Cute Makeup Tips

When: February 20, 2010
Where: Heydenshore Pavillion
589 Water Street
Whitby, ON
Time: Doors open at 6 pm (Exquisite 3 course menu/ 2 choices of dinners to choose from, live musical entertainment featuring lovely and talented Christine Coloma, unique silent auction items and door prizes).

Alicia’s talented ability to use the keys to serenade her listeners through soulful R&B or dramatic melodies has launched her to the top of the charts. She has won numerous Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards. It’s no surprise with hits like Fallin’ and A Woman’s Worth.

What I love most about Alicia is her flawless complexion, her skin is always glowing and she’s been blessed with gorgeous eyes. Alicia’s go-to look is nude lips with a smoldering smoky-eye and of course extended liner. She’s constantly transforming her ‘do, from curly and long, to short and bouncy looking fab no matter what look she’s going for.

Gorgeous and talented, what more can you ask for in a Beauty Icon?!

Anne Hathaway is one of those girls who just never stood out in my mind especially when I thought of fashion forward beauties and beauty icons - that is until Devil Wear's Prada. Before then, all I could picture was an awkward girl next door made pretty. I guess I was watching too many re-runs of Princess Diaries.

Anne was in Toronto last week promoting her movie Rachel Getting Married, check out this post for more. She has been featured on the cover of many magazines, and this month she is on the cover of prestigious fashion mag W:

How fierce does she look? And where did those cheekbones come from??

I love how Anne can pull off fresh face beauty with her soft porcelain skin and charming dimples yet step into couture and she is a whole other woman.

She isn't our typical Beauty Icon, but her simple beauty is what makes her stand out from the crowd.

Minka Kelly, 28, stars in the underrated NBC show, Friday Night Lights. On screen, she plays a high school cheerleader who has to deal with the life-changing fallout of her boyfriend's football injury in a small Texan town where football is a religion. Off screen, she's a red carpet starlet who never fails to look polished and classy. She may be one of the lesser known beauty icons featured on this site and I'll be the first to admit that she's not the most adventurous beauty-wise, but who can hate the girl for looking fresh and demure?

What I love about Minka's beauty style is that she never looks overdone. She brings the right amount of attention to each feature, with flattering, subtle tones. Skin flattering colours and just the right amount of mascara (and okay, false lashes) serve to accentuate her gorgeous brown eyes.

To keep things in balance, she often goes with a neutral lip and peachy, glowing cheeks.

For those of you who have to tone down your makeup or keep to neutral tones for the office, take note from Minka.

She manages to combine feminine and pretty in a way that seems effortless. Whether she's rocking long, wavy locks or a more glamorous up-do, she has a classic look that never goes out of style.

Ever since No Doubt was introduced to the world, I have always been slightly obsessed with Gwen Stefani. And it seems the rest of the world is too since she's on the March cover of V Magazine (how fierce does she look in V?? love it!) and graces the cover of Flare in April.

Love her music (although Sweet Escape was not my favourite album) and love her unique sounding voice, but its her flawless style and her ability to transform whether it be retro 1950's glamour, avant-garde, bohemian, or rasta/hip-hop inspired. Her platinum hair, flawless porcelain skin, black liquid liner and bold red lips is absolutely Gwen. It's her signature look but I also love seeing her softer more natural side sans liner and red lips.

And how she manages to look amazing while being a mommy with another one on the way, wife, singer-songwriter, business woman with her own clothing line, perfume, shoes, and accessories makes me look lazy (we all know she probably has a village of people helping her!). I love the picture of their stylish family playing in the park, Gwen looking pregnant and gorgeous in her tribal-inspired dress. Whatever Gwen is doing she has definitely made her mark as a beauty icon by taking fashion/beauty risks and staying true to who she is (she ain't no holla back girl!).

