Event: L'Oreal Paris Canada Holiday Party

December is just full of holiday beauty events! Makeup Junkie guest contributor and pro makeup artist, Marlene Gordon, attended the L'Oreal Paris Canada holiday party held at the Trump Hotel! It was an event not to be missed - check out the dessert table and you'll see what I mean. Here's what she had to say about all the goodies and the slew of new products for 2013! 

I'm not a particularly festive person, but when I got an invite to the L'Oreal holiday party, taking place at the Trump Hotel- I got festive pretty quickly!

After noshing on  hors d'oeuvres and sipping on (several) cocktails, I got down to business and previewed L'oreal's 2013 products. There are some exciting things in the horizon!

Here are my favourites:

• Colour Riche eyeshadows: 4 shades in each palette. 20 different colour combinations available.
• Miracle Blur: A priming product that softens fine lines and smooths imperfections.
• Telescopic Mascara: Boasts extreme length and definition. I've tried it and it gives super long, individual lashes, no clumping.

Swag!

Look out for all these goodies in January!

About Marlene Gordon

Mar Gordon has always shown an affinity for art and beauty. Her career path was solidified at the age of sixteen when meeting the late, great make-up guru Kevyn Aucoin at a book signing. 

Mar has worked in the make-up industry for the past twelve years in many different facets; from editorial to bridal to runway. 

She is available for private and commercial bookings.

www.margordon.com

Summer Feature 2012: Summer Days

Happy Be-lated Canada Day to all my Canadian readers and Happy 4th of July to all my American readers! As usual, life is busy and I'm trying to fit in posts where I can. We're off to BC this Friday so I apologize for the lack of posting! 

It's an oven in Toronto which means summer has really arrived. Here are some pretty things keep you cool and looking lovely this summer!

• mark Easy Going Maxi Dress: I'm not too keen on my legs and hate to show them (hi, body issues!). Maxi skirts and dresses have become my new summertime BFF. They are a summer essential. I LOVE this tribal inspired maxi from mark by Avon. Isn't it pretty? It's perfect for walks in the city or taking a stroll on the boardwalk. The straps are adjustable and the bustline has an elastic waist so the fit is great. When it's cooler, I love pairing this with a cropped jean jacket. It works with flats or wedge sandals. 
• mark Fit to Print Reversible Beach Bag: How fun is this beach bag? It's the perfect tote for anything really. You can use it for shopping, as a gym bag, or like how I use it - as a diaper bag! It fits everything I need. And when you want something more nautical, reverse the bag. The blue and white stripes will pump up any outfit. 
• mark Triple Sparkle Necklace: Lately, I've been really into simple jewelry that I can wear everyday. This trio of goldtone, silvertone, and hematite spheres adds a little sparkle to your basic tees or tanks. I love layering this with other necklaces. It's become one of my faves!
• mark Pretty Stellar Ring: If you swell and get bloated from the heat like I do, you'll appreciate this adjustable gorgeous turquoise ring from mark. The band is stretchy so you can wear it on any finger you desire. Love! 
• L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Balm in Pink Satin: Tinted lip balm lipsticks are all the rage right now and are so easy to wear on a super hot day. This one from L'Oreal is Dior's cheaper lil' sister, but L'Oreal's has an SPF 15. The packaging is very similar with its pink case. The line does offers more shades than Dior's, but L'Oreal's pigment is more sheer. If you want to save, you will like L'Oreal's version. Pink Satin is a very sheer light pink. If you have more pigment on your lips this shade won't really show. I'd go with the darker shades if you want more colour. 

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

CityLine Show Full of Bloggers = A Rowdy, Chatty, and Gorgeous Bunch!

(Warning: Most pictures appear blurry and have bad lighting. You can blame that on my Blackberry!)

Pre-show: getting set up and bloggers seated.

I've always wanted to sit in the audience of CityLine, particularly during one of the Fashion Friday episodes. But when I was invited to join the audience for a special Blogger episode I jumped on the chance - couldn't be more perfect!

Me and familiar face Anita from, From L.A. With Love and Primped and Proper,  waiting for the show to start.

