Bridal Beauty Fix: The Joy of Makeup

If you're getting married in the Toronto/GTA area this year and are still looking for a Toronto/GTA bridal makeup artist check out The Joy of Makeup to view my services, rates, contact info and portfolio. For any brides getting married I also have some great beauty tips, Joy Approved beauty product reviews, and some hair and makeup inspirations! Visit the official blog to read up on the latest posts: 

Joy Approved: M.A.C. White Frost Eye Shadow

Joy Approved: Embryolisse 24 Hour Miracle Cream

The Romantic

Prince William & Kate Middleton: Wedding of the Decade!

Bridal Beauty Trends 2011

Beauty Review: Nubar Marabout Nail Polish

Spring is calling my name, but my nails are still clinging to Fall & Winter's deep moody shades. Have you heard of Nubar Nail Lacquers? If not, then you must! I had heard about this brand through other beauty blogs and I can't believe I've waited this long to try it. I'm really impressed with the quality of these polishes!

Nubar's creator, Noubar Abrahamian, set out to design a line of polishes that were free of formaldehyde, toluene, and phthlate after dealing with cancer within in his own family. They are PETA approved, Certified Vegan and Cruelty Free. 

Nubar Marabout ($10.50 CAD): This takes neutral to a whole new level. In person, this polish looks like a deep brown-taupe and is definitely a perfect shade for Fall or anytime you feel like doing a neutral with a kick. I have a wide nail bed so the wide brush applies 3 perfect strokes. This is a creamy polish and applies evenly, never streaky.

I'm really impressed by how long-wearing it is. My hands go through hell everyday - kids are messy lil' munchkins! The combination of the Foundation Base Coat, nail polish, and Diamont Seal & Shine Top Coat gives an unbelievable finish and doesn't crack or chip after a few days even with a lot of hand washing. 

The price is mid-range compared to high-end brands and definitely worth it. The brand has a lot of unique shades and textures to choose from!

Check out GetAllDolledUp.ca to view the entire line and to purchase! Stay tuned for more reviews!

Have you tried Nubar lacquers? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them.

Beauty Trends 2011: Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up with M.A.C. Spring trends!

I know, we've all said it - we're so over you Winter! Spring cannot come fast enough! Thankfully, the buzz of Spring beauty trends and sneak peeks of Spring makeup collections have been keeping me warm. Back in December, I was invited to the M.A.C. Master Class featuring Spring trends. What a great way to forget the cold even if just for a few hours! 

M.A.C. Senior Artist, Jane McKay (left), and M.A.C. Trainer, Ricky Boudreau (Right), taught us makeup artists and bloggers a thing or two about Spring trends straight from the runways. 

L-R: Pop-Classic, Terra-Copper, Ice Dream, Raw-Fined

Four major trends ruled the runways: 

• Pop-Classic: Classic Shapes, Uber Saturated Colour
• Ice-Dream: Pastel Shades, Avante-Garde Application
• Raw-Fined: Nude, Minimal Makeup, Contrasting Textures
• Terra-Copper: Modern Bronze, Precise Application

Pictured above, Jane is demonstrating the Pop-Classic look. I loved this look and loved the technique. I would never think of using a brown base (Fluidline) under a bright blue shadow like Freshwater. It gave the eyes beautiful depth. 

The look consisted of complimentary colours - blue on the eyes and orange lips. 

Jane winged out the shadow to the temples which gave this bold look an edgier finish. She used Typographic on the bottom lash line mixed with Freshwater shadow for more depth. She sculpted the cheekbones with Bronzer in Golden and brought it up to the temples. This would be perfect for a night out, but if having bold eyes and lips seems too much for you try lining the eyes with a vibrant blue liner with a glossy orange lip!

Ricky demonstrated the Terra-Copper trend which was equally as gorgeous. It's all about dewy skin in monochromatic shades of bronze. To give the skin a dewy sheen, Strobe Cream and Care Blends Essential Oil is a must. When I got home, I did a little happy dance when I found that I did have the Care Blends! Love using this at night - in the morning my skin is baby soft. 

To enhance the model's glow even more, Gold Setting Powder was used as well. A certain blogger went absolutely ga-ga over this powder (she goes by the name GlitterGeek). 

