Fall Trend 2010: The Casual Red Lip

I can wear a red lip any time of the year so I'm glad this trend isn't going anywhere for a while. I call this look the "casual red lip" because I want women to see that red lips can very much be wearable during the day. Instead of red carpet glamour I skipped the black liquid liner, fake lashes, and skipped the lip liner. All this look required was a neutral shadow, lots of mascara, softly defined cheeks and a gorgeous red lip.

Here are the star products for today's look: 

 

1. Burberry Eye Shadow in Almond ($29 USD): As luxurious as Burberry's clothes are, so are the makeup. From the luxe smokey metal casing to the plaid detailing imprinted on the eye shadow, this is the iconic Burberry trench for the eyes. These shadows apply so buttery smooth and have long-lasting pigment. I was afraid that Almond wouldn't show up on my skin tone, but it does in the best way possible. This taupey-brown may look boring at first glance, but for me it's a basic staple and the perfect compliment to a bold lip. The finish is a satin sheen - not too matte and not too shimmery. It's just dark enough to add depth to my crease yet light enough to swipe all over my lid. I especially love using this on brides. I used it a few weeks ago as a contour in the crease for a bride going Old Hollywood glam!

 Burberry Almond used in the crease on my bride

2. Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara ($34 CAD): I love mascara - more like I NEED mascara! But I hate spending a ridiculous amount on one. Lancome mascaras are a cult classic and fine - they've earned their expensive-mascara status. I really wanted to hate this mascara not because I hate Lancome but so I wouldn't become hooked! Too late - I am. This mascara contains a "Lash Densifier complex, with precious plant cell extract, designed to reginerate the lashes".

I've tried a couple of other brands who claim to do the same thing, but Lancome's version actually lifts, lengthens, and adds volume to my wimpy lashes. I've really noticed a difference in the fullness of my lashes since I've been using it which has been almost a month. The brush width is great as it's thin enough to get to the little lashes and the ones on the bottom. My only complaints are that it smudges just a tad on me, occasionally flakes, and is triple what I would spend on a mascara! For the most part, my lashes are looking great!

3. M.A.C. Mineralize Blush in Soft Meow (Fabulous Felines Collection, $25 CAD): I think one of my favourite products from M.A.C. are their mineralize powders. I adore the pearly, luminous finish it gives the skin. If I recall, when the mineralize blushes first came out I wasn't a fan. I thought they were too shimmery for the cheeks and often made me look too shiny. Well, Soft Meow very much reminds me of the original mineralize skin finishes just with more pigment. It is warm peachy-bronze and looks lovely with a bold lip. Soft Meow is all glow minus the shine!

4. NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks in Vesuvio and Terre de Feu ($25 USD): When I have no time to put on a full face, a red lipstick is the shade of choice for me. Any bold or bright colour will instantly perk your complexion up. If you want to wear a "casual red lip", I recommend going for a matte lipstick or a stain. Mattes don't bleed as much as a gloss or creamy lipstick and aren't so in-your-face. And anything that looks more like a stain seems understated - my opinion of course.

I love the new Pure Mattes from NARS. They're not ultra moisturizing but definitely more hydrating than a typical matte lipstick. Vesuvio, which is worn on Canadian model Heather Marks in the campaign shot, is described as a "full bodied red". I'd say that's pretty accurate. It's a shade that will suit most skin tones. On me, it looks more on the warm side. Vesuvio definitely makes a statement - you'll have all eyes looking at your lips! I receive compliments every time I wear it.

Terre de Feu, described as a "black cherry" is my red of choice. I tend to gravitate to deeper reds and although it is still a bold shade I feel more comfortable wearing it than Vesuvio. Tip: To make both shades wearable for day, skip the lip liner and press lipstick onto the lips with your finger for a just-kissed stained effect. If your lips are normally chapped, apply lip balm when you first apply your makeup so it has time to soak into your lips. Remove any peeling skin with a warm wash cloth in a circular motion or with a tooth brush. Matte lips will only enhance dry, cracked lips!


