I’ve been using Studio Scuplt Foundation for over a month now since its release and the verdict? I’m loving it! The cream foundation glides on smooth and blends well without much effort. Coverage is easily buildable and produces a finish that’s medium to heavy with the more layers you apply. You literally only need a pea-sized drop from the tube to give the face moderate coverage, which is a nice quick fix when putting on my “out-in-public” face on in the morning! When layered on, I prefer the look Studio Scuplt provides over the other staple heavier coverage MAC foundations in my kit (Full Coverage and Studio Fix). With Studio Sculpt, the buildable coverage doesn’t give the face the undesirable flat, matte look – just flawless skin! For those light days when you prefer a sheer and dewy look to your foundation, the formula can easily be thinned out by mixing in a tiny bit of moisturizer.

As for Studio Sculpt Concealer, I found the formula to be too tacky for my liking. The product lasted well on blemishes, but was difficult to work with when applying to the undereye area (my main area of concern when evaluating to see if a concealer "works" for me). Studio Sculpt likely just wasn’t the best concealer for me, as the skin under my eyes has changed from my teens and early 20s (with age, sun exposure, lack of sleep, etc., etc.). The sticky paste formula would blend best on someone with a smooth undereye surface, but I definitely need more “slip” from my concealer. Nonetheless, Studio Sculpt is a great concealer product hiding imperfections well - I just need a little more work!

ARTIST TIP: If your undereyes are similar to mine and are more crepey (ugh, that sounds terrible. Let’s say “have more character”), stick to a concealer formula that has more “slip” (i.e. liquid-based) to help prevent the product from creasing into fine lines around the eye. Yes, character indeed.

Related posts:
BEAUTY 101 | All About Foundation
BEAUTY 101 | The Basics of Concealer

artistrhi.com photo update! Check out a creative shoot from this past weekend with Erin and Ian. Most of the shoot was actually outdoors on a typically freezing day in February (if you can remember last Saturday in Toronto, it was a balmy -25 degrees Celsius!), but you can't tell it from looking at these awesome shots (thanks to everyone that participated--you were all such good sports!).

Talent behind the lens for the set is the lovely Jennifer Mong. I'm looking forward to working with these guys again! (...but let's wait until May...right, guys?) :)

Check out the wedding portfolio at www.artistrhi.com, for a recently updated view of Emily’s wedding in September. I absolutely love the creative and unique touch of Emily’s wedding photographers, LifeImages (so many great shots, amazing photography style). The bridal portraits are some of my favourites; they have an aesthetic and artful quality that not only make a great photo, but truly showcase Emily’s beauty. I could go on and on about how essential having an awesome wedding day photographer (like LifeImages) is, but check out Emily’s album to let the photography speak for itself! Be sure to visit LifeImages for more inspiration!

Q: hi Rhia, I saw your post about Crown Brushes and was wondering what's your opinion of Crown brushes now that you've had the chance to use them for a while? I'm hoping to build a brush collection for my own everyday use, so I was wondering if I should buy Crown or maybe get brushes from Sephora or MAC? What do you think?

A: Thanks for the question! I still like the brushes for the original purpose I had bought them – to build my make-up artist kit and have back-up brushes for consecutive appointments. After getting the chance to work with them, it turns out my favourites from what I purchased are the foundation brush, large powder brush and kabuki brush. The brushes apply and blend product well, and feel smooth against the skin. One thing I did note when washing the large-sized brushes (blush brush, powder brush) was that the dye bleeds slightly once wet. Small price to pay for such an affordable line of brushes!

For your own personal use, it doesn't hurt to invest in a really good set of quality brushes. They feel better on your skin (and your skin deserves to be pampered!). As long as you properly take care of the brushes, they will last you a long time. You can find great quality brushes through Crown, Sephora, MAC and other department store brands. My first two professional brushes ever are by MAC and were given as a gift to me back in high school. The brushes are still in good condition to this day, and I’ve obviously gotten great use out of them as high school was a long time ago! For the larger sized brushes especially (i.e. powder, blush brushes), you'll feel and see the difference in how the make-up is applied. For that reason alone, quality brushes are definitely worth the investment!

Be sure to check out these sites/stores:
MAC Cosmetics
Industry Cosmetics (for Crown Brushes)
Sephora

Related posts:
PRODUCT REVIEW | Splurge vs. Steal Part I - Face Brushes
PRODUCT REVIEW | Splurge vs. Steal Part II - Eye Make-up Brushes
KIT ESSENTIAL | Essential Brushes

Up here in the Great North, we're just getting past our (hopefully) last taste of winter. But worldwide, fashion houses are setting the scene for what looks we'll be after come Fall 2009! We go backstage with MAC Cosmetics for this sneak preview Fall 2009 beauty trends:
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RUNWAY BEAUTY TREND: Gray LipsGray-toned lips (Doo-Ri, Rodarte) were the answer to the goth-hot black lips that dominated runways last year. At Doo.ri, MAC Pro Artist Tom Pecheux mixed Black Lipmix with concealer to achieve a gray colour for the lips. (An actual gray lipstick? That remains to be seen!)

From Runway to Realway:
Now, runway looks aren't necessarily intended to look great on the everyday woman, but in this case, even a supermodel hardly makes a gray colour "work". Wear gray on the nails and on the eyes (like at Badgley Mischka), but please let's reserve this look for the runway.

photo on right: www.fashionindie.com

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RUNWAY TREND: Red Lips
At Ruffian, face make-up was clean in order to set the focus on stand-out red lips.

From Runway to Realway:
To me, red lips are a look that never go out of style. Pair it with a stroke of liquid liner on the top lash line and defined lashes for a classic glam look.

photo on right: www.wwd.com

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RUNWAY TREND: Brown Eyeshadow and Clean Skin
Donna Karan is known for her New Yorker practical chic approach to fashion, and the same modus operandi reflected in the runway make-up for her Fall 2009 collection. The focus of the runway make-up look was flawless skin, highlighted with neutral eyes and lips. MAC Pro Artist Charlotte Tilbury used Copper Walnut Pro Gloss mixed with a Bit of Reflects Gold for a fresh look on the eyes.

From Runway to Realway:
DK's runway make-up look is easily achievable - you can likely get the look with products that you already have at home. Use a cream eyeshadow (try MAC Paints) as a base before applying neutral eyeshadow all across the lid. The cream eyeshadow will reduce the chance of your eyeshadow creasing by day's end!

photo on right: www.instyle.com

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RUNWAY TREND: Flashback 80s
Kohl-rimmed eyes are always a great look for the fall season. For Fall 2009, the eyes at Nicole Miller made a bold statement with electric blue eyeshadow. MAC Pro Artist James Kaliardo achieved the look by using MAC Pro Marine Blue Ultra Paint Stick as a base, and then blending MAC Freshwater and Atlantic eyeshadows over the lids.

From Runway to Realway:
Yes, you can wear blue eyeshadow. Save it for a fun night out or opt for a subtle blue eyeliner look for daytime. Pair the look with neutral pink lips to keep the look balanced.

photo on right: www.instyle.com