Cute Makeup Tips

Pucker up ladies! If you’ve always wanted fuller and luscious lips L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Plumping Lipgloss ($9.99 USD) can help you achieve it. I was skeptical to use this product at first because I was afraid it would burn or irritate my lips like so many other plumpers. I felt a slight tingly cooling sensation and no burning at all! The tip of the wand is tear shaped with a hole in the centre. I thought that was a bit odd but as it spread the lipgloss across my lips it applied it smoothly and evenly. The gloss isn't too thick or heavy but I think that’s because the wand applies just enough product onto the lips. It definitely plumped up my lips! After 6 hours of wear the shininess had faded but the color had surprisingly lasted. And above all, my lips were still plump! I could even feel a bit of the tingly cooling sensation that I had felt when I first applied it. I would highly recommend this product because you get the same results as some of the more expensive lip plumpers for just a fraction of the price!


Colours that are a must try are, Plumped Pink, which is a pretty pinky nude color, Plumped Rose; a natural everyday wear color and Plumped Red; classic bold red. L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Plumping Lipgloss definitely didn’t fail me!

www.loreal.com

by Donna Marie

Beauty mavens in Toronto are invited by L'Orèal Paris to get pampered and receive complimentary summer makeup and hair makeovers on the opening weekend of Luminato!


Here are the details:

WHAT: To help Torontonians go to Luminato in style with the latest summer beauty trends, L’Oréal Paris is offering complimentary makeup and hair makeovers from some of Canada’s top makeup and hair artists. Participants will also get the opportunity to ‘walk the red carpet’ at the Beauty Tent where a photographer will capture their final beauty look as a special memento.

WHO: Special guest appearances at the Beauty Tent by L’Oréal Paris’ Official Makeup Artist, Eddie Maleterre and Official Hair Artist and Colourist, Eric Del Monaco – the same beauty masterminds who created all of the runway beauty looks for LG Fashion Week, Beauty by L’Oréal Paris in Toronto and appeared on the hit TV show, Project Runway Canada. Eddie and Eric will direct the team of 20 makeup and hair artists for three-days at this amazing beauty hub, as they apply 1,000s of beauty makeovers on Torontonians using L’Oréal Paris ‘star’ products of the summer.

WHERE: L’Oréal Paris Beauty Tent
Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto

WHEN: June 5 - 7, 2009 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The following special guest appearances with L’Oréal Paris Beauty Experts, Eddie Maleterre and Eric Del Monaco will feature their pro beauty tips and secrets: *

Friday, June 5 at 12:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m.

Sunday, June 7 at 4 p.m.

*Please note: above timelines are subject to last minute changes due to weather conditions.

http://lorealparis.ca

Makeup Junkie is excited to announce the 10 winners of the L'Oreal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara give away! The 10 winners are:

Get sexy fluttery lashes this Valentine's with L'Orèal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara! Makeup Junkie is doing a give away for yet another 10 - yes 10 L'Orèal Paris Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara!! All you have to do is send an email to joy@makeupjunkie.ca saying you want it and provide your mailing address. Easy right? Ten winners will be announced February 12 at 12 pm so stay tuned and good luck!

www.lorealparis.ca

Beauty products will always have a place in our lives because for some of us, we would die without it! No matter how bad the economy is you can always count on a blush to perk you up or a pretty gloss to put a smile on your face. Let's be realistic though. As much as we'd like to go crazy on the newest beauty launches, it's just not financially sensible for some of us. Look on the bright side - this is the perfect time to rediscover an oldie but goodie (not too old!) and make it new again! Here are some tips on what to splurge on and how to maximize what you already own!

Steal: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser is a cleanser I always have in stock. It's so versatile and works for all skin types especially those with sensitive or severely dry skin. You can use it with water or wipe off with tissue when water and a sink isn't available. It can also be used as an eye makeup remover - just dab a pea size amount onto a cotton pad and wipe. Another great trick I learned from a makeup artist I was assisting is to mix Cetaphil with brown sugar to use as an exfoliant for the face or lips! It effectively and gently removes dead skin cells, makes your skin soft, and smells yummy.

