April 2010
3 posts
Test Time: Clarisonic Skincare Brush
The infamous Clarisonic Skincare Brush has been in high demand since Oprah listed on her “Favorite Things” 2007 list touting it as a “miracle massage for your face”. The company claims that the sonic waves clean your skin deep down resulting in more refined (i.e. smaller pores) and glowing skin. The reviews seem to back these claims, but we’re putting it to the...
Dramatic. Black. Cat Eye.
A steady hand, a gel liner, and you’re set!
The Second Day Messy Bun
Turn your second day hair in to something absolutely gorgeous!
Tease with a boar bristle brush at roots until your hair looks a little less extreme than this, (but with a little more emphasis at the crown).
Give it a nice mist of aerosol hairspray at the roots (we love Aveda’s ‘Air Control’) to add texture and even more volume.
Then simply rake your fingers through your hair...
March 2010
12 posts
Fuchsia Lips for Spring!
Try something new and skip the neutral lipstick/lipgloss for Spring!
Fuchsia lips can look good on every skintone. Spend an hour at Sephora trying different shades on your skin and you are guaranteed to walk out with something bold in your shopping bag. Wear it as part of an evening look with a pared down eye (we love how Alexis Bledel pulled it off, above)
Rihanna
Lauren Conrad
Kim...
Fashion Inspiration: Street Style, London
Katie B of London England caught our eye in an inspired, on trend and relatively affordable look! London ladies have the opportunity to shop this style as most of the items are from UK/European exclusive stores. One of our fave online shops is from the UK, so take a peek at www.asos.com if this look gets you as inspired as it did us!
Square toe patent shoes, from Next, £35 ($50) Black tights,...
Get Inspired for Spring!
Summer Sunnies: Aviators
Spring is in the air, and it’s time to think about a new pair of Summer sunnies! Aviators never go out of style, and can be worn with anything— they are loved by all— especially when you don’t have time to bother with makeup; pop them on, add a little lipgloss and bam: instant polish! Shhhh!
Gisele Bundchen
Frankie Sandford
Kristin Cavallari
Jessica Alba
...
The Secrets to Beautiful Skin!
Renee Rouleau, celebrity Esthetician, shares her answer for an age old beauty question: “What is the secret to beautiful, glowing skin?” (it’s the one we are most often asked as well!). While her website recommends use of her own products, she shares a lot of insight we can all find useful!
———————————-
For...
FASHION: Spring's 'Proper' Purses
Ladylike, prim and proper bags (think of those bags you used to steal from Grandma to play dress up with) in different shades of neutrals are making a comeback this year. We must admit that we’ve picked up one or two of these prim bags for this spring… would you?
Proenza Schouler F/W 2010: Aubrigene Lips
Proenza Schouler is known for starting the trends and this one may be no different: Aubrigene lips! This vampy colour works on a multitude of hair/skintones and pair it with a naked eye (above) or a slick of liquid cat-eyed liner (see Sarah below).
Sarah Harding
Daisy Lowe
America Ferrera
Get the look with…
NARS’ lipstick in ‘Fast Ride’.
Makeup Minxy Loves...
A smattering of products we are loving right now:
Rimmel’s Sexy Curves Mascara ($8): You might still need your eyelash curler, but this drugstore brand mascara doesn’t clump, flake, and the unique brush somehow reaches every little baby lash!
M.A.C’s Cremesheen Glass ($18.50): The formulation goes on without a sticky feel while delivering a creamy texture with plenty of...
Chanel F/W 2010: The "Stamped" Eye
While Chanel’s F/W 2010 makeup might not be wearable, it certainly was unique! Try applying it without a mirror for best results…
TREND ALERT: The Loose, 80's Side Braid
We first saw this fresh take on an 80’s look at Alexander Wang S/S 2010 show (pictured above), and we’re spotting a new trend on some of the most notorious trend makers and followers!
Super easy and low maintenance, this look has recently been seen on Lauren Conrad:
and Leona Lewis:
Dsquared F/W 2010: Cobalt Blue and Poppy Red
Dsquared captured everyone’s attention with something other than their clothes for Fall/Winter 2010 in Milan.
The Canadian designers accesorized above the neck with a Poppy orange-red lip and a heavy cobalt blue smokey eye. If this is a look you want to recreate, chose either the bold lip or bold eye— doing both is strictly reserved for the runway!
Check out their over the top F/W...
Inspiration: Who What Wear Styling Tips
Great inspiration from WWW.
Bobbi Brown Color Strip Collection
Minxy’s must have for Spring 2010 has to be this gorgeous Bobbi Brown Color Strip Collection in Bonfire ($60USD).
Says the company:
“A complete spring eye, lip and cheek wardrobe - designed by Bobbi. Palette has one bright eye shadow (Bonfire) plus four coordinating shades that make it wearable. For lips and cheeks, there are three warm shades of Pot Rouge. Imagine the...
February 2010
12 posts
Lady Gaga for M.A.C: Viva Glam Gaga
We just purchased the limited edition M.A.C Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick (a shade that the Lady actually created herself!). Comparable to ‘Snob’ -also by M.A.C- we can’t wait to see what this pale bluish pink looks like on ones lips!
