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? :)

My poor eyelashes (pictured above) have endured more than their share of curler torture, so I'm game for anything that will help condition them and encourage growth! Thanks to the folks at L'oreal, I've been test-running Lash Boosting Serum for the past couple of weeks, applying it twice per day while crossing my fingers each time that'll work! In their study, L'oreal researchers found that after four weeks' use participants noticed:

"lashes appear multiplied with daily application of mascara and twice daily application of serum: underneath mascara and on bare lashes overnight."

Huh?! Obviously lashes would appear multiplied after mascara is on! Call me skeptical, but I do hope to be converted. It would make this serum an amazing deal for the approximate $14.95 it retails for.

So far I've been using it as prescribed (once before I apply mascara and then again prior to bedtime), and I do like the look of my mascara applied over top of it. Applying the serum first acts like a hairspray for the lashes, helping to lock my curled lashes in place while adding a bit of thickness....and all without the usual white messiness of a mascara primer! I found this to be immediately noticeable after the first use, so hopefully there's more improvement ahead. Check back in a couple of week's time for after photos of hopefully lusher lashes! :)

Want to join the L'oreal Lash Growth Movement?
L'oreal also generously sent me a few of these babies to give away! Be one of the first six people to send an email to rhia[at]artistrhi[dot]com, and a tube of L'oreal's Lash Boosting Serum can be all yours.

The only prerequisites are you must be:
1). a Canadian resident
2). a fan of artistrhi on Facebook

I'd love to hear your feedback too on the product once you've had a chance to try it! Fingers crossed for all of us! :)

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit?
A: So now that I've disclosed ALL of the make-up products I use to get myself normal-looking under ideal conditions (i.e. when I have at least 40 minutes to get ready - yes, that long), here are the products for those mornings when I'm strapped for time and have to set my make-up routine on auto-pilot. I would love to have a 5 minute face, but I'm afraid this mug needs way more make-up lovin' than that! Here are the Big Ten products I use to help my face wake up with make-up:

Part IV | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Auto-Pilot

FACE

1. MAC Tinted Moisturizer NC35
Moisturizes and adds colour in one

2. MAC Studio Fix C4
Adds more coverage and leaves a powdery finish

3. MAC Select Cover-up in Peach
Self-explanatory. During the work week, I average 5-6 hours sleep on a good night, and the peach concealer is a much-needed and much-loved step in the morning to play down the dark circles that characterize the past night's lack of rest. I add MAC Studio Fix in C4 above to blend this lighter layer in with the rest of my skin.

4. MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Deep Dark
I use this powder with a big powder brush as a bronzer to help add colour and contour to my face.

5. Nars Orgasm Blush
Adding some blush is an instant way to make you look awake! I usually take my blushbrush and start blending from the ear in towards the nose, along where the cheekbone is. This deposits the most amount of colour closer to the hollows of the cheeks and helps add much-needed definition to my face!

EYES

6. MAC Paint
Still can't live without my MAC Paint! I would rather take a little extra time in the morning to do steps that keep my make-up long-lasting so I don't have to worry about it anytime throughout the day. I usually grab Paint in either Bare Canvas or Sublime Nature.

7. L'oreal Lineur Intense
Another day to day staple. Liquid liner can be a bit tricky initially, but once you master it, you're hooked. It's worth every bit the practice as it lasts all day! It's going to be tough to wean me off this product even later in life once my eyelids start drooping. My skin will be sagging, but I'll probably still be trying pull the eyelids up with my cateye sweep plus massive amounts of eyeshadow.

8. Inglot Eyeshadows

9. Eyelash Curler and Mascara

LIPS

10. Inglot Lipliner in #63

Total Make-up Time = 25 mins!

Ok, ok so I cheated up there, grouped multiple products and didn't factor in brushes, moisturizer, lip balm etc. But you get the point - I love my make-up!

For all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series, check out:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of playing make-up with a great friend and person, Jenn, in preparation for her engagement photos. Here are some stunning shots of the gorgeous bride-to-be! (...oh yes, and her groom-to-be Denny!)
Check out the talent behind the lens:
first image by Christopher Luk
second, third image by Claudia Hung

LOVE IT.

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit? (...continued)
A: Now that we've dealt with the many products in my personal make-up kit for face and eyes, it's time to talk about what I use for the lips. This segment will likely be the shortest of the three, as I tend to focus my make-up efforts on the areas that need more attention - my skin and on my eyes.

Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Here are my daily essentials for the lips in the order that I apply them:

LIP BALM

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
I love this stuff - it's like crack for the lips. Or better yet - crack for lips that are cracked. I usually put this on right at the beginning of the my make-up routine to prep my lips for application later. You'll also catch me applying it throughout the day to keep my lips moisturized. I prefer the original non-scented version (why mess with a good thing?), but the product also comes in scented versions of Pear, Cranberry and Mint (which I believe are limited edition).

LIP LINER

Inglot Precision Lipliner #63
I made sure to stock up on this wonderful lipliner before Inglot closed, and now I'll have to go to Montreal to get it! The formula is creamy and doesn't pull at your lips when you're applying it. I usually line the lips just inside my natural lip line (no need to exaggerate these full puppies!). Then I take my lip brush and blend it inward towards the middle of the lips so it adds colour and acts as a base for the lipstick or lip gloss I apply atop of it.

LIPBRUSH

MAC Lip Brush
I use a retractable lipbrush from MAC that's been in my kit for a few years now. The lip brush is great for helping to build colour on the lips in a controlled manner. Make sure the brush gets cleaned frequently even if it is a brush you use strictly on yourself. The retractable brush can be more prone to contamination as usually it is still wet with product when it gets stored back into its container. Remember that the container is dark on the inside and with the wet brush, you have ideal conditions for bacterial growth if your brush is not taken care of properly. Make sure you wash/spray your brush appropriately and let it dry after each use to avoid any contamination.

LIPSTICK and LIPGLOSS
various from MAC and Inglot

Ok, so I've lost track of the lipsticks I use on myself. I usually take my lipsticks, chop them up and put them in a palette - that way I have the freedom of mixing and making my own colours right at the palm of my hand. I also can carry all my favourite shades with me wherever I go with the palette! My choice of lip colour usually leans more towards the lighter pink and/or peach side just so I can keep the look balanced with the rest of the face. As I usually focus more efforts on my eye make-up, a lighter lip adds balance and helps the make-up not look dated. Some of my lipstick faves are MAC Faux and MAC Brave while some of my lipgloss faves are Inglot Paints in #20 and #14.

Check back to see all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series for:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit? (...continued)
A: Now, that I've owned up to all the beauty products I use to bring my skin to a normal-and-ok-to-go-out-in-public state, we move on to our next segment of what make-up products I use for the eyes. If I'm running short on time in the morning, I normally opt to cut off steps from the skin and face routine, but never from my eye make-up routine! Anybody that knows me and my make-up technique knows that I love to focus on the eyes on myself and my clients. I'm inclined to believe that even in the case of an emergency, I would reach for my eyelash curler and mascara before dashing out! (Can you say intervention?)

Part II | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Eyes
Here are my daily essentials for the eyes in the order that I apply them:

EYESHADOW BASE

MAC Paint – Bare Canvas
I once heard that MAC Paints were going to be discontinued with the introduction of MAC Paint Pots, and my heart skipped a beat. I swear by MAC Paints - I use them in all my applications in my own routine and in my client appointments. I use Bare Canvas paint as a base applying it from lashline all the way up to the eyebrow to help prolong the daily life of my eyeshadow. Bare Canvas is a pale colour that lives up to its name as it neutralizes the eyelid and in doing so also helps the true colour of your eyeshadow to come through. I cannot say enough good things about MAC Paints! Definitely a personal kit staple!

EYELINER

L'oreal Lineur Intense
I've had a love affair with this product since high school, but we did have a rocky start. My hand wasn't always so steady; I have some questionable photos of liquid liner rimmed lids from high school (think thick black liner nearly shaped like a thick rectangle on the top lashline. It might look half decent on the runway, but it was an attempt to disguise my shaky hand by drawing on thicker! In fact, too thick). The thin brush of Lineur Intense does take precision, practice (and obviously) patience. But once you've got a handle on it, you'll see that the tiny brush is the best part! I use it tight against the top lash line and then I tightline the bottom lash line. Read more of my review on L'oreal Lineur Intense here.

EYESHADOWS

Inglot Eyeshadows and MAC Eyeshadows (too many to mention)
My eyeshadow look usually varies with how much time I have to get ready in the morning and on what I’m wearing, etc. For as much as I would rather sacrifice sleep to have more time to get ready, some days my body just refuses and wants to sleep in! I usually opt for a more neutral coloured look for the day when going to the office, and kick it up with colour at night using any of the colours from my Inglot eyeshadow palettes.
One eyeshadow that I do use daily is MAC Starflash Eyeshadow in Grand Entrance. I use this colour to highlight the inner corner of the eyes and help them appear larger.

