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Showing posts with label Fall 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fall 2011. Show all posts

Fall Beauty Review: Say "Boo!" This Halloween With Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Bar 2011

As fun as ghoul and gore are for Halloween, nothing is more exciting to look at than fantasy makeup. The mix of colours and detail tell a beautiful story. You just need a big imagination and of course some handy makeup and tools to execute it. Shu Uemura's Tokyo Lash Bar collection of fantasy lashes are the perfect way to add some drama and intrigue to your overall look. Known for their extensive line of lashes, you'll find anything from natural to sci-fi to fantasy. I've used their everyday lashes on my clients (provided by them of course), and the luxe finishes and dramatic designs make these the cream of the crop! If I could afford to, I would stock my kit full of Shu lashes! 

If you haven't thought of visiting your local Tokyo Lash Bar already, do keep them in mind for a unique Halloween costume. Here are some fun and fabulous ideas to try on this Halloween!


Shu Uemura Tutu Laceflare Falsies ($28 USD): These are my absolute favourite! These tutu inspired lashes are fun and flirty. Fulfill your childhood dreams of being a ballerina! For a dramatic flare, pair these lashes with a dark smokey eye much like the picture above and red bold lips. And if you want these lashes to really stand out, think fairy ballerina. Create a flawless canvas with lots of gold shimmer. Use a white shadow all over the lid from lash to brow bone - don't worry if you get white on your brows. Then load up the eyes with gold glitter and shimmer. Be creative - create a glimmering masquerade mask around the eyes or apply on the outer part of the eyes and on the cheekbones a temples. Apply a cream base shadow in white or close to your skin colour first (even Vaseline works) to adhere the glitter to your skin. Use a liquid liner winged out to define the eyes. Finish the lips with a red lippie and style your hair into a classic ballerina bun.

Up and coming makeup artist, Arianne for The Glitter Geek, created a masquerade look using these lashes! Check it out here!

 
Shu Uemura Mini Fancy Bon Bon Lashes ($22 USD):  How fun are these accent lashes?? If you want to be more colouful this Halloween, these lashes are a must. Do something really fun and bold on the eyes. Think circus but like you're on a runway. No scary clowns allowed just super cute ones! Choose a gradient of colours on the eyes in reds, yellows, oranges and greens. Or even more fun - think candies! Be a human lollipop - kidding! Use candy inspired shades to create a sweet and flirty look. 


Shu Uemura Ethnic Charm Lashes ($65 USD): Another gorgeous pair of falsies, this luxurious pair will make your outfit. It's a pricey pair so save these for a fancy Halloween bash. The mix of feathers and colourful beads will definitely make your eyes stand out. Think tribal warrior princess, but if you're feeling more groovy throw on your bell bottoms, platforms, a peace sign necklace and make love not war. Peace dude!

For tips on how to apply fake lashes click on a past post here. Jump to step #7.

Whatever you decide have fun, be safe and munch on plenty o' chocolates! Happy Halloween!

Have you tried any of these lashes? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em?

Available at Holt Renfrew locations across Canada. 


www.shuuemura.com

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

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Fall Beauty Review 2011: Shu Uemura My Lips Are Matte About You


I've tried a lot of matte lipsticks, but Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited Supreme Mattes ($36 CAD) are a dream. For someone that has chronically dry lips, I'm so drawn to matte finishes. Damn you flaky chapped lips and dry weather! These matte lippies are like none other I've tried though. They are soft, smooth and have a soft-focus powdery finish. I actually found that compared to other matte lipsticks, these did not accentuate my fine lines or chapped lips. However, exfoliating is essential for matte lips and while the flakes aren't as noticeable you can still see them. The soft-focus finish just made my lips look smoother and looks more natural. Other matte lipsticks can look and feel heavy like it's sitting on the lips.

The line is available in 6 shades: Angelic Pink (light pink with cool undertones), Evil Pink (bright warm pink), Darling Beige (nude beige), Alluring Brown (brown with rose undertone), Sensual Red (brick red with gold shimmer), and Brilliant Gold (sparkly gold glitter - Artist shade meant for mixing and layering).

Evil Pink caught my eye instantly. I wore this a lot towards the end of the summer when my skin was nice and bronzey. Angelic Pink and Darling Beige have a lot more white in them and are on the cooler side. Both look more like nudes on me which I love with a smokey eye. To make it work for my skin tone, I added a gloss over top with warmer undertones. If I were to reference a celebrity, Angelic Pink would so be a shade Kim Kardashian would wear. Alluring Brown is actually a great neutral and works for many skin tones. It has a rosier undertone so it makes this brown very wearable. Brilliant Gold is exactly that - brilliant. This looks pretty on its own when you want a subtle colour on the lips with gold shimmer or to perk up a flat lipstick or gloss.

Matte lips can look very polished with a very clean and flawless makeup look. Soft neutral eyes with lots of mascara, sculpted cheeks are a great fall look. To give the skin a subtle glow, add a highlighter to the high plains of the cheeks. To off-set shimmery or metallic eyes, matte lips are the perfect compliment. And if matte lips seem to heavy for you, wear the lipstick like a stain by pressing the colour into the lips with your finger. This will look softer and more natural.

Have you tried Shu Uemura's new matte lipsticks? Love it? Hate it? Want it? To view swatches, visit my gorgeous friend, Arianne's blog, Glitter Geek!

