beauty squared

Adele, Wrinkles and Twitter

2012-02-15T03:18:00.000-08:00

What does age mean to you? If you see a face with wrinkles, do you think old? If you see grey hair, do you think old?

I’m writing this post in response to some tweets I saw from Sunday night. People were tweeting that at the Grammy Awards Adele looked old, older than her 23 years and had “so many wrinkles”. This annoyed me for a few reasons. One reaction I had was “People are ignorant.” Another was “How dare you talk smack about my girl, Adele? I will CUT YOU.” Another was sadness, because it seems that our modern ideas of beauty means that having wrinkles means that you are old. Being old is BAD and even worse is looking old.

I understand that Twitter and the Internet are largely about the snark, about people wanting to be funny and clever and cruel, and I admit to participating in that to an extent. I find myself turning Twitter off during awards shows and the like more and more because it seems that people are being snarky just for the sake of being snarky. Perhaps I’m overly sensitive and indeed, hearing criticism about Adele bothers me because of what I see in her and in her music. I feel a kinship with this bubbly, lovable, genuine, stylish, immensely talented and humble young singer. But this time the superficial criticism of her lovely face went beyond that.

So let me bring this back to the realm of beauty. Grey hair. Sagging skin. Wrinkles. The visual signs of age and experience. But are they signs of those things alone? No. So for people to comment on Adele having wrinkles (of which, I cannot see in any photos from that night), and therefore she must be prematurely aging, or lying about her age, or just looking “old” is extremely superficial.

Who says that a 23 year old cannot have wrinkles? Who says that a 23 year old cannot have naturally grey hair? Broaden your sense of reality, please. It may not be common, but wrinkles and grey hair do not designate age. Think about the last time you went swimming or soaked in the bath or were out in the rain for a long time. Did your skin not pucker and crease and wrinkle? Did you suddenly become older for a short period of time?

Now I’m being snarky.

So let’s get technical. What causes the skin to wrinkle? The natural aging process causes skin to wrinkle, as the cells that make up the skin layers thin and lose their ability to hold moisture. Have you ever touched the skin of an elderly person? It feels papery, dry and very delicate. Touch the skin of an infant and you’ll feel plumpness and smoothness. It stands to reason that seeing wrinkles on someone’s face helps you to identify their general age.

However, there are other things that may cause the skin to thin and dry. Living in a dry climate, lots of sun exposure, too much moisture, smoking, drugs and medication, illness, dehydration - these are all factors that can contribute to the skin looking wrinkled and creased. Wearing lots of makeup on a regular basis can dry out your skin, drinking and smoking can dry out your skin, medication can dry out your skin, being out in the sun can dry out your skin. If you lose weight rapidly due to diet or illness, your skin may feel looser or saggy.

One trick I learned at makeup school was how to do aging makeup. We stood in front of the mirror and smiled, then frowned. Where your face contorts with these natural facial expressions can tell you how you might age. If your eyes crease up when you smile, you’ll get wrinkles around your eyes. If when you frown, you crease your brow, you’ll get the vertical lines between your eyebrows. If when you smile, you smile big, you’ll get laugh lines. This is how you know where to create wrinkles on people so that their aging makeup looks natural.

One of my favourite faces ever is that of Buster Keaton (1895-1966), a silent film star known as "The Great Stone Face". He conveyed a huge range of emotion although he maintained a stoic, deadpan expression through most of his performances. Look at his face in the photos below and see how it changed as he aged.

Back to the modern day (sorry Buster), and to the modern celebrity. 23 is young, no one (except maybe a pre-teen) will argue that. Adele is 23 years old, as is Rihanna. Lady Gaga is 25, Taylor Swift is 22, Katy Perry is 27 and Nicki Minaj is 29. Do these ladies actually look that different age-wise?

Let's look at the example of Amy Winehouse, another singer I adored and one whose death I mourn. The below photos are arranged roughly in order from oldest to most recent. Amy, as most of us know, was a drug addict and an alcoholic. Beyond that, she perhaps had an eating disorder, but she most definitely did not eat or sleep properly and did not take care of herself. Amy was 27 when she passed away last summer, so these photos range from roughly age 20 to age 27. You can see the difference in her face and skin texture, some of which can be explained from the natural aging process and makeup, some, obviously from her chosen lifestyle.

Or Google Lindsay Lohan, who is the same age as Adele.

There are a few factors that I can think as to why Adele may have appeared older than her years to some people.

Makeup

Her look is one that's reminiscent of old Hollywood or the 1960s with her winged eyeliner. It's a look many people associate with a time period decades ago. The look requires heavy eyeliner, lots of eyeshadow, defined cheeks, lips and brows and a matte complexion. These things can make someone young look more mature.

Adele wears predominantly black. Her black dresses are very sophisticated and figure flattering but black can suck colour from your skin and make you look pale and unwell. Makeup is undoubtably used on her to counteract this effect.

The texture of the makeup Adele wears often looks matte. We associate youthfulness with clean, clear, glowing skin which is why many people like to look sit out in the sun or use tanning beds.

At the Grammy Awards, Adele would have been wearing a lot of makeup, suitable to be photographed in on the red carpet, to be on camera in, and to be visible onstage to a theatre full of people. She would need to look as flawless as possible for as many of those scenarios as possible. Ever see a photo of yourself where your face looks much paler than the rest of your skin? That's likely due to the flash on the camera reflecting off of particles in your makeup. A makeup artist needs to use products that will counter that effect on their celebrity clients. A television or film camera will affect the appearance of makeup on someone's face as well. Adele's makeup artist would have needed to balance what looks natural-enough, glam-enough and what is enough makeup to translate on camera. Trust me, Adele was wearing a lot of makeup Sunday night that you can't necessarily see.

See this FOTD I did a few years ago. It's not dissimilar to Adele's makeup and it ages me.

Lifestyle

Adele is a smoker and has admitted to liking to have a drink or two. Both of these things can dehydrate the skin. She also has a hectic lifestyle involving lots of travel, late nights and early mornings. She also has to wear lots of makeup because the paparazzi are always around wanting to catch her not looking done up so they can post the pictures online and we can all snark and point out her flaws.

Smiling

If you've seen any interviews with Adele, she's bubbly, funny and delightful. She's always smiling and laughing. Smiling and laughing make your eyes crinkle up. I don't know about you, but a life without smiling and laughing is worse than all the wrinkles in the world.

Perhaps as she was singing and talking and smiling on Sunday night, her makeup was creasing. It’s unlikely that any makeup artist or stylist would let that happen, but she was emotional that evening and crying. Perhaps nature was working against her finished look.

Health

Adele recently underwent throat surgery to repair her vocal chords. There was a risk that she may not be able to sing ever again, but she quelled everyone's fears by performing flawlessly on Sunday night's Grammy Awards, her voice at full strength. Because she's been recovering from the surgery, she has lost some weight. Recovering from throat surgery must make it difficult to eat, so that makes sense. She's also undoubtably been on medication. Both a minimized diet and medication can contribute to drier skin.

Sun

Adele was recently on vacation in Miami. Perhaps she did not wear sunscreen and sunglasses and squinted a lot.

Skin

Adele is naturally fair-skinned. Fair skin is easily damaged by the sun and affected by wind, cold air and other elements. Perhaps her skin is naturally dry or on the thin side. Perhaps her genes will cause wrinkles to form on certain places on her face.

Hair

Adele debuted a much lighter blonde hair colour on Sunday night. Lighter hair can wash out the complexion. I don't think it looks bad on her at all, but if she wanted to soften her look, I'd recommend she go back to the warm red-caramelly tones she has had recently.

Is that enough? Shall I go on? Just watch (rewatch) Adele's Grammy performance here and see if you can see these wrinkles that make her look so much older than 23. See the difference between her makeup in the photos taken on the red carpet and her makeup on stage (more contouring on the cheeks and in the eye area and a change in lip colour).

The thing is, we can't change our genetics. We shouldn't change our lifestyle unless it's a dangerous, damaging one and we certainly should never stop laughing and smiling. We can wear no makeup, a little bit of makeup or a lot of makeup, however you prefer. We can however alter our points of view so that we're not looking through a narrow field of vision. Rihanna and Adele are the same age, but they do not look the same. Nor should they. Nor should we want our pop stars and celebrities to look the same.

I look at these photos of Adele and have seen the acceptance speeches she gave and her performance from Sunday night. I saw a stunning, healthy, talented, charming young woman who has the world at her feet and is yet humble and self-effacing. I felt like I was watching a dear friend, not a pop star and her success is, in my opinion well-earned.

She knows what works for her, style-wise and sound-wise, and she sticks with it. No one else is doing what she is. Without crazy hair colours, over the top music videos, back-up dancers and a camera lingering on every well-lit curve of her body, Adele has won the hearts of the world.

