Mineral Power!

The mineral makeup frenzy continues with Maybelline's offering in this new category of makeup - they call theirs Mineral Power!

There are a bunch of great products in this life - a blush, a pressed powder, as well as a liquid and powder foundation. I'll start by saying that the colours are fantastic - they look natural, the blend well, and they're not at all ashy or grey, so if that's something that you've had trouble with in the past, then you can leave those worries at the door for this foundation.


Lets start with the liquid foundation - this was my favourite product because it looked so natural. It's definitely for dry or normal skin because though the initial application is matte, it does get oily pretty quickly if you've got oily skin. The finish is light and I think it's perfect for minimizing flaws.

There's also a concealer in this line and it's fantastic. It's a matte finish and because it's not overly thick, it looks quite natural. It's perfect for concealing spots and dark circles.
The blush, like so many mineral blushes, is "luminous" which means that it has shimmer in it.
Once again, the colours are fantastic. The blush has a lot of pigment in it and the ratio of shimmer and colour is absolutely perfect.

Finally, the finishing veil. This setting powder is light and airy and again comes in colours that really match a wide variety of skin tones and look amazingly natural.

What I love about this powder is that it's not hard like some drugstore setting powders. It does take away topical shine and lasts a decent amount of time.

Overall - this mineral makeup line is very affordable and has some products that are excellent. If you've been having a hard time finding mineral makeup colours that match your skin, then you can rest easy knowing that you'll find something in this line.

Artistry Concealer

These days I'm using a concealer by Artistry. I have to confess that I actually hadn't used concealer in over a year. I've just been using a bit of foundation under my eyes, and it really does the trick. But then I stopped wearing foundation and when I didn't get enough sleep I found that I still needed a touch of coverage under my eyes.

So I turned to Artistry.

I had an Artistry Essentials Makeup Kit in Medium, and I used the concealer from that.


The concealer is the Artistry Essentials Concealer and it's fantastic. It's super pigmented so a little bit goes is enough for both eyes, and with a touch of powder it stays in place all day.

I also loved the colours of everything that came in the kit. The eyeshadows and lipgloss went well together and the look I ended up with was natural and perfect for everyday. Check out the Artistry website for how to purchase their products online.

TruBlend Concealor

Yet another addition to the Cover Girl Trublend line - a concealer, called Truconceal. Here's the deal: it comes in 5 shades, has a sponge tip, a creamy texture, almost-matte finish... and is on the sheer side.

I tried using this under my eyes and found that it did cover nicely but only when I dab it on and let it dry before blending. It's not the most potent of concealors and if you're looking to cover veins or broken capillaries, this might not do that job.

But, it is natural-looking, and I could easily find my shade.

Body Shop Concealer

The Body Shop actually has foundations and face products in great colours even if their range not be the biggest on the market. I picked up their concealer stick when I tried it on in a store and found that it matched my skin perfectly. The best part is that their makeup line has been expanded and though this concealer started out as coming in only 3 tones, it now comes in 8! It's nice to know that The Body Shop is making makeup to suit a variety of skin tones.

The concealer itself is a pencil that smooths on to the skin very easily and works at covering anything from the under-eye area to blemishes. It's a matte finish too so it looks very natural and doesn't settle into lines. In a pinch you can also easily blend it out and use it as a foundation.

The only bad thing about the concealer is that the size isn't a normal one so you'll have to buy the specific body shop sharpener for the pencil. I've not yet found another pencil that's this chubby so the sharpener is only used for this pencil. Although the price of the pencil is reasonable, having to buy a sharpener is an add-on. Remember that if price is a consideration in your decision of whether to buy. Maybe the next time they do a revamp of the makeup line they'll fix the size of the pencil as well, but until then this is a crutch in an otherwise great product.