The Look: Casual Red Lips

 

Skin:
Shu Uemura Stage Performer Instant Glow
Korres Silicone-Free Primer
Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer
Smashbox Halo Powder
Benefit Erase Paste (under eyes)
CoverFX The Big Cover Up (cover up zits and blemishes)
Smashbox Halo Bronzer (forehead, cheeks, nose, chin)

Eyes:
Urban Decay Eye Potion Primer
Anastasia Highlighting Brow Kit (brows) 
Burberry Almond Shadow (swept across lid and crease)

NARS Duo Shadow in Rajasthan (metallic beige on center of lid for dimension)
Anastasia Brow Duality (Lace Shimmer on inner corner of eyes and Shell on brow bone)
Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara Black (apply a couple of a coats to really make your eyes pop especially if you're doing a soft eye)


Cheeks:
Smashbox Halo Bronzer (contour)
M.A.C. Soft Meow Mineralize Blush (cheeks)

Lips:
Korres Lip Butter in Guava
NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio
Bottom photo: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Terre De Feu

I used the exact same products but changed the lip colour to Terre De Feu - isn't it fabulous? LOVE!

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think about wearing red lips in the day? Still think it should be saved for night? 

All products were sent for editorial consideration.

BFTE!!!!!!

**CLICK HERE TO SEE NEW UPDATED AND IMPROVED SWATCHES OF ALL THESE COLORS!**

Earlier this week I ordered from BFTEcosmetics.com for the first time after drooling over the makeup on their website, lol. I decided to treat myself for my birthday, so I ordered 25 pigment samples, the $2 Color of the Week, and 2 pairs of false eyelashes.

Red Cherry lashes, $2.00 each!!

Cute little sample pigments, $2.00 each!!!! (And a free sample baggie of Hype! :D)
Here are the shades I got and their names. *Edit: The shade labeled "Moonwalk" is actually called "Moonlight". MoonWALK is a different shade. Whoops!*
And here are my swatches, for which my lovely sister kindly allowed me to borrow her arm. xD **Swatched dry with q-tips on a bit of mark. Please Hold eye primer.**

EDIT: Over a year later, I've now had the opportunity to use most of these colors and can give better description, so I've re-written my original descriptions and included ones for the colors I missed. Some of my initial favorites have been replaced by some of my initial disappointments which goes to show ya.. ya can't judge a pigment by it's cover. ;P


-Peacock is a bright teal/turquoise, leaning slightly more towards blue than green, with plenty of blue and green sparkles and a light green sheen which really comes out when foiled. It's a little on the sheer side but buildable.

-Red River and Sunset: At first these two colors looked disappointingly similar to me, but after I've gotten a chance to use them, I can see the differences plainly. (I blame my poor swatching skills back then!) Red River is EXACTLY as the site says "like ground up bricks"; used dry it has a slightly "dusty", chalky cast to it, but built up over a base or used wet it can be a very bold brick red. Sunset is similar, but a bit lighter and more of a rosey mauvey shade. It's quite nice, I especially like to use it with purples. Also needs a base and don't be afraid to pile it on! Both shades are completely matte.

-Whisper is a smooth frosty pearly shimmery shade which looks like a creamy apricot upon first glance, but turns to a pale iridescent violet with the slightest shift of light. It's one of my very favorite colors and no picture you will ever see can do it justice, so just buy it! You won't be sorry! Fabulous for every eye color, especially brown and green eyes, to make your eyes pop! Nice as a highlight or used over a base or foiling agent to make the violet really stand out. I absolutely love it.<3

-MoonLIGHT is a very shimmery silver-white, aptly named if you think about it. Dry it's mostly shimmer; wet or over a base gives it a strong silvery white color. Nice highlight for cool colors.

-Harvest is gorgeous, it's exactly like a brand new copper penny. It's metallic and shimmery and amazing.

-Tangerine and Beam look slightly similar in shade, but Tangerine is obviously more orange, and Beam is more golden-yellow. Both have a highly pigmented, slightly metallic finish with low shimmer. Very bright, pretty colors!

-Hype and Soleil look almost identical in person, but Hype is more peachy while Soleil is more yellow. Hype changes color a little upon application, turning more peachy than it looks in the container. Both are low shimmer with a frosty finish. I like both shades.