The show was aimed at bloggers and how social media has changed all different industries from design, food, being a working mommy, and of course beauty! I had no idea who would be attending so when I arrived, I was immediately greeted with the familiar smiling faces of my fellow beauty bloggers. Everyone looked gorgeous and colourful. The energy in the green room was super hype especially when CityLine's stunning host, Tracy Moore, came in the room to say hi!

The two gorgeous Tracy's - Tracy Peart and Tracy Moore!

The show had some great guests including Erica Ehm from Yummy Mummy Club and one of my favourite makeup artists CityLine's awesome Tracy Peart! This was the only show where audience members could tweet and be on their phones. It was hilarious to see everyone's heads down furiously tweeting away! 

Each guest gave many wonderful tips on Do's and Don'ts of social media. Tracy P. had a good one that I also see often - if you're leaving a comment on another blogger's site don't include a your own website's url. I get it - you want to give your site more exposure but it may come across as spamming someone's site and the comments don't seem genuine. Other bloggers will eventually follow your blog if you visit and comment on their site regularly.

My favourite part of the show was of course the beauty segment with Tracy P.! She shared her favourite beauty products to use: cult classic L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara (used to be a staple of mine - forgot how much I loved it! Will have to pick up the water-proof version.), Vasanti Liquid Cover Up, Hard Candy Visibly Wet Lip Pencil, and a new favourite of mine M.A.C.'s Greasepaint Stick in French Quarter. I have been using this a lot and I love it! Best part - we got to take Tracy's favourites home along with some other awesome giveaways! Tracy is always giving tips on her beauty blog and does beauty how-to videos on CityLine.ca - be sure to check her out for some pro tips!

I asked Tracy a few questions about beauty and social media - here's what she had to say!

MJ: Favourite Spring makeup trend?

Tracy: My favorite makeup trend for Spring 2011 is bright, brilliant, neon colors for the eyes. Whether it be an eyeshadow all over the eye or an eyeliner just to accent the eye. I'm excited about BOLD colors being IN again!

MJ: Favourite product for Spring trends?

TP: My favorite product that will work with the Spring Trend, is an oldie but a goodie "Electric Eel" Eyeshadow by MAC. It's an outgoing color that can be worn subtly or loudly!

MJ: Best thing about starting your blog and being on Twitter?

TP: Best thing about blogging and being on Twitter is all the new people I've come into contact with. Whether it's makeup companies, or the everyday woman who looks to my blog for advice, or fellow Bloggers like you! Before being involved with social media, I didn't know them and they didn't know me. For instance, you and I met at a Blogger Party and remain in contact via Twitter! It's GREAT!

And it's true - love Twitter for connecting with other like-minded peeps! Thanks Tracy!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to stick around after the show to get more pictures and to attend the Tweetup at the ritzy Ritz Carlton. It was a fun experience and it's always good to see my beauty blogger sistas! The show airs March 29 at 9 am so don't miss it! Thank you to CityLine and Tracy P. for the invite! Here are some more photos from the show!

Me tweeting away with lovely bloggers, Anjali from Rock That Look and Anita! Photo courtesy of Michelle from Lipstick Rules!

My lovely gal Jenn from Spiced Beauty and Michelle.

Some of the great beauty bloggers at the show: 

Jill: Batting A Lash
Farah : Faces By Farah
Jenn: Spiced Beauty
Anita: Primped and Proper
Anjali: Rock That Look
Nancy: Nancy Power Makeup Artist
Michelle: Lipstick Rules

Fall Must-Have: Little Black Liquid Liner

Love this look! Louis Vuitton 2007

Liquid liner has been lingering for a few seasons and this Fall is no different. From plum, to navy, to classic black liquid liner is the way to make a beauty statement. Just like an LBD, liquid liner can be worn so many ways. Wing it out, keep it subtle, or make it dramatic with a sexy kitty-cat eye.

Liquid liner is one of those beauty products most women shy away from. I get it - liquid liner can be intimidating and not the easiest beauty product to use. As a beauty expert, I think every woman should own a LBLL. All it takes to go from girl-next-door to drop-dead-glamourous is all in the swipe of a line. But not all LBLL's are created equal. I tested out 3 that are hot on the market - see which one came out on top!

