Cute Makeup Tips: Fall 2011 | Makeup Tips and Trick Blog

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Fall Beauty Review: Now My Baby and I Have Something In Common - Baby Soft Skin!

Dry, flaky skin can give me a pouty face - okay, my baby and I have two things in common. It's starting to get nippy out which means snow season is rearing it's blustery head. My skin is typically dry and flaky in certain areas and mostly dehydrated. To avoid the sometimes uneasy transition from summer to winter, I've been one step ahead prepping my skin since the summer time. Besides trying to down gallons of water a day, my moisturizers have been my skin savior.

I've been really loving skincare products from Biotherm. In the summertime, I used Biotherm's Aqua Source Deep Hydration Replenishing Gel For Normal to Combination Skin ($45 CAD) religiously. I just loved how light-weight it felt and how fresh it left my skin. It was hydrating enough to keep flakes at bay and even added radiance. It's perfect for skin that is dehydrated, but I felt it worked really well for oilier skin types. It is very hydrating, but if use an appropriate amount works great for oily skin. It doesn't feel heavy and gives you a clean feeling. I even used this on Monica from Beauty Parler on her wedding day! She chose this over my usual Embryolisse which she felt too heavy for her.

As your skin transitions to the colder months, you should always switch up your skincare to something a little heavier. My skin can't get enough of the newest moisturizer from Biotherm. Skin Vivo Uniformity SPF 15 Renovating Anti-Age Moisturizer ($70 CAD) targets all skin irregularities that can make your skin look older (amen!): dark spots, redness, dull tone, roughness and loss of elasticity while protecting skin from harmful UV rays. The texture feels so luxurious on the skin and literally melts into it. At the same time, it doesn't leave a heavy residue. I love how luminous and smooth my skin looks after. I gotta toot my horn a little - my skin is looking fantastic! Really it is! I never have to worry about flakiness popping up throughout the day.

Ever heard of needing your "beauty rest"? If you didn't know, sleep time is your skin's time to repair itself. That's why at night, I don't mind lathering my skin with a richer moisturizer. Clinique's Turnaround Overnight Radiance Moisturizer ($44.50 USD) is a creamy yet light-weight moisturizer that gives your skin a healthy radiance. You wake up with your skin looking smoother, luminous and pores seem visibly smaller! I really love it. It claims to make your skin smoother over time. I've been using it since August and it really does.

Keep in mind, these are creams in a container so to avoid bacteria from mixing into your moisturizer use a spatula instead of your finger. Obviously all are more expensive than your drugstore brand but I believe in investing in good skin care. Makeup is only one aspect of making your skin beautiful!

What do you use to get your skin baby soft? Have you used any of these moisturizers?

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

What I'm Wearing: Fall Fragrances To Love Right Into Winter

When your pregnant, perfumes can do all sorts of bad like make your head spin to the point of up-chucking. Yup, not a pretty picture. So, my favourite perfumes sat on the shelf being ignored and unloved. Now that baby is here, I can spritz without feeling nauseous! Hooray!

Fragrance is such a personal thing. The scent of a woman can reveal a lot about her sense of style and who she is. My signature scent is something that is exotic and sultry. My body chemistry just compliments muskier scents better. Anything too floral or fresh smelling gives me a headache.

These 3 perfumes have been on rotation and all will take you right into winter. Every time I spray them, I get a feeling of warmth and coziness!

Jo Malone Vanilla and Anise Cologne ($55 USD, 30 ml): If I'm going to do a floral, it has to have some spice to it. This is one of my favourite scents. It works beautifully in the day and for a night out. Jo Malone scents are also long-lasting. It wouldn't be hard to go overboard with this perfume so spritz lightly. At first spray, it can smell strong but once it settles smells just divine. Jo Malone is a luxury brand so if you feel like splurging this is one to get! A full bottle goes for $100 USD.

Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Tunisian Neroli, Wild Fennel Flower, Star Anise

Heart Notes: Oleander, Tuberose, Frangipani, Purple Vanilla Orchid

Base Notes: Clove, Tonka, White Amber, Creamy Musks, Vanilla Bourbon Absolute, Vetiver Haiti

Marc Jacobs Lola ($22 - 88 USD): This one is an oldie but a goodie. Another floral yet musky scent. You'll notice a lot of the scents I adore have vanilla, creamy musk, and amber undertones. I love Marc Jacobs and my love affair with his scents began with original perfume titled after the genius himself. Lola is more playful and flirty and I absolutely love the design of the bottle. Some have said they find the plastic-rubbery top kind of cheap, but I think it's very hip and cool. It's a scent that again works for day and night.

Top Notes: Pink Peppercorn, Pear, Ruby Red Grapefruit

Mid Notes: Rose, Fuchsia Peony, Geranium

Base Notes: Vanilla, Warm Tonka Bean, Creamy Musk

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose ($58 - 94 CAD): My love for Lancome perfumes have surprised me. I first fell in love with Tresor in Love - reminded me of a scent only to be worn in a getaway to Paris...ahh to dream. Midnight Rose is like the older sister who is a little naughty and mysterious. I also love the purple rose detail with the black leaves. It's really a pretty bottle. Even as a floral, it has a more exotic scent thanks to sweet smell of Black Currant. Some of you may prefer this only at night, but I love it during the day. I only spritz my wrists so it's not overwhelming.

Top Notes: Raspberry and Black Currant

Middle Notes: Rose Absolute, Jasmine, Peony

Base Notes: Vanilla, Musk, Cedar

What's your signature scent? Have you tried any of these lovely perfumes?

On a side note, wrapping up my Fall favourites and will be featuring my holiday gift guide soon! Stay tuned!

Lancome and Jo Malone perfumes sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them.

Fall Beauty Review 2011: Amp Up Your Glow With Benefit Watt's Up!

What defines a "glow"? I'll tell you what doesn't. If what you're using looks gritty on your skin, isn't blended well, or makes you look like a disco ball then you need to ditch it. I have highlighters in all kinds of forms: powders, loose powders, creams, gels, lotions, liquids, and even gooey jellies (which I only used in fashion photography). When there is one that really works and photographs well, I stick to it. My beloved M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne used to be my go-to highlighter. It really is a beautiful highlighter, but at times it could sit really heavy on the skin if I didn't use a light hand or the right brush.Well, I think I've found a new love!

Benefit's Watt's Up! ($30 USD) has become my new favourite product for creating that luminous finish. It's a gorgeous champagne soft focus highlighter that gives your skin a really natural glow. It has a lovely cream-to-powder texture that melts into the skin. The powder finish gives it a lasting finish. I was still "lit" until I was ready to take off my makeup in the evening. I love applying it during the day to make me look fresh and awake and it also works great when contouring. The champagne shade has a warm undertone to it and will suit most skin tones, although I've only tried it on my skin tone and lighter. I imagine it would still work for darker skin tones but it would be great if they came out with another shade that has more peach and gold in it.

At times Benefit's packaging can be gimmicky, but I've always been a fan of their kitschy design. Watt's Up!'s design and packaging are not only eye catching but functional. I love the idea of having the stick highlighter on one side and a blending sponge on the other. No messy fingers! Although, while the sponge helps blend the highlighter beautifully, the warmth from your finger will make it blend into the skin better.

All in all, it may be pricey for a highlighter but it's right up there with other luxury brands. The added benefit of the sponge definitely makes it worth it plus the natural glow it gives. You can also use it on several areas. You can apply it on the brow bone, inner corner of eyes, on your lips to make them look poutier and to accent your decolletage. If you're in the market for a highlighter, this is one to definitely add to your list!

Have you tried Watt's Up!? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

www.benefitcosmetics.com

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

Fall Beauty Review 2011: Clinique Black Honey Fall Collection

Clinique's Black Honey Almost Lipstick is a cult classic. I remember my first introduction to Black Honey was when I was in college working at a poster shop. My co-worker was a stunning girl with pale, olive skin and long, shiny black hair. I remember the first time she whipped Black Honey out and applied this deep, berry to her lips without a mirror. I couldn't believe how dark the shade was in the tube, but on the lips added just the right amount of colour. The skinny, silver tube was all very eye catching especially since I was used to black lipstick packaging.

Fast forward 10 + years later, and although a classic, I hadn't tried Black Honey until Clinique came out with a whole collection for Fall! So, you can imagine my excitement when I had the collection in my hands. I immediately swiped on the 2-in-1 Almost Lipstick/Black Honey Gloss. One side is the lipstick and one side is a gloss which is not shown in the picture above. The moisturizing texture I loved. But sadly, I was really underwhelmed with the colour - on me at least. I know all you Black Honey fans are thinking I'm just crazy, but it turned more of a reddish-brown on my lips. I was expecting more of a blackened purple undertone. It could be that I have some natural pigment to my lips and it pulled more of the brown undertones. It didn't necessarily look bad against my skin tone, but I felt it looked a little dated on me. It reminded me of my M.A.C. Paramount lipstick I used to wear religiously in high school/college. Not cute and just not me anymore.

The eyeshadow quad was also underwhelming although it is a quad with basic everyday shades. Beware that this palette could look muddy on some skin tones and make you look tired. Again on me, it worked but I felt it looked dated. The textures were also pretty frosty. If you have wrinkly skin on your eyes, the frost will just accentuate that.

The Black Honey blush I actually didn't mind. It is a gradation of colour going from dark to light. Use one side to sculpt and the lighter to add colour on the cheeks and highlight. The texture of the blush is really smooth. It gives the skin really nice warmth and is perfect for the Fall season. Lighter skin tones should use a lighter hand when applying this blush as you don't want to look bruised.

All in all, I think the Black Honey shade works best as a lip colour as it seems to be flattering on most skin tones. I just wish it would had more of a purple undertone to it. Otherwise, if you're a Black Honey fan you will love this collection.

Are you a Black Honey fan? Did you love the collection?

www.clinique.com

Products were submitted for editorial consideration.

Fall Beauty Review: Say "Boo!" This Halloween With Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Bar 2011

As fun as ghoul and gore are for Halloween, nothing is more exciting to look at than fantasy makeup. The mix of colours and detail tell a beautiful story. You just need a big imagination and of course some handy makeup and tools to execute it. Shu Uemura's Tokyo Lash Bar collection of fantasy lashes are the perfect way to add some drama and intrigue to your overall look. Known for their extensive line of lashes, you'll find anything from natural to sci-fi to fantasy. I've used their everyday lashes on my clients (provided by them of course), and the luxe finishes and dramatic designs make these the cream of the crop! If I could afford to, I would stock my kit full of Shu lashes!

If you haven't thought of visiting your local Tokyo Lash Bar already, do keep them in mind for a unique Halloween costume. Here are some fun and fabulous ideas to try on this Halloween!

Shu Uemura Tutu Laceflare Falsies ($28 USD): These are my absolute favourite! These tutu inspired lashes are fun and flirty. Fulfill your childhood dreams of being a ballerina! For a dramatic flare, pair these lashes with a dark smokey eye much like the picture above and red bold lips. And if you want these lashes to really stand out, think fairy ballerina. Create a flawless canvas with lots of gold shimmer. Use a white shadow all over the lid from lash to brow bone - don't worry if you get white on your brows. Then load up the eyes with gold glitter and shimmer. Be creative - create a glimmering masquerade mask around the eyes or apply on the outer part of the eyes and on the cheekbones a temples. Apply a cream base shadow in white or close to your skin colour first (even Vaseline works) to adhere the glitter to your skin. Use a liquid liner winged out to define the eyes. Finish the lips with a red lippie and style your hair into a classic ballerina bun.

Up and coming makeup artist, Arianne for The Glitter Geek, created a masquerade look using these lashes! Check it out here!

Shu Uemura Mini Fancy Bon Bon Lashes ($22 USD): How fun are these accent lashes?? If you want to be more colouful this Halloween, these lashes are a must. Do something really fun and bold on the eyes. Think circus but like you're on a runway. No scary clowns allowed just super cute ones! Choose a gradient of colours on the eyes in reds, yellows, oranges and greens. Or even more fun - think candies! Be a human lollipop - kidding! Use candy inspired shades to create a sweet and flirty look.

