Love for lips

Hey beauties, a few weeks ago I had some ideas for creative lip looks using lipstick and pigments and glitter. I was actually doing it for my new banner but Mo and I decided it would make more sense to show my face rather than my lips. For the looks I kind of wanted it to be a celebration of full lips. I know many black women who shy away from wearing a  certain colour lipstick or lipgloss because they have full lips. I used to be like that too but I've learned to embrace them because hey other women pay some doctor to inject stuff in their lips and I was given mine for free. For me picking lipstick or a lip colour is all about my skin tone. If it doesn't look good with my skin tone then I don't get it, not the size of my lips. One thing I do though is shy away from glossy lips and stick more to matte colours because gloss tends to emphasize your lips more. Ladies love your lips. Go out and get a red or pink lip colour you never thought you could wear. It's all about confidence when you wear bright colours, you have to know you look good in it or the colour will wear you and not the other way around.

 LOOK 1- Disco Fever

 This was Revlon VaVa Voilet lipstick topped with MAC All of my purple life lipglass and add some pink glitter to a clear lipgloss.

LOOK 2- Cheetah

 For this, I took a MAC Mini Pigment in Rushmetal and Gold Mode mixed with clear lipgloss with a Loreal liquid eyeliner for the black circles

LOOK 3- Candy Lips

 For this look, I had no idea how it would turn out. I mixed MAC magenta madness pigment with some fuchsia glitter from coastalscents and it came out more red than magenta. For the blue, I mixed some blue ultramarine oxide from coastalscents with some of my NYX Pearl Pigment (its deep sparkly blue can't remember the name), together with some clear gloss and it came out light blue. Then I just used NYX Jumbo pencil in Milk for the white lines.

LOOK 4: Ladybug

 I used a red lipstick on top and black liquid liner for the spots. The bottom I used an eye khol as the base and topped it with black lipstick and for the spots I used a red lip enamel from Stila from the Barbie collection.

Stay Beautiful and be creative!

Makeup Forever HD Foundation Review

Hi Beauties,
So I went to a Makeup Forever (MUFE) event at Sephora last Friday where they get makeup artists to try on MUFE products on you. Mo got her eyes done and I learnt something from the MUA about how blue mascara can make your eyes pop. Will have to try that. She said she loved working on darker skin tones because you can get to do so much which I totally agree. I wanted to try MUFE HD Foundation and perhaps one of their rouge artist intense lipsticks in red.  I love my MUFE Mat Velvet but it's a bit heavier than the HD foundation. The MUA put the foundation in 173 on me very lightly but there was something about how natural it looks on me and it felt like i wasn't wearing anything AT ALL. My skin also looked radiant, not glowing but just radiant. I was hooked. I wanted something that actually made a difference when I take photos and I was convinced this was it. Only drawback is the price tag- its a real investment at $46 CAD. The MUA and I got to talking about the industry of course and how she works freelance for NARS and MUFE,  that would be my dream job. I told her about my blog and she said she would check it out. Oh I also made another investment in two MUFE blush powder/ eyeshadow in 92 which is an intense purple and 18 which is a bright orange colour.
 Here are my before and after pics (that day I left home with no makeup except my brows done.)

At Sephora 

Works well on camera

3 everyday makeup looks

Hi Beauties, I have a backlog of faces of the day posts. So I'll try to break down a few of my looks and outfits of the past few weeks. Guess what? I start Cosmetology School in T-1 day. Too excited!!! I have been down lately, guess I am homesick but I am so ready to do this.

LOOK 1: Everyday radiant and glowing look

Face: MAC Studio Fix Liquid Foundation with SPF 15 in NW43.

Cheeks: Coastalscents bronzer in Dark with NARS Exhibit A

Eyes: MAC Mini pigment in Gold Mode (or gold stroke) with the darkest colour in a Rimmel smokey eye Quad in the corner. Calvin Klein Ultimate gel eyeliner in Black Ice. Have to do  review on this. Maybelline Great lash mascara.

Lips: MAC "O" Lipstick

LOOK 2: Neutral eyes with radiant Skin

Face: Makeup Forever HD Foundation in 173. I love this foundation. It is so light and my skin looks so radiant. Review coming.

Cheeks: NARS Exhibit A with MAC Margin Blush a highlighter and Coastalscents Bronzer in Dark.

Eyes: Rimmel Smokey Eye Quad with Annabelle liquid eyeliner in Black out and Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. Primed the eyes with NYX High definition eye base.

Lips: MAC "O"- my new fav everyday lipstick. Can see why this colour is the most popular at the MAC at Hali Shopping Centre.

My outfit

LOOK 3: Changing up a red lip with gold lipgloss

FACE: MUFE Mat Velvet Foundation in 70 with MAC studio fix foundation plus powder NW43.

Cheeks: Hard Candy tropics bronzer

EYES: MAC Amberlights eyeshadow with embark in the outer V.

LIPS: LA Colour red lip pencil with MAC Desire lipglass and Stila 24 kt lipgloss over it.

My outfit

Lawtons and Walmart Beauty Haul

Hi Beauties, I am always looking for affordable quality beauty products and last week I found some good deals at Lawton's Drugstore and Walmart for less than $60 I got alot of good products.

Entire Haul was less than $60.

NYX Single Eyeshadow (forgot the name) Its a navy blue with some silver and gray shimmer. Great for a smokey eye. $6.99 at Lawton's

Revlon Electric Pink and Coral Me Wild Nail Polishes from Walmart $3.98 each and OPI nail polish (don't remember the name) Its a great colour for fall. $4.99 at Lawton's.