TIP: This shade might need a sheer coat of concealer before application to get the best true to colour shade possible.
Inspiration: Who Wore What at NYFW (Pt.2)
Marchesa F/W 2010: That's a DRESS!
Lets just take a moment to enjoy such a beautiful creation!
Oscar de la Renta F/W 2010: Return to the 80's
The hair and makeup at Oscar de la Renta’s F/W 2010 showing at NYFW was a return to the 80’s, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. Brown eyeshadow blended to the eyebrow and maroon (or is that brown?!) lipstick might be a look you want to skip.
Who Wore What at NYFW
Rachel Roy F/W 2010: The Peacock Eye!
Bobbi Brown Cosmetics created this dramatic, dark peacock eye at Rachel Roy’s F/W 2010 show.
According the the brand: “Eyes are intense, covered in rich velvet… scarlet and black create a modern smolder…” – Wendy Rowe for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
You might not try this at home, but tone it down, and you have a really different type of smokey eye!
Here is how the look was achieved:
Badgley Mischka F/W 2010: Heavy Bronzer
At Badgley Mischka’s F/W 2010 show we saw minimal makeup with a big emphasis on clean, glowing skin and bronzer on the hollows of the cheeks and temples.
The Eyes Have it-- MINXY Names it!
Time after time, we see makeup looks we adore, but the small text reads “to achieve this look, try {insert product that is LIKE what we see but not}”.
That perfect bronze, chocolate smokey eye on Rachel McAdams was achieved with Chanel’s LES 4 OMBRES (Quadra Eye Shadow) in DUNES (and a little black eyeliner). TIP: Use a cream shadow base to get a really pigmented shadow...
HOW TO: Hair at Jason Wu: F/W 2010
This interesting bun isn’t as difficult to create as one might think!
How to:
Straighten the hair, part it in the middle, and create a slightly rounded, soft shape around the head while gathering the rest of the hair into a low ponytail.
Tie a black elastic around the length of the tail and then twist it into a bun, securing with bobbypins.
Christian Siriano F/W 2010: Strong Brows and Berry...
Project Runway winner Christian Siriano might be the first graduate of the show to actually make a respected name for himself in the fashion industry.
His new F/W collection debuted at NYFW and paid tribute to an exaggerated 80’s brow and very wearable berry matte lips. Combined with 40’s ‘Veronica Lake’ hair, it didn’t overwhelm his voluminous collection.
L.A.M.B Fall/Winter 2010
Leather, animal print, army green, plaid, leggings and tights along with dramatic smokey black eyes, deep red lips and doll length bangs.
January 2010
4 posts
Trend Alert: The Long Bob and Center Part Fringe
Spotted on everyone from Cheryl Cole (who has recently removed her extensions!) to Rose Byrne (pictured above), ‘The Long Bob’ seems to be everywhere we look these days. It’s a flattering cut that has versatility and softness with a modern twist.
Also spotted is a new spin on a 70’s classic, the ‘Center Part Fringe’ has been seen on celebs from Rachel Stevens...
Get the Look: Christina Hendricks
Lighter complexions can look just as dramatic as those with darker features, and at the 2010 Golden Globes, Christina Hendricks proved it.
According to makeup411.com, this is how the look was achieved:
Skin Care:
Shu Uemura Depsea Hydrability Moisturizing Cream “This cream seriously hydrates, yet disappears into the skin leaving the skin feeling fresh and smooth,” said Scali.
Foundation:
Scali...
Beauté Cosmetics are a Beauty!
We first heard about the boutique Canadian cosmetic line Beauté (pronounced Bow-Tay) from our English friends over a pixiwoo, where the girls couldn’t say enough good things about the line’s lipglosses.
The line, which is mainly comprised of lip products and sold exclusively online and at the high-end Canadian department store HOLT RENFREW, was founded by Beau Nelson, a Canadian...
Philosophy: Hope (Hype) in a Jar
Oprah highly recommends this product, and has nothing but good things to say about it. After testing it out, Minxy must disagree with the Mighty O (rare, but true!)
The company claims:
The ‘hope in a jar’ original formula was created for the medical market and is a world-renowned skin cream. It contains beta glucan, a powerful antioxidant, which enhances skin immunology; and lactic acid, which...
December 2009
4 posts
Concealer: Hide Your Dark Circles!
Like many of you, we’re always looking for the perfect forumla to hide dark circles. Many times, what you’ve tried in the store loses its luster after a few uses at home when you find out that the product you over-spent on… under-delivers.
Colour correction: This is the first thing to consider. Always look for an undereye concealer with a peach undertone, as this will counter...
STILA Smudge Pots: The Results
After a week in the “test kitchen”, we’ve most definitely made up our minds on why we LOVE the STILA Smudge Pot, but more specifically, the Smudge Pot Collection (the limited holiday edition of four mini pots: Black, Kitten— a champagne colour good for use as a cream shadow all over the lid, Violet— a bright, sparkled purple and Starry— a deep navy plum). This...