And I'll leave you with this, Adele on the cover of American Vogue for March 2012. Photoshopped? Most undoubtably, but not to the point where she looks artificial. She is 23 years old and her wrinkles, if she has them, are 23 years old. May she continue to laugh, smile, cry and sing her heart out as long as she wants to. Let the artificial popstars continue to scramble to keep our attention with crazy costumes and vocal manipulations. You had us enthralled with one song and one look at those soulful eyes.

Keep smiling, readers. Wrinkles mean experience, not age. Don't fight them. Feel lucky that we get a few different faces during our short time alive.

MAC Lightfully New

2012-02-14T05:04:00.000-08:00

M·A·C LIGHTFULLY NEW WITH MARINA-BRIGHT FORMULA
Lightful Marine Bright: A natural upgrade to the original Lightful, our unique Marine-Bright Formula features three seaweeds harvested from the world’s oceans. Nourish, hydrate, de-oxidize and fortify the skin against key aggressors – excess melanin and free-radicals – while progressively shifting the complexion toward a more evenly pigmented radiance. Adding to this trio’s potency: our own NEW Super-Duo Charged Water, Lightful Cleanser, Essence, Moisture Crème and Softening Lotion, your future is bright.

M·A·C Lightfully New with Marina-Bright Formula
Available February 23, 2012 in the permanent collection

Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Cleanser
$30 CDN/$25 US

Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Serum
$48 CDN/$40 US

Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Softening Lotion
$36 CDN/$30 US

Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Creme
$48 CDN/$40 US

MAC Introducing Ricky & Nicki for Viva Glam

2012-02-11T07:09:00.000-08:00

RICKY & NICKI FOR M·A·C VIVA GLAM

The fearless Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj introduce Nicki’s Lipstick in a scene- stealing pink and Ricky’s colourless Lip Conditioner in a tube that goes from day to dance floor! With every cent of the selling price supporting the M·A·C AIDS FUND, It doesn’t get any hotter. They’ve teamed up to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among young people-around the globe. Nicki and Ricky dare you to Be bold. Be beautiful. Be safe.

Ricky & Nicki for M·A·C Viva Glam
Available February 15, 2012 through February 2013

Viva Glam Nicki
Bright yellow pink
$18 CDN/$15 US

Lip Conditioner (Tube)
Clear
$18 CDN/$15 US

Shop MAC Cook MAC Lipsticks

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

For the first part of my Shop MAC, Cook MAC haul I have three of the five LE lipsticks for review. If the popularity of the lipstick shades featured in Shop/Cook and the Iris Apfel collections are any indication, bright bold lipstick is the look right now. I actually had to spend 1.5 hours going to and from the mall to go to the last freestanding MAC store that still had all the shades I wanted in stock. The store I usually frequent (which is much closer) had already sold out of Watch Me Simmer by noon on Thursday - the same day the collection launched!

I picked up three shades: Dish it Up (Lustre), Quick Sizzle (Matte) and Watch Me Simmer (Amplified). All shades are LE and as of checking Thursday night, sold out online ($17.50 CA/14.50 US). Product photo taken with flash, swatch photo no flash on NC 35/40 skin.

Dish it Up (Lustre), Quick Sizzle (Matte) and Watch Me Simmer (Amplified).

Dish it Up - a medium toned pink/plum lipstick with a lustre finish. It has unusually good colour payoff for a lustre and while it offers a definite pop of blue based pink, it has a softness to it that makes it very wearable.

Quick Sizzle - a super bright, intense blue based fuschia with a matte finish. It has a fairly smooth creamy finish for a matte and is not dry or uncomfortable to wear. Definitely a statement lip colour! One thing to watch with this lipstick is it tends to stain the lips.

Watch Me Simmer - a bright orange coral in the amplified finish formula. Unlike Quick Sizzle, this shade has a slight glossy, satin finish. Another super bright intense shade!

At first, I wasn't very interested in Quick Sizzle and Watch Me Simmer. I have very full lips and so I often skip bright lipsticks to avoid looking like I have a neon sign plastered on my face. To my surprise Quick Sizzle has turned out to be my favourite of the three. It's not a shade I would wear on a day to day basis, but the colour is so pure and intense it's amazing. The pigmentation is so strong what you see in the tube is what you will see on your lips.

For those not ready to make the bold lip statement, Dish it Up offers some fun colour at a lower volume. Another great way to wear these bright shades would be to mix them with clear gloss to tone down their intensity.

The first two shades to sell out online (before the collection was in stores) were Quick Sizzle and Watch Me Simmer. If you missed out on these and really want them, I suggest you call MAC's customer service just to double check that they really truly sold out. Or give your local store a call stat!

Shop MAC, Cook MAC

2012-02-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

SHOP M·A·C, COOK M·A·C
Try and Buy a delicious, delovely, delectable, divine, degorgeous, de-with-it, degroovy assortment of Eye Shadow x 4 in wearable brights perfect for Spring. Treat yourself to Lipstick in heavenly hues, mouthwateringly Kissable Lipcolour and Cremeblend Blush. This Spring, shop ‘til you drop with a tongue-in-cheek collection that elevates the everyday into the extraordinary. Whether it’s detergent or diamonds, produce or Prada, everyone loves to shop, shop, shop!

Ladle on an extra helping of foodie fun with an appetizing assortment temptingly tasty Tendertones, nearly black Fluidlines, Studio Careblend/Pressed powder, Opulash Mascara, two Brushes and nosh-worthy Nail Lacquers in fun, bright shades sure to satiate even the most discriminating of glamorous gourmands. COOK M·A·C has Spring 2012’s no-carb, no-calorie recipe for kooky, kitschy, kitchen kouture in savoury shades for Eyes, Lips and Nails.

SHOP M·A·C, COOK M·A·C
Available February 9, 2012 through April 5, 2012.

Call Me Bubbles Eyeshadow Quad
Call Me Bubbles - light tan (satin)
Fresh Daily - orange (frost)
Brash Frosty - reddish copper (veluxe pearl)
Full of Flavour - coral (matte)
$45 CDN/$38 US

Colour Added Eyeshadow Quad
Laundry Daze - light yellow (satin)
Colour Added - bright yellow (veluxe pearl)
Self-Serve - deep grey (satin)
Pre-Packaged - muted turquoise (veluxe pearl)
$45 CDN/$38 US

Shop & Drop Eyeshadow Quad
Hypnotizing - frosted greyed mauve (frost)
Sugar Snack - light pink (matte)
Power Boosted - violet (veluxe pearl)
Shop & Drop - deep blue (satin)
$45 CDN/$38 US

Cremeblend Blush in Florida
Bright coral
$24 CDN/$20 US

Cremeblend Blush in Optimistic Orange
Bright orange
$24 CDN/$20 US

Cremeblend Blush in Restores Dazzle!
Rich plum
$24 CDN/$20 US

Kissable Lip Colour in Flaunting It!
Grey mauve
$22.50 CDN/$19 US

Kissable Lip Colour in Scan-delicious
Blue fuchsia
$22.50 CDN/$19 US

Kissable Lip Colour in So Vain
Muted dirty coral
$22.50 CDN/$19 US

Kissable Lip Colour in Enchantée
Light blue pink
$22.50 CDN/$19 US

Kissable Lip Colour in Woo Me
Light pinky nude
$22.50 CDN/$19 US

Lipstick in Watch Me Simmer
Bright pink-orange (amplified)
$17.50 CDN/14.50 US

Lipstick in Naughty Sauté
Bright pepto pink (cremesheen)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Dish It Up
Berry pink (lustre)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Innocence, Beware!
Light yellow pink (cremesheen)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Quick Sizzle
Bright pink (matte)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Runaway Red
Rich red-blue (satin)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Fluidline in Midnight Snack
Soft black
$18 CDN/$16 US

Fluidline in Wholesome
Blackened brown
$18 CDN/$16 US

Fluidline in Added Goodness
Blackened mauve
$18 CDN/$16 US

Nail Lacquer in Al Fredo
Bright acid green (creme)
$18 CDN/$16 US

Nail Lacquer in Kid Orange
Coral (creme)
$18 CDN/$16 US

Nail Lacquer in Salad Dressing
Midtone dirty aqua (creme)
$18 CDN/$16 US

Studio Careblend Pressed in Dark
Deep caramel
$27.50 CDN/$23 US

Studio Careblend Pressed in Medium
Soft creamy beige
$27.50 CDN/$23 US

Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Hot 'n' Saucy
Soft cherry red
$18 CDN/$15 US

Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Hush, Hush
Sheer gold with yellow gold pearl
$18 CDN/$15 US

Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Purring
Sheer tangerine with pearl
$18 CDN/$15 US

Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Tread Gently
Soft lime green with yellow pearl
$18 CDN/$15 US

MAC Mineralize Perfectly Finished

2012-02-07T07:05:00.000-08:00

M·A·C MINERALIZE PERFECTLY FINISHED Look what’s happening in Mineralize! Our outstandingly popular M·A·C Mineralize Foundation/Loose gets a new look and with the 188 Duo Fibre Brush sets out to create its famous naturally radiant finish. For those who have a spot, a blemish, a dark circle to hide, there’s NEW Mineralize Concealer. Goes on smoothly, discreetly, with a touch of moisture. Shade ranges go from light to dark. Formulas meet the needs of All Ages, All Races, All Sexes. You’ll find these two are a great match.

