My Face Of The Day. Once I Can Wear One, That Is.

Guys, I can almost wear makeup again!
It's been a month and a half, but I'm almost there!
I've been planning what to wear for weeks now, so I thought I'd do a little show and tell.
I'm so looking forward to having colour on my face, and the longing looks I've been giving my poor, neglected lippy collection are a little obscene.

My collection has been teasing me!

The first thing that's going on my face, is some funky summer-proof eyeliner!  I discovered Artdeco cosmetics last year, which you can read here, and it is an amazing line!  The Soft Eye Liner Waterproof #72 is a beautiful, rich, metallic, emerald green.  It's creamy, long wearing, and fun!  Perfection!

Have you tried They're Real Mascara from Benefit yet?  If not, it's a fab find, so you should consider bringing this baby home with you!  I've fallen completely in love with this mascara.  It leaves you with long, lush lashes that has remarkable staying power!  It wears like a dream, and won't smudge or flake at all.  Now, it is a son-of-a-biatch to remove.  I found that an oil remover is mandatory, and it usually takes two applications of remover to get all of the residue.  Benefit does have a remover specifically formulated for They're Real coming out soon, so that would be a great investment once it's available.  Believe me, kids, this mascara is worth every bit of the trouble that comes with removal.  It is that good!
The coup-de-gras for my eventual FOTD will be a bright-ass pout!  I'm so very excited to wear an orange shade on my lips!  I actually have butterflies at the thought of wearing this!  The Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in Audacious is a delicious, vivid tangerine shade with a velvety finish and a moist feel.  I've bragged about these before, here, and I love them just as much now as I did then!
Once I can wear these products, you better believe I'll be showing them off! 
Until then, I'll be quietly making googly-eyes at my makeup cases, dreaming of the day I can paint myself up!
What trends are you excited to try?

Donna Xoxo

PS- I do have to admit, that I'm remarkably comfortable without makeup these days!  I don't know if it's age and wisdom, or simply necessity, but I'm much more comfy in my own skin, and that's pretty cool!  I would advocate it to everyone to give it a whirl once in a while!!!

Soft And Pretty Radiant Orchid Eyes! Some Lancome Love

I always find this time of year can be a little awkward as far as makeup goes.  I'm sooooo over winter, but I still have to wear boots and heavy sweaters.  I just cant rock a turquoise eye look and a furry boot at the same time! 
I really want to though!
Instead, I'm going to do something soft and pretty.  Thank you Radiant Orchid!
Along with Pantone's exclamation of this year's colour, came a myriad of purple shades!
Just in time!

 

 

I started with Lancôme's Brightening Palette in Lavender Grace.  I applied the base colour all over, and the shimmery lilac shade on the lid.  For a contour, I used Lancôme's Colour Design Zip Me Up since I wanted something with some warmth to the shade.  I went back to the palette for the liner.  It's a really pretty violet which I applied close to the lash lines just to anchor the whole look.  A little definition, not drama, is what I'm after!

I did a sheer rosey blush, and a soft hilight for a glowy finish to the skin.  I used L'Oreal's new Extraordinaire liquid lipstick in Purple Prelude for a sheer mauve stain on the lips.  I really like the new hybrid formula lip gloss\balms that are hitting the shelves these days!  I'll be talking about this in a post soon.  I have to get a Maybelline Elixir in my arsenal first so I can make a more informed discussion.  (I'm so full of it, I just want one, really!  Whatever gets me through the day!)

 

Just to switch it up a bit, I added some bubblegum pink shadow to the lid, and changed the lip to a sheer petal pink.  The shadow is Lancôme Colour Design in Makeover and the lipstick is Benefit Hydra-Smooth Lip Colour in Air Kiss.  Pretty too, non?



Ladies, if you haven't used Lancôme shadows, you have to do it immediately!  They have such a great formula!  The texture is smooth with an ah-may-zing colour payoff.  The price point is only a bit higher than a MAC shadow, and the texture is worlds apart.  It's really worth it to take a look next time you need a shadow.

What do you guys do to cheer yourselves up when winter feels like it will never end?

And, yes, I'm having my hair coloured this weekend.  The grey is out of control!  It's terrifying how little brown is left under all the red!  Next time you see me, I'll be my fiery redheaded self again.

 

Donna Xoxo



Bene-Brows! Run, Don't Walk, To The Benefit Brow Bar!

When is the last time you were in love with your eyebrows?

Just want to look and touch them all day long kind of in love?

If right now isn't the answer, then you need Sephora and Benefit's Brow Bar in your life. 

My brows are good. They're extremely low maintenance, and naturally have an ok shape. Where there are thin patches I can fill in. 

Like I said, good. Not great. 

Today, I have great brows!

Look at those babies!

I went to Yorkdale Mall Sephora last week to see Kelly at the Benefit Brow Bar. There was a promo on that had a wax and tint for $23.00, which is the price of a wax. I may never go anywhere else!

The service starts out with a "Brow Mapping" which shows the ideal shape of your brows and how to get there. The shaping was quick, and thorough. Kelly knew her business, and was adorable beyond belief!  It was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. 

As we age, our brow colour tends to fade, so a tint was the best idea ever!  It doesn't just make them darker, but it gives the brows a fullness as well. 