STILA Smudge Pots
Minxy just picked up these beautiful Smudge Pots by STILA; review coming up in a few days! (first impression— gorgeous jewel toned colours and smooth creamy texture perfect for use as a liquid liner, cream shadow or smudgey liner, as the name suggests).
How To: Megan Fox's Glowy Retro Look
Thanks to Troy Jensen, Makeup Artist to many A-List celebs, we find out how you can get this soft, retro makeup!
Skin For a flawless complexion, I first blended a touch of liquid shimmer (Benefit’s “High Beam”) to the tops of Megan’s cheek bones, down the bridge of her nose and alone her jaw line.
Next I blended a touch of concealer and liquid foundation with a flat...
November 2009
5 posts
Turn Imperfections Into Perfections
This Makeup Forever Camouflage Palette is quite the little beauty weapon. Makeup Forever is known in the professional world to be one of those cult favorites— a must have brand for any artists’ kit. The packaging and advertising isn’t fancy, but the product will never disappoint.
This palette has everything one needs for colour correction (green covers redness, peach works...
sparklingpink Loves Minxy's Recommended Sephora...
sparklingpink:
Sephora Favorites LashStash Mascara
Smashbox Light, Camera, Action Blockbuster Kit
Thanks to my fabulous friend MakeupMinx I have just purchased the above fab products from Sephora - god I love being a girl. What do guys get to buy - shave foam?
Christmas: A Beauty Junkies Favorite Time of Year!
Deck the Halls with Beauty; here come the Sephora gift packs! It’s a great time of year to stock up on your beauty essentials, which at this time of year, often come in combo packs. Have you always wanted to try different colours of shadows, but didn’t want to commit to buying full size? How about finding that elusive ‘Holy Grail’ mascara or perfume? Sample packs are where...
THE Smokey Eye
Get the ultimate smouldering smokey eye with these steps:
1. Groom and define brows with powder shadow and set with a brow gel.
2. Apply black OR brown eye shadow starting at the upper lids blending up to the crease and around the outer edges. Blend under the lower lashes as well.
3. Line the entire eye rim (inside) with black eye pencil.
4. Curl and coat lashes with an eyelash curler and...
October 2009
1 post
September 2009
2 posts
REVIEW: DSquared2 for M.A.C
To start, Minxy should mention that this isn’t your average review; but more a loveletter if you will…
This perfect (PERFECT) pink-beige-nude is named ‘Nude Rose’ by DSquared2 for M.A.C (left) and it’s TO. DIE. FOR. Shopping at a M.A.C store in Toronto yesterday, we came across this limited edition colour, and in our search for the perfect nude, slathered it on...
August 2009
7 posts
The New J.Lo Glow!
J.Lo is looking gorgeous in this promo shot for Samantha Thavasa. Troy Jensen is responsible for this gorge new glow, and he was kind enough to list the products he used, all by Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, which don’t come cheap! That being said, the line’s foundation tops most makeup artists “best of” lists, and I can guarantee you’ve seen it on the faces of...
Bobbi Brown Nudes Collection Fall 2009
Bobbi Brown is channeling the Gwyneth look, with the addition of the Elizabeth Taylor brow; two classic beauties for a classic Bobbi Brown palette: The Nudes.
We want to get our hands on all of these rich, luxe looking necessity colours!
REVIEW: Lash Blast vs. Dior Show
Cheap vs. Charge It! Can Cover Girl’s Lash Blast take on the much coveted Dior Show? Dior’s mascara has been top rated by makeup artists for years, but is it really worth the $30 when compared against Cover Girls Lash Blast, ringing in at 1/3 of the price?
Brush:
CG: Odd looking, plastic, short but densely packed bristles.
D: Gorgeous full and long densely packed bristles.
...
REVIEW: Revlon's 'Nude Attitude' Matte Lippy
The perfect Nude lipstick. It’s hard to find, and once you do, some company usually ends up dicontinuing it. Of course.
Here’s Minxy’s review of Revlon’s Nude Attitude Matte Lippy:
$10.50 Cdn Dollars (um, since when is a drugstore lippy that pricey?! Sheesh!)
It’s a peachy nude which looks good on most skin tones.
Nude lipsticks are tricky because they show...
Long Lasting, Deeply Coloured Lippy... Really.
Want your Lipstick to stick around all day, while looking deep and goooorgeous? Here’s how:
1) Prime your lips with concealer (a thin, even and well blended coat to edge) or better yet “Lip Spackle” by Laura Gellar (it’s more a silicon base than a concealer). Doing this will keep your lipstick stuck on your lips, and cancel out any colour keeping the lipstick more true...
Minxy's Daily Makeup Routine!
One of the most important ingredients to a flawless makeup is doing it in natural light! Always have your makeup station near a window. Minxy’s does hers informally while sitting on her bed, products laid out on a towel and facing a large window!
The less foundation the better… why pile on a flesh coloured coat of product to your already beautiful skin? Spot concealing is always...