CREAM EYESHADOWS

MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist, Artifact, Quite Natural, and Blackground
So, I've already detailed my love for MAC Paints and their crease resisting charm. MAC Paint Pots are the next generation of the Paint, and versus its predecessor, Paint Pots are a lot more user friendly. With the Paints, you have to work with them really fast and blend or else you end up with uneven colour. Paint Pots allow more room for movement and do not set as quickly making them easier to blend. I like to layer the Paint Pots atop my eyeshadows to soften the powder for more of an airbrushed and slightly diffused effect. Depending on what eyeshadow I have used, I match either Constructivist, Artifact or Quite Natural and concentrate it in the crease of my eye and lightly pat to blend it outward using my finger. I use Blackground whenever I want more of an intense smoky eye: I smudge it tight to the lash line and blend it with a pencil liner to create more depth and interest for the eyes. See more on my love for Paint Pot here.

EYEBROW PENCIL

Rimmel Dark Brown Pencil
Rimmel's eyebrow pencil is an absolute kit essential for several reasons:
1. I only have 1.5 eyebrows without it - I need it to make my brows presentable!
2. The waxier formula is perfect for doing the feathery strokes of a great filled-in brow. See here.
3. A pricepoint of $7 for a brow pencil can't be beat.
See more of my product review for it here.

EYEBROW BRUSH + EYESHADOW

MAC 208 Angled Brow Brush + Inglot Eyeshadow in a matching dark brown
The angled brush works great for doing the light feathery strokes and blends out any unevenness in the pencil. The eyeshadow acts as a powder and helps to keep the waxy eyebrow pencil in place all day long!

EYELASH CURLER

My eyelashes tend to do the Asian thing and grow straight and then downward. Thus, an eyelash curler is a definite prerequisite before applying mascara. Applying mascara without it would do the opposite effect of what we're aiming for - longer, plush lashes that make our eyes look bigger! Lesson learned. Curl those lashes before applying mascara!

MASCARA

Since mascara has a high turnover rate, I use this as an opportunity to go out and try something new. I would rather not spend $30 on a mascara, but some days--guilty as charged--I submit. On these days, you'll see me picking up either Kiss Me Mascara or Dior Diorshow. But I'm also a sucker for drug store mascaras and love trying out the latest claims of 500% more lashes, 98% thicker, (enter exaggerated claim here), etc. As much as I like to try new mascaras (more of my faves here), a tried and tested kit staple that I know I can always revert back to is L'oreal Voluminous.

Check back to see all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series for:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!

Q: Rhia, what's in your make-up kit?
A: I frequently get asked what I use on myself on a day-to-day basis, and the answer is that it really varies. It’s great to be a make-up artist, and to have so many make-up products at your disposal all the time! It gives you the freedom to change up your routine from day-to-day and the excuse of purchasing more products and rationalizing it by saying “I’m just buying it to add to the kit!” (Yeah right. My boyfriend has heard that one-liner so much that he no longer rolls his eyes!)

I wanted to write a bit about the products that I use on a frequent basis (why I use them and what they’re good for), but I realized that there are many to mention! I decided the best way to go about it to provide that type of detail was to post in a series of installments rather than one excessively long post.

Welcome to the first installment of the “What’s in My Make-up Kit Series”. You’ll see that most of the products may be familiar as I use them in my client applications and I’ve likely referred to them in past posts or product reviews.

In this installment, you will find my own Make-up Kit Essentials for the Face in the order that I use them (…along with further evidential proof that it takes efforts equal to that of a whole village to take me from just-woke-up to ready-to-face-the-world in the morning!):

Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face

MAKE-UP REMOVER
Inglot Make-up Remover

I swear by this stuff and am running low on my supply! The formula is heavy duty enough that it penetrates and breaks down my waterproof liquid liner and mascara without struggle and excessive rubbing, but the formula is not overly greasy and leaves the skin with a smooth baby's bum feeling.

CLEANSER
Biore Ice Cleanser for Blemish Prone Skin and Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash

I like to change up my cleansers from day to day. Otherwise, I feel like my skin gets too used to them and it has no effect. I usually go back and forth between the two bottles, alternating between day and night.