Steal: Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion has helped me get over some irritating, bumpy moments. When my skin has had it with being a guinea pig, it gets back at me with a red, itchy rash usually around my eyes, cheeks, and mouth. Cetaphil lotion always brings my skin back to normal and clears up those rashes. I've even started using it as an eye cream on my son and it has helped clear up the dryness around his eyes. You can also use it as a body moisturizer. Mix this with a shimmery pigment powder and use it to highlight anywhere you want some sexy shine! Add a bit of this to your favourite liquid or cream foundation to make an instant tinted moisturizer! Also available with SPF!

Splurge: When it comes products that help the performance of your makeup, I always like to spend a little more. Cargo blu_ray High Definition Mattifier is both a makeup primer and a mattifier so you're getting more bang for your buck. Your makeup will apply beautifully, last longer, and keep the shine away!

Splurge: If you don't have a good base then the rest of your look will just fall apart. I never like to skimp out on a good foundation. I just discovered Era Everyday Foundation and I've fallen in love! You may remember this one-of-a-kind airbrush, wear/water resistant oil-free foundation used by celebrity makeup artist, Carmindy from What Not To Wear. I tried it on a few clients who also fell in love with the flawless, yet natural feel and look of the foundation. It literally takes seconds to apply whether you spray it directly on the face or onto a sponge. It can also double as a concealer - just dab more on the areas that need extra coverage. The brand also carries a heavier version for more problematic skin, Era Face Foundation. Available everywhere and in Toronto, at Lift Beauty Boutique.

Splurge: It's hard to find a really good product that you can truly use on your eyes, lips and cheeks. I love multi-use products like NARS's makeup staple, The Multiple and now available in the Multiple Duo! They come in a variety of colours and give your skin a radiant, glowy finish. Just swipe on your eyes with some mascara and liner, dab it on the apples of your cheeks for fresh pop of colour, and slick onto the lips - your look is complete and all with one stick. The Duos give you even more choices so you can use one colour on the eyes and another on the lips. You can also use it to contour and highlight the cheeks. For a full colour finish on the lips use with a lip liner and a non-shiny lip balm. For a glossy finish, swipe on a clear shimmery gloss over top. My tip: finish the eyes and cheeks with a translucent powder for long-lasting effect.


Steal: If you love to have fun with colour and like creating a variety of looks on your eyes, CoverGirl's Eye Enhancers are a real steal! Colours range from neutral to tropical and come in shimmery, metallic or matte textures. You also have a choice of getting a single pan or a palette of 4 shadows. Use them wet for intense colour and as a liner or dry for a more natural effect.


Steal: You don't have to spend a lot of money to give your skin a luminous finish. Pigment powders can be messy but they can be used in many ways. I've become a fan of CoverGirl's TruBlend Mineral Blush and Bronzer. The Mineral Blushes go on great as a sheer blush, as a finisher after your makeup has been applied to brighten up your look, mixed with a moisturizer to highlight the cheekbones and anywhere on your body, or added to a clear gloss for a custom colour! For a faux tan use the Mineral Bronzer on the high points of your face with a brush, mix with a moisturizer for a bronzy glow, mix with a clear gloss for a sun-kissed hue on the lips, layer over top of a cream shadow for a bronze finish on the eyes, or mix with a liquid/cream foundation! Comes in a jumbo-size container so it will last for a while!

Steal: When it comes to my mascara, I've found drugstore brands are superior to the higher end lines. In the world of tube mascaras (mascaras that wash off with water, don't smudge or smear), L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara at $13 plus CDN is considered a steal when compared to other tube mascaras. You get a nourishing lash primer and the blackest black mascara all in one! Plus, you don't have to spend extra money on an eye makeup remover because it comes off with lots of warm water!

Steal: I've experimented with many natural products from head to toe but when it comes to the lips I'm all about it. Maybe it's because I ingest so much lip gloss and lip balm on a daily basis?? For something all-natural without a heavy price tag try a line like Kiss My Face. They carry everything including a great selection of lip products. I am loving the Sheer Organic Shine in Ruby. It's a gorgeous shimmery medium-pink that has a minty non-sticky finish. I'm dieing to try their Organic Lip Balms. Stay tuned for my review and colour swatches!

