There are certain types of make-up products that I would advise splurging on, while for others, going for the deal is definitely recommended! Here's when to dish out the dollars and when to save your bucks:

SPLURGE

Foundation and Powder
When done right, foundation and powder make the skin look absolutely flawless without looking like you have anything on. Part of the trick in making foundation work is narrowing in on the right colour and formula for your skin type (see here for tips on how to pinpoint your colour of choice and here for how to choose the right type for your skin). When the skin is perfected, other make-up is just icing on the cake! Glowing and even skin also gives you a more healthy and youthful appearance - and who doesn't need a little of that every now and then?? Foundation and powder are definitely worth the splurge!
Fave foundations: FACE Atelier, MAC Face and Body, Stila, MAC Studio Fix
Fave powders: Vichy Dermablend Loose Powder, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish

Eyeliner
The more you shell out on an eyeliner, (usually) the better the quality. I consider eyeliner one of those staple items that transforms my look (i.e. I can't live without it!). For an everyday basic, I think eyeliner is worth the splurge.
Fave eyeliners: Make-up Forever Aqua Eyes eyeliners

Lipstick
Lipstick is another product that can dramatically change your look. You just need to do a double-take of that lady you know who wears red lips all the time, and then look again when her lipstick is gone after lunch. Lipstick adds instant pop to the face and one tube can last you quite a long time. For another staple product that you would apply everyday, you might as well treat yourself - opt for a quality lipstick that is highly pigmented, lasts long and moisturizes all in one!

STEAL

Mascara
For a product that should be replaced every 3 months, mascara is definitely one item that you should go for the deal on. There are plenty of great mascaras out there to choose from and the beauty is that you can try them all until you zone in on your fave!
Fave mascaras: L'oreal Voluminous, Cover Girl Lash Blast, Maybelline Great Lash Mascara

Eyebrow Pencil / Eyebrow Kit
You don't need to dish out on an expensive eyebrow kit to achieve your best brows yet! Some of my fave eyebrow pencils come courtesy of Rimmel, available at your local drugstore. You can even make your own "eyebrow kit", by pulling out an angled brush and browsing through the eyeshadows you already own. For dark brown to black hair brows, choose a black brown eyeshadow in a matte texture. For lighter haired brows, choose either a taupe or a hazel colour also in a matte texture. Use the technique described here to perfect the brows.
Fave eye pencils: Rimmel

Highlighting Eyeshadow
You would likely spend more on an eyeshadow because you were looking for either a trendy, well-pigmented and creaseproof colour. Highlighting eyeshadow is typically applied to areas that aren't prone to creasing (i.e. atop the browbone) so you don't necessarily have to worry about it being 'crease-proof'. Go for the deal here and instead save those dollars towards higher end eyeshadows in deeper/bolder colours that are long-lasting and crease-resistant.

Gloss
I haven't met a gloss that I didn't want to touch up after half a day's wear. Even the overly sticky glosses that are meant to be long-lasting still look and feel better on the lips within 3 to 4 hours of a new application. Save on gloss to stock up on different types or to indulge in other make-up products!

Another pic from the photography workshop last week - this time courtesy of Steve. Our model, Erin, has such gorgeous features and huuuge eyes - I could play make-up with with her all day! Looking forward to the next time :)Make-up: Rhia Amio (www.artistrhi.com)
Photo: Steve
Model: Erin

This week I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the lovely Emily at a bridal trial for her upcoming wedding next June 2009. Emily had me laughing throughout the entire session even though it was our first time meeting! It's moments like this when I have the chance to connect with clients who let me in on their special day that make me sincerely appreciative of being able to do what I love. So, thank you Emily and all the brides that have contributed to who and where I am today. Next year's shaping up to be another great one in make-up already! For now, here are some pics from my fun night with Emily:

Now that a fantastic wedding season has quieted down, I've been trying to work on more creatives with photographers and models. Here are some pics from a photography workshop I helped out with last week. These wonderful captures come courtesy of Dave Abreu:Make-up: Rhia Amio (www.artistrhi.com)
Photo and Post-Processing: Dave Abreu Photography
Models: Joanna (top pic), Sterling (bottom pic)

Check out Make-up Junkie's extensive post on the gift of gloss this upcoming season! I got to test-run Benefit's Peace, Love & Glossiness set and it's definitely an item that will be on many a wish list. Gloss on!
Benefit's Peace, Love and Glossiness makes the perfect Christmas gift of gloss this holiday season! Lip gloss fanatics and Makeup Junkies will love the set of 3 gloss duos that contain 6 of Benefit’s most popular lips glosses with such irresistable names: 1. My people, Your people, 2. Talk To My Agent, 3. 24K, 4. Who Does Your Work?, 5. Magic, and 6. Kiss You.

Shine-on with Smart Packaging
I test ran the lip glosses this week wearing it from my daytime job to a night out. I did touch up mid-day after lunch to keep the lips looking glossy-fresh. The shine of one application was just right for an all-day look and perfectly suitable for a corporate office, where you may want to ensure co-workers are not distracted by over-glossed and gooey lips. What's great is that you can easily change up your look for evening with any of the alternate glosses in the set, and all you have to carry is one tube for 2 different looks! Well, unless of course you’re a super junkie and want all 6 glosses handy!! (Guilty as charged).

Stick factor
The glosses have just the right amount of stick to give a great shine, keep the product where it belongs, and not catch your hair as it blows in the wind! The downside of not being too sticky is that a midday touch-up is likely necessary, as the product will tend to wear away sooner than an overly sticky gloss.

Smell
It does have a slight fragrance-y smell that was initially noticeable. I tend to use products without fragrance (as a personal preference), but overall the smell was negligible and not unpleasant.

Benefit's Peace, Love & Glossiness set is limited edition only and at a steal of price of $30 for the six glosses, it's surely not going to stay on store shelves very long! It definitely makes a great gift, but be careful when buying it that you don’t end up keeping it for yourself!

Available at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart or online at www.benefitcosmetics.com

Read the full post at Make-up Junkie.