Quick Dry Skin Fix!!!

Ever had the problem where you look in the mirror with your makeup all done only to see a dry patch of skin literally PEELING before your eyes??? Well EnOuGh with the run on sentences...check this OUT!!!

MOVED!

This site has moved to:

My new beauty and makeup blog

Please update your links!

Bridal Beauty Fix: The Joy of Makeup

If you're getting married in the Toronto/GTA area this year and are still looking for a Toronto/GTA bridal makeup artist check out The Joy of Makeup to view my services, rates, contact info and portfolio. For any brides getting married I also have some great beauty tips, Joy Approved beauty product reviews, and some hair and makeup inspirations! Visit the official blog to read up on the latest posts: 

Joy Approved: M.A.C. White Frost Eye Shadow

Joy Approved: Embryolisse 24 Hour Miracle Cream

The Romantic

Prince William & Kate Middleton: Wedding of the Decade!

Bridal Beauty Trends 2011

Snobbery and nonsense

I enjoy reading beauty blogs, but sometimes I come across the occasional post that ticks me off. Why does it seem like some popular beauty bloggers have to employ such snobbery? Why do they seem to assume that theirs is the only opinion that matters?

When the purpose of your blog is to inform people and educate them, (I'm talking specifically about that kind), there's not much need for superfluous cynicism and snarky comments. The point isn't to be as droll and witty as you can. I, for one, can only take so much of that nonsense. Give me the facts without embellishment and let me make up my own mind. I'll thank you for it in the long run.

The other thing that's bothering me is the widespread and damning scorn of independent makeup companies, especially ones which have at one time, or may still, sell repackaged makeup. If a company chooses to sell repackaged products, who cares? You certainly don't have to buy from them, do you? As long as they make it known they do so, and the repackaged items are clearly marked as such, then I have no problem with it. Nor do I care if the products are slightly more expensive than wholesale, nor whether their blends are necessarily the most unique on the market. (Though I'm not condemning those who do.) If I like the company and wish to support them, that's entirely my choice. If you're against it, you're free to let people know; but give us the facts and don't make it sound like we're scum for the choices we make. To each his (or her) own.

Don't worry, I'm not in the habit of posting rants lol. Most of the blogs I read are lovely, so if you're reading this then rest assured I was not referring to you! <3
These are just my feelings on a few matters I've been encountering in the beauty blogging world. I'm not intending to insult or upset anyone, but rather give a fresh perspective and hopefully some food for thought. If you'd like to leave a comment with your opinion, feel free to do so! :)

Beauty Review: Nubar Marabout Nail Polish

Spring is calling my name, but my nails are still clinging to Fall & Winter's deep moody shades. Have you heard of Nubar Nail Lacquers? If not, then you must! I had heard about this brand through other beauty blogs and I can't believe I've waited this long to try it. I'm really impressed with the quality of these polishes!

Nubar's creator, Noubar Abrahamian, set out to design a line of polishes that were free of formaldehyde, toluene, and phthlate after dealing with cancer within in his own family. They are PETA approved, Certified Vegan and Cruelty Free. 

Nubar Marabout ($10.50 CAD): This takes neutral to a whole new level. In person, this polish looks like a deep brown-taupe and is definitely a perfect shade for Fall or anytime you feel like doing a neutral with a kick. I have a wide nail bed so the wide brush applies 3 perfect strokes. This is a creamy polish and applies evenly, never streaky.

I'm really impressed by how long-wearing it is. My hands go through hell everyday - kids are messy lil' munchkins! The combination of the Foundation Base Coat, nail polish, and Diamont Seal & Shine Top Coat gives an unbelievable finish and doesn't crack or chip after a few days even with a lot of hand washing. 

The price is mid-range compared to high-end brands and definitely worth it. The brand has a lot of unique shades and textures to choose from!

Check out GetAllDolledUp.ca to view the entire line and to purchase! Stay tuned for more reviews!

Have you tried Nubar lacquers? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

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

Winter Skin Care Products by Tiffany

Winter is definitely a changing time for your skin. Having the heater on in your home dries your skin out and the weather outside isn't too "skin friendly" either. Tiffany D gives us some fabulous products to try that will help combat this season and keep us looking flawless and glowing! Commentary is by Tiffany and my comments will be in red =).

I am totally in love with Origins products as of late. This is their Starting Over Moisturizer. It's oil free which I love because it makes my skin feel comfortable, it's very very moisturizing but it doesn't give me that "extra layer" which I don't really like (who does right???). I use this at night after my normal skin care routine. It works well with my oily skin.

