Cute Makeup Tips

Lancome is giving your lips something to love. If you aren't familiar with the beauty posing in the ad (how could you not know?), it's none other than the young, gorgeous actress from Harry Potter, Emma Watson. This once ingenue has turned into quite the beauty and fashion muse. It was a smart move by Lancome to use a younger spokesmodel to target younger women and make them lipstick addicts. 

I'm already a lipstick lover so it's not hard for me to fall madly in love with a lipstick. The Rouge In Love line is a selection of high pigmented, featherweight, lipsticks with at least 6 hours of wear. The collection is broken up into categories to suit your mood: 

  

I got to try Midnight Rose, a bold fuchsia rose. This lipstick falls into the "N" category. The lipsticks have a lot of pigment, but the texture is very light and airy. I wore this for my Christmas dinner (late review!) and it lasted fairly long - until dessert - with little fading. I'm not a huge fan of the rose scent, but I love the colour so I'm willing to wear it. It's not intoxicating and eventually fades. The silver metal packaging is pretty compact and just beautiful. 

I love the shade of course and opted for a fuchsia lip rather than the typical red for the holidays. This of course will be a popular shade for Spring. A bold shade looks better with neutral eye, black liner or no liner and lots of mascara. In this case, I'm wearing my falsies from Velour Lashes in "You Complete Me". I think for Spring/Summer I'll skip the black liquid liner and keep the eyes really clean with a bright lip. 

Here's a closer look of Midnight Rose. Isn't it pretty? To view swatches of the complete collection, visit Karla Sugar!

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick retails for $30 CAD and are sold at department stores all across North America. Have you tried the Rouge in Love collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

Could Natalie Portman be anymore stunning? I love that one of my favourite actresses is the spokesmodel for one of my favourite beauty brands!

Dior's New Look collection features new packaging, but the shades bring you back to Christian Dior's first runway show. It's a mix of the old and new and the results are beautiful! 

If you've never tried Dior's eye shadow quints you must. The colours are gorgeous and the finish is stunning. I only own 4 palettes, but I need more. From one palette, you can create multiple looks and mix with other shadows in your stash. 

Dior 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in Royal Khaki ($60 CAD): I love, love this palette. It's a neutral with a twist that can easily make a few different smokey eyes. Unfortunately, my camera is ka-putz right now so I can't post any swatches but you can view them on Escentual.com. There are 3 shimmery shades - khaki-gold, white, and silvery-grey. The black and khaki green in the middle have a semi-matte finish with a soft sheen. It's a great neutral to have in your kit because you can mix it with a lot of other shades. I've done a day look using just the gold or khaki green on the lids and lining and accenting with the black. I've also done a smokey eye using the gold and the silvery-grey with the black. Love it! It's such a versatile palette! Oh, and this is Natalie's favourite palette - enough said.

Dior 5 Couleurs Eye Shadow Palette in Bleu de Paris ($60 CAD): I love this palette based on the name alone. Mr. Dior's inspiration for this palette was the blue sky overlooking the beautiful city that he loved so much - Paris. This Makeup Junkie will soon be enjoying the same blue sky he once did - in a few weeks!!! EEEK! Beyond excited! Yes, you will be seeing posts dedicated to Paris coming up - the clothes, the makeup - oh what to bring! 

Alright, lets get back on track! I love the mix of smokey blue, navy blue, silvery-blue, and baby blue. If you want to get away from the typical smokey eye, try a deep navy one. Gorgeous! Blues really make the whites of the eyes pop and make brown eyes really stand out. To see swatches, visit Escentual.com. 

Palettes also available in Grege and Rose Porcelain. 

Diorshow New Look Mascara ($28.50 USD): To celebrate the cult classic mascara, Diorshow, Dior has come out with a newer version featuring a smaller brush. Dior started the fat mascara brush trend, but they've scaled it down to be able to coat each lash. New Look mascara also has Lash Multiplier TM serum treatment formula that thickens, separates, and extends the lashes. 

