It was time for a make-over! the artistrhi blog has a new address:

http://blog.artistrhi.com

Some of the new artistrhi blog features:
i). a neat and magazine-inspired layout
ii). a more organized way to view current and past blog posts (all 500+ of them! although I'm still working on migrating all the content to the new blog)
iii). social media integration (you can share posts easily, 'like it' via facebook and retweet it on twitter with just a couple of clicks!)

Please update your link and the RSS feed!

A huuuuge thank you to ro creative for facilitating the transition to the new blog. Rosie behind ro creative is my uber-talented sister - go see her for your web/graphic design needs!! I would certainly be lost/frustrated in code without her!

This will my final post on the blog...see you on the other side!

xo
Rhia

Check out the Fashion section rhiaamio.com for more beautiful imagery by amazing Alice Xue and make-up by me!
We shot this at High Park in Toronto...and can you believe that in all my years of living in this area, that that was my first time there?! Next time, I'll have to go back just to enjoy the scenery :)

Credits
Photography: Alice Xue (www.alicexue.com)
Make-up/Hair: Rhia Amio (www.rhiaamio.com)
Model: Annabelle (Ford)

Well, this post is a little delayed because Caroline + Vince are now actually married! I had a wonderful time working with Caroline last Saturday as we prepped for her Big Day. The day's intinerary didn't run tightly to plan that morning, but the amazing bride that she is planned for some buffer time...and remained calm and collected, taking in and enjoying all the Day's little moments. Awesome.

Caroline - I loved working with you! Thank you for letting me share in your Big Day. I'm truly thankful for it and for having met you! All the best to you and Vince! xoxo
More from Caroline + Vince's Wedding to come on artistrhi! :)

Here's a preview of a beauty shoot I did recently with insanely talented Alice Xue (love her!). The model was Lauren from Elmer Olsen, and she was a perfect beauty model...I mean, c'mon look at those lips! I can't wait to show you more of these when they're ready!! :)Credits
Photography: Alice Xue (www.alicexue.com)
Make-up and Hair: Rhia Amio (www.rhiaamio.com)
Model: Lauren (Elmer Olsen)

Hello June! I don't know where the time has gone, but I've been MIA with good reason(s)...one reason being the focus on the many amazingly gracious (and gorgeous!) 2010 brides I have had the pleasure of working with so far.

Jess pictured above is just one shining example - an obvious beauty and total sweetheart. For her Big Day look, she wanted something more intense with her eye make-up than we had done at her trial, so I played up the intensity of the eyeshadow using soft greys and purples. The end-result was glamourous and camera-ready, but definitely not overdone...and Jess carried it all off beautifully!

See more of Jess + her bridal party on artistrhi weddings!

artistrhi had the chance to chat with MAC Senior Artist, Caitlin Callahan for some tips on getting gorgeous for summer! Check out the Q & A below!

1. What are some key products to a quick and easy beauty routine for the summer?
A cream bronzer, tinted moisturizer, lipgloss, waterproof mascara. In the summer I ease off the powders for my clients and myself – the sun reveals all. It’s like God’s own HDTV. Lets see what I have in my makeup bag…Tarnish Eye Kohl, To The Beach Cream Bronzer, Studio Moisture Tint (dark), #109 brush, Splashproof Lash Mascara and Viva Glam V lipglass. Perfect, low-maintenance summer face. For eye shadow, try a Paintpot instead of a powder (Waterproof!!)

2. What are some common make-up mistakes women make when the weather heats up?
Using too much foundation and powder. Lay off! If there’s something that really needs concealing (like the friend that pops up on your chin right before a big date), use concealer. If you’re super oily, use a matte primer before your makeup instead of powder on top.

3. Any make-up tips for those of us that are sensitive to the sun but want that bronzed glow?
Start with SPF 50. Then apply a sheer coat of tinted moisturizer (you can go one shade darker because it’s so sheer.) Then apply bronzer (the cream ones look most natural) – start under you cheekbones and sweep towards your nose. As the product wears off your brush, apply to forehead, apples of cheeks and a touch on the nose. Super sunkissed.

