Q: I really appreciate your review on Vichy's Dermablend Concealer, and I'm excited I stumbled upon your blog! It looks very fun and informative. I do have a question on this concealer. I would love to purchase it, but I'm unsure which shade to get. I'm Asian, but not with pale light skin, yet not exactly considered dark. Just very typical Chinese. Would you recommend the light, or the nude? For concealers, is it safer to go lighter or darker, or are either bad? Thanks!
-nudeface

A: Thanks for the wonderful comments and question. Unfortunately, it's difficult for me to recommend which concealer colour you should use without seeing you in person! But with concealer, going lighter is absolutely fine, provided that it is only a couple of shades from your own skin tone. The reason people primarily choose a lighter toned concealer is to brighten dark undereye areas. With this method, you still have to be sure to blend your skin tone matching foundation atop so that the colour on the face is seamless. If you are trying to conceal blemishes, I would choose a concealer colour that matches your skin tone exactly. Using a lighter toned concealer on this area of the skin would only serve to highlight the uneven surface. Be sure to blend well around the edges for a flawless finish.

I'm of Asian background myself and I mix #20 Nude and #30 Medium to get the right shade for covering up the prominent circles under my eyes. I use the #30 Medium on its own to cover up blemishes. Yes, it's a bit more pricey buying two concealers versus one, but investing in quality foundations and concealers is definitely worth the splurge! Think of it this way: you'll have twice as much product to work with and it will last you that much longer!

Oh the ways I rationalize my love for make-up! Hope this helps!

Related posts:
PRODUCT REVIEW | Vichy Concealer
PRODUCT REVIEW | Concealer is a Girl's Best Friend

Check out artistrhi.com for a recent creative with the gorgeous April that couldn't have been done without the help of these talented folks:
Photography by Jeff Hui
Hair by Dayle Doyle
Make-up by Rhia Amio

If you’re having visions of your mom wearing her Sunday’s best on Easter when I say the word ‘pastels’ – never fear – pastels can be modern too!! Shades like wasabi green and pale pink are the latest shades making waves for spring 2009.

How to Apply:
Working with pastels is super easy, the lightly shaded range of colours are a breeze to blend and not as obvious (as darker eyeshadows) if they start to crease. I like to always begin eyeshadow application by first layering on a neutral-toned cream eyeshadow as a base (see here for more info on cream eyeshadows). Use a brush or a sponge-tip applicator to deposit the majority of the pastel eyeshadow atop the eyelid, and soften the edges by blending into the crease. Apply eyeliner as desired (try a cat eye look to really be in tune with the season’s trends). Curl your lashes and apply two coats of mascara.

Complete the Look:
For the runway look, the rest of the face was kept quite neutral - even the lips were downplayed with concealer applied atop. To interpret the look for the realway, we want to avoid looking washed out and add some definition. Dust on a contouring powder or neutral coloured blush, and top the lips off with a pale pink gloss…and voila - pretty in pastel!

Artist Tip:
One of my fave pastel palettes is by Dior in Mystic Jade (as pictured above). The great thing about going pastel is that you don't necessarily have to purchase it from a department store; you can easily score some deals on products in your local drugmart!

One lucky artistrhi reader will have the chance to win a limited edition bottle from the ck one relaunch (approximate retail value of $50CAD). See further details below.

The iconic and unisex fragrance, ck One, relaunches this week!

ck one is inspired by a social movement of people coming together across geography, gender and culture.

ck one always has and continues now, to inspire confidence and encourage a connection with others, being part of a group.

ck one is accessible, universal and easy to wear.

The limited edition bottle is decorated with the words "we are one" in numerous languages. The packaging is complete with a set of MP3 speakers to reinforce the idea of coming together, through the common and universal language of music.

I remember ck One from way back in high school, when it was the fragrance that everyone was wearing or the one that everyone wanted to wear! It's like a trip down memory lane looking at this re-launch!

Contest Details
To be eligible to win the limited edition ck One bottle, all participants must complete the following steps:

1. Get connected.
Become ONE with artistrhi by doing at least one of the following:
a). Join artistrhi on facebook.
b). Follow artistrhi on twitter.
c). Subscribe to artistrhi by RSS feed or by email.

2. Email me.
Drop an email to rhia@artistrhi.com with the subject line "ck One Relaunch Contest" and indicate which of step 1 you did!

NOTES:
Contest open to Canadian residents only. Contest closes on March 29th at 11:00PM EST. Winner will be chosen by random draw and contacted via email on March 30th .

Contest giveaway courtesy of COTY and usapress.com.

See more on ck One:
ck One on Facebook
ck One on YouTube

I know we’re all our own worst critics, but I have serious undereye circles that long for make-up attention. Needless to say, I’ve spent the equivalent to what most people would spend on make-up in total on buying and trying out different concealers. You name it, I’ve probably tried it – at the department store and drugstore level! After much experimentation, here are the concealers that have become staples in my kit (…and yes, I use more than just one!)

Vichy Dermablend ConcealerThe smooth cream concealer offers opaque coverage - you only need a tiny drop to cover up the entire undereye area. As the formula is a bit thicker, women with fine lines should not overdo the amount of application. Cakey undereye make-up can actually defeat the purpose of our concealer application, serving to actually highlight our problem area. The cream formula does double duty, working well to cover up blemishes all day long.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer #3Renowned make-up Laura Mercier is known worldwide for her “flawless face” approach to make-up. Mercier knows that great make-up starts with a great base...and once the skin is in check, the rest of the face is icing on the cake! Laura Mercier’s Secret Concealer has become part of my daily routine. The putty-like texture of the concealer glides on smoothly to help brighten up my undereye area, giving great coverage without looking cakey. I adore the "slip" of this concealer – you have some time to work with it before it sets in. I find application works best with my most accessible tool – my fingers! The warmth of the fingers helps to you mold the concealer as you desire and blend it seamlessly into the skin. The aptly named concealer helps me keep my secret indeed!

Stila Perfecting ConcealerStila concealers are slightly more liquid in texture, but can still give the heavier coverage that is characteristic of a cream concealer. Stila’s liquid concealer is perfect for under the eyes and concealing prominent dark circles. This concealer also has just the right amount of “slip”, melting into the skin easily but still providing extensive coverage. Stila's Perfecting Concealer comes in a broad range of concealer to suit a variety of skin tones.

YSL Touche EclatThe cult classic and industry favourite, YSL Touche Eclat, is celebrated by beauty editors, models, make-up artists and make-up enthusiasts alike! The sleek gold encased packaging of the concealer pump pen is a prelude of the luxury product within. Just press the bottom pump to release the concealer product on the brush end. The synthetic fibre brush is super-soft on the skin, and perfect for applying to the delicate eye area. The concealer formula itself is lightweight and blends well on undereyes of all ages. Touche Eclat doubles as a highlighter pen: dab it on the tops of the brows, the bridge of the nose, and atop the cheekbones to further soften the focus away from those undereye circles.