Spring and summer are looking bold! And although Raw-Fined seems innocent and natural, it's actually a bold trend for someone that can't leave the house without makeup. If you're someone that loves to play with colour then you will adore all the Spring launches this season! 

M.A.C. Fluidline in Siahi ($18 CAD): Excuse my dry hands! Grrr, winter! A coloured liner is a great way to transition into the bold brights of Spring! Siahi is from M.A.C.'s Mickey Contractor collection. This deep turquoise teal is a must this season and because the shade is deeper, it's perfect for a day look. Just sweep on a neutral shadow and line the eyes with this liner for a subtle pop of colour. I forgot how much I miss Fluidline! The gel formula just glides smoothly onto the eye. I also love using this as a shadow base. For a bold smokey eye, apply this shade all over the lid, line the eyes with a black liner, and add a few coats of mascara. 

M.A.C. Lipstick in Style Curve ($17.50 CAD): I've been on the bright pink lip bandwagon for a while now but one shade I'm starting to love are violets and purples on the lips. This swatch is of Style Curve which is from the Stylishly Yours collection. My review is a few launches too late, but it was this lipstick that got me loving violets on the lips. It is a bright clean violet that I love on my skin tone. Looking ahead to Spring, M.A.C. is launching a line of Sheen Supreme Lipsticks due out March 3rd and they have a purple pictured above that looks amazing called Quite The Thing! I'd say so!

What Spring trends and makeup collections are you looking forward to?

www.maccosmetics.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I really do love them.

Golden Globe Darlings

How many of you caught the red carpet coverage of the Golden Globes last night? How many of you actually watched the awards show? For most award shows, the only thing I look forward to is the red carpet coverage but since Ricky Gervais was hosting I just had to watch the whole show! Again ,he was hilarious with his unforgiving digs at the celebrities and was just true to himself through and through.

I think overall all the ladies looked beautiful with the exception of a few wacky styles (Helena Bonham Carter - gotta love her!). The colour trends of the night fell into the emerald greens and blush pinks. Did their stylists tell them these were the "it" colours of the moment? Last year it was all about bold lips and smokey eyes but this year makeup was really soft and pretty. Here are some of my favourite Golden Globe darlings of the night!

Photo Credit: Lancome & JustJared.com

Miss Mila Kunis has sure come a long way from her "That '70's Show" days. I really loved her in Black Swan and thought she did a phenomenal job embracing her character as a talented ballet dancer. I have to say, her and Angelina Jolie were tied for my top favourites of the night. I just fell in love with the emerald green and thought this colour and style of her Vera Wang dress just looked stunning on Mila. The makeup done by Tracey Levy for Lancome and hair was the right dose of glamour to let this dress shine through. 

 Photo Credit: JustJared.com

Whether you love her or are just plain over her, Angelina Jolie is always a stunner on the red carpet. She looks amazing in just about anything. I really loved her dress by Atelier Versace because it was a nice change from all the gowns. It was just effortless. The pronounced shoulders, low back, and the Swarovski crystals that encrusted her dress made it red carpet perfection. Her makeup - black smudgy liner and nude lips - was typical Ange and her hair? Meh. She still looked gorgeous but could have looked a bit more polished. 

 Photo Credit: Lancome & JustJared.com

Lea Michele looked young and radiant last night in the other popular colour - blushed pink. Her Oscar de la Renta dress was girly and feminine. She was one of the few starlets that didn't looked washed out in this shade of pink. I loved the softness of her hair and makeup and thought it went beautifully with her gown. Loved the flirty lashes and soft pink lips. Makeup done by Melanie Inglessis for Lancome. 

 

Photo Credit: JustJared.com

A cheating ex-husband ain't gonna hold Eva Longoria down! I've never really been a fan of Eva on the red carpet but being one of the few in a black gown, she looked gorgeous. She's a petite person and her Zac Posen dress hugged her in all the right places. I loved her elegant Bardot up do and her makeup was just lovely. I always find her smokey eyes, false lashes, and bronzer can be a little overboard but last night her eyes sparkled with minimal shadow and feathery lashes and her skin was glowing. 