LOTION
Neutrogena Moisture for Combination Skin

I always follow cleansing with some moisturizing. I am a longtime devotee to Neutrogena Moisture. Neutrogena Moisture also has formulas for sensitive skin and another with an SPF so you can save time in the morning by having a moisturizer and sunscreen in one!

PRIMER
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

You'll see this product is highly celebrated throughout the make-up industry and is at the top of many "best of beauty" lists. I turned to this Smashbox primer after I ran out of the Inglot Primer that I had (can only get that in Montreal now!) The Smashbox primer was a bit more heavy and greasy than I was used to, but it did help my foundation to glide on smoothly and help it to last longer throughout the day. I recently purchased the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light that is a reinterpretation of the original but better-suited for more oily and sensitive skin types.

FOUNDATION
MAC Studio Fix in C4 + sponge

I have sworn by MAC ever since high school mainly because of the range of foundation colour selection (and the affordable price range). Studio Fix is a foundation and powder two-in-one that leaves your skin with an even matte finish. It's quick and easy - with a couple of swipes of the sponge, you're all done! Depending on the day and where I’m going, sometimes I like to use liquid foundation. I usually opt for MAC Face and Body in C4 whenever I'm going for more of a finished look.

CONCEALER
MAC Select Cover-up in Peach (limited availability)
MAC Full Coverage in NC 30, NC 35
MAC Concealer Brush 194

I layer the peach concealer first using the concealer brush to brighten the dark circles under my eyes (seriously dark even with bright flash like in this pic at the end of the wedding slideshow). MAC Full Coverage is actually equivalent to their Studio Finish concealer (paste-like consistency), and like the name implies, is very heavy duty. Since I need more coverage but don't want it to be cakey, I mix the two colours NC 30 and NC 35 with some of my moisturizer to get the perfect colour, but still the opaque consistency required to cover up my bags!

POWDER
MAC Mineralize SkinFinish in Medium Plus with MAC Large Powder Brush 150

I use the large powder brush to dust my face with powder and set my foundation to help it last longer throughout the day. I lightly pat Vichy Dermablend Loose Translucent Powder under the eyes using either a sponge of a clean small eyeshadow brush. I don't blend this in until later when my eyeshadow is done. See tip here.

BRONZER
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Medium Dark or Deep Dark
Tarte Powder Bronzer
MAC Large Powder Brush 134

Bronzer helps bring my face to life! I would not leave the house without it. I use it with the large brush stroking along the sides of the face, just slightly below the cheekbone, and underneath the contours of the face for a trimmed, sun-kissed look!

BLUSH
NARS Orgasm
MAC Blush Brush 129

Another highly celebrated product throughout the world of beauty. It gives a great peachy pink instant glow to the cheeks that helps make you look healthy and awake. Just smile and blend away on the apples of the cheeks!

Check back to see all installments of the What’s in my Make-up kit Series for:
Part I | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Face
Part II | What’s in my Make-up Kit: Eyes
Part III | What’s in My Make-up Kit: Lips
Part IV | Auto-Pilot

What do you use? Feel free to comment and tell me what make-up products work (or don’t work) for you!

As posted in Toronto Wedding Professionals:
Since this is my inaugural post as a guest blogger on TWP, I figured it was best to start with the basics by highlighting one of the things every bride wants on her wedding day: perfect skin.

BRIDAL BEAUTY | Guide to Getting Perfect Skin: Base Basics
Perfect skin doesn't happen overnight - even those "natural" make-up looks in magazines actually take a lot of time and make-up product! Getting your best skin yet starts with your daily cleansing and moisturizing routine. At least a couple of months before your Big Day, visit a cosmetic or skin care counter for help with establishing a regular skin care routine (if you don't have one already). Doing this well in advance of your wedding will allow time for your skin to adjust to the new routine and ultimately for it to appear healthy and smooth. Try to avoid foods that are highly concentrated in oils, fats, caffeine and sugar especially as you approach the Big Day. Drink plenty of water and get rest where you can to help achieve that healthy glow.

Do any tweezing and facials at least one week in advance of the Big Day to ensure any redness has time to subside.

Being proactive about taking care of your skin will help ensure you achieve that flawless look on your wedding day. After all, a great make-up starts with a great base!

Recommended products:

cleansers:
Biore Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser
Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser

moisturizers:
Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Combination Skin
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

More make-up tips to follow!

