Concealers Part 1 - Under Eye

Concealers are the backbone of any makeup look, be it natural or full-on glamour. One basic use that everyone appreciates having concealer for is under the eyes.

Although some have more issues with their under eye area than others, everyone can enjoy the instant lift and pop that a good under eye concealer can give. Basically, a great under eye concealer will give you the pick me up that lets others believe that you had eight hours of sleep last night.

Of course there is basic heavy concealer, the kind that is great for blemishes or discolourations but may be too much for the under eye - no one wants to look crepey and uneven, especially not under the eyes.

Now there are newer formulations made for use in this area, with a smoother, thinner consistency AND light diffusing particles. They are made to camouflage darkness by reflecting light in the (usually shadowed) area around the inner corners of your eyes. A fabulous optical (pun intended) illusion!

I have used one called Touche Eclat from Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, a highlight concealer with light diffusing properties. It has a very thin consistency and comes in a click-pen format, with a brush tip.

There is also a new product from gloMinerals called gloBrightener highlight concealer. It is a click pen with a sponge tip, so you can just smooth it over the area and blend with your ring finger, no brush needed. It has a bit more coverage than the Touche Eclat, with light diffusing properties as well.


Image courtesy of gloMinerals.

I have taken a picture so that you can see its magic in action. It is quite nice as it gives subtle coverage and light diffusion, with a creamy texture that hydrates and prevents crepiness.


As you can see, I have gloBrightener on the left side, and no concealer on the right side. It conceals and evens the tone under my eye without looking cakey or overdone. Love it!

P.S. Please excuse the unkempt brows, but check back for my upcoming posts on my experiments with them. I have been in serious need of brow rehab, so I have locked up my tweezers and started trying some new methods to regrow... once testing is up, expect a report from me!

The 411 on Mascaras

Mascaras have come a long way from the original formulation of coal dust and petroleum jelly in 1913. There is an endless variety of formulas and colours out there, but the main desire that each addresses is essentially the same - to make your lashes look more prominent, more defined, just MORE OOMPH!

Although there are many wild and wacky mascaras with bright colours, multiple steps (primers, lash "builders" and the like), many will get all their mascara needs answered with one great tube of well-matched mascara.

One of the first questions to ask yourself is, "Do I want length or do I want volume?" If you aren't sure, look at your lashes. Do you have lots of little, short lashes? You may prefer a lengthening mascara, seeing as you have lots of lashes, but they aren't that long. On the other hand, if you have fewer but longer lashes, you may want a volumizing mascara. A volumizing mascara will give your longer lashes more presence, and keep them from looking sparse. Many mascaras do a little bit of both, but most formulas will focus on either lengthening or volumizing.

Another thing to look for is how curly or straight your lashes are. I have fairly straight lashes, so an eyelash curler makes all the difference to the final effect of my mascara. If you are intimidated by an eyelash curler, please just pick up one (they are sold in every drugstore now) and practice. It makes a world of difference to virtually everybody. Taking the extra minute to curl you lashes in the morning ensures that they look great all day, because your mascara helps hold the curl throughout the day. Some mascaras are "curling formulas" but nothing takes the place of curling with an eyelash curler.

In terms of colour, most mascaras come in black, brown, or something in between. If your hair is dark, black mascara will give nice definition, day or night. For blondes wanting subtle definition, a brown mascara works well. Mascaras in a black-brown colour are great for most people during the daytime, and are a pretty fail-safe option for everyone.

Basic mascaras may also come in blue, which is usually a dark navy tone. This is actually a really nice look for anyone with blue-green or hazel eyes, as it really makes the green tone in eyes pop. The effect is very nice, but it is hardly a look that screams, "I'm wearing coloured mascara." Try it if you have those in-between coloured eyes.

Waterproof mascara is not necessary for everyday wear, unless you are a swimmer or cut onions daily. It can be very drying for your lashes, and difficult to remove. Try to save this only for occasions when you need it.

Prime Time for Primers

Ever wonder how someone's makeup can stay on flawlessly throughout the day? Have you ever asked someone their trick to flawless foundation and heard the response primer and felt perplexed?

Primers may seem like just an extra step after moisturizer and before foundation, but they are a gift from heaven for anyone that needs staying power from their makeup. Silicone based primers are especially great for normal to dry skin types, or those suffering from, dare I say it - WINTER SKIN!

The way a primer works is to create a smooth, even canvas over which you apply foundation. Primers help to disguise pores, fine lines, or uneven texture, and help your foundation adhere to the skin and stay put. You might have heard of Smashbox primer, a great silicone based primer that creates a nice smooth effect. Another fabulous silicone based primer is gloMinerals gloFace Primer. Although I have found that these are both very similar in consistency and effect, the gloFace Primer has the added benefit of vitamin K, which is great for toning and tightening.



If you want that fabulous, flawless finish that lasts all day (and all night), try a primer!

Get glowing all over with gloDust!

Feeling a little lacklustre? Maybe a little dull?

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just need a beauty pick-me-up. Mine comes in the form of a beautiful shimmery dust called gloDust. It is really quite amazing, because it can be used in so many ways. You can dust it on in its powder form to highlight areas like the shoulders, decollete or browbones. It can also be mixed into lotion and applied as an all-over shimmer lotion. You can also use gloDust in your hair! You can try it a la Marlene Dietrich and sprinkle a little powder into your hair. You can also mix it into a styling lotion or shine serum and work it in that way.


From left to right, gloMinerals silver gloDust, gold gloDust, and bronze gloDust

It comes in three colours - silver, gold, and bronze. The silver is quite frosty. The gold is very subtle and looks great on everybody, including pale me. The bronze is the deepest and most potent, and would be great mixed into a styling lotion on brown hair or as a highlighter on darker skintones.

Spring Trends for 2008

I know, spring seems like it is a long way away when you live in the Great White North and it is the middle of January!

Both fashion lines and cosmetic companies have come out with their new spring looks already, and I have seen a big trend: BLUE.

Sounds like scary stuff right? Well, it can be, especially in its most ghastly incarnations. What if you want to try it for real life?

Somehow these runway trends seem lost in translation...


Louis Vuitton S/S 08 - so charming at a garden party, don't you think?
Image courtesy of style.com

Louis Vuitton S/S 08 - this is a real keeper, I know every woman wants to look like a frozen corpse! What? Don't you!?
Image courtesy of style.com

John Galliano S/S 08 - nothing like being bright eyed and bushy tailed, but to look blue eyeshadowed and bushy eyelashed?
Image courtesy of style.com

Giambattista Valli S/S 08 - now this is just the pits, ruined such a perfectly wearable spring mouth....
Image courtesy of style.com

If you want to experiment (or re-experiment, as the case may be) with blue for everyday wear, it goes without saying that you should keep it to the eyes. But not just the eyes, keep it to the lashline. A subtle change to a bit of blue eyeliner (sapphire or blue suede cream eyeliner from gloMinerals) placed right along the upper lashline, with a soft light neutral shadow all over the lid (gloMinerals banana) and a healthy dose of mascara would be pretty AND wearable. You could even play up the blue if you wished with an extra swipe of a brighter blue shadow over the eyeliner, just along the lashline (gloMinerals shadow in Ocean is a beautiful light turquoise blue).


Our rendition of a great simple blue eye look for spring.
Thanks Laura for being my lovely model!

BLUE is not just a colour best left in the 80s, nor should it be doomed to be only a club-kid look or the name of an annoying dance song. It can look fresh and pretty, and it looks especially great on blue-eyed blondes wanting to perk up their eyes.