 Photo Credit: JustJared.com

Natalie Portman is one of my all-time favourite actresses. I always thought she was an underrated actress so I was ecstatic when she won Best Actress for Black Swan! It was the role of a lifetime and her hard work definitely paid off. Her Lanvin dress wasn't necessarily a favourite of mine but she is a true winner in every form! I loved how the dress accentuated her baby bump and adored her rosy pink cheeks and lips. I thought the colours of the dress were too Valentine-esque for me, but she was the look of love. You could tell last night how excited she is to be a mother and how in love she is with her fiance (who was her dance partner in Black Swan). 

 Photo Credit: JustJared.com

Hot damn Halle! Can you believe she's 45??! I was kind of on the fence with this racy Nini Ricci design, but there's no denying that Halle looked sexy. It was definitely a favourite with the husband! As if she needs to remind us of how drop-dead gorgeous she is - like really. I'm glad she went back to her signature pixie cut. It just suits her and her striking features can carry it off. Her flawless skin, smokey eyes and nude lips finished off her racy look perfectly. 

 Photo Credit: JustJared.com

This dress could look all wrong if the breast size were any bigger than B cup! Wow, I've never seen January Jones in something so provocative. She is a fan of unique fashion pieces but this one was a shocker. Definitely another favourite of the husband! This red Versace number wouldn't be a dress I'd wear (maybe if I had the body for it!), but it looks phenomenal on her! The cut-outs and deep V accentuated all the right places. She was definitely the sex-kitten of the night. Even Ryan Seacrest said he was going to try really hard to look directly at her eyes! I'm getting a little over the Old Hollywood glamour look (I know shocker!) but her hair and makeup looked stunning. 

Photo Credit: JustJared.com

Are we over Megan Fox yet? Her Armani dress was pretty but what I loved more was her hair and makeup. I loved her flowing waves off to the side. As the face of Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, her baby blues just popped with her kohl rimmed eyes and her soft pink lips were so pretty and fresh. 

What did you think of the red carpet fashion and beauty looks at the Golden Globes? Who were your favourites? 

 

Beauty Review: Sensitive Skin? Eczema? Then You Need Diane Lai!

 

Has the cold winter weather left your skin feeling dry and itchy? Do you find every skincare product you try makes your sensitive skin irritated and blotchy? Or do you suffer from eczema? 

My son developed eczema at the age of one and ever since it's been a constant battle until now. I had tried avoiding topical steroid creams such as hydrocortisone but creams from Aveeno or Jergens Baby would irritate and burn his skin. When his skin started breaking and bleeding that's when I gave in and was prescribed Betaderm. After that, his skin started to heal but I hated the fact that I had to use a steroid cream on my lil' guy. He hadn't had much flare ups but once in a while when the weather was really dry I'd have to reach for the Betaderm. 

Enter Canadian brand, Diane Lai's, all-natural creams and lotions for sensitive skin. I was definitely skeptical because other all-natural creams I had tried on him still made his skin burn. Not anymore! It was Diane's child who has sensitive skin that inspired her to create this soothing collection. The products contain no Parabens, Phthalates, Formaldehyde, artificial fragrance, artificial colorants, Retinols, Sulfates, Petro Chemicals, or Oxybenzone.

Both Soothe and Rejuvenate contain active ingredients organic shea butter, kernel oil, cold-pressed grape seed oil a natural moisturizer rich in antioxidants.

Rejuvenate ($45 CAD): This is a daily moisturizer that helps maintain soft and healthy skin. Rejuvenate is a lipid replenishing body lotion to smooth, protect and restore the skins natural barriers to reduce dryness, irritation, and scratching. 

Can I tell you how excited I was when my son didn't complain about having irritated skin?? I use it all over from head to toe and ever since the first slather I haven't had to reach for his Betaderm! The overall texture of his skin is so much smoother. It never left a greasy finish and soaked quickly into the skin. The bottle is 100 ml and all done now but it lasted for about 2 months.Whaaa! Time to buy one!

Soothe ($34 CAD): Since my bottle of Rejuvenate is all gone, I've started using Soothe as my son's body/face lotion. This particular cream is used to soothe red, patchy, itchy flare ups. You can also use this cream to alleviate itchiness from mosquito bites and pain from sunburns. It comes in a smaller 30 ml bottle and probably would last longer if I wasn't using it daily on him as a body lotion. I'm kind of sad it's almost done but I know I'll be picking this one up as well! 