Check out my blog at: www.artistrhi.com

Rhia Amio, Toronto Make-up Artist
web: www.artistrhi.com
email: rhia@artistrhi.com

I get asked the question below frequently, although I hardly consider myself qualified to answer it. This question also differs from the everyday stuff I usually post about make-up, but I thought it may be useful information for those aiming to become make-up artists. I know I had the same questions (and then some) when I was just starting, and everyday, I'm still finding new answers!

Q: I want a future career as a make-up artist and am looking to take make-up classes, but there are so many make-up schools and beauty academies out there to choose from. What school did you go to? How did you narrow your choice down? Is make-up school really a necessary step to becoming a make-up artist?

You're right. There are a wealth of schools and beauty academies out there to choose from and it can be seriously overwhelming trying to decide which would be best for you. (But hey, it's better to have selection right?)

I attended Ryerson University's School of Continuing Education and obtained a Certificate in Advanced Make-up Artistry and Special Effects upon completion of the course this past August 2008. The course itself spanned about a year and encompassed everything from bridal and glamour make-up to stage and prosthetic make-up.

I actually can't say that I did the conventional school-then-work route either - I guess I did it kind of backwards. While I was studying for my Psych degree at the University of Waterloo, make-up was a love I could never suppress (even sacrificing precious study and sleep time to go through my usual 40 minute make-up routine!). While still a university student, I started working my first paid part-time gig (aside from some freelancing at that point) as a Make-up Artist for various prestige make-up lines including Estee Lauder, Lancome and Christian Dior. I remember being so excited about that interview - using a point and shoot camera to document different looks I had done on myself and on friends, enlarging them for print and then presenting it during my interview while being extremely anxious. I did not have any formal training at this point; I had learned a lot of what I did from experimenting on my own face and from flipping through beauty magazines for inspiration.

After completing my undergrad, I worked as a Make-up Artist for Inglot Cosmetics. At that point, all things still pointed to make-up and I made the decision to improve my own technique and started shopping for make-up courses. I wanted to enhance my skill set, as the stage and prosthetic make-up were two aspects of make-up that I likely would never try on my own. I chose the course at Ryerson because it was being lead by Jane Stevenson, well-known throughout the industry for her work in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues and also because it was a night class that fit in well with my schedule. It was a great experience for me, but you shouldn't base your choice of school solely on where someone else went, as the path is different and unique for everybody.

Some of the more well-known schools out there are Complections, School of Make-up Art and the George Brown & Yorkville School of Make-up and Esthetics. You just need to take a peek at their price range to get an indication of why they command such a reputation. There are other make-up courses offered through more affordable avenues such as the School of Professional Make-up, Seneca, Humber and Ryerson and most of these schools offer studies both on a full-time and a part-time basis. Before signing up for any, I would recommend getting a sense of the class environment by going for a tour of the school and trying to speak with their teaching staff.

Before choosing your school, keep in mind that the reputation of the school can only do so much. Once you get that piece of paper, you still have to work (and a lot of the times in the beginning do stuff for free) to get better photos and build a portfolio, particularly if you want to make it in the fashion and beauty industry. You will have to network, gain experience (and save money) from freelancing and/or working at a counter and then get even better photos for your portfolio. Rinse, wash and repeat and then hopefully things take off from there! I'm still learning every step of the way - but that's the fun part!!

Keep in mind that some of the best artists out there had no formal training (think legendary Kevyn Aucoin and modern make-up master Pat McGrath), but were the fateful beneficiaries of hard work, talent, timing and luck. Unfortunately, success does not happen overnight for everyone in the industry, but if you do it for the love of it and continue to work hard, success - once it happens - will be even sweeter!

Good luck!

The gorgeous bride Emily and the perfect way to end a wonderful weekend.

I am pleased to announce that I will be a regular contributor to the Toronto Wedding Professionals site. For any brides-to-be out there, you can either check the TWP site or my blog for tips on how to achieve and maintain your perfect look for the big day.

If you have a question that I have yet to address, feel free to email me, as I'm sure there are other brides-to-be out there wanting to ask the same thing! Happy Planning!

Here are some of the shots from Jin's gorgeous wedding this past Saturday. It rained a bit, but there was no way that could put a damper on the day nor on our spirits. Jin and her husband Adrian planned a spectacular wedding (location, entertainment, food et al), but the best part was getting to see close friends once again. These ladies that I had the pleasure of working with are truly beautiful both on the outside and inside.

Congratulations, Jin and thank you for letting me take part in your Big Day!!