 

I have been using this in the mornings. It's Origins VitaZing with SPF-15 which is great for day to day. It says it's "an energizing moisturizer with mangosteen (fruit grown in Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Rare in the US since the actual fruit can't be brought in but is thought to have many healing properties. It's also found in the Xango drinks). This is the most unique moisturizer that I have ever used. A lot of times I don't even have to use foundation. It's not technically a tinted product. When it comes out, it's white but has tan beads. I use it and then my MAC Mineralized Skin Finish just to ward off shine. It evens me out as I apply it and you can see your skin brighten up...it's InSaNe!!! It has a citrusy sweet smell. Every skin tone can use it. I love it!!!

When I do apply foundation I still stick with my Makeup Forever Matte Velvet Plus (a MUST!!! It is like silk on your skin. I'll be doing a review on that soon) or NARS Sheer Glow (both can be found at Sephora).

The eye cream that I like is the Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Daily Anti-Fatigue Cream (mouthful much???). It's great because you don't need to spend a lot to get a great eye cream. I use it morning and night.

 (Sorry, couldn't resist putting our manly vamp up here using his EOS Lip Balm...Priceless!!!)
Also remember to take care of you lips, hands, your whole BoDy!!! It's really important. I use EOS Lip Balm and really bought it just because it looked so cute, but it's really great quality! I use it at night before bed and even under my lipstick and/or gloss. It's very non greasy so as not to interfere with your daily lip routine and it also stays on a long time too.

I love the Shea Cashmere Hand Cream from Bath & Body Works. I keep one in my purse and one by my bed. The more you use it the better your cuticles will look too =).

I also used to use many of the Bath & Body Works lotions and a lot of the Victoria Secret but I have all but ThRoWn them all away for the love of Renew Lotion!!! 

YES it's a Melaleuca product and I am SO sorry that you need to be a member to get the great prices but you can be a direct customer and buy whatever, whenever without needing to make an order every month. I highly look into it because you can also get the Nicole Miller (now Se Belle) bronzer!!!

Tiffany D can be found at her YouTube channel here. =)

Talk To Me Ladies!!!

Do you have a favorite product that you have tried this month and want to tell us about it? Please email me at dollcosmetics@gmail.com. Remember that it does NOT have to be makeup! Remember last month I raved about jeans???

I've Been Spotlighted!!!

One of my contest winners from last year wrote to me telling me about her new blog. It's all about her B-Priceless clothing line and other fun trends. She said that she would like to spotlight amazing women and I made the cut!!! Can you believe it? I was so humbled by her request and so grateful that she thought I was cool enough =). Check it our here and see other inspiring women just like you!!!

New BFTE sale haul+swatches

 Today my order from the Try BFTE Sale came, yay! Here are a few quick swatch pics, you'll want to click them to view detail ;)

Took this pic after blending out the swatches more with my finger :)

I got a full-size of Blueberry which I've been wanting forever! It was one of the very first colors that caught my eye when I first started looking at BFTE. For some reason I've put off buying it every order because I'd always have a bajillion blues in my cart lol. But it is STUNNING! Anyone who is a fan of blues or bright colors NEEDS this.

For my 4 sample jars I picked Sour, Beautiful, Fawn, and Emerald.

Sour is a gorgeous bright green, a tad more on the cool/blue side, but still very green (not teal). I love it because I'm not a fan of blue-greens, I prefer warmer greens, but this one is so beautiful. It's silky and pearly but not overly sparkly. Can't wait to use it with Blueberry!

Beautiful is a very light pale yellow with pink duochrome. The overall effect of the color after blending is a creamy pale peachy-pink. Very pretty :)

Fawn appears rather orange in the jar, and in some pics it does look orange indeed. It's kind of a medium orangey-brown, warm with some shimmer. The shimmer is lighter than the base, and it's not glittery at all, but very smooth. (To me it almost looked like there was even some green in there?? Or maybe just a greeny-bronze in the shimmer? Not sure..) I was expecting a shade that was a bit more brown, but I'm not disappointed, I actually loved it! <3

Emerald is more complex than I imagined: it seems to be a dark brownish base with dark green pearly shimmer and a little bit of lighter green sparkle? I'm bad at these descriptions lol, but that's what it looked like to me. In some flash pics you can see a little brown in the swatch, but it's not really visible in person. It just looks like a pretty, dark green color. (Reminds me a tad of Shiro's Link, without seeing them together of course.) I really like it!