The bottom line is to be creative and come up with new ways to use the existing products you own. What would you splurge on and what do you consider a steal? Makeup Junkie wants to know!

L'oreal Wear Infinite Star Secrets in Aishwarya Rai's Green ($10.95 CAD):

It’s been a while since I’ve used L’oreal eyeshadows, but I’ve always loved L’oreal products and still swear by their Lineur Intense! I was excited to give the palette of Aishwarya Rai's Greens a test run - who wouldn't want even just a little bit of Aishwarya's glamour in their own make-up routine? It certainly can't hurt!

The colours of Aishwarya's eyeshadow quad are pictured at right. The first colour is a faint wasabi matte green that acts as a base for the application. (I thought this colour might make me look too sallow, but it actually turned out to be brightening and fairly neutral). The second shade is a matte cream to highlight underneath the eyebrow. The third shade is a shimmery moss colour to be used for definition in the crease. The fourth shade is a burnt brown to define the lashline.

The individual shadows of the quad were well-pigmented and smooth, blending with ease. The effect was actually very subtle; the burnt brown didn't appear as dark on my skin as expected (likely because of the shimmer texture to it). A cute thing I liked about the packaging was that it was very user friendly; it detailed on the back what eyeshadow went where on the eye, making it a great choice for novice eyeshadow users. The palette also works great for both day and night looks - just add eyeliner and deeper eyeshadow in the crease to translate this look into a smoky evening eye.

I did find that the long-lasting formula didn't last as long as I would have hoped, but I do tend to have slightly oily lids. The problem was alleviated when I applied a cream eyeshadow base before applying the eyeshadow. Despite that, Aishwarya's Greens quad is still a great deal for 4 eyeshadows that let you be your own star! Add some glamour to your routine today!

Available now at your local drugstores!

www.loreal.com

I wasn’t one to jump on the mineral make-up bandwagon (I love me my make-up and really don’t mind a full make-up routine of foundation, concealer and powder!). But for lighter days and times when you’re rushed, mineral make-up definitely makes sense...and it doesn't hurt that the ingredients are made to be better for your skin! For a mineral make-up product, I initially found L'Oréal's Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder to be quite heavy and even cakey in appearance. I thought it might be the flat brush that came with the product or the fact that it was a pressed (rather than a loose) powder that made the application seem to apply thicker than usual. Not one to give up on a product after only one try, I did manage to have better results on the second day by using a dome powder brush and a lighter hand in application. Using this type of brush helped to better distribute the powder over a larger area of the face - I didn’t have to keep dipping my brush to grab more powder for application, which also meant less risk of using too much product (likely the cause of the initial cake effect). Instead with the dome brush, it only took a couple of swipes and I was good to go!

In terms of coverage, the product was good without being too thick and cakey once I adjusted for the brush and technique. I did like the fact that when I checked the mirror at lunchtime, there wasn’t as much shine in the T-zone as other powders I’ve tested out. I tried to tweak the application technique for the remainder of the week, still using the dome powder brush and a lighter hand in application. I tried the powder with foundation on one day (I know...defeats the purpose of mineral make-up, but I had to try!) and without foundation on another day. With foundation, it worked as a good setting powder. Without foundation, it went on smoothly, but I had to ensure I thoroughly moisturized to avoid any drier areas of my face from standing out. Throughout the week, the results were the same: decent coverage that didn’t require much touch-up after a half day’s wear. I found L’oreal’s Bare Naturale to be an ok powder, but it lacked the wow-factor that made me think I have to scoop up several of these right now!! Also, since I had to use a separate brush not included in the orginal packaging, I think I will save the $12 that you’d pay for this and put that money towards a mineral powder that has that ‘it’ factor!

Have you tried L’oreal’s Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder? Did you have better results? Leave a comment and let Make-up Junkie know!

ARTIST TIP: If you feel like you’ve applied too much powder, use a clean buffer brush and use circular motions in the areas of concern to buff off any excess product.