-Grace looks lighter than the pic on the site; it's a medium periwinkle blue, matte except for maybe a slight blue shimmer. Very pretty color, goes nicely with purples or light pink.

-Blue Bird is BRIGHT! I was expecting bright and I wasn't disappointed, it's too gorgeous for words so I won't even try lol. It's a lightly shimmery bold true blue, a bit sheer but can be built up over a base and looks AMAZING when used wet!

-Glitz is an icy blue with sparkles. Applied dry it looks almost silvery on, really pretty and eyecatching. When used over a base or foiled, it takes on an aqua sheen that is truly beautiful!

-Beach House I got because I had a hankering for a matte bluish-gray smokey eye. It's a matte blue-gray, that's it. Nice color though, I like it.

-Seafoam is a very bright and vibrant seafoam green. (I've always thought of this color when I think of "turquoise".) It has a little bit of shimmer and is just a very pretty color. Goes beautifully with blues or other bright colors like pink or purple.

-Grassy is a completely matte grass green shadow. It's a little on the yellow side, especially when blended out. The color can be made very bright when used over a base or wet :)

-Menace is kind of a drab olivey green color, completely matte. it's lighter and earthier than Grassy. When I look at it, I think of the Crayola crayon called "Asparagus", lol. (Same story as with Beach House, I just had a hankering for an olivey green matte smokey eye for Fall.)

-Lavish is a very bright, light lime green shade with a good bit of yellow tint, low shimmer, and plenty of sheen. Over a year later, Lavish has been one of my most-used shadows and one of my all-time faves! I love using it as a highlight with other greens to brighten up the look, especially under my lower lashline. (It goes perfectly over NYX Lime Jumbo Eye pencil!) Be warned, it is BRIGHT.

-Lemon is a bright shimmery yellow, just what I was expecting. I sort of thought of Beam as a yellow, but compared to Lemon, Beam is definitely more orange. The site describes Lemon as the perfect yellow, and I have to say it's a great color to get if you only want to try one yellow. It's got an almost green tint to it which makes it very versatile; use it with other greens and it becomes a very bright yellow-green :D

-Starstruck: A darling purple shade, almost pastel; leans warm because of the slight baby pink shimmer to it, so pretty!

-Raspberry: A bright reddish-pink shade with low shimmer and plenty of sheen.

-Grape: A bright bold purple with low shimmer and plenty of sheen. This is also one of my favorite and often-used colors; it's perfect to add brightness to other purple shadows or as a pop of color under my lower lashline. I adore using it over black liner, it really makes my brown eyes stand out!

-Livid: I'm still deciphering this color, I plan to use it in a look soon. It's a beautiful bruised purple with reddish undertones and some shimmer. Color will look redder when blended out, or can be built up to a deep bruised purple.

-Isis: I'm just getting around to truly appreciating this color, but I wish I had done it sooner! A gorgeous deep metallic rusty red with bronze sheen; build it up for the sexiest deep red ever, or blend it out for a blackened orange-bronze sheen. Very versatile and breathtakingly beautiful!


So there you have it! If you've seen my previous post, you've seen a few of these shadows in action! Each shade has it's own nuances which are impossible to capture on camera. Shimmer, sparkle, sheen, depth, and especially the duo-tone colors... so gorgeous. I would definitely recommend these to anyone. I want to collect all the colors, which should keep me busy for a while since there are like 250 of them haha. I had such a hard time picking these particular shades, and there were several I had to take out of my cart which almost made me cry... I'll definitely be going back for more VERY soon! ;3

Beauty from the Earth

Finally! Yesterday I got my first order from BFTEcosmetics.com and I'm so excited about it!