4. I've been told powder can look too "heavy" during the summer season, but I have a very oily T-zone so I feel like I need it especially during the summer. Can I improve my skin care routine or are there other products that can help me combat shine?
See above. Start with MAC Matte through the t-zone after you’ve applied moisturizer. You’ll see what happens…it’s amazing!

5. My make-up seems to slide off with the summer heat! Any tricks of the trade to help prevent my eyeshadow from creasing and my foundation from melting?!
Primers are magical. But I’d also recommend easing off on the foundations and powders. Choose a Paintpot that you love (faves: Indianwood, Rubenesque and Artifact).

The latest MAC collection, To the Beach, is summer inspired and available as of May 29th at MAC stores and MAC counters. Product reviews of the collection's Cream Bronzer to come! I'm loving it so far...I've been on a cream blush/bronzer kick as of late! :)

A huge thanks to Caitlin for answering our beauty questions! Be sure to follow Caitlin on Twitter for more beauty inspiration! :)

Images courtesy of MAC Cosmetics. Image layout by Rhia Amio.

More with the lovely Amelia! Check out Geehae's blog and site for more with the wonderful Amelia. Amelia and her now-husband, Dan, celebrated their Big Day at the AGO (thanks Fiona!) in Toronto and Geehae captured the happy couple, the day and all its details beautifully.

Oh Amelia! I love this lady's smile...and her laugh is sooo contagious. You can just see from these pics how much fun I had getting her ready for her Big Day. :)

See more from Amelia's prep for the Big Day on artistrhi weddings!

Congratulations, Amelia! xo

Here are my favourite shots of gorgeous bride Jenna as we get her ready for her Big Day! Can't believe it's already been two weeks that she's been married (yes, I'm a little behind in posts, but hopefully I can have a productive couple of days with the weekend and Monday being a holiday!)

Jenna - candid and glowing

Jenna has great skin as it is, but I love how the pic above shows her glow (with a little help from MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle). Flat, dull skin is passé for today's modern bride (thank goodness!). Just make sure you're shining in the right places - the temples, areas above the cheekbones and atop the browbone are all ok, but the T-zone should still be shine-free!! See this oldie-but-goodie post for more tips.

Another random shot - I love the glamourous feel to this one.

and here's a sweet little e-note from Jenna that made my day (well, 7 days ago...but still makes my day whenever i re-read it. My brides are the best.)!!

Congratulations, Jenna!! Thank you for a wonderful time and all the best! xo

To see more of Jenna's behind the scenes, check out artistrhi weddings!

Check out the gorgeous results of an e-shoot with Claudia featuring the awesome couple Dorothy and Matthew.

matthew + dorothy

getting Dorothy all dolled up!

I had a great time hanging out with Dorothy and Matthew, as we did Dorothy's e-shoot prep. I'm always amazed by how accommodating the couples I work with are, even in instances like this, where we may have just met! Here's to wishing Dorothy and Matthew all the best for their Big Day in June!! :)

This past weekend I had the pleasure of working with wonderfully talented Alice Xue (www.alicexue.com). Here's a little preview (taken from Alice's homepage) of an outdoor shoot we did with the gorgeous Annabelle from Ford.Be sure to check out Alice's portfolio/site - she's definitely one to watch...aside from being obviously talented, Alice is such a sweetheart....and oh yeah and did I mention she's only 17?! Such raw talent. Simply amazing.

It's been a while since my previous post, and I swear it's been for a good reason! I've been getting reacquainted with my 2010 brides, meeting new ones for 2011, doing e-shoots, creatives, an entrepreneurial workshop and oh yeah...still working full-time! Can't believe we're so far into May - where does the time go?!

Until I can post something a little more, check out some of my gorgeous brides on the blogs of some seriously talented photographers:

Photo: Geehae Jeong

Photo: Claudia Hung / Geehae JeongPhoto: Kumari Photography

More artistrhi brides to come! xo

We're heading into mid-May and you know what that means...wedding season is in full swing! I'll be posting regularly about the wondeful brides that I'm fortunate to work with so stay tuned for that! To kick things off, meet the stunning bride Linda who was married last Saturday. Linda wanted a fresh and simple bridal look, so we kept the colour focus on the lips and the cheeks while lightly defining the eyes.

