Cute Makeup Tips

Makeup Junkie guest contributor, Olivia, has brought you readers another fantastic tutorial! Can you do smokey eyes in the summer? Yes! Throw out your ideas of the classic smokey eye and swipe some colour on those peepers!

Summer fever is upon us and we’re all itching to get out doors. For some that includes a night out on the town sans jacket, sporting your favourite little black dress. My go-to party look is a smoky eye but in the summer I prefer to substitute the blacks, browns and greys for purples, blues and greens. Really the options are endless with a colourful smoky eye. You could keep your signature look but appear more versatile simply by switching the colours. For this look I decided to use a combination of teal, blue and lavender purple with a gold highlight.

As an avid Makeup Junkie reader, the most important lesson I’ve learned is starting every look with a flawless face. I tend to avoid using foundation but after reading Joy’s reviews on tinted moisturizers I thought I would test out the alternative. I’ve been using Tarte’s Smooth Operator, which has a great natural coverage and really evens out my skin without feeling cakey. Then minor imperfections can be corrected with a dab of concealer. Once you have completed your flawless face, follow these simple steps for a vibrant and alluring nighttime look:
 

Step 1: Line top and bottom lash lines and blend with your finger (or smudging brush) for that smoky effect.

Step 2: Start with the darkest colour and blend up towards your crease. Using that same colour, line the outer half of your bottom lash line. Taking the lighter shade, blend into your crease and brow bone. With the lighter shade and a pencil brush (try MAC 219 pencil brush) apply the shadow to the lower lash line in order blend the colours and complete the smoky look. For that extra sparkle, sweep a gold shimmer under your eyebrows.

Step 3: To complete the look, line your waterline with the same liner used to begin the smoky eye. Then apply lots of mascara! Since we want to keep the focus on your eyes, keep cheeks and lips simple by using a touch of bronzer and a light gloss.

Step 4: Throw on that little black dress and you’re good to go!

*Products used on eyes:

- NARS eyeliner in Kaliste

- CARGO Lumieres Du Monde palette (blue, purple and gold shadows used)

Thanks Olivia! I love the softness of the whole look and think it looks gorgeous on her! It's smokey but totally wearable for day. What do you think of this summer smokey eye? Would you wear it?

In case you missed my post on The Joy of Makeup, read about the 5 pink blushes I reach for in my kit! Click here to read the post. What are your fave must-have pink blushes?

Congratulations to you all!! Amy's favourite CARGO product is the Beach Blush and Bronzer, Hugette loves CARGO's pressed powder and Lancome Hypnose perfume, Delia loves CARGO bronzers and Lancome mascaras, Farah can't get enough of the CARGO blu_ray Mattifying Primer and Lancome mascaras, and Christine loves Lancome mascaras and will be obsessed with CARGO's Essential Smoky Palette! 

You will all be contacted shortly for your mailing address. Thanks again to everyone that entered! xo

Sorry, what was that? You want me to give you big, bold, smoky eyes with luscious lashes this holiday? Done! This giveaway features 5 of CARGO's must-have essential palette and 5 amazing mascaras from Lancome!


5 lucky winners will receive: 

• CARGO Cosmetics Essential Palette Smoky Eye: These palettes are called "essential" for a reason. The palette offers wearable shades that can go from day to night and is fool-proof! You can't go wrong with a smoky eye when each shade is labeled for different parts of the eye. Now everyone can be a pro!
• Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara: Lancome is known for their award winning mascaras so this new one does not disappoint. Amp up your smoky eye with this mascara! You can read my review here.     
• Total value of $66 CAD!

Contest Details: 

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! 

My home during TIFF - the makeup/storage room!

My first Toronto Film Fest and I made it out alive! Despite the early mornings and the craziness that TIFF brings, it was one of the best experiences of my makeup career! I'm so fortunate and so happy that I got the chance to be apart of it with much thanks to Annesley from CARGO Cosmetics!

There were many celebrities that came through the eTalk Celebrity Interview Lounge but the ones that I was most star struck with were Harvey Keitel, Paul Giamotti, Minnie Driver, Josh Brolin, and Jason Jones. Harvey Keitel is a movie icon and I absolutely loved him in Reservoir Dogs! He was our first interview yesterday and came in with a big smile and said "Hello! How is everyone this morning?". He's amazing and I totally would have run up to him and hugged him if it weren't for trying to be professional! Annesley had the lovely pleasure of powdering his nose!

 eTalk Celebrity Interview Lounge. Swag everywhere! I was gifted with some sweet swag too!

Paul Giamotti was a big teddy bear and so sweet. I also wanted to run and hug him! Minnie Driver is so stunning and even more so in person. She's just so statuesque and elegant. Josh Brolin physically isn't my type but he's definitely got sex appeal. I was also expecting him to be taller in person since he usually plays these bad-ass characters in his films. Gotta love those camera tricks! 

If you're not familiar with Jason Jones he is on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and is married to Samantha Bee. They are a hilarious duo. He sat in our CARGO makeup chair cracking jokes with us and talking about Bloody Caesars while Annesley powdered him up. He was awesome and I took a quick snap of him on my camera phone - shhh! Unfortunately we were not allowed to snap photos of the celebrities - understandable of course.

I missed Jennifer Connelly and Ryan Gosling and I heard they created quite a frenzy in the eTalk Lounge! Other stars I would have loved to meet: Natalie Portman, Carrie Mulligan, James Franco, Frida Pinto, Jason Reitman, Martin Sheen, Robert DeNiro, Blake Lively and Marion Cotillard (who I heard from Lainey Gossip is out of this world drop-dead-gorgeous). But getting to meet celebrities was just the icing on the cake. What really made the week worth it was working with the amazing eTalk crew, the eTalk hosts, Annesley and the David's Tea girls (which I'm totally hooked on now). What's ironic is that I didn't get to see any movies! So many on my list to see including Black Swan and I'm Still Here. 

 eTalk cast filming the last TIFF10 segment. I worked mostly on Lainey, Ben and Susie but in this photo I did Lainey's makeup (such a beauty).

My first TIFF down and hopefully many more to come! Did you see any movies or meet any celebrities? If you missed my first TIFF post click here.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of doing makeup with the CARGO Cosmetics team for the Toronto French Lingerie Fashion Show that took place at the artsy and chic Wychwood Barns. It was a unique show full of beautiful scantily clad models and dancers in luxurious lingerie pieces, spectacular dance routines, and of course stunning makeup! 

The inspiration for the look was the original blond bombshell, Brigette Bardot. Think sultry, sexy, bedroom eyes and hair. I received quite a few emails and comments asking what products we used and how to achieve the look so I figured why not blog about it!

Get the Look: 

 The look on one of my models who is a professional dancer. Could be a model right?

Step 1: Prep your face with CARGO's blu_ray High Definition Mattifier. Backstage it was a sweaty, sticky mess due to having no a/c. This primer was probably one of the main reasons the makeup did not slide off!

Step 2: Even out your skin tone with CARGO's Foundation - Oil Free. It was my first time working with the product and the results were beautiful. It gave awesome coverage yet did not look heavy on the skin. I also used this to cover under the eyes. Tip: Prep your eyes first but save applying foundation all over for last when doing a smokey eye. This will save time (and product) re-doing foundation from shadow fall-off.

Step 3: Set your makeup with CARGO's blu_ray Pressed Powder. It contains photochromatic pigments that help makeup stay consistent in all types of lighting plus the micronized mineral pigments diffuse light to camouflage imperfections and fill-in fine lines. 

Step 4: Line the top and bottom with CARGO's High Pigment Pencils in Black. Don't worry if the line is not straight. Dip a smudging brush into the darkest shadow in CARGO's Essential Eye Palette and smudge over top of the liner to diffuse the colour for a smokey definition. Repeat on the bottom and line the inner water line with the pencil.

Step 5: Apply the darkest shade from The Essential Eye Palette all over the lid and into the crease. To really make it sultry, concentrate most of the colour close to the lash line and outer crease. I like to apply the shadow with a flat shadow brush then blend with a firm but fluffy brush. Highlight the brow bone and inner corner with the lightest shade. The look would not be complete without black mascara and some flirty fake lashes (not shown)! These palettes are perfect for the woman that loves an easy, polished look or for makeup beginners. Each shadow is named according to the placement on your eyes.

Step 6: Balance the strong eye with a nude rose blush like CARGO's Tonga. I also contoured the cheeks with CARGO's Matte Bronzer (not shown).