Right away my sister and I started playing with the pigments, and we each created a look:
Becky used Beam and Raspberry shades for her eyes:
I used the shades Harvest, Peacock, Red River, Moonlight, and Seafoam for my eyes:
Products I used:

Eyes:
-mark. Please Hold eye primer
-BFTE Peacock (blue green) on lid (wet)
-BFTE Harvest (copper) and Red River (matte brick red) in crease
-BFTE Seafoam (seafoam green) along lower lashline
-BFTE Moonlight (white shimmer) inner corner highlight
- CS 88 matte palette white on browbone and around eye
-mark. Keep It Going in Entourage (black) as liner
-Maybelline The Colossal mascara (waterproof) in Glam Black

Brows:
-mark. eyemarker in Java
-CS 88 matte palette, warm brown

Skin:
-mark. face primer
-Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse foundation/concealer in lightest shade
-mark. Powder Buff foundation in Nude
-mark. setting powder
-mark. Bronze Pro
-mark. blush in Cameo Glo and Urban Glo

Lips:
-concealer/chapstick
-mark. Lipclick in Sweetie Pie
-mark. GBG in "m.powerment Peach"

Can I just say I really liked the Lipclick sample I tried for this look? It's called Sweetie Pie and I think it's going on my list of things to buy. x3 It was a little pink for this look, but it's a really nice color on me. :)

Since this post is long enough already, I'll make a new one for BFTE pigment pics and swatches with color descriptions and my impressions. Stay tuned! ;)

Beauty News: TIFFing In The eTalk Lounge Recap!

My home during TIFF - the makeup/storage room!

My first Toronto Film Fest and I made it out alive! Despite the early mornings and the craziness that TIFF brings, it was one of the best experiences of my makeup career! I'm so fortunate and so happy that I got the chance to be apart of it with much thanks to Annesley from CARGO Cosmetics!

CARGO products used to touch-up celebrities and beautify the eTalk hosts!

There were many celebrities that came through the eTalk Celebrity Interview Lounge but the ones that I was most star struck with were Harvey Keitel, Paul Giamotti, Minnie Driver, Josh Brolin, and Jason Jones. Harvey Keitel is a movie icon and I absolutely loved him in Reservoir Dogs! He was our first interview yesterday and came in with a big smile and said "Hello! How is everyone this morning?". He's amazing and I totally would have run up to him and hugged him if it weren't for trying to be professional! Annesley had the lovely pleasure of powdering his nose!

 

 eTalk Celebrity Interview Lounge. Swag everywhere! I was gifted with some sweet swag too!

Paul Giamotti was a big teddy bear and so sweet. I also wanted to run and hug him! Minnie Driver is so stunning and even more so in person. She's just so statuesque and elegant. Josh Brolin physically isn't my type but he's definitely got sex appeal. I was also expecting him to be taller in person since he usually plays these bad-ass characters in his films. Gotta love those camera tricks! 

If you're not familiar with Jason Jones he is on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and is married to Samantha Bee. They are a hilarious duo. He sat in our CARGO makeup chair cracking jokes with us and talking about Bloody Caesars while Annesley powdered him up. He was awesome and I took a quick snap of him on my camera phone - shhh! Unfortunately we were not allowed to snap photos of the celebrities - understandable of course.

Loved doing makeup on eTalk Vancouver reporter, Susie Wall! She was absolutely lovely!

I missed Jennifer Connelly and Ryan Gosling and I heard they created quite a frenzy in the eTalk Lounge! Other stars I would have loved to meet: Natalie Portman, Carrie Mulligan, James Franco, Frida Pinto, Jason Reitman, Martin Sheen, Robert DeNiro, Blake Lively and Marion Cotillard (who I heard from Lainey Gossip is out of this world drop-dead-gorgeous). But getting to meet celebrities was just the icing on the cake. What really made the week worth it was working with the amazing eTalk crew, the eTalk hosts, Annesley and the David's Tea girls (which I'm totally hooked on now). What's ironic is that I didn't get to see any movies! So many on my list to see including Black Swan and I'm Still Here. 

 eTalk cast filming the last TIFF10 segment. I worked mostly on Lainey, Ben and Susie but in this photo I did Lainey's makeup (such a beauty).

Me with the gorgeous Traci Melchor - I looked so horrible that day!

My first TIFF down and hopefully many more to come! Did you see any movies or meet any celebrities? If you missed my first TIFF post click here.

Yay!!!!!

So a shoot that I worked on was published in this cute magazine. Suuuuure the baby was the only one that made the cover (I did the rest of the family) but I was still VERY excited!!!! Just wanted to share =). Isn't she dArLiNg???

Makeup 101: Hair and Makeup in 45 Minutes!