Canadian Beauty News: April 20, 2007

Well the weather here in Toronto has warmed up a little, and summer cosmetic collections are on their way, but unfortunately not much has hit the counters yet on this side of the border. Here's a rundown of what's new in stores and fresh on the shelves:

New Nail Polish:

OPI's new summer collection has been spotted! Hard to find in spas and nail shops, the best place to get the newest colours is Trade Secrets! Featuring a mix of dark and light colours the collection has everything you could want for spring and summer. My favourite colour is "I Only Drink Champagne" which is a light gold shade that shows up as almost white on the nail. I also love the shimmery silvery "Happy Anniversary" shade from their 25th Anniversary collection. It has multi-coloured shimmer in it but when you put on two coats, it shows up as silver. A pretty fun shade for the summer. To the right is a picture of it, but the shade is much nicer in real life.

Benefit's New Collection

New products from Benefit have also hit shelves or will later this week for some stores. The problem I found was that testers were still unavailable so I was unable to really get a glimpse of any of the colours or try any of their new products so I'll have to post an update later.

Look Fab Studio

Last week I talked about the Look Fab Studio that opened on the 13th in downtown Toronto. Has anyone had a chance to check it out for themselves? Thoughts? Experiences? Share them in the comment section below. You all know that I was blown away by the studio but I'm interested in knowing what other people might think.

Reader Questions:

A couple of weeks ago, M asked me the following question:

One quick question, do you know if i can buy Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque here in Toronto.

After a bit of searching, I came upon the mask in a health food store. My suggestion would be to check out the health food store in your neighborhood and see if they carry it. Because many of these stores are quite small and sometimes family run, they might be able to bring in the mask if you request it.

I also received this question last week from H:

I have dark undereye circles and after reading a number of reviews, decided to purchase the Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer kit (as well as the undereye moisturiser). I even e-mailed a Bobbi Brown makeup artist. I am following the application instructions religiously, but still end up with the product drying into a powdery finish and settling into fine lines. I never thought I had a lot of lines around my eye area, but when I laugh or smile, the product now highlights these lines. (I even e-mailed a Bobbi Brown makeup artist and I have had no joy following her instructions.)

The product seems to work for many people and I would love to know the secret.

I too have heard so many things about the Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer. It's hard not to buy into the hype. Bobbi Brown is great at what she does for the most part, the products are flawless. That said, the one thing that bothers me about the Bobbi Brown makeup counter is that they don't offer any samples. You can try the stuff on but there's no telling whether you will be able to duplicate the same look at home, and whether the foundation or concealer you tried on will look good in the lights you have at home.

I think that the concealer and corrector combo is nothing out of the ordinary. Why do I need two products to do the job of one? Theoretically, the corrector is just going to mix into my concealer when I put it on, right? So why can't I just have a concealer that fixes what the corrector would have?

As for the product settling into lines - I feel that the problem is that the concealer is just too creamy. The concealer is so creamy that it needs to be used with a powder which could just make it into a paste which then settles into fine lines. My advice is to try skipping the under-eye cream which may be adding to the creaminess of the concealer. Save the cream for night time and hopefully it will make a difference. Without the cream, you may not need to add powder on top of your concealer so see if you can go without it. If it still creases, then try it with the powder. If you still see creasing, try a different powder such as MAC Blot Powder which is specifically meant to reduce oil and shine. I use it to set my makeup and find that it lasts a long time.

Finally, if that doesn't work - ditch the Bobbi Brown products. I know it's hard because they're so expensive, but there are plenty of cheaper concealers out there on the market, so you might not feel bad doing it, if you can find a stellar replacement. I swear by MAC Select Cover Concealer and have never had a creasing problem with it. I hope that helped, but keep me posted on your results!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Take the Plunge - How to Apply Makeup

Lately, I've been asked by a few people to tell them how they can start wearing makeup. So, for them, and for anyone else who might be wondering, here are a few tips on easy methods to incorporate cosmetics into your daily getting ready routine.

To begin, by no means am I saying that you have to be wearing makeup to look good or presentable. It totally depends on YOU. Nobody is telling you to wear makeup or not wear it. That said, makeup can often make you look more polished and put together which is why some people reserve it for special occasions or job interviews.

Now, everyone has a tinted lip balm or sheer lipstick in their arsenal. Even if it's just a clear gloss, that's good enough and can make a difference. If you're going for an everyday look, stick to a natural pink gloss. My favorites are offerings by Nars, Cover Girl, and Lancome.