I was really hopeful that this mascara would be a new fave. Diorshow never worked for me and the brush was way to big for my eyes. I don't know if the formula was just too heavy, but it would weigh my lashes down and never held its curl. The waterproof version did the same thing and smudged like crazy. New Look didn't smudge on me, but again it didn't lift my lashes. It did make my lashes look thicker, but my lashes are stick straight and need more lift than volume. What I did love was the brush. It made coating each lash very easy. The pointed tip also made it easier to coat the bottom the lashes. Overall, not a must-have mascara for me, but if you're not lash challenged like I am you might love this! Also available in Brown and Blue. 

Have tried Dior's New Look collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

I'm really kicking myself that I'm just jumping on the Dior bandwagon now. I'm seriously falling hard for this luxurious line and it's scaring me how many things I want! Ahh! Wallet. Can't. Handle. 

The Spring collection has so many beautiful pieces to choose from. My last Dior post featured the gorgeous Milly Garden clutch. The other products from the collection are equally as amazing. I got to sample a couple products for Spring and I am in love! 

Dior Garden Pastels 5 Couleurs High Colour Eyeshadow Palette (LE, $60 CAD): Can I just say I am super impressed with Dior shadows. I recently had a chance to watch a fellow MUA work with Dior shadows on one of her clients and the results were stunning! There are so many palettes I want now from Dior. A lot of the shadows are shimmery, but in the majority of the Quints you will find matte shades to anchor the whole look. 

Garden Pastel has 5 iridescent shades that are meant to give you an easy breezy kind of spring look. I love all the rose details embossed in the shadows - beautiful design I almost don't want to use it! The texture is very soft and is highly pigmented. It looks even more amazing when used wet and lasts longer too. For an easy day look, you can combine two shades together for a wash of colour. Line the top inside waterline for subtle definition, add a couple of coats of black mascara and you're done. For night, mix the bolder shades with a smudgy black liner. 

All the shades compliment each other beautifully. Shades include: golden champagne, pale turquoise with silver shimmer, chartreuse green, shimmering turquoise, and lavender pink. This is a great shimmery palette of pastels that you can mix with other shadows in your stash. 

Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in Tulip Pink (LE, $36 CAD): When I first saw this shade out of the tube, it didn't excite me all too much. On my hand it swatched a lot darker than when it was applied on my lips. Tulip Pink is a medium-toned pink that gives you "my lips but better" look. On my lips, it applies like a soft rose-pink and is subtle enough to go with these bright spring pastel shades. It's also a really great bridal colour! Rouge Dior lipsticks glide on so smoothly giving the lips lots of colour and shine. They contain a new generation of plumping hyaluronic acid microspheres that give the lips natural fullness without a stinging sensation. These lipsticks along with the Dior Addicts have become a must-have! I need more! 

Have you tried Dior's Spring collection? 

www.dior.com 

In honour of World Mastercard Toronto Fashion Week happening next week, March 12 - 17, I thought I would feature some of Maybelline's newest products. In case you didn't hear, Maybelline is now the beauty sponsor for fashion week in Toronto! 2012 seems to be the year for major change. Although I won't be able to attend, I can't help but feel a new vibe and excitement in Toronto as we enter a new chapter for fashion week! One of my favourite makeup artists, Grace Lee, is also the new lead artist for Maybelline Canada and has created all the amazing beauty looks you will see on the runway. 

Check out some of new favourites from Maybelline. The brand has really transformed the formulations and packaging to rival some high end brands. 