Thank you to everyone that filled out the first survey of our Makeup Junkie Readers' Beauty Stash Awards 2008 - Best In Skincare! I wish I could give you all a L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara but there can only be 10 winners.

And now to announce the 10 lucky winners! Congratulations to:


You will be contacted via email for your mailing addresses.

Those of you that haven't won and even those that have, you still have the chance to win more amazing beauty prizes! Stay tuned at 12:30 pm for the next survey and to see what Makeup Junkie will be giving away! Thank you again for your participation! Here at Makeup Junkie we love seeing what our readers are using!

L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara will be available January 2009! For more information on L'Oreal products visit www.lorealparis.ca.

Thank you for being so wonderfully patient! Today is the first day of Makeup Junkie Readers' Beauty Stash Awards 2008! We want to know what your beauty must-haves of 2008 are! Makeup Junkie will be doing a series of surveys and giving away many lovely prizes! Today's survey is about the Best in Skincare. Participants that fill out today's survey will have the chance to win L'Oreal's newest mascara that won't available until January 2009, L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara!



We have 10 - yes 10 - to give away!!! This give away is only for today so be sure you fill out the survey today to be a lucky winner! 10 winners will be chosen randomly and announced tomorrow, November 19, 2008! Good luck!

Vote For Best In Skincare

To read Makeup Junkie review of L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara click here.

It's hard to restrain a makeup junkie when there are new products coming out everyday! The good thing is that the beauty industry always keeps you on your toes. And the bad? Well, it can be a little overwhelming sometimes! Round 4 is all about "tubular" lashes! Are you ready to put those gloves on? Gloves on your lashes that is!

My Lashes: stick straight, lacking volume and length
Mission: To find a volumizing, lengthening, smudge-free, non-clumping mascara.
Round 4: Tube mascaras that coat your lashes like gloves, creating voluminous, sky-high, smear-proof lashes!

Mascara: Too Faced Lash Injection Pin Point
Rating: 7 winks
Price: $19.50 USD
Special Feature: 3D polymers build waterproof tubes around each lash with a thin brush to get every lash creating voluminous, extremely defined, long lashes.

Smudge-factor: none
Clump-factor: none
Lengthening: yes
Volume: after 2 coats
Curl: moderate
Wand: Thin brush
For: Gals who have short lashes and need length as well as separation and definition.
Overall: I really like the thin brush. It gets to every lash without making a mess on my lids. The formula seems a lot richer than the original Lash Injection. You get great definition and length but not a lot of volume or lift. It took 3 coats to make my lashes really stand out. The formula is supposed to be the same as the original but I found this one did not flake or smudge. When you have a few coats on, it takes a little while to remove with warm water but it does come off really well leaving no residue behind.
Beauty Stash Worthy: I love the brush but I could either way. I prefer a mascara that can also give me lift and lots of volume.

Mascara: Kiss Me Mascara
Rating: 8 winks
Price: $29.95 CAD
Special Feature: Water-resistant tubes that wrap around each lash for natural volume and length.

Smudge-factor: none
Clump-factor: none
Lengthening: yes
Volume: natural
Curl: yes
Wand: Medium bristle
For: Gals who like a natural look to their lashes and those that need more length than volume.
Overall: Kiss Me Mascara is the pioneer of tube mascara technology and definitely deserves kudos for being innovative. This mascara is popular among many Hollywood starlets. The mascara promises to give you natural volume and length and delivers exactly that. It doesn't make you believe you'll have the same effect as faux lashes. However, since I like my lashes on the more dramatic side this wouldn't be my first choice of mascara. The upside is that Kiss Me Mascara carries Ultra Volume Mascara for gals who want extreme volume. If you do want more volume, keep applying more coats while the formula is still moist. The rule of thumb has always been to wait until the first coat dries. When you are happy with the look let it set for 1 minute without touching. I found the brush to apply a little messy which is a surprise since the brush isn't big. All in all, it gives great length and separation.
Beauty Stash Worthy: Since cheaper versions have come out that deliver both volume and length, I probably wouldn't go out and buy another one once I'm finished. But if I have the chance to try the Ultra Volume Mascara I might!