Here are some of my favourite behind the scenes pics of her Big Day:

Aerial view of Linda's make-up (getting her falsies on!). Random pic I know, but I love it. Also realizing that I should get my nails done more often when taking pics like these lol!

One of Linda's gorgeous bridesmaids. I love the way this shot is framed. Yes, another random.

The blushing bride-to-be! When the make-up's done, that smile is just one of the many reasons why I LOVE what I do.

Check out more from Linda's Big Day on artistrhi weddings!

Side note: I seeeriously have the best brides. So thankful! Congratulations Linda! xo

The gorgeous Jenna pictured below is getting married THIS weekend. Such a beauty. I can't wait to get her all dolled up! :)Side note: I really LOVE the difference that eyebrows make. Subtle but such impact!!

I have the wonderful pleasure of knowing Diana through a previous (and also awesome!) bride of mine, Kieu. Aside from having killer features (gorgeous eyes and brows, but also check out her bone structure and PERFECT teeth), Diana was so fun to work with. I love it when it and we all just click. I seriously have the best brides!! So much to be thankful for.
I'm looking forward to working with Diana for her Toronto wedding reception in October. She's also having a ceremony in Cyprus prior to her Toronto celebration...and come to think of it, another one of my brides is having a Toronto ceremony, but a reception in Paris! Oooh la la! Now, just gotta work on convincing them all to take me with. One day :)

Happy Friday everyone!

Meet one of my gorgeous 2010 brides, Shemara. Look at the surface area on those lids - I could seriously play make-up all day on eyes like that!

Shemara's Big Day look is all about classy drama - to get her look, try these key products:

1. MAC Paint - an artistrhi kit essential, I use MAC Paints as a base for eyeshadow and as an amplifier for when I want to kick up the intensity of a powder eyeshadow. Just smooth on a MAC Paint that closely resembles your natural skin tone, layer your powder eyeshadow atop and watch the colours pop!

2. Yaby eyeshadows - another kit essential. Yaby eyeshadows glide on smooth and are packed with pigment. Yaby is well-known for their efficient (and well, genius!) packaging - the travel-size friendly palettes always makes sure I have a variety of colours at my fingertips. Absolutely love.

3. L'oreal Liquid liner - a classic. Tried and tested, this is my daily go-to liner - I apply it at 6AM in the morning and it stays in tact until when I remove it before I sleep (and that's usually midnight on a good night!). I use this on my clients when they're after a bold and dramatic look like Shemara's attention-grabbing eyes above.

4. Quo false eyelashes - a dramatic eye make-up look always look better (and more 'professional) with a set of falsies. I used a lash set with more volume than usual on Shemara to enhance her natural lash line that was already quite full. (I know...lucky girl, right!).

I'm looking forward to Shemara's Big Day (actually maybe I should say wedding weekend!) in June. I'll be doing her make-up for her mehndi ceremony and for her wedding day later in the weekend. I'm quite excited about it....I've always been intrigued by the diverse traditions of other cultures that someone will have to keep me focused on doing the make-up!!

Stay tuned for more from this beautiful bride-to-be! :)

tokidoki is a line that reminds us what make-up is all about - having fun!! Looking at this collection is like re-living my make-up crazed teenager days - the colourful textures and playful packaging make me want to experiment with colour again (yes, despite my age!) :)

The collection includes a range of make-up products and accessories, all encased in decorative packaging by the brand's creator, Simone Legno. Legno is of Italian descent, but his main inspiration for tokidoki derives from Japanese culture and anime, as showcased on the collection's eye-catching exterior.