M·A·C Mineralize Perfectly Finished

Available February 16, 2012 in the permanent collection.

188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush$41.00 CDN/$34.00 US

Mineralize Concealer
NW15, NW20, NW25, NW30, NW35, NW40, NW45, NW50
NC15, NC20, NC30, NC35, NC42, NC45, NC50
$22.50 CDN/19.00 US

Mineralize Foundation/Loose

Extra Light, Light, Light Plus,

Medium, Medium Plus, Medium Dark,

Medium Deep, Dark, Dark Deep

$36.50 CDN/$30.00 US

NARS Spring 2012: Paramaribo Eye Shadow Duo

2012-02-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

NARS kicks off spring with the beyond gorgeous Paramaribo eye shadow duo. Described as "metallic brass/metallic bronze", Paramaribo delivers intense, rich, metallic colour (LE $39.00 CA/US).

NARS Paramaribo taken with flash.

NARS Paramaribo taken without flash.

The shade on the left is a rich tarnished brassy gold. Colour payoff is excellent and the texture is buttery and smooth. The right hand shade is a golden khaki brown that is similarly excellent in pigmentation and texture.

NC 35/40 skin, no flash.

Both shades are interesting as they are both cool versions of "warm" colours (ie: green cast gold and green cast brown). I would be interested to see how these mix with warmer shades like copper or yellow toned golds.

I love this eye shadow duo. NARS has in the past two years put out some great pairings (Rajasthan, Dogon, Grand Palais etc...), and this is definitely one of them. I think these shades are a natural for any yellow or golden toned skin, but I can see them being very striking on pink toned skins as well. Besides that, I don't have much to say for these except that if they interest you I would run out and grab them!

MAC Vera

2012-02-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

M·A·C VERA

Brilliant butterflies, flashy florals and gorgeously geometric graphics…A colourful collaboration between M·A·C and the artist known worldwide as Vera, who merged fine arts with linens, murals, textiles and silk scarves in her punchy, painted patterns. Now in shades plucked straight from her most lavish prints, M·A·C Vera embraces the luxe, lighter-than-air spirit that delivers the kind of startling, look-at-me statement that defines what it means to be an instant classic.

Limited Edition.

Available February 9, 2012 through March 1, 2012

Pearlmatte Face Powder
Sunday Afternoon -
clean bright pink/bright clean fuchsia/soft pale pink with white pearl
$33.50 CDN/$28 US

Pearlmatte Face Powder
Flower Fantasy Pale -
coral with slight gold pearl/slightly blue pale pink/soft pale salmon$33.50 CDN/$28 US

Aloha Crushed Metallic Pigment x4
Lantern Light - metallic gold/bronze
Campfire - rich copper (frost)
Shifting Sands - metallic Champagne (frost)
Aloha Dirt - cocoa brown (frost)$40 CDN/$34 US

Butterfly Party Crushed Metallic Pigment x4
Butterfly Party - bright lilac (frost)
Desert Cloud - deep blue purple (frost)
Rain Drop - metallic teal (frost)
Moss Garden - metallic silver green (frost)$40 CDN/$34 US

Strawberry Patch Crushed Metallic Pigment x4
Star Crystal - pink champagne (frost)
Rose Light - metallic yellow pink (frost)
Strawberry Patch - light blue pink (frost)
Moon Rose - bright dark pink (frost)$40 CDN/$34 US

Nail Lacquer
Midsummer’s Dream - pale pink lilac (creme)
Play Day - pale milky coral (creme)$19 CDN/$16 US

Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner
Lord It Up - bronze with pearl
Industrial - periwinkle grey
Designer Purple - iridescent violet
Undercurrent - teal with pearl
Petrol Blue - deep navy with pearl
Black Swan - black with pearl
Black Line - black with gold pearl$18 CDN/$15 US

Plushglass
Fashion Fanatic - creamy pale pink
Pretty Plush - extra soft pink with white pearl
Confetti - bright orange coral with soft pearl
On A Holiday - bright pink with blue pearl
Butterfly Dream - mid-tone violet with blue pearl
$22.50 CDN/$19.50 US

Dior Spring 2012: Garden Pastels Eye Shadow Palette

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

If there's one thing that Dior makes that gets me every time it's their eye shadow palettes. This spring, it's no different with their Garden Party collection. The first item of this collection I picked up was the Garden Pastels palette #441 (LE, $60 CA/$59 US).

If there's one thing Dior does do very well is make their products very visually appealing. Similar to the Lace Collection (spring 2010), Dior has embossed this palette with a delicate designs: lace and roses. Photos taken without flash, artificial light, NC 35 skin.

The colours in this palette are very spring-like. The pigmentation is generally good, and the texture though creamy is a bit on the dry side. The shadows apply well but are all a high shimmer finish, so some of the lighter shades apply sheerer than the darker shades.

From top right going clockwise we have a high frost white, a light teal with golden shimmer, a pale butter yellow white, a high frost chartreuse, and lastly in the center a pale white pink. Of the five shades the chartreuse and the pale yellow have the best pigmentation and colour density.

I like this palette - I think the colour combination is unique, fun and shouts "spring". And while I'm not usually won over by fancy appearances - for instance I dislike the current trend of metallic over sprays on powders - this palette is really very beautiful to look at. And though I liked this enough to buy it, I do have some reservations about it. My first reservation about this palette is it's exclusion of textures other than high shimmers. I'm actually a huge fan of shimmery eye shadows (and Dior's in particular), but I think a whole palette of high shimmer limits it's practicality and day wear. The other bone I have to pick with Dior, and this contention has come up before in some of my other reviews of their palettes, is the lack of a darker anchor shade to give enough tonal contrast to the eye. I don't know why but Dior tends to make quints where 50-60% of the shades are ones I would qualify as highlighters. Can you imagine how much more complete this quint would seem if there was a darker shade thrown in - perhaps a medium dark grey or gunmetal taupe shade? As it is, I feel like to make this quint work in the regular eye makeup tradition of contouring and highlighting you would need to supplement with another darker shadow.

La Roche-Posay Physiological Cleansing Gel & Milk

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

La Roche-Posay is an European based brand focused on dermatological skincare using thermal spring water. Originally designed as complementary products intended for use with doctor prescribed treatments for skin disorders such as acne or eczema, La Roche-Posay has in it's 30 years of existence branched out into consumer end skincare, while still focusing on dermatologically developed products.

La Roche-Posay sent me two cleansers for review - the Physiological Cleansing Gel and the Physiological Cleansing Milk. I have been testing both cleansers over the last month. Both cleansers retail for approximately $22.00 CA/200 ml bottle.

La Roche-Posay Physiological Cleansing Gel

This product is designed to clean normal/combination sensitive skin. The brand claims it can effectively remove waterproof makeup, has a physiological PH (PH equivalent to that of skin), is soap/alcohol/dye/paraben free and non-comedogenic.

This cleanser reminds me of Cetaphil - both are non-foaming gel cleansers for sensitive skin. Where this cleanser differs from Cetaphil is in it's texture and it's ability to remove makeup. La Roche-Posay's Physiological Cleansing Gel has a viscous (slightly sticky) texture which makes it a lot thicker than Cetaphil. Although this stickiness may sound unappealing, the texture helps it cling to the skin and really allows you to massage the product into the skin without the fear of tugging. I find that this product is also strong enough to remove most makeup - although if I wear heavy eye makeup (primer, MAC Paint pots, waterproof liner/mascara etc.) I would still remove those products with a dedicated eye makeup remover like Lancome's Bifacial before cleansing.

While I don't have sensitive skin by definition, my skin is drier and more sensitive to the environment in the winter. Edmonton has a pretty unforgiving climate (dry, dry and drier) and in the winter I like to turn to non-foaming cleansers in an effort to stave off dryness. Having used this at night for the past month, I would definitely recommend it. It manages to leave my skin feeling clean but not stripped of it's moisture. In comparison to Cetaphil, I find this product leaves my skin feeling cleaner especially if I've been wearing makeup. Another aspect of this cleanser I love is the smell, which is clean and not overwhelming.

La Roche-Posay Physiological Cleansing Milk

This product is designed to clean dry/very dry sensitive skin. Like the gel cleanser, the brand claims it can effectively remove waterproof makeup, has a physiological PH (PH equivalent to that of skin), is soap/alcohol/dye/paraben free and non-comedogenic.

This cleanser is much richer than the gel version, and you can definitely feel a layer of moisturizer left on your skin after cleansing with this product. Just as I don't technically have sensitive skin, I also technically don't have dry skin. However, due to the aforementioned climate of Edmonton in the winter, I will often use cream cleansers in the morning. My rationale for this practice is that in the absence of a day's accumulation of dirt and makeup, my skin only requires the gentlest cleansing. Having that extra layer of moisture on my skin really helps my skin stay supple throughout the day. At first I was worried I might get really greasy in my t-zone or break out because of it's very rich texture. However, I didn't find my t-zone to get any greasier than if I used another cleanser.