1. Maybelline Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner: Hands down one of my all-time must-have liquid liners. Everyone needs to have a black liquid liner in their beauty stash. It's so versatile for day and night and can create a polished look without piling on tonnes of makeup. This liner has a firm felt tip and is ultra thin. It creates the most perfect line without skipping or tugging at the skin. I've always loved the technique of tight-lining the eye (lining the top inner waterline). It gives beautiful definition without a having to draw a heavy line. The thin pointed tip allows me to get right to the root of my lashes. Just dot with or use small strokes along the inner lash line until there are no gaps. I used to use a pencil but the liquid liner just enhances the eyes that much more plus this doesn't do the messy smudgy thing on my bottom lash line! Score! 

Photo Credit:  Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

I love me some Adele! She is everywhere right now and so is her 60's inspired cat eye. When doing this look remember to use short, small strokes. This will make lining the eyes easier and avoid a crooked mess. Also, a great tip Grace Lee said on City Line today - remember to lift the lid slightly to get right at the lash line. 

2. Maybelline EyeStudio Color Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Gel Shadow in Audacious Asphalt & Tough As Taupe: I've been playing around with these for the last few days and I'm really impressed with the results. I love cream gel shadows especially when they can double as an eyeliner or shadow base. The line includes 10 shades, mostly bold and bright. The finishes are also shimmery and metallic, but there are 2 shades that are matte. They apply very easy and blend beautifully. It also is packaged in a glass jar which makes it feel less cheap but it's not so kit friendly. The wear team claims 24 Hrs, but there's no way I'm going to wear this until the next day. It wore for a good 6-8 hours with no creasing or fading. 

There are a lot of fun punchy colours, but I really like Audacious Asphalt and Tough As Taupe for everyday or a smokey eye. Audacious Asphalt goes on like a taupey-grey with a silvery finish. I love mixing this with a smudgy black liner or dark grey/black shadows for a smokey eye. Tough as Taupe on me has a hint of purple and looks a little bruised on my eye if worn by itself. It works better when I mix with a chocolate brown or deep purple shadow. It would be great if Maybelline launches more neutral shades with less shimmer. 

3. Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush: "Dream" and "bouncy" are the perfect words to describe these blushes. It's a powder-gel blush with silicone elastomers. The blushes are light-weight like a powder but give the skin a beautiful flush like a cream blush. They last surprisingly long on the skin and don't fade or budge. They also have good pigmentation to them. 

Fresh Pink is a soft baby pink which gives the skin a delicate doll-like flush. Pink Frosting is one of the blushes I reach for often when I want to give my skin a perk-me-up. It's a brighter pink with slight shimmer. Coffee Cake is a neutral brown that can double as a bronzer for the cheeks. So on trend right now, Candy Coral is a tangerine-coral that really brightens and warms the skin. This is the other shade I reach for often. 

Have you tried Maybelline's newest products? Will you be attending World Mastercard Toronto Fashion Week? If so, can't wait to hear all about the beauty looks and of course the amazing fashion!

www.maybelline.ca

Spring is popping out some candy inspired shades! If you've got a sweet tooth, then you will adore these candy hues from YSL's latest collection for spring. Here's a little sampling of the collection.

1. YSL Voile De Blush in Carmine Veil (LE, $40 CAD): I love blush in any form especially when I can use my fingers. This water-based gel blush offers a sheer tint of colour and radiance. I was all over this when I first tried it, but was kind of disappointed by the performance. My skin typically eats up blush so  I either have to layer blushes for longer wear or use a blush that is highly pigmented. Carmine Veil is a sheer rosy red with coral undertones. I found I had to use a few layers for the shade to even show on my medium-dark skin. It does give your skin a dewy finish though. To call it a blush is a little misleading, but the word "veil" suits it more. If you love your blush to give you some colour I would pass on this, but if you really want a sheer kiss of colour then try it out. I would test this before buying as it is on the pricey side. 

2. YSL Rouge Volupte Perle in No. 115 Shimmering Coral & No. 116 Milky Pink (LE, $38 CAD): One of my favourite products from YSL has to be their lip products. The Volupte Perle's have a lovely creamy pearl finish. The lipsticks are highly pigmented, but do have a lot of slip to them so don't expect it to last for hours. I love how it looks like a gloss but feels like a hydrating lipstick. 

