My Three Favourite Hair Things!

Marc Jacobs Fall 2013

Hi Guys,
So I am the worst person ever. I haven't written on here for months. I am a grad student, cut me some slack. I haven't slept let alone blogged. Anyway... long story short, I think I am going to post on here some blogs to get myself back into the grove of things.

I have been out of beauty now since Christmas... and just to let you know, things have gone a bit to seed. You would think moving to New York would up my beauty game, but alas, I am broke and being a grad student I have been somewhat sloppy. I could be a grad student in Zanzibar for the amount I have been out and about in New York. Anyways my posts are going to be slightly different, more cheap finds, more how tos, less new collections, since I am sure you are already seeing enough paid promo for that anyway. Tell me if you are down with this and more of what you would like to see in the comments. So without further ado...

How to: Use Sunless Tanner

*Body does not come with application of fake tan

Tis' the season for the fake tan. After my Serena post, I realized I wanted to go full out and do the tan that goes with. Done and done. Plus it has the added bonus of covering up most the cuts, bruises, mosquito bites (who da thunk there would even be bugs on Manhattan?) and other signs of a summer well lived. So I thought I would explain how to do a good one, so it looks like you froliced in the summer summer as well, even though hopefully you tried to stay out of it, or enveloped in a cloud of SPF.

How to: Giant Lashes (Without Falsies!)

Obviously these are fake.

So I have been on a serious blog hiatus I know. In between final projects, applying for grad school, friends and working at my actual makeup job, blogging went on the back burner. But not dead! We are back!

How to: Make Makeup Last (for Long Days)

Jean Paul Gautier SS 2013

I am sorry I haven't blogged for awhile, life has gotten very busy. I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. The beauty people (the lucky shomos they are) complain about being so busy during fashion week but what about the rest of us that have to make it through real life long days where we want to be fabulous? I had makeup on my face for over 15 hours everyday this weekend. It has to stay put. Obviously no makeup can stay perfect that long (we don't expect miracles) but hopefully we still look pretty descent. So these are my tips for making it last.

How to: Apply Foundation

Foundation, faking flawless skin (plus some photoshop I am sure)

So as a continuation from yesterday’s How to: Choose a Foundation post, I thought it would be important to explain how to apply it. You can customize the coverage of the foundation depending on the tool, from ultra glam perfection to naturally perfect. It also depends on your laziness level. So let me explain.

How to: Choose a Foundation

Swatch foundation more towards the jaw line, obviously neither colour is close

Foundation is one of the most difficult things to get right and one of the products we use the most and are the most loyal to. It is difficult to get right because not only does it have to perfectly match the skin (yes I said perfectly) it also has to work with the individuals skin type and lifestyle. And when the three pieces fall together? Perfection.

How to: Apply Blush

Anna Sui Spring 2012

I saved the best for the last, after bronzer and highlighter, because I think blush is my favourite cosmetic product ever and I wanted to do it justice. To me, it looks good on everyone and makes everyone look better; more alert, healthier. Isn't that what makeup is in theory supposed to do anyway  make us look like a better version of ourselves?

How to: Apply Bronzer

So Pretty! Diggin' the hair

So this time of year people seem to be sick of winter and want spring to come, even to their makeup. The Spring/Summer shows have come and we are seeing all the new things to come, the groundhog didn't see his shadow, so why isn’t it spring already? Well the first thing people seem to want to revive their wintry complexions with a bit of summer “colour”. Personally, I would like people to revive with good skincare (Maybe a little mask-ing) rather than a tan if you have read my stance on sunscreen you will know why. When apply properly, bronzer can give the bit of glow you want without compromising your skin.

How to: Look Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed Part 2

Note the highlighting in the inner corners, the dark liner, defined lashes, and filled in brows

So my Post How to: Look Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed has been quite popular. Later, I was thinking about all the tips I didn't give, mostly pertaining to makeup to make a person look more alert than they actually are. I am not a morning person, so anything that makes me look like I am actually awake is a good thing. So here are a few more tips for your morning bleary eyed makeup routine.

How to: Tight-line your Eyeliner

Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2013 show makeup look

So Tight-lining is magic. I kind of forgot how awesome it was, but a good friend of mine at Bobby Brown reminded me of its power to produce awesome natural looking makeup. I give natural looking makeup some flack some times for being boring, but done well it makes a woman look so good! Tight-lining is the process of lining the inner rims of the eyes to get rid of the gaps and make the lash line look thicker.

How to: Look Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

Bright Eyed!

So this is my blog in devotion to eye care. Eyes being the windows to the soul and all, it is important to look after them. They are also the first thing to show signs of aging. Also the first thing to show when you are looking as sub-par as I currently do getting over a winter cold. So here are my tips to make it look like you have actually slept and looked after yourself (not that it is any substitution for that right?)

How to: Dewy Makeup (Even in the Dead of Winter)

Louis Vuitton Spring 2012

So it’s January still. I hate January. Just saying. It is dark, cold, you are back to “healthy eating” and to top it off it wreaks havoc on your skin. So here are my tips for looking glowy and dewy in January, like Christmas actually refreshed you (not!).

How to: Apply Highlighter

Anja Rubik as Hermes by Karl Lagerfeld for Pirelli- beautiful highlighting!

So mildly tricky, highlighter when done right can be fantastic. I prefer to highlight over contouring because it is a lot less tricky. Contouring should only be performed by professionals ie. Makeup artists- in my humble opinion. Or be forever asked (mostly by men) why you have brown stripes on your face. Highlighting allows you to subtly bring out your bone structure without looking strange.

How to: Apply Nail Polish (+ SS 2013)

From Rag & Bone SS 2013 (same show as I have pictures from on my BB cream post)
I stole this picture from a great Aussie site that has pictures of most of the nails coming down the SS 2013 runway

So I was looking at a bunch of pictures coming off the runways and I came to three conclusions: a) designers are really nutty b) nail art is still going strong and c) that it is high up keep nail season. Not only is there crazy nail art, but also a lot of pastels and whites which are always high maintenance even if they are seemingly not. The problem with whites (and pastels) is that the formulas are generally thick, they require several coats, and show flaws easily. Funky nails also draw attention to the flaky, lizard hands that Canadians have a tendency to get in the winter time, and we are too impatient to wait until July to wear the spring trends. So dig out your hand cream, cuticle balm and buffing sticks. Here is some inspiration from the SS 2013 shows:

How to: Apply Lipstick like a Hollywood Maven

Lauren Bacall rocking a red lip

                I love lipstick; probably more than is reasonable or rational. It comes in so many different ways and colours and nothing makes me feel like I have myself more together. I think a lot of women are missing out on the fabulousness that is lipstick because they are afraid of it. They blow it out of proportion, into something that is beyond them. This seems to come around a lot at Christmas when everyone out of the blue seems to want to wear lipstick because they think they should but they are lost lambs in a world filled with lip gloss. Lipstick, even applying it in great detail like I have explained here is way easier than any smoky eye I have ever heard of. ­­­­­In the world of makeup, anything goes so don’t be afraid to be wrong, it always washes off. I guess you could go and watch some chirpy, peppy, skinny internet girl do her lipstick but I will offer up my methods of application in hopes that women everywhere will go confidently forth with lipstick: