Typhoon Ondoy

As you may all know, this typhoon hit the Philippines last Sept. 26, 2009. I'm still reeling from the fact that so much happened, and so many people were affected. A typhoon this strong hasn't happened in many many many years, according from all the stuff I've heard on the news, and so on.

I'm really glad that people are slowly picking up the pieces, and I hope that everyone who needs saving has already been saved. However, a lot of people still need help.

I'm really glad to see so many people pitching in, from all over the world. It just makes me feel a lot better about things.

Thankfully, it didn't get flooded in my area. However, people I know were affected. So I still sympathize with them.

I hope people will be better prepared for disasters like this, and that the government won't pocket the money needed for emergency infrastructures and organizations.

Beauty Feature: Benefit Cosmetics the Latest "It" List

Benefit Cosmetics is one of the few brands that make me glee with girly giddiness. Everything from the packaging down to the cheeky names make this brand stand out from the crowd of black sleek packaging. Makeup doesn't have to be all business and no play to be a good product, a philosophy that founders Jane and Jean Ford had in mind when starting their cult brand.

I've been meaning to write about some of my latest Benefit faves, but as always time just gets away from me!

1. Benefit Lip Gloss ($18 USD): I'm really glad Benefit decided to revamp their glosses. The original formula was really sheer and didn't last too long on the lips. The newest versions (available in 8 shades) are everything you'd want in a gloss: perfect amount of colour, smooth texture, and high shine. The soft cusion paddle really helps hug the lips for a flawless application. Lovely shades: Fresh Squeezed (pink grapefruit), I'm With the Band (golden pink shimmer), Who Are You Wearing? (passionfruit pink), and Almost Famous (copper penny). Like the old formula, their signature apricot-lychee scent is a delight!

2. Benefit Velvet Eye Shadows ($18 USD): These new shadows have amazing pigment and a velvety soft finish. The finish is very shimmery so I would use sparingly during the day or mix with a matte shadow to soften. You can use dry for a sheer finish or layer over their creaseless cream shadows for high drama. The range of colours are gorgeous especially new launches for Fall, Where There's Smoke (smokey pewter) and I Cannes and I Will (golden mulberry).

3. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow/Liner ($19 USD): I am all about quick and easy to apply shadows that stay put and double as a liner! They come in a soft shimmer finish ranging from soft to dramatic shades. These work great under powder shadows as well. I love using Honey Bunny (terracotta nude) as a base, Samba-dy Loves Me (champagne gold) to highlight, and Strut (smokey denim) for a smokey finish.

4. Benefit Crescent Row Eau de Toilettes ($36 USD): How ridiculously adorable is this packaging for Benefit's new fragrance line, Cresent Row? Laugh with me LeeLee is a naturally feminine scent with classic girly style. Something about Sofia is a lovely fruity floral scent and one of my favourites. My place or yours Gina is a seductive woodsy oriental scent and my other favourite.

5. Benefit Automatic Eyeliner Duo Pencil ($20 USD): Lining your eyes is the only way to give your eyes definition. The automatic liners are nice and thin so you can get right to the base of the lash. They also glide on smoothly and automatically sharpen on their own. I love that it comes with a smudger on the other end - helps diffuse the line or create a sultry finish. My favourite comes in Wink o' Ink, a metallic charcoal grey.

6. Benefit "hello flawless!" Custom Powder Cover-up with SPF 15 ($34 USD): Benefit is all about functionality while still looking cute. All you MAC Studio Fix fans will love Benefit's powder foundation. The powder goes on silky smooth, covers flawlessly, and makes your skin look radiant. I love that it comes with a sponge for heavy coverage and a brush for lighter coverage. And if you want to spot conceal all you have to do is conceal with the sponge and blend with the brush! My only issue is that the line definitely needs a wider range of colours - I'm no. 6 the darkest shade!

7. Benefit One Hot Minute Sexy in Seconds Face Powder ($30 USD): Who knew you could find sexy in a powder! I love using this rose-gold loose powder for adding a warm glow to all my "sexy" areas lol. This looks great on its own or layered over your favourite blush. Use on areas you'd like to highlight like your cheekbones and decolletage. The fan brush is actually the type of brush I like to use when I want shimmer to look more natural, like you're glowing from within.

8. Benefit Smokin' Eyes Palette ($36 USD): This awesome palette for eyes and brows has everything you need in creating the perfect smokey eye and brow. The kit includes: eye bright for highlighting underneath the brow bone, 3 smokin' eye shadows: pink highlight shadow, pewter base shadow, and deep charcoal shadow, smokin' liner, brow zings shaping wax, fluff/shadow hard angle brush, tiny tweezers, and a lesson to walk you through each step! This handly palette was perfect for a bride I did a few weeks ago.