To view the full slideshow, please click here.

So maybe you've decided you should do your own make-up on your wedding day, or perhaps the make-up artist you wanted is fully booked? Try these pro make-up tricks to help put your best face forward for the professional photography ahead of you and to help the make-up stay put into the wee hours of the morning:

CHOOSE YOUR LOOK

Look through magazines and books for examples of naturally enhanced make-up so you have a guide to work with when doing your own. Avoid a look that's too trendy and stick to a look that's more traditional (think about what you'll think in 25 years when you look back on your wedding photos).
TIP: Do at least a couple of trial runs on yourself with your desired look to get a feel for the time it will take and to see how the final product turns out (just in case you need to re-evaluate the look and go back to the drawing board!)

FACE MAKE-UP

Use a foundation primer after cleansing and moisturizing, but before applying foundation.
TIP: Choose a primer that contains mattifying ingredients to help absorb and reduce excess shine on the face throughout the day.

Use a light to medium coverage foundation. You want your skin to be glowing and not hidden behind layers of caked-on make-up for the close-up photos you'll be taking. Blend!

Use concealer to get rid of any unevenness in the skin (i.e. undereye circles, blemishes). Be sure to blend.

Set the concealer and foundation with a dusting of translucent powder. Powder will help to keep the concealer and foundation stay put and reduce shine on the face.
TIP: Pack some powder for the rest of the day to touch up the T-zone and any other oil-prone areas of the face. You will be thankful you did it, especially with all the flash photography you'll face. You're definitely the star for the big day, but we have to make sure you're not shining in the wrong places!

Dust some matte blush (save the shimmer for nightclubs) on the cheeks, to give yourself a glow and ensure you don't fade when the bright flash of the camera starts going.

EYE MAKE-UP

Apply a layer of a cream eyeshadow (try MAC’s Paint Pots in a neutral colour). The layer of cream eyeshadow will act as a base for the powder eyeshadow to adhere to and help it last (and remain crease-free!) throughout the day.

Use gel liner or liquid liner to keep your eyeliner lasting all day. Keep the line thin and tight with the lashline (see the technique). The line can get slightly thicker towards the outer edge of the eye (where the lashes are prominent), and can be extended just slightly to product a wide-eyed look.

Apply neutral shades of eyeshadow to enhance the structure around the eye. Use a matte brown for the crease, and a highlighter shade on the browbone (slight shimmer is ok, but avoid frosty eyeshadows as it will be too much for your photos.)

Curl your eyelashes and add some false eyelashes for a professional make-up look. False eyelashes have an eye-opening and enlarging effect on the eye that even the most perfect application of eyeliner can't produce. You should definitely practice these a couple of times to get a handle for the application or ask a friend to help you apply tip.
TIP: Cut a false eyelash set into halves. Use the half-set on the outer edge of the top lashes for a wide-eyed look. Make sure you place the longer false lashes towards the outer edge of the eye (where your own longer lashes are). Using the half-set will be alot easier to apply on yourself than a full set of falsies.

Curl your eyelashes once more to align the false set with your own and set the look with two coats of a waterproof (important) mascara.

LIPS

Choose a lipstick that is 2 shades darker than your inner bottom lip for a naturally enhanced look. Use it with a matching lipliner to prevent any feathering of your lipstick and lipgloss. Once the lipliner has been applied, take a lip brush, smile and blend the the lipliner towards the centre of your lips so that it can act as a base for the lipstick to cling to.

Apply the lipstick with the lip brush for more control. Do one layer of lipstick and blot with a one-ply tissue so the colour seaps into the lips. Then, using the lip brush once more, top off with another coat of lipstick for long-lasting lip colour. Finish with gloss if desired.
TIP: Rather than applying gloss all over the lips, apply a light coat and concentrate the gloss on the middle bottom lip to make the lips look full. Your groom will thank you for not overdoing the lipstick and gloss - especially when it comes to the "you may kiss the bride" kiss!

SHOPPING TIPS

Make an appointment with a make-up counter to get some free products. Usually, a make-up application is 'free' upon the purchase of a certain amount of products (approximately $50). If you need to update your make-up bag, this is a great way to gain some full-sized products for touch-ups on the day of...and you can also gain helpful tips from the artist you work with. Make sure you hold onto a mirror as you're getting your make-up applied so you have an idea of how to replicate the look.