Mascara: L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Technology Mascara
Rating: 9.5 winks
Price: $14.95 CAD
Special Feature: 2-in-1 mascara with nourishing base coat and tube technology mascara to give your lashes salon-like extensions that wash off with warm water. Won't be available in Canada until January 2009!

Smudge-factor: none
Clump-factor: a little
Lengthening: yes
Volume: yes!
Curl: yes
Wand: medium bristles - still able to get at hard-to-reach lashes
For: Gals who's lashes need extra nourishing and volume. Also for those that have sensitive eyes and don't want to use eye makeup remover.
Overall: Before CoverGirl LashBlast mascara came along, I was faithfully committed to L'Oreal Voluminous Water-proof mascara. Well, L'Oreal has won me back! I LOVE this mascara! It is amazing for its value. It may be a pricer drugstore mascara but it's still on the cheaper end of most high end brands. You get a 2 in 1: nourished, voluminous lashes. No smearing or flaking either. I applied a few coats and did notice a little clumping but it was easily combed out with a lash comb. I am able to get faux lashes like Lancome's Oscillation mascara, without nearly as many clumps. When I went to the launching of the mascara during L'Oreal Toronto Fashion Week, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Eddie Maleterre, Official Makeup Artist for L’Oreal Paris in Canada and L’Oreal Fashion week’s Artistic Director, did a demonstration using Double Extend Beauty Tubes. Nothing difficult but it's always cool to see how another makeup artist applies mascara. I love the fact that I no longer have to use a water-proof eye makeup remover (saves me money)! It comes off so easily with gentle pressure and warm water!
Beauty Stash Worthy: Absolutely!

Pictures from the L'Oreal NRG Breakfast launch of L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara:
Have you tried any of these mascaras? Love them? Hate them?

Click for other reviews of Mascaras Battle It Out:
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3

Ding! Ding! Ding! Welcome to Round 1 of my mascara feature "Mascaras Battle It Out!" With so many mascaras on the market claiming to be the best how does a makeup junkie pick the right one? I've taken it upon myself to test some of the hottest and top selling mascaras - oh the torture! Keep in mind, results may vary and the outcomes were based on my experience only.

My Lashes: stick straight, lacking volume and length
Mission: To find a volumizing, lengthening, smudge-free, non-clumping mascara.
Round 1: Eco-friendly, mineral based mascaras

Mascara: L'Oreal Bare Naturel Mascara in Blackest Black
Rating: 8 winks
Price: $13.89 CAD
Special Feature: Mineral-enriched mascara, 86% natural-origin ingredients, shine-enhancing minerals, and paraben- and fibre-free.
Smudge-factor: no
Clump-factor: no even after 5 coats!
Lengthening: yes after 2 coats
Volume: yes after 2 coats
Lift: yes after 2 coats
Wand: Thick naturally-based soft bristles
For: Gals who are eco-conscious and want a natural but buildable mascara.
Overall: I liked this mascara. The first coat has a natural effect but give it another few coats and you have full, dramatic long lashes. I tried 5 coats and was delighted it didn't clump! The formula also gives the lashes a nice rich sheen. Water-proof formulas seem to be the only mascaras that don't smudge on me. Bare Naturel is not water-proof but there was no smudging even after a nap and a yoga workout. The bonus is that it's a nourishing, mineral-enriched mascara so you can feel good about putting something natural on your lash.
Beauty Stash Worthy: Yes. Eco-friendly, decent price, and a versatile mascara - go from natural to dramatic.

Mascara: Tarte Lash Hugger Natural Mascara
Rating: 9.5 winks
Price: $18 USD
Special Feature: A natural eco-friendly mascara housed in a metalized tube composed of post-consumer recycled aluminum.