My free sample baggie was $10 Pineapple and I was so surprised by how much I like it! I'm not a fan of light creamy yellows necessarily, but this one definitely impressed me. It's a matter type of base, fairly bright yellow but not super bright like Lemon. It has some little tiny sparkles, some of which appear to be a light pink color?? It's a brighter, less creamy yellow than Beautiful, and more matte in consistency. I heart them both ^^

I couldn't resist buying a sample jar of Paris, since I've heard a lot about it. The base kind of looks like a pinkish-red, with lots of metallic pink/red sparkles. After rubbing my finger in the swatch, it was totally reflective pink-red! I think the pics show it as a bit more red than it is, though; there's some purple in there too. It's the sparkliest color of the bunch for sure. I'll need to do a bit more testing with this one to figure it out hehe.

My sister Abby got an order too, with some gorgeous colors! You can check out her swatch pics on her blog.

Sorry my pics aren't too great, but I'm definitely planning to document my collection in stages for comparison against each other, so stay tuned for that! ;)

Hope you're all having a good Monday, thanks for reading <33

Reader Request: Dark Under Eye Circles

 

I got an email from Erica asking about under eye circles. I know that a LOT of my readers have this problem!!! Those pesky critters (am I Davy Crockett?) are famously annoying and unforch, there's no way to get rid of them. However, you have options for concealing them. So let us focus on the positive and we will do our BEST to get the right product in your hands and learn some tips for proper application. Let's tackle your first option:

*Concealer*

You should look for a concealer than is moisturizing and won't give you "dinosaur skin" under your eyes. Of course with a creamier product, you need to set it well with a good setting powder. Try to pick a shade (remember yellow will combat blue) lighter than your foundation. If your circles are super dark then try two shades. PLEASE don't go TOO light or you will look like a raccoon!!! I've dealt with models that have this problem and there are a few products that are my "go to's". I'll share them with ya cuz I like ya so much =):

- Sue Devitt Automatic Camouflage

 - Erase Paste by Benefit (super creamy, use Powderflage to set)

 - Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

- Laura Mercier's Undercover

(best drugstore find? Maybelline's New York Cover Stick) 

I also find that if you really want to pull out the big guns then use a highlighter on the inner corners to brighten! My most fav and an overall crowd please is the Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. Did you know that this product is SO popular that one is sold somewhere in the world every 20 seconds??? You can use this also for contouring!

Now I have Gwen Stefani's song (and maybe my ring tone) playing in my head,"Now that you got it whachu gonna do about it?" You have your concealer, how the JUNK do ya put it on??? Well I'll TELL you...

• Moisturize eye area and let it "soak" into your skin for a minute.
• Add a primer to you face and coat your under eye well so that when you use concealer, it will be less likely to settle into fine lines and wrinkles.
• Apply concealer with fingers or a brush (I aDORE using a MAC 217 for this!!!).
  
• Blend softly so it becomes "one" with your skin. Don't tug because the under eye is very delicate and you'll just make the concealer travel.
• Set it with a loose powder (I swear by Benefit Powderflage). I like to use a sponge or any fluffy soft brush (MAC 224 is a great example). 

Option Two:

*Eye Cream*

Invest in a vitamin-K based product. Basically buy an eye cream like Vita-K Solution gel or Peter Thomas Roth Power K Eye Rescue that can help strengthen capillary walls so dark circles and veins become less visible. 

Option Three:

*Laser Treatment*

If you have chronic under eye circles than you can contact your trusty doctor about lasers. Lasers can thicken the skin by increasing collagen production, so you are less likely to see veins, according to Los Angeles facialist Kate Somerville in InStyle mag (LOVE it!!!).

So that is what I have found to be helpful and I hope that helped you too! Remember that going to Sephora can be SO much fun because you can test out EvErYtHiNg!!! Do it and DON'T be ashamed. I look like an absolute FREAK by the time I walk out of there. Like I'm totally tribal and preparing for war! Join me, it's fun to be "special" LOL.

Winter Frost look using BFTE (lotta pics!)

 Tonight I was playing around with my BFTE shadows and created this frosty Wintery-themed look :)

The shimmer all over is supposed to be there, lol. It's meant to give a very frosted appearance, like I've been out in the snow for so long I've become frozen. ;P

 Products I used:

-UDPP

-mark. Please Hold Eye Primer

-NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (white base, on lid and eyebrow)

-BFTE Shades:

-Prissy (light pink, on lid)

-Spring Fever (light mauve pink with gold sheen, inner corner)

-Grace (blue/purple, outer corner)

-Cornflower (light blue, lower lashline)

-Whisper (bright shimmery violet, all over/around eye)

-Peacock (shimmery teal, upper lashline over black liner)

-Sephora white eyeliner pencil (waterline, inner/outer corner)

-Almay black liquid liner (upper tightline)

-Loreal Carbon Black liquid liner pen (upper lashline only)

-Maybelline Colossal black washable mascara (upper lashes only)