Available at Holt Renfrew locations across Canada. 

www.shuuemura.com

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

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Fall Beauty Review 2011: Chanel Why Do I Love You So? Let Me Count The Ways...


You had me at Chanel. Whether it's the clothes, bags (my dream purse!), shoes, or makeup the iconic brand instantly commands your complete adoration. Since the makeup is the only thing my fingers can grasp, hold, and afford (and barely at that!), I shall swoon over this utterly beautiful collection Illusions D'Ombres De Chanel. This is definitely one of the must-haves of the season. Fall in love with shimmering rich shades and creamy textures in the most gorgeous colours.


Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long-Wear Luminous Eye Shadow ($36 USD): When the fall or winter season rolls around we immediately think smoky eye, but too much smoke during the day might still feel/look out of place. If you love sporting a smoky eye, but can't stand the stares at 8 in the morning on the subway, you will LOVE these long-wearing shadow/liners from Chanel. It's a gel-formula, but the texture is very much like a creamy, spongey mousse if that makes sense. It's ultra soft to the touch and applies so easily to the eye. They make for a quick smoky eye because you can quickly apply with a flat brush or finger, smudge in a black liner, add mascara and you have a sexy yet subtle eye you can wear during the day. You can also wear layer underneath a powder shadow for more depth. It also lasts longer too. On its own and with a primer, it wears really well all day without fading or creasing.

I received Illusoire (smoky purple-lavender with grey-silver undertones), Emerveille (soft peachy champagne with brown undertones), and Epatant (smoky khaki green). All have a shimmery finish. Depending on how much colour you want to show, the shadow can be a simple wash to intensely smoky. Emerveille can be worn as an everyday base or as a highlighter on medium-dark skin tones. My favourite is Illusoire by far though. On my skin tone, the purple shows more and makes my brown eyes pretty. Epatant, however, is definitely this season's "it" shade. I love this shade as well because the khaki undertones make it a very wearable neutral.

Each shadow comes with a handy little shadow/liner brush that was designed specifically for this shadow. I prefer to use this brush to line the eyes rather than as a shadow brush because it's pretty tiny.

Overall, I'm a big fan especially since I love anything I can just rub on the eye quickly and have it still look amazing. If time is not your friend, these shadows will be! Available in 6 shades. 

Chanel Le Vernis in Graphite ($25 USD): How can a brand command such a hefty price tag on a nail polish? Chanel is a trendsetter which explains why fashionistas and beauty lovers everywhere bite their nails in anticipation for the shade of the season. Graphite looks silvery from the bottle but when you apply it looks more khaki green with gold and silver flecks. It's such a fantastic shade that just sparkles! Available in 3 shades.

Have you tried Chanel's fall 2011 collection? Love it? Hate it? Want it? What were your favourites?


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

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Fall Beauty Review: Lash Love Ardell #318


Lash love alert! Ardell #318's Lash Accents  have quickly become my favourite pair of falsies. As a makeup artist, half lashes make my job that much easier. For the longest while I was using a feathery pair from Quo and I was always cutting them in half to fit my clients eye. With Ardell's new half lashes, you just apply the glue and position on the outer edge and it's done! The results are gorgeous - naturally full lashes. The feathery finish makes it very voluminous and natural looking. Your eyes will stand out without looking over the top. No one will ever know you're wearing a pair of faux lashes and that's what you want right?

Here is one of my gorgeous bridesmaid I used these lash lovlies on! Don't her eyes look amazing?? I'll be stocking my kit with more #318's! Here's a great site to buy in bulk: www.madamemadeline.com.


Have you tried Ardell's #318's? What are your favourite pair of falsies? 


Product was sent for editorial consideration and I truly love them.

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Fall Beauty Trend 2011: Brow How

 
Photo Source: Style.com Alexander Wang F/W 2011

Move over bright lips and smokey eyes, in-your-face brows are this season's star. A nice, full brow never goes out of style for me though. Full brows help frame your face while thin brows just age you. Seen at Alexander Wang the full brow is bold, dark and a bit extreme especially when the rest of the face is bare. Here are some star products and key tips to achieving a full yet natural brow!


Stila All Day Waterproof Brow Color in Medium ($27 CAD): Where have you been all my life?? Because my hair is so dark, I tend to use shadows as my brow colour because I can never find anything to match properly. They are either too heavy, too dark, too grey, or have a reddish undertone.

Stila's brow colour is waterproof and seriously stays on until I take my makeup off. I got to test this while it was still hot out and humid out. The results: perfectly full brows that didn't fade or melt in the heat. I was a little skeptical when I saw the shade because it looks like a soft brown-black. But when I applied it to my brows, it actually looked like my brow colour. It really blended in nicely which I was really surprised about. The soft point allows you to mimic the way your brows naturally grow. Apply gently using upward strokes. Use it to fill in all over or just in sparse areas.

Avon Brow Gel in Clear ($6 USD): When left natural, my brows are coarse, straight, bushy, and long. It's just a hairy mess. I need to pluck, cut and use a gel to keep these puppies in place. Avon has a great, inexpensive brow gel in Clear that keeps my brows feeling soft yet locks them in. I love brow gels because they just enhance the overall shape of your brows and make everything look neat and in place. Use a brow gel to finish the brows after you've filled them in. 

Are you hot on the brow trend? What are your go-to brow products? 

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

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