I also encouraged my boyfriend to use this product. In my opinion my boyfriend definitely qualifies as having dry sensitive skin. His skin is prone to redness, flakiness and irritates easily - so much so that he often doesn't wash his face complaining that cleansing makes his skin drier. He's been using this cleanser since I received it and he does report less dryness. I too notice an improvement in his skin's texture when he cleanses with this regularly.

General Thoughts

I think both of these cleansers are excellent choices, especially in the winter months. La Roche-Posay is a brand completely new to me, and these first products I've tested have impressed me. My skin is such that I can generally get away with using most cleansers - so I tend not to be too choosy either way - but I can say that I love the gel cleanser and would definitely purchase and recommend this product.

Benefit POREfessional

2012-01-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Benefit's The POREfessional is a pore-minimizer that claims to quickly minimize the appearance of pores and fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin! It can be applied alone, under or over makeup. It's silky, lightweight, translucent, and oil-free and acts as a primer to help makeup stay put.

I received a sample with a purchase I made at Sephora recently. I'm impressed lately with Benefit samples (see my recent review of CORALista) since they're clearly putting effort into packaging and for a company like Benefit whose packaging is on par with the desirability of the products, this is important.

My little tube of The POREfessional is 0.25 oz., plenty for a few applications.

I tried it on my cleansed, moisturized skin. I wouldn't use it on top of makeup simply because it'll smear the product. You shouldn't put cream or liquid products on top of powder products, that's a no brainer. So if you have large pores, you most likely have oily skin and if you wear makeup, it's probably a powder makeup or you have to powder your makeup to keep it in place. You wouldn't want to use this product on top of your makeup.

But I found it made quite a dramatic difference on the texture of my skin. I have large pores on my cheeks next to my nose, on my nose and on my forehead - the classic t-zone. This is where my skin is naturally a bit pinker than the rest of my face, and it's where my skin gets shiny during the day.

The photos below show before and after application of The POREfessional. I found that The POREfessional reduced the shine on my skin, balanced the skin tone slightly and definitely minimized the look of my pores. My skin looked smoother, less pore-y and even-toned. I was impressed.

I applied makeup as I normally would on top of The POREfessional and it definitely make a difference in the way my skin looked. I was also impressed with its primer capabilities. It held on for most of the day, my pores stayed minimized and my makeup stuck.

Before

After

I would definitely buy a full-size tube of The POREfessional and recommend it to anyone who wants a primer or a pore minimizer.

It retails for $29 US for a 22 mL/0.75 US fl. oz. and is available wherever Benefit products are sold.

Have you tried The POREfessional?

LUSTING: butter LONDON Spring/Summer 2012

2012-01-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

butter LONDON's spring/summer 2012 collection is available to buy online! Do these colours look summery or what?

Pops of neon colour, sherbert pastels and cool neutrals is butter LONDON's spring/summer collection, adding five shades to their impressive regular collection.

I love the looks of Knackered and Slapper.

L-R
Disco Biscut: Tropical hot pink with an undercurrent of tiny iridescent glitter particles
Bossy Boots: Light, opaque pistachio green. A beautiful take on neutral for the summer.
Knackered: A sheer, twinkling oyster shade flecked with micro glitter particles.

L-R
Trout Pout: An opaque shade of cantaloupe, pale and retro.
Slapper: A truly teal lacquer, bold and very bright.

And you've gotta love the names. butter LONDON polishes have the best names.

If you need a dictionary for these, check out the definitions of Disco Biscut, Bossy Boots, Knackered, Trout Pout and Slapper.

Lusting!

C.

January Glymm Box

2012-01-25T08:27:00.000-08:00

January in the beauty industry is always about clean, natural and minimal after the excess and glitter of the holiday season. In Canada there's always an increase in advertising in moisturizers as well. Would my January Glymm Box follow this trend? Let's see.

First, for reference, here's what Glymm is:

Glymm is a world-leading, luxury based beauty and cosmetics website offering the best new products, expert advice, and an exclusive beauty community combined with a revolutionary subscription service that facilitates a life more beautiful.

A Glymm Box is a carefully curated selection of 3-5 luxury samples that we’ve tried and tested ourselves alongside our panel of beauty experts. From your favorite brands to hidden gems, your samples will span a number of categories to beautify you from the inside out. From hair care to skin care, make-up to brushes and tools, your life will be so beautiful and you will love switching it up every month! - from the Glymm.com FAQs

The image on the insert card has soft, natural, clean makeup and grooming. There's a glow to the photo as if she's standing in a snowy field. She's wearing a fur hat or hood, so clearly she's cold. Check, check, check!

Product card

What's inside!

Let's take a look at what Glymm brought me this month.

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion: Burt's Bees new and improved body lotion is clinically proven to restore moisture and replenish dry skin. Canada's favourite beauty brand uses nature's best resources such as milk and honey to soothe, soften, and hydrate dry skin without making it feel greasy. The coconut and vitamin E deliver beneficial nutrients to the skin.

I've tried (and liked) this lotion. See my review here.

Kaia Naturals Juicy Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths

Kaia Naturals Juicy Bamboo Facial Cleansing Cloths: One Cloth, multiple functions! Juicy bamboo facial cloths that effectively and gently sweep away makeup, dirt and oil for clear, fresh skin! Soaked in Vitamins and made with 99% natural ingredients, which make your skin feel soft, instead of stripped and tight. These urban facial cloths are the perfect solution for the girl on the go!

I'm not sure what an "urban" facial cloth is but I guess I'll find out!

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator

Vasanti Cosmetics BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator: Alright beauties it's time to dramatically improve your skin's texture to reveal softer, brighter and younger looking skin! This aloe-enriched cleanser brightens with powerful papaya enzymes to give radiance, exfoliate with dermatologist grade micro-crystals which help smooth and hydrate your gentle skin.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel: From the upscale salons of Beverly Hills, we bring you the brow expert, Anastasia's clear brow gel. Awarded as Allure's editor's choice, this brow gel sets your perfect brow look and keeps brows in place all day. This best-selling formula tames unruly brows without leaving them stiff, flaky or sticky.

Cargo Cosmetic Eye Pencil in Black

Cargo Cosmetics Eye Pencil: Cargo eye pencils offer a cutting edge formulation! An incredibly high pigment pencil that delivers intense colour combined with a smudge-resistant formula for immediate and longwearing results. Rich, deep colour that glides on easily with just one application and minimal skipping.

So does my January Glymm Box fit my expectations? Well, yes, they all fit into that post-holiday beauty trend of natural, clean and simple, don't they? I'm anxious to try all the products and to use some more of that lovely Burt's Bees moisturizer.

What did you get in your Glymm Box this month?

Benefit CORALista

2012-01-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

CORALista is one of Benefit's newest bestselling boxed powders. I received a sample of it recently and thought I'd review it since it's winter here and this is a box of summery-glow if I ever saw I saw one!

Also, I'm impressed with the sample - it's a good size (3g) and the container can be opened and closed.

CORALista is a warm coral-pink and like all of Benefit's boxed powders, sheer and shimmery. The full-size comes in a box with a mirror and with a brush.

And here it is on me. Benefit's boxed powders range are quite sheer and CORALista is no exception. On fair skin like mine, it can be worn alone as a blush, but on darker skin tones, it'd work better as a highlighter or on top of another blush.

I love the warmth CORALista gives my skin and it makes for a great shimmery blush. What do you think? Have you tried CORALista?

C.

Shellac Manicure

2012-01-23T04:39:00.000-08:00

Shellac manicures are the hot new thing in professional nail care, at least as far as I know. I went for my first recently and decided to document it.

Shellac is a hybrid of the gel manicure and promises weeks of chip-free wear. The application process is more or less the same as a regular manicure, except that the bottles of Shellac polish are opaque and each layer of polish on your nails needs to be cured under a UV lamp.

The pros of a Shellac manicure are:

long wear, obviously. You can expect two-four weeks of chip-free manicure and will likely only need to remove it because of nail growth.
Shellac manicures are instantly dry after UV curing, so there's no smudging your nails reaching for your wallet to pay.
a Shellac manicure allow your nails to grow long with minimal chipping. You may never have seen your nails so long and hard.

The cons of a Shellac manicure are:

if your nails grow quickly, you may see regrowth at the base of your nails much more quickly than usual.
your nails need to be strong and healthy before you get a Shellac manicure.
you need to see a professional to get a Shellac manicure; there's no do-it-yourself at-home Shellac manicure kit.
you also need to see a professional to get it removed, although if you do a Google search you can find how others have removed it themselves.
you have to want to have the same manicure for weeks. So there's no changing up your polish week to week.
you can file your nails but you can't cut them if you want to keep them looking nice.