Shu Uemura Ethnic Charm Lashes ($65 USD): Another gorgeous pair of falsies, this luxurious pair will make your outfit. It's a pricey pair so save these for a fancy Halloween bash. The mix of feathers and colourful beads will definitely make your eyes stand out. Think tribal warrior princess, but if you're feeling more groovy throw on your bell bottoms, platforms, a peace sign necklace and make love not war. Peace dude!

For tips on how to apply fake lashes click on a past post here. Jump to step #7.

Whatever you decide have fun, be safe and munch on plenty o' chocolates! Happy Halloween!

Have you tried any of these lashes? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Available at Holt Renfrew locations across Canada.

www.shuuemura.com

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

Fall Beauty Review 2011: Shu Uemura My Lips Are Matte About You

I've tried a lot of matte lipsticks, but Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited Supreme Mattes ($36 CAD) are a dream. For someone that has chronically dry lips, I'm so drawn to matte finishes. Damn you flaky chapped lips and dry weather! These matte lippies are like none other I've tried though. They are soft, smooth and have a soft-focus powdery finish. I actually found that compared to other matte lipsticks, these did not accentuate my fine lines or chapped lips. However, exfoliating is essential for matte lips and while the flakes aren't as noticeable you can still see them. The soft-focus finish just made my lips look smoother and looks more natural. Other matte lipsticks can look and feel heavy like it's sitting on the lips.

The line is available in 6 shades: Angelic Pink (light pink with cool undertones), Evil Pink (bright warm pink), Darling Beige (nude beige), Alluring Brown (brown with rose undertone), Sensual Red (brick red with gold shimmer), and Brilliant Gold (sparkly gold glitter - Artist shade meant for mixing and layering).

Evil Pink caught my eye instantly. I wore this a lot towards the end of the summer when my skin was nice and bronzey. Angelic Pink and Darling Beige have a lot more white in them and are on the cooler side. Both look more like nudes on me which I love with a smokey eye. To make it work for my skin tone, I added a gloss over top with warmer undertones. If I were to reference a celebrity, Angelic Pink would so be a shade Kim Kardashian would wear. Alluring Brown is actually a great neutral and works for many skin tones. It has a rosier undertone so it makes this brown very wearable. Brilliant Gold is exactly that - brilliant. This looks pretty on its own when you want a subtle colour on the lips with gold shimmer or to perk up a flat lipstick or gloss.

Matte lips can look very polished with a very clean and flawless makeup look. Soft neutral eyes with lots of mascara, sculpted cheeks are a great fall look. To give the skin a subtle glow, add a highlighter to the high plains of the cheeks. To off-set shimmery or metallic eyes, matte lips are the perfect compliment. And if matte lips seem to heavy for you, wear the lipstick like a stain by pressing the colour into the lips with your finger. This will look softer and more natural.

Have you tried Shu Uemura's new matte lipsticks? Love it? Hate it? Want it? To view swatches, visit my gorgeous friend, Arianne's blog, Glitter Geek!

Available at Holt Renfrew locations across Canada.

www.shuuemura.com

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

Fall Beauty Review 2011: Chanel Why Do I Love You So? Let Me Count The Ways...

You had me at Chanel. Whether it's the clothes, bags (my dream purse!), shoes, or makeup the iconic brand instantly commands your complete adoration. Since the makeup is the only thing my fingers can grasp, hold, and afford (and barely at that!), I shall swoon over this utterly beautiful collection Illusions D'Ombres De Chanel. This is definitely one of the must-haves of the season. Fall in love with shimmering rich shades and creamy textures in the most gorgeous colours.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eye Shadow ($36 USD): When the fall or winter season rolls around we immediately think smoky eye, but too much smoke during the day might still feel/look out of place. If you love sporting a smoky eye, but can't stand the stares at 8 in the morning on the subway, you will LOVE these long-wearing shadow/liners from Chanel. It's a gel-formula, but the texture is very much like a creamy, spongey mousse if that makes sense. It's ultra soft to the touch and applies so easily to the eye. They make for a quick smoky eye because you can quickly apply with a flat brush or finger, smudge in a black liner, add mascara and you have a sexy yet subtle eye you can wear during the day. You can also wear layer underneath a powder shadow for more depth. It also lasts longer too. On its own and with a primer, it wears really well all day without fading or creasing.