I find both shades very stunning mostly because of the pearly finish. Neither shades are different or trendy, but I'm really drawn to them. Milky Pink really is milky but the pearly gold flecks give it some warmth and make it more wearable. On me, it almost looks like a nude-pink shade. I have to balance it with blush though or else I will look a little washed out. This looks amazing paired with a deep violet smokey eye. Shimmering Coral is my favourite of the two and definitely looks more flattering on me. I love the pinky-gold pearl undertone to it as well. 

3. YSL Golden Gloss in No. 50 Golden Peach ($40 CAD): I'm a fan of YSL's glosses because they never feel goopy or sticky. I also love the mango scent. Golden Peach is a pretty shimmering peach shade. You probably have a dozen that would look similar. Don't get me wrong - love it and love the shiny shimmering finish. So, if you're in the market for a shimmery peach gloss that you'd like to splurge on pick this one up. You won't be disappointed with a). the shade and b). the finish and texture of this gloss. It will make your lips look lusciously amazing, but it's $40. If you just don't have the budget, I'm sure you will find something similar in a cheaper price range.

Do you have any favourites from YSL's Candy Face collection? 

www.ysl.com

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It's March! Do you smell it? That's the smell of Spring. March is my Birthday month so it's my favourite time of the year for obvious reasons. It's also a time when I can start busting out some Spring shades - coral lips on skin that has been barely touched by the sun looks weird on me. Technically it's still winter but I've waited long enough to show off these spring lovelies from Chanel!

It also has a hint of gold shimmer in it and will work for most skin tones. You won't have to worry looking like you have allergies because there are no red undertones in this shadow. It has a very sheer texture so if colour on the eyes scares you, you will love this shadow. While I love this for Spring, the shadow fades after a while even with a primer. I have to use a gel-based shadow as a base to make it really stay. 

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Bagatelle (LE, $31 CAD): I adore the shimmer in Chanel's Glossimers. Some people can't stand the grittiness of some of the shades, but I don't have one in my collection that feels gritty. These are my go-to glosses for bridal. I just love how the shimmer gives the lip beautiful dimension and shine. For a gloss, the shade is pretty well pigmented. Bagatelle is a lovely pinky-peach shade which I adore! This is another shade that will be popular from the collection. 

Chanel Le Vernis in April & June (LE, $27 CAD): I love Chanel nail polishes. Great shades and pretty good wear time. April is a berry-red that is a fresher twist on the classic red nail. I love the shade especially on my toes. June is definitely a shade I will be reaching for a lot. This pastel cantaloupe or sorbet shade is gorgeous and unlike a lot of polishes I own! The texture is a simple cream, but the shade is subtle and bright at the same time. June is the must-have shade from this collection! 

What are your favourites from Chanel's Spring collection? 

The lipstick has pretty good wear time. They lasted between 4-6 hours even after eating. The colour was still faintly stained on the lips. They are very moisturizing, but don't bleed. I found Pepper to be the "your lips but better shade". It's a good neutral that you can wear on a daily. Fig is also one of my favourites and a great pink to wear for daytime. Bouquet is on the warmer side but definitely has more pop than Fig. Shiraz is a great fall/winter plum that would work for a lot of skin tones. Champagne is gorgeous with a smokey eye for a pale lip or to use as a highlight for a plumping effect in the center. 

Did you know that the lipsticks are broken up into colour families and each one has a unique slanted tip? Reds have a sharp angled tip for precise application. Neutrals have a natural slant for a natural shape and easy application. Pinks have a curved tip for a cheerful pouty lip. Berries have a pointed tip for a perfectly symmetrical lip. 

I'm definitely looking forward to trying out more colours and the brand's other lines. The all-natural factor, Resveratrol anti-aging and repair properties, creamy texture, strong pigmentation, use of food grade colouring, and sleek packaging make this a Makeup Junkie Top 5 Lipstick!