Yesterday and today I had the pleasure of working on one of my favourite models, Malina from Chantale Nadeau Model Placement and Sutherland. She will be making an appearance on Canada AM and eTalk! It was an early morning and we only had 45 minutes to work with. Both appearances required a natural look. You don't have to be a pro to achieve the same results!

As requested by fellow beauty blogger, Monica from The Beauty Parler, here is the hair and makeup breakdown!

Click to on photo to enlarge

Makeup:

Skin: 

Make Up For Ever HD Primer

Face Atelier Ultra Pro Foundation #5 (all over and under eyes) - Love using this foundation. Skin always looks flawless without looking or feeling heavy. Malina looked fresh and radiant!

YSL Touche Eclat #1 under eyes (brightening)

Make Up For Ever HD Powder

Smashbox Halo Bronzing Powder

Cheeks: When you want to look fresh and radiant, bronzer and blush always does the trick!

Smashbox Halo Bronzing Powder (all over and contour)

Benefit Coralista

Eyes: When I want a quick but subtle smokey eye, I like working with cream shadows that blend well and are smudge-proof. You can quickly blend with your finger across your lid or use a brush. Brushing an eye shadow in a similar shade over top will help set it and intensify the colour. Use a light hand then layer more until you have reached your desired intensity. Add a highlighter, curl lashes and mascara and your eyes are smokey and perfectly polished!

CoverFX EyePrep FX

Stila Smudge Pot in Bronze (smudged against lash line, outer crease, and bottom lash line)

Sephora Waterproof Smokey Cream Liner (liner and smudged into outer crease for definition)

NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Rajasthan (metallic gold in center of lid)

NARS Single Shadow in Coconut Grove (blended into crease, outer lash line, and along lash line)

Anastasia Brow Duality (Lace Shimmer inner corner top and bottom)

CoverGirl LashBlast Waterproof Mascara Black

Lips: 

Benefit Lady's Choice Lipstick

Balmshell Lipgloss in Yummy Mummy over top

Hair:

Step 1: L'Oreal Studio Line Indestructible Volume Spray (all over at the roots)

Step 2: Chi Flat Iron - I achieved bouncy curls by twisting the flat iron all the way down the hair. For volume at the roots, I lifted the hair while twisting flat iron.

Step 3: Teasing - I took a square section at the crown of her head, sprayed L'Oreal Studio Line Indestructible Volume Creation Spray at the root (stronger hold), and teased with a teeth comb. I took sections from the side of her head as well and teased to create over all volume and shape. If you don't need volume, skip this step.

Step 4: I spread out her teased sections with my hands then smoothed with a smoothing brush. 

Step 5: I gathered her hair with my fingers and brought it to the side and positioned at the nape of the neck. II smoothed the hair with a teeth comb then used an elastic to create a side pony tail. 

Step 6: Because her hair was curled, it took seconds to twist the hair into a bun. I used bobby pins to secure the hair. 

Step 7: Sprayed all over with L'Oreal Elnett Volume Spray for extra hold. The overall look was soft texture rather than slicked against the head.

Featured Product: NARS Single Eye Shadow Coconut Grove ($23 USD)

I love me some NARS anything but especially their rich and pigmented shadows. Don't be fooled by this basic neutral. Coconut Grove from the Fall collection is a lovely deep chocolate shadow that creates gorgeous depth and definition. It was the perfect alternative to black for creating intensity in the crease and along the lash line. This has become a staple in my kit as I often reach for my browns and bronzes for a simple everyday look. But watch out - this deep brown creates the most gorgeous smokey eye that is just lovely for the autumn season!

Easy right?! What is your quick but polished look? Have you tried any of these products?

Product was sent for editorial consideration. 

Softness

I must admit, I am a closet Disney fan. I LoVe watching the channel movies and shows with the boys....or even without the boys =). I am always looking for images that I want to recreate because they are just so delicious. THESE are dArLiNg!!! Demi usually opts for such dramatic colors that it was SO nice to see her in softness. In less "obvious" clothing and in love =). Sure, she isn't together with this little heart break kid but while it lasted it was CuTe!!! Let's enter our phase of natural beauty. Letting our softness come through. Send me some images along these lines and I'll choose two of my favorite and we'll do that look. What do you think?