I went to Tips Nail Bar, a salon I'd heard a lot about and chose a half-moon manicure, similar to what I did on my own nails here. Tips is a great spot, I highly recommend it if you're in Toronto.

I chose a deep burgundy red, as I often do, with a bare half-moon at the bottom of my nails. I like the retro style of this and also, I knew the regrowth of my nails wouldn't show as much with this style.

The deep burgundy colour was a little sheer so my nail technician used a taupe colour underneath to give it opacity. The whole manicure took about 40 minutes and my nails were super-shiny when it was finished. They almost look wet and actually, they still did weeks later.

Here's what my nails looked like on Day One.

Day One

There was no chipping or scratches or wear after a week, which is as long as a regular manicure might last on me if I'm lucky. I got over my wariness about using my nails pretty quickly once the regular bumps and bangs didn't affect my manicure at all. I was amazed that my nails weren't splitting or peeling at all. I began using my nails more aggressively too.

After about two weeks I noticed that the back of my right thumbnail was snagging on fabrics and although there were no cracks on the surface or at the tip, at the back, it seemed that the nail was splitting. I used a nail file to file down as smoothly as I could.

Here are my nails on Day Ten. I was impressed that I could see how quickly my nails were growing. I was very glad for the half-moon manicure.

Day Ten

Day Twenty-Three

I booked my appointment to have the Shellac manicure removed a month later. I know now that I'm not a big fan of my nails too long. I'm much more a short and vampy nail length gal. Also, I'm a bit bored by the look after a month. After about three weeks, I began to see some wear at the tips and overall, my nails were feeling a bit scruffy. I'm glad I tried the Shellac manicure and will get it again if I want my nails to look great for a long period of time, like vacation or for Christmas.

Day 23

My first chip - Day 23

Chips - Day 23

Day 23

Any Shellac purists out there? Can you live without it?

Oh and if you're curious, my first manicure after the Shellac was this one - short and inky blue metallic:

butter London Wallis

2012-01-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

butter LONDON has become my favourite nail polish. I've eyed Wallis for awhile, it intrigued me but I'm not one for warm nail polish shades so I didn't think it'd suit me. But it called my name over and over so I bought it.

Wallis is named for Wallis Simpson, the American socialite and double-divorcee who scandalized the UK by falling in love and marrying the crown prince Edward. Edward abdicated the throne of England in order to marry her and his younger brother George became King. If you've seen the recent film The King's Speech, you know some of the story.

butter LONDON's Wallis is described as a tarnished, metallic olive gold, as mysterious and regal as its namesake.

And here it is on my nails. I used three coats.

Wallis surprised me. I loved the colour. It's as it's described but it's got flecks of red and gold (click on the photo above to see) and quite a bit of depth.

Like the other butter LONDON polishes I've tried, Wallis goes on very smoothly and dries quickly. I could have gotten away with two coats, but went for three for the perfect finish.

However, after a day or two of wearing it, I decided that the gold flash of Wallis wasn't to my liking. I'd been meaning to buy a mattifying top coat so I did and applied it to my manicure.

Here's what Wallis looks like mattified. I LOVE it. It makes it look even more antique.

Anyone out there own Wallis? Do you love it? What do you think of it with the matte top coat? Yay or nay? Or do you prefer it with its own lustre?

Any other butter LONDON fans out there?

Tom Ford White Patchouli Eau de Parfum

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Every Christmas it happens...you set out to the mall to cross off a few of the names on your gift list and by the end of the trip you realize you've manged to buy yourself as many gifts as you've bought your friends and family.

Well this year I "gifted" myself a bottle of Tom Ford`s White Patchouli EDP during Sephora's 20% VIB event. I've wanted this fragrance since it's debut in 2008, but since I always own at least 15 bottles of perfume at any given time, I always found a reason not to buy it. Not this year!

According to Ford, White Patchouli:

"Opens energetically sparkling notes of bergamot blended with delicate white peony and spicy coriander accents make an instant play for attention. The alluring and modern heart unfolds in sequence: rich rose absolute, carnal night blooming jasmine, and the stimulating ambrette seed. Precious patchouli orpur infuses the finish with exotic depth. Its stimulating sensual pull is enriched by a medley of blonde woods and the soft eastern aroma of incense."

Now, I'm not a fragrance expert, so I can't speak to all the exotic descriptions of the notes in this perfume. What I can say about it is that it is big, heady, earthy, warm and sensual. I can smell the spice, rose, and wood notes which layer over the heart of patchouli. I have to say I was actually surprized that I liked this perfume given that I usually hate patchouli. Patchouli always made me think of suspect vials of grubby looking oil being sold in health food or weed paraphernalia stores. That and the overwhelming smell of dirt emanating from the equally grubby looking dreadlocked middle class teenagers that wore it back in the day.

But I digress...Tom Ford's take on patchouli is lush, complex and very adult. Although White Patchouli is definitely more accessible than Black Orchid, it's still a bit of a challenge - a very bold woody fragrance in a culture of light, predominantly sweet fruity florals. Other blogger's have noted that White Patchouli doesn't last on them, but I find I don't have this problem. I find the fragrance to be so strong off that bat that I wouldn't spritz more than once. White Patchouli lasts easily the whole day on me, and I actually like it better as it wears down and becomes more subtle.

J

MAC Iris Apfel Eye Shadows

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I did not really know much about Iris Apfel until I did a little research for this post. As it turns out, Mrs. Apfel is an esteemed interior designer, fashion icon and entrepreneur. She had her own retrospective at the Met in 2005, called Rara Avis (Rare Bird) which celebrated her solitary fashion style over the decades. She also has a degree in Art History from NYU. I'm beginning to seriously like this lady!

Anyways, Mrs. Apfel is back in the fashion spotlight with her recent collaboration with MAC. I have three of the five eye shadows for review in this post. All shadows are LE ($18.00 CA/$15.00 US), product photos taken with flash, swatch done in natural light on NC 40/42 skin.

Early Bird, Robin's Egg and Diamond Dove

All three shadows are matte and are well pigmented, smooth and easy to work with. It's nice to see MAC putting out some high quality, easy to work with mattes.

Early Bird, Robin's Egg and Diamond Dove

Early Bird is a pinky coral, Robin's Egg is a bright teal and Diamond Dove is a neutral grey-brown. I think Robin's Egg is the most unique colour of the grouping, but I think Diamond Dove is the work horse of the group. This is a great neutral colour for any skin tone and would work nicely in the crease with many shades.

J

December Luxe Box

2012-01-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

I received my December Luxe Box a few weeks ago but this post got lost in the holiday shuffle. The good news is that I've been able to use some of the products so I can do more than just introduce them to you!

You can sign up for your own Luxe Box subscription here.

Made just for me!

Season-themed note card

Product info card

And here's what's inside.

Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray

Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray provides a weightless hold with none of the stickiness of traditional hairspray. Your hair will brilliantly shine in style this holiday season, whatever the occasion!

Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo

Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Conditioner

Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo and Conditioner: This colour-safe shampoo and conditioner is formulated without sulfates, phosphates and parabens. It will leave your locks shiny and beautifully soft by replenishing moisture and restoring the health of your hair.

I've been using these on and off for two weeks. I normally only use conditioner (like shampoo) in my hair because my hair is often too fluffy after regular shampooing. The Moroccan Oil shampoo and conditioner leaves my hair feeling clean but weighted down enough that it styles the way I want it to and isn't fly-away clean. It's also smooth, unbelievably shiny and softly scented.

Yves Rocher 24H Vitality Anti-Fatigue Skin Care

This interactive moisturizer is enriched with Red Vine Polyphenols that combat signs of fatigue that age the skin. It smooths away fine lines and wrinkles and revitalizes the skin, revealing a more radiant complexion.

I really like this moisturizer. It's rich but not heavy and light enough that you forget that you're wearing moisturizer. It's perfect for wearing under make-up. It left my skin feeling very nourished, smooth and soft. My Luxe Box product card gave the tip to slap your palms against your face gently before applying moisturizer to increase blood flow to the surface. It works with the moisturizer to nourish your skin.

Paco Rabanne Lady Million and 1 Million

Lady Million: For her, a heady bouquet of voluptuous flowers underlined with patchouli and amber.

1 Million: For him, an intense harmony of leather, white wood and amber dashed with citrus and spice.

NYX Slim Eye Pencil

A smooth definer for your beautiful lids, this basic eyeliner blends easily and comes in a variety of shades. A staple in everyone's makeup bags, you can never go wrong with black!

Loose Button Chocolate Button

What was in your December Luxe Box?

Iris Apfel for MAC

2012-01-03T05:33:00.000-08:00

A colour collection inspired by a rare bird who has always been ahead of her time, Mrs. Iris Apfel. Subject of her own exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and larger-than-life star, Apfel boldly mixed flea market finds with haute couture decades before doing it was considered de rigueur. M·A·C presents Lipsticks, Beauty Powder and Eye Shadows with as much fabulous flair and joie de vivre as the woman who helped create it.