images: V Magazine, Flare Magazine, and People.com

In honour of Black History Month, my beauty icon is the first notable African-American supermodel and first black cover girl, Donyale Luna. I hadn't heard of Donyale until recently when reading about Andy Warhol who she had done a couple of screen tests for. When the media talks about past supermodels of colour you usually only hear about Beverly Johnson, Iman, or Naomi Campbell. It was interesting reading about her once glamourous life that later turned tragic. Starting her modeling career at the age of 20 in the mid '60's, her thin 6'2 frame, exquisite larger-than-life eyes and care-free personality took over the fashion world by storm. She broke down many barriers in the high fashion modeling industry being the first black model to grace the covers of Harper's Bazaar and British Vogue. During her years as a model and after, she also appeared in a few films including the lead role in Salome. As with most bright shining stars of that time, drugs always played a role in their demise. The beauty that was Donyale, ended tragically of a drug overdose in '79. Although she is gone, her beauty and the role she played in opening doors for women of colour in the fashion industry lives on. The strange thing is that in 2008 we're still not seeing enough women of colour on the runways! Colour is beautiful don't you think?

To read more about Donyale Luna visit click here and here.

It's been way too long since I have featured a beauty icon and is something I will be bringing back each month. I finally saw the movie, The Factory Girl, last week and I was instantly mesmerized by Sienna Miller's portrayal as Andy Warhol's superstar, Edie Sedgwick. It was just such a fascinating story of a young girl's dream to be famous and the downfalls that come along with it (not too different than today's Hollywood starlets: Britney, Lindsay, Mary Ashley). She died at the young age of 28. Tragic. The '60's was just such an intriguing time and the movie gives you a glimpse into what New York's elite were like back then. Despite Edie's history with drugs and mental illness to follow, her unique style and love of fashion and makeup will always be remembered.

Photo: Sienna Miller as Edie Sedgwick
Edie's mod style has definitely influenced today's fashion and beauty looks with her blond pixie cut, dark thick brows, black liner around the eyes and in the crease, pale lips, chunky jewelry and dresses with black tights.

Photo: my '60's inspired makeup
One of my beauty looks from a photo shoot I did a few years ago was influenced by this look. Edie was a girl-about-town, mingled with interesting artsy people, dreamed of a grand life, loved hard and played even harder. She trusted everyone and wanted to be loved by everyone (probably her biggest downfall). She was indulgent and loved buying clothes and makeup. Edie had the "it" factor; confident enough to carry her own style yet unaware of her ability to draw people in. She is what I call a true beauty icon.

Last month I neglected to feature a Beauty Icon due to a tres busy schedule. This month I promise not to disappoint! Dita Von Teese, born Heather Sweet, is a throwback to 1940's/50's Hollywood glamour, one of my favourite eras. She has reinvented the pin-up girl and is the international Burlesque queen of the world. Not since Betty Page has anyone created such intrigue and allure around the mysterious and sexy world of burlesque.


Dita is a buxom beauty, who's porcelain skin, bold red lips, dark finger waved hair, and retro fashion style has made her a favourite of designers, photographers, and cosmetic companies. This year she became one of the new faces of MAC's Viva Glam IV campaign, a perfect choice for the trend-setting company. Not only has she traveled around the world, titillating fans with her peep-shows, but she is coming out with her first ever book "Burlesque/Fetish and The Art of the Teese". She also has her own collection of Full-Fashioned Seamed Stockings with Secrets In Lace. Whether she is fully clothed or half-naked swishing around in an over-sized martini glass, Dita Von Teese never forgets to carry herself with style and grace. Now that's a true lady!

Visit Dita Von Teese for more information.