1. L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Explosion Waterproof Eyeliner ($9 + CDN): This liner has a lot of good and a lot of bad going for it.

The good: The slanted felt-tip brush allows for ease of application. I found it really easy to achieve a thin or thick line. It didn't smear or smudge on me and is the cheaper of the 3 liners.

The bad: When you first apply, the formula is way too runny and wet. Even after shaking the bottle, it was still too runny. At the same time, the liner also dried fairly quickly causing a lot of gaps and making it difficult to work the line across the eye. I found this especially annoying when using on my clients. Even though it was smear-proof, I found if you rubbed your eye it would rub off. I believe this has to do with the shiny plastic-like finish. Taking off the liner was a mess because it came off much like a tube mascara.

2. Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Liner ($32 USD): There's a lot that I love about this liner!

The good: The packaging is chic and shaped like a marker. My grip was comfortable and the felt-tip liner made it really easy to line the eye and wing out. The brush is more on the firm side but that's usually how I like it. Less chance of making a mistake - at least for me that is. The moisturizing formula dries much like a marker does and really "hugs" the lash line. I also love the matte finish. I wore it while working a 17 hour day on-set and it didn't smear or move all day. Bonus: it's formulated without Sulfates, Synthetics, Phthlates! 

The bad: The price! $32 USD is a lot of money to spend on a liner when there are cheaper ones that are better or comparable. Once this runs out, I'm not sure I'll be dishing out money to purchase it!

3. Benefit Magic Ink Liquid Liner ($20 USD): I have to admit, I had low expectations for this liner. My experience with Benefit mascaras and the waterproof pencil liner have been a smeary-mess. I've also never been a fan of liquid liners with a thin brush, but the results left me pleasantly surprised!

The good: You want jet-black? Then look no further. The black is really black. The finish is the perfect balance between shiny and matte and it has some serious staying-power. It does not budge at all! Don't be fooled by this tiny little brush. I thought it would be flimsy but it is firm with some flexibility. I can get really close to the lash line and build the line to my desired thickness without it moving all over the place. It dried pretty quickly but allowed enough time to work it across the lash line. The price is also pretty reasonable and a good compromise between the L'Oreal and Hourglass liners. And as always, it comes with a mini-tutorial on how to line your eyes using the "jimmy-jimmy-dot" method. Say it aloud and make a dot every time you say "dot". Dot for natural looking volume or connect the dots for a sleek line.

The bad: Nothing really but I find with most liners that have a similar brush it's hard not to get the formula on the lashes. My lashes end up sticking together and I have to clean them off right away before applying my mascara to avoid a clumpy mess. Otherwise, I pretty much love it! 

Tip: The best way to achieve a smooth line and symmetrical shape is to sweep the brush across using short strokes. I don't know about you but my hand can get shaky so using a short stroke helps. Another great trick is to create a guideline using an angled brush and a black powder shadow. This way you can avoid mistakes and wing out your liner that much easier.

Have you tried these liners? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Products were sent for editorial consideration.

Guest Review: L'Oreal Paris Studio Line Indestructible Volumizing Mousse

The texture of my hair has changed dramatically over the years from pin straight to curly curls... It has settled at this point at an in between wave which I'm ok with. Every now and then I like to avoid styling tools and like to give my already damaged hair a rest by using mousse and leaving it wavy. I have probably tried over 20 different mousses over the last few years all promising me this or that in order to get the perfect wave or curl, some have lived up to my expectations and some sadly have not. This is one of those that did not.

I tested this product out for a few weeks giving it many chances because I really wanted to like it, honestly I did enjoy some aspects of this mousse but just didn't feel it gave me any volume what so ever. Maybe my hair is too long or too heavy for it to really do its job I'm not sure, however I feel like it may work well for medium to short haired ladies.

The pros would definitely be the spout that is super easy to use. I also enjoyed the smell and the fact that it didn't leave my hair feeling crunchy at all. The cons I would have to say for me the lack of volume and definition of the curls/waves.