Over the years I've found you really get more bang for your buck with most Benefit products. And it's why I just can't get enough! Stay tuned for more features including Benefit's holiday collections and more!

www.benefitcosmetics.com

Oh no. :(

I just read this. Now I'm sad, it's always been a brand I've wanted to try.

http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2009/09/17/breaking-news-estee-lauder-to-close-prescriptives/?icid=main|aimzones|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stylelist.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2F17%2Fbreaking-news-estee-lauder-to-close-prescriptives%2F

Beauty Review: L’Oreal Infallible Never Fail Plumping Lipgloss

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 News: Murale Article in the Metro Quotes Makeup Junkie!

The new Murale store is creating quite a buzz. Janine Falcon, former beauty editor for Canadian Living and founder and editor of her beauty blog, beautygeeks, quoted moi and founder of ChickAdvisor.com's, Ali De Bold, in her Murale feature in today's Metro newspaper! Thanks Janine! Check out the article here!

Beauty Review: Makeup Junkie's CoverGirl Face Off!

Makeup Junkie decided to put a couple of CoverGirl products to the test by doing complete makeup looks. Check out our must haves and our can-do-without products!

Must Haves:

Cover Girl TruBlend Liquid Makeup

I really liked this foundation. I found that it blended well into my skin. It’s lightweight and gives pretty good coverage without the cakey feel or look. All I needed was one pump to even out my skin tone. One thing I should mention is that it’s fast drying so you have to work quickly when applying. If you’re someone who likes the matte look then this is a great foundation for you.


Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush

I love love loved this cream blush! I would definitely recommend this product. It goes on smoothly and it blends nicely into the skin. It’s great especially if you like that glowy dewy look. Colors I tried were Rich Cinnamon which is on the peachy side and Lush Berry which is more on the reddish pink side. This is a definite must have!




Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 4-Kit Shadows in Crystal Waters

These colors are amazing! The pigmentation was great and even greater when I applied the Cover Girl TruConceal as a base to my eyelid. The texture is like satin and very smooth, making blending effortless. This is great for a blue/green smokey eye. I used this palette to do a night look and I loved how it looked on my eyes. It’s also not to shimmery which I like. Beautiful colors!

Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 3-Kit Shadows in Café Au Lait

Again, satin texture and smooth application. I’d have to admit the color payoff wasn’t as great as I expected but it was buildable. This is a great everyday palette for those who like the natural/neutral look. It has subtle shimmer and gave me a glistening eye every time the sun touched my face.

Can-Do-Withouts:
Cover Girl Continuous Color Lipstick

This lipstick has a very moisturizing texture. However, I’d have to disagree that the color is lasting. After only an hour or wear, my lipstick had already came off and it left a pink stain. I tried this lipstick in Classic Red but I found that the color was more on the dark pink side and I felt that the color wasn’t suited to my skin tone. If you have dry lips like me, then this is great for you but if you want lasting color I’d apply lip a lip liner first.


Cover Girl TruConceal Concealer

This is probably not my favorite concealer. It had a thin but creamy consistency, however, it failed to cover up my dark under eye circles. Although, I did find that it was a good as a base for my eye shadows. It was also good for spot concealing and covering up any blemishes, but I can do without this concealer.

Cover Girl TruBlend Pressed Powder

Initially I found that the product was a bit on the heavy side no matter how much or how little powder I put on the powder puff. So I decided to try a powder brush instead of the puff and the product ended up crumbling and making a huge mess. Instead I placed the product on my face with the sponge and because it still looked heavy I ended up using a duo fiber stippling brush to blend it into my skin. The results were flawless, however, I wish I could have skipped all those steps and just used the sponge it came with.

Cover Girl Brow & Eye makers Pencil

I’m a fan of eye shadow when it comes to filling in the eyebrows, and when I tried these I realized even more why I prefer eye shadows to pencils. I found the pencils to be a little too stiff when applying on my eyebrows. I had to press really hard and even then I didn't get enough colour.

www.covergirl.ca

by Donna Marie

I'm Sorry.....Got a Half Hour For A Tutorial Much????

So here we are with one of THE longest tutorials I have EvEr done!!!!! This is a more avant-garde look but still fun and can be done with thousands of other colors. Enjoy!!!!

P.S. the new concealer I use in the video is called Boi-ing from Benefit =).

I look like I am about to be violently ill.....I hate these pictures..whaaaaaaah... =).

Beauty Review: OPI “Sea? I told you!”