I was finished off with a quich touch up with "Brow-zing" and I was off to the races!  I've mentioned Brow-zing before, and I still love it just as much as the first time I put it on my hand!  There is just a touch of auburn in this product and also in my tint, so there's no stark difference between my hair and eyebrows. 

Love it!!!!

Have you guys ever had an amazing eyebrow story?  Ever tried a tint?  I want to hear your story!

Donna Xoxo

How to Look Fresh and Pretty On Cold Days Like These.

Winter is officially kicking our asses!
We have been covered in six inches of ice, as well as blasted with -40 degree temperatures.
We now know that a Polar Vortex exists, don't we!
Holy Hell, I wish we didn't!
I am past the point of needing to look chic when I go out the door.
Winter, you win.
I will have hat-head, which for a short haired girl is BAD with a capital B.
I will not compromise on wearing the right makeup, though! Thankfully, I don't have to!
Weather like this is the best time to bust out a flushed cheek and a pretty lip!
The trick is prepping the skin, and using the correct products.

Hydrating, waterproof, and illuminating are your best word friends during a cold snap.
 A rich moisturizer will protect your skin from wind burn, regardless of skin type. (Don't forget the SPF!  So important!)  It's usually best to avoid a full coverage foundation and go with a BB cream or tinted moisturizer.  Go for a smooth, even finish that's dewy.  A little concealer, and that's all she wrote! 
Skin gets so dull when the temperatures drop.  That's when a cream or liquid hilighter comes in handy.  Put some life back into those cheekbones!  You already know I love Pearl by MAC, but Joe Fresh makes some great ones!
Cheek colour is wonderful in the winter!  It's the perfect time for a pretty pink flush!  Benefit Posietint is my fave cheek product right now.  I love the sheerness of it, and the fact that it DOES NOT BUDGE!  Hugely important when you are wind-blown and partly covered by scarves and misery.
A waterproof and smudgeproof mascara is mandatory right now.  I learned that one the hard way!  I wore  a terrible mascara one cold winter morning on my way to work.  I had to wear my sunglasses on the bus at seven in the morning like an idiot, to cover rivers of black running down my face.  Charming, I know.  Since then, I have been rocking L'Oreal's Double Extend Mascara religiously!  It gives ma-jah length and volume to lashes, as well as wears through everything!  It also comes off really easily.  If that isn't the best thing ever, then I don't know what is!
Let's keep with the bubblegum pink flush for the lips, shall we?  I'm in love with Benefit's new Hydra-Smooth lip colour!  It has shea and mango butters for smoothness and hydration.  This feels spectacular, and leaves the prettiest sheer pink velvety finish.  Layer the Posietint  under the lipstick to up the intensity, and wear time. 

What are your best tricks for the winter?

Donna Xoxo

Youthful Makeup. How to Look Like You Have a Dorian Gray Painting at Home (Thank You Benefit!)

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I'm going to be 40 in February. 
40!!!!!
I'm a little stressed out about it, but not too bad.  I seem to be holding up fairly well as far as my skin and appearance goes.  I may feel like an old bag, but I don't look it!
I'm going to share my makeup secrets here today.  Some of them, anyways!
A girl needs some secrets!
I decided to pull my hair back for the pic's so we aren't overwhelmed by the giant shock of fire-red hair!
Skin prep is the best thing for looking healthy.  A good primer, as I always say, will make all the difference in the world.  I had a friend give me a bunch of goodies from Benefit, and "The Porefessional" primer was among them.  This is a killer primer!  Great smoothness and texture!
Next, find a foundation that leaves the skin looking plump and healthy.  Doesn't have to be full coverage, as long as you have a nice canvas.
Concealer is your BFF!  The formula of the concealer is really important.  A nice creamy consistency for the eye area, and some redness is perfect.  I also use a creamy one for acne too.  Spot treatments can be drying, so a little extra emollient is ok!  Benefit's "Fake Up" is fantastic!  It covers like a dream, and wears comfortably.
I'm a big believer in setting powder.  Makeup wears so much better with a light dusting, light being the key word here!  The right powder will diffuse fine lines and dark spots.  Make sure it's a translucent, or brightening powder.  Mineral powders can have a nice luminosity to them too.  I'm in love with Benefit's Box O' Powder in Dandelion these days!  Its a gorge pink that gives a subtle glow!  You'll love it!

A full, well maintained eyebrow is also mandatory for a youthful look.  Make sure its shaped well, while keeping a natural appearance, and not too dark.  As we age, brows lose fullness, so we want to make the best of what we have.  Benefit's Brow-Zing is the perfect brow definer!  A wax and a powder give great colour and hold.
Did I mention mascara? Because lots and lots is good!  Non-smudging of course!
I can not emphasize the importance of blush and hilighter enough.  A good hilighter will light up the eyes and diffuse darkness when placed on top of the cheekbones.  A bright blush placed high on the cheeks suggests young, healthy skin.  a softly sculpted cheek is the best trick in the world!  I like a hot pink like Tarte Amazonian Clay in Amused.  It doesn't go on dry like most powders.

As for lip colours, go for something rosey, or berry tinted.  Don't forget the SPF!  I'm wearing Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rose, which is the perfect amount of colour to liven things up on the face!
All that being said, the real secret to looking youthful is prevention!  SPF and eyecream from the age of 18 is the best thing any of us can do for our skin.  Remember it's never too late!  And Sephora sells Benefit!
What tricks do you use to look healthy everyday?

Donna Xoxo