use day and night as your eye cream and if you want to reap all the anti-aging benefits, don't layer with your traditional eye cream.

Top: Without EyePrep FX

Bottom: With EyePrep FX

Ever since I received this, I've been using it on myself and all my brides. I love that it cuts the amount of product I have to use. My bride is getting the nourishment of an eye cream all the while keeping her shadow smear/tear proof. As you can see from the swatch, the primer really enhances the pigment of the shadow making it more vibrant and rich and this shadow on its own is pretty pigmented. Once the primer is on the lid, the shadow just glides on and stays put all day.

For an eye cream/primer that does it all, paying $43 CAD doesn't seem so bad especially compared to department store eye creams. On a job, one of the makeup artists asked the model, who happens to be a skin specialist at Murale, what eye cream she recommends. Thinking she would suggest a really expensive brand, she pulled out a sample size of CoverFx EyePrep from her purse. I almost squealed and we blabbered about how much we love it! 

As for the pump feature, I find a lot of beauty brands are going this route. If you're not careful, it can sometimes dispense too much product. The trick is to pump it using small, quick pumps. This way you don't end up having to waste a glob of product. 

Have you tried CoverFX EyePrep FX? Well you should - your eyes will thank you!

www.coverfx.com

Fall Trend 2010: It's A Lipstick Love Affair Part 1

How sexy is this shot? It's a little naughty, a little suggestive, and makes me want to get with this lipstick.

Before I get into my review of YSL's Rouge Pur Couture lipsticks, I just want to share a few of the campaign shots. I love receiving their press releases because it's so well presented. The images are all worthy to hang on my wall!

Who doesn't love lipstick art?

If you love anything YSL then these haute lipsticks designed by YSL Creative Director, Stefano Pilati, are a makeup must-have! I've always found the gold packaging of YSL's beauty line to be symbol of luxury and decadence. The three YSL emblematic colours - red, fuchsia, and orange - have been reinterpreted to offer a shade range for every skin tone. If you're wondering what the black and white lipsticks are for, Noir Laque is used to darken any lip shade and the Blanc is used to lighten. Talk about custom shades! My YSL lipsticks are popular among my brides - I may have to pick up a few more or the entire line!

The formula much like the line's other popular lipsticks are very hydrating and offer a rich and radiant finish to the lips. Of all their lipsticks, Rouge Pur is probably the most long-lasting. It's not as slippery as their other lipsticks.

Tip: If you apply your lip balm and then the lipstick directly after, the lipstick will move around making for a messy application. The lipsticks are so creamy that if the lips are too wet, it will start to bleed and feather. Either apply your lip balm at the same time you apply your primer or apply the lipstick first then dab some lip balm after to the center of the lips. For precise application, it's always recommended to use a lip brush (who am I kidding? I don't even do that on myself!). 

1. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #17 Rose Dahlia ($30 USD): Rose Dahlia is the bottom swatch and is the sheerest of the lipsticks I received. This appears more coral-pink on me and doesn't really remind me of a rose shade but it is lovely against my skin tone. This would be a perfect spring-summer lippie - just picture bronzey skin and this lip. Gorgeous! 

2. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #7 Le Fuchsia ($30 USD): When I'm not doing a bold red lip, you'll most likely see my lips in a bright fuchsia. What can I say? My little girl obsession with pink has followed me into womanhood! I lurve this shade. During the day, I'll press it into my lips with my finger and wear as a stain. It's still striking but not so day-glo-I-need-my-shades sort of thing. As soon as the moon is out, I layer this puppy on! I wore this out for Nuit Blanche and it held up through 4 hours of walking and sipping on hot chocolates.

3. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #14 Rouge Feu ($30 USD): In the tube, this lipstick looks like a classic blue-based red. But on my skin tone, it looks more like a tomato red. I don't feel comfortable with this shade unless I'm really tan as I tend to go for deeper reds. This would be a beauty on women with an olive skin tone. 

4. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick #8 Belle De Rose ($30 USD): I love that this red has a more berry undertone than plum. It's a stunner. I have a lot of deep reds that look more burgundy and Belle De Rose is exactly what I've been looking for. In person, it's much deeper and richer than the swatch. I don't need much makeup with this shade. It instantly perks you up. Just add a neutral shadow, a little colour on the cheeks and this lip and I'm ready for a night out. For the day, dab into the lips as a stain.

Have you tried Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick from YSL? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? Stay tuned for more lipstick features!

www.yslbeautyus.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration.

M.A.C. for Ashley Rowe Spring 2011

 

M.A.C. for Ashley Rowe Spring 2011

Photo Credit: Jenna Wakani

I am so in love with this look. I love me a bright bold lip with flawless skin and minimal makeup. M.A.C. Senior Artist, Melissa Gibson, is the genius behind the Spring look for Ashley Rowe. The show was last night and sadly I missed it. Doesn't the look make you excited for Spring?

To compliment the tie-dyed clothing of Ashley Rowe, Melissa drew focus to the lips layering three products:  M·A·C Chromagraphic Pencil in Processed Magenta, M·A·C Lipmix in Fuchsia, and M·A·C Pro Neon Pigment in Red Electric. The face was kept matte in order to emphasize the lips. The lashes were coated with M·A·C Zoomlash Mascara and the cheeks were slightly contoured with Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural (love this powder!).

What do you think of the look? Did you see the show? 

www.maccosmetics.com

www.ashleyrowe.com

Fall Must-Have: Little Black Liquid Liner

Love this look! Louis Vuitton 2007

Liquid liner has been lingering for a few seasons and this Fall is no different. From plum, to navy, to classic black liquid liner is the way to make a beauty statement. Just like an LBD, liquid liner can be worn so many ways. Wing it out, keep it subtle, or make it dramatic with a sexy kitty-cat eye.

Liquid liner is one of those beauty products most women shy away from. I get it - liquid liner can be intimidating and not the easiest beauty product to use. As a beauty expert, I think every woman should own a LBLL. All it takes to go from girl-next-door to drop-dead-glamourous is all in the swipe of a line. But not all LBLL's are created equal. I tested out 3 that are hot on the market - see which one came out on top!

1. L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Explosion Waterproof Eyeliner ($9 + CDN): This liner has a lot of good and a lot of bad going for it.

The good: The slanted felt-tip brush allows for ease of application. I found it really easy to achieve a thin or thick line. It didn't smear or smudge on me and is the cheaper of the 3 liners.

The bad: When you first apply, the formula is way too runny and wet. Even after shaking the bottle, it was still too runny. At the same time, the liner also dried fairly quickly causing a lot of gaps and making it difficult to work the line across the eye. I found this especially annoying when using on my clients. Even though it was smear-proof, I found if you rubbed your eye it would rub off. I believe this has to do with the shiny plastic-like finish. Taking off the liner was a mess because it came off much like a tube mascara.

2. Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Liner ($32 USD): There's a lot that I love about this liner!

The good: The packaging is chic and shaped like a marker. My grip was comfortable and the felt-tip liner made it really easy to line the eye and wing out. The brush is more on the firm side but that's usually how I like it. Less chance of making a mistake - at least for me that is. The moisturizing formula dries much like a marker does and really "hugs" the lash line. I also love the matte finish. I wore it while working a 17 hour day on-set and it didn't smear or move all day. Bonus: it's formulated without Sulfates, Synthetics, Phthlates! 

The bad: The price! $32 USD is a lot of money to spend on a liner when there are cheaper ones that are better or comparable. Once this runs out, I'm not sure I'll be dishing out money to purchase it!

3. Benefit Magic Ink Liquid Liner ($20 USD): I have to admit, I had low expectations for this liner. My experience with Benefit mascaras and the waterproof pencil liner have been a smeary-mess. I've also never been a fan of liquid liners with a thin brush, but the results left me pleasantly surprised!