Smudge-factor: no
Clump-factor: no
Length: yes
Volume: yes
Curl: yes
Wand: Medium bristle
For: Gals who are eco-friendly, have sensitive eyes and want all the lengthening, volumizing, and clump-free benefits in one mascara.
Overall: I love this mascara and it's not even water-proof which in the past is the only thing that gave my lashes lift. It definitely hugs the lashes. From the first coat my lashes were lifted, lengthened, voluminous, and clump-free. The effect is more natural but just swipe on a few more coats and you get bold lashes without any clumping! The pigment is also a rich black that leaves a glossy sheen on the lash. More brownie points for not smudging. I love that it uses natural ingredients such as water, olive esters, rice bran wax, carnuba wax, and mineral pigments. The recycled aluminum tube is a bonus so you can feel good about protecting the environment. It got 1.5 points more than L'Oreal Bare Naturel because of the recycled aluminum tube and looked lovely right from the first swipe.
Beauty Stash Worthy: Yes! I love Tarte products so I'd be willing to pay a little more. It's rare that I find a mascara I love right away!

Have you tried these mascaras? Love them? Hate them?

www.lorealparisusa.com and www.tartecosmetics.com

I had the pleasure of attending the L'Oreal Paris NRG breakfast event at Toronto Fashion Week on Monday. It was for the unveiling of L'Oreal's newest mascara, Double Extend Beauty Tubes! It won't be available in Canada until January 2009. I'm very excited to give this mascara a test run so stay tuned for my review and for photos from the event!

Double Extend Beauty Tubes is featured in this tutorial for MANGO's runway look for Spring 2009 created by Eddie Maleterre – Official Makeup Artist for L’Oreal Paris in Canada and L’Oreal Fashion week’s Artistic Director. Check it out! Smoky eyes with a dash of pink shadow make this a gorgeous evening look for Spring!

www.lorealparis.ca

As the big 3-0 comes closer to reality (8 months and counting), my skin's youthfulness sadly doesn't come as naturally as it used to. When I received L'Oreal's Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum Concentrate and Daily Moisturizer Oil Free Lotion, I was reluctant to try it because my skin was finally in a happy place. For the love of beauty, I had to try it!


Step 1: L'Oreal Paris Skin Genesis Daily Treatment Serum Concentrate ($19.99 USD Voted Allure's Best of Beauty "Beauty Breakthrough" October 2007):

Here is what it promises: This unique, crystal clear highly concentrated treatment uses green chemistry to deeply penetrate the skin's surface to even skin tone and immediately tighten. Adds fullness, skin elasticity, and renew skin's eveness from within. Boosts cellular renewal to help erase fine lines, and instantly hydrates for more even, light-reflective skin. To read the science behind the beauty click here.

The results: I applied this before applying the moisturizer for 5 weeks and have noticed that my skin is looking brighter and smoother, but not drastically different. I have some uneveness and bumpy areas on my face that are less obvious now. My skin doesn't have any sagging so the tightening effect isn't noticeable to me. I love the light texture of the serum - it feels like a silicone-based primer on my skin much like Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer. The silver airless pump bottle is convenient to use, preventing bacteria from mixing with it. The silver-twist cap eliminates the need for a cap and makes it perfect for traveling.

L'Oreal Paris Daily Moisturizer Oil Free Lotion ($19.99 USD Voted Allure's Best of Beauty "Beauty Breakthrough" October 2007):

Here is what it promises: This unique, light-weight hydrator creates a more flawless complexion. The oil-free formula instantly smoothes skin's surface and evens tone.

The results: I have become a big fan of this moisturizer. It is especially perfect for hot humid weather because the texture is so light. The moisturizer has little illuminating particles in it, giving my face a healthy radiant glow. My skin feels so soft after and almost feels like a primer. My makeup glides on perfectly. I love the light-reflective quality, diffusing fine lines and uneven tone. I did notice that I had to apply more on dry patches so I'm not sure if this moisturizer would be enough for the dry winter months. The capless twist-top locks, making it easy to throw in a toiletry bag and the design is chic and simple. An SPF version is also available.

Overall, my skin remains to be harmonious. This is something I will definitely buy in the future when I run out (that is if something better doesn't come along before then!).

L'Oreal Paris Skin Genesis products are available nationwide at your local drugstore. For more information visit www.lorealparisusa.com

To see my review on TotalBeauty.com click here.