You can also ask for sample sizes in the colours you need. These sample sizes given are usually perfect for touch-ups and small enough for putting in your purse for later rather than lugging the full-sized products.

This is your big day and no part of it (especially the make-up) should be stressful so smile and have fun. For as much as make-up can fake glowing skin, it can’t replace the natural glow of a happy bride’s smile! Enjoy!

Price: $8
Where to find: drugstores
Review: love it, kitessential

Filling in the brows is a trick I had to master at an early age, as my fascination with tweezers began when I was the tender age of 12. My brows never recovered - instead only to grow back in areas outside of where I would need them to (isn't that how it always goes?!). I didn't get the technique and the product right immediately, so there is past photo evidence out there of my brows looking either caterpillar thick (in an attempt to overcompensate for over-tweezing) to pencil thin (bad early 90s trend). I was pretty much filling in the brows before I actually knew how to do it properly, but fortunately, with experimentation and experience, there were gradual improvements.

Aside from the technique, one of the integral components to getting a great set of brows (if you don't have them already naturally) is to buy the right eyebrow fill-in product. I swear by Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown for my own applications and for clients with brown to black hair colour*. The Rimmel pencil in Dark Brown is perfect for a natural eyebrow look. The texture of the pencil is more waxy (and less creamy) which aids in achieving those light, feathery strokes when filling the perfect brow in. It also helps to ensure that the brow is not drawn on too heavy (think of those permanent tattooed brows that look obviously unnatural). The price point of $8 means you don't need to spend an arm and a leg on an expensive 'eyebrow kit' to resurrect your brows to their previous glory.

*The pencil also comes in a Hazel colour for those with lighter coloured hair. For blonde haired ladies, I would suggest an ashy blonde

TIP: Use a matching coloured matte (no sparkles allowed for this one) eyeshadow with an angled brush to blend in the pencil and give it a softer look. The powder also helps to set the look and make sure your great brows take you from morning to evening!

For more tips on how to fill in brows, check out this previous Beauty 101 post on the Power of Good Brows. See the before and after of Cheryl (pictured above).

Here are some of the pics from Marites' bridal trial this weekend. Marites' wedding is coming up this October, and I can't wait to doll up the beauty on her big day!

Q: How often do I need to clean my make-up brushes?

A: It always pays to be hygienic with those make-up brushes you spent last week's pay cheque on because:

1. they'll last longer if you take care of them (I've had some of mine since high school)
2. the bacteria and dirt that can build up is typically not visible to the human eye (unless, you've totally forsaken your brush cleaning and neglected your brushes in some moist, dark corner - if that's the case, then it's time to chuck those and learn some better brush maintenance habits!)

How often to clean them:
If you're using the brushes just on yourself, you don't have to clean them as often as when you're using them on different people. I'm certain we've all been guilty of not washing our personal make-up brushes in a timely manner. But under ideal circumstances, you should wash your brushes that you use with powder products every 2nd day that you use it. Your face will thank you for it, as the brush once cleaned will revert to its smooth feel. For synthetic brushes that you use with cream make-up products, these should be cleaned thoroughly everyday, as they are more prone to bacteria and dirt build-up, as the product used on them is wet.

How to clean the brushes:
You can purchase a brush cleaner or brush cleansing wipes out there from most of the major make-up counters, but I like to use a tip I picked up from from make-up artist Laura Mercier and wash my brushes with dishwashing detergent. I let the brushes air-dry over a sink and then once the brushes are dry, I then spray the brush with 99% alcohol to ward off bacteria and they're good to go for another day!
NOTE: If dishwashing detergent doesn't appeal to your make-up brushing senses, you can also try using hair shampoos - just choose a shampoo product made of more 'natural' ingredients to keep your brushes in their best shape yet!

Products to try:
Sephora Make-up Brush Cleaning Wipes
Japonesque Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner Wipes
Clinique Make-up Brush Cleaner

Price: $20
Where to buy: MAC stores, The Bay
Review: (absolutely) love it

I always speak of my love for cream eyeshadows and a lot of you have been asking what exactly it is that I use and how I actually use it. Enter MAC Paint Pots, a follow-up to MAC Paints, but way more user friendly and easy to work with. With the previous Paints, although the colour was highly pigmented, you had to work with them really quickly or risk the Paint drying unevenly on the suface of the eyelid. The Paint Pot has a similar cream-like texture, but does not dry out as quickly once removed from the container. It glides on smooth, dries to a powdery finish and (my favourite part) helps to keep your eyeshadow creaseproof throughout the day.