I’m not one to wear glittery or frosty nail polishes, that is, until I came across OPI’s Sea? I Told You from the Sunbelieveable collection. This color is just gorgeous! It’s an aquamarine turquoise blue with glitters in it that dries to an almost foil looking finish. I had to apply at least 3 coats for it to look even. Everywhere I went I my nails couldn’t help but get compliments. They really stood out. I love that this nail polish is long wearing. It hasn’t chipped or flaked on me yet after a week of wear. This is a beautiful color to wear with summer coming to an end and as we transition into the fall.

www.opi.com

Award, package in the mail and what my nails look like right now

Wow, that was a long title, haha. But anyway, I have to pack my posts right now since I want to post about so much stuff and I don't really want to spam people with 1 post each for every thing I want to post about.

First off, I want to thank Toma from The Makeup Mix Shop, because as always, my package arrived quick (for international postage it was quick) and perfect. I ordered several items from her shop and everything arrived in perfect condition, and I really am very happy about it. (Check out her store by clicking the image on my sidebar -------->)

The package:

I mostly ordered brushes because I really wanted to try EcoTools. An item was omitted from the picture because it's going to be part of a present for a friend. :') The above picture is all my brushes after I washed them...lol man am I glad I got the EcoTools brushes.

So again, thanks Toma!

And because I've really really really missed doing my nails, here's how my nails look like right now:

I'm really glad I got the chance to do my nails because lately I couldn't even bother with applying a simple coat of nail polish. It was a good way to relax from all the stress of school. I still wish I had a nail dotting tool, but I settled with one of those wood sticks you use for manicures (one side is pointy and the other is like flat and angled), it worked like a charm.

Lastly, I got this award from Pammy. Thank you sis, that was really sweet of you to give me one, even though I haven't really blogged in a while.

The rules of this award are that you have to pass this award on to 12 blogs that you love to read. I can't pick just twelve, my gosh. I love reading so many blogs. So I'm going to cheat and just give this to everyone! Haha. Don't kill me! >>

Beauty Feature: High Definition Makeup

Ever wonder what the difference is between hi-def and non hi-def makeup is? The beauty team at ChickAdvisor got the scoop from industry experts including a CEO of a makeup brand with a cult following! Check out ChickAdvisor's beauty feature "Beauty Trend: High Definition Makeup"!

www.chickadvisor.com

Beauty News: Murale Opens In Toronto!

Canada's first beauty destination has opened at the Shops at Don Mills in Toronto! Check out coverage from ChickAdvisor's official blog, Chick Lit. Murale is a beauty lover's dream!

www.murale.ca
Shops at Don Mills

I'm sorry...Did I Forget To MENTION???????

I got my 88 color PALETTE!!!!!!! How could I not have announced this, sung it's praises, done a tutorial????? Well the below picture is a result of using this wonderful palette and I am quite pleased. I for SURE recommend using a primer still, though the quality is far better than drugstore purchases. I used the oranges and browns today and can't WAIT to do purples and pinks for a more smoked out "punk" look. The ONLY thing I have to say and let me please note that this is not said in disappointment......they are really smaaaaaaaaall. I actually laughed when I opened them cuz they were so miniature and cute. My pygmy eye shadows as it were =). Aaaaanyhooooo, here is to fun with more upcoming tutorials and new products, products PRODUCTS!!!!!!

Sooooo Whadda Ya Think???

Had a lot of fun doing this look. I was strolling through Costco and saw an ad where a girls had some pink shadow on her lids and her upper cheek bone. I decided to use some other colors and not go down quite as much so it was still "daytime" approved and really liked it!!! I used some false lashes from Sally's (Ardell #305) and a single lash on the bottom for each eye. I had actually done a lot more green on the bottom and it RoCkEd...but like I said, I was going for a daytime look =). If you guys like it I can do a tutorial on this with other colors too!!! I really am back ladies. I have neglected this blog for waaaaaay too long!!!!!!

Thank you Cheysser!

Wow, I'm so out of it! I haven't posted in a long long long long long time and I really don't even wanna know how long it's been. I kinda feel bad neglecting my blog like this, but sometimes I'm just so busy I don't even have time to think. And I should be doing homework right now (I already wasted 2 days doing nothing!), but when you're not inspired to design, you're not inspired to design. Sigh~

I'd like to thank all my new followers, by the way. Wow, I logged in and poof, I had 175! Shocking.

Moving on, I'd really like to thank Cheysser for what she sent me! If you don't remember, I won her contest (well, 2nd place) a while back. I got her prizes finally. I was so happy that I skipped school that day cause the LBC guy came...lol!

I had to retake the pictures cause I transferred the ones I took the day they came and put them on my laptop. Which broke. LOL.

Of course some of the candies she sent me got eaten already. XD

She sent me a lot of Rimmel goodies and some ELF lippies. I also got candies and a notepad, and a NYX glitter cream palette.

Swatches of the two Rimmel Eye Twist duo liners and shadows. It scares me to use it, the weather here is so hot they got kinda melty! But I guess I just gotta be careful. :) This picture is w/o flash.


With flash.


Swatches of the two single e/s she sent me, and the quad. The green single e/s cracked in shipping! :( But it's okay, I saved it. The quad wasn't very pigmented but it's okay. This image is w/o flash.


With flash!

I was so excited to get this that I totally did an FOTD with it when I went to school later on (I only skipped my first class). :D

Again, thanks so much, Cheysser!! I loved the candies you sent, too. Yummy.

Okay, I have a backlog of stuff to post about now...but this is it for now. Tomorrow is my ELF haul! :) Gosh, I missed this and I feel so behind! How is everyone?

Friends From the Start...Yeah, We Met In Sephora

Can you believe it? Two posts in a row??? I am trying hard to make up (no pun intended) for lost time!!!!! So anyway, whilst shopping today at the ever so amazing Sephora (I had a wedding that day to shop for) I ran into Kelly. She is my new friend. I really don't know how it started but I was there, she was there and before you knew it she was putting lip gloss on her hand and having me smell it. We were picking up everything Stilla and testing it. She was giving me tips on all of her "time tested" products and I was just LoViNg being in her company. She said that her husband had just come to terms with the fact that his wife has an obsession with makeup and they have had a long marriage because of it =). I was so blown away with how many things she had tried and how in tune she was with what makeup should be, how it should work that I gave her my business card and asked her to be a guest blogger here on Classy Cosmetics. I was thinking it could be Kelly's Korner (I know how to really spell it, it just didn't look as cute) and she can have fabulous reviews on all of her finds and do some Q&A. Truthfully I was VeRy surprised she didn't have her own blog already. I look forward to her first post and can't wait to introduce her to all of you!!! Cheers to makeup and being a girl eh???

The Search Is OVER....for me anyway =)

(singing voice) IIIIIII ammmm iiiiin LOOOOOOOOVE!!!!!!!! The search is over for me ladies!!!!The ultimate mascara, the one, the real deal (the expensive) mascara I've always DrEaMeD of!!!!! So first things first....I got my Eyelashes PERMED!!! What you ask? P-E-R-M-E-D. You heard it right. For about 45 minutes I was able to nap (miracle in and of itself) while lazily lounging in a fabulous chair while ladies ever now and then put some solution on my eyes. It was $20 bucks and will last about 2 1/2-3 months!!!! Isn't that AwEsOmE?????

Well, back to the mascara. It doesn't say much on the tube and they do have a few at the Chanel counter...don't you just LOVE saying Chanel???? I do ; ). But it is the one and ONLY mascara that has this phenomenal wand. Notice the bristles, notice the comb. I even was using a trial size f this in a tutorial and WOW I couldn't live without it. I will for SURE post some pictures of my eyes with it soon when I have a reasonably good camera...ours broke at the beach...I am SO handicapped when it comes to electronics which a whole other story. $30 for this miracle tube but if you are up for the splurge DO IT!!!!

When applying the directions say to "swirl" it in your hand so that the lashes get the bristle-comb-bristle-comb action going on and it is remarkably easier than I thought it would be. Again, I do NOT endorse things that I haven't tried and tested nor things that are way too pricey unless it works like this!!!!! LOOOOOVE IIIIIT!!!!!!!

Beauty Review: Prescriptives “Good in Bed”

Interested in a “quickie” to fix your tired, dry or blotchy skin? Try Prescriptives Good in Bed Skin Restoring Night Moisturizer. I am pretty shocked and amazed with the results of using this night cream after only one night of testing. I noticed the next morning that my skin looked radiant and glowing and my skin tone looked even. It really did give me the “morning after” glow that it claimed it would do. This cream is very rich in texture and deeply hydrates and moisturizes your skin. This is especially great for dry skin. I also like that it is non acnegenic because my skin is prone to breakouts every now and then. I’ve been using this product already for a whole week and am very satisfied with what I see.

Although my skin is a huge fan of this product, my nose is not. There are subtle self tanners in it and you’ll notice that in the smell. I wish the scent of the DHA (found in self tanners) was masked a little better so that every time I put it on I wouldn’t have to hold my breath. I guess that would be my only complaint. Other than that, I am completely satisfied with the results. A night cream worth investing in!

Prescriptives Good in Bed retails for $65 USD/$90 CD

Available at Holt Renfrew

www.prescriptives.com

by Donna Marie