What lipstick is in your top 5? 

Available at Sephora locations and Sephora.com. Retails for $24 USD. 

What does your vanity mean to you? And I'm not talking about your outer appearance. I'm talking about your space, your quiet place, your escape where you can lay out all your pretty things and slather on your most favourite beauty products. That's what my vanity means to me. There's something to be said for everything having its place. 

For a long time, I used large computer desks as a vanity. Why? Because it was not only functional and cost effective, but because it was big enough to lay out all my makeup. It was neither pretty or full of character, but it worked. 

This here is my dream vanity. A little much? Maybe, but I think it's beautiful! It's so classic, feminine, and in my favourite Parisian style. One day, but for now my current vanity isn't so bad.

My vanity is one of my favourite spaces in the house. I love sitting here in the mornings getting ready for the day and staring out the big window. I like to gather my thoughts here and write out my to-do list (which I haven't been doing lately!). Instead of going with something big and clunky, I chose a smaller, traditional size vanity table. I hate sets so I opted just to get the table (which I hopefully plan to give it that cracked old shabby chic look). I was going to go with a chair, but because I don't have much drawer space, I chose to go with a ottoman stool that can be used for storage. I have a few beauty items that I reach for everyday in the drawers.

It's very roomy and fits my large makeup bag, a medium sized one and a small makeup bag plus two of my sunglasses in their case. These are the products I use on my self on a daily or when I'm going out somewhere. If I want to use more products I just pull from my Zuca and my clear storage drawers which are in the walk-in. This way, my desk stays clean and clutter free. I chose a metallic bronze shade. I think it compliments the desk pretty nicely.

Your vanity is a great way to express your individual style and to showcase all the pretty things you love. One of my favourite gifts was this Parisian-inspired mannequin jewelry holder. I love layering my favourite necklaces there. It's a great statement piece. I found our old wooden hand sculpture packed away that we use to display on our bookshelf. This was perfect for displaying some of my rings (I clearly need more!). I love the look of books on display. Here I have Ines de la Fressange's style guide to Paris, Parisian Chic and two Chanel press books from the Fall and Spring 2012 collection. They are so pretty and full of product shots and beautiful photos from the collection's inspiration. I love my little friendship jewelry box which was a bridesmaid's gift. I hold little trinkets and jewelry items in there. I bought a silver tray to display all my favourite perfumes. Perfume bottles come in all lovely packaging and make for beautiful eye candy. I also laid out two lipsticks - Chanel Rouge Coco shine from the Spring collection (review to come!) and my YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre with my name engraved on it.

And there you have it. I'm still thinking of displaying my makeup brushes in a cute holder (maybe the one from Topbox?) and getting a table mirror. I will have to re-arrange things to make space. I love having a space that's all mine with my own stuff. Having two kids, your space can be taken over with toys and books, so my vanity is my little get away from all the kid clutter!

What does your vanity look like? I'd love to see! I always love getting ideas and seeing how other makeup junkie's display their favourite beauty items. Email me some photos and I will feature yours on my blog!

Scrambling around for some last minute gifts? You're not alone!

Tarte Puttin' On The Glitz Color Collection & Clutch ($48 USD, LE): For the makeup lover in your life that loves a little glitz and glam, this set of 3 palettes plus a gorgeous clutch and gloss will put you on her "nice" list forever! The palettes feature a good mix of matte and shimmery shades plus they are all well pigmented and long-lasting. You also get a new shade of their best-selling blush 12 hr Amazonian Clay Blush, bronzer and highlighter. The clutch has clever button snaps that allow you to interchange the palettes to suit your mood: casual Friday, sultry Saturday, or high-tea on Sunday. It also features slots for all your major cards, a mirror and a holder for the Maracuja infused gloss. 