I usually choose a neutral coloured Paint Pot and apply it as the initial layer on the eyelids. I then top with powder eyeshadows, blend those and proceed with eyeliner, etc. The great thing about choosing a 'base colour' Paint Pot is that you can layer it under any other eyeshadow colour and it will help the true colour of the eyeshadow come through (versus applying the eyeshadow to bare skin).

I use Paint Pots daily on myself and in all the client applications I do, and I never have to touch up my eyeshadow throughout the day. So yes, it is an extra step in the morning, but it will spare you the hassle of having to troubleshoot creasing eye make-up throughout the day.

Try:
Soft Ochre (for yellow to olive based skin tones)
Bare Study (for lighter skin tones)

p.s. This product is an absolute kit essential!
p.p.s. Note to the make-up gods at MAC: Please give us advance warning if ever you decide to discontinue this one!!

Photo courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

Ever get fed up with an attempt at doing a smoky eye look due to straying bits of dark eyeshadow? Most black eyeshadows, even from higher end lines, tend to flake and get on areas around the eye where we didn't intend for them to be. For instance, the undereye area, which if it's anything like mine, has it's own natural darkness that definitely doesn't need any further shadow enhancement! But rest assured, there are some artist tricks around this. Try a couple of these tips that I stick to in my applications to get a professional smoky look minus the raccoon eye!

1. After applying concealer and foundation, lightly pat some loose translucent eyeshadow on the undereye area to catch any fly-away bits of eyeshadow. You don't need to blend this layer of powder (see the pic above), as it's meant to act as a barrier between the eyeshadow and your skin. The layer can be easily wiped away once you are done applying any dark shadows, and voila! Crisis averted.
Remember: Once you apply powder, your concealer and foundation are set. If you still plan on applying concealer or foundation after the dark eye shadow application, skip this tip.

2. Wet the applicator slightly before you dip it in your dark coloured eyeshadow so that the eyeshadow adheres to it better.

3. Once you have dipped your brush/applicator in the dark coloured eyeshadow, tap away the excess to prevent it from landing where you don't want it to.

4. Try cream eyeshadows. You have to be a lot quicker working with these than powder eyeshadows, but among the benefits of cream eyeshadows is that they last throughout the day and will also stay where you apply it!

If you find that you tend to wipe away your concealer when applying foundation, try these tips:

1. Use a stipple motion when applying concealer and foundation. Use this light patting motion to build up coverage instead of using a wiping motion that tends to wipe away all that you have already applied. Blend, blend, blend.

2. You can apply concealer before or after foundation – just stick to using this stipple method to prevent undoing what you’ve already put on. Some prefer to put on concealer first and then blend the colour of the concealer when applying their foundation. Others prefer to put on foundation first, as they won't have to use as much concealer when applying it after.
Note: If the concealer you use is lighter than your skin tone (i.e. to camouflage dark circles under the eye), then I would recommend applying it before foundation.

3. Use your ring finger (as it has the least amount of intensity and pressure) to blend the delicate area under the eye. The warmth of your finger will help to blend the cream make-up of the undereye area in with the rest of the skin.

4. Set the look with some powder, which seals the look and provides extra staying power. Use a dense brush to lightly dust loose powder all over your face or lightly pat it on with a make-up sponge.

Remember around the eyes especially, you want to use just the right amount of concealer. Otherwise, it will appear 'cakey' (and fakey!) and draw the wrong kind of attention to your eyes!

For maximal coverage for scars and blemishes, try a formula that is more sticky and paste-like in texture. This type of formula is ideal for when you're attempting to conceal oil-prone areas, as liquid concealer is not thick enough and won't give the coverage desired.

Application Tips:

• When covering up acne or older scars, use a q-tip to pat on the paste concealer. You only need a tiny amount to cover the area and the small application are of a q-tip is perfect for this. Using a q-tip will also reduce any acne-producing bacteria from contaminating your concealer brush.
• To apply the concealer, use a stipple motion rather than a wiping motion - doing so ensures you don't wipe off the product you have placed on your face. Blend the outer edges of where you placed the concealer. Set the application with a dusting of translucent powder.
• If you're trying to cover up a scar that is still healing, concentrate some moisturizer on top of the scar, as its texture will tend to be dry and crusty. This will help to smooth the surface of the scar and you can follow the steps above in applying concealer immediately with ease.

See more tips on perfecting the skin here.