Step 7: To really give the lips a nude finish, I filled the lips in with CARGO's Reverse Lip Liner in Light (not shown). I then topped off the lips with a nude gloss from CARGO's Lip Quad in Casablanca.

What do you think of the look? Would you wear this?

You can now purchase some of these products online by visiting CARGO's Facebook page! 

In the summer time I generally don't wear too much shadow for fear of having them smudge or crease on me. However, this season's stay put formulas give me reason to reach for the hottest summer hues!

1. Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion in Eden ($18 USD): The original UD primer is an absolute staple in my kit and when Eden came out I was definitely intrigued. A primer/shadow in one? Right up my alley. I received a sample to test out and decided to wear it alone as a shadow. 

On me, this "tawny matte hue" shows up more like a bone shade on me. A little goes a long way. With too much on, I felt it almost lightened my eye area too much making it look ashy against my skin tone. Definitely use sparingly. The primer does have a brightening affect as it lightens the eye area and reduces redness on the lids. Underneath a shadow, it is as long-wearing and crease-proof as the original. All in all, I prefer the original over Eden but it works great when a little amount is used.

2. M.A.C. To The Beach Shadow in Firecracker ($17.50 CAD): I know, this is so last 2 collections ago! M.A.C. is known for launching so many collections a month so even though this is the summer collection, it seems so passe! Nevertheless, Firecracker is still a must-have summer shade.

Firecracker is a warm, burnt orange-coral shade. The colour looks delish against bronzey skin. It's a bold shade but the warmth of the hue makes it so wearable for summer. Pair this with golds and bronze or smut it up with black khol rimmed eyes. Balance the shade with peachy, bronze or coral cheeks and a light gloss.

3. YSL Fard Lumiere Aquaresistant in Golden Sands ($35 CAD): Luxury in a pot. It's like sweeping real gold over your lids. I received Golden Sands to sample and fell in love with the high-shine shimmer. When I first opened it, I thought the shadow had a glitter finish. Thankfully, it doesn't but has strong shimmer pigments. For day, apply a small amount for a sheer luminous finish. To make it wearable for the office, mix with a matte shadow. But for night, layer the shimmer on! The more your layer, the more intense the pigment and shine. This light-weight, water-proof formula has a nice cooling effect and seriously does not budge. Sweat, swim, dance - this shadow isn't going anywhere!

4. Everyday Minerals Loose Pigment Shadow in Mall Punk ($2.50 USD): I don't usually gravitate towards loose pigment shadows but Mall Punk has become one of my everyday go-to shadows. It's actually a warmer pink in person and pretty much looks delicious when paired with peachy, bronze and pinks. This shade gives the eyes a luminous glow. I need about 2-3 layers until I'm happy with the intensity of the shade but when applied wet one swipe is all it takes. When applied with a primer, it lasts all day with no touch-ups! 

5. CARGO Cosmetics Color Eye Shadow Palette in Tahiti ($28 CAD/US): The price point of these gorgeous palettes are a steal! The Tahiti palette is definitely one to have this summer. These shades ranging from olive gold to bright teal are one of this season's hottest trends. I'll be honest, I haven't worn these colours in a while. But with my basic work wardrobe, I've been inspired to wear more colour! To make it more wearable for day, mix 2 shades together one lighter and one darker and smudge a little liner into the lash line. Since these shadows have a metallic finish, opt for a more matte blush and go for a creamy lip than high gloss. The shadows are highly pigmented and only took one swipe for the colour to show. The texture is velvety-smooth and doesn't budge. As a sucker for packaging, I adore all the different designs on each palette!

6. Milani INFINITE Liquid Liner in Infinite ($5.99 USD): Milani Cosmetics has definitely opened up my eyes to drugstore brands. I am in LOVE with these liners. The black shade is my go-to liner on brides when covering up falsies. Infinite is a bright ocean blue and is the perfect shade when you want just a pop of colour on the eyes. Whether you're a fan of bright colours or not you have to admit this shade is fieerrrce! Pair this with a neutral eye, peachy cheeks and lips this summer. I find the brush firm enough to work with but I'm also used to applying liner. If you have unsteady hands, I recommend using a thin angled brush. These liners are budge proof so after it sets it is hard to remove. Use a powder shadow in a similar shade as your guideline the apply the liner over top.