Products that I think will be ones to watch are:
i). Cromatico eyeshadows ($20 CAD) - these are available in 16 shades and boast quality Italian and Japanese finely milled ingredients that glide on to leave a smooth, velvety finish (currently, I'm test running the eyeshadow in Samba - review will follow soon!)

ii). Fantastico Lip Stain ($20 CAD) - now i know my friends are going to make fun of me for this, but I'm actually quite drawn to the idea of a 'mango' flavoured stain. Oh yes...and all day wear - I suppose that's appealing too :)

iii). Perfetto Eyeliner ($21 CAD) - I'm all about precision when it comes to make-up applications, so the chisel tip of the Perfetto liquid eyeliner is right up my alley! The formula is waterproof and comes in some seriously funky colours for liquid liner (i.e. even pink, bright blue, white). They can be used for lining the eyes, but also for doing temporary body art. I smell artistrhi kit essential on this one... :)

tokidoki will be available exclusively at Sephora as of May 2010. To celebrate tokidoki's launch in Toronto, the Sephora at Eaton Centre will be hosting a meet-and-greet on May 13th with the line's creator, Simone Legno. While you're there, you can also receive a complimentary make-over inspired by the tokidoki collection from a member of Sephora's Pro Make-up Team....and just to entice you even more, if you're one of the first 200 people to spend $25 on tokidoki products, you can also receive a free mini-gift from tokidoki! Please check with Sephora Eaton Centre for further info.

Event details:
Tokidoki Launch at Sephora Eaton Centre (220 Yonge Street, Toronto)
May 13th 6:00PM - 8:00PM

See??! Fun!!
:)

Over the weekend, I had the chance to also work with Claudia on a photoshoot for the lovely ladies of a string quartet. Check out some of the pics from the shoot below. Claud did an amazing job as always...and all from her very own living room! Good times :)

On a side note, I wish I could play the violin...

Photography: Claudia Hung Editorial
Make-up: Rhia Amio

Q: I have eczema on my face, especially above my upper lip, and around my cheeks. When I apply make up, especially powder (I use MAC Studio Fix powder plus foundation) it goes a little flaky. I moisturize my face quite well with Lancome Aqua Fusion and only when I apply make up do these parts of my face flake up. Also, sometimes when I apply eye shadow (I use Lancome eyeshadows) you can tell that they're dry. Do you have any suggestions to what I could do?

A: With eczema, (as you probably already know!) you have to be especially careful in what products you use. Look for key descriptors like "sensitive skin", "non-comedogenic" and "non-scented" when buying. The less the amount of synthetic ingredients that a product has, the less of a chance of a flare-up for eczema-prone skin. As with any type of skin, be sure to moisturize thoroughly before applying your make-up, as a great face always starts with a great base (of hydrated skin!)!

Foundation
For foundation, the MAC Studio Fix powdered foundation is likely too dry of a formula for eczema prone skin. The trick with applying foundation on eczema-prone skin is finding a formula that provides coverage without looking dry/cakey. If you use a product that's too drying in nature, you can end up drawing more attention to any irritation/dry spots from eczema.

Instead of a powdered foundation, try one of the following options:
i). mineral powder
Mineral make-up is derived from natural ingredients, which versus other foundation can greatly help to reduce the chance of a flare-up. A couple of layers leaves the skin feeling lightweight, but mineral formulas are also quite buildable so moderate coverage is easily achieved. Use a soft (and clean!) large-sized kabuki brush to gently apply the make-up on the face. Bonus: The soft bristles of the kabuki massage will feel like a well-deserved mini-massage for the face!

ii). water-based foundation
Water-based foundations are non-comedogenic, making it a better choice for sensitive skin types. You can apply a non-comedogenic water-based foundation on its own using a brush or a sponge. Use a stiple motion to build up coverage and blend evenly over face. If you only need minimal coverage, add an equal-sized drop of the foundation to a pump of your moisturizer. Mix well and you'll instantly have a lightweight tinted moisturizer. Once your base is done, set your foundation with only a light dusting of powder. For eczema prone skin, always avoid over-applying powder as too much powder will only accentuate dry spots.