Beauty Powder in Too Chic
Soft peachy cream with fine shimmer
$27.50 CDN/$23 US

Eye Pencil in Ebony
Soft black
$17 CDN/$14 US

Eyeshadow in Diamond Dove
Deep grey brown (matte)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Eyeshadow in Early Bird
Bright coral (matte)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Eyeshadow in Howzat
Deep grey with silver sparkle (satin)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Eyeshadow in Robin's Egg
Mid-tone teal (matte)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Eyeshadow in Silver Gull
Blue grey with sparkle (velvet)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Impeccable Brow Pencil in Taupe
Mid-tone dirty taupe
$18 CDN/$15 US

Lip Pencil in Embrace Me
Vivid pinkish fuchsia
$16.50 CDN/$14 US

Lip Pencil in Entertain Me
Clearly orange
$16.50 CDN/$14 US

Lip Pencil in Redd
Clearly red
$16.50 CDN/$14 US

Lipstick in Flamingo
Light milky bright coral (lustre)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Morange
Loudmouth orange (amplified)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Party Parrot
Bright red-pink (matte)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Pink Pigeon
Bright cleanest pink (matte)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Scarlet Ibis
Bright orange-red (matte)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Nail Lacquer in Oriele Orange
Bright orange coral (créme)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Nail Lacquer in Sandpiper
Creamy pale stone beige
$18 CDN/$15 US

Nail Lacquer in Toco Toucan
Bright blue fuchsia
$18 CDN/$15 US

Opulash Mascara in Bad, Bad Black
$18 CDN/$15 US

MAC Naturally

2012-01-02T05:34:00.000-08:00

Hey, Nature Girl! For a look that is simple, sensuous and understatedly sexy, here are nothing-to-hide hues that make you look fresh, relaxed, gloriously “undone.” Brilliantly sheer, high-mineral Skinfinish make your look fresh-as-the-sun radiant. Lipsticks and Lipglasses lushly tinted to reflect the wholesome. Eye Pencils with a touch of jojoba, mango and meadowfoam seed oils. M·A·C, Naturally is just what you need to do your own thing and keep your look, dreamily, down to earth…

MAC Naturally is available at MAC stores and counters in North America on January 5, 2012.

Eye pencil in Coffee
Muted brown
$17 CDN/$24 US

Eye pencil in Ebony
Soft black
$17 CDN/$14 US

Lipglass in Fresh Air
Light pink
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipglass in Hot Spell
Bronze with multicoloured pearl
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipglass in Naked Space
Creamy mid-tone nude peach
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipglass in The Wee Coquette
Naked neutral pink
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in A Perfect Day
Light neutral pink (amplified)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Beach Sand
Light tan (creamsheen)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Pillow Talk
Mid-tone rosy pink (creamsheen)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Lipstick in Sweet Sunrise
Light neutral peach pink (lustre)
$17.50 CDN/$14.50 US

Mineralize Blush in Fresh Honey
Warm apricot
$26.50 CDN/$22 US

Mineralize Blush in Early Morning
Peachy pink
$26.50 CDN/$22 US

Mineralize Blush in Subtle Breeze
Blue pink
$26.50 CDN/$22 US

Mineralize Eyeshadow in Cloudy Afternoon
Cream with gold, grey and pink veining
$24 CDN/$20 US

Mineralize Eyeshadow in Daylight
Peach with dirty blue lavender veining
$24 CDN/$20 US

Mineralize Eyeshadow in In the Sun
Gold with violet veining
$24 CDN/$20 US

Mineralize Eyeshadow in Summer Haze
Palest gold with deeper gold veining
$24 CDN/$20 US

Mineralize Eyeshadow in Twilight Falls
Cool brown with bronze veining
$24 CDN/$20 US

Mineralize Skinfinish in Blonde
Soft pink to rose degrade
$33.50 CDN/$28 US

Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead
Gold to Salmon pink degrade
$33.50 CDN/$28 US

Zoom Fast Black Lash
Carbon black
$18 CDN/$15 US

286 Duo Fibre Tapered Blending Brush
$36.50 CDN/$30 US

187 Duo Fibre Face Brush
$50.50 CDN/$42 US

MAC Metal-X

2011-12-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

Platinum pop…Gold groove…Silver shimmer…after a smashing debut in Winter 2007, a treasure chest of precious metals is back at your disposal with M·A·C Metal-X Cream Shadow, a cutting-edge formula that transforms powdery cream into liquid metal before your very eyes – on your very eyes (or cheeks, brow bone, décolletage…anywhere a multi-dimensional metal effect is desired). Created with a new mélange of pigments that allow superior blendability and spreadability, this luxurious highlighter goes from medium to high intensity coverage in a simple one-stroke application. Whether you’re into heavy metal or just a fleck of gilded foil, this molten magic is sure to elevate any look with its extreme brilliance, shine and dimension.

M·A·C Metal-X Available December 26, 2011 through January 19, 2011

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Cyber
Metallic silver with silver pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Fusion Gold
Light pinky beige with gold pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Gold Carbon
Metallic taupe
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Palladium
Metallic ash
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Red Hot Copper
Warm copper
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Rusty
Dirty peach gold
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Venetian Tarnish
Golden tarnished bronze
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Vintage Coin
Metallic olive green
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Virgin Silver
White with silver pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

December Glymm Box

2011-12-23T04:40:00.000-08:00

My December Glymm Box arrived last week - a Christmas gift for me! This is the second in my year-long Glymm subscription (click here to see my first).

Bright pink box, ribbon writing, check!

Inside, a ribbon wrapped bundle.

A list of the items inside my Glymm Box.

$10 off the Glymm shop

The goodies inside...

A sample of Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask.

This innovative formula is enriched with revitalizing grape acid and antioxidant-rich grape seed oils which work together to gently dissolve dead skin cells and reveal a perfectly nourished, balanced and luminous skin complexion.

Sula Natural Lip Gloss.

Playful, yet sophisticated, this trendy line is designed to compliment not define! Sula Lip Gloss is formulated with natural ingredients that will smooth, soften and moisturize your pretty lips. Go ahead and break the rules, set trends and always be pretty!

Ahava Mineral Hand Cream.

Ahava lightweight lotion goes to work the minute you apply it, with a powerful blend of ingredients to treat hand dryness and dermatitis. It's rich, nourishing Dead Sea minerals hydrate and restore moisture to even the most rough and scaly skin. The hazel extracts soothe and soften dry skin, without making it feel greasy.

YSL Parisienne perfume

Once upon a time there was Parisienne, who lived and loved in the moment - the portrait of a woman incredibly free. Parisienne is a floral, feminine yet sensual fragrance which will leave a trace of mystery everywhere you go. This luxurious scent wraps up a woman's body and stays with her all day long. Scandalous, some say?

And of course, a little glass jar of jelly beans!

I have tried and loved all of the products I got in my December Glymm box. The Sula gloss isn't something I'd buy though. It's very light and doesn't last very long. Pretty, but for a product junkie like me, I have plenty of light, glossy lip products and don't need another!

Did you get a Glymm Box this month? What was in yours?

Daphne Guinness for MAC

2011-12-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

An Artist who values her freedom to discover the myriad ways to express and transform the human soul, from couture and punk, to historical research and the metaphysics peculiar to mankind. Mother. Model. Muse. Journalist. Actor. Once again, the Honourable Daphne Suzannah Diana Joan Guinness has added another project to her resume with her latest creative endeavour, which could be her most electrifying and beautiful yet. Everyone’s most obsessed-over, free thinking and cross-disciplining aristocrat has teamed up with M·A·C to create a collection of colours as sophisticated, authentic and refined as Daphne herself. Someone who defies the labels with which society brands those they can’t explain. A person who is not only unafraid to dirty her well-manicured hands, but one for whom the actual process is an ultimate pleasure and not just a means to an end. Someone for whom life is an infinite journey of discovery.

To create this magnificent collection, Guinness kicked off her towering shoes and threw herself into the world of makeup artistry to concoct a truly elegant wash of watercolour-inspired shades that recall the classically beautiful cool and rich tones of the Old Masters and the stark light of northern Europe. From inception to final incarnation she took instructions, and for weeks applied herself to personally mixing palettes of differing hues. Her ethos is that unless you do it yourself or are part of the process, the final result is not interesting or authentic. For her that is unacceptable. In M·A·C she found a team that was willing to support and help her bring this first collection from the drawing board to the final product, so each colour is curated to perfection.

Her inspiration? The stories and influences of her life: the whispered luxury of an antique Chinese porcelain vase, the way the light illuminates the clouds of her childhood home in Northern Spain. Inspirations range from the blues of Duccio, to the discovery in the 18th century of Prussian blue, to pigeon’s blood and the watery greens reminiscent of a Whistler painting, to how the intricate wings of a butterfly resemble the images of deepest space.