L'oreal Colour juice nude lipglosses in caramel and passion fruit. $2.25 each on sale at Lawton's. Love the smell and great neutral glosses for everyday.

Maybelline Great lash Mascara in Blackest Black. $4 on sale at walmart. This is a classsic- a must have in your collection. I love the small wand size because it doesn't give you spider lashes.

Hard Candy Sheer Envy Skin Perfecting Primer $7.98 at walmart. Its light and goes on so smooth like silk. Great value.

Caboodles Makeup train from walmart for $19.99. Great deal. It holds almost all of my makeup that I use regularly.

Remember that good products don't have to cost a fortune next time you are shopping.

Fashion Show Beauty

Hi Beauties, Last week Sunday I got asked to be one of the makeup artists at the Fashion and Design Festival Fashion Show at Historic Properties at the Halifax Waterfront. Thanks to Mo who featured a new line of clutches (which I loved) I was one of 4 makeup artists there with Ria, Megan and Anna- Marie. There were three featured designers- Mo, Rebecca and John David along with some retailers. The atmosphere backstage was intense. I've worked behind the scenes at beauty pageants before but backstage at a fashion show is more intense. There is never enough time to fix the hair or reapply the lipstick because the models would be running back to get back on the runway. I even did hair that day, it was just a simple messy bun. lol


For Mo's models She wanted a cat eye with a bright lip so each of the artist came up with great ideas like orange, green, turquoise, purple glitter and tangerine-gold with some very flirty cat eyes.

MO'S RUNWAY LOOKS

The cat eye and the bright lip

DOING HAIR

Rebecca, one of the designers, Mo and her models and Mo and I and me doing one of Rebecca's models. She wanted lush lashes and a pretty face with nude lips.

Mo and her models with her clutches, Rebecca and her models, Laurie's look that I did for Rebecca's show. Rebecca's designs were so wearable and trendy. Loved it.

I had fun even though it was intense and fast paced behind the scenes. It was really an adrenaline rush. I would love to do it again. 

Oh and that fringed purse by Mo is mine!

Straight to wavy hair

Hi Beauties,

So I decided to dust off my 3 barrel waver and give myself a wavy hairstyle pictured above. All you need to do this is:

• 3 barrel waver from Gold N Hot Ceramic Professional Tools
• Shine/ straightening/ protective or thermal serum. I used Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine serum.
• Holding/hair spray. I used Mizani Aerofixx Holding Spray
• Sectioning clips or hair pins to hold the hair
• Big tooth comb or just use your fingers to comb through

It takes about 30-45 mins to do medium length hair. For longer hair it could take more time so this isn't something you want to do every day.

STEP 1: Start with clean dry hair. Apply your shine or thermal protective serum which ever brand all over your hair. Then section the hair about 1/2 inch thick. I start from the back and work my way to the top. 

STEP 2: Apply hairspray to the section, just about 2 pumps. Then place the 3 barrel waver at the top of the section and hold for about 1-2 mins. Push the section of hair closer to the head, this helps to hold the wave pattern. Continue adding waves to the section of the hair till you get to the end.

NB: If you are wearing a weave or extensions, make sure its human hair or can take heat. I use the waver at about 350 degrees.

STEP 3: Continue sectioning the hair and applying hairspray to each section to hold the wave then use the 3 barrel waver from root to end of the section. Move from the back of the head to the top then both sides. This should take about 45 mins with medium length hair.

STEP 4: Now that you have completed your entire head. Take the big tooth comb and comb thru the waves or you can use your fingers. This will separate the waves and add volume.

I did the bangs to c how it would look.

If you are interested in getting a 3 barrel waver you can try walmart, target, amazon.com or folica.com.

Sephora Halifax Grand Opening

Hi Beauties

A few weeks ago Mo and I woke up early in the am to be first in line at the Sephora opening at the Halifax Shopping Centre. We got there before the mall officially opened only to find out there were scores of women who got there first. lol  For those of you who don't know Sephora- it is not only the leading chain of perfume and cosmetics stores in France, it's also a powerful beauty presence in 24 other countries. In the United States and Canada, there are over 280 Sephora stores and over 270 Sephora inside JCPenney stores.  Mo introduced me to another blogger from the Fax, Dana- her blog is http://youlookfiiine.wordpress.com/. Check it out. The line was crazy so I decided I woudn't stand up in the check out line just for one thing which was the Makeup Forever MUFE HD Foundation ($46) which I am dying to try. I spent most of my time at the MUFE section picking out aqualiners and lipsticks for future purchases. Sephora carries a wide array of high to low end brands along with their own sephora brand- NARS, Urban Decay, Clinique, Hello Kitty, MUFE etc.  One brand I was looking for I didnt see which is Illamasqua. I guess I have to go back to check. So besides the grand opening line dance and the ribbon cutting and the tons of eager women, it was like any other typical Sephora store. So I have a MUFE event to attend with Mo on Friday where I guess they spend 15 mins with you trying on different MUFE products. Can't wait.  Oh one funny thing is that Sephora is right across from MAC and apparently some of the MAC artists are now working at Sephora.  I still visit MAC quite often though :) Go check out the store if you're in the area.

I would love to work there but those uniforms are hideous lol

Spent most of my time at the MUFE section lol

We went on a ferry ride after the opening

Funny story, we went thrifting at Value Village and coming off the escalator at the Ferry Terminal, my dress got stuck in the rolling stairs. I thought I was going to be eaten or stripped naked. lol. My dress had to be cut out after trying to find a scissors by a nice gentleman who informed me that my maxi dress with piece missing at the bottom would now become the latest fashion trend. Mo stood there and laughed while trying to pull my dress free.

My new fashion trend. This maxi dress will now become  a mini dress.