The other very easy product that makes a difference is mascara. Personally, I think mascara is a must for every girl because nothing's better than long luscious lashes. The right ones can even curl your lashes a little giving them a lift - perfect if your lashes are straight and you want to give them some oomph. Cover Girl's Volume Exact is a stellar choice if this is your need. When you're applying, make sure that you start at the base of your lashes and wiggle the comb as you work your way up. Most mascaras need you to do this twice if you want to get a maximum effect - any more and you run the risk of clumping. If you want curl, hold the wand at the very tip of your lashes and sort of wiggle it back and forth while moving up quickly. This should help get some lift in there. Another great mascara choice is L'Oreal Voluminous - it's pretty much a no-fail formula that delivers.

If you really want to make an impact on your look, pick up a concealer for those problem areas. For many people, this is mainly those dark circles under your eyes. You'll be surprised at what a difference concealing them can make. Here's an important tip for selecting a concealer. When you go to the makeup counter, the artist will probably try to sell you a shade that's lighter than your foundation or natural skin tone. Although this is a good tip and works great for film and photographs, it doesn't always translate well into everyday makeup. A light shade can look too obvious - even J. Lo is sometimes guilty of wearing very obvious-looking concealer. When you blend the concealer under your eyes, you want to blend down to where your cheeks start. This means that the blending of colours should be flawless and it's a better idea to get a colour that matches your face rather than being a shade lighter. I love MAC concealer - it comes in a ton of colours and the finish is probably the most natural one out there.

Finally - if you've mastered all the above products, head down to the makeup counters and grab a new blush. Applying blush for the first time can be tricky but there are two ways you can go about it. Either do the 'ol smile and apply, or you can suck your cheeks in and put it on your cheekbones. Try each method on a cheek and see which works best for you.

What kind of blush should you buy and which brush should you use? I say skip the brush altogether and go for a cream blush. That's what I used when I first started using makeup and I still love the glow and natural look that this gives me. Now some people go for a powder-finish blush and though that has its good points, I would stay away from it because it's harder to work with. Gel blush dries quickly and mistakes are hard to fix.

I love MAC's blush creme. It comes in a range of wearable shades and none but the limited edition ones have shimmer so they always look natural. Though the texture is quite creamy, a little goes a long way and once set with translucent powder, the blush lasts all day. Just swipe your middle finger through it, and tap on to your cheek in a circular motion. Tapping is important. If you swipe, you won't get the best colour payoff and it can just smudge all your other makeup off. Tap starting in the middle where you want the colour to be most concentrated and work your way out. If you put too much on, simply use a bit of moisturizer and tone it down.

And there you have it: 4 product that will probably only take you 5 minutes to put on in the morning once you know what you're doing, which will probably be in a week. I hope that helps!

Concealer

This weekend, Arpan and I talked about putting concealer under our eyes. We both agreed that on darker skin tones, using a lighter shade of concealer isn't always a great idea since that's now how the area under our eyes is naturally. Naturally, on brown skins, that area is the same colours as the rest of the face, and of course it gets a little darker when we haven't been drinking enough water or haven't gotten enough rest. At the end, we both feel that picking a concealer is difficult enough, but it should ideally match the rest of your face rather than be a different colour.

Arpan's final suggestion is that if you're already using a concealer that's too light, or lighter than your foundation, you could put a bit of your foundation on top to make it seem the same colour as the rest of the face.

Where to Buy: Cle de Peau

Cle de Peau Concealer ends up on every "best" list. Some say that it's their holy grail of concealers and MUA members love it as well. My problem is that the concealer only comes in 3 colours, all of them quite light, so the line isn't really made for minorities or darker skin tones. Still, I was able to find a colour that suited me and the concealer did go on quite nicely, easily hiding dark circles.

At this point, you might be wondering where, in all of Toronto, I found the Cle de Peau line since not even Holt Renfrew carries it. Try Fleuri at Bayview Village Mall in Toronto. That mall continually surprises me since it carries the best of the best and the stores aren't afraid of carrying high-end items. They know that it's the right choice if it's the product that customers are looking for. Anyway, the sales assistants at Fleuri were friendly and didn't pressure me into buying anything.