Much like the artistic expression looming within each skein of silk thread on a finely wrought couture gown, the same attention to detail has been applied to a collection that is perfectly tailored for the woman who is eternally youthful, possessed of intellectual, spiritual and artistic integrity, and of course, great beauty. In short, the Daphne Guinness in all of us.

Available December 26 in North America.

Blush Ombré in Azalea Blossom
Light cool pink
$31 CDN/$26 US

Blush Ombré in Vintage Grape
Mid-tone violet pink
$31 CDN/$26 US

Cremesheen Glass in Borealis
Pale grey pink with iridescent pearl
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Japanese Spring
Pale dirty pink
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Narcissus
Dirty eggplant
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Richly Revered
Deep brown plum
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Grey Utility
Uniform grey
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved
Rich black
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Interior Life Quad
Stratus - light pink (matte)
Interior Life - mid-tone grey blue (veluxe pearl)
Bruised Sky - dark lavender-grey (satin)
Heather Belles - dark charcoal/carbon (satin)
$45 CDN/$38 US

Nail Lacquer in Blueblood
Deep eggplant (crème)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Nail Lacquer in Endless Night
Pale grey pink with iridescent pearl (frost)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Nail Lacquer in Hyperion
Light grey blue green (crème)
$18 CDN/$15 US

Pigment in Aurora
Pinked taupe (frost)
$24 CDN/$20 US

Pigment in Circa Plum
Frosty dirty mid-tone lavender
$24 CDN/$20 US

Pigment in Nebula
Dark greyed brown with pearl (frost)
$24 CDN/$20 US

Eye Brows in Stud
Deep rich blackened brown
$18 CDN/$15 US

Eye Brows in Fling
Light taupe ash blonde
$18 CDN/$15 US

Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Approaching Storm
Deep rose
$20 CDN/$17 US

Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Red Dwarf
Blue-pink
$20 CDN/$17 US

Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Seasoned Plum
Mid-tone lavender
$20 CDN/$17 US

Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Warp Speed
Light silver
$20 CDN/$17 US

2011-12-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

Jill and Catherine wish you a very warm and wonderful holiday season and the best ever beginning to 2012!

Happy Holidays from Beauty Squared!

Daphne Guinness for MAC Q&A

2011-12-19T17:43:00.001-08:00

Let’s go to the beginning, for you personally. Can you tell us about some of your first experiences with cosmetics?

Well to be honest, there wasn’t much makeup around when I was growing up! I never really thought of it. But I was always painting. Let me see...Did I paint myself? I tried to make myself look Japanese...I had a Japanese nanny, and I love the Japanese aesthetic, so I remember trying to achieve that look. But instead of makeup I would use watercolours or acrylics or anything I could get my hands on. Sometimes I would paint pictures on my face, on my eyelids or whatnot. Now if I want to do something like that I go over to the M·A·C Pro Shop in Canada and get these pigments that make your skin really white and pearly. You can use them on your body as well.

I was always fascinated by makeup. My mother didn’t wear any at all and I always thought that was such a great loss because it seems to me that the only point of being a human being is being able to transform the way you look!

So what did you think when M·A·C approached you for this collaboration?

I’ve always loved M·A·C. I’m obsessed with the Lipglass and the Mascaras. I’d often go into the M·A·C shops to play with the brushes and such, but for this, to be able actually to have some kind of input on a project? I felt it was a great opportunity. And of course M·A·C and I have mutual friends. My dear friend Issy did a Lipstick – she was terribly excited about that – and another great friend, David LaChapelle, always had a good time shooting for M·A·C. And I always just thought it was such a cool company. I even remember when it first came on the scene, I thought, ‘great, finally something new for a change.’

Tell us a bit about your creative process as it pertains to this collection.

I was in the Beverly Hills Hotel – and let me tell you there’s always some mad project going on in my bedroom when I’m there, ha! I had parchment papers spread all over the floor and all sorts of different powders and watercolours that I was mixing together and my finished pieces were drying on the balcony. I was painting for so long on that floor. When I’m given a task, I take it really seriously. I start with the raw materials and mix them and all the while I imagine art references and try to consider the Old Masters and try to figure out how they mixed this colour or that colour. Then, when the pieces were done, I packed them all in my suitcase to show M·A·C. Maybe it all sounds strange, but I’m always playing with colours and pencils and paints. I do it all the time! For me a recurring theme in my work is history and the universe – the smallest things and the largest things and I explore that through colour. The process that I’m always in.

Where do you think your instinct for colour comes from?

I think it all has to do with light and the places I grew up. Of course the light is different in Ireland from that in London, and it’s really extraordinary in Cadaqués in the north of Spain. When you have a storm the clouds come out from behind the mountains and make these extraordinary shapes and when the sun hits them from a certain angle it makes a beautiful light. When you look at Dali’s paintings, that’s not him being surreal, that’s him painting from life because that’s what it looks like! I’m very sensitive to light change – I’ll start jumping up and down when the sun begins to set because of the way it goes an orange colour when it comes through my windows because it’s so beautiful. And I hate bad light. When I go in some place and the overhead light is neon it gives me a headache. I’m obsessed with light because without it, you can’t have colour.

Speaking of colour, can we please discuss your hair? Everyone is obsessed!

They are!? Oh gosh. Well what happened was that it’s all an accident. First I dyed the underneath red. At that point it was less baby blonde on the top – it was very white when I was a child and then it went darker as it does. Anyway I dyed it red, then darker red, then plum, then I went to purple, then darkish blue; so at this point it’s not quite black. And the kind of whitest shade of blonde on the top happened by mistake gradually in different salons. Anyway this is what I ended up with! I’m not sure what will be next. I like to experiment. And I do like my hair to be done, it is civilized!

Are there any specific historical or fashion references that directly influenced this collection?

The thing is I don’t like to copy anything and I really try to come up with something completely new. Of course, you have to work with things that are in your frame of reference, but I really aim to create a new colour or at least a new configuration of colours together. As Degas said, “You have to copy and recopy the masters,” but you can only do that for so long and then you have to do your own thing. Otherwise you’re only going backwards and not forward. So I try to take my references from the past and bring them into the present and make them relevant again. I tend to like classic things that you can use many times instead of fads; trends annoy me actually. There’s one thing in loving beautiful things and admiring people’s creations, but a trend? I quite prefer things to move forward, but to exist as a pinnacle of quality.

As for more specific references I would reiterate my love for the Old Masters: Titian, Zurbarán Michelangelo. And I might say that I’m absolutely fascinated by butterflies and outer space. Blimey, I have pictures from the Hubble space telescope and some of those are just extraordinary, and if you look very closely at a butterfly’s wings or even perhaps a jellyfish, you’ll see there are similarities. I mean, I’m not being mad, just have a look! It just absolutely blows my mind.

What are some of your favorite pieces from the collection?

Well for instance, I’m quite proud of the Hyperion Nail Lacquer. It resembles this almost grey, steely light that is pure Whistler from the 1890s when he still had fog in the paintings. The shade is so beautiful and it also reminds me of a celadon-coloured antique Chinese porcelain vase. Porcelain in that colour is rather compelling. There’s something about these sorts of shades that I find quite lovely, and you’ll see that this collection is all about cool tones. I’m not a real primary colour person, and warm colours do not become me. Anyway we can’t all be bouncing along the beach looking sunkissed. I’m never gonna be that girl. I wish, but it ain’t gonna happen! I’m just not great with browns or terracottas and perhaps aside from daffodils, I think yellow is bad luck. I hate canary diamonds with a passion!

You’re known as a patron of couture when it comes to fashion. Would you call this a couture cosmetics collection?

Oh certainly. Couture means handmade, and I mixed the colours by hand and really, really, really put a lot of thought into them! It’s been one very happy experience and I’ve had such a nice time. The only thing I missed is I wanted to be right there in the factory. I would love that. The process is just everything to me. You see, before I was speaking to you I was literally in my bathroom mixing up products and smashing them about! I’ve learned so much and I’m having so much fun with makeup.

Beauty Squared Quotes

2011-12-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

"Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty."
– Coco Chanel

Soft and Sultry FOTD

2011-12-09T05:35:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by the look of Victoria's Secret models for this. In particular, this photo:

I like the softly sultry big round eyes, warm skin and glossy lips. It's important to note how airbrushed this photo is though. I'm only guessing at the make-up look they may have used.

Here's my version, using slightly cooler colours. It's soft, sexy and simple.

On my skin is Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer all over my face and MAC Studio Fix Concealer under my eyes and on any blotchy spots. I used MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth & Light for some sheen and as a setting powder. I used a kabuki brush to buff, buff, buff and buff some more.

On the eyes I used a few different colours but the important step to this look is blending. Everything has to be soft and very blended.

First I applied Urban Decay Primer Potion to my eyelids and let it set. I then applied L'Oreal Couleur Infallible in Forever Pink on my eyelids, blending it up to the crease.