If you don't believe me, ask my son! If he can tell me I look more beautiful with makeup, he'll tell you these creams really work! And for all you prego mommies out there, this collection is also great for minimizing stretch marks and soothing itchiness from a growing belly!

The products are only available online www.dianelai.com. Hopefully stores will start carrying this line! And I hope both products will come in a bigger bottle! It may seem like a pricey lotion for your kids but aren't they worth it?? ;)

Have you tried Diane Laine's products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

Beauty News: Makeup Junkie Has A New Sister Site!

I'm excited to announce the new launch of my personal website, The Joy of Makeup! At the new Makeup Junkie sister site you will be able to view all my makeup work, services and rates, latest makeup jobs or events, and beauty tips. I also have a dedicated blog on the site which I will occasionally be updating with new work, makeup 101's, and beauty tips so be sure to visit!

I'm very excited about it - it's been a long time coming. Feel free to stop by and check out my work - I'd love to hear from you! Join my new FB page here and chat with me on Twitter here!

xo
Joy

Beauty Resolution 2011: A Bright and Daring Future Ahead!

When a new year begins, we’re encouraged to make a resolution. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sworn to eat better or exercise more often for my New Year’s resolution, and of course, broken it! This year I decided to take a different course of action. Why not try something fun this time around? My 2011 New Year’s resolution: be more daring and creative when it comes to beauty.

Dare to be Bright. 

Bright neon pink lips at DVF S/S 2011 - Style.com

I see bright colours on the horizon. Bright lip and eye colours are a really hot trend for 2011. My personal favourite so far has to be hot pink lips (Editor note: Me too! Bright pink lips all year round!)

Matte orange lips at Marni S/S 2011 - Style.com

If pink lips isn’t your cup of tea, why not try a fierce red or orange? Both shades look equally delish when paired with bronzed skin! 

 

Bright eyes at Dior S/S 2011 - Style.com

As for eyes, the smoky look is always great. However, if you are no stranger to the smoky eye, try playing with vibrant eye shadows like blue, pink or green. 

Dare to Reinvent yourself. 

 

Platinum blond fringe at Balmain S/S 2011 - Style.com

As for hair, try starting the New Year with a new cut or hair colour. This point I can personally attest to! In the first few days of January, I spontaneously chopped over four inches off my curly mane to drastically reinvent my look! I could’ve taken it a step further by adding some fringe bangs – which are also hot in 2011 – but I chickened out. However, there are still 11 and a half months left in 2011 so there’s hope yet!

Clipped hair at Carolina Herrara S/S 2011 - Style.com

Instead of throwing your hair back with a plain old hair elastic, why not clip your hair with a few chunky barrettes? Mixing textures together will add some interest to an otherwise easy hair style. Chunky wooden barrettes will go with the season's neutrals and boho flowy pieces. 

Sleek bun at Chloe S/S 2011 - Style.com

Can’t think of a new hair style to experiment with? Try pinning your hair into a bun worn either as a ballerina bun or lower at the nape of the neck. Easy breezy!

There are many trendy looks to choose from. Just remember not to mix too many trends together in one look! So whether you’re the kind of gal who loves to paint the town red, a professional, or anything in between, we’re all a blank canvas when we wake up in the morning. I challenge you all to be daring and creative in 2011, and turn over a new beauty leaf!  

What's your beauty resolution? What new look will you be daring enough to try? 

by Brooke

First Post of the New Year With A New Makeup Junkie Contributor!

Happy New Year! Yes, we're 10 days into the new year and I'll admit - I needed an extra week to recover from the busy yet blissful holiday. Plus, it didn't help that I was feeling a little under the weather but I'm back and looking forward to another year full of beauty! To kick off the first post of the New Year I'm excited to introduce a new Makeup Junkie contributor! 

Meet Brooke. She's a young, beautiful gal who will be bringing some fresh, new content to Makeup Junkie! She's the only one here that has some true journalism credentials. Her love of writing and classic beauty style is a Makeup Junkie fit! 

Brooke's beauty must-haves? 

Chi Flat Iron, A&G hair products like Liquid Varnish and Fastfood, Shwarzkopf Osis Dust it, and tons of Loreal Double Extend Mascara! Brooke’s friends and family say that her look just wouldn’t be the same without long black lashes.

No wonder she's got fab hair and gorgeously long lashes! Welcome Brooke! Stay tuned for her first post!