Products to try: CoverFx foundations - their entire line is developed for the most sensitive of skins, and also includes skin primers, concealers, bronzers and blushes

Redness
Redness from irritation often goes hand in hand with eczema. You can easily create an even canvas by applying a few layers of foundation. But for more prominent redness, target a creamy yellow colour corrector atop the red areas to neutralize them. Follow with your skin tone foundation for an even complexion and set with a light dusting of powder.
Note: You can also use a green corrector to conceal the redness, but I personally prefer the warm finish that applying the yellow corrector gives rather than the typically white-ish cast (I know, 'white-ish' not a word!) that a green concealer leaves behind. Whichever colour corrector you choose, be sure to blend your skin tone matching concealer atop to camouflage the area!

Products to try: Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Cream Concealer

Eyes
Make sure you are also moisturizing your eyelids as you do the rest of your face at the start of your beauty routine; smooth skin on the eyelids is a prerequisite for blending eyeshadows with ease. For eczema-prone skin, opt for mineral-based and matte eyeshadows rather than heavy shimmer or glitter textures. Particles of shimmer and glitter eyeshadows can irritate sensitive skin, and also draw attention to to any dry spots around the eyes.

Overall when it comes to eczema, use a 'less is more' approach and make sure you always read the packaging. Hope this helps and let me know how it goes! :)

Had a great weekend including Saturday afternoon with the awesome couple featured below! Meet Melissa and Christian who will be getting married in June of this year. See more of their e-shoot with my pal and master photographer, Claudia Hung, by clicking on the pic below...enjoy!

A couple of behind the scenes photos from this past Saturday - had a great time with Karen + her bridal party of sisters! Such gorgeous ladies and all with naturally glowing skin! Just call me jealous.

See more from Karen's Big Day on artistrhi weddings! Congratulations Karen! :)

Here's a little excerpt from my latest Q & A as a W Network Beauty Expert:
Q: I’m putting in a lot of hours at the office lately. Is there a quick and easy way to cover up under eye circles?

A: The fast solution to hiding those telltale signs of a late night (a.k.a. dreaded dark under-eye circles) is to use concealer. After those long days at the office, the simple act of applying a good concealer can create the illusion that you snuck in more shut-eye the night before! Concealer works to....

Click here to view the rest of the response!

More W Network Expert Q & A!! :)

Q: I’ve heard that if you wear a strong lipstick colour, you shouldn’t do strong eye makeup and vice versa. Is this true?

A: With make-up, there really are no rules written in stone, but as trends change and the years pass, we learn that there can definitely be mishaps (i.e. think 80s make-up)! What works with make-up on a daily basis is...

Click here to read the full answer!

Top photo: Nadia Cheema

Click the pic below to enlarge the details for an awesome Cover Fx event coming up in Toronto next Thursday, April 22nd! You can get your hands on a free (that's F-R-E-E) full-size tube of CoverFx ConcealFx!!
What: Cover Fx FlashMob
When: Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 @ 12:00PM-12:30PM
Where: Yonge-Dundas Square (Yonge St. side - I'm sure you won't miss them!)
Details: All you have to do is...show a little skin. Show the Cover Fx troops that will be on-site (in camouflage print...what else?!?) your usual cover-up spots (i.e. undereye circles, redness, sunspots) and they'll make sure you leave armed with a full-size tube of the amazing Conceal Fx.
Conceal Fx is artistrhi approved - you'll find it in both my personal and client kits. Click to check out my review of it.

Will I see you at FlashMob? :)

Presenting the lovely Carol...

before

after

candid :)

This past Saturday was a beautiful day for a beautiful bride! I spent the morning helping to get Andrea and her lovely bridal party all dolled up for the Big Day.

Here are a few snaps from the day....more are available on artistrhi.com.

A huge special thanks to Joy (a.k.a Make-up Junkie) for her assistance in beautifying the ladies! To contact Joy and to see more of her stunning artistry and bridal work, check out her site Make-up and the Bride.

Andrea the bride - getting her lash on!

Make-up by Rhia

Joy adding some gloss

me doing the MoH's make-up
(with my 'desk' pictured in the forefront! ..which actually looks pretty neat here)

More weddings and awesome brides to come in May! :)