I received Illusoire (smoky purple-lavender with grey-silver undertones), Emerveille (soft peachy champagne with brown undertones), and Epatant (smoky khaki green). All have a shimmery finish. Depending on how much colour you want to show, the shadow can be a simple wash to intensely smoky. Emerveille can be worn as an everyday base or as a highlighter on medium-dark skin tones. My favourite is Illusoire by far though. On my skin tone, the purple shows more and makes my brown eyes pretty. Epatant, however, is definitely this season's "it" shade. I love this shade as well because the khaki undertones make it a very wearable neutral.

Each shadow comes with a handy little shadow/liner brush that was designed specifically for this shadow. I prefer to use this brush to line the eyes rather than as a shadow brush because it's pretty tiny.

Overall, I'm a big fan especially since I love anything I can just rub on the eye quickly and have it still look amazing. If time is not your friend, these shadows will be! Available in 6 shades.

Chanel Le Vernis in Graphite ($25 USD): How can a brand command such a hefty price tag on a nail polish? Chanel is a trendsetter which explains why fashionistas and beauty lovers everywhere bite their nails in anticipation for the shade of the season. Graphite looks silvery from the bottle but when you apply it looks more khaki green with gold and silver flecks. It's such a fantastic shade that just sparkles! Available in 3 shades.

Have you tried Chanel's fall 2011 collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it? What were your favourites?

www.chanel.com

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

Fall Beauty Review: Lash Love Ardell #318

Lash love alert! Ardell #318's Lash Accents have quickly become my favourite pair of falsies. As a makeup artist, half lashes make my job that much easier. For the longest while I was using a feathery pair from Quo and I was always cutting them in half to fit my clients eye. With Ardell's new half lashes, you just apply the glue and position on the outer edge and it's done! The results are gorgeous - naturally full lashes. The feathery finish makes it very voluminous and natural looking. Your eyes will stand out without looking over the top. No one will ever know you're wearing a pair of faux lashes and that's what you want right?

Here is one of my gorgeous bridesmaid I used these lash lovlies on! Don't her eyes look amazing?? I'll be stocking my kit with more #318's! Here's a great site to buy in bulk: www.madamemadeline.com.

Have you tried Ardell's #318's? What are your favourite pair of falsies?

www.ardelllashes.com

Product was sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them.

Fall Beauty Trend 2011: Brow How

Photo Source: Style.com Alexander Wang F/W 2011

Move over bright lips and smokey eyes, in-your-face brows are this season's star. A nice, full brow never goes out of style for me though. Full brows help frame your face while thin brows just age you. Seen at Alexander Wang the full brow is bold, dark and a bit extreme especially when the rest of the face is bare. Here are some star products and key tips to achieving a full yet natural brow!

Stila All Day Waterproof Brow Color in Medium ($27 CAD): Where have you been all my life?? Because my hair is so dark, I tend to use shadows as my brow colour because I can never find anything to match properly. They are either too heavy, too dark, too grey, or have a reddish undertone.

Stila's brow colour is waterproof and seriously stays on until I take my makeup off. I got to test this while it was still hot out and humid out. The results: perfectly full brows that didn't fade or melt in the heat. I was a little skeptical when I saw the shade because it looks like a soft brown-black. But when I applied it to my brows, it actually looked like my brow colour. It really blended in nicely which I was really surprised about. The soft point allows you to mimic the way your brows naturally grow. Apply gently using upward strokes. Use it to fill in all over or just in sparse areas.

Avon Brow Gel in Clear ($6 USD): When left natural, my brows are coarse, straight, bushy, and long. It's just a hairy mess. I need to pluck, cut and use a gel to keep these puppies in place. Avon has a great, inexpensive brow gel in Clear that keeps my brows feeling soft yet locks them in. I love brow gels because they just enhance the overall shape of your brows and make everything look neat and in place. Use a brow gel to finish the brows after you've filled them in.

Are you hot on the brow trend? What are your go-to brow products?

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