Have you tried these must-haves for the summer? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

A big THANK YOU to everyone that answered our poll question and entered to win a YEAR supply of CARGO Cosmetics 3 Mascara launching Fall 2010! It's clear that the majority of you only get your makeup done for special events. It's always nice to know what encourages women to get their makeup done.

I apologize for the late announcement (don't know where the time goes??) but the winner is........

Congratulations and we hope that you enjoy your new mascara! You won't be running out any time soon! You will be contacted shortly for your mailing address.

Again, thank you to everyone for entering the give away! I wish I could give a prize to everyone but there will be many more give aways soon! 

As a makeup artist, I am fortunate enough to do the faces of some pretty amazing women. They all range from non-makeup wearers to I-can't-live-without-my-makeup fanatics. I love both type of clients - no I really do. It's fun gabbing about makeup and different makeup techniques with avid makeup wearers but the real fun is converting someone who rarely wears makeup and making them true believers!

Makeup Junkie wants to know how often do you get your makeup done? Only on special occasions - birthdays, weddings, prom? Or do you get your makeup done to pamper yourself? New makeup launch? And are fake lashes involved? Do you prefer your makeup done at a counter, salon, spa, or have a makeup artist come to you? Makeup Junkie wants to know it all! 

All you have to do is leave a comment (be as thorough as you'd like!) and you will be automatically entered to win a year supply of CARGO's 3 Triple Action Mascara set to launch Fall 2010! The 3 is formulated to do it all - thicken, lengthen, and curl! This mascara is loaded with anti-oxidants and 11 amino acids essential for the health of hair follicles. It's good for you and it makes you look great! (Stay tuned for my review.)

One winner will be randomly chosen and will be announced on June 30th at 12 pm! I look forward to your comments! Open to Canadian and U.S. residents. My girl, Farah, over at Faces By Farah, is also giving away the 3 Mascara so you can double your chances of winning this mascara before it launches!

Yesterday, I had the awesome pleasure of working the VAWK show with the fabulous CARGO Cosmetics team! In case you aren't familiar, VAWK is the Canadian line launched by Project Runway Season 2 winner, Sunny Fong. The show was held at The AGO, a fitting venue for the theme of his line: structure meets disintegration.

The makeup inspiration was what I like to call "ice princess": strong architectural brows, pale creamy white eyes and lashes, frost bitten cheeks and paled out lips with just a smudge of red in the center. The lovely and talented Key Artist and CARGO National Artist and Training & Education Manager in Canada, Annesley, collaborated with Sunny to create this whimsical yet edgy look. 

 The fab makeup team with Sunny! L-R: Eunique, Sunny, Kristie, and Annesley

The makeup went through many variations before we got to the final look but the end result looked stunning on the runway! The hair, done by the fantastic team at Salon Daniel, was ah-mazing. The top was teased for volume, hair kept close to the sides and the back was pulled into a square bun. The excitement of seeing a bride in her wedding dress with the hair and makeup done was very much the same feeling after the models were in their outfits!

1st look

 2nd look, lip colour is applied just to the inner center of lips

After the first run-through, we realized the lips just didn't translate. The natural day light was also washing the models out and the colour on the cheeks needed to be bumped up a few notches.

The look was created using all CARGO Cosmetics. It was my first time working with CARGO's Oil-Free Foundation and I absolutely loved the coverage. Skin was still properly covered yet had a luminous finish. The pouch packaging is especially handy for transporting and even more perfect if you're a makeup artist. Another product I fell in love with is Catalina blush which I will have to pick up! In the tin, it looks like a soft pink but don't be fooled! This colour has a lot of pigment but is definitely buildable. This was the blush used to create the baby doll pink cheeks on all the models.

The show was fabulous and Sunny was an absolute sweet-heart! His talent and humble attitude is inspiring and I was so happy to be apart of the show. I was glad to work with Annesley and Eunique again and to finally meet the uber-talented artist, Kristie Stoodley! Working with a great team just makes working shows that much more fun. 

What did you think of the makeup look? 

To view more pictures from the show visit my gallery here. Check out more VAWK coverage from BlogTO!

Want to know what my kit essentials are when getting the bride ready for her special day? I like to carry a few primers with me for different skin types. Since most weddings happen in the summer, a must-have primer for me is CARGO blu_ray High Definition Mattifier! 

