They're back!!! E-shoots with Claudia Hung, that is!! :)

Check out Claud's gorgeous shots of newlyweds-to-be, Anna and Andrew. I've met with Anna and Andrew a couple of times now to do Anna's make-up, and they're such a cute AND fun pair. These pics were taken just this past weekend (on a cccold Sunday in February!), and you would never know the freezing temperatures from looking at the pics of these two!

Awesome job, guys - looking forward to the Big Day in March!! :)

Photo: Claudia Hung (www.claudiahungweddings.com)
Make-up: Rhia Amio (www.artistrhi.com)

The on-set of spring make-up collections usually signals a return to colour. As much as I love the drama of fall/winter make-up collections, I also love the bright pops of colour that go hand-in-hand with spring make-up.

Some of Spring 2010 top make-up trends include:
1. the 'no make-up' make-up look
2. bright pops of colour on the eyes (not pastel, but more vivid like turquoise, orange, pinks and violets)
3. orangey-red or mauve on the lips

Thankfully, I know I can always rely on MAC for gorgeous colour combinations no matter what the season. The latest sets from MAC's Spring Forecast are no exception - you're bound to find a colour to suit your mood and/or your spring wardrobe! With MAC's Spring Forecast, you can choose a nail polish, gloss or shadow (and more) from the colour sets of Coral, Pink, Yellow or Plum to keep you right on track with the season's top trends!

Some of the samples that came my way included:

MAC Eyeshadow in Nanogold

Nanogold is a pale creamy yellow eyeshadow with flecks of pink. This subtle shade makes a perfect complement for Spring's 2010 'no make-up' look. It adds just the right amout of shimmer to accentuate that au naturel 'no make-up' glow.

MAC Tinted Lipglass in Kumquat and Hush, Hush Rose

Kumquat, a frosty light tangerine gloss, also goes well with spring's 'no make-up' make-up look, but is also a great alternative to wearing the season's bold orangey-red lip trend. Pair this peach gloss with a coloured lid for a modernized Spring 2010 look.

Tinted Lipglass in Hush, Hush Rose is a gorgeous berry pink with pearl. Pair this gloss with a bold, winged-eye look for an alternate spring look that's still in tune with the season's trends!

Whatever your selection, there's definitely something for everyone in MAC's Spring Forecast. Of course, it's limited edition so get it before it's gone!

My latest Q&A on the wnetwork.com discusses what make-up to wear while working out.

Guilty as charged - I've been known to wear make-up to the gym (when I did go lol!), and I know I'm not the only one out there that did so! There are definitely some recommendations for make-up do's and don'ts at the gym - check out the Q&A to keep looking good during and after your work-out!

Check out my latest Q&A on the wnetwork on how to cover up acne with make-up! (You know we all do it!)

I know it's bad, and as much as I've resolved against it, I'll be probably be forever poking at my acne (likely until my hormones wear out!). Needless to say, I've had to find the products that truly work when it comes to covering up acne (at all its different stages...and when I've made it worse from picking at it)! Two of my favourite tried and test concealers (that also help me hide my bad habit of picking) are:

1. Vichy Dermablend Concealer
Vichy Dermablend Concealer is a full-coverage concealer that glides on to give opaque-can't-see-the-redness coverage. The creamy consistency dries to a matte finish, and has the right amount of stick to hold onto pimples that are in the early, oily stages of their span. It comes through for me where many other concealers have failed, and also makes my skin appear normal on those problematic days. Hello, love!

2. Stila Perfecting Concealer
Stila Perfecting Concealer is packed with pigment, meaning you only need a tiny dot size for full-on coverage. The initial application is a bit wet, but dries to a semi-matte finish. I find it ideal for use when the skin around the pimple is a bit dry (or in the healing stages) of its lifespan. Versus Vichy's Dermablend, Stila's doubles better as an undereye concealer, as it has more slip.

Of course, you'll find both concealers in my kit...you know, just in case :)

Hope for Haiti - Beauty Benefit Fundraiser in Toronto from Spencer Fu on Vimeo.

I'm very happy to report that our Hope for Haiti Beauty Benefit last Sunday was an absolute success!! From the feedback from our participants and volunteers to the amount of money raised - everyone really came together to have a ton of beauty fun while giving to a very worthwhile cause.

Five hours later, a grand total of $2,354 was raised at the Beauty Benefit for the Canadian Red Cross...and with the Canadian government matching individual donations until Feb. 12th, that total doubled to $4,708 towards Haiti relief efforts. We were hoping to raise a base total of $1,500 with the fundraiser, but the day and everyone there really went above and beyond our expectations! Amazing!

Photos courtesy of Spencer Fu and Julie Isip

The success of the day would not have been possible without the generous efforts of all our volunteers. A huge, heartfelt thank you to our awesome volunteer crew (of make-up artists, hair stylists, photographers, family members, friends, significant others, a cupcake baker and a florist!) that all helped to pull the day off! We're missing some key peeps in the following shot, but here are some of the Hope for Haiti's gracious volunteers:

photo by Spencer Fu

The beginnings of the Beauty Benefit all started out as a simple tweet to which the response was overwhelming and inspiring! There were clearly many of us out there that wanted to find a way to somehow actively help Haiti, rather than just passively donate money. As creative types, we realized how fortunate and thankful we were to be able to do what we love, but to also have choice in doing so.

With the Beauty Benefit, our collective aim was to take action and share what we love to do with those in our local community, while also raising funds and awareness towards relief efforts in Haiti. Sometimes we can take a cue from the good intentions of children selling lemonade for charity on the neighbourhood street corner...and this Beauty Benefit was our way of 'selling lemonade' as adults. :)

My hope is that actions like this can demonstrate how each of us can each help our local and global community in our own different ways. Following the success of our Hope for Haiti Beauty Benefit, I really hope that an event like this can become an annual affair for different worthwhile causes.

For more on the amazing people behind the event, check out below (click and enlarge):

Thank you for making the Hope for Haiti Beauty Benefit a success!

See also:
Spencer Fu's blog post on Hope for Haiti Beauty Benefit