The product claims to also have Bounce Back Technology that allows hair to return to its styled shape even after the daily stresses on hair. During the day I hate my hair in my face so I clip it back, when I removed the clip the style was ruined or altered and the bounce back I had hoped for never happened.

Overall, although I don't think I will be rushing to the store anytime soon to purchase this mousse, I think it could work wonderfully for those gals with shorter hair. I liked the barely there feeling of product on my hair but it just didn't do much for me in the way of volume or styling.

L'Oreal Studio Line Indestructible Volumizing Mousse is available in drugstores all across Canada and the United States.

What do you think of this product? Love it? Hate it? Want it?

About Farah

"Mama Far" as she is called amongst her fellow Toronto beauty bloggers, is a talented makeup artist and founder of beauty blog, Faces By Farah. She is utterly sweet, warm and has the most gorgeous long hair! Be sure to check out her blog for great product reviews, beauty tips and her Sunday posts "You Go Girl/Boy!" where she features a must-know personality in the beauty, fashion and entertainment industry! Thank you Farah for your review! Stay tuned for more reviews from her!

http://facesbyfarah.blogspot.com

Hope For Haiti Sponsor Profile: L'Oreal Paris

 

L'Oreal Paris:  When I was in high school, ok junior high, L'Oreal lipsticks and mascaras were my beauty staples and still continue to be. The line has changed dramatically since my teen years and isn't just your normal drugstore brand anymore. L'Oreal mascaras have always been a best-seller - the L'Oreal Voluminous was a staple in my kit back in the day - but with the introduction of the HiP (High Intensity Pigments) line L'Oreal has transformed the drugstore name. 

To read about Makeup Junkie favourites from L'Oreal click here.

Thank you to L'Oreal Paris for contributing to the Hope For Haiti beauty benefit!

One sleep away from Hope For Haiti! Stay tuned for details post beauty event! Thank you for everyone's support - lets do our part! All proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Red Cross. :)

For more information on Hope For Haiti please visit our Facebook event page here. 

I'm Back! [+Tutorial]

WOW. It's been so long since I last posted (in October!), and I feel so out of it. I've just been so busy with school, and couldn't find the time or inspiration to play with makeup. For a few months I barely even touched my stash, except for my daily face powder+lippie combination. Haha. But now that I'm back I realize just how much I miss blogging and makeup in general. I also miss reading blogs, which I now have promised myself to devote at least half an hour to every night.

Many things have changed since I last posted in October. For one, I've gotten a lot more health conscious and I've been exercising more, and because of this I've gotten rid of, or am in the process of getting rid of several health problems I've been having for a while now. Not only that, I feel much more energetic, and my change in diet (aka change in lifestyle) has allowed me to keep my skin a lot less oily and almost completely blemish free! Of course, this was with the help of a dermatologist, but at the same time I know that my current eating habits are very helpful to maintaining the smooth skin I've managed to achieve.

I've changed my bedroom around, moved furniture and whatnot, and I now have a desk by the window which would be perfect to do my makeup on (finally, even light!).

My friend Sam and I are working on something that we hope to finish soon. I'll give you more details on that later.

But for now, how about an FOTD and a tutorial for it? I've completely missed doing this, it's crazy! Haha. For today, I wanted to try using L'oreal's British Red lipstick, so I decided to do a pin up look.

I started with a cleansed and moisturized face. I concealed my undereye circles and put on Maybelline's Clear Smooth face powder (yes, no foundation) for light coverage. I moisturized my lips with Nivea (3-in-1) Pinkish Boost lip care


Items used:
FACE Celeteque Moisturizer, ELF Studio undereye concealer/highlighter, Ellana Minerals concealer in Smile
CHEEKS Shawill blush in #01 (used very sparingly), Physician's Formula pears of perfection bronzer
EYES ELF Studio eye primer, NYX ultra pearl mania in Mink, Jesse's Girl quads 432A-2 and 432A-3, ELF eyeliner in coffee, MAC Zoomlash, Jordana kohl eyeliner in silver
LIPS Nivea Lip Care 3-in-1 pinkish boost, L'oreal lipstick in British Red




It's optional that you use eye primer, but I prefer to use it so I primed my eyes first. Then, with the a fluffy angled eyeshadow brush (pictured above), pick up NYX ultra pearl mania in Mink (color 1) and pat onto eyelids going just above the crease. Build to desired intensity like in the picture below.