The good: You want jet-black? Then look no further. The black is really black. The finish is the perfect balance between shiny and matte and it has some serious staying-power. It does not budge at all! Don't be fooled by this tiny little brush. I thought it would be flimsy but it is firm with some flexibility. I can get really close to the lash line and build the line to my desired thickness without it moving all over the place. It dried pretty quickly but allowed enough time to work it across the lash line. The price is also pretty reasonable and a good compromise between the L'Oreal and Hourglass liners. And as always, it comes with a mini-tutorial on how to line your eyes using the "jimmy-jimmy-dot" method. Say it aloud and make a dot every time you say "dot". Dot for natural looking volume or connect the dots for a sleek line.

The bad: Nothing really but I find with most liners that have a similar brush it's hard not to get the formula on the lashes. My lashes end up sticking together and I have to clean them off right away before applying my mascara to avoid a clumpy mess. Otherwise, I pretty much love it! 

Tip: The best way to achieve a smooth line and symmetrical shape is to sweep the brush across using short strokes. I don't know about you but my hand can get shaky so using a short stroke helps. Another great trick is to create a guideline using an angled brush and a black powder shadow. This way you can avoid mistakes and wing out your liner that much easier.

Have you tried these liners? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Products were sent for editorial consideration.

Beauty News: The Shopping Channel Features CARGO Cosmetics October 7!

Calling all CARGO Cosmetic junkies! Tune in to The Shopping Channel tomorrow October 7 at 11 am, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 10 pm to get your shop on. I'll be working behind the scenes with Annesley and CARGO's National makeup artist, Renee Ryan, who I am uber excited to meet! Happy shopping! 

www.cargocosmetics.com
www.theshoppingchannel.com

Beauty News: Benefit's Annual Beautiful Brow Event!

Are your brows going through a hairy situation? Benefit would like to cordially invite you to their first annual Beautiful Brow Event happening exclusively at Holt Renfrew locations across Canada on October 15 - 17! 

The first 100 to book an appointment will receive a free lip gloss. To top it off, spend $50 worth of Benefit products and you will receive a Benefit Beauty Gift (may include a brow service)! View poster below for more details. 

Click poster to enlarge

http://www.benefitcosmetics.com

Fall Trend 2010: Zoya Cheryl

The colour brown can sometimes get a bad rap for being "boring". Zoya's Cheryl ($7 USD) from the Fall Wicked collection is anything but! I instantly fell in love with this rich, jeweled, smokey brown. It's a shade I definitely don't have in my nail polish stash. I love the mix of brown, copper and gold shimmer. It's one of the decadent shades just perfect for Fall!

Taken the morning after application. Without the flash, the shade is deeper and more rich.

Have you tried Zoya Cheryl? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

www.zoya.com

Makeup 101: Flirty Plum Eyes With Bride-to-Be Erica!

I love that we're going into the second week of October and bridal season is still going strong! Meet Erica, one of my gorgeous brides-to-be! She's a natural beauty with lovely green eyes and long lushes lashes. I instantly wanted to play up her green eyes so we decided to go with a neutral base and plum accents in the crease. Plum, being one of the big trends for Fall, is a perfect palette for this November bride! (Quick shout-out to Naomi for inspiring me to do this post! Thank you!)

Here are the star products: 

Skin: 

Cargo blu_ray High Definition Mattifier Primer (t-zone)

Make Up For Ever HD Primer (rest of face)

Face Atelier Ultra Pro Foundation #2/#3 mixed (all over and under eyes)

YSL Touche Eclat #1 (under eyes)

Make Up For Ever HD Powder

Bailey Cosmetics Foundation Duo in Tan (contour)

Eyes:

CoverFX EyePrep FX

Bobbi Brown Caviar Eye Shadow (brows)

M.A.C. Vanilla and White Frost (brow bone)

the fake lashes were not glued on for the trial which explains why it is falling off the left eye!