Check out Makeup 'n The Bride to see why this is a must-have in my kit!

Spring makeup wouldn't be complete without a few must-haves from one of my favourite beauty brands, CARGO Cosmetics. If your beauty wardrobe doesn't consist of at least one CARGO product this Spring then head to the stores and stock up on these must-haves!

1. CARGO Dare to Play Eye Kit ($45 US/CDN): Essential palette for Spring! This is truly a value set that contains 3 eye bases, five metallic shadows, and five bright and glitter-filled eyeshadow shades to make the eyes pop. If you love colour you will absolutely love this palette. This was a big hit at the Hope For Haiti beauty benefit back in February!

Step 1: Select an eye base: Nude (no shimmer), Shimmering Shell and Soft Beige (shimmer). Apply a small amount from lash line to brow bone (use your finger or eyeshadow brush). I absolutely love these eye bases because the shadows not only blend better but they last longer too.

Step 2: Pick a lid colour: Shimmering Bordeaux, Rustic Copper, Teal, Popsicle Purple, and Sparkling Tea . You can use any of these shades all over the lid, in the crease or as a liner. To use as a liner, use a damp angled brush. These shadows are highly pigmented and feel velvety-smooth to the touch. They blend beautifully and don't crease or fade especially with the base. If you want to intensify the shadow even more, use with a damp shadow brush.

Step 3: Add a "pop" of colour to the lid and the inner corner of the eyes. I love this last step because it really gives dimension to the eyes. All you need is a little dab to the center and corner since it's pretty glittery. Also great for those days when you just want a sheer wash of colour. Choose from: Sparkling Rose, Seafoam Green, Iced Mauve and Champagne.

2. Cargo Blush in Key Largo and Laguna ($26 US/CDN): Hands down CARGO blushes have become a staple in my everyday beauty stash! I am so in love with these silver tins of richly pigmented blushes. The new blushes for spring have me swooning. I'm already a fan of Amalfi, but Key Largo and Laguna (repromote) are also a definite must this season.

Key Largo is shockingly bright in the tin but don't be scared off by this shade. Described as "tropical punch", it really does add a punch of colour to your complexion. Although the blushes are highly saturated, they are very easy to blend and diffuse nicely. To get a pretty flush, mix a very small amount onto brush and sweep lightly onto the apples of the cheeks. This shade is gorgeous against darker skin tones but fair skin beauties can use it too! Keep eyes neutral, swipe a sheer coral gloss on the lips, and let the cheeks be the focus. If you have a lot of redness on the skin then skip out on this shade as it will only enhance it.

Laguna is back by popular demand and now I know why. I've been searching for a bright orange blush that would warm up my skin. I love mixing this blush with bronzer for that ultimate summer glow. This is one shade that is universal. Again, only a little amount is needed. These blushes may be pricier compared to other brands, but the over-sized tins and saturated pigments will definitely stretch your dollar.

3. CARGO PlantLove Lipstick in Evangeline ($20 US/CDN): I'm already a fan of these all-natural eco-certified lipsticks. We've featured many PlantLove lipsticks on Makeup Junkie! I fell in love with Evangeline, a sheer vibrant coral cream, while doing makeup at a fashion show with CARGO. I am one gal that doesn't shy away from a lil' colour on the lips! It has become one of my fave lippies for Spring! Pair with greens, bronze, golds, and peach.

CARGO Cosmetics is available in independent boutiques, Sears Toronto Eaton Centre, Murale in Canada, CVS, and ULTA. 

Have you tried these spring must-haves from CARGO? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

Congratulations!! You will be contacted via email for your mailing address. Thanks again to everyone but stay tuned for more contests coming up!

Don't forget to follow CARGO Cosmetics via Twitter and join the CARGO Facebook Fan Page! They'd love to hear from you!

CARGO LashActivor Night retails for $35 CDN/USD and is available February 2010 at select Independent Beauty Boutiques and Sears Toronto Eaton Centre. Will also be available at Murale locations in April 2010.
www.cargocosmetics.com

And don't forget to follow Makeup Junkie on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook!

Day 4 lippie of the day? Makeup Junkie is featuring an eco-friendly, all-natural lipstick!

For past reviews of good-for-you lippies for Valentine's Day click here.