I know the month is almost ending but I had to squeeze in my beauty icon of the month Kylie Minogue! She's come a long way since her "Loco-motion" days which I of course was a big fan of! She came into my life and then she left but resurfaced with her catchy dance tune "Can't Get You Outta My Mind". This Australian beauty has appeared in a handful of films and tv shows, appeared at the top of the music charts, sold millions of albums, and has recovered from her battle with breast cancer which has probably been her biggest accomplishment yet. Her most recent ventures include Kylie - The Exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England that opened February 2007 which looks at Kylie as a popular style icon and H&M's new summer campaign "H&M loves Kylie". Kylie designed a fabulous swim wear line featuring 15 limited edition bikinis and swim suits. The style is a bit of her stage persona mixed with a relaxed bohemian beach style and the colours are amazing ranging in metallic silvers and aquatic blues. What's even more fantastic is not only will you look amazing on the outside but you'll feel great knowing that 10% of the money spent on the 'H&M loves Kylie' line will be donated to WaterAid. The international charity WaterAid is dedicated to the provision of safe domestic water, sanitation and hygiene education to the world’s poorest people. For someone that's battled with breast cancer, Kylie you've been an inspiration to many and have never looked more beautiful than you do now!

Who could forget Drew's unforgettable performance as adorable 6 year-old "Gertie" in the classic movie E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial? I was fascinated with Drew Barrymore at a young age and I remember being thirteen plastering my room with black and white Guess ads of her. I even sketched a picture of her which I still have today (I certainly did NOT do her justice)! I read her autobiography Little Girl Lost and was intrigued by the famed life she lived having gone to rehab by the time she was thirteen. Despite her troubled past, she was able to snag movie role after movie role and soon became one of the top paid actresses in Hollywood.


To add to her list of accomplishments, Drew will soon be the new spokesperson for Cover Girl Cosmetics! I've always adored her carefree wavy locks, laid-back sense of style, her sparkling personality, and her natural beauty. Nowadays, she's sporting sleeker hair, wearing sophisticated and form-fitting clothes to show off her slimmer bod, and her make-up is looking more gorgeous than I've ever seen her (Fabrizio who??). Drew is a beauty chameleon and it's no wonder she's the new face for Cover Girl. She ain't just a pretty face - she's got brains too. Drew will be co-creator of the ads which means she will be consulted on the graphics, lighting, concept and how the photo will be cropped. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until 2008 to see the Cover Girl ads. Boo! With her romantic comedy's, undeniable fashion sense, and infectious smile you just can't help but want more of Drew!

I know it's nearly the end of March but it could not be complete without my beauty icon of the month: Madonna. Why her and and why this month? As a little girl I would watch her videos memorizing every gesture she made and wished desperately I could be in a pink dress while gorgeous men carried me down red carpeted stairs. My younger brother (he's going to hate me for airing this) and I used to prance and sing around the house "Open your heart to me baby!". She gave me my first sense of what sexuality and sensuality was at a young age even though I didn't fully understand it at the time. In my "tweens", my cousin and I would lock ourselves in her room, turn up "Papa Don't Preach", and lip sync using our brushes as mics (you know you all did it too!). My best friend and I were obsessed with her when Truth or Dare came out and watched it religiously. We were in love with her platinum blond hair, contrasting defined dark brown eyebrows, Marilyn Monroe beauty mark, and red lips. For the summer of '91 all we wore was red lipstick which we were scolded on a daily basis.


Madonna is a true chameleon and has reinvented herself over and over again while maintaining her superstar status. She went from blond pop tart, blond sexpot, dark raven beauty, ethereal goddess, to understated elegance. She's done it all - singer, actress, motherhood, fashion muse, and now fashion designer for a clothing collection at H&M and all the while juggling it with finesse. While some celebrities seem to lash out and lose control (i.e. Britney) when faced with scrutiny in the public eye, Madonna has managed to stay on top ignoring the nay sayers and sticking to her guns. She's a smart business woman and loving mother and looks damn good for 48!

Whenever I think of Madonna I can't help but get nostalgic and she's not even that old! I thought she would be the perfect choice for March not only because her clothing line hit H&M this month but also because I just turned 28 last week and she's been apart of almost all 28 years! In my eyes, Madonna is a true beauty who has influenced our perception of beauty in one way or another. She is a woman who is not afraid to be herself or say what she feels and that alone is beautiful.