-Red Cherry lashes #207

-small silver rhinestones from craft store

-Duo lash glue (lashes and stones)

I gave this one a cool cast to look more frozen ;)

I would have loved to do a full look with frosty skin and lips and everything, but I had to cut it short for dinner lol. Anyway, this look was SO MUCH FUN to do! I haven't done such a fun look in a really long time. It was fairly simple, though it did take me a few hours just because I was playing and kept making minor changes. It looked really neat in person, though the camera captured it a little differently. I also feel like the makeup looks slightly different in each pic, go figure. x3

Thanks for reading, ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND!!! <3

Beauty Trends 2011: Baby, it's cold outside! Warm up with M.A.C. Spring trends!

I know, we've all said it - we're so over you Winter! Spring cannot come fast enough! Thankfully, the buzz of Spring beauty trends and sneak peeks of Spring makeup collections have been keeping me warm. Back in December, I was invited to the M.A.C. Master Class featuring Spring trends. What a great way to forget the cold even if just for a few hours! 

M.A.C. Senior Artist, Jane McKay (left), and M.A.C. Trainer, Ricky Boudreau (Right), taught us makeup artists and bloggers a thing or two about Spring trends straight from the runways. 

L-R: Pop-Classic, Terra-Copper, Ice Dream, Raw-Fined

Four major trends ruled the runways: 

• Pop-Classic: Classic Shapes, Uber Saturated Colour
• Ice-Dream: Pastel Shades, Avante-Garde Application
• Raw-Fined: Nude, Minimal Makeup, Contrasting Textures
• Terra-Copper: Modern Bronze, Precise Application

Pictured above, Jane is demonstrating the Pop-Classic look. I loved this look and loved the technique. I would never think of using a brown base (Fluidline) under a bright blue shadow like Freshwater. It gave the eyes beautiful depth. 

The look consisted of complimentary colours - blue on the eyes and orange lips. 

Jane winged out the shadow to the temples which gave this bold look an edgier finish. She used Typographic on the bottom lash line mixed with Freshwater shadow for more depth. She sculpted the cheekbones with Bronzer in Golden and brought it up to the temples. This would be perfect for a night out, but if having bold eyes and lips seems too much for you try lining the eyes with a vibrant blue liner with a glossy orange lip!

Ricky demonstrated the Terra-Copper trend which was equally as gorgeous. It's all about dewy skin in monochromatic shades of bronze. To give the skin a dewy sheen, Strobe Cream and Care Blends Essential Oil is a must. When I got home, I did a little happy dance when I found that I did have the Care Blends! Love using this at night - in the morning my skin is baby soft. 

To enhance the model's glow even more, Gold Setting Powder was used as well. A certain blogger went absolutely ga-ga over this powder (she goes by the name GlitterGeek). 

Spring and summer are looking bold! And although Raw-Fined seems innocent and natural, it's actually a bold trend for someone that can't leave the house without makeup. If you're someone that loves to play with colour then you will adore all the Spring launches this season! 

M.A.C. Fluidline in Siahi ($18 CAD): Excuse my dry hands! Grrr, winter! A coloured liner is a great way to transition into the bold brights of Spring! Siahi is from M.A.C.'s Mickey Contractor collection. This deep turquoise teal is a must this season and because the shade is deeper, it's perfect for a day look. Just sweep on a neutral shadow and line the eyes with this liner for a subtle pop of colour. I forgot how much I miss Fluidline! The gel formula just glides smoothly onto the eye. I also love using this as a shadow base. For a bold smokey eye, apply this shade all over the lid, line the eyes with a black liner, and add a few coats of mascara. 

M.A.C. Lipstick in Style Curve ($17.50 CAD): I've been on the bright pink lip bandwagon for a while now but one shade I'm starting to love are violets and purples on the lips. This swatch is of Style Curve which is from the Stylishly Yours collection. My review is a few launches too late, but it was this lipstick that got me loving violets on the lips. It is a bright clean violet that I love on my skin tone. Looking ahead to Spring, M.A.C. is launching a line of Sheen Supreme Lipsticks due out March 3rd and they have a purple pictured above that looks amazing called Quite The Thing! I'd say so!

What Spring trends and makeup collections are you looking forward to?

www.maccosmetics.com

Products were sent for editorial consideration and I really do love them.

EotD: BFTE and Shiro

A few nights ago while on a weekend trip, my sisters and I played with makeup in our hotel room. :3 I wanted to play with my BFTE and Shiro eyeshadows I'd ordered, so I did one brand on each eye. Scroll down for pics and details!