Ojon Damage Reverse Starter Set ($32 USD): If you're not familiar with this fabulous all-natural hair line, this is a great set for those who are in need of some hair repair! My hair has been in the worse state it has ever been. It's overgrown and breaking at the root. Plus, my hair is coming out in clumps still which unfortunately is common after you have a baby. My hair already feels ten times better now that I've been using this set. It includes: Restorative Shampoo, Restorative Conditioner, and Restorative Hair Serum. 

What's on your last minute gift list? 

Both are available at your local Sephora store and Sephora.com. 

"Holiday smokey eyes" consists of rich colours in glitzy and shimmery textures. I love metallic finishes and glitter this time of year. Have some fun and bump up a traditional smokey eye with shades of metallic silver, grey, and black with flecks of silver glitter. For those of you who shy away from too much shimmer and glitter, Bobbi Brown has a great palette out this holiday. 

Bobbi Brown Cool Party Eye Palette ($45 USD): Go icy or go sultry, Bobbi's palette will take your day look easily into a nighttime smokey eye. I love gunmetal greys and silvers for a smokey eye. This palette is for cooler skin tones and would look amazing on anyone with fair to medium-dark skin tones. My skin is on the warmer side so I find only the taupe, and the 2 darkest shade really work for me. As long as you mix the darker shades with the lighter ones, warmer skin tones can wear this palette too.

For a sultry smokey eye, start with the darkest shade on the lid. Apply a medium shade to the crease and use the 2 lightest shades as a highlight on the brow bone and the inner corner of the eye. The shadows are long-lasting as well and very well pigmented. 

Gloss d'armani Lip Gloss #101 ($36 CAD): A smokey eye would not be complete without nude lip and a long-wearing one at that. Armani's newest line is a long-wearing gloss that is full of colour. While you're sipping champagne or noshing on some delectable chocolates, you don't want to worry about reapplying your lip colour every hour. When you first apply the gloss, it goes on smooth and non-sticky. But after minutes of applying, the texture starts to feel thicker and a bit tacky. It claims to last for 8 hrs, but it's more like the colour lasts for 6-8 hrs (the drier your lips the longer it lasts I find), and the shine lasts for about 3-5 hours. It's not a liquid lipstick, so as a gloss this is one of the more longer wearing glosses. I really like the angled sponge applicator. It really follows the contours of your lips making the application a breeze. #101 is a nude beige with silver shimmer. It looks gorgeous on the lips especially when paired with a smokey eye. It gives just enough colour so the lips don't look too pale. The shimmer gives good shine and makes the lips appear fuller.

Have you tried these products? 

You may want to skip the mistletoe this year because you'll want to keep these lipsticks on! I adore YSL lipsticks especially the Rouge Pur Couture line (Makeup Junkie Top 5 Lipsticks)! And now they've come out with Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre which is equally as amazing. 

L-R: 

YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Rouge Eros ($30 USD): The original shades have a creamy non-shimmery finish, but Rouge Eros perfect for the holidays, has a subtle shimmery finish to it. This shade brings out more of the cherry undertones on me which I just love. To keep it on longer, apply a lip similar shade or use an invisible liner to prevent bleeding. I prefer it without gloss, but if you want some glossy shine just dab in the center of the lips. 

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in #110 Fuchsia Symbole ($30 USD): This lipstick has name all over it - literally! The lovely team over at YSL sent me my favourite shade of lipstick - a bright, fuchsia with gold shimmer. I didn't think it was possible but I've fallen even more in love with their new line (and it doesn't hurt that this particular shade has my name on it). It is still well-pigmented but has more slip to it than the original formula. My lips also don't dry out with this lipstick. I especially love the golden undertones and the shimmery finish makes the lips so pretty!

Make these lippies stand out by wearing minimal makeup and keeping the skin looking flawless and radiant. Swipe on a neutral shade on the eyes, define with black liquid liner and tons of mascara. Keep cheeks neutral either with bronze or a pale pink.

Swatches: 

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