1. NARS Rajasthan Duo Eye Shadow ($32 USD):  I love this duo. For this look I only used this metallic almond shade as her lid colour. I also applied this on the lower lash line. Even though we were using plum shades, we still wanted the overall look to be fairly neutral. I have used the metallic almond colour on just about every skin tone and every result is beautiful. I will definitely do another feature using both the shades because the navy-grey is a sexy alternative for a black smokey eye. 

2. M.A.C. Sketch Shadow ($17.50) Sketch is an oldie but a goodie! This burgundy-plum shadow with red shimmer is deep and gives the eye a real sultriness to it. I added this shade in the outer crease to middle of the lid and over top of UD 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Crush. This shade was also applied on the lower lash line.

3. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Crush ($17 USD): I've had a love affair with these eye pencils for a few years. This is actually from last Fall's collection. Crush is a deep plum with teeny silver glitter. I love using cream bases like an eye pencil to bring out the hue of a powder shadow. Plus, it helps enhance the staying power of a powder shadow. Thankfully the glitter does not fall off onto the skin and gives the hint of sparkle appropriate for a grown woman. I also used UD's Zero black liner to line the top lash line. She didn't want a heavy line so I smudged it into her lash line and dipped an angled brush in black shadow to help lock it in. 

L'Oreal Black Mascara (bride's own)

4. Quo #803 Lashes Shopper's Drug Mart Brand ($7.99): I adore Quo lashes. I do not love the glue but their line of fake lashes has never disappointed me. There are a variety of styles to choose from and all are made with 100% natural human hair. One of my favourite styles from the line is the #803. The hair is longest at the center and shorter on the sides which makes the eyes really pop. The feathery quality also gives it a flirty quality and looks very natural against her own lashes. Erica already has long lashes but these falsies just enhanced them even more. Tip: I don't always like to add an obvious line with liquid liner to hide the band. Since she doesn't want the liner to look thick, I will use a flat synthetic brush dipped in black liquid liner and smudge it right onto the band of the fake lashes.

Cheeks:

5. Benefit PosieTint Cheek and Lip Stain ($28 USD): Another beauty crush. When it first came out I tried it on in the store and wasn't too impressed. A month ago, one of my bride's asked me to use it on her underneath a powder blush. I fell in love! I finally decided to pick one up and can't get enough of it. I love cheek and lip stains especially since I wear minimal makeup for everyday. I love it on its own or layered underneath a pink or coral-pink blush which is what I did with Erica. It's creamier than the original, Benetint, and gives a true girly flush. On my skin tone, I need about 2 layers on my cheeks and 3 layers on my lips but once it's on it stays on. I applied this first then dusted a translucent powder to set it.

NARS Douceur Blush (dusted over top of PosieTint)

M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (cheekbones)

Lips:

M.A.C. Dervish Lip Liner (all over)

Beaute Cosmetics Luminous Volume Gloss in Paramour

6. YSL Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick SPF 15 in Stellar Pink ($34 USD): This bride is a gloss junkie but I think I've made a lipstick convert out of her! Stellar Pink is a soft pink-beige from the Fall collection and is a shade that is "your-lips-but-better". This luxurious, creamy lipstick is packed with pigment but the glossy finish keeps your lips ultra moisturized. It's not a long-lasting lipstick but if you don't mind reapplying you'll love how it just cushions your lips!

What do you think of Erica's bridal look? Have you tried any of these products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Most products with the exception of Benetint PosieTint, Quo #803, and M.A.C. Sketch Eye Shadow were sent for editorial consideration.

Fall Trend 2010: Zoya Kelly

Meet the new black. Kelly is a deep grey shade with undertones of purple and blue. Sometimes a straight black shade can seem boring and and a little harsh against some skin tones. If you're in a gothic mood but don't want to go halloween-black, Kelly is a nice alternative. Although, I didn't love it or hate it against my skin tone. It was just alright for me. However, on fair-skinned beauties it would be lovely!

Taken on Day 3 with some minor chipping. This was taken with flash. Without flash it's a lot darker.

Have you tried Zoya Kelly from the Fall Wonderful collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

www.artofbeauty.com