Use a small fluffy domed brush (pictured above) to deposit color 2 (a matte brown) onto crease, buffing and blending carefully in order to achieve an effect like pictured below. Don't forget to bring the color lightly toward the inner corner of the eye.

Above: Use a fluffy eyeshadow brush (I used ELF's eyeshadow brush, the one that sells for $1 each) and pick up your highlight color (color 3). I used a soft/pale gold. Sweep the highlight color generously under the brow bone and apply to the inner corner of the eyes to achieve an 'awake' look. Blend into dark brown color on crease.

Line your eyes with your choice of eyeliner. I used ELF's eyeliner in Coffee--it's hardly visible in this picture so using EcoTool's angled brush I picked up some of color 4 (a shimmery brown)

and I went over the line I made with ELF's eyeliner in Coffee, so now it will stay put better, not to mention look more prominent. I did the same thing (ELF's eyeliner in Coffee + Color 4) on my lower lid.

Fill in your eyebrows and apply mascara to your upper and lower lashes, and we're done!

If you feel like looking more fresh-faced, leave it at this. But because I wanted to try the L'oreal lipstick in British Red, I just put some on. And that's the finished look!

More pictures:

I think L'oreal's British Red is gorgeous. I'm not so sure about how it looks on me, but for those who are a fan of red lippies, I think this is a definite must-have! I might review it sometime soon.

I guess that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. :)

So how is everyone? I miss you all!

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: L'Oreal Paris Does Luminato in Toronto!

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

HAUL and MAKEOVER!

I was at 168 with my aunt and mom today, and I got free clothes (yay free clothessss!). It kinda made me sad because I would miss the delivery of my Ellana stuff, but then when I got home I saw it (total damage P650) and I was like...holy wow, ang liit pala. But what else can I expect, I only ordered 1g each! I was SO disappointed though because half my order wasn't available. But at least I decided on shades etc na... Actually I'm getting impatient na b/c I want to order stuff already, but I WILL WAIT. I have to think what brushes I'm getting first. Thankfully I'm going to Trinoma tomorrow to watch Monsters vs Aliens with my college bestie. :)

So this is what I got today at 168. 2 tops and 2 bolero type things (I don't know what they're called, I'm not much of a fashionista!). 2 belts (P100 each!) and L'oreal facial wipes. All free. Yay! I can't wait to wear these, I don't really get to have much pretty clothes. XD

And here is my Ellana haul (minus primer, innocence concealer, baby buki brush, and fulfillment blush...but at least I got free samples of blushes).

my babies in their new home:

So far, I've decided that I like their awake concealer, and my shade is toffee mocha. I like the moisturizing lip color too! My god, I'm sure I'm going to start bringing huge bags now...marami nang pa-kikay e! Here is me, wearing most of the ellana products (one side toffee mocha one side cafe mocha b/c I was testing to see which shade fit me better). Excuse the hair, I really don't bother with my hair much because it's so unruly. I LOVE THE COVERAGE! And after 6 hours, without primer (and after a mucho huge dinner with loads of oily food), my skin was still pretty good, and didn't appear too oily. What more if there was primer?

I also did a makeover on my cousin's cousin, Jacqueline... it was a random spur of the moment thing, and I didn't have her shade foundation or powder, but we made do...I promised to do her makeup for prom and she would just get her own foundie/powder. 

click to enlarge!

I used: CS 88 palette in matte, VOV single e/s in yellow (no actual color specified), lancome lipstick, generic blush+ELF blush in glow, elianto stay-on eyeliner

Makeup Junkie Contest Winners!

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:

Anh N.
Arianne
Esther A.
Dana H.
Huguette E.
Holly A.
Terri B.
Vanessa S.
Tina B.
Elizabeth L.

Congratulations!!

The winners will be contacted via email. Thank you to everyone that participated in the contest!