Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Beauty Deal: Vidal Sassoon $25 Cuts!


Ladies (and gents), if you're looking for a new do for Spring definitely check out the cutting edge stylists at Vidal Sassoon! I thankfully have found THE hair stylist for me, but if you're still hopping from salon to salon this is a great way to test the waters. 

To get your $25 (plus tax) hair cut, book an appointment with one of the Sassoon Academy students. Don't worry - they are already-licensed hairdressers looking to learn new techniques. Please keep in mind, they are only looking for those wanting a new shape as opposed to just a trim. A student cut also takes double the amount of time as a regular cut so don't book in between appointments.

Book appointments at either 9:30am or 1:30 pm Monday through Friday (416-920-1333). Sassoon is located in the heart of Yorkville at 37 Avenue Road.


A daily look



Hi! I'm new around here. My name is Monica Giles. I am a wife to one, mother of three, a hair stylist, lover of all things stylish and good friend of the awesome starter of this blog. I have no idea if anyone will read my posts or watch my tutorials but I'll be doing them once in a while anyway. It's kind of a fun way to spice up my life. A little creative outlet, if you will.

My first tutorial is my daily routine starting with my fave self tanner and ending with lipstick. It's a day look, so on the lighter side. Oh the editing has room for improvement but I'll work on it, I promise.
Disclaimer: I did the video in the early morning and I look oh so tired.




Monday, 22 March 2010

There's Smart & Then There's Kmart Smart...

Let's get to shoppin ladies. Kmart is having a sale for the rest of this week on Wet N Wild Cosmetics. Buy one get one FREE!!!!!! You could build up your lipstick supply, get eye pencils galore, I personally LOVE their bronzer, blushes, eye shadows....skies the limit. Go and get em!!! Save your money and STOCK your stash!!!!!!

Beauty Gone Bad Winner!


We all have beauty gone bad stories and although my eye infection was not a fun experience, I thought it would be great to make light of the situation by having others share their bad experiences and win some beauty prizes! Ironic right? ;)

I also wanted to do a give away that would fall close to my birthday which I celebrated yesterday! I am so thankful for all my awesome readers, some who I have had the pleasure of meeting. Thank you to everyone for sharing your beauty gone bad stories with the rest of the world - I hope you have recovered!

There could only be one winner and each of you had some awful stories! The one that really stood out to me was from Lena! I too have had bad experiences with plumping lip products but going into labour takes the cake! I thought it was a great story of beauty gone bad into a beautiful story of a new life being born! Congrats Lena! You have won a Makeup Junkie beauty prize pack of products from L'Oreal, Zoya, Milani, Benefit, CARGO, La Senza, CoverGirl and Maybelline! Enjoy your products! 

You can read about Lena's story here:
I've experienced beauty gone bad just once (thankfully) - I was sent a lip plumping product to review, and although I've used plumpers before, the combination of cinnamon oil and whatever other voodoo they put in this product actually caused my lips to swell, crack and eventually bleed. Don't know if it was the lip gloss or strictly coincidence, but I went into labour the same day :)


Funny - the product is now on shelves, but does not carry the disclaimer as I suggested: "May cause your water to break."
Thanks again to Lena for sharing her story! You will be contacted via email for your mailing address. Stay tuned for more contests coming up!

Saturday, 20 March 2010

Numbers on MAC brushes

Just a quick tip for those of you that purchase or plan to purchase MAC brushes. The numbers on the side wear off pretty quickly and me, being the type A that I am, like to keep them there nice and orderly like =). A tip to keep them there is to take clear nail polish and swipe just a bit over the number and let it dry.

Thursday, 18 March 2010

Who Do YOU Want To See?

Send in a picture or request in the comments of the celeb you would like to see. To find a picture (for those of you wanting to know) go to the Google search bar and type in the name of who you want to see. Then click on that image (full size) save it and send it to me by attaching it in an email.
Just leave a comment telling me who's look you love and we will "getter" done =).

Beauty Feature: Cargo Spring Must-Haves!

Spring makeup wouldn't be complete without a few must-haves from one of my favourite beauty brands, CARGO Cosmetics. If your beauty wardrobe doesn't consist of at least one CARGO product this Spring then head to the stores and stock up on these must-haves!



1. CARGO Dare to Play Eye Kit ($45 US/CDN): Essential palette for Spring! This is truly a value set that contains 3 eye bases, five metallic shadows, and five bright and glitter-filled eyeshadow shades to make the eyes pop. If you love colour you will absolutely love this palette. This was a big hit at the Hope For Haiti beauty benefit back in February!


Step 1: Select an eye base: Nude (no shimmer), Shimmering Shell and Soft Beige (shimmer). Apply a small amount from lash line to brow bone (use your finger or eyeshadow brush). I absolutely love these eye bases because the shadows not only blend better but they last longer too.


Step 2: Pick a lid colour: Shimmering Bordeaux, Rustic Copper, Teal, Popsicle Purple, and Sparkling Tea . You can use any of these shades all over the lid, in the crease or as a liner. To use as a liner, use a damp angled brush. These shadows are highly pigmented and feel velvety-smooth to the touch. They blend beautifully and don't crease or fade especially with the base. If you want to intensify the shadow even more, use with a damp shadow brush.


Step 3: Add a "pop" of colour to the lid and the inner corner of the eyes. I love this last step because it really gives dimension to the eyes. All you need is a little dab to the center and corner since it's pretty glittery. Also great for those days when you just want a sheer wash of colour. Choose from: Sparkling Rose, Seafoam Green, Iced Mauve and Champagne.

2. Cargo Blush in Key Largo and Laguna ($26 US/CDN): Hands down CARGO blushes have become a staple in my everyday beauty stash! I am so in love with these silver tins of richly pigmented blushes. The new blushes for spring have me swooning. I'm already a fan of Amalfi, but Key Largo and Laguna (repromote) are also a definite must this season.


Key Largo is shockingly bright in the tin but don't be scared off by this shade. Described as "tropical punch", it really does add a punch of colour to your complexion. Although the blushes are highly saturated, they are very easy to blend and diffuse nicely. To get a pretty flush, mix a very small amount onto brush and sweep lightly onto the apples of the cheeks. This shade is gorgeous against darker skin tones but fair skin beauties can use it too! Keep eyes neutral, swipe a sheer coral gloss on the lips, and let the cheeks be the focus. If you have a lot of redness on the skin then skip out on this shade as it will only enhance it.



Laguna is back by popular demand and now I know why. I've been searching for a bright orange blush that would warm up my skin. I love mixing this blush with bronzer for that ultimate summer glow. This is one shade that is universal. Again, only a little amount is needed. These blushes may be pricier compared to other brands, but the over-sized tins and saturated pigments will definitely stretch your dollar.


3. CARGO PlantLove Lipstick in Evangeline ($20 US/CDN): I'm already a fan of these all-natural eco-certified lipsticks. We've featured many PlantLove lipsticks on Makeup Junkie! I fell in love with Evangeline, a sheer vibrant coral cream, while doing makeup at a fashion show with CARGO. I am one gal that doesn't shy away from a lil' colour on the lips! It has become one of my fave lippies for Spring! Pair with greens, bronze, golds, and peach.

CARGO Cosmetics is available in independent boutiques, Sears Toronto Eaton Centre, Murale in Canada, CVS, and ULTA. 

Have you tried these spring must-haves from CARGO? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?