L'Oreal Couleur Infallible in Forever Pink

On top I added a bit of MAC Skintone (L) eyeshadow and also to my browbone, blending it across from the corner of my eyebrow to the inner corner of my eye.

MAC Skintone (L) eyeshadow

With a long, fluffy crease brush, I applied the medium purple-brown shade from the Quartz Sally Hanson Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy palette, blending it form the outer corner of my eye, up through the crease and towards the inner edge of my eyebrow, in an angled upward curve.

Sally Hanson Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy medium shade in the Quartz Eye Palette

To deepen the effect, I used a touch of MAC Smut eyeshadow and then added more of each shade to get the effect I wanted. I wanted it soft, almost like a natural shadow in the crease but the sheen to each eyeshadow made it even softer.

MAC Smut eyeshadow

I used Smut along my lashline, working into the lashes and out up to the crease. I could have used a liquid eyeliner as they must do in Victoria's Secret but it would've added a hard edge to this look. For further emphasis and to add a bit of warmth and even more shimmer, I used Bare Escentuals Sex Kitten. I applied it along the lashline and up into the crease. Layered and blended and layered and blended.

Bare Escentuals in Sex Kitten

I swept the same combination of eyeshadows under my eye, very softly.

You can't have a sultry look without false eyelashes, but I wanted them to look natural. First I curled my lashes with my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler and then applied some delicate Ardell lashes I've had for awhile, using my Duo lash glue.

Ardell False Eyelashes in 110 Black

The lashes help to give more emphasis to the lashline, and the band on these is thin enough that I don't need liquid liner to camouflage the fact I'm wearing falsies.

Then lots and lots of mascara - L'Oreal Voluminous mascara on the top and Clinique Bottom Lash mascara on the bottom.

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in Black

Here's the side view.

Lashes!

I didn't apply anything in my brows, but I did brush them up with an eyebrow comb for a bit of a messy look. Undone is sexy.

For a bit of shimmery glow, I used MAC Lustre Drops along the top of my cheekbone and browbone.

MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel

I chose my warmest, most shimmery, sultry blush for my cheeks.

MAC Warm Soul Blush

And finally, I chose a sheer, nude gloss for a bit of shine. I dabbed it on the centre of my lips with the tip of my finger.

Soap & Glory Gloss in Peche

I love this look. It's a little bit retro, a whole lot seductive and really soft and pretty. It's not quite Victoria's Secret but I love it!

Let us know what you think!

Tom Ford Beauty: Wicked and Love Lust Cheek Color Review

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Makeup is the most potent way for a woman to transform herself. It is how she achieves true glamour and makes a fashion statement with her face." - Tom Ford

Do you love Tom Ford? Because I do. Ever since the mid 90's when Tom took over as creative director at Gucci he's had my attention. I loved the skinny hipster pants, slinky jersey dresses with cutouts and the Gucci logo g-string swimsuits. But what frequently caught my eye at Gucci (besides the logo g-strings!) was the makeup he sent down the runway. I remember one look he did with Pat McGrath where she had painted the models eyelids liquid gold and contoured their creases with a bit of brown shadow - gorgeous, sexy, bold and very inspiring!

Fast forward almost twenty years later and Mr. Ford finally has a full range of luxury cosmetics to add to his empire of fragrances (I wear Black Orchid). On a recent trip to NYC I made a point of visiting Bergdorf Goodman to check out the brand new high end line which had launched that very week.

First before I get into the actual product review I want to say something about Tom Ford Beauty...it is expensive. Very, very expensive. Anything in the Ford brand empire is to be considered a luxury item, and the makeup line is no exception. Eye shadow quads retail for $78.00, blushes $55.00 and lipstick $48.00 (all prices US). That being said the first night Tom Ford Beauty launched at BG they sold $52,000 worth of product. Think about it.

Tom Ford Cheek Color in Wicked and Love Lust

My original plan was to pick up the eye shadow quad Sahara Haze, however when I got to the tiny counter (which was continuously, and annoyingly mobbed by customers) I started to waffle. I'll admit the price made me waffle, and not because I wouldn't spend $78.00 US on an eye shadow quad I loved, but because I wasn't 100% sure I loved it. Sahara Haze is pretty, don't get me wrong, but a few of the shades were sheer and I wanted my Tom Ford Beauty experience to be perfect like Mr. Ford himself.

Tom Ford Cheek Color in Wicked and Love Lust

After much, much waffling over the eye shadow quads I turned my attention to the Cheek Colors, and that was love. I picked up Wicked, a cool, bright pink with a pink sheen and Love Lust, a pinky coral with a golden sheen. The Cheek Colors are very finely milled and have very strong pigmentation but are sheer.

How can a product be simultaneously sheer and pigmented you ask? Well through very fine milling of pigments you can get a product that deposits a lot of color without opacity. I actually think this is the strongest point of the blushes, it helps them look very natural, like the color is coming out of the skin and not sitting on top of it. The blushes also have an incredible sheen which naturally highlights bone structure without having to add a highlighter or making you look like a glitter bomb.

The texture is smooth but quite powdery, and they tend to kick up a lot of product when you use them, so I recommend patting the surface with a brush to minimize the loss of product. This is the only aspect of the blushes I am not in love with as when you use them, they tend to spread blush dust everywhere. However, and most importantly, they do not look powdery on the skin. Please note that these look significantly better in real life than they do in the photos.

Wicked and Love Lust (top no flash, bottom with flash), NC 40

The packaging for the Tom Ford line is sleek with a dark, glossy burgundy brown case with a gold monogrammed clasp on the end. One unique aspect of the packaging is the way in which the compacts open. Unlike most compacts, these do not have a button to depress. You simply pull the top half up.

So here's the million dollar/$55.00 question: are they worth the price? In terms of quality and performance I would say yes. Wicked and Love Lust are unlike any other blushes I own and I own at least 30 blushes from numerous brands both high end and low. Does this mean I think everyone needs to go out and buy these? No. Obviously this is the type of purchase you make when you want and are willing to pay for a luxury item. If you do decide to splurge though, I think you will find that these blushes will become ones you reach for again and again.

Beauty Squared Quotes

2011-11-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye." - Miss Piggy

OCC Divine Lip Tar FOTD

2011-11-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

This look is a bit of a before and after look. I went to IMATS Toronto with this look, apart from the lip colour. When I got home and tried on one of the OCC Lip Tars I bought - Divine - I loved how it looked all together, so I thought I'd photograph it for you.

Basically, it's a soft smokey eye (one of my favourite looks), soft blush and a lip colour with a soft pop of colour. Wow, an OCC Lip Tar can be soft and wearable like this? Who knew?!

My base was my usual base - Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, MAC Studio Fix Concealer and Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil to set it.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

On my eyes I applied a purpley-brown from a Sally Hanson Carmindy palette. I blended it all over the lid and slightly above the crease, softening it out as it got higher.

Sally Hanson Natural Beauty Inspired By Carmindy medium shade in the Quartz Eye Palette

On top, I applied MAC Club eyeshadow, one of my very favourite colours. It's a red-brown with bottle green shimmer. At one angle you get the rich red-brown and at another angle you get a flash of metallic green.

I smudged Club along my lower lashline as well, more heavily at the outside of my eye and soft towards the inner corner.

MAC Club eyeshadow

For a bit more depth, I applied MAC Smut (another favourite shadow) at the edges of the crease and blended it in. I also used an angle brush to smudge Smut along my lash line, because really, I can't help but smudge a dark colour along my lashline, ever.

MAC Smut eyeshadow

A close-up of my eyes.

For a highlight colour, I used MAC Mega Metal Shadow in Peek-At-You, a vanilla shimmery shade. I applied this on my brow bone and a touch on the inside corners of my eyes.

MAC Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Peek-At-You

To further smoke up my eyes, I applied MAC Technakohl Liner in Greyprint on my waterline. Using a grey on the waterline gives a much softer effect and the Technakohl liners are great for being less irritating to the eyes and long-lasting.

MAC Technakohl Liner in Greyprint

My mascara is a favourite of mine: L'Oreal's Voluminous in Black.

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

For a soft cheek, I used my go-to blush lately, MAC's Stunner from the MAC Me Over collection a few months ago. I swirled it softly on the apples of my cheeks in layers and blended it towards my ear, blending it, blending it, blending it for the sheerest effect possible.

MAC Blush in Stunner

OCC Lip Tars are like a liquid lipstick, intensely pigmented and the amount shown below on the tip of the tube is enough for two applications. It lasts for hours and is vegan. This shade is called Divine and it's a soft, slightly bubble-gum-pink.

OCC Lip Tar in Divine

I applied a coat of Divine and then blotted it with a tissue. I didn't use a lip pencil, but you can if you have trouble applying this. You need to be careful, use a brush and start with a little and add more as you need. A very little of OCC Lip Tar goes a long way.

This is great for a slightly-more-than-subtle day look but still smoky and sultry.

See my IMATS post (with haul photos) here. See my previous post on my first four OCC Lip Tars here.