Flash

Flash

No flash

This was my BFTE eye. I used BFTE colors in:

-Tickle Me (bright deep low shimmer teal on lid, middle lower lashline)

-Illusion (deep high shimmer teal in crease, outer corner)

-Autumn (bright metallic gold above crease, inner corner, inner third lower lashline)

-Black (matte black in crease, outer corner)

-Way Up High (mostly matte white w/ light gold sheen in inner corner and highlight)

Flash

Flash

Flash

This was my Shiro eye. I was so happy to get my hands on Rattata, this bright gorgeous purple. I love it already, it's the perfect purple; mostly matte with some fun shimmery little sparkles, and a slight blue duotone that you can see coming out under my lower lashline. <3

I used Shiro colors in:

-Rattata (bright purple on lid and lower lashline)

-S.S. Anne (Shimmery golden taupe with multicolored sparkles all over my inner corner, crease, outer corner, and browbone)

On both eyes I used:

-UDPP

-mark. Please Hold eye primer

-NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk as base (only on Shiro eye)

-Loreal Carbon Black liquid liner pen (upper lashline)
-Almay black liquid liner (upper tightline)

-Black Radiance kohl pencil liner (lower lashline)

-Shu Uemura lash curler

-Maybelline Colossal mascara in Classic Black (washable formula)

-Wet N Wild kohl eye and brow pencil in Taupe (on brows)

This was just a casual play session lol. I'm still really awkward with loose mineral shadows, but I'm going to try and practice more so I can get the hang of it. ;)

My sisters also did some fun looks, you can see Abby's BFTE look here!

Thanks for reading, hope you're all having a good Wednesday! <3

Top 5 Cult Beauty Buys That Don't Deserve The Hype

These are my opinions. This means they are not fact =). Just a disclaimer before I say something not flattering about something you may be using. I just hope to save some fabulous ladies out there money. I am going to be starting a series for YOU to send me a review on a product and we'll post it. You either rate it or hate it and it will be called Reader Review. Do you already have a product in mind? Write a review and send it to dollcosmetics@gmail.com.

Like I said in previous posts. This mascara is TeRrIbLe. I know there are a lot of lovers out there of this product but I don't see it! There are SO many others out there that are better, that don't clump and that lengthen. It is the most natural mascara out there, I'll give it that...but that is ALL. For some odd reason, beauty editors and makeup artists alike love to put this down as the best mascara ever created, when it’s one of the worsts that I’ve ever tried. Keep in mind that all of those celebrities are being paid a nice sum to say it's great. That's my two cents, try it for yourself and come to your own conclusion. I recommend Lash Blast as a good budget buy.

This lotion was ALL the rage when it came out and couldn't stay on the shelf to save it's life. Let's be honest, a lotion that could double as a tanner? That's HUGE!!! But alas things have evolved and this lotion hasn't. It isn't water or sweat resistant and drips down your body as if trying to flee back to the bottle from whence it came. The smell is altogether not great and there are just better options now a days...aren't we LuCkY??? I for SURE recommend Sally Hansen's Airbrushed Legs!

Bare Escentuals/Minerals is clearly the "rage" with a lot of people that want something that is better for their skin. First of all, YES, I am all for that...but I am also wanting more. I want something great for my skin that actually gives me good coverage. I was not personally impressed with this line and hope that something better will come along in the future.  I will be trying the Matte foundation formula here soon and am hoping it will work for me. Let me be clear, I do NOT hate this line, I just think it is over-hyped.

I would NEVER buy another foundation from MAC and if they came out with something new, I would have my guard up like CrAzY. I used to love it until I tried other things and found out that this foundation is just not all it's cracked up to be. I still have SO many of them though and will use them all up in tutorials. I have found Makeup Forever is great, Cinema Secrets is amazing, and Chanel hold its own as well. Like the post title says....doesn't deserve the hype.

MAC started out as a great product founded by two men from Canada that saw the need in the industry for a stellar product for MUAs. With any line, however, when it gets bigger or is just there for a long time, management switches around, ownership changes and product quality, as a result, can also change. Estee Lauder acquired controlling interest in '94 and completed "the deed" in '98. Some higher up artists didn't like what was going to happen to the quality, jumped ship and headed over to Makeup Forever (singing voice) which is amaaaaazing!!!!!! So, once my "rose-colored glasses" came off I saw MAC for what it was and is. They have some great shadows, I can get that LOTS of other places, all of their creamy things, Paint pots, blushes, color bases are terrible. The application is awful and FAR superior products used for the same thing can be found ALL over Sephora. I still like their lipsticks, I'm a sucker for a good palette and I love most of their brushes. I won't stop buying MAC but I am no longer a slave to them.