Don't hate me because I tan easily. Ten minutes in the sun and I'm toasty and golden all over - well, almost all over. My legs rarely see the light of day! Skirts and shorts are not usually apart of my wardrobe for good reason - just trust me on this. It's just not natural to see pale legs when the rest of my body is tan. On occasion I'll break out into a skirt or shorts so those are the times when I need a little help in the tanning department. I'm not into fake 'n bake, have never tried a professional mist tan, and I'm easily scared off by self-tanners that leave a streaky mess. My inexpensive solution is usually drugstore brand bronze enhancing moisturizers.

When I received L'Oreal's innovative Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Air Brush Self-Tanning Mist in Medium (one shade fits all) I was intrigued. A professionally inspired airbrush mist delivery system that dries within minutes and gives you an even, 100 % natural-looking, streak-free tan, no rubbing required. With 360 degree application to help reach even the hardest spots, this little bottle delivers a professional tan right in the comfort of your own home. Plus, it helps disguise veins, scars and stretch marks! Sound too good to be true? Then it usually is.

I showered and exfoliated just like the instructions indicated. I applied the mist at arm's length and made sure not to rub in. I made the mistake of misting myself on my bedroom carpet. I realized the carpet was starting to feel damp underneath my feet so I frantically threw a towel onto the floor. Besides that, everything seemed to be going good. After a few minutes of drying, I noticed my skin taking on a natural glowy tan. I was so excited I ran downstairs to show my husband. He thought I didn't need it because I was tan already and said I would regret it the next day. What did he know?? I couldn't believe how easy it was to get my legs matching the rest of my body with just a few easy sprays.

The next morning I was mortified! That natural glowy tan I thought I had turned 5 shades darker and was a streaky, uneven mess! Not only that - my feet were a muddy orange disaster and were 10 shades darker than the rest of my body! I guess every mist sprayed ended up falling onto my feet. The soles of my feet were also the same colour which was disturbing especially since the colour did not reach the back of my ankle. I jumped into the shower and scrubbed my skin to death with every body scrub I owned until I was raw and red (apparently rubbing lemon juice gets rid of it but I had no clue at the time).

The over-scrubbing helped a bit but not nearly enough. Thank goodness I was able to use the PedEgg (love!) on the soles of my feet to bring it back to its normal pale state. As for the rest of my body, I had to unwillingly accept that the quickest fix would be to give my body another spray to hopefully even it out. It helped somewhat but there were still spots on my legs that were uneven. It was hard to spray it only on the lighter parts without getting the darker parts darker. To maintain the tan, you're supposed to spray 1 to 2 times per week but I was too traumatized. My sister-in-law, who is naturally fair and doesn't tan as easily, wanted to try it despite what had happened to me. I figured, maybe it was just me and the way I applied it. She was as excited as I was when I first started seeing results. But I warned her that she would be much darker the next morning.

When she came down for breakfast in jeans and a sweatshirt I burst out laughing. I couldn't blame her for taking a beauty risk because that's what real beauty junkies do! We came to the conclusion that it is definitely a two-person job. However, I think I'll be going back to my bronze enhancing moisturizers. No streaks, no mess, and you get naturally bronzey skin! Anything that promises to give you professional results plus more in a can is probably too good to be true.

*Note: The formula contains alpha hydroxy acids, which can make skin more sun-sensitive; wear a sunscreen.

Have you tried this product? What was your experience with it?

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze ProPerfect Air Brush Self-Tanning Mist is sold are available at chain, drug, food and mass market retailers nationwide.

For more information, visit www.lorealparis.com.

To read my TotalBeauty.com review click here.

L'Oreal Paris celebrated their 11th anniversary as the Official Beauty Partner of the Cannes Film Festival, May 14-25, 2008. L'Oreal Paris makeup artists, led by renowed L'Oreal Paris Makeup Designer, James Kaliardos, will create over 1400 cutting edge makeup looks for daytime or evening on the stars attending the festival! Here are some of my favourite looks and insider beauty scoops brought to you by L'Oreal Paris!